_An elderly man on a bicycle was killed Friday when he was hit by a pickup truck.

Deming Police Chief Michael Carillo said 77-year-old Rodrigo Anaya was riding a bicycle on Pearl Street Friday afternoon at about 5:30 when he apparently failed to stop at the intersection of Pearl and Fourth Street.

Carillo said 23-year-old Paul Archibeque was driving a 2010 Chevrolet pickup west on Fourth when he struck the bicyclist. Archibeque told officers the setting sun was in his eyes and he never saw Anaya proceed into the intersection.

Anaya was transported to the hospital and later died as a result of his injuries.

Archibeque was cited for no insurance and unlawful use of a license.

_Luna County is scrapping plans to turn the former Pepsi building at Pine and Copper streets into a youth activity center, and is returning nearly 400-thousand dollars secured for the project.

County Manager Kelly Kuenstler reportedly voiced concerns about the lack of funding to complete the project, as well as the cost of utilities and upkeep on the building, at Thursday's commission meeting.

County project director Billy Ruiz said that a preliminary cost estimate to renovate the building was over 900-thousand dollars.

Kuenstler said the county so far had received a $399,000 grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, a $200,000 Community Development Block Grant, and approximately $76,000 in reverted funds for the project.

Kuenstler said she sent a letter to the Department of Housing and Urban Development saying that the responsible thing to do at this time was to return the 399-thousand-dollar grant.

She added that as a former federal grant administrator, she felt Luna County will be much more respected for returning the funds rather than attempting to utilize them on a project that could not be completed and might not be sustainable.

Kuenstler said she and the commissioners supported the concept of a youth program, but all felt the former Pepsi building was not the right location.

She said the commissioners supported using the C-D-B-G and reverted funds to possibly house a youth center elsewhere.

Danny Paz, age 30, was arrested for battery against a household member and interference with communications.
Tony Hernandez, age 29, was arrested on two District Court warrants -- one for probation violations and one for failure to appear.
Sammy Valdez, age 25, who was already incarcerated in the Luna County Detention Center, was served with a District Court warrant for failure to comply with conditions of probation.
Ramon Miranda, age 33, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear.
Sandra Gallegos, age 37, was cited for battery.

$4,000 worth of criminal damage occurred to doors, locks and ceiling panels at Deming High School in what appeared to be an unsuccessful attempt at breaking into a safe in the band room.

A 45-year-old Deming woman reported identity theft after learning from the I-R-S that her social security number was used by someone employed in Phoenix, Arizona, and Vancouver, Washington.

A 60-year-old Deming man reported two unauthorized transactions on his bank debit card totaling over $400.

A bicycle, a bicycle chain and a lock with a combined value of nearly $200 were taken from a location off South Iron.

Luna County is part of the political dispute over legislative redistricting that has landed the issue before New Mexico's highest court.

The state Supreme Court is hearing arguments from lawyers this week in a challenge to new districts for the state House of Representatives. The Legislature and a group of Democrats and minority voters are asking the Supreme Court to overturn a redistricting map approved last month by state District Court Judge James Hall.

That map gives District 32 -- the seat currently held by Dona Irwin of Deming -- nearly twice as many Dona Ana County precincts as it does Luna County precincts... and more than two-thirds of Luna County will be in District 39, the seat currently held by Rudy Martinez of Bayard.

For the past decade all of Luna County has comprised House District 32, the seat currently held by Irwin.  Officials say the approved plans reflect population growth in Dona Ana County and counters it with essentially no change in Luna County's population and population declines in Hidalgo and Grant counties. But legislative lawyers want the justices to order a redistricting proposal passed by the Legislature last year but vetoed by Republican Governor Susana Martinez.

Instead, the judge adopted a House plan advocated by the governor and other GOP statewide officials. Democrats contend the revised districts will help Republicans pick up House seats in this year's elections.

Laurie Dominguez, age 47, was arrested for D-W-I... Kathy Chavez, age 31, was arrested for receiving stolen property... and Gregg Foster, age 44, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to pay fines.

And in juvenile news... four boys -- three age 14 and one age 15 -- were caught skipping school and smoking marijuana in an unoccupied home in Columbus.

According to a Luna County Sheriff's Department report... a neighbor heard noises coming from the home and contacted a Border Patrol agent to investigate. The agent, after discovering the teens, notified Sheriff's Corporal Jose Ojeda who was patrolling in Columbus. The three -- all Deming High School students from Palomas, Mexico -- were cited for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

Voter Registration for the upcoming municipal election will be closing Tuesday.

Luna County Clerk Karen Smyer said the voter registration window for the March 6th election will close at 5 p-m on Tuesday, February 7th.

Anyone wishing to participate in the municipal elections must be a registered voter on or before Tuesday. In addition, voters who have recently moved should update their voter registration on file in the clerk's office prior to Tuesday's deadline.

Also, absentee ballots are being issued through Friday, March 2nd. Any qualified voter residing in the city limits may obtain an application for an absentee ballot from officials in the John Strand Municipal Building.

In this election Municipal Judge Frank Van Gundy is facing four challengers: Tim Flynn, Edward Khanbabian, Ernest Lively, and Harold May. District 2 Councilwoman Linda Enis is being challenged by Larry Caldwell. And District 3 Councilman Joe "Butter" Milo is running unopposed to remain on the city council.

Again, the council seats open this cycle are District 2 (who votes at Torres Elementary) and District 3 (who votes at Memorial Elementary)

Voters in districts 1 and 4 (who vote at Bell and Chaparral elementary schools) will not have a council position on the March 6th ballot but they will vote for municipal judge.

A would-be burglar had to use his own cell phone to call 9-1-1 after being shot twice by a homeowner.

Sheriff Raymond Cobos confirmed that 32-year-old Justin Hull was shot in the stomach and right leg with a 45-caliber gun after breaking into an unoccupied home off Amapola Road Southeast.

Cobos said Hull called 9-1-1 at about 10:40 Thursday night and told the dispatcher that he needed an ambulance because he had been shot breaking into a home.

The homeowner reported to Luna County Sheriff's officials in December that his home had been broken into. The home is presently unoccupied and without power or telephone service.

Reportedly... the 62-year-old property owner was checking on the home Thursday when he discovered that the home had been broken into again, and property had been piled in rooms ready to be loaded.

The owner decided to stay in the home that evening, and was sitting in a chair with a blanket and his gun facing a door when he was surprised by Hull who entered the home through a different door and came up behind the owner.

The owner told officials he got out of his chair, turned and fired on the burglar.

Hull, who has not yet been charged with the break-in, was flown to an El Paso hospital for treatment of his gunshot wounds.

Cobos said his officers were still investigating the incident and will turn over the results of the investigation to the District Attorney.