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By Liam DeBonis / Journal digital producer A traffic camera shows cars idling on Paseo Del Norte eastbound on Monday at 9:17 a.m., near the site of the crash. (Courtesy of NMDOT) Paseo Del Norte eastbound from Coors Boulevard closed Monday morning after a fatal accident was reported by the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office. BCSO said in a tweet that medical personnel confirmed one person died in the crash, adding that it is currently under investigation. No additional details were provided by the department. Traffic cameras on Monday showed a queue of stationary cars on Paseo Del Norte eastbound...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Cake Fetish co-owner Bill Harris, left his daughter-in-law co-owner and baker Kendall Harris and barista Brittany Cheney are seen with chocolate-covered strawberry cupcakes. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Copyright © 2023 Albuquerque Journal Editor's note: Cocina Connection is a once-a-month feature that takes a behind-the-scenes look at a New Mexico-based chef, who, in turn, shares some recipes. Kendall Harris begins every day from scratch. On some days, she finds herself inside the kitchen before dawn with her team, ready to take on the day. There are endless ideas for the tasty treats created...
By Liam DeBonis / Journal digital producer From game day to board meetings, here's what's happening Valentine's Day week in Albuquerque and around the state. APS right-sizing discussion The Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education is hosting a discussion at the DeLayo Martin Community Room in the Alice and Bruce King Educational Complex in Uptown at 5 p.m. Monday. The meeting is to discuss the recent plan to repurpose some schools in Albuquerque. The meeting will not be livestreamed or videotaped, but is open to the public for people to participate in person. https://www.abqjournal.com/2563294/several-albuquerque-schools-are-facing-a-new-future.html Monday night blues Catch a...
By Paul Mondragón / President, Bank of America New Mexico Paul Mondragón While unemployment is down in New Mexico, the state continues to add jobs and opportunities for New Mexicans. According to the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, nonagricultural jobs grew by 2.9% last year, or 24,500 jobs. While this is positive news for job seekers, these gains are coming amid an environment of heightened inflation, creating a unique challenge for employers vying to attract and support talent. As open positions impact companies across industries, businesses can shift their focus to employee retention. According to Bank of America's...
By Liam DeBonis / Journal digital producer The Albuquerque bank robbery suspect dubbed by the FBI as the “Orange Raincoat Raider.” (Courtesy of the FBI) A bright orange raincoat may not be the first thing one would think a suspect would wear while committing a bank robbery. Nevertheless, that's what a woman — dubbed the "Orange Raincoat Raider" by the FBI — donned while allegedly attempting to rob a Bank of America in Albuquerque last week. Now, the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department are looking for the high-visibility suspect. According to an FBI press release, the woman walked...
By Dale Dauten and Jeanine J.T. O'Donnell / Syndicated Columnists Jeanine “J.T.” Tanner O’Donnell is a career coach and the founder of the leading career site www.workitdaily.com. Dale Dauten is founder of The Innovators’ Lab and author of a novel about H.R., “The Weary Optimist.” Dear J.T. & Dale: My company's dress attire before the pandemic was business casual. Now that we're back in the office, everybody is truly casual — I mean it feels like anything goes these days. I swear the guy next to me had pajama pants on the other day. I'm actually happy to be...
By ABQJournal News Staff Mika Markham looks for a heart-shaped ristra during the Valentine Market at the Albuquerque Rail Yards. Thousands took advantage of the balmy weather to shop at the event Sunday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Thousands took advantage of the balmy weather to shop at the Valentine Market at the Albuquerque Rail Yards Photographed on Sunday February 12 , 2023 . (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL) Young dancers with Flamenco Works perform during the Valentine Market at the Albuquerque Rail Yards. Thousands took advantage of the balmy weather to shop at the event. Photographed on Sunday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL) Katrina Caulder,...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer April Baca works on a painting with the company of her daughter Esperanza Kozlowski and eleven-month-old granddaughter Stellaluna Torres, at Bacaâs home in southwest Albuquerque, N.M., Friday, Feb. 10, 2023. Baca has worked as an educational assistant for 23 years and raised her three children as a single mother. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) A replica of "Girl with a Pearl Earring" hanging on the wall. Another section of wall covered in blue yearbook cover submissions. Several school chair desks, and a Promethean board, scattered throughout the room. Every inch of April Baca's...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer April Baca, educational assistant, views her laptop inside the yearbook class room at Jimmy Carter Middle School in Northwest Albuquerque, N.M., Friday, Feb. 10, 2023. Baca has worked as an educational assistant for 23 years and raised her three children as a single mother. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) A bill that would increase the statutory minimum salary of ,000 for educational assistants to ,000 is gathering steam in the Roundhouse. To be clear, the average salary for educational assistants is about ,000, but almost 30% of them make under ,000. So what...
By Rob Maaddi / Associated Press GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Patrick Mahomes was magical when the Kansas City Chiefs desperately needed him to pull off another Super Bowl comeback. Playing on an injured ankle, Mahomes threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and scrambled 26 yards on the go-ahead drive before Harrison Butker kicked a 27-yard field goal with 8 seconds left to give the Chiefs a 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. The Chiefs won their second NFL title in four years and two-time NFL MVP Mahomes earned his second Super Bowl MVP award....
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Two people were killed in a head-crash in southern New Mexico, New Mexico State Police said Sunday evening. The agency said that it was investigating the crash, which happened on U.S. Highway 54 between Tularosa and Carrizozo. The highway was shut down in both directions on Sunday evening. No other details about the crash were immediately released. https://twitter.com/NMStatePolice/status/1624613687825768448?s=20&t=oqLZaJ6qmvE2D3jWF1Y9BQSubscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Public input has slightly reshaped Albuquerque's plan for reducing city bus service, but it may not keep the Blue Line from going dark. The Blue Line — known also as the 790 ARTx — currently travels from the Northwest Transit Center to the University of New Mexico area about every 45 minutes. The city Transit Department included it in a December list of proposed service suspensions. Officials have said staffing shortages are forcing adjustments since there are not enough drivers to maintain the transit system's existing schedule. The plan the city unveiled...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer The leadership of the local African American community is aging, and there are not enough young Black men and women being trained to move into those positions as they become open. The Rev. Charles Becknell Sr., a longtime educator, civil rights leader, author and community activist, is trying to fill that gap through his African American Youth Leadership Program, which teaches young people attending the University of New Mexico the necessary skills "to succeed in the workplace, in the community and in life." Currently, these young people "get their degree, go to...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico state Rep. J. Paul Taylor ,D-Doña Ana, center explains the intricacies of a bill to a group of Holy Cross Catholic School seventh-graders visiting the Legislature in January 2002. Taylor retired as a lawmaker in 2005 and died Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023 at his home in Mesilla at age 102. A longtime educator and state lawmaker, J. Paul Taylor died Sunday surrounded by family at his historic home in Mesilla. He was 102. Taylor earlier this month had a heart attack, said Mary Helen Ratje, his daughter. "Everybody has really...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer The Pan American Center on the campus of New Mexico State University on Nov. 30, 2021. (Geoff Grammer/Albuquerque Journal) The New Mexico State University men's basketball season is over. The announcement came as the NMSU Police Department released a redacted version of the initial police report filed last week with allegations of multiple Aggies basketball players taking part in repeated, ongoing locker room hazing this season that included potential sexual assault of at least one teammate. Specifically, the report lists as alleged offenses false imprisonment, criminal sexual contact and harassment and is...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Aaron Paul, Bryan Cranston and Raymond Cruz in the "Breaking Bad"-themed commmercial for PopCorners. (Courtesy of PopCorners/Sony Pictures Television) Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston are a dynamic duo. The stars of "Breaking Bad" have remained busy collaborating with each other since the final episode of the series on Sept. 29, 2013. Then the pair got together for "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie" in 2019. That wasn't the end, as the pair appeared in scenes during the final season of "Better Call Saul." On Super Bowl Sunday, Paul and Cranston...
By Reyes Mata Iii / For the Journal Some chile conference attendees noticed that New Mexico chile garnered some air time on the late night TV talk show circuit. Earlier this month, Late Show host Stephen Colbert spent a few minutes talking about New Mexico chile. On the Feb. 2 episode, he begins: "There's a story out of New Mexico where they're considering making the roasted chile its official state aroma," Colbert said, adding that a New Mexican senator visited a class of fifth graders and they "sparked a conversation about these savory hot peppers and the potential for...
By James Hamill / For the Journal Today's lesson is "There's no such thing as a free lunch." This saying is generally attributed to economist Milton Friedman, and is in relation to government payouts. New Mexico residents received payments in 2022 from the state. These payments were connected to their 2021 income tax filings. I use "payments" because the exact description varied at different times. Sometimes "rebates," other times "stimulus payments," still others "relief payments." I use "connected" to 2021 filings because the state used a 2021 filing to determine who received the payment. The law said that "The...
By Reyes Mata Iii / For the Journal Nesto Martinez, left, and Guillermo Hernandez pick chile at a farm in New Mexico in 2021. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) With the latest statistics showing that New Mexico's 2021 chile production dropped considerably from the previous year, the state's chile experts identified a primary — and familiar — reason. "Labor, labor, and more labor," said Travis Day, executive director of the New Mexico Chile Association. He spoke in an interview Tuesday from the foyer of the convention center in Las Cruces, which hosted this year's annual New Mexico Chile Conference held Feb....
By Tristen Critchfield / For the Journal The Mount Taylor Winter Quadrathlon tests both endurance and versatility as competitors race up Mount Taylor the highest point in the Cibola National Forest at 11,301 feet by foot, bike, ski and snowshoe for a 44-mile round trip. (Courtesy of the Mount Taylor Winter Quadrathlon) For some Grants residents, the Mount Taylor Winter Quadrathlon is a way of life. Take Isaac Atencio, for example. When he was a kid, his parents helped organize the event while Atencio tested his mettle in the youth race. As he got older, he progressed to the...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer Nicolle L. Gonzales, center, was honored by the UNM Native American Alumni Chapter. (Courtesy of the University of New Mexico School of Nursing) Copyright © 2023 Albuquerque Journal Nicolle L. Gonzales has dedicated her life to helping others. Through her Changing Woman Initiative, she focuses on renewing Indigenous birthing traditions and culture to ensure Native American people can get proper care and help. This is the reason the University of New Mexico Native American Alumni Chapter honored the Diné nurse midwife for her contributions to her community. "Half of our graduates stay in...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2023 Albuquerque Journal Karen Miller said sometimes she can't sleep at night – and when she does, she often wakes up crying. Seven months later, she still can't believe her son is gone. Kevin Sanchez, 39, was walking on the sidewalk near Old Town when an alleged drunken driver hopped the curb and hit him. Police said the driver removed his license plate and fled the scene. Of the 337 people struck by drivers in the Albuquerque area last year, Sanchez was one of dozens who didn't survive their injuries....
By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer James Borrego oversees part of the pregame for the Albuquerque Academy sixth-grade team in a game last week against St. Mary’s School in Belen. Borrego, who played his high school ball at the Academy, has been serving as the head coach for this team in the Albuquerque Parochial Independent Athletic League. His son, Nick (44, right rear, wearing goggles) is one of the team members. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2023 Albuquerque Journal By the map, it's about 1,600 miles, the stretch of interstate that connects Albuquerque to Charlotte, North Carolina....
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico State University administrators began meeting with Aggie basketball players and coaches on Saturday afternoon when the team returned to Las Cruces early from a road trip in California, one day after program was placed on indefinite suspension. The entire coaching staff has been placed on paid administrative leave, and it is unclear if the team will return to the court this season – one that has been an immense disappointment under first-year coach Greg Heiar, on and off the court. New Mexico State men's basketball coach Greg Heiar speaks at...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Victoria Martens Copyright © 2023 Albuquerque Journal The criminal cases surrounding the killing of 10-year-old Victoria Martens are resolved, but the New Mexico Court of Appeals gave new life to a 2017 lawsuit filed by the girl's grandparents against the city of Albuquerque. A state District Court judge dismissed the lawsuit last year, but an appellate court panel reversed the dismissal Tuesday and sent it back to the lower court for further consideration. Pat and John Martens filed the suit in September 2017, about a year after their granddaughter was killed and...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A wasted day or a revealing hearing? Rep. Melanie Stansbury was one of the lawmakers who thought the day was squandered. A high-profile House committee on Wednesday called former Twitter employees to testify before the panel during a hearing titled "Protecting Speech from Government Interference and Social Media Bias, Part 1: Twitter's Role in Suppressing the Biden Laptop Story." The hearing included testimony from the executives about their interactions with members of federal law enforcement agencies. A focus of the hearing was Twitter's decision to temporarily block from its platform a story...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer The city of Albuquerque is moving forward with plans to convert hotels to housing and now has a purchase agreement for this property at 10330 Hotel NE. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2023 Albuquerque Journal The city of Albuquerque's plan to convert multiple hotels into permanent housing by 2025 has moved closer to reality. The city has executed a purchase agreement for a 104-room hotel near Lomas and Eubank in Northeast Albuquerque. The negotiated price is .7 million, according to a city spokeswoman, and the purchase should close this spring. Katie Simon...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer David Aguilera is in the back of a patrol car being arrested by Chaves County sheriff’s deputies. He managed to escape and get into the driver’s seat before the deputies shot him. (Courtesy Chaves County Sheriff's Office) Copyright © 2023 Albuquerque Journal Family members of a man shot and killed by Chaves County sheriff's deputies last year have filed a lawsuit alleging the officers used excessive force. David Aguilera, 34, was fatally shot in the driver's seat of a patrol car following a lengthy standoff in which deputies tried to handcuff and...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Ashley Loya (MDC) A woman is accused of injuring a Bernalillo County deputy by ramming his vehicle while fleeing an illegal street race Friday night near Isleta Amphitheater. The deputy was treated at a hospital and released, said Angelina Navarro, a Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman. The driver arrested, Ashley Loya, 18, is charged with aggravated battery against a peace officer, aggravated fleeing, DWI and leaving the scene of an accident. She was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center early Saturday. It is unclear if Loya has an attorney. Deputies responded sometime...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer An officer looks over the scene where two people were injured in a shooting Saturday afternoon outside a gas station in Northeast Albuquerque. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) A person is dead after gunfire erupted Saturday afternoon outside a gas station in Northeast Albuquerque. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said officers responded to the shooting around 12:20 p.m. at the Circle K on 900 Juan Tabo at Lomas. He said two people were taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds. "One of the victims was critically wounded and is not expected to survive,"...
By Liam DeBonis / Journal digital producer Everyone knows dogs are man's best friend (easy cat people, it's just a saying). But when a dog owner goes out for a meal, a drink, or just around town, there are some places that — hold on to your Milk-Bones! — won't let their furry companion join in on the fun. Luckily, there are plenty of spots in Albuquerque that know just how important outings with your pooch are. So brush up on your pup's under-the-table manners; we've made a list of some of the dog-friendly businesses the city has to...
By Gabrielle Porter / Journal Staff Writer Police are investigating the death of a person they found with apparent gunshot wounds early Monday morning near Candelaria on the west side of Interstate 25, according to a release. Officers were dispatched to the area of 1500 Candelaria NE at about 4 a.m. to a report of a person in the roadway, Albuquerque Police spokesman Chase Jewell wrote in a release. When they arrived, they found the body in the roadway. Police announced at about 6:25 a.m. that they had closed Candelaria in both directions between Pan American Freeway and High...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Utah State junior guard Max Shulga, left, dribbles while being defended by UNM's Donovan Dent, right, in their game Wednesday (Feb. 1, 2023) in Logan, Utah. (Photo courtesy Utah State Athletics) During Saturday night's Utah State win at Colorado State, a few members of the CSU student section were heard chanting "Russia" while Aggies guard Max Shulga was shooting free throws. Shulga was born in Ukraine's capital, Kiev, and his family still lives there. He played for the Ukrainian Under-20 junior national team this past summer. His response to the matter has...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A man was critically injured after being shot in a Santa Fe apartment complex on Saturday night. Santa Fe police said in a news release that officers were called to the Santa Fe Apartments, 255 Camino Alire, just after 9 p.m. on Saturday. Officers found a 34-year-old man in the parking lot with at least one gunshot wound. He was taken to a local hospital, according to the news release. Police didn't identify him. Anyone with information about the shootingt is asked to please contact Detective Anthony Sweeny at 505-955-5401.Subscribe to ABQjournal....
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Three teenagers were found dead in a garage in Edgewood, according to the police department. Police said in a news release there is no indication of foul play and it appears to have been carbon monoxide poisoning. A propane heater was in use, according to police. None of the teens were identified on Sunday. Edgewood Police Department Chief Roger Jimenez said officers are still working to notify family members and loved ones. "We are also working with our local school district to provide chaplains and counseling to fellow students and families," he...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Anthony Baca (Courtesy Hobbs Police Department) A man and a woman were killed in Hobbs on Friday night after being struck by a vehicle while walking their dog, according to the Hobbs Police Department. The law enforcement agency said in a press release Sunday that Anthony Baca, a 26-year-old Hobbs man, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence, cruelty to animals and other charges in connection to the wreck. At around 6 p.m. Friday, police were called to the 600 block of Apache after a vehicle struck two people. Joshua Jackson,...
By Ed Williams / Searchlight New Mexico This photo, taken in early 2022, shows a room where kids were sleeping at the main CYFD office complex in Albuquerque. It was taken by a CYFD employee assigned to supervise one of the youth housed there. (Provided to ProPublica by Sara Crecca) Inside the office building of the very state agency charged with protecting children, a 14-year-old foster youth allegedly sexually assaulted a 10-year-old foster child in December. The assault allegedly occurred in a bathroom at the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department's main Albuquerque office building, according to an...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The Albuquerque Police Department's Internal Affairs Force Division is staffed by a mix of sworn and civilian personnel who are tasked with investigating most uses of force.. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) As the Albuquerque Police Department has struggled with recruiting and retaining officers over the past several years, it has turned toward a new strategy: hire civilians instead. Police Chief Harold Medina said he sees the approach as "the forefront of the wave of the future," adding that similar-sized departments across the country are also struggling to bolster their ranks. "We should...
By Megan Myscofski / Journal Staff Writer A new study says New Mexico state policy on climate change leaves out some of the biggest polluters. Four Corners Generating Station on the Navajo Reservation was cited in the study as a a large source of pollution. (Journal file photo) SANTA FE - New Mexico lawmakers are leaving many large polluters out of climate change policy, according to a new report from the University of New Mexico and PSE Healthy Energy, a nonprofit research institute. And many of those polluters are in low-income communities and communities of color. "The challenge of...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Triesch Voelker, of Albuquerque, enjoys a hike at the Corrales Bosque Preserve on Sunday, which saw spring-time temperatures in the Albuquerque area. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Temperatures in the Duke City reached 63 degrees on Sunday, said Jennifer Shoemake, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque. That was the warmest temperature in the city since Nov. 9. The record high for the day was set back in 1918 at 72 degrees, she said. The warm weather isn't expected to stay. Shoemake said a storm is expected to move across the state...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A man was struck and killed by a truck in southeast Albuquerque on Saturday night. No charges have been filed against the driver, who initially fled the scene but then returned. Police said it appears pedestrian error caused the crash, Rebecca Atkins, a police spokeswoman, said in a news release. Police responded to a crash near Central and San Mateo SE at around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday. Witnesses said a man was running south across Central and wasn't in a designated crosswalk when he was struck by a Chevy truck driving east,...
By Liam Debonis And Gabrielle Porter / Journal Staff Writers Colorado-based band Stone Riot will make its Albuquerque debut with a show at Launchpad on Thursday, Feb. 9. From hoops to a mid-week show, here's what's happening in the Albuquerque next week. CIVICS REFRESHER: The Albuquerque city council will discuss a proposal to replace the Transit Department's current "zero fare" bus service. The iteration now up for vote appropriates more money for transit security and postpones a decision on whether to continue with zero fares until later this year. The meeting begins at 5 p.m. Monday. STORYTIME: The Albuquerque...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Editorial Page Editor NO PLATE'S NOW A PROBLEM: Starting Feb. 6, the Albuquerque Police Department "is cracking down on drivers operating vehicles in the city without proper license plates." Traffic Division and Field Services officers will be writing the tickets. Chief Harold Medina says in a news release "we know many offenders conceal their identities during crimes by driving vehicles without license plates. We are cracking down on that practice." More details are in the chief's video on the department's Facebook page. WHERE'S THE SPEED ENFORCEMENT TO/FROM CITY DIFFERENT? Several readers offered a...
By Lucas Peerman / Digital Media Specialist Rio Rancho Police investigate after officers located a deceased woman with a gunshot wound in a vehicle at Premiere 14 movie theater parking lot on Sunday. The theater is near the intersection of Southern and Unser boulevards. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) The Rio Rancho Police Department is investigating after a man surrendered to law enforcement and officers found a deceased woman with a gunshot wound in the car he was driving Sunday. The Sandoval County Regional Communication Center received a call about 4:13 a.m. in regard to a man at a Rio Rancho...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer Per Bonusinsider.com, 1,633 video game players were polled and the majority of gamers (52.5%) played 2 to 4 hours per session. While many people get images in their head of neckbeards in their mother's basements, only 2.3% of video game players registered sessions longer than 10 hours. I have not had a session like that since college when I was playing Halo from sun up to sun down during the summer months but time flies on the XBOX. If anyone is trying to get a game in on the XBOX or...
By Albuquerque Journal Reader The Journal's weekly captions contest allows readers to create a clever meme out of a photo we select from Journal photographers or our wire service. Last week's photo The U.S. Navy's newest very low-tech and budget-friendly anti-submarine device. ARTHUR D. ORTEGA, Albuquerque A new TikTok challenge: Swim under the spears without getting impaled. JOAN NEWMAN, Albuquerque That looks like the Grinch's laundry hanging out to dry. PREMETIVO R. GABALDON JR., Albuquerque Scientists prepare to launch the 2023 version of the Deluxe Tingler Whale Massager. LINDA KAY LIVINGSTON, Albuquerque "Who needs bait when you can...
By Albuquerque Journal Reader Legislature: NO FREE LUNCHES for school kids. Expectation of free stuff goes counter to what children should be learning in school. Either have the kids earn their lunch or have them pay some small percentage of the cost of that lunch. You can always allow for exceptions. KMC State legislators proposing free school meals (ABQ Journal, Jan. 27 front page) should propose fully funding SEAT BELTS for all N.M. school buses. Notable crashes: Portales on Jan. 25 and the high-speed Mustang drag race last year that caused a school bus to flip are two extremely...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2023 Albuquerque Journal Mayor Tim Keller wants to cap the number of vacation rentals in Albuquerque at 1,200 and, for the first time, regulate how many an individual owner can have. The city needs the new short-term rental policies to "limit the effects of the housing shortage and increase the utilization of existing properties as long-term residential dwellings," according to a memo and analysis Keller recently sent City Council President Pat Davis. Keller's proposal – which Councilors Isaac Benton, Tammy Fiebelkorn and Renee Grout are sponsoring at the mayor's request...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2023 Albuquerque Journal Last year, Dr. Kristina Chong, of Women's Specialists of New Mexico, was midway through a checkup with one of her longtime patients when the woman started crying. The patient had been seen by a gastroenterologist, who found a golf-ball sized mass in her intestines and referred her to a local hospital. But it was now six months later, and the woman was still waiting to be seen. "If it's a cancer. It's been an extra six months that she has been living with this," Chong said in...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Chris Keller (Courtesy of NMFOG) Copyright © 2023 Albuquerque Journal Two local journalists have been elected to join the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government's board of directors. Chris Keller, managing director of Albuquerque Business First, and Rebecca Valdez, assistant news director of KOB-TV, were selected as new members of the foundation's board, according to a news release from NMFOG. Apart from the new board members, NMFOG also elected new members for its executive committee, which Executive Director Melanie Majors describes as the "overall management of the organization." Karen Moses, editor of...
By Megan Myscofski / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2023 Albuquerque Journal APACHE CREEK – It was a clear, sunny day with snow on the ground, when a helicopter landed in a clearing on the Gila National Forest. A woman in a baggy jumpsuit, orange helmet and aviators approached the helicopter and came away with a 50 pound Mexican gray wolf. The pup of the year in a soft, winter coat was limp in her arms. She was greeted by the crew of government and nonprofit workers about 100 feet away, where they weighed her and laid her on...
By Images by Journal photographer Roberto E. Rosales It was the chefs — not the Chiefs — who battled in this Souper Bowl. And it was for a good cause: Roadrunner Food Bank. The nonprofit's annual fundraiser took place Saturday as dozens of local eateries went head-to-head to see which could bring it with the best soup. Around 1,000 area eaters came out to sample the entries, raising money and awareness on hunger in New Mexico. Thirteen restaurants were picked as winners but, in the end, there could be only one Souper Bowl Champion: Old Town Catering, which claimed...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2023 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Just two years ago, lawmakers adopted a hard-fought compromise reshaping New Mexico's medical malpractice law. It outlined a morass of deadlines, recovery caps, financial studies and liability requirements – the result of intense negotiation in the final days of the 2021 session. The bill sailed through the Senate with bipartisan support, celebrated as a breakthrough balancing the interests of hospitals, providers and patients. But the compromise quickly unraveled. Just nine months after passage, independent physicians and outpatient clinics warned they couldn't obtain medical malpractice...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man is accused of fatally shooting a social studies teacher from Jemez Valley Public Schools last week at a cabin in Ponderosa. David Salazar, 36, is charged with an open count of murder in the Jan. 30 killing of Joseph William Keleher, 59. Salazar’s attorney could not be reached Saturday. Salazar has been booked into the Sandoval County Detention Center. Salazar’s criminal history includes arrests in violent and property crimes. In November, he allegedly fled from a Sandoval County deputy with his 12-year-old son in the car, driving up to 120...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Federal court records detail the case against a suspected human trafficker accused of opening fire on a U.S. Border Patrol agent during a traffic stop last month near the Bootheel of New Mexico. Roberto Esquivel is charged federally with attempted murder of an officer, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, among other charges in the Jan. 5 incident near Animas. The agent was struck by two bullets in his bulletproof vest and returned fire as Esquivel fled, according to court records. Esquivel flipped the vehicle soon after,...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A suspected drug trafficker is accused of fatally shooting another man early last month during a fight outside an East Central convenience store. Martin Osoria (Online court records) Martin Osoria, 33, is charged with an open count of murder in the Jan. 1 death of 40-year-old Felipe Vigil. Federal agents arrested Osoria on Wednesday after he allegedly sold fentanyl to an undercover officer at his apartment, two blocks from where Vigil was killed. Authorities found 370 grams of fentanyl, a pistol, AK-style rifle, a drum-style magazine and cash in Osoria’s car and...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Guy Rosenschein A former pediatric surgeon at an Albuquerque hospital was sentenced by a federal judge this week to 17½ years in prison after pleading guilty to possession and distribution of sexually explicit photos of children. Guy Rosenschein, 68, admitted that he possessed more than 19,000 images and 2,000 videos of child pornography on thumb drives and laptop computers found in searches at his home, according to a plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court of New Mexico. Rosenschein also admitted sharing images through his email account showing minors engaged in sexually...
By Zeke Miller, Michael Balsamo, Colleen Long And Aamer Madhani / Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. military on Saturday shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America. China insisted the flyover was an accident involving a civilian aircraft and threatened repercussions. President Joe Biden issued the order but had wanted the balloon downed even earlier, on Wednesday. He was advised that the best time for the operation would be when it was over water, U.S. officials said. Military officials determined that bringing it down over...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Jacquelyn Archuleta-Staehlin (Source: NM Public Education Department) After just over two weeks on the job, Jacquelyn Archuleta-Staehlin has stepped down from her position as a deputy secretary in the state Public Education Department — one of the top positions in the agency. Her resignation — which became effective Thursday, a week after the department announced her appointment — came amid questions about whether she was a good fit for the position and amid other turnover in the department, including its head, Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus. Archuleta-Staehlin did not respond to a Journal...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy forward Jadyn Toppin is shown shooting during last March's state championship game in Texas. Toppin is a University of New Mexico signee for 2023-24. (Elias Valverde II /The Dallas Morning News) Even if you haven't been to the Pit this season while the crowd is roaring again, you may have thought you could hear distant yells and screams from east of Albuquerque during Lobo basketball games. You might not be imagining things. As the UNM men (19-4, 6-4 Mountain West) have been enjoying a breakthrough Year 2...
By Megan Myscofski / Journal Staff Writer A natural gas well pad on BLM land in northwest Rio Arriba County in 2021. The New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department is working to curb waste of natural gas. (Eddie Moore/ Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — Activists are pushing for federal rules on curbing wasted natural gas to look more like New Mexico's recently passed rules, as they wait for data to reflect that they work. The Environmental Defense Fund, an environmental advocacy group, and Taxpayers for Common Sense, a budget watchdog organization, released a study last week showing...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Brandon Chatmon An Albuquerque food delivery driver accused of killing a homeless man last October was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service in California on Wednesday. Brandon Chatmon, 20, is charged with an open count of murder in the Oct. 27 death of 54-year-old Vincent Lopez. It's unclear where he is being held or if he has an attorney. Chatmon, who was working as an Uber Eats delivery driver at the time, was accused of shooting Lopez multiple times near a Wingstop restaurant at Zuni and San Mateo SE, according to a...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer University Credit Union Pavilion (formerly McKeon Pavilion) on the campus of Saint Mary's College in Moraga, Calif., on Nov. 30, 2022. (Geoff Grammer/Albuquerque Journal)Here are some more notes, quotes, stats, videos and whatever else I could empty out of the old notebook after Wednesday's 69-65 Lobos road win at Saint Mary's College: Jaelen and Josiah need some love... Look, there is lots of praise to go around after a huge road win like the Lobos got on Wednesday night at Saint Mary's, a team that was favored by as many as 10.5...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal An 18-year-old male is one of a group of teens accused in a string of commercial robberies – five at gunpoint and three in a matter of hours – over the past two months around Albuquerque. Lancelot Ulibarri is charged with six counts of armed robbery, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and conspiracy charges in the incidents, which happened between Oct. 18 and Nov. 8. Ulibarri was arrested Nov. 14 in the university area and, according to police, was found with the handgun...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer MORAGA, Calif. — The Lobos had lost 12 consecutive games in the state of California. Then they recruited Mr. California. Donovan Dent, the true freshman point guard who was voted that state's best high school player last season and was one of the gems of the UNM recruiting class, helped close the door on one of the program's biggest nonconference wins in years in a thrilling 69-65 win over Saint Mary's at the McKean Pavilion on Wednesday night. "In timeouts, we were all 100% locked in, high energy, just talking about how...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press Fish biologists work to rescue the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnows from pools of water in the dry Rio Grande riverbed on July 26, 2022, in Albuquerque, N.M. Environmentalists on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, accused the U.S. government of not doing enough to ensure the survival of the Rio Grande silvery minnow as drought tightens its grip on one of the longest rivers in the West. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson, File) ALBUQUERQUE – Environmentalists on Wednesday accused the U.S. government of not doing enough to ensure the survival of the Rio Grande silvery...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Many of the state offices in the Harold Runnels Building in Santa Fe, shown in this November file photo, are empty or sparsely occupied. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – New Mexico labor union leaders are warning of an employee exodus from state government agencies after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's administration this week said it would rescind a telework policy negotiated during the COVID-19 pandemic. After being notified of the decision, local leaders of the Communications Workers of America union cited frustration about what they described...
By / Eastern New Mexico News CLOVIS – A coach's alleged comment to Grady volleyball players that they would "burn in the eternal flames of hell" for various behaviors, including "being gay," brought a number of concerned parents to the school's board meeting last week. Grady Municipal Schools Superintendent Keith Durham declined to confirm whether the incident occurred; he also declined to identify the coach in question and would not discuss whether any disciplinary action was taken. "I can't speak on personnel matters," Durham said. Mikayla Najera, a Clovis resident who is an alumna of Grady schools, said about...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Ed Luna (Courtesy of CVS) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Local CVS Health store manager and nonprofit founder Ed Luna aims to help Albuquerque's homeless community with a winter coat drive. "One of the best things we can do is help others – it's food for the soul," Luna said. The coat drive, which will run through Dec. 31, is a collaboration between CVS Health and Luna's own nonprofit organization, Humanity 33, according to a CVS news release. Drop-off bins for coat donations are set up outside 13 CVS pharmacies in Albuquerque,...
By Eastern New Mexico News James N. Johnston, appointed chancellor of the Eastern New Mexico University System. (SOURCE: ENMU ) PORTALES – Eastern New Mexico University has selected James Johnston as its new chancellor and president. He is scheduled to begin Jan. 3. Johnston was one of five finalists for ENMU's top job. He will be the 12th president of the Portales university and the third chancellor for the ENMU system, which includes campuses in Roswell and Ruidoso. University regents announced Johnston's selection at a special meeting Tuesday afternoon. "I am truly honored to join the ENMU family. From...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer The city aims to open its Gateway Center shelter at the old Lovelace hospital on Gibson early next year. (Liam DeBonis/For the Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The city says it has finalized a "Good Neighbor Agreement" for its Gateway Center project in Southeast Albuquerque, but agreement – in this case – is not universal. Three neighborhood associations near the planned homeless shelter and services hub declined to sign the document, saying it did not address some of their chief concerns. One association president said she was "highly, highly discouraged"...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer An 18-year-old male is one of a group of teens accused in a string of commercial robberies — five at gunpoint and three in a matter of hours — over the past two months around Albuquerque. Lancelot Ulibarri (MDC) Lancelot Ulibarri is charged with six counts of armed robbery, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy charges in the incidents, which happened between Oct. 18 and Nov. 8. Ulibarri was arrested Nov. 14 in the university area and, according to police, was found with the handgun he apparently...
By Beth Trujillo / Assistant Features Editor Friday, Dec. 2, Saturday, Dec. 3, and Sunday, Dec. 4, head out to Grants for the 41st Annual Red Rock Balloon Rally. (Marla Brose/Journal) It's the most wonderful time of the year, indeed. There are a host of activities around the area to kick off this holiday season. From the lighting of the Old Town tree to WinterFest, there are activities for kids from one to 92. Got an event we should know about? Reach out to features@abqjournal.com. O tannenbaum! The holiday season kicks off on Friday, Dec. 2, with...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Harry Connick Jr. is on a holiday tour in support of his new album, “Make It Merry.” (Courtesy of Georgia Connick) Harry Connick Jr. makes the most of every moment in life. During the lockdown, the Emmy and Grammy Award-winner took the time to record some holiday music. "I remember doing my first holiday album," he says. "There are a lot of songs and I couldn't cover them." The result is his fourth holiday album, "Make It Merry," which was released on Nov. 26. Connick is also on a holiday...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Grammy Award-winning Mannheim Steamroller will perform in Albuquerque at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, at Popejoy Hall. (Courtesy of MagicSpace) Roxanne Layton is looking forward to returning to Albuquerque. For the last 27 years, Layton has been a member of Mannheim Steamroller, which is currently on its Christmas tour. The tour makes a stop on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at Popejoy Hall. "I hiked last year near the tram," Layton says. "It's such a peaceful area. I always look forward to the tour stops there." Chip Davis, founder and creator of...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer Big Benny is hosting his Comedy Christmas Party at Uptown Funk Dueling Pianos inside Revel on Wednesday, Dec. 7. The free event features local comedians as well as acts from El Paso. (Courtesy of Big Benny) Big Benny and his friends are inviting everyone to their holiday office party. Most employees – workers at big and small businesses alike – are treated to some sort of festive gathering organized by upper management during the holiday season. Yet, some feel they are obligated to attend the company function, or some may just be...
By Heather Hunter / For The Journal Tuna Tostadaditos at Paloma. (Heather Hunter/For the Journal) As we begin another joyful holiday season, I have been thinking about where I can meet friends for a fun and festive atmosphere, fabulous food and a well-curated libations list. That's when I zero in on a restaurant that delivers in big ways. Meaning "female dove" in Spanish, Paloma, which opened in July 2017 and is conveniently located on Guadalupe in downtown Santa Fe, weaves together a jubilant atmosphere filled with vibrant Mexican art and food. This shift will be very clear once you...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Vehicles are decked out in lights as part of the Twinkle Light Parade in 2021. (Courtesy of the city of Albuquerque) Soon a glow will fill the streets of Route 66 in Nob Hill. Over 4,000 people are set to participate in the 2022 iteration of the Twinkle Light Parade. The event begins at 5:15 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, in Nob Hill. According to Bree Ortiz, Community Events Division manager, the participation numbers are higher than those pre-pandemic. "About 75% of the participants in this year's event are new," Ortiz...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Mariachi Christmas will feature mariachi as well as folklórico dancing on Friday, Dec. 9. This is the 23rd year of the event. (Courtesy of Popejoy Hall) It's important for Miguel Angel Peña Caballero to carry on the tradition of folklórico dancing. As the director of Ballet Folklórico at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, it's a job he takes seriously. "Every day is a challenge to tell a great story through dance," he says. "There's beauty in each dance and we are trying to represent the various states of...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Chaske Spencer portrays Eli Whipp in the Amazon series, “The English.” (Diego Lopez Calvin/Drama Republic/BBC/Amazon Studios) Over the course of his career, Chaske Spencer has always looked for roles that challenge him. When the script for "The English" crossed his lap, he knew he wanted to be a part of it. "This was a chance for a Native American to be a lead character," Spencer says. "When I read the script, (creator) Hugo (Blick) made such a brilliant roadmap to this journey. With the turn of each page, I would...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Three, two, one ... hit the switch. Yes, it's time for the tree in Plaza Don Luis to light up Old Town. According to city of Albuquerque officials, the event is set to begin at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, in Old Town. Bree Ortiz, Community Events Division manager, says the tree lighting is part of the Old Town Holiday Stroll. In previous years, the tree featured many cut trees, between 100 and 200 of them, sized and fitted into the sleeves of a unique 55-foot steel structure, one of...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer Slums of Harvard brings its vibe to Sister on Dec. 3. Side Montero and No Manners will open the all-local show. (Courtesy of Robert Zamora) Slums of Harvard knows how to move its audience, and the band's vibe is spreading through Albuquerque. The act consists of six Volcano Vista High School alums: rapper Leroy Sandoval, singer Nevin Montaño, bassist Zach Chavez, drummer Nick Mourning, and guitarists Johnny Marrujo and Toby Gomez. The band came together to make fun music and promote an easygoing, positive way of life. What formed was an eclectic...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Christopher Montoya (New Mexico Department of Corrections) The 2020 death of a bystander killed when gunfire penetrated an Albuquerque apartment resulted in a 12½ year prison sentence Wednesday for the man who admitted firing the fatal shot. Christopher Montoya, 28, pleaded guilty in May to voluntary manslaughter and other felonies in the shooting death of 36-year-old Elizabeth Martinez. At the time of her death, Martinez was doing a favor for a friend who didn't have running water at his home, a prosecutor said at Montoya's sentencing hearing. "Her caring nature led her...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer From left, Christian Libonati (Frog) and Koppany Pusztai (Toad) star in “A Year with Frog and Toad” at Santa Fe Playhouse. (Courtesy of C Stanley Photography) What is the difference between a frog and a toad? Find out in the Santa Fe Playhouse production, "A Year with Frog and Toad," premiering on Saturday, Dec. 3. Frog and Toad are the amphibious pals from Arnold Lobel's children's books and you can take your kids to see the pair takes to the stage in "A Year with Frog and Toad," with music by Robert...
By Rozanna M. Martinez / For the Journal The limited batch of Taylor Garrett Sherry Cask Finish Whiskey (PX) is available at the Vara Winery & Distillery tasting room. (Courtesy of Taylor Garrett Spirits) Taylor Garrett Spirits has created something extra special just in time for the holidays. Its newly-released Distiller's Select Taylor Garrett Sherry Cask Finish Whiskey (PX) () takes things to another level. The artisanally-distilled whiskey is finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks for a minimum of three months. It is exclusively available at the Vara Winery & Distillery tasting room located at 315 Alameda Blvd. NE....
By Fatima Hussein And Felicia Fonseca, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Joe Biden on Wednesday pledged to give Native Americans a stronger voice in federal affairs, promising at the first in-person summit on tribal affairs in six years that he would foster "respect for Indigenous knowledge and tribal consultations" in government decision-making. Biden announced new steps to establish uniform standards for federal agencies to consult with tribes, a plan to revitalize Native languages and new efforts to strengthen the tribal rights that are outlined in existing treaties with Washington. Biden, who spoke on the opening day of the...
By Associated Press PHOENIX, Ariz. (AP) -- Hiroshi "Hershey" Miyamura, the son of Japanese immigrants who was awarded the U.S. Medal of Honor for holding off an attack to allow an American squad to withdraw during the Korean War, has died. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society announced that Miyamura died Tuesday at his home in Phoenix. He was 97. Born in Gallup, New Mexico, Miyamura's parents operated a 24-hour diner near the Navajo Nation where the family interacted with the diverse population of miners and travelers who passed along Route 66. Miyamura's mother died when he was 11...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press New Mexico is suing more than a dozen tobacco companies, accusing them of conspiracy and breach of contract. Attorney General Hector Balderas Attorney General Hector Balderas announced the legal challenge Tuesday, claiming that the companies have been withholding portions of annual payments that are due under a multi-state tobacco settlement that ended dozens of lawsuits seeking reimbursement for health care costs associated with smoking-related illnesses. New Mexico's complaint centers on a specific provision of the 1998 settlement, saying abuse of that clause by the companies has resulted in the state losing out...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Lobo Jamal Washburn Jr. splits Jacksonville State’s defenders Demaree King, left,, and Juwan Perdue on the way to the bucket in the first half. UNM defeated Jacksonville State 79-61 Friday at the Pit in the Lobo Classic basketball event. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal)And now for a real test. The University of New Mexico Lobos, sitting at 6-0 on the season and among the final 18 (of 363) Division I teams in the country without a loss this season, head West on Wednesday to face what should be one of the two best defensive...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer The Boys Club in Old Town as seen in 2006. (Dean Hanson/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A lawsuit alleges that a former director of the Old Town Boys Club sexually abused a boy under his supervision, bringing to four the number of suits the Albuquerque club is facing. All four lawsuits were filed this year against Boys & Girls Clubs of Central New Mexico and its parent organization, Atlanta-based Boys & Girls Clubs of America Inc. The recent suit alleges that Eddie Valtierra, who was hired in 1978 to...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Tesla cars charge at a station in Downtown Albuquerque. Researchers at Sandia are warning charging stations could be vulnerable to cyberattack. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Cybersecurity researchers at Sandia National Laboratories recently published a paper sounding the alarm on potential cyberattacks on electric vehicle charging stations and urging action before there is an explosion in the number of charging stations. The U.S. went from having about 2,000 public charging stations in 2011 to 50,000 in 2021, according to the Department of Energy. And the number of stations...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico State men's basketball coach Greg Heiar speaks at a press conference on Nov. 29, 2022. (Source: NMSU Zoom) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Ten days after his starting power forward was shot and hospitalized after a 3 a.m. shootout on the University of New Mexico campus that left a UNM student dead, New Mexico State University basketball coach Greg Heiar was apologetic Tuesday, and said he takes responsibility for what happened. It was the first time the first-year Aggies coach has spoken publicly about the shooting. He, and the school,...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Johnathan Martinez (MDC) Detectives arrested an Albuquerque man who allegedly first shot at a police drone and then shot at officers that had followed him for several hours during an auto theft investigation on Saturday. Johnathan Martinez, 39, is facing auto theft, embezzlement of a vehicle and aggravated assault of a peace officer charges in the incident. An alleged accomplice, 28-year-old Myranda Salayandia, is facing auto theft and aggravated fleeing charges. Myranda Salayandia (MDC) It is unclear if either has an attorney. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said Martinez is also...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Julie Coonrod There's a new interim dean at the University of New Mexico's Anderson School of Management. On Tuesday, UNM announced that Julie Coonrod will fill in as interim dean until a full-time replacement is identified. Coonrod will replace outgoing Anderson Dean Mitzi Montoya, who is leaving in January to the University of Utah. Coonrod has been with UNM for more than two decades, most recently serving as the dean for Graduate Studies and as a professor in the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, according to UNM. This semester she...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, left, talks during Tuesday's meeting of the State Canvassing Board, while Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Supreme Court Chief Justice Shannon Bacon look on. The three members of the canvassing board voted unanimously to certify the state's general election results. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- New Mexico has closed the books on a 2022 election cycle that saw a record-high number of votes cast in a midterm election, even as a Supreme Court case still looms to resolve gerrymandering claims. The three-member State Canvassing Board...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer PB&J Family Services is asking the Albuquerque community to pitch in and help some of the city's less fortunate as part of its Holiday Wish Program. Through the program, each family in need will be paired with a community sponsor who will donate gifts, according to a news release from the organization. Sponsors will be provided with a wish list from the family they are paired with, complete with names of each family member and their interests as well as their clothing and shoe sizes. "This is a special time of year...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Using a Bobcat loader, AMAFCA workers early Tuesday gingerly position and secure a raised platform with the iconic Tumbleweed Snowman. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Don't let anybody fool you with this nonsense that Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is the official start of the Christmas season. In Albuquerque, the official start doesn't happen until motorists see Tumbleweed Snowman — that's his formal name — sitting atop his perch along the north side of Interstate 40, just west of Carlisle, said Nolan Bennett, director of operations for the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM’s Morris Udeze, left, dunks against North Dakota State’s Andrew Morgan during Saturday’s game at the Pit. The Lobos beat the Bisons 76-55. (Chancey Bush/Journal) A historic performance on Sunday made for quite the Monday for the UNM Lobos. Graduate transfer forward Morris Udeze, who on Sunday became just the fourth Lobo player to ever post a 33-point, 14-rebound game in the team's lopsided 98-74 win over Northern Colorado in the Pit, was named Monday the Mountain West Player of the Week, his first such honor as a Lobo and the first...
By Journal Staff Report Albuquerque's bulging animal shelters have a little more elbow room following what the city is calling a successful Black Friday adoption event. More than 150 pets found new homes during a three-day event, according to a spokeswoman. The city waived adoption fees for the occasion. "It gives all the pets who've been here a long time a second look, and having these 157 get adopted gave us an opportunity to be able to take more pets in that need our care," said Desiree Cawley, a spokeswoman for the Animal Welfare Department. The city government had...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Children, Youth and Families Secretary Barbara Vigil reacts after the state Senate voted in January to confirm her appointment. Vigil, a former state Supreme Court justice, was appointed to the post by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in August 2021. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – New Mexico's child welfare agency has reduced the number of children placed in congregate care settings over the past four years, with about 86% of the nearly 1,900 children in the agency's custody now placed in foster homes or other residential-type...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Barriers placed November 28, 2022, prevent pedestrians from using the crosswalk at Tingley and Central SW as new safety measures are being implemented at BioPark's River of Lights. The intersection was the scene of a tragic accident during last year’s event. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Visitors to the River of Lights display at the Botanic Garden will not be able to cross at the Tingley and Central intersection, where a 7-year-old was killed last year by a vehicle that sped through a red light. The boy, along with...
By Ken Sickenger/Journal Staff Writer Tuesday night in Thibodaux. That's the latest and final stop on the University of New Mexico women's basketball team's tour of the Southland. The Lobos, who have traveled through Dallas, Commerce, Texas, and New Orleans since Thanksgiving, will take on Nicholls State in Thibodaux before heading back to Albuquerque for a three-game homestand. It's been an interesting excursion for coach Mike Bradbury and his team, which had not previously visited either of this week's Southland Conference opponents. Game one ended with the Lobos rallying late to pull out an 78-71 victory Saturday over Texas...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County Sheriff-elect John Allen Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Bernalillo County Sheriff-elect John Allen on Monday announced the names of three people he plans to appoint to top deputy positions on his command staff, a group he says reflects the diversity of the community. Hollie Anderson Lt. Aaron Williamson and Sgt. Johann Jareno will be appointed undersheriffs. Retired Sgt. Hollie Anderson, who recently was with the Albuquerque Police Department's Violent Crimes Section, will be appointed to major, a new rank with the sheriff's office, Allen said in a news release. The...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Peter Robinson Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Peter Robinson was in the late stages of dementia and restricted to a pureed diet when he choked to death on a hot dog after wandering unsupervised into the dining hall of his Albuquerque nursing home in 2019. The Uptown Rehabilitation Center contended his death was an accident and couldn't have been prevented. But the nursing home didn't retain its in-house surveillance video that could have revealed the circumstances leading up to his death, according to filings in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Robinson's...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer The memorial for 17-year-old Angelique Nevaeh Tenorio, who authorities say was killed by a drunken driver after a Halloween party in Southeast Albuquerque on Oct. 30. The memorial is at Coconino Rd and Pike, the street where she was run over that night. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Rena Tenorio didn't know Oct. 29 would be the last day she would spend with her teenage daughter. She recalled having a weird feeling throughout the day. "That day was crazy because everything went so smooth, the way everything happened," Tenorio...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police investigate a double homicide on the 9200 block of Marron Circle NE . Officers responding to a shooting early Sunday morning found two people dead. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) The U.S. Marshals Service arrested a man suspected of shooting and killing two people outside an Albuquerque apartment in August. Jayme Olson is charged with two counts of murder and tampering with evidence in the deaths of 33-year-old Nicole Amaya and 49-year-old Bernabe Jurado. The 27-year-old was arrested in Mountainair about a month after a warrant was issued for him. Detectives discovered...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer With landlords in Albuquerque standing against any potential move toward rent control, one city councilor set about exploring other ways to alleviate financial pressure on low-income households. The result is what Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn is calling the "Residential Tenant Protection Ordinance," new legislation that targets what it deems "deceptive" practices and "unreasonable" fees. Fiebelkorn's bill does not tackle rent prices or increases, but it would regulate fees and parts of the application process. Her proposal comes about a month after the City Council — heeding objections from rental property owners — rejected...
By Caleb Jones / Associated Press KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii -- Waves of orange, glowing lava and smoky ash belched and sputtered Monday from the world's largest active volcano in its first eruption in 38 years, and officials told people living on Hawaii's Big Island to be ready in the event of a worst-case scenario. The eruption of Mauna Loa wasn't immediately endangering towns, but the U.S. Geological Survey warned the roughly 200,000 people on the Big Island that an eruption "can be very dynamic, and the location and advance of lava flows can change rapidly." Officials told residents to be...
By Caleb Jones / Associated Press KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii -- Waves of orange, glowing lava and smoky ash belched and sputtered Monday from the world's largest active volcano in its first eruption in 38 years, and officials told people living on Hawaii's Big Island to be ready in the event of a worst-case scenario. The eruption of Mauna Loa wasn't immediately endangering towns, but the U.S. Geological Survey warned the roughly 200,000 people on the Big Island that an eruption "can be very dynamic, and the location and advance of lava flows can change rapidly." Officials told residents to be...
By Caleb Jones / Associated Press KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii -- Waves of orange, glowing lava and smoky ash belched and sputtered Monday from the world's largest active volcano in its first eruption in 38 years, and officials told people living on Hawaii's Big Island to be ready in the event of a worst-case scenario. The eruption of Mauna Loa wasn't immediately endangering towns, but the U.S. Geological Survey warned the roughly 200,000 people on the Big Island that an eruption "can be very dynamic, and the location and advance of lava flows can change rapidly." Officials told residents to be...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer A judge on Monday sentenced 17-year-old Adam Herrera to 18 years in prison for a 2020 shooting that fatally injured an unborn baby. Herrera pleaded guilty in August to a single count of first-degree murder for shooting a pregnant 17-year-old woman, mortally wounding the child she was carrying. Doctors performed an emergency cesarean section but the baby died 30 minutes after he was born. The infant's mother survived her injuries. Second Judicial District Judge Lucy Solimon sentenced Herrera to the maximum prison term allowed under his plea agreement. "I don't know if...
By Glen Rosales / For the Journal The Jabuka Word Game is at Color Wheel Toys.(Courtesy of Color Wheel Toys) Nothing lights up a child's face when unwrapping a present like a toy. Sure, socks are great and a new shirt is just fine. But holiday presents for kids should also be about fun. Here are several gift ideas broken down by age groups that are sure to keep those young hearts beating fast and those limber brains working hard. Babies/toddlers At Color Wheel Toys, which just this fall opened a year-round store in Los Ranchos, the Spin...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer Thursday, Dec. 1 through Saturday, Dec. 3, will mark the 33rd installment of the annual Festival of the Cranes. It’s the first time people can visit the refuge in-person for the event since 2019. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Each year, the Festival of the Cranes at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge reminds locals and visitors of the natural beauty that is, and occurs in, the state of New Mexico. This year will mark the 33rd installment of the annual Festival of the Cranes. It will be especially beautiful, however, for it's the...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Albuquerque-based contestants Austin Willis and Justin Sommer in the “Wrecking Balls to the Walls” episode of “Lego Masters.” (Tom Griscom/Fox) Justin Sommer and Austin Willis stacked up well in third season of "Lego Masters." But the Albuquerque-based team couldn't build enough of a run to make it to the end – and 0,000 – as they were eliminated on the Nov. 23 episode of the competition. During the episode – "Wrecking Balls to the Wall" – the remaining teams were required to build their very own castle. At the end...
By Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) -- More than 2 million people in the Houston area were under a boil order notice Monday after a power outage at a purification plant caused water pressure to drop, and the mayor of the nation's fourth-largest city ordered a full review of the system. The notice tells customers to boil water before it's used for cooking, bathing or drinking. Multiple Houston area public and private schools, as well as some local colleges, were closed Monday as a result of the notice, while others made adjustments to provide affected campuses with bottled water and...
By Damian J. Troise and Alex Veiga / Associated Press Stocks fell broadly on Wall Street as protests spread in China calling for President Xi Jinping to step down amid growing anger over severe restrictions imposed as part of his "zero COVID" strategy in the world's second-largest economy. The S&P 500 fell 1.5% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.4%. The Nasdaq lost 1.6%. Small-company stocks fell even more. Technology companies were the biggest weights on the broader market. Bond yields mostly rose. Markets will get another key piece of data on the economy later this week when...
By Susan Montoya Bryan, Associated Press The New Mexico Supreme Court on Monday denied a challenge to a voter-approved measure overhauling a powerful commission that oversees public utilities and determines how much customers can be charged to heat and cool their homes. The court announced its decision after hearing oral arguments in a case that centered on whether voters understood they would be giving up their right to elect members to the Public Regulation Commission when they approved the constitutional amendment in 2020. The amendment turns the commission into a three-person panel appointed by the governor with the consent...
By Kathaleen Roberts / Journal Staff Writer Gift ideas from Nambé include the latest holiday ornaments to dazzle your tree. (Courtesy of Nambé) As winter's chill frosts the city, nestling at home by a cozy fire seems like the obvious choice. Area shops carry gifts to complement that living space, with prices ranging from the budget-minded to the extravagant. Mugs to candles Located at 5935 Wyoming NE, Weems Gallery and Framing carries everything from hand-thrown mugs to artisan kitchen towels to homemade candles for scenting your holiday party. Weems Gallery and Framing carries Kei and Molly hand-printed kitchen towels...
By Glen Rosales / For the Journal Butterfield Jewelers’ Diamond Dots line was created especially for the jeweler to add a splash of sparkle. (Courtesy of Butterfield Jewelers) The holiday season can be such a bright and shiny time of the year, so giving a little something similar as a gift makes a whole lot of sense. Here are a few suggestions from the folks that make necks and ears and wrists and fingers sparkle and gleam under the twinkling lights. Diamond Dots At Butterfield Jewelers on San Pedro NE, there is a new a centerpiece item. "One that...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer Kitchen appliances on sale at Baillio’s are a great big-ticket surprise. (Courtesy of Baillio’s) With the holidays right around the corner, it is almost time to finalize those shopping lists. Of course, in today's technological driven world, there's always room for a high-tech gadget or a big purchase for the home. One place you could check is Baillio's, located at 5301 Menaul NE, for all of your holiday needs. "We have got major promotions from all of our major vendors and there are up to [post_excerpt],100 rebates on full kitchen appliance packages,...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer Truffles are on the menu at Eldora Chocolate. (Courtesy of Eldora Chocolate) Chocolate – some say it's the gift from gods. Surely, it can put a smile on anyone's face. Albuquerque is home to many local chocolatiers, who have something special to sweeten the holiday season. New flavors This is why Steve Prickett, owner and founder of Eldora Chocolate, has added three new flavors to the menu just in time for the holiday season. Eldora Chocolate is located at 8114 Edith NE. "It's our classic, our Mole Mole and Chai," Prickett said....
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer The Remedy Day Spa's Day of Wellness for Two is a popular choice for couples. The package includes an hour-long couples massage, two 30-minute scalp treatments of facials, and an hour-long soak. (Courtesy of Mandy Warr) When adults reach a certain age, it becomes difficult to shop for them, especially if they come in pairs. Couples generally get each other basic necessities and material desires throughout the year, but one thing they tend to forget is how to pamper themselves. This is where you come in to make the holidays extra special...
By Beth Trujillo / Assistant Features Editor A mixed box of chocolates from Buffett's Candies. You can pick up a ready-made box or pick your own mix of chocolates. (Courtesy of Buffett's Candies) "Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays." The sentiment rings true for many since Perry Como first crooned those lyrics in 1954. And for those wanting to gift a bit of the Land of Enchantment this holiday season, there are many local options. So no matter how far away they've roamed, here are some options for those who think "you can't beat home sweet...
By ABQJournal News Staff The ticketed River of Lights display welcomes visitors seven days a week between 5-10 p.m. The schedule is part of the ABQ BioPark's new winter hours. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Beginning Nov. 28, the ABQ BioPark will have new winter hours and days of operation. All BioPark facilities will be closed on Mondays, with the exception of the River of Lights at the Botanic Garden, which will be open seven days a week from 5-10 p.m. The Botanic Garden winter hours will be Tuesdays-Sundays from 1-4 p.m., and the Aquarium will be open from 1-5 p.m....
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Albuquerque Police Department's SWAT and Crisis Negotiating Team were dispatched to the area of Rhode Island Street and Claremont NE just after midnight Sunday after reports of a domestic dispute. "During the encounter, officers attempted to apprehend a suspect wanted for domestic violence charges, this individual had barricaded inside their residence and has refused to cooperate with officers as they've attempted to place this individual into custody," an email from police spokesman Chase Jewell says. "The APD Tactical Unit to include the APD SWAT and Crisis Negotiating Team has been dispatched...
By Dake Kang / Associated Press SHANGHAI -- Barely a month after granting himself new powers as China's potential leader for life, Xi Jinping is facing a wave of public anger of the kind not seen for decades, sparked by his "zero COVID" strategy that will soon enter its fourth year. Demonstrators poured into the streets over the weekend in cities including Shanghai and Beijing, criticizing the policy, confronting police -- and even calling for Xi to step down. On Monday, demonstrators gathered in the semi-autonomous southern city of Hong Kong, where the pro-democracy movement was all but snuffed...
By Dake Kang / Associated Press SHANGHAI -- Barely a month after granting himself new powers as China's potential leader for life, Xi Jinping is facing a wave of public anger of the kind not seen for decades, sparked by his "zero COVID" strategy that will soon enter its fourth year. Demonstrators poured into the streets over the weekend in cities including Shanghai and Beijing, criticizing the policy, confronting police -- and even calling for Xi to step down. On Monday, demonstrators gathered in the semi-autonomous southern city of Hong Kong, where the pro-democracy movement was all but snuffed...
By Caleb Jones / Associated Press HONOLULU -- The world's largest active volcano was erupting Monday and wasn't immediately threatening communities on Hawaii's Big Island, but officials warned residents to be ready for worse. Many current residents weren't living there when Mauna Loa last erupted 38 years ago. The U.S. Geological Survey warned the roughly 200,000 people on the Big Island that an eruption "can be very dynamic, and the location and advance of lava flows can change rapidly." The eruption began late Sunday night following a series of fairly large earthquakes, said Ken Hon, the scientist-in-charge at the...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM forward Morris Udeze, left, goes up for a shot against Northern Colorado's Brock Wisne during Sunday's game in the Pit. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal)Here are some extra notes, quotes, tweets, stats, analysis and other odds ends that didn't make it into print after Sunday's 98-74 Lobos win over Northern Colorado in the Pit... Mo's Monster game... Sunday, the Northern Colorado Bears were doing their best to distract you from it, hanging around in a game that shouldn't have been that close for far longer than most Lobo fans expected. Then, all of...
By Dale Dauten and Jeanine J.T. O'Donnell / Syndicated Columnists Jeanine “J.T.” Tanner O’Donnell is a career coach and the founder of the leading career site www.workitdaily.com. Dale Dauten is founder of The Innovators’ Lab and author of a novel about H.R., “The Weary Optimist.” Dear J.T. & Dale: I've noticed a lot of companies posting salaries that are so out of touch that they are well below the market. They clearly don't know the job-seekers have the upper hand right now. What can I do to politely tell a company I'm interested in working for them, but their...
By ABQJournal News Staff Gary Chaffin of Rio Rancho works on a wire sculpture while selling his artwork at the 22nd Annual Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival Holiday Show at Expo New Mexico Sunday. More than 150 artists from 14 states attended the three-day event. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) In its 22nd year, the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival Holiday Show featured the work of 165 artists from 14 different states. Organizers said the three-day event, which ran Friday through Sunday at the Expo New Mexico, was more well-attended than last year's event. "Thank you for rallying behind this...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal One night in July, Santiago Brito was walking along the road next to a Santa Fe Home Depot after getting something to eat at McDonald's when he was struck by a forklift being driven by a store employee moving pallets from one area of the store to another, according to a lawsuit filed by his family. Brito, who is in his early 70s and walks using a cane, fell to the ground and the employee reportedly drove the forklift over his leg, causing serious injury. His leg...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The University of New Mexico is seeking to expand its Science and Technology Park and create a bustling entertainment district, in part through public financing for a quarter century. The city and UNM, through its private, nonprofit Lobo Development Corporation, are in the process of creating a Tax Increment Development District, or TIDD, which would allow for future taxes to help fund the massive development project. The State Board of Finance is scheduled to take action on the request Dec. 20. The districts allow for developers...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Samuel Perez, 65, received a letter in August warning him he may lose his Medicaid coverage once the federally designated COVID-19 crisis ends. Once a federal infusion of funds runs out, New Mexico Medicaid enrollees will once again have to renew their coverage annually — a requirement suspended during the crisis. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Samuel Perez received a letter a couple of months back with some unwelcome news. The letter, sent from the New Mexico Human Services Department in late August, read in part: "Once the (COVID-19) crisis...
By ABQJournal News Staff Members of the New Mexico National Guard recently delivered 100 freezers to New Mexicans whose homes were damaged by the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. According to a National Guard news release, the freezers were given to San Miguel and Mora county residents who were in need of new ones because of damage caused either by the fire or related power outages. The freezers were provided by the New Mexico Cares Foundation, a charitable organization that works to improve social and economic conditions throughout the state, according to the foundation's website. More than 170 residents have...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM forward Morris Udeze dunks during the first half of Sunday's Lobo win over Northern Colorado in the Pit. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal)For 31 minutes on Sunday evening in the Pit, defense was optional. For the final nine, the Lobos could do no wrong on either end of the floor, closing on a 23-6 run to win the Lobo Classic title game 98-74 over Northern Colorado. Having Morris Udeze record one of the Pit’s all-time single performances didn’t hurt the home team’s chances, either. The 6-foot-8 graduate transfer forward from Wichita State scored...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer APD Officers investigate a stabbing at Central and Cagua NE Sunday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) A man was hospitalized after being stabbed in Southeast Albuquerque Sunday. "APD officers in the Southeast Area Command responded this morning to reports of a stabbing," an email from police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said. "A victim with several stab wounds was located and transported to a hospital, where he is currently being treated." Another email, sent at about 11:30 a.m. said the victim was in stable condition. Police didn't identify the victim or announce if they had made any...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer An hours-long standoff on Sunday ended with the suspect under arrest, according to Albuquerque police. The Albuquerque Police Department's SWAT team responded to an Albuquerque apartment in the Northeast Heights Sunday morning. Officers were trying to detain an armed person who had barricaded themselves inside, according to a news release from Albuquerque police. The standoff at the Enclave apartments between Wyoming and Eubank NE started at 8:40 a.m. Police announced shortly after 2 p.m. that they arrested the suspect on an outstanding warrant. Police didn't release any additional details on Sunday.Subscribe to...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Lobos senior guard Jaelen House (10) dribbles downcourt as North Dakota State junior Boden Skunberg (14) closes in during the first half of Saturday's game in the Pit. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal)Here are some extra notes, quotes, stats, tweets, videos, analysis and whatever else I could empty out of the old notebook after Saturday's 76-55 Lobos win over North Dakota State in the Pit. House showing his growth... There were times last season when Jaelen House would get frustrated with a missed shot or a bad play or two and the Lobos (and...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM’s Morris Udeze, left, dunks against North Dakota State’s Andrew Morgan during Saturday’s game at the Pit. The Lobos beat the Bison 76-55. (Chancey Bush/Journal) Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And depending on what you were looking for, Saturday's 76-55 UNM Lobos win over North Dakota State in the second day of the Lobo Classic in the Pit was either a gem or a bit of a dud, at least in the first half. The end result — a 21-point victory, a balanced stat sheet, some grind-it-out defensive possessions...
By Matthew Brown / Associated Press BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK, S.D. – Perched atop a fence at Badlands National Park, Troy Heinert peered from beneath his wide-brimmed hat into a corral where 100 wild bison awaited transfer to the Rosebud Indian Reservation. Descendants of bison that once roamed North America's Great Plains by the tens of millions, the animals would soon thunder up a chute, take a truck ride across South Dakota and join one of many burgeoning herds Heinert has helped reestablish on Native American lands. Heinert nodded in satisfaction to a park service employee as the animals stomped...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The city has long considered it biomedical waste. But now Albuquerque leaders are hoping that the reproductive tissue removed at its animal spay-and-neuter clinics will serve a greater purpose. The City Council last week unanimously approved legislation directing the Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department to collect what normally would be discarded and instead donate it to the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. It's an arrangement that UNM School of Nursing professor and researcher Xiaozhong (John) Yu had pursued. Yu, a toxicologist, is...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Tobias Lovato, who grows grass hay and alfalfa for livestock, walks near a Mora River diversion dam destroyed by flood waters that poured over the burn scar created by the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. Lovato fears the damage will prevent use of Acequia de los Lovatos y Romeros during the spring irrigation season. (Eddie Moore/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal More than 600 acequias, irrigation ditches that are the umbilical cords of New Mexico's rural-agricultural lifestyle, coil throughout the state. This year, wildfires and/or flooding choked off 70 of those ditches,...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Former U.S. Navy Vice Adm. John Mateczun (Courtesy of the Mateczun family) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal U.S. Navy Vice Adm. John Mateczun was in the Pentagon when it was attacked by terrorists who flew a jetliner into the building on Sept. 11, 2001. A medical doctor specializing in psychiatry, Mateczun immediately began attending to the wounded. "We didn't know if he was dead or alive and it wasn't until a few hours after the plane had crashed that he finally was able to get in touch with the family to let...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, the nation's only underground nuclear waste repository, near Carlsbad, N.M. On Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022, officials at the facility said workers there started using a newly mined disposal area at the repository. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File) Workers at the nation's only underground nuclear waste repository have started using a newly mined disposal area at the underground facility in southern New Mexico. Officials at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant made the announcement last week, saying the first containers of waste to be entombed in the new area...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County sheriff’s deputies on Friday remove ducks and other animals from a home in Los Ranchos, where village municipal judge Diane Albert and several pets were killed by her husband in what authorities said was a murder-suicide. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Diane Albert (Village of Los Ranchos) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A Los Ranchos judge was fatally shot by her husband, along with several of the couple's pets, in a murder-suicide Friday afternoon at their home in the village. Jayme Fuller, a Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman, said deputies found the...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Dispensaries in Sunland Park, like Ultra Health, have been raking in profits from adult-use cannabis sales. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) SUNLAND PARK — Customers begin lining up on a hot Friday afternoon in mid-October at Ultra Health in Sunland Park. Just a three-minute drive away, others are pulling into the parking lot of the building that houses the Pecos Valley Production and soon-to-be-open OSO Cannabis Co. dispensaries. At both locations, there's a familiar sight on this "mellow Friday," as Ultra Health District Manager Jesus Muñoz puts it: a whole lot of Texans. Those...
By James Hamill / For the Journal Q: I acquired a 10% interest in a real estate partnership in 2018. The partnership is a Delaware entity and the property is in New Mexico. I have contributed 8,000 to date. The property appears to be undevelopable and the manager is asking (again) for a capital call. I am unwilling to put more money into this venture. The manager has informed me that, based on the operating agreement, I will forfeit my interest if I fail to make the capital call. No one can tell me the tax effect of a...
By Clara Garcia / Valencia County News-Bulletin BELEN — As the number of retail cannabis stores in Belen continues to grow, the city has put a temporary halt to new applications and zoning certificates. During a city council meeting on Nov. 7, Belen Mayor Robert Noblin said the city is looking into capping the number of cannabis business licenses depending on the city's population. "When we passed the original cannabis ordinance, there were some things that were overlooked," Noblin said. "Actually, we passed it as a blanket ordinance with the understanding that it's a living document and these things...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Avanyu Plaza has a new tenant: Mama's Minerals, New Mexico's largest rock and bead store. Laura Randolf started her business in 1985, selling crystals, gemstones and geodes at arts and craft fairs around the Southwest in 1985. She opened her first storefront in 1990. Currently, Mama's Minerals is located at the Sawmill District at 800 20th NW, but will move next year to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center business district. The Avanyu Plaza location will open in early 2023 on Menaul and 12th. "Coming to Avanyu Plaza was a natural choice for...
By Emily K. Howard / Founder/President, Cheetah Strategy Emily K. Howard Growing up, I put a lot of pressure on myself to be perfect and great at everything. I "had" to get good grades, be the best on the sports teams, join all the school clubs, always have smile on my face, etc. This over-achiever mentality carried over into my early career, as well. I never wanted any of my bosses or colleagues to think I didn't know how to do something or couldn't do something that they asked of me. I "had" to be a flawless employee, get...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer A plant-based burger at Lucky Goose. (Courtesy of Lucky Goose) Food truck Lucky Goose, which has catered to meat-free diners with vegan milkshakes and plant-based burgers, had its grand opening for its Nob Hill space on Friday. Vegan couple Rafael Guillen and Melissa Timmons moved from Los Angles back to Bosque Farms, where Timmons was originally from, two years ago. Guillen found that there were few vegan options in Albuquerque. "In LA, plant based foods is like a very common thing," Guillen said. "And then here, there wasn't anything available, so we...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Lobo point guard Donovan Dent, center, gets fouled by Jacksonville State’s Peyton Daniels, right, while also being defended by Marcellus Brigham Jr., left, in the second half Friday at the Pit. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal)Here are some extra notes, quotes, stats, tweets and whatever else I could empty out of the old notebook after Friday's 79-61 Lobos win over Jacksonville State in the Pit: NOTE: Remember, the Lobos play three games in three days this weekend in the Lobo Classic -- Friday's game, Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 5:30 p.m....
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer About 5.8% of Albuquerque residents now have a different city councilor after new boundaries took effect. Some of the biggest changes involve Downtown-based District 2. Represented by Isaac Benton, the district now extends west of the Rio Grande to pick up the West Mesa and Pat Hurley neighborhoods. District 2 simultaneously loses some neighborhoods immediately east of Interstate 25. Some went to District 6, where Pat Davis is the councilor, and others joined District 7, which is represented by Tammy Fiebelkorn. District 7, meanwhile, lost the area from Comanche to Montgomery, between...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Abbot Joel Garner of the Norbertine community of Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey tours the new, expanded retreat and conference facilities. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A dozen holy men call it home, this quiet perch on the West Mesa with commanding views of the Rio Grande bosque and, farther off, the Sandia and Manzano mountains. Now, the members of the Norbertine community Santa Maria de la Vid want more visitors, and have added lodging and meeting spaces to accommodate them. "This is such a beautiful place physically,"...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It seemed like a case of self-defense. At first. Michael David Lucero (MDC) Michael Lucero told police he woke up to his apartment being burglarized and exchanged gunfire with the suspects as they fled – striking two of them. But investigators looking into the messy confrontation discovered that Lucero and his girlfriend Madeline Marquez weren't just burglary victims. Now, the couple is facing more severe charges than those who broke in. Lucero, 21, and Marquez, 22, are each charged with auto burglary, tampering with evidence and conspiracy...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Lobo Jamal Washburn Jr. splits Jacksonville State’s defenders Demaree King, left,, and Juwan Perdue on the way to the bucket in the first half. UNM defeated Jacksonville State 79-61 Friday at the Pit in the Lobo Classic basketball event. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Richard Pitino was worried the momentum his team had established over its impressive 3-0 start to the season may have come to an end due to an unusual and unexpected 10-day break between games. It turns out, the Lobos' "Mo" wasn't about to let that happen. Senior forward Morris Udeze...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Lovelace Hospital in Albuquerque. Physician and hospital contracts between UnitedHealthcare and Lovelace are set to expire early next year, potentially affecting care for thousands of patients. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Colleen Aycock, an Albuquerque resident, has been battling an aggressive cancer for the past two years. Aycock, like many other New Mexicans, was on UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage plan. Lovelace, during those years, has been a main source of care for Aycock – from her primary care provider to critical treatments. But, heading to Lovelace may come to an...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press Members of the Mountain View Neighborhood Association and their supporters pose Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, during a news conference in Albuquerque, N.M., as they introduce a new proposal aimed at limiting pollution in disadvantaged communities in New Mexico's largest metro area. It will be up to the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Air Quality Board whether to schedule a hearing to consider the measure. (Susan Montoya Bryan/Associated Press) On the southern edge of New Mexico's largest city is a Hispanic neighborhood that used to be made up of a patchwork of family farms and...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Families seeking therapy and other services for relatives with developmental disabilities are running into a familiar problem in New Mexico – a shortage of people available to do the work. To help address the challenge, two state legislators are planning to ask their colleagues in the 2023 session to pass a bill requiring the collection and reporting of employment and wage data in the field – a small first step, they say, to guide future decision-making on how to bolster the workforce. Rep. Elizabeth...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer The Albuquerque Public Schools building. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In many schools, a grade of 59% or less is considered failing. Put into perspective, Albuquerque Public Schools officials say, that means a 100-point grading scale is more focused on failure than it is on success. That's partly why the district is implementing a pilot program inching toward change. The two-year pilot, for which the board approved 7,500 last week in a 6-1 vote, would provide training for teachers in "equitable grading" – which, in a nutshell, focuses on "(counteracting)...
By Susan Dunlap / Nm Political Report Volunteer Sandi Morga works with a new puppy that’s being put up for adoption. For a range of reasons, city shelters are overcrowded and understaffed. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Albuquerque's Animal Welfare Department anticipates that 21,500 pets will have come through its two city-run shelters by the end of the year. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Albuquerque shelters accommodated 17,000 to 18,000 pets annually. Animal shelters across the country continue to be in crisis. In the early days of the pandemic, more people than usual visited their local shelters in both...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A federal bankruptcy judge wrote in a court order that prominent Albuquerque attorney Will Ferguson used shell companies to avoid paying state and federal taxes, including excise taxes on pricey cars for his personal collection. Judge David Thuma of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of New Mexico found that Ferguson improperly claimed sole ownership of Motiva Performance Engineering LLC, "allowing him to deduct all of its losses" on his tax returns, even though the company had three owners. "Between 2016 and 2020, Ferguson deducted [post_excerpt],289,941 from his...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM’s Jamal Mashburn Jr. points to the sky as time expires in the Lobos’ win over Southern Utah on Nov. 7 in the Pit. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal)Remember these guys? Richard Pitino sure hopes so. The UNM Lobos — the same ones that improved to 3-0 with a road pounding of SMU in Dallas on Nov. 15 and had a desperate fanbase buzzing again — open the three-day, four-team Lobo Classic on Friday afternoon and seem to be a team that hasn’t played in ages. Aside from the literal layoff of 10...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police investigate a homicide in Northwest Albuquerque on Thanksgiving. Police were called to do a welfare when they discovered a woman who had been stabbed to death inside a home. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Officers doing a welfare check at a West Side home on Thursday discovered a woman who had been stabbed to death. Officers were called to the home in 10400 block of Vista del Sol NW, on the north side of Ellison between Coors and Golf Course, at 1:30 p.m. and found the woman inside, said Gilbert Gallegos,...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police launched investigations into two violent crimes at the start of Thanksgiving. At around midnight Wednesday, a woman was struck in by a vehicle near Lomas and Yale NE. She suffered serious injuries and died at the scene, according to a news release from Albuquerque police. Because of evidence found at the scene, the Homicide Unit is investigating the crash, according to police. Just before midnight, police were called to the 7300 block of Montgomery NE for a shooting. A man was shot in the chest and he was taken to...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer A female great horned owl takes flight after being released back into the wild at Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge in the South Valley of Albuquerque on Tuesday. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Stephanie Lindsell opened the cardboard box and gently removed a female great horned owl, which immediately spread her wings and flew off, staying low to the ground and settling down about 100 yards away to survey her surroundings at the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge. The owl, given the designation 20-964 rather than a...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Hyde Memorial State Park is a short drive from Santa Fe and offers excellent group facilities and campsites.(Cathryn Cunningham/Journal) Editor's note: Second in a series as the Journal looks around the map at New Mexico's state parks. New Mexico is comprised of 121,697 square miles. With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, it's easy for New Mexicans to get out of the house and visit an area around the state. Luckily there are 35 state parks, which can be pure fun to explore. Here's a list of the...
By Garrison Wells / Rio Rancho Observer Two years ago, Adrianna Trujillo traveled to Colorado. She attended Charis Bible College, then went to work for Andrew Wommack Ministries in Woodland Park, Colorado, and married a man named Sean Mills. "My daughter has been very spiritual," said her mother, Lynette Trujillo, of Rio Rancho. "She was Christian. She felt godly and went to Charis to seek the Lord and do mission work – to be a light for Jesus." On Nov. 13, Adrianna, 29, was the victim in an apparent murder-suicide at her home in Florissant, a small town near...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Wednesday afternoon, the New Mexico State University men's basketball Twitter account posted a message to fans. Accompanying pictures of the team walking out of the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, travel bags over their shoulders, the post read: "Aggies, roll out. #AggieUp." The team was embarking on its road trip to Las Vegas, Nevada, where it will play the University of San Diego on Friday, the first of a two-day Las Vegas Invitational event. Every Aggie player made the trip, other than Mike Peake, who is...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Maria Rubio holds the famous tortilla with an image of Jesus on it on Dec. 5, 1977, in Lake Arthur. (Jim Nachtwey/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A thumb-sized image of Jesus Christ's face that appeared on Maria Rubio's tortilla in Chaves County captivated the world's attention in October 1977. Some saw the apparition in Lake Charles, a small town in Chaves County, as a sign from God. Others treated it like a sideshow. Angelica Rubio wasn't even born when her mother made the discovery, but she has nevertheless...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico health officials are recommending that people take steps to avoid getting sick over Thanksgiving – such as testing before turkey. There are several viruses spreading in New Mexico – COVID-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV – which are more dangerous for very young children, elderly adults and people with pre-existing conditions. "People can take simple steps to avoid exposure as we all look forward to gathering with friends and family this holiday season," said Dr. David Scrase, the acting Department of Health Cabinet...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The city has agreed to pay 0,000 to a former Albuquerque Police Department official who threatened to sue the city but never actually filed his case in court. The city is characterizing it as the latest in a string of settlements tied to former APD Chief Michael Geier's time leading the department. The settlement between the city and John Ross – who served as Geier's chief of staff – comes about two years after a former APD executive assistant accused Ross of several instances of misconduct. In...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer America’s Frontier Fund will invest in new high-tech startups to further develop and bring to market technology emerging from the state’s national labs and research universities, helping accelerate the kind of technology transfer underway in the state through centers like the University of New Mexico’s Lobo Rainforest Building in Downtown Albuquerque, shown here. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) A broad group of some of the nation's top scientific, business and policy leaders have united in the newly formed venture firm America's Frontier Fund to begin re-building U.S. global technology leadership, and they've chosen New...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal For those in Albuquerque in need of a Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, worry not. Several places around the city will have people covered with free meals. • Department of Senior Affairs: The city department will host a Thanksgiving luncheon at the Palo Duro Senior Center, 5221 Palo Duro NE, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – for Albuquerque seniors only. • Good Shepherd Center: Thanksgiving breakfast will be served from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the homeless shelter at 218 Iron SW. • Lindy's Diner: From 10...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Pat Davis Just weeks after buying the Sandoval Signpost, Albuquerque city councilor and cannabis consultant Pat Davis bought the Edgewood Independent with his publishing company CTRL+P. Davis now owns four papers: the Corrales Comment, and The Paper. as well as the two recently-purchased papers. Davis said buying another paper wasn't on his "radar", but former Independent owner Leota Harriman reached out to him recently about taking over the Independent. Unlike the purchases of the Sandoval Signpost and the Corrales Comment, Davis took out a loan to buy the paper and avoid "emergency"...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer From left, The Mouse Hole Cheese Shop owners Nathan Sauceda-Halliday and Mekala Kenneday at one of their East Downtown businesses. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Mekala Kennedy and Nathan Sauceda-Halliday want to talk to you about cheese. The couple, who opened local and organic ingredient-focused La Finca Bowls in 2020, opened their newest venture, The Mouse Hole Cheese Shop last month. The East Downtown location at 300 Broadway NE location is just next door to gluten-free and vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurant La Finca Bowls. "We have no problem saying we're not cheese experts....
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Jonathan Smith, 19 (MDC) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal One University of New Mexico freshman involved in the deadly shootout on campus over the weekend will be allowed to live with his mother in Texas pending trial and another might soon be released on GPS monitoring. Neither Jonathan Smith, 19, nor Mya Hill, 17, fired a gun during the shooting that left 19-year-old Brandon Travis dead and 21-year-old Mike Peake injured, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. Police say the group of UNM freshmen hatched a plan for Hill...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Crosslink Capital has invested heavily in Albuquerque-based X-Bow Systems, which has developed a “rocket factory in a box” facility. Crosslink Capital is poised to invest a lot more in New Mexico startups after receiving a new million commitment from the State Investment Council.(Courtesy of X-Bow Systems) Silicon Valley-based Crosslink Capital is poised to invest a lot more in New Mexico startups after receiving a new million commitment from the State Investment Council. The council unanimously approved the SIC funding on Tuesday for two different Crosslink venture funds. That includes ...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Authorities say an Albuquerque woman used her children's luggage to smuggle fentanyl on a Dallas-bound flight before the boys' father overdosed and died in the airport bathroom as the kids waited outside. Magdalena Banuelos, 46, was federally indicted on distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death in the Northern District of Texas. If convicted, Banuelos faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison. "I feel for these children. To lose one parent due to the actions of the other is a...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor APD investigates a homicide near San Pedro and Copper NE Wednesday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) A man found dead after crashing his vehicle into a home in Northeast Albuquerque on Wednesday morning had been shot, according to Albuquerque police. Officers responded to a call about a vehicle that crashed into a residence near San Pedro and Copper NE around 11 a.m. Wednesday, according to an email from police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. Inside the vehicle, they found a dead man who suffered a gunshot wound. "Homicide detectives are starting an investigation," Gallegos said. No...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man was fatally shot Tuesday night at a hotel in Northeast Albuquerque. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque police spokeswoman, said officers responded sometime before 10:30 p.m. to reports of a man being shot at the Intown Suites Extended Stay along Interstate 25 near Montaño. She said the man died from his injuries. “More details will be released as they are available,” Atkins said.Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In the wake of the weekend's shootout on the University of New Mexico campus that left one UNM student dead, two others in jail and a New Mexico State University basketball player in the hospital, the schools have agreed the heated men's basketball rivalry can be put on the shelf for this year. University of New Mexico athletic director Eddie Nuñez announced Tuesday that Saturday's game scheduled in the Pit will not be rescheduled and the Dec. 3 game between the two teams that was to be...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A group of 49 trial attorneys in the 2nd Judicial District Attorney's Office in Albuquerque has signed a letter asking Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to appoint one of three current deputy prosecutors in the office to replace outgoing DA Raúl Torrez. Two of the three, interviewed by the Journal on Tuesday, said they didn't know about the letter until reading about it on a political website. Those two were Deputy District Attorney John Duran, who oversees the DA's major crimes division, and Diana Garcia, the deputy district...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Albuquerque Police Department's Open Space Unit – responsible for patrolling river, mountain and mesa areas – is being disbanded to put more officers on the street. Rebecca Atkins, an APD spokeswoman, said the four officers and one sergeant assigned to the unit will work as patrol officers in the field. A makeshift shelter was found in the Rio Grande bosque when officers from the Albuquerque Police Department’s Open Space Unit took part in a bosque cleanup project. (Dean Hanson/Albuquerque Journal) The unit has done everything from...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Detectives have arrested a man in a robbery turned homicide during a gun deal in May in Southeast Albuquerque. Rodolfo Villalobos Lopez (MDC) Rodolfo Villalobos Lopez, 18, is charged with an open count of murder and armed robbery in the May 20 death of 21-year-old Rene Castillo. He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Tuesday. Janine Hernandez, Villalobos Lopez's girlfriend, said police were rough with him during the arrest. She said Villalobos Lopez cannot walk after a car crash last year and needs a walker....
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The shootout that left a University of New Mexico student dead, two students under arrest and a New Mexico State University basketball player injured has raised concerns about safety at UNM. But despite the high-profile case, it's rare for weapons of any kind to be found on campus and particularly in student housing at UNM, according to the school's recent Annual Security and Fire Safety reports. And it's been at least 30 years since a homicide was reported on campus, according to a university spokeswoman. In the...
By Thomas Peipert, Jesse Bedayn and Brittany Peterson / Associated Press COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The suspect in the fatal shooting of five people at a Colorado gay nightclub changed his name more than six years ago as a teenager, after filing a legal petition in Texas saying he wanted to "protect himself" from a father with a criminal history including domestic violence against his mother. Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, who faces murder and hate crime charges, was known as Nicholas Franklin Brink until 2016. Weeks before his 16th birthday, he petitioned a Texas court to change his name,...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Red Light Cameras headline the Burque Niños Music Fest Black Light Party on Saturday, Nov. 26. (Courtesy of Barney Lopez) Five musical acts will take the stage for charity. The fourth annual Burque Niños Music Fest will take place at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, at Launchpad. The band slated to perform are Red Light Cameras, Def-i, Slums of Harvard, Willajay and Positrax DJ. According to Barney Lopez, event coordinator and member of Red Light Cameras, this year's event will be a black light party and he's advising that guests...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Luke Evans stars as Bambi in “Echo 3.” (Courtesy of Apple TV+) Mark Boal evaluates stories as a journalist – first and foremost. This is the process he uses while developing projects. Boal is the mastermind behind "The Hurt Locker" and "Zero Dark Thirty." His latest project, "Echo 3," debuts on Thursday, Nov. 24, on Apple TV+. "Echo 3" is set in South America, with English and Spanish dialogue. The series follows Amber Chesborough (Jessica Ann Collins), a brilliant young scientist who is the emotional heart of a small American...
By Richard S. Dargan / For the Journal Flounder fillets crowd the bowl in Nio’s Fish with Pickled Vegetables entree. (Richard S. Dargan/For the Journal) It typically takes years for a restaurant to stand out in Albuquerque's crowded Chinese restaurant scene, but Nio Szechuan is different. Open less than a year, the Northeast Heights restaurant has quickly become a favorite of locals for its spicy, warming renditions of Szechuan cuisine. I first heard of Nio through social media, but what cemented my decision to visit was a recommendation from a friend who grew up in China said Nio had...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer Landmark Musicals is taking center stage as it presents “White Christmas” beginning at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26. While a lot of people may be gone this week for the holidays, there are still plenty of events around the area including "The Nutcracker" and "White Christmas" on the University of New Mexico campus. Also, the World Cup has started, so I cannot wait to cheer against England. A holiday classic on stage Landmark Musicals is taking center stage as it presents "White Christmas" beginning at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26. The story...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Chef Randy Tapia makes rice at his restaurant, Poki Tako, in Santa Fe. (Eddie Moore/Journal) Randy Tapia has always felt at home in a kitchen. "There's something nostalgic I get from being in the kitchen," he says. "It's like my second home. I began cooking with my grandma when I was about 7 years old. I'm always learning." Tapia feels a sense of purpose when he creates dishes. It's a way of bringing people together. It's also the reason he's been in the food industry since he was a teenager....
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Grammy Award-winning musician Robert Mirabal will perform in Taos after a three-year hiatus. (Courtesy of Avokado Artists) It's been three years since Robert Mirabal performed in Taos. That will change when he takes the stage on Friday, Dec. 2, at the Taos Center for the Arts. "This will be a showcase of some of my old music," he says. "I want to showcase the rock side of my band. We'll have dancers and my girls will sing. Being away for a long time has been tough. I'm looking forward to...
By Kathaleen Roberts / Journal Staff Writer Winter Spanish Market artist Lorrie Garcia poses with her Alma de Maria (Mary’s Soul) and San Pasqual at her Peñasco studio. (Eddie Moore/Journal) Sometimes faith and passion converge into art. When retired Peñasco teachers Lorrie and Andrew Garcia took a furniture class at Northern New Mexico College, a world of carving, color and saints opened up. While Andrew would go on to create award-winning furniture, Lorrie painted and carved award-winning bultos and retablos. Many years and awards later, the pair will show their work at the Traditional Spanish Market show on Thanksgiving...
By Rozanna M. Martinez / For the Journal The Christmapolitan is a specialty drink that is part of Miracle, a holiday pop-up bar at Happy Accidents in Nob Hill. (Courtesy of Melissa Hom Photography) It's starting to look a lot like Christmas at Happy Accidents. The venue – recently named Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar at the 16th annual Spirited Awards – is hosting Miracle, an adored holiday pop-up bar. Miracle, which runs through Dec. 31, will feature kitschy, festive decor and a themed cocktail menu. Specialty drinks on the menu include the Christmapolitan, Christmas Carol Barrel, Snowball Old-Fashioned,...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor (Cathryn Cunningham/Journal) For more than two decades, each November, the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden is set aglow with thousands of lights. River of Lights has become a New Mexico tradition for the holiday season. This year's run will kick off on Saturday, Nov. 26. The event draws thousands of visitors over the four-week run. The event is the New Mexico BioPark Society's largest fundraiser and proceeds help support the ABQ BioPark. (Cathryn Cunningham/Journal) According to Danielle Flores Mills, New Mexico BioPark Society marketing and communications manager, there will be timed...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer A variety of artists showcase their work at the New Mexico Artisan Market. (Courtesy of Rebecca Tuccillo) 'Tis the season for New Mexicans to be thankful they live in such an artistic state. This Thanksgiving weekend marks the third installment of the New Mexico Artisan Market. Starting today, the three-day event will take place at Hotel Albuquerque. "What's super special about being from New Mexico is all of the art," said Rebecca Tuccillo, executive director of the New Mexico Multi-Cultural Foundation. "We host a lot of people from a lot of different...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Landmark Musicals is presenting “White Christmas,” which runs from Saturday, Nov. 26, through Dec. 11. It is the company’s first show back from the pandemic. (Courtesy of Landmark Musicals) When it comes to live performance, Laurie Finnegan knows she must adapt to the situation. Heading into tech week for Landmark Musicals' "White Christmas," Finnegan is looking forward to opening day. "White Christmas" marks the return to the stage for Landmark Musicals, which went dark due to the pandemic. "It's our first live show back," she says. "We're excited to be...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Senate Majority Whip Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque, and Ellen Leitzer, co-founder of the Senior Citizens Law Office, participate in a discussion Tuesday about their bill to make it a criminal offense to exploit vulnerable people. The bill wasn’t endorsed in the committee hearing, but Sen. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, offered a series of suggestions he said would improve the measure. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — With a 60-day session on the horizon, New Mexico legislators spent much of Tuesday exploring ways to recruit more police officers, combat organized retail crime and stop...
By Jeff Tucker / Journal Editorial Writer This week's question: What do you think about Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter? Responses must include your name and city and be 50 words or less to be published. Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published. Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-formSubscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer In this 2021 photo, Finance and Administration Secretary Deborah Romero and other panelists address new revenue projections for the state of New Mexico in a meeting at Taos Ski Valley. (Eddie Moore/ Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — Another familiar face is set to depart Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's administration as Deborah Romero — a budget official with 48 years of experience in state government — plans to step down as secretary for finance and administration. Romero, who has led the department for 2½ years, announced she will retire at the end of...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Shoppers at Coronado Center last Black Friday. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) While some people are sleeping off turkey, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce, others will be waking up early to hit the shops on Black Friday, one of, if not the, biggest holiday sale of the year. Black Friday kicks off a weekend of holiday spending, followed by Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. For shoppers who still enjoy the rush of in-person shopping, here's the rundown on the extended hours of several malls around the state: Coronado Center Thanksgiving: closed Black Friday:...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The Albuquerque Police Department is asking the public for help identifying a teenage girl who was found dead — wrapped in dark trash bags tied together with green electrical wire — on the West Side in the mid-1990s. A facial reconstruction sketch of a girl who was found dead in 1996. (Courtesy APD) APD recently worked with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to create a facial reconstruction sketch of what the girl may have looked like prior to her death, said Rebecca Atkins, an APD spokeswoman. It released that sketch...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Gilman Louie, CEO of America's Frontier Fund, which received a 0 million commitment from New Mexico's State Investment Council. It's the largest SIC commitment ever to a single venture fund under SIC's private equity program. A lot more high-tech innovation from New Mexico's national labs and research universities could soon head to market, thanks to a 0 million State Investment Council commitment to the newly formed national venture firm "America's Frontier Fund." The council unanimously approved the new investment Tuesday morning, making it the largest SIC commitment ever to a single venture...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM senior Jay Allen-Tovar dunks the ball during Lobos men’s basketball team practice in the Pit on Oct. 25. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal)University of New Mexico forward Jay Allen-Tovar has entered the NCAA’s transfer portal and intends to finish his college playing career elsewhere. The decision, the Journal has been told, was made following the team’s Nov. 15 win at SMU in Dallas — the last time the Lobos played — and is not related to the events of this past weekend that involved a shooting on the UNM campus and the cancellation...
By Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- New Mexico's most populous county on Monday certified the results from the recent midterm elections, marking the state's last county to do so ahead of next week's statewide certification. Bernalillo County commissioners voted during a quick meeting at which they praised the work of the county clerk and her election staff. A report from the county's bureau of elections showed about 54% of registered voters participated, with most of them voting early. The state's other 32 counties certified their results last week. The State Board of Canvass will meet Nov. 29 to certify...
By ABQJournal News Staff Albuquerque police said they were investigating a fatal crash involving a pedestrian near Coors and Iliff NW on Friday, but no other details have been released. Another pedestrian is in critical condition after she was struck by a vehicle while crossing Central at Mesilla NE Sunday, police spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins wrote in an email Monday. "The vehicle fled the scene after the crash and is unknown at this time," Atkins said. "The female was taken to UNM Hospital where she remains in critical condition. This remains an ongoing investigation." On Monday, APD's Motors Unit was...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque's City Council on Monday passed legislation requiring a special permit to operate a safe outdoor space. Obtaining a permit would require the operator to provide a statement describing their experience working with people who are homeless or managing organizations that work with that population, a name and phone number for someone who will be available 24/7 to respond to complaints, an operations plan that addresses site security, tenant code of conduct, pets and more. Safe outdoor spaces are managed sites where people who are homeless can sleep in tents or cars...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Community foundations played a key role in establishing two funds – one to help victims of the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire, and the other to establish a college fund for needy schoolchildren. Families that were financially affected by the state's largest wildfire and subsequent flooding can apply for cash assistance of [post_excerpt],000 through the All Together New Mexico Fund, a collaboration between the New Mexico Coalition of Community Foundations and the Governor's Office. The Saving for Success New Mexico program puts [post_excerpt],000 into an account for families...
By Journal Staff Report After a two-year pandemic-related hiatus, the annual Fall Letter Carriers' Food Drive returned Saturday, resulting in the collection of 148,088 pounds of nonperishable food from Albuquerque residents. Bags of food left outside mailboxes were taken by the letter carriers to local post offices, where volunteers sorted and transferred the food to the Roadrunner Food Bank for distribution to needy individuals and families across the state via Roadrunner's network of partners. "It is amazing to see the generosity of our community. Their efforts will make meals possible for tens of thousands of families this winter," Mag...
By Katy Barnitz / Assistant City Editor New Mexico State Police say four people were killed in a wreck on Interstate 25 in Wagon Mound early Friday. Officer Ray Wilson said in an email that an initial investigation showed that at around 4 a.m. Friday, a northbound Ford van that was pulling a trailer "left the roadway and rolled" into southbound lanes where it was hit by a Chevrolet truck. Four of the van's passengers were pronounced dead at the scene, Wilson said. The driver and three more passengers were taken to a hospital with injuries that were not...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer The New Mexico State Capitol in Santa Fe. (Morgan Lee/Associated Press) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – More than 90% of the state legislators who participated in a University of New Mexico survey reported doing at least 30 days a year of unpaid legislative work. The finding comes as a group of lawmakers prepares to push in the 2023 session to restructure the state Legislature. They are developing legislation that would establish a state salary for lawmakers, extend the length of legislative sessions and boost legislative staffing. Some of the...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer NMSU Professor Jennifer Randall is seen here in a lab with clonal pecan trees on November 18, 2022. (Darren Phillips/NMSU) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal What's up with pecans? In parts of Mexico, 40% of pecan harvests have been lost to vivipary, a condition that causes the nuts to germinate prematurely. "What happens is that before the pecan comes off a tree, it begins to germinate, to make a whole new tree," said Jennifer Randall of New Mexico State University. "There's a little root coming out of the pecans. You can't...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — Legislators got a peek Monday at what it was like for one young person to navigate New Mexico's child welfare system without a foster family, shuffling from one residential treatment center to another before reaching adulthood. Bette Fleishman, an attorney and executive director of Pegasus Legal Services for Children, walked lawmakers through the journey of her client, Kevin S., as he spent 6 1/2 years in state custody — much of it cycling through multiple out-of-state treatment facilities. He was the...
By Damian J. Troise and Alex Veiga / Associated Press Stocks slipped on Wall Street in afternoon trading Monday to kick off a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 was down 0.2% as of 1:45 p.m. Eastern. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite fell 0.8%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 56 points, or 0.2%, to 33,802. A 6.5% jump by Walt Disney helped lift the index. The entertainment giant announced that it had ousted CEO Bob Chapek and brought back his predecessor, Bob Iger, to replace him. Energy stocks were among the biggest losers in the broader market as U.S. crude...
By Damian J. Troise And Alex Veiga, Ap Business Writers Stocks slipped on Wall Street in afternoon trading Monday to kick off a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 was down 0.2% as of 1:45 p.m. Eastern. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite fell 0.8%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 56 points, or 0.2%, to 33,802. A 6.5% jump by Walt Disney helped lift the index. The entertainment giant announced that it had ousted CEO Bob Chapek and brought back his predecessor, Bob Iger, to replace him. Energy stocks were among the biggest losers in the broader market as U.S. crude...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The shootout between a New Mexico State University basketball player and a University of New Mexico student on UNM's campus early Saturday morning started as a plot to get revenge for a fight that happened at a football game in Las Cruces over a month earlier, according to court documents. Mike Peake, the 21-year-old player from NMSU, was shot in the leg. Brandon Travis, the 19-year-old UNM student, was killed. Two people have been arrested, including a 17-year-old girl who was booked into the juvenile detention center and 19-year-old Jonathan Smith, who...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Luminarias in front of San Felipe de Neri Catholic Church in Old Town, which is on the Luminaria Tour. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) As the holidays approach, many locations around Albuquerque will be lit by luminaria. ABQ RIDE's Luminaria Tour returns for the 57th year on Dec. 24. Tickets will go on sale at 8 a.m. Friday, Nov. 25, at luminariatour.com. According to city officials, the event usually sells out within a short time and encourage purchasing tickets early. "ABQ RIDE is looking forward to continuing the 57-year tradition this year," said...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Country singer Kane Brown is set to perform at Isleta Amphitheater on June 11. (Courtesy of Lede Company) The weather is cold, but one of country's rising stars is headed to Albuquerque in June. Kane Brown added seven new dates to his "Drunk or Dreaming Tour," which includes a stop at Isleta Amphitheater on June 11, 2023. Opening for the tour will be Gabby Barrett and Locash. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, at ticketmaster.com. A presale begins at 10 a.m. Monday,...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer In this file photo, Democratic legislators (from left) Joanne Ferrary of Las Cruces; Andrea Romero of Santa Fe; and Patricia Roybal Caballero of Albuquerque walk through the Roundhouse. The number of women serving in the Legislature has climbed by 29% since 2018. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – For about a year, a small group of Democrats in the House – all women – have met informally to talk about restructuring the Legislature. Their ideas fall broadly into what supporters call "modernizing" the state's citizen Legislature –...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Sonny Naranjo, owner of The Dive Vintage Goods, sits in her shop in Nob Hill. The new thrift store features collectibles, clothing and creations of local artists. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Sonny Naranjo was living in Colorado working toward a master's in transpersonal psychology when she got a sign. A spirit guide reached out to her via social media with a simple message: Move to New Mexico. She made the move, and now, less than two years later, she's running her own vintage shop in Nob Hill called...
By Journal Staff Report The Santa Fe National Forest has opened a new ranger station in Jemez Springs off of NM Highway 4. (Courtesy Santa Fe National Forest Service) The Santa Fe National Forest opened a new ranger station in Jemez Springs earlier this month. The Jemez Ranger Station opened Nov. 4 at 051 Woodsy Lane, which is surrounded by red rock canyons off of NM Highway 4 in Jemez Springs. The Forest Service said they will have an open house at a later date. In the meantime, the office is selling fuelwood and Christmas tree permits over the...
By Ken Sickenger / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico’s Shaiquel McGruder prepares to shoot as Arizona State’s Sydney Erikstrup, left, and Treasure Hunt defend. McGruder scored 24 points and had 10 rebounds, but the Lobos lost in OT. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal)An eye-catching win over unbeaten Pac 12 foe Arizona State was well within the University of New Mexico women's basketball team's grasp Sunday. The Lobos couldn't grab it. After outplaying the Sun Devils for much of the second half, UNM saw its opportunity for a win slip away in the closing minutes of an 83-77 overtime defeat at the...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Returning to the moon isn't the only major project NASA is undertaking. On Wednesday, during a committee meeting on Capitol Hill about the initial findings of the James Webb Space Telescope, a top NASA official said one of the next goals for the space agency is to build a bigger space telescope that will help answer the question of whether we're alone in the universe. The remarks came in response to a question posed by Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., who also highlighted during the hearing New Mexico's contributions to the James Webb...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Rhonda Newby-Torres, the pastor at University of New Mexico’s Luther House, holds red ribbons Sunday at a memorial for Brandon Travis, 19, a UNM student who was fatally shot at UNM early Saturday morning. Counseling support and services were available to UNM students at various locations across campus Sunday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) A University of New Mexico student conspired with three other students to lure a New Mexico State University basketball player onto campus Saturday, leading to a shootout that left the UNM student dead and the basketball player wounded, New Mexico State...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Rep. Ryan Lane, R-Aztec SANTA FE — Republicans in the state House will have a new leadership slate in the upcoming legislative session — as will the Democrats — after choosing Rep. Ryan Lane of Aztec as the GOP floor leader. Lane, 40, succeeds outgoing House Minority Leader James Townsend, who didn't seek reelection to the post, which he'd held for four years. The leadership transition comes after Republicans failed to make the gains they'd hoped in the general election. Democrats held on to their 45 seats in the House, and Republicans...
By Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine -- Powerful explosions shook Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, the site of Europe's largest nuclear power plant, the global nuclear watchdog said Sunday, calling for "urgent measures to help prevent a nuclear accident" in the Russian-occupied facility. Rafael Mariano Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said two explosions -- one Saturday evening and another Sunday morning -- near the Zaporizhzhia plant abruptly ended a period of relative calm around the nuclear facility that has been the site of fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces since Russia invaded on Feb. 24. Fears of...
By Tammy Webber And Martha Irvine / Associated Press Raymond Naranjo, 99, poses for a photo outside his home in Santa Clara Pueblo in northern New Mexico, Aug. 22. Pueblo elders say ancestral knowledge is key for future generations to develop a strong cultural and spiritual connection to this ancient place to help preserve their way of life. (Andres Leighton/Associated Press) SANTA CLARA PUEBLO – Raymond Naranjo sings for rain, his voice rising and falling as he softly strikes his rawhide-covered drum. The 99-year-old invites the cloud spirits, rain children, mist, thunder and lightning to join him at Santa...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico Gas Co. senior service technician Tommy Lucero installs a meter Thursday at an Albuquerque home. The utility projects a 3 average residential consumer bill next month. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Grinch is at it again this holiday season, stuffing the average consumer's stocking with higher winter heating bills for the second year in a row. Consumers can thank scorching summer heat that drove up natural gas prices to 15-year highs in August, as electric utilities everywhere sucked up supplies for natural gas-based generation to keep...
By / Associated Press FILE - A lesser prairie chicken is seen amid the bird's annual mating ritual near Milnesand, N.M., April 8, 2021. On Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, the U.S. government added two segments of a rare grouse to the endangered species list. The move bolsters protections for the lesser prairie chicken, which is found in parts of the Midwest that include one of the country's most prolific areas for oil and gas development. (Adrian Hedden/Carlsbad Current Argus via AP, File) The U.S. government announced protections Thursday for two populations of a rare prairie bird that's found in...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal An Española man was sentenced this month to more than two years in federal prison for fatally shooting a woman who was trespassing on the property of a shuttered motel he owned. Douglas Smith, 71, was convicted in June 2021 of involuntary manslaughter in the 2018 shooting that left a Santa Clara Pueblo woman dead. Smith was sentenced Nov. 10 to two years and three months in prison. He will be on supervised release for two years afterward. Aric Elsenheimer, Smith's attorney, declined to comment. On May...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer A lobbyist's ,000 campaign contribution to a Bernalillo County commissioner has caused a recent stir, prompting a citizen to file a sworn ethics complaint that is headed for a hearing. Commissioner Charlene Pyskoty denied the contribution from Vanessa Alarid created a conflict of interest for her when deciding whether to appoint Alarid's husband – Antonio "Moe" Maestas – to a vacant seat in the New Mexico Senate. Pyskoty did not recuse herself from that commission decision, casting a pivotal vote in Maestas' favor on Tuesday as the divided commission chose him for...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal As cold weather kicks in and home heating bills rise, a number of programs are available for low-income households, and for families and businesses in general that want to lower their energy costs through weatherization and energy efficiency measures. Families struggling to pay heating bills can get help through the following programs: • The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, which the New Mexico Human Services Department administers to provide direct help in paying heating bills for income-qualifying New Mexico residents. • Heat New Mexico –...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer A sign taped to a door at the Pit informs fans that Saturday’s game between the Lobos and Aggies was postponed after an overnight shooting on UNM’s campus left a 19-year-old dead. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal)Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Pit sat silent on Saturday night. And the tragic reality of why there was no basketball being played in that 56-year-old arena is far more important than the loss of a mere game. Nobody could possibly argue otherwise as one teenaged University of New Mexico student was shot and killed and one...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Homicide detectives investigate a dead body discovered in an alley near Carlisle and Crest SE. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Police are investigating a homicide in Southeast Albuquerque after a woman's body was discovered near Gibson and Carlisle SE Saturday morning. The body was located in an alley in the area of Carlisle and Crest SE, according to an email sent by Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman. "The Homicide Unit has been called out to investigate," Atkins said. "More details will be released as they are available." Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer A balloon that crashed into power lines in Southwest Albuquerque on Saturday morning caused temporary road closures and power outages in the area -- but no injuries, according to local officials. The balloon hit lines at Central and 114th SW, according to a tweet from the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office issued at about 9 a.m. The tweet stated no injuries were reported and all passengers were out of the gondola. Public Service Company of New Mexico said power was restored to all affected customers before 9:30 a.m., according to a tweet from...
By John Leicester and Jill Lawless / Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine -- British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised 125 anti-aircraft guns and other air-defense technology as he made an unannounced visit Saturday -- his first -- to Ukraine's snow-blanketed war-time capital for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The air-defense package, which Britain valued at 50 million pounds ( million), comes as Russia has been pounding Ukraine's power grid and other key infrastructure from the air, causing widespread blackouts for millions of Ukrainians amid frigid weather. The package includes radar and other technology to counter that Iran-supplied exploding drones...
By John Leicester And Jill Lawless, Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) -- British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised 125 anti-aircraft guns and other air-defense technology as he made an unannounced visit Saturday -- his first -- to Ukraine's snow-blanketed war-time capital for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The air-defense package, which Britain valued at 50 million pounds ( million), comes as Russia has been pounding Ukraine's power grid and other key infrastructure from the air, causing widespread blackouts for millions of Ukrainians amid frigid weather. The package includes radar and other technology to counter that Iran-supplied exploding drones...
By Troy Semelsberger / Chemical Engineer, Los Alamos National Laboratory Troy Semelsberger The era of viable alternatives to fossil fuel-based transportation appears to be at hand. With the transportation sector the biggest contributor of greenhouse gases in the United States, California recently became the first of potentially many states to put a 2035 expiration on the sale of new internal-combustion vehicles. Meeting climate-crisis-driven transportation challenges depends on developing new fuels and an infrastructure for producing, processing, delivering and storing those fuels. Hydrogen is a promising alternative fuel for vehicles, especially light trucks and heavy vehicles, given the constraints of...
By Jerry Pacheco / For the Journal (Dreamstime/TNS) "Time keeps flowing like a river," are lyrics from the song "Time" by the Alan Parson's Project. Time flows until man tinkers with it. More than two decades ago, to improve efficiencies and to minimize confusion, both Juárez and El Paso decided to move to Mountain Standard Time, putting the Borderplex region (El Paso, Juárez and southern New Mexico) in the same time zone. I remember the period that proceeded this change very well, and how I flubbed a couple of appointments in Juárez because I forgot that the city was...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer New Mexico State Police assists APD officers in investigating a deadly overnight shooting at Coronado Hall Dorms on the UNM Campus. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) New Mexico State Police assists APD officers in investigating a deadly overnight shooting at Coronado Hall Dorms on the UNM Campus. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Authorities say one person was shot to death early Saturday morning near a student residence hall on the University of New Mexico campus. Albuquerque Police Department officers responded to a request for assistance from UNM's police force shortly after 3 a.m. "One individual has succumbed to...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Shoppers who walk inside Stitchology next Saturday will find a little more than bolts of fabric, spools of thread and sewing kits. Every year, Melisa Hart, owner of the North Valley sewing and fabric store, does something special for Small Business Saturday. This year, she'll offer hot cider and cookies outside of the shop; inside, customers can learn how to sew her Christmas stocking pattern, or make and take home fabric ornaments. "I like to try and give them a little bit of incentive to get in or to do something fun...
By Rick Wright / Journal Staff Writer Lobo running back Nate Jones takes the ball deep into San Diego State territory to set up the Lobos' first score Friday night at University Stadium in Albuquerque. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) The New Mexico football Lobos, once again outmanned and once again hurting themselves with crucial mistakes, fell 34-10 on Friday to the San Diego State Aztecs at cold, desolate University Stadium. The Lobos, 2-9, 0-7 in Mountain West play and losers of eight straight, have one game and one win opportunity left: next Friday at Colorado State (2-8, 2-4 entering...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Eliana, a kindergartner at Sierra Vista Elementary School, was nervous to sing on Friday. Normally, she has no problem belting out songs while riding around in her dad's truck. But when faced with a room full of adults on Friday, to perform a song she's been practicing with her class in preparation for Thanksgiving, her nerves were getting to her. "I'm nervous and scared at the same time," she said. But she rallied quickly, reminding herself and her classmates that "having fun is the best (part)." It...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Hector Balderas Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Northern New Mexico College Board of Regents has selected outgoing New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas as the new president of the Rio Arriba County institution. Balderas was unanimously selected at Thursday night's board meeting, according to Barbara Medina, NNMC president. Negotiations for his starting date and salary are scheduled to take place next week, Medina said. Medina, whose contract ends Dec. 31, has been serving as president since the previous president, Rick Bailey, left in January. Medina said she will work with Balderas...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer The New Mexico State Aggies celebrate after defeating the Lobos on a last second shot in overtime on Dec. 6, 2021, in the Pit. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal)Greg Heiar admitted this past week that he, most of his staff and most of his roster simply didn't know what they were getting into last weekend in El Paso. A hostile, announced Don Haskins Center crowd of 11,315 helped create the type of rivalry environment few, if any, of the New Mexico State Aggies were ready to be in, leading to a 67-64 victory...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Flowers are seen August 22, 2022, at a makeshift memorial for 21-year-old Melina Jones, who was fatally shot in a parking lot at Central and 3rd Street SW. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal After 21-year-old Melina Jones was shot and killed following a fight at a Downtown parking lot in August, her girlfriend, who was there with her, told police she knew who was responsible. Over the past three months, Nayeli Rodriguez has been collecting videos the young man posted on social media of himself holding guns and sending...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Hotel Andaluz in Downtown Albuquerque, seen here in September 2021, is on the list of Haunted Places. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A fixture of the Downtown Albuquerque skyline, Hotel Andaluz was bought earlier this month from former owner Gary Goodman. The historic hotel was bought by Legacy Hospitality, which now owns four Hilton properties in Albuquerque and one in Santa Fe. "With the history of this hotel, it's really important, I think, that we keep this product alive," said Todd Walters, vice president of operations at Legacy Hospitality....
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief With temperatures in the single digits Alan Sweetman and other snow-makers are busy covering Ski Santa Fe with snow on November 16, 2022. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Six months ago, crews at Sipapu Ski Resort near Taos used their snow-making machines to help fend off a massive wildfire. Ultimately, the blaze ended up coming within about 1½ miles of the area's boundary. With smoky skies now replaced by fresh flakes, the ski area on Friday became the first in New Mexico to open for...
By Joel Jacobsen / Syndicated Columnist My oldest son is a musician whose chosen instrument is taller than himself. In early 2008 he auditioned for music schools around the country, which meant that he, his parents and his double bass racked up the frequent flyer miles. The airlines charged extra to fly the enormous bass case. Inside a protective hard shell, the instrument was strapped down by several belts to keep it well-cushioned. At Logan Airport in Boston, he and I watched from a plane window as the case was shoved onto the conveyor belt that lifted it into...
By James Hamill / For the Journal In 1967, Paul Simon was asked to write songs for the movie "The Graduate." A song he was sort of messing around with on an acoustic guitar was one with the line, "Here's to you, Mrs. Roosevelt." It was about Eleanor Roosevelt. The song, of course, became "Mrs. Robinson" to fit the soundtrack for the upcoming movie. But in memory of the original version, today I start with Eleanor's uncle, Teddy Roosevelt. Teddy Roosevelt was the 26th president of the Unites States. At age 42, he is the youngest to ever assume...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Detectives arrested a suspect in the fatal beating of a homeless man outside a shelter earlier this month near Downtown Albuquerque. Brian Chee, 31, who is also unhoused, is charged with an open count of murder in the Nov. 8 death of Kelvin Willie, 59. Chee was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center Thursday night. It is unclear if he has an attorney. Willie was the second homeless person killed in the city in as many weeks and at least the fourth slain so far this year. Chee, who has the word...
By Ellen Marks / For the Journal Farm and Table owner and President Cherie Montoya at the North Valley restaurant on Nov. 1. The restaurant aims to use as much locally grown produce as possible. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Cherie Montoya was a nonprofit whiz, having worked at the National Hispanic Cultural Center and New Mexico AIDS Services, but she had no experience running a restaurant. That, however, didn't stop her. Her award-winning Farm & Table restaurant is now 10 years old, and it's going strong. So are the on-site farm that provides some of the menu's produce and an adjacent...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer The scene inside a small church on a movie set following a fatal shooting last year in Santa Fe. The image is from video released by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office in April. (Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office via AP) Weeks after fatally shooting a woman on the set of "Rust" actor Alec Baldwin messaged the dead woman's husband that the Santa Fe Sheriff's Office "may lack both the skill and the will" to investigate whether the shooting was an act of sabotage. The messages from Baldwin to widower Matt Hutchins...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer The search for Bernalillo County's next district attorney is underway. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's office is accepting applications to fill the vacancy that will be created when 2nd Judicial District Attorney Raúl Torrez is sworn in Jan. 1 as the state's next attorney general. Lujan Grisham plans to appoint a replacement to fill out the remainder of Torrez's term, which expires in 2024, said Nora Myers Sackett, the governor's press secretary. Applications for the post are due by Dec. 2. Torrez, a Democrat, won the state attorney general's race on Nov. 8,...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Police have charged a carjacking suspect who they say fired at officers during a SWAT standoff — prompting a detective to return fire — with robbery, aggravated assault on a peace officer, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle and other crimes. Daniel Rodriguez, 28 (APD) Daniel Rodriguez, 28, was arrested immediately after the shooting on a probation violation and since has been ordered to serve three years in prison. His attorney did not respond to requests for comment. Neither he nor anyone else was injured in the Oct. 5 shooting at a...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Sen. Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque, greets attendees and employers during the 10th Annual Senator Michael Padilla Job Fair at Harrison Middle School in July. The unemployment rate in October stood at 4.3%. (Chancey Bush/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico's unemployment rate went up slightly in October after it had dropped or remained the same each month throughout 2022. According to the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, the unemployment rate stood at 4.3% last month — up from 4.2% in September but down from 6.1% at the same time last year....
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer The Andaluz Hotel in Downtown Albuquerque. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) A fixture of the Downtown Albuquerque skyline, Hotel Andaluz was bought earlier this month from former owner Gary Goodman. The historic hotel was purchased by Legacy Hospitality, which now owns four Hilton properties in Albuquerque and one in Santa Fe. "With the history of this hotel, it's really important, I think, that we keep this product alive," Walters said. According to Walters, developer Goodman - founder and CEO of Goodman Realty Group - was looking to focus on other projects around the city. Walters...
By ABQJournal News Staff Third in a series. Young Mr. Lancaster was a kitten whose behavior was sometimes, as they say in learning theory, undesirable. He did turn out to be a pretty good cat, hanging out at the reception desk, accepting attention from clients. On the flip side, even at 6 months, he was a wild animal masquerading as a cuddly pet. We love our kitties like little people in furry suits, but they are stalkers, slayers and devourers of helpless creatures. Even in our compassionate veterinary clinic, there had to be somebody who needed killing. One fine...
By Associated Press MENTONE, Texas -- A strong earthquake that struck a remote area of the West Texas desert caused damage in San Antonio, hundreds of miles from the epicenter, officials said. University Health said Thursday that its Robert B. Green historical building was deemed unsafe because of damage sustained from the quake, which hit Wednesday in a remote area near the New Mexico border. The historical building is more than 100 years old and has been closed off for safety reasons, University Health said. The quake initially had a 5.3 magnitude but that was revised upward to 5.4....
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Albuquerque community, including multiple businesses, is coming together to help more New Mexicans have a warm meal on Thanksgiving. Among the businesses reaching out are Western Sky Community Care, which on Saturday will have 300 grocery bags available for distribution. Bags will have necessary supplies to assemble a full Thanksgiving meal, including gift cards for turkeys, according to a Western Sky news release. The free meal bags will be distributed from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Dennis Chavez Community Center, 715 Kathryn SE. No registration...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Hundreds of colorful balloons launch from Balloon Fiesta Park during the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in October. Commercial hot air balloon pilots will now be required to have a second-class medical certificate. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Commercial hot air balloon pilots will now be required to have a second-class medical certificate, which includes an annual examination by a medical professional approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. The rule is similar to what commercial fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter pilots are already required to have. The new requirement was...
By Journal Staff Report Some of the desserts that will be created by Albuquerque bakers for the first-ever Thanksgiving Match-Up. (Courtesy of News Radio KKOB) On Thanksgiving, 82 Albuquerque families will gather with loved ones, creating memories around holiday treats they may not have had access to without a generous new initiative. Early next week, pies, cakes and festive yule logs will be carefully crafted by 47 local bakers, then donated to Albuquerque's first-ever Thanksgiving Match-Up. The match-up pairs bakeries with local families who will receive their desserts for free Wednesday, just in time for Thanksgiving. News Radio KKOB...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Volunteers help unload and sort food at a local post office during the 2019 Letter Carriers’ Food Drive to benefit Roadrunner Food Bank. (Courtesy of Roadrunner Food Bank) Don't discard the blue bag that appears in your mailbox this week. It's signaling the return of the annual Fall Letter Carriers' Food Drive. Participation is easy. Simply fill bags with non-perishable food items and leave them at your mail box or cluster box. Letter carriers will pick the bags up on Saturday, Nov. 19, and take them back to local post offices, where...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A Carlsbad couple are accused in the yearslong sexual abuse of two child relatives, allowing an Albuquerque man to rape one child in a van and recently sharing nude photos of the children to online fetish websites. Joseph Crutcher, 59, and Rachel Crutcher, 37, are federally charged with production and possession of child sex abuse material. Joseph Crutcher is also charged with distribution of child sex abuse material. Both have been arrested by federal authorities and booked into Lea County Detention Center. Their attorneys could not be reached on Thursday. Dominic Marks,...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Sheryl Williams Stapleton. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) A trial in the racketeering and money laundering case of former state House Majority Leader Sheryl Williams Stapleton remains unscheduled but is more than a year away, attorneys in the case agreed at a scheduling conference Thursday. Stapleton's attorney, Ahmad Assed, told 2nd Judicial District Judge Lucy Solimon he expected Stapleton's trial to last at least three weeks. "There are volumes of work that still need to be done," including pre-trial interviews, Assed told the judge. "Certainly we have our own investigation as well." Solimon estimated...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Candelaria Pacheco and her nephew, Mauricio Carmona, listen to U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich speak about the New Mexico Education Enhancement Act at the headquarters of OLÉ in Albuquerque on Monday. In English, the poster they hold says that early education teachers demand better salaries. Pacheco runs a day care in Albuquerque. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — The debate over pulling more money out of New Mexico's largest permanent fund is moving from one capitol to another. It's now up to Congress to authorize the constitutional amendment that won overwhelming voter...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer University of New Mexico Hospital, in Albuquerque. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal file) New Mexico COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have been on the upswing the past four weeks and health officials project the state is midway through a new wave of the virus. State health officials, in a Thursday press conference, recommended that people stay home if they're sick, stay up-to-date on vaccinations and consider wearing a mask in crowded areas like airports to stay safe during Thanksgiving and the upcoming winter holidays. New Mexico reported 4,318 new COVID cases and 134 hospital admissions...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer Beginning Saturday, Nov. 19, the “Roving With Perseverance” traveling exhibit will be open to the public at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science in Albuquerque, featuring full-sized replicas of both NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter. (Courtesy of New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs) Since traveling to Mars is a tad out of reach, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science is bringing the red planet closer to earthlings. Beginning Saturday, Nov. 19, the "Roving With Perseverance" traveling exhibit will be open to the public. Full-sized...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Whitehall snagged the opening slot on the Goo Goo Dolls' tour, which stops in Albuquerque on Friday, Nov. 18. (Courtesy of Earshot Media) Whitehall member Brennan Clark's first concert was the Goo Goo Dolls. Flash forward more than a decade and Clark's band, Whitehall, is opening for the Grammy Award-winning band on its "Chaos In Bloom" tour. The tour makes a stop in Albuquerque at Kiva Auditorium on Friday, Nov. 18. "It's been really fun," Clark says. "It's kind of full circle for me. I saw them first and now...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Two people crashed a stolen motorcycle while fleeing a confrontation with the bike's owner Wednesday night in Northeast Albuquerque. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque police spokeswoman, said the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. She said the man, who was driving at the time, is in critical condition. Police responded sometime before 9:15 p.m. to the motorcycle crash in the 3300 block of Monroe NE, near Comanche. Atkins said the owner had found the stolen motorcycle and confronted the riders. She said the man fled "at a high rate of speed" with...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer A home for sale in the Ridgecrest area south of Nob Hill on Nov. 10. While Albuquerque’s metro area home real estate scene saw increased inventory and days on the market before sale, but the market still remains relatively hot, local expert say. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) You might hear that the home buying market in Albuquerque is cooling. And that's not necessarily wrong. Inventory in the Albuquerque metro area increased and days on market until sale grew in October from the same time last year — something that happens in a cooling...
By Elise Kaplan and Aubrey Hovey / Journal Staff Writers Law enforcement agencies investigate after New Mexico State Police officers shot and killed a man they said was armed with a machete on Louisiana near Montgomery NE. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis / Albuquerque Journal) Two New Mexico State Police officers shot and killed a man they said was armed with a machete after an hours-long, overnight standoff at a Smith's parking lot in Northeast Albuquerque. The man's name has not yet been released, pending notification of his family. The officers are on administrative leave, which is standard, and their names will...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer DharmaLynne Fuller, left, comforts Tayo McNulty, center, in the hallway after the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education votes a 5-2 approval of the proposed new board policy, KB1 Parent Rights and Responsibilities, after hearing public comments during the meeting at Albuquerque Public Schools' main office in northeast Albuquerque, N.M., on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal At 16, Tayo McNulty attempted suicide. After, hoping they would be supported by their parents, they decided to come out. Instead, they were kicked out, before they could finish...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A new report assessing the state's efforts to improve the care of abused or neglected children in state custody notes a few achievements, but advocates say overall, the data reveals a troubling lack of progress. For instance, children taken into custody by the state Children, Youth and Families Department were still spending nights in offices, shelters, congregate settings and other placements in 2021 because of a lack of non-relative foster homes. Such temporary housing is supposed to be for extraordinary circumstances only. The annual report made public...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer DharmaLynne Fuller, left, comforts Tayo McNulty after a tense confrontation outside the Albuquerque Public Schools board room on Wednesday. The board voted 5-2 to approve a contentious policy, which split community advocates and parents about how to weight the rights and responsibilities of parents and guardians against the right to privacy of LGBTQ students. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) At 16, Tayo McNulty attempted suicide. After, hoping they would be supported by their parents, they decided to come out. Instead, they were kicked out, before they could finish high school. McNulty's experience — something...
By Associated Press MENTONE, Texas — A strong earthquake shook a sparsely populated patch of desert in West Texas on Wednesday, causing tremors felt as far away as the Mexican city of Ciudad Juárez. The magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck around 3:30 p.m., according to Jim DeBerry, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in the West Texas city Midland. He said the strength of the quake means it likely caused damage in the remote oil patch and scrubland, but none had been reported so far. DeBerry said the epicenter was about 23 miles south of Mentone, a tiny community...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor New Mexico native Max Gomez will perform at the Outpost Performance Space on Saturday, Nov. 19. (Courtesy of Yonas Media) Max Gomez's sweet spot is keeping busy. Well, that and music. The New Mexico native is currently on a West Coast tour opening for Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp. "We're rolling down the road and keeping up with the tour buses," he says during an interview. "It's been a busy time for sure. Getting this opportunity has been amazing because I'm introducing myself to an entirely new audience." Gomez returns...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer The Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road NW, will host the public opening to “Thomas Cole’s Studio: Memory and Inspiration” from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19. (Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art) Black Friday is slowly coming, so it's almost time for us to finalize our holiday purchases. There are also a multitude of events happening around town — including on the University of New Mexico campus. So why not go back to school? Got an event we should know about? Reach out to Ivan Leonard at ileonard@abqjournal.com Setting up...
By Heather Hunter / For The Journal Grilled Miso Bass with Bok Choy and Pickled Ginger at Izanami. (Heather Hunter/For the Journal) When you only have a few hours to get away – and you need to escape, there is a unique destination less than four miles from downtown Santa Fe that feels a world away. Established in 1981, Ten Thousand Waves is an internationally-recognized spa and Zen-like paradise carefully carved into the Sangre de Cristo mountains near the Santa Fe National Forest. Drive toward the Santa Fe Ski Basin and you will land upon the Japanese-inspired spa and...
By Rozanna M. Martinez / For the Journal Guests at Steel Bender Brewyard participate in an adult coloring night benefiting the Agora Crisis Center. (Courtesy of Steel Bender Brewyard) Caring for your mental health is crucial for a good quality of life. The subject is near and dear to Shelby Chant's heart. Chant is the co-owner and marketing director at Steel Bender Brewyard and her father has served the community as a child, adolescent and young adult psychologist. He has been in practice for more than 50 years. "He's supposed to be slowing down a little bit, but not...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Hermanos Gutiérrez are touring in support of their new album, “El Bueno Y El Malo” in Santa Fe. (Courtesy of Larry Niehues) Alejandro and Estevan Gutiérrez know the next step each one is going to take when it comes to music. Being brothers is a plus when it comes to music composition. It's also great for the pair to have each other while on tour. "We were in Nashville earlier and now we're in Los Angeles enjoying our record release day, " Estevan Gutiérrez says. The duo released "El Bueno...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor A Zuni elder is photographed by Lee Marmon for the series, “Surviving Columbus.” (Courtesy of NMPBS) Two years and a half-million dollars. That's what it has taken for New Mexico PBS to get their archive digitized. The Albuquerque-based station worked with the American Archive of Public Broadcasting on the New Mexico Public Media (NMPM) Collection, which is currently available. Michael Kamins, supervising project manager at NMPBS, says the project brings together more than 8,000 items from public media stations across the state, including full television and radio programs, as well...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor About 50 vendors will take part in the eighth annual HomeGrown: A New Mexico Food Show & Gift Market at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces on Saturday, Nov. 19, and Sunday, Nov. 20. (Courtesy of the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum) The HomeGrown: A New Mexico Food Show & Gift Market has become a tradition. The New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum partners with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to present the event, which highlights New Mexico products. This year's...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer The Goo Goo Dolls are touring in support of its 14th studio album, “Chaos In Bloom.” The band is scheduled to visit Albuquerque on Friday, Nov. 18, at Kiva Auditorium. (Courtesy of Claire Marie Vogel) For decades, the Goo Goo Dolls have remained a premiere rock act. The band is once again making Albuquerque a tour stop in support of its 14th studio album, "Chaos In Bloom." The show is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 18, at Kiva Auditorium. Lead singer and guitarist John Rzeznik said about Albuquerque, "It's such a unique sort...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, left, chats with Jodee Dennison, of the Tribal Injury Prevention Resource Center, at the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in Albuquerque on Wednesday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/JOURNAL) The Biden administration dispatched another top official to New Mexico on Wednesday when Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg flew into the Albuquerque International Sunport — only slightly delayed due to weather in Chicago — to talk roadway safety and investments into local infrastructure. Buttigieg arrived in New Mexico one-day after the one-year anniversary of President Joe Biden signing a massive infrastructure bill into law. The...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Singer-songwriter Sam MacPherson recently released his single “Backseat (All I Got)” in November. (Courtesy of Maxwell Goldberg) Life on the road is treating Sam MacPherson good these days. The singer-songwriter is on his first full fall tour and he couldn't be more excited. "We're in the middle of the run and I've seen so many places I've never seen before," he says during a stop in Columbia, Missouri. "I've been supporting two different acts and it's been overwhelming." MacPherson will make a stop at Meow Wolf on Sunday, Nov. 20....
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Laguna/Acoma dough bowl, c. 1830–50, clay and paint. (Peter Gabriel/School for Advanced Research) On any given day, Elysia Poon travels to her own version of wonderland. Inside of the School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe, where Poon is the director of the Indian Arts Research Center, rooms are filled with clay pots from all different pueblos. Each one of them has a story and Poon wants people to give a listen. This is the mission of the documentary, "Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery." The film premieres...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Chaske Spencer stars as Pawnee ex-cavalry scoutEli Whipp in “The English.” (Diego Lopez Calvin/Drama Republic/BBC/Amazon Studios) Filmmaking is never easy as there are obstacles always in place. This would deter many – but not Hugo Blick. During production for his latest series, "The English," the writer/director had to move locations from Kansas and Canada to Spain. "Being out in the middle of nowhere and you are taking 30 horses and a few wolves on location," Blick says. "That was a challenge. We boiled down the filming schedule to what the...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A Las Cruces restaurant owner accused of killing his wife died at a hospital Wednesday morning weeks after being shot by Doña Ana County deputies. Doña Ana County Sheriff Kim Stewart said 59-year-old Robert Yacone was pronounced dead around 6:30 a.m. at an El Paso hospital. She said Yacone was on 24-hour watch and that "our observation was he was not improving." Stewart did not give a cause of death or any other details. Yacone was shot by deputies at his home on Sept. 18 before they found 48-year-old Kim Yacone dead...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Country singer Josh Turner has a Christmas special that is available on DVD, as well as streaming on the UPtv app. (Courtesy of UMG Nashville) Josh Turner enjoys the holiday season. This is exactly the reason he released his first ever Christmas project, "King Size Manger," in 2021. Turner is kicking off this holiday season with his first holiday special that will debut at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, on UPtv. It will also stream on the UPtv app. The DVD is also available online at joshturner.com. The country singer...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A woman behind bars in connection with more than a dozen burglaries in which she allegedly removed the glass from windows of businesses to bypass alarms has been charged in four more incidents around Albuquerque. Kellie Shugart (MDC) Kellie Shugart, 40, is facing four additional charges of commercial burglary along with multiple counts of larceny, criminal damage to property and conspiracy in cases that spanned from July to late August. Shugart was previously arrested in August and charged in more than a dozen burglaries of nail salons, cafes and other businesses around...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police arrested a man accused of stealing an elderly woman’s vehicle as she picked up her husband from the emergency room — causing her to fall from the vehicle and be seriously injured. Fernando Granados (MDC) Fernando Granados, 32, had reportedly been denied a ride from the hospital to a detox facility prior to the incident. He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on charges of reckless driving resulting in great bodily harm and auto theft in the Sept. 20 incident. Granados has not yet been assigned a public defender. “We...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Collette Wise, the mother of Bennie Hargrove, and her mother Vanessa Sawyer discuss the need for a bill to create penalties for those who allow children access to firearms. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Strengthening penalties for gun crimes. Penalizing those who fail to secure firearms. Offering incentives for officers to remain in law enforcement. Increasing funding for drug education. Giving prosecutors new tools to charge armed shoplifters. These are some of the issues legislators plan to tackle during the upcoming legislative session as part of the second round of the Metro Crime Initiative....
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Booths line a wall during a beWellnm open enrollment event last year at Thomas Branigan Memorial Library in Las Cruces. (Courtesy of beWellnm) SANTA FE — New Mexico legislators are weighing a request to take million from a newly created fund to help expand health insurance coverage and reduce costs for low-income individuals and others. The proposal comes as the New Mexico braces for at least 80,000 people to be kicked off Medicaid when the federal government lifts a COVID-19 emergency declaration. The funding — sought by the Office of the...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer An overlook of the Rio Grande Valley near Lemitar, N.M., not far from where the SunZia Southwest Transmission Project line is planned to be built. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) The SunZia Southwest Transmission Project is edging closer to a targeted 2023 start date, following new state-level approvals in Arizona and New Mexico, and a final U.S. Bureau of Land Management decision on the project expected in April. If all the regulatory stars align, renewable developer Pattern Energy could break ground next summer on potentially the largest wind development project in the Western Hemisphere,...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Eddie Boylan, 9, gets a COVID-19 vaccine dose at a Santa Fe health clinic in this November 2021 file photo. A state vaccine advisory committee has recommended that students attending public schools get the vaccine, but has stopped short of pushing for it to be added to list of required immunizations for the coming school year. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- A New Mexico vaccine advisory committee has recommended that students attending public schools statewide should be vaccinated against COVID-19, but stopped short of seeking to add the vaccine to the...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man has died in the hospital a day after being shot in Santa Fe. Santa Fe Deputy Chief of Police Ben Valdez said 32-year-old Armando Marquez died of his injuries on Tuesday. Armando Marquez (SFPD) "Detectives are investigating this case as a homicide and are currently working active leads," he said. Valdez said police responded around 9:40 p.m. on Monday to reports of a man motionless in the street on Camino Capitan, near St. Francis and Interstate 25. He said officers found Marquez with at least one gunshot wound and he was...
By STEVE MICHEL / SANTA FE ATTORNEY History repeats itself. Twenty years ago, when New Mexico's utility commission switched from an appointed to an elected body, regulated companies, particularly utilities, sought to avoid regulatory oversight. They did so by obstructing or delaying important cases so the issues could be decided by a presumably more lenient, future commission. The same thing is happening now, with N.M.'s electric and gas utilities delaying important cases — for example PNM's anticipated 2021 rate case has been moved to December — and appealing to the N.M. Supreme Court every consequential decision of the current...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Lobo freshman point guard Donovan Dent during a postgame interview after UNM beat SMU on Tuesday night in Dallas. (Geoff Grammer/Albuquerque Journal) DALLAS -- Here are a few extra notes, quotes, stats, tweets, videos and whatever else I could empty out of the old notebook after Tuesday night's 84-63 UNM Lobo blowout win over SMU at Moody Coliseum: The backcourt behind the backcourt... Sure, Richard Pitino said over the summer that this season wasn't going to be only about the "House and Mash show," referring to his star returning guards Jaelen House...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The New Mexico Child Care Finder, a new search tool designed to help families choose the most compatible child care provider for their children, launched Tuesday morning. The search platform – at childcare.ececd.nm.gov/search – is "easy to navigate" and aims to provide New Mexico families with more access to information about child care providers, according to Early Childhood Education and Care Department Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky. Parents will be able to research over 1,000 child care providers available in the state. To find the provider that best suits...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM's Morris Udeze (24) works against SMU's Jalen Smith during the Lobos win over host SMU on Tuesday night in Dallas. (Photo courtesy SMU Athletics) DALLAS — The Lobos found their D in Dallas. UNM scored 20 points off 15 SMU turnovers — 14 off 11 in the first half alone — and held the Mustangs to under 36% shooting in their home gym for a blowout 84-63 road win in front of an announced Moody Coliseum crowd of 3,662, which included a few hundred Lobo fans. "That was a complete defensive...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal With holidays fast approaching, the City of Albuquerque is encouraging locals to "Stuff the Bus" with donations for homeless families and pets on Saturday. Donations can be dropped off at Hinkle Fun Center at Tramway and Indian School NE, a city news release states. Donations will be accepted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the center's parking lot. The city has put together wish lists for both families and pets with ideas for comfort gifts and winter-related items. Both lists are available at www.cabq.gov/pets/stuffthebus. Items on...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Rep. Patricia Lundstrom, D-Gallup, talks on the House floor Friday with Rep. Antonio “Moe” Maestas, D-Albuquerque in February. The Bernalillo County Commission on Tuesday appointed Maestas to a vacant senate seat. (Eddie Moore/Journal) Rep. Antonio "Moe" Maestas Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal State Rep. Antonio "Moe" Maestas is now Sen. Maestas. The Bernalillo County Commission on Tuesday appointed the West Side Democrat to the District 26 senate seat, filling a vacancy created by Jacob Candelaria's recent resignation with more than two years left on his term. The decision deeply divided the commission,...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press Paul Klopfer reads his ballot while voting at a polling center in the South Valley area of Albuquerque, N.M., Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 (Andres Leighton/Associated Press) SANTA FE – Midterm election results were certified Tuesday by at least three county commissions in New Mexico at the start of a once-routine process that, in some locations, has become a focal point for those voicing distrust in voting systems. Among the decisions, Otero County's three county commissioners voted unanimously to certify Nov. 8 election results at a meeting in Alamogordo after a briefing by the...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, center, during a ceremonial bill-signing in 2019 on legislation to create a new state ethics commission. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – The State Ethics Commission has filed a lawsuit accusing an advocacy group of trying to conceal its role in advertisements supporting the early childhood ballot measure and other violations of New Mexico's campaign law. The nine-page suit, filed this month in the state's 5th Judicial District Court, seeks a civil penalty of up to ,000 against the Working Families Organization, doing...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief A Legislative Finance Committee report Tuesday found several floors of the Harold Runnels Building in Santa Fe largely empty due to employee vacancy rates and remote work. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – With many state employees still working remotely more than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, some New Mexico government buildings are sitting largely empty and others have floors of unused office space. And the state isn't getting a reduced-use discount. New Mexico is paying somewhere between million and million statewide for...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Third-grader Audrey Vrawner reads in class at Mission Achievement and Success Charter School on Tuesday. The school was given million by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, who has pledged to give most of her fortune away. Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal Early Tuesday morning, the teachers of Mission Achievement and Success Charter School were pulled into an impromptu staff meeting for an important announcement. JoAnn Mitchell, the school's founder and CEO, had been holding on to good news for almost a month, and now she'd been given the green light to share it: the school...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County deputies have arrested a fugitive — a man highlighted in an attack ad during the governor’s race — allegedly finding him in the South Valley with fentanyl, a stolen gun and a stolen truck. Omar Manzanilla (MDC) Omar Manzanilla, 36, was taken into custody Monday and booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on warrants along with new charges of auto theft, firearm theft, being a felon in possession of a gun, drug possession, warrants and other charges. It is unclear if he has an attorney. Manzanilla was featured in Republican...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Cancer forces BioPark veterinarians to humanely euthanize Puzzle, the 9-year-old African painted dog. (Courtesy ABQ BioPark) Despite aggressive cancer treatments, Puzzle, a 9-year-old African painted dog, was humanely euthanized Sunday at the ABQ BioPark, zoo officials announced this week. Zoo staff discovered the cancer in May after a wellness check found facial swelling and noticed changes in the animal's eating habits. Diagnosed with advanced systemic cancer, Puzzle initially appeared to respond to chemotherapy and surgery to remove a tumor in his mouth, but the cancer subsequently spread and was no longer treatable....
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer The New Mexico Child Care Finder, a new search tool designed to help families choose the most compatible child care provider for their children, launched Tuesday morning. The search platform is "easy to navigate" and aims to provide New Mexico families with more access to information about child care providers, Early Childhood Education and Care Department Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky said. Parents will be able to research over 1,000 child care providers available in the state. To find the provider that best suits them, users can apply filters like ZIP code, age, tuition,...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Detectives are looking for a food delivery driver accused of fatally shooting a homeless man who approached him — possibly asking for money — outside a business late last month in Southeast Albuquerque. Brandon Chatmon, 20, is charged with an open count of murder in the Oct. 27 death of 54-year-old Vincent Lopez. Chatmon was working as an Uber Eats driver at the time, according to police, and had just picked up an order from a neighboring business. According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court: Albuquerque police responded around 10:30...
By John Leicester / Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine -- Russia pounded Ukraine's energy facilities Tuesday with its biggest barrage of missiles yet, striking targets across the country and causing widespread blackouts, and a U.S. official said missiles crossed into NATO member Poland, where two people were killed. A defiant Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy shook his fist and declared: "We will survive everything." Polish government spokesman Piotr Mueller did not immediately confirm the information from a senior U.S. intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation. But Mueller said top leaders were...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer (Courtesy APD) For the second reporting period in a row the Albuquerque Police Department has continued to make substantial progress in the federally-mandated reform effort. After a couple of years of backsliding and turmoil, the department is once again in the highest level of compliance with the Court Approved Settlement Agreement (called the CASA). In May, after the monitor's 15th report, city officials said for the first time that they have set a goal to be in full compliance by spring 2024. The independent monitor overseeing the reforms published his 16th report...
By John Leicester, Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) -- Russia pounded Ukraine's energy facilities Tuesday with its biggest barrage of missiles yet, striking targets across the country and causing widespread blackouts, and a U.S. official said missiles crossed into NATO member Poland, where two people were killed. A defiant Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy shook his fist and declared: "We will survive everything." Polish government spokesman Piotr Mueller did not immediately confirm the information from a senior U.S. intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation. But Mueller said top leaders were...
By John Leicester / Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine -- Russia pounded Ukraine's energy facilities Tuesday with its biggest barrage of missiles yet, striking targets across the country and causing widespread blackouts, and a U.S. official said missiles crossed into NATO member Poland, where two people were killed. A defiant Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy shook his fist and declared: "We will survive everything." Polish government spokesman Piotr Mueller did not immediately confirm the information from a senior U.S. intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation. But Mueller said top leaders were...
By Journal Staff Report New Mexico State Police are investigating several fatal crashes so far this month. On Nov. 4, New Mexico State Police officers in Quay County responded to Quay Road AD near the U.S. Highway 54 intersection after reports of a vehicle colliding with a train, according to a news release. "The initial investigation indicated that for unknown reasons, a 2007 Toyota Camry driven by Abraham Riquiac-Gonzalez, 30, with passenger Pedro Jimon, 38, of Clovis was traveling north on Quay Road AD, crossed the train tracks, and was struck by a westbound freight train," the release states....
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Republic candidate for Governor Mark Ronchetti hugs his wife Krysty during a campaign stop at the Fraternal Order of Police in Santa Fe, Monday, November 7, 2022. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – New Mexico Republicans entered last week's general election with high hopes. But after seeing Democrats retain all statewide offices – including the Governor's Office – and win the only Republican-held congressional district, state GOP officials are facing pressure about the direction of the party. Some Republicans have called on party chairman Steve Pearce...
By Associated Press TIERRA AMARILLA, N.M. -- A New Mexico man could face up to 50 years in prison after being convicted of injecting a woman with heroin and throwing her off a bridge into the Rio Grande in February 2020. Authorities said the woman survived by floating down the river to get to a riverbank and seeking help at a nearby home. The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that 47-year-old Brenton Rael was found guilty Thursday a Rio Arriba County jury after a three-day trial in Tierra Amarilla. He was convicted on charges of kidnapping, attempted murder, battery,...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department unveiled Monday morning its new Air Unit, called Metro 1, .after the previous unit was lost in the tragic incident in July where four perished while helping to fight the wildfires north of Albuquerque. Pictured is Metro 1 being taken out of the hangar for a short flight. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The rotor blades of the A Star B3 helicopter loudly whipped the air as the light-duty aircraft rose from the ground at the Double Eagle II Airport, hovered briefly and...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico’s Jaelen House, right, knocks the ball away from Southern Utah’s Drake Allen during the Nov. 7 season-opening win for the Lobos. UNM is 2-0 but hasn’t had many standout defensive plays like this, to this point. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal) You don't complain about 2-0. But as happy as second-year Lobo men's basketball coach Richard Pitino was after completing the team's first week of the season unblemished, he knows there is still plenty of climb left ahead for his team. As week two presents two far more challenging tests, it's...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Eight hopefuls are asking the Bernalillo County Commission to appoint them to the New Mexico Senate. The commission is scheduled to decide Tuesday how to fill a vacancy in a seat representing Albuquerque's West Side. Jacob Candelaria resigned the position in October with more than two years left on his term, leaving the commission to pick his replacement. The people who applied are: Steve Gallegos, a former Albuquerque City Councilor and Bernalillo County Commissioner Antonio "Moe" Maestas, an attorney and current state representative Julie Radoslovich, the former principal and director of the...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Teacher Therese Garcia works with her students during an activity at The Albuquerque Sign Language Academy in July. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Some big changes to New Mexico schools may be on the table for next year. Legislative committee staff presented several early proposals — some more developed than others — to lawmakers Monday afternoon, in an effort to gather feedback and garner interest ahead of the next legislative session. "These would be your bills, and so we want to know how you feel about each of the proposals," Legislative Education Study...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque's City Council is slated for another shakeup with two of four city councilors who would be on next year's ballot already saying they do not plan to run for reelection. Northeast Heights representative Trudy Jones has confirmed she will step aside next year at the end of her fourth term. Pat Davis, meanwhile, said he will not seek a third term as councilor for an area that includes Nob Hill and the International District. Their seats, as well as Northeast Heights-based District 4 and Downtown-centric District 2, are on the ballot...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Former UNM Lobo and former professional basketball player Cameron Bairstow. (Courtesy image)In Episode 54 of the Talking Grammer podcast, I played a little catch up with former Lobo basketball great Cameron Bairstow who lives in Australia. We talk about his professional career, from the NBA to overseas and playing in Australia -- both professionally and with the Australian National team -- as well as his recent decision to retire due to injuries. Cam is now starting a career as a sports agent. We also talk about his upcoming trip back to the...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Pictured is the land located just south of Netflix studios located near Mesa del Sol, photographed in 2020. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Mesa del Sol, home to Isleta Pavilion, Netflix North America and thousands of Albuquerque residents, is growing. "How does Albuquerque grow? Where does Albuquerque grow?" asked mayor Tim Keller at a Monday press conference. "The one area ... that is all set up and growing at an incredible pace is Mesa del Sol." Under construction are 400 new homes, including townhouses and single-family residences, and a 314-unit apartment building which will...
By Jeff Tucker / Journal Editorial Writer This week's question: How are you (or someone you know) dealing with a surge in rental costs in Albuquerque averaging 22%? Responses must include your name and city and be 50 words or less to be published. Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published. Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-formSubscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer FILE - Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, on Nov. 8, 2021. Buttigieg is vowing help to stem a rising U.S. epidemic of car fatalities with a broad-based government strategy aimed at limiting the speed of cars, redesigning roads to better protect bicyclists and pedestrians and boosting car safety features such as automatic emergency braking. Buttigieg indicated to The Associated Press that new federal data being released next week will show another spike in traffic fatalities through the third quarter of 2021. (AP...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer UNM Hospital. (Journal file) Local hospital officials say they are operating above capacity because of an influx of young children getting sick with different viruses, including the Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV. It's common for hospitals to see an increase in people sick with respiratory viruses in the winter, but this year's surge started months earlier than normal, raising alarm about patient volumes at local hospitals this winter. At the University of New Mexico, the children's hospital was at 119% capacity on Monday morning, said Maribeth Thornton, the associate chief nursing officer....
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer In this 2021 photo, state Economic Development Secretary Alicia Keyes discuss the opening of the NBCUniversal production studio in New Mexico. Economic incentives, she told lawmakers this week, have helped New Mexico land big projects in film, manufacturing and technology. (Jim Thompson/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — About one-third of the companies that received financial aid under the Local Economic Development Act in a recent six-year period failed to meet their job-creation or employment requirements, legislative analysts say, and the state hasn't always pursued reimbursement of the money. But analysts for the Legislative...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico is already in the midst of an effort to improve educator diversity in K-12 education. When it comes to early childhood education and care, state officials are hoping to do the same thing. Last week, the Early Childhood Education and Care Department announced million in endowment grants to seven colleges and universities – all aimed at strengthening the state's pipeline for a diverse early childhood workforce. Almost million of that total was split evenly between five colleges and universities, including the University of...
By Felicia Fonseca / Associated Press Buu Nygren, newly elected Navajo Nation president, stands with Richelle Montoya, the first woman to be elected Navajo Nation vice president, in Window Rock, Ariz. in August. (Larry Price/Associated Press) FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Buu Nygren entered the Navajo presidential race with a platform echoed by generations of candidates: Deliver basic needs on the vast reservation where most roads are unpaved and thousands of families don't have running water or electricity. His expectation that Navajos hold him accountable on those promises resonated with voters who elected him to the tribe's top post Tuesday. Nygren...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It was Nov. 26, 1994. A 43-year-old woman was jogging on the bosque trail when she was beaten with a rock, hogtied with strips of her own clothing and raped by a man she didn't know. The case went cold and the woman never fully recovered – or felt safe again – and died in 2013. Now, police say the decades-old rape kit was recently matched to convicted sex offender Gilbert Contreras. The 56-year-old Albuquerque man was charged on Nov. 4 with criminal sexual penetration and kidnapping...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior ROUNDABOUT WORK STARTS NOV. 21: For a while, drivers have been stumped about what's going on at Ventura and Holly NE. Earlier this year Marty McGowan shared that "the intersection of Ventura and Holly is congested and dangerous. I have noticed that there is (a) large construction site where dirt is being moved to the north of Trader Joe's. Will Ventura be widened from Holly to the north?" And sallymack emailed "there are traffic control blockers at the west exit on Ventura from the Albertsons grocery store. If I'm coming home from...
By ABQJournal News Staff Silver Avenue, for a one-block stretch Downtown, will be closed "intermittently" until late June due to a window replacement project at Bernalillo County headquarters, the county said Wednesday. "The windows are more than 30 years old and replacement will create a more energy efficient environment at Alvarado Square," a news release reads. The closure will affect Silver SW from Fourth to Fifth streets until June 30. "In an abundance of caution the street will be closed to protect against the possibility of falling debris as the windows are removed and new windows installed," Shiree McKenzie,...
By ABQJournal News Staff The Albuquerque City Council's last three meetings of the year will be held virtually on Zoom. Council President Isaac Benton, in a news release advising of the move, said it has been shown that the council can effectively conduct meetings virtually. "With the holidays approaching, it will be helpful to many families to have the flexibility of these three meetings on a virtual platform," he said. "Additionally, the health threat of a ‘Tripledemic' of RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), flu, and COVID has been widely reported. As president, I've decided to continue council business during the...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer This photo from 2019 shows inmates sleeping on beds on the floor in the Metropolitan Detention Center's detox unit. Inmates here are supposed to be supervised due to the risks from withdrawing from drugs or alcohol. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In the days after Sao Chau was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center he reported feeling ill, being short of breath and having a tingling in his hands, according to incident reports released to the Journal. The 41-year-old who came to the United States as a refugee from...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Bernalillo County has also expressed concerns about YesCare's quality of care at the Metropolitan Detention Center. While the jail now has two medical doctors, a site physician and a medical director – as is required in its contract – it went several months with those positions vacant, according to a letter from the deputy county manager for general services to YesCare's senior vice president that was sent in September. The letter was released to the Journal in response to an Inspection of Public Records Act request and...
By Journal Staff Report Journal Staff Report After decades of reporting on celebrities, health advances and the latest trends, the Parade magazine featured in today's Sunday Journal will be the final edition available in print. The Arena Group, home to more than 240 brands – including Parade, Spry Living and Relish magazine sections that have appeared in the Albuquerque Journal – is downsizing its print offerings. It has discontinued Spry and Relish completely as well as its print editions of Parade magazine. The company will continue to provide an electronic version of Parade magazine, which will be included in...
By Journal Staff Report Elizabeth Esquibel, left, with her granddaughter Titiana Orozco, 18, and other family members, looks through the ashes and twisted metal that was once their home along N.M. 94 near Tierra Monte in May. The New Mexico Press Association honored the Journal with its top award for best ongoing/continuing coverage for its reporting on the wildfires. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) As wildfires ravaged Ruidoso and northern New Mexico earlier this year – claiming lives, destroying hundreds of homes and forcing thousands to flee – Journal reporters and photographers scrambled to chronicle the battle firefighters were waging to...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal State Police Chief Tim Johnson is acknowledging that his agency made mistakes and should have done more to prevent one of its own from being gunned down during a traffic stop last year in southern New Mexico. Other State Police personnel have previously hinted at missteps leading to Officer Darian Jarrott's death – but it's never been stated plainly by someone as high-ranking as Johnson. It's been 21 months since Jarrott's death, but the chief said an internal affairs investigation has yet to be launched in the...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press FILE - Numerous signs are seen placed along the road leading to Culture National Historical Park in northwestern New Mexico ahead of a visit by U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on Monday, Nov. 22, 2021. The U.S. Interior Department's plan to withdraw hundreds of square miles in New Mexico from oil and gas production for the next 20 years is expected to result in only a few dozen wells not being drilled on federal land surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park, according to an environmental assessment. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File) Interior...
By Alicia Inez Guzmán/Searchlight New Mexico Aleeyah Martinez, Rosaleigh Hare and Brianne Martinez, all 7, put their hands in a mixture of soil, clay, native grass seeds and water to make seed bombs. (Nadav Soroker/Searchlight New Mexico) Seven months ago, the U.S. Forest Service ignited a fateful prescribed burn that, within a matter of weeks, merged with a nearby sleeper fire to become the biggest wildfire in New Mexico's history. The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak blaze burned some 342,000 acres, leaving scars on both the landscape and its people, including countless school-age children. To help students cope, the Mora Independent...
By James Hamill / For the Journal Promises can be tricky things. The party of the first part can be well-meaning to the party of the second part, yet the well-meaning promise may still be broken. Sometimes the parties may even disagree about whether the promise was kept. The promise may have been indefinite in terms. The culprit may instead have been "force majeure," French for "a greater force." Contracts use this phrase. Political promises do not. Dad promises to take son to the park on Saturday. Ah, but Dad's boss assigns him a special project for Saturday. Or...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer House Majority Leader Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque, with Speaker Brian Egolf, right, D-Santa Fe, and Rep. Andrea Romero, D-Santa Fe, behind him, holds a news conference with other House Democrats after the end of the 30-day legislative session in February. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — Democrats on Saturday agreed to nominate Javier Martínez — a progressive whose district covers Downtown Albuquerque — to serve as the next speaker of the House, widely considered the most powerful legislative post at the Capitol. Martínez, 41, was picked in a closed-door meeting of the House...
By ABQJournal News Staff A security camera image of the suspect who robbed the Bank of the West, 2101 Eubank NE, Saturday morning. The FBI and Albuquerque police are investigating. (Source: FBI) A bank robber was last seen running from a Northeast Heights bank after taking an undisclosed amount of money Saturday morning. The FBI said in a news release that the Bank of the West branch at 2101 Eubank NE, at Snow Heights just south of Menaul, was robbed around 9:45 a.m. "(The) subject entered the bank and made a verbal demand for money, and also implied he...
By Lm Otero and Jill Bleed / Associated Press DALLAS -- Two historic military aircraft collided and crashed Saturday during an air show in Dallas, exploding into a ball of flames and sending black smoke billowing into the sky. It was not clear how many people were on board. Emergency crews raced to the crash scene at the Dallas Executive Airport, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the city's downtown. News footage from the scene showed crumpled wreckage of the planes in a grassy area inside the airport perimeter. Dallas Fire-Rescue told The Dallas Morning News that there were...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM Lobo forward Josiah Allick screams with excitement after scoring against the South Alabama Jaguars in their game Friday night in the Pit. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal)Here are a few extra notes, quotes, stats, tweets, videos and whatever else I could empty out of the old notebook after Friday's 80-74 UNM Lobos win over South Alabama in the Pit: Mo and Jo... OK, forget that closed door secret scrimmage where the stat sheet showed a Northern Arizona big man had 15 points and 20 rebounds against the Lobos. And forget Monday's season...
By Journal Staff Report Icing Smiles volunteers from across the country bake cakes and special treats to be delivered to sick kids across the country. Pictured is just one example of such a cake. agomez@abqjournal.com. (Courtesy of Icing Smiles) Treats often create smiles. That's the mission behind Icing Smiles, a nonprofit that creates dream cakes and other special treats for delivery to sick kids across the country. KOAT-TV is spotlighting the organization as part of the "Good News File" in its broadcast today. The segment will introduce viewers to some of the people who make these cakes as well...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Lobo forward Morris Udeze dunks just before halftime as he’s guarded by South Alabama’s Marshall Kearing during Friday's game in the Pit. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Morris Udeze said it was a “blessing.” Josiah Allick, rarely short on words, simply couldn’t explain it. After the pair of aggressive UNM Lobo transfer forwards were in deep foul trouble in Monday night’s season opener, on Friday they largely had their way in the frontcourt, drawing nine fouls, committing only two and combining for 34 points and 16 rebounds in an 80-74 win over the...
By Associated Press LOS ANGELES -- Saying he wants to clear his name, Alec Baldwin on Friday sued people involved in handling and supplying the loaded gun that he was using when it fired, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a 2021 filming accident in New Mexico. Baldwin filed a cross-complaint in Superior Court in Los Angeles alleging negligence against some of the people sued by a script supervisor, Mamie Mitchell. Among other things, it seeks a share of any damages that Mitchell may win from the people Baldwin names and asks that they pay for any damages assessed against...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Are your lights, tinsel and star ready to go? Now, you need the tree – and the U.S. Forest Service invites people to get a permit so they can cut their own Christmas trees from designated areas of the Santa Fe National Forest. Christmas tree permits are and can be purchased at www.recreation.gov with a .50 service fee, the Forest Service news release states. Permits will also be on sale in person at any Santa Fe National Forest district office and headquarters starting Wednesday. The Walatowa...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Chloe Podkonjak and Brandon Gibson with the ABQ BioPark release Rio Grande silvery minnows into the river. The BioPark’s aquatic facility releases tens of thousands of the endangered fish yearly. (Courtesy of ABQ BioPark) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Researchers at the ABQ BioPark are on the leading edge of animal conservation efforts nationwide. According to a just released report, "Local, Regional and International Conservation at the ABQ BioPark," researchers there in 2021 published 337 peer-reviewed species conservation articles. That represents 46.9% of all publications from researchers at Association of Zoos and...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer A food pantry opened officially in October on the Luna Community College campus has quickly become an oasis in a desert for students. At least that's been the case for Ashley Wheeler, a senior cosmetology student, and her friends at the campus in Las Vegas, N.M. While Wheeler herself visits the pantry only occasionally, usually for quick snacks to tide her over until she can leave campus to get food, she said it's been a big help to her friends — some of whom struggle to afford food. "I have seen friends...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer The U.S. Postal Inspection Service identified the two men pictured as suspects in the Oct. 18, 2022, robbery of a Postal Service letter carrier near Pan American Freeway and Eagle Rock NE in Albuquerque. Also pictured is the car believed to be involved. (Source: U.S. Postal Inspection Service) U.S. Postal Service letter carriers were robbed twice last month in Albuquerque in what authorities believe are connected cases. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering a ,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects. The first robbery was...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Universal Hydrogen’s ATR 72-600 turboprop plane at the company’s engineering and design center at the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in France. (Courtesy of Universal Hydrogen) Universal Hydrogen could potentially shake up the regional airline industry in the U.S. and elsewhere by rapidly converting the turboprop planes that service short-line routes to hydrogen propulsion. Turboprop aircraft are used for interstate and intrastate hops nationwide and globally, constituting a huge initial market for Universal's drop-in hyrogen-plane conversion kits, and for its proprietary, modular hydrogen capsules, which provide the clean fuel needed to power up the electric...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Authorities found hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the support beam of US-bound rail car on Wednesday at a crossing in El Paso. (CBP) Customs and Border Protection seized hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine from a freight train on Wednesday in El Paso. CBP spokeswoman Sandra Hawkins said the haul had an estimated street value of 0,000. "No arrests were immediately made. The case remains under investigation," she said. Ray Provencio, CBP El Paso Port Director, said in a statement that all arriving trains are x-rayed and officers also "inspect and...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer A Bernalillo County resident is alleging that an elected commissioner violated the county's code of conduct by accepting a campaign contribution from a "restricted donor" and asking that the commissioner sit out a planned vote that may involve that donor's husband. The complaint adds a new wrinkle to the commission's Tuesday decision about whom it appoints to fill a vacancy in the New Mexico Senate — a decision that already has sparked infighting. Carl Peterson's complaint requests that County Commissioner Charlene Pyskoty recuse herself from discussion and debate about whether to appoint...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Universal Hydrogen employees load a module containing the company’s hydrogen fuel capsules onto Universal’s ATR 72-600 turboprop for testing at the company’s engineering and design center at the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in France. (Courtesy of Universal Hydrogen) New Mexico has landed a whale in the emerging national and global hydrogen economy, potentially converting the Albuquerque International Sunport into ground zero in the birth of hydrogen-based aviation. Universal Hydrogen — a California-based startup that's backed by aviation and hydrogen-related industry giants — announced early this year that it would invest 4 million in a...
By John Larson / El Defensor Chieftain SOCORRO — After requests from local patients who want more options, a Socorro business is expanding choices for adults and children requiring speech therapy. Wilson Nice, MA, owner and operator of an outpatient speech pathology clinic — Nice Speech Lady LLC — held a grand opening earlier this month. The clinic is at 715 California, at the corner of Wal Street and California. Nice, who has 22 years of experience in the field and holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence in speech-language pathology, said she began seeing Socorro patients virtually in January....
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Ventana Ranch residents will no longer have to drive to Cottonwood Mall for a taste of classic Albuquerque pizza chain Dion's. On Thursday, Dion's opened a new dine-in and drive-thru location at 9620 Universe NW. "We are excited to open our Ventana Ranch location and to grow our reach in the metro area," said CEO Mark Herman in a release. "We know that so many of our Westside customers are ready for a more accessible option, and we're thrilled for the opportunity to offer it." The Ventana Ranch location will look a...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer An attorney who alleges prosecutors obtained hundreds of recordings of jail phone conversations between himself and his client failed in his bid to remove the 2nd Judicial District Attorney's Office from the case. State District Judge Brett Loveless found that the DA's office in fact swept up recordings of jail calls between defense attorney William Cooley and his client, but apparently did so inadvertently as "a normal business practice." "It is undisputed that the Second Judicial District Attorney's Office came into possession of one hundred thirty-three jail phone calls that possibly contain...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque restaurateur Erin Wade at The Feel Good. Wade is preparing to open three new restaurants, a commissary kitchen, a food stand and a private club in Albuquerque within the next two years. (Greg Sorber/Journal) Erin Wade's first step into the restaurant industry started with rejection. She applied to work at Subway, but was too young to work the meat slicer. Many years later, however, the fashion school graduate now owns a slew of restaurants in New Mexico and Texas — with more soon to come. Wade has plans to open three...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Sally Bazan rolls out masa, or dough, for her pop-up restaurant of the same name, Masa, at the Street Food Institute commissary kitchen. (Mike Sandoval/Journal) When Shannon Bazan became a vegetarian, her New Mexico born-and-raised mother wasn't sure how to take it. "I told my mom I was going to be a vegetarian and she didn't believe me," Shannon said. "She didn't think that I would be willing to not eat carne adovada and chicharrones, all these other New Mexican dishes." But with almost 40 years working in the restaurant industry,...
By ABQJournal News Staff Indian Affairs Secretary Lynn Trujillo SANTA FE — Indian Affairs Secretary Lynn Trujillo — a member of Michelle Lujan Grisham's Cabinet since January 2019 — is set to leave the administration at the end of the month. Trujillo, a former general counsel at Sandia Pueblo, where she is also a member, has worked on legislation that resulted in new funding for schools in Native American communities, and led a state task force focused on missing and murdered Indigenous women. Before joining Lujan Grisham's administration, Trujillo served as a Native American coordinator in the U.S. Department...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico had the fifth highest growth in employment in outdoor recreation over the past year, according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis on Wednesday. The sector includes jobs relating activities like skiing, fishing and hiking, as well as services and products associated with them, according to the federal data released. Between 2020 and 2021, employment in outdoor recreation rose 18.2% in the state — 5% higher than the national average — for a total of 28,475 jobs in the industry. However, New Mexico is still 39th in...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico's health insurance exchange has a new CEO after more than seven months of searching. Bruce Gilbert, who most recently served as the executive director of the Nevada Health Exchange for two years, was unanimously approved by beWellnm's board of directors on Thursday. Gilbert starts in his role as CEO with beWellnm on Monday. "His experience managing health insurance exchanges and working with public school systems makes him the ideal candidate to lead beWellnm as our goal is to provide affordable health care to all New Mexicans," beWellnm Board Chairman David...
By Rachel Lorenz / For the Journal Holmans USA Corp. President and CEO John Santoru. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) The world has changed and so has Holmans USA. From maps and equipment for surveying land to hand-held calculators and desktop computers to information technology solutions, the 67-year-old company has evolved to survive and thrive. “We’ve always been good about seeing the trends and trying be proactive and having the foresight before it passes us by,” said John Santoru, CEO and president of Holmans USA Corp. The Albuquerque-based company began in 1955 as Holmans House of Maps. In 1972, employee Tony...
By Associated Press Gloria Nevarez, the commissioner of the West Coast Conference, on Friday was announced as the next commissioner of the Mountain West Conference. She is set to start Jan. 1, 2023. (Image via TheMW.com)COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Mountain West on Friday hired Gloria Nevarez, who has been leading the West Coast Conference for the last five years, to be its next commissioner. Nevarez replaces longtime Commissioner Craig Thompson, who announced his retirement in September. She will take over Jan. 1 and become the second woman to lead a major college football conference, joining Conference USA’s Judy...
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal Second in a series. My practice was in its infancy in 1978, but we were ready for anything. I had an ECG, X-ray machine and a full array of surgical instruments – everything but stationery and business cards. The equine veterinarian next door recommended a printer, so I called Mr. Franklin Lancaster. He offered to come by to design my spiffy new letterhead. When this senior gentleman arrived, he cordially greeted Martha at the front desk and waited patiently as I finished with a client who had brought in an duck with diarrhea....
By Mike Schneider and Freida Frisaro / Associated Press WILBUR-BY-THE-SEA, Fla. -- The remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole sent heavy rains falling from Georgia to New York on Friday as flooding and surging ocean waters receded from a stretch of Florida coastline where the most damaging impacts became evident after it made landfall as a hurricane. Now a depression, Nicole could dump as much as 8 inches (20 centimeters) of rain over the Blue Ridge Mountains and there was a chance of flash and urban flooding as far north as New England. With the center of the storm about...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico's most notorious cowboy is still shaking things up. A raucous Otero County Commission meeting was brought to a stop and the room was cleared after ousted Commissioner Couy Griffin took the public comment period to criticize the woman who was appointed to finish his term, calling her a "loser." Griffin, the founder of Cowboys for Trump, was removed from his commission seat in September after Judge Francis Mathew in 1st Judicial District Court in Santa Fe found Griffin violated a clause in the 14th Amendment that disqualifies anyone from holding...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers released this image of Damion Gallegos, who is wanted in connection with an August shooting in Downtown Albuquerque. (SOURCE: Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque police are looking for a teen they say bragged on Instagram about shooting a woman in Downtown Albuquerque on Aug. 13. The man they are seeking is Damion P. Gallegos, 18, who is charged with two counts of aggravated battery, aggravated assault and use of a firearm. Gallegos is accused of shooting the woman around 2 a.m. in a...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Fresh off her reelection victory, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is leaving New Mexico on Friday to participate in the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Egypt. The governor, who also traveled to Scotland for last year's conference, is scheduled to participate in several panel discussions while in Egypt, including events with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham During last year's conference, Lujan Grisham received praise from President Joe Biden's top climate adviser, who said proposed...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer A crime scene investigator photographs evidence after officers shot and killed a man in the parking lot of the Albuquerque Police Department headquarters early Thursday morning. It was the 17th shooting involving APD this year. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque police officers have shot at 54 people since 2018, 30 of whom were killed and 16 of whom were injured. The remaining 8 were not struck. There has been an increase in shootings this year, with 17 so far – compared to 10 or fewer for each of...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Kevin Samuel is covered by Kansas State guard Mike McGuirl (00) while playing for TCU back on March 10, 2021. The 7-foot Samuel is an accomplished center who brings his game to the Pit Friday when South Alabama comes to face New Mexico. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner) Yes, the Lobos won their season opener on Monday night in the Pit. Still, the hope heading into Friday night's game against visiting South Alabama is that they have to find a way to rebound. After an offseason that included adding two bulky transfer forwards —...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer A new apartment building is under construction on Central and 22nd. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller is proposing a bevy of zoning code changes to facilitate more multi-family housing and other housing options in Albuquerque. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Mayor Tim Keller is seeking what he calls "transformative" updates to Albuquerque's zoning code that could increase density in single-family home neighborhoods and relax some rules on apartment construction — all part of his effort to bolster housing development in New Mexico's largest city. Outlined in newly released legislation, the proposed changes would allow duplexes and...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer The young couple told detectives they didn’t want the stranger parking near their Northeast Albuquerque apartment, according to police. The boyfriend said he shot out the car’s back window to “scare” the man as he drove away. The man in the car, 65-year-old William Vencill, actually lived at the complex and had just returned home on Sept. 15. He was hit in the neck by a bullet and died at the scene. Detectives arrested the couple — Emery Gallegos and Savannah Davis, both 19 — on Wednesday at the bowling alley where...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer House Majority Leader Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque, with Speaker Brian Egolf, right, D-Santa Fe, and Rep. Andrea Romero, D-Santa Fe, behind him, holds a news conference with other House Democrats after the end of the 30-day legislative session in February. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — Fresh off an election where they held onto their recent gains, Democrats in the state House are preparing to pick new leadership this weekend. House Speaker Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, opted against seeking reelection this year and will step down before the 60-day session. He has led...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police are looking for a teen who they say bragged on Instagram about shooting a woman in Downtown Albuquerque on Aug. 13. They are looking for Damion P. Gallegos, 18, who is charged with two counts of aggravated battery, aggravated assault and use of a firearm. Gallegos is accused of shooting the woman around 2 a.m. in a parking lot near Seventh and Central SW, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. The woman, who suffered gunshot wounds to her arm and leg, later told police she was with...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Officials park near where a BCSO helicopter crashed near Las Vegas, N.M., in July. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Recently released autopsies determined the three Bernalillo County deputies and one firefighter killed in a July helicopter crash all died as a result of blunt-force trauma. The state Office of the Medical Investigator ruled the manner of death for Bernalillo County Undersheriff Larry Koren, 55, Lt. Fred Beers III, 51, deputy Michael Levison, 30, and rescue specialist Matthew King, 44, as an accident. On July 16, the four were flying back to Albuquerque on the...
By Glen Rosales / For the Journal Skiers are head over heels about ski season quickly approaching at Taos Ski Valley. (Courtesy of Taos Ski Valley) While it is still just over a week before first ski resort in New Mexico opens its slopes, snow operators are overjoyed at the promising early start to the snow flying, which portends to a successful season. Here is some information about the northernmost New Mexico and southern Colorado ski areas. SIPAPU SKI AND SUMMER RESORT sipapu.ski Usually one of the first ski areas in New Mexico to open, Sipapu did not undergo...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Vehicles that could be featured in an upcoming Rt. 66 Auctions online auction. (Courtesy: Rt. 66 Auctions) Rt. 66 Auctions will hold an online auction featuring classic cars from the estate of Glen DeVilbiss, a Farmington barber shop owner who passed away in 2010, according to a news release. "(DeVilbiss) was quite the collector, and the opportunity to own one of these classic vehicles doesn't come along very often," the release says. Cars, trucks, RVs and auto parts will be available. Previews are scheduled for Nov. 27-30 from 9 a.m. to...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Michelle Martens appears at her sentencing hearing via Zoom on Thursday. A judge on Thursday sentenced Michelle Martens, 41, to 12 years in prison for her role in the strangulation and dismemberment of her 10-year-old daughter, Victoria Martens, marking the last of three co-defendants put behind bars in the girl's 2016 death. The six years that Martens has served at the Metropolitan Detention Center will count toward her sentence, requiring her to serve an additional six years in prison before her release. The sentencing appears to close the book on one of...
By Terry Spencer and Freida Frisaro / Associated Press WILBUR-BY-THE-SEA, Fla. -- Tropical Storm Nicole sent multiple homes toppling into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday and threatened a row of high-rise condominiums in places where Hurricane Ian washed away the beach and destroyed seawalls only weeks ago. "Multiple coastal homes in Wilbur-by-the-Sea have collapsed and several other properties are at imminent risk," Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said in a social media message. He said most bridges to the beachside properties had been closed to all but essential personnel and a curfew was put into effect. Wilbur-by-the-Sea is an...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor A Multi-Agency Task Force investigates a fatal officer-involved shooting in the parking lot of Albuquerque Police Department headquarters Thursday morning. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) The Multi-Agency Task Force is investigating after Albuquerque police officers shot and killed a man Downtown early Thursday morning. The incident began when officers were dispatched to the area of 5th and Roma NW to a local bank, Police Chief Harold Medina said in a video posted to Twitter. "Security at the bank had indicated that an individual had broken a window with a rock and had threatened individuals...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer The Tomb of the Unknown Dead at Fairview Historic Cemetery. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Bernalillo County will provide 0,000 in funding to restore two veteran burial areas at Historic Fairview Cemetery. The New Mexico Department of Veterans Services will use the funds to restore American Legion #1, which includes 94 veteran burials, and American Legion #2, which includes 205 burials, according to Gail Rubin, Historic Fairview Cemetery president. The announcement will be made during a Veterans Day event at the cemetery Friday morning, Rubin said. The funds were...
By Michael Casey / Associated Press Lou Perrotti, director of conservation programs at Roger Williams Park Zoo, holds a musk turtle in quarantine after it was confiscated in a wildlife bust, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, in Providence, R.I. Scores of turtle species are under threat from poaching. (David Goldman/Associated Press) PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Swimming in two plastic bins inside a bright sterile quarantine room at a Rhode Island zoo, 16 quarter-sized turtle hatchlings represent a growing worry for conservationist Lou Perrotti. These eastern musk turtles, known for spending much of their lives in swamps and ponds, and emitting a...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Mid-year crime statistics released by the Albuquerque Police Department show an incremental increase in property crime and a larger decrease in violent crime compared to the same period last year. The data, released Wednesday by APD and subject to change by year’s end, compares the first six months of 2021 to the first six months of 2022. It shows a 1% rise in property crime, driven by spikes in auto theft, robbery and vandalism, and a 20% drop in violent crime after decreases in aggravated assault. There was also an 18% increase...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The Albuquerque Police Department's failure to investigate or interview a suspect in a double homicide — even after he was accused in an unrelated shooting — allowed him to shoot and kill two of his downstairs neighbors months later, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by family members. Daniel Humphrey, 31, and his aunt Sonia Tenorio, 46, were shot to death in their West Side apartment on Sept. 2 because, police say, John Paul Ballejos had grown angry at Humphrey's younger sister Cynthia — who also lived there along with her...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer An Albuquerque city councilor wants an investigation into a recently published book about the city's response to the pandemic and racial unrest of 2020, raising questions about the project's necessity and adherence to policy. Councilor Dan Lewis on Wednesday asked the city's Office of Inspector General to look into whether the city — which paid the author and covered other book-related expenses — followed city purchasing rules and whether the book itself, "City at the Crossroads: The Pandemic, Protests and Public Service in Albuquerque," served any public purpose. "I request an evaluation...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Jadyn Toppin, a 6-foot-9 high school senior at Oak Cliff (Texas) Faith Family Academy, watches the Lobo football game against Boise State on Sept. 9 while on a recruiting visit. Lobo assistant coach Eric Brown is on the left. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal) Richard Pitino has signed his first recruit for the 2023 recruiting class. As was expected since he announced his commitment to the UNM Lobos in mid-September, 6-foot-9 forward Jadyn Toppin, a senior from Dallas who plays for Faith Family Academy in Oak Cliff, Texas, signed on Wednesday his National...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Voters wait in line to cast their ballots at a voting center on Albuquerque's West Side on Tuesday. Voter turnout for this year's general election hit 52%, according to unofficial election results. (Liam DeBonis/Journal) SANTA FE -- Bolstered by high-profile campaigns and a large number of absentee ballots, New Mexico voter turnout eclipsed 711,000 votes cast in this year's general election — or about 52.2% of registered voters. That turnout level, based on unofficial results, would eclipse the 2018 election in terms of raw votes cast, but would fall short of...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Craig Smith during a break in his trial, with his attorney, Ashley Reymore-Cloud. A jury on Wednesday found Smith guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping and other charges in the death of Josephina Ortega, 86. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) A jury on Wednesday found Craig Smith guilty of fatally suffocating his 86-year-old aunt and stealing nearly 0,000 in cash from her home. The 2nd Judicial District Court jury found Smith, 59, guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping, aggravated battery, tampering with evidence and conspiracy in the 2017 killing of Josephina Ortega in her Northeast...
By Richard S. Dargan / For the Journal Firenze’s Spinacci Pizza is a Mediterranean-inspired mix of spinach, red peppers, pine nuts and ricotta. (Richard S. Dargan/For the Journal) Have oven, will travel. That might be the motto of Felicia and Steven Meyer, owners and operators of Firenze Pizzeria in the Northeast Heights. The Meyers have schlepped their pizza oven all over the city since launching Firenze as a food truck and mobile catering operation back in 2011. They took the wood-fired workhorse to growers' markets, weddings and other private events before opening a brick-and-mortar location at Ninth Street and...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer (Chancey Bush/Journal) Thanksgiving is coming up and I am thankful for all of the upcoming sporting events. Check out the University of New Mexico women's basketball team as the weather keeps getting colder. Or get ready to deal with any holiday stress by taking a yoga class. Exploring basketry The Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, 500 University Blvd. NE, is celebrating the opening of two new exhibits — "Conversing with the Land: Native North American Baskets of the Maxwell Museum Collection" and "We Were Basket Makers Before We Were Pueblo People: Pueblo...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Scrote is the mastermind behind “Celebrating David Bowie,” which makes a stop at Kiva Auditorium on Friday, Nov. 11. (Courtesy of Steve Karas) David Bowie is an icon. Through his music and philanthropy, the British singer touched millions. This is exactly why Scrote, born Angelo Bundini, took the lead in creating the musical event "Celebrating David Bowie." He brought along Todd Rundgren and Adrian Belew for the ride. The tour makes a stop at Kiva Auditorium on Friday, Nov. 11, as part of the 2022 edition of the show. "I...
By Jake Coyle / Associated Press A scene from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” (Courtesy of Marvel Studios) Made in the wake of tragedy, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" reverberates with the agony of loss, piercing the usually less consequential superhero realm. Like someone going through the stages of grief, Ryan Coogler's movie is at turns mournful and rootless, full of rage and blessed with clarity. In the fantastical Marvel Cinematic Universe where mortality is almost always a plaything, wrestling with the genuine article, in the death of T'Challa star Chadwick Boseman, makes for an unusually uncertain, soul-searching kind of blockbuster-scale...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor The New York Theatre Ballet brings “Legends & Visionaries” on Friday, Nov. 11, at the Lensic Performing Arts Center. (Courtesy of New York Theatre Ballet) Steven Melendez didn't know dance would change his life. It's been a difficult journey, filled with ups and downs, yet Melendez persevered. After a stint as artistic director at the National Dance Institute of New Mexico at Hiland Theater, Melendez was named the artistic director for New York Theatre Ballet in April. He's returning to New Mexico with the company for a show at the...
By Rozanna M. Martinez / For the Journal Vara Vinoteca wine and cocktail bar recently opened in Santa Fe. (Courtesy of Vara Winery & Distillery) Renowned Vara Winery & Distillery is bringing its award-winning fine wines and spirits to Santa Fe. Vara Vinoteca is located steps away from the City Different's historic plaza. The venue is a vision of architect Scharles Wilder of Scharles Wilder Design. It is housed in an adobe-style building, which combines Southwest architecture with modern accents that create the ideal ambiance for Vara Vinoteca's elevated wine and cocktail program, according to a Vara news release....
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Danny Pudi, left, and Naomi Ekperigin in a scene from “Mythic Quest.” (Courtesy of Apple TV+) Off screen, Danny Pudi and Naomi Ekperigin cut it up quite a bit. Yet, when the actors are on screen in "Mythic Quest," it's truly where the magic happens. "It's always good to work with a funny group of people," Ekperigin says. "Being part of the series is a dream come true." "Mythic Quest" follows a group of video game developers tasked with building worlds, molding heroes and creating legends, but the most hard-fought...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Los Angeles-based noise rock band No Age is touring in support of its album, “People Helping People.” (Courtesy of Benjamin Clark) Randy Randall was wearing gloves long before the pandemic hit. Being a guitarist and responsible for his own load in, he quickly discovered that it was important to not only keep his hands clean, but safe. "I started wearing gloves years ago while doing load in because I had caught my hand on too many doors," he says with a laugh. "We don't think about how important our hands...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor “Cowboy Retablo” by Kenny Chavez. (Courtesy of Kenny Chavez) Kenny Chavez sees treasure in everything. The Albuquerque-based artist specializes in recycled art and is one of the dozens of artists to take part in the Recycle Santa Fe Art Festival, which is being held Friday, Nov. 11, through Sunday, Nov. 13, at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center. The event began in 1999 as the Recycled Art Market, which was started by Mark Dabelstein and Joe Buffalo Nickels. The idea behind the festival was to showcase artists that create art...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor “The Mountains Wore Down to the Valleys” exhibit is open at the National Hispanic Cultural Center Art Museum. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) It's been a three-year journey for Adri De La Cruz and Marisa Demarco. The New Mexico-based artists have utilized that time to create the elements that make up "The Mountains Wore Down to the Valleys." The sound and visual installation is currently on display at the National Hispanic Cultural Center Art Museum through April 23, 2023. It opened on Nov. 4. "Marisa and I have been friends for a...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Two New Mexico coalitions failed to win federal grant funding in a competitive bid for up to 0 million that would have financed projects to expand industry growth in the state's space and creative sectors. But both alliances are still moving forward with their work. The Space Valley Coalition - led by Central New Mexico Community College - and Create New Mexico, led by the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, were among 60 finalists in the U.S. Economic Development Administration's Build Back Better Regional Challenge. Twenty-one awardees were announced in early September,...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A gun and ransom money in the vehicle of an alleged smuggler during a federal bust last week in Albuquerque. (APD) An Arizona woman told authorities last week that smugglers who she paid ,000 to bring her sister and young nieces into the country were now holding the trio hostage in Albuquerque. The case led federal Homeland Security Investigations agents to a couple of alleged smugglers holding the family along with 58 other migrants at a small home in Southeast Albuquerque. Marcelo Alonso-Almaraz, 32, and Eloisa Almaraz-Vasquez, 35 — who are reportedly...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer To help combat a critical shortage among teachers and mental and behavioral health workers, the state Higher Education Department has awarded 0.5 million in endowments, spread among 13 colleges and universities in New Mexico. The endowments include million for educator preparation, .5 million in the area of social work, and million in support of nursing, HED Secretary Stephanie Rodriguez said this week. New Mexico HED Secretary Stephanie Rodriguez (Courtesy NM Higher Education Department) The interest generated from investing those principal funds can be used "to recruit and retain quality professors...
By Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- Sonya Smith, head of the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services, said she will step down Friday to spend more time with her family. Smith has been the Veterans Services' cabinet secretary since October 2020 after previously working as a special projects manager at the state Department of Health. With the Department of Veterans Services, Smith supported the enactment of an income tax exemption for armed forces retiree pensions. She is credited with successfully galvanizing the state's pushback against a nationwide Veterans Administration proposal to close 700 community-based outpatient clinics, including four...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer A traveling nurse in a COVID-19 ward at Lovelace Hospital in November 2021. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico, like other states, is facing a nursing shortage. And as the state continues to grow with an aging population, it's more important than ever to raise up the next generation of nurses with new approaches by educational institutions to meet that demand for health care. Those are the sentiments of local nursing experts who spoke at the Economic Forum of Albuquerque on Wednesday morning at the Embassy Suites. "Most...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Talking Grammer Podcast · Ep 53: College basketball's Ken Pomeroy (TG 11.07.22)NOTE: Excerpts used in this article were taken from a conversation that first aired on the Talking Grammer podcast earlier this week. He doesn't hate your team. Honestly. And his computer doesn't really know what a team, or a basketball for the matter, even is. If you're a college basketball fan even slightly above the "casual" level, odds are you have heard of "KenPom" or the highly influential college basketball ratings website, KenPom.com, named after founder Ken Pomeroy. The former meteorologist-turned-hoops...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — Two legislative races — where Republicans hold slim leads — are so close they will trigger an automatic recount, according to unofficial election results. But the partisan composition of the House isn't likely to change much, despite GOP hopes going into Election Day of winning back many seats Democrats had won in recent election cycles. If the unofficial results stand, Republicans would have a net a net gain of one seat on Democrats in the state House, reducing the Democratic majority...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Albuquerque Police Department's homicide unit is investigating after officers were dispatched to "reports of a male who appeared to have been battered" late Tuesday night in the area of 2nd and Arvada NW, according to an email from police spokesman Chase Jewell. The male, who has not yet been identified by police, "was transported to a local area hospital but succumbed to injuries while in route to the hospital," Jewell said. According to the email, the "suspicious death investigation" is ongoing. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Ryan Boetel and Martin Salazar / Journal Staff Writers Second Congressional District candidate Gabe Vasquez, right, chats with Eleanor Chavez and Jesus Toquito during some last minute canvassing on Albuquerque’s West Side on Tuesday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) New Mexico Democrat Gabe Vasquez appears to have eked out a win in the hard-fought contest for the 2nd Congressional District, besting incumbent Republican Yvette Herrell by just over 1,000 votes. With all 650 precincts in the district fully reporting, Vasquez had 1,015 more votes than Herrell, according to unofficial returns posted on the Secretary of State's website as of 1:30...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Four Democratic incumbents running for reelection in New Mexico's top statewide judicial races held sizeable leads over their Republican challengers Tuesday night, according to unofficial results. New Mexico Supreme Court Justice Julie J. Vargas The four, two on the state Supreme Court and two state Court of Appeals judges, faced partisan elections as appointees of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham over the past two years. They will serve eight-year terms. According to unofficial results, Democratic state Supreme Court Justice Julie Vargas had 53% of the vote, with family law attorney Thomas C. Montoya...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM’s Morris Udeze points to the sky to pump up the crowd after scoring on a slam dunk against Southern Utah on Monday in the Pit. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal) There's a certain level of Captain Obvious to the following statement: The University of New Mexico men's basketball team will benefit greatly if other teams foul the Lobos a lot this season and could really be in trouble if they get called for a lot of fouls. While that's generally true for every team, some aren't constructed like this UNM team. And...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County's governing board is still mostly blue. Democrats won both races on this year's ballot, according to unofficial results, thus maintaining the party's 4-1 advantage on the county commission. In District 5, Eric Olivas bested Republican Judy Young, garnering nearly 54% of the vote. And Democrat Barbara Baca defeated Michaela Chavez in the contest to represent District 1. She earned over 62% of the vote. Eric Olivas Olivas, a 31-year-old small business owner, will represent the county's easternmost areas, including Edgewood and Tijeras, as well as Uptown and other parts of...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. (Eddie Moore/Journal) Two longtime Republican legislators from Sandoval County trailed their opponents late Tuesday while Democrats continued to show strength in Albuquerque, where they've made huge gains since 2018, according to partial, unofficial returns. Republicans, meanwhile, took leads for open seats in Rio Rancho and southeastern New Mexico. The results — if they hold up as more votes are counted — wouldn't dramatically change the composition of the House. Democrats now hold a 45-24 edge in the chamber, which also has one independent member. But many races...
