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Local Crime Report for Friday June 30, 2017

6/30/2017

(Deming) - Here's the area crime report:
Mario Magallanes, age 32, was arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, abandonment or abuse of a child, and on a Municipal warrant for failure to appear… Cecil Hicks, age 52, was arrested for battery against a household member, possession of drug paraphernalia, and on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear… Maria Diaz, age 21, was arrested for battery against a household member and on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear… and Juana Rojo, age 48, was arrested on a Municipal warrant for failure to appear.
Also, $1,000 in criminal damage was reported to a surveying antenna located approximately five miles north of Gage Station… and a computer tablet, video gaming console, camera, and purse, with a combined value of over $500, were taken from a residence off E. Maple.

WWII Veterans to Lead July 4th Parade

6/30/2017

(Deming) – Two World War II veterans will lead Deming’s July 4th parade as Grand Marshalls.
     Organizer Lois Tharp said the Grand Marshalls for this year’s parade are D.J. Betenbough and Joe Peters.
     Betenbough served in the Marine Corps infantry in the Pacific theatre of World War II from 1942-1944.
     Betenbough, who was raised on a ranch near Tatum, returned to eastern NM after the war and supported his family as a crop duster.
     He has lived in Deming for 19 years and is a member of the American Legion.
     Peters joined the Army Air Corps at 18 and served as a tail gunner on a B-17 in the 91st Bomber Group of the 8th Air Force. He flew 34 missions over Germany while stationed in England.
     Peters, a native of Oklahoma, has lived in Deming since 1952 and served as a teacher, principal and district administrator for Deming Public Schools.
     The parade, which begins at 10 a.m. Tuesday, will run west on Pine from Cedar and south on Gold to Courthouse Park, where a day of festivities are planned.

Deming GRT Increases July 1st

6/30/2017

(Deming) – The gross receipts tax rate for the city of Deming is increasing as of July 1st.
The Deming city councilors in January unanimously approved an ordinance adopting a three-eighths-of-one-percent hold-harmless gross receipts tax, which takes effect July 1st, 2017.
     That brings the city’s gross receipts tax rate to 8.25%.
     Columbus’ rate of 7.9375% and Luna County’s rate of 6.8975% remain unchanged.
     The tax was allowed by state lawmakers to offset the 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.
     Deming City Administrator Aaron Sera said the tax increase will make up only a portion of the monies the city is losing from the hold-harmless phase-out.
     Sera said that based on historical data, the city could lose up to $1.2 million with the phase-out, and the tax increase will generate approximately $846,000.

Udall calls for funds for flood control at Columbus POE

6/29/2017

(Deming) —U.S. Senator Tom Udall recently pressed Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite, chief of engineers and commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to commit to ensuring that the necessary infrastructure is in place to protect the Columbus Port of Entry from reoccurring flooding.
Earlier this year, Udall joined a groundbreaking ceremony for an $86 million expansion of the Port of Entry Complex. Diversion berms to protect the port from flooding was the Albuquerque District office’s top priority for the Army Corps’ Fiscal Year 2017 work plan, but the project is still waiting on funding.
“The federal government is investing $86 million to modernize this facility to make sure Customs and Border Protection has the necessary facilities to fulfill its mission of keeping America’s borders safe and secure Udall said. “Unfortunately, the Columbus Port of Entry has been subject to reoccurring flooding over the years. In order to sufficiently protect the port of entry, we need to build diversion berms. … yet the project did not receive any funding to build the berms."
Semonite committed to work with Udall to find an answer for why funding has yet to be allocated.
After the hearing, Udall pledged to keep pushing the Army Corps of Engineers to ensure that the federal government is responsive to the needs of the village of Columbus.

Local Crime Report for Thursday June 29, 2017

6/29/2017

(Deming) – Here’s today's crime report:
Daniel Perez-Lozoya, age 38, of Mexico who was already incarcerated in the Luna County Detention Center was arrested on an Edwards Colorado warrant for Sexual assault of a child under 15… Robert Barragan, age 42, of Las Cruces, arrested for burglary, resisting evading or obstructing an officer and 2 counts of tampering with evidence… Leonel Chavez, age 20, charged with trespass and possession of drug paraphernalia… Carlos Magallanes, age 37, arrested for driving with a suspended or revoked license and unlawful use of a license… Brandon Harvey, age 26, arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear on a careless driving violation… Juanita Hernandez, age 36, arrested on a 6th Judicial District court warrant for failure to appear… Alfredo Armendariz, age 20, arrested on a 6th Judicial District Court warrant for probation violation…
Trevor Richardson, age 20, cited for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia… A 17 year old boy was charged with probation violation… and a 13 year old boy charged with battery on a household member.

