Blog Archives

Border Students Caught with Contraband

1/21/2016

(Deming) – Two teens crossing the border from Mexico to attend Deming Public Schools were caught with contraband in their backpacks Wednesday morning.
     Luna County Sheriff’s Investigator Bobby Brookhouser said a 14-year-old boy was detained on a narcotics-possession charge after U.S. Customs officials found two pounds of marijuana in his backpack.
     And a 15-year-old girl was cited for minor in possession of alcohol after Customs officials found a beer in her backpack.
     Both teens were from Palomas, Mexico.
     Brookhouser said the backpacks carried by the two teens were searched Wednesday morning as part of random inspections of students as they cross the international boundary from Mexico to attend school in Deming.
     U.S. Customs officials turned the teens over to Luna County Sheriff’s Department officers, who filed the charges.

Local Crime Report for Wednesday January 20, 2016

1/20/2016

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:
James Blankenship, age 22, was arrested on two counts of aggravated battery and one count of aggravated assault… Elgin Newton, age 50, was arrested on a Valencia County warrant for failure to appear… and Chazell Smith, age 31, was arrested on a Hidalgo County warrant for failure to pay fines.
Also, a 2009 Dodge Charger was reportedly embezzled from a resident of San Miguel Street after the car was loaned to someone and not returned.

Deming School Board Meeting Postponed a Week

1/20/2016

(Deming) – The regular monthly meeting of the Deming School Board has been postponed a week because of conflicts with the legislative session in Santa Fe.
     The January meeting, scheduled for this Thursday, January 21st, will instead be held next Thursday, January 28th.
     Included on next week’s agenda is a vote on the 2016-2017 school calendar.
     Superintendent Dr. Dan Lere is proposing an extended calendar which would take an additional two weeks out of the 2016 summer, with school starting at the beginning of August, but would keep the scattered weeks off during the school year that were incorporated into the current school calendar.
     This year’s school year ends June 9th.
     The meeting will be open to the public.

BeWellnm Hosting Info Event Here Saturday

1/20/2016

(Deming) – BeWellnm, the official state marketplace for New Mexicans to shop, buy, and compare health plans, will be hosting two public informational events in Deming Saturday.
     The free events will provide an opportunity for residents to learn more about the changes in federal law affecting health insurance and health care, the various plans offered on the exchange, and subsidies or tax credits for which they may be eligible.
     Information will be given in English and Spanish.
     There also will be assistance provided to help with individual enrollment.
     The deadline to enroll in an exchange-based health plan is January 31st.
     Saturday’s informational events are set for 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Rio Mimbres Country Club, 2500 East Pine Street.
     Again, the events are free of charge and open to anyone interested.
     For more information about Saturday’s events, call (505) 433-3498.

Local Crime Report for Tuesday January 19, 2016

1/19/2016

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:
     Abelardo Chavez, age 31, was arrested for aggravated DUI, two counts of resisting, evading or obstructing an officer, negligent use of a firearm and on a failure-to-maintain-lane driving violation… Rigoberto Mendia Luna, age 35, of El Paso, Texas, was arrested for DUI, having an open container, speeding, and on improper-turning and improper-lane driving violations… Juan Francisco Abeyta, age 30, of Silver City, was arrested for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, unlawful use of a license and on a Silver City warrant for a probation violation…
     Leticia Mosqueda, age 34, was arrested for abandonment or abuse of a child, resisting, evading or obstructing an officer and shoplifting at Walmart… Jaime Segura, age 35, was arrested for abandonment or abuse of a child, resisting, evading or obstructing an officer and shoplifting at Walmart… Dwight Mann, age 58, was arrested for battery… Anthony Morales, age 39, was arrested for burglary, larceny, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting, evading or obstructing an officer and on a Municipal warrant for failure to pay fines…
     Abraham Galindo, 44, was arrested for larceny, injuring or tampering with a motor vehicle, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting, evading or obstructing an officer, criminal trespassing, conspiracy and on a probation violation… Ramiro Regalado-Ramirez, age 39, was arrested for aggravated fleeing from a law enforcement officer, speeding, expired registration, no proof of insurance and on an equipment violation…
      Daniel Perez, age 34, was arrested for concealing identity and on a District Court warrant for failure to comply with conditions of probation… James Stailey, age 27, who was already incarcerated, was served two Magistrate warrants for failure to pay fines…
     Juan Jacquez-Hernandez, age 28, was arrested on a Magistrate and a Municipal warrant – both for failure to pay fines, and was cited for possession of marijuana… Johnny Ingle, age 54, was arrested on a Magistrate and a Municipal warrant – both for failure to pay fines… Carlos Campos, age 21, was arrested on a Dona Ana County warrant for failure to appear… David Medrano, age 25, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear… Gildardo Ruiz, age 23, was arrested on a Municipal warrant for failure to pay fines… and Arthur Montes, age 42, of Pocatello, Idaho, was cited for shoplifting at Walmart.
     Also, a 1967 travel trailer was reported stolen from a location near Hermanas Road and Rockhound Road… a television, video gaming console and cable were taken from a residence off South Copper… a heat lamp, wheel barrow and air compressor were taken from a location off Lucca Road… a bicycle valued at $200 was taken from a residence off West Lima in Columbus… criminal damage estimated at $100 occurred to carpeting at the Deming-Luna-Mimbres Museum… and mail was tampered with at a location off West Fourth Street.

