Feds increase southern NM's commercial zone 30 miles

From Alamogordo Daily News - by Milan Simonich, Texas-New Mexico Newspapers - New Mexico's southern border will become broader in terms of the customer base. U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Friday submitted a rule change that will extend the border commercial zone in New Mexico from 25 to 55 miles.
     It means that shoppers and diners from Mexico will be able to venture into Las Cruces, Deming and Lordsburg, the three largest New Mexico cities on the border. Mexican nationals who have undergone background, fingerprint and security checks can obtain Border Crossing Cards that will give them access to all three towns.
     El Paso, snug against Mexico, already is positioned for border commerce. Tucson, Ariz., also had an edge over the New Mexico cities, even though it is further from the Mexican border. That is because the former Immigration and Naturalization Service in 1999 issued a rule permitting a border zone up to 75 miles in Arizona. More
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Lightning caused fire burns 400 acres in the Gila Forest

From KOB-TV.com - By: Shaun Griswold, KOB.com - A fire ignited by lightning in the Gila National Forest on Friday has now burned more than 400 acres. The Sillver Fire is located about 7 miles southwest of Kingston, NM and is now considered a Type II incident.
     Firefighters have not been able to access the fire from the ground due to extreme rough terrain. Two air tankers and two helicopters are working the fire today. Air suppression efforts yesterday did not stop the fire’s spread. Smoke is visible from Highway 152 and Silver City.
     Today crews are mopping up the Indian and Papoose Fires, also lightning caused. Both fires burned about 80 acres each near Hillsboro Peak, roughly 10 miles northwest of the Silver Fire. New Mexico 152 from 35 miles east of Bayard at mile marker 16 to 28.8 miles west of Hillsboro at mile marker 24 is closed due to the fire. More
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