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Local Crime Report for Friday January 30, 2015

1/30/2015

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

Vicente Villela, age 33, of Albuquerque, was arrested on a District Court warrant… Mirella Lopez, age 33, was arrested on a Municipal warrant for failure to pay fines and was cited for shoplifting at Walmart… Russell Hewitt, age 18, who was already incarcerated in the Luna County Detention Center, was served with a Municipal warrant for failure to pay fines… and two 14-year-old boys were cited for public affray at Deming High School.

Senator Smith Looks at Elder Driver’s Licenses

1/30/2015

NM Senator John Arthur Smith, (D) - Deming

(Deming) – One silver-haired, silver-tongued Deming senator wonders if the state is practicing ageism by requiring drivers 75 and older to renew their licenses in person every year.

     The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that Senator John Arthur Smith has introduced a bill to raise the age threshold for annual license renewals to 79.

     Smith said residents in his district lobbied him for a higher age limit, and his first instinct was to realize that they have a point.

     Smith, who is 73 and often makes the 295-mile drive from Deming to the Capitol, said at first he was concerned that people might think he was self-serving in proposing the change.

     He said he didn't introduce the bill because he is approaching 75, but because he wonders if a higher age limit on yearly license renewals would be smarter and fairer.

     Smith said that if the testimony shows the incidence of accidents increase when drivers reach 75, he’ll back away from it.

     Smith said he filed the bill earlier in the session, but, because of a glitch somewhere in the Senate's process, it wasn't read into the record until Tuesday. Coincidentally, that was Senior Citizen Day at the Legislature.

Deming Woman Wins Denver Rodeo

1/30/2015

Meghan Johnson Photo by Greg Westfall

(Deming) – A Deming woman just celebrated the biggest win of her young barrel racing career at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver last week.

     Two-time College National Finals Rodeo qualifier Meghan Johnson won the first and second rounds of barrel racing, and placed fourth in the final round, in front of a near-capacity crowd at the tough competition held in the Denver Coliseum.

     The World Champion Barrel Racing website reported that Johnson was the first barrel racer at the stock show. The report said she jumped out to a big lead and never relented across 19 performances and 10 days.

     Johnson, and her mare Nellie Laveaux, earned a total $12,662 for her time of 45.95 seconds for the three runs combined.

     This year’s rodeo paid a grand total of $474,750.

     Johnson was competing with rodeo stars from around the country.

     Other winners were: Bobby Mote, from Stephenville, Texas in bareback riding… Beau Clark, from Belgrade, Montana, in steer wrestling… Riley and Brady Minor from Ellensburg, Washington, in team roping… Cody DeMoss from Heflin, Louisiana, in saddle bronc riding… Adam Gray from Seymour, Texas, in tie-down roping… and Zeb Lanham from Sweet, Idaho, in bull riding.

     Johnson, a 2011 graduate of Deming High School, is majoring in agricultural business at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.

     She is sponsored by Hughes Farm and Ranch Supply, Hi Pro Feeds and BioCare Supplements.

Local Crime Report for Thursday January 29, 2015

1/29/2015

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

Juan Valles-Barron, age 53, was arrested for forgery and conspiracy… Jasson Patterson, age 37, was arrested for shoplifting at the Petro Truck Stop… charges were filed on Rosanna Almanza, age 28, for using the telephone to harass or annoy… Hernan Madrid, age 24, was arrested on a District Court arrest warrant… and Jonathon Bracamontes, age 22, was cited for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

Also… $2,500 in tools were reported stolen from a residence off Monte Vista Road Southwest… a laptop computer, a computer tablet, a watch and cash totaling $1,150 were taken from a residence off Santa Barbara… $250 in damage to a chain-link fence was reported off Highway 418 or the Old Lordsburg Highway… and taillights valued at $200 were taken from a location off South Tin.

Early Voting Ends Friday

1/29/2015

(Deming) – Early voting for the February 3rd school board election ends Friday.
     County Clerk Andrea Rodriguez said the final day of absentee and early voting will be this Friday, January 30th.
     Voters may vote in the clerk’s office, located on the first floor of the Luna County Courthouse.
     Seats up for election this cycle are districts three, four and five.
In district three, Matthew Robinson and John Staehle are running for the seat being vacated by Dr. Andy Hernandez.
In district four, incumbent William Bayne Anderson is being challenged by Fred Williams.
And in district five, incumbent Ruben Torres is being challenged by Don Heacox and Francine Jacobs.
Rodriguez said only the election of the three school board seats will be on the respective districts’ ballots, so there is no election in districts one and two.
Contact the clerk’s office at 546-0491 for more information.

SunZia Project Back on Hold

1/29/2015

New Mexico Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn

(Deming) – New Mexico Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn has put the brakes on that $2 billion transmission project that would cross Luna County, carrying electricity generated by renewable resources in New Mexico and Arizona to markets across the West.

     Dunn announced late Wednesday that he was issuing a 60-day suspension after meeting with the developers. He said that will give his office time to review the project before any further development affects state trust lands.

     The Land Office said nearly 30 percent of the proposed line will cross state land.

     Two public meetings also have been scheduled in March – one here in Deming and the other in Socorro – to discuss the project.

