(Deming) – Deming Public School  students have this Friday off, but it will not be to attend the fair which has  been moved to October 10th-14th.

The school calendar lists this  Friday, September 28th, as “Fair Day,” but it will actually be an 
in-service day for teachers and staff members, with students not attending school.

The decision to change the  Southwestern New Mexico State Fair dates means Deming school students will not  get a day off of school to attend the fair. 

Fair board members  reportedly moved the Deming fair dates to assure that the annual attraction  featured a carnival.

But the new fair dates  conflict with Deming  High School’s homecoming – a date that was set by a  statewide calendar and
approved by the New Mexico Activities Association over a  year ago.

Since Deming school  officials cannot move homecoming, they have announced they are working with the  fair board to merge
activities or compromise on event times to make the weekend  successful for all.

But Friday, October  12th – the Friday of the fair – will be a regular day for students,  teachers and staff.

SOUTHWEST DESERT/MIMBRES BASIN-INCLUDING THE CITIES ...DEMING...COLUMBUS

WED SEP 26 2012

.TODAY...MOSTLY SUNNY IN THE MORNING...THEN PARTLY CLOUDY WITH
ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS 80 TO
85. NORTHWEST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH SHIFTING TO THE SOUTH IN THE
AFTERNOON. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 10 PERCENT.

.TONIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN
THE EVENING. LOWS IN THE MID 50S. SOUTH WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.
CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 10 PERCENT.

.THURSDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY. ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS 75 TO 80. NORTHWEST WINDS UP TO 5 MPH SHIFTING TO THE SOUTHEAST IN THE AFTERNOON. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 20 PERCENT.

.THURSDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOWS IN THE LOWER 50S. SOUTH WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH SHIFTING TO THE EAST AFTER MIDNIGHT. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 20 PERCENT.

.FRIDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. HIGHS IN THE MID 70S. SOUTHEAST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 20 PERCENT.

.FRIDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE MID 50S.

.SATURDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S.

.SATURDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE UPPER 50S.

.SUNDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING THEN BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S.

.SUNDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS

AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOWS IN THE LOWER 50S.

.MONDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A 10 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND

THUNDERSTORMS. HIGHS AROUND 80.

.MONDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS 50 TO 55.

.TUESDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE MORNING THEN BECOMING MOSTLY

SUNNY. HIGHS AROUND 80.

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:

Yvonne Madrid, age 38, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine,  possession of drug paraphernalia and on a Municipal warrant for failure to  appear… Joseph Quintero, age 23, was arrested  on a District Court warrant for  contempt of court… and Kayla Perry, age 23, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant  for failure to appear.

Also… a flatbed trailer, a second trailer, a shed and a 1979 Ford truck  with a combined value of $12,300 were taken from a
location near Rivera and  Franklin Road… a 1982 Ford pickup was reported stolen by a resident off North  Silver… and $300 worth of clothes and cash were taken from a residence off South  Iron.

(Deming) – The state Public Education Commission rejected the applications for two new charter schools in Luna County.
Both applications were  denied unanimously by commission members, following the
recommendation of the  state Public Education Department’s staff members. 

Organizers have been trying for several years to get the  state to approve a charter school in Columbus which would serve 7th  through 12th grade students living in southern Luna County,
including  American citizen students living in Palomas, Mexico. 

Supporters said the school would have featured a  non-traditional school year, longer school day and partner organizations, and  would have allowed parents to be more involved in their children’s  education.

And organizers petitioned for another charter school in  Deming. The Academic Opportunities  Academy would have been a self-paced, individualized, multi-grade educational program serving grades 1-12 using a detailed curriculum mapping  database. 

Both groups said they would appeal the commission’s decision to State  Public Education Secretary-designate Hanna Skandera.

(Deming) -- Members of the Deming High School Fellowship of Christian Athletes are inviting interested community members to their annual  before-school public prayer event Wednesday.

Organizers say the "See You at the Pole" event will kick off at 7 a.m.  Wednesday, and is a good opportunity to pray for our schools, students, school  staff and nation.

 In past  years, members of Deming’s Jr. ROTC raise the flag at 7 a.m. on the flag pole in  front of Deming High School. 

There  traditionally is praise and worship music, and an open microphone for students  and community members to share.

"See You  at the Pole" was started in 1990 by some teens in Burleson, Texas, who felt  compelled to pray so they went to three
different schools and prayed at each  schools' flagpole.  From there, a  challenge was issued to students throughout Texas to meet at their flagpoles and  pray simultaneously.  The  concept ballooned as word spread through youth ministers and organizations  reporting that students across the country  were feeling the same burden for  their schools as the Texas students had.

"See You  at the Pole" is not a formal event, but more of a non-denominational prayer  gathering. People sing, read from  the Bible and pray -- some out loud and some silently.

