(Deming) – Luna County's unemployment rate rose again in November.
     Preliminary figures from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions show Luna County with a November unemployment rate of 14.4% up from the revised October rate of 10.3%, but down slightly from the October 2016 rate of 15.8%.
     Luna remains the only New Mexico county with double-digit unemployment.
     Other counties with high unemployment last month were McKinley at 8.2% and Catron at 7.9%.
     In our area, Grant County had 5.9% unemployment in November, Hidalgo County had 5.2% and the Las Cruces area had 6.3%.
     The counties with the least unemployment last month were Los Alamos and Union – both at 3.7%.
     Unemployment statewide was 6.1% in November steady from October.
     The New Mexico labor force estimates show Luna County with a labor force of 9,895 – with 8,467 employed and 1,428 unemployed.

(Deming) – Here’s today’s crime report:
     Aaron Molina-Arrieta, age 19, arrested for receiving a stolen motor vehicle and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor… Juan Mandujano, age 27, was arrested on a District court warrant for violating conditions of probation and cited for possession of drug paraphernalia… Fabien Sanchez, age 24, arrested on a Magistrate warrant for extreme cruelty to animals and probation violations…  Alex Chavez, age 23, from Columbus was arrested for resisting evading or obstructing an officer… Manuel Martinez, age 54, arrested for trespassing and shoplifting at Walmart… Darrel Arnold Williams, age 21, arrested for trespassing and shoplifting at Walmart.
     Walmart reported several cases of shoplifting over the Holiday.  The following persons were all cited for shoplifting and will be cited into Municipal court:   Debora Newton, age 31, of Silver City… Jose Ramon, age 18… Crystal Gilmore, age 35… and Krystal Cordova, age 31.
     Also, a Laptop belonging to the high school with a value of $650 was reported stolen from North Diamond street… $2500 in electronic items including a laptop belonging to the high school was reported stolen from a residence on North 8th street…   $100 in groceries were reported stolen from a residence on West Spruce street.  $2700 in cash was reported taken from a residence on West Ash.  Tools with a value of $800 were taken from a residence on South Copper, and house hold appliances with a total value of $150 were taken from a residence on South Myrtle Street.  

​(Deming) – Sculpture, painting, woodworking and performance art will come together to tell the story of the Braceros labor program in the area.
     The exhibit, titled “Braceros – Melding History and Art,” will open Saturday, Jan. 6th at the Deming Art Center.
     In 1942, as thousands of American men left to fight in World War II, the Braceros program was developed by the U.S. government to provide labor for farms, dairies and railroads.
     Lasting until 1964, the program provided millions of Mexican workers with employment and thousands of farmers with a way to address the massive labor shortage.
     Local history-buff Raymond Cobos will begin the narrative at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6th, at the Deming Luna Mimbres Museum, 301 S. Silver Ave., with a description of the Braceros program and its local impact.
     A team of actors telling Braceros’ stories will guide visitors as they make their way from the museum to the Deming Art Center, 100 S. Gold Ave., for the visual segment of the exhibit.
     At the center, sculptural works by Diana LeMarbe will be accompanied by paintings by Las Cruces artist Jeri Desrochers and wood sculptures by Deming woodworker Richard Boutwell.
     The exhibit will run through Saturday, Jan. 30th.
     For more information contact LeMarbe at 544-7708.