By Dan McKay and Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writers The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Democrats on Tuesday swept the races for attorney general, secretary of state and three other statewide offices as voters reelected two incumbents and appeared to propel three other candidates to a first term, according to partial, unofficial election returns. Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver secured support from 54% of voters as she defeated two opponents. As of 11 p.m., she had an 11-point lead over her closest competitor. Toulouse Oliver thanked supporters for pushing her to a "resounding victory." "New...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer John Allen, a Democrat, has been elected as the next sheriff of Bernalillo County, beating out Republican Paul Pacheco and Libertarian Kaelan Ashby Dreyer. Journal Pollster Brian Sanderoff called the race for Allen a little after 9 p.m. With 34 of the 72 vote centers reporting, unofficial results showed Allen had 56% of the vote, Pacheco had 40% and Dreyer had 3.85%. John Allen, a candidate for Bernalillo County Sheriff (Courtesy of John Allen) Both Allen and Pacheco are veteran law enforcement officers who grew up in Albuquerque.Allen, 47, spent 19 years...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham talks with people at Duran's Central Pharmacy on Election Day. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham turned away a spirited challenge from Republican Mark Ronchetti to win reelection to a second term as governor, weathering attacks focused on crime, education and the state's economy. Republican Mark Ronchetti spoke to his supporters Tuesday night, acknowledging that he was unlikely to prevail in the race. As of 9:45 p.m., Lujan Grisham had a 6 point lead with about 52% of the votes cast. The contest between Lujan Grisham...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Raúl Torrez Raúl Torrez — a familiar face to voters as the district attorney in Bernalillo County — won the state attorney general's race Tuesday, defeating Republican Jeremy Gay to keep the office under Democratic control. The two tangled over crime and other issues this year as they campaigned to succeed Attorney General Hector Balderas, a Democrat who couldn't seek reelection because of term limits. Throughout the campaign, Torrez, who's worked as a state and federal prosecutor, defended his record and pitched himself as a strong fit for the Attorney General's Office,...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer 3rd Congressional District candidate Teresa Leger Fernandez Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández has fended off a challenge to hold on to her seat representing New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District. Leger Fernández was leading 54% to 46% based on early, unofficial results from the Secretary of State's Office. Journal Pollster Brian Sanderoff has called the race for Leger Fernández. A lawyer from Las Vegas, Leger Fernández, cruised to a second straight-victory against Republican Alexis Martinez Johnson. The district is rooted in northern New Mexico, but after redistricting this year the district now stretches into...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Melanie Stansbury Rep. Melanie Stansbury cruised to victory in New Mexico's 1st Congressional District, according to early, unofficial returns from the Secretary of State's Office. Stansbury was up 60% to 40% over GOP candidate Michelle Garcia Holmes, who is making a second bid for the seat. Journal Pollster Brian Sanderoff called the race for Stansbury late Tuesday. Stansbury was elected to the seat during a special election in 2021 after former Rep. Deb Haaland resigned when she was appointed to the president's Cabinet. A trained water resources professional, Stansbury has worked for...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Samara Acevedo-Chacon, right, belts out a dinosaur roar at the Santa Fe Public Schools Early Childhood Center in October. Early returns on Tuesday evening showed that Constitutional Amendment 1, a measure that would increase money for early childhood education, was passing by a wide margin.. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) New Mexico voters have approved Constitutional Amendment 1 — a measure that will boost early childhood education funding by almost 0 million a year, according to early unofficial returns. As of 8:15 p.m., 71% of voters said yes to the amendment while 29% voted...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Lowertown is touring in support of its album, “I Love to Lie.” The tour will make a stop at 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, at Sunshine Theater. (Courtesy of Shervin Lainez) Olivia Osby and Avsha Weinberg are looking forward to performing for the first time in Albuquerque. The duo are the masterminds behind the electroni/lo-fi outfit Lowertown, which will make a stop with beabadoobee at Sunshine Theater at 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10. The band formed in Atlanta less than five years ago and have released a handful of albums...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office detectives are investigating a homicide on the West Mesa, the office announced earlier today. BCSO said, on Twitter, a person was found dead at 11354 Central SW near a dirt parking lot. This is one of two homicides from Monday that BCSO is currently investigating. The agency is also investigating a homicide in the East Mountains on Juan Tomas and Atkins. The agency gave no either details on either case.Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer The Albuquerque Police Department has classified four homicides from last year as justified shootings. APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said detectives have determined the shooting deaths of Shyla Woods, 21, Jorge Chacon, 38, Erick Vargas, 28, and Anastacio Amador, 43, were done in self-defense. That puts the count of 2021 homicides in Albuquerque to 115, three of those cases having been investigated by New Mexico State Police. He also said the 2022 case of a 1-year-old boy "who died in the care of his parents" is no longer being considered a homicide due...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Voters line up to register to vote and to cast their ballots at Louie's Lounge inside the Student Union Building at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque Tuesday. (Liam DeBonis/Journal) People stood in lines sipping coffee and tapping away on their cell phones as they patiently waited to vote at polling places in Albuquerque early Tuesday. Things were running smoothly at the county's 72 voting sites, and even where there was heavy turnout, the lines moved steadily, said Bernalillo County Clerk Linda Stover. Likewise, at the voting centers throughout New Mexico,...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Mitzi Montoya, who served as the UNM Anderson School of Management dean since July 2020, is leaving for a new job as provost and VP for academic affairs at the University of Utah. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The dean of University of New Mexico's Anderson School of Management is leaving her post for a job with the University of Utah, UNM announced Monday. Mitzi Montoya, who will soon begin her new position as the senior vice president for academic affairs and provost come January, served as the Anderson School...
By ABQJournal News Staff Sebastian Ocana (Courtesy of Metropolitan Detention Center) Albuquerque police have arrested a 20-year-old man and charged him with the Halloween-evening shooting of another 20-year-old in Downtown Albuquerque. Sebastian Ocana is accused of fatally shooting Mateo Lopez, according to an Albuquerque Police Department news release. The shooting, initially reported as a head-on collision in the area of 14th Street and Marquette NW, happened at about 6:30 p.m., according to a Criminal Complaint and Arrest Warrant. Ocana told police the shooting stemmed from a conflict between the two men months earlier at Tingley Beach. He said he...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- Republican Rep. Yvette Herrell vied for a second term in office Tuesday on a conservative platform of strict border security and unfettered support for the oil industry, in a congressional district that stretches from the U.S. border with Mexico across desert oilfields and portions of Albuquerque. Democratic nominee Gabe Vasquez campaigned to flip the majority-Hispanic district on support for more equitable access to economic opportunity, a humanitarian approach to immigration and greater accountability for climate change in a major energy production region. Vasquez, a former Las Cruces city councilor,...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is seeking a second term in Tuesday's election on promises to defend access to abortion and sustain social spending as Republican challenger Mark Ronchetti urges new approaches to crime and the economy. New Mexico voters are confronting stark choices as they fill a long list of statewide elected positions for the first time since the coronavirus overwhelmed rural hospitals and sent shockwaves through the economy, public schools and the criminal justice system. The winning candidate for governor in a heavily Hispanic and Native American...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM Lobo forward Morris Udeze dives for a loose ball in the second half of Monday's game against Southern Utah in the Pit. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal) Here are a few extra notes, quotes, stats, tweets, and other odds & ends I managed to empty out of the old notebook after Monday night's 89-81 UNM Lobos win in the Pit: Crying foul... There were 50 -- FIFTY! -- fouls called in Monday night's Lobos game and 49 free throw attempts, making for a long, drawn out game. For comparison sake, the only...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer An automated speed enforcement device in Albuquerque. City officials said the wrong speed limit was programmed into one of the devices, which led to more than 30 speeding tickets being canceled. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Hundreds of speeding tickets are being canceled after the wrong speed limit was programmed into one of the city's Automated Speed Enforcement Devices. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman, said Monday that the city learned recently that some drivers were issued citations based on inaccurate speed limit violations. She said that...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal More than million for food assistance is being distributed to the families of over 91,000 New Mexico children under the age of 6. The funds are part of the 2021-22 childcare and summer Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer programs, according to a news release from the New Mexico Human Services Department. The program was created to provide emergency assistance to schoolchildren during the COVID-19 pandemic. "The goal of this program is to provide good nutrition to New Mexican families when they are facing financial hardship," Angela Medrano,...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM’s Jaelen House (right) takes a charge from Southern Utah’s Amound Anderson during the Lobos' win in the 2022-23 season opener Monday night in the Pit. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal) Well, the Lobos have their new, much-needed big men. Monday in the Pit, in a foul-fest of a game, it was a good thing they still had their little guys. Returning all-Mountain West Conference guards Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 24 points and Jaelen House had 23, including 15 of his team's final 19 points in the final six minutes of an 89-81...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal After nearly 75 years of serving New Mexico's Jewish community and raising funds for local, as well as global, Jewish institutions and causes, the Jewish Federation of New Mexico is shutting down operations, and there is little hope the organization will be resurrected. Robert Efroymson, the federation's recently elected president, on Friday released a statement to members of the Jewish community in which he said, "My tenure will be a short one. The main task we face is an orderly shutdown of the organization. ... We are...
By Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- The wife of a former Española city councilor was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and three years of probation for her conduct while aiding her husband's mayoral campaign in 2018. Laura Seeds, the wife of former Española City Councilor Robert Seeds, was sentenced on Friday for her convictions for committing intimidation in a municipal election, coercion of a voter and disturbing a polling place in a municipal election. Jerri Mares, a spokeswoman for the Attorney General's Office, told the Santa Fe New Mexican that Laura Seeds also is prohibited from...
By Associated Press FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- The head of the Navajo Nation's legislative branch said he will resign from his leadership role after he was photographed intoxicated in Las Vegas but will retain his position as a tribal lawmaker. Seth Damon announced Friday he would resign as Navajo Nation Council speaker, effective when the council elects someone else to fill the remainder of his term, which ends in January. In the meantime, he remains speaker in name and retains his position as a tribal lawmaker. Damon has delegated administrative duties of the legislative branch and oversight of council sessions...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Crime scene investigators examine a crashed car after Albuquerque police officers shot and killed the driver early Saturday morning. Julian Sanchez, 21, died at the scene. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis / Albuquerque Journal) Julian Sanchez and his friend had been drinking and playing blackjack at a casino before driving home early Saturday morning. On Tramway and Rover NE, just south of Menaul, 21-year-old Sanchez crashed in the median, toppling a street sign. The two young men were in and out of consciousness as police arrived, according to Sanchez's family. And a short time later...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County Sheriff's detectives are investigating a suspicious death in the East Mountains Monday afternoon. The agency posted about the investigation on Twitter, saying it is near Juan Tomas and Atkins, southeast of Tijeras. "The scene is being investigated as a homicide," BCSO said. "We have limited details at this time." Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Fire Rescue personnel fight a fire in an abandoned building near Lomas and Yale NE Monday night. (Roberto E. Rosales / Albuquerque Journal) Albuquerque Fire Rescue personnel fight a fire in an abandoned building near Lomas and Yale NE Monday night. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Firefighters are tackling an enormous blaze after a vacant building in a mixed use area of the University of New Mexico campus caught fire Monday evening. Cinnamon Blair, a UNM spokeswoman, said the house at 1801 Mesa Vista, near University and Lomas NE, is privately owned. It...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Bernalillo County elections staffers Kira Luna, Leona Martinez and Mona Belchak, from left, prepare voting materials in advance of Election Day. Federal election monitors will be on hand in two New Mexico counties, including Bernalillo County, on Tuesday to ensure compliance with federal voting rights laws. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) SANTA FE -- The U.S. Justice Department announced Monday it would have federal monitors on the ground in two New Mexico counties — Bernalillo and San Juan —on Election Day to ensure compliance with federal voting rights laws. The announcement comes as state...
By Dan McKay and Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Mary Lowe, left, and Pat Dreger process absentee ballots Monday at the Bernalillo County elections warehouse. The popularity of absentee voting has exploded in recent years. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — Voter turnout has already reached 32% — or more than 439,000 votes cast — as New Mexico heads into a critical midterm election that will determine whether Republicans hold onto a newly redrawn congressional seat and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham wins a tough reelection campaign. This year's turnout patterns so far look similar to a corresponding point...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Public Service Company of New Mexico reported nearly a 13% jump in net earnings in third-quarter 2022 compared with the same period last year. (Jim Thompson/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Public Service Company of New Mexico reported nearly a 13% jump in net earnings in third-quarter 2022 compared with the same period last year. That reflects a significant rebound from the winter and spring, when income sharply declined, largely because of investment losses on crashing stock markets and higher interest rates on corporate debt. The company did report another .2 million...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Around 9 p.m. Oct. 27 Carlos Gustavo Arzate Enriquez sent a message to an acquaintance saying he was stranded in the Pajarito Mesa and needed gasoline. Carlos Gustavo Arzate Enriquez, 23 (BCSO) The acquaintance, thinking he was doing a good deed, got in his car and brought a water jug full of gasoline to the 23-year-old standing next to a Jeep on the top of a hill near James Cook and Pajarito SW. Then, as he turned around to drive away, the Jeep burst into flames. Enriquez jumped in his car, carrying...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Basketball analytics expert Ken Pomeroy. (Courtesy image)In Episode 53 of the Talking Grammer podcast, I sat down for a conversation with college basketball analytics guru Ken Pomeroy. As the 2022-23 college basketball season begins, I wanted fans to get a good understanding how his ratings work, how the preseason ratings are formulated and how a team like the UNM Lobos could be rated 8th in the Mountain West right now when the preseason poll ranked them 5th (and I even ranked them 3rd). Let's take a dive inside the mind of KenPom....
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Shaheen Syed as seen in a 2021 Florida Driver's License. (Source: U.S. District Court) The son of a man charged in multiple fatal shootings of Muslim men in Albuquerque has reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors that could result in his release from custody, court records show. Shaheen Syed, 21, has agreed to plead guilty to a federal firearms charge in exchange for a sentence equal to time he has already served in federal custody, according to a motion filed in U.S. District Court of New Mexico. The deal also would...
By James Hamill / For the Journal There is a drug commercial that ended with advice to check with your rheumatologist. People are also commonly advised to check with their attorney. You are more likely to have an attorney than a rheumatologist. There are 1.3 million attorneys in the U.S. but only 5,595 rheumatologists. This means most of you would not know how to check with "your" rheumatologist. Like me, you might even have to look up the spelling before you tried to engage "your" rheumatologist. But this column is not about rheumatologists, even if I do like to...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile will make a nearly week-long stop in Santa Fe this week. (Courtesy of Oscar Mayer) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Abbey Frankfurter and Queso Dog Keila have traveled thousands of miles in the past five months. The duo has seen 16 states during their journey and New Mexico is next. While it's not uncommon to hear of people traveling across the country, very few have done it at the helm of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. "There are more people who have been to space than those...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Elijah Carabajal, an aspiring chef, works in the kitchen of the Embassy Suites. The way Carabajal figures it, he’s getting useful skills for his career after Project SEARCH. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Summer Griego works as a support staffer at the front desk at Embassy Suites in Albuquerque. She is a Project SEARCH intern. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Raquel Archuleta folds towels in the laundry room of the Embassy Suites. Archuleta, an aspiring barista, says she’s learned a lot in her time with Project SEARCH, even if she’s not crazy about her job in...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Officials with the Albuquerque Police Department meet with representatives from the Department of Justice's National Public Safety Partnership program Friday. (Courtesy of APD) Over the next three years, the Albuquerque Police Department will participate in the Department of Justice's National Public Safety Partnership (PSP) program in order to develop and implement strategies to lower violent crime, encourage community engagement and better analyze data, among other things. "Instead of us, you know, learning absolutely everything as we go and having successes and failures along those lines we looked...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior BUSES NEED DRIVERS AND BETTER RIDERS: Linda Arnold called to report her bus connections routinely do not show up, including on Menaul and on Wyoming, but also wants to point out bus drivers have to put up with nasty and abusive riders who are "drugged up and nodding off, smoking fentanyl in the back," etc. In addition, there is an issue at the Alvarado Transportation Center Downtown, with trash and grocery carts as well as pigeons in the water fountain. Megan Holcomb, the marketing and communications specialist for the Transit Department, says...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Dan Lewis Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal With the City Council set to decide whether to scrap Albuquerque's zero fare bus pilot, advocates for the program say they worry that the proposed alternative will hurt more than it helps. The council is considering legislation to replace the city's current "zero fare" model that allows everyone to board buses for free. It would instead offer free rides to passengers who apply for and receive a city pass with a tracking number. Everyone else would pay [post_excerpt] per trip with the funds going toward...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Lobo men’s basketball coach Richard Pitino, entering his second season at UNM, made it a priority to add size to the roster since last season to give his team a chance to compete in a rugged conference. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal)Outside their locker room in Viejas Arena on Jan. 31, losers to perennial Mountain West Conference championship contender San Diego State, the UNM Lobos were a beaten team. And it was about much more than the lopsided 72-47 score still lit up on the videoboards in the arena. The UNM Lobos knew...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor A scene from Shaandiin Tome’s latest work, “In Beauty,” which is being promoted by MTV. (Courtesy of Shaandiin Tome) Storytelling is the driving force behind the projects of Albuquerque-based filmmaker Shaandiin Tome. She's no stranger to having her films showcased at the likes of the Sundance Film Festival in 2018 and 2022. Yet, her recent spot called, "In Beauty," is reaching a national audience as it's being promoted as part of MTV Entertainment Studios' "See Me" campaign celebrating Native Peoples' Heritage Month. The company is known for turning over its...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Sunday Service Motor Co. co-owners Kevin Anderson, left, and Stephen Park. (Chancey Bush/Journal) A motorcyclist, a barista and a brewer walk into a bar … and you get Sunday Service - a DIY motorcycle repair shop, coffee shop and bar all in one. Sunday Service co-owners Kevin Anderson and Stephen Park have been friends since attending John Baker Elementary School together. They went their separate ways after college, when they both moved away from Albuquerque. But the pair later reconnected in Atlanta, where they started coming up with business ideas. Anderson was...
By Vanessa G. Sánchez / Searchlight New Mexico Family members walk down a dirt road to search for Pepita Redhair, who went missing in Albuquerque. (Shayla Blatchford for Searchlight New Mexico) MONTEZUMA CREEK, Utah – Bernadine Beyale, a commanding woman with sharp eyes, stands with a hiking pole in one hand and a GoPro camera strapped around her chest. She is on a dirt road on the Navajo Nation near the Arizona border, carrying a backpack filled with water bottles for her and her two German shepherds, a notebook, a two-way radio and two phones. A blanket of reddish...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A lapel video shows the moment before Omar Cueva used a gun his wife bought him to shoot a Las Cruces police officer in a close-quarters gunfight in February 2021 on Interstate 10 in Las Cruces. (Source: New Mexico State Police) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal They came from all walks of life, and dealt – one way or another – in illegal gun sales. A volunteer at an Albuquerque gun store who resold dozens of firearms subsequently recovered in crimes around the city. A Kirtland airman who bought silencers from overseas...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Since 2018 there have been more than 6,000 guns reported stolen in burglaries, auto thefts and other crimes in and around Albuquerque. In that same period only 1,000 stolen guns have been recovered by police officers in the city. As the number of guns stolen in Albuquerque wavered between 1,400 and 1,100 annually, the number of stolen guns recovered dropped from 266 in 2018 to 135 in 2021. So far this year, according to the Albuquerque Police Department, 887 guns have been reported stolen and 172 stolen...
By Dan Mckay And Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau A sampling of campaign mailers sent out during this year’s New Mexico general election cycle are displayed Friday. Registered voters around the state have received a flood of mailers from candidates and political committees in the final run-up to Tuesday’s election. (Eddie Moore/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Angry phone calls aren't unusual. But the arrival last month of an envelope containing a powdery chemical substance and ripped-up mailers with antisemitic symbols shocked the staff at Conservation Voters New Mexico. The environmental advocacy group has since...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor From left, Kathy Delgado and Mike White are the driving force behind the event, "Behind the Mask," which raises money for mental health awareness. (Courtesy of Kathy Delgado) Mike White and Kathy Delgado know taking care of mental health is important on a daily basis. This is why the pair have teamed up once again for the Behind the Mask gala, which is a fundraising event to raise awareness about mental health. The event will be held from 6-10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Albuquerque Convention Center, Ballroom A....
By Finnegan Shepard / Founder, CEO, Both& Finnegan Shepard Editor's Note: Throughout 2022, New Mexico Angels' members, investors and start-up owners will be writing columns on economic development and start-up opportunities in the state. The Angels unite individual investors to pool their resources, providing seed and early-stage capital to startup companies. If you have been reading the news, you've probably noticed a wave of coverage around transgender issues. The latest study of Gen Z shows a shocking shift in relationship to gender identity (25% believe they will change their gender identity at least once in their lifetimes, 78% know...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Geese fly past the San Juan Generating Station. Enchant Energy Corp. still hopes to convert the coal-fired plant into a carbon-capture facility, despite enormous hurdles. (Chancey Bush/Journal) Enchant Energy Corp. is adamantly plodding forward with plans to convert the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station near Farmington into the world's largest carbon-capture facility, but it's facing huge — and potentially insurmountable — hurdles to make its vision a reality. To begin with, it's questionable whether the company will even gain control of the plant, which Public Service Company of New Mexico and three...
By Martin Salazar / Journal City Editor Law enforcement agencies investigate an overnight Albuquerque police shooting that left one person dead at Tramway near Menaul. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/ Albuquerque Journal) Albuquerque police officers responding to a crash early Saturday morning in Northeast Albuquerque shot and killed the vehicle's driver after an officer saw what appeared to be a firearm, authorities said. Tramway remained shut down between Rover and Menaul as of 9 a.m. Saturday as authorities processed the scene. The Multi-Agency Task Force is investigating the shooting, the Albuquerque Police Department said on social media. Chief Harold Medina said the...
By Jerry Pacheco / For the Journal I was cleaning out my home office the other day when I happened upon some newspapers from 2016 and early 2017 that I somehow neglected to put in the recycle bin. Rather than automatically discard them, I took a few moments to peek into the news of the past. While the stories I read resembled a time capsule, it seems like some things never change. I read about the controversial presidential campaign between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the vitriol that reflected the mean-spirited campaigns we are now seeing at all levels...
By Ellen Marks / For the Journal Ries Robinson is the founder and CEO of Graphite Health. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) If you're afraid of the dentist, be forewarned about walking into Ries Robinson's office — you're sure to run into his poster displaying dental pliers. Why is it there? It's possible that Robinson's assistant "checked the wrong box" when ordering office art work, but the man, who's an engineer, medical doctor and serial entrepreneur, actually likes it. "It's a great conversation piece," Robinson says. "Driving innovation in a health care system is like pulling teeth." He should know. Once the...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer More than 300 participants are expected at the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting Nov. 15 at the Uptown Marriott for a networking luncheon, an overview of recent chamber accomplishments and goals, and a panel discussion on the emerging hydrogen economy. During the annual gala, current Board Chairman Peter Lorenz will outline initiatives, plans and priorities for the coming year, highlighting in particular three strategic development areas the chamber has focused on since 2016. That includes transforming Albuquerque's Downtown into a bustling center of activity, reinforcing public safety — including solutions...
By Joel Jacobsen / Syndicated Columnist Joel Jacobsen In May 2008, Lehman Brothers was a pillar of American banking. Outside Alaska, no one but political junkies had heard of Sarah Palin. And LabMD was a thriving medical laboratory company in Atlanta. As part of its business, LabMD acquired sensitive information about the patients whose specimens it tested, including not just names and medical codes, but also addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and insurance information. LabMD's billing manager downloaded LimeWire to her work computer so she could listen to music on the job. For those readers who weren't...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Nina Farrow, seen here working on her daughter Torri Farrow’s hair, is one of two Black-owned business owners in Albuquerque being honored this weekend by the African American Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Even after 36 years of doing hair, Nina Farrow has no plans to retire. "I'm gonna be behind this chair at 90," Farrow said, although at 57, her 90s are a long way off. "I'll be on the news: that 99-year-old woman behind the chair. ... I'm gonna make it...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer This April 3, 2014, file photo shows Richard Pitino, right, standing with his father, Rick Pitino, after the younger Pitino's Minnesota team won the NIT championship in New York. Richard Pitino is now the University of New Mexico coach. (Frank Franklin II/Associated Press) On Friday afternoon in the Rudy Davalos practice facility, the UNM Lobos were firmly locked in on game prep for Monday's season opener against the visiting Southern Utah Thunderbirds. Thursday morning, head coach Richard Pitino, and most of the rest of college basketball around the country for that matter,...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Thousands gather to witness vibrant and unique hot air balloons rise into the sky during the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta at Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In many ways, the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta was bigger than ever. A total of 648 hot air balloons lifted off at this year's Balloon Fiesta – around 100 more than last year and the most balloons that have flown out of Balloon Fiesta Park since 2000. Twenty different countries...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man is behind bars and a woman is charged in a fatal shooting last year outside a hotel in Northeast Albuquerque. Matthew Martinez (MDC) Matthew Martinez, 27, and Anjanette Martinez, 29, are charged with an open count of murder, shooting at or from a vehicle and conspiracy in the April 17 homicide of 18-year-old Miguel Sanchez. Matthew Martinez has been booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center and a warrant has been issued for Anjanette Martinez’s arrest. Detectives could not determine who fired the gun in the incident, according to a criminal...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Cannabis sales in New Mexico’s border towns are booming. Ultra Health’s dispensary in Sunland Park is one of a handful of dispensaries located within a half-mile of each other. Pictured is Ultra Health District Manager Jesus Muñoz,right. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico broke another record for monthly sales of adult-use cannabis in October, when the 50th annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta brought thousands of travelers to the state. Recreational sales stood at more than million last month — a first since sales began in April, and...
By Journal Staff Report U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and John Hoeven, R-N.D., announced Friday the passage of a bipartisan resolution designating Nov. 5 as National Bison Day. Pictured is an animal from the Sandia Pueblo Bison Project in 2010. (Dean Hanson/Albuquerque Journal) All of a sudden the Land of Enchantment is brimming with big mammal news. The state Department of Game and Fish on Friday said a young bull moose has been spotted near Mora — that would be between Taos and Las Vegas. "Based on photographs, officers suspect this may be the same moose spotted in Questa...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Irene, one of the Asian elephants at the ABQ BioPark, underwent surgery on Friday. Veterinarians were unable to save her left eye. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Irene the Asian elephant is recovering from an operation early Friday in which specialists were unable to save her left eye. The good news is "Irene will no longer be in discomfort from the eye," said Dr. Carol Bradford, senior veterinarian at the ABQ BioPark. "Our hope was that we'd be able to save the eye, but once we had her sedated and the specialists were...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Over 17,000 New Mexicans who are convicted felons will not be able to vote in the upcoming elections due to the state's disenfranchisement laws, according to a recent report by The Sentencing Project. New Mexico citizens lose voting rights the moment they are convicted for a felony in any state or federal court. Those rights can be restored upon completing their prison, parole and probation sentences, according to a state statute. Citizens awaiting trial are still eligible to vote at any early voting locations or even vote on election day, according to...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity in 2021. Company leaders told investors Thursday that the firm remains on track to restart test flights of its existing spaceships by January, and then begin flying paying passengers to space next spring. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Virgin Galactic remains on track to restart test flights of its existing spaceships by January, and then begin flying paying passengers to space next spring, the company told investors in a third-quarter earnings call Thursday. Assuming there are no new setbacks, that means an imminent end to a nearly 18-month flight hiatus,...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — At least three advocacy groups in New Mexico now say they have received threatening letters in the final weeks before Election Day containing antisemitic symbols and a ripped-up political mailer. One group, Conservation Voters New Mexico, reported its letter last week, triggering an FBI investigation. The other two organizations — the Environmental Defense Action Fund and the New Mexico Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO — came forward Friday. "This type of hate speech and domestic terrorism simply have no place in our...
By Haven Daley / Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco is a foodie heaven with plenty of Michelin-starred restaurants. And San Franciscans love dogs. So, it might come as no surprise that an entrepreneur has decided to combine the two passions, creating what's believed to be the first restaurant exclusively for man's best friend. Dogue, which rhymes with vogue, opened recently in the city's trendy Mission District. For dollars per pup, doggie diners get a multiple-course meal featuring such dishes as chicken skin waffles and filet mignon steak tartare with quail egg. It also includes a mimosa...
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal First in a series. I was wearily motoring home, down unlit El Pueblo Road, when my Triumph's headlights lit up a slow-moving, small white object. Grocery bag in the breeze? Ah, no. White kitten on three legs. The day wasn't over yet. Cats are predators for sure, but they are also a prey species. When sick or injured, the wild ones tend to hole up to avoid being coyote bait, making them impossible to catch. I made a U-turn and rolled to a stop on the gravel shoulder. As I approached the little...
By Associated Press WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court says it will hear a water dispute involving the U.S. government and the Navajo Nation. The high court said Friday it would review a lower court ruling in favor of the Navajo Nation, which spans parts of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. The government signed treaties with the Navajo Nation in 1849 and 1868 that established the reservation. It was later expanded westward to the Colorado River, which forms the reservation's western boundary. At issue in the case is water from the Colorado River, which itself is shrinking in part because...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Federal officials warned Friday that phone scammers are calling victims and asking them to pay money to avoid prosecution for contempt of court. The U.S. District Court for New Mexico has received reports that callers are telling people they failed to appear for a summons to give witness testimony and to pay a fine to avoid arrest. "The victims are asked to transfer funds to avoid having a warrant issued for their arrest," the U.S. District Court announced in a written statement. "This scam call is fairly sophisticated, and the caller may...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer President Joe Biden speaks to supporters at the Ted M. Gallegos Community Center on Thursday. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) President Joe Biden won't be receiving any bills from the city of Albuquerque following his recent visit. A city spokeswoman said the municipal government did pursue payment for Biden's use of the Ted M. Gallegos Community Center on Thursday afternoon: the standard [post_excerpt],000 rental fee. But the Democratic National Committee already had covered the tab, city spokeswoman Ava Montoya said in a statement to the Journal before Biden had even finished his two-stop hop...
By Hanna Arhirova and Adam Schreck / Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine -- Dmytro Bondarenko is ready for the worst. He's filled the storage area under his fold-up bed and just about every other nook of his apartment in eastern Kyiv with water and nonperishable food. There are rolls of packing tape to seal the windows from radioactive fallout. He has a gas-fired camping stove and walkie-talkies. There's even an AR-15 rifle and a shotgun for protection, along with boxes of ammo. Fuel canisters and spare tires are stashed by his washing machine in case he needs to leave the...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Craig Smith and his attorney Ashley Reymore-Cloud. A judge postponed jury deliberations Thursday after a juror reported symptoms of illness. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A state district judge on Thursday postponed jury deliberations until next week in the murder trial of Craig Smith after one juror reported symptoms that bar her entry to the courthouse under the court's COVID-19 protocols. Jurors deliberated a half day Wednesday following closing arguments in Smith's trial for the 2017 suffocation death of his aunt, 86-year-old Josephina Ortega, in her Albuquerque home....
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer A new type of portable planetarium being brought down from Santa Fe can show the night skies to over 20 people without them being in a closed dome. (Courtesy of the Albuquerque Astronomical Society) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal See the stars and enjoy everything space-related at the Cosmic Carnival on Saturday. The Albuquerque Astronomical Society is teaming up with the Open Space Visitor Center for the event, which is being held in person for the first time in two years. The event is free to the public, and visitors will see...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer After the cancellation of the La Luz Trail Run, the city of Albuquerque is hosting the first Foothills 10 Mile Run on Nov. 13. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Hoping to fill a void left when the Forest Service stopped permitting the La Luz Trail Run, the city of Albuquerque is launching a new trail run in the Sandia foothills later this month. And city officials hope prize money ranging from 0 to 0 will lure potential runners. The city is hosting the first Foothills 10 Mile Run on...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief The general manager of KOB-TV strongly denied Thursday any collusion with candidates in advance of a 2018 debate, but said the station would look into whether an employee might have provided debate questions to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's campaign in advance. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- The general manager of KOB-TV on Thursday strongly denied allegations the Albuquerque network station colluded with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's campaign by providing questions in advance of a 2018 gubernatorial debate. But Michelle Donaldson, KOB-TV's vice president and general manager, said she took the allegations...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief SANTA FE -- A Democratic state lawmaker has walked back remarks she made in a now-deleted a social media post that linked Santa Fe murder case to a pro-Trump conspiracy theory movement. Rep. Liz Thomson, D-Albuquerque, sparked criticism from state Republicans this week after she questioned in a tweet whether the killing of 19-year old Grace Jennings could be related to QAnon, a political movement rooted in baseless conspiracy theories. Khalid Emshadi, her Republican opponent in the race for the House District 24 seat Thomson has held since 2017, called the...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Police Department auto theft detectives busted this alleged chop shop in a lot near the airport on Wednesday and arrested the man police say was running it. (Source: APD) Lebardo Rascon-Olivas (MDC) The Albuquerque Police Department has busted up an alleged chop shop found near the airport and arrested the man police say was running it — marking the first time its detectives have charged someone under a new state law. A bill signed into law in March makes operating a chop shop a third-degree felony. "The chop shop bill is...
By Associated Press PORTALES, N.M. -- The city of Portales will be without water until a leak in the 24-inch main water line can be repaired, authorities said Thursday. City crews found the leak overnight and were working to fix the problem, but officials said there was no immediate timetable for the repairs to be completed. Portales officials said city offices and schools were closed Thursday along with Eastern New Mexico University. Authorities said non-potable water was available at the Portales Fire Department Station 1. They say people will need to bring their own container to fill up and...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County deputies talk to a suspect on the reality TV show "On Patrol: Live." (Courtesy of BCSO) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Although the reality TV show "On Patrol: Live" has been featuring Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputies for almost three months, it turns out the county had not signed off on the contract. After county legal was notified of the oversight, BCSO paused its participation in the show last week. County ordinance mandates that all contracts or agreements must be approved by the county manager. Tia Bland, the county spokeswoman, said...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Fire Rescue battled a small bosque fire Thursday afternoon on the west side of the river, north of Central. AFR Lt. Tom Ruiz said the quarter-acre fire was near Central and Sunset and at one point had 6-to 8-foot tall flames. He said firefighters responded around 4:15 p.m. to the area after smoke was reported coming from the bosque. Ruiz said crews established a perimeter around the fire and kept it from spreading. "The cause of the fire is unknown. There were no injuries to firefighters or civilians," he said.Subscribe to...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man and woman who allegedly fired a gun off a parking structure Thursday morning on the University of New Mexico campus. (Crime Stoppers) Authorities are trying to identify a man and woman who shot off more than a dozen rounds early Thursday morning from a parking structure at the University of New Mexico. Crime Stoppers, in a release, said a [post_excerpt],000 reward is offered for information leading to the suspects' arrest. Police responded to UNM after a gunshot detection device detected gunfire at the Cornell Parking Structure, according to the release....
By Journal staff and wire reports Amazon has officially started operations at its new air cargo facility at the Albuquerque International Sunport. City Council approved the development last November. Currently, the Sunport operations include just one cargo-transporting flight. "We take great pride in officially welcoming the world's largest retailer to the Sunport," said Richard McCurley, Director of Aviation for the City of Albuquerque in a release. "Amazon's transportation hub is a tremendous addition to our cargo operations and a sign of continued growth. We look forward to partnering with them for many years to come." Amazon Air was launched...
By Dan Mckay And Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writers U.S. President Joe Biden greets supporters after an event at Central New Mexico Community College on Thursday. Biden talked about his proposal to forgive up to ,000 in student debt for millions of Americans and New Mexico’s Opportunity Scholarship. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal With control of Congress at stake, President Joe Biden zipped into Albuquerque in the final days before a critical midterm election, calling on voters – Democrats and Republicans alike – to protect democracy and reject candidates who cast doubt on the integrity...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Jahiem Burns (MDC) A 19-year-old is accused of fatally shooting his best friend as the two wrestled over a gun Wednesday afternoon at an apartment in Southeast Albuquerque. Jahiem Burns is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said the victim is not being identified because his family hasn't been notified yet. Burns called 911 around 12:45 p.m. and said his friend accidentally shot himself at an apartment near Anderson and San Pedro SE, according to a criminal complaint filed...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer A Spiderman birthday cake made by For Goodness Cakes volunteers. (Courtesy of Brittany Puckett) In the past two years, April Coring has baked 25 cakes and given them all away. Her favorite was a dinosaur-themed cake complete with an edible volcano - not for her own two kids, now 17 and 19, but for dino-obsessed boy that she'd never met. Coring is a volunteer for the Albuquerque chapter of For Goodness Cakes, a nonprofit that partners with local social service agencies to bake and deliver birthday cakes to underpriviledged kids. The prolific...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Make-A-Wish volunteers inaugurate the WishPie, now at Walmart stores nationwide. Available through Dec. 24, the dessert pizza from WisePies is a fundraiser for the wish-granting organization. (Courtesy WiseChoice Foods) WisePies Pizza has teamed up with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to donate 15% of a limited-edition dessert pizza to the world's leading children's wish-granting organization. Through Dec. 24, the WishPie will be available at all Walmart stores nationwide for .98. According to parent company WiseChoice Foods, the pie is a cinnamon apple drizzle dessert pizza made from a stone-fired, cinnamon-infused traditional crust, topped with...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Los Ranchos de Albuquerque and Bernalillo County officials join others involved in the Fourth and Osuna housing/retail complex at a ceremonial groundbreaking as protesters brandish signs. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Cheers and boos flew with shovels of dirt Wednesday during the ceremonial groundbreaking for a controversial multi-use project at Fourth and Osuna in the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque. Even as village and Bernalillo County officials touted the project – a 204-unit affordable housing complex and 20 micro-retail tenant spaces – as a dream come true...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer State Rep. Melanie Stansbury Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury told a crowd of supporters Wednesday that her race is tightening up with less than a week to go before Election Day – "no, it's not," several hollered back in protest. "What we are seeing is that our race, the governor's race, our congressional races, our down ballot races are tightening all across the state," said the Democratic incumbent who represents the 1st Congressional District. "Just over the last two days, in particular, things really picked up and so...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham speaks with 25-year-old Odalys Solis and her mother during an event rallying support for a constitutional amendment that would provide an estimated 0 million for early childhood education next year in Albuquerque’s South Valley on Wednesday. The amendment is set to be decided by voters next week, and would draw from the permanent school fund, which is one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the country. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) As a mother of three who had her first child as a teenager, Alicia Fout faced some significant...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Singer-songwriter John Craigie will perform two shows in New Mexico — on Wednesday, Nov. 9, in Santa Fe and Thursday, Nov. 10, in Albuquerque. (Courtesy of Bradley Fox) John Craigie is one with words. As they jump around in his head, he patiently waits to weave together the right ones for his songs. The result can be heard in most recent album, "Mermaid Salt." The Portland, Oregon-based singer-songwriter is currently on tour and it will make a stop in Santa Fe on Wednesday, Nov. 9, and on Thursday, Nov. 10,...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man was found fatally shot Wednesday afternoon in an apartment in Southeast Albuquerque. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque police spokeswoman, said police were called sometime before 4 p.m. to an apartment in the 6000 block of Anderson SE. "A male was located deceased inside an apartment with an apparent gunshot wound," she said. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer The temperature continues to drop but there are indoor events going on in the area. There is also Cosmic Carnival and the Ice Wolves game this week for folks who like to brave the elements. Art in the city From 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, Del Webb Mirehaven is hosting its "Art for the Holidays" show at 9205 Del Webb Lane NW. These artists make unique works of art including fine art photography, oil, pastel, quilts, spirit dolls, stuffed animals, whimsical painted rocks and more. This show is a great...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer Prism B!tch is set to perform at Santa Fe Brewing in Santa Fe on Friday, Nov. 4, and at Launchpad in Albuquerque, on Sunday, Nov. 6, before heading out on its West Coast tour. (Courtesy of Prism B!tch) Prism B!tch is taking its eclectic sound and style back on the road. The Albuquerque-based alternative punk quartet begins their latest tour with shows at The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing Co. in Santa Fe on Friday, Nov. 4, and at Launchpad in Albuquerque on Sunday, Nov. 6. However, it won't be until after...
By Rozanna M. Martinez / For the Journal The Enchantment Beer, Wine & Spirits Festival will debut in Albuquerque on Nov. 12, at Balloon Fiesta Park. (Courtesy of Fermenters Events) Your one-stop shop for sampling and sipping on some of New Mexico's best beer, wine and spirits awaits you at the Enchantment Beer, Wine & Spirits Festival. The event debuts on Saturday, Nov. 12 and will feature more than 50 New Mexico vendors at Balloon Fiesta Park. "As much as people love beer, there's plenty of people who don't like beer," said Joseph Lopez, event organizer. "Our goal is...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer Badflower is set to open for AWOLNATION on Tuesday, Nov. 8, at the Historic El Rey Theater in Downtown Albuquerque. (Courtesy of Jordan Wolf Bauer) Badflower is out again to challenge its audience through confrontational music. The rock outfit is currently opening for AWOLNATION and both are making a stop in Albuquerque on Tuesday, Nov. 8, at the Historic El Rey Theater. The Mysterines are slated to be the first act on the bill. Badflower has been going strong on tour of recent, but mainly as a headliner, so an opening slot...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer From left, Mauricio and Karie Paez make up The Talking Hours, an alternative rock duo based in Albuquerque. (Courtesy of The Talking Hours) The Talking Hours is in it for the love of making music. Mauricio and Karie Paez formed the Albuquerque-based alternative rock duo in 2015, and have become a solid act in the city's music scene. The Talking Hours wasn't their first band, however. They started the group Beard with a co-worker in 2012, but the difficulty of navigating a schedule to tour eventually pushed the couple in a different...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The city of Albuquerque has agreed to pay million to settle a collective action lawsuit brought by female employees who claimed the city "systematically" pays women less than their male colleagues. The settlement agreement, which still requires a judge's approval, will provide back pay to the plaintiffs and other class members. Each is entitled to the difference between what they were actually paid and what they should have made "had they earned the same rate of base pay as the highest paid male with the same...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer A secured drop box for absentee ballots sits on Federal Place in Santa Fe on Wednesday. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — With Election Day so close, county clerks throughout New Mexico say voters should now cast their ballots in person rather than rely on the mail. It can take seven days each way for absentee ballots to travel by mail, officials said, so it's better for voters with an absentee ballot to return it directly to a clerk's office, polling location or secured drop box in the final week. About 108,000...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police will be shutting down traffic on major highways and roads in Albuquerque on Thursday during President Biden's visit. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman, said the president will attend multiple events Thursday afternoon and police will shut down traffic on stretches of roads, including Interstate 25, Interstate 40 and the Big-I. She said drivers should avoid the area south of I-40 in Southeast and Southwest Albuquerque between 12:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. "Rush hour traffic will be impacted as drivers cross the Rio Grande in the evening," Atkins said. She...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Gethro Muscadin is shown at the UNM basketball team practice in the Rudy Davalos pracitice facility, Friday October 1, 2021. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Gethro Muscadin, the former University of New Mexico Lobo basketball player who had been hospitalized since being in a single-vehicle crash 10 months ago in Kansas, died Monday night. The 22-year-old from Haiti who played at Kansas before transferring to UNM last season. After playing 12 games with the Lobos, he and the team announced he was leaving the program on Dec. 20 after playing just 12 games. In...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer A rendering of Margarita Hill, a new food hall set to be built in Rio Rancho near Rust Medical Center. (Courtesy of Roy Solomon) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In the past 10 years, Albuquerque has gained almost half a dozen food halls, covering territory from Midtown to Downtown. There haven't been similar developments west of the Rio Grande. But now, there are two Rio Rancho food and retail hall projects in the works: Margarita Hill, which was announced earlier this year, and THE BLOCK, which breaks ground Wednesday. THE BLOCK will...
By glenclark6517@yahoo.com Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In a climate where worries about high crime rates have dominated nearly every campaign, a new Journal Poll found Democrat John Allen has the lead over Republican Paul Pacheco in the race to be Bernalillo County sheriff. However, a sizable percentage of voters are still undecided. A total of 42% of voters said they would vote for – or already had voted for – Allen compared to 36% who said the same about Pacheco. Among the remainder, 6% said they favored Libertarian Kaelan Ashby Dreyer and 15% said they were undecided. One...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal While fishing at Mundo Lake south of Dulce last week, Nick Quint landed what he called "the biggest catch of my life." Quint and other members of his Albuquerque family helped rescue a distressed fisherman, whose one-man pontoon boat had come apart with him strapped in it. "His calls for help were pretty harrowing and made the hair on my neck stand up," said Quint, 26. "It was a scream from someone fighting for his life. One side of the flotation came detached from the rest of...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer UNM students carry personal belongings to their residence halls in August. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) After years of steady declines, enrollment in New Mexico's public colleges and universities may be looking up. Enrollment grew this fall by nearly 4,000 students, an increase of about 4% from fall last year, according to New Mexico Higher Education Department data. Now at about 105,000 total students, officials said this year marked the first in a decade that enrollment in the state's higher education institutions saw a rebound. A major factor, Higher Education Secretary Stephanie Rodriguez...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A Hobbs man is accused of using his former employer’s gas card to rack up more than [post_excerpt].2 million in gasoline charges in the several years since leaving the company. David Rochel, 50, is charged with six counts of fraudulent use of an illegally obtained credit card of over ,000 and one count of theft of a credit card in the case. An attorney for Rochel could not be reached on Tuesday. Although the fraudulent charges were ongoing for years, according to court records, more than 0,000 in diesel fuel was charged...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Raquel Martinez-Chavez weeps Tuesday as she describes finding Luciano Montoya fatally shot in his apartment in 2020. Her ex-boyfriend Steven Candelaria, is on trial for first-degree murder in Montoya’s death. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Steven Candelaria fired in self-defense, fatally shooting an armed man who confronted him outside an Albuquerque apartment in 2020, a defense attorney told jurors Tuesday on the first day of Candelaria's murder trial. But prosecutors allege Candelaria and his brother arrived at Luciano Montoya's apartment seeking revenge and pistol whipped a woman before firing more than a dozen gunshots...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police identified a teenage boy and man killed in separate shootings over the past few days around Albuquerque. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said the deaths of Gibran Gomez-Martinez, 15, and Mateo Lopez, 20, are being investigated as homicides. No arrests have been made. Officers were called around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday to the first incident in the 700 block of Coors SW. Police found Gomez-Martinez dead from gunshot wounds and homicide detectives responded to investigate. The, on Monday evening, police responded around 6:20 p.m. to a two-vehicle crash near 14th...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer A rendering of Fourth Street and Coal Avenue, a portion of the Great Blocks project that will see a half-mile stretch revitalized. (Courtesy of MRWM Landscape Architects) About a half-mile stretch of road in one of Albuquerque's oldest neighborhoods will get a facelift, thanks to some help from state funding that was announced at a news conference Monday at the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce. The multi-million dollar project, known as Great Blocks, in the Barelas neighborhood will see portions of Fourth Street — from Coal Avenue all the way to Barelas...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer On Saturday, Nov. 12, three of New Mexico's most experienced physicians involved in treating the ever-changing landscape of prostate cancer will speak at the 11th Annual Prostate Cancer Support Association of New Mexico (PCSANM) conference. The event, which is free, will be the first held in-person since 2019 and will be held from 9 a.m.-12:15 p.m. at Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 114 Carlisle Blvd. SE. Anyone interested may attend in-person or remotely via Zoom. "The organization has been active for more than 30 years and at some point, back before I was involved,...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man's body was found with multiple gunshot wounds in a ditch near a flaming SUV on Thursday in a remote area southwest of Albuquerque. Jayme Fuller, a Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman, said deputies responded to a carfire on the Pajarito Mesa, near James Cook and Pajarito SW. She said deputies found a fully-engulfed SUV and they discovered the body of 30-year-old Samir Rodriguez, who had suffered several gunshot wounds. Fuller said homicide detectives have identified a "person of interest" in the homicide. "More information surrounding this case will be made...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor The Shellaberger Tennis Center in Santa Fe was purchased on Oct. 31, 2022. (Eddie Moore/Journal) It's a new era for the Shellaberger Tennis Center in Santa Fe. The 8.6-acre property was purchased by PE Real Estate Holdings, LLC — a real estate investment company with offices in New York City. According to records, the purchase closed October 31 and marks the company's first acquisition in Santa Fe. "We are grateful for the opportunity to acquire such a significant property in such a significant city," said Phillip Gesue, principal of PE...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Mesa, Ariz., in this Oct. 9 file photo. Trump endorsed New Mexico Republican gubernatorial nominee Mark Ronchetti in a social media post this week. (AP Photo/Matt York) SANTA FE -- Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Mark Ronchetti's campaign to be New Mexico's next governor, the latest twist in a combative race that's drawn increasing national attention in the run-up to next week's Election Day. In a Monday post on the social media site Truth Social, Trump criticized incumbent Democratic Gov. Michelle...
By Nicholas Riccardi / Associated Press The vast majority of candidates running to become their states' chief election officers oppose hand counting ballots, a laborious and error-prone process that has gained favor among some Republicans embracing conspiracy theories about voting machines. An Associated Press survey of major party secretary of state candidates in the 24 states found broad skepticism about hand counting among election professionals of all ideological stripes. Of 23 Republicans who responded to the survey, 13 clearly said they opposed implementing a statewide hand count of ballots instead of a machine count. GOP candidates in Arizona and...
By Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday put a temporary hold on the handover of former President Donald Trump's tax returns to a congressional committee. Roberts' order gives the Supreme Court time to weigh the legal issues in Trump's emergency appeal to the high court, filed Monday. Without court intervention, the tax returns could have been provided as early as Thursday by the Treasury Department to the Democratic-controlled House Ways and Means Committee. Roberts gave the committee until Nov. 10 to respond. The chief justice handles emergency appeals from the nation's capital, where the fight...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – An Albuquerque pastor has once again waded into New Mexico's gubernatorial race, saying in a recent sermon that Republican Mark Ronchetti had publicly misrepresented a previous discussion between the two of them about abortion. Specifically, Steve Smothermon, senior pastor of Legacy Church, cited Ronchetti's remarks during an Oct. 17 televised debate when the GOP candidate was asked about whether he had previously told the pastor his goal would be to "end abortion in New Mexico." "You'd have to ask Pastor Smothermon that, but...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A wireless broadband tower is seen here in Bernalillo. A new 0M funding boost aims to take high-speed internet to rural New Mexico. Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Over 0 million will start flowing into rural New Mexico for a massive effort aimed at boosting the availability of high-speed internet in the state. The money was included in an infrastructure bill. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, D-N.M., traveled to Abiquiú Elementary on Monday to announce that Rio Arriba County will receive .6 million for a broadband project. "It's going to do exactly what...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer A sculpture by Jeffrey Johnson titled 'Primal Heart' is in the sculpture garden in front of the Shidoni Gallery in Tesuque. After more than 50 years, the Shidoni Gallery is closing. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal More than five decades ago, Shidoni Art Gallery began as an idea. Originally started as an artist community and foundry, owner Tommy Hicks Jr., and later, his son Scott Hicks grew the property from an apple orchard and egg farm into an art gallery and sculpture garden. But after more than 50 years...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Fifteen candidates are currently in the running as potential nominees to a new, three-member Public Regulation Commission that the governor will appoint to replace today's five elected PRC commissioners in January. A bipartisan, seven-member nominating committee began interviewing the candidates last week. It will select at least five by Nov. 14 for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to choose from. Assuming they all receive Senate approval, the three new appointees will take office on Jan. 1, completing a four-year process that began in 2019 to convert the PRC...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The city of Rio Rancho must pay more than ,000 in fees and costs after a state district judge found the city violated New Mexico law in keeping police records confidential in the fatal shooting of a 2-year-old last year. Judge James A. Noel District Judge James Noel of Sandoval County awarded a total of ,729 to the Rodey Law Firm, which represented the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government and the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper in a lawsuit filed earlier this year challenging the city's...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Homicide detectives are investigating after two cars crashed into each other and one of the drivers died from a gunshot wound. Officer Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said around 6:20 p.m. officers were called to the area of 14th and Marquette NW, near Downtown, for a head-on crash. "Officers arrived and discovered the driver of one of the vehicles (appeared) to have a gunshot wound," DeAguero wrote in an email. "This individual later (succumbed) to his injury." He said the area would be closed during the investigation. DeAguero did not...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Crime Stoppers is offering a ,000 reward for information about Pepita Redhair, a Navajo woman who was last seen in March 2020. Pepita Redhair (Crime Stoppers) She was last seen leaving a house in the area of Clemente SW and Cavett SW in Albuquerque with a homeless man who goes by the name "Laramy," according to Crime Stoppers. Redhair has not had any contact with her family or friends since, which is unusual for her. The case was covered by Investigation Discovery's "Disappeared" series in an episode called "Navajo Nightmare" which aired...
By Jeff Tucker / Journal Editorial Writer This week's question: Do you vote early or on Election Day, and why? Responses must include your name and city and be 50 words or less to be published. Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published. Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-formSubscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Six people were killed and several more were injured in separate car crashes around the state Friday and Saturday — three of which were head-on collisions. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in any of the incidents, according to New Mexico State Police. The first crash occurred around 10:30 a.m. Friday on State Road 11 in Luna County. Officer Ray Wilson, a State Police spokesman, said 20-year-old Caleb De Santiago, of Las Cruces, was traveling north in a Nissan Tsuru when he crossed the center line and collided head-on with...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Isaac Apodaca (Santa Fe Police Department) A sword, a dead body and a secret society called "Ghost." These were all pieces of a puzzle Santa Fe police sorted out in the weekend stabbing death of 19-year-old Grace Jennings, whose body was found Saturday in a garage apartment. Kiara McCulley (Santa Fe Police Department) Santa Fe police on Saturday arrested Isaac Apodaca, 25, and his girlfriend, Kiara McCulley, 19, each on an open count of murder in Jennings' death, according to criminal complaints filed in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court. It was unclear...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer As pandemic-related restrictions ended, the Grief Center of New Mexico began segueing from virtual to in-person support groups, only to find more people calling for services and not enough bereavement facilitators to lead the groups. "The building at our new location was still being remodeled and we actually got everything completed and opened our doors on Sept. 6," Suzie Blake, the center's development director, said Monday. To meet the increasing need, the center is holding a three-day volunteer facilitator training session in January at their Albuquerque offices. The training, which unfolds over...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Cannabis compliance can get a bit complex for business owners and employees who just want to make sure they are in good standing. With that in mind, the University of New Mexico is launching a new cannabis program focused on cannabis compliance and risk management in partnership with California-based Green Flower. The program, which is being rolled out through UNM Continuing Education, begins on Nov. 7 and spans six months. The program — which provides an overview of federal and state cannabis regulations, track-and-trace systems and navigating changing regulatory requirements — is...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Two people from Silver City died in a head-on collision Friday after their car, being driven by a 15-year-old male, crossed the center lane of State Road 26 and hit another vehicle, a New Mexico State Police news release says. State Police officers were dispatched to SR 26 northeast of Deming at about 3 p.m. for a crash involving a Toyota Tacoma and a Dodge pickup that was towing a camper. "The initial investigation indicated that the Toyota driven by a 15-year-old-male was traveling east on SR 26," the release states....
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor New Mexico State Police are investigating after a pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle Saturday on U.S. Highway 64 between Farmington and Shiprock, according to a State Police news release. "The initial investigation indicated that for unknown reasons, Ramon Natividad-Garcia, 40, of Bloomfield was crossing the westbound lanes of U.S. 64. He was struck by a 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander driven by a 51-year-old male," the release says. "He was transported to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased by the Office of the Medical Investigator." Police said...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor The New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau is investigating after a Silver City Police Department officer shot a man last week. The incident happened Thursday when Silver City police officers attempted to serve an arrest warrant for burglary on 32-year-old Trevor Franco, according to a news release. "As officers approached Franco, he ran inside his house located at 2602 Yucca Street," the release says. "Officers obtained a search warrant for the residence. When officers entered the residence Franco was holding a knife to his girlfriend's neck. During the encounter, an officer...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer The publisher of the Silver City Daily Press and Independent, the Silver City Independent Publishing Co., is buying two Southwestern New Mexico newspapers from newspaper conglomerate Gannett: the Silver City Sun-News and the Deming Headlight. All three newspapers cover Grant County and nearby Luna County, with a combined population of over 50,000. "There's a fascinating history for me in both of those newspapers," said Nickolas Seibel, editor and publisher of the Daily Press. "I mean, Silver City being a two newspaper town for the last 25 years or so is, let's just...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It's a neck-and-neck race to represent southern New Mexico and parts of Albuquerque as Election Day approaches. A Journal poll found that Democratic challenger Gabe Vasquez has a slight edge over Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-N.M., as the race enters the home stretch. Polling shows 47% of likely voters support Vasquez while 45% favor Herrell. About 8% of voters are undecided, according to recent polling data. New Mexico's three congressional districts changed earlier this year as part of redistricting. Herrell's district – rooted in southern New Mexico –...
By Fabiola SÃnchez / Associated Press MEXICO CITY – In a shelter on Mexico City's east side, Venezuelan mechanic José Cuicas is waiting anxiously for an American friend to answer his request to sponsor him for one of the 24,000 visas the Biden administration says it will give to Venezuelans. Cuicas was one of some 1,700 Venezuelans that U.S. authorities expelled to Mexico in a recent week under a deal between the two nations to deny Venezuelans the right to U.S. asylum and try to keep them from coming to the border. Many of them were then bused to...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Dr. Amy Levi (UNM Health Sciences) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A high-ranking administrator at University of New Mexico Health Sciences is leaving at the end of the year. Amy Levi has been the vice president for academic affairs at Health Sciences since 2017, a position she will leave on Jan. 1, 2023, the university announced Friday. The university plans to split her duties between two new interim directors. Levi began at the UNM College of Nursing on July 2012. She started as interim chair of the practice team and interim associate...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Noah Gonzales, 15, left, of Edgewood, poses for a photo with rodeo bullfighter Nigel Harvey earlier this month at the Indian National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada. (COURTESY ADAM GONZALES) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In rodeo, judges grade bulls on their bucking ability just as they grade contestants on how well they ride. The fiercer a bull bucks, the better the score given to the cowboy who rides it to the buzzer. During the 46th Annual Indian National Finals Rodeo Oct. 18-22 at the South Point Equestrian Center in...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Two people were killed in separate alcohol-related crashes across Albuquerque in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to the Albuquerque Police Department. The first crash occurred around 2 a.m. in Northwest Albuquerque near St. Pius High School at Coors and St. Joseph's NW. Officers discovered "a white 2008 Chevrolet Impala was traveling southbound on Coors approaching St. Joseph's. At the same time, a blue 2007 Toyota Yaris was making a westbound turn from northbound Coors when it impacted into the Impala," police spokesman Chase Jewell said...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Chef Marie Yniguez stands in the kitchen of her Downtown Albuquerque restaurant, Bocadillos. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal) It's the end of an era as Slow Roasted Bocadillos closes in Downtown Albuquerque. On Sunday, chef and owner Marie Yniguez took to social media to announce that the beloved staple won't be reopening in a one-minute video. "I'm sure a lot of you guys already know, we did close down Bocadillos in hopes of maybe figuring something out in the last month," she said. "Nothing has changed and we need to continue...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer One person was shot to death in Southeast Albuquerque around midnight Saturday, according to the Albuquerque Police Department. Officers responded to reports of a shooting around 12:30 a.m. in the 700 block of Coors Boulevard SW, said Chase Jewell, APD officer, in a statement. “Officers arrived in scene and located one individual who had succumbed to gunshot wounds,” Jewell said. He added APD Homicide Unit was dispatched to investigate further. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Albuquerque police reported two people were killed in separate crashes across Albuquerque in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to the Albuquerque Police Department. The first crash occurred around 2 a.m. in Northwest Albuquerque near St. Pius High School at Coors Boulevard and St. Joseph's Drive. Officers discovered "a white 2008 Chevrolet Impala was traveling southbound on Coors approaching St. Joseph's. At the same time, a blue 2007 Toyota Yaris was making a westbound turn from northbound Coors when it impacted into the Impala," said Chase Jewell, APD officer, in an...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer The Lobo men's basketball team lines up during the pregame National Anthem on Saturday in the Pit for their exhibition against CSU-Pueblo. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal)Here are a few extra notes, quotes, stats and whatever else I could empty out of the old notebook after Saturday's 85-53 UNM Lobos exhibition win over Division II CSU-Pueblo in the Pit: For starters... The Lobos played 14 players and used 20 lineup combinations on Saturday. The statistics pretty much showed that one lineup -- the starting five -- was head and shoulders better than the...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Lobo players (from left) Jamal Mashburn Jr., Jay Allen-Tovar, Emmanuel Kuac ) and Jaelen House react as teammate Branden Appelhans scores on a breakaway Saturday evening during the Lobos first exhibition game vs. CSU Pueblo. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) The returners looked good. The new guys looked good. Everyone played, and nobody got hurt. All in all, it was about everything second-year UNM Lobos head coach Richard Pitino could have asked for from Saturday's comfortable exhibition win — an 85-53 blowout over Division II CSU-Pueblo in front of an announced Pit crowd of...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press Hopi Vice Chairman Clark Tenakhongva, right, talks with Interior Secretary Deb Haaland after a celebration at Chaco Culture National Historical Park in northwestern New Mexico on Nov. 22, 2021. The Biden administration's approval of oil leases in a corner of New Mexico that has become a battleground over increased development and preservation of Native American sites has prompted another legal challenge. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File) The Biden administration's approval of oil leases in a corner of New Mexico that has become a battleground over increased development and preservation of Native American...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Bernalillo County Commissioner Walt Benson A Bernalillo County official wants to ban sidewalk obstruction and camping on certain streets and intersections, saying it is a public safety issue. Bernalillo County Commissioner Walt Benson's proposed "pedestrian safety ordinance" would prohibit anyone from obstructing or otherwise impeding movement on streets, sidewalks, medians and other public rights of way on "dangerous streets or intersections." It would also ban camping in the same areas. Dangerous, in this case, refers to places with severe crash rates at or above the statistical mean....
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Visitors enjoy a roller coaster at Western Playland Amusement Park in Sunland Park. Traders Village Marketplace recently acquired the park in southern New Mexico. (Courtesy of Western Playland Amusement Park) A new era will begin for Western Playland Amusement Park in Sunland Park. On Saturday, Traders Village Marketplaces announced that it acquired the amusement park located in southern New Mexico. Western Playland will join Traders Village Marketplaces three other entities in Texas — Grand Prairie, San Antonio and Houston. Western Playland began in 1960 by Patrick Thomas' family. It was...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A woman was killed Saturday afternoon in the southwestern part of Santa Fe. Sante Fe Police Chief Paul Joye said officers responded around 1:45 p.m. to a possible homicide at a home in the 5000 block of Jaguar Drive, just west of Cerrillos Road. He said arriving officers found a woman dead at the residence. "Witnesses and persons of interest have been located and are being interviewed at this time," Joye said. He said the woman will be identified once her relatives have been notified of the death. "This is an active...
By Randy Harrison / Journal Sports Editor 2022 Fuddruckers Boys Soccer State Championships 5A Boys 2022 Fuddruckers Boys Soccer State Championships 4A Boys 2022 Fuddruckers Boys Soccer State Championships A-3A Boys Sandia Prep coach Tommy Smith, right, speaks to player Sudais Ball during their quarterfinals match against visiting Tierra Encantada Saturday afternoon. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) No. 1 SANDIA PREP 10, No. 8 TIERRA ENCANTADA 0: The two-time defending champion and host Sundevils (17-4-0) began their quest for a three-peat with a convincing win.over the Alacranes in the state tournament's1-3A boys quarterfinals. Sandia Prep senior forward Finnegan Saunders scored five...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief President Joe Biden speaks outside Independence Hall in Philadelphia in this September file photo. Biden will appear at an Albuquerque rally with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday as part of his visit New Mexico with just days left until the Nov. 8 general election. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File) SANTA FE -- President Joe Biden will join Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for a Thursday rally in Albuquerque aimed at energizing supporters in the final run-up to the general election, a Lujan Grisham campaign spokeswoman confirmed. The White House said two days...
By James Hamill / For the Journal Today we will learn about two things. First, Princeton University. Second, student loans. The link? Basket weaving, or the lack thereof. Princeton University is in Princeton, New Jersey. Nassau Street is a main boundary for the west end of the campus. Nassau Hall fronts to Nassau Street. The British Army once occupied Nassau Hall. This army was defeated at the Battle of Princeton, as its soldiers marched south to confront the Continental Army that had just won the second Battle of Trenton. At that time, the school in Princeton was called the...
By Donna Skeels Cygan / For the Journal Cathryn Cunningham/Journal The holidays are coming! Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas or Kwanzaa, the December holidays are just around the corner. For many, the hustle and bustle of the holidays is stressful and we often spend more on gifts than we would like. Below are some ideas for gifts and experiences that may lead to less stress and more fun this year. Psychology research has shown that experiences make us happier than "things," so consider replacing your shopping list with experiences this year. Experiences Gift a visit to the zoo, a...
By Garrison Wells / Rio Rancho Observer Steve Chavez RIO RANCHO — A village center. Brewery. Upscale restaurants. Parks and open space. Those are the ideas floating around in the brain of Steve Chavez, new owner of a defunct golf course in Rio Rancho known formerly as Club Rio Rancho Golf Course and County Club. The 250-acre property, which has undergone several changes over the years — including being torched by an arsonist — was acquired recently by Chavez, an Albuquerque entrepreneur and native New Mexican. The price was not disclosed. And plans for the property, while a hot...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM men’s basketball coach Richard Pitino instructs his players before running drills at a practice over the summer in the Rudy Davalos Center. UNM hosts an exhibition game against CSU-Pueblo on Saturday in the Pit. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal)The "noise" starts now. At least that's the hope for the Lobo basketball team – both in terms of regrowing the fan base and in regaining some ground on the national stage for a program that hasn't won 20 games or had a postseason invitation in nine seasons. And while the whole playbook won't...
By Dan Boyd and Dan Mckay / Journal Capitol Bureau Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – James Hallinan – the former campaign spokesman who in 2019 accused Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of sexual misconduct – said this week he believes the governor and her campaign staff have violated the terms of a settlement reached to resolve the allegations. He also said he has faced threats on social media – one of which said "watch your mouth the desert is very large" – and filed a State Police report seeking protection. But the governor's campaign denies Hallinan's claims...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Susan Smolinske, director of the New Mexico Poison and Drug Information Center, warns that kids may mistake cannabis edibles with ordinary candy. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) A cannabis sucker looks like any other tasty lollipop to a kid. That can be especially dangerous for a child 5 or younger, particularly if the sucker contains 50 milligrams of THC, the psychoactive chemical in cannabis. "You can't teach them to not eat candy — it's not possible at that age," said Susan Smolinske, director of the New Mexico Poison and Drug Information Center at the...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer In the period of less than a week last month, Albuquerque police shot and injured two men — one who allegedly threw a softball-sized rock at an officer and the other who officers say pointed a gun at them. Authorities released details and videos of the two incidents on Friday. The shootings were two of 15 by Albuquerque police officers so far this year. Of those seven people were killed, three were injured and in five cases the officers missed — although in one of those incidents the man killed himself right...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Daniel Fine, left, and his wife of 65 years, Helen, in the Taos area. Daniel Fine died Sept. 26, 2022. (Courtesy of William Fine) As an internationally renowned scholar and expert on energy markets and geopolitics, Daniel Fine helped shape the thoughts and decisions of policy makers and industry leaders over decades in Washington, D.C., and in New Mexico. A lifelong Harvard fellow and research associate with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Fine had a direct influence on government affairs, frequently providing expert guidance on energy issues and international relations among the...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Jakey Onassis has fun posing on the front desk at Off Broadway Vintage Clothing and Costumes on Central Avenue in Nob Hill on Friday, Oct. 27, 2022. (Chancey Bush/Journal) Madness. That's how Kenneth Ansloan, the longtime manager of Nob Hill costume shop Off Broadway Vintage Clothing and Costumes describes the week before Halloween. "It's exciting. Your adrenaline gets going because, you know, you can have a ,000 day," Ansloan said. "It's what we've geared up for, so it's always exciting." Off Broadway, 3110 Central SE, has been selling colorful wigs, feather boas...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A school bus driver reportedly told police he was tired from working two jobs when he crashed a bus full of kids into parked cars Thursday morning in Northeast Albuquerque. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said there were no serious injuries in the crash near Montclaire and Candelaria NE. "He was cited for careless driving. There were no signs of intoxication," Gallegos said. He said the driver told investigators "he was tired from working two jobs and admitted he caused the crash." There was another school bus crash Friday afternoon, this...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County commissioners are accepting applications to fill a recently-vacated legislative seat. Tom Thorpe, a spokesman for the county, said the board is seeking to replace Sen. Jacob Candelaria, who resigned from his District 26 seat earlier this month. He said submissions will be accepted until noon Nov. 10 and applicants should submit a letter of interest and résumé to County Manager Julie Morgas Baca at her office,415 Silver SW, 8th Floor or emailed to: manager@bernco.gov. Thorpe said those who wish to apply must be at least 25 years old and live...
By Dan McKay and Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an anonymous letter containing a chemical substance and anti-Semitic symbols sent to the office of the environmental advocacy group Conservation Voters New Mexico. The FBI oversaw testing of the substance that indicates "the sample contained ingredients of a potent toxin uses in terrorist attacks," according to a statement released by Conservation Voters, but it was in an inert form. Demis Foster, the group's executive director, said no one was harmed. But "whoever carried out...
By Felicia Fonseca and Kathleen Ronayne / Associated Press FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- The Interior Department announced Friday that it will consider revising a set of guidelines for operating two major dams on the Colorado River in the first sign of what could lead to federal action to protect the once-massive but shrinking reservoirs behind them. The public has until Dec. 20 to weigh in on three options that seek to keep Lake Mead and Lake Powell from dropping so low they couldn't produce power or provide the water that seven Western states, Mexico and tribes have relied on for...
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal Q: I have a female mini dachshund who is 8 months old. She's been chewing the spaghetti irrigation tubes in the yard to pieces! I thought she was doing it because she was thirsty so I keep a water bowl outside for her. Next, I used a spray to keep her from chewing but she just licked it off and then chewed. She then brings them in and chews them into smaller pieces. I put up a fence around the areas but she just jumped it and chews and climbs out. She has...
By ABQJournal News Staff Interior Secretary Deb Haaland plans to head home to New Mexico to stump for Democrats. (Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press) The country's first Native American Cabinet secretary is returning to New Mexico to stump for Democrats. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland will be in Albuquerque on Friday and Saturday for campaign events. First stop: the New Mexico Democratic Party Albuquerque Canvass Kick Off event with Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M. Haaland held Stansbury's 1st Congressional District seat before resigning when she was confirmed to the Cabinet. Later Friday, Haaland, Stansbury, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Secretary of State Maggie...
By / Associated Press LEUPP, Ariz. – Navajo Nation officials have issued an executive order to investigate and locate missing tribal members in a manner that is empathetic to victims and their families. Jonathan Nez Tribal President Jonathan Nez met Monday with Navajo Nation police, the FBI and prosecutors in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah for the plan's signing ceremony. The crisis of missing and slain Native Americans has been getting more attention from elected officials and policymakers across the U.S. In July, the FBI in Albuquerque released a list of more than 170 Native Americans it had verified...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A person was shot and killed Thursday night in Southeast Albuquerque. Chase Jewell, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said officers responded around 10 p.m. to a shooting on Zuni, east of San Mateo. He said police found a person who had been shot to death at the scene. "The APD Homicide Unit is being dispatched to investigate further," Jewell said.Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal BayoTech Inc. plans to operate and monitor scores of hydrogen hubs across the country from a single, high-tech control room that it unveiled on Thursday at its Albuquerque-based headquarters. The company, which is marketing the world's first compact mobile hydrogen generators, expects to establish up to 100 hydrogen hubs nationwide by 2027 to provide local, on-site production, fueling and distribution services for customers in nearby communities. Its first plant, or hub, will be up and running in early 2023 in Wentzville, Missouri, followed by five more in...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer It is heralded for its purity and flavor and smuggled across the border — hidden in duvet covers or deep within the wheel wells of cars to avoid detection. Federal authorities consider it like a poison that can have devastating effects in America. They seize hundreds of pounds at a time and burn it on site using a giant incinerator. And when they do, some say, the aroma of hot dogs fills the desert air. U.S. Border Patrol agents on Thursday seized more than 700 pounds of illicit meat and cheese from...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Deputies arrested a man on auto theft and other charges after a gunfight over a stolen truck left the truck’s owner dead at a gas station in Southwest Albuquerque. Luis Ornelas-Robles, 29, is charged with transferring a stolen motor vehicle, tampering with evidence and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer in the July 28 shootout that left Guadalupe Sandoval dead. Luis Ornelas-Robles (MDC) Ornelas-Robles is currently behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center. Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Jayme Fuller said Sandoval found Ornelas-Robles in his stolen truck, pulled out a gun and pistol-whipped...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer President Joe Biden talks with staff at the New Mexico State Emergency Operations Center after a fire briefing on June 11, 2022. Biden received a briefing on the wildfires during his first visit to New Mexico as president. (Jim Weber/Santa Fe New Mexican/Pool) SANTA FE — President Joe Biden will travel to New Mexico next week for events with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in the final days of her reelection campaign. The White House said Biden would visit the state Nov. 3 for activities with Lujan Grisham and other state and local...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer In this file photo, voters cast ballots at a West Side polling location in Albuquerque. (ADOLPHE PIERRE-LOUIS/JOURNAL) SANTA FE -- About 12% of registered voters in New Mexico have already cast their ballots in the Nov. 8 election — either at early-voting locations or by absentee. More than 165,000 ballots have been cast so far, according to figures released Thursday by the Secretary of State's Office. But this year's turnout is no longer running dramatically ahead of 2018, the last midterm election, when 56% of registered voters cast ballots. It looks like...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Fabian Gonzales, right, appears at his sentencing hearing with his attorney Stephen Aarons. Gonzales was sentenced to 37.5 years Thursday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) A judge on Thursday sentenced Fabian Gonzales to 37 1/2 years in prison in the 2016 killing and dismemberment of 10-year-old Victoria Martens. Jurors on Aug. 1 found Gonzales, 37, guilty of child abuse resulting in death and seven counts of tampering with evidence and conspiracy for his role in Victoria's killing. Gonzales had faced up to 40½ years in prison. Second Judicial District Judge Cindy Leos said she agreed...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer A crowd sits around the gazebo in Old Town Plaza as they sit and dance to the music of Mariachi Amigos de Nuevo Mexico this past summer. The New Mexico Tourism Department released a report this week that shows the state broke the all-time visitation record in 2021. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Last year proved to be a strong one for tourism in New Mexico, with millions of visitors making their way to the Land of Enchantment and spending billions of dollars in the process. According to...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Navajo Code Talker Thomas H. Begay salutes during the national anthem at the Arizona State Navajo Code Talkers Day celebration on Aug. 14, 2022. Begay will be the guest of honor at an event sponsored by Mesalands Community College on Nov. 2. (Ross D. Franklin/AP) November is the beginning of Native American Heritage Month. Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari is sponsoring an event with Thomas H. Begay from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at Tucumcari High School's Rattler Gymnasium, 1101 S. 7th St., in Tucumcari. Begay is...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Albuquerque police responded to a crash involving a school bus Thursday morning in the area of Montclaire and Candelaria NE, according to an email from police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. "The bus reportedly crashed into several parked vehicles," Gallegos said. "There are no reports of anyone being transported to the hospital at this point. There were students on the bus and they are being checked out by rescue personnel." No other information was provided.Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Barack Obama (Screenshot from video) SANTA FE — With just 12 days left in the campaign, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is enlisting the help of a high-profile ally — former President Barack Obama. He appears in a new campaign video that focuses on the economy, school spending and health care. Sitting in a chair and addressing the camera directly, Obama says Lujan Grisham has taken action to protect abortion rights, cap the price of insulin and establish a new health care affordability fund. "This November, we have a choice — build on...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Republican and Democratic national groups released attack ads this week in the competitive race to represent New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District. The National Republican Congressional Committee released an ad Tuesday that went after Democratic challenger Gabe Vasquez for prior statements he made about police and the oil and gas industries, though the advertisement doesn't provide complete context to the quotes. Meanwhile, the House Majority Political Action Committee on Tuesday released two ads that highlighted Republican Rep. Yvette Herrell's stance on abortion and attempts to link her to...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Mayor Tim Keller Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Albuquerque area needs between 13,000 and 33,000 units to address the housing supply. And private businesses, namely developers, need to work hand-in-hand with the City of Albuquerque to address that crisis. Those were the words of Mayor Tim Keller Wednesday morning at the Economic Forum of Albuquerque as he made his pitch to business leaders and developers on his new housing initiative, Housing Forward ABQ, aimed at bringing 5,000 new units to the city by 2025 – mostly through the redevelopment of hotels,...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque's internal audit team is recommending the city develop some new personnel policies after finding over half of the so-called "unclassified," or appointed, jobs it reviewed lacked job descriptions and that some high-level workers have been getting raises without documented justification or changed job responsibilities. Mayor Tim Keller's administration is fighting some of the proposed changes. His administration disagrees that it should create job descriptions – and outline minimum requirements – when attempting to create new unclassified jobs outside senior management. It has, however, agreed to some...
By Jamey Keaten / Associated Press Ducks sit on the Pecos River as it flows through the Permian Basin south of Carlsbad, near hundreds of oil wells. NASA scientists report a methane plume 2 miles long was detected southeast of Carlsbad. (Eddie Moore/ Albuquerque Journal) GENEVA – The three main greenhouse gases hit record high levels in the atmosphere last year, the U.N. weather agency said Wednesday, calling it an "ominous" sign as war in Ukraine, rising costs of food and fuel, and other worries have elbowed in on longtime concerns about global warming in recent months. "More bad...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Singer-songwriter Sara Kays is touring in support of her EP, “Struck By Lighting” and is opening for Max. (Courtesy of Atlantic Records) It's the first day on the road and Sara Kays is full of positive anticipation. The singer-songwriter snagged the opening slot on Max's tour, which makes a stop in Albuquerque on Wednesday, Nov. 2. While life of the road will take some getting used to, Kays is familiar with fans hearing her music. She's amassed more than 2 million followers on TikTok, which also led her to a...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Gogol Bordello is touring in support of its album “Solidaritine.” The tour makes a stop in Albuquerque on Monday, Oct. 31. (Courtesy of Sanjay Suchak) Eugene Hütz went back to his hardcore roots when writing "Solidaritine" because it was necessary. He even pulled in punk rock legend Walter Schreifels to produce the record. As the vocalist for Gogol Bordello, Hütz says it was important to get everything lined up – and it happened quickly. "The entire process came together like an outburst," he says. "I think it was that way...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Los Angeles-based punk rock band The Bronx recently released two singles, “Blowtorch” and “Heatwave.” (Courtesy of Craig Stecyk) It's been a busy year for members of Los Angeles-based punk rock outfit The Bronx. The band spent a good chunk of the year opening for Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls on their epic run of playing all 50 states. Now the band is on their headlining tour. "The tour is going great and we have a stacked lineup," says Matt Caughthran, The Bronx singer. "It's been a great experience this...
By Rozanna M. Martinez / For the Journal Jake Ralphs, owner of Echoes Brewery, pours a glass of Milagro wine. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Some of Jake Ralphs' best memories are visiting The Dingo Bar on Gold Avenue in the mid-to-late '90s. He remembers hearing some of the best music and seeing shows that were once-in-a-lifetime experiences, including Foo Fighters, Hovercraft featuring Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder's then-wife, Beth Liebling, as well as Warren Zevon, best known for his song "Werewolves of London." "I believe it was on an off night and I just walked in the bar, because The Dingo...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer Grace Antonia Young of YC & the Moondance Kids as Fleetwood Mac. (Courtesy of Aubrey Rose Stacey) Come reawaken classic and modern hits this Halloween weekend at the Launchpad. The venue will feature installments of its Night of the Living Cover Bands. The Friday, Oct. 28, and Saturday, Oct. 29 shows will mark the end of the annual event hosted by the Launchpad. The artists covered on Friday include NWA, Thin Lizzy, Harry Styles, Flight of the Concords, My Chemical Romance and The Cramps. Saturday will provide the audience hits from New...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer Cathryn Cunningham/Journal Halloween isn't just about children dressing up and over-indulging on candy; there's something for everyone. As we crawl closer to All Hallows' Eve, there are a slew of events around Albuquerque to celebrate the wicked holiday, which falls on a Monday this year. No reason to fret; there will be plenty of fun and frights scattered around town this weekend ... and even a little exercise to prep the body for what's to come. The Scariest Place On Earth If you're looking for something a little more intense than the...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer At 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, the Lobo men's basketball team will take on Colorado State University Pueblo at the Pit. (Chancey Bush/Journal) It is a great time to support Lobo athletics with all of the events going on this week. Also, Halloween is Monday, so Albuquerque is full of events around the area. Dropping the puck Hockey season is here, so check out the New Mexico Ice Wolves at the Outpost Ice Arenas, 9530 Tramway Blvd. NE. The Ice Wolves will drop the puck at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28,...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Poster for the 2022 Hike to End Hunger hosted by the Rio Grande Food Project. (Courtesy of the Rio Grande Food Project) Rio Grande Food Project will be hosting its seventh annual hike to raise awareness about food insecurity on Saturday morning in Albuquerque. Funds raised at this year's Hike to End Hunger will be used to "provide food and aid to over 800 kids, adults, and seniors every week who are struggling with hunger," a RGFP news release states. Check-in begins at 8 a.m. at the Boxing Bear Brewing Co., 10200...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- An environmental group is suing U.S. wildlife managers, saying they have failed to protect a rare grouse found in parts of the Midwest that include one of the country's most prolific areas for oil and gas development. A lawsuit filed Tuesday by the Center for Biological Diversity says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is nearly five months late in releasing a final rule outlining protections for the lesser prairie chicken. Once listed as a threatened species, the prarie chicken's habitat spans parts of New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Teacher Tara Hughes wraps up her former student, Aliz Szantho, in a big hug after being surprised with the 2023 New Mexico Teacher of the Year award Wednesday morning in Santa Fe. Hughes, who teaches 4 and 5 year olds, is the first early childhood educator to receive the award. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Aliz Szantho, a 5-year-old who last year was in inclusion teacher Tara Hughes' class, needed "significant classroom support." But over the course of Aliz's year in Hughes' class, she made leaps and bounds in her education, and went into...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Craig Smith looks at family members Wednesday during a break on the first day of his trial. To his left is his attorney, Ashley Reymore-Cloud. Craig Smith knew that his aunt kept large amounts of cash in her home and killed the elderly woman as part of a plan to steal the money, prosecutors told jurors Wednesday on the first day of Smith's trial. After 86-year-old Josephina Ortega revealed the whereabouts of a lockbox containing nearly 0,000, Smith wrapped the woman's head in plastic bags, sealed them with duct tape and left...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County Commissioners Debbie O'Malley, left, and Charlene Pyskoty An already-tense debate during Tuesday's Bernalillo County Commission meeting extended past adjournment with one member calling another a "bitch." The panel had just finished arguing over when to meet to fill a vacancy in the New Mexico Senate created last week when Jacob Candelaria, a West Side Albuquerque independent, stepped down with two years left on his term. The commission is responsible for choosing his replacement. Commissioners Adriann Barboa, the chair, and Debbie O'Malley disagreed with Commissioner Charlene Pyskoty's move to set the...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Fire Rescue on Wednesday released tips and tricks to stay safe this spooky season. AFR spokesman Lt. Tom Ruiz said between 2011 and 2015 firefighters nationwide responded to an annual average of 840 housefires that began with decorations. He said the fires led to an average of two deaths, 36 injuries and more than million in damages every year. Ruiz said to stay safe this year residents should opt for battery operated candles or glow sticks over open flame and keep away from flowing fabric or "extraneous costume pieces." He...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A state lawmaker's recent resignation has sparked a fiery debate about when the Bernalillo County Commission should pick his replacement. And on Tuesday, three commissioners banded together to nullify chairwoman Adriann Barboa's plan to make the appointment next month, deciding instead to set a special meeting for Monday, Oct. 31. Barboa said during Tuesday's regular commission meeting that she had proposed selecting Jacob Candelaria's New Mexico Senate replacement on Nov. 18. She said the date struck a balance between those calling on the commission to do it...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The businessman behind Sawmill Market and Hotel Chaco is rolling out plans for three new projects in the same area – two more hotels and an apartment building – and seeking big public incentives to make them a reality. Jim Long told the Bernalillo County Commission on Tuesday that the second phase of his Sawmill District vision represents over 0 million in investment. Given the current economic climate, he said they are possible only with some public support, but that they could be transformational. "We think these...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Fred Peralta pushes his stepdaughter, Mattea Woodard, 12, around the rink at Thrive Skilled Pediatric Care’s Halloween party. The event was held at Skate-O-Mania Monday evening. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Little scarecrows, minions and Stormtroopers filled a neon-drenched skating rink for an evening of fun. Thrive Skilled Pediatric Care hosted a Halloween event at Skate-O-Mania Monday allowing patients, family and staff to gather for the first time in years. The group had been unable to participate in large gatherings due to COVID-19 precautions. "It's amazing that the community can come together and...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Voters fill out ballots in the Bernalillo County Clerk’s Annex. New Mexico legislators are considering changes to election laws for judges, as well as boosting access to utilities. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Separate proposals on the Nov. 8 ballot would amend the state Constitution to revise how quickly some judges must stand for election and to authorize the spending of public money to help connect residential areas to the internet and other essential services. Each proposal passed the Legislature earlier this year, sending the questions...
By Randy Harrison / Journal Sports Editor UNM junior Javonté Johnson looks to pass the ball during the Lobos men’s basketball team practice the Pit on Tuesday. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Javonte Johnson has quietly become a Lobo fan favorite in his three season in the program. But he, his team, have had enough of that "quietly" part. The 6-foot-6 small forward — one who was forced by roster necessities a season ago to play out of position and down on the block far more than he was used to — could fill a stat sheet one game like Jan....
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer School buses carrying students make their way out of Cibola High School in March. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant effect on student behavior. But when you cram up to 68 kids on a 40-foot moving vehicle, those issues can become a whole different beast. Student behavior on school buses has become more problematic over the last school year or two, Albuquerque Public Schools bus drivers said at a school board meeting last week. Some also expressed concerns over school responses to behavioral problems. "A student with a pocket...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer When a SWAT team moved in to arrest Tommy Trujillo Monday afternoon following an erratic string of pursuits and auto thefts across Albuquerque — the 38-year-old was reportedly cutting himself with a knife while holed up in a vehicle. Jayme Fuller, a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman, said Trujillo was taken to the hospital and will be booked into jail “once he is in good enough condition.” Trujillo is facing charges of unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, criminal damage to property over [post_excerpt],000, aggravated fleeing of a law enforcement officer, aggravated...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer UNM Children's Hospital is seeing an unusually high number of RSV cases this month. Most of the cases are among children younger than 5. (Source: UNM) Another respiratory virus is stressing Albuquerque-area hospitals. An unusually early surge of RSV, which stands for respiratory syncytial virus, has pushed local hospitals to their licensed capacity for pediatric beds. The University of New Mexico Children's Hospital has even had to follow a surge plan to convert additional spaces into beds for children. The hospital is licensed for 69 general pediatric beds across three units and...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer How can New Mexico's economy continue to grow? How do you retain talent here in the state and how do you bring those back who left? A panel of local experts sought to answer those questions Monday at an event held at the Marriott Albuquerque in Uptown by NAIOP New Mexico, a commercial real estate organization. The event came as the state still battles a relatively low labor force participation rate and as out-of-state businesses continue to expand locally. "I think the onus is on all of us, really. We've got to...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer A jet skier explores Elephant Butte Reservoir in June. New Mexico, Texas and Colorado have “carved out” a proposed settlement in the Supreme Court groundwater case over Rio Grande deliveries south of Elephant Butte. But objections from the U.S. government could prompt the case to go to trial. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) New Mexico, Texas and Colorado have "carved out" a proposed settlement in the Supreme Court groundwater case over Rio Grande deliveries, the states announced Tuesday. But objections from the U.S. government could force the case to go to trial. New...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Homicide detectives are investigating a fatal crash Saturday night that left a man dead in the road in Southeast Albuquerque. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said Tommy McCrae, 66, was fatally struck by a vehicle near Gibson and Palomas SE. He said police responded around 6 p.m. to the reports of a man being run over in the 5400 block of Gibson SE, east of San Mateo. Gallegos said officers found McCrae fatally injured at the scene. "Detectives later located evidence that resulted in a delayed homicide call out," he said....
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Hutton Broadcasting, the owner of six Santa Fe radio stations, has bought the domain of Albuquerque travel website Albuquerque.com. This is the fourth New Mexico tourism site that Hutton Broadcasting has bought in the past 12 years. "We're always looking to expand," said Art Trujillo, vice president of sales at Hutton Broadcasting. The media company bought SantaFe.com in 2010 and LasCruces.com several years later. Most recently, Hutton Broadcasting bought Ruidoso.com last month. "We just figured, you know, now is probably the right time to dive into Albuquerque," Trujillo said. Currently, all the...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Vice President Kamala Harris lands at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque on Tuesday. Harris is in New Mexico to take part in a fundraiser, then she will participate in a conversation on reproductive rights with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and other state officials at the University of New Mexico. ( Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Vice President Kamala Harris at Kirtland Air Force Base on Tuesday. ( Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Vice President Kamala Harris touched down on Air Force Two at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque at 12:04 p.m. Gov. Michelle...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Norman Cates (Department of Corrections) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The New Mexico Supreme Court ruled Monday that a juvenile sentenced as a serious youthful offender to 30 years in prison is not eligible for good-time credit because the sentencing judge did not explicitly authorize it. The unanimous opinion reversed an earlier ruling by a district court judge that made Norman Cates eligible to earn up to four days of good time for each month he serves, which could have reduced his prison time. Cates, 35, was convicted in 2006 of first-degree...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Voting stickers are shown at an Albuquerque polling place in June. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal More than 0 million is at stake when New Mexico voters consider Bond Question 3, a general obligation bond for higher education that would help pay for a children's psychiatric center and dozens of other projects at colleges and universities throughout the state. The bonds, which go before voters every two years, are the main source of capital improvement money for public colleges, universities and other specialty schools in the state. If approved,...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Adam Cazares Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A District Court judge declared a mistrial Friday after a jury failed to reach verdicts in the trial of Adam Cazares, 33, who prosecutors allege fatally shot a man in 2019 outside an Albuquerque apartment complex. The 2nd Judicial District Court jury hung on charges of first-degree murder, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery, said Lauren Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the 2nd Judicial District Attorney's Office. Rodriguez said she did not know if prosecutors plan to retry Cazares in the shooting death of...
By Eastern New Mexico News, Clovis, N.M. (tns) In this 2003 file photo, Snow Big Deal wins the All American Derby in Ruidoso Downs. The state Racing Commission has denied a license application to build a racetrack and casino on Tucumcari’s east side. (Jake Schoellkopf/AP) The New Mexico Racing Commission, citing the declining health of the state's horse-racing industry, on Thursday unanimously denied a license application from Coronado Partners to build a racetrack and casino on Tucumcari's east side. The attorney and one of the principals for Coronado Partners said he would appeal the decision to the same district...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Talking Grammer Podcast · Ep 51: UNM Lobo guard K.J. Jenkins (TG 10.24.22)In Episode 51 of the Talking Grammer podcast, we cover a lot of ground with Lobo guard K.J. Jenkins, from his riding motorcycles growing up in Georgia and his relationship with his cousin Deandre Hopkins, the All-Pro wide receiver of the Arizona Cardinals, to his college basketball journey that has included getting only one Division I scholarship offer out of high school, redshirting at a D-II school, playing in junior college and now his being voted by his teammates a...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Homicide detectives are investigating after a man was found dead following reports of a shooting in a Northwest Albuquerque neighborhood Monday evening. Officer Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said around 5:15 p.m. officers were called to the 9000 block of South Sky NW, near Paseo Del Norte and Rainbow NW. "This was in reference to dispatch receiving a call in reference to an individual being shot," DeAguero wrote in an email. "Officers arrived and discovered a lifeless male." He said the incident is being investigated by the homicide unit. He...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Brian Bickett makes yakisoba in his food truck. His is one of several food trucks at the Pacific Rim food truck park. (Eddie Moore/Journal) A fleet of food trucks has taken over a once-empty parking lot in Northeast Albuquerque. Now, the lot behind Grace Church at 6901 San Antonio NE looks like a park, with grass, solar power, shade structures and picnic tables and a brand-new name: the Pacific Rim food truck park. Judy Chiang, former owner of Rising Star Chinese Eatery, came up with the idea for a food truck park...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office deputies surround a car on Monday morning while trying to apprehend a dangerous suspect at Candelaria NW near 9th Street. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) An ‘armed and dangerous' suspect that allegedly stole vehicles, robbed a business at gunpoint and led Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office deputies on several vehicle pursuits is now barricaded inside his car in northwest Albuquerque. BCSO said on Twitter at about 11:20 a.m. Monday that a SWAT team had been activated to assist with the suspect. The agency advised the public to avoid the area of...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Manuel and Marcy Silva combed through the charred rubble that used to be their home, searching for any salvageable bits in the wake of the largest wildfire in New Mexico history. Manuel found two of his high school wrestling medals. Gone was the bedroom furniture Marcy's grandpa built as a gift, her wedding dress and their children's toys. The family was only one payment away from owning their single-wide mobile home and like many other northern New Mexico residents whose homes were in the path of the flames, the...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Bernalillo County will have a pair of new commissioners come January. Voters this fall are selecting new representatives for District 1, which runs from the North Valley and through parts of Albuquerque's West Side all the way to the county's western line, and District 5, which extends from the Uptown area of Albuquerque out to the county's eastern border, encompassing communities like Edgewood and Tijeras. Current District 1 Commissioner Debbie O'Malley cannot seek reelection due to term limits. Democrat Barbara Baca, a retired government administrator, and Republican...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior Back in May, when the city of Albuquerque decided to place cameras on roadways prone to speeders, the goal was to slow everybody down. But the latest numbers, four months into the Automated Speed Enforcement program, reveal we've got a lot of miles per hour to go. First, some context: In the first few weeks of the program, May 25 through June 13, the inaugural three cameras recorded: • 55,388 vehicles traveling 11-plus mph over on eastbound Gibson (15 going 60-plus mph over); • 40,615 vehicles traveling 11-plus mph over on westbound...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A former maintenance worker at a women's halfway house is accused of raping a woman multiple times in late 2021 and early 2022 in the South Valley facility. Nathaniel Sena (New Mexico Attorney General's Office) Nathan Sena, 37, is charged with eight counts of criminal sexual penetration while in a position of authority in the repeated rape of a woman from Nov. 14, 2021 to Feb. 17, 2022. It is unclear if Sena has an attorney. During the alleged rapes, according to the Attorney General's Office, Sena...