The event will be held this Wednesday at  the flag pole in front of Deming High School.Anyone interested is invited to attend.

SOUTHWEST DESERT/MIMBRES BASIN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...DEMING...COLUMBUS...
513 AM MDT TUE SEP 25 2012

.TODAY...MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE MID 80S. NORTHWEST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH SHIFTING TO THE WEST IN THE AFTERNOON.

.TONIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS IN THE MID 50S. WEST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH.

.WEDNESDAY...MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE MID 80S. NORTHWEST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH SHIFTING TO THE SOUTHWEST IN THE AFTERNOON.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS 50 TO 55. SOUTH WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH.

.THURSDAY...MOSTLY SUNNY IN THE MORNING...THEN PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S. SOUTH WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.

.THURSDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOWS IN THE UPPER 50S.

.FRIDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. HIGHS 75 TO 80.

.FRIDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE EVENING THEN BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOWS 55 TO 60.

.SATURDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 80S.

.SATURDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOWS IN THE UPPER 50S.

.SUNDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. HIGHS IN THE MID 80S.

.SUNDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 10 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOWS IN THE MID 50S.

.MONDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY WITH A 10 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S.

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:
Michael Hatcher, age  37, was arrested for aggravated DUI, driving while license was suspended or  revoked and careless driving…
Fernando Gutierrez, age 31, was arrested for  trafficking in methamphetamine and on an Adult Probation and Parole Office  warrant for a probation violation…
Jordan Almanza, age 19, was arrested for  reckless driving with liquor…
Omar Avila, age 24, was arrested for aggravated  stalking… 
Jose  Cervantes, age 31, of  Albuquerque, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for  failure to appear…
Larry Hernandez, age 26, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant  for failure to pay fines…
Ramon Morales, age 51, was arrested on a Grant County  warrant for failure to appear…
Josie Ordonez, age 47, was arrested on a  Municipal warrant for failure to appear…
Juventino Sanchez, age 33, who was  already incarcerated, was served with a Municipal warrant… 
Albert Buenas,  age 34, was cited for shoplifting at Wal-Mart.

In juvenile news… a 17-year old boy was been charged with violating a court order  for house arrest… a
13-year-old girl was cited for minor allowing self to be  served alcohol… and a 17-year-old boy was cited for trespassing and resisting or  evading officers. 

Also… a  battery-operated child’s vehicle, a pool table, two televisions and a video game  player with a combined value of nearly $1,900 were taken from a residence off  Shelly… three handguns valued at over $900 were taken from a residence off  Pelayo Road
Southwest… four tires valued at over $600 were damaged on a vehicle  parked off South Granite… $500’s worth of jewelry was taken from a residence off  South Gold… a bicycle valued at nearly $500 was taken from a location off South  Iron…  a cement mixer, weed eater and chain saw with a combined value of $450  were taken from a location off West Second… $300 in criminal damage occurred to  a pickup parked off South Shelly after it was scratched… amplifiers and a  speaker system were taken from a vehicle parked off East Fourth Street… $250  cash was taken from a residence off West Second… and gang graffiti was  discovered on a wall off South Copper.

(Deming) – A county media release says new Starmax Facilities Director Ira Pearson is  organizing a “Clean Up Starmax” day this Tuesday beginning at 8 a.m. The public is invited to participate in  the business cleanup and coffee and donuts will be provided. 
      Also, anyone interested  in serving on a Starmax community advisory committee is invited to submit a  letter of interest to County Manager Kelly Kuenstler by October 4th, for consideration at the October 11th county  commission  meeting.
       And the  media release says Kuenstler, Pearson and the new Starmax management team are  seeking public comments and suggestions.  Input may be emailed to starmax@lunacountynm.us.

(Deming) -- Luna County's  unemployment rate was down in August, although we still top the state in the  number of residents out of work. 

Preliminary figures from the New  Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions show Luna County with an August  unemployment rate of 13.1%.

That figure is down from the July revised  rate of 16.5%, and down from last August’s rate of 14.1%.

Following Luna County in the list of New Mexico counties with the worst unemployment is Mora County with 11.8%.

Those were the only two counties  in the state with unemployment greater than 10%.  Rounding out the top five are  Guadalupe  at 8.8%, and McKinley and Taos – both with 8.4%.

In our area: Grant County had 6.5%  unemployment in August, Hidalgo County had 6%, and the Las Cruces area had 6.5%.
The county with the least unemployment  remains Los Alamos with 3.3%. 

The state unemployment rate for August – at 6.5% – was down slightly from the July revised rate of 6.6%.  The New Mexico labor force  estimates show  Luna County with a labor force of 13,735 – with 11,941 employed and 1,794  unemployed.