Here’s a look at today’s headlines:
Western New Mexico University officials met with representatives from the Universidad Pedagogica del Estado de Sinaloa (UPES) in the Silver City campus on Wednesday to sign a memorandum of agreement between the two institutions. The agreement lays out a plan to offer collaborative projects including joint research projects, staff and faculty exchanges, student exchanges, joint conference and seminar events, and information exchanges.
Plans by city officials to create a recreation pond from reclaimed waste water on the east edge of town are moving forward, and the city is looking at construction in the near future. The water recreation area would replace the existing desert sanctuary in Voier’s Pit Park, and offer places for visitors to walk or jog, and possibly offer houseboats and fishing in the 15-foot deep pond. The pond has been designed with constant circulation to prevent freezing and ward away mosquito breeding.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Santa Teresa port of entry made two drug busts over the weekend. The first occurred on Friday and the second on Sunday. A total of 15.5 pounds of cocaine was seized.
In sports news, Senior Emery Range was tabbed to the Lone Star Conference All-Academic Team on Wednesday. Range holds a 3.33 GPA and is majoring in business administration. Senior Jordan Gutierrez was named to the honorable mention squad of the All-Conference Team for the women.
A recent study by Care.com ranked New Mexico fourth in the United States for the healthiest pets. The findings are based off states that had low prevalence of illness and high access to veterinary care.
In legislative action, a bill to raise New Mexico’s minimum wage for the first time since 2009 passed the Senate on Wednesday. The bill would raise the minimum up to $9 an hour, and includes an $8 hourly training wage for the first two months of employment. The minimum wage bill now moves to the House, where a separate bill awaits action to set the wage floor at $9.25.
A plan for New Mexico to “spring forward” one last time continues to move forward after a bill to keep the state on daylight saving time made its way through the Senate committee process. Senate Bill 239 is now up for a floor vote in the Senate, and still has to go through the House.