By Suman Naishadham / Associated Press Fish biologists work to rescue the endangered silvery minnows from pools of water in the dry Rio Grande riverbed in Albuquerque on July 26. (Brittany Peterson/Associated Press) WASHINGTON – With several billion dollars in federal money secured for drought-stricken western states, managers and officials on the Rio Grande are hopeful some will reach their communities and bring attention to the challenges facing one of North America's longest rivers. Stretches of the river near Albuquerque went dry for the first time in 40 years in August, destroying critical habitat for endangered fish. South Texas...
By ABQJournal News Staff A driver who fled the scene of a crash Sunday at 3100 Silver SE later died from his injuries, Albuquerque police spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins said in an email. "This evening, officers were dispatched to a crash at Coal and Vassar. A passenger was transported to the hospital and the driver appeared to have fled the vehicle," Atkins said. "A short time later, a call came in of reports of a male trying to jump a fence along Silver. It is believed that individual was the driver of the vehicle. When officers arrived to that location,...
By ABQJournal News Staff Silver Jeep Patriot involved in a fatal crash south of Taos Sunday. (Source: Taos County Sheriff's Office) An 18-year-old woman is being charged with eight counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in connection with a fatal crash south of Taos Sunday, according to a press release from the Taos County Sheriff's Office. "On October 23rd, 2022 at about 1:40 a.m., Taos County Deputies and EMS were dispatched to a single vehicle roll over near #23 Los Cordovas Road south of Taos," Taos County Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe wrote in the release. "On arrival,...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM freshman Donovan Dent (2) high-fives a young fan during player introductions during the New Mexico men’s basketball team Cherry & Silver festivities on Friday night at the Pit. (Chancey Bush/Journal) Some fans – maybe 1,000 or so of them that attended Friday night's Cherry/Silver game in the Pit – finally caught a glimpse of the future of Lobo basketball. Or, at least the one head coach Richard Pitino believes, and in a transfer heavy world certainly hopes, will come to be, assuming highly-touted freshman point guard Donovan Dent sticks around Albuquerque...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A former state Children, Youth and Families Department worker who claims she tried in vain to keep four children from being returned to their unfit parents in 2020 has received 0,000 to settle her whistleblower lawsuit against the agency. The payout to Ivy Woodward is in addition to a recent ,000 settlement reached with a foster parent who lost her foster care license after she alerted the public that the family disappeared just weeks after CYFD returned them on a trial home visit. The total paid to...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Diego Chavira, 22, found his mother and her longtime boyfriend shot to death in their home in late May. He and other family members are now questioning the Albuquerque Police Department's investigation into the double homicide. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Diego Chavira gets emotional remembering the night he raced to the Barelas home where his mother lived. She had been babysitting his 2-year-old daughter and he was worried something was gravely wrong. It was. When Chavira arrived he found his mother and her longtime boyfriend had both...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer The Rev. Dr. David Poling, who died in July, served as pastor of Albuquerque’s First Presbyterian Church from 1975 to 1989. (Courtesy of the Poling family) Gary Weaver's first impression of the Rev. Dr. David Poling was "This guy is really cool." Weaver, now a retired Presbyterian minister living in Pueblo West, Colorado, met Poling, pastor of Albuquerque's First Presbyterian Church for 14 years, in the early '70s during a meeting of Presbyterian leaders in Coolidge, Arizona. "He was one of the presenters and keynote speakers," Weaver said. "He had this...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police investigate after a person was fatally struck by a vehicle Saturday night in Southeast Albuquerque. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) A person was found dead in the street Saturday night in a residential neighborhood in Southeast Albuquerque. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque police spokeswoman, said the body was found near Palomas and Eastern SE, northeast of Gibson and San Mateo, and it is being investigated as a fatal crash. "More details will be released as they are available," she said. Atkins gave no other details.Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Randy Harrison / Journal Sports Editor Highland junior Joziah Rodriguez (84) gets tackled by Piedra Vista defenders during their game Saturday at Milne Stadium. Highland lost 40-0. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Piedra Vista inched closer to the District 1/5-5A football championship on Saturday afternoon, shutting out Highland 40-0 at Milne Stadium. The Panthers (8-1, 2-0), ranked No. 2 in Class 5A, broke through late in the first quarter against the Hornets (5-3, 0-2). Piedra Vista pinned Highland at its 1 on a terrific punt, then the Panthers forced the Hornets to punt out of their end zone moments later....
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Henry Atkinson (MDC) Albuquerque police detectives have arrested a suspect in the fatal shooting of a man late last month at a bus stop along East Central. Henry Atkinson, 37, is charged with an open count of murder in the Sept. 30 death of 42-year-old Elijah Pino, a member of Zia Pueblo. Detectives arrested Atkinson near First and Central on Friday and he was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center. It is unclear if he has an attorney. Prosecutors filed a motion to detain Atkinson until trial,...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Cochiti Pueblo artist Virgil Ortiz has a new installation at Meow Wolf in Santa Fe. (Courtesy of Brandon Soder) Meow Wolf always offers a new experience. At "House of Eternal Return" in Santa Fe, three new permanent installations are ready for visitors. Months of work has taken place since the Santa Fe-based arts collective announced collaborations with Cochiti Pueblo artist Virgil Ortiz, Lauren YS (Squidlicker) and Jacob Fisher. According to Meow Wolf, the new rooms are part of Meow Wolf's ongoing exhibition evolution program that will offer visitors new experiences...
By Journal Staff Report One person was shot to death Downtown around midnight Friday, according to the Albuquerque Police Department. Police around 11:45 p.m. responded to a ShotSpotter gunshot detection system alert at 100 Central SW, at the Albuquerque Rapid Transit bus complex, APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said in an incident update Saturday. "Officers discovered an adult male who sustained gunshot wounds," he said. "The man was pronounced deceased at the scene." No other information was immediately available. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police respond to a shooting in the employee break room of the Walmart Neighborhood Market on Friday afternoon in Northeast Albuquerque. (Liam Debonis/Albuquerque Journal) Maurice Lacey (MDC) An Albuquerque man is accused of walking into a Walmart store in the middle of the afternoon Friday and shooting his wife in the head in the employee break room. Maurice Lacey, 64, is charged with aggravated battery against a household member with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault with intent to commit a violent felony with a firearm enhancement. It is unclear if he...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer A motorcyclist was killed in a crash Friday night on West Central, according to police. The Albuquerque Police Department Motors Unit was called to the crash around 7:20 p.m. at 86th and Central, police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said Saturday. He said a vehicle was headed east on Central and tried to make a U-turn at 86th — where there is no U-turn sign — and, during the turn, was hit by a westbound motorcycle "traveling at a high rate of speed." "Witnesses stated the motorcycle was weaving in and out of traffic...
By Rachel Lorenz / For the Journal Magdalena Torres, 84, fills out her paperwork to receive a free senior flu shot from Walgreens Oct. 11 during the 26th annual Prime Time 50+ Expo at Embassy Suitesin Albuquerque. Open enrollment for Medicare began Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7.Open enrollment for beWellnm, New Mexico’s state exchange, runs Nov. 1 through Jan. 15. (Chancey Bush/Journal) For the hundred of thousands of New Mexicans eligible for Medicare, lower premiums and more plans in 2023 is good news. Open enrollment for next year's coverage began Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7....
By Jerry Pacheco / For the Journal When the North American Free Trade Agreement was implemented on Jan. 1, 1994, a new visa also was introduced. The TN visa, often referred to as the "NAFTA visa," was specifically created to allow Mexican and Canadian citizens to work in the U.S. Unlike many other visa categories, the TN visa is a non-immigrant document granting temporary stay in the U.S. for work purposes. In other words, the time spent working in the U.S. for people holding this visa does not count toward residency or citizenship. The visa can be issued for...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Jay Allen-Tovar knew he wanted to get things amped up early on. So, he pulled out all the stops from the start of the dunk contest at Friday night's Lobo men's basketball Cherry/Silver game exhibition in the Pit. The 6-foot-9 forward pulled onto the court 7-foot sophomore center Sebastian Forsling and then another "prop" to jump over. His head coach, Richard Pitino. "I was just trying to get the crowd involved," said Allen-Tovar. "I felt like that was probably the best way to get the crowd involved." Allen-Tovar landed the dunk, clearing...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Milken Educator Award recipient Christopher Nuñez and his students gather back in the classroom with his ,000 check. (Courtesy of the Milken Family Foundation) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Christopher Nuñez learned early on in his 14-year career as a teacher that not all students learn the same way. "There's not one way you can teach a student, or even get to a student, and, to be honest, you're not gonna get to them all." Nuñez said. But that doesn't keep him from trying. In his four years at Sonoma Elementary School...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Gabe Vasquez, left, and Yvette Herrell Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-N.M., said she stands by her record in Congress and has been straightforward with her constituents. Gabe Vasquez, the Democratic challenger, argued that Herrell voted against New Mexico's interest. The two candidates vying to represent New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District, which includes much of southern New Mexico and parts of Albuquerque's South Valley and West Side, faced off in a 30-minute debate Friday night on KOB-TV. They were asked questions about the border, election results, the oil and...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Some of the Puebloan petroglyphs at the La Cieneguilla site southwest of Santa Fe date back 8,000 years. The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday detained a man suspected of spray painting the petroglyphs. (Courtesy Bureau of Land Management) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday detained a man suspected of spray painting the La Cieneguilla Petroglyphs near Santa Fe. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management oversees the site. According to a BLM news release, on Wednesday afternoon, an area resident alerted the Sheriff's Office...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – A New Mexico vaccine advisory committee plans to meet next month to consider whether to recommend adding the COVID-19 vaccine – and possibly other immunizations – to the list of required vaccinations for public school students. A recent vote by a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory panel to add the COVID-19 vaccines to next year's recommended immunization schedules for adults and children has reignited debate over the vaccines and led to scrutiny about state-level responses. Since the advisory panel's unanimous...
By Associated Press Hatch green chile is roasted at The Fruit Basket on Fourth Street in Los Ranchos in September. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) LAS CRUCES – It's no secret that chile is a popular and essential crop in New Mexico. Now researchers at New Mexico State University are working to develop more nutritious and better-yielding chile pepper varieties to improve overall productivity in the nation's top chile-producing state. Dennis Nicuh Lozada, the school's chile pepper breeder and director of the Chile Pepper Breeding and Genetics Program, is leading the four-year project. It's funded by a nearly 9,000 grant from...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Ashley Lopez browses for job opportunities during the 10th Annual Senator Michael Padilla Job Fair at Harrison Middle School in Southwest Albuquerque in July 2022. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico's unemployment rate has continued to drop after a year of falling rates, according to new data from New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. In September of this year, New Mexico unemployment dropped to 4.2% from 5.9% in January. That's also down two percentage points from last September, when unemployment in the state was at 6.2%. This...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Daniel Archuleta, left, of the Rio Arriba County Clerk’s Office, and Josh Salazar, with Rio Arriba County Parks and Recreation, set up a voting location Thursday at the Rio Arriba Health Commons building in Española. New early-voting sites are opening all over the state Saturday for the next two weeks before Election Day. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Turnout remains strong – up 31% over four years ago – as New Mexico prepares to open an expanded set of early voting sites Saturday. A little over...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police investigate after a woman was shot and injured Friday afternoon at a Walmart in Northeast Albuquerque. (Liam Debonis/Albuquerque Journal) A man is in custody after shooting a woman during a domestic dispute on Friday afternoon at the Walmart Neighborhood Market in Northeast Albuquerque. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said the woman is in critical condition. "This shooting has been made a serious crimes callout because of the nature of the wounds," he said. "... A male suspect is in custody. This appears to be a domestic violence-related shooting." Gallegos said...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is planning three pile burns in Catron County this fall and winter. BLM will ignite the juniper and piñon pile burns from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31. The 135-acre Alamocita pile burn will be east of Pie Town, about 10 miles north of N.M. 60. The Tank Canyon project is 215 acres and will be about 25 miles north of Pie Town near the Wild Horse subdivision. The Wild Horse Slash Pit burn will be located off Wood Camp Road. "Firefighters will monitor the burns until...
By Farnoush Amiri and Mary Clare Jalonick / Associated Press WASHINGTON -- The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol formally issued an extraordinary subpoena to Donald Trump on Friday, demanding testimony from the former president who lawmakers say "personally orchestrated" a multi-part effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The nine-member panel issued a letter to Trump's lawyers saying he must testify, either at the Capitol or by videoconference, "beginning on or about" Nov. 14 and continuing for multiple days if necessary. The letter also outlined a sweeping request for documents, including...
By ABQJournal News Staff Last in a series. As word got out in 1979 Placitas that I was the go-to veterinarian for dog-suspected poisonings I also became the repository for conspiracy theories, "common sense" solutions and intense emotional catharses. Everybody with anything to say (I mean anything) contacted my office, straining at the bit to speak to me directly. But I was busy pumping stomachs. Of course, the sheriff's office had been deluged with pleas for help, but then, just as suddenly as the poisonings had begun, there were no more. I didn't believe for a minute that every...
By Brittany Peterson / Associated Press Castle Rock, Colo. -- When Eric Seufert brewed a test batch of beer in 2017 with water from recycled sewage, he wasn't too concerned about the outcome. The engineering firm that approached him about the test explained the process, and together they sipped samples of recycled water. Seufert quickly understood it wasn't too different from how water is normally handled. "Every stream and river in this country has someone putting in their wastewater after they've treated it," he said. After tapping the keg and having a taste, the owner of 105 West Brewing...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Lobo guard Jaelen House celebrates during the final moments of UNM's 75-66 home win over No. 22 Wyoming on Feb. 15 in the Pit. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal)It's been 230 days since fans were able to last see the Lobo men's basketball team on the Pit floor. Friday night in the Cherry-Silver exhibition, and with an optimism of upward trajectory surrounding the team that this week was picked to finish fifth in the Mountain West Conference, the curtain will be pulled on the latest version of the UNM men's basketball team. "It's our first...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer The Torrance County Detention Facility is shown on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022 in Estancia. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Mold, water leaks and clogged sinks and toilets were some of the conditions found at the Torrance County Detention Facility during a surprise inspection earlier this year, which is why a group of senators is asking that immigrants being detained there be sent elsewhere. New Mexico Democratic Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján this week wrote a letter to the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, calling...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer (Courtesy of New Mexico Indian Affairs Department) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Families of hundreds of missing New Mexicans will be able to connect with several government agencies Saturday at the first Missing in New Mexico Day. There are 984 missing people in New Mexico as of Oct. 1, said Regina Chacon, bureau chief of the New Mexico Department of Public Safety. According to the FBI's website, 192 of those people are Native American. The New Mexico Indian Affairs Department is hosting the event in collaboration with the Department of Public Safety....
By Journal Staff Report Wings for Life International works with families of incarcerated people and incarcerated people themselves. (Courtesy of News Radio KKOB) For the last 27 years, Ann Edenfield Sweet has devoted her life to helping families of incarcerated people – and those behind bars themselves – live a better life. "Our mission is transforming lives to break that generational cycle of incarceration," she said. Edenfield Sweet founded the nonprofit Wings for Life International after her own struggles as a single mom when her first husband, an airline pilot, was arrested. News Radio KKOB will spotlight Edenfield Sweet's...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal State Police officers arrested a Colorado man in a mountainous area of San Miguel County on Thursday night following a string of crimes that began when he allegedly exposed himself to a couple and threatened them with a gun and ended in a crash during a police pursuit on Interstate 25. Aurelio Carrasco after his arrest (Source: NM State Police) New Mexico State Police Lt. Mark Soriano said officers in a helicopter spotted Aurelio Carrasco, 33, around 7:30 p.m. on a mountain 6 miles south of Rowe...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Lovelea Degeer (MDC) An Albuquerque woman is accused of enlisting her children to help steal more than ,000 in flowers and plants from outside Albertsons grocery stores dozens of times over the course of a year in Northeast Albuquerque. Authorities said Lovelea Degeer then sold the stolen plants on Facebook, in garage sales and on display in front of her northeast-area home. The Albuquerque Police Department's Organized Crime Unit arrested the 36-year-old woman and her boyfriend, Jayson Morales, 41, on Wednesday. APD spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins said authorities seized two guns, [post_excerpt],500 in...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Investigators with the Multi Agency Task Force examine the scene where US Marshals Service Task Force members shot and killed Oscar Anchondo Jr. in the parking lot of a Walgreens on San Mateo near Montgomery NE. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Oscar Anchondo Jr. (Courtesy of the Anchondo family) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal When Oscar Anchondo Jr. was shot and killed by U.S. Marshals Service Task Force members in June, it was not the first time he had been shot at by law enforcement in the city. The previous time, in 2015, immediately...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Cattle graze in the Valles Caldera in September. Three environmental groups are suing federal land management agencies over trespass cattle grazing in the northern New Mexico preserve. (Courtesy Madeleine Carey/WildEarth Guardians) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The National Park Service's Valles Caldera National Preserve in northern New Mexico is known for its lush meadows, streams and elk. This week, Caldera Action, WildEarth Guardians and Western Watersheds Project filed a notice of intent to sue federal agencies over alleged illegal cattle-grazing on the land. Cyndi Tuell, the Western Watersheds Project's New Mexico director,...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Some students pay attention while teacher Therese Garcia directs her class in an activity at the Albuquerque Sign Language Academy in July. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Teaching all day and then going home to work on an epic dossier about your classroom could be a lengthy, burdensome and sometimes disappointing task for New Mexico teachers. But that's what they had to do to advance through the licensure levels. As of this month, some of them will have a different option. The state Public Education Department is in the process of rolling out its...
By ABQJournal News Staff The Villa Agave redevelopment project, which is expected to bring 15 housing units to Downtown Albuquerque, broke ground on Thursday, according to the City of Albuquerque's Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency. Albuquerque City council approved incentives from the MRA of 0,000 and a tax abatement for the project, according to the news release. The housing project, located off Seventh Street and Copper Avenue at the former St. Mary's Convent, features 12,000 square feet of above ground and 3,000 square feet of basement space. It was developed by Mark Baker of Baker Architecture & Design, who also developed 505 Central...
By Dan Mckay And Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Vice President Kamala Harris speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on May 17. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE — Vice President Kamala Harris plans to travel to Albuquerque next week to join Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for a conversation on abortion rights. The visit is set for Tuesday, just two weeks before Election Day. Harris will participate "in a moderated conversation on protecting reproductive rights," according to the White House, and later deliver remarks at a private campaign fundraiser...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Two banks based in New Mexico's oil patch are merging in an effort to provide greater resources such as higher lending limits. Earlier this month, Carlsbad-based Western Commerce Bank and Western Bank of Clovis announced a merger that would see the former acquire the latter. The deal was struck through the two banks' parent companies, Western Commerce Bancshares of Carlsbad Inc. and Western Bancshares of Clovis Inc. Western Commerce Bank CEO and President Jason Wyatt didn't disclose the terms of the acquisition, nor the cost of the acquisition. "Merging the two banks...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority crews repair a water main break on Coors Bypass and Ellison NW on Thursday morning. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Traffic on northbound Coors Bypass may be snarled Friday morning as crews repair a sinkhole caused by a water main break on the West Side. David Morris, Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority spokesman, said the sinkhole may keep the stretch of Coors Bypass near Ellison closed until Friday afternoon, when crews hope to be able to open one lane. He said Coors...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer An Albuquerque Rapid Transit bus approaches the Yucca station on West Central on Wednesday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal An Albuquerque city councilor working to replace the existing zero-fare bus service is urging the public to avoid the city system right now unless they have no other choice, saying his own recent trip convinced him buses are not safe. Dan Lewis said he rode the bus Monday for the first time in years and saw what someone described to him as fentanyl use at a bus stop. During the...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Volunteer Erika McBee reads to children and does arts and crafts with them at the Arroyo Services Lavanderia on South Broadway as part of the Laundry Love project. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It's a common sight for people who spend any amount of time in a laundromat: Parents or grandparents trying to get through the tedious chore of sorting, washing, drying and folding clothing, while keeping a distracted eye on bored children who would rather be anywhere else. It's particularly trying for those who must also keep an...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A city hearing officer has determined the Albuquerque Planning Department erred in approving a safe outdoor space planned for Northeast Albuquerque by failing to require sufficient notification to nearby property owners. He has sent the case back to the Planning Department, which will have to make a new determination about the safe outdoor space application once it confirms that the operator has alerted all the needed neighbors. "After receiving proof of notification, Planning will approve or deny the application within 10 calendar days," department spokesman Tim Walsh...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Workers with Reithoffer Shows put together the Ferris wheel in preparation for the New Mexico State Fair that was held on September 7 at Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque. The New Mexico State Fair ran from Sept. 8 through the 18th. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The 2022 New Mexico State Fair recorded 475,318 visits, making it the third best-attended fair since 2012, when the fair went from a 17-day format to an 11-day schedule. How that translates to revenue won't be known until mid- to late-November after all...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Wednesday was Day 1 of 2 of the preseason Mountain West hoops media day event, this year done virtually over Zoom. Though I don't anticipate doing the same on Thursday for Day 2 of the media day, I figured I'd try to shake off some offseason rust and throw together an "Emptying the Notebook" style column of odds & ends from media day and related to the preseason poll release by the league: That darn media! The media never knows what they're talking about. Except when they do. When it comes to...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Until just a few years ago, the NCAA prohibited Division I basketball coaches from discussing results of preseason scrimmages against other teams. Saturday, UNM Lobo men's basketball coach Richard Pitino may have wished that rule was still in place. The Lobos lost a closed-door scrimmage in the Pit to Northern Arizona, 69-67. Though under no obligation to do so, Pitino did talk with the Journal about what transpired Saturday afternoon. "It's a good reminder that while people think we're going to be good, and I still think we're going to be pretty...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Santa Fe-based Think New Mexico recently released a 10-point plan to improve the state public education system. Pictured is a student working on a math activity at Hubert H. Humphrey Elementary School in Albuquerque. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Rome wasn't built in a day, and the same can be said about the ongoing efforts to improve the public education system in New Mexico. But according to a prominent think tank based out of Santa Fe, getting the state on the right path can be broken down into a 10-point plan released last weekend....
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Marcelino Berry-Providenti, left, and his brother, Marcus Berry-Providenti, along with their uncle, not pictured, experienced homelessness during the pandemic — at one point spending more than 8 months in a city-funded hotel room — but are now residing in a Northeast Albuquerque apartment complex. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Homelessness is routinely cited as one of Albuquerque residents' top concerns. As one city councilor noted earlier this year, everyone seems to want a fix, even if they have entirely different motivations or perspectives. "They're constantly saying we need to...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Eddy Aragon (Journal file) A candidate in Albuquerque's 2021 mayoral race was arrested on DWI charges Tuesday night at the Sunport parking garage. Edward "Eddy" Aragon Jr., 47, is charged with aggravated DWI, according to court documents. Aragon, a conservative radio host known locally as "the Rock of Talk," declined to comment Saturday. Thomas Clear, Aragon's attorney, also declined to comment. Last November, Aragon finished third in a three-candidate mayoral race against incumbent Tim Keller and Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales. Aragon, who had never held elected office, branded himself as an...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police seized several guns, bulk cash and drugs in a bust Friday. (APD) An Albuquerque man and teen were arrested Friday after police say they found the pair with five rifles, five pistols, 400 fentanyl pills and more than ,000 cash. Rebecca Atkins of the Albuquerque Police Department said Richard Baca, who just turned 17, and 28-year-old Andres Armijo are facing drug trafficking charges. Armijo is also facing a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for allegedly selling drugs alongside Baca. It is unclear if either Armijo or...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Leaders representing Native American communities around New Mexico hosted a number of political candidates Friday, peppering them with questions about how they would ensure voting access for tribal members, respect sovereignty and protect water rights as the West grapples with historic drought. The forum in Albuquerque follows last year's efforts by tribes to stand their ground in the fight over legislative redistricting. The goal has been to keep the Native vote from being diluted and bring more light to issues that many tribal communities have been dealing with for...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer The Albuquerque Police Department's Homicide Unit is investigating the death of an individual east of Interstate 25 Saturday morning. The investigation is in the area of Central and Sycamore SE, according to an email sent by APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos around 11:30 a.m. "Information is limited at this point," Gallegos said. "We will provide an update when more information is available." Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer A rendering of the 20,000-square-foot building that will house the Street Food Institute and other tenants who will fill storefront spaces. (Courtesy of Homewise) The Barelas neighborhood will get a new daycare and mixed-use space that will include storefronts and commissary kitchens next summer. That's courtesy of Homewise, a community development finance institution, which is investing millions of dollars into the renovation and expansion of two buildings the organization owns. Homewise says the total project costs stand at about .9 million. About million in financing came from a congressional project funding...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Private elevator inspector Phil Zwiefelhofer demonstrates various steps of an elevator inspection at the Albuquerque Journal on Thursday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) If you ride an elevator in the city of Albuquerque, there's a high probability that Phil Zweifelhofer has looked at it. Zweifelhofer got into the elevator industry in 1970, after leaving the Marines and a brief career in aviation construction. He moved to Albuquerque two years later, and has been installing, repairing and inspecting elevators ever since. "If there's an elevator out there, I've worked on it," Zwiefelhofer said, "... This is...
By Dan Boyd and Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writers A screenshot of a television ad that highlighted the case of Christopher Beltran and blamed Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for his early release before he went on to kill his ex-girlfriend in 2021. (Used with permission of the Republican Governors' Association) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal During this week's gubernatorial debate, a Roswell murder case emerged as the latest flashpoint in New Mexico's reckoning with high violent crime rates. Republican Mark Ronchetti accused Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's administration of releasing Christopher Beltran early from prison twice, before he...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Jose Ibarra plants ponderosa pine seedlings on Oct. 11 in an area burned by the 2011 Las Conchas Fire in the Jemez Mountains. The trees were grown at the state’s Mora forestry center, and had to be relocated this year because of the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal On a cool fall morning in the Jemez Mountains, a forestry crew unloads a trailer full of ponderosa pine seedlings. Aspens with bright yellow leaves are thriving in this part of the Las Conchas burn scar. But...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Editor's note: The Journal continues its series of stories focusing on key races in this year's general election. SANTA FE – The race to serve as New Mexico's next secretary of state resembles a referendum on the state's election system itself. The incumbent seeking reelection, Democrat Maggie Toulouse Oliver, has served as New Mexico's chief elections officer for six years and testified before Congress on election administration. Her Republican opponent, Audrey Trujillo, has cast doubt on the legitimacy of Joe Biden's 2020 election victory in New Mexico –...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Renezmae Calzada, 5, was found dead in 2019 in Rio Arriba County. Prosecutors allege she was fatally abused by Malcolm Torres, 29, who was indicted this week by a federal grand jury. (Photo: New Mexico State Police) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A federal grand jury indicted an Española man for first-degree murder this week more than three years after the body of a 5-year-old girl he allegedly killed was found in Rio Arriba County. Malcolm Torres, 29, was indicted on charges of first-degree felony murder, second-degree murder and other charges in...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Luis Ramirez spoke at the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office Advisory and Review Board Friday morning about an experience he and his girlfriend had being on On Patrol: Live a reality television show the Sheriffs Office participates in. (Elise Kaplan / Albuquerque Journal) Last week Josephine Medina was driving in the South Valley when a tire on a nearby car came loose and collided with her vehicle. The 23-year-old wasn't hurt but the crash damaged her car and scared her. She started to cry. Medina told the Journal she was speaking with the...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer The City of Albuquerque Open Space Division will host Dia del Rio, a Rio Grande bosque clean-up event Saturday, Oct. 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers are asked to meet at the old train station building at Tingley Beach, the city website states. Trash bags will be provided, but volunteers should bring gloves, sun protection and lunch. Contact Dionne Epps at 505-768-4960 or deeps@cabq.gov for more information.Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By ABQJournal News Staff A driver attempting to avoid a truck that had crashed in the middle of the road, swerved and hit the driver of the truck who had gotten out, killing him on Thursday. Jesus L. Montoya, 22, of Lovington, died in the incident that happened at Gill Road and Megert Lane, west of Lovington, just after midnight, according to a New Mexico State Police news release. State Police said, based on the initial investigation, Montoya apparently crashed and rolled his pickup truck on Gill Road and it came to rest in the middle of the road....
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer The “She’s All Tradish” eyeshadow palette from Frybread Cosmetics. (Courtesy of Frybread Cosmetics) Mutton. Hot pickle. Blue Bird flour. It might sound like a grocery list — but those are actually the names of eyeshadows in Shundine Suazo's makeup palette, which has colors named after ingredients and items found at frybread stands, including shades like Frito Pie and Indian Taco. "I try to base my brand around where I grew up in," Suazo said. Suazo, a Diné woman who lives in Taos Pueblo, operated her own frybread stand until the pandemic hit....
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer Tattoo artist Michael Roybal at Tinta Cantina Tattoo in Albuquerque. (Chancey Bush/Journal) Trust. On the surface, we're losing it. People have lost faith in the government, friends, family, fellow humans and even God. Fortunately, a sliver of trust is on display each day in a most unexpected embodiment, if people are willing to push aside stigma. Tattoo artist Michael Roybal has committed his life to trust and acceptance through a misunderstood art form. The assuring scent of cleanliness freshened the parlor's air as the purr of the needle inched closer to the...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Bartender Emily Linzie pours a glass of wine for customers at Public House wine bar (Mike Sandoval/Journal) The white brick building at the corner of Hermosa and Copper has lived many lives. The Nob Hill building used to be a house. Later, it was a salon. Most recently, it was a tattoo parlor. And now, it's home to wine bar Public House and comfort-food restaurant Butter. Despite its long history, Andrew Kalemba, owner of Public House and managing partner and head brewer at High and Dry describes the building as a "forgotten"...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer The Albuquerque Philharmonic Orchestra kicks off its 50th season on Friday, Oct. 21. (Courtesy of the Albuquerque Philharmonic Orchestra) The Albuquerque Philharmonic Orchestra celebrates its 50th season with a program of "Romanticism and Impressionism" at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, at the UNM Continuing Education Auditorium. Starting off the performance is Gioacchino Rossini's "Overture to An Italian Girl in Algiers," George Enescu's Roumanian Rhapsody No. 1 in A, and finishing the concert will be Jean Sibelius' Symphony No. 2 in D. "The Rossini is really famous and it's just a really fun...
By Kathaleen Roberts / Journal Staff Writer Bremner Duthie in '33 Kabaret at The Hill Street Theatre, Edinburgh An actor tumbles onto the blackened stage of a ruined theater. When the lights blaze, he finds himself alone. His friends and colleagues have disappeared, arrested by the authorities. Only their glittering and torn costumes remain. Writer and performer Bremner Fletcher Duthie stars in the one-man show " '33 (a kabarett)" at Fusion in echoes of both the Holocaust and the present. A self-described " '30s nerd," Duthie stumbled upon the story of the Eldorado Cabaret in Berlin. An underground club...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief The New Mexico Supreme Court plans to hear oral arguments on Jan. 9 in dispute over a new state congressional map. The state Republican Party filed a lawsuit this year arguing the newly-drawn district boundary lines represent an illegal political gerrymander. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- The New Mexico Supreme Court plans to hear arguments in January on a Republican-backed lawsuit targeting a new state congressional map. In a Friday order, the state's highest court took over control of the case from a state judge in Clovis and directed both sides...
By Juan A. Lozano / Associated Press HOUSTON -- A federal judge ruled Friday that the current version of a federal policy that prevents the deportation of hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the U.S. as children can continue, at least temporarily. U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen -- who last year declared the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program illegal -- said that the policy, which is set to proceed under new regulations at the end of the month, can continue with limitations that he previously set. Those limitations say there can be no new applicants for DACA...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Cultivation assistants Nathaniel Smith, left, and Celestino Flores work inside a growhouse on the 14-acre Ultra Health campus in Bernalillo. (Adria Malcolm/For the Journal) SANTA FE - Five months in, the launch of recreational cannabis sales in New Mexico has meant an enrollment dip in the state's medical marijuana program. After years of rapid growth, enrollment in the medical cannabis program dropped from 133,113 patients as of the end of March to 126,387 patients as of the end of August, according to state Department of Health data. Dominick Zurlo, the division...
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal Fourth in a series. I offered to help Placitas pet parents with their poisoning problem and, well, they took me up on it. The next morning, Gretel, a big hound I already knew, lumbered listlessly through the door. I almost didn't recognize her. Her gums were pale; her respiratory rate increased. A quick check of her blood showed a serious. but not-yet life-threatening. anemia. She'd been allowed to roam loose. This dog was going to make it – if we moved fast enough. I gave the antidote for diphacinone poisoning, vitamin K1, by...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer The Albuquerque Police Department's Crimes Against Children Unit is investigating the suspicious death of a one-year-old boy, Thursday night, according to an APD news release. Officers were dispatched around 9 p.m. to Presbyterian Kaseman Hospital "in reference to a deceased child," APD spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins said in an email. The officers were informed that the child's parents "brought the child into the hospital unresponsive," Atkins said. This is an ongoing investigation and more details will be released as they become available.Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer A little more than six months into the advent of legal recreational cannabis in New Mexico, the landscape is shifting quickly. Pick up the Albuquerque Journal today for a special section, which includes stories on the new industry's job market, supply and demand for product, commercial real estate issues for retailers and an update on where things stand in the state's medical cannabis program. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Hannah Schoenbaum and Stefanie Dazio / Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. -- The shooter who killed five people along a walking trail in North Carolina's capital city is a 15-year-old boy who has been hospitalized in critical condition, police said Friday. Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson told reporters that the suspect opened fire Thursday on a greenway in an area northeast of downtown. He then eluded officers for hours before he was cornered in a home and arrested, police said. A 16-year-old boy and an off-duty police officer were among those killed. Authorities didn't offer any details on a...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Editor's note: The Journal continues its series of stories focusing on key races in this year's general election. SANTA FE – Since taking office in 2019, Stephanie Garcia Richard has overseen record-setting revenue flows into the State Land Office, driven primarily by a surge in oil production in southeast New Mexico. Specifically, the annual earnings recorded by the office that oversees more than 9 million acres of state trust land – plus 13 million subsurface acres – has jumped from roughly [post_excerpt].1 billion during the 2019 budget year to .4 billion in...
By Journal Staff Report Participants cook their dishes during the Junior Chef Competition held in Farmington. (Courtesy of K-12 by Elior) It's never too early to learn how to cook. KOAT-TV introduces some junior chefs who know how to roast a mean green chile. The students and competition will be spotlighted today on KOAT as part of the "Good News File." The Junior Chef Competition just wrapped up in Farmington a few weeks ago and it was a big success. Middle school student Aimee Roop participated with her team, which won best recipe and taste for its green chile...
By Lisa Mascaro, Farnoush Amiri, Eric Tucker / Associated Press WASHINGTON – The House Jan. 6 committee voted unanimously Thursday to subpoena former President Donald Trump, demanding his personal testimony as it unveiled startling new video of close aides describing his multi-part plan to overturn his 2020 election loss, which led to his supporters' fierce assault on the U.S. Capitol. With alarming messages from the U.S. Secret Service warning of violence and vivid new video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other congressional leaders pleading for help, the panel showed the raw desperation at the Capitol. Using language frequently...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Lobo guard K.J. Jenkins shoots a 3-pointer over Denver's Jordan Johnson on Dec. 9, 2021, in the Pit. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal)There's been plenty of chatter around Lobo basketball since the team last walked off the court in March at the Mountain West Conference tournament. Media and fans have been buzzing largely about one of two primary story lines: The return of two all-league guards and the addition of two veteran front-court players tasked with shifting the Lobos' identity from soft and small to big and physical. Maybe you've also heard about the...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Since 2017, the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority has extended water and sewer services to nearly two dozen properties outside the utility’s service area, including The Trails subdivision at Paseo del Norte and Rainbow NW. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Since 2017, the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority has extended water and sewer services to nearly two dozen properties outside the utility's service area. The expansions typically move forward without much discussion from the water authority board. But the most recent proposal prompted questions about how the utility analyzes growth impacts on...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police have arrested the alleged getaway driver — and charged two others — in a 2021 robbery turned homicide that played out in a room at a motel in Northeast Albuquerque. Genea Oliver (MDC) Genea Oliver, 34, is charged with an open count of murder, armed robbery and conspiracy in the April 2 death of 33-year-old Rony Carrera-Flores. She was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center early Thursday morning. The alleged shooter, Christopher Maldonado, 35, and his girlfriend Monique Montano, 32, are facing similar charges and a warrant has been issued for...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A truck driver from Michigan has been accused of setting ablaze nine semitractor-trailers around New Mexico — among dozens across eight states — in an apparent cross-country revenge scheme aimed at his former employer. Viorel Pricop, 64, is charged in federal court with arson of property in interstate commerce in connection with 25 fires set to Swift Transportation semis between June 2020 and Sept. 14. He was arrested Tuesday in Michigan on an arrest warrant issued out of California for one of the fires set in San Bernadino County. Federal authorities used...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas listens Thursday as Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver discusses an advisory issued ahead of the 2022 general election. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — New Mexico's chief elections officer and attorney general issued a joint advisory Thursday reminding voters they have a right to cast their ballot free of intimidation or coercion. They urged voters to report any attempt to interfere with their voting rights to the Attorney General's Office. The warning comes after election workers say they faced increased threats in the 2020 election,...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Since 2017, the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority has extended water and sewer services to nearly two dozen properties outside the utility’s service area, including The Trails subdivision at Paseo del Norte and Rainbow NW. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Since 2017, the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority has extended water and sewer services to nearly two dozen properties outside the utility's service area. The expansions typically move forward without much discussion from the water authority board. But the most recent proposal prompted questions about how the utility analyzes growth impacts on...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Protesters toppled the obelisk that stood in the center of Santa Fe's historic Plaza for more than 150 years during an Indigenous Peoples Day rally on Oct. 12. Originally dedicated as the "Soldiers' Monument," it had long been viewed as a symbol of oppression of Native American people. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Santa Fe's historic Plaza was the scene of a violent clash between police and protesters in 2020 when Native American activists and their allies used cargo straps and chains to pull down a controversial obelisk. One of the men arrested that...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Teacher Lori Armijo helps third grader Justis Hines with a “Mystery Math” activity at Hubert Humphrey Elementary School on Friday. The activity, according to some third graders, makes math much more interesting. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Learning is like a second nature to Aimee Linebarger. A junior at the Albuquerque Institute for Mathematics and Science, or AIMS, Linebarger was one of a few students at the school who got perfect scores on her calculus and language arts Advanced Placement tests. For her, school is like something she can't get enough of. Aimee Linebarger...
By Keith Ridler / Associated Press BOISE, Idaho -- Shipments of nuclear waste from the U.S. Department of Energy's site in eastern Idaho to a nuclear waste repository in New Mexico have resumed following three episodes that caused New Mexico officials to suspend them. An Energy Department official told Idaho officials Tuesday that the New Mexico Environment Department last week gave the OK for shipments from the 890-square-mile (2,300-square-kilometer) site that includes the Idaho National Laboratory to resume to the department's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad. The New Mexico agency suspended the shipments Sept. 14 following problems with...
By Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- The New Mexico agency that oversees professional licenses for thousands of businesses across the state has been the target of a cyber attack. Officials said Thursday there is evidence of unauthorized access of the Regulation and Licensing Department and that some organizations and individuals had their records compromised. They did not say how many people had their data accessed or if only certain areas of the department were targeted. Renee Narvaiz, spokeswoman for the Department of Information Technology, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Their cybersecurity office is still...
By / Eastern New Mexico News The Clovis City Commission has scheduled a special session for Thursday to consider a "sanctuary city for the unborn" ordinance. Mayor Mike Morris said Commissioner David Bryant requested the special session. The meeting is scheduled to start at 5:15 p.m. and there is only one item on the agenda: "Request for approval of introduction of an ordinance requiring abortion providers in the city of Clovis to comply with federal law." Multiple attempts to reach Bryant were unsuccessful. Morris said last week he planned to introduce the proposed ordinance at the commission's regular meeting...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Editor's note: The Journal continues its series of stories focusing on key races in this year's general election. Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Two candidates with a background in county government are campaigning this year to succeed Democrat Tim Eichenberg as state treasurer, a key post that helps manage and invest some of the state's cash. Laura Montoya, a former Sandoval County treasurer, won a brutal primary campaign to emerge as the Democratic nominee this year, setting up a two-person race with Harry Montoya, a Republican who's served on...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Republican candidate Mark Ronchetti face off Wednesday in their second and final televised debate, on KOAT. SANTA FE — Michelle Lujan Grisham and Mark Ronchetti traded insults and harsh jabs in their final televised debate Wednesday as they offered competing visions for New Mexico amid an increasingly bitter governor's race. They clashed on policy proposals — abortion, government spending and crime, among them — but also questioned and criticized each other bluntly. Ronchetti, the Republican challenger, accused Lujan Grisham of hypocrisy for saying she supports and...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A woman sued by a Las Cruces hospital filed a counterclaim this week alleging that Mountain View Regional Medical Center violated a state law that protects low-income patients from collection actions for medical debt. The class action counterclaim alleges that the hospital has illegally sued more than 200 patients without first verifying whether their income protects them from debt collection actions under a 2021 law. Mountain View responded in a written statement Wednesday that it has policies in place to ensure compliance with the law. The action...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Christian artist Katy Nichole is touring in support of her self-titled EP. She is opening for Jeremy Camp in Albuquerque on Tuesday, Oct. 18. (Courtesy of Hanna Burton) Katy Nichole grew up listening to Jeremy Camp. His music is what inspired her to be a musician, songwriter and worship leader. Today, the 22-year-old musician finds herself in the opening slot for Camp's "I Still Believe Tour," which makes a stop at Calvary Church in Albuquerque. "I'm absolutely thrilled to have this opportunity," Nichole says. "Making music is something I've always...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor The documentary “Vincent Who?” will screen on Saturday, Oct. 15, at Grace Church. (Courtesy of Albuquerque Chinese American Film Festival) Telling stories of a community is educational – and priceless. This is the reason Paul Jew diligently works to make the Albuquerque Chinese American Film Festival come to life. The film festival is in its sixth year and continues to draw an audience. Jew along with others in the community plan for months to create a full day of film and discussion. This year's festival takes place from 9 a.m.-5:30...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer A woman sued by a Las Cruces hospital filed a counterclaim this week alleging that Mountain View Regional Medical Center violated a state law that protects low-income patients from collection actions for medical debt. The class action counterclaim alleges that the hospital has illegally sued more than 200 patients without first verifying whether their income protects them from debt collection actions under a 2021 law. Mountain View responded in a written statement Wednesday that it has policies in place to ensure compliance with the law. The action was filed Tuesday by the...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer Join the home squad for Blackout Night as they take on the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park, 1601 Avenida Cesar Chavez SE. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal) Though it's getting colder outsider, there are still lots of fun activities to partake in locally. Whether it is Music in Corrales or the Electric Playhouse, there is something for everyone. NM United Join the home squad for Blackout Night as they take on the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at 7...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer Up-and-coming blues singer-songwriter Cody Jasper is headlining the 10th Annual Blues Festival being held at The Historic Lobo Theater Friday and Saturday. (Courtesy of Phil and Linda Oliveira) Singing the blues is an outlet, and Phil and Linda Oliveira aim to provide hope through the famed style of music to those who need it most. The Oliveiras have organized their 10th Annual Blues Festival, which will take place Friday, Oct. 14, and Saturday, Oct. 15, at The Historic Lobo Theater. The fundraiser's mission is to help challenged youth find their path to...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Jeremy Camp has been making music for more than 20 years. He will bring his “I Still Believe Tour” to Albuquerque on Tuesday, Oct. 18. (Courtesy of CMA Media Promotions) Jeremy Camp's life lately has been full speed ahead. He and his family returned from a recent trip – one that he is cherishing because his children are getting older. The traveling life is welcome after nearly two years of being off the road due to the pandemic. "It's nonstop but it's not like a busy where I don't feel...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police investigate after a man was fatally struck by a driver while working on his vehicle Monday afternoon in Southeast Albuquerque. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) A driver has yet to be charged after allegedly striking a man who was working on his own vehicle, killing him, and running off on Monday in Southeast Albuquerque. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman, said the investigation is ongoing. She said police responded sometime before 5:30 p.m. to a crash in the 900 block of Wilmoore SE, near Yale and Avenida Cesar Chavez. The man who...
By Rozanna M. Martinez / For the Journal Some of the Rowley Farmhouse Ales crew pose for a photo after taking gold for its Gradissant-Montmorency Cherry at the Great American Beer Festival. (Courtesy of the Brewers Association) This year four New Mexico breweries brought home medals from the Great American Beer Festival recently held in Denver. Santa Fe's Rowley Farmhouse Ales took the gold medal for its Gradissant-Montmorency Cherry in the Belgian Fruit Beer category, which had entries from 66 breweries. Gradissant-Montmorency Cherry is part of a four pack box set that is available in limited numbers at the...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Lamb of God released its album “Omens” on Oct. 7, and will perform at Isleta Amphitheater on Saturday, Oct. 15. (Courtesy of Travis Shin) Mark Morton needs some down time after arriving home from a European tour. "I'm at home for a minute and then we head back out on the road for the tour again," Morton says. "I have time to wash all my laundry." Life on the road is something Morton has gotten used to as part of the heavy metal band Lamb of God. The band is...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police have arrested a man accused of opening fire inside a night club during a fight early last month in the North Valley. Oscar Valdez (MDC) Oscar Valdez, 29, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, shooting at or from a motor vehicle and unlawful carrying of a firearm in a liquor establishment in connection with the Sept. 1 incident. Valdez was arrested Tuesday and booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center. It is unclear if he has an attorney, and his family declined to comment. Valdez and another man...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Fashion designer Doug Wiggins, 25, works on creating wearable art using recycled materials inside his workshop at this home in Albuquerque. Wiggins has been designing and creating since 2019 and has grown a large following on social media. Wiggins will host a canned food drive to donate to Storehouse New Mexico. (Chancey Bush/Journal) By day Doug Wiggins puts his creative touch on fashion. It's a career where he is a company of one. Growing up in New Mexico, Wiggins has experienced his share of hardship. Which is why his design...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District and New Mexico Game and Fish received a ,000 grant to study crops that grow well in salty soil on this section of the Bernardo Wildlife Refuge in Socorro County. The New Mexico Agriculture Department awarded [post_excerpt].1 million to 50 groups. (Courtesy MRGCD) Healthy soil soaks up water and helps organic material thrive in an ecosystem beneath the surface. The New Mexico Agriculture Department has awarded [post_excerpt].1 million for soil projects, the agency announced Wednesday. The funding is the most awarded in a single year since...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Michael Trent and Carry Ann Hearst are the masterminds behind the duo Shovels & Rope. The band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18 in Santa Fe. (Courtesy of Ryan McKellar) A decade has passed since Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent released their debut album for Dualtone Records, "O' Be Joyful." Since then, the husband-wife duo, known as Shovels & Rope, have toured the country, become parents and released seven full-length records. The latest album is "Manticore." The duo is back on the road and will make a...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief John Eastman SANTA FE -- John Eastman, a lawyer who advised former President Donald Trump in his failed bid to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, donated 0 last month to Mark Ronchetti's campaign for governor. The Sept. 27 donation, which was included in a mandatory campaign finance report filed Tuesday, is one of several individual contributions to Ronchetti's campaign that have been singled out for criticism by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's campaign. Ronchetti campaign spokesman Ryan Sabel said Wednesday the donation was indicative of broad support for the GOP candidate,...
By Dave Collins / Associated Press WATERBURY, Conn. -- The conspiracy theorist Alex Jones should pay 5 million to people who suffered from his false claim that the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a hoax, a jury in Connecticut decided Wednesday. The verdict is the second big judgment against the Infowars host over his relentless promotion of the lie that the 2012 massacre never happened, and that the grieving families seen in news coverage were actors hired as part of a plot to take away people's guns. It came in a lawsuit filed by the relatives of five...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor The Barbie Truck Totally Throwback Malibu Tour is making a stop in the Duke City on Saturday, Oct. 15. (Courtesy of Barbie Malibu Tour) It's a Barbie world — and we're all living in it. From 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, the Barbie Truck Totally Throwback Malibu Tour is making a stop in the Duke City. The truck makes stops around the United States where it sells exclusive retro-inspired merchandise. The tour is done to mark the 50th anniversary of the original Calfiornia girl — Malibu Barbie. The truck...
By Colleen Hield The Archdiocese of Santa Fe filed its plan of bankruptcy reorganization to compensate abuse survivors more than 1 million, with another million promised by the Servants of the Paraclete, whose main building is pictured here in 2010. (Rose Palmisano/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Journal investigative reporter The Archdiocese of Santa Fe on Tuesday filed its long-awaited plan of bankruptcy reorganization to compensate nearly 400 clergy abuse survivors more than 1 million, with an additional million promised by the Servants of the Paraclete, which ran a national treatment center that funneled dozens of...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Editor's note: The Journal continues its series of stories focusing on key races in this year's general election. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, D-N.M., said when her children were little, every Election Day she would take them on "democracy parades" to a local polling place in the tiny town of Chupadero so they could get a front-row seat to the democratic process. "I was raised in a household that truly believed in democracy. I often tell the story of my grandmother, who when she was literally on hospice...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A young man prosecuted as a juvenile in 2021 for threatening to commit a "mass casualty event" was released on federal probation under strict requirements, including that he submit to monitoring software on his computer. He was also barred from communicating with another juvenile about their mutual desires to inflict harm. But newly unsealed records show the FBI in New Mexico, assisted by U.S. Probation officers, is investigating new dossiers and manifestos purportedly written by the man, identified as Ian Burns. In one entry in his seized...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer (Liam DeBonis/for the Albuquerque Journal) Essential workers in Bernalillo County's private sector will soon be eligible for a ,000 government-funded grant. The county commission on Tuesday unanimously approved allocating million for premium pay bonuses to private-sector employees for "retention and recognition of essential work in sectors deemed critical to the health and well-being of (county) residents," according to a summary of the proposal. That includes people who make or less per hour while working in a range of industries, including restaurants, grocery stores, nursing homes, warehouses and more, according to...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Barbs are flying between the Democratic and Republican candidates for Bernalillo County Sheriff — with one campaign alleging collusion with the sitting Sheriff and the other referencing a decades-old civil rights violation lawsuit. Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) On June 7, the day of the primary election, current Sheriff Manuel Gonzales submitted seven misconduct reports to the state's Department of Public Safety appearing to allege that Democratic candidate John Allen had committed overtime abuse as a sergeant years ago. Allen retired from BCSO in December 2019. The alleged misconduct...
By Associated Press ESPANOLA, N.M. -- New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas is one of four finalists being considered for president of Northern New Mexico College, according to media reports. Balderas is leaving office at the end of this year. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that another finalist is Dr. Patricia Trujillo, the deputy secretary of the state's Higher Education Department and who hails from Española Valley. The other two finalists are from outside New Mexico: Dr. Bruno G. Hicks, vice president of academic affairs at Dalton State College in Georgia, and Dr. David L. Johns, president of...
By Dan Boyd and Dan McKay / Journal Capitol Bureau Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham and Republican Mark Ronchetti. (Images courtesy of the candidates) SANTA FE — Republican Mark Ronchetti outraised Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham during a recent four-week reporting period, leaving him with a heftier campaign war chest to go after the incumbent governor during the final run-up to Election Day. The reports filed Tuesday by both candidates show this year's race for governor could be one of the most expensive — if not the most expensive — in state history, as Ronchetti has now raised more than .8...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County has hired a new chief for the Metropolitan Detention Center — a man who has spent more than 27 years working at eight different facilities and is now a warden in southern Texas. Jason Jones, the new chief of the Metropolitan Detention Center (Bernalillo County) Jason Jones will start the job on Oct. 25. He replaces Rosanne Otero Gonzales, who was serving on an interim basis after Greg Richardson retired at the end of June. "The county will continue to support and provide a safe and secure facility for our...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Hawthorne Elementary School fourth grade teacher Catherine Houska leads an attentive class on their first day back from summer break. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) While New Mexico's still a way off from having all the teachers it needs, there seems to be a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. The number of teacher vacancies in the state is down to about 690 open positions, according to this year's report by New Mexico State University's Southwest Outreach Academic Research Evaluation & Policy Center, also known as SOAR. That's a 34% decrease...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — A proposal to update how sexual harassment investigations are conducted at the Roundhouse failed on a tie vote Tuesday, even as Democratic and Republican lawmakers alike called for a change in culture at the Legislature. The proposed policy would have added an outside attorney — not a member of the Legislature — to a key panel that investigates harassment complaints lodged against lawmakers in a largely secretive internal process. The lawyer would have served as chairperson of the investigative subcommittee convened...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer A long line forms during the predawn hours as people make their way to enter Balloon Fiesta Park during the second day of this year’s Balloon Fiesta. Half of the fiesta’s sessions this year were canceled because of weather. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Days after the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta wound up, people were still talking about it on social media. Many of them noted that half of the sessions had been canceled because of inclement weather and they wondered if they were entitled to a rain check. Although the fiesta does...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County will be doing used syringe cleanup and harm reduction Wednesday afternoon in Downtown Albuquerque. Thom Thorpe, Bernalillo County spokesman, said the efforts will kick off the upcoming keepNMalive fentanyl awareness campaign. He said the cleanup will go from 2 p.m. to 3:30 and anyone willing to volunteer can meet at Second and Tijeras NW. “Discarded syringes and needles are just an unfortunate byproduct of certain substance use,” county Behavioral Health Services Director Margarita Chavez said in a release. “This is an excellent learning experience for all citizens and a chance...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The state is getting federal dollars to help boost small business investment across New Mexico. The New Mexico Economic Development Department on Tuesday announced the state received .4 million from the U.S. Department of Treasury's State Small Business Credit Initiative. The money will be used to "boost capital assistance and invest in socially and economically disadvantaged businesses," according to the release. The state's Economic Development Department will use the money for venture capital/equity and collateral support programs. EDD said it will work with California-based Avivar Capital to...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer As a precaution against highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, the Penguin Chill exhibit at the ABQ BioPark Zoo has been closed until further notice, BioPark officials said Tuesday. Most of the birds at the BioPark, including at Heritage Farms on the grounds of the Botanic Garden, were removed to their indoor shelters last week. Dr. Carol Bradford, the BioPark's senior veterinarian, said some birds at the zoo remain on exhibit, but their enclosures have been covered with tarps. Thus far, no birds at the BioPark have tested positive for the virus,...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer A for sale sign hangs outside of a home at 6221 Agate NW. The median sales price stood at 0,000 for a single-family detached home in the Albuquerque metro area in September. (Liam DeBonis/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The inventory of homes for sale has increased in Albuquerque's metro area in September, but so too has the median sales price for a single-family detached home. In September, the inventory stood at 1,408. There were also 1,027 new listings, according to a report from the Greater Albuquerque Association of Realtors. The inventory...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM guards Jaelen House, left, and Jamal Mashburn, Jr., right, combined to average more than 35 points per game last season. Now, heading into the 2022-23 season, the team leaders say the pieces are in place to return Lobo basketball to the postseason. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal)Talking Grammer Podcast · Ep 49: Jaelen House and Jamal Mashburn Jr. (TG 10.10.22)There wasn't a tougher backcourt duo to guard in the Mountain West Conference a season ago than the starting one-two punch for the UNM Lobos. Between shooting guard Jamal Mashburn Jr. (18.2 points per game)...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Technician Angela Gallegos helps to certify Election Voting Machines on October 10, 2022, at the Bernalillo County Board of Elections Warehouse as Early in-Person Voting starts Tuesday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Voting is set to begin Tuesday as New Mexico plunges into the final four-week stretch before Election Day with competitive races for governor and Congress at stake. County clerks throughout the state will start mailing absentee ballots Tuesday and each county will open one in-person voting site – timed to coincide with the last...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Siihasin Hope, from the Navajo Nation, leads a chant around the Kit Carson Memorial in Santa Fe, Monday October 10, 2022. Over 100 people marched and protested around the monument on Indigenous People Day. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Monday used her authority to rescind four proclamations issued by territorial governors in the 1850s and 1860s, citing a history of "shameful" government cruelty toward Native Americans that continues to reverberate. The proclamations rescinded via executive order on Indigenous Peoples Day,...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Gabe Vasquez, left, and Yvette Herrell Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Editor's Note: The Journal continues its series of stories focusing on key races in this year's general election. Just a few days into her term, hours after lawmakers were rushed to safety when a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, Rep. Yvette Herrell voted against certifying the election results in Pennsylvania and Arizona. She was one of 147 Republicans who joined a coordinated effort to object to the certification of President Biden's victory over former President Donald Trump in a handful...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A Valencia County woman alleges in a lawsuit that, as a girl, she was repeatedly sexually abused by the youth minister at a church-run school in Truth or Consequences. The woman, who was born in 1988, said she was abused from sixth through eighth grades while attending a school operated by a church affiliated with the Assemblies of God, the lawsuit alleges. It was filed Sept. 19 in 2nd Judicial District Court. The unidentified woman alleges the abuse began when she took piano lessons from a man...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Talking Grammer Podcast · Ep 49: Jaelen House and Jamal Mashburn Jr. (TG 10.10.22) In Episode 49 of the Talking Grammer podcast, I have a conversation with the Lobos' two returning All-Mountain West guards, Jaelen House and Jamal Mashburn Jr., about what they learned in Year 1 at UNM about themselves and each other, and what fans should expect from Year 2 from the highest scoring returning backcourt in the league. Both have NCAA Tournament expectations, but don't shy away from acknowledging the work starts with defense. An article using excerpts from...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller is proposing the city implement ranked choice voting for mayoral and city councilor races. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal file) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque leaders are slated to take a second look at ranked-choice voting, with Mayor Tim Keller backing a new proposal to change the way city voters mark their ballots. The City Council swatted down similar legislation three years ago, but Keller is pushing for ranked choice as a way to eliminate runoff elections and save the city money. Winning elected office in Albuquerque city government...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police officers investigate a fatal crash near Wilmmore SE near Avenida Cesar Chavez and Yale on Monday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) One person is dead after a crash in southeast Albuquerque, according to police. Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said police were called Monday afternoon to the 900 block of Wilmoore SE. One vehicle had crashed into another parked, disabled vehicle. DeAguero said one person died as a result of their injuries. He said police have closed the areas around the crash site as part of the investigation.Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Dashboard camera video shows Colby Atkins pointing an object at a nearby van on Sept. 20, 2022 before he was shot by Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputies. The object in his hand turned out to be a flashlight. (Courtesy BCSO) Six Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputies mistook a black flashlight a man appeared to be pointing at civilians for a handgun when they fired at him more than a dozen times, killing him, last month. At a news conference Monday morning, Chief Deputy Nicholas Huffmyer showed video of Colby Atkins standing outside of a...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Siihasin Hope, from the Navajo Nation, leads a chant Monday at the Kit Carson memorial in Santa Fe. More than 100 people marched and protested around the monument on Indigenous Peoples' Day. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — Protesters marched through downtown Santa Fe on Monday, shouted at tourists and called for the removal of a monument to Kit Carson — citing his role in the Long Walk of 1864, which forced Navajo families from their land. The two-hour demonstration ended with some protesters splashing red and yellow paint on the monument...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Candidates for New Mexico's 1st Congressional District Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal With a little more than a month to go before Election Day, U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury took to a microphone in the backyard of a home in Nob Hill and tried to drum up enthusiasm with a 10-minute speech before a crowd of supporters. "This is a very serious moment in our democracy," she said, leading the crowd in several chants. "Literally, everything is on the line." Stansbury, the Democratic incumbent, is trying to hold onto her seat representing New...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer The Jewish community of Las Vegas, New Mexico, orchestrated a fundraising effort that allowed it to buy this building, constructed in the 1880s as the first Jewish place of worship in New Mexico Territory, from the Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe. (EDDIE MOORE/JOURNAL) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It seemed like an impossible dream. Raise 0,000 in just a few weeks to buy back a priceless part of a community's heritage. That was the challenge facing the Jewish citizens of Las Vegas, New Mexico, who seized on the opportunity to purchase...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A new cavalry – in the form of behavioral health counselors – may be on its way to New Mexico schools. The state Public Education Department is proposing a new rule that would establish a path for those hoping to get a school behavioral health counseling license. But why now? Behavioral Health Program Coordinator Leslie Kelly said talks surrounding the proposal, which is aimed at addressing a longstanding need in New Mexico for behavioral health services in schools, have been going on for years. But recently, needs...
By Terry Tang / Associated Press "Woman-Ochre," a painting by Willem de Kooning, is readied for examination by University of Arizona Museum of Art staff Nathan Saxton, left, and Kristen Schmidt in Tucson, Ariz., in August 2017. After the painting was stolen in 1985 from an Arizona museum, staff clung to the hope that it would turn up one day. The oil painting is finally back home and ready to be shown. It will be the centerpiece of an exhibition that opened Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, and runs until May 2023 at the University of Arizona Museum of Art....
By Ellen Marks / For the Journal South Valley farmer Lorenzo Candelaria is dealing with threatened Rio Grande water supplies by developing a drought-tolerant strain of corn seed. He also makes use of the whole plant, including the pollen and the husks. (Ellen Marks/For the Journal) Ask this seventh-generation South Valley farmer about the secret to this year's bumper blackberry crop and he'll tell you this: "We grow millions of plants here, but we harvest only one thing, and that one thing is consciousness. And that's the (secret.) The rest of it you can pick up in a book."...
By Jerry Pacheco / For the Journal A cargo truck at the Santa Teresa Port of Entry, where CBP is expected to receive new inspection equipment. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) We are in another election season, and issues are being dissected and accusations are flung around by candidates of all parties. As has become customary during this season, the U.S.-Mexico border is again being used as a punching bag by candidates purporting to be tough on drugs and illegal immigration. One term that is constantly bandied about by candidates that irritates me is the term "open borders," which implies that...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Various homes are under construction by Hakes Brothers in Rio Rancho. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Mackenzie Bishop, co-owner of Abrazo Homes, says this has been the best year for his business when it comes to building homes. The local homebuilder, which has been around since 2010, is on track to build about 150 houses in the Albuquerque metro area. Bishop said the business is also on track to finish about 30 to 40 homes in Santa Fe. Twilight Homes has built more than 2,000 homes since its inception in 2008. Last year, the homebuilder...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer The rainy weather pictured falling in the early morning hours Saturday at Balloon Fiesta Park, cancelling the mass ascension, returned in the evening, cancelling the balloon glow. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Weather canceled the balloon glow Saturday evening for the second night in a row. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, on Twitter, said the glow had been canceled but drone and fireworks show were "still scheduled to take place." "More information to come, as officials monitor weather system at Balloon Fiesta Park," according to the tweet. The cancellation comes a day after...
By Lester Clements II / Vice President, Preferred Lending Market Leader, Bank of America New Mexico Lester Clements II Renters across the nation are facing record-breaking annual increases in rent. In Bernalillo County, average monthly rents have increased by 20.8% since the start of the pandemic, meaning Albuquerque residents must sacrifice a larger portion of their income to keep up. Owning a home, on the other hand, is a hedge against inflation and can protect you from increasing rent prices. But buyers who are currently renting may find themselves struggling to save for the upfront costs of homeownership. Moreover,...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Well, Friday evening at the Balloon Fiesta went over like a wet balloon. Thousands had to run for cover in buses and elsewhere when a microburst — packing torrential rain and the crack of nearby thunder and lightning — hit during the scheduled Special Shape Glowdeo. By Saturday morning, “Project Dry Out” commenced with 50 balloons, including the fiesta’s most famous faces, drying out inside several big enough facilities from Albuquerque to Rio Rancho. Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta spokesman Tom Garrity said the dry-out was needed to “protect the fragile envelopes.” He...
By Susan Montoya Bryan/Associated Press KIRTLAND, N.M. (AP) — The clamor of second graders breaking away from lessons to form lunch lines has gotten quieter in a rural New Mexico community, where families losing coal jobs have been forced to pack up and leave in search of work. At Judy Nelson Elementary, 1 in 4 students have left in an exodus spurred by decisions made five years ago to shutter a coal-fired power plant and mine that sit just up the road from the school in a largely Navajo community. The plant and mine had provided electricity to millions...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Santa Fe Police ordered several businesses in the downtown area and a high school to shelter in place on Friday after a man allegedly made threats to shoot relatives and "destroy" his tattoo shop. Anthony Temer (Santa Fe Police) Santa Fe Deputy Chief Ben Valdez said officers arrested 44-year-old Anthony Temer at his tattoo shop Ikigai Tattoo & Body Piercing on East Marcy. Valdez said police found two rifles in Temer's vehicle in front of the shop. He said Temer has been charged with unlawful use of a telephone and was taken...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Both directions of Interstate 25 are closed at Montgomery after a person reportedly jumped from the overpass Saturday afternoon. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque police spokeswoman, said the person who jumped off the bridge was pronounced dead at the scene. She said all traffic is being diverted off of I-25 at the Montgomery exits.Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Retiring Albuquerque pilot Elaine Thacher, 85, fires up the burners on her hot air balloon Saturday morning. For Thacher, the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta will be her last. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Nothing could dampen the spirit of balloon pilot Elaine Thacher — not the thick clouds blanketing the sky and obscuring the Sandias, not the 50-degree temperatures, not even the light mist that fell nonstop over Balloon Fiesta Park, making an already soggy launch field even wetter. It's was all good to Thacher, who at 85 was the oldest pilot...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Chalk up another one to bad weather. Thousands of people were disappointed as Saturday morning's mass ascension got canceled as a light mist rained down nonstop over the launch field at Balloon Fiesta Park, already made soggy by a cloudburst on Friday evening. Still, a number of pilots set their gondolas on the ground, periodically triggering the propane burners and letting loose a roaring plume of flame high into the air to the delight of visitors who had gathered around them. Vendors remained quite busy as people began streaming in to the...
By ABQJournal News Staff The field at Balloon Fiesta Park was wet and the skies were cloudy, but hundreds of hot air balloons were able to launch Friday morning for a mass ascension during the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The event's final weekend starts today, and organizers, balloonists and visitors alike are crossing their fingers for more breaks in the rainy forecast. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Fiesta Daily Schedule SATURDAY, OCT. 8 A.M. 6: Dawn Patrol Show 6:30: Krispy Kreme Morning Glow 7: Mass Ascension 8-noon: Chainsaw Carving Exhibition 11: Chainsaw Carving Auction 11: Balloon Fiesta Pin Trading (Group...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The families of two people who died in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in 2020 have filed lawsuits against Bernalillo County, the jail and medical staff alleging they failed to treat the inmates for withdrawal symptoms. Both deaths occurred during a deadly year for the state's largest jail, where nine inmates died between April 2020 and January 2021. Six of those people died while detoxing from drugs or alcohol. The lawsuits were filed on behalf of the survivors of Joleen Nez, 38, who died in January...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Vying to be Bernalillo County's next top cop are two retired law enforcement officers – one who wants to reform the agency and the other who wants to return to policing's roots – and a man who tangled with the sitting sheriff during the notorious "Dongcopter" incident of the mayoral race last year. On the Democratic side, there's John Allen, who served with the New Mexico State Police for four years before joining the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office in 2001. The 47-year-old is running as a "reform-minded"...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Project ECHO, the University of New Mexico's medical education and care management network, in September launched two new programs aimed at helping educate clinicians across the state in geriatric and palliative care. Dr. Heather Brislen, a private practice clinician and co-medical director of the New Mexico Care of the Older Patient ECHO, is helping lead the geriatric care program for Project ECHO. Dr. Nitin Budhwar, an associate professor with UNM's Department of Internal Medicine and chief of the Division of Geriatric Medicine, is also serving as the ECHO program's co-medical director. The...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Kyle Williams (MDC) A staff member working at the West Side homeless shelter in Albuquerque was stabbed by a resident Friday morning, police say. Kyle Williams, 31, is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in the incident. He has been booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center. It is unclear if Williams has an attorney. The employee who was stabbed is in stable condition and expected to recover. According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court: Albuquerque police responded around 7:15 a.m. to a reported...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Cleanup has started on an asphalt emulsion spill northeast of Silver City along N.M. 15, the New Mexico Environment Department said Friday. (Gila National Forest) Cleanup has started on an asphalt emulsion spill northeast of Silver City near Meadow Creek along N.M. 15, the New Mexico Environment Department said Friday. The spill happened on Sept. 26 when a truck owned by R. Marley LLC overturned. An unknown amount of asphalt, water and a binding agent spilled into a drainage and a tributary of the Gila River. The company didn't report the spill....
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Authorities arrested three teenage boys in a shooting that left a woman dead and her son injured Wednesday morning in Taos. New Mexico State Police spokesman Mark Soriano said officers arrested Javier Romero, 16, and 14-year-olds Elijah Hamilton and Rickey Fresquez. He said all three are charged with an open count of murder, aggravated burglary, aggravated battery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the shooting, which left Shirley Reyes, 52, dead and her 19-year-old son injured. Soriano said Reyes' son was taken to a hospital...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer The ABQ BioPark is temporarily moving many birds indoors to protect them from highly pathogenic avian influenza. New Mexico confirmed its first avian influenza case this year on Oct. 6. The virus affected a non-commercial backyard flock of 40 chickens and ducks in Bernalillo County. "Some birds will remain in their habitats with coverings to protect them from exposure to wild birds in the area," BioPark officials said in a news release. No BioPark birds are currently exhibiting any symptoms of HPAI. The zoo also moved the birds indoors in April during...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer APD Chief Harold Medina on Friday announced a new incentive program to help attract and retain police officers. (Liam DeBonis /Albuquerque Journal) Police officers with 19 years of service credit through the Public Employees Retirement Association, or PERA, are being offered a [post_excerpt],500-a-month incentive to remain with the Albuquerque Police Department instead of retiring. That translates to ,000 a year. In addition, the department will pick up 100% of the officers' medical benefits. The measures are part of a newly approved retention package APD Chief Harold Medina unveiled Friday. The incentives, he...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A hot air balloon crashed Friday morning in Northwest Albuquerque. The Albuquerque Police Department on Twitter said it had closed eastbound Paseo del Norte at Coors because of the crash. The department gave no other details.Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal Third in a series. There were no Nextdoor or Facebook apps in the late '70s, but word spread fast. A meeting was organized quickly at the elementary school in Placitas featuring Dr. Firestone, a local pediatrician, plus a young veterinarian with sweaty palms. Ah, that was me. Being sought out as an expert on a toxin I had only just learned existed was a bit daunting. I spoke with Dr. Claire Hibbs, veterinary pathologist at the newly created New Mexico Veterinary Diagnostic lab. He sent the information he had by U.S. post. (No...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer A Tesla vehicle is parked Friday at the Santa Ana Pueblo site where Tesla plans to open its second New Mexico dealership. (Eddie Moore/Journal) Tesla is planning to open a dealership on Santa Ana Pueblo land, officials announced Friday. It will be the second New Mexico dealership for the Austin-based company. The announcement comes just over a year after the first dealership was opened on Nambé Pueblo land in September 2021. Although New Mexico prohibits direct-to-consumer car sales — which is the only type of sales that Tesla makes — as sovereign...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM men’s basketball coach Richard Pitino, right, gives instructions to guard Braden Appelhans during a Sept. 28 practice. The Lobos’ 2022-23 schedule has undergone some minor changes. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) So, about that Lobo hoops schedule released a little over a month ago. There have been some tweaks. The Mountain West Conference on Thursday announced its complete television schedule for the coming 2022-23 men's basketball season. The good news for Lobo men's basketball fans is that all 18 conference games will be on actual television channels — CBS Sports Network or FS1 —...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It's always the season to help support those less fortunate than you. Since the pandemic started, James Moore has been taking pizza and other food, and also buying Christmas gifts for the children at the Amistad shelter and New Day Youth and Family Services. James Moore Known by some of his peers as "Pandemic Pizza Man," Moore has been doing his best to assist those in need since the start of the pandemic. "I go to the Pizza 9 on Eubank during the second and the fourth...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Clouds hang over the Sandia Mountains as thousands gather at Balloon Fiesta Park to view the Special Shape Rodeo on Thursday morning. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal From Latin America to Northern Europe, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta's Special Shape Rodeo featured balloon pilots from all over the world. Almost 120 balloonists participated in Thursday morning's rodeo, including a dinosaur named Steggy from Brazil. Steggy's pilot, George Ary, has made the long trek to Albuquerque for six years now. He has been a balloon pilot for 26 years. Steggy,...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Albuquerque Police Department says drivers have slowed down in at least one problem area since speed cameras were installed along dangerous stretches. APD spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins said two cameras placed on Gibson, near San Mateo, recorded a 70% and 50% drop in drivers going more than 20 mph and 10 mph over the speed limit, respectively. The cameras have also recorded a decrease of 4 to 5 mph in the average speed there. The company that owns the cameras, NovoaGlobal, has not given APD a report...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE – Former Vice President Mike Pence visited Roswell on Thursday to campaign for Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti – the latest in a string of GOP heavyweights to stop in New Mexico ahead of the Nov. 8 election. Ronchetti has also campaigned with three Republican governors – Doug Ducey of Arizona, Ron DeSantis of Florida and Glenn Youngkin of Virginia – as he seeks to unseat incumbent Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham. "The momentum is clearly with the Ronchetti campaign following the recent TV debate and we're excited that former Vice...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Alix Hudson, a teacher at El Camino Real Academy in Santa Fe, interacts with a student in this March 2021 file photo. New Mexico early childhood care workers could be eligible for per hour pay supplements under a program announced Thursday by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. (Eddie Moore/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Early childhood workers in New Mexico could see their pay levels increase by more than ,000 per year, under a plan released by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham that will use federal relief funds –...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer A non-commercial flock of chickens and ducks in Bernalillo County has tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, the New Mexico Agriculture Department said on Thursday. About 40 birds were affected in the state's first case of avian influenza this year. Alexandra Eckhoff, a veterinarian with the New Mexico Livestock Board, said the state submitted tests from the flock to a national lab after the landowner called to report the sick and dying birds. "It's not uncommon for the occasional chicken to die," Eckhoff said. "But when we end up having anything...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Deseree McDaugale and her son Tuscany, 2, ride the ‘Balloon Fiesta’ Ferris wheel on Main Street during the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. (Chancey Bush/albuquerque journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal For this year's Balloon Fiesta, restaurateur Marcus Cassimus decided to try his hand at something new – being a carny. "I hate that description," he said. "That's not what I'm doing or who I am." Even if exaggerated, the description is not completely inaccurate. The longtime owner of Hello Deli in Albuquerque had been a nearly 30-year fixture on Main Street...
By Rozanna M. Martinez / For the Journal Vara Winery & Distillery’s sparkling winemaker, Laurent Gruet, has released two new sparkling wines. (Courtesy of Vara Winery & Distillery) Effervescent selections created by renowned vintner Laurent Gruet are some of Vara Winery & Distillery's new offerings. Gruet, who joined the Vara team in December 2020 as partner and sparkling winemaker, has released Silverhead Brut NV and Silverhead Brut Rosado NV. "Coming from Champagne, France, and making sparkling wine all my life, I believe in producing traditional method wines that are of the quality of Champagne," Gruet stated in a news...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – At least a handful of Democratic and Republican candidates for the Legislature didn't disclose tax liens in response to Journal questionnaires. Liens are typically filed to secure the payment of unpaid taxes. In formal notices, the state Taxation and Revenue Department usually warns the person that their property may be taken to satisfy the debt. Each election cycle, the Journal asks candidates to disclose tax liens, bankruptcies and arrests. But at least three candidates this year...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Sandoval County Sheriff's deputies and Bernalillo Police officers say the man they shot in Bernalillo on Monday afternoon had pointed a rifle at them. Gary Lee DeSanctis, a 51-year-old from Rio Rancho, was killed. The New Mexico State Police investigations bureau is investigating. Officer Ray Wilson, a State Police spokesman, said around 3:30 p.m. deputies and officers were called to Bosque Loop, near the Rio Grande, by a woman who said a man was on her property and was armed with a rifle. Wilson did not say...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer The mural along Montaño Bridge is among over 1,400 works of public art in Albuquerque and is in need of restoration. The city council approved a 50% funding increase for the public art program, boosting the money available for restoration. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Burque Rio Sunset needs a little love. The tile-like mural along the Montaño Bridge – one of about 1,400 pieces of public art in the city of Albuquerque's collection – is now a quarter-century old and could use some restoration. City Arts and Culture Director...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor A person is in custody after police activity caused a shelter-in-place at Coronado Elementary School Wednesday. "The individual was safely taken into custody," an email from police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said. Albuquerque police officers had worked to make contact with a person who they said was possibly armed with a weapon, according to an email from Gallegos. "APD officers are trying to make contact with subject, possibly armed with a weapon, in the area of Fifth Street SW between Stover Ave. and Iron Ave.," an email from Gallegos initially said. "Coronado...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer A school bus crashed near Mescalero Wednesday morning. (New Mexico Department of Transportation) A school bus taking 8th grade students to an event in Las Cruces crashed in Lincoln County Wednesday morning, causing minor injuries. The Roswell Independent School District said the bus was carrying students from Mountain View Middle School when it "ran off the road and into a ditch" between Mescalero and Tularosa. It rolled over onto its side. It said only minor injuries were reported and students were taken to hospitals for treatment and assessment. New Mexico State Police...
By Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- New Mexico health officials are renewing a public order aimed at protecting newborn babies from syphilis. The state Health Department on Wednesday announced requirements that medical providers follow best practices by testing all pregnant women for syphilis multiple times. The agency says that New Mexico had the highest rate of congenital syphilis cases among states in 2020, when there were 42 local cases of newborn babies contracting the disease from their mothers. That is the most recent year for finalized federal statistics. Syphilis is a bacterial disease that surfaces as genital sores...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer The Albuquerque Folk Festival brings together various musicians to perform together with some educational aspects. (Courtesy of Jerry Kelley) This Sunday, Albuquerque Folk Festival invites you to come out and help celebrate its 24th year at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 Fourth St. SW, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Albuquerque Folk Festival will feature multiple stages, performances, dancing, multiple participatory workshops and activities. "The music is really good and there's even a welcome stage so there will be four stages during the daytime," said Rose Day, publicity director. "As people...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer Monster Jam will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7; 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8; and 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9, at Tingley Coliseum, 300 San Pedro NE. As we head into October it's the season to get out of your house and do something fun. The University of New Mexico has multiple home games this week and the USWNT takes on rival England. It is the perfect time for a pumpkin ale if you ask me. To the market From 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, visit Backyard...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer The 2022 America's Challenge Gas Balloon Race is canceled, event officials announced Wednesday after several days of weather delays. The distance competition was originally scheduled to start on Saturday. Teams from five countries had been eager to lift off from Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque. But at a Wednesday afternoon briefing, meteorologist Randy Lefevre said there "was no hope" that the weather would allow for a safe launch before the race window closed at midnight. Weather also canceled the race in 2009 and 2015. Balloon Fiesta events this week have been plagued...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer Welsh alternative rockers The Joy Formidable are scheduled to play at The Historic El Rey Theater on Wednesday, Oct. 12. (Courtesy of The Joy Formidable) The Joy Formidable aims to remind people music can always inspire and thrive no matter the times. The alternative rock band provides listeners with a unique kind of energy, one conscious of current societal emotions, which is exemplified on their latest album, "Into The Blue." "We're faced with circumstances outside of our control ... when things kind of melt between the personal and much bigger social, universal...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man is accused of bringing his dad's gun to Valley High School on Tuesday in Northwest Albuquerque. Kenneth Rhodes, 20, is charged with unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon on school campus in the incident. Kenneth Rhodes (MDC) Rhodes was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Tuesday. Rhodes' family declined to comment. Prosecutors have filed a motion to detain him until trial. "(Rhodes) actions put everyone, including fellow students, in extreme danger," according to the motion. Albuquerque police responded to Valley High School after a gun was found inside Rhodes'...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer An entrance to the now-closed VIP Spa in Albuquerque. (Source: KOAT-TV) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A former Albuquerque beauty salon owner targeted by a state investigation after two clients were diagnosed with HIV in 2018 and 2019 was sentenced Wednesday to 3½ years in prison. Maria de Lordes Ramos de Ruiz, 61, pleaded guilty in June to five felony counts of practicing medicine without a license. She was indicted in April 2021 for performing "vampire facials" and other unlicensed medical procedures on clients, including the two people who later contracted HIV....
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Frankie and The Witch Fingers are set to perform at Sister on Sunday, Oct. 9. (Courtesy of Big Hassle) Dylan Sizemore is no stranger to performing in Albuquerque with his band Frankie and The Witch Fingers. He's shared the stage with Albuquerque-based bands Sun Dog and Train Conductor. "We've played quite a bit with them and they have become friends," Sizemore says. "This will be the third time we play Sister." Sizemore and the Los Angeles-based psychedelic rock band will play at Sister in Downtown Albuquerque on Sunday, Oct. 9....
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Various law enforcement agencies participated in a September morning raid in the South Valley that netted millions in cash and fentanyl pills. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Wednesday that she asked twice in the last four months for additional FBI agents to help address a shortage of law enforcement officers in New Mexico. Her most-recent letter – issued Sept. 15 – was addressed to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, appealing directly for his help after the FBI turned down her...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer In this 2018 file photo, a man solicits help in the Coors Boulevard median near Irving. Mayor Tim Keller’s office is proposing a rewrite of the city’s 5-year-old pedestrian safety ordinance that a federal judge ruled was unconstitutional.. (Greg Sorber/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A previous attempt to make standing in medians illegal in Albuquerque – thus severely restricting panhandling – was ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge. Now, Mayor Tim Keller's administration is proposing a pedestrian safety ordinance rewrite that it claims walks the fine line between protecting people...
By Andrew Dalton / Associated Press LOS ANGELES – The family of a cinematographer shot and killed by Alec Baldwin on the set of the film "Rust" has agreed to settle a lawsuit against the actor and the movie's producers, and producers aim to restart the project in January despite unresolved workplace safety sanctions. "We have reached a settlement, subject to court approval, for our wrongful death case against the producers of Rust including Alec Baldwin," said a statement Wednesday from Matthew Hutchins, widower of the cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and a plaintiff in the lawsuit along with their 9-year-old...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor An Albuquerque police officer exchanged fire with a suspect Wednesday night after a carjacking and SWAT standoff, Police Chief Harold Medina said. The suspect was not injured, Medina said in a Twitter post. He has not been publicly identified. Medina said the incident began when officers were called to a carjacking that occurred on the 6300 block of Montgomery NE. "A female had returned home from work and as she was exiting her vehicle, she was approached and she was robbed of her vehicle," Medina said in an early morning briefing....
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer City Councilors Klarissa Peña and Dan Lewis have introduced legislation that would phase out the city's 'zero-fare' bus pilot but keep buses free to those who apply for a pass. (Chancey Bush/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Two Albuquerque city councilors want to end the zero-fare bus pilot, formally reinstating fees but making free passes widely available to anyone who applies. Klarissa Peña, a Democrat and a co-sponsor of the original zero-fare pilot, collaborated with Republican Dan Lewis on the new proposal. Their bill cites the rising security issues on the city's...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer A truck and trailer containing "Joelly Bee," the popular baby bee hot air balloon, was recovered Thursday morning by police after having been stolen overnight from the parking lot of a hotel near the airport. According to a Tweet by Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina, "The bee is now safe." Medina said "Old fashioned detective work led auto theft detectives to a neighborhood in SW Albuquerque," where they found the balloon. "Soon after, officers in the NW found the stolen truck," he said. The baby bee is one third of a trio...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- A county commission in rural New Mexico that has been roiled by election conspiracies is trying to oust its election director just five weeks before Election Day for improperly certifying ballot-counting equipment. Torrance County is repeating the certification of its vote-counting machines for the Nov. 8 general election based on revelations that County Clerk Yvonne Otero pre-signed certification forms before testing and did not attend the inspection of election equipment. Torrance is one of a handful of rural counties in New Mexico that considered delaying certification of the results...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Country singer Lainey Wilson is gearing up to release her album, “Bell Bottom Country,” on Oct. 28. Wilson will perform at Music Fiesta on Saturday, Oct. 8. (Courtesy of Alysse Gafkjen) Lainey Wilson was writing about tequila and cigarettes before she knew what they were. Songwriting is embedded in her DNA and she shares her experiences and feelings with the world as she releases music. Wilson has been performing country music for 11 years. She is now one of the genre's fastest rising stars due to her introspective writing. "It's...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer For most of her life, Marlene Simon didn't tell many people about the illegal abortion she had in 1969. She didn't tell them about driving to a house party in Watts, California, as a 19-year-old, being led to an upstairs bedroom and laid on a towel, undergoing a painful procedure, and then having a lonely and complicated miscarriage over the next few days. However, since a leaked opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, a case that enshrined abortion rights throughout the country for about 50 years,...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police investigate after a person was shot to death last month on West Central. The FBI on Wednesday released incomplete 2021 statistics showing a rise in violent crime in New Mexico. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The results are in. Well, kind of. The FBI on Wednesday released its 2021 crime statistics but the data in New Mexico, like many other states, is vastly underreported due to a lack of participation from law enforcement agencies. The numbers are derived from the National Incident-Based Reporting System, or NIBRS, a voluntary...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Yung-Hua-Shen, from Taipei’s department of Information and Tourism, shows home schooled children a hand-painted paper lantern Wednesday morning during the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. (Liam DeBonis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Even if they never make it to Taiwan, a group of home-schooled children from Albuquerque will soon be represented there. The kids, ages 4 to 14, painted and personalized paper lanterns while visiting the Taipei City Government tent at Balloon Fiesta Park on Wednesday, during the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The lanterns will be sent to Taiwan and...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Megan Petersohn with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service examines a young sedated Mexican wolf near Reserve in Jan. 2019. The federal government said Wednesday it would fund more work to reduce wolves preying on livestock — a major sore spot for ranchers who lose cattle to the predators. (Jim Thompson/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Wednesday it has updated the Mexican wolf recovery plan to reduce human-caused wolf deaths, including from being hit by vehicles and illegal killings. There are 196 of the...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer An entrance to the now-closed VIP Spa in Albuquerque. (Source: KOAT-TV) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A former Albuquerque beauty salon owner targeted by a state investigation after two clients were diagnosed with HIV in 2018 and 2019 was sentenced Wednesday to 3½ years in prison. Maria de Lordes Ramos de Ruiz, 61, pleaded guilty in June to five felony counts of practicing medicine without a license. She was indicted in April 2021 for performing "vampire facials" and other unlicensed medical procedures on clients, including the two people who later contracted HIV....
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Frankie and The Witch Fingers are set to perform at Sister on Sunday, Oct. 9. (Courtesy of Big Hassle) Dylan Sizemore is no stranger to performing in Albuquerque with his band Frankie and The Witch Fingers. He's shared the stage with Albuquerque-based bands Sun Dog and Train Conductor. "We've played quite a bit with them and they have become friends," Sizemore says. "This will be the third time we play Sister." Sizemore and the Los Angeles-based psychedelic rock band will play at Sister in Downtown Albuquerque on Sunday, Oct. 9....
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man is accused of bringing his dad's gun to Valley High School on Tuesday in Northwest Albuquerque. Kenneth Rhodes, 20, is charged with unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon on school campus in the incident. Kenneth Rhodes (MDC) Rhodes was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Tuesday. Rhodes' family declined to comment. Prosecutors have filed a motion to detain him until trial. "(Rhodes) actions put everyone, including fellow students, in extreme danger," according to the motion. Albuquerque police responded to Valley High School after a gun was found inside Rhodes'...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer In this 2018 file photo, a man solicits help in the Coors Boulevard median near Irving. Mayor Tim Keller’s office is proposing a rewrite of the city’s 5-year-old pedestrian safety ordinance that a federal judge ruled was unconstitutional.. (Greg Sorber/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A previous attempt to make standing in medians illegal in Albuquerque – thus severely restricting panhandling – was ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge. Now, Mayor Tim Keller's administration is proposing a pedestrian safety ordinance rewrite that it claims walks the fine line between protecting people...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police investigate after a person was shot to death last month on West Central. The FBI on Wednesday released incomplete 2021 statistics showing a rise in violent crime in New Mexico. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) The results are in. Well, kind of. The FBI on Wednesday released its 2021 crime statistics but the data in New Mexico, like many other states, is vastly under reported due to a lack of participation from law enforcement agencies. The numbers are derived from the National Incident-Based Reporting System, or NIBRS, a voluntary system that many agencies...
By Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- New Mexico health officials are renewing a public order aimed at protecting newborn babies from syphilis. The state Health Department on Wednesday announced requirements that medical providers follow best practices by testing all pregnant women for syphilis multiple times. The agency says that New Mexico had the highest rate of congenital syphilis cases among states in 2020, when there were 42 local cases of newborn babies contracting the disease from their mothers. That is the most recent year for finalized federal statistics. Syphilis is a bacterial disease that surfaces as genital sores...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer Monster Jam will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7; 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8; and 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9, at Tingley Coliseum, 300 San Pedro NE. As we head into October it's the season to get out of your house and do something fun. The University of New Mexico has multiple home games this week and the USWNT takes on rival England. It is the perfect time for a pumpkin ale if you ask me. To the market From 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, visit Backyard...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer The Albuquerque Folk Festival brings together various musicians to perform together with some educational aspects. (Courtesy of Jerry Kelley) This Sunday, Albuquerque Folk Festival invites you to come out and help celebrate its 24th year at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 Fourth St. SW, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Albuquerque Folk Festival will feature multiple stages, performances, dancing, multiple participatory workshops and activities. "The music is really good and there's even a welcome stage so there will be four stages during the daytime," said Rose Day, publicity director. "As people...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer The 2022 America's Challenge Gas Balloon Race is canceled, event officials announced Wednesday after several days of weather delays. The distance competition was originally scheduled to start on Saturday. Teams from five countries had been eager to lift off from Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque. But at a Wednesday afternoon briefing, meteorologist Randy Lefevre said there "was no hope" that the weather would allow for a safe launch before the race window closed at midnight. Weather also canceled the race in 2009 and 2015. Balloon Fiesta events this week have been plagued...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Country singer Lainey Wilson is gearing up to release her album, “Bell Bottom Country,” on Oct. 28. Wilson will perform at Music Fiesta on Saturday, Oct. 8. (Courtesy of Alysse Gafkjen) Lainey Wilson was writing about tequila and cigarettes before she knew what they were. Songwriting is embedded in her DNA and she shares her experiences and feelings with the world as she releases music. Wilson has been performing country music for 11 years. She is now one of the genre's fastest rising stars due to her introspective writing. "It's...
By Rozanna M. Martinez / For the Journal Vara Winery & Distillery’s sparkling winemaker, Laurent Gruet, has released two new sparkling wines. (Courtesy of Vara Winery & Distillery) Effervescent selections created by renowned vintner Laurent Gruet are some of Vara Winery & Distillery's new offerings. Gruet, who joined the Vara team in December 2020 as partner and sparkling winemaker, has released Silverhead Brut NV and Silverhead Brut Rosado NV. "Coming from Champagne, France, and making sparkling wine all my life, I believe in producing traditional method wines that are of the quality of Champagne," Gruet stated in a news...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer Welsh alternative rockers The Joy Formidable are scheduled to play at The Historic El Rey Theater on Wednesday, Oct. 12. (Courtesy of The Joy Formidable) The Joy Formidable aims to remind people music can always inspire and thrive no matter the times. The alternative rock band provides listeners with a unique kind of energy, one conscious of current societal emotions, which is exemplified on their latest album, "Into The Blue." "We're faced with circumstances outside of our control ... when things kind of melt between the personal and much bigger social, universal...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Megan Petersohn with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service examines a young sedated Mexican wolf near Reserve in Jan. 2019. The federal government said Wednesday it would fund more work to reduce wolves preying on livestock — a major sore spot for ranchers who lose cattle to the predators. (Jim Thompson/Albuquerque Journal) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Wednesday that it has updated the Mexican wolf recovery plan to reduce human-caused wolf deaths, including from car accidents and illegal killings. There are 196 of the endangered wolves in the wild, with...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Various law enforcement agencies participated in a September morning raid in the South Valley that netted millions in cash and fentanyl pills. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Wednesday that she asked twice in the last four months for additional FBI agents to help address a shortage of law enforcement officers in New Mexico. Her most-recent letter – issued Sept. 15 – was addressed to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, appealing directly for his help after the FBI turned down her...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Yung-Hua-Shen, from Taipei’s department of Information and Tourism, shows home schooled children a hand-painted paper lantern Wednesday morning during the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. (Liam DeBonis/Albuquerque Journal) Even if they never make it to Taiwan, a group of home-schooled children from Albuquerque will soon be represented there. The kids, ages 4 to 14, painted and personalized paper lanterns while visiting the Taipei City Government tent at Balloon Fiesta Park Wednesday, during the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The lanterns will be sent to Taiwan and displayed in February as part of...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer A school bus crashed near Mescalero Wednesday morning. (New Mexico Department of Transportation) A school bus with middle school students inside crashed near Mescalaero Wednesday morning, causing minor injuries. The Roswell Independent School District said the bus was taking students from Mountain View Middle School on a trip to Las Cruces when it "ran off the road and into a ditch" between Mescalero and Tularosa. It rolled over onto its side. It said only minor injuries were reported and students were taken to hospitals for treatment and assessment. New Mexico State Police...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- A county commission in rural New Mexico that has been roiled by election conspiracies is trying to oust its election director just five weeks before Election Day for improperly certifying ballot-counting equipment. Torrance County is repeating the certification of its vote-counting machines for the Nov. 8 general election based on revelations that County Clerk Yvonne Otero pre-signed certification forms before testing and did not attend the inspection of election equipment. Torrance is one of a handful of rural counties in New Mexico that considered delaying certification of the results...
