(Deming) -- Here's the area crime report:
Ramon Altamirano, age 58, was  arrested for aggravated D-W-I and failure to stop... Chase Allen, age 27,
was  arrested for D-W-I, on a driving violation, and for driving while license was  suspended or revoked... Vanessa Dempsey, age 27, was arrested for D-W-I and on a  driving violation... Francisco Barba, age 38, was arrested for aggravated 
battery... Mareeta Ordonez, age 64, was arrested for battery on a healthcare  professional... Alex Mendiola, age 24, of Columbus, was arrested for battery and  on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear... Jesus Vasquez, Junior, age 30, of Columbus, was arrested for public affray and on a Dona Ana County warrant for  failure to appear... 
Matthew Schipper, age 29, was  arrested for assault against a household member... Antonio Grado, age 32,
was  arrested for driving while license was suspended or revoked... Jeffery Mendiola,  age 23, of Columbus, was arrested for resisting or evading an officer.
Hector Casas, age 33, was  arrested on an Adult Probation and Parole Office warrant for a probation 
violation... Mario Salcido, age 19, was arrested on a District Court warrant for failure to appear... and Erica Sanchez, age 26, was arrested on a Dona Ana County warrant for failure to pay fines.
In juvenile news... a  16-year-old boy was picked up on three warrants -- one for abandonment or abuse 
of a child, aggravated battery on a household member and injuring or tampering  with a motor vehicle, and two juvenile traffic bench warrants for failure to  appear... a 17-year-old boy was picked up on a Magistrate warrant for failure to  appear on January charges of leaving the scene of an accident and failure to  immediately notify authorities of an accident... a 17-year-old boy was cited for possession of alcohol by a minor, possession of marijuana and possession of drug  paraphernalia... and a 17-year-old boy was cited for possession of  alcohol. Also... radiators valued at three-thousand dollars were taken from antique tractors located off East Olive... two televisions, clothing and household items were taken from a  residence off West Spruce... a bicycle valued at over 150+dollars was taken from a location off West Pine... and toys and clothing valued at 150-dollars were taken from a residence off East Birch.

(Deming) -- All four Luna County 4-H shooting sports teams placed in the top five of their respective competitions during the State 4-H Shooting Sports event held at the N-R-A Whittington Center in Raton this past weekend.
In the rifle competition, teams from Luna County placed second and fourth, and Brannick Sweetser was the  eighth-high individual. His teammates were Graham Borden, Keri Hays and Dustin  Zamora.
Members of the other rifle team  were Ty Borden, Tee Pickett and Tel Pickett.
In the shotgun competition,  Zak Speir placed fourth in the individual standings and he and teammates Cassie  Hartman, Jason Lewis and Tee Pickett placed fourth in the team competition.
And in the archery compound competition, Graham Borden placed fifth and Mitchell Stevens placed sixth in the individual competition, and together with teammates Stephanie Swope and Toney McDougal they placed fifth in the team event.

DEMING, N.M. (AP) - A food processing plant in Deming is closing  its doors just four years after  receiving a $500,000 city loan.
City officials say they've just  learned the Proper Foods plant plans to close and aren't sure what they can do.
Luna County economic development executive Linda Smrkovsky told city officials late last week that she's looking at options but hasn't  yet identified any.
The Deming Headlight  reports the City Council approved the loan using  state economic development funds in 2008.
Smrkovsky says about 125 workers make prepared frozen foods like tamales and stuffed peppers at  the plant.
The loan required the company  to maintain at least 100 full-time employees and make annual payments at a 3 percent interest rate. 
City officials were unable to  immediately provide the outstanding balance. Information from: Headlight, www.demingheadlight.com 
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

(Deming) --  The Deming-Luna County Chamber of Commerce is hosting the local Cinco de Mayo festival tomorrow (Saturday) in Deming.  Festivities will begin with a parade on East Pine Street, then going south on South Gold - ending up at the Luna County Courthouse park.  The parade will follow the same route as the Great American Duck Race and Southwest NM State Fair parades. 
  Festivities will continue at the Luna County Courthouse park starting at 11am.  Citizens will enjoy food, vendors and live mariachi music as well as a singing contest.  Area residents can also participate in a chile eating contest. 
  Bring your family and friends and enjoy a fun day in Deming!

