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

     Roberto Montoya, age 20, of Columbus, was arrested for assisting in an escape from custody, two counts of battery on a peace officer and battery on a household member… Sylvester Campa, age 30, was arrested for causing criminal damage to property and criminal trespassing… Fidel Ocon, age 32, of Vado, New Mexico, was arrested for driving while license was suspended or revoked and speeding… Lisa Ortiz, age 40, was arrested for unlawful use of a license… Joshua Moreno-Herrera, age 23, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and on two Chaves County warrants…

     Erica Baeza, age 31, was arrested on a District Court warrant for a probation violation… Bernabe Franco, age 21, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear… Ernesto Ibarra, age 23, was arrested on a Dona Ana County warrant for failure to pay fines… Stacy Mitchell, age 23, was arrested on an Otero County warrant for failure to pay fines… and Frederico Munoz, Jr., age 35, was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia.

     In juvenile news… a 17-year-old boy from Columbus was detained on a charge of battery… and a 17-year-old boy was picked up on a District Court warrant for a probation violation.

     And in other news… a television, Blu-ray player and bank with a combined value of over $900 were taken from a residence off Suncrest… and a pool cover valued at $200 was taken from a residence off Olive; $300 in damage to a door occur

(Deming) – The Deming-Luna County MainStreet program recently delivered a new, unfinished Wayfinder pot to the Deming Visitor Center.
     Deming High School art teacher Jesse Kriegel is sketching a Mimbres design for the pot, which will be painted by Deming Visitor Center Co-Manager Kathryn Hodson and her daughter, Samantha Apodaca, who is a student at New Mexico State University.
     Visitor Center Co-Manager Julie Mendez said the center is a great location for the Wayfinder pot because it is one of the first places visitors come to when they arrive in Deming.
     She added that they can then direct people to other pots in town for more information on historic sites.
     The Wayfinder Mimbres pot project was started last year by the Deming MainStreet program.  Each pot tells some history of the location and then leads visitors to the next historic location.
     Currently there are two finished Wayfinder pots in the downtown area – one in Leyendecker Park and one in front on the Deming-Luna Mimbres Museum on South Silver.

(Deming) – Two new head coaches have been named at Deming High School: Imelda Chavez will be the new Lady ‘Cat Volleyball Coach, and Joli Zumwalt will be the new Cheer Coach.

     Deming Public Schools Director of Activities and Athletics Mike Ellis said Chavez is a substitute teacher for the district who served as freshman volleyball coach last year and has coached basketball at Red Mountain Middle School.

     She replaces Tammy Jo Treadwell, who resigned because of family obligations.

     And Zumwalt is a counselor and social worker at Deming High School.  She previously served as cheer coach for the 7th and 8th grade squads.

     Zumwalt replaces Jerry Butler, who resigned but who will still be providing technical assistance to the squad as needed.

(Deming) - Effective Thursday, May 29, Aaron Sera was officially appointed the new City of Deming Administrator. “We are entering some exciting times with new members of our Council,” Sera said. “I look forward to serving our community and aligning our goals.” Former City Administrator Rick McInturff officially retired Wednesday, May 28. “It has been an honor to serve the council and the community,” McInturff said. “My time at the city has been very gratifying.”

(Deming) – The Seamless Summer Lunch Program through the Deming Public Schools begins Monday, June 2nd.

     DPS Student Nutrition Director Ginger Jones said the lunches, funded by the USDA, are free of charge to all youth between 1-18 years of age.

     Lunches will be served at area parks and schools from June 2nd-July 25th, 2014, with the exception of Friday, July 4th, because of the Independence Day holiday observance.

     To receive a free meal through the program, children simply need to show up at serving time, which is 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.  No registration or proof of income or age is required.

     Anyone with questions on the Deming Public Schools Seamless Summer Lunch Program may contact Jones at 546-2522 or by mail at 1001 South Diamond, Deming, 88030.

(Deming) – Early voting for the June 3rd primary election ends Saturday.

     If you are currently registered as a Democrat or Republican in Luna County and would like to vote early in the June primary, you can take advantage of special voting hours this Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Mimbres Valley Learning and Special Events Center, 2300 East Pine, or at the Luna County Clerk’s Office from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on the first floor of the Luna County Courthouse.

     New Mexico has a closed primary, meaning only registered Democrats can vote in the Democratic primary, and only registered Republicans can vote in the Republican primary.

     Contested local primary races include Sheriff and County Commission District Two.

     Running for Luna County Sheriff are Democrats Paul Borde, Fred De La O, Mike Eby, Kelly Gannaway, Mark Jasso and John Mooradian… and Republicans Harold May, Robert Santana and Michael Waldrop.   For County Commission District 2, incumbent Republican Jay Spivey is being challenged in the primary by Republican Linda Smrkovsky.

