U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION AGENTS ARRESTED A NEW MEXICO WOMAN LAST WEEK ON DRUG CHARGES AFTER MARIJUANA WAS FOUND IN BEER AND SODA CANS. OFFICALS SAID THE WOMEN, WENDY ANNE BROWN AGE 27, OF RUIDOSO DOWNS, WAS ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF IMPORTATION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE AND POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. OFFICIALS SAID THE WOMEN TOLD AGENTS THAT SHE HAD SOME CASES OF BEER AND SODA WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO CROSS THE BORDER AT THE YSLETA BORDER CROSSING. A DRUG SNIFFING DOG NAMED LADY ALERTED AGENTS TO THE MARIJUANA. OFFICERS SEIZED 37 POUNDS OF MARIJUANA.

THERE IS A NEW SCAM TARGETING INDIVIDUALS LOOKING TO RENT A HOUSE ON THE WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE. ACCORDING TO THE LAS CRUCES POLICE DEPT, THE SCAM STARTS WITH AN ADVERTISEMENT ON ONLINE CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENT SITES LIKE CRAIGSLIST. THE POST OFTEN USES MATERIALS FROM A LEGITIMATE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE PROPERTY FOR RENT AS A WAY OF MAKING THE AD MORE BELIEVABLE. WHEN CONTACTED, THE RENTER ASKS FOR THE DEPOSIT AND FIRST MONTH’S RENT TO BE WIRED TO THEM. ONCE PAID, THEY ARE NEVER HEARD FRO AGAIN. DAN TRUJILLIO, WITH LAS CRUCES POLICE DEPT SAID, “AVOID ENGAGING IN A DEAL OVER THE IF ITS ALL OVER THE INTERNET, AND THAT YOU SHOULD TRY AND MEET FACE TO FACE.

THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE LINCOLN COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WILL BEGIN AT 8:30 THIS MORNING. SOME OF THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA INCLUDE: DENTENTION CENTER IMPOVEMENTS, RESURFACING OF ROADS ON THE ALTO LAKES GOLF COURSE AND COUNTRY CLUB, RESURFACING OF ROADS IN THE PALO VERDE SUBDIVISION, SEVERAL LODGERS TAX ACTIVITIES, POTENTIAL COUNTY MANGAGERS CONTRACT RENEWAL, AMENDED 2009 -2010 DWI ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES AND REIMBURSEMENT OF COSTS, MILL LEVY FOR THE CARRIZOZO AND UPPER HONDO SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT AND SEVERAL OTHER ITEMS. THE MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS.

A FORMER NEW MEXICO LAND COMMISSIONER AND HEAD OF THE BLM SAYS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD CONSIDER REFORMING MORE THAN JUST OFFSHORE DRILLING REGULATION. JIM BACA IS ONE OF DOZENS OF FORMER WESTERN ENERGY REGULATORS, AND LAND WILDLIFE MANAGERS, WHO SAY WITH THE INCREASED SCRUTINY ON OFFSHORE OPERATIONS, ITS ALSO A GOOD TIME TO LOOK AT HOW ON SHORE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IS MANAGED. HE SAYS HE’S PARTICULARLY CONCERNED WITH MAKING SURE OUR AQUIFERS AND WATERSHEDS ARE PROTECTED. SIXTY FORMER OFFICIALS, INCLUDING FORMER HEADS OF THE FOREST SERVICE, SIGNED A LETTER TO INTERIOR SECRETARY SALAZAR IN SUPPORT OF REFORMING HOW ON SHORE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IS MANAGED. BACA SAYS IT’S A MOVE THAT’S BEEN DISCUSSED AT LEAST SINCE THE MID 90’S, WHEN HE WAS HEAD OF THE BLM. HE SAYS HES PARTICULARY CONCERNED ABOUT OTERO MESA IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO, A PLACE THAT SOME ENERGY COMPANIES HAVE PROPOSED DRILLING.

UNARMED, UNMANNED SURVEILLANCE DRONES MAY BE FLYING OVER THE BORDER IN WEST TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO AS SOON AS JUNE FIRST. THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION HAS GIVEN PERMISSION FOR THE DRONE TO PATROL THE BORDER, BEAMING REAL TIME SURVEILLANCE VIDEO OF THE BORDER TO OPERATORS AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES. VICENT PEREZ, A SPOKEMAN FOR U.S. REPRESENTATIVE SILVESTER REYS LEARNED OF THE NEWS ON FRIDAY.

PEREZ SAID A REQUEST TO LAUNCH DRONES ALONG THE TEXAS AND NEW MEXCIO BORDER WITH MEXICO WAS PENDING WITH THE FAA. DRONES ARE ALREADY USED TO HELP PATROL THE BORDER IN ARIZONA.

