​DEMING – Deming police officers responded early Thursday morning to what would eventually be a presumed murder/suicide of an elderly couple. 
     Chief Alex Valdespino said officers responded at about midnight to the 1400 block of S. Whittier after dispatchers received a call from 83-year-old Gerard McDonough who claimed he had just shot his wife, 69-year-old Diane McDonough, and was going to shoot himself. 
     Officers arrived on scene and were giving commands to McDonough via a public announcing speaker on a squad car when they heard a single gunshot come from inside the residence.  
     Officers immediately entered the residence where they discovered the husband and wife unresponsive with obvious gunshot wounds. 
     Emergency medical responders were called and confirmed that both people had succumbed to injuries. 
     Valdespino said two handguns were located -- one in the hand of Gerard McDonough and the other in close proximity. 
     He said a preliminary investigation indicated Diane McDonough was a homicide victim, and Gerard McDonough’s death was a suicide. Both died of gunshot wounds. 

DEMING – Red Mountain Middle School officials will begin handing out laptops to parents on Monday, August 3rd, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 
     Principal Jesus Saenz said they are making phone calls to parents who will be receiving one laptop per family. 
     Parents who have received a phone call from Red Mountain staff can pick up a laptop through the front of the school on Monday, August 3rd, but will need to sign for the laptop while remaining in their vehicle. 
     Parents who did not receive a phone call can enter through the bus area on Monday, August 3rd, to receive computer login information and other school materials that will support remote learning. 
     Deming Intermediate School will distribute student schedules and one laptop per family on Monday, August 3rd, and Tuesday, August 4th, from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. 
     DIS students with siblings at Deming High, Red Mountain Middle School, or one of the elementary schools, will not receive a laptop at this time, but their siblings will receive a device for the family at their respective school. 
​     Distribution at DIS will be a drive-through service in front of the school, and parents and students should not get out of their vehicle. 
​

COLUMBUS AND PALOMAS MEXICO STUDENTS
DEMING – Columbus and Palomas, Mexico, students who attend any Deming district school can pick up their laptops and credentials Monday at Columbus Elementary. 
     School officials announced the distribution will be Monday, August 3rd, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at Columbus Elementary, 7450 Altura Rd. SE in Columbus. 
     Two buses will be shuttling students and parents from the port of entry to Columbus Elementary Monday from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.  
     Students and parents will be allowed in the building to pick up laptops, but must wear a mask at all times, adhere to social distancing requirements, and have their temperature taken before entering. 
     Students who have not returned their laptop from last year will need to bring it Monday so they can be issued an updated computer that is compatible with the new online programs being utilized this year.  
     Students will not be issued an updated laptop if their previous one has not been returned. 
    Columbus Elementary Students also can pick up laptops and credentials at Columbus Elementary on Tuesday, August 4th, from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

​DEMING – Here’s the area crime report: 
     Joseph Myers, age 43, was arrested for battery against a household member and false imprisonment… a criminal summons was issued to Mario Marquez, age 25, for battery and false imprisonment… Brian Otero, age 19, was arrested for possession of a firearm by a felon…  
     Manuel Del Valle, age 44, was arrested on a District Court warrant for failure to appear… Carl Kibunjia, age 32, of Las Cruces, was arrested on a Sandoval County warrant for failure to pay fines… and Denise Ruttle, age 53, was arrested on a Colfax County warrant for failure to appear. 

DEPUTY-LOST EVIDENCE
Police: Ex-New Mexico deputy hoarded lost evidence in home
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A former sheriff's deputy in southern New Mexico has been arrested on accusations of tampering with evidence after detectives say a cleaning crew found boxes of guns and case files at his foreclosed home. The Las Cruces Sun-News reports former Doña Ana County sheriff's deputy Vincent Lopez was taken into custody Thursday following an investigation that began in May. Police say bags of evidence, firearms, ammunition, and case files were found at the foreclosed home. The 54-year-old Lopez told Las Cruces detectives the evidence was related to a multiple-rape case and a hostile working environment at the sheriff's office. Online records don't list an attorney for Lopez.

AP-US-RACIAL-INJUSTICE-ALBUQUERQUE
Activists vow to meet arriving federal agents in Albuquerque
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Activists in Albuquerque say they are preparing to greet federal agents coming to New Mexico's largest city with civil disobedience and peaceful protests. Members of a coalition organized by the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice vowed Thursday to resist any Portland-style "occupation" of the city and any efforts to increase aggressive policing. Center executive director Jim Harvey said President Donald Trump is only sending federal agents to the city as a photo op. U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson is defending the decision to deploy 35 federal agents to Albuquerque to address violent crime, urging the city's Democratic mayor to embrace the effort

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
New Mexico extends stay-at-home order as coronavirus surges
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico is extending its stay-at-home health order with minor revisions through the end of August in response to a surge in coronavirus cases. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Thursday that more progress is needed before the state can reopen the economy further, and she urged residents to be cautious in avoiding possible exposure. Confirmed COVID-19 cases in New Mexico increased by 255 on Thursday to 20,388 since the outbreak of the pandemic, with three new deaths. New Mexico labor authorities are approving unemployment benefits automatically for people who don't return to work because of their advanced age or serious medical conditions that make them more vulnerable to the coronavirus.