By Andrew Dalton / Associated Press LOS ANGELES -- The family of a cinematographer shot and killed by Alec Baldwin on the set of the film "Rust" has agreed to settle a lawsuit against the actor and the movie's producers, and producers aim to restart the project in January despite unresolved workplace safety sanctions. "We have reached a settlement, subject to court approval, for our wrongful death case against the producers of Rust including Alec Baldwin," said a statement Wednesday from Matthew Hutchins, widow of the cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and a plaintiff in the lawsuit along with their 9-year-old...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor A person is in custody after police activity caused a shelter-in-place at Coronado Elementary School Wednesday. "The individual was safely taken into custody," an email from police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said. Albuquerque police officers had worked to make contact with a person who they said was possibly armed with a weapon, according to an email from Gallegos. "APD officers are trying to make contact with subject, possibly armed with a weapon, in the area of Fifth Street SW between Stover Ave. and Iron Ave.," an email from Gallegos initially said. "Coronado...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – At least a handful of Democratic and Republican candidates for the Legislature didn't disclose tax liens in response to Journal questionnaires. Liens are typically filed to secure the payment of unpaid taxes. In formal notices, the state Taxation and Revenue Department usually warns the person that their property may be taken to satisfy the debt. Each election cycle, the Journal asks candidates to disclose tax liens, bankruptcies and arrests. But at least three candidates this year...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer City Councilors Klarissa Peña and Dan Lewis have introduced legislation that would phase out the city's 'zero-fare' bus pilot but keep buses free to those who apply for a pass. (Chancey Bush/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Two Albuquerque city councilors want to end the zero-fare bus pilot, formally reinstating fees but making free passes widely available to anyone who applies. Klarissa Peña, a Democrat and a co-sponsor of the original zero-fare pilot, collaborated with Republican Dan Lewis on the new proposal. Their bill cites the rising security issues on the city's...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer For most of her life, Marlene Simon didn't tell many people about the illegal abortion she had in 1969. She didn't tell them about driving to a house party in Watts, California, as a 19-year-old, being led to an upstairs bedroom and laid on a towel, undergoing a painful procedure, and then having a lonely and complicated miscarriage over the next few days. However, since a leaked opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, a case that enshrined abortion rights throughout the country for about 50 years,...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Metropolitan Detention Center officers Lt. Keith Brandon, left, and Jonathan Sandoval hug family members and supporters Tuesday after a jury found them not guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the 2019 death of a jail inmate. (Olivier Uyttebrouck/Journal) Two corrections officers who stood trial in the 2019 death of an inmate left the Bernalillo County courthouse as free men Tuesday after a jury found both not guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center corrections officer Jonathan Sandoval, 35, and his supervisor, Lt. Keith Brandon, 46, hugged and wept with family members...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer The mural along Montaño Bridge is among over 1,400 works of public art in Albuquerque and is in need of restoration. The city council approved a 50% funding increase for the public art program, boosting the money available for restoration. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Burque Rio Sunset needs a little love. The tile-like mural along the Montaño Bridge — one of about 1,400 pieces of public art in the city of Albuquerque's collection — is now a quarter-century old and could use some restoration. City Arts and Culture Director Shelle Sanchez said it will...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Sandoval County Sheriff's deputies and Bernalillo Police officers say the man they shot in Bernalillo on Monday afternoon had pointed a rifle at them. Gary Lee DeSanctis, a 51-year-old from Rio Rancho, was killed. The New Mexico State Police investigations bureau is investigating. Officer Ray Wilson, a State Police spokesman, said around 3:30 p.m. deputies and officers were called to Bosque Loop, near the Rio Grande, by a woman who said a man was on her property and was armed with a rifle. Wilson did not say if the women knew the...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer In this December photo, redistricting proposals are displayed on a wall inside the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — New Mexico legislators drew their own districts with fewer competitive seats — especially in the state Senate — than the proposals suggested by an independent citizens committee that was barred from considering partisan data, according to an analysis by a University of Georgia professor. Highly likely voters surveyed by a University of New Mexico expert also gave higher grades to the citizen committee's work than to how the Legislature...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Jordan Madrid wires a solar system on an RV owned by Minnesotan Mike Schuette. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Jordan Madrid, owner of Albuquerque-based RV rental and service company Echo One Adventures, said he's seen every campground near balloon fiesta over this past week. "Everyone's here," Madrid said, adding that most campgrounds are fully booked. "… Just a parking nightmare pretty much everywhere." Madrid has been visiting campgrounds installing lithium batteries and solar power systems on-site, as part of a Balloon Fiesta partnership with Nevada-based Dragonfly Energy, which produces Battle Born Batteries. Madrid said the...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Portrait of Harriet Tubman. (Courtesy of Library of Congress) The best thing about Nicole London's job is she has the opportunity to learn something new each day. The director, producer and co-writer of "Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom" had the chance to learn quite a bit while putting together the PBS documentary. Adding to that, London was also at the helm of the companion film, "Becoming Frederick Douglass." "Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom" will air at 9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, on New Mexico PBS, channel 5.1. "Becoming Frederick...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Deseree McDaugale and her son Tuscany, 2, ride the ‘Balloon Fiesta’ Ferris wheel on Main Street during the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. (Chancey Bush/albuquerque journal) For this year's Balloon Fiesta, restaurateur Marcus Cassimus decided to try his hand at something new — being a carny. "I hate that description," he said. "That's not what I'm doing or who I am." Even if exaggerated, the description is not completely inaccurate. The longtime owner of Hello Deli in Albuquerque had been a nearly 30-year fixture on Main Street during the Albuquerque International Balloon...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham and Republican Mark Ronchetti faced off Friday in a KOB-TV debate. The second scheduled gubernatorial debate will take place Oct. 12 and will be hosted by KOAT-TV, along with KKOB Radio and the Albuquerque Journal. (Images courtesy of the candidates) SANTA FE -- While Republican Mark Ronchetti and Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham sparred live on air during a hour-long KOB-TV debate last Friday, there were also fireworks behind the scenes. A Lujan Grisham campaign staffer said on Twitter the Ronchetti campaign had broken the debate rules by...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Balloons launched from Balloon Fiesta Park after a green flag at the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Tuesday. A post on the fiesta's Facebook page says the competition will start at 8:30 a.m. The fly-in competition was initially scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Announcers on the field said competition pilots evaluated the flight patterns of this morning's balloons before leaving the field to find their perfect launch spots. The announcers, some who are former pilots themselves, suggested many pilots could choose to head south and try to ride the surface...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Talking Grammer Podcast · Ep 48: UNM assistant Tarvish Felton (TG 10.3.22) In Episode 48 of the Talking Grammer podcast, I have a conversation with new Lobo basketball assistant Tarvish Felton, who worked at Utah State for a decade and was at Fresno State the past four seasons. He told me stories of coaching Sam Merrill and Orlando Robinson and old WAC rivalries with NMSU. So what's his role now with the Lobos and how good does he think this roster is? This specific episode can be heard on the following: • SoundCloud...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer University of New Mexico men's basketball assistant coach Tarvish Felton is shown in action during a recent practice. (Adophe Pierre-Louis/Journal) He has coached a game in the Pit nine times through the years – the past eight occurrences coming as a Mountain West assistant – and made that long walk amid the boos raining down on the visiting team's bench on the north end of Bob King Court. "No matter when we've come here, it's always been a battle. And it's always a fun environment," said Tarvish Felton, hired just over a...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Journal Business Reporter Alaina Mencinger takes in the sights while enjoying her first balloon ride, which she said brought the beauty of her new home into focus. Mencinger moved to Albuquerque a few months ago after graduating from Boston University. (ADOLPHE PIERRE-LOUIS/JOURNAL) I'm 22, so there are a lot of things I haven't done – I haven't had the time. Riding a hot air balloon was one of them. I graduated from Boston University in May and fell straight into a job at the Journal. Although I grew up just a state...
By Algernon D'Ammassa / Las Cruces Sun-News LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Pete's Most Wanted Salsa, a new product bearing the image of New Mexico State University mascot Pistol Pete, celebrated its launch Wednesday with a party at La Posta de Mesilla; and the university says more branded products will soon be joining a growing family of licensed NMSU merchandise. "There's a realm of possibilities out there, and as long as it's a good quality product, I don't see why this thing won't keep expanding," NMSU athletics director Mario Moccia said in an interview. Sales of NMSU-licensed beer, wine and...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Safe outdoor spaces are legal in Albuquerque and, on Monday, the City Council also ensured they stayed funded. Four councilors sided with Mayor Tim Keller to help defeat legislation that would have redirected [post_excerpt].25 million previously approved for safe outdoor spaces to other causes, including support for homeless veterans. Keller recently vetoed the Dan Lewis-sponsored proposal, which the council passed on a 5-4 vote. The council needed six votes to override him, but fell one short as Isaac Benton, Pat Davis, Tammy Fiebelkorn and Trudy Jones stood...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Dave Schroeder holds a sign asking for cash in March 2020. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said during a recent debate she would push for legislation to restrict panhandling. (EDDIE MOORE/JOURNAL) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – There weren't many surprises during Friday's televised debate when it came to Michelle Lujan Grisham and Mark Ronchetti's stances on abortion, crime and education. But the incumbent Democratic governor and her Republican rival found some unexpected common ground on the issue of homelessness, with both saying they would crack down on certain activities...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico State Police are investigating after Sandoval County Sheriff's deputies and Bernalillo Police Department officers were involved in a fatal shooting Monday evening. State Police posted about the shooting on Twitter around 7 p.m., saying it happened on Bosque Loop, east of the Rio Grande, in Bernalillo. "Officers and deputies are uninjured," State Police said. "Suspect is deceased." The department did not provide more information about what led up to the shooting or who was killed. Officials with the Sandoval County Sheriff's Office and the Bernalillo...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Two behavioral health responders talk with a woman who has been sleeping on the sidewalk with her belongings near the University of New Mexico last December. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Albuquerque Community Safety department has responded to more than 16,000 calls during its first year in operation, about half of which it says were diverted from the police department. "Mayor (Tim) Keller's decision to create an alternative response to non-violent calls is making a real difference in Albuquerque," said Police Chief Harold Medina, in a news...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Frank Anger of Mississippi tinkers with his hot air balloon basket on Monday during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The city is expected to be cool this week, with showers and thunderstorms likely through the weekend. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Fall weather has arrived in Albuquerque, along with the enticing aroma of roasting green chile, the chill of crisp mornings and the view of hot air balloons on the horizon. But rainy, windy conditions have postponed or canceled several events at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. National...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor The Yukon River is full of ice chunks as it drifts by Eagle Rock, near Carmacks in Yukon, Canada. The river is featured in "Rivers of Life." (Courtesy of All Canada Photos/Pond5) Rosemary Edwards knows that rivers are an important source of life. This is why Edwards stepped in to be the executive producer of the three-part second season of "Rivers of Life." The series airs its next two episodes at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5 and Oct. 12, on New Mexico PBS, channel 5.1. The entire series is streaming...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Grammy-nominated producer Bonobo, born Simon Green, is set to perform at Sunshine Theater on Monday, Oct. 10. (Courtesy of Grant Spanier) Bonobo is having a few days of rest in New York City before he heads out to Washington D.C., to start the last leg of his tour. "I found a quite moment," he says. "It's been nice to get some time to myself and recharge." The tour will make a stop in Albuquerque at Sunshine Theater on Monday, Oct. 10. This year has been a whirlwind for the Grammy-nominated...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Republican Glenn Youngkin speaks to supporters during a rally in Fredericksburg, Va., in this October 2021 file photo. Youngkin will travel to New Mexico this week to stump for GOP gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) SANTA FE -- Mark Ronchetti's bid to win the Governor's Office is getting a boost from another prominent Republican governor. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will make campaign stops this week in Albuquerque and Las Cruces with Ronchetti, the Ronchetti campaign announced Monday. The Wednesday campaign events will mark the third visit to New Mexico...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer UNM created these nano-scale tunnels to stretch out strands of DNA for scanning under optical readers as they flow through the channels. Researchers form the nanochannels by stacking individual silicon carbide particles. (COURTESY OF UNM) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Technology to rapidly read long strands of DNA with accurate, molecular-level precision has eluded researchers for decades. But an Albuquerque startup is close to achieving that breakthrough in genomic sequencing, now backed by million in funding from the National Institutes of Health. Armonica Technologies Inc. says it can accurately identify single...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Faculty in the University of New Mexico College of Education and Human Sciences overwhelmingly voted recently that they have no confidence in the dean leading the school. The tally marked the first time in 15 years a dean at the state's flagship university received a vote of no confidence. There's no specific action required because of the faculty's vote, but Provost James Holloway, who is responsible for appointing and managing deans, said he will take their position under consideration. On Sept. 21, a survey was distributed to...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – State Attorney General Hector Balderas is calling on legislators to strengthen New Mexico's anti-corruption law following a Supreme Court ruling that upheld the dismissal of criminal charges against four defendants. Balderas, a Democrat whose term ends this year, said the court "took away from citizens a very necessary tool to prosecute public officials who use their public office for their own personal gain." The case dealt with the dismissal of ethics charges against a series of former public officials, including a former Doña Ana...
By Eastern New Mexico News A Cannon Air Force Base airman was found dead in his off-base Clovis home Tuesday. Cannon Air Force Base's public affairs department is reporting the death of Airman First Class Nathan M. Johnson. According to a news release from Cannon Public Affairs, Johnson was an aerospace propulsion journeyman in the 27th Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron MC-130. "Nathan Johnson was a charismatic and enthusiastic Airman that cared for and motivated everyone around him," said U.S. Air Force Maj. Ian Hudson, 27 SOAMXS commander. Hudson said Johnson had a boisterous personality that "allowed him to...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer It was a good week for the college kids. A week after winning his first-ever professional title on his home courts at Texas Tech University, Olle Wallin defeated Maciej Rajsik 7-6(6), 7-5, in Sunday's singles final of the ITF Albuquerque 15K held at UNM's McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium. His singles win came one day after two UNM players — Alex Maggs and Jan Pucalka — won the USTA Pro Circuit event's doubles title as a wild-card entry. Per NCAA rules, since Wallin, Maggs and Pucalka are still competing in college, they are...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER SPEED CAM BITES THE DUST: Back in July, days after it had been installed, someone stole the automated speed enforcement camera off its pole on Lead, and the city quickly removed the camera on Coal until it could figure out a better way to install the devices. Now the Montgomery camera is gone. CC emails "it looks as if the speed camera on (westbound) Montgomery Boulevard just west of Eubank no longer is in place. If so, can you let us know if this was removed by miscreants or...
By Journal staff and wire reports ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — An American Airlines flight from Texas to New Mexico was evacuated Sunday after landing at the Albuquerque airport because of a security threat, authorities said. All 179 people aboard Flight 928 from Dallas-Fort Worth were taken off the jet in the morning at Albuquerque International Sunport and were bused to the terminal, airport officials said. No injuries were reported. FBI officials in Albuquerque did not disclose the nature of the security threat but said that the matter was being investigated and that no other information was available. American Airlines passengers...
By ABQJournal News Staff Albuquerque police are investigating an apparent homicide on the city's West Side. Around 7:40 a.m. Sunday, Albuquerque Fire Rescue notified police about a person found dead outside Discount Tire on Coors NW at Montaño, according to an APD news release. "Evidence at the scene suggests the individual was murdered," police said. "Homicide detectives have started an investigation." Police said more information will be released when it becomes available. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Sally Trigg Frank Baty grew up in Albuquerque, the middle son of three, playing football as an all-state linebacker and serving as the president of the student senate in high school. After graduation he got a scholarship to attend the University of Washington and lived outside of Seattle for several years, before falling on hard times — becoming homeless and disabled. He eventually returned to New Mexico to live with his parents, his brother told the Journal. In June, early one morning, police say two officers shot and killed 58-year-old Baty after he pulled up next to them...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Public Schools headquarters in Uptown. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuqeuerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal More than .5 million with essentially no strings attached would make a welcome dent in any school district's brick-and-mortar needs. But, for Albuquerque Public Schools, which accepted that amount from the state during a Thursday evening board meeting, it won't be enough to finish everything. Thanks to legislation passed by lawmakers earlier this year, the money is earmarked for several physical improvement priorities, including security projects, HVAC maintenance and early childhood facility enhancements. APS has said it...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal You need to be a bit crazy to be a journalist. Melissa Segura, investigative reporter for BuzzFeed, certainly thinks so. Segura is the keynote speaker for the upcoming 2022 Dixon Awards, presented each year to advocates of government transparency by the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government. Following previous keynote speakers that include Marty Baron and Bob Woodward – both of whom were played by award-winning actors in movie versions of their stories – is somewhat daunting for Segura. But her journalism career is already full of...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer A drone flies at one of the Federal Aviation Administration's designated drone testing sites in Rome, N.Y. The FAA has implemented a flight restriction for the nine-day Balloon Fiesta. (Matt O'Brien/Associated Press) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Local balloon pilot Scott Appelman says he's happy he'll be flying solo at this year's Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta – without the company of drones, that is. Appelman, president of Rainbow Ryders Hot Air Balloon Co., says he's glad the Balloon Fiesta will continue to enforce a temporary flight restriction for drones attempting to fly...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer This apartment complex in Albuquerque's Northeast Heights has advertised for tenants. (Albuquerque Journal File) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal When Mia Augustson's landlord raised her rent by more than 0 earlier this year, the financial fallout rippled throughout her life. Since the hike far outpaced the increase that Augustson and her spouse – both disabled – saw in their incomes, the couple had to start cutting expenses to make their [post_excerpt],046 base rent. Augustson said they have given up their car, put off some health care and called off a planned 20th...
By ABQJournal News Staff Last year, the city of Albuquerque received million in federal funds to help residents hurt by the pandemic make rent and utility payments. But a partnership with the state of New Mexico ensured far more assistance made its way to city dwellers. The city pooled its resources with the state's much larger allotment, growing the initial pot to 5.5 million. As of late September, .5 million of that has flowed back into the city. "That's why the partnership was so important – most renters in New Mexico are coming from the metro area, although...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Officials have postponed the gas balloon race scheduled for Saturday evening at the International Balloon Fiesta due to weather concerns. A release on the fiesta's website said officials for the America's Challenge race will brief pilots around noon on Sunday to "look at conditions for a safer launch." The Twilight Twinkle balloon glow, Fastrax team jump and aerial drone show are still scheduled to happen Saturday evening, according to the release. The release states that the gas balloon race, in its 25th year, was delayed over concerns about monsoonal moisture in northern...
By Casey Anglada DeRaad / Founder and CEO, NewSpace New Mexico Casey Anglada DeRaad Editor's Note: Throughout 2022, New Mexico Angels' members, investors and start-up owners will be writing columns on economic development and start-up opportunities in the state. The Angels unite individual investors to pool their resources, providing seed and early-stage capital to startup companies. The space race is back on. Winning it will require addressing the barriers companies face in launching their new products into space. I founded NewSpace New Mexico with this purpose. As a former leader of the Air Force Research Laboratory Technology Engagement Office,...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer From left, Art Lucero, Jason Blotsky and Lou Garcia, co-owners of Absolute Fitness ABQ. (Courtesy of Absolute Fitness ABQ) Albuquerque is about to get a little bit colder. It's not the start of fall, but the opening of a new gym at 6001 San Mateo NE, which offers cryotherapy — a treatment that uses subzero temperatures to reduce inflammation and boost circulation. Absolute Fitness ABQ, a franchise of U.S. Cryotherapy, offers classes and personal training besides cryotherapy, and is the only Albuquerque distributor of 1st Phorm Fitness Supplements. Gym co-owner Lou Garcia...
By James Hamill / For the Journal The tax law is used to advance, or discourage, many social and economic objectives. This is not a bad thing, and has suited both sides of the political aisle in different ways. It is often difficult to find the target audience to subsidize an activity. A tax subsidy allows the audience to identify itself. Tax credits can be refundable or not. If refundable, even those who might not otherwise file a tax return can benefit by the simple act of filing. For any tax subsidy, some support it and others not. This...
By Donna Skeels Cygan / For the Journal My last article covered the "sunsetting" on Jan. 1, 2026, of many of the provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2018. Unless Congress passes new tax laws during the next three years, the tax brackets from 2017 will be back in 2026, resulting in higher taxes for many people. For people in high tax brackets, wise tax planning is essential. One strategy to counteract potentially higher taxes in 2026 is to consider a Roth conversion between 2022 and 2025. Today's article will...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer In what can only be described as a picture perfect morning, about 625 balloons launched in a mass ascension early Saturday as the 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta got underway. In a fiesta first, an intricately choreographed midair drone show of constantly changing lights, colors and messages danced above the launch field. That was followed by a chorus singing the National Anthem and broadcast over the launch field's loud speaker system. As it finished, pilots in unison shot plumes of flames into the air from the their burners and a squadron of...
By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Cibola quarterback Aden Chavez, left, scrambles to find an open receiver Friday night against Atrisco Heritage at Community Stadium. Defending on the play for the Jaguars is Latavious Morris. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal)For the first time in a month, no comeback was required for the Cibola Cougars. Cibola has been living on the edge in recent weeks, but on Friday night, the sixth-ranked Cougars got off to a quicker start, and extended its lead in the second half as the Cougars held No. 8-ranked Atrisco Heritage to a season low in points...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Pablo and Nichole Garcia donned vintage clothing at the ribbon-cutting for the Route 66 Visitor Center on Friday. The venue is set to open some time next year. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Route 66 Visitor Center is done. It's just not ready for visitors yet. City, county and state officials joined the community Friday afternoon for a ribbon-cutting and "preview celebration" at the new 21,000-square-foot building on West Central. Located atop Nine Mile Hill just outside of Albuquerque city limits, the venue is slated to open...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Second Judicial District Court in Downtown Albuquerque. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A jury on Friday found Patrick Romero guilty of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the 2019 shooting death of Anthony Moya. The 2nd Judicial District Court jury found Romero, 30, guilty following a two-day trial. Romero faces up to 9½ years in prison at sentencing. No sentencing hearing has been scheduled. Moya, 39, was fatally shot Aug. 1, 2020, during a fight outside a woman's home in the 600 block of Prospect...
By Dan McKay and Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Michelle Lujan Grisham and Mark Ronchetti. (Images courtesy of the candidates) SANTA FE — Republican Mark Ronchetti and Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham intensified their attacks on each other Friday as they tangled over crime and abortion in their first televised debate. Ronchetti — who trailed by seven percentage points in a late-summer Journal Poll — seized the chance to slam the incumbent governor on New Mexico's high violent crime rate and shutdown of in-person schooling during parts of the pandemic. Lujan Grisham pushed back sharply, offering herself as battled-tested...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Jonathan Tony Sanchez wasn't your typical convicted felon. So, too, his recent federal trial on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition was far from ordinary. The FBI had identified Sanchez as one of eight members of the ultra-violent Syndicato Nuevo Mexico prison gang on the streets of Albuquerque who had been solicited in 2015 to kill the then-Cabinet secretary of the New Mexico Corrections Department, and two other prison administrators and their families. Jonathan Tony Sanchez Sanchez, 36, of Albuquerque, wasn't...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Visitors at the 2017 New Mexico Archaeological Fair. (Courtesy of New Mexico Historic Preservation Division) New Mexico is a prime spot for some great archaeological finds. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division and the Bernalillo Community Museum will host the annual Archaeology Fair. The event will be held at the Bernalillo Community Museum, 118 Calle Malinche in Bernalillo. The event is free and open to the public, with no advance registration required. HPD began hosting the event, which takes place in...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Rescue personnel and deputies perform CPR and try to revive Robert Carroll after he stopped breathing during an arrest. (NMSP) Robert Carroll was driving across New Mexico on his way from Kansas to Phoenix earlier this year when he pulled off Interstate 40, just west of Gallup, and began acting erratically. A deputy with the McKinley County Sheriff's Office was called to the scene. Then, lapel camera video shows, after the deputy chased him down — using a Taser more than a dozen times, and holding him face down as he handcuffed...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer An Albuquerque man and his 12-year-old nephew are accused of collaborating in five armed robberies over the past few months at Ross Dress for Less stores and other city businesses. Security video allegedly shows Jason Roper during one of several armed robberies he committed with his 12-year-old nephew over the past few months around Albuquerque. (Crime Stoppers) Gilbert Gallegos of the Albuquerque Police Department said detectives arrested Jason Roper at his home and his nephew at Jimmy Carter Middle School, where he is a seventh grader. Roper, 43, is facing armed robbery,...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief A sign installed along I-25 near Santa Fe is shown in this April 2020 file photo. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham this week rescinded six pandemic-related executive orders. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham quietly rescinded six executive orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic this week, but an order declaring a public health emergency due to the pandemic remains in effect more than two years after being issued. The orders rescinded Tuesday include an April 2020 order that — while it was in place — authorized more than 700...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Children behold as hot air balloon pilot Bubba Waner sends a plume of fire into “Hubbabubba” at Inez Science and Technology Magnet School Friday morning. The balloon’s inflation, part of the annual Albuquerque Aloft event, was seen as a return to normal after years of pandemic disruptions. (Liam DeBonis/Albuquerque Journal) Solomon Rimmer, an Inez Science and Technology Magnet School second grader, is a hot air balloon fanatic. As a crew unfurled a yellow, blue, purple and pink-striped balloon at his school Friday morning, Rimmer and his brother Gabriel, who hadn't even seen...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer A log burns in the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire on the Carson National Forest west of Chacon in May. Overgrown forests and a changing climate demand new strategies for using prescribed burns, New Mexico fire experts told state lawmakers at Thursday’s Water and Natural Resources Committee meeting in Española. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Prescribed burns are an important tool for preventing wildfires. But overgrown forests and a changing climate demand new strategies for using the tool, New Mexico fire experts told state lawmakers at Thursday's Water and Natural Resources Committee meeting in Española....
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Homicide detectives are investigating after a person was apparently shot to death along East Central Friday afternoon. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman, said around 2 p.m. officers were called to the area of Wyoming and Central for reports of a shooting. "When they arrived, one individual was located deceased," Atkins wrote in an email. She did not immediately know if the person was male or female or have any other information about the incident. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer In this April 2020 photo, Felipe Vargas fills water tanks in Pajarito Mesa in Bernalillo County. New Mexico has received .7 million for water infrastructure projects from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced this week that New Mexico will receive .7 million in water infrastructure funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The money was awarded to the New Mexico Environment Department and the state Finance Authority, who will distribute the funds as grants and loans. Projects eligible for the money include municipal wastewater systems,...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez is joined by U.S House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Jerry Gomez, of Rociada, and Las Vegas Mayor Louie Trujillo, in a discussion about the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire complex on Sept. 26. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed a bill that includes .5 billion for victims of the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire in northern New Mexico. The fire began as two Forest Service burns and blazed across more than 340,000 acres. On Thursday, the Senate passed the funding as part of a continuing resolution,...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A 14-year-old was arrested after allegedly opening fire with an automatic rifle, killing a man, outside a house party early Thursday morning in Southwest Albuquerque. The homicide, according to police, was one of several violent crimes committed by a group of teens over several hours that ended in a police chase and crash on the West Side. Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said Izaiah Ruiz, 14, was charged with an open count of murder and armed robbery in the death of Eddy Ortiz, 21. He said Diego Padilla, 15, was also charged...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer One person was shot to death late Thursday night between Coors and Atrisco, south of Interstate-40, according to the Albuquerque Police Department. Police responded to reports "that an individual had been shot" around 11 p.m. in the area of Palasades and Punta Alta NW, APD Officer Chase Jewell said in an APD news release. "Officers arrived and had one victim transported to a local area hospital for life threatening injuries," Chase said. "They later succumbed to their injuries while seeking medical treatment." The APD Homicide Unit was called out to take over...
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal Second in a series. The sudden loss of Big Blue triggered a derailment in the brains of the two young men who loved him. He was special to them and, yes, he ran loose but so did lots of other free-spirited Placitas dogs. It was a time of peace, love and rock 'n' roll. When you hang out with like-minded folks you can forget that others may see things differently. If a neighbor is bothered by your dog showing up at their house you would expect them to say so. The possibility of...
By Meg Kinnard and Adriana Gomez Licon / Associated Press CHARLESTON, S.C. -- A revived Hurricane Ian threatened coastal South Carolina and the historic city of Charleston with severe flooding Friday after the deadly storm caused catastrophic damage in Florida and trapped thousands in their homes. With South Carolina's coast under a hurricane warning, many left Charleston for higher ground and store owners used sandbags to ward off high water levels in an area prone to inundation. Ian left a broad swath of destruction after it came ashore Wednesday on Florida's Gulf Coast as one of the strongest storms...
By Associated Press IDYLLWILD, Calif. -- Two rock climbers, including a former NFL player, were found dead near a Southern California peak after rescue crews responded to reports of injuries, authorities said. The climbers were identified Thursday as Chelsea Walsh, 33, and Gavin Escobar, 31. Rescuers were called around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday to Tahquitz Rock near Idyllwild following a distress call, the Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department said on Twitter. A team managed to climb into the steep, remote area and found both climbers dead at the scene, the department said. A small amount of rain fell in the...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Firefighter Eric Garcia surveys a home burned by the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire in the Morphy Canyon as a plume of smoke rises over the Pecos Wilderness. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed a funding bill that contains .5 billion of relief for the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire – a massive amount of money for northern New Mexico residents impacted by the largest fire in state history. Senators advanced the bill on a 72-25 vote. The money is almost certain to get final approval....
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Queen Latifah, center, films a scene for the Netflix film, “End of the Road,” in Albuquerque. Netflix has launched its “Netflix in Your Neighborhood: New Mexico” program, which gives fans a chance to see the film locations around the state. (Courtesy of Netflix) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Eldorado High School. Sawmill Market. Roller King. These are just a few of the many locations used by the fourth season of Netflix's "Stranger Things" while in production in New Mexico. With each episode, viewers from across the world get a glimpse...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Record crowds are expected for this year's 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, and along with that will be a much larger presence of security and law enforcement officials, as well as increased presence of fire and rescue personnel. During a safety briefing at Balloon Fiesta Park on Thursday, fiesta officials declined to provide exact numbers but did say the increase will be "noticeable" and will involve members from city, county, state and federal offices. "One of the things that we looked at throughout the year, based on...
By Curt Anderson / Associated Press A first responder with Orange County Fire Rescue makes her way through floodwaters looking for residents of a neighborhood needing help in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. (Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press) FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Rescue crews piloted boats and waded through inundated streets Thursday to save thousands of Floridians trapped amid flooded homes and shattered buildings left by Hurricane Ian, which crossed into the Atlantic Ocean and churned toward South Carolina. Hours after weakening to a tropical storm while crossing the Florida peninsula, Ian regained...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Homicide detectives are investigating after a man was found dead Thursday afternoon in Northeast Albuquerque. Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said officers responded around 5 p.m. to reports of a person dead in the 3600 block of Pitt NE, near Comanche and Eubank. "When Officers arrived they discovered a lifeless male," he said. "This is being investigated as a suspicious death and the Homicide Unit will be taking over the investigation." DeAguero said an autopsy will be done to determine how the man dead and nobody is in custody. He gave...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Jacob Sherwood, a Starbucks Barista at Rio Grande and I-40 , helped organize union efforts at his store. On Thursday, employees voted yes to unionize the location, becoming the first Starbucks in the state to do so. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal They were the first Starbucks to approach unionizing efforts in New Mexico and now they are the first to vote yes. Organizers of the Starbucks on Rio Grande and Interstate 40, one of the busiest locations in the city, announced Thursday that their location voted in favor of...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief The chief justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court said Thursday the judiciary will ask lawmakers to make changes during the upcoming legislative session to a 2021 law mandating low-level cannabis possession convictions be expunged from criminal records of affected New Mexicans. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- The chief justice of New Mexico's Supreme Court told lawmakers Thursday the state's judicial branch will seek changes during the upcoming 60-day legislative session to a law that mandates small-level cannabis convictions be expunged from criminal records. Specifically, Supreme Court Chief Justice Shannon Bacon...
By Journal staff and wire reports CATCHES OF THE WEEK Xavier Hernandez of Grants caught a 35-inch tiger muskie at Bluewater Lake using a Whopper Plopper lure Sept. 20. Mike Murphy of Albuquerque caught a 19-inch, 5.1-pound largemouth bass at Conchas Lake using a Z-Man Gobi Ned Rig on Sept. 19. Nathaniel Sierra of Albuquerque caught a 24-inch, 7.5-pound largemouth bass at Elephant Butte Lake using a chartreuse 12 to 15-foot diving crankbait Sept. 21. Omarie Chrisman of El Paso caught a 25-inch, 7-pound catfish at Lake Roberts using chicken pieces Sept. 13. Eric Chavez...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer In this file photo, Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, D-Albuquerque, presides over a meeting of the Senate Rules Committee. SANTA FE — Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto has resigned as chairman of the Senate Rules Committee after meeting with the top Democrats in the chamber — Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth and President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart. His resignation came as Stewart this week had moved forward with efforts to force him out of the post, citing sexual harassment allegations against him and the need to maintain a safe environment at the Roundhouse. In a one-page...
By Journal Staff Reports Crime scene investigators inspect a bullet-ridden fence at a homicide scene Thursday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) One person is dead following reports of a shooting in Southwest Albuquerque early Thursday, according to the Albuquerque Police Department. Officers responded to the 600 block of Bataan SW, near the intersection of Bridge and Coors, shortly after 4 a.m. Thursday, the department said in a release. They found one person dead when they arrived. The homicide unit has been called out to investigate. No further details were released by police. A man who only wanted to be identified as Chris...
By Donn Friedman / Journal AME technology Coming online Friday and printed in the Saturday Albuquerque Journal. Pick up your newspaper souvenir Saturday at newsstands or at the Journal booth, number 79, at the Balloon Fiesta. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Fans attending the Albuquerque Isotopes' season finale Wednesday at Isotopes Park were treated to a spectacular sunset and a win by the home team. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) They weren't in contention. Again. And the fans didn't seem to care. Again. The Albuquerque Isotopes, who finished the season at 62-86 with a win over visiting El Paso and haven't finished above .500 since 2013, played the finale in front of an announced crowd of 8,619. That a team that finished the season 22 games out of first place and still drawing those attendance...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer The talk of the offseason remains the talk of the 2022-23 season for Lobo basketball. In order to take the next step, the University of New Mexico men's basketball team has to evolve from a small, fast-paced, guard-oriented team that only can win games with scores in the 80s and 90s, and instead be a team that can grind out ugly, low-scoring games against big, physical teams. That's something they quite frankly had no chance to accomplish last season, when they went 13-19 overall and 5-12 in the Mountain West. Wednesday, at...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The Metropolitan Detention Center. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In light of "crisis levels of understaffing" at jails across the state, general counsel for the New Mexico Counties organization raised concerns that counties – which run the facilities – are footing the majority of the costs without much assistance from city and state governments. "Money's tight – a big portion of the county money is going to jails, a very small portion of municipal funds are going to jails – so there's the financial issue," said attorney Grace Philips,...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer The intersection of Fourth St. and Osuna Rd. in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, as seen in 2002. (Dean Hanson/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Los Ranchos de Albuquerque trustees voted 3-0 to extend until the end of December a moratorium on applications for the village's Pilot Project and Conservation Development program, which requires a developer to give a percentage of a project site to the village for use as open space. The vote, taken during a special trustees meeting on Wednesday, is the latest ripple in a controversy that has...
By / Carolyn Kaster/associated Press By Darlene Superville / Associated Press Jesse Begay from Santa Fe, N.M., pauses for applause after reading his poem during an event for the Class of 2022 National Student Poets hosted by first lady Jill Biden at the White House in Washington Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. Seated behind from left, Winslow Hastie, Jr., from Charleston, S.C., and Vidhatrie Keetha, from the Bronx borough of New York. (Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press) WASHINGTON – Jill Biden on Tuesday hosted a reading by this year's group of National Student Poets, including one from New Mexico, allowing each one...
By Matthew Reisen and Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writers Authorities have arrested an Albuquerque man in the death of his infant daughter earlier this year. Adam Garcia, 24, was charged late last month with child abuse in the March 16 death of 5-month-old Trinity Garcia. Adam Garcia (MDC) Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque police spokeswoman, said U.S. Marshals arrested Garcia on Wednesday and he will be booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center. It’s unclear who Garcia’s attorney will be. Nicole Dimas, Trinity’s mother, told the Journal that she was so excited when she found out she was having a...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Albuquerque Police Department released the name of a man who was shot by police after allegedly firing at officers overnight Monday at an apartment off East Central. APD spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins said 26-year-old Oron Newson is recovering from his injuries at a hospital and once released will "be facing multiple felony charges." Atkins said police were called to a dispute between Newson and a neighbor at the Whispering Sands complex when he barricaded himself inside an apartment. She said when police tried to negotiate with Newson...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer A jury found Noah Duran guilty Wednesday of first-degree murder and other charges in the 2020 shooting death of a man during a robbery at a Northeast Albuquerque park. Jurors apparently agreed with prosecutors who argued that Duran, 18, and another teenager lured Elijah Mirabal to the park to rob him, then fatally shot Mirabal in an exchange of gunfire. The 2nd Judicial District Court jury also found Duran guilty of attempted armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, aggravated battery and shooting at or from a motor vehicle. Duran faces up...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police arrested a teenage boy on Wednesday in the homicide of a 60-year-old man in August at a park in Santa Fe. Judah Trujillo (Santa Fe Police) Santa Fe Deputy Chief of Police Ben Valdez said Judah Trujillo, 16, is charged with an open count of murder and tampering with evidence in the Aug. 10 death of Samuel Cordero. A charging document was not available on Wednesday. Valdez said officers found Trujillo at an apartment near Rufina and Richards and detained him without incident. He said Trujillo will be booked into the...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer An Albuquerque Rapid Transit bus is stopped along Central after the driver struck a person Wednesday afternoon. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) A person was struck by an Albuquerque Rapid Transit bus on Wednesday afternoon near the University of New Mexico campus. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque police spokeswoman, said the crash occurred at Princeton and Central. She did not give any details on the injuries to the person who was hit. "Preliminarily it appears the pedestrian stepped into the roadway as the bus was driving," she said. "The pedestrian has been transported to the...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Jennifer Sinsabaugh New Mexico's manufacturing sector is ever-changing, from upskilling the local workforce to adapting to new technologies that can help streamline the workflow of some companies. And it is important that companies, both large and small, welcome those changes with open arms to remain a vital part of the state's economy. Those were some of the thoughts on display Wednesday at the Economic Forum of Albuquerque, which featured guest speakers Jennifer Sinsabaugh, the CEO of the New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Program, and Build with Robots CEO and co-founder Chris Ziomek. Build...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A conservative news outlet's investigative report on 2nd Congressional District candidate Gabe Vasquez alleged he "gave a fake name" during a interview with an El Paso television station at a Black Lives Matter protest in the summer of 2020. The sleuthing didn't hold up to much scrutiny, however. The television station took responsibility for the confusion, saying it was the result of a mistake made during a live newscast. Nonetheless, the Republican National Congressional Committee, the Republican Party of New Mexico and U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-N.M., who Vasquez is trying to...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer The city opened a new police station on Tuesday in downtown Albuquerque. (Courtesy of Mayor Tim Keller) The city opened its Downtown Public Safety Center — a new police station — on Tuesday and boosted officers to have more of a presence in an area recently beset by a rise in violent crime. A news release from the city said Albuquerque Police Department officers will be operating out of the new location on Fourth and Central “in the heart of Downtown.” The Public Safety Center is open to the public Monday through...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Elephant Butte Reservoir, pictured in June, is where New Mexico water deliveries to Texas are measured as part of the Rio Grande Compact. Texas alleges that New Mexico groundwater pumping south of Elephant Butte reduces river flows and violates the compact. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Texas and New Mexico will move forward with a trial in a Supreme Court case over a groundwater dispute, after failing to meet a settlement deadline. Lawyers gathered in El Paso on Tuesday at the federal courthouse. Federal judge Michael Melloy set a trial date for Jan....
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor A woman walks past crime tape Tuesday at Whispering Sands Apartments in Southeast Albuquerque following an overnight officer-involved shooting. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Albuquerque police were involved in an officer-involved shooting at Whispering Sands Apartments after an overnight SWAT standoff, police say. Officers were dispatched to 12720 Central SE Monday at around 11 p.m. in response to a dispute between residents before one of the parties barricaded themselves inside their apartment, an email from police spokesman Chase Jewell says. "While officers were working on negotiating with this individual, shots were fired," Jewell said....
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A net cast nationally caught only local fish. The University of New Mexico recently hired Korn Ferry for ,000 to do a national search to find candidates to be the university's chief government relations officer, essentially the school's top lobbyist. The firm found six people who were interested in the position. Nearly all of them work within a couple miles of UNM and they all had strong ties to the university or Albuquerque. Ultimately, UNM president Garnett Stokes tapped Michael Puelle for the position, which comes with...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti listens to Dorothy Rainosek, co-founder of Frontier Restaurant, and other business owners talk about the challenges they face. (Eddie Moore/Journal) Editor's Note: The Journal this week is publishing profiles on the candidates for governor, focused on a single day on the campaign trail. Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Mark Ronchetti sat down to a table of angry business owners. They offered a harsh assessment of life in Albuquerque: Windows smashed on their property, trouble finding committed workers, closing early so employees can leave together safely. Government benefits,...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Against a backdrop of construction equipment, Dr. Michael Richards, of the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, addresses a crowd at Monday's groundbreaking for the Behavioral Health Crisis Center. From left: Bernalillo County Manager Julie Morgas Baca; Richards; UNM President Garnett Stokes; and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Monday's groundbreaking ceremony for the Behavioral Health Crisis Center "is the realization of a vision that's been almost two decades in the making," said Dr. Michael Richards, senior vice president for clinical affairs at the University...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal More than 40% of children in New Mexico who had a substantiated serious injury from physical abuse or neglect in fiscal year 2022 came from families who had a prior involvement with the state's Children, Youth and Families Department in the preceding 12 months, according to new state data. While CYFD's performance in its foster care program exceeded several of its targets, the agency "continues to underperform on targets for repeat maltreatment, maltreatment of foster care children, and serious injuries after protective services involvement," stated a report...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM Lobo men's basketball coach Richard Pitino at the Nov. 30, 2021, game against New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal) Talking Grammer Podcast · Ep 47: UNM head coach Richard Pitino (TG 9.26.22) In Episode 47 of the Talking Grammer podcast, as the first official team practices for the 2022-23 men's basketball season are starting, I thought it would be a good time to catch up with second-year Lobos coach Richard Pitino as expectations have been elevated for his team. How did the offseason go? How is...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Lan Sena, the policy director for the Center for Civic Policy, speaks during a Monday news conference outside the Roundhouse, while advocates calling for Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, D-Albuquerque, to be removed from the Senate hold signs in the background. An investigation into a complaint that Ivey-Soto harassed and bullied a female lobbyist recently ended with no disciplinary action recommended, but lawmakers are considering changes to their anti-harassment policy. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- Just four years after overhauling their sexual harassment policy, New Mexico lawmakers could be poised to retool it...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Syzygy Tile in Silver City has received 50,000 in Local Economic Development Funds to expand production and add 22 new jobs. The state also awarded funds to an Albuquerque brewing company and a cannabis testing company. (Courtesy NM Economic Development Department) A craft brewing company, a cannabis testing lab and an artisan tile maker will receive a collective half a million dollars in state funding to add jobs and expand operations. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced the Local Economic Development Act funds at a statewide conference on Monday in Downtown...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer San Juan Generating Station near Waterflow, New Mexico, on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan) The coal-fired San Juan Generating Station near Farmington will completely cease operations this week, ending 50 years of continuous power supply for Public Service Company of New Mexico and other local and regional utilities. About 100 workers still employed at the plant will be laid off over the next month. But the plant's future remains in limbo, despite plans by the City of Farmington and development company Enchant Energy Inc. to apply carbon capture and...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, left, is joined by U.S House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Jerry Gomez, of Rociada, and Las Vegas Mayor Louie Trujillo, in a discussion about the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire complex. (ADOLPHE PIERRE-LOUIS/JOURNAL) U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gathered with elementary and high school students, northern New Mexico elected officials and others Monday to discuss the devastating Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire complex that ripped through northern New Mexico earlier this year. The fire burned thousands of acres of forest, destroyed hundreds of homes and left the area susceptible to flash...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Tesuque Pueblo's Marita Hinds is the director of education at MIAC in Santa Fe. (Courtesy of NM Department of Cultural Affairs) The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture (MIAC) in Santa Fe has a new director of Education. Tesuque Pueblo member Marita Hinds started the position on Sept. 6. For the past 10 years, Hinds has been the School Administrator for the Te Tsu Geh Oweenge School, where she has worked to maintain the school's community and to provide the best education for the students of Tesuque Pueblo, neighboring Pueblos,...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham poses for a picture with Steven Archuleta during a campaign stop at Taos Pueblo on Sept. 8. Lujan Grisham was endorsed by tribal leaders during the visit. (Eddie Moore/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Editor's Note: The Journal this week is publishing profiles on New Mexico's candidates for governor, focused on a single day on the campaign trail. ESPAÑOLA – It was 10 a.m. and Michelle Lujan Grisham had already finished her fourth cup of coffee. But the high-energy and highly caffeinated governor was on the lookout...
By / Associated Press SANTA FE – A new evaluation of state-operated hospitals for veterans, the mentally ill and the elderly describes inadequate oversight that threatens the ability to provide quality care, including harmful conditions at a care facility for military veterans in Truth or Consequences. Presented Thursday to legislators, the evaluation from the Legislature's accountability and budget office describes improvements in management of finances, marketing and tracking of clinical outcomes for patients. But the quality of patient care and oversight at the New Mexico State Veterans' Home in Truth or Consequences in particular continues to be a point...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A Rio Rancho woman accused of pulling a gun on another driver for sporting a "vaccinated" bumper sticker on his car alleges in a lawsuit that police used false information to charge her with a crime later dismissed by prosecutors. Christina Blair also alleges that heavily armed Albuquerque Police Department officers entered her home and arrested her in February without first obtaining a warrant, according to the lawsuit filed in 2nd Judicial District Court. Blair, 33, was arrested in front of her husband and young stepdaughter, who...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Ken Kendzierski owns the Corrales buildings that will soon be occupied by Secondhand Treasures, a thrift shop that uses its proceeds to support animal rescue. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) CORRALES – Nancy Baumgardner shows a visitor through one of the two buildings at 4627 Corrales Road, the one closest to the road, the building with the Secondhand Treasures Thrift Shop signs on the porch. It looks like mostly bare, white walls and brick floors to the visitor, but Baumgardner sees it differently. In a rear room, which will actually be the main entrance,...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior ALMOST 6,000 SPEED CAM TICKETS IN AUGUST: The latest data shows speeding is alive and well in Albuquerque. Rebecca Atkins of the Albuquerque Police Department says the speed cameras around the city issued 5,876 0 citations and 2,530 warnings in August. And "Gibson remains the roadway with the most egregious speeds." Stay tuned for more details on the citations. WELCOME TO ABQ! Fred DeGuio asks in an email "why are there no attractive eye-catching signs on either of the interstates saying Welcome to Albuquerque when entering the city?" Kimberly Gallegos with the...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Shannon Candelario Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal An officer who shot at an unarmed auto theft suspect – but missed – in a motel parking lot in April has been fired after an internal affairs investigation determined his use of force "was not reasonable, necessary, proportional, minimal or within department policy." The investigation found the officer fired without having a clear view of what was unfolding. Meanwhile, a second officer who shot and injured the suspect was cleared of wrongdoing because he could see the suspect and thought he was holding a...
By Journal Staff Report In this file photo, Mimi Stewart is sworn in as the new president pro tem of the senate. At left is Sen. Benny Shendo Jr. of Jemez Pueblo. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE – Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart said Sunday that she is moving forward with plans to remove Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto from the powerful committee he presides over during legislative sessions. In a written statement, she cited a sexual harassment complaint filed against Ivey-Soto – which he has vigorously denied – and the need to maintain a safe environment at the Roundhouse....
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer An APD crime scene investigator walks by a black truck riddled with bullets Sunday while responding to a shooting at Coors and Bataan SW. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Albuquerque police on Sunday evening were investigating a shooting that left one person in critical condition. Rebecca Atkins, a police spokeswoman, said around 6:15 p.m. Sunday that officers were called to a reported shooting at Bataan and Coors SW. One person was found injured and taken to a local hospital in critical condition, Atkins said. Police didn't immediately release additional information about the shooting. Subscribe to...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Channel Tres will perform a show at Electric Playhouse on Wednesday, Sept. 28. (Courtesy of The Oriel Company) The creative process is one that intrigues Channel Tres. "I'm always creating and making sure family is good," he says. "Creating and writing is constantly on my brain. When it's working right, it's an unstoppable force." Channel Tres, born Sheldon Young, is known for his rap music, as well as his being a producer on records. He's released four EP's to date with the latest being "refresh," which was released in March....
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police investigate a fatal stabbing in Southeast Albuquerque on Sunday. (ADOLPHE PIERRE-LOUIS/ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal An apartment parking lot in Southeast Albuquerque was blocked off by crime scene tape on Sunday, and on the other side of the barrier, homicide detectives investigated blood stains. It's a scene that has played out over and over in Albuquerque this year. Albuquerque police on Sunday were called to the area of Kathryn and Madeira SE on a reported stabbing, Rebecca Atkins, a police spokeswoman, said in an email. A deceased person...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Michael Mando as Nacho Varga, Steven Bauer as Don Eladio in a scene from the fifth season of "Better Call Saul." The NM film industry continues to grow with a new venture in Raton. (Greg Lewis/AMC/Sony Pictures Television) The film industry continues to grow in New Mexico. It's always been a goal to have film facilities in every point of the state. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham pledged [post_excerpt].1 million in capital outlay to support a film and media school and studio in Raton. During last fiscal year, the state saw...
By Joel Jacobsen / Syndicated Columnist Nancy Ohanian/Tribune Content Agency Spiro Agnew, who served as vice president under Richard Nixon, memorably denounced the administration's enemies for their "pusillanimous pussyfooting on the critical issue of law and order." Three years later, Agnew himself pled no contest — in practical effect, the same as pleading guilty — to tax evasion. He hadn't paid tax on the illegal kickbacks he received as Maryland governor. He was replaced as veep by Gerald Ford, who eventually finished out Nixon's own second term. So how did the tough-on-crime approach of the Nixon-Ford years work? Nixon...
By ABQJournal News Staff The New Mexico Economic Development Department's Outdoor Recreation Division handed out more than million to 20 projects statewide through its Outdoor Recreation Trails+ grant, according to a news release. This is the second round of grant funding this year, with the first round having been handed out earlier this year in June. That makes 35 projects that have been funded through this EDD grant this year, totaling nearly million in investments. The funding is primarily used for expanding outdoor access and growing the outdoor recreational economy in the state through local and regional...
By John Flesher And Brittany Peterson / Associated Press Fish biologists release Rio Grande cutthroat trout into a new creek after rescuing them from a fire Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022, near Amalia, N.M. Wildlife agencies in the southwestern U.S. consider missions like this essential as climate change brings more frequent and hotter wildfires, fueled by prolonged drought and tree-killing bug infestations. (Brittany Peterson/Associated Press) AMALIA – Biologist Bryan Bakevich unscrewed the top of a plastic bucket and removed a Rio Grande cutthroat trout that squirmed from his grasp and plopped onto the grassy bank of Middle Ponil Creek. "He...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Sophomores Natavious Stallworth and Aurelia Tapia hold hands as they arrive at Highland High School’s homecoming dance Saturday. Students have fought to regain a sense of normalcy following years impacted by the pandemic. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Many students haven't had a normal year of high school yet. After their freshman year was curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, many of today's seniors spent their sophomore and junior years learning remotely or under some sort of pandemic precautions. Donning tan, flowery boots and a white, rhinestone-fringed cowgirl hat adorned...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer In this file photo, Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, appears on the Senate floor for the opening of the 2021 session. (Eddie Moore/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart said Saturday she is removing Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto as chairman of an interim legislative committee set to meet this week, citing sexual harassment allegations against him. She also suggested the allegations aren't yet fully resolved – a contrast to public comments by Ivey-Soto, who said earlier this month that he was informed the...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A former commander with the Bernalillo County Fire Rescue was killed while working security at Calvary Church late Friday night in Northeast Albuquerque. A memorial post put up on Calvary Church's Facebook page. (Calvary Church) Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins confirmed the death is being investigated as a homicide. Calvary Church on Facebook identified security officer Daniel Bourne as the man slain. The church said Bourne was a Coast Guard veteran and father of three who "had dedicated his life to protecting our church community." APD Chief Harold Medina wrote on...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press A work truck leaves the San Juan Generating Station near Waterflow, New Mexico, on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022. The coal-fired power plant's last operating unit is scheduled to shut down next week. Public Service Co. of New Mexico executives told state regulators during a meeting Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, that they are still searching for options to replace some of the lost capacity for next summer's peak season. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan) New Mexico regulators are concerned about the ability of the state's largest electric providers to meet demands during peak seasons...
By Associated Press The Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project aims to pipe clean water to the eastern Navajo Nation, the Jicarilla Apache Nation and the City of Gallup. (Courtesy of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation) GALLUP – The federal government has awarded a million contract to construct pumping plants as part of an ongoing project to bring drinking water to parts of the Navajo Nation and to residents in northwestern New Mexico. The Bureau of Reclamation announced Friday that an Arizona company earned the contract to build two pumping plants on the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. The plants will...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Students board a school bus in front of Los Ranchos Elementary School. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Earlier this month, lawmakers were told that despite more than [post_excerpt] billion of investments responding to the findings in the Yazzie-Martinez consolidated lawsuit, it's unclear if students named in the lawsuit are "any better off." Much of the responsibility to right the ship falls squarely on school districts, according to a Legislative Finance Committee report, and they have had problems implementing remedies to a judge's findings that New Mexico wasn't providing a sufficient education system for "at-risk"...
By James Hamill / For the Journal To fit the 2017 tax cut bill into the previously passed budget, which then allowed it to avoid the Senate filibuster rule through "reconciliation," some items were added to raise taxes. One such item was an overall limit on the deduction for state and local property and income taxes. The ,000 limit is referred to as the "SALT" (state and local tax) limit. The IRS issued Notice 2020-75 to sanction the use of a pass-through entity (PTE) to avoid the SALT limit. A state could impose a tax on the PTE rather...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A former ROTC instructor charged in the rape of a 16-year-old Shiprock High School student with special needs is now alleged to have raped another teen — getting her pregnant — while working at the school late last year. Ira Harris (U.S. Attorney's Office) A search warrant affidavit unsealed Thursday laid out the new allegations against Ira Harris after a mouth swab was taken from the 55-year-old to be compared with the DNA of a baby born earlier this month to a teenage girl in Shiprock. Harris is already facing federal charges...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Probation officers went to arrest a man for numerous violations Wednesday morning and found more than 20 guns, thousands of bullets, hundreds of fentanyl pills and a bag of methamphetamine in his Southwest Albuquerque home. Vincent Griego (MDC) Vincent Griego, 39, is charged with 22 counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of drug possession, distribution, child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Police also arrested Jerry Jojola after finding him hiding in a closet of Griego’s home with numerous guns and dozens of...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Francis Fair (MDC) A jury convicted Francis Fair of involuntary manslaughter on Friday in the 2019 death of a man found fatally shot in the head in Fair's bedroom. Fair, 32, was initially charged with first-degree murder in the Sept. 20, 2019, shooting death of 27-year-old Robert Herrera in a house in Southwest Albuquerque. Second Judicial District Judge David Murphy tossed out the first-degree murder charge on Thursday and ordered Fair tried on a charge of second-degree murder with a lesser included charge of involuntary manslaughter. Murphy signed an order Friday for...
By Rachel Lorenz / For the Journal Retire at 53, that was the goal. But a decade later Pat Maloy, owner of Maloy Mobile Storage, is still putting in 70-hour weeks and loving it. "I enjoy what I do every day. I like the challenges," Maloy told the Albuquerque Journal. "Building the custom containers, designing them, is really fun." Albuquerque-based Maloy Mobile Storage specializes in selling, renting and modifying shipping containers. The 34-year-old company has turned the containers into classrooms, offices, mobile testing facilities for research departments, a prototype for a portable rocket launcher and even a six-story repelling...
By ABQJournal News Staff There's arguably no better place to say hello to the cooler days and changing colors of fall than the Harvest Festival at the ABQ BioPark's Botanic Garden. The festival will be held Oct. 1-2 and will feature live music, an artisan market with handcrafted goods, face painting for kids, and educational activities and demonstrations on planting seeds, the importance bees and other pollinators, and the art of Japanese ikebana flower arranging. In addition, a variety of foods and brews will be available to purchase. The Botanic Garden is located at 2601 Central NW. Tickets cost...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Mayor Tim Keller Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller is once again trying to trump the City Council, this time in an effort to preserve funding for safe outdoor spaces. In his eighth veto of 2022, Keller is targets legislation that would reallocate [post_excerpt].25 million originally designated for safe outdoor spaces. The money comes from a voter-approved 2021 bond package and from the annual city budget the council passed in May. Instead of safe outdoor spaces — sites where people who are homeless can sleep in tents or cars in a managed environment with...
By ABQJournal News Staff Cathryn Cunningham/Albuquerque Journal An interviewer hit the Corrales Pet Mayor candidates with some pretty hard questions at a recent forum – of sorts – outside the village library. For instance ... Questioned was the dwarf goat's appetite for office: "Are you willing to eat weeds throughout the village of Corrales for the next year?" Raised was whether the mini pig has the stamina to succeed: "Are you looking forward to the pet parade? Will you be able walk that entire distance?" Running for Corrales Pet Mayor is no joke – and only two days remain...
By Colleen Slevin / Associated Press DENVER -- A Black man died after a police encounter in a Denver suburb in 2019 because he was injected with a powerful sedative after being forcibly restrained, according to an amended autopsy report publicly released Friday. Despite the finding, the death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old massage therapist, was still listed as undetermined, not a homicide, the report shows. McClain was put in a neck hold and injected with ketamine after being stopped by police in Aurora for "being suspicious." He was unarmed. The original autopsy report that was written soon after...
By ABQJournal News Staff A National Science Foundation grant of nearly 0,000 will help low-income students enrolled at Doña Ana Community College to earn an associate's degree in STEM-related fields — science, technology, engineering and math. The Experiential Learning STEM Opportunity Grant for 1,000 provides the funding for students at the college to construct a radio telescope as part of a new NASA Radio Astronomy Lab at its Las Cruces campus. The lab will allow students to detect sounds from the sun. DACC professor German Moreno said the grant is crucial in giving underrepresented groups an opportunity to have...
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal First in a series. He couldn't even raise his head, his gums were pale, his pulse weak and thready. Had an injury caused this black German shepherd mix to bleed internally? Was he anemic from an autoimmune disorder? Had he been poisoned? I remember wishing he could tell me what happened. Only a minute earlier, this big dog had burst through the front door, just not under his own steam. His 80-pound self was hefted by a couple of burly, bearded men, so highly agitated they were shouting over each other. They'd found...
By Graham Dunbar / Associated Press GENEVA -- Marijuana use will remain banned at sports events after the World Anti-Doping Agency on Friday resisted calls to change its status on the list of prohibited substances. The agency was asked to review the status of THC -- the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis -- after the case of United States sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson, who did not go to the Tokyo Olympics last year. She served a one-month ban after testing positive at the national trials meet where she won the 100 meters. The sprinter said she had smoked marijuana as a...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press Audrey Trujillo, the Republican nominee for secretary of state in New Mexico, courts voters at a campaign rally in Rio Rancho, N.M., on June 24, 2022. Trujillo on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, removed an online campaign flier that offered the chance to receive a firearm in return for campaign donations in apparent violation of state restrictions on raffles. State gambling regulators say the matter was resolved voluntarily. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee) SANTA FE – New Mexico's Republican nominee for secretary of state has removed an online campaign flyer that offered the chance to receive...
By Associated Press New Mexico Supreme Court. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE – Defendants must be informed about the possibility of facing additional prison time if their plea agreement involves multiple offenses and they violate probation, the New Mexico Supreme Court said. The split ruling issued Monday came in the case of a woman who admitted to having prior felony convictions. The court's majority affirmed a district judge's decision to lengthen the sentence of Christina Banghart-Portillo because of probation violations after her release from prison in 2016. She was a little over halfway through a three-year probationary period and...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press SANTA FE – New Mexico is bracing for a rapid exodus of up to 100,000 people from subsidized Medicaid health care next year as the federal government phases out special pandemic-era spending and eligibility for the program, the state's top health official told lawmakers Wednesday. State health and welfare officials say the federal government appears likely but not certain to declare an end to its COVID-19 public health emergency in January, curtailing enrollment in Medicaid and leaving a 7 million annual gap in state general fund finances. A legislative panel on Wednesday met...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A judge awarded a former sex crimes investigator more than [post_excerpt].4 million after finding the city failed to accommodate her disability, but rejected her and her two coworkers' claims that they were retaliated against under the Whistleblowers Protection Act. Judge Nancy Franchini Judge Nancy Franchini determined the three sex crime investigators failed to prove the city retaliated against them for raising concerns that their supervisor stymied their work clearing the rape kit backlog, implementing trauma-informed interview techniques and investigating serial rapists. Franchini also determined that the Albuquerque...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police found a person dead inside the home where they had gone to serve an arrest warrant Thursday afternoon in Northeast Albuquerque. Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said around 4:30 p.m. officers went to arrest a person at a home in the 12200 block of Vienna NE, near Tramway and Montgomery. "Once the Officers arrived they discovered a lifeless individual inside the residence," he said. "Homicide Detectives are currently conducting the investigation." DeAguero did not give any other details. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man told police he used fentanyl and methamphetamine before allegedly throwing softball-sized rocks at an officer who then shot him in the shoulder early Wednesday morning in Northeast Albuquerque. Gabriel Garcia (MDC) A criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court on Wednesday night detailed the police shooting of 47-year-old Gabriel Garcia by Officer Quan La near Candelaria and Carlisle NE. Garcia was treated for a gunshot wound and booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on charges of aggravated assault against a peace officer, possession of burglary tools, criminal damage to property and...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Corrections officers escort a prisoner out of one of the cell pods in a maximum security unit at the Penitentiary of New Mexico near Santa Fe, in this 2015 file photo. New Mexico's inmate population has decreased steadily in recent years. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- Top New Mexico corrections officials faced questions Thursday about stubbornly high vacancy rates and half-empty prisons, even as state funding for the agency overseeing the prison system has increased in recent years. During a meeting of a key legislative panel in Taos Ski Valley, Rep....
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Deputies are investigating a shooting Thursday afternoon in Southwest Albuquerque. The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office said, on Twitter that the shooting happened sometime before 2:30 p.m. at Isleta and Perry SW, north of Blake. "Please avoid the area," the agency said on Twitter. TRAFFIC ALERT 🚨 Isleta Blvd is closed in both directions at Perry Rd due to a shooting in the area. Please avoid the area. pic.twitter.com/MwOjTMnHdy — BCSO (Sheriff) NM (@BCSONM) September 22, 2022 Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By ABQJournal News Staff The city is putting its best foot forward with a cleanup effort in advance of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. As part of the annual "Company's Comin'" cleanup of Balloon Fiesta Park and the surrounding areas, volunteers will gather at 9 a.m. on Saturday outside the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum, 9201 Balloon Museum Drive. The effort is being coordinated by the Solid Waste Management and Parks and Recreation departments, which will provide the volunteers with all the cleanup supplies and tools needed, as well as shuttle service from site to site. As part...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Morphy Lake State Park, pictured in June, has reopened after being closed for several months because of the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. The fire burned trees and land around the lake. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Morphy Lake State Park will reopen on Sept. 23, after being closed for several months because of the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. The park is southwest of Mora. The fire burned trees surrounding the lake and impacted road conditions leading to the park. The New Mexico State Parks Division warns that flooding in the burn scar could impact...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Eric Piner is the latest hire for Meow Wolf, where he will be senior vice president of Project Management. (Courtesy of Meow Wolf) Meow Wolf is adding to its leadership. The Santa Fe-based immersive arts and entertainment company announced the Eric Piner will be the senior vice president of Project Management. He will spearhead the planning and execution of all attractions and exhibition projects. "After my first conversation with Meow Wolf leadership, I was drawn to what I recognized as the right culture combined with exciting and uniquely impactful projects,"...
By Tristen Critchfield / For the Journal The 2022 La Union Maze features a UFO, extraterrestrial and crop circles. (Courtesy of Robert Sondgeroth/La Union Maze) The Land of Enchantment's inaugural corn maze owes its origins to an outbreak of phytophthora – also known as chile wilt – on a farm in the west valley of Las Cruces. As a result, about five acres of the farm owned by Anna Lyles and her husband was rendered useless – at least for what it was originally intended. When a marketing-savvy friend suggested they turn the space into a corn maze in...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Lee Otto, a pilot and member of the Albuquerque Chapter 179 of the Experimental Aircraft Association, stands on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022, next to an experimental plane the chapter has been building for the past two years at Double Eagle II Airport. The chapter’s annual Land of Enchantment Fly-In is set to take place on Sept. 24th. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal During the Vietnam War, Lee Otto flew scout helicopters in search of the enemy. "The way you find the enemy is that they shoot at you,"...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press Michelle Lujan Grisham and Mark Ronchetti. (Images courtesy of the candidates) SANTA FE – When migrants overwhelmed cities and shelters in New Mexico in 2019, Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham moved several dozen of them by bus from border communities to Denver, where Christian congregations volunteered to provide shelter and aid. Fast forward to 2022 and there is little, if any, talk of transporting migrants away from the border by Lujan Grisham – or Republican nominee for governor Mark Ronchetti. Both Lujan Grisham and Ronchetti declined this week to answer questions about whether...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police are searching Coronado Mall Wednesday night after a call came in that a person with a gun was inside. Albuquerque police spokesman Daren DeAguero said the call came in sometime before 8:30 p.m. "The mall is currently locked down while Officers are conducting a search," he said. DeAguero gave no other details. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer PNM journeyman and lineman, J.P. Garcia uses a wand attached to a transformer block to show how electricity can arc if something conductive touches a power line.(Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Electricity and hot air balloons can be a dangerous, and sometimes deadly mix. Consider the kite string, mylar birthday balloon and water-soaked tree branch, which all caused an arc of electricity to wildly jump from a pole attached to a transformer block during a Wednesday demonstration at the Reeves Generating Station in advance of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The demonstration was hosted...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Deputies are looking for a trio of would-be shoplifters that shot the man who stopped them from stealing beer in late July at a South Valley gas station. The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, on Twitter, said the man was shot once in the chest and was hospitalized in the July 26 incident. BCSO released photos of the three suspects, including one who appeared to be firing a gun, and their SUV — a black Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT. Less than a month after the incident, BCSO said a couple tried to steal...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Security camera video shows two correctional officers watched, but did not intervene, as four inmates attacked another — kicking and punching him multiple times — in the intake facility of the prison in Los Lunas last month. The footage of the August beating was released by the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico on Wednesday. Barron Jones, the senior policy strategist with the ACLU, said the video from the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility raises "troubling concerns about the well-being of people in the custody of the New Mexico Corrections Department."...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Bighorn sheep graze in the Rio Grande Gorge near Pilar. The Taos County Commission on Tuesday passed a resolution in support of New Mexico’s efforts to conserve 30% of land and water by 2030. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) The Taos County Commission on Tuesday passed a resolution in support of New Mexico's efforts to conserve 30% of land and water by 2030. The state's 30x30 movement mirrors a federal initiative. Taos appears to be New Mexico's first county to express explicit support for the initiative, following a blitz of opposition spurred by an...
By Christopher Rugaber / Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Intensifying its fight against high inflation, the Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate Wednesday by a substantial three-quarters of a point for a third straight time and signaled more large rate hikes to come -- an aggressive pace that will heighten the risk of an eventual recession. The Fed's move boosted its benchmark short-term rate, which affects many consumer and business loans, to a range of 3% to 3.25%, the highest level since early 2008. The officials also forecast that they will further raise their benchmark rate to roughly 4.4%...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police say an alleged burglar fell through a ceiling of a dollar store before trying to hide from officers inside a dryer at an adjacent laundromat in Southeast Albuquerque earlier this month. Samuel Muller (MDC) Samuel Muller, 32, is charged with one count of criminal damage to property over [post_excerpt],000 in the Sept. 13 incident. He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center, but was released on Sept. 15. Muller told police, according to court records, that he broke into the dollar store to find something to eat and hid from police...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer With legs protruding from a tent, homeless people earlier this month take refuge from the midday sun at an encampment near Utah and Zuni SE. (Roberto E. Rosales, Albuquerque Journal) There were 256 fewer homeless people in Albuquerque in January 2022 than there were in January 2021, according to a just-released report summarizing the Point-In-Time count. The PIT count was done by the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness on Jan. 31. It is a snapshot of a single night showing where people experiencing both unsheltered and sheltered homelessness slept that night....
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Even as child poverty rates worsened nationwide in 2021, they improved slightly in New Mexico. New Mexico's child poverty rate fell from 24.9% in 2019 to 23.9% in 2021, according to the recently released U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. Nationally, child poverty worsened slightly from 16.8% in 2019 to 16.9% in 2021, the survey said. For 2021, the federal poverty level was a yearly income of ,420 for a family of two; ,960 for a family of three; and ,500 for a family of four. Much of New Mexico's improvement can...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor An Albuquerque police officer shot a man after a foot pursuit early Wednesday morning near Carlisle and Candelaria. The incident at 3301 Candelaria began when a sergeant "observed a male individual who appeared to be tampering and possibly trying to break into a convenience store," Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said at a briefing. After the sergeant made contact with the man and officers tried to determine whether the man had made entry into the location, Medina said, the individual fled on foot. A foot chase ensued. During the chase, Medina...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Crime Scene Investigators examine the scene after three Albuquerque Police Department officers shot and killed Keshawn Thomas at a West Side gas station on Aug. 28. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) On lapel camera videos Keshawn Thomas appeared to be confused and intoxicated when he sat down in the front seat of his 2022 Dodge Challenger to search the center console. It was a little after 11 p.m. Aug. 28 and officers had been called because he was passed out in his car — parked in the bay of a West Side gas station...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Detectives with the Albuquerque Police Department investigate after a woman was killed and an officer fired a gun at a suspect, but missed, Downtown on Aug. 22. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) On a Sunday night last month, 21-year-old Melina Jones had gone out with her girlfriend and some other friends in Downtown Albuquerque. Melina Jones, 21 (Courtesy of Shawina Jones-Graham) What started out like any other night ended when Jones confronted a man who was bothering some other girls, her friends and family say. Cellphone video taken from some distance away shows the...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Doña Ana County deputies shot the owner of a Las Cruces pizzeria after he allegedly shot and killed his wife with her 17-year-old son in the next room on Sunday. Robert Yacone, 59, is charged with an open count of murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm in the death of Kimberly Yacone, 48. Yacone is expected to survive his injuries after being shot by deputies responding to the homicide. Yacone told deputies he had a gun and rushed at them before being shot, but no weapons were found,...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- A New Mexico politician and Trump supporter who was removed and barred from elected office for his role in the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, is attempting to appeal that decision to the state Supreme Court. Cowboys for Trump cofounder and former county commissioner Couy Griffin on Tuesday notified the high court of his intent to appeal. The ruling against Griffin this month from a Santa Fe-based District Court was the first to remove or bar an elected official from office in connection with the attack on...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Los Poblanos' two new gins. (Courtesy of Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm) Since Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm opened its restaurant, Campo, in 2017, diners have been able to eat the flavors of New Mexico. And now, they'll be able to drink them. Los Poblanos is introducing a pair of gins featuring botanicals grown in the los Ranchos farm. The Western Dry gin includes 16 botanicals, including chamomile and the second liquor is flavored with one of Los Poblanos most iconic crops: lavender. "I would say that it's...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor The case of missing Albuquerque woman Pepita Redhair will air on "Disappeared" on Ivestigation Discovery. (Courtesy of Investigation Discovery) The search for Pepita Redhair continues after more than two years. The Albuquerque woman was last seen on March 24, 2020, after her mother, Anita King, dropped off her daughter at her boyfriend, Nick's house. Anita is worried that Redhair, like many other Native American women, is a victim of domestic violence and tries to persuade Redhair to return home. Redhair tells her mother that everything is going to be okay....
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A person is in custody after Bernalillo County deputies fired at them Tuesday afternoon in Southwest Albuquerque. The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office, on Twitter, said the deputies are safe but did not say if the person in custody was struck by gunfire. BCSO spokeswoman Felicia Maggard said "there is no one outstanding at this time" but would not confirm if there were any injuries. "The scene is active so we have limited information at this time," she said. BCSO said around 2 p.m. that "there is a law enforcement presence" near Isleta...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police released the names of three men fatally shot in separate incidents across the city. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said the deaths of Victor Lopez-Quiroz, 37, Jeffrey Campbell, 47, and Jonathan Lindsey, 33, are being investigated as homicides. No arrests have been made in the three cases. The deaths of Lopez-Quiroz and Campbell happened overnight on Sept. 15, within hours of each other. Police responded around 11:40 p.m. to the Four Hills Mobile Home Park, near Juan Tabo and Southern SE, and found Lopez-Quiroz shot to death outside a...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The state has created a new website that will allow potential owners to recoup unclaimed property, the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department announced Tuesday. Potential property owners of unclaimed property can file a claim through the newly created website, nmclaims.unclaimedproperty.com TRD says claimants can check for property first by calling the department and if assets are found, file a claim through the website. And single-owner properties of 0 or less are eligible for claims directly through the website by creating an account and entering their information...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Forever Sure, with jockey Brian J. Hernandez Jr., crosses the finish line on the turf in a horse race at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky., July 4, 2013. Churchill Downs Inc. has agreed to buy Ellis Park for million in cash. The deal announced Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022, with Laguna Development Corp. includes Churchill Downs assuming Ellis Park’s opportunity to build a track extension facility in Owensboro. (Mike Lawrence/The Gleaner via AP) The company behind Route 66 Casino and Laguna Burger is a little bit richer after selling off an out-of-state...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Taos Municipal Schools students used remote learning Tuesday after a student was stabbed by a man on Monday at Taos High School, according to court documents and a statement from the school district. The district said in statements posted to its Facebook page that local, state and tribal authorities responded to the incident and took a suspect into custody. The district said that in-person learning will resume on Wednesday. Counselors will be available at the high school and middle school, according to the statement. A statement of probable cause filed in Taos...
By ABQJournal News Staff Lexi Thomas, 14, from Portales, shares a moment with her award-winning heifer, Bunny, who was among the winning animals at the State Fair’s Junior Livestock Show. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) More than 0,000 was raised during the 2022 New Mexico State Fair Junior Livestock sale. Youth involved in 4-H and FFA programs around the state got to show and sell the animals that they spent the last year breeding, raising, grooming and preparing for the State Fair. Total sales at the livestock show surpassed the 4,000 raised at the last show in 2019, according to fair...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Albuquerque City Council has settled on a once-in-a-decade redistricting proposal, but most people in the city will notice no difference. That's because the council on Monday voted 6-3 to approve a boundary reset that rebalances the city population across the nine districts without making any drastic moves. Redistricting experts called it a "minimal change" map, as only 5.8% of the city's population would find itself in a new district. Multiple councilors even referred to it – somewhat despairingly – as the "status quo" option. "If we're...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer A balloon fiesta visitor watches balloons inflate on the field while stuck in a line of traffic during a morning mass ascension. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal There's no getting around it. Traffic to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta's mass ascensions and balloon glows can be a nightmare. And this year's 50th Balloon Fiesta bash could generate even more visitors. Balloon Fiesta officials cite a number of construction projects and changes aimed at expediting arrivals to, and departures from, Balloon Fiesta Park during this year's event, which runs from...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico was just shy of testing all the students it needed to last school year. About 92% of test eligible students participated in state math and language arts assessments, according to data recently released by the state Public Education Department. States are required to test 95% of their students by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. "PED and our Local Education Agencies are committed to continuing to improve participation rates for these standardized tests so that we have the fullest picture of how our students are...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A box containing 16 different materials attached to the International Space Station. A team including researchers at Kirtland Air Force Base are studying how the materials respond to the harsh space environment. (COURTESY AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In mid July, a spacecraft ferried 16 different materials to the International Space Station so scientists, including those at Kirtland Air Force Base, could study how they would respond to the harsh space environment. The team of researchers included members from the Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate, which...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Karen Bedonie, the Libertarian candidate for governor, stands next to her car — a vehicle she says she has put 180,000 miles on since launching her campaign last year. Bedonie has focused her campaign on traveling throughout New Mexico, outspending even her better-funded rivals on travel, lodging and meals. (Eddie Moore/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Libertarian Karen Bedonie has raised and spent just a fraction of what her rivals have in the race for governor. But she has them beat in one category – spending on travel, lodging...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police take a man wearing a “Heisenberg” hat into custody Sunday. Police have not yet identified a suspect in four stabbings in the city Sunday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) The man accused of stabbing four people along Central in Albuquerque on Sunday told police that he has regular blackouts and can't remember the incident, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. Leroy Lopez (MDC) The complaint identifies the suspect as Leroy Lopez, 33. He was arrested on two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Four people were stabbed...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham speaks during the Monday opening of a new child care facility for state employees in Santa Fe, as enrolled children look on. About 50 child care slots will be provided at two different state office buildings. (Dan Boyd/Journal) SANTA FE -- With New Mexico rebuilding its child care network amid the reverberations of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's administration is bringing preschoolers into some state government buildings. The Democratic governor and top Cabinet officials on Monday opened the first on-site child care facility for state...
By Jeff Tucker / Journal Editorial Writer This week's question: What do you think about the Administrative Office of the Court's proposal to scrap the fees in misdemeanor crime and traffic cases? Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published. Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-form Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer One man was killed and another was detained following a shooting east of Old Town Monday afternoon. Officer Daren DeAguero, a spokesman for the Albuquerque Police Department, said around 4:15 p.m. officers were called to a shooting on the 1000 block of 12th St, near Mountain NW. "Officers arrived to discover an individual suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot wound," DeAguero wrote in an email. He said the man was taken to the hospital, where he died. Another man was taken into custody and no suspects are outstanding, DeAguero said....
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Clouds form over the Sandias as William Freer embarks on a four-mile hike on the Bear Canyon Trail on Monday. Albuquerque temperatures are expected to be in the low- to mid-80s this week. Storms are likely in western and northern New Mexico. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) After weeks of rainfall and flash floods, meteorologists say this week may be the "last gasp" for New Mexico's monsoon season. Jennifer Shoemake, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Albuquerque, said that several rounds of showers and thunderstorms are likely for western and northern...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Jadyn Toppin, a 6-foot-8 high school senior at Oak Cliff (Texas) Faith Family Academy, watches the Lobo football game against Boise State on Sept. 9 while on a recruiting visit. Lobo assistant coach Eric Brown is on the left. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal) A week away from the first official college basketball practices of the upcoming season and the UNM Lobos are already getting some big news about next season. Jadyn Toppin, a 6-foot-8 power forward with a 7-foot-1 wing span from Faith Family Academy in Oak Cliff, Texas, announced publicly on...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Valencia County Sheriff's Office officials announced at a news conference Monday that a second person has been taken into custody in connection with a New Mexico woman's death. Maria Guadalupe Nevarez Aguilera, 49, was taken into custody in Garden City, Kansas on Sept. 17, said Rashad Pearson, a spokesman for the sheriff's office. Rosalio Aguilera Gomboa was also arrested in connection with the case. He has been charged with an open count of murder, tampering with evidence and child abuse, according to court records. Nevarez Aguilera was arrested on suspicion of accessory...
By James Hamill / For the Journal Q: I sold the assets of a business in March. The buyer and I agreed to allocate the price to specific assets and I computed a gain of [post_excerpt],232,657. My question relates to the 3.8% net investment income surtax. If I have to pay that tax, it will be almost ,000. That's in addition to the tax I owe for federal and state on the gain. I consulted with someone who told me the only way to avoid this tax is to show it is not investment income, which requires that I...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor John Roybal holds his two-year-old son Ezekiel Roybal as they view a living Lungfish at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The arts in New Mexico remain a driving economic factor. New Mexico's eight state-run museums and seven historic sites brought in .8 million in revenue in fiscal 2022, close to the million brought in during pre-pandemic 2019. "We are pleased to see a rapid rise in attendance and revenue across the agency...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior COMPANY'S COMIN', LET'S CLEAN UP: As the State Fair leaves New Mexico and the Balloon Fiesta enters Albuquerque, Bob Dean asks the annual question: "Why is this city so trashy?" He says in his email "Paseo del Norte, the whole length, is dirty, trashy, with the shoulders of the road covered with old mattresses, wood scraps, car parts, needles, etc. An email to my city councilor was not answered." And it's not just Paseo, which Bob says "I use daily, but everywhere I drive. With the State Fair and Balloon Fiesta here,...
By Sara Van Note / Source New Mexico By Sara Van Note Source New Mexico If you've been stalked by tiny striped mosquitoes this summer, you're not alone. These bold black-and-white bugs, aka Aedes aegypti, are "aggressive biters" and "a little bit sneakier" than other mosquitoes, said Nick Pederson, Urban Biology Division manager with Albuquerque's Environmental Health Department. A female Aedes aegypti mosquito feeds on the arm of a researcher at the Biomedical Sciences Institute of Sao Paolo University in Sao Paolo, Brazil. (Andre Penner/Associated Press) Found in Albuquerque and points south, the Aedes aegypti mosquito has spread rapidly...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Bettina Sandoval, Taos Pueblo's educational director says progress has been made for tribal education but there is still more to do. (Photo courtesy of Taos Pueblo Education and Training) Taos Pueblo's educational director, Bettina Sandoval, started her job in August 2018, the month after a judge in the Yazzie-Martinez consolidated lawsuit found that New Mexico wasn't providing a sufficient education to Indigenous students. In that time, a lot of progress has been made – even if at a snail's pace – in education in the pueblo, she said, including advances in hiring...
By ABQJournal News Staff Bailey Waldrop, 16, from Velarde, hangs out with his steer named Brandon before the Parade of Champions showcasing the winners of the Junior Livestock Show at Tingley Coliseum during the New Mexico State Fair at Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque, N.M., on Thursday. Waldrop won the Reserve Grand Champion Market Beef. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) It's as iconic as any state fair display: the Parade of Champions, where top finishers in the Junior Livestock Show are recognized. The march of animals and youth exhibitors took place Thursday at Tingley Coliseum as part of the New Mexico...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Eva de Dominici resumes her role as Nadia in the season two premiere episode of Fox's "The Cleaning Lady." Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Eva De Dominici travels from Los Angeles to Albuquerque about four times a week. The actress doesn't mind the travel as she's found a third home in the Duke City, where she's filming the Fox drama "The Cleaning Lady." De Dominici plays Nadia in the series. "My homes are Buenos Aires, Los Angeles and Albuquerque," she said. "I've fallen in love with Albuquerque while filming the...
By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Abe Romero, who played football for Organ Mountain, passed away on Saturday. He was 17. He had been hospitalized since he went down at Knights’ road game at Deming on Aug. 26. (Courtesy of Organ Mountain football via Twitter)Organ Mountain High School football player Abraham Romero, who had been in a medically induced coma since a football-related injury late last month, has died. Romero, 17, died at an El Paso hospital on Saturday night, according to a Sunday post from the Las Cruces school's booster club. He had been hospitalized since going...
By Lisa J. Kuuttila / President & Chief Economic Development Officer, UNM Rainforest Innovations Lisa J. Kuuttila Editor's Note: Throughout 2022, New Mexico Angels' members, investors and startup owners will be writing columns on economic development and startup opportunities in the state. The Angels unite individual investors to pool their resources, providing seed and early-stage capital to startup companies. UNM Rainforest Innovations has been working with new inventors' technologies developed at the University of New Mexico since 1995. One of the most important things we do is to work in partnership with startup entrepreneurs. This enables the transfer of...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Three people were stabbed in Downtown Albuquerque and another person was stabbed further west on Central on Sunday afternoon in an apparent random act of violence, a police spokesman said. A male suspect was taken into custody, Gilbert Gallegos, a police spokesman, said Sunday evening. Police identified a suspect, in part, because he was wearing a distinct "Heisenberg hat," Gallegos said. Walter White's character in the show "Breaking Bad" was known to don a pork pie hat when using his Heisenberg alias. At least some of the victims were treated at a...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A missing New Mexico woman was found dead and her husband has been arrested in Kansas on suspicion of her murder. On Sept. 14, New Mexico Department of Transportation employees working on a road sign on Highway 60 near Mountainair found Karla Aguilera dead and in bushes about 20 feet from the roadway, according to a criminal complaint filed by a Valencia County Sheriff's Office deputy. She had been shot and was wearing a torn and partially removed skirt, according to the complaint. Aguilera's daughters had reported...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer One person was shot to death in the International District, according to the Albuquerque Police Department. Officers were dispatched to the area of Trumbull and Dallas SE responding to reports of a shooting, said APD spokesman Chase Jewell in an email early Sunday morning. The officers found one individual "who had succumbed to gunshot wounds on scene," Jewell said. The APD Homicide Unit was called out to investigate. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Eric Davis / Staff Scientist, Los Alamos National Laboratory Staff scientists Eric Davis, left, and Vamshi Chillara examine the SoniView laboratory brewing station as part of the UC-LANL Entrepreneur Postdoc Accelerator program at Los Alamos National Laboratory. (Courtesy of Los Alamos National Laboratory) As beer lovers sip their favorite IPAs on a weekend or after a long day's work, they might be unaware — and who can blame them? — of the complexity of the brewing process and all the things that can go wrong in getting that tasty beverage from the recipe to the restaurant table. Especially...
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal Q: I have a year-old neutered male Yorkie who is aggressive to all human family members except me, the mom. It doesn't matter whether I'm holding him or he is just walking around, if anyone comes near, he will growl and bark. When I am not home, he is fine with everybody. Dr. Nichol: Your dog is over-bonded to you, becoming hyper-aroused and protective when your family comes close. Anxiety is likely to be at the root of the problem. You can set your pupster up to succeed. Our dogs watch their leaders...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Floyd Beard, an award-winning cowboy poet from Colorado, shares his stories during the New Mexico State Fair on Thursday. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Cowboy poet Floyd Beard at New Mexico State Fair at the Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque on Thursday. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Valerie and Floyd Beard got up early Thursday morning, hopped in their car and drove straight from their home in southeast Colorado to Albuquerque to perform cowboy poetry at the Chevron Pavilion stage at the New Mexico State Fair, which ends its 11-day run...
By Associated Press Many of the trees in the Cibola National Forest are under attack by the Douglas fir tussock moth, which are native defoliators. However, multiple seasons of repeat defoliation can kill trees, an official says. (File photo) An insect outbreak is believed to be causing conifer stands in some central New Mexico forests to lose their needles, further stressing trees amid an ongoing drought. Officials with the Cibola National Forest said Wednesday that Douglas fir, white fir and even some ponderosa pine trees are turning brown as the larvae of the tussock moth feeds on the...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In July, a deputy with the San Juan County Sheriff's Office filed a petition to remove 10 guns from a 36-year-old man from Aztec who had threatened to kill family. "Defendant's wife is in fear for her safety," the detective wrote in the petition, which he filed on behalf of the man's mother. "Defendant has made trips to Las Vegas, NV to confront and harm celebrities. Defendant has viewed, with admiration, television programs and news reports involving mass shooters." Dustin O'Brien, chief deputy district attorney with the...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press Horses leave the starting gate at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack and Casino in Ruidoso, N.M., Sept. 6, 2010. A top horse-racing official in New Mexico says easing rules around online betting would help to ensure the industry's survival amid intense competition for gambling dollars. (Rudy Gutierrez/The El Paso Times) Easing rules around online betting would help ensure the survival of New Mexico's horse racing industry as it faces intensifying competition for attention from gamblers in the state and around the world, a top racing official told a panel of state lawmakers Thursday. New...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Two New Mexico lawmakers introduced legislation that seeks to expand student loan forgiveness for certain educators, which the sponsors said will help recruit and retain much-needed teachers. Sen. Ben Ray Luján and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, both Democrats, introduced the bill Thursday that calls for the federal government to make the monthly payments on federal student loans for educators who work in early childhood education programs and teachers at high-need public schools. The loans would be forgiven completely once teachers work in those jobs for five years. The legislation comes as President...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Lois Hamamoto greets John Poling as Sharon Bowen looks on. All three were Peace Corps volunteers in Ecuador from 1966 to 1968. On Wednesday, members of that Peace Corps contingent gathered at Santa Fe’s Sachi Organics, owned by Hamamoto, for food, tea and reminiscing. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – There's a street in the town of San Juan Bosco, Ecuador, called Jaime Agett Calle. It's named in honor of Jim Agett, a New York state native who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer The Midnight Fire burned through this section of the Carson National Forest near El Rito in June. Crews had feared that the blaze could grow as big or as fast as nearby fires had, but previous prescribed burn projects and managed fires helped slow the Midnight Fire. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal CARSON NATIONAL FOREST – Jamie Long stands in the burn scar of the Midnight Fire, a few miles north of El Rito. He recalls how fast and hot the fire was in early June. "Getting in front...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Pictured are the documents related to Extreme Risk Firearm Protection Orders including the petition, the affidavit, the order granting it and the receipt of firearms. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The man had been making threats against the Family Worship Center church for about six months – ever since he returned to New Mexico after leaving the military. The 35-year-old U.S. Army veteran who had served in Afghanistan posted concerning things on the West Side church's Facebook page and sent the pastor messages saying "I'll kill you all" and...
By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer 1. Los Lunas (2-3) at Cibola (4-0), 1 p.m. Saturday, Nusenda Community Stadium: An elite QB matchup between the Tigers' Paul Cieremans and the Cougars' Aden Chavez, who is coming off a 500-yard outing two weeks ago at Farmington. Los Lunas has been reeling, having lost three straight. 3. Piedra Vista (5-0) at Valley (3-1), 1 p.m. Saturday, Milne Stadium: The Panthers, ranked No. 1 in Class 5A, take on a sneaky-good Vikings team as this game for PV falls between matchups against Goddard and Roswell. A chance for Valley to see...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer A ski lift at Taos Ski Valley in 2018. (Eddie Moore/Journal) Taos Ski Valley announced Tuesday that it has been certified carbon neutral by Climate Impact Partners, an organization that brings together international companies with the goal of reducing 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide by 2030. But Taos Ski Valley CEO David Norden said the designation is just the beginning. "We ... know that it's not the end-all be-all, right. This is a process that we're working through," Norden said. "But it's a great first milestone step." Taos Ski Valley is...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal An evaluation commission on Friday recommended that voters retain New Mexico Supreme Court Justice Michael Vigil and seven Bernalillo County Metro Court judges standing for retention this year. The Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission made no "do-not-retain" recommendations this year for any of the nine judges standing for retention on Nov. 8 general election ballots. The commission offered no recommendation on state Court of Appeals Judge Jane Yohalem, who was not evaluated due to time limitations. Yohalem was elected to the Court of Appeals in November 2020. Denise...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Jonathan Romero (Santa Fe County Detention Center) Authorities say a fight at a girl's 18th birthday party in Santa Fe on Sunday ended in a spray of more than 60 stray bullets — some that struck three 16-year-olds and two adults and sent crowds running. Witnesses told police the fight sparked between the girl's ex-boyfriend and new boyfriend and police say at least three guns were fired, including one that accidentally discharged into a man's foot. The Santa Fe Police Department said the SWAT team arrested Jonathan Romero, the ex-boyfriend, on Friday...
By Felicia Fonseca / Associated Press The Colorado River flows through the Grand Canyon on the Hualapai reservation on Aug. 15, 2022, in northwestern Arizona. Las Vegas and Phoenix may be forced to ration water or restrict growth. Farmers may confront painful decisions about which crops to stop planting. The tribe cannot draw water from the river and must pipe water in. Those are a few of the dire consequences that could result if states, cities and farms cannot agree on how to cut the amount of water they draw from the Colorado River. (John Locher/Associated Press) EDITOR'S NOTE:...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Nine-year-old Rockii Tran, left, gets juggling pointers from Alex Bistrevski of the Interactive Circus Station at the New Mexico State Fair on September 14 , 2022. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A line of eager children await their turn to learn some circus tricks that have just been performed to perfection by Alex Bistrevsky, a man with a spotted vest who spends half of his performances teaching people how to do what a circus performer like him does. Today, you might catch Bistrevsky, who travels nationwide with the Stilt...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Investigators collect evidence after Albuquerque police officers shot and killed 27-year-old Keshawn Thomas at a Valero gas station on Aug. 28. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) The 27-year-old man who was shot and killed by three Albuquerque Police Department officers at a West Side gas station late last month had given the officers a magazine and told them he had a gun in the trunk of his car before he was shot, according to a search warrant affidavit filed in 2nd Judicial District Court. "My understanding is that he lawfully owned the weapon ...," said...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer The city of Albuquerque is adding another 10 operator positions at its Emergency Communications Center in an attempt to rectify what the police chief said are sometimes "unacceptable" call wait times. Currently only about 80% of local 911 calls are answered within 15 seconds, Albuquerque Police Department officials said Friday. The industry standard is to answer 90% in that timeframe. Officials acknowledge there are occasions when it can take much longer — particularly when multiple people witness the same incident and they each dial for help separately. The average wait time for...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, D-Albuquerque, debates an election bill during the special session in 2020. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — Opening day of the next legislative session is in four months. But it's been quite a week in the New Mexico Senate — where a legal clash erupted over the handling of a sexual harassment complaint, the president pro tem called on a committee chairman to resign and the chairman reported her to the FBI. At the center of the storm is Democrat Daniel Ivey-Soto, the Senate Rules Committee chairman who was...