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(Deming) -- Time is running out for anyone wishing to vote in the June 5th primary election who is not already registered to vote in Luna County. The deadline to register is 5 p-m this coming Tuesday, May 8th.
    Voter registration forms may be requested by calling the Luna County clerk's office at 546-0491 or stopping by the office in the courthouse.
    Luna County Clerk Karen Smyer said that because New Mexico is a "closed primary" state, only voters affiliated with the Democrat or Republican parties are eligible to cast a ballot in June.
    All registered voters can vote in the November general election.
    Also, early voting begins Tuesday. Any registered Democrat or Republican may vote in person at the county clerk's office beginning Tuesday. Voters also may request an application and absentee ballot to be mailed to their home.
    Early voting will take place weekdays from 8 a-m to 5 p-m in the county clerk's office.
    The last day to apply and vote in person at the county clerk's office will be Saturday, June 2nd from 10 a-m to 6 p-m.
    Also, the Mimbres Valley Learning Center will be open for early voting beginning Saturday, May 19th through Saturday, June 2nd. Ballots may be cast at the learning center Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a-m to 7 p-m, and Saturdays from 9 to 5.
In other news... Smyer reminds voters that Knights of Columbus and Sunshine School are no longer designated polling places.
Registrants in Precinct Three now cast their ballot at the Mimbres Valley Learning Center, 2300 East Pine.
And the new polling location for Precinct Thirteen is the Sunshine Volunteer Fire Department, 965 Sunshine Road Southwest.
For more information, contact the county clerk's office at 546-0491.

Crime Report 5/3/12  
(Deming) -- Here's the area  crime report:
Esteban Duran, age 33, was  arrested for cruelty to animals and on an Adult Probation and Parole office warrant for a probation violation... Isaac Gonzalez, age 31, was arrested for interference with officers, shoplifting and trespassing... Valerie Fierro, age 18, of Silver City, was arrested for trespassing, concealing her identity, and on a Municipal warrant for failure to appear... and Joseph Quintero, age 23, was arrested for shoplifting and being an accessory to a crime.
Also, a bicycle valued at over $100 was taken from a parking lot off East Pine.

(Deming) -- The Luna County Sheriff's Department will be conducting D-W-I saturation patrols during the Cinco de Mayo weekend.
Deputies will be looking for  drunk and impaired drivers, drivers exceeding the posted speed limits, and other  traffic law violators.
Motorists are reminded to buckle up, use child restraint seats, drive the speed limit, avoid distractions like cell phone talking and texting, and never drive impaired through the use of 
alcohol or narcotics.

Spivey Campaigns for Crossing 5/1/12 
(Deming) -- Luna County Commission Chairman Jay  Spivey met with Mexican officials
in an attempt to garner support to reopen the  Columbus Cattle Crossing which was
closed after U-S-D-A officials deemed it  unsafe for their veterinarians to cross the
border.
    Spivey attended a regional meeting in Chihuahua, Mexico, Friday,  and reportedly gained the support of the Chihuahuan governor and others.
    Spivey previously sent a letter to U-S Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall, saying Luna County residents were demanding answers as   to why the Columbus cattle crossing had been  singled out for closure by federal  officials.
     Spivey said in his letter that Luna County has not  received an official written notification from U-S-D-A officials explaining  their decision... and that three other cattle crossings that were shut down at  the same time have since re-opened.
      The U-S-D-A decision in early March came on the  heels of a
U-S State Department directive that prohibits travel to Mexico for  employees without armored vehicles and armed escorts.
      New Mexico ranchers buy cattle from Mexico to  supplement their herds.  Other animals are also transferred through the  crossing.  Before animals are allowed to come into New Mexico,  they must be inspected by a federal veterinarian to ensure they are  disease-free.

(Deming)  -- "What Luna County is Eating Today" is the focus of a Town Hall set for
Thursday evening.  The Town Hall is being organized by Nancy Sherman with Healthy Kids Luna County to begin the dialogue on food choices in the area. Sherman said that while Luna is considered an agricultural county, many residents have lost their skills, techniques and tools for raising fruits and vegetables in a home garden. In addition, Sherman said our farmers and ranchers ship 95%  of what is produced here away, and then residents buy back 97-percent of this food after it has been heavily processed, packaged and less nutritious.
Sherman points to Annie Casey Foundation's "Kids Voice" statistics that show Luna County has more child poverty than any other county in the United States.
Other statistics, she says, show an alarming increase in childhood obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases.
Sherman has lined up guest speakers for the town hall that include Matt Stong of Preferred Produce and ranchers Jon and Susie Eickhoff, as well as representatives from Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall's offices to discuss the Federal Farm Bill to be voted on this year. 
The Town Hall meeting is open to anyone interested and will take place this Thursday at 5 p-m at the La Fonda Restaurant.

(Deming)  -- Flags are being flown at half-staff at all Luna County office buildings to honor the death of Bob Orosco, who lost his battle with cancer Tuesday evening.  Orosco was the county's facilities and maintenance supervisor. He also was a former Deming school board member and local business owner. He may be best remembered for his photography work.  County government flags will be flown at half-staff through Friday. Orosco was 63.