ELECTION 2020-TRUMP-DELAY-NEW MEXICO
GOP US Senate hopeful Ronchetti rebuffs election delay idea
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — A GOP U.S. senatorial candidate in New Mexico is joining top Republicans in Congress in rebuffing President Donald Trump's suggestions the 2020 elections be delayed. Mark Ronchetti's campaign manager Jeff Glassburner said Thursday the Albuquerque Republican does not support moving the election from November 3rd. Trump suggested the delay as he pushed unsubstantiated allegations that increased mail-in voting due to the coronavirus pandemic would result in fraud. The Republican Party of New Mexico, however, is defending Trump and said the president was only raising questions. Ronchetti is facing Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján for an open Senate seat in New Mexico.

AP-US-ELECTION-2020-BIDEN-LUJAN-GRISHAM
Lujan Grisham builds profile as Biden looks to make VP pick
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Can a Latina running mate help Joe Biden win crossover votes and energize Democrats in November? The answer may rest with New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. The former congresswoman has led an unflinching response to COVID-19 in the nation's most Hispanic state. Biden has promised to run alongside a woman, and the allure of a Latina candidate is baked into the nation's shifting racial and ethnic demographics as the number of potential Hispanic voters is likely to eclipse the number of eligible Black voters by November. The pandemic has thrust Lujan Grisham into the national spotlight and life-and-death decisions.

RACIAL JUSTICE-SPANISH LEGACY
Leader, civil rights group part after Ethnic Studies flap
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico Hispanic activist who demanded the state's largest university remove some Ethnic Studies classes is no longer a leader in the nation's oldest Latino civil rights group. The League of United Latin American Citizens New Mexico Director Fred Baca told The Associated Press that Ralph Arellanes was informed this week he won't be returning as the group's state executive director. Baca says Arellanes then resigned. Arellanes drew anger among LULAC members nationally last week after writing a letter to the president of the University of New Mexico and urging the school to remove any classes that teach that Spanish conquistadors committed genocide against Indigenous populations. 

TRUMP-ENERGY RULES
Trump administration easing more Obama-era oil and gas rules
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The Trump administration is seeking to ease more rules for oil and gas drilling that were adopted under the Obama administration. The latest changes are projected to save energy companies more than $130 million over the next decade. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management proposal would streamline requirements for measuring and reporting oil and gas produced from federal lands. Critics say the measure backtracks on rules meant to ensure companies drill responsibly and that the public gets paid for energy extracted from public lands. Drilling in the U.S. slowed dramatically when the coronavirus pandemic caused demand for fuel to drop, but is beginning to rebound.

SNAKE PHOBIA-BATTERY
Police: New Mexico man attacked officer over fear of snakes
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico man is facing charges after authorities say he became combative with police over a fear of snakes and tried to grab an officer's gun. The Las Cruces Sun-News reports Nathaniel Ryan Ramirez was arrested Saturday following a disturbance at a Las Cruces gas station. According to police, Ramirez complained about snakes and claimed he was bitten. But officers say he had no bite marks. After he was taken into custody, police say Ramirez kicked an officer's vehicle then tried to grab the officer's gun. Ramirez was eventually taken to MountainView Regional Medical Center. It was not known if he had an attorney.

​DEMING – Deming High School, Early College High School, and Mimbres Valley High School are welcoming back students August 3rd -11th. 
      A media release said during this time, identified as “extended learning time” by the state, students will pick-up their laptop computers, class schedule, AP books, instruments, music binders, and guides to various online resources that will be utilized throughout the year such as Clever, Infinite Campus, and Canvas. 
     The schedule for pick-up dates and times by grade level is posted on the district’s website, www.demingps.org. 
     The schedule also indicates when zoom sessions will be held to review information about virtual learning and expectations for the 2020-2021 school year. 
     Students residing in Columbus and Palomas, Mexico, can pick-up their laptops at Columbus Elementary on Monday, August 3rd, from 8 a.m.–4 p.m. 
     Students who have not returned their laptop from last year will need to bring it on their assigned day so they can be issued an updated computer that is compatible with the new online programs being utilized this year.  
     Students will not be issued an updated laptop if their previous one has not been returned. 