     If approved, the SunZia line will come into Luna County near Lake Valley, and a mid-point substation will be built seven-to-10 miles north of Deming, just off Highway 26.

     The lines will turn west from the substation, and go just north of Black Mountain, then will follow existing power lines west to another substation near Lordsburg before following lines into Arizona and a substation near Casa Grande.

Deming Postpones Decision on GRT Increase

1/29/2015

(Deming) – The Deming City Councilors Thursday morning postponed a decision on increasing the city’s gross receipts tax.

     The councilors were considering increasing the sales tax by up to three-eighths of one-percent to offset the impending phase-out of state funds that have been compensating the city since 2005 when taxes on food and medical distributions in New Mexico ceased being collected.

     The council voted three-to-one during a special session to postpone a vote on the tax increase, allowing staff time to further examine the issue.

     Councilor David Sanchez was the dissenting vote.

     One issue in play is a move in the New Mexico Legislature to postpone or eliminate the phase-out of the so-called “Hold Harmless” or “Food Tax Fix” monies.

     The New Mexico Municipal League, for example, is lobbying for changes in the phase-out, and asking for an additional distribution in places where the local option “Hold Harmless” gross receipts tax does not generate enough revenue to equal the current “Hold Harmless” distribution.

     City Administrator Aaron Sera has said Deming is one of those places.

     If no legislative action is taken, however, the phase-out will begin July 1st.

LAST OF THREE DEMING DRUG TRAFFICKERS PLEADS GUILTY

1/29/2015

ALBUQUERQUE – Sylvia Grado, 31, of Deming, N.M., pled guilty yesterday afternoon in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to methamphetamine trafficking charges.
            Sylvia Grado was arrested in July 2014, together with co-defendants Juan Grado, 34, and Carlos Magallanes, 34, also of Deming, N.M., on a seven-count indictment alleging methamphetamine trafficking charges. Count 1 charged the three defendants with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Luna County, N.M., between Oct. 2012 and May 2013. Counts 2 through 6 charged Juan Grado and Magallanes with distributing methamphetamine in Luna County on several occasions. Count 7 charged Sylvia Grado with distributing methamphetamine on May 14, 2013.
            During yesterday’s hearing, Sylvia Grado pled guilty to Counts 1 and 7 of the indictment. In her plea agreement, Sylvia Grado admitted that between Oct. 2012 and May 2013, she conspired with Juan Grado and Magallanes to distribute methamphetamine. She further admitted that on May 14, 2013, she distributed approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer.
            Juan Grado pled guilty on Jan. 2, 2015, to Counts 1, 3, and 6 of the indictment, and admitted distributing approximately 453 grams of pure methamphetamine. Magallanes pled guilty on Jan. 16, 2015, to Counts 1, 2, 4, and 5 of the indictment, and admitted to conspiring with Juan Grado and others to distribute methamphetamine from Oct. 2012 through Jan. 2013.
            At sentencing, Sylvia Grado and Juan Grado each face a mandatory minimum of ten years and a maximum of life in federal prison. Magallanes faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison at sentencing. Sylvia Grado remains on conditions of release and under pretrial supervision pending her sentencing hearing, while Juan Grado and Magallanes remain in federal custody pending their sentencing hearings.
            This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis A. Martinez of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.

Local Crime Report for Wednesday January 28, 2015

1/28/2015

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

Jesse Perez, age 47, was arrested for battery against a household member, assault against a household member and causing criminal damage to the property of a household member… Juan Rincon, age 25, was arrested for breaking and entering, possession of burglary tools, possession of drug paraphernalia and on a District Court warrant for failure to comply with conditions of probation… Harvey Wullschleger, age 18, was arrested for causing criminal damage to property… Jasmine Longley, age 24, was arrested on an Adult Probation and Parole Office warrant for a probation violation… Lorenzo Trevizo, age 18, of Thatcher, Arizona, was arrested on a District Court warrant for a probation violation… Anna Nevarez, age 25, was arrested on two Magistrate and a Municipal warrant – all for failure to pay fines… Guillermo Ochoa, age 59, was cited for negligent use of a weapon… and Angelina Wallace, age 19, was cited for shoplifting at Kmart.

Also, a cellular phone valued at $500 was taken from a business off East Walnut.

Luna Unemployment Up Again in December

1/28/2015

(Deming) – Luna County's unemployment was up again last month.

     Preliminary figures from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions show Luna County with a December unemployment rate of 16.7%, up from the revised November rate of 16.2%, but down slightly from the December 2013 rate of 16.9%.

     Luna and Mora were the only two counties in the state with double-digit unemployment last month. Mora County’s December unemployment rate was 13.1%.

   Other counties with high unemployment rates in New Mexico in December were McKinley at 8.1%, Taos at 7.4%, Torrance at 6.9%, and Guadalupe at 6.7%.

     In our area, Grant County had 6.1% unemployment in December, Hidalgo County had 5.1% and the Las Cruces area had 6.1%.

   The county with the least unemployment was Eddy with 3%.

     Unemployment statewide was 6.1% in December – down slightly from November.

   The New Mexico labor force estimates show Luna County with a labor force of 11,943 – with 9,949 employed and 1,994 unemployed.

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