Regional

By KRWG News

Texas – When Corpus Christi Judge Rose Vela sought an appointment to the Texas Supreme Court, her husband turned to a friend and ally of GOP Gov. Rick Perry.

But Filemon "Fil" Vela said he was dismayed by what Cameron County Judge Cascos told him: He needed to publicly disavow his support of Perry rival Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, get on the Perry re-election bandwagon, and give the governor some campaign money.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – White Sands Missile Range has begun releasing nonessential personnel and the wind conditions have caused damage.

High winds at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) tore the roof from the range's Directorate of Plans Training Mobilization and Security building (which acts as the post's police station) at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. Everyone was safely evacuated from the building. Two people were treated for injuries at WSMR's McAfee Army Health Clinic and released. Police services remained operational from an alternate location.

By KRWG News

Deming – Deming's mayor and other officials are planning a town hall meeting to discuss "Keeping Kids Safe in a Digital Age."

Mayor Andres Silva said the meeting grew out of discussions from the Mayor's Round-table, a monthly session of invited students and community officials.

Silva said he is concerned with the use of digital devices to transmit messages and pictures called 'sexting.' He said parents, guardians and children may not realize their actions could have serious ramifications.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – From Virgin Galactic:

Virgin Founder, Sir Richard Branson and SpaceshipOne (SS1) designer, Burt Rutan, have introduced the world's first manned commercial spaceship (SS2) to the public. It is expected that SS2 will be used at New Mexico's Spaceport America.

SS2 has been designed to take many thousands of private astronauts into space after test programming and all required U.S. government licensing has been completed.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Gov. Bill Richardson is revising a schedule for unpaid furloughs for state government workers.

Richardson said Monday that one furlough day will be March 5 rather than Dec. 31. Without the change, three consecutive paychecks of government workers would have been reduced because of furloughs.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – New Mexico State head football coach DeWayne Walker announced that offensive coordinator Timm Rosenbach and running back coach Earnest Wilson will not return for the 2010 season.

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Las Cruces Police are investigating an armed robbery that was reported Monday morning at the Mesilla Valley Mall.

Shortly before 10 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 7, police were called to the delivery dock near the Famous Footwear store where an employee was assaulted and held up by two juvenile boys. One of the boys threatened the employee with a knife and cut the victim's hand during the incident.

The victim's injury is not life-threatening.

By KRWG News

Santa Teresa – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at El Paso area ports of entry made one cocaine and several marijuana seizures during the last week. CBP officers confiscated a total of 53 pounds of cocaine and 1,156 pounds of marijuana. CBP officers working at ports of entry in the El Paso area seized 677 pounds of cocaine in all of fiscal year 2009.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – The Las Cruces City Council has voted to impose an ordinance against cell phone use while driving. KRWG's Vanessa Dabovich reports

By KRWG News

Las Cruces – Every Monday at 7:51am, Fred Martino speaks with Las Cruces Sun News Business Editor Brook Stockberger.

By Melissa Aguilera

Las Cruces, NM – The U-S Census Bureau is making special efforts this time around with several groups including the tribal nations of the U.S. KRWG's Melissa Aguilera reports.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Sen. Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall have asked Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to extend the deadline that New Mexico be in compliance with the REAL ID law.

The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress on the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission.

It prohibits federal agencies from accepting a driver's license issued by a state that is not in compliance with new regulations including documentation and verification of an applicant's identity.

By KRWG News

Juarez – More than 1,000 people marched through violence-plagued Ciudad Juarez in protest of the daily killings attributed to an ongoing drug cartel war.

Marchers moved toward City Hall beneath a massive Mexican flag Sunday just across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Texas. They are protesting the lack of security in the sprawling border city besieged by cartel violence for nearly two years.

By KRWG News

Wharton, TX – Authorities say two suspects wanted for questioning in the death of a Houston teacher were arrested while entering the U.S. from Mexico.

Department of Public Safety spokesman Tom Vinger says 24-year-old Monica Perez and 23-year-old Michael Moreno, both of Wharton, were detained at an international bridge in Brownsville on Friday night.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has created a new committee whose members will be charged with finding ways for government to save money.

The new Committee on Government Efficiency is expected to look for ways of saving money by streamlining, consolidating or eliminating areas of government that aren't needed.