By Ellen Marks / For the Journal Meow Wolf's Julie Heinrich. (Courtesy Meow Wolf) After one of Meow Wolf's founders died suddenly at the age of 37, employees of the artist collective mourned by creating a memorial archway made of steel and wood. "They metaphorically walked through it, as if transformed by this moment in time," says Julie Heinrich, Meow Wolf chief of staff and executive director of the company's new foundation. "They painted it, they built it and then they burned it, with a ceremony as well." "That's what I mean about art being a beautiful language when...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Storrie Lake, pictured in April as the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire burns in the background, is helping the city of Las Vegas rebound from a wildfire-fueled water crisis. A .25 million pre-treatment plant went online at the lake earlier this month, and is treating water and directing it to the city's Bradner Reservoir. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Las Vegas is rebounding from a wildfire-fueled water crisis, thanks to a new treatment system and a respite from monsoon rains. A .25 million pre-treatment plant went online at Storrie Lake earlier this month. That system...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer The courtyard of the new Journal Center apartment complex. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Every weekday, thousands of workers in Journal Center leave the area after they clock out. "Everything shuts down after five o'clock, and then on the weekends, it's a ghost town," said Josh Rogers, senior vice president at Titan Development. But that may change in the coming months. In the decades since Journal Center opened in the 1980s, the office park has been a home to the business community. In December of this year, it will become a home in a more...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer The American Association of Retired Persons is seeking volunteers to help senior and low-income New Mexicans file taxes this year, according to a news release. This is the 50th year that AARP has run the Tax-Aide program. On average, AARP assists about 30,000 New Mexican seniors with their taxes. Volunteers start training in January, and will start helping prepare taxes in February. Besides looking for volunteers to help prepare taxes, they're also looking for volunteers willing to set online appointments, aid taxpayers in gathering their documents, assist with tax site technology. AARP...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer A speech by controversial conservative commentator Tomi Lahren at the University of New Mexico on Thursday night was briefly disrupted by about 100 protesters. UNM spokesperson Cinnamon Blair said she was not aware if the protesters were affiliated with a specific group. "My understanding is that (Lahren) was able to finish delivering her speech, and during the Q&A it became really loud, and somebody at some point pulled a fire alarm," Blair said. The student chapter of Turning Point USA organized the event and invited Lahren to speak. UNM Police, New Mexico...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer A New Mexico green chile pepper floats as Expedition 66 crew members aboard the International Space Station taste the crop grown in space. New Mexico Agriculture Secretary Jeff Witte thanked the NASA team on Friday for their work promoting the state’s iconic crop. (Courtesy of NASA) New Mexico chile is out of this world. No, really. NASA scientists and state agriculture experts gathered virtually on Friday to celebrate the team that grew New Mexico chile aboard the International Space Station. A group of "Hatchstronauts" harvested the peppers last fall. NASA astronaut Megan...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Attorneys Carter Harrison IV, right, and Daniel Gallegos, center, talk in court Friday during a break in proceedings. The attorneys were representing Jeremy Gay, the Republican candidate for attorney general, in a case focused on Gay's eligibility to hold elected office. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- Republican attorney general candidate Jeremy Gay survived an attempt to knock him off the general election ballot, as a state judge on Friday rejected a court challenge targeting Gay's eligibility to hold office. Specifically, the Democratic-backed lawsuit seeking Gay's removal from the ballot alleged he...
By Bob Christie / Associated Press PHOENIX -- The Republican leaders of the Arizona Legislature will not try to defend a new law limiting up-close filming of police that has been blocked by a federal judge, a decision that essentially ends the fight over the contentious proposal. Senate President Karen Fann and House Speaker Rusty Bowers both said they would not intervene in the case by the Friday deadline set by the federal judge when he temporarily blocked the new law from taking effect last week on First Amendment grounds. And the bill's sponsor, Republican Rep. John Kavanagh, said...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A highly-regarded federal judge who served the District of New Mexico for more than three decades died on Friday. Senior U.S. District Judge James A. Parker died at the age of 85, according to a release from the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico. A cause of death was not given. Chief District Judge William Johnson, who wrote the release, said “We were privileged to work with and know this exemplary man.” Parker was one of the longest serving district judges in New Mexico’s history, remaining on the bench...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer An out-of-state, multifamily developer has continued its expansion into New Mexico with the recent acquisition of Vista Mesa Villa - a three-story, 100-unit apartment complex in Grants. The company, Community Preservation Partners, acquired the property in August in partnership with property management company JL Gray, who will serve as the owner and manager of the complex. The acquisition cost was .5 million and CPP plans to invest .7 million in renovations, the company said. CPP's total development investment is expected to be about million. "This transaction allows us to rehab the...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico no longer has the highest rate of unemployment of states in the country. A Friday report from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions shows New Mexico's unemployment rate stood at 4.4% in August. That's a decline from 4.5% in July, when New Mexico had recorded its lowest rate of unemployment since September 2008. New Mexico in August was tied for the sixth highest rate of unemployment in the country, according to Friday data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The District of Columbia...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer From left, Anna Jones and Robert Houston, founders and owners of 505 spirits. (Chancey Bush/Journal) Ever since pastry chef Anna Jones opened distillery 505 Spirits with her husband Robert Houston, her dough sheeter — a machine used to roll out pastry — has languished in storage. But no longer. For the past few months, Jones has been busy in the kitchen developing a menu for 505 Spirits' new Nob Hill tasting room at 105 Harvard SE, which is tentatively set to open Oct. 7. She's bringing her hand pies, which she used...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer A chairlift at Taos Ski Valley in 2018. (Eddie Moore/Journal) Taos Ski Valley announced Tuesday that it has been certified carbon neutral by Climate Impact Partners, an organization that brings together international companies with the goal of reducing 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide by 2030. But Taos Ski Valley CEO David Norden said the designation is just the beginning. "We ... know that it's not the end-all be-all, right. This is a process that we're working through," Norden said. "But it's a great first milestone step." Taos Ski Valley is the...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Next month, Albuquerque beer empire Bosque Brewing Co. will mark two milestones: its 10-year anniversary and fifth location. Cousins Jotham Michnovicz and Gabe Jensen, along with friend Kevin Jameson, founded Bosque Brewing Co. in October 2012. "We all kind of had the same idea to open a brewery the same weekend," Michnovicz said. "And none of us had ever brewed beer before, but we just had an affinity for craft beer. ... So we said, ‘Well, we like business, we like beer — let's make a beer business.'" They opened their first...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico State Police arrested a Taos man for his eighth DWI on Sunday night. Pete Pedroncelli Pete Pedroncelli, 60, was charged with aggravated DWI and booked into the Taos County Detention Center. Court records show Pedroncelli has been convicted seven times for DWI since the 1980. State Police said he had a revoked license and interlock requirement – but no interlock installed – at the time of Sunday's arrest. Pedroncelli's last conviction was in 2014, when he pleaded guilty to DWI and was sentenced to three...
By Journal Staff Report Impact Outdoors is a nonprofit started by Matthew Monjares that impacts communities through education, conservation and outdoor opportunities. (Courtesy of News Radio KKOB) Matthew Monjares will continue his mission of impacting communities through education, conservation and meaningful outdoor opportunities across New Mexico this fall. The lives he will impact include our nation's active duty military, veterans and local kids. On Friday, News Radio KKOB will air the story as part of the "Good News File." For the past four years, his nonprofit, Impact Outdoors, has helped people of all ages become stewards in their communities...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer The murder trial of Noah Duran lurched to a start Thursday after attorneys spent the morning debating whether a key prosecution witness should be allowed to testify. Duran, 18, is charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery, aggravated battery and two other felonies in the Oct. 29, 2020, shooting death of 22-year-old Elijah Mirabal at a park in Northeast Albuquerque. This marks Duran's second trial on the same charges. Second Judicial District Judge Bruce Fox declared a mistrial May 2 after a jury deadlocked on all five felony counts. Jurors split 5-7 on...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Momentum. Partnership. Openness. Those are some of the words used to describe the Albuquerque region by a panel of national site consultants who spoke at the Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance quarterly event Thursday at Electric Playhouse. The event, attended by roughly 100 business leaders in the state, featured site consultants from across the country - including Tess Fay, principal for GLS Consultants; Laura Gourley, west region director of Grant Thornton's State and Local Tax practice; Gregg Healy, executive vice president of Savills; and Jeff Pappas, a site consultant with more than 25...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The Pete V. Domenici federal courthouse Downtown Albuquerque (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Attorneys for the city and the Department of Justice have signed off on an agreement formalizing the city's self-monitoring and self-assessment of nearly a quarter of the requirements laid out in the settlement agreement mandating police reform. The parties in the case had reached the agreement over the summer but had not yet created a plan of how it would work. They filed a joint notice and a 47-page plan in federal court on Thursday. The 62 paragraphs that the...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A healthcare worker fills a syringe with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a Miami hospital in this October 2021 file photo. A new updated version of the COVID vaccine is available, and the state will be making a push to offer the vaccine at assisted living and nursing home facilities. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) New Mexico appears to have weathered the latest COVID-19 variant omicron, and hospitalizations have dipped to their lowest levels in months, according to state Department of Health officials. On Thursday, there were 81 people with COVID in hospitals throughout...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer FILE - People walk under the state Capitol rotunda during the annual legislative session on Feb. 2, 2022, in Santa Fe. (AP Photo/Cedar Attanasio, File) SANTA FE — A lobbyist who accused state Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto of sexual harassment has filed a lawsuit that aims to strike down the law that prohibits her from speaking about the case. The suit was filed Thursday on behalf of lobbyist Marianna Anaya in the state's 1st Judicial District. The 13-page petition asks a judge to declare that the confidentiality rule is an unconstitutional limitation on...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Mark Ronchetti appears alongside his wife, Krysty, in a TV ad released Thursday that calls for a constitutional amendment to be brought before New Mexico voters on the issue of abortion. The GOP gubernatorial candidate has proposed banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with certain exceptions. (Image used with permission of Ronchetti campaign) SANTA FE -- Mark Ronchetti, who has come under relentless criticism from Democrats for his stance on abortion, said Thursday he would push for voters to decide the state's law on abortion in a special election. The...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer The New Mexico Small Business Investment Corp. on Tuesday announced that it will disperse million in support of small business development across the state. The announcement — and the allocation of funds — comes in partnership with RBC Global Asset Management, a Toronto-based capital management company. The funds will target entrepreneurs in underserved communities in the state to help create loans and spur economic development and reduce wealth gaps in areas of the state where business was disrupted by the COVID pandemic, according to a news release. "Small businesses are the...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico's Amtrak lines will resume normal operations Friday morning, according to Amtrak officials. Officials announced Wednesday that they were suspending service ahead of a strike deadline with freight railroads and other unions. The New York Times reported that railroad companies and unions representing tens of thousands of workers reached a tentative agreement on Thursday, following all-night talks. Amtrak stops in Albuquerque, Deming, Gallup, Lamy, Las Vegas, Lordsburg and Raton. https://www.abqjournal.com/2532219/amtrak-hits-the-brakes-on-southwest-chief-other-routes-amid-labor-dispute.html https://www.abqjournal.com/2532366/biden-tentative-railway-labor-deal-reached-averting-strike.html Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor APD investigates a homicide at Mission Hills apartments, located on Menaul near Eubank NE. A man in his 60s was discovered fatally shot in his car, according to APD. It was the third of three overnight homicides in Albuquerque. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Albuquerque Police Department's homicide unit is investigating three shooting deaths that took place between 11:40 p.m. Wednesday and 2 a.m. Thursday. It was "a very violent night in Albuquerque," APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said at a news conference after the third homicide. In the first, APD was dispatched at 11:40...
By Dan McKay and Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE — Daniel Ivey-Soto — a powerful state senator from Albuquerque — says the investigation into a harassment complaint filed against him has ended and will not proceed to public hearings that could lead to disciplinary action. In a letter submitted to the Albuquerque Journal on Wednesday, Ivey-Soto said a legislative ethics committee informed his attorney "the complaint is indefinitely suspended, with no further action to be taken." In a brief interview, Ivey-Soto, a Democrat, said he would not release...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Mountain West Conference Commissioner Craig Thompson on Wednesday announced that he’d be departing that post at the end of this year. (LM Otero/AP File) The Mountain West Conference is about to be scouring the transfer portal. Craig Thompson, the only person to ever serve as commissioner for the Mountain West Conference, announced Wednesday he will be step down at the end of December — ending a 24-year run overseeing the mid-major league from start up to present day. And despite his being the focus of criticism at various times from media, fans...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Patrick Myers, left, as Freddie Mercury in the traveling show, “Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen.” The tour has two shows at Popejoy Hall on Saturday, Sept. 17, and Sunday, Sept. 18. (Courtesy of Chipster PR) Growing up in England, Patrick Myers always had a connection with music. Yet he didn't discover the music of Queen until 1984, a full year before the band's legendary performance at Live Aid in 1985. "Back then, the music wasn't available on tap," Myers says. "You heard live performances on TV once a week....
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor The Statue of Liberty seen from Ellis Island, circa 1930. (Courtesy of Library of Congress) Ken Burns and his team of filmmakers have a way of weaving together powerful stories. Yet, when it came to the latest project, "The U.S. and The Holocaust," it just felt different. Ken Burns "I feel this so strongly in my bones," Burns says. "There will never be something more important than this film. It speaks to us in the present and tells a hidden history of this world event." The three-part series from Burns,...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Public Schools Chief Operations Officer Gabriella Blakey watches a recently-released video about school safety at the APS headquarters on Wednesday. The video goes over the district’s “ALICE” protocols, a proactive set of procedures describing what students should do if violence erupts at a school. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) There's a "new reality" in education, Albuquerque Public Schools Superintendent Scott Elder says, one that's "difficult, emotional and — tragically — now unavoidable." That's why APS is redoubling its efforts to keep kids and educators prepared for the worst through student-focused books and videos...
By Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- New Mexico on Wednesday launched a campaign to replenish meat supplies for residents who lost their homes or were forced to evacuate due to a historic wildfire sparked by the federal government. Many residents in rural parts of northern New Mexico depend on elk, deer and other game for subsistence, and the state Department of Game and Fish is hoping to source meat from hunters and ranchers to replace what was lost as part of the "Fill the Freezers" campaign. Officials said game animal donations must be frozen solid and securely packaged...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police arrested a homicide suspect inside a vacant apartment in Southeast Albuquerque on Wednesday — weeks after he allegedly cut off his ankle monitor while awaiting trial. Yonnis Abreu, 20, is now back behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center, facing an additional charge of resisting, evading or obstructing an officer stemming from his arrest. Yonnis Abreu (MDC) Abreu is already charged with an open count of murder in the March 2021 death of 29-year-old Dylon Spiess, who was shot at the American Inn and Suites on East Central. Abreu was arrested...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief A Republican state House candidate will remain on the Nov. 8 general election ballot after a judge ruled Wednesday that a state law barring convicted felons from holding elected office unless they get a pardon from the governor is unconstitutional. (Eddie Moore/Journal) An ex-felon who's running for a state House seat in Albuquerque's South Valley will remain on the general election ballot — at least for now — after a judge ruled Wednesday that a New Mexico law barring felons from holding office unless they are pardoned is unconstitutional. The ruling...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Amtrak's eastbound Southwest Chief pulls into the Lamy train station Monday, July 2, 2018. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal New Mexico's longest Amtrak route, the Southwest Chief, will not run for the foreseeable future as the railroad company grapples with a labor dispute, an Amtrak spokesperson confirmed Wednesday. The Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited lines, which also run through the state, were also suspended. The cancellations were announced ahead of a Friday strike deadline as negotiations continue among the nation's largest freight railroads and multiple unions. The railroads began negotiating with a dozen different...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Zoo visitors watch the elephants from the elevated perspective of the Elephant Overlook, constructed as part of Phase 1 of the Asia Exhibit. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Shelle Sanchez About 46% of people who visit the ABQ BioPark are from outside Albuquerque and often out of state, making the BioPark a regional attraction that brings outside dollars into New Mexico, Shelle Sanchez, director of the city Arts and Culture Department, told a breakfast meeting of the Economic Forum of Albuquerque on Wednesday. Zoos and aquariums in many similar size cities commonly find...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer A for sale sign hangs outside of a home on the West Side of Albuquerque. (Liam DeBonis/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The housing market slightly flattened in August, but the Albuquerque metro area still remains relatively hot for homebuyers with a short supply of homes for sale. The metro area's inventory of single-family detached homes stood at 1,275 in August — a year-over-year increase of nearly 6% and an increase of just 14 homes from July, according to a report this week from the Greater Albuquerque Association of Realtors. "There's hardly...
By ABQJournal News Staff Albuquerque Police Department's Motor Unit was investigating a fatal motorcycle crash at Eubank and Los Arboles Northeast Wednesday. "It appears to be a single vehicle crash and the motorcyclist crashed into a light pole," a news release says. Parts of Eubank and Candelaria were closed during the investigation. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Isleta Pueblo resident Heaven Lucero, right, protests against a proposed asphalt plant in the South Valley. The Bernalillo County Commission voted Tuesday to deny an appeal by the landowners seeking to build the plant. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) A coalition of South Valley residents and neighbors, with the help of county zoning rules, has successfully pushed back against another proposed asphalt plant. Bernalillo County commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to deny an appeal by the site's property owners about allowable land uses. A successful appeal would have paved the way for the...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Authorities say Interstate 40 is closed in both directions in the East Mountains Wednesday afternoon after deputies detained a knife-wielding man. The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office, on Twitter, said investigators have detained a man who was "reported to be running through traffic armed with a knife." BCSO said I-40 was shut down between the 170 and 171 mileposts, near Carnuel. All the eastbound and westbound I-40 lanes are shut down between the 170 and 171 exits in the East Mountains at this time. Investigators are on scene with a man detained after...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Longtime locally owned Business Environments — which has a focus on outfitting companies with commercial furniture, flooring, space planning and installation — has been acquired by Minnesota-based Atmosphere Commercial Interiors, the company announced this week. The deal closed on Aug. 31, according to an Atmosphere Commercial Interiors spokeswoman. The purchase price of Business Environments wasn't disclosed. "The synergies across our companies are hard to miss," Bruce Hoover, the former CEO of Business Environments said in a statement. "We put people first, build solid relationships, and give back to our community. Atmosphere believes...
By Theresa Davis / Albuquerque Journal ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Colorado River tributaries in New Mexico bring water to the alfalfa fields in the Four Corners and the forested hills of the Gila wilderness in the southwestern part of the state. But Colorado River and reservoir management was designed during a much wetter period. And now, water officials are grappling with how to make do with less. State Engineer Mike Hamman, New Mexico's top water manager, said the state "really feels the shortages" because it doesn't have the big reservoirs of other states in the Colorado River Basin. "That's the...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Still image from a State Police lapel camera video taken the afternoon of July 22, 2022 at a home in Texico, NM. Six children were ultimately removed by authorities who discovered evidence of abuse, lack of water, backed up sewer line and other poor living conditions at the residence. Three women have been arrested on child abuse charges in as the investigation continues. (NMSP) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Former friends and relatives said they knew for years the place on Curry Road in Texico, New Mexico, was a house of horror....
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Stephanie Nieto, center, dances as Ray McGee performs on The Strolling Piano during the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Baroque period composer Johann Sebastian Bach once commented that there's nothing remarkable about the piano. "All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself." Bach never met Ray McGee. Hitting the right keys can be challenging when he and the electric upright piano he's sitting at are in...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer The Gateway Center will offer shelter and services center at the old Lovelace hospital on Gibson. (Jim Thompson/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Bernalillo County has bought further into the city of Albuquerque's planned homeless shelter and services hub, agreeing Tuesday to kick in nearly .4 million for a medical sobering center inside what is now called the Gibson Health Hub. The County Commission approved the appropriation on a 4-1 vote after a broader, and spirited, discussion about the county's use of its behavioral health tax and its partnership with the...
By Felicia Fonseca / Associated Press FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Most people in Santa Clara Pueblo in northern New Mexico know each other. So when a tribal member needs mental health services or help for substance abuse, calling a tribal office might lead to an aunt, cousin or other relative. Confidentiality is important, pueblo Gov. Michael Chavarria said shortly after federal officials visited to talk about new grant funding available for tribes to spread the word about a nationwide mental health crisis hotline. "That's the hesitancy, but again they have to be strong enough to want to get that help,"...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Homicide detectives have opened a new case after a man died a month after being shot on East Central. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said the Aug. 16 death of Daniel Gardner, 37, is now being investigated as a homicide. Gallegos said police responded around 1 p.m. to a parking lot near Central and Pennsylvania NE and found Gardner injured. He said Gardner was taken to a hospital in critical condition and died on Sept. 9 "as a result of his wounds." "APD’s Homicide Unit has assumed responsibility for the investigation,"...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico filed a wide-ranging opioid lawsuit in 2017 alleging that companies at all levels of the supply chain profited by selling large quantities of prescription painkillers throughout the state. A district court judge in Santa Fe heard opening statements last week in what is expected to be a seven-week trial against three of the state's largest pharmacy chains. The suit alleges Walgreens, Walmart and Kroger pharmacies failed to investigate suspicious opioid orders and reaped large profits selling addictive drugs to New Mexicans. Attorneys for the pharmacy chains responded that pharmacists have...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County is holding an event to raise public awareness as a deadly wave of fentanyl use washes over the state and local area. The “keepNMalive” summit is being held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 13 at the Convention Center in Downtown Albuquerque. Those who want to attend in-person can register online here and the event will also be streaming here. The summit comes as more than 1,215 New Mexicans have died from a fentanyl overdose in the state since 2019, with officials saying those using the synthetic opioid...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission is housed in a building on Palace Avenue in Santa Fe. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — A petition filed with the state Supreme Court aims to block a voter-approved measure overhauling the Public Regulation Commission before it goes into effect next year. The litigation takes aim at a constitutional amendment that's set to turn the PRC — now an elected body — into a three-person panel appointed by the governor. It was approved by 56% of voters in 2020 and goes into effect Jan. 1...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer In this file photo, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signs an executive order as Senate Majority Whip Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque, looks on. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is traveling to New York and Washington, D.C., this week for a mix of personal, professional and political events. She plans to return Friday. During the trip, Lujan Grisham, a Democrat up for reelection this year, is set to meet with federal officials in Washington to advocate for "additional wildfire relief for New Mexicans" amid a devastating fire season, a spokeswoman for...
By ABQJournal News Staff A panel of site selection consultants will speak on national trends and the Albuquerque region Thursday at an event hosted by Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance and moderated by Journal Editor Karen Moses, according to a release. The event will run from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at Electric Playhouse on Albuquerque's West Side, the release said. The panelists are Laura Gourley, tax director for Grant Thornton's State and Local Tax Services Group in San Francisco; Gregg Healy, executive vice president of Savills Industrial Services Group in North America, based in Orange County; Tess Fay, principal at...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer If you enjoy going to live sporting events, there's a good chance you also enjoy a beer with the game. Whether to just help relax with friends, celebrate a win, or even to help soften the pain of a bad game, beer has long been a staple of college football and basketball. It's no different for Lobo fans, at least not since the fall of 2016 when alcohol sales in general admission seating areas were first approved at the University of New Mexico. According to documents reviewed via a public records request...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Celeste Zimmerman, left, and Raymond Swingle Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Celeste Zimmerman, treasurer of the Hatch Valley Chamber of Commerce, recently told the Journal that this year's Hatch Chile Festival was "about the town of Hatch; it's about the surrounding farmers; it's about all of the vendors." But authorities say for Zimmerman and her 30-year-old son, Raymond Swingle, it was also about defrauding event attendees out of thousands by charging phony parking fees. The 68-year-old woman allegedly ordered her son to charge attendees for parking after being told by the Hatch...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Teako Nunn, owner of Sparky’s Burgers and BBQ in Hatch, holds his trophy after winning the 2022 Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge at the New Mexico State Fair on Monday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal By an "extremely razor thin margin," Sparky's Burgers and BBQ of Hatch edged out runner-up Slate Street Billiards, Bar and Grille, of Rio Rancho, to win the Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge at the 2022 New Mexico State Fair. The competition was held Monday in the courtyard of the Agriculture Building. It was owner Teako Nunn's second...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Security video from an Albuquerque Rapid Transit bus showed a man pull out a gun and fire it into the bus door on Aug. 6 as the bus drove down Central. Albuquerque officials announced Monday that police will now have access to the live video feeds from city buses, which they hope will improve response to onboard incidents. (COURTESY OF APD) For years video cameras have filmed the goings-on aboard Albuquerque city buses. The problem, according to Mayor Tim Keller, is that law enforcement never had immediate access to the feeds, so...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer From left, Helen Wheeler and Jozlyn Garcia, both fifth graders, wait for an autograph from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham as teacher Christina Rocco looks on. The students sat quietly and answered questions from Lujan Grisham during a news conference at Ernest Stapleton Elementary in Rio Rancho. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) RIO RANCHO — The state agency in charge of public education says it's taking steps to lighten the paperwork load on teachers after overhauling a host of administrative reporting requirements. The changes are intended to make it easier for teachers to craft their...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer The University of New Mexico has tapped Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller's chief of staff as the university's top lobbyist. Michael Puelle on Monday was named UNM's chief government relations officer, where he will oversee all government and community relations activities. The position reports directly to the UNM president. He starts the job on Oct. 10. UNM President Garnett Stokes chose Puelle after UNM hired the search firm Korn Ferry, and applicants sent their questions and applications directly to the search firm. "He has embraced public service throughout his career and brings us...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- New Mexico's green chile season is in full swing as the aroma of fresh roasted peppers permeates the air, but growers and exporters in Mexico are just as busy and that's causing a crunch at the international border. Authorities said Monday that agricultural inspectors with U.S. Customs and Border Protection have been processing dozens of chile imports daily at the port of entry in Columbus, New Mexico. They're looking for any pests in the shipments that could affect domestic production in New Mexico, where green chile is a signature...
By Jeff Tucker / Journal Editorial Writer This week's question: What do you like most, and least, about the New Mexico State Fair? Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published. Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-form Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer State officials released this photo of a tiger cub believed to remain in private hands. A fully grown tiger can weigh up to 600 pounds. (New Mexico Department of Game and Fish) The tiger is still out there, somewhere. Law enforcement officers served a search warrant in August seeking a tiger at a house in Albuquerque, but instead found a large cache of drugs, weapons and cash, and a small alligator. But no tiger was found in the house in the 2500 block of Mountain NW. Now the New Mexico Department of...
By Randy Trask / Executive Director, Q Station Randy Trask "I'm convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance." — Steve Jobs, co-founder, CEO, Chairman, Apple Inc. We could use a little more perseverance here in the land of enchantment. Our ability to support and grow start-ups has long been a challenge we can't quite seem to perfect. We have tried a lot of things over the years, some with moderate success, but sadly, just when a company starts to get going with large contracts and opportunities, we then see...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County Manager Julie Morgas Baca Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Part two of a two-day series Seven years ago, Bernalillo County raised taxes on the sale of nearly every good and service. The goal of the one-eighth of 1 percent gross receipts tax hike, according to the county website, was to "develop a comprehensive, well-networked and accessible continuum of care for children, youth, and adults in need of behavioral health services" in partnership with federal, state and local government partners, plus the nonprofit and private sector. It has yielded nearly 1...
By ABQJournal News Staff Brindle Racher, 13, of Corona, prepares to weigh her goats after arriving at the New Mexico State fairgrounds on Friday. The Junior Livestock Show is back at the fair after the COVID pandemic caused a two-year delay. (Chancey Bush/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Addie Owensby is spending the afternoon of her 18th birthday in the Swine Barn at the New Mexico State Fair, and that's just fine with her. The Des Moines High School student, who lives on her family ranch in Folsom, in Union County, has been showing animals in the State Fair...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A parking ticket in Albuquerque isn't necessarily expensive, but standing up for yourself is a high-risk, low-reward gamble. I was recently flung into the city of Albuquerque's parking citation procedures. I've had parking tickets in the past, but this time was different because I decided to take the time to fight it. I knew I had a good chance at success, because in the words of New Mexico's most notorious litigator Couy Griffin, my defense was "full of the law." My citation arrived the afternoon of July 21 for parking in a...
By ABQJournal News Staff Image of a proposed crisis triage center from a presentation by UNMH CEO Kate Becker to the Bernalillo County Commission in August. (Courtesy of UNMH CEO Kate Becker) When Bernalillo County instituted a special behavioral health tax seven years ago, one of the chief expectations was that the county would use the money to create a treatment option for people experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis who might otherwise end up in the emergency room or even jail. The county partially achieved that goal by opening a crisis stabilization unit inside its CARE...
By ABQJournal News Staff Albuquerque Fire Rescue and Bernalillo County Fire Department personnel make their way to the annual Stair Climb Sunday to honor first responders who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) First responders across the state paid tribute Sunday to those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Firefighters in Albuquerque donned their equipment and climbed 110 stories inside the WaFd building Downtown before a memorial ceremony at Civic Plaza. Meanwhile, Bernalillo County Fire Rescue held a silent memorial at Bernalillo County Alvarado Square. Members of the BCFR and...
By James Hamill / For the Journal On March 5, 1770, a mass shooting took place on King Street in the city of Boston in the Massachusetts colony. Five colonists were killed and six wounded. The shooters were members of the British military. They were in Boston to enforce the king's tax laws. Armed defenders of the Crown's laws. Historically this event is known as the Boston Massacre. The king's soldiers were not tax collectors, but they were present to help put down protests against taxation without representation. The fracas began with an altercation involving one soldier guarding the...
By Joel Jacobsen / Syndicated Columnist Joel Jacobsen The common law legal system we inherited from England is simultaneously a body of established legal principles and a method for generating new ones. Its distinguishing characteristic has always been its capacity for change. In the 17th century, the witch-hunting judge Matthew Hale compared the common law to a wooden ship on a long voyage. As the months stretch into years, every plank in the ship is eventually replaced, and yet it remains the same ship. At the time of the nation's founding, our colonial courts were run by the English...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A motorcyclist was killed after crashing near Paradise and Paseo Del Norte NE early Sunday morning after the man had been drinking with a friend, according to police. It was one of at least four serious crashes Albuquerque police investigated over a 13-hour period during the weekend, Rebecca Atkins, a police spokeswoman, said in a news release. At about 1:30 p.m. Saturday, a pedestrian was struck by a sedan while crossing the street near Central and Utah. Police said the person was taken to the hospital and needed surgery. He or she...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Five people were shot at a birthday party in Santa Fe early Sunday, according to the police department. The Santa Fe Police Department said in a news release that officers responded to a shooting near Paseo Feliz at around 12:30 a.m. Sunday. Gun shots were fired at a birthday celebration, the department said in a news release. Two adults and three teenagers were injured. All of them were treated for injuries at local hospitals. No arrests have been made and police didn't provide any additional details about the suspect or suspects Subscribe...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Those tasked with defending people accused of crimes in New Mexico say over-incarceration is exacerbating behavioral health outcomes in the state and legislative analysts point to treatment gaps in the system as missed opportunities to address the issue. An Aug. 18 Legislative Finance Committee report on behavioral health outcomes versus access cited significant treatment gaps in the criminal justice system. Analysts recommended better utilizing diversion, drug courts and reentry services, noting they are "not necessarily widely available or used efficiently." Social Work Director KC Quirk of the...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In June, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller's office announced it had made a few new executive-level hires. Among them were Bob White and Annie Manriquez. White, a former city attorney, had returned to serve as associate chief administrative officer. That is a new city government position that pays just over 0,000 per year. Manriquez, meanwhile, was hired as Keller's deputy chief of staff. She filled an opening created when the previous occupant, Justine Freeman, transferred to a newly created position as the city's "chief impact officer." Freeman's new...
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal With 300 days a year of New Mexico sunshine, we love being outdoors with our pets. People are getting smarter about using sunscreen, but skin cancer is still the most common cancer in the U.S. It's been estimated that one in five of us will face this diagnosis. But isn't this the Pet Care column? A topical skin treatment for this human disease can kill our pets. A cream called 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), is a topical (applied to the skin) chemotherapy agent that is commonly prescribed for people with basal cell and squamous cell...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Howard McCall's passion for floriculture can be traced back to his grandmother, who used to take a freshly cut flower to her church in Oklahoma every Sunday without fail. McCall's mother continued the tradition, so he began working in her flower beds at a very young age. Fast forward to the present and he's already collecting ribbons in his 13th year competing at the New Mexico State Fair's annual floriculture show. The flower show is organized by the Council of Albuquerque Gardens, according to the show's superintendent, Mary Noskin. Everything is set...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer As the New Mexico morning sun starts to heat up the South Valley, hawks fly over the fields of a former dairy farm that is now the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge. On Saturday, the refuge hosted a visitor center grand opening and 10th anniversary celebration for the 570-acre urban wildlife property. Refuge manager Jennifer Owen-White said the refuge is a "hand-in-hand partnership" with the community. "I hope it's a healing place," she said. "I hope it's a place for learning and connecting with others." The property boasts a lot of...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal When asked about the state's behavioral health care woes, many point to Gov. Susana Martinez's 2013 audit that shut down 15 providers – most permanently. But those who have been around long enough say that, by that time, the system had already seen its fair share of ups and downs – mostly downs – filled with tension and instability. "We had a lot of problems before that happened," Thomas Sims, former regional director of Value Options, told the Journal. Rodney McNease, executive director of governmental affairs for...
By Ryan Lowery / Source New Mexico Couy Griffin speaks for three minutes during the public comment period of the Otero County Commission meeting on Thursday. Griffin was booted from the board earlier in the week by court order due to his participation in the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. (Screenshot via the Otero County Commission livestream via Source NM) The Otero County Commission met Thursday for the first time since former Commissioner Couy Griffin was removed from office by court order earlier in the week in response to his participation in the attack on the U.S. Capitol....
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Maddie sits on her bed in the girl’s dormitory at Serenity Mesa Recovery Center. The 18-year-old said a traumatic sexual assault led to a lengthy addiction that resulted in an overdose when she did cocaine laced with fentanyl. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Several teens in recovery illustrate their addiction using colored pencils in a room at Serenity Mesa Youth Recovery Center on Wednesday. Maddie, 18, uses a sharpie to write words like "manipulator," "loss" and "save me" in jagged letters swirling around a girl covering her eyes. Between...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer JJ stands in her room Wednesday at Serenity Mesa Recovery Center on Albuquerque’s West Side. The 17-year-old began using hard drugs when she was 10, which led to a yearslong fentanyl habit that had her smoking 10 pills a day. In between, she was homeless, jailed, hospitalized and shot. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Part one of a two-day series The behavioral health clinic in Clovis where Justin Nutt works is short five or six therapists at any given time. He said they've had the same therapist job openings...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A person was found shot to death Saturday afternoon in Northwest Albuquerque. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque police spokeswoman, said officers found a person dead from "an apparent gunshot wound" at Central and Yucca NW, near Old Coors. "More information will be provided as it is available," she said. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer The Albuquerque Police Department said a statewide phone outage on Saturday is affecting 242-COPS. APD spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins said anyone who calls 242-COPS "will get a fast busy signal and the call won't go through." She said 911 is still working for emergency calls for police, fire and medical calls. "If the public does not have an emergency issue or a safety concern we are asking they wait to call 242-COPS until the phone company fixes the issue," Atkins said. "Thank you for your patience and we will advise as soon as...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Analytical lab manager Calen McKenzie explains the readout of results from a test of a sample of cannabis at the Rio Grande Analytics lab in Albuquerque. (Liam DeBonis/Journal) If a customer walks into a licensed New Mexico dispensary to buy an eighth (3.5 grams) of flower today, they'll see more than the product's name. They'll see a label that will show potency levels to let the customer know how much THC — or tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive component in cannabis — is in the product. The label is also an indicator that...
By Jerry Pacheco / For the Journal One of the hottest global markets is the production of electric vehicles. According to Car and Driver magazine, registration of electronic vehicles in the U.S. shot up 60% in the first quarter of 2022. This occurred as the registration of overall new car registrations declined by approximately 18%. Approximately 1% of the roughly 250 million vehicles on American roads are EVs. Data service provider IHS Markit, which merged with S&P Global this year, is predicting that between 25% and 30% of new vehicle sales will be electric by the end of the...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Members of the Albuquerque Police Department Honor Guard fire a salute during the 9/11 commemoration in 2021. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Each year on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, communities around the country commemorate the event and pay tribute to those who perished. A number of such commemorative events will be held Sunday in the metro area. They include: Albuquerque Members of Albuquerque Fire Rescue will conduct their annual 110-story Stair Climb to honor the first responders who climbed up the World Trade Center towers...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Richard Dalton, left, and Star Child, dressed in stylized farmer attire, perform at the New Mexico State Fair on Friday as an onlooker sets off a hand-held bubble blowing toy. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal You can't help but look up to Star Child and Richard Dalton, and it's not an exaggeration to say that they walk tall. The couple are performers in the Stilt Circus, roving through the crowds at the New Mexico State Fair, attracting attention from their perch atop three-foot stilts. Now, that may not sound...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A state district judge ruled Friday that the city of Rio Rancho violated the state Inspection of Public Records Act in denying requests for law enforcement records related to the initial police investigation of the December 2021 fatal shooting death of a 2-year-old boy at his family's home. Sandoval County District Judge James Noel found the records, which include a Rio Rancho police incident report and 911 recordings, were public under IPRA. Noel rejected the argument by the city that the records were confidential under the state...
By ABQJournal News Staff (Courtesy of Bikes 4 Kidz New Mexico) Free Bikes 4 Kidz New Mexico is hosting a bicycle donation event this weekend. The program says its mission is to "help every kid ride into a more memorable childhood." Donated bicycles should be new or gently used. Tricycles and scooters can also be donated, according to the group's website. Anyone interested in donating bicycles can drop them off on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at either Balloon Fiesta Park, 4401 Alameda NE, or Sports Systems, 6915 Montgomery NE. For more information, go to FB4KNM.org. ...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer In this file photo, Republican Mark Ronchetti announces what tax changes he would pursue if elected governor. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) ALBUQUERQUE -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti toured a machine shop in Albuquerque — joined by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey — as he pitched his tax plan to voters Friday and called for making New Mexico more business friendly. Ronchetti, a former television meteorologist, peered at complex drill presses and other equipment during a visit to Continental Machining, which makes parts for Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories, the Department of...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Law enforcement agencies throughout New Mexico are set to receive enough state funding to support the hiring of 317 officers as part of a bipartisan crime package passed by lawmakers this year. In a news conference Friday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat seeking reelection this fall, said the award of about million to 29 departments will help pay for the officers' salaries over the next three years. The goal, she said, is to provide enough money for robust recruitment in cities big and small, avoiding competition among agencies. "What New...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Student move to their next class through a hallway at Valley High School in August. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Test results for students in Albuquerque Public Schools — the largest district in the state — more or less mirrored those measured for students across New Mexico last school year . But there were a few key areas, including with some student groups identified in the Yazzie-Martinez consolidated lawsuit, where APS students lagged a bit behind. Across all grade levels tested, APS students overall were roughly 36% proficient in language arts, about two...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A woman and her boyfriend are charged in the fatal shooting of her ex-boyfriend last month at an apartment complex in Northeast Albuquerque. Derrik Bonner, 29, is charged with an open count of murder and aggravated burglary in the Aug. 7 death of 60-year-old David Salazar. Maria Acosta, 44, is charged with aggravated burglary and conspiracy in the incident. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque police spokeswoman, said the SWAT team arrested Bonner on Friday "following a brief stand-off with police." An arrest warrant has been issued for Acosta. According to a criminal complaint...
By Rachel Lorenz / For the Journal Duane Kinsley once feared the internet would kill his business. Now, the 62-year-old owner of Sport Systems embraces it. "I love the internet," Kinsley said. "In fact, it helps me." Located in Albuquerque, Sport Systems is a 38,000-square-foot retail sport shop that specializes in bicycles, skis, snowboards and running gear. The company has almost gone out of business twice in its history, Kinsley said. In both instances, the practice of matching competitors' prices shrunk the store's profit margins until its very existence was threatened. As a brick-and-mortar shop that staffed knowledgeable employees,...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Earlier this summer, a plane flew over the burn scar of the largest fire in New Mexico's history, mapping each charred hillside and mountain slope, and every scorched home and tree. The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire, which began as two Forest Service burns this year, grew across more than 340,000 acres in northern New Mexico. Teren, a Colorado-based climate data and analytics company, is working with the U.S. Agriculture Department to map the burned forest and identify the areas at greatest risk of flooding and debris flow. Remote sensing data allows the...
By Danica Kirka, Jill Lawless And Sylvia Hui / Associated Press LONDON – Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch and a symbol of stability in a turbulent era that saw the decline of the British empire and embarrassing dysfunction in her own family, died Thursday after 70 years on the throne. She was 96. Buckingham Palace said she died at Balmoral Castle, her summer residence in Scotland, where members of the royal family had rushed to her side after her health took a turn for the worse. A link to the almost-vanished generation that fought World War II, she...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Sign Language Academy students listen up during class in August. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) It's been four years since a landmark decision in the Yazzie-Martinez consolidated lawsuit found that New Mexico was violating the rights of "at-risk" students to a sufficient education. The state Legislature has made over [post_excerpt] billion in investments since the ruling identified needs in the education of Indigenous students, English learners, those who are economically disadvantaged and those with disabilities, Legislative Education Study Committee Deputy Director John Sena said during a Thursday morning meeting. But while New Mexico...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Deputies are trying to identify a man who fired a gun at an Allsup's security guard after he and a woman tried to steal beer late last month in Southwest Albuquerque. Jayme Fuller, a Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman, said the incident happened on Aug. 24 at the Allsup's near Coors and Blake. She said around 5 a.m. a man and woman tried to steal beer and were told to leave the store. Fuller said the man fired a gun at the security guard and the store as the pair fled. She...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Cecelia Finona, left, and Jerry Jay The former boyfriend of a 59-year-old Navajo woman whose remains were found last year in Nevada pleaded guilty this week in her 2019 kidnapping and beating death. Jerry Jay, 51, pleaded guilty in a Farmington court Thursday to second-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping in the May 31, 2019, death of Cecilia Finona of Farmington. Jay faces up to 33 years in prison at a sentencing hearing scheduled Nov. 29 before 11th Judicial District Court Judge Karen Townsend. Jay struck Finona on the head with a blunt...
By Associated Press LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- The New Mexico Republican Party is bolstering efforts to reach Hispanic voters before the midterm elections with a new outreach center in Las Cruces. Some GOP candidates and their supporters were on hand for the opening of the center inside a strip mall earlier this week. The Las Cruces Sun-News reports Mercedes Provencio Hollister will run the center as regional Hispanic event coordinator. Provencio Hollister urges any Hispanic voter to come and ask questions. State GOP Chair Steve Pearce says more Republican candidates and organizers need to go into communities where they...
By Bob Christie / Associated Press PHOENIX -- A federal judge on Friday blocked enforcement of a new Arizona law restricting how the public and journalists can film police, agreeing with the American Civil Liberties Union and multiple media organizations who argued it violated the First Amendment. U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi issued a preliminary injunction that stops the law from being enforced when it is set to take effect on Sept. 24. The quick decision came after Republican Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich and the prosecutor and sheriff's office in Maricopa County told the judge they did...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – It's September in New Mexico, which means the scent of roasting green chile in the air and political ads aplenty. With two months to go until Election Day, at least 14 outside groups have already launched TV ads in New Mexico since June, according to public filings, with most of them targeting the state's gubernatorial and congressional races. That list includes political committees affiliated with national Democratic and Republican governors groups, along with the political arm of Planned Parenthood of New Mexico. University...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer With the push of a button, a chime sounds and the Conjurer Fortune Machine comes to life. "The all-knowing Conjurer welcomes you. Here is what I see for your future: Conjurer says use great caution with what you write on the internet, for it turns out Facebook posts sound a lot different when they're read out loud in court. Now take your fortune card and good luck in your future." The young man who pressed the button smiles broadly, takes a fortune card that's passed through the glass window. "I thought it...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Law enforcement officers went hunting for a tiger in Albuquerque but instead found a large cache of drugs and cash — and an alligator. Officers with three agencies served a search warrant last month at a house in the 2500 block of Mountain NW "for the illegal possession of a tiger," prosecutors wrote in a pretrial detention motion. "They found 40 pounds of marijuana, 10 pounds of cocaine, and two pounds of heroin," prosecutors wrote. "Agents also found approximately ,000 in cash in the home." The cash and narcotics were all found...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The state Attorney General's Office has declined to prosecute three Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputies who shot and killed a woman suffering from a mental health crisis in front of her South Valley RV in July 2019. Elisha Lucero Lt. Alfonso Rodriguez and deputies Jonathan Aguilar and Ryan Schmidt shot 28-year-old Elisha Lucero as they said she ran at them, screaming and armed with a knife. She was struck 21 times and died at the scene. For her sister, Elaine Maestas, the Attorney General's decision, made in mid-July, wasn't a surprise, but it...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Deputies arrested a man for shooting his disabled father after a confrontation at a South Valley home Sunday. Ernest A. Sena Jr., 38, is charged with murder in the death of Earnest Sena Sr. He is being held at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center. Ernest Sena Jr. (MDC) It is unclear if he has an attorney. Deputies were called to a shooting at a home in the 4300 block of Sheldon SE, near Second and Rio Bravo, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. Deputies found Sena Sr., 62,...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer From left, Butter owners Alex and Danielle Lamphier, presenting food from the Nob Hill restaurant's menu. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Danielle Lamphier says that nobody makes meatballs and marinara like her grandma. "You will not have had a meatball like my grandma's," she said. That's why her grandma's meatball recipe will appear on the menu of Butter, a new restaurant on 3619 Copper NE. Although Danielle's late grandmother can't see the opening, her recipe will live on - repurposed as a meatball sub. "I wish she was here," Danielle said. "She would be an...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire burns west of Las Vegas in early May. The U.S. Forest Service will resume its prescribed fire program nationwide, the agency announced Thursday. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) The U.S. Forest Service will resume its prescribed fire program nationwide, the agency announced Thursday. But the government will make significant changes to the program in an effort to prevent escaped burns. On May 20, Forest Service Chief Randy Moore paused all prescribed fire projects on forest lands for the agency to conduct a 90-day program review. In a video...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Jeremy Gay SANTA FE — A lawsuit filed in state District Court is seeking Republican Jeremy Gay's removal from the ballot as an attorney general candidate, alleging he doesn't meet a five-year residency requirement in the state Constitution. The petition filed Wednesday says Gay moved to Gallup in 2019 — about a year and half short of the constitutional requirement. Gay, a former judge advocate in the Marine Corps, is competing with Democrat Raúl Torrez to serve as attorney general. They are the only two AG candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot....
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Barley sprouts in the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak burn scar. The U.S. Forest Service has finished an aerial seeding project for about 9,400 acres that were badly burned in the fire. (Courtesy U.S. Forest Service) U.S. Forest Service contractors have finished an aerial seeding and mulching project in the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak burn scar of northern New Mexico. The crews used helicopters to drop barley, grass seeds and mulch across 9,400 acres that were badly burned by the fire. The project is designed to stabilize the burned soil and reduce post-fire floods. Mulch...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Nick Pappas It was in January 2019, a crisp, winter day, that Nick Pappas first traveled to Dawson, a Colfax County ghost town 15 miles or so northeast of Cimarron. He went first to the cemetery, which is the most significant portion of Dawson that still exists. The coal mining town was shut down in 1950 and many of the buildings dismantled and moved and others demolished. "The cemetery is about 5½ miles off the nearest main road," Pappas said. "There is this sea of nearly...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, left, and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez embrace at a roundtable meeting at the Rio Rancho Family Health Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, Sept. 7, 2022. (Liam DeBonis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A member of President Joe Biden's Cabinet met in person with several New Mexico "downwinders," saying afterward it was important for the government to address problems it creates. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra was in Albuquerque on Wednesday, where he and U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., held roundtable...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Carlos Castro fixes lights on the Sizzler ride in preparation for the New Mexico State Fair at Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque, N.M., on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022. The New Mexico State Fair runs from Sept. 8 through 18. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Let's be perfectly clear on this: You can not walk around the New Mexico State Fair toking on a fatty. However, nearly anything you may have ever wanted to know about marijuana will be explained in a "Discovering Cannabis" exhibit in the Manuel Lujan Building...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Garbage bags full of packaged methamphetamine were on display after a search by federal authorities of the home of an alleged member of the Sureños gang. (Source: U.S. Attorney's Office court filing) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal An alleged New Mexico drug dealer sourced by the Sinaloa cartel has admitted to owning the estimated 1 million fentanyl pills and 142 pounds of methamphetamine seized last week during a major law enforcement search of his South Valley home. Jesse "Lobo" Young, 40, told federal agents after the predawn search that he sells the...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Donovan Shane Curley Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Ten months after Kimbro Talk was found bound, stabbed, beaten and strangled in his Albuquerque home, Donovan Curley's DNA profile matched genetic material found at the scene of the 2018 killing. A judge on Wednesday sentenced Curley, 48, to 15 years in prison in Talk's killing. "The level of violence here is incredibly intense and horrible," 2nd Judicial District Judge Brett Loveless said during the sentencing hearing. "You deserve much more than 15 years in prison, quite frankly," Loveless said. Curley pleaded guilty in...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Isotope outfielder Wynton Bernard, center, in the dugout during a game against the El Paso Chihuahuas at Isotopes Park on Tuesday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) It was a moment he had been dreaming of his whole life. It was an achievement he fought to accomplish over 11 grueling seasons and 1,015 games of professional baseball — both in the minor leagues and in leagues in five countries outside the United States. It was what he had always been preparing for. And yet for 31-year-old Wynton Bernard, that magical Aug. 11 day in...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Safe outdoor spaces have been saved in Albuquerque. The City Council on Wednesday failed to muster the numbers needed to uphold a previously passed safe outdoor space moratorium after Mayor Tim Keller vetoed it. Six councilors are required to override a mayoral veto, but only five did. Trudy Jones cast the pivotal vote; while she supported the moratorium when the council passed it last month on a 6-3 vote, Jones changed course Wednesday. She helped kill the moratorium by voting with Isaac Benton, Pat Davis and Tammy...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE — The first female pilot hired by New Mexico State Police has reached a 0,000 settlement to resolve a civil rights lawsuit she filed accusing the agency of a sexist work environment and discrimination. In the lawsuit, LeAnne Gomez, the pilot, said officers peed and showered in a public work area, an instructor referred to one of her flying lessons as a ",000 date" and that she objected to racist remarks, prompting a sergeant to storm out of a classroom. Attorneys for the state Department of Public Safety, in turn,...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE — The first female pilot hired by New Mexico State Police has reached a 0,000 settlement to resolve a civil rights lawsuit she filed accusing the agency of a sexist work environment and discrimination. In the lawsuit, LeAnne Gomez, the pilot, said officers peed and showered in a public work area, an instructor referred to one of her flying lessons as a ",000 date" and that she objected to racist remarks, prompting a sergeant to storm out of a classroom. Attorneys for the state Department of Public Safety, in turn,...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A tourism and cultural development planned in Taos Pueblo is going to receive nearly .5 million in Local Economic Development Act funds, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's office announced Wednesday. The funds, which will be used for on-site infrastructure at the Taos Pueblo Heritage Center, add to the .7 million already pledged by the pueblo. This is the first tribal LEDA deal in the state, the Governor's Office said in a press release. The pueblo is also partnering with the Town of Taos, Sun Capital Hotels, and Marriott...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Jack White announced a show in Santa Fe on Sept. 29. (Courtesy of David James Swanson) Jack White is coming to Santa Fe. The Grammy Award-winning musician announced a performance at the Lensic Performing Arts Center in Santa Fe on Sept. 29. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 9, at livenation.com. White is currently on his "Supply Chains Issues Tour." He announced the Lensic show and a show in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Sept. 17. The two shows are an intimate acoustic performance. Third Man Records Vault Members...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor A piece from “Music for the Eyes, A New Georgia O’Keeffe Experience” at Electric Playhouse in Albuquerque. The limited-run exhibit begins Sept. 30. (Krisi Breeze/Georgia O’Keeffe Museum) Georgia O'Keeffe is the most recognized New Mexico artist. Her work continues to inspire and innovate. This is why the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe has teamed up with Electric Playhouse in Albuquerque for the immersive experience, "Music for the Eyes: A New Georgia O'Keeffe Experience." "As the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, our focus has been on...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The University of New Mexico will begin offering sport management as a new track for the MBA for Professionals program starting in the spring semester. The new track comes as a partnership between UNM's Anderson School of Management and the Sport Administration Department. Classes will begin in January and there is a deadline of Oct. 1 for enrollment into the program, according to the university. Some of the options for the new track include courses in sport leadership, sport marketing and promotion, risk management in sport, legal...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Bernalillo County commissioners on Wednesday selected Linda Garcia Benavides to fill a vacant Albuquerque-area state House seat. The appointment was effective immediately and maintains Democrats' majority in the 70-member chamber. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- Bernalillo County commissioners on Wednesday selected a retired Sandia National Laboratory administrator to fill a vacant state House seat in Albuquerque's North Valley. Linda Garcia Benavides, a Democrat, was the only applicant for the House District 17 seat, which was held by Democrat Deborah Armstrong for seven-plus years until Armstrong stepped down from the Legislature in...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Local vendors let customers smell their products at The Jam Spot on April 20 in Downtown Albuquerque. The cannabis industry brought in .2 million in recreational sales in August, according to the state’s Cannabis Control Division. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) It was another record-shattering month for recreational cannabis sales in New Mexico. The state's cannabis industry in August brought in .2 million in adult-use sales, according to the state's Cannabis Control Division. That is a new record high, surpassing July's adult-use sales of .5 million. Overall sales numbers, which includes medical cannabis transactions,...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales, center, is joined by Commissioner Walt Benson, left, to discuss the future of Sheriff's Office Metro Air Support Unit. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) In the almost two months since the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office helicopter crashed, killing four first responders, the agency has not conducted any air operations. That's because while it still has a helicopter and a Cessna aircraft its pilot, undersheriff Larry Koren, and Lt. Fred Beers — who was going to get trained — were killed in the July 16 crash. Bernalillo County Deputy Michael...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Rescue, a 25-plus-year-old bay quarter horse, is seen here at the Masleña Rescue Foundation in Tijeras. He will be one of the horses at a Horse Show Tell event Thursday at the State Fair Equestrian Center. (Courtesy of the Masleña Rescue Foundation) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Rescue, a 25-plus-year-old bay quarter horse, was found wandering with another horse in Tijeras this past October. Both animals were taken in by the Masleña Rescue Foundation in Tijeras after an exhaustive search failed to turn up the horses' owners. "Rescue has trouble eating...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – New Mexico businesses have received about 0 million in grants and minimum-interest loans from the state under programs intended to help keep businesses afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic, a state official tasked with distributing the relief funds told lawmakers Tuesday. In all, more than 9,500 businesses around the state received loans or grants, with some businesses qualifying for more than one type of financial relief, said Marquita Russel, the chief executive officer of the New Mexico Finance Authority. Rep. Patricia Royball Caballero Businesses...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Chairlift operator Justin Current sends off a pair of skiers up the hill at Sandia Peak Ski area on January 5, 2019, after the area received about 2.5 ft. of snow from recent storms. (Jim Thompson/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Sandia Peak Ski Area will remain closed for the second consecutive year, with management citing potential reduced snowfall, staffing issues and financial difficulties. Ben Abruzzo, general manager of Sandia Peak Ski Area and president of Ski Santa Fe, said Tuesday that plans to build a mountain coaster on the peak...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Austin Crespin takes a drink of water during the trial for his alleged involvement in a shooting that left a man dead and three others injured in March 2020, at the Second Judicial District Court Bernalillo County in Downtown Albuquerque, N.M., on August 30, 2022. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A jury failed to reach a verdict Tuesday in the first-degree murder trial for a man charged in a 2020 incident in which four people were shot, killing one man and severely injuring the others. Prosecutors alleged that...
By Jeff Tucker / Journal Editorial Writer This week's question: What do you think are the best professions for young New Mexicans to pursue? Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published. Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-form Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Raymond Saucedo (Source: NM State Police) New Mexico State Police have arrested a man accused of fatally striking a construction worker with his vehicle and fleeing the scene of the crash in Luna County. Police say Carl Lee Johnson, 22, was cleaning debris from Interstate 10 near Deming on Thursday morning when Raymond Anthony Saucedo, 23, struck him with his Ford van. "For reasons still under investigation, Saucedo hit Johnson with his vehicle and then fled the scene," a NMSP news release states. "Mr. Johnson suffered fatal injuries in the crash...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer A former bookkeeper for an Albuquerque-based auto body firm pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges that she defrauded her employer of more than million over a seven-year period, court records show. Christina Joyner, 47, of Rio Rancho admitted in a plea agreement that she stole ,025,165 from Quanz Auto Body from July 2014 through September 2021, according to the plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court of New Mexico. Joyner faces up to 20 years in prison at sentencing, according to a statement issued by U.S. Attorney for the District of...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer September is off to a warm and hazy start in New Mexico. But by this weekend, temperatures could drop and rain is expected to return. Daniel Porter, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said western wildfires could cause smoky skies this week. "Much drier air has worked its way into the Land of Enchantment, and that has, unfortunately, put a damper on our thunderstorm chances," Porter said. "But things might change as we get into the upcoming weekend." Albuquerque is expected to have a high temperature of 93 degrees on Wednesday, with no...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer In this file photo, Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti announces his public safety priorities earlier this year during a news conference in Albuquerque. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Republican Mark Ronchetti cited the dismal academic proficiency rates in New Mexico schools Tuesday as he outlined the policy agenda he said he would pursue as governor — a plan that includes issuing [post_excerpt],500 stipends to help some students catch up and a law to limit growth in administrative spending. He also said he would push to increase instructional time for students and require districts to...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer An Albuquerque man was killed in a paragliding crash near Interstate 40 Saturday morning. Carl Apodaca, 67, was piloting a paraglider when he crashed for unknown reasons in an open field north of Route 66 Casino, a New Mexico State Police news release states. According to the release, Apodaca sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police are still looking for a man accused of killing his girlfriend in May. Vicente Pablo Reyes, 38 (Crime Stoppers) Vicente Pablo Reyes, 38, is charged with murder and should be considered armed and dangerous, according to a flier released by Crime Stoppers on Tuesday. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of ,500 for information leading to Reyes's arrest. According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court, Reyes shot his girlfriend, 42-year-old Misty Muniz, in the head during an argument at his sister's Northeast Albuquerque home on May 9. https://www.abqjournal.com/2497750/man-sought-in-fatal-shooting-of-girlfriend.html...
By Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- A New Mexico state district court judge has disqualified county commissioner and Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin from holding public office for engaging in insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. U.S. District Court Judge Francis Mathew issued a ruling Tuesday that permanently prohibits Griffin from holding or seeking local or federal office. Griffin was previously convicted n federal court of a misdemeanor for entering Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021. He was sentenced to 14 days and given credit for time served. The ruling immediately removes Griffin from...
By Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- A New Mexico state district court judge has disqualified county commissioner and Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin from holding public office for engaging in insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. U.S. District Court Judge Francis Mathew issued a ruling Tuesday that permanently prohibits Griffin from holding or seeking local or federal office. Griffin was previously convicted n federal court of a misdemeanor for entering Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021. He was sentenced to 14 days and given credit for time served. The ruling immediately removes Griffin from...
By Esteban Candelaria And Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writers A person sleeps beside the tennis courts on Saturday at Wilson Park, which is next to Wilson Middle School in Southeast Albuquerque. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal On any given day this summer, Raven Greene, a board member of the Elder Homestead neighborhood association, said she saw upward of a dozen encampments – occasionally set up using playground equipment – at Wilson Park. Needles used to do drugs and other paraphernalia, she said, are often left lying in the grass – just a couple of hundred...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer A box of psilocybin mushrooms is seen in a grow room at a farm in central Netherlands in 2007. According to online mycological websites, there are about 200 types of psilocybin mushrooms in the world containing varying amounts of the active psychotropic chemical. (PETER DEJONG/ASSOCIATED PRESS) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal You're not hallucinating. As counterintuitive as it may seem, psilocybin, known to recreational drug users as "magic mushrooms," or "shrooms," may one day be part of the treatment for people with alcohol addiction. The hallucinogenic compound, when used in conjunction with...
By ABQJournal News Staff Santa Fe artist John Knox unveils his bee sculpture at the new Calle Alvarado Park pollinator garden on Aug. 26. Knox crafted the sculpture with broken glass, old pennies and cans and other recycled materials. (Eddie Moore/Journal) New Mexico is home to at least 1,000 bee species, including the smallest bee in North America. The pollinators play an important role in helping fruits, vegetables, and other plants reproduce. As a Bee City USA affiliate, Santa Fe commits to adding native plants to public property, building bee habitat and reducing pesticide use. Rick Martinez, a board...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Lawmakers over the years have imposed a long list of fees for people convicted of criminal offenses to pay for programs ranging from jury and witness payments to a magistrate retirement fund. Critics of court fees, including the Administrative Office of the Court, now propose eliminating fees on misdemeanor and traffic offenses and are asking lawmakers to appropriate million from the general fund to replace those revenues. They argue that court fees place an added burden on people who can ill afford to pay and can...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer PNM workers install hundreds of perch diverters along a main power transmission line (Photo courtesy of PNM) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Earlier this summer, high winds in the Rio Grande Park caused a great horned owlet to fall over 50 feet from its nest, away from its family and unable to feed. Nearby neighbors spotted the baby owl on the ground and came together, along with several local bird protection organizations, to help rehabilitate and eventually reunite it with its family. "It was just a sort of harrowing experience, but it...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal State Police have arrested a 26-year-old woman in connection with a fatal crash on Interstate 25 southwest of Santa Fe. Jacqueline Amber Bailon (NMSP) Late Sunday night, Jacqueline Amber Bailon of Santo Domingo was driving a truck south on I-25 and collided with another Ford F-150 traveling south, according to the initial crash investigation. Police said the truck Bailon hit, which was carrying three passengers, rolled over. Albuquerque resident Juanita Ojeda, 63, died in the crash. Police arrested Bailon at the scene and she is charged with...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor The State Parks Division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department announced the reopening of Pecos Canyon State Park Friday. Pecos Canyon State Park had been closed to protect the public from unsafe conditions resulting from the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire, according to a news release. "I am pleased that New Mexicans and visitors to our state can now access Pecos Canyon to camp, fish, hike, and spend time alone or with family and friends," State Parks Director Toby Velasquez said in the release. "Pecos Canyon is always a popular destination...
By ABQJournal News Staff Zelda McCrossen, treasurer of the Las Vegas Jewish Community, walks through the St. Paul Newman Center Chapel in Las Vegas, N.M. Constructed as a Jewish Synagogue in the 1880s, the building was sold to the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in the 1950s. The Jewish community is raising funds in an effort to purchase it again. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal LAS VEGAS, N.M. – An expression of reverence and affection plays across Zelda McCrossen's face as she gazes around the interior of the old building, taking in the dazzling white walls and...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Union organizer Victoriano Cárdenas stands outside the Albuquerque bookstore on Aug. 27. (Liam DeBonis/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal On any given day, you might find Victoriano Cárdenas working at an independent and locally owned bookstore in Albuquerque's Northeast Heights – though not for long. The pay Cárdenas makes – an hour – isn't enough to cover his expenses. And the company, currently, doesn't offer any benefits outside of the recently announced paid sick leave that the state is mandating. Add to that the work environment – the bookstore is "really...
By ABQJournal News Staff Mikayla Romero pours a glass of Lescombes during the Harvest Wine Festival in Albuquerque Sunday. The three-day event at Balloon Fiesta Park runs through 6 p.m. Monday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) It's last call for this year's Harvest Wine Festival. The three-day event at Balloon Fiesta Park, 5500 Balloon Fiesta Parkway NE, wraps up Monday. The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and features dueling piano shows, an artisan marketplace, miniature golf and silent disco. Guests must be 21 years old or older to attend. For more information, go to https://nmwine.com/abq-harvest-wine-fest/. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call...
By ABQJournal News Staff Here is the Labor Day schedule for government offices and services. ALBUQUERQUE, RIO RANCHO PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Closed. CITY, COUNTY, STATE, FEDERAL OFFICES: Closed. CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES: Closed. FEDERAL, STATE DISTRICT, METRO COURTS: Closed. POSTAL SERVICE: No mail delivery. Post offices closed. DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS: Closed. ALBUQUERQUE ANIMAL WELFARE: East and West Side shelters closed, except for intake desk and reclaims. Credit cards not accepted for reclaims. Lucky Paws in Coronado Center and Everyday Adoption Center in PetSmart on Eubank are closed. GARBAGE: Regular pickup. Convenience centers open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ABQ RIDE: No...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior WESTBOUND I-40 UNSER OFF-RAMP CLOSED: West Side drivers saw this closure last week, when the New Mexico Department of Transportation blocked the off-ramp to continue its .5 million Interstate 40 roadway reconstruction project between Coors and Unser. Kimberly Gallegos of NMDOT's Albuquerque office says the "ramp will be closed for approximately two months and the alternate routes are Coors or 98th Street." In addition, "crews have set wall barriers in place and the two inside lanes of traffic are open to motorists traveling both east and westbound. ... Work will take place...
By Journal Staff Report Many families with children in New Mexico lack the tools to excel in reading, writing, vocabulary and other elements of basic literacy. To fill in those gaps, the Public Education Department offers a Family Literacy Academy, which consists of three online courses in English and Spanish geared to kids in kindergarten through high school. As part of the Literacy Project, KOAT-TV, Channel 7, will highlight the Family Literacy Academy during its 5 p.m. newscast on Monday. The segment includes an interview with a parent who works as a teacher and whose family participated in the...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer One woman was killed in a two-vehicle crash in Northeast Albuquerque Sunday evening. Gilbert Gallegos, a police spokesman, said the crash happened shortly before 7 p.m. near Virginia and Constitution NE. "One vehicle crashed into a building," he said in a news release. "The female driver of the vehicle is deceased." Gallegos said the condition of the second vehicle's driver was unknown on Sunday night. APD's Motors Unit, which includes the DWI Unit, is investigating the wreck, he said. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Mike Hartzog has been working for Casa de Benavidez in the North Valley for 30-plus years. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It's a Thursday afternoon, shortly before 2 p.m., and Mike Hartzog is taking phone orders from customers at the pickup counter for Casa de Benavidez in the North Valley. One customer, Mark McCarthy, calls in an order for a bean burrito. Five minutes later, McCarthy comes in, greets Hartzog and a conversation ensues before Hartzog hands him his burrito. Shortly after McCarthy leaves with his order, "Sunshine"...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-N.M., said her office is ready to assist municipalities in her district apply for the federal funds included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – a law that she has said "is full of pet projects, Washington waste, and frivolous spending simply to appease the entrenched insiders." New Mexico's three Congresswomen participated in a congressional forum at the New Mexico Municipal League Conference in Albuquerque on Wednesday, when one of the topics covered was the impact of the infrastructure law in New Mexico. The bill was signed into law...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Most Albuquerque residents say the city is doing a poor job addressing homelessness, according to the city's own "Citizen Perception Survey," Nearly twice as many respondents gave the city poor marks for its homelessness response in 2022 than in 2020. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque residents are increasingly dissatisfied with the city's response to homelessness, with a new study showing that seven times more people rate the city poorly on the issue than offer a positive assessment. And that's not the only bleak news in Albuquerque's 2022 "Citizen Perception...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Gateway Center Administrator Cristina Parajon, left, and Operation Manager Doug Chaplin brief the media Wednesday on the project that will transform the old Lovelace Hospital Gibson location into an overnight homeless shelter and will offer medical care. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Years in the making, Albuquerque's Gateway Center should finally open its doors some time this winter inside the old Lovelace hospital. Though the project's homeless shelter has garnered the most public attention, officials say it's another element that could have the most profound impact on the community:...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer EAGL President and CEO Boaz Raz shows a display of gunshot detection technology sensors made by his company on August 16, 2022. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal An Albuquerque company has developed an ultra-smart security system that could potentially end mass shootings before such rampages can even begin. When deployed, EAGL Technology Inc.'s new gunshot detection and lockdown system will instantaneously detect – with near complete accuracy – a single gunshot the moment it occurs. Then, within seconds, it will simultaneously lock down buildings, directly inform police with GPS...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Most Albuquerque residents say the city is doing a poor job addressing homelessness, according to the city's own "Citizen Perception Survey," Nearly twice as many respondents gave the city poor marks for its homelessness response in 2022 than in 2020. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque residents are increasingly dissatisfied with the city's response to homelessness, with a new study showing that seven times more people rate the city poorly on the issue than offer a positive assessment. And that's not the only bleak news in Albuquerque's 2022 "Citizen Perception...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – New Mexico lawmakers in recent years have passed laws expanding background check requirements for firearm purchases and allowing guns to be seized from individuals deemed to pose a threat to themselves or others. But with the state's firearm violence rate still high, many voters want lawmakers to enact additional gun control measures. Specifically, 72% of voters surveyed in a recent Journal Poll said they support increasing the minimum age to buy an AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21, while 73% said...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-N.M., said her office is ready to assist municipalities in her district apply for the federal funds included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – a law that she has said "is full of pet projects, Washington waste, and frivolous spending simply to appease the entrenched insiders." New Mexico's three Congresswomen participated in a congressional forum at the New Mexico Municipal League Conference in Albuquerque on Wednesday, when one of the topics covered was the impact of the infrastructure law in New Mexico. The bill was signed into law...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Mike Hartzog has been working for Casa de Benavidez in the North Valley for 30-plus years. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It's a Thursday afternoon, shortly before 2 p.m., and Mike Hartzog is taking phone orders from customers at the pickup counter for Casa de Benavidez in the North Valley. One customer, Mark McCarthy, calls in an order for a bean burrito. Five minutes later, McCarthy comes in, greets Hartzog and a conversation ensues before Hartzog hands him his burrito. Shortly after McCarthy leaves with his order, "Sunshine"...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – New Mexico lawmakers in recent years have passed laws expanding background check requirements for firearm purchases and allowing guns to be seized from individuals deemed to pose a threat to themselves or others. But with the state's firearm violence rate still high, many voters want lawmakers to enact additional gun control measures. Specifically, 72% of voters surveyed in a recent Journal Poll said they support increasing the minimum age to buy an AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21, while 73% said...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer EAGL President and CEO Boaz Raz shows a display of gunshot detection technology sensors made by his company on August 16, 2022. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal An Albuquerque company has developed an ultra-smart security system that could potentially end mass shootings before such rampages can even begin. When deployed, EAGL Technology Inc.'s new gunshot detection and lockdown system will instantaneously detect – with near complete accuracy – a single gunshot the moment it occurs. Then, within seconds, it will simultaneously lock down buildings, directly inform police with GPS...
By Marcia Dunn / Associated Press CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's new moon rocket sprang another dangerous fuel leak Saturday, forcing launch controllers to call off their second attempt to send a crew capsule into lunar orbit with test dummies. The first attempt earlier in the week was also marred by escaping hydrogen, but those leaks were elsewhere on the 322-foot (98-meter) rocket, the most powerful ever built by NASA. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said repair work could bump the launch into October. Mission managers planned to meet later in the day to decide on a course of action....
By Eastern New Mexico News The New Mexico Racing Commission has 90 days to accept or reject a request for a racing license for a track and casino in Tucumcari. (Albuquerque Journal file) The New Mexico Racing Commission during its Aug. 25 meeting in Albuquerque declined to take action on Coronado Partners' application for a horse-racing license, but there was no urgency to do so because both sides recently agreed to an extension on the decision. Warren Frost, a Logan-based lawyer for Coronado and one of its principals, said his investor group and the racing commission mutually agreed on...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Old Man Gloom went up in flames on Friday night at Santa Fe’s Fort Marcy Park. Thousands showed up to watch the show, which included a fire dancer, gloomies and fireworks. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Zozobra had a lot to answer for this year. On top of the fact we're still dealing with COVID, there were New Mexico's devastating wildfires and the monsoon-fueled flooding that piled heartbreak on heartbreak. And because we blame everything on Old Man Gloom – what else is he good for? – let's add weeds because it has...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Police have released video and details of an incident in early July where a man shot himself to death in his van in a Target store parking lot. Officer Matthew Silva (Courtesy of APD) Two officers who had been speaking with 64-year-old James Kevin Langlois saw the gun and then heard a gunshot, and one of them – Officer Matthew Silva – shot at the van in response. Silva has been with the Albuquerque Police Department since 2016 and had not been involved in any prior shootings....
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Two people were shot and killed Friday night on Albuquerque's West Side. Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said officers responded to reports of gunfire in the 5600 block of 59th Street NW. He said arriving police found a man and a woman dead at the scene. "Homicide detectives will be taking over the investigation," DeAguero said. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer K-9 Nordy (Source: BCSO) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A police dog is recovering after being stabbed in the neck during a Thursday night SWAT confrontation in the South Valley. Jebrene Garcia, 40, is charged with aggravated residential burglary, and battery and injury to a police dog, among other crimes. She has been booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center. It is unclear whether she has an attorney. Court records show Garcia had been released from MDC on Monday after serving more than 450 days behind bars in two cases that happened days...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer In January, Carmella Salinas, center, sits with Kenzie Garcia, left, and Ayana Madueno, both 4, in her prekindergarten class at Acalde Elementary School north of Española. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – For years, it was one of the most fiercely debated measures at the Roundhouse. But a proposed constitutional amendment to tap more heavily into New Mexico's permanent school fund is drawing broad voter support ahead of the Nov. 8 election. The ballot question was backed by 69% of likely voters in the latest Journal Poll...
By Eric Tucker / Associated Press Former President Donald Trump's Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, is seen here in January 2020. In the wake of recent discoveries of classified documents at the estate, FBI agents have found an additional 10,000-plus government documents with no classifications marked. (Lynne Sladky/Associated Press) WASHINGTON – Along with highly classified government documents, the FBI agents who searched former President Donald Trump's Florida estate found dozens of empty folders marked classified but with nothing inside and no explanation of what might have been there, according to a more detailed inventory of the seized material made public on...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The state of New Mexico has created a new online portal to better help people apply for financial assistance if the pandemic put them at risk of eviction from a rental property, or foreclosure on their own homes. The new portal for the New Mexico Home Fund can be accessed at nmhomefund.org, and is intended to remove some of the uncertainty about where New Mexicans need to go to apply for assistance. By answering a few preliminary questions online, the portal automatically transfers the visitor to either...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Wendel Tagle, 43 (Courtesy of the Albuquerque Police Department) Wendel Tagle's mental distress when he called 911 on July 20 meant the Albuquerque Community Safety department dispatched a mobile crisis team – made up of an officer and a counselor – to his West Side apartment. Tagle, 43, reported that his co-worker was sending him tea in the mail and he was worried it was poisonous. Both he and his wife said they had been under extreme stress with work and it was affecting their marriage. But...
By James Hamill / For the Journal Mothers alone have the ability to distinguish the sound of their child's voice calling "Mom" in the Target store. A father will swivel his head to any child saying "Dad," even when his children are grown adults and the voice is clearly that of a 5-year-old. Moms also have an innate ability to say the same things. If jumped off a bridge , would you? Or, before you feel bad for yourself, think about all the other people in the world who have it worse. Just the other day I heard ....
By Makayla Grijalva / Valencia County News-Bulletin LOS LUNAS — From old soda bottles and grocery bags to usable fuel, a new plant in Los Lunas demonstrates new technology that transforms used plastics into gasoline, diesel, kerosene and paraffin. PlastikGas, a 4-year-old company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, currently has five plants around the world, making the one in Los Lunas the sixth and first proof-of-concept plant. The PlastikGas plants can process seven different types of plastic and transform them into up to six different types of usable fuel — gasoline, diesel, kerosene, paraffin, liquefied petroleum gas and coke —...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer A car charges at a station in Nob Hill. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) As demand for hybrid and electric vehicles heats up in New Mexico and across the country, the race to build out charging station infrastructure is on. The Biden administration recently adopted standards that would place fast-charging stations for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids every 50 miles. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, which passed in November of 2021, sets aside .5 billion for charging infrastructure. By 2030, the administration is hoping to have 500,000 charging stations across the country. New Mexico Department...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Chalmers Ford sales manager Chris Taylor charges a 2022 Ford at the car lot. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Dave Bradley loves electric cars. So much so that, despite not being a "car head," he left his job as a hairdresser to open Albuquerque car dealership Magpie Motors specializing in hybrid and electric vehicles. "The electrics are fun," Bradley said. "And I just believe it's the future." But Bradley hasn't been able to find an electric vehicle for sale for several weeks to add to his lot. "Looking for a car, or trying to find...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque West Side Burn Boot Camp co-owner Carolotta Park trains Jennifer Martinez. (Courtesy of Dane Rangel/Burn Boot Camp) "You can do it" reads the wall at Burn Boot Camp on Albuquerque's West Side. Carolotta Park, co-owner of Albuquerque's first location of the national gym chain, brought Burn Boot Camp to Albuquerque with the hopes of "empowering" members. With her husband, Stephen Park, she opened the first Albuquerque Burn Boot Camp earlier this year at 10131 Coors NW. And just a few months later, a second Burn Boot Camp is under construction...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer From left, Emily Flores, operations manager at Natural Fitness ABQ, and her husband, Gabriel Flores, owner of Natural Fitness ABQ. They are pictured with their 10-month old daughter, Karine. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Gabriel Flores is a lifelong teacher. Before getting his personal trainer certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine last year, he taught high school science and coached football. "I always loved the coaching aspect more than anything," Flores said. But Flores felt that big commercial gyms, including the one where he worked as a personal trainer, weren't serving his clients....
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Chalmers Ford sales manager Chris Taylor charges a 2022 Ford at the car lot. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Dave Bradley loves electric cars. So much so that, despite not being a "car head," he left his job as a hairdresser to open Albuquerque car dealership Magpie Motors specializing in hybrid and electric vehicles. "The electrics are fun," Bradley said. "And I just believe it's the future." But Bradley hasn't been able to find an electric vehicle for sale for several weeks to add to his lot. "Looking for a car, or trying to find...
By Makayla Grijalva / Valencia County News-Bulletin LOS LUNAS — From old soda bottles and grocery bags to usable fuel, a new plant in Los Lunas demonstrates new technology that transforms used plastics into gasoline, diesel, kerosene and paraffin. PlastikGas, a 4-year-old company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, currently has five plants around the world, making the one in Los Lunas the sixth and first proof-of-concept plant. The PlastikGas plants can process seven different types of plastic and transform them into up to six different types of usable fuel — gasoline, diesel, kerosene, paraffin, liquefied petroleum gas and coke —...
By Ellen Marks / For the Journal Ann Edenfield Sweet — founder/executive director of wings for life international. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) It was a "chaotic" summer morning in 1986 when Ann Edenfield got the news that would devastate her life for years. The FBI, she was told, had just arrested her husband, a former commercial airline pilot, at the couple's Albuquerque real estate office on a charge of conspiracy to import drugs. At the time, she was on maternity leave with a newborn, while also taking care of their three other young sons. "Overnight, I became a leper," says Edenfield...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Joalda Lopez, owner of Rebel Road Hot Rod Garage in Los Ranchos, inspects the interior of a 1970 Chevrolet Nova for rust. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) In 2020, many couples called off their weddings as gatherings were restricted. Joalda Lopez and Jason Rockwell were one of those couples; however, they were likely one of the few couples that used their canceled wedding funds to open a hot rod repair shop. Lopez and Rockwell opened Rebel Road Hot Rod Garage in Los Ranchos in March 2021. Engaged in 2019, they now plan to officially tie...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Various Law enforcement agencies participated in a Thursday morning raid in the South Valley that netted millions in cash and fentanyl pills. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/ Albuquerque Journal) Federal agents recovered up to million in bulk cash, hand grenades and more than a million Fentanyl pills during one of 16 predawn raids Thursday morning in the South Valley and elsewhere in the city, according to federal records unsealed this morning in federal court in Albuquerque. The simultaneous searches by officers from more than a dozen federal, state and local agencies on Thursday were...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A whopping 85% of New Mexicans support changing the law to make it easier for judges to hold individuals who have been charged with certain violent crimes in jail until trial, according to a Journal Poll. While there are slight variations across political parties, regions of the state and education levels, in nearly every demographic more than 80% of respondents said they supported a change. "Rarely do you see numbers where 85% of the people supports something and only 4% oppose on questions that we typically ask...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Students make their way to their classrooms on the first day of school at Valley High School earlier this month. Test results in APS last school year mirrored those measured across the state, with a little over a third of students testing proficient in language arts and a quarter testing proficient in math. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Just over a third of New Mexico students taking part in annual statewide assessments are proficient in language arts and only a quarter in math, according to test results released by...
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal Fourth in a series. By Day 2 of Gucci's recovery, her temperature had risen to a healthy 101.2 degrees. Her grumbling and complaining as we gently syringed warm saline through her abdominal tubes came as no surprise. We'd known this tortoiseshell kitty from her previous bouts of barfing. Feline racism is never tolerated but, well, torties are often cranky. I didn't shoulder this task alone. Our veterinary nurse Hazen spoke gently to our patient as he offered a veritable smorgasbord of gastronomic delights, which she delicately sampled one lick at a time. Gucci...
By Acacia Coronado / Associated Press EAGLE PASS, Texas -- A Texas pecan farm nearly the size of Disneyland has become entangled in a turf war between the Biden administration and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott over immigration enforcement on the southern border. Hugo and Magali Urbina, who bought Heavenly Farms in April 2021, at first welcomed the state footing the bill for a new chain-link fence through their property earlier this year as part of Abbott's multibillion-dollar crackdown on border crossings along the Rio Grande. But then, one day, they found the fence's main gate unexpectedly locked. The lock...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies gather near a raid site in the South Valley on Thursday morning. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Agents from more than a dozen law enforcement organizations served 16 federal search warrants in multiple raids before dawn Thursday in Albuquerque's South Valley, FBI officials announced at an early morning news conference. The FBI called the news conference at 7:30 a.m. describing it as "urgent" and "breaking news." But FBI Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda gave few details, except to say the warrants were...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press The New Mexico Supreme Court on Thursday detailed its legal reasoning for a decision earlier this year that answered a long simmering question over whether the public had a right to access rivers and streams that flow through private property. The court's written opinion follows a decision announced from the bench in March that invalidated regulations by the state Game Commission permitting property owners to close access to waters on their land. Steam access has been an issue across the West for years. While several states have recognized public ownership and use...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque Public Schools police arrested a 17-year-old student in connection with gunshots being fired at Del Norte High School on Wednesday, an APS spokeswoman said Thursday. Erbielo Cervantes, a senior at Del Norte High, was arrested at his home by APS police Wednesday evening, APS spokeswoman Monica Armenta said. Police are still investigating the incident and it's not entirely clear if the shooting took place on campus, Armenta said. She added that it appeared Cervantes was "in a car, exiting the parking lot" when the incident happened....
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer Zayka Nasser Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Three local young women earned titles in the 2022 National American Miss New Mexico competition on July 23. Jasmine Anaya, 19, was crowned Miss New Mexico Teen. The Albuquerque native is a sophomore at New Mexico State University, where she is studying criminal justice and accounting. Zayka Nasser, 16, was crowned Miss New Mexico Jr. Teen. She is an Albuquerque native and a junior at La Cueva High School. Haylee Hinde, 7, was crowned Miss New Mexico Princess. She was born in Las Cruces and...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies gather near a raid site in the South Valley on Thursday morning. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Agents from more than a dozen law enforcement organizations served 16 federal search warrants in multiple raids before dawn Thursday in Albuquerque's South Valley, FBI officials announced at an early morning news conference. The FBI called the news conference at 7:30 a.m. describing it as "urgent" and "breaking news." But FBI Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda gave few details, except to say the warrants were...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Students make their way to their classrooms on the first day of school at Valley High School earlier this month. Test results in APS last school year mirrored those measured across the state, with a little over a third of students testing proficient in language arts and a quarter testing proficient in math. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Just over a third of New Mexico students taking part in annual statewide assessments are proficient in language arts, and only a quarter are proficient in math, according to test results released by the Public Education...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer A district court judge on Thursday ordered the Sandoval County clerk to list District Judge Karl Reifsteck on the ballot as a candidate for 13th Judicial District Court, an attorney in the case said. The order overruled a decision last month by Sandoval County Clerk Anne Brady-Romero not to place Reifsteck's name on the general election ballot because he did not register to vote in Sandoval County until June 4. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham appointed Reifsteck on July 7 to a newly created judicial post in 13th Judicial District Court. Previously, he...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Public Service Company of New Mexico is teaming up with Crime Stoppers to raise awareness about copper theft in Albuquerque. Businesses reporting copper theft to PNM have almost doubled since last year. In 2021, PNM received 35 reports of copper theft in Albuquerque and Santa Fe combined. As of September 2022, PNM has already received 63 reports between the two cities. "Copper theft is running rampant," said PNM spokesperson Shannon Jackson. Later this month, PNM will invite business owners to a seminar about preventing copper theft and what to do if they...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Firefighters battle an apartment fire Thursday afternoon in Southeast Albuquerque. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Albuquerque Fire Rescue is fighting a fire at an apartment complex Thursday afternoon in Southeast Albuquerque. Firefighters battle an apartment fire Thursday afternoon in Southeast Albuquerque. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) AFR spokesman Lt. Tom Ruiz said the blaze is at a complex in the 1500 block of Columbia SE, near Kathryn. He said "smoke and flames are visible" and crews are attempting to rescue people. Ruiz said two people were injured but their injuries were unclear and he...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Christine Kasper, the dean of the University of New Mexico College of Nursing since 2018, is leaving the university for the same position with the University of Pittsburgh. She is expected to start in her new role as the dean of Pittsburgh's School of Nursing in January. Christine Kasper is leaving her post as the UNM College of Nursing dean for the same position with the University of Pittsburgh. (Courtesy of UNM Health Newsroom) The official announcement came from UNM on Thursday. The university said an internal...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Firefighters battle an apartment fire Thursday afternoon in Southeast Albuquerque. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Albuquerque Fire Rescue is fighting a fire at an apartment complex Thursday afternoon in Southeast Albuquerque. Firefighters battle an apartment fire Thursday afternoon in Southeast Albuquerque. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) AFR spokesman Lt. Tom Ruiz said the blaze is at a complex in the 1500 block of Columbia SE, near Kathryn. He said "smoke and flames are visible" and crews are attempting to rescue people. Ruiz said two people were injured but their injuries were unclear and he...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Steel wire and coating-technology giant Bekaert has invested in Albuquerque-based Pajarito Powder, which makes alternative, low-cost catalyst materials for fuel cells and electrolyzers, the companies announced Thursday morning. The investment amount remains confidential, but the new money will help Pajarito Powder scale up its Albuquerque operations, said Pajarito Chairman and CEO Tom Stephenson. "I won't disclose the amount, but it's a big investment," Stephenson told the Journal. Bekaert — a publicly traded, Belgium-based firm — is the latest entity to contribute to a large round of venture investment that Pajarito Powder began...
By ABQJournal News Staff The FBI is now taking applications for its Teen Academy and Collegiate Academy to be held Sept. 17 at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. The free academies provide a one-day overview where high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, and college students of any major, can learn about careers with the FBI and participate in interactive demonstrations. FBI recruiters, agents and professional staff will be on hand to answer questions. The deadline to apply is Sept. 8. Applications for the Teen Academy can be found on FBI Denver's website: www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/denver/community-outreach. Applications for the Collegiate Academy...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer It definitely wasn't the result the Aggies had hoped for on the field to start the Jerry Kill coaching era on Saturday night in Las Cruces, but there are no complaints about the results at the gates. While Nevada beat New Mexico State's football team 23-12 on Saturday night, there was an announced crowd inside Aggie Memorial Stadium of 23,371. More important for the bottom line was that the game generated 9,364 in individual ticket sale revenue – the third largest ever for a home opener in Las Cruces. And it was...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – An overwhelming majority of likely voters in New Mexico describe crime and homelessness as "very serious" problems facing the state – an opinion shared by Democrats and Republicans alike, according to a Journal Poll. Smaller majorities also say the quality of public education and strength of the state's economy are very serious problems. By contrast, only a quarter of likely voters described COVID-19 that way. The findings of the Journal Poll, conducted by Research & Polling Inc., come as New Mexico's airwaves are filled...
By Kate Brumback / Associated Press ATLANTA – Lawyers for John Eastman, a lead architect of some of Donald Trump's efforts to remain in power after the 2020 election, said Wednesday they advised their client to assert attorney-client privilege and invoke his constitutional right to remain silent when testifying before a special grand jury investigating possible illegal election interference in Georgia. Charles Burnham and Harvey Silverglate confirmed in a statement that Eastman had appeared before the panel in Fulton County, complying with a summons from the district attorney. They declined to comment on the questions or testimony, citing respect...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Nevada coach Steve Alford, left, and UNM Lobos coach Richard Pitino, right, shake hands before Wednesday's Mountain West Tournament game. (Mike Sandoval/For the Albuquerque Journal) It'll start with the Rams and end with the Rams. Steve Alford will return to the Pit, but a Bairstow family reunion in the Pit is not in the cards. Those are the headlines for Lobo men's basketball as the Mountain West Conference on Wednesday released its 2022-23 league schedule. The 18 league games complete UNM's schedule; the nonconference slate came out in July. In all, the...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The mayor has appointed retired Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court judge Victor Valdez to serve as the city's next Superintendent of Police Reform with the Albuquerque Police Department. Valdez, born in Santa Fe, received his law degree from the University of New Mexico in 1989 and practiced law for 15 years, specializing in civil rights. He served as president and member of the New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association and was appointed to the criminal division of Metro Court in 2004. "This is an important opportunity to establish a sustainable office of accountability for...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas, center, speaks at a news conference announcing a new online platform for fighting organized retail crime, as Mayor Tim Keller, left, and APD Chief Harold Medina listen. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) A deadly robbery that took the life of an Albuquerque pizzeria owner was the backdrop for an announcement Wednesday that New Mexico is joining a 20-state network to gather data on organized retail crime. Business and political leaders used a press conference as an opportunity to vent frustration with the criminal justice system and scarce funding...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A pharmacist injects a patient with a booster dosage of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic in Lawrence, Mass., on Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new booster shot. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File) COVID-19 confirmed cases are continuing to trend in the right direction statewide. The New Mexico Department of Health reported 3,420 new cases for the week ending Aug. 29. That was a 10% decline from the cases confirmed the week before and a 45% drop from 6,300 new cases the state reported...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer In this photo from June, the Rio Grande meets the dam at Elephant Butte Reservoir. A federal judge said last week that if Texas and New Mexico don’t finalize a settlement agreement in a groundwater dispute by Sept. 23, the case will go to trial in the U.S. Supreme Court in January. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Lawyers in the long-running Texas v. New Mexico groundwater dispute have until Sept. 23 to finalize a settlement agreement, a federal judge has ordered. Texas alleges New Mexico's groundwater pumping south of Elephant Butte Reservoir is...
By Jeff Tucker / Journal Editorial Writer This week's question: What should the state do with the anticipated influx of revenue? Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published. Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-form Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By ABQJournal News Staff A portion of the Milky Way galaxy as seen through a telescope. (Source: BBC Studios) It may not provide expansive images of the universe like the James Webb Telescope, but those attending a star party this weekend will certainly get an impressive look into the cosmos. The star party will be held Sept. 3, from 7-11 p.m. at the Bachechi Open Space, 9521 Rio Grande NW. A short presentation about the celestial bodies that will be looked at during the evening will be made at the beginning of the party. The free event is being...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Del Norte High School students will be released at their normal release time of 2:20 p.m. Wednesday after the school was under a shelter-in-place due to shots fired in the area, police spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins said, adding that students will be released on the northwest corner of the school. Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said officers responded to the school after reports of shots fired either at or near the school. He said no injuries have been reported. "We really want to emphasize that to parents," Gallegos said at a news conference....
