LA MESA, New Mexico - In the sleepy neighborhood of La Mesa, the iconic Chope's Bar and Café began serving patrons long before New Mexico earned statehood."My grandmother at one time was a bootlegger," recalled Margarita Martinez on Tuesday afternoon."She used to go to Juarez and buy liquor and bring it here," said her sister, Amelia Rivas, with a chuckle.While New Mexico dining rooms scrambled to reopen and close in a matter of hours , the county's oldest bar and café has sat quiet.“We do plan to open up again," said the third sister, Cecilia Yañez. "We miss them as much as they miss...…LA MESA, New Mexico - In the sleepy neighborhood of La Mesa, the iconic Chope's Bar and Café began serving patrons long before New Mexico earned statehood."My grandmother at one time was a bootlegger," recalled Margarita Martinez on Tuesday afternoon."She used to go to Juarez and buy liquor and bring it here," said her sister, Amelia Rivas, with a chuckle.While New Mexico dining rooms scrambled to reopen and close in a matter of hours , the county's oldest bar and café has sat quiet.“We do plan to open up again," said the third sister, Cecilia Yañez. "We miss them as much as they miss...WW…

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- Long before his use of a controversial police tactic that took a man's life, Christopher Smelser's mother told ABC-7 her son was a kind and loving student, athlete and public servant."The way we raised him was to be respectful and to have ambition and goals," said Selina Smelser, Christopher's mother.The former Las Cruces Police Department officer had a passion for athletics, playing on the Oñate High School football team, his mother said. He graduated with a degree in criminal justice from New Mexico State University."He knew that this was not going to be an easy...…LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- Long before his use of a controversial police tactic that took a man's life, Christopher Smelser's mother told ABC-7 her son was a kind and loving student, athlete and public servant."The way we raised him was to be respectful and to have ambition and goals," said Selina Smelser, Christopher's mother.The former Las Cruces Police Department officer had a passion for athletics, playing on the Oñate High School football team, his mother said. He graduated with a degree in criminal justice from New Mexico State University."He knew that this was not going to be an easy...WW…

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- Restaurant owners and members of the service industry across Las Cruces on Monday afternoon protested the New Mexico governor's decision to close dining rooms.“We are standing for restaurants’ rights to keep their employees employed and their right to do business," said Marci Dickerson, who organized the protest at the Game II in east Las Cruces."Restaurants like us that don't have a drive-thru or patios have a hard time meeting up sales and keeping employees," said Ramiro Alcala, who has owned Las Trancas for 26 years in Las Cruces."Sales are down 90 percent,"...…LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- Restaurant owners and members of the service industry across Las Cruces on Monday afternoon protested the New Mexico governor's decision to close dining rooms.“We are standing for restaurants’ rights to keep their employees employed and their right to do business," said Marci Dickerson, who organized the protest at the Game II in east Las Cruces."Restaurants like us that don't have a drive-thru or patios have a hard time meeting up sales and keeping employees," said Ramiro Alcala, who has owned Las Trancas for 26 years in Las Cruces."Sales are down 90 percent,"...WW…