(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:     
James Norris, age 24, was arrested on a Grant County warrant for failure to
appear… and Jesus Ornelas, age 23, was arrested on a Municipal warrant for
failure to appear. 

Also… Ashley Sanchez,  age 19, was cited for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia… Erick Miranda, age 19, was cited for  possession of drug paraphernalia… and John Castro, age 20, was cited for driving while license was suspended or revoked.
 
And in other news… two A-frame ladders with a combined value of 400-dollars were taken from a residence off South Silver… an embezzlement of nearly 200-dollars’ worth of gift cards was reported at a business off East Pine… criminal damage
estimated at 150-dollars was reported to a mobile home off East Olive after a window was broken… and phone and cable lines were cut to a business in downtown Deming.

(Deming) – Deming has earned New Mexico’s Historic Preservation Award two years running.
 
The Deming  MainStreet quarterly newsletter reports that Deming/Luna County MainStreet…
Totsie Slover… and MainStreet’s Design Committee Chairman Jim Reedy were recently honored by the Historic Preservation Division of the New Mexico State Department of Cultural Affairs for work on the historic telephone building in the 200 block of South Gold in downtown Deming.
 
The Deming Telephone Building, owned by Slover which now houses Deming Realty Company, was built between 1908 and 1913.  Officials believe it was “slip covered” – or  given a new look – in the 1960s and 70s.  
When Reedy found historic  photographs of the building, he approached Slover about removing the slip  cover.
 
Slover reportedly allowed Reedy and  his group – dubbed “The Façade Squad” -- a preliminary look beneath the faux  board-and-batten façade, and was pleased with the original look of the  building.  They continued to unveil the original building front, which is  being touted as an “architectural gem” and an example of what grassroots preservation can accomplish in a small  community.  
     Last year’s award-winning  efforts included restoration work on the Mimbres Valley Brewing Company building
on the corner of Gold and Spruce.

WALTONVILLE, Ill. — The nation's widest drought in decades is spreading, with
more than half of the continental United States now in some stage of drought and
most of the rest enduring abnormally dry conditions. 
  Only in the 1930s and the 1950s has a drought covered more land, according to
federal figures released Monday. So far, there's little risk of a Dust Bowl-type
catastrophe, but crop losses could mount if rain doesn't come soon.
  In its monthly drought report, the National Climatic Data Center in
Asheville, N.C., announced that 55 percent of the country was in a moderate to
extreme drought at the end of June. The parched conditions expanded last month
in the West, the Great Plains and the Midwest, fueled by the 14th warmest and
10th driest June on record, the report said. Topsoil has turned dry while "crops, pastures and rangeland have deteriorated  at a rate rarely seen in the last 18 years," the report said.

(Deming) - Twenty Seven hundred worth of criminal damage occurred at the Elks Lodge in  the Deming Industrial Park after copper tubing was cut at the power box…  criminal damage occurred near the Old Lordsburg Highway and Hermanas Road after  someone cut 300-feet of phone cable… a power line was cut on the north side of  the former Smith Elementary building… a power line was cut on the east side of  the Deming-Luna-Mimbres Museum… a mountain bike valued at 13-hundred dollars was  taken from outside the hospital… a window valued at 500-dollars was shot on a  vehicle parked off East Olive… and a barbecue grill valued at 150-dollars was  taken from a location off East Maple.

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:
 
     Raymond Smyer, age 44, was arrested for battery against a household member and on a Magistrate warrant for  failure to pay fines, and was cited for possession of more than an ounce but  less than eight ounces of marijuana… Jesse Schaffer, age 42, was arrested for  battery against a household member… Raul Mercado, age 30, was arrested for  unlawful taking of a motor vehicle and two counts of forgery… Michael Pena, age 49, was arrested for disorderly conduct…