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham speaks during a June rally in Albuquerque's Old Town held in opposition to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling. The Democratic governor on Wednesday issued an executive order pledging state resources to expand access to abortion services in New Mexico. (Chancey Bush/Journal) SANTA FE -- Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham moved Wednesday to buttress access to abortions in New Mexico, signing an executive order that pledges million to build a state-funded clinic providing abortion and other services in Doña Ana...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Western lowland gorilla, Samantha, cuddles her new baby, born on Aug. 10. On Wednesday the BioPark confirmed the baby was a female and given the name Mashika. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) It's a girl! But don't expect her to be swaddled in pink. The gender of the baby gorilla born at the ABQ BioPark Zoo on Aug. 10 is now known, and so is her name — Mashika — which according to zoo officials means "born during the rainy season." It's a fitting name given that her birth came during New Mexico's monsoon...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Western lowland gorilla, Samantha, cuddles her new baby, born on Aug. 10. On Wednesday the BioPark confirmed the baby was a female and given the name Mashika. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) It's a girl! But don't expect her to be swaddled in pink. The gender of the baby gorilla born at the ABQ BioPark Zoo on Aug. 10 is now known, and so is her name — Mashika — which according to zoo officials means "born during the rainy season." It's a fitting name given that her birth came during New Mexico's monsoon...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Officers escort Sylvan Alcachupas, 27, to a waiting police cruiser to take him to jail. Alcachupas is charged with murder, robbery and tampering with evidence. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Homicide detectives have arrested a man they say shot the owner of a Southeast Albuquerque pizzeria during a robbery Tuesday night. Sylvan Alcachupas, 27, has been charged with murder, robbery and tampering with evidence. Around 9:20 p.m. officers were alerted to a shooting by ShotSpotter gun shot detection system and by an employee of Giovanni's Pizzeria who said his boss had been killed in...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Former New Mexico House Chief Clerk Stephen Arias wipes away tears as then-House Speaker Ben Lujan informs the chamber about his Stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis in this 2012 file photo. Arias, who served as chief clerk of the House for more than 30 years, died Sunday at age 77. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- Former longtime New Mexico House chief clerk Stephen Arias died recently after the sudden onset of serious health issues. Arias, 77, who served as House chief clerk for 31 years, passed away Sunday at the MD...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal More than a third of New Mexicans are now worse off financially than before the pandemic, while 12% say they are better off, according to the latest Journal Poll. Nearly half say they're "about the same." Republican voters, men and those under 34 say they are worse off in larger numbers than their counterparts. Overall, 38% of people say they are worse off, according to the poll conducted by Albuquerque-based Research & Polling Inc. The numbers come as the country battles inflation and still finds itself recovering...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Former New Mexico House Chief Clerk Stephen Arias wipes away tears as then-House Speaker Ben Lujan informs the chamber about his Stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis in this 2012 file photo. Arias, who served as chief clerk of the House for more than 30 years, died Sunday at age 77. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- Former longtime New Mexico House chief clerk Stephen Arias died recently after the sudden onset of serious health issues. Arias, 77, who served as House chief clerk for 31 years, passed away Sunday at the MD...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Homes around the area of Bandelier Drive and Napolist NW are in House District 68, one of the closest contested races in the state. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – The partisan fight for control of the state House is set to ripple through the neighborhoods of Paradise Hills and Ventana Ranch in northwest Albuquerque. Under a newly redrawn House map, the suburban, family-friendly area is home to the most closely divided legislative district on the Nov. 8 ballot, according to an analysis of voting trends over...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Food has gotten more expensive. The cost of gas reached record highs this year. Skyrocketing home prices have made purchasing a home a fever dream for many New Mexicans. And New Mexicans are obviously feeling the pinch. Inflation is the top concern facing New Mexico families, with economic uncertainty coming in second, according to the latest Journal Poll. That is in sharp contrast to two years ago when COVID-19 was by far the top concern, according to polling at the time. In the most recent poll, conducted...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer Kaieva Carpenter, 15, a 10th-grade student at the Santa Fe Waldorf School, painted a mural of Zozobra now hanging at Fort Marcy Park baseball field in Santa Fe. She and classmates were at the park August 30 for a ribbon-cutting for the mural. The mural is on panels and will come down after September and then go back up in the spring. The 98th burning of Zozobra will take place Friday evening at the park. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Zozobra is throwing some heat. As part of the...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man was fatally shot Tuesday night in Southeast Albuquerque. Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said officers responded around 9:20 p.m. to a shooting in the 900 block of San Pedro SE, near Kathryn. “Officers arrive and discovered a male clinging to life,” he said. “The male later succumbed to his injuries on scene.” Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A new study makes the case that legislative proposals intended to make it easier to keep certain criminal defendants in jail while awaiting trial would have done little to reduce crime. The study found that of thousands of additional defendants who would have been held in jail pretrial under a proposal considered by the Legislature this year, only about 4% were charged with a new violent felony during pretrial release. "Most of the serious crime out there is not being committed by people under pretrial supervision," said...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Sen. Jacob Candelaria Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Albuquerque police and paramedics responded to a roll-over crash Friday involving state Sen. Jacob Candelaria, who said he lost consciousness while driving, just before the wreck. Witnesses told officers that Candelaria's vehicle "was traveling at a high rate of speed and ran a red light" before striking parked cars near Mountain and Rio Grande NW, according to body-camera videos and a statement released by Albuquerque police on Tuesday. "Officers did not observe any signs of impairment by Candelaria," APD spokesman Gilbert...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer The city aims to open its Gateway Center shelter at the old Lovelace hospital on Gibson by this winter. Neighborhood opponents, however, say their appeal was cut short before going to the City Council. (Liam DeBonis/for the Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Southeast Albuquerque residents challenging a new homeless shelter claim the city has prematurely declared victory in the yearlong zoning dispute, cutting a major step – the city council – out of the appeal process. The city says it has the approval it needs to proceed with its long-awaited...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin, center, in court during a civil bench trial earlier this month. Written closing arguments in the case were filed Monday and a judge is considering the matter. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) The trial has ended, closing arguments have been filed and a district court judge is mulling over whether Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin can finish his term or be barred for life from holding public office. Griffin is facing a lawsuit brought by three northern New Mexico residents that seeks to oust him from public office for...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin, center, in court during a civil bench trial earlier this month. Written closing arguments in the case were filed Monday and a judge is considering the matter. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) The trial has ended, closing arguments have been filed and a district court judge is mulling over whether Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin can finish his term or be barred for life from holding public office. Griffin is facing a lawsuit brought by three northern New Mexico residents that seeks to oust him from public office for...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer In this April 15 photo, the McBride Fire burns in the village of Ruidoso. The U.S. Forest Service will use helicopters to reseed about 300 acres burned by the fire. (Roberto E. Rosales/ Albuquerque Journal) The U.S. Forest Service will use helicopters to reseed more than 300 acres burned by the McBride Fire. The mid-April blaze grew to more than 6,000 acres in Ruidoso, destroying 200 homes and killing two people. Aerial seeding will occur on Thursday and Friday, according to a Lincoln National Forest news release. Crews will drop up to 16,000...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor The Santa Fe Police Department is investigating the homicide of a 63-year-old man. At approximately 4:30 p.m. Friday, officers responded to 3357 Cerrillos Road for a welfare check and discovered a male, later identified as Michael J. Trilling, deceased in his residence, according to a news release. "Mr. Trilling had signs of a physical altercation," the release states. "After an autopsy, the manner of death was determined to be homicide." Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Detective Jill Feaster at (505) 955-5281 or email her at jmfeaster@santafenm.gov....
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor The Santa Fe Police Department is investigating the homicide of a 63-year-old man. At approximately 4:30 p.m. Friday, officers responded to 3357 Cerrillos Road for a welfare check and discovered a male, later identified as Michael J. Trilling, deceased in his residence, according to a news release. "Mr. Trilling had signs of a physical altercation," the release states. "After an autopsy, the manner of death was determined to be homicide." Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Detective Jill Feaster at (505) 955-5281 or email her at jmfeaster@santafenm.gov....
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – As New Mexico's reputation as an abortion safe haven deepens, state voters are divided on whether some restrictions on abortion should be enacted, a new Journal Poll found. But likely general election voters surveyed last week were nearly three times more likely to say abortion should always be legal than they were to say it should always be illegal. Specifically, 35% of the 518 statewide voters surveyed said abortion should always be legal, 22% said the procedure should be legal with some limitations...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer A cluster of gilled mushrooms cuddle on and in a tree trunk along Forest road 289 in the Jemez Mountains. Monsoon rains have produced lots of wild mushrooms in New Mexico this year, some of them poisonous. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Hold the mushrooms, please. That's good advice this year when persistent monsoon rains have turned New Mexico mountain sides, forests and backyards into a grower's market display of wild mushrooms, some of them enough to make you sick to the stomach – or worse. Susan Smolinske,...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Investigators collect evidence at the scene after APD officers shot and killed a man during a confrontation at the Valero Gas Station on Coors and Quail NW. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Police shot and killed a person after responding to a scene at a gas station Sunday night, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said at a news conference early Monday morning. Officers responded to a request for assistance at a gas station in the area of Coors and Quail Northwest at approximately 11:15 p.m. Sunday, Medina said. A news release from Albuquerque police...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer An inmate died at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center after experiencing a medical emergency on Saturday, officials said Monday. The inmate was identified as Sao Chau, 41, who was being held in jail pending trial on charges of transferring stolen motor vehicles and shoplifting, court records show. Chau was booked into MDC last week following his arrest on a warrant for failure to appear in court. MDC staff responded to an emergency medical distress code for Chau at 5 a.m. Saturday and provided lifesaving measures until emergency rescue personnel arrived, but...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Investigators collect evidence at the scene after APD officers shot and killed a man during a confrontation at the Valero Gas Station on Coors and Quail NW. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Police shot and killed a person after responding to a scene at a gas station Sunday night, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said at a news conference early Monday morning. Officers responded to a request for assistance at a gas station in the area of Coors and Quail Northwest at approximately 11:15 p.m. Sunday, Medina said. A news release from Albuquerque police...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Investigators collect evidence at the scene after APD officers shot and killed a man during a confrontation at the Valero Gas Station on Coors and Quail NW. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Police shot and killed a person after responding to a scene at a gas station Sunday night, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said at a news conference early Monday morning. Officers responded to a request for assistance at a gas station in the area of Coors and Quail Northwest at approximately 11:15 p.m. Sunday, Medina said. A news release from Albuquerque police...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer A dragonfly lands at Bob Gerding Pond in Albuquerque on Sunday. Forecasts show that active monsoon patterns could bring rain to New Mexico throughout the month of September. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Some areas of New Mexico are experiencing their wettest monsoon season in 130 years, a drastic turnaround from earlier this summer. Scott Overpeck, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Albuquerque, said it will "take quite a bit of rainfall" to completely erase statewide drought conditions. "But we've got a good start," he said. Less than 1% of New...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has pardoned six people convicted of crimes, including the woman who survived serial killer David Parker Ray the Toy Box Killer. That woman, Cynthia Jaramillo, has since dedicated her life to working for women who face homelessness and addiction. The others who were pardoned include Bridgette Yvette Tabor, Jack Ferguson, Travis Earl Gatling, Randall E. Johnston, and Kathleen Woerter. The forgiven offenses include fraud, larceny, burglary, drug possession and distribution, and failure to disclose facts to obtain public assistance, among others. A governor's pardon restores the right to...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputies are investigating the death of a man killed by at least one gunshot in Southwest Albuquerque and detained a second man on Monday. Deputies responded at 7:30 a.m. to the 1700 block of Val Verde Drive SW where they found the deceased man, Sheriff's spokeswoman Jayme Fuller said. "Deputies made contact with a male subject armed with a pistol and detained him," Fuller said in a written statement. No charges had been filed as of Monday afternoon. The investigation is ongoing. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has pardoned six people convicted of crimes, including the woman who survived serial killer David Parker Ray the Toy Box Killer. That woman, Cynthia Jaramillo, has since dedicated her life to working for women who face homelessness and addiction. The others who were pardoned include Bridgette Yvette Tabor, Jack Ferguson, Travis Earl Gatling, Randall E. Johnston, and Kathleen Woerter. The forgiven offenses include fraud, larceny, burglary, drug possession and distribution, and failure to disclose facts to obtain public assistance, among others. A governor's pardon restores the right to...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor An 18-year-old male was killed in a one-vehicle rollover crash Thursday on Interstate 40 eastbound, east of San Jon, a New Mexico State Police news release says. "The initial investigation indicated that a 2005 white Nissan Xterra sport utility vehicle was traveling eastbound on I-40 with six people inside, including the driver," the release states. "For unknown reasons, the driver lost control and the vehicle rolled over." Police say Kejuan Green of Sparks, Nevada was one of two passengers who were ejected from the vehicle. Green was transported to a hospital...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Some members of a legislative financial oversight committee asked Monday whether Spaceport America will ever be self-sufficient, and they'll likely have to wait months for an answer. Public funds bankrolled the years-long construction of the desert outpost in southern New Mexico, and figures presented during a meeting of the New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee showed the Legislature provided about million in general fund dollars for the fiscal year that ended this summer. Another appropriation of state funding is budgeted for the current fiscal year, and executive director...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor A scene from "Frida Kahlo: An Immersive Biography," which is coming to Albuquerque beginning Sept. 29. (Courtesy of Primo Entertainment) Frida Kahlo's life and work has become part of the popular culture. The artist stood proudly as a woman in art as she carved out her own place in the world. Her life and body of work is the focus of the traveling exhibit, "Frida Kahlo, An Immersive Biography." Albuquerque will be the next stop for the popular exhibit beginning Sept. 29, at the Immersive Pavilion, 1820 Bellamah Ave. NW,...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Cannabis inside an Everest Cannabis Co. grow operation. (Chancey Bush/Journal) New Mexico's newest industry has many around the state excited for its potential economic impact — from the funding it can provide for things like public education, to the tourism it can drive to the state and even the opportunity it can give to potential business owners. So far, the state's cannabis industry has seen millions in cash flow from revenue. The state itself has also made millions so far off cannabis excise taxes that show the industry may be a boon...
By James Hamill / For the Journal Q: I am an 84-year-old trying to wind up his financial affairs to make things simple for my children after I pass away. My wife passed away in 2016 and I lived by myself for five years. I sold my principal residence last year and moved into an independent living facility, and I am now under contract to sell my last significant property, which is a mountain "getaway" property. My wife and I bought the property in 2007 for 0,000 and I will be selling (it) for 9,000. The documents I prepared...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Democrats hold double-digit leads in the races for attorney general and three other statewide offices as New Mexico enters the final stretch of a turbulent campaign season, according to the latest Journal Poll. Democrat Raúl Torrez, a district attorney who won his party's nomination in a tough primary, enjoyed the biggest edge in the survey – a lead of 16 percentage points over Republican Jeremy Gay for attorney general. Democratic candidates also led by 11 to 12 points in the campaigns for secretary...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor A building facility on 4th Street will be the future site for the National Hispanic Cultural Center’s film industry production site in Southwest Albuquerque. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The National Hispanic Cultural Center is throwing its hat into the ring by joining the burgeoning film production industry. Margie Huerta, NHCC executive director, told the NHCC Board of Directors on Thursday that the center is rolling out its "Film, TV & Radio Initiative." "We do believe strongly that the creative media industry creates so many opportunities...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior NEW SETUP AT I-25/MLK: As the New Mexico Department of Transportation and Star Paving continue to work on this interchange and remove the northbound exit ramp, drivers should be aware of changes already here and on the way. The northbound exit ramp is closed, and drivers need to exit at Lead/Coal and continue north on Oak to access Martin Luther King Boulevard – this is the final configuration. Starting at 8 p.m. Sept. 6, crews will modify the shoulder of northbound I-25 between Central and MLK to remove the ramp, and northbound...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior NEW SETUP AT I-25/MLK: As the New Mexico Department of Transportation and Star Paving continue to work on this interchange and remove the northbound exit ramp, drivers should be aware of changes already here and on the way. The northbound exit ramp is closed, and drivers need to exit at Lead/Coal and continue north on Oak to access Martin Luther King Boulevard – this is the final configuration. Starting at 8 p.m. Sept. 6, crews will modify the shoulder of northbound I-25 between Central and MLK to remove the ramp, and northbound...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man who identifies himself as "Face" smokes fentanyl, at Phil Chacon Park in southeast Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, August 26, 2022. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal When Michelle Peterson met Robin, he had struggled with drug use on and off. At his best, she said, he was "very charming," loved deeply and liked helping people, even to a fault. "He was very welcoming and open minded and I was able to talk to him and work through a lot of my own crap," Peterson said. "And we...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor A building facility on 4th Street will be the future site for the National Hispanic Cultural Center’s film industry production site in Southwest Albuquerque. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The National Hispanic Cultural Center is throwing its hat into the ring by joining the burgeoning film production industry. Margie Huerta, NHCC executive director, told the NHCC Board of Directors on Thursday that the center is rolling out its "Film, TV & Radio Initiative." "We do believe strongly that the creative media industry creates so many opportunities...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A person was struck by a vehicle in southeast Albuquerque on Sunday afternoon. Rebecca Atkins, a police spokeswoman, said Sunday at 5 p.m. that a person had been struck near Central and Texas SE. The individual was taken to a local hospital. She said the person's condition wasn't immediately known. It was at least the second pedestrian crash police responded to in Albuquerque on Sunday. A woman was struck and killed on the Interstate 40 westbound off ramp at 1:30 a.m. on Sunday. The woman had been walking on the interstate when...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A person was struck by a vehicle in southeast Albuquerque on Sunday afternoon. Rebecca Atkins, a police spokeswoman, said Sunday at 5 p.m. that a person had been struck near Central and Texas SE. The individual was taken to a local hospital. She said the person's condition wasn't immediately known. It was at least the second pedestrian crash police responded to in Albuquerque on Sunday. A woman was struck and killed on the Interstate 40 westbound off ramp at 1:30 a.m. on Sunday. The woman had been walking on the interstate when...
By Chancey Bush | Staff Photographer Flamenco — it’s where elegance and passion meet. A centuries-old art form, it is the artistic expression of the Spanish-Gypsy culture. The lure of flamenco is its ability to explore the full range of human emotion with an intense, vibrant quality that leaves audiences captivated. Look around in New Mexico and you can see the impact of flamenco. There are numerous companies around the state keeping the dancing tradition alive, while pushing the genre into new contemporary territory, all while creating opportunities for New Mexicans and visitors to view the art form. Albuquerque is...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Carlos Perez watches his drive during a July game against the Las Vegas Aviators. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) When Warren Schaeffer fills out his lineup card, he knows he can use a pen at the No. 4 spot pretty much every day. There's not been much more certain for the Albuquerque Isotopes manager than to know he will get production from the clean-up spot as long as he has 31-year-old Carlos Perez available. Entering the weekend, Perez ranked in the top 10 in the Pacific Coast League in home runs (26, fourth), RBIs (71,...
By Martin Salazar / Journal City Editor Albuquerque police investigate a double homicide on the 9200 block of Marron Circle NE. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Albuquerque police say two people were shot and killed in Northeast Albuquerque early Sunday morning. Officer Chase Jewell, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said the shooting occurred on the 9200 block of Marron Circle NE, near Lomas and Easterday Drive. APD Lt. Ray Del Greco said officers responded to the location at 5:45 a.m. and found a male and a female with gunshot wounds. Both died at the scene, he said Del Greco said officers...
By Felicia Fonseca / Associated Press VILLAGE OF TEWA, Ariz. – They skateboarded on basketball courts and in parking lots, through highway intersections and down roads that twist from the mesas that rise above the high desert. They set up tricks with old railroad ties and lumber, sometimes using their own skateboards to move the materials in place. During a pandemic that led to lockdowns, curfews and mask mandates on the Hopi reservation, the solo nature of skateboarding was a comfort. But the reservation that borders the northeast corner of Arizona lacked a designated skate spot. So a group...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Rainforest Innovations president and CEO Lisa Kuuttila walks through the former First Baptist Church sanctuary located across from the Lobo Rainforest Building in the innovation district of Downtown Albuquerque on Tuesday. The old First Baptist Church sanctuary and office tower at Broadway and Central Downtown may soon become a high-tech development center for next-generation, mixed-reality technologies. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The old First Baptist Church sanctuary and office tower at Broadway and Central Downtown may soon become a high-tech development center for next-generation, mixed-reality technologies. That's the...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – With just over two months until Election Day, Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham has the inside track against Republican Mark Ronchetti in a New Mexico governor's race that has already drawn big spending from out-of-state groups, a new Journal Poll found. A total of 47% of likely voters surveyed last week said they would vote for Lujan Grisham, who is seeking reelection to a second four-year term, while 40% said they planned to vote for Ronchetti, a former KRQE-TV meteorologist who easily won a five-way...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin watches videos used as evidence during the civil trial to have him removed from office due to his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE – The NAACP is supporting efforts to bar a New Mexico-based county commissioner from public office, alleging that the Cowboys for Trump co-founder has sought to disenfranchise voters – including people of color – and stoke insurrection. The nation's oldest civil rights organization urged a state district court judge to remove and disqualify Otero...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer AJ Gryffin, from Sheffield, England, was found dead near Magdalena in 2017. Two suspects have been indicted in the case. (Courtesy of Robin Jackson) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Almost five years after a British man was found dead – his body decomposing and wrapped in plastic and tape, dumped outside the small central New Mexican town of Magdalena – his landlady's relatives have been indicted in the case. Joaquin Roibal, 35, has been charged with murder and other crimes in 2nd Judicial District Court. His mother, 57-year-old Juanita Roibal-Bradley, has been...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer A grader and state vehicles cross a flooded State Road 105 near Rociada Monday, August 8, 2022. Storm water running off the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak burn scar is flooding many of the streams and arroyos in the area. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal CAÑONCITO DEL ENCINAL – Once clouds were a harbinger of hope, a suggestion that life-sustaining rain was on its way. But now clouds tie knots of apprehension in Grace Vigil's stomach. "It's a daily thing," Vigil, 60, said as she stood outside her home near...
By Jerry Pacheco / For the Journal I have written in the past about the need for the U.S. to declare certain industries as vital to the national security and support them at the federal level. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have experienced how vulnerable the U.S. is to shortages of PPE products such as facemasks, gloves and various medical items that were for the most part being manufactured in foreign locations. The production of these critical products has migrated to countries in Asia, much of it to China, a country not exactly friendly with the U.S. In 2020,...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A screenshot of a GoFundMe account for the family of a man who died recently while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in New Mexico. (Source: GoFundMe)Immigration officials say a Brazilian man died recently after being found unresponsive while in custody at the Torrance County Detention Facility in what immigration rights advocates are saying was a suicide attempt after months in “abhorrent conditions.” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a news release said 23-year-old Kesley Vial died Aug. 24 at University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. “An autopsy...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A woman is accused in more than a dozen burglaries of nail salons, cafes and other businesses around Albuquerque over the past few months — noticed by police for a habit of cutting out windows to evade alarms. Kellie Shugart, 40, is charged with more than a dozen counts each of commercial burglary, larceny from 0 to over ,500, criminal damage to property and conspiracy and three counts of tampering with evidence in the incidents, which spanned from May 7 to Aug. 3. Kellie Shugart (MDC) Shugart was arrested Wednesday after a...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A screenshot of a GoFundMe account for the family of a man who died recently while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in New Mexico. (Source: GoFundMe)Immigration officials say a Brazilian man died recently after being found unresponsive while in custody at the Torrance County Detention Facility in what immigration rights advocates are saying was a suicide attempt after months in “abhorrent conditions.” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a news release said 23-year-old Kesley Vial died Aug. 24 at University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. “An autopsy...
By ABQJournal News Staff Third in a series. I worked carefully and fast. The tortoise shell kitty, Gucci, maintained strong vitals as I debrided (trimmed) the edges of her intestinal wounds and sutured them closed. A lot could still go wrong; I was counting on her robust immune system for help. On my way out of her abdomen I placed tubes and drains for daily irrigation over the next few days. Small creatures can lose a lot of heat when their body cavities are open to room air. We'd kept our patient wrapped in a warm water circulating blanket...
By Joel Jacobsen / Syndicated Columnist William Brown/Tribune Content Agency On Sept. 14, 1723, the cargo ship Princess Galley, on its way from London by way of Africa, entered the Caribbean Sea. The ship was heavily laden. Its captain spotted another ship, sails spread, rapidly approaching. The other ship ran up a black flag. The skull and crossbones was only one of many designs used by pirates of the early 18th century. Other flags featured "bleeding hearts, blazing balls, hourglasses, spears, cutlasses, and whole skeletons." The purpose of all such flags was the same: "to underline the message that...
By Eric Tucker / Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Fourteen of the 15 boxes recovered from former President Donald Trump's Florida estate early this year contained classified documents, many of them top secret, mixed in with miscellaneous newspapers, magazines and personal correspondence, according to an FBI affidavit released Friday. No space at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate was authorized for the storage of classified material, according to the court papers, which laid out the FBI's rationale for searching the property this month, including "probable cause to believe that evidence of obstruction will be found." The 32-page affidavit -- heavily redacted to protect...
By Associated Press New Mexico Supreme Court. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE – The New Mexico Supreme Court is upholding a lower court decision to dismiss a lawsuit that sought to release prison inmates because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The court issued its opinion Thursday in a 2020 case brought by several inmates, the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico. The plaintiffs claimed the state's COVID-19 response in prisons violated inmates' constitutional rights. Aside from reducing the prison population, the lawsuit sought to require the state to safeguard the health...
By Susan Montoya Bryan and Matthew Daly / Associated Press Art Schaap, owner of Highland Dairy in Clovis, looks down at exposed cow bones while standing at the site where thousands of his dead cows are decomposing under compost. Schaap was forced to euthanize his herd after their drinking water was contaminated with PFAS chemicals that migrated from nearby Cannon Air Force Base. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) New Mexico's top environmental regulator on Thursday warned state lawmakers that taxpayers could be on the hook for groundwater contamination since the U.S. Defense Department continues to challenge the state's authority to...
By Eric Tucker / Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Fourteen of the 15 boxes recovered from former President Donald Trump's Florida estate early this year contained classified documents, many of them top secret, mixed in with miscellaneous newspapers, magazines and personal correspondence, according to an FBI affidavit released Friday. No space at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate was authorized for the storage of classified material, according to the court papers, which laid out the FBI's rationale for searching the property this month, including "probable cause to believe that evidence of obstruction will be found." The 32-page affidavit -- heavily redacted to protect...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Lisa Cummings is reflected in a glass case displaying the ceremonial sword of her grandfather, John T. Warren, when he was commander of the battleship USS New Mexico. The sword will now be donated to the New Mexico History Museum. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Although the battleship USS New Mexico was decommissioned in 1946 and scrapped shortly afterward, artifacts from the ship continue to bring it to life and, on Thursday, a number of items from the ship became part of the permanent collection of the New...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) In explaining the recent decision to close Coronado Park, city officials have consistently mentioned mounting criminal activity at the site. Mayor Tim Keller in a July news conference called the park, which hosted a large, unsanctioned homeless encampment, "the most dangerous place in the state of New Mexico." In an interview last month, he said violence and drug use at the park "had reached a breaking point." But newly released numbers from the Albuquerque Police Department show that officers responded to far fewer calls for service at Coronado Park...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Sign Language Academy teacher Makayla Howard leads her class in July, who follow along by holding up their fingers. Over 2,100 people have been issued new teacher licenses since February, the state Public Education Department says. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) As a newly-licensed chemistry teacher, Maria Gigliotti was a hot commodity for New Mexico this year. Gigliotti, 25, just started the rookie season of her teaching career at Del Norte High School, after securing her license to teach in New Mexico just about a month ago. "It's going really well, I'm really...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer More than half the Coronado Park residents surveyed prior to the park's closure said they would find another park or place on the street to sleep. Pictured are carts full of belongings underneath the I-40 bridge near Downtown the day officials closed the park. (Chancey Bush/Journal) As the city of Albuquerque prepared to shutter Coronado Park earlier this month, outreach workers surveyed the people living there to learn about their needs and plans. More than half of the 94 homeless people who agreed to be surveyed said that upon Coronado's closure, they...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Mayor Tim Keller Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller is trying to stop the City Council from stopping safe outdoor spaces. The mayor on Friday vetoed legislation that would place a moratorium on safe outdoor spaces. The City Council passed the bill last week. Keller — whose administration already has collaborated with at least one potential safe outdoor space operator — argued in his veto message that the city cannot afford to limit its options for addressing homelessness. "We need every tool at our disposal to confront the unhoused crisis and we need to...
By Rachel Lorenz / For the Journal Bettering a business doesn't come without costs. "All pieces of equipment that are life-changing are terribly expensive," said Rita Moran, service manager of SignArt of New Mexico Inc. "It's just the way they come." Yet investing in technology and equipment is one way the 54-year-old company has remained successful, she said. Moran is married to Sandy Moran, the current owner of SignArt. Rita Moran Headquartered in Albuquerque, SignArt manufactures, installs and repairs custom outdoor signs for businesses in central New Mexico. The company was started in 1968 by Sandy Moran's father, Al...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer A 50-megawatt solar array at the Jicarilla Apache Nation. The new Inflation Reduction Act authorizes 0 billion in new federal incentives and investment in clean energy technologies across the board, and is expected to majorly benefit the solar industry. (Courtesy of PNM) The sun is shining like never before on the solar industry, and New Mexico companies are basking in the sunlight. The new Inflation Reduction Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law on Aug. 16, authorizes 0 billion in new federal incentives and investment in clean-energy technologies across the board....
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Guns obtained from a Santa Fe buy-back event are displayed in this 2013 file photo. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday ordered creation of a task force to promote the state's red flag gun law, which has been used infrequently since winning approval in 2020. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- With New Mexico's red flag gun law being used infrequently in its first two years since enactment, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday ordered the creation of a task force to educate law enforcement officers about the law and increase public...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer A U.S. magistrate judge on Friday ordered a New Mexico man detained on federal charges alleging he attempted to recruit and train people to fight on behalf of ISIS both in the United States and abroad. A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted Herman Leyvoune Wilson, 45, for attempting to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization, according to the indictment filed in U.S. District Court of New Mexico. Wilson, also known as Bilal Mu'Min Abdullah, also attempted to impede the investigation by shutting down an online platform that...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Muhammad Atif Syed listens from MDC during his arraignment Friday when his attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. (Second District Court) Muhammad Atif Syed pleaded not guilty Friday to three counts of first-degree murder in a series of shooting deaths in July and August that rocked Albuquerque's Muslim community. Syed, 51, entered the not guilty plea through his attorney during a brief hearing before 2nd Judicial District Judge Cindy Leos. Syed appeared in the remote hearing from the Metropolitan Detention Center where a judge last week ordered him to...
By Nicholas Riccardi / Associated Press DENVER -- Top Colorado Democrats on Friday asked President Joe Biden to declare a new national monument in the heart of their state's Rocky Mountains. In a letter to Biden, the state's two Democratic senators, Democratic governor and Democratic congressman who represents the area asked for Biden to create a Camp Hale - Continental Divide National Monument. The preserve would be centered on Camp Hale outside of Vail, where the legendary 10th Mountain Division trained for alpine warfare during World War II. Many of the soldiers returned to Colorado to play a pivotal...
By Janet McConnaughey / Associated Press NEW ORLEANS -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture has begun scattering millions of packets of oral rabies vaccine from helicopters and planes over 13 states from Maine to Alabama. The major aim is to keep raccoons from spreading their strain of the deadly virus to states where it hasn't been found or isn't widespread, said field trial coordinator Jordona Kirby. The USDA is also continuing tests of a vaccine approved in Canada to immunize skunks as well as raccoons, said Kirby of Wildlife Services, which is part of the agriculture department's Animal and...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Server Jordan Billiot runs food to customers sitting on the patio at M'tucci's Bar Roma in Knob Hill on Tuesday, August 23, 2022. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Has the New Mexico restaurant scene recovered? It depends on who you ask. Food and hospitality were some of the hardest hit industries during the pandemic. The New Mexico Restaurant Association asserted in an Aug. 12 news release that the restaurant industry lost over 20,000 jobs and 1,000 restaurants in New Mexico between 2019 and December 2021. But the figures...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Inside a three-bedroom home on the outskirts of an eastern New Mexico town of 1,100 people, New Mexico State Police say they discovered shocking evidence of torture, starvation, child abuse and neglect. They found wooden paddles, no running water and metal chains authorities contend kept several children confined to their beds at night to keep them from stealing food. Seized cellphone photos and video showed graphic scenes that included two nude children in a bathtub eating spaghetti with their hands and an 11-year-old boy being beaten while...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Server Jordan Billiot runs food to customers sitting on the patio at M'tucci's Bar Roma in Knob Hill on Tuesday, August 23, 2022. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Has the New Mexico restaurant scene recovered? It depends on who you ask. Food and hospitality were some of the hardest hit industries during the pandemic. The New Mexico Restaurant Association asserted in an Aug. 12 news release that the restaurant industry lost over 20,000 jobs and 1,000 restaurants in New Mexico between 2019 and December 2021. But the figures...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man was shot and critically injured Thursday evening at an apartment complex in Northeast Albuquerque. Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said officers responded around 5 p.m. to a shooting at the Sun Pointe Park apartments near Montgomery and Carlisle NE. "Officers arrived and discovered a male clinging to life," he said. "Officers swiftly rendered aid to the individual until rescue arrived." DeAguero said the man was taken to a hospital. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque teenagers participate in The Semilla Project’s summer outdoor program in July. The organization that offers free outdoor experiences is one of nearly 50 to receive Outdoor Equity Grants from the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division this year. (Courtesy of The Semilla Project) New Mexico is home to winding rivers, towering mesas and mountains and wide open spaces. But many young people have yet to experience the state's great outdoors. The New Mexico Outdoor Equity Fund aims to change that. This week, the state Outdoor Recreation Division announced nearly 50 grants from...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man was shot and critically injured Thursday evening at an apartment complex in Northeast Albuquerque. Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said officers responded around 5 p.m. to a shooting at the Sun Pointe Park apartments near Montgomery and Carlisle NE. "Officers arrived and discovered a male clinging to life," he said. "Officers swiftly rendered aid to the individual until rescue arrived." DeAguero said the man was taken to a hospital. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Rachael Speegle, the CEO of Verdes Foundation, speaks with an employee. The state has approved and issued more than 1,000 cannabis licenses since last fall. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) The state has hit a milestone in the approval and issuing of cannabis licenses, surpassing 1,000 since the Cannabis Control Division began issuing them last fall. To date, 1,027 total licenses have been approved and issued. Those numbers were shared by the division on Tuesday in a presentation to lawmakers on the Legislature's interim Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee. The update comes nearly half a...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Randy Sanchez, the general manager of Coronado Center, tests out the handcuffs chained to a bench inside the Bernalillo County Sheriff Department's new satellite substation inside the mall.(Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office is replacing the Albuquerque Police Department as tenants of the Coronado Shopping Center's mini substation. At a news conference outside the mall — between the Boot Barn and Kohl's department store — Sheriff Manuel Gonzales announced the opening of the satellite office Thursday morning. He said it will not be staffed with deputies but it will...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer From left, Buds & Beans owner Jonathan Joiner and General Manager Lisa Taj McCellon. The pair are debuting a new drink menu on Friday after receiving their liquor license. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) When Jonathan Joiner opened his business, Buds & Beans Cafe, in March, he planned to serve beer. Joiner "isn't a bar kind of person," but he wanted to offer a different type of place for Albuquerque residents to drink, eat, and relax. "I thought of maybe creating a space where, you know, you can have someone (drinking) coffee, someone wine, someone...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer The LEDA grant will help aid in the expansion to a new 45,000-square-foot space in Deming, about an hour south of Silver City where Little Toad Creek Brewery Distillery currently operates. (Courtesy of Little Toad Creek Brewery & Distillery) The state has pledged 0,000 in Local Economic Development Act funds to Silver City-based Little Toad Creek Brewery & Distillery for the company's expansion into a larger space in Deming and the hiring of an additional 21 employees over the next three years. It is the second LEDA grant awarded to Little Toad...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer A citizen advocating for city meetings to be streamed and archived, a school counselor who changed the way the state's largest school district handles promotions and raises and a journalist who created a system to track IPRA requests are among those who will be honored for their impact on government transparency. The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government recently announced six recipients of this year's William S. Dixon awards, which are presented annually to New Mexicans who have significantly contributed to government transparency. Byron Marshal, a citizen of Hobbs, earned an award...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Rural fire departments in small communities can now apply for the New Mexico Volunteer Fire Assistance grant program. The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department recently announced it's accepting applications for the VFA grant, which has more than 0,000 available, according to a news release from the department. Rural fire departments that aid communities of 10,000 people or less are eligible to apply for the funds, the release states. The money "can be used to help reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire, protect firefighters, and save communities." "We never want to experience...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A person is in critical condition after being hit by a driver Thursday morning in Northeast Albuquerque. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said officers responded around 6 a.m. to a crash at Carlisle and Candelaria NE. He said the pedestrian was taken to a hospital and police began an investigation into the incident. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishan, shown speaking during a July 2020 briefing at the Roundhouse, announced Thursday she has tested positive for COVID-19 for the first time. The governor said she has only mild symptoms and is fully vaccinated and twice boosted. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Thursday she has tested positive for COVID-19, one day after returning from a political trip to Colorado. The Democratic governor said in a statement she was experiencing only mild symptoms but had started taking Paxlovid, a pill that reduces the...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer Hikers walk the trails of Elena Gallegos Open Space during a Foothills Wild: Guided Nature Walk. (Courtesy of Colleen Shackley) Albuquerque is rich in natural beauty and geological history. The Foothills Wild: Guided Nature Walk aims to allow locals to revisit, or even discover for the first time, the wonders that are present within the city. Richard Shackley, along with his wife, Colleen, have been guiding Albuquerque hikers since 2017. He said it's important for the general public to come out and explore and appreciate nature. He said about the hike, "We...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer Hikers walk the trails of Elena Gallegos Open Space during a Foothills Wild: Guided Nature Walk. (Courtesy of Colleen Shackley) Albuquerque is rich in natural beauty and geological history. The Foothills Wild: Guided Nature Walk aims to allow locals to revisit, or even discover for the first time, the wonders that are present within the city. Richard Shackley, along with his wife, Colleen, have been guiding Albuquerque hikers since 2017. He said it's important for the general public to come out and explore and appreciate nature. He said about the hike, "We...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Sean Bouchard dons a sombrero in the dugout after hitting a grand slam during a game earlier this season for the Albuquerque Isotopes -- or on this night, Los Mariachis de Nuevo Mexico. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal) Considering the frenzy of fun and excitement it sends fans into, the button has a rather unassuming, maybe even boring name. And for the "home run siren" button on the main computer in the Isotopes Park control room – the one smashed every time an Isotopes player launches a ball over the outfield fence –...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Public Schools headquarters in Uptown. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Many Albuquerque educators are breathing a sigh of relief. After an outpouring of concern and criticism — and backlash from the local teachers union — the Albuquerque Public Schools board voted 6-1 to approve the district's negotiated agreement with the union Wednesday night following a roughly two hour bargaining strategy meeting behind closed doors. Wednesday's decision came after the board made an unprecedented decision to table the agreement last week, citing a need for more time and concerns that the contract gave...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Sean Bouchard dons a sombrero in the dugout after hitting a grand slam during a game earlier this season for the Albuquerque Isotopes -- or on this night, Los Mariachis de Nuevo Mexico. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal) Considering the frenzy of fun and excitement it sends fans into, the button has a rather unassuming, maybe even boring name. And for the "home run siren" button on the main computer in the Isotopes Park control room – the one smashed every time an Isotopes player launches a ball over the outfield fence –...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Archbishop John C. Wester of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal If you're a Catholic in New Mexico, it's time to dust off those Sunday clothes and get back into the groove of weekly services. Archbishop John C. Wester announced Monday that he is reinstating obligatory Sunday Mass attendance and all "Holy Days of Obligation" because of decreasing COVID-19 risks. Wester, in an Archdiocese of Santa Fe news release, did specify two acceptable excuses for churchgoers to miss Sunday Mass. Those suffering from any illnesses or busy taking...
By Journal Staff Report SANTA FE – Drivers in New Mexico and throughout the country can expect increased law enforcement patrols and sobriety checkpoints Saturday as part of a campaign against impaired driving. The advocacy group Mothers Against Drunk Driving said New Mexico State Police and law enforcement agencies in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Roswell and elsewhere will participate by operating checkpoints or saturation patrols. "Hazardous driving behaviors have increased over the past two years amounting to more alcohol-related deaths and injuries on our roads," the group's national president, Alex Otte, said in a news release. "As we head into...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Public Schools headquarters in Uptown. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Many Albuquerque educators are breathing a sigh of relief. After an outpouring of concern and criticism — and backlash from the local teachers union — the Albuquerque Public Schools board voted 6-1 to approve the district's negotiated agreement with the union Wednesday night following a roughly two hour bargaining strategy meeting behind closed doors. Wednesday's decision came after the board made an unprecedented decision to table the agreement last week, citing a need for more time and concerns that the contract gave...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – A longtime Democratic state legislator is seeking to bar his Republican opponent from appearing on the Nov. 8 general election ballot due to past felony burglary and larceny convictions. Specifically, a court challenge filed Wednesday on behalf of Rep. Miguel P. Garcia of Albuquerque says New Mexico law prevents Solomon Pena from holding elected office, since Pena did not receive a pardon from the governor – nor apply for one – after completing his sentence and five-year probation period. The lawsuit was filed...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Balloons lit up as dusk fell over Balloon Fiesta park during the first glow of the 2017 Balloon Fiesta. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) World records are nothing new to organizers of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta; the event set the world record for biggest mass ascension of hot air balloons in 2010, 2011 and again in 2019. And, this year, organizers are aiming to add two more world records to balloon fiesta history: the highest number of balloons glowing at night, and the biggest number of remote controlled balloons in the sky at...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man was critically injured in a shooting Wednesday evening in Northeast Albuquerque. Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said officers responded sometime before 8:30 p.m. to a shooting in the 3700 block of Bryn Mawr NE, west of Carlisle. “Officers arrived and located a moribund male,” he said. “The male was transported to the hospital and is listed in critical condition.” DeAguero said “there is currently no one in custody as the scene is being processed.” Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque City Councilor Dan Lewis, who makes knives in his spare time, is a contestant in an upcoming episode of "Forged in Fire." As an Albuquerque city councilor, Dan Lewis' job is to help make policy. In his spare time, he also makes knives. And it's bladesmithing that has landed the West Side legislator on a popular reality TV show. Lewis and his older brother, Tony, earlier this year filmed an episode of "Forged in Fire," a History Channel competition show. It will air on Wednesday, Aug. 31. The show, now in...
By Associated Press LAKE ARTHUR, N.M. -- Authorities in eastern New Mexico on Wednesday warned residents of continued flooding along the Pecos River. Storm runoff has led to historic flows, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a flood warning for the area near Lake Arthur. State emergency managers were monitoring the situation, and forecasters said that a significant crest of the river is still expected before the end of the week. Some roads in Dexter and other communities have been closed due to the high water levels, and images shared on social media show standing water around homes...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Luis Leyva-Castillo, a 2022 graduate of the University of New Mexico School of Law, expects to benefit from a recent Supreme Court rule change that will allow him to obtain a law license regardless of his immigration status. Immigration status will no longer prevent someone from obtaining a license to practice law under a rule change approved by the New Mexico Supreme Court. The state's highest court on Friday added a sentence to its rules governing admission to the bar, saying "License to practice law shall not be denied based solely on...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer A 99 Black Cherry liquor bottle lies in grass along Interstate 25 in Santa Fe County on Wednesday. A panel of lawmakers dedicated much of Wednesday to discussing the number of New Mexicans killed or harmed by alcohol use. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — New Mexico has the nation's worst alcohol-related death rate. And it isn't just high: The rate is almost twice the national average, according to federal data shared with legislators Wednesday. The second-place state isn't even close. Lawmakers confronted the alarming numbers Wednesday in an all-day hearing dedicated...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Authorities released the names of four men killed in separate incidents over the past few months in Bernalillo County. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said the deaths of Francis Pete Jr., 41, and Raymond Aviles, 46, are being investigated as homicides. Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Angelina Navarro said the agency is investigating the deaths of Ricky Newman, 37, and Guadalupe Nunez, 52, as homicides. No arrests have been reported in any of the cases. Albuquerque police have investigated 83 homicides so far this year and Bernalillo County deputies have...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Albuquerque police are attempting to identify this woman, who was found deceased along the railroad tracks near 1324 1st Street NW on July 24, 2022. (Albuquerque Police Department) Albuquerque police are seeking the public's assistance in identifying a woman who was found deceased along railroad tracks near 1324 1st Street NW on July 24, according to an Albuquerque Police Department news release. APD spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins said the woman's death is being considered suspicious and what caused her death "has not yet been determined." Anyone with information is asked to call...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Three subsidiaries of Texas-based Plains All American Pipeline and Oklahoma-based Copperhead Pipeline and Construction Inc. have agreed to a [post_excerpt].75 million settlement with more than a dozen former employees for workplace harassment in New Mexico. The settlement was announced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Aug. 8, following allegations that the companies subjected the former employees - Jason Copley, Da'Vonta Copley, Albertico Gutierrez Rubio, Adrian Quezada, Shawn Cotton, and Joshua Garcia plus 10 others whose names weren't listed - to sexual, ethnic and racial harassment at worksites in the state....
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer The University of New Mexico main campus in Albuquerque. (Liam DeBonis/for the Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – A home visiting program that educates new parents about how to promote their baby's healthy development has shown promising early results, according to researchers at the University of New Mexico. In a randomized study, year-old children whose parents participate in a program offered by CHI St. Joseph's Children demonstrated better development in problem-solving, social skills and other areas, researchers said, compared to children not in the program. But the study...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – With New Mexico on track to hit a revenue motherlode over the next two years, GOP governor candidate Mark Ronchetti wants to give much of it away in the form of 0 rebates per person and tax cuts for state residents and businesses. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham already signed off on rebates of up to [post_excerpt],500 per household this year and a reduction to the state's gross receipts tax rate, but also has other ideas on how the state's unprecedented budget surplus...
By Associated Press TEXICO – Two women in eastern New Mexico have been arrested for allegedly beating children in their care and chaining them to their beds to deny them food, authorities said. Documents filed in Curry County Magistrate Court show 37-year-old Jayme L. Kushman and 29-year-old Jaime Kay Sena were both taken into custody Monday on 21 counts of suspected child abuse plus obstructing an investigation of child abuse. It was unclear Tuesday if either woman has a lawyer yet who can speak on their behalf. Authorities said children between the ages of 5 and 14 were living...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Public Schools (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal At the end of last school year, which was one of the toughest in recent memory, social workers, counselors and hundreds of other instructional support providers got some encouraging news. While negotiations were ongoing, Albuquerque Public Schools and the local teachers union announced that they'd agreed instructional support providers would receive the same minimum salaries as teachers, after many were left behind when lawmakers approved raises for teachers and some counselors earlier this year. But last week, everything was thrown into...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer The University of New Mexico main campus in Albuquerque. (Liam DeBonis/for the Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – A home visiting program that educates new parents about how to promote their baby's healthy development has shown promising early results, according to researchers at the University of New Mexico. In a randomized study, year-old children whose parents participate in a program offered by CHI St. Joseph's Children demonstrated better development in problem-solving, social skills and other areas, researchers said, compared to children not in the program. But the study...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – With New Mexico on track to hit a revenue motherlode over the next two years, GOP governor candidate Mark Ronchetti wants to give much of it away in the form of 0 rebates per person and tax cuts for state residents and businesses. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham already signed off on rebates of up to [post_excerpt],500 per household this year and a reduction to the state's gross receipts tax rate, but also has other ideas on how the state's unprecedented budget surplus...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer UbiQDs installation at Western Washington University's campus art gallery, where the university plans to power up such things as art exhibits, while also offering clean-energy learning opportunities for students. (Courtesy of UbiQD, Inc.) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico-made quantum dots will soon be generating solar electricity at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota under a 0,000 contract awarded to local startup Ubiquitous Quantum Dots. The Small Business Innovation Research, or SBIR, grant will allow UbiQD Inc. to install a dozen quantum-dot-based solar windows on one Ellsworth building, plus another...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County will soon own the Tiny Homes' home. The County Commission on Tuesday approved the purchase of the Southeast Albuquerque property where it erected its Tiny Homes Village, agreeing to spend 5,000 for the one-acre property and another smaller parcel for parking across the street. Both are currently owned by the Albuquerque Indian Center. County Manager Julie Morgas Baca said the purchase comes after the Albuquerque Indian Center asked to terminate its agreement to operate the village, which is designed as transitional housing for people who are homeless. Bernalillo County has...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Students board a school bus in front of Los Ranchos Elementary in March. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) At the end of last school year, which was one of the toughest in recent memory, social workers, counselors and hundreds of other instructional support providers got some encouraging news. While negotiations were ongoing, Albuquerque Public Schools and the local teachers union announced that they'd agreed instructional support providers would receive the same minimum salaries as teachers, after many were left behind when lawmakers approved raises for teachers and some counselors earlier this year. But last week,...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A 70-year-old woman on Friday took her dog for a walk on the bike path near the bosque in the South Valley — a morning ritual. She said hello to a woman she knew from previous walks and to a man on a bench, someone she hadn’t seen before. Minutes later, a sound from behind prompted her to turn and see the man she had just passed approach on a scooter. Then he attacked, deputies said, before dragging her into the water-filled ditch, stabbing and raping her. Prosecutors are now trying to...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A woman is the sole person charged among a group who allegedly tied up and fatally shot a man during a robbery in late 2020 at a Near North Valley home. Reyanon Duncan (MDC) Reyanon “Peaches” Duncan, 35, is charged with an open count of murder, kidnapping, armed robbery with a deadly weapon, aggravated burglary and conspiracy in the Dec. 16 death of 33-year-old Antonio Jaramillo. It is unclear if she has an attorney. Sally Sanchez, Jaramillo’s mother, told the Journal that Duncan’s arrest was “a step forward” but pointed out she’s...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A proposed seven-mile trail through Albuquerque's core. The city has received an .5 million federal grant to help fund the project. (COURTESY CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE) A proposed 7-mile loop trail that would connect the core parts of Albuquerque received an .5 million injection of federal money, city and federal officials announced Tuesday. Ultimately, city officials envision a roughly 7-mile bike and walking trail traversing the Albuquerque Rail Yards, through Downtown, west to Old Town and the ABQ BioPark's Botanic Garden and Aquarium before linking up with the Bosque Trail. An additional spur...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief In this 2019 photo, the Four Corners Generating Station operates west of Farmington. (Eddie Moore/ Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE -- U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and other federal officials will visit New Mexico's Four Corners region this week to highlight funding for clean energy projects and abandoned mine cleanup efforts included in a bill signed recently by President Joe Biden. Specifically, the Inflation Reduction Act could allow New Mexicans to qualify for rebates when purchasing new electric appliances and obtain tax credits to help offset the cost of solar panels, among...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Old Town and Downtown are colliding with a partnership between gift shop Flyby Provisions, on 201 Coal SW, and art gallery the Lapis Room, located in Plaza Don Luis. Art is an essential part of Flyby Provisions. The shop, which opened in May, represents 30 New Mexico artisans and businesses, and more than 100 small businesses total. Gina Riccobono, owner of Flyby Provisions, said the partnership will add a curated art experience to the store. "I just really wanted to take it to the next level and really get in deep...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Cantata at the Trails, located on the West Side, is a 260-unit apartment complex. It was recently acquired by a California-based firm for an undisclosed purchase price. (Courtesy of Kennedy Wilson) An apartment complex on Albuquerque's West Side has been acquired by California-based firm Kennedy Wilson. The company, which calls itself a global real estate investment firm, announced last week the acquisition of Cantata at the Trails — a 260-unit apartment complex near Volcano Vista High School on Universe Boulevard. Neither the purchase price nor the seller for the multifamily apartment complex...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, shown in this September 2020 file photo, traveled to Colorado this week to attend political events in Aspen and Denver. The governor is seeking reelection this year, and is running against Republican Mark Ronchetti and Libertarian Karen Bedonie in the Nov. 8 general election. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has spent part of this week attending political events in Colorado, including a Democratic Governors Association conference in Aspen. The out-of-state travel comes as Lujan Grisham drew criticism from her Republican opponent Mark Ronchetti...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico has awarded nearly .3 million to seven projects across the state designed to slash diesel emissions and air pollution. The money is the third and final round from a federal settlement. In 2017, Volkswagen reached a .7 billion settlement with the U.S. government after the company admitted to misrepresenting emissions levels of its vehicles. The money went to all 50 states and Puerto Rico. New Mexico received a total of million. The New Mexico Environment Department's funding awards announced this week include: [post_excerpt].9 million to the City of Socorro...
By Associated Press TEXICO, N.M. -- Two women in eastern New Mexico have been arrested for allegedly beating children in their care and chaining them to their beds to deny them food, authorities said. Documents filed in Curry County Magistrate Court show 37-year-old Jayme L. Kushman and 29-year-old Jaime Kay Sena were both taken into custody Monday on 21 counts of suspected child abuse plus obstructing an investigation of child abuse. It was unclear Tuesday if either woman has a lawyer yet who can speak on their behalf. Authorities said children between the ages of 5 and 14 were...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor New Mexico State Police have arrested a man in connection with a shooting in Velarde. Adel Jesus Valdez turned himself in to a State Police office in Espanola after officers learned that Valdez was in a verbal argument resulting in the shooting of a 23-year-old man, according to a NMSP news release. Officers were called to 176 County Road 52 in Velarde Sunday in reference to a man who had been shot. "The argument escalated and Valdez shot the victim and then fled the scene," the release states. "The victim was...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Former APD detective Sally Dyer testifies on the witness stand. She and other APD detectives claim they were pushed out after raising concerns with sex crimes unit.(Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal After Sally Dyer joined the Albuquerque Police Department's sex crimes unit in 2008, a friend confided in her that she had been raped as a 13-year-old by a masked man who broke into her home. Dyer began researching the case and discovered that evidence collected as part of her friend's rape kit had never been tested. That...
By Susan Montoya Bryan And Brittany Peterson / Associated Press Bradner Reservoir, which supplies drinking water for the city of Las Vegas, is seen from the air Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022, near Montezuma, N.M. The clock is ticking on the number of days of drinking water that remain. First a wildfire sparked by the federal government threatened the area, and now floodwaters choked with ash and charred debris threaten its drinking water. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson) LAS VEGAS, N.M. – In the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, buzzing chainsaws interrupt the serenity. Crews are hustling to remove charred trees and...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A man identified by Albuquerque police as the suspect in a Saturday shooting near Uptown was shot by Arizona police on Sunday, authorities say. "The suspect, Kevin McKinney, was shot and transported to a local hospital in Arizona for treatment," the Albuquerque Police Department said in a news release. "McKinney, 36, is accused of murdering a man in Albuquerque on Saturday around 4 a.m. after a dispute related to an attempted firearm purchase." According to a criminal complaint and arrest warrant affidavit filed in Metropolitan Court,...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Federal prosecutors last week indicted a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer for his actions during a 2019 incident at the Columbus Port of Entry in Luna County. Oscar Orrantia, 36, of Santa Teresa, was indicted on Wednesday for depriving an unidentified U.S. citizen "of his constitutional right to be free from unreasonable seizures," according to the federal grand jury indictment. The indictment also alleges that Orrantia caused physical injury to the man, identified only as "John Doe." Orrantia faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted, according to a statement...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor OneRepublic announced their Albuquerque date on Tuesday, Aug. 23, at Isleta Amphitheater is postponed. (Courtesy of The Lede Company) Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic took to Instagram on Monday, Aug. 22 to announced that the Tuesday, Aug. 23 show at Isleta Amphitheater in Albuquerque is postponed. The Phoenix show was also postponed the night before. Tedder posted that the band is looking for a makeup date in mid-September. He apologized in the post saying, "2 weeks ago I lost my voice from a sinus infection that turned into a bad cold...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Librarian Jessica Kehler holds up a graphic novel beloved by many of her students at Navajo Elementary School. Along with the help of teachers, she led the school to the front of the pack of nearly 230 schools that participated in the Club Read program this year. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Scary stories aren't for everyone. Sometimes, they're too real — like for Connor Yates, a fourth grader at Navajo Elementary School who said one Christmas-themed story stuck with him for months. "I stopped reading ‘Goosebumps' because one book just gave me...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Republican Mark Ronchetti, a longtime television meteorologist, announced his campaign for governor in a video. (Courtesy Ronchetti campaign) With the stage to himself, Republican Mark Ronchetti stood before hundreds of business leaders Monday and vowed to be their ally if elected governor by pursuing tax cuts and new limits on unemployment insurance. Ronchetti also accused policymakers at the Roundhouse — including Democratic legislators present for his speech — of doing too little to reduce crime. "We have to create an environment here that makes it easier to do business," Ronchetti said. He...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Muhammad Atif Syed (2nd Judicial District Court) A man identified by police as a suspect in the killings of four Muslim men was charged Monday with a third count of murder in the shooting death of Naeem Hussein, 25. Muhammad Atif Syed, 51, Syed, 51, was arrested Aug. 9 on two open counts of murder in the shooting deaths of Aftab Hussein, 41, on July 26 and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, on Aug. 1. A new grand jury indictment issued Monday added the third count of first-degree murder in the Aug. 5...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Heavy rains flooded the Carlsbad Caverns Highway on Saturday, stranding about 200 people at the visitors’ center. (Courtesy of Laura Steele/National Park Service) Southern New Mexico is reeling from storms this past weekend that flooded rivers and roads, stranded drivers and temporarily closed Carlsbad Caverns. Regional rain chances are expected to drop off this week. But the National Weather Service is warning that the Pecos River between Roswell and Artesia in Chaves County could continue to rise to levels not seen in at least 80 years. Meteorologist Daniel Porter said that areas...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor John Magaro and Steve Zahn will lead the feature film “LaRoy," which is set to film in Albuquerque. (Associated Press) John Magaro and Steve Zahn will lead the feature film "LaRoy." On Monday, the New Mexico Film Office announced the project, which will film in and around Albuquerque beginning in late August. "LaRoy" is the story of a man named Ray who discovers his wife is cheating on him and decides to kill himself. Before he can pull the trigger, he is mistaken for a low-rent hired killer. Desperate for...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Muhammad Atif Syed (2nd Judicial District Court) A man identified by police as a suspect in the killings of four Muslim men was charged Monday with a third count of murder in the shooting death of Naeem Hussein, 25. Muhammad Atif Syed, 51, Syed, 51, was arrested Aug. 9 on two open counts of murder in the shooting deaths of Aftab Hussein, 41, on July 26 and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, on Aug. 1. A new grand jury indictment issued Monday added the third count of first-degree murder in the Aug. 5...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Benjamin Bratt and Natasha Lyonne will film an episode of "Poker Face" in Albuquerque. The series is set to stream on Peacock, (Associated Press) A new TV series, "Poker Face," will film one episode in Albuquerque. The New Mexico State Film Office announced that production will begin principal photography in August. According to the film office, the TV series is set to film on the Peacock streaming service. "Poker Face" stars Natasha Lyonne and Benjamin Bratt. The series is a one-hour mystery that follows a card dealer with an innate...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer A major oil company in southeast New Mexico has agreed to pay [post_excerpt].77 million to the state for injection well violations. The New Mexico Oil Conservation Division first fined XTO Permian Operating in February for expired permits and failure to test equipment, measure well pressure and submit reports. Companies use underground injection wells to dispose of oilfield wastewater and other fluids that surface during drilling. After the notice of violation, the Exxon subsidiary did a voluntary audit and inspection of all its injection sites in the state, according to an agency news...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Casa Flamenca is one of the 178 New Mexico organizations that received a grant from New Mexico Arts. (Courtesy of Casa Flamenca) Arts and culture is a driving force in New Mexico. On Monday, New Mexico Arts announced nearly [post_excerpt].1 million in grants to 178 organizations and eight folk arts apprenticeships. According to New Mexico Arts, the funding will provide arts programming and services in 25 New Mexico counties; support jobs in the creative sector, including independent contract artists, arts administrators, and arts educators across the state; and ensure that...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Aspen Avionics’s Evolution Flight Display. The company, which is a pioneer in the global transition from analog systems to digital avionics for small commercial and general aviation aircraft, could soon go public, according to filings submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission last week. (Courtesy of PAL-V via Aspen Avionics) Albuquerque-based Aspen Avionics could soon go public on a U.S. stock exchange through its parent firm, AIRO Group Holdings Inc., which submitted a draft registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission last week. The registration remains confidential for now, and SEC...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor A rendering of the newly discovered Bisticeratops froeseorum, which was found in 74-million-year-old rocks in the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area in northwest New Mexico. (Courtesy of New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science) New Mexico already is home to a robust dinosaur history. Time to add another one. A new species of a horned dinosaur has been discovered in 74-million-year-old rocks in the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area in northwest New Mexico. A team of paleontologists, which includes Spencer Lucas and Sebastian Dalman from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Brendan Carr (COURTESY U.S. AIR FORCE) An Airman assigned to Cannon Air Force Base died Sunday in a motorcycle crash. Airman 1st Class Brendan Carr, who was assigned to the 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron, died in Portales, according to Cannon officials. He was 23 years old, according to a Cannon official. Carr was an aircraft hydraulic systems apprentice, said U.S. Air Force Col. Harry Seibert, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Group commander. Seibert said Carr was hard-working and had a wife and daughter. "He was full of energy, loved to chat with...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Albuquerque police were responding to a physical dispute near 2nd Street and Central NW at around 1:15 a.m. Monday when they saw a man shoot and kill a woman, Albuquerque Police Department Chief Harold Medina said. Responding officers "literally witnessed the shooting and were unable to take the subject into custody," Medina said, adding that offenders are becoming "more and more brazen with officers." During the incident, at least one officer discharged their firearm at least once; however, no one was struck by the gunfire, a news release states. Officers were...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Albuquerque police were responding to a physical dispute near 2nd Street and Central NW at around 1:15 a.m. Monday when they saw a man shoot and kill a woman, Albuquerque Police Department Chief Harold Medina said. Responding officers "literally witnessed the shooting and were unable to take the subject into custody," Medina said, adding that offenders are becoming "more and more brazen with officers." During the incident, at least one officer discharged their firearm at least once; however, no one was struck by the gunfire, a news release states. Officers were...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Katie Hurd grew up in Las Cruces and her family and friends went to New Mexico State University. So when the 19-year-old chose to attend the University of New Mexico last fall because of its biology program and the scholarships she received, she felt like a traitor. But she doesn't regret the decision. Hurd said her experience has been amazing so far, noting that she's learned a lot and made many new friends. She also appreciates the many opportunities to branch out outside of school that have...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Leisha Armijo-Martin, in her lab where she works. She is a nano materials engineer who leads an MNT SmartSolutions team developing a remote-controlled, magnetic anti-bacterial toothpaste and toothbrush. (Courtesy of MNT SmartSolutions LLC) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A remote-controlled, magnetic toothpaste and toothbrush that injects anti-bacterial solutions into the nooks and crannies of gums and teeth could soon hit the market, thanks to novel nanotechnology developed at the University of New Mexico. The product is still under development, but a newly created startup company, MNT SmartSolutions LLC, is working to put...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer The USS Albuquerque is eased into port. The ship was commissioned in 1983, taken out of service in 2015 and decommissioned in 2017. It is currently at a naval shipyard, where it is being dismantled. (PHOTO COURTESY OF US NAVY) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal When the nuclear-powered submarine USS Albuquerque was commissioned in 1983, then Mayor Harry Kinney jokingly offered the keys to a Rolls Royce to the first captain who could maneuver the sub up the Rio Grande for a port call in Albuquerque. The keys were subsequently passed on...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Katie Hurd grew up in Las Cruces and her family and friends went to New Mexico State University. So when the 19-year-old chose to attend the University of New Mexico last fall because of its biology program and the scholarships she received, she felt like a traitor. But she doesn't regret the decision. Hurd said her experience has been amazing so far, noting that she's learned a lot and made many new friends. She also appreciates the many opportunities to branch out outside of school that have...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior You asked, and state and city experts answered. Here's a speed round of road answers: WHERE'S THE REST OF EUBANK REPAVING? Richard Anaya emails "recently Juan Tabo was repaved for a second time in three years from Interstate 40 to Lomas. Yet, Eubank from Central all the way to Montgomery is in very poor to exceptionally poor condition – pot holes, sinking sub-base, uneven surfaces, etc. The list goes on. "When will Eubank see the much-needed reconstruction? It is way beyond simple repairs in many sections." Scott Cilke shares that there was...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer UNM plays against NMSU in a photo from 2018, the last time the teams played in Albuquerque. UNM’s Mariessa Carrasco (21) and NMSU’s Megan Hart (12) are now gone. (Journal file) Bragging rights are big in college sports. And in a state with only two Division I universities — each jam-packed with enrollments full of New Mexicans from all over the state — there is an added level on intrigue anytime the Aggies and Lobos square off on a court, course, field, pool, pitch or any other place teams from the New...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A helicopter lifts off with a load of mulch to spread over areas burned by the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. The U.S. Forest Service estimates that more than 180,000 acres in northern New Mexico sustained moderate or high-severity soil burns. After burning for more than four months outside of Las Vegas, the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire complex is now 100% contained, fire managers announced Sunday. The Hermits Peak Fire started April 9 and the Calf Canyon Fire started April 19. The two blazes later merged and became the largest wildfire in state...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A helicopter lifts off with a load of mulch to spread over areas burned by the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. The U.S. Forest Service estimates that more than 180,000 acres in northern New Mexico sustained moderate or high-severity soil burns. After burning for more than four months outside of Las Vegas, the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire complex is now 100% contained, fire managers announced Sunday. The Hermits Peak Fire started April 9 and the Calf Canyon Fire started April 19. The two blazes later merged and became the largest wildfire in state...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor After months of being shut down, the New Mexico film industry is scheduled to resume, with COVID-safe practices. Above, Steven Bauer and Michael Mando during filming of the fifth season of “Better Call Saul.” (Greg Lewis/AMC/Sony Pictures Television) The film industry is booming in New Mexico. In July, the state announced that the industry brought in 5.4 million in direct spend for fiscal year 2022, which is an increase of 8.9 million over fiscal year 2021. New Mexico's film incentives continue to be a gold standard in the industry. Tax...
By Elizabeth Tucker And Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writers Police investigate an early morning fatal car accident at Central and Rio Grande NW. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A man walking on a sidewalk near Old Town was hit and killed by a suspected drunken driver on Sunday. Jonathan Jessi Sandoval Police responded to the scene at Central and Rio Grande NW at around 5 a.m., after they say the man was struck by a black Dodge Challenger while he was walking eastbound on the north side of Central near a bus stop. Albuquerque police...
By James Hamill / For the Journal Will Rogers said, "I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts." No jokes today, just some government facts. Good stories have a bad guy. There's plenty of them. In my youth, it was Snidely Whiplash, the cad who tied his girlfriend, Nell Fenwick, to the railroad tracks. Thanks to Dudley Do-Right, Canadian Mountie, for saving the day. In modern times it is the hedge fund manager. Also eligible is the private equity fund manager and the venture capital fund manager. These people receive what is known as...
By Matthew Brown / Associated Press CODY, Wyo. – The rush to build wind farms to combat climate change is colliding with preservation of one of the U.S. West's most spectacular predators – the golden eagle – as the species teeters on the edge of decline. Ground zero in the conflict is Wyoming, a stronghold for golden eagles that soar on 7-foot wings and a favored location for wind farms. As wind turbines proliferate, scientists say deaths from collisions could drive down golden eagle numbers considered stable at best. Yet climate change looms as a potentially greater threat: Rising...
By ABQJournal News Staff Crowds gather to watch buffalo dancers from Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo perform in a downpour Saturday afternoon during the Santa Fe Indian Market. The group was led by Nathan Baca, right. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Like they say, when it rains, it rains. But that didn't stop a century-old tradition from filling the Santa Fe Plaza with a celebration of Native American artistry and culture on Saturday. Rhiannon Nez stands at her booth on the first day of the Santa Fe Indian Market on Saturday. The Navajo artist showcased her paintings, prints, photography and drawings at...
By Matthew Brown / Associated Press CODY, Wyo. – The rush to build wind farms to combat climate change is colliding with preservation of one of the U.S. West's most spectacular predators – the golden eagle – as the species teeters on the edge of decline. Ground zero in the conflict is Wyoming, a stronghold for golden eagles that soar on 7-foot wings and a favored location for wind farms. As wind turbines proliferate, scientists say deaths from collisions could drive down golden eagle numbers considered stable at best. Yet climate change looms as a potentially greater threat: Rising...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico State Police said several vehicles are stranded along N.M. 285 Saturday night as authorities shut down the road due to flooding. The agency said on Twitter that the flooding is affecting travel between Roswell and Vaughn. "Several vehicles have been stranded between mileposts 138 and 139," State Police said. "Motorists should plan alternate routes and never drive through standing water." State Road 285, between Roswell and Vaughn, is closed due to flooding. Several vehicles have been stranded between mileposts 138 and 139. Motorists should plan alternate routes and never drive...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Santa Barbara Martineztown Neighborhood Association is challenging Albuquerque's first approved safe outdoor space application, alleging the city did not follow procedure and that the project will negatively impact the surrounding community. The pending appeal means the approval is no longer considered "final," according to the Planning Department. It further clouds the already murky future of safe outdoor spaces – managed camps where people who are homeless can sleep in tents or cars, and access showers and toilets – in Albuquerque. But it has not deterred people...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It was bound to happen eventually. After only two weeks of the new school year, Cottonwood Classical Preparatory School had to send students home for remote learning. The charter school near Paseo del Norte and Jefferson shifted to remote learning on Aug. 16 after 28 – or about 3% – of students and staff were deemed the day before to have been infectious from COVID-19 over a 14-day period. The school, Executive Director John Binnert told the Journal, has over 750 students. "There wasn't really a choice,"...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer TS-Nano CEO Mahmoud R. Taha at his company’s lab at the Bioscience Center in Albuquerque on Aug. 9. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal University of New Mexico engineers have created a nanotechnology-based sealant that could offer the oil and gas industry a permanent solution for abandoned, climate-polluting wells. UNM researchers developed the sealant over 10 years, and they're now marketing it through a new Albuquerque-based startup, TS-Nano, in partnership with two next-generation, blockchain-based development firms, Devvio Inc. and DevvStream Inc. The two sister companies invested .5 million last month...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The Muslim community gathered on Aug. 5 to bury Aftab Hussein and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain. The two men were shot to death less than a week apart in a spate of killings that shook the city. (Chancey Bush / Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It was 1 o'clock in the morning when Muhammad Atif Syed, his wife and six children arrived at the Albuquerque International Sunport as Afghan refugees in 2016. They were tired from the long journey but as their case manager tried to help the family load their...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Santa Barbara Martineztown Neighborhood Association is challenging Albuquerque's first approved safe outdoor space application, alleging the city did not follow procedure and that the project will negatively impact the surrounding community. The pending appeal means the approval is no longer considered "final," according to the Planning Department. It further clouds the already murky future of safe outdoor spaces – managed camps where people who are homeless can sleep in tents or cars, and access showers and toilets – in Albuquerque. But it has not deterred people...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer When Mikey Vince Phillips — who goes by Mikey Vince — first started his food truck, Burnt Fideo, in September 2020, he wasn't planning on being known for his tacos. He thought his signature would be a green chile cheeseburger, or a New Mexican buffalo chicken sandwich. "You know, when we did the soft opening of the food truck, we did our tacos," Vince said. "And it kept selling out." Almost two years later, Vince sold his food truck and now operates his own brick-and-mortar restaurant in El Vado motel full time....
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Sushi Freak’s sushi burrito, which is available at all of its locations. (Courtesy of Sushi Freak) Poke restaurant Pokelulu, located at 5901-H Wyoming NE, is rebranding under the Sushi Freak franchise. Pokelulu was opened in Albuquerque in July 2021 by Jenifer Duarte and Amanda Lopez as a spin-off of make-your-own sushi roll chain Sushi Freak. Duarte and her partner, Michael Broder, founded Sushi Freak in San Diego in 2010. Duarte describes the restaurant as "Subway for sushi," but with a focus on fresh, high quality ingredients. Broder is from Honolulu, Hawaii, and...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Abby Morehead's classroom last year was a lively, engaging place to learn. The Polk Middle School dual language social studies teacher covered her classroom walls with maps, paintings she bought in Puerto Rico and drawings of the family crests of her students, all in an effort to make her classroom an immersive and focused place to learn. But empty chairs always seemed to haunt the room, creating an undeniable sense of emptiness in otherwise intimate classes. On any given day in recent years, Morehead estimated around 20%...
By Ken Sickenger / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico United midfielder Cristian Nava takes a shot on goal during Saturday night’s match against Monterey Bay FC at Isotopes Park. United won, 2-0. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal)It only took a minute for New Mexico United to turn its fortunes around Saturday night. That was the span between a pair of first-half goals by Chris Wehan and Tabort Etaka Preston that lifted United to a 2-0 victory over Monterey Bay FC at Isotopes Park. The two quick strikes pumped up an announced crowd of 9,889 and clearly elevated the spirits of a...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office said a Los Lunas man has been charged in the rape and stabbing of a 70-year-old woman Friday morning along the bosque trail in he South Valley. Reginald Hall, 19, was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center and charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, criminal sexual penetration, and kidnapping in the incident. It is unclear if he has an attorney. Reginald Hall (MDC) BCSO spokeswoman Jayme Fuller said Hall also started a fire after the initial attack, telling investigators he did so "because he was...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office said a Los Lunas man has been charged in the rape and stabbing of a 70-year-old woman Friday morning along the bosque trail in he South Valley. Reginald Hall, 19, was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center and charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, criminal sexual penetration, and kidnapping in the incident. It is unclear if he has an attorney. Reginald Hall (MDC) BCSO spokeswoman Jayme Fuller said Hall also started a fire after the initial attack, telling investigators he did so "because he was...
By Journal Staff Report A 25-year-old Santa Fe man died Friday evening after his motorcycle was involved in a crash with a vehicle earlier in the day. Cameron Thomas died around 6:30 p.m., the Santa Fe Police Department said in a Saturday afternoon news release. According to police, officers responded to the crash on Rodeo Road near the Sante Fe Place Mall around 2 p.m. Thomas sustained serious injuries and was taken an Albuquerque hospital. A witness at the scene told police the motorcycle traveling at high speed before the collision. Anyone who has information on the incident is...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Albuquerque Police say one person was shot to death near Louisiana and Indian School NE early Saturday morning. Police responded to reports of a shooting in the 6200 block of Indian School NE around 4 a.m., said Chase Jewell, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, in a release. "One individual arrived at a local area hospital, with gunshot wounds," Jewell said. "While at the hospital, the individual succumbed to their injuries." He said the APD Homicide Unit has been dispatched to investigate further. No other details have been released at this time. Subscribe...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Albuquerque Police say one person was shot to death near Louisiana and Indian School NE early Saturday morning. Police responded to reports of a shooting in the 6200 block of Indian School NE around 4 a.m., said Chase Jewell, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, in a release. "One individual arrived at a local area hospital, with gunshot wounds," Jewell said. "While at the hospital, the individual succumbed to their injuries." He said the APD Homicide Unit has been dispatched to investigate further. No other details have been released at this time. Subscribe...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Retired New Mexico Supreme Court Justice Edward Chavez listens to arguments in Santa Fe in April 2020. He was honored recently by the Supreme Court for his 15 years of service on the court. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Retired New Mexico Supreme Court Justice Edward Chávez received a distinctive honor when justices dedicated the court's robing room to him and published a volume of opinions he wrote during 15 years on the state's highest court. The robing room – now called the Edward L. Chávez Robing Room –...
By Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO -- Apple disclosed serious security vulnerabilities for iPhones, iPads and Macs that could potentially allow attackers to take complete control of these devices. Apple released two securityreports about the issue on Wednesday, although they didn't receive wide attention outside of tech publications. Apple's explanation of the vulnerability means a hacker could get "full admin access" to the device. That would allow intruders to impersonate the device's owner and subsequently run any software in their name, said Rachel Tobac, CEO of SocialProof Security. Security experts have advised users to update affected devices -- the iPhone6S...
By Associated Press GALLUP, N.M. -- The communications director for the Navajo Nation Council has been arrested for allegedly injuring a relative at his Gallup home, the Gallup Independent reported. Alray Nelson, 36, is facing charges of aggravated battery, and evading or obstructing an officer, the newspaper reported. Nelson serves as the spokesman for the tribe's legislative branch and also is the executive director of Navajo Nation Pride, a group that has been advocating for lawmakers on the reservation to legalize gay marriage. According to court documents, Nelson pushed one of his relatives down a set of stairs Monday,...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Shaun Griswold, senior reporter for Source New Mexico, a nonprofit news organization, was barred from entering a political rally Sunday, but interviewed voters outside the venue. (Courtesy of Source New Mexico) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Shaun Griswold – a veteran reporter who's worked in Colorado and New Mexico for a decade – drove hours to Carlsbad this week to cover Republican Mark Ronchetti's political rally, one of the largest campaign events of the year. He didn't see a minute of the speeches. The campaign denied him a press...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal After her first day back to school, Rebecca Davis, a middle-school English language arts teacher for gifted students, was so uncomfortably hot in her classroom that she went home and threw up. The air conditioning in her portable at Truman Middle School wasn't working, leaving Davis – and later her students – to swelter in a stifling classroom she estimated easily reached the upper-80s. It's not just portables that have an air-conditioning issue, or just her class. Others have been dealing with similarly muggy situations, she said,...
By Journal Staff Report The nonprofit Heroes Walk Among Us, which works to get veterans back on their feet, has expanded to a new location in Albuquerque.(Courtesy of KKOB Radio) In 2008, Shane D'Onofrio founded Heroes Walk Among Us – an Albuquerque-based nonprofit whose mission is to get veterans back on their feet. This year, the organization is expanding to a new location with more services than ever. KKOB Radio will spotlight this story today as part of the "Good News File." The roughly 9,000-square-foot building at San Mateo and Trumble, near the Raymond G. Murphy Department of Veterans...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Northern New Mexico College assistant coach Chris Perez, left, and head coach JR Giddens, right. With one former Lobo coaching the Northern New Mexico College women's basketball team this past season, the Eagles advanced to the Continental Athletic Conference quarterfinals. So, J.R. Giddens, the former UNM Lobo great and former first-round NBA Draft pick who enters his third season coaching the NNMC women, decided adding another former Lobo couldn't hurt. The Española-based NAIA school on Thursday announced the hiring of former Lobo and former Legacy Academy head coach Chris Perez as the...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief John Eastman testifies before a U.S. House committee on Capitol Hill in this March 2017 file photo. A state District Court judge in Santa Fe has ordered Eastman to appear before a Georgia grand jury investigating former President Donald Trump's attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) SANTA FE -- A state judge has ordered Santa Fe attorney John Eastman to appear before a special grand jury in Georgia this month as part of an investigation into former President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer U.S. Forest Service crews refill a helicopter bucket to spread seeds and mulch across the area burned by the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. The project aims to add ground cover to severely-burned areas that are repelling water and causing flash floods. (Courtesy of Daniel R. Patterson/U.S. Forest Service) New Mexico's fire season has been particularly destructive this year. Now, help is on the way from above. The U.S. Forest Service is using helicopters to drop native plant seeds and mulch over areas northwest of Las Vegas that were badly burned by the...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer A Gallup couple claimed a major legal victory this month after a judge ordered their former employer to pay them more than 6,000 in damages in connection with unpaid wages. Eleventh Judicial District Judge Robert A. Aragon ordered The 505 Burgers Farmington LLC and Morgan Newsom to pay 6,534 in back wages, interest and penalties to the couple, Jose and Sandra Olivas, following a legal battle that spanned more than two years. Part of that payment includes nearly ,000 due to an enforcement rule in the state's Minimum Wage Act. At a...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Sen. Nancy Rodriguez, D-Santa Fe, looks through exhibits Wednesday during a meeting of the Legislative Finance Committee in Chama. As the meeting continued Thursday, lawmakers heard presentations on child abuse and efforts to help families. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — Far fewer children in New Mexico's child protection system receive services intended to prevent maltreatment from their families than the national average — a reflection of the opportunity, legislative analysts say, to focus more on preventing abuse. About five of every 1,000 children in the state system are part of families...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A directed energy is on display at the opening of a BlueHalo manufacturing facility, which opened Thursday in Albuquerque. Company leaders as well as local officials attended the ribbon cutting. (ADOLPHE PIERRE-LOUIS/ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL) A facility that will manufacture directed energy weapons and satellite components opened Thursday near Kirtland Air Force Base — the latest addition to the local space industry. Virginia-based engineering firm BlueHalo LLC opened a 73,000 research and development, manufacturing and office space within Sandia Science and Technology Park, which is located just off the northeast part of KAFB. BlueHalo...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer A former treasurer of the West Central Community Development Group pleaded guilty Wednesday to embezzlement for stealing nearly ,000 from the nonprofit over a three-year period. Michelle Luna, 50, was sentenced to three years of supervised probation and ordered to pay full restitution to the nonprofit. City Councilor Klarissa Peña and others described their sense of betrayal after learning that a trusted member of the organization had stolen funds from the nonprofit. "I placed a lot of trust in her," Peña told 2nd Judicial District Court Judge Brett Loveless during Luna's sentencing...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer A Massachusetts-based foam fabricator is bringing jobs to Albuquerque in an expansion announced on Thursday. Rogers Foam, which converts flexible materials for the medical, automotive and bedding industries, is moving into the Albuquerque area to an existing 40,000-square-foot facility at 5415 Edith NE in September. The company plans to hire for 20 jobs at the facility. The company's move to New Mexico was partly due to the relationship the company has with Tempur Sealy International — the parent company of Tempur-Pedic — which has operated in Albuquerque since 2007 in an 850,000-square-foot...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Despite five months of negotiations, the Albuquerque Public Schools board voted to table changes to the district's negotiated agreement with the local teachers union Wednesday evening. Board members deliberated for several hours on how to proceed on the contract changes, which would have solidified commitments to pay many licensed educators the same as teachers, implement restorative practices into schools and included language involving educators' freedom to teach. The agreement was ultimately tabled on a motion by Secretary Courtney Jackson. Jackson, Danielle Gonzales, Peggy Muller-Aragón and Crystal Tapia-Romero voted to table the contract...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Albuquerque police are investigating a homicide at Morningside Park, 300 Aliso NE, Thursday. "One male was located deceased," Albuquerque police spokesman Ray Del Greco wrote in an email. Del Greco said police will release additional details soon. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Albuquerque police are investigating a homicide at Morningside Park, 300 Aliso NE, Thursday. "One male was located deceased," Albuquerque police spokesman Ray Del Greco wrote in an email. Del Greco said police will release additional details soon. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Albuquerque police investigate a fatal crash Thursday at Menaul and Carlisle NE. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) One person has died as the result of a two-vehicle crash Thursday at Menaul and Carlisle NE, Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos wrote in an email. "Additional details will be available later this morning," Gallegos wrote. The intersection was closed during the initial investigation, but reopened just after 7 a.m. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Journal Staff Report Families with students in Albuquerque Public Schools can get discounted tickets for the Sept. 2 New Mexico United game against El Paso Locomotive FC as part of a back-to-school fundraising night. District employees can also get cheaper tickets. Part of the proceeds will go to the district education foundation for school and classroom grants. APS representatives will be at the game recruiting for several positions, including bus drivers, nurses, custodians, educational assistants, food service and maintenance and operations workers, clerks, secretaries and IT techs. "We appreciate the support of New Mexico United as we kick...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Leland Begay learns how to operate a Bobcat skid loader while leveling the ground for the “Ball Field of Hope” project behind the Mission Training Center in the South Valley on August 17, 2022. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal An overgrown and weed-strewn baseball field in the South Valley is proving to be the gift that keeps on giving. Located behind the Mission Training Center on Markham SW, the field is being scraped and leveled to prepare it for a new layer of red clay soil; a Bobcat...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer SWAT team members detain Angelica Aguilar at an apartment complex Wednesday evening on East Central. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal)The SWAT team arrested a woman accused in a shooting that left a man dead and two others injured last weekend on East Central. Angelica Aguilar, 28, was arrested Wednesday evening at the Four Hills Studios on Central, near Tramway. She is charged with an open count of murder and two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in the Aug. 13 death of 21-year-old Jesus Martinez, Jr. Two women were also shot and...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have been on the decline for the last month, according to the New Mexico Department of Health's weekly epidemiology reports. The state reported 4,500 new cases and 124 people with COVID were admitted to hospitals in the seven-day period ending on Aug. 15, according to the reports. About a month ago, the state reported 6,642 and 167 hospitalizations the week ending July 25. That means cases have declined about 32% and hospital admissions were down 26% in a four-week period. On Wednesday, the...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter New Mexico Supreme Court building (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Two weeks after a state district judge ruled that pretrial electronic monitoring records for two criminal defendants were a public record, the state Supreme Court this week unexpectedly blocked public release of GPS data, except in certain instances. In a surprise order, the court stated that as a general rule, pretrial services records are confidential and shouldn't be made part of any public record unless admitted in a court proceeding. The order came two days before the 2nd Judicial...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer SWAT team members detain Angelica Aguilar at an apartment complex Wednesday evening on East Central. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal)The SWAT team arrested a woman accused in a shooting that left a man dead and two others injured last weekend on East Central. Angelica Aguilar, 28, was arrested Wednesday evening at the Four Hills Studios on Central, near Tramway. She is charged with an open count of murder and two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in the Aug. 13 death of 21-year-old Jesus Martinez, Jr. Two women were also shot and...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Authorities have arrested a man who they say fatally shot a Blake’s Lotaburger employee during an armed robbery in Española on Tuesday night — the latest in a string of nine robberies committed over the past few weeks. Ricky Martinez, 31, was taken into custody Wednesday evening, the Española Police Department announced on Facebook. Crime Stoppers had been offering a ,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Ricky Martinez (EPD) Martinez is charged with three counts of armed robbery, and one count each of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, shooting...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer The water authority’s Southside Water Reclamation Plant treats 50 to 60 million gallons of wastewater every day, and the effluent is then returned to the Rio Grande via an outfall structure. The utility is planning a project to restore riverside habitat around the outfall. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) The water authority is planning a project to restore riverside habitat where treated wastewater flows into the Rio Grande. The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority's Southside Water Reclamation Plant treats about 50 to 60 million gallons of wastewater every day. Effluent is returned...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Muhammad Atif Syed (Source: MDC) A district court judge ordered Muhammad Atif Syed to be held in jail while he awaits trial in the recent shooting deaths of two men that rattled the Muslim community in Albuquerque. Second Judicial District Judge Joseph Montano said at hearing Wednesday that "the weight of the evidence" against Syed prompted him to keep Syed in custody. "We have two instances where Mr. Syed is alleged to have committed murder while he's lying in wait, using a scope on an AK-47, to hunt these two individuals," Montano...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer From left, service advisor Kyler Petty, Jesse Jackson, owner of Mango Automotive, and service advisors Chad Cummings and Kellby Medford inside the lobby of Mango Automotive. On the far left sits a mango plushie named Mia. (Liam DeBonis/Journal) Jesse Jackson, the owner of Mango Automotive and "Auto Repair Queen", said she and her chief operating officer, Brian Walden, have two business rules: "One, no assholes ... The other one is, have fun." Jackson and Walden opened their first location on 9620 Eagle Ranch NW in December 2021, and the pair is expanding...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer The City of Albuquerque announced Wednesday that Coronado Park, shown here late last month, has been closed. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Coronado Park, home to one of Albuquerque’s largest and most visible unsanctioned homeless encampments, has officially closed. Albuquerque city officials confirmed Wednesday afternoon that they had closed the park effective immediately. The move comes about three weeks after Mayor Tim Keller publicly revealed that his administration would shut down the park at some point in August, though the city had never publicly provided a specific date. An estimated 75 to 120...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Dave Torres, founder of real estate company Oso Negro Capital and partner in Northern Industrial Investments, has been struggling to find industrial properties in Rio Rancho. So, he decided to build his own. The 15,715-square-foot warehouse at 924 Moccasin NE in Rio Rancho, which is expected to be ready in spring 2023, is Torres' first industrial build. He's working on the project with partner Brett Locke and general contractor Cultura Construction. "I wanted to bring the market something new and functional to hopefully help fill the gap for industrial properties in Albuquerque,"...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Chef and co-owner Raul Maestas stands behind the bar at Fuego 505, which opens this weekend. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) At Fuego 505, Chef Raul Maestas is bringing the fire. Literally. The new restaurant, which is opening in Albuquerque's West Side this weekend, features a 12-spit rotisserie grill. The "fuego" in the name refers to both the fire used to cook the meat and the spices used to flavor the food. "We're trying to bring a unique taste to the West Side that we haven't really seen around here, ever," said Fuego 505...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Film production has increased in the Las Cruces area over the last year. On Wednesday, 828 Productions announced it would be headquartered in Las Cruces with an investment to build a studio. (Courtesy of Film of Las Cruces) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The state's goal was to have a trio of film partners to invest long-term into the New Mexico community. The trifecta is complete. On Wednesday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that California-based 828 Productions will relocate its headquarters to Las Cruces. With the move, 828 Productions joins...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor The boat ramp at Santa Rosa Lake State Park will be closed temporarily due to a significant water release by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, according to a New Mexico State Parks news release. "The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Albuquerque District initiated a water release on August 11 that is slated to lower Santa Rosa lake water levels by 33 feet (2,000 acre feet)," the news release states. "At the end of the release, it is expected that there could be as little as 229 surface acres of...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor A pedestrian was transported to UNMH with severe head trauma after he was struck by a vehicle Tuesday, Albuquerque police say. The pedestrian was selling water at the intersection of Southbound Pan American Freeway and Montano at approximately 9:30 p.m. when he entered the lane of an oncoming vehicle, Albuquerque police Spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins wrote in an email. Witnesses told police the pedestrian entered the lane "to collect money from another vehicle," Atkins added. "The driver of the Toyota remained at the scene and was interviewed by officers. The investigation is...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief New Mexico lawmakers will have a projected .5 billion in "new" money available to spend during the coming budget year, according to revenue estimates released Wednesday. State spending has already increased by 30% over the last three-plus years. (Eddie Moore/Journal) CHAMA -- New Mexico's revenue jackpot shows no signs of slowing down, with inflation-related consumer spending, strong wage growth and increased oil production propelling the state's financial outlook to dizzying heights and raising new questions about how the unprecedented windfall should be put to use. In all, lawmakers will have a...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Hours after the attack started on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin walked up a staircase to a platform outside the building, where thousands of Trump supporters had gathered in the restricted area. "I love the smell of napalm in the morning," Griffin said as he walked to the platform, quoting from the war movie "Apocalypse Now." The seemingly innocuous quote was one of dozens of things Griffin said or did in the days leading up to and...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Santolina's developer is a step closer to building a solar array, wind energy project, recycling facility or landfill within the massive planned community west of Albuquerque. The Bernalillo County Commission on Tuesday approved the developer's second-level – or Level BII plan – for certain industrial uses on a 630-acre portion of the nearly 14,000-acre site. It also amended the previously approved Santolina master plan to ensure consistency among the documents. Garrett Development Corp. applied for the approvals largely to account for a changing water strategy. A...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press A Customs and Border Control agent patrols the U.S. side of a razor-wire-covered border wall along the Mexico border east of Nogales, Ariz. in March 2019. (Charlie Riedel/Associated Press) Two brothers from Mexico are facing federal charges after fleeing from U.S. authorities in late July and crashing their vehicle, killing two and injuring 10 others just miles from the international border. Federal prosecutors announced Tuesday that Jorge Garcia-Rascon, 21, and Julio Garcia-Rascon, 19, have been charged with conspiracy to smuggle immigrants resulting in death. They will remain in custody pending trial. The...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press In this file photo, the Bonanza Creek Ranch is seen after a shooting on the set of the Western film “Rust” that left a cinematographer dead and the director injured. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) The fatal film set shooting of a cinematographer by actor Alec Baldwin last year was an accident, according to a determination made by New Mexico's Office of the Medical Investigator following the completion of an autopsy and a review of law enforcement reports. The medical investigator's report was made public Monday by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office,...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press A Customs and Border Control agent patrols the U.S. side of a razor-wire-covered border wall along the Mexico border east of Nogales, Ariz. in March 2019. (Charlie Riedel/Associated Press) Two brothers from Mexico are facing federal charges after fleeing from U.S. authorities in late July and crashing their vehicle, killing two and injuring 10 others just miles from the international border. Federal prosecutors announced Tuesday that Jorge Garcia-Rascon, 21, and Julio Garcia-Rascon, 19, have been charged with conspiracy to smuggle immigrants resulting in death. They will remain in custody pending trial. The...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Santolina's developer is a step closer to building a solar array, wind energy project, recycling facility or landfill within the massive planned community west of Albuquerque. The Bernalillo County Commission on Tuesday approved the developer's second-level – or Level BII plan – for certain industrial uses on a 630-acre portion of the nearly 14,000-acre site. It also amended the previously approved Santolina master plan to ensure consistency among the documents. Garrett Development Corp. applied for the approvals largely to account for a changing water strategy. A...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Hours after the attack started on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin walked up a staircase to a platform outside the building, where thousands of Trump supporters had gathered in the restricted area. "I love the smell of napalm in the morning," Griffin said as he walked to the platform, quoting from the war movie "Apocalypse Now." The seemingly innocuous quote was one of dozens of things Griffin said or did in the days leading up to and...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Los Ranchos de Albuquerque Mayor Donald Lopez, right, intervenes on Monday, August 15, 2022, to calm attendees at the meeting on moratoriums on high-density development projects in the village. At left is is Trustee Gilbert Benavides. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal LOS RANCHOS DE ALBUQUERQUE – A pair of resolutions imposing moratoriums on high-density residential development in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque have been approved by the village Board of Trustees, but neither will affect projects that stirred residents to protest in recent weeks. On Monday, trustees passed a...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Esther Bailey, a temporary worker for the Santa Fe County Clerks Office, calls over a judge in June as ballots are processed. Temporary election officials are needed to help run the Nov. 8 general election. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – The hours can be long and the work mundane. But, each election season in New Mexico, hundreds of ordinary people – many of them retirees – sign up to help run the polls, issue ballots and monitor tabulation machines. These temporary poll workers are the backbone...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Both directions of Interstate 40 are closed west of Gallup on Tuesday afternoon due to flooding in the area. New Mexico State Police, on Twitter, said that I-40 is closed at milepost 33. "Avoid the area, and expect delays," the agency said on Twitter. #RoadClosure All lanes of Interstate 40 in both directions are closed at milepost 33 west of Gallup due to flooding. Avoid the area, and expect delays. Check https://t.co/ATqbOZfuA9 for current road conditions. pic.twitter.com/kQoUtn3wAt — NMSP (@NMStatePolice) August 16, 2022 Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Both directions of Interstate 40 are closed west of Gallup on Tuesday afternoon due to flooding in the area. New Mexico State Police, on Twitter, said that I-40 is closed at milepost 33. "Avoid the area, and expect delays," the agency said on Twitter. #RoadClosure All lanes of Interstate 40 in both directions are closed at milepost 33 west of Gallup due to flooding. Avoid the area, and expect delays. Check https://t.co/ATqbOZfuA9 for current road conditions. pic.twitter.com/kQoUtn3wAt — NMSP (@NMStatePolice) August 16, 2022 Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police have arrested the man accused of shooting a long gun on an Albuquerque Rapid Transit bus earlier this month in Nob Hill. Allen Salazar, 52, is charged with shooting at or from a motor vehicle, criminal damage to property over [post_excerpt],000 and negligent use of a deadly weapon in the Aug. 6 incident. Salazar’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to police, Salazar was riding the bus when he pulled out a firearm and shot through a partition and the glass door of the bus, frightening...
By Associated Press PEORIA, Ill. -- A coroner Monday identified a Santa Fe, New Mexico, couple as the two people killed when a single-engine plane crashed on a roadway in central Illinois. Killed in the crash Saturday in the small community of Hanna City were 75-year-old pilot James Everson and 67-year-old Lisa Evanson, Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood said. An initial report from the Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft "experienced engine issues" and attempted an emergency landing on Illinois Route 116 before striking powerlines, the Peoria Journal Star reported. The aircraft, a Mooney M20K, crashed about 12:30 p.m....
