U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said there's been a slight "tick up" in sick calls by air traffic controllers during the government shutdown.
Early voting has begun in Doña Ana County for several races, including three competitive seats on the Las Cruces City Council.
Candidates for city council have identified a need for more youth programs and mental health services.
Many candidates linked a lack of youth activities to public safety concerns, such as a recent park shooting.
Early voting began on Oct. 7 as Doña Ana County voters head to the polls to consider general obligation bond questions, school board positions as well as city council, trustee and mayoral races throughout the county.
Perhaps the most intriguing races will be the three seats for Las Cruces City Council. There will be at least two new members on the seven-member Las Cruces City Council in 2026 as District 3 Councilor Becki Graham and District 6 Councilor Yvonne Flores will not run for re-election.
District 5 Councilor Becky Corran was elected in 2021. She will face Ronnie Sisneros, whom she beat for the seat in 2021.
All three seats are competitive with a total of eight candidates.
Isaiah Tellez and Michael Harris are running to replace Graham in District 3.
There are four candidates in the District 6 race: Tommy Black, John Munoz, Richard Reynaud and Ramona Bataneant filed to replace Flores. Flores was first elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021.
In the lead up to the election, candidates answered questions in several forums, including an hour-long forum hosted by League of Women Voters of Southern New Mexico on Sept. 30 at City Hall.
All but one candidate was present as candidates answered questions on a variety of topics including public safety, budget priorities, the unhoused and the city's youth population.
Candidates express need for youth programs and mental health services
The March 21 Young Park shooting that claimed the lives of three young victims was referenced several times in topics involving crime. But the underlying issue seemed to be a lack of City programs for young people.
"We always talk about these programs that we bring into the area but not one time have I heard someone say we need to bring something in for these kids to stop them from shooting each other," Black said.
"I have already been going to the schools and telling the kids some of the things that I have succeeded in. We have to be hands on if we want to make this work and not rely on anyone else to talk to the kids."
Reynaud spoke several times about providing mental health services throughout the community.
"We should increase money for health care to the homeless, provide mental health treatment and drug addiction treamtment to get them off drugs and not have open camping in Las Cruces," he said. "We should only have one place and not provide them housing until they have proven they are off drugs and well enough to enter public housing."
Bataneant believes the city can merge senior and youth programs.
"I think bringing those generations together can help with mentorship and guidance and really prepare them to be a strong generation," she said.
Munoz echoed support for mentorship programs, but believes economic developement for the city would also create job opportunities for a younger generation.
"I have experience creating jobs," he said. "We should bring in and recruit high paying, quality jobs that reflect our values to Las Cruces so that our youth have something to aim for."
When asked how the City should use revenue generated by an increase in gross receipt taxes, Harris drew on his youth in Las Cruces.
"When I was a kid, there was not a ton to do," Harris said. "I would like to see more third places and funding for local nonprofits and city programs themselves. I think we can do a lot of interesting things with internships and apprentice programs."
The city has committed to park improvement projects through gross receipt tax revenue and recent general obligation bonds projects.
"I think we need to spend more money and invest more money in our youth," Tellez said. "Revitalizing Young Park is already a project that is in mind and putting more money into that revitalization is going to be great. Providing youth programs is going to be the biggest thing to enrich them and keep the guns out of their hands and give them opportunities as well."
Several candidates mentioned facilities such as the PAL Boxing Gym, ongoing renovation project for the Las Cruces Boys & Girls Club with Corran adding the $16.5 million Thomas Branigan Memorial Library expansion and renovation project as a potential hub for youth programs.
"We know the library has so many resources that expand the community's access to our city," she said. "I would love for the library to expand."