Luna County Commission to Meet Thursday

6/28/2017

(Deming) – The Luna County commissioners will meet in special session Thursday morning.
     The special session, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, is to authorize the county’s budget procurement department to make necessary intra-department budget adjustments to clean up line items before the end of the fiscal year.
     Again, the special session is set to begin at 8:30 a.m. this Thursday, June 29th, in the commission chambers, located on the third floor of the Luna County Courthouse.
     The special session is open to the public.

PILT Program Funds for 2017 Announced

6/28/2017

(Deming) – Luna County’s share of Payment in Lieu of Taxes – or PILT – program funds for 2017 is close to $2 million.
     The total, announced this week, marks an increase over the 2016 PILT award.
     PILT provides federal payments to local governments to help offset losses in property taxes because of nontaxable federal land within their jurisdictions.
     Counties like Luna rely on PILT to provide services, including schools, roads and public safety.
     Luna County’s PILT payment for fiscal year 2017 will be $1,961,182 – up from the nearly $1,923,000 received last year, and up substantially from the nearly $1,741,000 received in 2015.
     PILT is administered through the Department of the Interior and compensates rural counties for hosting federal lands which cannot be developed, including Bureau of Land Management land, national parks and forests, and some military bases.
     Funding for each county is determined by a formula based on the number of acres of federal entitlement land within each county or jurisdiction and the population of that county or jurisdiction.

4-H Members Shine at District

6/27/2017

The District-winning Luna County 4-H Jr. Entomology Team, with (l-r) Coach Holly Schultz, and members Trinity Ruebush, Ivan Schultz, Dillon Gors and Calleigh Sweetser.

(Deming) – Luna County 4-H members had a strong showing at this year’s district contests held in Socorro last week.
     Luna County won the Junior Entomology Judging, Junior Public Speaking and Junior Mix-and-Match sewing contests.
     In Junior Entomology, Ivan Schultz was the high-point individual, Calleigh Sweetser was second-high, Trinity Ruebush – third-high and Dillon Gors – fourth-high.
     Ivan Shultz won the Junior Prepared Public Speaking contest, and Emily Davenport placed second.
     Calleigh Sweetser was the high-point individual in the Junior Mix-and-Match three-piece-outfit sewing contest.
     Calleigh Sweetser was second-high individual in Junior 22-Rifle, and Brent Hays was fifth-high. Sweetser, Hays and teammates Roy Scott Chandler and Julian Perez placed second in the Junior Rifle team competition.
     Marc Dominguez placed second in Junior Agronomy Judging and fifth in Range Identification, Ivan Schultz placed fourth in Junior Horticulture Judging, and Eli Turner placed 5th in Novice Wildlife Judging.
     Also, both the Luna County Novice and Junior teams placed fifth in Archery. Novice teammates were Isabelle Lescombes and Eli Turner, and Junior teammates were Emily Davenport, Sebastien Lescombes and Joseph Mesa.
     4-H is a youth organization open to participants from ages 5-19.  Novice competitors are 9-11, while junior competitors are 12-13.
     District contests include 4-H members from seven counties:  Luna as well as Catron, Dona Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Sierra and Socorro.

Business Registrations Due This Week

6/27/2017

(Deming) – If you operate a business in Luna County outside the incorporated boundaries of Deming or Columbus, it is time to renew your business registration.
     County Clerk Andrea Rodriguez said business owners must renew their business registration or apply for a new business registration on or before this Friday, June 30th.
     And a reminder: this week begins Luna County’s new four-day work week, so the clerk’s office will be closed Friday.
     Luna County Ordinance #5 provides for a penalty of $25 a month and/or a 90-day jail sentence and/or a $300 fine for each violation.
     Persons engaged solely in farming and ranching or whose annual gross sales do not exceed $500 are exempt from the ordinance.
     Contact the county clerk's office at 546-0491 for more information.
     Luna County administrative offices are now open from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays, and closed Fridays.

Local Crime Report for Tuesday June 27, 2017

6/27/2017

(Deming) - Here's the area crime report:
Isaac Garcia, age 21, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for aggravated battery on a household member and causing criminal damage to the property of a household member… Fabian Sanchez, age 23, was arrested for burglary… Benjamin Martinez, age 53, was charged with interfering with officers… five people – 43-year-old Mauricio Alvarado, 41-year-old Katherine Bryant, 37-year-old Arturo Lugo, 54-year-old Manuel Martinez and 59-year-old Rito Ortega – were cited for having alcohol in a public place… Ernesto Dominguez, age 19, was cited for trespassing at Walmart… and a 15-year-old boy was cited for causing criminal damage to property.
Also, a 1987 Winnebago RV valued at $5,000 was stolen from a truck stop off Hwy 418… $3,000 cash was taken from an office off W. Florida… a 1989 Ford Taurus valued at $1,500 was stolen from a location off W. Clark Street… a motor bike valued at $600 was taken from a location off E. Birch… over $500 worth of tools were taken from a residence off S. Iron… and a 2002 Dodge pickup stolen in Lexington, KY, was recovered at the Columbus port of entry.

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