44% of Luna County Children Live in Poverty

1/19/2016

(Deming) – Despite gains in other areas, New Mexico children are ranked last among the 50 states for their high poverty rate, according to the annual KIDS COUNT report which reflects 2013 data.
     And Luna County is tied for second place in the state for the county with the highest number of children living in poverty.
     The latest data, released Tuesday, shows that 30% of children under the age of 18 live in poverty in New Mexico, and in Luna County, that number jumps to 44%.
     Luna ties with Socorro County at 44%, with only McKinley County showing a higher percentage at 48%.
     The 2013 percentage of kids living in poverty in Luna County is up slightly from 43% in 2012, but down from the 51% in 2011.
     The KIDS COUNT Data Center, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, compiles information from the U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates.
     The median household income for Luna County for 2009-2013 is listed at $29,282.
     More information is available at http://datacenter.kidscount.org.

Mexican College Students Could Get Break

1/18/2016

(Deming) – In news of regional interest… New Mexico lawmakers are weighing whether to offer lower tuition at state colleges to some international students from Mexico.
     The Legislative Finance Committee is considering a proposal to allow reduced tuition rates to students from the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora who attend New Mexico state colleges.
     If endorsed by the committee, the bill would be introduced at a 30-day legislative session that starts on Tuesday.
     The committee also is considering proposals to increase the ratio of public school funding that goes toward students at risk of failing and restrictions against double-funding of students at charter schools under a growth-based formula.

Local Crime Report for Friday January 15, 2016

1/15/2016

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:
Jorge Martinez, age 43, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for receiving stolen property… Johnny Ingle, age 54, was arrested on a Magistrate and a Municipal warrant – both for failure to pay fines… Suella Torres, age 37, was arrested on a Municipal warrant for failure to pay fines… and Reymundo Franco, age 19, was cited for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Also… two welders, a compressed oxygen tank and tools, with a combined value of $2,900, were taken from a location off Hermanas Road… and two doors valued at $100 each were taken from a location off West Elm.

Ortiz Named County Employee of the Year

1/15/2016

Sheriff John Mooradian, Estella Ortiz, Capt. Kelly Gannaway

(Deming) – Luna County Sheriff's Department Executive Assistant Estella Ortiz was named the 2015 Luna County Employee of the Year at the Luna County Commission meeting Thursday.
     Ortiz was nominated by Sheriff John Mooradian and voted as the top employee by her peers in county government.
     A media release said Ortiz began working with the county in 1985 before taking a full-time position with the sheriff’s department in 1992.
     Sheriff Mooradian commended Ortiz for helping keep the department organized, completing administrative duties, and keeping a careful eye on budget matters.
     Again, the 2015 Luna County Employee of the Year is Sheriff’s Department Executive Assistant Estella Ortiz.

Quarrel Pleads Guilty

1/15/2016

(Deming) – A Deming man pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to violating the Archeological Resource Protection Act.
     A media release said 81-year-old Michael Quarrel pleaded guilty to excavating, removing and damaging an archaeological resource located on federal lands in Luna County on September 30th, 2013.
     In entering the guilty plea, Quarrel admitted that he violated the Archeological Resource Protection Act by digging on federal land managed by BLM and removing several pieces of broken Mimbres pottery, thus causing damage to the archaeological resource.
     The act provides felony-level penalties for unauthorized excavation, removal, damage, alteration or defacement of any archaeological resource, which is defined as material remains of past human life or activities that are at least 100 years old.
     The archaeological resource at which Quarrel committed his crime, known as the Indian Wells site and located on federal land near the Cedar Mountains in Luna County, contains remains of a Mimbres Mogollon prehistoric habitation site.
     Under the terms of his plea agreement, Quarrel will be sentenced to two years of probation and required to pay $4,250 in restitution to cover the cost of damages he caused to the archaeological resource.      Quarrel also will be banned from BLM lands for a period of two-years.
     The case was investigated by the Las Cruces Field Office of the BLM and the Luna County Sheriff’s Office.

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