ELECTION 2020-BIDEN-LUJAN GRISHAM
Lujan Grisham builds profile as Biden looks to make VP pick
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Can a Latina running mate help Joe Biden win crossover votes and energize Democrats in November? The answer may rest with New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. The former congresswoman has led an unflinching response to COVID-19 in the nation's most Hispanic state. Biden has promised to run alongside a woman, and the allure of a Latina candidate is baked into the nation's shifting racial and ethnic demographics as the number of potential Hispanic voters is likely to eclipse the number of eligible Black voters by November. The pandemic has thrust Lujan Grisham into the national spotlight and life-and-death decisions.

RACIAL JUSTICE-SPANISH LEGACY
Leader, civil rights group part after Ethnic Studies flap
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico Hispanic activist who demanded the state's largest university remove some Ethnic Studies classes is no longer a leader in the nation's oldest Latino civil rights group. The League of United Latin American Citizens New Mexico Director Fred Baca told The Associated Press that Ralph Arellanes was informed this week he won't be returning as the group's state executive director. Baca says Arellanes then resigned. Arellanes drew anger among LULAC members nationally last week after writing a letter to the president of the University of New Mexico and urging the school to remove any classes that teach that Spanish conquistadors committed genocide against Indigenous populations. 

SNAKE PHOBIA-BATTERY
Police: New Mexico man attacked officer over fear of snakes
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico man is facing charges after authorities say he became combative with police over a fear of snakes and tried to grab an officer's gun. The Las Cruces Sun-News reports Nathaniel Ryan Ramirez was arrested Saturday following a disturbance at a Las Cruces gas station. According to police, Ramirez complained about snakes and claimed he was bitten. But officers say he had no bite marks. After he was taken into custody, police say Ramirez kicked an officer's vehicle then tried to grab the officer's gun. Ramirez was eventually taken to MountainView Regional Medical Center. It was not known if he had an attorney.

VIRUS OURTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
Confirmed COVID-19 cases in New Mexico jump 352, now 20,136
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico health officials say the state has 352 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bring the state's total to 20,136. The state Department of Health said Wednesday that six more people died from the virus and New Mexico's death total is now 632. There are 158 individuals hospitalized in New Mexico for COVID-19. This number may include individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 out of state but are currently hospitalized in the state. In addition, there are 7,817 COVID-19 cases designated as having recovered by the New Mexico Department of Health.

RACIAL INJUSTICE-NEW MEXICO
US attorney urges city to embrace surge in federal agents
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson is defending a decision to deploy 35 more federal agents to Albuquerque to address violent crime, urging the city's Democratic mayor to embrace the effort. A letter to the mayor Tuesday reiterated that the new agents will augment existing federal task forces in Albuquerque and not target protests. President Donald Trump and U.S. Attorney General William Barr announced last week the new law enforcement deployment, with assurances it would not involve agents in tactical gear like those used to confront protesters in Portland, Oregon.

NEW MEXICO ENERGY FUTURE
Regulators tap solar to replace New Mexico coal-fired plant
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico utility regulators have approved a plan for major investments in solar-generated electricity and battery storage to replace a coal-fired power plant. The five-member Public Regulation Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously for a plan that relies almost entirely on renewable energy sources to replace electricity from the San Juan Generating Station as it is retired. Advocates for renewable energy say the investments are in line with goals established by state lawmakers in 2019 for decreasing dependence on fossil fuels and channeling investments toward communities that relied on the coal industry. The city of Farmington and others have been trying to keep San Juan open.

ELECTION 2020-HOUSE-NEW MEXICO
Torres Small releases new ad touting COVID-19 relief aid
RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small of New Mexico has released a new commercial touting her bipartisan work on a COVID-19 relief package. The Las Cruces Democrat unveiled the ad entitled "Accountable" this week that says she worked with Republicans, Democrats and President Donald Trump to get the measure passed. Torres Small says it's now time to hold the federal government and banks accountable for mismanaging relief dollars. 

​DEMING – Luna County Extension Program Director Jack Blandford is joining experts from the New Mexico Department of Agriculture in urging residents not to plant unsolicited foreign seeds. 
     Reportedly, some New Mexico residents have received in the mail unsolicited foreign seeds – with some seed shipments obscured as jewelry items. 
     Officials are asking recipients not to plant the seeds, to collect the seed prior to germination if already planted, and to destroy any emerging plants.   
     The seeds are unknown and could be a pathway for introductions of new invasive plant species and new plant diseases to the state. 
     Reportedly, this type of international shipment of seeds is unlawful under state and federal regulations. 
     NMDA asks anyone who has received one of these unsolicited foreign shipments to save all shipping labels, packaging and seeds, and contact the New Mexico Department of Agriculture by email at nmagsec@nmda.nmsu.edu, or by phone at 575-646-3007. 
     Send seeds and associated shipping materials to NMDA by mail at the following address: 
  
New Mexico Department of Agriculture 
Laboratory Division 
Attn: Tim Darden 
MSC 3 LD / P.O. Box 30005 
3190 S. Espina Street 
Las Cruces, NM 88003-8005