     Ryland Bryant Tolleson, age 22, of Vancouver, Washington, was arrested on a Kentucky warrant for military desertion… Laura De  La Cruz, age 20, of Midland, Texas, was arrested on a Texas warrant for a  probation violation… Victoria Avita, age 26, was arrested on a District Court  warrant for a probation violation… Jesus Garcia, age 39, was arrested on a  District Court warrant for a probation violation… Gerardo Villezcas-Villa, age  20, was arrested on three Magistrate warrants for failure to pay fines… Miguel
Angel Rodriguez, age 25, of Socorro, Texas, was arrested on three Magistrate  warrants for failure to appear… Juan Islas, age 20, was arrested on a Magistrate  warrant for failure to appear… Lourdes Pinon, age 24, was arrested on a  Municipal warrant for failure to pay fines…  Priscilla Anoa-I, age 24, was cited for possession  of more than an ounce but less than eight ounces of marijuana… Hayley Norris,  age 21, of Denver, Colorado, was cited for possession of less than an ounce of
marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia… Luegine Wiggins, Junior, age 43,  was cited for street racing, no driver’s license and no insurance… Crystal  Bennett, age 29, was cited for following too closely and no insurance… and Jose  Tarango, age 18, was cited for improper use of equipment and no driver’s license.

(Deming) – The New Mexico Department of Transportation District One office will be holding a job fair in Deming tomorrrow.
   Officials say there are positions open in the fields of maintenance… construction… and administrative functions.  
    Human Resources staff will be on hand to answer any questions about Transportation Department vacancies within the southern region of New Mexico.  The District One office covers Luna
County as well as Dona Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Sierra and Socorro counties.  
     Individuals planning to attend the job fair should go prepared with copies of any transcripts, diplomas,
certifications, résumé and other supporting documentation which might help a prospective employer.  
     District officials will provide instruction on fields that must be completed in order for an applicant to be accepted. 
     The N-M-D-O-T job fair will be held this Tuesday, July 17th from 10 a-m to 2 p-m at the  Transportation Department office, 2912 East Pine Street in Deming.

(Deming) – Misdemeanor charges have been filed on two local dispatchers for allegedly releasing Crime Stoppers information to non-law enforcement
personnel.  
     27-year-old Julie Avila and 30-year-old Michelle Flores have been charged under a confidentiality statute that applies to unlawfully and intentionally releasing confidential information gained through a program relating to criminal
activity.
     The state statute appears to be specifically aimed at maintaining the integrity of anonymous crime prevention and intervention programs such as Crime
Stoppers.
      A statement of probable cause  filed in Luna County Magistrate Court says Avila and Flores released  confidential information obtained through the local Crime Stoppers tip line to  non-law enforcement personnel.
      The Crime Stoppers line – 546-7800 – is billed as being anonymous with calls never recorded or traced.  It is set up to allow persons to report crimes without
repercussions, and sometimes with a financial reward incentive.
     The two dispatchers reportedly have been let go of their jobs at Central Dispatch.

Duck Race Grand Marshals Interviewed
Contact:  Dave Johnson 575 694-4873           
    
(Deming)--This year's Grand Marshals for the 33rd Annual Comcast Tournament
of Duck Parade are local businesswomen -- and sisters -- Tamara Hurt and
Candie Sweetser.
  Hurt  opened her certified public accounting office in downtown Deming in
1989 and has been a duck race sponsor every year since.  Hurt also was the
tabulator quacker for the races in 1991 and 1992.   Hurt said the thing she enjoys most about the duck races is watching children
as they hold a duck for the first time.  "It is delightful to see the kids' eyes light up as they are shown the proper way to hold a duck and then carry the duck to the starting line.  It's so cute when they talk to their duck and coach their new feathered friend on the best racing strategy."
  Candie Sweetser has managed Luna County Broadcasting, and radio stations KDEM-FM and KOTS-AM, since 1990.  The stations also have a long history of  sponsoring the duck races, and even used to broadcast interesting facts  about the races which she
called "Mallard Minutes."  You can still hear hourly duck race schedule updates throughout the weekend on both KDEM and
KOTS.
  Sweetser believes the races are good for Deming  because they are just plain fun.  "Where else can you see waddling  ducks, people waddling like ducks, racing outhouses, tossed tortillas and  more -- all in one weekend?"    The Comcast Tournament of Ducks
Parade will be Saturday, August 25th beginning at 10 am.  Entry Forms  for the parade are availalble on line at demingduckrace.com, or at  Southwestern NM On-Line at 202 S. Diamond.
   The Great American  Duck Race, which this year celebrates New Mexico's 100 years, is sponsored  in part by Luna Energy Facility, and has been designated as an Official  Centennial Event.