​(Deming) – The village of Columbus is holding an election to consider forming a Tax Increment Development District.
     The Tax Increment Development District – or TIDD – reportedly is part of a plan for the revitalization and development of the village near the Columbus port of entry as well as throughout the village to help prepare for economic development anticipated with the expansion of the port.
     If approved, the TIDD would issue bonds for public infrastructure financing which would include constructing diversion berm improvements to help with the village’s master drainage plan and help protect approximately 900 acres of undeveloped land near the port.
     The bonds also would be used for paving access roads serving the port, and improving water and wastewater infrastructure and electric, natural gas and telecommunication utilities near the port.
     Officials say the formation of the TIDD will not result in any new property taxes or gross receipts taxes in Columbus.
     The TIDD instead would issue revenue bonds secured by gross receipts tax increment revenue – or gross receipts taxes generated in excess of the taxes currently collected.
     Eligible voters are property owners or registered voters residing within the proposed Tax Increment Development District.
     Ballots will be accepted in the village clerk’s office, 214 W. Broadway in Columbus, beginning Tuesday, January 3rd, 2017.
     Ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 10th, 2017.

(Deming) -  Here's the area crime report:
     Isaac Garcia, age 21, was arrested for interference with officers and possession of drug paraphernalia… Abel Villegas, age 33, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for speeding, no proof of insurance, having an expired registration and on a safety belt violation… Francisco Porras, age 26, who was already incarcerated in the Luna County Detention Center, was served a Magistrate warrant for tampering with evidence… a criminal summons was issued to Amy Hamel, age 48, for shoplifting at Dollar General… a criminal summons was issued to Tammy Plant, age 30, for shoplifting at Dollar General… and Christina Corral, age 31, was arrested on a Dona Ana County warrant for failure to pay fines.

(Deming) – The Deming Arts Center is look for plein air artists for its January show.
     Plein air painting is a phrase borrowed from the French equivalent meaning "open air" and is used to describe the act of painting outdoors in natural light.
     Entries for the show must have been painted at least 80% plein air – or painted on location.
     The entry fee is $25 for up to three entries, and entries must be submitted Monday, January 2nd.
     The show will be judged and prizes awarded.
     The show will run from January 3rd through the 26th, with an artists’ reception Sunday, January 8th from 1-3 p.m.
     For more information, call 546-3663, visit the website www.demingarts.org or visit their Facebook page.

(Deming) – The New Year will usher in changes in solid waste collection by the city of Deming.
     Deming City Administrator Aaron Sera said the poly cart implementation schedule is in progress with distribution to begin in January.
     The poly cart fee will be $19.54 a month – the same fee as residents will pay for dumpster usage beginning in January.
     The fee reflects a 4.65% solid waste rate increase which officials said will be reflected in the city’s January billing cycle.
     Residents wanting poly carts need to call the city at 546-8848 ext. 110.
     Solid waste landfill and commercial rates are increasing in January as well.
     The new fee schedule is available on the City of Deming Facebook page, the website www.cityofdeming.org or through the utility department in the John Strand Municipal Building, 309 S. Gold Ave.
 
     Also, residents are not allowed to place any items in dumpsters that are not bagged, nor can they throw appliances, mattresses, boxes, furniture, auto parts, concrete, remodeling debris, oil, gas, grease, hot ashes, paint, any form of hazardous or special waste, or tree trimmings that exceed two-feet in length or three-inches in width into dumpsters.
     Those items must be disposed of at the transfer station, where no fees are charged for residential trash.
     The transfer station does charge for over four tires per load, and for commercial or industrial loads.

(Deming) -  Here's the area crime report:
     Duane St. Claire, age 56, was arrested for DUI, driving while license was suspended or revoked, having an open container and on an improper-lane driving violation… a criminal summons was issued for Anna Martinez, age 34, for battery against a household member… Juanita Hernandez, age 35, was arrested for battery… Grace Lopez, age 22, was arrested for abuse of glues or aerosol… Catalina Espinoza, age 24, was arrested for driving while license was suspended or revoked and on a safety-belt violation… Damir Karimov, age 27, of Hollywood, Florida, was arrested for refusing to sign a citation…
     Jesus Abril, age 21, of Hurley, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to pay fines and on a Grant County warrant for failure to appear… Nubia Medina, age 31, of El Paso, Texas, was arrested on an Otero County warrant for failure to appear… and Angelica Salazar, age 22, was arrested on a Municipal warrant for trespassing and on four Municipal warrants for failure to appear.
     Also, a 78-year-old Deming man reported being defrauded after sending over $3,000 in gift cards over the internet for a tractor advertised for sale in a regional paper but never receiving the tractor… a motorized scooter valued at $2,000 was reported stolen from a location off S. Ruby… and a cellular phone valued at $700 was reported stolen at a store off E. Pine Street.​

​(Deming) – Area gross receipts taxes are going up January 1st.
     In August, local residents overwhelmingly approved reinstating a one-eighth of one percent gross receipts tax used to pay for emergency ambulance services in the county.
     The .1250% figure amounts to about 13-cents for every $100 spent on taxable goods and services.
     Funds raised through the tax are used to pay the City of Deming Fire Department and Elite Medical Services for emergency ambulances in the county.
     Revenues from the tax averaged about $32,000 a month for the first six months of 2016, before it lapsed at the end of June.
     The one-eighth of one percent tax will be added to the GRT beginning January 1st, 2017.
     So, beginning Sunday, the sales tax rate for Deming will be 7.875% – up from 7.75%.
     Columbus' sales tax rate increases to 7.9375% from the current rate of 7.8125%.
     And the rate for the Deming Industrial Park and the remainder of Luna County outside the incorporated areas will increase to 6.875% from 6.75%.