LAS CRUCES WILL NOT BE JOINING EL PASO CITY AND COUNTY IN PASSING A RESOLUTION AGAINST ARIZONA’S CONTROVERSIAL IMMIGRATION LAW. A CITY SPOKESPERSON SAYS THE CITIES MAYOR, WHO ORIGINALLY DRAFTED THE RESOLUTION, HAS CHANGED HIS MIND. THE MAYOR FIRST BELIEVED THE LAW WOULD ALLOW FOR RACIAL PROFILING, BEFORE HE LEARNED IT ONLY ALLOW LAW ENFORCEMENT TO QUESTION SOMEONE’S IMMIGRATION STATU IF THEY’RE COMMITTING A CRIME. THE LAS CRUCES CITY COUNCIL WAS SET TO VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION, WHICH DID NOT INCLUDE A BOYCOTT YESTERDAY.

THE COMMUNITY YOUTH CENTER “WAREHOUSE” WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM IN RUIDOSO THIS SUMMER.  THE CENTER WILL BEGIN SERVING MEALS JUNE FIRST AND CONTINUE THRU AUGUST SIXTH, FROM 11 AM TO 1PM MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. 

THE PROGRAM IS OPEN TO ALL YOUTH FROM ONE YEAR OF AGE TO 18 YEARS OLD. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE COMMUNITY YOUTH CENTER WAREHOUSE AT 630-0318

REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES ARE VITUALLY NECK AND NECK HEADING INTO THE JUNE PRIMARY ACCORDING TO A NEW POLL COMMISSIONED BY THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL.  Allen Weh, a former state Republican Party chairman, and Susana Martinez  the Dona Ana County district attorney, are virtually tied headed into the June 1 GOP primary for governor.  Both Placed ahead of lawyer Pete Domenici Jr.

31 percent OF the 503 registered Republicans surveyed LAST WEEK SUPPORTED WEH.  30 PER CENT SELECTED Martinez.  DOMENICI RECEIVED SUPPORT OF TEN PER CENT OF THOSE POLLED.  Businessman Doug Turner, had 6 percent, while state Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones had 3 percent.

THE SURVEY HAD A margin of error of 4 POINT 4 PER CENT.

THE THIRTEEN ANNUAL ASPENCASH MOTORCYCLE RALLY AND TRADE SHOW GETS UNDERWAY THIS THURSDAY AND WILL RUN THROUGH SUNDAY. AN ESTIMATED 10,000 MOTORCYCLISTS WILL VISIT THE RUIDOSO AREA FOR THE FOUR DAY EVENT. THE ASPENCASH RALLY AND TRADE SHOW WILL HELD AT THE RUIDOSO CONVENTION CENTER, AND BRINGS VENDORS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES EXHIBITING AND SELLING MOTORCYCLE RELATED PRODUCTS, SERVICE INCLUDING ARTS AND CRAFTS. THE GOLDEN ASPEN RALLY ASSOCIATION ALSO HOSTS THE SEPTEMBER MOTORCYCLE RALLY BRINGING OVER 30,000 PARTICIPANTS TO RUIDOSO. THIS YEARS SEPTEMBER RALLY DATES ARE SEPTEMBER 15^TH THROUGH THE 19^TH, AND WILL BE LOCATED AT THE RUIDOSO DOWNS SPORTS THEATRE COMPLEX.

PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO IS EXPECTED TO FILE FOR A GENERAL RATE INCREASE WITH THE PRC ON JUNE FIRST, ASKING THAT THE NEW RATES TAKE EFFECT APRIL FIRST OF NEXT YEAR.    A MEDIATOR IN THE CASE SAID despite good faith negotiations, no consensus or agreement was reached, and thE case should be returned to the PRC.  

THE PRC COULD BEGIN IT’S OWN INVESTIGATION, NEXT MONTH,  INTO WAYS TO MITIGATE  THE RATE INCREASE THAT COULD RANGE FROM FORTY TO NEARLY SIXTY PER CENT. 

PNM PURCHASED THE TEXAS NEW MEXICO POWER COMPANY TERRITORY IN THIS AREA IN 2005,  AND AT THAT TIME SAID RATES WOULD HAVE TO BE INCREASED BY THE YEAR 2011, TO MAKE THE FORMER TEXAS NEW MEXICO POWER COMPANY AREA EQUITABLE WITH PNM’S TERRITORY IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE. 