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

     Mark Gladen, age 62, of Las Cruces, was arrested on a Dona Ana County warrant for failure to appear… Ray Chavez, age 18, was arrested on a Municipal warrant for failure to pay fines… Abelardo Gallosa, age 26, was arrested on a Municipal warrant for failure to pay fines… Alex Rodriguez, age 20, was cited for following too closely and no driver’s license… and Grace Garcia, age 24, was cited for shoplifting at The Shoe Department.

     Also… criminal damage estimated at $300 occurred to a window on an exterior door at Chaparral Elementary.

(Deming) – Although Luna County still has the highest teen pregnancy and birth rate percentage in the state, teen childbearing in Luna County is declining.
     Statistics provided by the New Mexico Department of Health show that for the four-year period of 2008-2012, Luna County’s teen birth rate was 63.3 per 1,000 – or 6.3%.
     But when you look only at 2012 statistics, Luna County’s teen birth rate declined to 35.9 per 1,000 – or 3.6%.
     And that trends with the rest of the state.
     Since 2000, the teen birth rate in New Mexico for 15-to-17 year olds has declined by 43 percent. That’s comparable to the national decline of 48 percent.
     Teen childbearing cost New Mexico taxpayers at least $103 million in 2010, according to an updated analysis from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen & Unplanned Pregnancy.
     Most of the public sector costs of teen childbearing are associated with negative consequences often experienced by the children of teen mothers, during both their childhood and their adolescent years.
     This includes costs associated with public health care, increased participation in child welfare, and, among those children who have reached adolescence and young adulthood, increased rates of incarceration and lost tax revenue due to decreased earnings and spending.
     Nationally and in New Mexico, birth rates for Hispanic and American Indian teens are higher than for other groups.

(Deming) – A new monument recently was placed in Veterans' Park in Deming.

     The new monument has the name of every New Mexico soldier who was held as a prisoner of war during the World War II Bataan Death March, and sits next to an existing monument depicting two soldiers walking in the death march.

     During World War II, U.S. troops surrendered to the Japanese in the Philippines.  New Mexico's loss was greater than other states because the 200th/515th Coast Artillery Anti-Aircraft Regiments were comprised mainly of troops from New Mexico.

     Eighty-three of those men were from Deming.

     The troops were forced to walk for miles with little food or water available. Troops were tortured without reason and often murdered for no cause. The Bataan Death March took place from 1941 until the end of the war in 1945.

     Deming resident Thelma Pelayo has spent much of her life trying to educate the public on how the Bataan Death March affected Deming and New Mexico in the early 1940's.

     Pelayo said her brother and her husband, Lee, were both prisoners of war in the Philippines.

     She said they both signed up to join the National Guard in 1941 in the museum, which used to be the National Guard building.

     Veterans’ Park is adjacent to the museum at 301 S. Silver.

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

     Javier Perez, age 45, was arrested for aggravated DUI, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while license was suspended or revoked, no insurance and on an improper lane driving violation… Sergio Rivera, age 46, was arrested for aggravated DUI, having an open container and improper parking… Carlos Quintana, age 64, was arrested for driving while license was suspended or revoked.

     Jesus Hernandez, age 20, was arrested for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and on a Municipal warrant for failure to pay fines… Rodney Vigil, age 35, was arrested for trespassing and possession of drug paraphernalia… James Reyes, age 36, was arrested for unlawful use of a license… Federico Castillo, age 18, was arrested on an FBI warrant for a probation violation.

     Hernan Flores, age 23, was arrested on a Colorado warrant for a probation violation and was charged with drunkenness… Phillip Almanza, age 40, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to pay fines… Amber Jones, age 35, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear… Jimmy Verduzco, age 39, of El Paso, Texas, was arrested on a Sierra County warrant for failure to pay fines… Larry Wilson, age 50, of El Paso, Texas, was arrested on a Sierra County warrant for failure to pay fines… Stephanie Gutierrez, age 35, was arrested on a Dona Ana County warrant for failure to appear… Jeremy Smith, age 41, was arrested on a Grant County warrant for failure to pay fines… Travis Rickman, age 32, was arrested on an Eddy County warrant for failure to pay fines… Steve Chavez-Gallegos, age 28, was arrested on a Municipal warrant for failure to appear… and Fernando Solis, age 35, was cited for allowing dogs to run at large.

     In other news… a nine-millimeter handgun valued at $450 was taken from a vehicle parked off West Ash… the back window of a vehicle parked off Hermanas Road Southwest was damaged… the driver’s side window of an SUV parked off South Fourteenth Street was broken; damage estimated at $200… a stereo valued at $100 was stolen from a vehicle parked off North Gold; a passenger-side window was damaged during the burglary… $150 in criminal damage was reported at a fast-food restaurant off West Pine after spray-painted graffiti was discovered… a weight set and bench press bar valued at $100 were taken from a residence off South Silver… and a bicycle valued at $100 was taken from off South Platinum.