Regional

By KRWG News

By KRWG News

Las Cruces, NM – Dona Ana County Sheriff's Investigators are looking for a man who allegedly raped a woman after slipping something into her drink.

A woman, 20, told investigators that Robert Rountree, 33, of Mesilla Park, gave her some sort of medication causing her to pass out.

She allegedly woke up to find Rountree having sexual intercourse with her and had to struggle to get away from him.

After searching Rountree's residence, investigators obtained an arrest warrant for the man, believed to be hiding in the area.

By Marco Grajeda

Las Cruces, NM – New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is not budging when it comes to raising taxes. The state is facing a deficit for this fiscal year of more than 430 million dollars, and as KRWG's Marco Grajeda reports, Richardson said he expects further belt tightening.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – The Downtown Mainstreet improvement project is underway on the Dowtown mall area of Las Cruces. This means a move for the popular farmers market from their current location. The Las Cruces City Council held a discussion this week to hear an update on the upcoming move, but as KRWG's Vanessa Dabovich reports, a number of issues remain unanswered including the most important its new location.

By KRWG News

Texas – Texas legislators have expanded the eligible items for back-to-school shoppers and others during the sales tax-free holiday, estimating savings of nearly $66 million.

The sales tax-free period is Friday through Sunday.

State Sen. Rodney Ellis said Wednesday that school supplies under $100, like pencils and paper, are included for the first time since the measure was introduced in 1999.

Binders, book bags, lunch boxes and scissors also made the tax-free list.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – New Mexico health officials expect to begin receiving swine flu vaccine as early as mid-October. Federal officials said this week the vaccine will be shipped in stages to the states.

State Health Secretary Alfredo Vigil said that because vaccine shipments arrive in stages, officials plan to vaccinate priority groups first.

By KRWG News

Gallup, NM – A judge has sentenced a former Navajo police officer to 33 years in prison in last year's fatal shooting of his live-in girlfriend.

A jury convicted 46-year-old Harrison Largo last month of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the May 20, 2008, shooting death of Frieda Smith at the couple's Thoreau home. Largo, who apologized to Smith's family, asked state District Judge Grant Foutz to run the sentence for the two convictions consecutively.

By Marco Grajeda

Las Cruces, NM – United States Senator Jeff Bingaman, a key-player in the Healthcare Reform debate, defended a proposed public option on Wednesday; and discussed an alternative he says might win enough Republican support. Bingaman was the guest speaker at a Las Cruces AARP meeting, where he discussed the controversial healthcare reform proposal. KRWG's Marco Grajeda has the details.

By Vanessa Dabovich

Las Cruces, NM – An independent investigation found that accusations of voter fraud in Dona Ana County were false. As KRWG's Vanessa Dabovich reports, the allegation stated that several people who voted in the county were dead when their ballot was cast in November.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared seven New Mexico counties as disaster areas after losses due to severe drought and high winds.

The designation covers Chaves, Eddy, Lincoln, Roosevelt, DeBaca, Lea and Otero counties. The USDA also named Dona Ana, Curry, Guadalupe, Sierra, Torrance, Quay and Socorro counties as contiguous disaster counties.

By KRWG News

New Mexico – Two North Korean diplomats are in Santa Fe and will meet with Gov. Bill Richardson on Wednesday.

A spokesman for Richardson said a delegation from the North Korean mission to the United Nations will meet at the governor's mansion for a daylong meeting but the topic was not disclosed.

The North Koreans had requested the visit, but the governor's office said Richardson will not be negotiating nor will he be representing the Obama administration.

By KRWG News

Texas – In a couple of days the annual Texas sales tax break weekend will be in full swing.

The shopping period is from Aug. 21-23 and comes just in time for students returning to school.

School supplies have been added to the annual tax-free holiday. The state comptroller's office says the law exempts most clothing and footwear priced under $100 from sales and use taxes.

The agency says backpacks under $100 used by elementary and secondary students are also exempt.

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On the Net:

www.window.state.tx.us

By KRWG News

New Mexico – The New Mexico Film Office is seeking proposals for a contract award program that provides up to $20,000 for filmmakers to fund original narrative, documentary, animation and experimental films.

The program is open to all New Mexico filmmakers and awards can be used toward the completion of existing projects or the development of new ones.

By Marco Grajeda

Las Cruces, NM – The last Blockbuster store in Las Cruces officially closed its doors this week. Company officials made the announcement Monday making this the third location to close shop in just one year; but as KRWG's Marco Grajeda reports, on Tuesday the store was looking very much alive with a number of people taking everything from five dollar movies to ten dollar TV's.

By Marco Grajeda

Las Cruces, NM – A forty-five year old Dona Ana County man died after developing the severe form of West Nile Virus. He is the state's first victim of West Nile Virus this year; and as KRWG's Marco Grajeda reports, health officials are asking people not to drop their guard and follow precautions diligently.