THE NEW MEXICO LAND OFFICE HAS COLLECTED $114 MILLION DURING THE THIRD QUARTER, WITH MORE THAN 90 PERCENT OF THAT COMING FROM OIL AND NATURAL GAS OPERATIONS ON STATE TRUST LANDS. THE LAND OFFICE SAYS TOTAL EARNINGS FOR THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS OF THE FISCAL YEAR ARE $300 MILLION. LAND COMMISSIONER PATRICK LYONS SAYS THE ENERGY INDUSTRY PLAYS A FUNDAMENTAL ROLE IN THE OFFICES EFFORTS TO GENERATE REVENUE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES. LEASE SALES FOR JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND MARCH BROUGHT IN NEARLY $20 MILLION. OIL AND GAS ROYALTY EARNING WERE MORE THAT $86 MILLION FOR THE QUARTER, BRINGING THE FISCAL YEAR TOTAL TO $223 MILLION.

NEW MEXICO ENERGY, MINERALS AND NATURAL RESOURCES DEPT HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE NEW MEXICO APPLIANCE REBATE PROGRAM STILL HAS FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR $200 REBATES TO NEW MEXICO CONSUMERS WHO PURCHASE ENERGY STAR QUALIFIED CLOTHES WASHERS, REFRIGERATORS OR GAS FURNACES. OVER 8,000 APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN DOWNLOADED FROM THE REBATE PROGRAM WEBSITE, BUT ONLY 5,000 HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED. IF YOU PURCHASED AN APPLIANCE, THEY ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAIL YOUR REBATE IN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THE ESTIMATED LIFETIME SAVINGS IN NEW MEXICO FROM THE APPLIANCE REBATE PROGRAM ARE ABOUT 7.1 MILLION KILOWATT HOURS OF ENERGY, OVER 226 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER AND NEARLY 14.2 MILLION POUNDS OF CARBON DIOXIDE. THE NEW MEXICO APPLIANCE REBATE PROGRAM IS PART OF A NATIONWIDE ENERGY SAVING EFFORT LAUNCHED BY THE U.S. DEPT OF ENERGY AND FUNDED THROUGH THE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT.

THE GOVERNOR HAS ANNOUNCED THAT HE HAS IDENTIFIED 1,071 VACANT, STATE GOVERNMENT POSITIONS THAT WILL BE ELIMINATED, FOLLOWING THROUGH ON HIS PROMISE TO PERMANENTLY DELETE THE POSITIONS. WHILE THE STATE HAS ALREADY REALIZED TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SAVINGS BY NOT FILLING THE POSITIONS, THE GOVERNORS ACTION PERMANENTLY WIPES THE VACANT POSITIONS FROM THE STATE BUDGET, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO FILL THEM IN THE FURTURE WITHOUT LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL. MOST OF THE POSITIONS ARE VACANT AS A RESULT OF AN ONGOING HIRING FREEZE. THE FREEZE PREVENTS AGENCIES FROM HIRING NEW EMPLOYEES WITHOUT GOING THROUGH EXTRA LAYERS OF ACCOUNTABILITY TO ENSURE ONLY CRITICAL POSITIONS ARE BEING FILLED.

CAPITALIZING ON THE ENTHUSIASM GENERATED BY RUIDOSO’S MILITARY APPRECIATION WEEKEND CELEBRATION AND ITS PROXIMITY TO MANY NEW MEXICO’S SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES, THE MERCHANTS AND CITY OFFICIALS HAVE JOINED FORCES TO LAUNCH A WEBSITE DEDICATED TO OFFERING DISCOUNTS TO MILITARY SERVICE PERSONNEL STATIONED IN THE REGION. THE NEW SITE FEATURES OVER TWENTY LODGING OFFERS, SEVERAL RESTAURANTS AND ENTERTAINMENT DISCOUNTS AT RUIDOSO DOWNS RACE TRACK, BILLY THE KID CASINO AND SPENCER THEATER PERFORMANCES.

NEW MEXICO IS RANKED SEVENTH FOR THE NUMBER OF SPEEDING TICKETS HANDED OUT PER CAPITA ON HIGHWAYS AND INTERSTATES. A WEBSITE GEARED TOWARDS CAR OWNERS SAYS STATE POLICE HANDED OUT MORE THAN 117 THOUSAND SPEEDING TICKETS ON THE STATES ROADWAYS LAST YEAR. STATE POLICE LT ERIC GARCIA SAYS THE MOST TICKETS ARE HANDED OUT ON I-25 BETWEEN ALBUQUERQUE AND LAS CRUCES, AND ON I-40 FROM ALBUQUERQUE TO GRAND AND EDGEWOOD TO TUCUMCARI. THE STATE WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF SPEEDING TICKETS PER CAPITA ON HIGHWAYS AND INTERSTATES IS WYOMING, ANOTHER SPRAWLING RURAL STATE.

Lincoln County, New Mexico ranked #1 in the state in 2003, on the rate of Domestic Violence (DV). Unfortunately, there has never been a publicly-funded shelter or comprehensive services for local victims. This serious and immediate need in our community led to the swift formation of Help End Abuse for Life, Inc.