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Employees from a Santa Fe Starbucks on Monday filed a petition to unionize in the hopes of making change, saying inadequate management has adversely affected their store. The unionization effort at the store at 780 St. Michael's Drive in Santa Fe comes a month after workers from a Starbucks on Rio Grande and Interstate 40 in Albuquerque filed their petition — the first in the state to do so — citing staffing issues and burnout. Workers United Western States Regional Joint Board's Evelyn Zepeda confirmed to the Journal that the organization helped...
By Associated Press PEORIA, Ill. -- A coroner Monday identified a Santa Fe, New Mexico, couple as the two people killed when a single-engine plane crashed on a roadway in central Illinois. Killed in the crash Saturday in the small community of Hanna City were 75-year-old pilot James Everson and 67-year-old Lisa Evanson, Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood said. An initial report from the Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft "experienced engine issues" and attempted an emergency landing on Illinois Route 116 before striking powerlines, the Peoria Journal Star reported. The aircraft, a Mooney M20K, crashed about 12:30 p.m....
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer A man walks by a sunken boat with its stern buried in the mud along the shoreline of Lake Mead at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area near Boulder City, Nev., on June 22. Federal officials on Tuesday warned that the Colorado River system is at a "tipping point," a drought crisis that demands big reductions in water allocation along the river. (AP Photo/John Locher) Federal officials on Tuesday warned that the Colorado River system is at a "tipping point," a drought crisis that demands big reductions in water allocation along the...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer “Path of Resistance” by Warren Montoya (Santa Ana/Santa Clara Pueblos) (Adrian Gomez/Journal) The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (IPCC) is hosting a hybrid panel discussion for co-curators and artists included in the "PIVOT: Skateboard Deck Art "exhibit, that runs until Feb. 19, 2023. The in-person and virtual panel discussion scheduled from 2-4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16. "PIVOT is about Native Americans integrating into a world and society that is not of our origin," said exhibit co-curator Landis Bahe (Navajo/Diné) in a press release. "It shows we're here — adapting and evolving. It's a...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor A fire truck was stolen from the Corrales Fire Department Tuesday morning, according to a Rio Rancho Police Department Facebook post. After multiple agencies were notified, the truck was located. "Thank you all for your assistance," the post reads. "The vehicle has been located and will be back where it belongs shortly! We appreciate all the quick assistance from the public!" No other details were immediately released. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Planned Parenthood is still in line to get 0,000 from the city of Albuquerque this year. The City Council on Monday voted to keep the previously approved Planned Parenthood allocation in the city's [post_excerpt].4 billion budget, essentially rejecting Renee Grout's attempt to shift the money to other purposes. The debate over the funding drew more than 20 public speakers, prompted loud audience reactions that had Council President Isaac Benton threatening to clear the meeting chambers, and sparked impassioned commentary from Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn, who had sponsored the Planned Parenthood allocation the Council...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Two months after approving safe outdoor spaces, the Albuquerque City Council has voted to stop them. The Council on Monday passed a moratorium that bars the city from accepting or approving any pending applications for safe outdoor spaces. It would last until Aug. 1, 2023, unless the Council acts sooner on a separate, but related, bill removing them from the zoning code. Safe outdoor spaces are managed encampments where people who are homeless can sleep in tents or cars and access basic amenities. They have become a...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque police have arrested a man suspected of shooting and killing a man who had been staying at Coronado Park a couple of months ago. Joseph Garcia, 28, is charged with murder and tampering with evidence in the death of 33-year-old Andrew Aguilar. Police said late Monday he would be booked into jail overnight. Aguilar was found dead near a tree in the park with a gunshot wound in his abdomen early the morning of June 14. His godfather, who provides food to homeless people at the...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin speaks in court on Monday. Griffin is representing himself in a bench trial that could determine whether he will be allowed to serve the remainder of his term in office. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin admitted a couple of times Monday that he wasn't ready for trial. "I'm not as prepared as I should be," Griffin, the defendant in a civil lawsuit seeking to remove him from his elected position, said during his opening statement. "I had too much confidence in...
By Sam Metz And Felicia Fonseca / Associated Press The Colorado River flows at Horseshoe Bend in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on June 8 in Page, Ariz. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is expected to publish hydrology projections Tuesday that will trigger agreed-upon cuts to states that rely on the river. (BRITTANY PETERSON/ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE) SALT LAKE CITY – Banks along parts of the Colorado River where water once streamed are now just caked mud and rock as climate change makes the Western U.S. hotter and drier. More than two decades of drought have done little to...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Shaheen Syed as seen in a 2021 Florida Driver's License. (U.S. District Court) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A judge ordered the son of a man charged in the shootings of Muslim men in Albuquerque held in federal custody while awaiting trial for allegedly providing a false address when he purchased a firearm in 2021. Shaheen Syed, 21, appeared in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque on Monday on a federal charge that he falsely reported a Florida address on a federal form when he purchased a military-style rifle. Federal prosecutors drew on...
By Sam Metz And Felicia Fonseca / Associated Press The Colorado River flows at Horseshoe Bend in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on June 8 in Page, Ariz. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is expected to publish hydrology projections Tuesday that will trigger agreed-upon cuts to states that rely on the river. (BRITTANY PETERSON/ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE) SALT LAKE CITY – Banks along parts of the Colorado River where water once streamed are now just caked mud and rock as climate change makes the Western U.S. hotter and drier. More than two decades of drought have done little to...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin speaks in court on Monday. Griffin is representing himself in a bench trial that could determine whether he will be allowed to serve the remainder of his term in office. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin admitted a couple of times Monday that he wasn't ready for trial. "I'm not as prepared as I should be," Griffin, the defendant in a civil lawsuit seeking to remove him from his elected position, said during his opening statement. "I had too much confidence in...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer (Courtesy of Crime Stoppers) Albuquerque police are looking for an unhappy customer who they say waved a gun at a Burger King employee after he didn't receive his full order. According to Crime Stoppers, the altercation occurred on July 31 at the fast food restaurant on San Mateo and Menaul NE. "The unhappy male customer was angry about allegedly not receiving his entire order," Crime Stoppers said. "The customer left the store and the doors were locked. The male returned with a black handgun as he (waved) it around and made threats...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Rio Rancho police investigate after they say a man shot at two officers and they returned fire in the Walmart parking lot Saturday morning. (Roberto E. Rosales / Albuquerque Journal) The man who was wounded while allegedly exchanging gunfire with Rio Rancho police officers in a Walmart parking lot on Saturday morning has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault upon a peace officer with a deadly weapon, aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer and other crimes. Cheyne Estrada, 20, was booked into the Sandoval County Detention Center. His girlfriend, 39-year-old...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Restorative Practices Coordinator Erin Chávez leads students during a “check-in” circle on the first day of school at Garfield STEM Magnet and Community School. During the first few minutes of the school year, she checked in with students on how they were feeling about being back in the classroom. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) While the rest of Garfield STEM Magnet and Community School was busy settling back into the swing of things after the first bell of the school year rang Wednesday, Erin Chávez was focused on something else. As the school's restorative...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque homicide detectives are investigating after a woman was found dead in her apartment on Columbia, just north of Kathryn SE, Monday morning. Lt. Ray Del Greco with the Albuquerque Police Department said some evidence in the woman's apartment led detectives to consider her death suspicious but they are waiting for the Office of the Medical Investigator to make a determination on how she died. He said he couldn't release details about what made detectives believe the woman had not died from natural causes. "It looked like she lived there herself, there...
By Jeff Tucker / Journal Editorial Writer This week's question: What do you think about allowing hundreds of Bernalillo County employees to carry pepper spray on county property for self-defense purposes? Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published. Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-form Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Journal Staff Report The team shield for New Mexico United, which competes in the United Soccer League Championship division. (Courtesy of New Mexico United) Families with students in Albuquerque Public Schools can get discounted tickets for the Sept. 2 New Mexico United game against El Paso Locomotive FC as part of a back-to-school fundraising night. District employees can also get cheaper tickets. Part of the proceeds will go to the district education foundation for school and classroom grants. APS representatives will be at the game recruiting for several positions, including bus drivers, nurses, custodians, educational assistants, food service...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor John Oliver Hamilton, 54, of Las Cruces, has been charged with threatening to burn a building by means of fire after Hamilton allegedly made a string of phone calls to the Office of Institutional Equality at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release. "In those calls ... Hamilton repeatedly threatened to burn the school," the release states. "Under federal law, it is illegal to willfully make any threat by telephone to destroy any building by means of fire or an explosive." The...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor An arrest warrant has been issued for a Clovis man in connection with the Sunday shooting death of Jessie Villanes, 16, at an apartment located at 1100 N. Sycamore in Clovis. Jimmy Tyrone Whitlock is charged with felony murder, aggravated burglary, felon in possession of a firearm, child abuse, conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary and larceny of a firearm. Whitlock is accused of stealing a firearm, entering the apartment where an 11-month-old was present and shooting Villanes, according to the arrest warrant affidavit, which was filed Monday. Police were able to...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor New Mexico State Police are investigating a fatal crash that occurred Wednesday afternoon on State Road 88, near Portales. An initial investigation indicated that a vehicle driven by Minnie M. Corbin, 89, of Portales, traveled into the westbound lanes and shoulder striking the rear-end of a Roosevelt County Electric Cooperative freight-liner bucket truck, according to a NMSP news release. Corbin was pronounced dead at the scene by the Portales Fire Department, the release states. According to the release, a Roosevelt County Electric Cooperative employee was taken to an area hospital with...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor New Mexico State Police are investigating a fatal crash that occurred Wednesday afternoon on State Road 88, near Portales. An initial investigation indicated that a vehicle driven by Minnie M. Corbin, 89, of Portales, traveled into the westbound lanes and shoulder striking the rear-end of a Roosevelt County Electric Cooperative freight-liner bucket truck, according to a NMSP news release. Corbin was pronounced dead at the scene by the Portales Fire Department, the release states. According to the release, a Roosevelt County Electric Cooperative employee was taken to an area hospital with...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor From left, Oliver Hudson, Adan Canto, Élodie Yung, Martha Millan, Valentino/Sebastien LaSalle, Faith Bryant and Sean Lew make up the cast of "The Cleaning Lady." The second season will begin on Sept. 19 on Fox. (Kurt Iswarienko/FOX) On Sept. 19, "The Cleaning Lady" returns to TV for its second season. For nearly two months, crews have been on the ground in Albuquerque filming episodes for the upcoming new season of the Fox drama. "The Cleaning Lady" is an emotionally-driven character drama about a whip-smart doctor, played by Élodie Yung, who...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The 58th Special Operations Wing – a sprawling Air Force training wing that stretches across the country, from Alaska to North Carolina, and is based in Albuquerque – has a new commander. Col. Jonathan Graham, a helicopter and drone pilot who was so "stoked" when he learned of his promotion that he bought himself a brand-new Corvette, assumed command of the 58th SOW on June 30. For two years, Graham will guide the base that trains thousands of airmen each year on special operations, combat search and...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Edit House Productions recently opened a studio in Rio Rancho which will be used for in-house projects and the film industry. (Courtesy of Edit House Productions) Studio space is in demand in New Mexico. That's exactly the reason Edit House Productions decided to expand to its own film studio. It is located at 640 Quantum Road NE in Rio Rancho. Ed Smith, co-owner of Edit House Productions, said its new location in Rio Rancho will add more options for the film industry, as well as to the company itself. For...
By James Hamill / For the Journal When I was 4 years old, I loved stuffed animals. I had spent three or four weeks in a hospital and what helped me through each night was a fox my mother purchased from the hospital gift shop. Later that same year my mother took me to a department store and I saw the Holy Grail of animals — a stuffed seal. After much "discussion," my mother approached the register to ask the price of the seal. It had no price tag or any other markings. The lady at the register looked...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal PINE HILL – Herds of sheep roam the green hillsides of the Ramah Navajo chapter. The rugged, remote landscape southwest of Grants is dotted with a network of unpaved roads that can quickly become impassable during rain and snowstorms. At first glance, it may not seem like a place where rural residents could rely on fast internet. But tribal and school officials are determined to work with a local company and provide internet to everyone. Oso Internet Solutions co-owner Margaret Merrill first came to Ramah in the...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Colonel Jonathan Graham Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The 58th Special Operations Wing – a sprawling Air Force training wing that stretches across the country, from Alaska to North Carolina, and is based in Albuquerque – has a new commander. Col. Jonathan Graham, a helicopter and drone pilot who was so "stoked" when he learned of his promotion that he bought himself a brand-new Corvette, assumed command of the 58th SOW on June 30. For two years, Graham will guide the base that trains thousands of airmen each year on special operations,...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A state investigator found that a fire that killed an elderly couple and destroyed more than 200 homes in the Ruidoso area was started by a tree falling on power lines – the cause alleged in two lawsuits against Public Service Company of New Mexico. Strong, gusty winds toppled a drought-stressed tree on April 12, causing electrical lines to arc and igniting the McBride Fire, according to a report issued by the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department. The agency released the report to the...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer FILE - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Feb. 24, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux, file) CARLSBAD — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis attacked "woke ideology" and slammed vaccine mandates Sunday during a boisterous rally in New Mexico's conservative oil patch, where he urged voters to support Republican Mark Ronchetti's bid for governor. In a 40-minute speech before about 1,000 people, DeSantis leaned heavily into culture war issues, blasting critical race theory and transgender medical treatment for children. He described his home state as a...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Spiegel-Kinsley Construction’s first home is going for [post_excerpt].1 million and is located in Placitas, just north of Albuquerque. The company is building a dozen homes in the area. (Courtesy of Spiegel-Kinsley Construction) Italian food isn't on the menu for M'tucci's Restaurants founders Jeff Spiegel and Katie Gardner. The two are heading in a different direction with their latest business venture, building sustainable home developments under the name Spiegel-Kinsley Construction, with son-in-law Evan Kinsley. Spiegel is the founding partner of the new firm, and Kinsley is serving as the lead general contractor, president...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A woman died Saturday night in Santa Fe when she apparently shot herself as police shot her with stun guns. Melanie Garcia, 36, died at the scene, according to a news release from New Mexico State Police, which is investigating Garcia's death. The agency said that Santa Fe police were called to a home at 1098 Willow Way at about 8:50 p.m. to remove Garcia from the residence, according to the news release. Garcia wasn't at the home when officers arrived, but she later returned with a firearm, according to the news...
By Mary Ewers / Researcher, Los Alamos National Laboratory Mary Ewers In the push to decarbonize the economy throughout the Intermountain West and beyond, the public conversation often centers on wind and solar energy, electric cars, hydrogen power and carbon capture and storage. The grid — the interconnected power plants, transmission lines and control centers that keep the lights on across the country — is the indispensable enabler of this future carbon-neutral electrified world. Yet the grid is often left out of the discussion. It shouldn't be. Achieving this carbon-neutral future requires big changes to the grid, both in...
By Jerry Pacheco / For the Journal People walk past a billboard welcoming U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Taipei, Taiwan, on Aug. 3. (Chiang Ying-ying/Associated Press) Sometimes you're darned if you do, and darned if you don't. This characterizes U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent visit to Asia, in which she visited Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan. She capped off the Asian visit with a final stop on Aug. 2 in Taiwan, which was the first visit by a U.S. House Speaker since 1997. The Chinese government maintains a "one-China policy," which means that it considers Taiwan...
By Joel Jacobsen / Syndicated Columnist Steam billows from a coal-fired power plant Nov. 18 in Craig, Colo. (Rick Bowmer/Associated Press) At the end of June, the Supreme Court delivered what may prove its most consequential business law decision for many years. The decision was the occasion for dramatic headlines. "Supreme Court Limits EPA's Ability to Restrict Power Plant Emissions," said The New York Times. The Los Angeles Times headlined its story: "Supreme Court rules for coal-producing states, limits EPA's power to fight climate change." Such headlines were the equivalent of describing the Apollo 11 moonshot as a successful...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer In 1980, Sun Tours, an Albuquerque-based sightseeing company, planned its first group trip to the Oberammergau Passion Play in Germany. The Catholic play occurs every 10 years; each decade since that initial trip in 1980, Sun Tours has brought a group of New Mexicans to see it. Except for 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the play and dried up Sun Tours' business. Like many tourism businesses, Sun Tours floundered during the pandemic. "When we cancelled our 100th tour, we stopped counting," said Frank Fine, the recently retired president of Sun Tours...
By Ellen Marks / For the Journal Some people worry that robots will take away human jobs, but the automated fleet overseen by Matthew Ennis is based on the idea of "putting the worker at the center." Ennis is co-founder and chief strategy officer of Build With Robots, the Albuquerque company whose Breezy One models roam around disinfecting such places as the Albuquerque and Houston airports, Los Lunas high schools and the University of New Mexico's Pit. The company's first "co-development customer" was the Albuquerque Sunport and its staff, whose cleaning and disinfecting duties were greatly expanded during the...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A McDonald's in northwest Albuquerque caught fire on Sunday, though any customers or staff inside safely evacuated before firefighters arrived. Albuquerque Fire Rescue Lt. Albert Herren said in an email that firefighters were called to the 5300 block of Quail NW around 12:30 p.m. When they arrived, smoke was billowing out of the front door and eaves. It took about 30 minutes to get the blaze under control, Herren said. Damage was mostly contained to the void space of the ceiling, he said. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Kathaleen Roberts / Journal Staff Writer Pueblo pottery vendors on Palace of the Governors portal during Fiesta, Santa Fe, 1948. (Courtesy of the Palace of the Governors Archive) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Santa Fe Indian Market opened in 1922 with Navajo rugs hanging from the ceiling of the Armory building like flags. Trophies lined long tables against the wall. No Native Americans sat behind the displays. Today, ribbons have replaced trophies in this grandfather of New Mexico art markets as it sprawls across the tentacles of the Plaza streets 100 years later. More than 100,000 visitors...
By Martin Salazar / Journal City Editor Albuquerque police say a shooting in Southeast Albuquerque late Saturday left one person dead and three others in critical condition. Officer Chase Jewell, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said the shooting happened just before 11 p.m. near Dorado Place and Central SE. "Officers arrived and located three individuals who had gunshot injuries," he said in a news release. "Of the three, one had succumbed to injuries on scene. The other two have been transported to a local area hospital, where they are in critical condition at this time." Jewell said homicide detectives...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin will face off in court Monday against three New Mexicans who argue in a lawsuit that he should be removed from his post as an Otero County commissioner for participating in an insurrection against the United States. Couy Griffin Griffin, who was convicted of a federal misdemeanor in March for his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, is representing himself in the lawsuit, which has attracted the interest of nationally known constitutional scholars and attorneys. The...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County is ready for a new kind of tiny home. A new county zoning code amendment has paved the way for "secondary dwelling units," or casitas, in residential zones, a move officials say makes sense given the need to expand housing options amid current market trends. Up to now, the county allowed casita development only in the Los Duranes micro-zone, where county Zoning Administrator Nicholas Hamm said it had worked well. "We've had our eye on this (countywide amendment) for probably five years, and it felt like the context of the...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – A company working in New Mexico's emerging cannabis market is advertising some unusual expertise. Its team includes two people who once helped regulate the new industry. "We wrote the book on cannabis compliance. Literally," the firm's website says. But the hiring of two of New Mexico's top cannabis regulators could renew debate at the Capitol over whether the state should revisit its "revolving door" limits on state officials who leave for the private sector. Kristen Thomson The Albuquerque-based firm Weeds. Cannabis Consulting announced Aug....
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – A company working in New Mexico's emerging cannabis market is advertising some unusual expertise. Its team includes two people who once helped regulate the new industry. "We wrote the book on cannabis compliance. Literally," the firm's website says. But the hiring of two of New Mexico's top cannabis regulators could renew debate at the Capitol over whether the state should revisit its "revolving door" limits on state officials who leave for the private sector. Kristen Thomson The Albuquerque-based firm Weeds. Cannabis Consulting announced Aug....
By Associated Press CARLSBAD, N.M. -- A Carlsbad man who had an argument with his girlfriend and then left their home with her cell phone and a handgun was shot and killed by Eddy County sheriff's deputies after he reportedly pointed the gun at deputies, New Mexico State Police said late Friday. The two deputies who fired at 48-year-old Gabriel Mesa provided medical aid until emergency medical technicians arrived, but he did not survive. The shooting happened Thursday evening, and New Mexico state police issued a statement about it a day later. Maestas's girlfriend, who was not identified, called...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Rio Rancho police are looking for this vehicle in connection with an officer-involved shooting that took place at a Walmart in Rio Rancho Saturday morning. Anyone with information is asked to call the police. (Source: Rio Rancho Police Department) Rio Rancho police say they are looking for an "armed and dangerous" individual in a stolen vehicle who was part of an officer-involved shooting on Saturday morning. The shooting occurred at the Walmart at Southern and Unser SE, according to a Facebook post put out by the Rio Rancho Police Department. Authorities...
By Alan Fram / Associated Press WASHINGTON -- A divided Congress gave final approval Friday to Democrats' flagship climate and health care bill, handing President Joe Biden a back-from-the-dead triumph on coveted priorities that the party hopes will bolster their prospects for keeping their House and Senate majorities in November's elections. The House used a party-line 220-207 vote to pass the legislation, prompting hugs among Democrats on the House floor and cheers by White House staff watching on television. "Today, the American people won. Special interests lost," tweeted the vacationing Biden, who was shown beaming in a White House...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer U.S. Forest Service and New Mexico Game and Fish biologists collected over 250 Rio Grande cutthroat trout from Alamitos Creek near Penasco in the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak burn scar in June. (Courtesy of New Mexico Game and Fish) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal First came the fires. Then, the floods. Now, wildlife agencies are concerned that ash-laden watersheds from this year's wildfires have harmed at least two of New Mexico's native trout species. Crews this summer have rescued and relocated trout from burn scar areas. But ongoing flooding has complicated those efforts....
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer U.S. Forest Service and New Mexico Game and Fish biologists collected over 250 Rio Grande cutthroat trout from Alamitos Creek near Penasco in the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak burn scar in June. (Courtesy of New Mexico Game and Fish) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal First came the fires. Then, the floods. Now, wildlife agencies are concerned that ash-laden watersheds from this year's wildfires have harmed at least two of New Mexico's native trout species. Crews this summer have rescued and relocated trout from burn scar areas. But ongoing flooding has complicated those efforts....
By Associated Press Polluted water flows in the Animas River north of Durango, Colo., in August 2015 after the Gold King Mine spill near Silverton, Colo. (Farmington Daily Times) SANTA FE – New Mexico is calling for proposals that would be funded with million received as part of a recent settlement stemming from a 2015 mine spill that polluted rivers in three western states. The state and the federal government reached the agreement in June. Colorado and the Navajo Nation also have inked multimillion-dollar agreements to settle claims and sort out responsibility for cleanup following the spill at...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer From left, Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Thom Mason, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan and Sandia National Laboratories Director James Peery at a news conference at Los Alamos on Friday to discuss the CHIPS and Science Act. (Courtesy of Los Alamos National Laboratory) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The new CHIPS and Science Act that President Joe Biden signed into law on Tuesday marks the biggest investment in U.S. technology development in generations, bringing substantial benefits to New Mexico and many other states. The bipartisan law authorizes more than 0 billion in...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Poll workers for the Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office sort absentee ballots in this June file photo. A global paper shortage has delayed ballot shipments in some parts of the nation, but a top New Mexico elections official said state vendors have secured enough paper to run the November general election without issue. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- A global paper shortage has raised concerns around the nation about whether enough ballots can be printed — and obtained in time — to run this fall's elections. But a top New Mexico...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer By all appearances, it was a normal day on the bus. A man in the back listlessly scrolls through his phone. A few rows ahead, another man sits beside a young girl. Then, without warning, a third man sitting alone pulls out a large gun, aims it and — in an explosion of smoke and glass — fires into a glass door of the Albuquerque Rapid Transit bus. Security video shows the shooter grab the weapon and his belongings and head for the door. The man in the back covers his ears,...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief A healthcare worker fills a syringe with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a Miami hospital in this October 2021 file photo. New Mexico hospital workers will still face a vaccine mandate but face mask requirements could be eased under a revised state public health order issued Friday. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) SANTA FE -- New Mexico's pandemic-related public health order was extended Friday by the state's top health official, but only after being amended to remove certain reporting requirements and shift some COVID-19 vaccine mandates to fall under federal guidance. In addition,...
By Associated Press Police section off the site where an SUV came to an abrupt stop after a driver careened through the parade route of the Intertribal Ceremonial Centennial Celebration. in Gallup, New Mexico, Thursday, Aug. 4. 2022. Police arrested several people who were in a large SUV that drove through a Native American celebration in New Mexico, causing multiple injuries along a parade route crowded with families. (William C. Weaver IV/Gallup Independent via AP) GALLUP, N.M. -- A man charged with driving drunk without a valid license and then barreling into a parade in Gallup will remain jailed...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Detectives released the names of three women and three men killed in the past month around Albuquerque. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said the deaths of Angela Romero, 32, Chuihsia Chen, 56, Suzanne Pledger-Miller, 59, Louie Sedillo, 51, Marvin McAllister, 56, and David Salazar, 60, are being investigated as homicides. He said the Jan. 26 death of Elias Acuna-Whitely, 15, is no longer being considered a homicide. Gallegos said detectives determined Acuna-Whitley accidentally shot himself. So far this year the Albuquerque Police Department has investigated 78 homicides in the city. By...
By Bob Christie / Associated Press PHOENIX -- Arizona began moving in shipping containers to close a 1,000-foot gap in the border wall near the southern Arizona farming community of Yuma on Friday, with officials saying they were acting to stop migrants after repeated, unfulfilled promises from the Biden administration to block off the area. The move by Arizona comes without explicit permission on federal land, with state contractors starting to move in 60-foot-long (18.3-meter-long) shipping containers and stacking two of the 9-foot-tall (2.7-meter-tall) containers on top of each other early Friday. They plan to complete the job within...
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal First in a series. Vomiting is nobody's favorite pastime. Sadly, some cats retch intermittently throughout their lives. The causes can be elusive. I learned early that even when I was sure I had the answer, it was important to be ready to be wrong. Unexpected clues – easy to miss – change treatment plans, like right away. A cat with a history of hurling sat on my exam table with a complaint of recent vomiting. The nice lady, Jerri Samuelson, fixed me with a hopeful expression on her face as she stroked Gucci,...
By ABQJournal News Staff Routine monitoring has detected the Albuquerque metro area's first West Nile-positive mosquitoes of 2022, city of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County officials announced Friday. They recommend various precautions to lower the risk of contracting the virus. That includes using insect repellent while outdoors, keeping windows closed if they do not have screens, and regularly changing water in pet bowls, birdbaths and other water-holders where mosquitoes lay eggs. "Mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus will be around until there is a good hard frost in the area, so we urge people to continue to take precautions against...
By Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Environmental and health officials in the Albuquerque area say they have found mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus. The City of Albuquerque Environmental Health Department and Bernalillo County Planning and Development Services Department jointly announced Friday the first detection this year of mosquitoes positive for the virus. The discovery was made through monitoring of the insects at different locations around the city and unincorporated areas of the county. Officials say people should take precautions like using insect repellent outdoors. They should also change standing water such as in wading pools and birdbaths. People infected...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Wynton Bernard heads toward third base during a recent Albuquerque Isotopes home game vs. Sugar Land. Bernard, who has spent all of his decade-plus career of pro baseball at lower levels, is getting called up to the majors Friday. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal) His professional debut was in the 2012 Arizona (Rookie) League. Over the course of his 11 professional seasons, Wynton Bernard played in 1,015 games around the world – with stops from Mexico to Australia, from Independent League teams to his most recent stop in Albuquerque, where he's been playing...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Wynton Bernard heads toward third base during a recent Albuquerque Isotopes home game vs. Sugar Land. Bernard, who has spent all of his decade-plus career of pro baseball at lower levels, is getting called up to the majors Friday. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal) His professional debut was in the 2012 Arizona (Rookie) League. Over the course of his 11 professional seasons, Wynton Bernard played in 1,015 games around the world – with stops from Mexico to Australia, from Independent League teams to his most recent stop in Albuquerque, where he's been playing...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office said it has received the FBI's forensic reports and Office of the Medical Investigator reports from the high-profile fatal shooting on a movie set last year outside Santa Fe. Juan Rios, a Sheriff's Office spokesman, said the agency is now awaiting actor Alec Baldwin's phone records to be reviewed. He said those records "are forthcoming." "Once the phone records are received and reviewed by detectives, the final Sheriff's Office investigative case file will be forwarded to the District Attorney for review...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE — Half a world away from home, a small group of Palestinian and Israeli teenagers gathered in northern New Mexico this summer to cook, paint and talk. Perhaps most important, they listened — really listened — to each other's stories of checkpoints, bombings and bloodshed. It's the kind of listening that can be uncomfortable and provoke anger. It can also demonstrate the power of conversation. "One person at a time, maybe it will make a difference," Dyala, a 20-year-old Palestinian and university student who lives...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – As New Mexico lawmakers prepare to embark on a new tax overhaul attempt, some national groups are giving the current state tax code low marks for its economic competitiveness. The Washington, D.C.-based Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan group, ranks New Mexico's tax climate as the 28th best in the nation – behind all neighboring states – while another group, the Council on State Taxation, said the state has the nation's highest tax burden on business inputs, which include labor and equipment costs. But some...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE — Half a world away from home, a small group of Palestinian and Israeli teenagers gathered in northern New Mexico this summer to cook, paint and talk. Perhaps most important, they listened — really listened — to each other's stories of checkpoints, bombings and bloodshed. It's the kind of listening that can be uncomfortable and provoke anger. It can also demonstrate the power of conversation. "One person at a time, maybe it will make a difference," Dyala, a 20-year-old Palestinian and university student who lives...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer People gather outside Republican National Committee Hispanic Community Center on Albuquerque’s West Side during Thursday’s opening. The committee has opened more than 30 other centers around the country in an effort to court people of color to the party. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In Plaza Cuauhtemoc, a paleteria serves up elotes and chilindrinas. Next door, the Republican National Committee on Thursday opened an RNC Hispanic Community Center. It is part of a multimillion-dollar, nationwide effort by the RNC to open dozens of similar centers across the country –...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer https://youtu.be/_TcIxwg20cs https://youtu.be/lLg38Joc478 Albuquerque police have released two short video clips of the arrest of a man suspected of killing four Muslim men over the past nine months. Muhammad Atif Syed, 51, is charged with two counts of murder in the fatal shootings of Aftab Hussein, 41, on July 26 and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, on Aug. 1. Investigators say he is also the primary suspect in the Nov. 7 death of 62-year-old Muhammad Zahir Ahmadi and the Aug. 5 death of Naeem Hussain, 25. Syed was arrested outside Santa Rosa on Monday...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Samantha, a western lowland gorilla, cuddles her baby, born at ABQ BioPark Zoo on Wednesday. (Courtesy ABQ BioPark Zoo) For the first time in nearly 20 years, a baby western lowland gorilla has been born at the ABQ BioPark Zoo. The baby gorilla was born Wednesday to mother Samantha and father Kojo. "Because the mother is keeping the baby pretty close, we don't yet know its gender," said Bob Lee, the zoo's associate director. Samantha, 15, was born at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas, and came to the BioPark in...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Frankie Valli will perform a show in Albuquerque on Dec.. 2, at the Kiva Auditorium. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) "Oh, What a Night!" Frankie Valli is planning a stop in ABQ in December at the Kiva Auditorium. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 12, at ticketmaster.com or the Kiva Box Office. Valli, now 88, who came to fame in 1962 as the lead singer of The Four Seasons. The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical "Jersey Boys" chronicles the life and times of Valli and his legendary group, such classic songs...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Detectives have charged a man in a road rage crash that left two 14-year-old girls dead in June on Central near the Rio Grande river. Roger Wilson, 27, is facing two open counts of murder, auto theft and aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm charges in the June 29 deaths of Alyssa Salazar and Alize Henson. Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said Wilson was arrested on Thursday afternoon. Gallegos said Wilson was driving about 60 mph when he rammed a car with Henson, Salazar and two men man inside, on Central...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Police have charged four more suspects in a 2021 carjacking-turned-homicide in Southwest Albuquerque. Josiah A. Apodaca, 19, alleged by an informant to be the shooter, is charged with murder, kidnapping, armed robbery and other crimes in the death of 24-year-old Elias Otero on Feb. 11, 2021. Santos Veronica, 19, faces similar charges in the case, while Andre Avila, 20, is charged with retaliating against a witness and conspiracy, and James Rodriguez, 20, is charged with tampering with evidence in the case. James Rodriguez, 20. (Source: MDC) Apodaca and Rodriguez have been booked...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Detectives have charged a man in a road rage crash that left two 14-year-old girls dead in June on Central near the Rio Grande river. Roger Wilson, 27, is facing two open counts of murder, auto theft and aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm charges in the June 29 deaths of Alyssa Salazar and Alize Henson. Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said Wilson was arrested on Thursday afternoon. Gallegos said Wilson was driving about 60 mph when he rammed a car with Henson, Salazar and two men man inside, on Central...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer The new buffalo chicken boat at Blake’s Lotaburger. (Courtesy of Dana Benjamin/Marble Street Studio) Blake's Lotaburger is unveiling a spicy new addition to its menu: the buffalo chicken boat, which will join the menu Monday, Lotaburger currently offers a trio of chicken meals: a green chile chicken sandwich, a ranch chicken sandwich and a chicken tender boat.The buffalo chicken boat is Blake's first buffalo-flavored chicken product. "Blake's Lotaburger is a New Mexico icon," said Trisha Terraciano-Spence, marketing consultant for Blake's Lotaburger. "People get really excited when we launch a new product." The...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Michelle Smiley, 41, stands at the entrance of a nine-acre lot that spans to the southwest corner of Chavez Road and Guadalupe Trail in Los Ranchos on uly 28. A proposal to develop a 21-home subdivision in the open space has caused concerns for residents. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) LOS RANCHOS DE ALBUQUERQUE — Three hours of public comment dominated a Los Ranchos de Albuquerque Board of Trustees meeting that was adjourned late Wednesday without action on hot-button items related to controversial high-density development projects in the village. Just after 10...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Las Vegas could face water issues from the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire for the next decade, city and state officials said Wednesday. The fire burned thousands of acres in the Gallinas River watershed, where the northern New Mexico city gets almost all of its water. Utilities director Maria Gilvarry told the city council that the municipal infrastructure can't treat the turbid, ash-laden water from the burn scar. "What we see coming down the river right now with all this sediment, next year it's going to be logs and sediment," Gilvarry said. "For...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor The FBI has updated a list of Native Americans missing in New Mexico and the Navajo Nation, according to an FBI news release. The list, which can be found at https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/mmip-data-081022.pdf/view, has been updated to add 19 names. Ten names have been removed. There are 186 missing Indigenous persons now on the list, the release states. "This list exceeded our expectations," Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the Albuquerque FBI Division said in the release. "Besides appearing to be accurate for the state of New Mexico and the Navajo Nation, the list...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Rio Rancho police are searching for a maroon Chevrolet SUV after they say they encountered the vehicle and its occupants Thursday morning, resulting in an officer-involved shooting. "The suspects are outstanding at this time," a Rio Rancho PD Facebook post states. "The rear window of the vehicle is now broken out, and there is a trash bag on the passenger side window. The suspects are armed and dangerous." The department is asking anyone with information to call law enforcement immediately. According to the post, Meadowlark Lane from Sara Road to Loma...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer The Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court House Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A third man has been charged in connection with a shooting that left one man dead and another wounded outside an East Central convenience store in May. Anthony E. McCrady, 28, is facing an open count of murder in the May 8 shooting that left 25-year-old Raymond Sedillo dead. A warrant has been issued for McCrady's arrest. It is unclear if he has an attorney. Police have arrested two other suspects so far in the case: Curtis Taylor III, 24, and...
By Felicia Fonseca / Associated Press FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Two men vying for the Navajo Nation presidency announced their running mates Monday, choosing candidates from the New Mexico portion of the reservation to broaden their appeal. Navajo President Jonathan Nez selected Chad Abeyta, a 33-year-old political newcomer who is an Air Force veteran and works as an attorney in the tribe's legislative branch. Nez said Abeyta has strong family values and a bootstrap mentality, and highlighted that Abeyta returned to the reservation after finishing college. "I'm honored to join this team," Abeyta said. "I bring to the table leadership...
By / Eastern New Mexico News CLOVIS – A Clovis teen told police he did not mean to shoot 17-year-old Shammiel Kirven last week at the Clovis Apartments. Zyon Williams, 19, told police he was walking with two of his friends at the apartment complex and had his grandmother's 9mm XD pistol in the waistband of his pants. He told officers he was playing with the pistol as he approached the building where the girl was standing and pointed it at her. That's when the gun went off, he said. Williams told police he did not intend to shoot...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal An Albuquerque attorney wants to know if jail officials are providing someone with recordings of his phone conversations with a client and has filed a lawsuit seeking an answer. Attorney William Cooley filed a public records request May 25 with the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center to learn the identity of anyone seeking recordings of his protected conversations with an inmate. Jail officials called the request "broad and burdensome" and repeatedly asked for additional time to respond, according to the 2nd Judicial District Court lawsuit. "You would...
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer Artist Kyle Holbrook painted a mural in Nob Hill hoping to bring awareness to gun violence in a bid to spread the message of peace. The piece is located in the alley behind 3909 Central Avenue in Albuquerque. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Art can encapsulate the times. No matter the colors used, it is evergreen – if accepted. Murals are especially capable of forever instilling a message in a community, and international artist Kyle Holbrook uses his talents to inspire change. The muralist unveiled a new piece...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Solid Waste Department workers are seen her during a recent cleanup at Coronado Park. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) A new petition initiated by New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness staff is urging Albuquerque officials to "hit pause" on plans to close Coronado Park to break up a large unsanctioned encampment that has developed there. The petition said the city should, however, "stick to its plan to create sanctioned and well-managed encampments." Citing crime and other problems at the park near Third Street and Interstate 40, Mayor Tim Keller recently announced plans to close...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer From 2020-2021, the Sandia Science and Technology Park on Albuquerque's far southeast side contributed more than [post_excerpt] billion to the local economy. (Courtesy of Sandia Science and Technology Park) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Sandia Science and Technology Park in Southeast Albuquerque remains a powerful driver for local economic growth, significantly boosting the regional economy year after year, according to the Mid-Region Council of Governments' latest biannual economic-impact report, released Wednesday morning. The park, located just north of the Eubank entrance to Kirtland Air Force Base, is home to 40 companies,...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Josh Glass, Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery manager, shows the cut chainlink fence Tuesday, August 9, 2022, on the corner of the cemetery where people have been cutting the fence to gain access to the memorial park. Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery is experiencing issues with homeless people coming into the park, bathing and defecating in the fountains, using the electrical outlets and leaving drug needles on the property. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal There's nothing new about homeless people seeking temporary refuge in cemeteries, but one cemetery along the...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Rachel Lopez, right, kisses and blesses her daughter, Shelby Lopez-Sanders, left, before her first day of sixth grade at Garfield STEM Magnet and Community School on Wednesday. Shelby was one of tens of thousands of APS students to kick off the new school year this week. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Shelby Lopez-Sanders was one of the first students to show up for school Wednesday. Faced with new surroundings at Garfield STEM Magnet and Community School, the 11-year-old had caught a case of first-day jitters. She showed up to school 40 minutes early. "I'm...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief GOP gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti is flanked by four New Mexico county sheriffs in a new TV ad focused on crime issues. Crime has emerged as a top issue in this year's race for governor. (screen image from political ad) SANTA FE -- New Mexico county sheriffs are wading into this year's race for governor. In a new campaign ad for Republican Mark Ronchetti, four sheriffs criticize Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's handling of crime-related issues, including the Lujan Grisham administration's decision to release some low-risk inmates from state prisons in an...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Cerro Vista is a new housing development by Hakes Brothers. Located in Los Lunas, the community will feature 40 homes starting at 0,000. (courtesy of Hakes Brothers) One of New Mexico's largest homebuilders is looking to help meet housing demand in the Albuquerque metro area with two new developments. Hakes Brothers are in the process of building two communities — one in Rio Rancho and one in Los Lunas — that will include nearly 200 homes. Construction is slated to begin in the next two months once roads are completed, said Christian...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer In this 2019 photo, Justin Crowe, president of Parting Stone, holds a person's remains that his company turned into solidified remains. (Eddie Moore/ Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — A New Mexico company that transforms cremated human remains into memorial stones is set to expand its workforce from 20 to more than 100 employees as part of a 5,000 economic development grant. Parting Stone — a startup based in Santa Fe — harnesses proprietary technology developed with help from Los Alamos National Laboratory to create "solidified remains" that resemble a collection of smooth...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer (Liam DeBonis/Journal) The city Planning Department has given a green light to the first safe outdoor space in Albuquerque. Dawn Legacy Pointe's application for a new campsite on Menaul near Interstate 25 has been approved, according to the city's website. Brad Day, a local businessman consulting Dawn Legacy Pointe, said the site could be ready for tenants in the next 30-45 days. It is approved for 40 spots and up to 50 occupants. The approval comes just days before the City Council — which in June approved safe outdoor spaces — will...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor I-25 Studios located northwest of Paseo del Norte in Albuquerque is becoming Cinelease Studios. (Courtesy of Cinelease Studios) It's official. After years of being for sale, I-25 Studios is becoming Cinelease Studios. The deal was announced on Wednesday as the longtime company will take over management of the studio space located at 9201 Pan American Freeway NE. Cinelease has had a presence in New Mexico since 2006. It's housed productions such as "Chambers," "Lone Survivor," "MacGruber," "Swing Vote" and "Outer Range." "As long as Cinelease has been in the state...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The son of the man suspected of shooting Muslim men around the city has been federally charged with providing a false address when he bought a gun last year. Shaheen Syed, who used to go by "Maiwant Syed," was arrested Wednesday. His father, 51-year-old Muhammad Syed, was arrested Monday night and has been charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of Aftab Hussein on July 26 and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain on Aug. 1. According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for New Mexico, when Shaheen Syed bought...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man was shot to death at a park early Wednesday morning in Santa Fe. Santa Fe Deputy Chief of Police Benjamin Valdez said officers responded around 4:30 a.m. to Ragle Park for reports of a unconscious person. He said police found a man, believed to be in his 50s or 60s, dead from at least one gunshot wound. "This case is being investigated as a homicide. There is no suspect information available currently," Valdez said. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer WEB leaders cheer after the closing assembly at Eisenhower Middle School on Tuesday, August 9, 2022. Eighth grade WEB leaders spent the day building relationships with the incoming sixth graders, showing the new students around campus and helping with their class schedules. WEB is a nationally recognized middle school orientation, training students to become leaders and mentors, and help aid in the transition of students from elementary school to middle school. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It's safe to say that Rylee Pratz, an incoming sixth grader at...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Lisa Christopherson, center, holds a sign of support during the prayer vigil on August 9 at the Islamic Center of New Mexico after the arrest of Muhammad Syed, a suspect in the recent murders of Muslim men in Albuquerque. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Rain pounded the area as hundreds filled the Islamic Center of New Mexico on Tuesday evening to mourn the four local Muslim men whose lives were taken in the past year. Samia Assed, who organized the event, said the news of an arrest brought some...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Grammy Award-winner Macklemore. (Courtesy of Ryan McKinnon) Grammy Award-winning rapper Macklemore performed a show at Isleta Amphitheater on Saturday. He was the opening act for rock band Imagine Dragons. On Tuesday, Macklemore, born Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, took to Instagram to post that there was a wedding happening at his Albuquerque hotel. "Yo it's Macklemore. There's a wedding happening right now in my hotel in Albuquerque. And I'm bout to crash it." The rapper went down to the reception where he toasted the newlyweds and played his new song "Maniac." Macklemore's...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Austin Chewiwi, left, shares a laugh with his sixth-grade mentee AJ Pegues, right, during a pizza party at Eisenhower Middle School on Tuesday. The two forged a close bond during sixth-grade orientation the day before school, and Pegues says he’ll be on the lookout for his mentor when classes start on Wednesday. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) It's safe to say that Rylee Pratz, an incoming sixth grader at Eisenhower Middle School, won't be getting lost on her first day of school. That's because she already did, during a crash course for middle school...
By Jeff Tucker / Journal Editorial Writer This week's question: What do you think about the Voter Reference Foundation posting New Mexico voter information online, including residential addresses and birth years? Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published. Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-form Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer In this file photo, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addresses a joint legislative session earlier this year in Tallahassee. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File) SANTA FE -- Republican Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida and a potential 2024 presidential candidate, is set to appear at a rally for Mark Ronchetti's gubernatorial campaign this weekend. The event in Carlsbad on Sunday will also feature U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, a Republican up for reelection this year in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District. "Whether it's crime, where we're now the 2nd most violent state in the...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer A 2021 state law aims to make it more affordable for restaurants to serve spirits made by local companies, such as Left Turn Distilling. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — Plenty of new restaurants are embracing the chance to pour New Mexico-made gin and vodka under the state's reshaped liquor-license system. But the home delivery of alcoholic drinks hasn't taken off quite as fast, according to a presentation to legislators. Andrew Vallejos, director of the state's Alcoholic Beverage Control Division, delivered an update to lawmakers this week — about a year...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer The Rio Grande flows over a diversion dam in Algodones on Aug. 5. Rains have propped up river flows in central New Mexico, but irrigation experts warn that the state is still not allowed to store water for use in the middle valley because of the state’s Rio Grande compact debt. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) What a difference the rain makes. At the end of July, the Rio Grande ran dry in Albuquerque for the first time in nearly 40 years. Now, the river has been revived throughout much of the city. Jason...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer A Guadalupita man was charged with vehicular homicide after drinking and driving through a flooded road in Mora County on Sunday, killing the passenger after the truck was swept away, according to a criminal complaint. According to the complaint, John G. Vasquez, 30, was arrested after he told police he "had a few beers" and attempted to cross a flooded portion of N.M. 434 at milepost 7. His truck filled with water and overturned with his passenger, 64-year-old Benjamin Torres, trapped inside, the complaint states. Torres was pronounced dead at the scene...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer A Guadalupita man was charged with vehicular homicide after drinking and driving through a flooded road in Mora County on Sunday, killing the passenger after the truck was swept away, according to a criminal complaint. According to the complaint, John G. Vasquez, 30, was arrested after he told police he "had a few beers" and attempted to cross a flooded portion of N.M. 434 at milepost 7. His truck filled with water and overturned with his passenger, 64-year-old Benjamin Torres, trapped inside, the complaint states. Torres was pronounced dead at the scene...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Police Deputy Chief Cecily Barker holds a flyer with photos of a car that is believed to be linked to the slayings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque. At left, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Detectives have detained a suspect in a string of killings targeting Muslim men in Albuquerque. Four Muslim men were killed over a period of nine months, and three were killed in 10 days. Police Chief Harold Medina announced on Twitter early Tuesday afternoon that the department had "tracked down the vehicle believed to be...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Police Deputy Chief Cecily Barker holds a flyer with photos of a car that is believed to be linked to the slayings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque. At left, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Detectives have detained a suspect in a string of killings targeting Muslim men in Albuquerque. Four Muslim men were killed over a period of nine months, and three were killed in 10 days. Police Chief Harold Medina announced on Twitter early Tuesday afternoon that the department had "tracked down the vehicle believed to be...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Desert View Elementary, Valencia Middle School, Tome Elementary, Valencia Elementary and Valencia High School are under a shelter-in-place due to law enforcement activity in the area, Los Lunas Schools Superintendent Arsenio Romero told the Valencia County News-Bulletin this morning. According to the News-Bulletin, Romero said students are safe and the district will provide updates and more information as it becomes available. La Merced Elementary in the Belen Consolidated School district is also on a shelter in place, the News-Bulletin reported. Los Lunas Schools Communications Specialist Sydney Olivas confirmed that the shelter-in-place...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Assistant City Editor Central was re-opened this morning after a pedestrian died in a vehicle-versus-pedestrian crash, Albuquerque police say. Officers were dispatched to the area of Central and 59th Street NW at approximately 3 a.m., according to a news release. When officers arrived, they located one person who had succumbed to their injuries on scene. Police have not identified the pedestrian. The APD Traffic/Motors Unit is investigating, the release states. A recent report by Smart Growth America ranked New Mexico as the most dangerous state in the nation for pedestrians with an average of...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal An Oklahoma-based lender must pay about .3 million to more than 1,200 of its New Mexico customers, a district judge ruled in a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of borrowers. Courtesy Loans violated New Mexico law by using store employees – rather than attorneys – to file civil lawsuits against customers who defaulted on loans, 2nd Judicial District Court Judge Elaine Lujan ruled. "The primary motive of Courtesy Loans in improperly using store employees to file lawsuits against borrowers was financial in nature – to save the...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Khalid Emshadi SANTA FE — Khalid Emshadi spent much of this year knocking on doors as he campaigned for a seat in the state House. Now he has halted public appearances and fears for his life. Emshadi, 44, isn't alone in taking new steps to protect himself as police investigate the killings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque since November — including three in an 11-day span this summer. But he said he feels particularly at risk as a Muslim man running for a public office. As with other candidates, his address...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer A wildfire that killed an elderly couple and destroyed more than 200 homes near Ruidoso in April was caused by Public Service Company of New Mexico's failure to properly maintain vegetation near its power lines, according to a lawsuit filed by a California-based law firm. The lawsuit filed Friday on behalf of Ruidoso property owners is the second such lawsuit filed this year alleging that PNM and a contractor negligently failed to prevent a tree from falling on utility lines, igniting the April 12 blaze. Attorneys for the utility responded in July...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal file) Bernalillo County leaders want to amend the county's weapons policy so employees can carry pepper spray in the event they encounter trouble coming into or leaving work. According to the proposed policy change, "The county recognizes that employees may encounter unsafe circumstances during their ingress and egress to Alvarado Square. This policy is intended to allow employees to have pepper spray while outside of work in an emergent circumstance." Hundreds of employees work at Alvarado Square, the Downtown headquarters the county opened a year ago to consolidate operations...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Khalid Emshadi SANTA FE — Khalid Emshadi spent much of this year knocking on doors as he campaigned for a seat in the state House. Now he has halted public appearances and fears for his life. Emshadi, 44, isn't alone in taking new steps to protect himself as police investigate the killings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque since November — including three in an 11-day span this summer. But he said he feels particularly at risk as a Muslim man running for a public office. As with other candidates, his address...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Cochiti Pueblo artist Virgil Ortiz is collaborating with Meow Wolf in Santa Fe on an installation to be opened in fall 2022. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Throughout his career, Virgil Ortiz has pushed boundaries through art. The Cochiti Pueblo artist is teaming up with Meow Wolf to create a permanent installation at "House of Eternal Return" in Santa Fe. Ortiz is known as one of the most avant-garde artists of his time, fusing his Pueblo culture with sci-fi, fantasy and apocalyptic themes that yield provocative and futuristic imagery. His installation is...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The U.S. Marshals on Monday arrested a man who Albuquerque police had charged in a crash that killed a couple last summer. Omar Martinez, 36, has been wanted on two counts of vehicular homicide since March 22. According to an arrest warrant affidavit filed in Metropolitan Court, Martinez was speeding east on Lomas in a gray GMC pickup truck and he ran a red light, crashing into a Volvo that was heading north on Louisiana. The driver, Robert Hartwig, and his wife Bonnie Hartwig, were killed. Martinez was taken to the hospital...
By ABQJournal News Staff Small businesses and self-employed New Mexicans who suffered financial losses due to wildfires and floods this year are eligible for grants through a new [post_excerpt].5 million state program. The New Mexico Economic Development Department will make grants of ,000 to ,000 available to businesses affected by the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak, McBride, Cooks Peak and Big Hole fires, the department announced Monday. To qualify, businesses must be inside the boundaries of the Presidential Disaster Declaration for those fires in Colfax, San Miguel and Mora Counties; parts of Lincoln County (ZIP codes 88345 and 88312) and Valencia...
By Martin Salazar / Journal City Editor Albuquerque police are investigating a fatal shooting in Southeast Albuquerque. Lt. Ray Del Greco, with the Albuquerque Police Department, said officers were dispatched to a shots fired call in the 500 block of Madeira SE at around 11 p.m. Sunday. When they got to the scene, they found a person dead, he added. "A full Violent Crimes call out has been initiated," Del Greco said. Police didn't immediately say whether the victim was a man or a woman or whether investigators suspect that the shooting is connected to the recent rash of...
By Martin Salazar / Journal City Editor Albuquerque police are investigating a fatal shooting in Southeast Albuquerque. Lt. Ray Del Greco, with the Albuquerque Police Department, said officers were dispatched to a shots fired call in the 500 block of Madeira SE at around 11 p.m. Sunday. When they got to the scene, they found a person dead, he added. "A full Violent Crimes call out has been initiated," Del Greco said. Police didn't immediately say whether the victim was a man or a woman or whether investigators suspect that the shooting is connected to the recent rash of...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior THE MLK OFFRAMP IS GONE: Drivers need to be alert for the new traffic pattern that starts Monday around Interstate 25 and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Work starts Monday to remove the northbound MLK offramp. N.M. Department of Transportation spokeswoman Kimberly Gallegos says the northbound I-25 MLK exit will be closed and "northbound traffic will access MLK by exiting at the Lead/Coal offramp and proceeding north on Oak Street to MLK – this will be the permanent configuration." MLK access for southbound traffic on I-25 will not be affected. The northbound ramp...
By James Hamill / For the Journal There is a mythology of aging baby boomers complaining about their ailments. As a "young-older" guy fortunate to have no known physical issues, I almost resent the caricature that aging people complain about their health. But we have to complain about something, don't we? My complaint is that the TV shows I watch are targets for the Joe Namath Medicare Advantage plan advertisements. As a guy who never led a 19-1/2 point underdog to a Super Bowl victory, I feel sorry for Joe now being best known for those silly commercials where...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Amber Wallin Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico's ranking in overall child well-being slipped from 49th to 50th, according to the Kids Count Data Book for 2022. "The COVID pandemic caused major challenges for families that blunted the progress New Mexico had been making to improve child well-being," said Amber Wallin, executive director of New Mexico Voices for Children, which manages the state's Kids Count program. More importantly, and on a positive note, the data book also shows that New Mexico "has seen consistent improvement over time in most indicators," she...
By Martin Salazar / Journal City Editor Albuquerque police are seeking this vehicle in connection with the killings of four Muslim men in the last nine months. (Source: APD) Albuquerque officials are asking for the public's help in finding a vehicle linked to the murders of several Muslim men. "We have a very, very strong link," Mayor Tim Keller said Sunday afternoon during a news conference. "We have a vehicle of interest… We have got to find this vehicle." The Albuquerque Police Department said the vehicle officers are looking for is a dark gray or silver, four-door Volkswagen, perhaps...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Brothers and Batteries Plus co-owners Keith, right, and Kevin McDonald inside their Los Lunas store. (Courtesy of Keith & Kevin McDonald) A new Batteries Plus opened in Los Lunas on Saturday. This is the national chain's sixth location in the state. The franchise is owned and operated locally by two brothers, Keith and Kevin McDonald. For the past 17 years, Kevin McDonald has run his general contracting business, Tartan Construction. Keith McDonald, who brings his retail background to Batteries Plus, said that he first came into contact with Batteries Plus when his...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Albuquerque police say a man was shot to death in an apartment complex in the 500 block of Tramway NE early Sunday morning. Officers responded to a call about a shooting in the Copper Ridge Apartments around 6:30 a.m. "When they arrived, officers found an adult male who had been shot," said Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman. "He died on scene as a result of his wounds. The victim was involved in a physical altercation with other individuals at the apartment." The victim was shot during the altercation, he added....
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Albuquerque police say a man was shot to death in an apartment complex in the 500 block of Tramway NE early Sunday morning. Officers responded to a call about a shooting in the Copper Ridge Apartments around 6:30 a.m. "When they arrived, officers found an adult male who had been shot," said Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman. "He died on scene as a result of his wounds. The victim was involved in a physical altercation with other individuals at the apartment." The victim was shot during the altercation, he added....
By Colleen Heild and Matthew Narvaiz/Journal Staff Writers State Rep. Luis Terrazas III, far right, with his father, Silver City homebuilder Luis Terrazas Jr. and his son, Luis Terrazas IV. (Courtesy of State Rep. Luis Terrazas) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Part one of a two-part series After 45 years in the business, Luis Terrazas is finishing up perhaps his worst construction project ever. At age 77, the Silver City homebuilder is literally doing the job himself. "He can't get anybody to come to work," said his son, state Rep. Luis Terrazas. "He's always like 'this is my last...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer ABQ BioPark advocates are flocking to its defense in light of recent claims of animal neglect. In the first Albuquerque City Council meeting since Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn publicly slammed conditions at the Heritage Farm inside the BioPark's Botanic Garden, multiple people gave public comments extolling its value. They argue the city-run park benefits both the community and the larger animal kingdom, saying it provides locals a broad level of biological insight they may not get anywhere else, while also serving a conservation purpose by helping to protect endangered species. "Let's continue to...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Four people from southern New Mexico are suspects in the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old from Las Cruces who was found last month in the mountains outside Boulder, Colorado. Arrest warrants have been filed for Jaime Moore, 31, Cody Hobirk, 43, Ashley Provine, 18, and Elizabeth Griffin, 23, in the July 23 death of Alexis Baca. Moore and Hobirk are facing charges of murder and aggravated robbery, and Provine and Griffin are facing charges of accessory to murder. All four have been booked into the Doña Ana...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque Public Schools is going back to the drawing board on a controversial parents rights policy after the school board saw a flood of public outcry over the past month or so. The proposal, tabled July 7, stated that parents would have the right to access "all educational records" concerning their child, including things told to school staff in confidence. Some advocates say making some of those records available would out certain LGBTQ+ students and make them unsafe. "As a (transgender) man who began questioning who I...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer ABQ BioPark advocates are flocking to its defense in light of recent claims of animal neglect. In the first Albuquerque City Council meeting since Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn publicly slammed conditions at the Heritage Farm inside the BioPark's Botanic Garden, multiple people gave public comments extolling its value. They argue the city-run park benefits both the community and the larger animal kingdom, saying it provides locals a broad level of biological insight they may not get anywhere else, while also serving a conservation purpose by helping to protect endangered species. "Let's continue to...
By ABQJournal News Staff Congresswoman Theresa Leger Fernández joined law enforcement officers and others in a training session on identifying signs of human trafficking. The first-term Democratic representative said her office was able to get a grant to host the sessions, conducted by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, in New Mexico this week. There was one session in Santa Fe on Tuesday and there will be one in Albuquerque on Thursday. About 70 police officers from several agencies and other professionals, such as teachers, who might benefit from the training were expected to attend. "We invited law enforcement...
By Colleen Heild and Matthew Narvaiz/Journal Staff Writers State Rep. Luis Terrazas III, far right, with his father, Silver City homebuilder Luis Terrazas Jr. and his son, Luis Terrazas IV. (Courtesy of State Rep. Luis Terrazas) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Part one of a two-part series After 45 years in the business, Luis Terrazas is finishing up perhaps his worst construction project ever. At age 77, the Silver City homebuilder is literally doing the job himself. "He can't get anybody to come to work," said his son, state Rep. Luis Terrazas. "He's always like 'this is my last...
By Community engagement editor Andy Smith / Albuquerque Journal Part one of a two-part series Will Williams grew up in Albuquerque's International District in the 1990s when it was still known as the "War Zone" – a drug-infested area with crack houses "block to block" and violent gang rivalries. "I was part of the problems in the neighborhood," Williams, 46, said candidly as he drove me around the "I.D." – an area roughly bounded by San Mateo, Lomas, Wyoming and Gibson in the southeastern part of the city. Now he strives to be a catalyst for improvement. We rolled...
By ABQJournal News Staff The Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services hospital in Gallup. (Courtesy of Rehoboth McKinley) Health care vacancies, especially at New Mexico hospitals, are plentiful and that is a top concern. "We are in a very dire situation," said Troy Clark, executive director of the New Mexico Hospital Association. In speaking with the state's hospital leaders, Clark said,"staffing is their No. 1 concern." While COVID-19 used to fill some hospital ICUs beyond capacity, now the pandemic is exacerbating staff shortages because workers testing positive are out sick or contagious. Moreover, given New Mexico's chronic nursing shortage, hospitals...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer A crime scene photographer documents the scene at Truman Street and Grand Avenue in Albuquerque after a Muslim man was killed late Friday night. (Liam DeBonis/Albuquerque Journal) Another Muslim man has been shot to death — the fourth to be killed in a period of nine months and the third in the past two weeks. The latest shooting happened late Friday night, just before midnight. An Albuquerque Police Department Spokesman said officers were called to the area near San Mateo and Copper NE for a shooting. When they arrived they found a...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Sandia Area Federal Credit Union has partnered with Momentum, a national design firm, to convert a 48,000-square-foot building near Journal Center into its new operations center, according to a news release. "Our employees are essential to Sandia Area's success, and we believe that the care and service they provide to our members will be vitally enhanced by workspaces that are functional, beautiful and comfortable," said Paula Peknik, chief executive officer of SAFCU, in a statement. "This facility will be designed and created around our employees' needs, allowing for greater connection with each...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Cathryn Cunningham/Journal There tend to be fewer business owners that are female and that come from a minority background here and across the country. Cannabis as an industry isn't much different. According to the National Hispanic Cannabis Council, which tracks data on license holders across the country to reveal equity issues in the industry, just 5.7% of licensed cannabis businesses are owned by Hispanics. Women-owned cannabis businesses make up 20% of the industry, according to a report from MJBizDaily. New Mexico's number of women- and minority-owned businesses tend to follow a similar...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Despite years of rumors and speculation over whether In-N-Out Burger is coming to New Mexico, the beloved chain has officially confirmed it has no plans to franchise in the state. To reach the closest In-N-Out, New Mexicans will have to trek over 5 hours to Colorado Springs. "We know there are wonderful communities in New Mexico, but we don't have any immediate plans to open stores there at this time," said Mike Abbate, assistant vice president of real estate and development at In-N-Out, in an email to the Journal. Abbate said the...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Albuquerque Police block off Truman St. and Grand Ave. NE during a homicide investigation in the early hours of Saturday Aug. 6, 2022. (Liam DeBonis/Journal) Albuquerque Police investigates an overnight homicide Eastern near Amherst SE. Saturday August 6, 2022. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/JOURNAL) The Albuquerque Police Department says two people were killed in separate shootings in Albuquerque early Saturday morning. The first shooting took place just after midnight near Truman St. and Grand Ave. NE, according to Chase Jewell, a spokesman with the Albuquerque Police Department. "Officers arrived and located one subject who had...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Albuquerque Police block off Truman St. and Grand Ave. NE during a homicide investigation in the early hours of Saturday Aug. 6, 2022. (Liam DeBonis/Journal) Albuquerque Police investigates an overnight homicide Eastern near Amherst SE. Saturday August 6, 2022. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/JOURNAL) The Albuquerque Police Department says two people were killed in separate shootings in Albuquerque early Saturday morning. The first shooting took place just after midnight near Truman St. and Grand Ave. NE, according to Chase Jewell, a spokesman with the Albuquerque Police Department. "Officers arrived and located one subject who had...
By Ellen Marks / For the Journal Robert Chavez and Youth Development Inc. have the deepest of bonds. Same goes for Robert Chavez and the Los Padillas area south of Albuquerque. The man who just became CEO of the youth and family services nonprofit first walked through its doors at age 14, when he was assigned to work as a recreation aide at the Los Padillas Community Center. Los Padillas has been home to Chavez's family for hundreds of years. It's where he raised his kids, and it's where he still lives with his wife, also a Los Padillas...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer When physical therapist Tara McCarthy Sanford first learned about pelvic floor therapy, she decided it was her "sole purpose in life." And now, as of June 13, McCarthy Sanford owns her own clinic devoted to that purpose. Balanced Physical Therapy - Pelvic Health & Wellness is located at 5150 San Francisco NE. McCarthy was a yoga instructor before deciding that she wanted to learn more about health and wellness, and decided to return to school to get her doctor of physical therapy degree. She's specialized in pelvic floor therapy since graduating in...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer When Michelle La Meres saw that the historic Casa de Armijo was up for sale this January, she knew she was meant to have it. "I just knew I had to keep it a restaurant," La Meres said. The 316-year-old building had housed La Placita Dining Rooms, known for the tree growing in its dining room, since 1931. As of Tuesday, it now houses Old Town Cafe, La Meres' fourth business in Old Town. "Old Town has me hooked," the restaurateur said. La Meres worked as a fused glass artist before getting...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Albert Booker, from Rio Rancho, and his 9-year-old grandson Isaiah Villa, fish along the Rio Grande just below a diversion dam in Algodones on Friday. New Mexico has released a draft 50-year water plan, warning of a hotter and drier future. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In 50 years, Rio Grande flows in New Mexico could decline by 30%. Water in reservoirs such as Elephant Butte is expected to evaporate much faster, and soil and trees across the state will suffer with scorching temperatures and less water. The scale...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer A laptop for sale at Computer Corner on Menaul. Brian Fletcher, the store’s owner, said that the tax-free weekend “is always a big deal” for his store and for his customers. (Liam DeBonis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In August 2020, a 12 pack of Ticonderoga No. 2 pencils cost .39 at Target. The next year, .49. This year? The same 12-pack costs .99. It might seem like a matter of cents, but it's a price increase of about 25% over the past two years. Inflation is at the highest it's...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer The VSS Unity glides back to the ground after the rocket's second powered flight in May 2018. The passenger rocket is nearly ready to fly, but upgrades will delay liftoff until spring 2023. (SOURCE: Virgin Galactic) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity passenger rocket is nearly ready to fly, but slow-moving upgrades on the carrier craft Eve – which flies Unity part way to space – means another three-month delay for commercial launch, the company announced on Thursday. It's the second time this year Virgin Galactic has postponed its...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer The Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico filed a legal appeal Friday challenging new state regulations aimed at reducing ozone pollution in the oil and gas industry. New Mexico's Environmental Improvement Board adopted the new rules in April, and they officially went into effect on Friday. Oil and gas operators in high-ozone counties must now have emissions data certified by an engineer. IPANM executive director Jim Winchester said the rule contains provisions that will force companies to plug productive wells and "inflict economic hardship" on residents. "At a time when the public...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer People sprinkle dirt over the grave of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, August 5, 2022. A funeral service was held for Aftab Hussein, 41, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, at the Islamic Center of New Mexico on Friday. Both Muslim men were shot and killed near their homes only six days apart and law enforcement believes one suspect could be responsible for killing three Muslim men in the past nine months. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) More than 1,000 mourners gathered at the Islamic Center...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer "Breweries, breweries, breweries." That's what Jessica Beecher says she's seen opening for the past 15 years in Albuquerque — a tough market for a wine lover like herself. That's one of the reasons she decided that Albuquerque needed a wine bar. With her husband Seth Beecher (who previously owned Ambrozia Cafe & Wine Bar), and friends Mariessa Sanchez and Paul Chavez, Beecher founded Central Bodega, which will have its grand opening Aug. 13. The Nob Hill wine bar is located on 3418 Central SE. Among the four owners and the staff, Beecher...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The wreckage of a July 16 helicopter crash that left three deputies and one firefighter from Bernalillo County dead in San Miguel County. (State Police) The National Transportation Safety Board has released it's preliminary report into a helicopter crash that killed four first responders in Northern New Mexico last month. Clockwise from top left, Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office Undersheriff Larry Koren, Lt. Fred Beers, Deputy Michael Levison and Bernalillo County Fire Rescue Specialist Matthew King. The four men were killed Saturday evening when a BCSO helicopter crashed near Las Vegas, N.M. The...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The wreckage of a July 16 helicopter crash that left three deputies and one firefighter from Bernalillo County dead in San Miguel County. (State Police) The National Transportation Safety Board has released it's preliminary report into a helicopter crash that killed four first responders in Northern New Mexico last month. Clockwise from top left, Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office Undersheriff Larry Koren, Lt. Fred Beers, Deputy Michael Levison and Bernalillo County Fire Rescue Specialist Matthew King. The four men were killed Saturday evening when a BCSO helicopter crashed near Las Vegas, N.M. The...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Rep. Rebecca Dow, R-Truth or Consequences, speaks during the rally for life at the Roundhouse in January. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — The State Ethics Commission unanimously approved a settlement Friday with state Rep. Rebecca Dow requiring her to pay a 0 civil penalty for violations of the state Governmental Conduct Act. She also paid court-ordered sanctions at one point — totalling about ,115 — while contesting the ethics complaint against her. The fines came after she initially refused to sit for a court-ordered deposition. The settlement says Dow will pay...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer "Breweries, breweries, breweries." That's what Jessica Beecher says she's seen opening for the past 15 years in Albuquerque — a tough market for a wine lover like herself. That's one of the reasons she decided that Albuquerque needed a wine bar. With her husband Seth Beecher (who previously owned Ambrozia Cafe & Wine Bar), and friends Mariessa Sanchez and Paul Chavez, Beecher founded Central Bodega, which will have its grand opening Aug. 13. The Nob Hill wine bar is located on 3418 Central SE. Among the four owners and the staff, Beecher...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer House Speaker Brian Egolf SANTA FE — A Democratic state legislator long at odds with House Speaker Brian Egolf has filed an ethics complaint accusing Egolf of violating the law and state Constitution by appointing himself to the nominating committee that will screen applicants for the Public Regulation Commission. Egolf, a Santa Fe Democrat who isn't seeking reelection this year, said the complaint is baseless. In the ethics complaint, Democratic Rep. Miguel P. Garcia of Albuquerque said Egolf violated the state laws that require legislators to treat their office as a public...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A vigil for Brett Rosenau, the teen who died in a house fire during a swat standoff in July, was held at Civic Plaza days after his death. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Authorities say a tear gas canister thrown by a Bernalillo County deputy may have sparked the house fire that left a 15-year-old boy dead during a SWAT standoff last month in Southeast Albuquerque. Deputy Cmdr. Kyle Hartsock, with the Albuquerque Police Department, said a Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office SWAT member threw a tri-chamber canister that landed on a mattress. The...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Sarah Paulson is set to film "Dust" in northern New Mexico. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) The thriller "Dust" is set to film in New Mexico. According to the New Mexico Film Office, the production begins its principal photography in August. The production is slated to film in Galisteo, Santa Fe and around Stanley. Sarah Paulson leads the film, which is slated to stream on Hulu as an original project. Trapped by increasingly perilous dust storms, "Dust" follows a mother, played by Paulson, who is haunted by her past and encounters a threatening...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man is charged with driving while intoxicated after police say he drove an SUV through a parade Thursday evening and injured 15 people - including two Gallup police officers - during the Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial Centennial Celebration. Jeff Kenn Irving, 33 (NMSP) Jeff Irving, 33, is charged with DWI, open container, driving with a revoked license, aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer, one count of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in great bodily harm and fourteen counts of leaving the scene of an accident. Authorities say Irving, who is...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Journal Staff Writer Kids getting ready for school will be able to receive new backpacks, school supplies and even haircuts at the annual "Cruzin' into the School Year" event on Sunday. The fifth annual city of Albuquerque event, hosted by One Albuquerque and Youth Connect, will be held at Civic Plaza from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to a Family and Community Services news release. Families wishing to take part will need to pre-register for the event here. The registration is required for each individual child planning to attend, and all...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The state of New Mexico ramped up the rollout of the monkeypox vaccine this week, just as the president's health secretary declared the virus a national health emergency. There are currently 10 confirmed monkeypox cases in the state and more than 6,600 throughout the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New Mexico announced its first probable case on July 11. Dr. Laura Parajón, the state's deputy health secretary and acting epidemiologist, said the state has so far distributed about 250 vaccines. "We currently...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The state of New Mexico ramped up the rollout of the monkeypox vaccine this week, just as the president's health secretary declared the virus a national health emergency. There are currently 10 confirmed monkeypox cases in the state and more than 6,600 throughout the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New Mexico announced its first probable case on July 11. Dr. Laura Parajón, the state's deputy health secretary and acting epidemiologist, said the state has so far distributed about 250 vaccines. "We currently...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer Natalia Sofia Lopez Hinojosa, left, and Octavia Rossi Pressley are seen after their performance at Ehrbar Hall in Vienna on Wednesday. (Courtesy of Giovanna Rossi) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Two young New Mexico composers will make Albuquerque proud when they perform at the Golden Key Music Festival of Vienna. Octavia Rossi Pressley and Natalia Sofia Lopez Hinojosa will perform their original music, as well as a Mozart piece, at Mozarthaus in Vienna on Saturday. The pair also performed at Ehrbar Hall in Vienna on Wednesday. The Golden Key Piano Composition Competition...
By Andres Leighton/Associated Press SANTA FE – The investigation into the fatal film-set shooting of a cinematographer by actor Alec Baldwin is ongoing, and the New Mexico prosecutor overseeing the case says authorities are awaiting the analysis of key forensic evidence before a decision can be made about whether criminal charges will be filed. First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies provided the update in a social media post Wednesday, saying her office has received only portions of the investigation from the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office. Still outstanding is forensic analysis of the...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The state of New Mexico ramped up the rollout of the monkeypox vaccine this week, just as the president's health secretary declared the virus a national health emergency. There are currently 10 confirmed monkeypox cases in the state and more than 6,600 throughout the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New Mexico announced its first probable case on July 11. Dr. Laura Parajón, the state's deputy health secretary and acting epidemiologist, said the state has so far distributed about 250 vaccines. "We currently...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Two Gallup police officers and multiple people were injured Thursday night after a driver drove through the Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial Centennial Celebration. State Police Lt. Mark Soriano said there were no fatal injuries but couldn't give an extent of injuries. He said people were being treated at the scene. New Mexico State Police said, on Twitter, that a driver was in custody. The agency tweeted around 9:30 p.m. that they were investigating an incident involving multiple pedestrians" at the parade. "Multiple people, including two Gallup PD officers, injured and are being treated...
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal Q: What do you do about a cat acting out sexually? We've had Sebastian "Basti," 20 months old, for a year. He was neutered at eight months. He's very sweet, but recently has started humping my bedding, my clothes and he attempts to hump me. He bites the object on its surrogate neck and does pelvic thrusts and butt flutters. Frankly, it's off-putting. Basti gets along with our other two cats. They climb trees and play in our large yard. Dr. Nichol: Butt flutters, eh? Ahem. A delicate subject indeed, although not for...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police believe a man arrested in a recent attempted robbery was involved in a road rage shooting in March that left a 13-year-old girl dead and an 11-year-old and her mother injured. Concepcion Guilez (MDC) Concepcion Guilez, 19, is charged with armed robbery, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault and conspiracy in an incident that happened Monday in Northeast Albuquerque. He has been booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center, and it is unclear if he has an attorney. Guilez has not been charged in the March 28 shooting that...
By Associated Press WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. -- Navajo Nation officials declared a state of emergency Thursday due to increased flooding from recent monsoon rains. The declaration by the tribe's Commission on Emergency Management will allow local chapters to access additional resources to help mitigate the impacts of heavy rainfall. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said the tribe's emergency response personnel have been out in the communities every day helping people recover from recent flooding. "Yes there are many challenges and not enough personnel to get to every site immediately, but they are making progress," Nez said. "The Navajo Division...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Hawthorne Elementary School fourth grade teacher Catherine Houska leads an attentive class on their first day back from summer break on Thursday. Hawthorne was one of 29 APS schools with longer school years to start classes this week, a little earlier than the traditional first day of Aug. 10. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) It might seem impossible to tear yourself away from a puppy to go to your first day of school. But for Rosie Guerra, who tried in vain to train a new dog with her mom this summer, there wasn't much...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Weeds cover the median on Unser NW near Rainbow on the West Side. City officials say they are struggling to keep up with weeds growing on medians and roadways in large part due to staffing. (Adlophe Pierre-Louis/Journal) City officials acknowledge they have a growing issue with weeds. But it's another problem — low staffing — that has made it even harder to keep up. City Councilor Dan Lewis' question about the city's weed removal schedule during this week's council meeting revealed how hiring challenges have played out in the streets, as Solid...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer In this 2021 photo, Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena, D-Mesilla, answers questions about legislation repealing New Mexico's criminal abortion law during a debate on the House floor. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — The governor and state attorney general are seeking dismissal of an anti-abortion lawsuit filed by Republican state Sen. David Gallegos and others, describing it as flawed attempt to create controversy where none exists. In motions to dismiss Thursday, attorneys for Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Attorney General Hector Balderas said there's no legal question or injury for the court...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Hatch Chile Co. and Hissho Sushi's new Southwest-inspired roll. (Courtesy of Hissho Sushi, Inc.) What can't Hatch chile go on? The beloved New Mexican staple can be found on everything from burgers to grilled cheese in the state — and now, it will be on sushi. National sushi chain Hissho Sushi is partnering with Albuquerque-founded Hatch Chile Co. with their crunchy Hatch chile chicken roll, which fuses Japanese and New Mexican flavors. The roll is available at Sprouts grocery stores around the country. On the Southwestern side, the roll includes green chiles,...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer The state's cannabis industry did nearly .5 million in recreational sales. (Eddie Moore/Journal) New Mexicans were gettin' high in July. The state said Thursday that adult-use sales last month were the largest since New Mexico's recreational program began in April. According to the Governor's Office, businesses realized nearly .5 million in adult-use sales for the month. April topped more than million, which was the highest for recreational sales until now. "These numbers show that the impressive sales generated in the first month of legalized recreational cannabis sales were no fluke —...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Tiny Grocer ABQ is about to get a little bit bigger. The grocery store, which once stocked a minute 300-square-foot space in Old Town with locally grown foods, moved to 111 Romero NW on Wednesday. The move has more than quadrupled the size of the shop, and features a 1,000-square-foot patio and a coffee shop. "When this location came available for rent, I was like ‘no way'," said Tiny Grocer ABQ owner Liz Gaylor. Gaylor opened her first Old Town business, Old Town Herbal, in 2019, and the grocery store was soon...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer A motorcyclist was traveling east on NM State Road 104 on Monday when he struck a deer and was killed, according to a New Mexico State Police news release. Police responded to the crash near mile post 98 at around 9 p.m., the release states. According to the release, the motorcyclist, Robert S. Evans, 60, of Nara Visa, NM, was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, police said. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Public Service Company of New Mexico's net earnings plummeted to a .2 million loss in the second quarter of 2022, reflecting a sharp reversal from the .4 million in net income gains that the company reported in the same period last year. Economic fallout from climbing interest rates and crashing stock markets are largely to blame. The company lost million on investment securities in the three-month period from April-June, most of which were drawn from the utility's decommissioning and reclamation trust accounts. That comes on top of million in investment...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Tiny Grocer ABQ is about to get a little bit bigger. The grocery store, which once stocked a minute 300-square-foot space in Old Town with locally grown foods, moved to 111 Romero NW on Wednesday. The move has more than quadrupled the size of the shop, and features a 1,000-square-foot patio and a coffee shop. "When this location came available for rent, I was like ‘no way'," said Tiny Grocer ABQ owner Liz Gaylor. Gaylor opened her first Old Town business, Old Town Herbal, in 2019, and the grocery store was soon...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico State Police are investigating a fatal rollover crash that happened Tuesday on Interstate 40 near Milan. A news release from the New Mexico State Police Department stated that an infant of unknown age was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead on the scene by a medical investigator. The infant was the only passenger not wearing a seat belt, according to the release. The driver of a Honda SUV hit the rear side of a Nissan minivan carrying eight passengers, including the infant, police said in the release. A...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Ahmad Assed, president of the Islamic Center of New Mexico, speaks during a news conference about recent shootings investigators believe may be targeting the Muslim community. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Investigators believe there is a strong possibility that the same person — or persons — shot and killed a 62-year-old Afghanistani man in November, a 41-year-old Afghanistani man in July and a 27-year-old Pakistani man earlier this week. "While we won't go in all the specifics of why we think that, there's one strong commonality in all victims: the race and religion,"...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Twp people were injured in a fire Thursday morning at a Smith's grocery store in Northwest Albuquerque. Albuquerque Fire Rescue Lt. Tom Ruiz said he did not have any details on the injuries. He said the fire broke out sometime before 11:30 a.m. at the Smith's at 111 Coors NW, north of Central. Ruiz gave no other details. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Ahmad Assed, president of the Islamic Center of New Mexico, speaks during a news conference about recent shootings investigators believe may be targeting the Muslim community. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Investigators believe there is a strong possibility that the same person — or persons — shot and killed a 62-year-old Afghanistani man in November, a 41-year-old Afghanistani man in July and a 27-year-old Pakistani man earlier this week. "While we won't go in all the specifics of why we think that, there's one strong commonality in all victims: the race and religion,"...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Twp people were injured in a fire Thursday morning at a Smith's grocery store in Northwest Albuquerque. Albuquerque Fire Rescue Lt. Tom Ruiz said he did not have any details on the injuries. He said the fire broke out sometime before 11:30 a.m. at the Smith's at 111 Coors NW, north of Central. Ruiz gave no other details. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By / Associated Press The Santa Teresa Port of Entry after leaving New Mexico is seen here. In July, not far from the border, a rollover crash killed 2 and injured 10 people. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA TERESA – A Mexican man has been arrested for reckless driving in connection with a rollover crash that left two people dead and 10 others injured last week, New Mexico State Police said Monday. They said 19-year-old Julio Garcia Rascon was driving an SUV at a high rate of speed around 5 a.m. July 27 when it struck a utility pole...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Cynthia Loya, an RN in one of the medical surgical units in Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, preps an infusion pump for an I.V. in 2021. (Eddie Moore/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A new program designed to boost employment opportunities in rural northern New Mexico is getting .4 million in federal support. State and federal officials on Wednesday announced the grant intended to get more residents working in health care, construction and other skilled trades. The program, dubbed the Northern New Mexico Workforce Integration Network, was among 32...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency has awarded 0,000 in grants to 15 local Downtown businesses. The grants are part of the Downtown Storefront Activation Grant Program, a city effort to revive business in downtown Albuquerque. The new program is meant to encourage business owners to open new locations in the area. "I think this is a great effort by the city to revitalize the Downtown area. It will be lovely to see more of the empty buildings and storefronts coming back to life," Jove Hubbard, owner of Blue...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Judge George Anaya Jr. Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Magistrate Judge George Anaya Jr. will retire at the end of the month after a decades-long career serving the Santa Fe County courts. Anaya, born and raised in Santa Fe, was first elected magistrate judge at the age of 22 in 1986. By 1988, he was recognized as the youngest Hispanic trial judge in the nation by the Hispanic Bar Association, according to a Santa Fe County Magistrate Court news release. Throughout his career, Anaya Jr. filled a variety of positions within the...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The family of a man shot and killed by an Albuquerque Police Department officer last year filed a lawsuit alleging the officer used excessive force while responding to a mental health emergency. Juan James Cordova Juan James Cordova, 51, was fatally shot while he brandished a handgun in the driveway of his house in Ventana Ranch in 2021. Police said officer Bryce Willsey shot Cordova once in the chest during a standoff with officers. The suit alleges that Cordova was "obviously suffering from a mental health crisis"...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Family members pay their respects to Bernalillo County sheriff's deputy and Air National Guardsman Michael Levison during a Wednesday memorial service on August 3, 2022, in The Pit. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Law enforcement officers and firefighters from various agencies escorted the flag-draped casket of Bernalillo County sheriff's deputy Michael Adam Levison into the University of New Mexico Arena on Wednesday. The 30-year-old was praised as "the best of us" and a guiding "moral compass" by family and friends at the last of four memorial services for the...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's reelection campaign is hitting GOP rival Mark Ronchetti with an unexpected attack in a new online video claiming that he supports 'defunding the police.' (Screen image from video) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's reelection campaign is hitting GOP rival Mark Ronchetti with an unexpected attack with just over three months until Election Day – that he supports "defunding the police." The assertion is based largely on comments Ronchetti made during a May primary election debate, but the comments appear to...
By Felicia Fonseca / Associated Press This photo provided by the Navajo Times shows Bill Donovan, a reporter who covered the Navajo Nation for five decades. Donovan died Saturday, July 30, 2022, in the Los Angeles area. (Adron E. Gardner/Courtesy of the Navajo Times via AP) FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Bill Donovan, a prolific journalist who covered the Navajo Nation for five decades at newspapers in New Mexico and Arizona, has died. He was 76. Donovan was recently hospitalized with pneumonia and died Saturday night at his home in Torrance, California, surrounded by loved ones, said his daughter, Kelly Cunningham....
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully, right, in 2013 in Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles alongside Albuquerque Isotopes play-by-play announcer Josh Suchon, left, who once worked on Dodgers baseball radio broadcasts Scully called. Suchon did pre- and post-game shows on the network. In this 2013 picture, Scully is holding Suchon's 2013 book "Miracle Men" about the 1988 Dodgers World Championship team. (Courtesy Josh Suchon) Vin Scully seemed to have a story for everyone. And everyone seems to have a story about Vin Scully, though none can tell theirs as eloquently as he...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer First responders at the scene of a helicopter crash on July 16 that left four people dead in San Miguel County. (State Police) The wreckage of a July 16 helicopter crash that left three deputies and one firefighter from Bernalillo County dead in San Miguel County. (State Police) When two State Police officers found the crashed helicopter in San Miguel County there were two men still breathing — albeit faintly. “Matthew, Matthew! Can you hear me?!” Officer Alexis Garcia yelled at Bernalillo County Fire Rescue Specialist Matthew King. The 44-year-old was still...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Students walk to a recreation area with their lunches at Lew Wallace Elementary school in April. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Even though the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, students are in for a more normal start to the school year, Albuquerque Public Schools district leaders say. "At the moment, there's no mask mandate … which I think is fabulous," Superintendent Scott Elder said. "And there's no social distancing." Students will still need to report positive tests of COVID-19, Elder said, adding that schools will continue their "test-to-stay" programs. That means anyone...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Ultramain CEO Mark McCausland. The company signed a new contract in July to install its electronic software system on all Vistara airline planes, making that carrier the first Indian company to fully adopt paperless operations. (Courtesy of Ultramain) Albuquerque-based Ultramain Systems Inc. signed a new contract in July to install its electronic software system on all Vistara airline planes, making that carrier the first Indian company to fully adopt paperless operations. TATA SIA Airlines Ltd., known by the brand name Vistara, will incorporate Ultramain's "Electronic Logbook," or ELB, on its entire 53-plane...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27 (City of Española) Family members have identified a man who was shot and killed Monday night in a neighborhood south of the University of New Mexico as 27-year-old Muhammad Afzaal Hussain — a former field organizer for the Melanie Stansbury campaign for congress and the planning & land use director for the city of Española. His older brother Muhammad Imtiaz Hussain told the Journal that Muhammad Afzaal lived in a second-story apartment on the 400 block of Cornell, south of Coal SE, and commuted to Española every day....
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- With the highest unemployment rate in the nation, New Mexico is banking on a tiny infusion of federal relief money through the American Rescue Plan to boost the job market in a poverty-stricken corner of the state and in some cases provide a second chance to would-be workers with a criminal record or those recovering from drug or alcohol addiction. Top federal officials announced the job funding Wednesday, saying a total of 0 million was being doled out for programs in more than 30 states and in Puerto Rico....
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Matt Barr as Hoyt Rawlins in the pilot episode of “Walker: Independence.” The series is filming in Santa Fe and will premiere on Oct. 6. (Anna Kooris/The CW) A prequel to the CW hit "Walker" has found a home in New Mexico. The New Mexico Film Office announced on Wednesday that "Walker: Independence" has begun filming in and around Santa Fe. The pilot to the series was filmed earlier this year in Santa Fe. According to the CW, the series will premiere on Oct. 6. "Walker: Independence," is set in...
By Brittany Peterson and Suman Naishadham / Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- On a recent, scorching afternoon in Albuquerque, off-road vehicles cruised up and down a stretch of dry riverbed where normally the Rio Grande River flows. The drivers weren't thrill-seekers, but biologists hoping to save as many endangered fish as they could before the sun turned shrinking pools of water into dust. For the first time in four decades, America's fifth-longest river went dry in Albuquerque last week. Habitat for the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow -- a shimmery, pinky-sized native fish -- went with it. Although summer...
By Brittany Peterson and Suman Naishadham / Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- On a recent, scorching afternoon in Albuquerque, off-road vehicles cruised up and down a stretch of dry riverbed where normally the Rio Grande River flows. The drivers weren't thrill-seekers, but biologists hoping to save as many endangered fish as they could before the sun turned shrinking pools of water into dust. For the first time in four decades, America's fifth-longest river went dry in Albuquerque last week. Habitat for the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow -- a shimmery, pinky-sized native fish -- went with it. Although summer...
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Asst. City Editor I-40 westbound was closed at Carlisle Wednesday morning due to a crash with injuries, according to Albuquerque Police. Westbound traffic was still slow or stopped at 7 a.m. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Aubrey Hovey / Journal Asst. City Editor I-40 westbound was closed at Carlisle Wednesday morning due to a crash with injuries, according to Albuquerque Police. Westbound traffic was still slow or stopped at 7 a.m. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Rudy Lucero, center right, is welcomed by Steve Maestas, a fellow member of the Drifters Car Club of Albuquerque, at Mariposa Basin Park on August 2, 2022, after returning home from Aurora, Colorado, following a double lung transplant in May. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Tears of joy flowed freely as dozens of people greeted Rudy Lucero and his wife, Deborah, Tuesday evening. Many held signs saying "Welcome back, Rudy" while others arrived at Mariposa Basin Park on the West Side in their classic cars for the homecoming celebration....
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Rudy Lucero, center right, is welcomed by Steve Maestas, a fellow member of the Drifters Car Club of Albuquerque, at Mariposa Basin Park on August 2, 2022, after returning home from Aurora, Colorado, following a double lung transplant in May. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Tears of joy flowed freely as dozens of people greeted Rudy Lucero and his wife, Deborah, Tuesday evening. Many held signs saying "Welcome back, Rudy" while others arrived at Mariposa Basin Park on the West Side in their classic cars for the homecoming celebration....
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer From left to right, Altura Honey & Bees interns Adrian "AJ" Salter, Julian Vye and Lillah Hammad, inspect a piece of honeycomb recovered from the inside of a cinderblock wall during a honeybee removal at a home in Albuquerque on July 31, 2022. (Liam DeBonis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It's a hot Sunday morning. The ragtag volunteer team at Altura Honey & Bees dons white jumpsuits and protective netting. Their mission on this day: To remove honeybees from inside a cinder block wall. Altura co-owner John Thomson points out the...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal District Attorney Raúl Torrez on Tuesday lauded a new ruling that GPS tracking records for criminal defendants released pending trial aren't confidential, but he cautioned that law enforcement may still face legal obstacles in obtaining such data to solve crimes. He pointed to wording in legislation passed by lawmakers this year that puts limits on when law enforcement can have access to GPS records. Nevertheless, Torrez said he hoped the ruling by James Noel, a Sandoval County state district judge, would send a message to the 2nd...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A federal judge sentenced Richard Kuykendall on Monday to 18 months in prison for his role in a 2021 incident in which three men were killed during a gunfight in a car. After the shootout, Kuykendall jumped into the driver's seat, drove the bullet-riddled car to a Northeast Heights hospital and called 911 seeking medical help for the three men. Richard Kuykendall (MDC) Kuykendall, 42, pleaded guilty in April to a federal charge of felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Kea Riggs sentenced Kuykendall...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (Jim Weber/The New Mexican) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico is launching a new 0,000 fund intended to help smaller law enforcement agencies cover the cost of training and hiring new officers. The federal money will be made available through regional workforce boards throughout the state, which will work with cities and other local governments on how best to put the funding to use. It could be used to supplement officers' pay or cover the cost of law enforcement certifications and other efforts to expand the police...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Camping or just being inside an arroyo would be a criminal offense in Albuquerque under legislation the City Council passed this week. The ordinance also makes it illegal to drive cars and off-highway vehicles along publicly owned or maintained arroyos, drainage channels and ditches. Supporters say they are concerned with public safety, and that the ordinance gives law enforcement previously unavailable authority to remove people from dangerous situations in the channels. In the past five years, at least 12 bodies have been recovered...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Fentanyl, guns, silencers and cash seized by Albuquerque police during two separate arrests in the past few weeks. (Source: APD) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Police seized 14,000 fentanyl pills, firearm silencers, a Bernalillo County sheriff's badge and nearly ,000 in separate incidents – a traffic stop and warrant arrest – last week in Southeast Albuquerque. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman, said the drugs, guns, cash and other items were found on Timothy Carrera, 35, and Valentina Martinez, 37, in unrelated arrests on July 21 and 27. Valentina Martinez (MDC)...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Students board a school bus at Los Ranchos Elementary School in March. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Albuquerque Public Schools had to cut hundreds of positions last year to get where it is now. But, now, with elementary, middle and high school teacher vacancies in the double digits, officials say the district is in a better place as it heads into the new school year. "We're looking pretty good, I'm excited," Human Resources Chief Todd Torgerson said. "Normally, our vacancy rate is significantly higher than we are now." Several...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Clint Eastwood stars Joe in “A Fistful of Dollars,” which was released in 1964. The Western is the latest film to be dubbed in the Navajo language. (Courtesy of MGM) "You shoot to kill, you better hit the heart." These are the words spoken by Joe, played by Clint Eastwood in the 1964 Western, "A Fistful of Dollars." The classic is the latest film to be dubbed into the Navajo language and is called "Béeso Dah Yiníłjaa'. " There will be a special premiere screening at 7 p.m. Aug. 16,...
By Jeff Tucker / Journal Editorial Writer This week's question: How has your experience accessing preventive health care changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began? Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published. Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-form Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer U.S. Forest Service post-fire specialist Dio Silva tests soil moisture in a high-burn severity area of the Black Fire. State and federal agencies will host a wildfire recovery meeting on Aug. 10 for ranchers and farmers in Sierra County. (Courtesy of U.S. Forest Service) State and federal agriculture agencies will host a wildfire recovery meeting for Sierra County farmers and ranchers on Wednesday, Aug. 10, at 10 a.m. at the Winston Community Center on 387 Grafton Road in Winston. The Black Fire in southern New Mexico this year grew to more than...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Brian Barnett, president and CEO of Solstar, shows his Schmitt Space Communicator, a device to provide internet and wireless phone service on space vehicles, in 2018. (Greg Sorber/Journal) When the first leg of NASA's Lunar Gateway space station begins orbiting the moon in 2024, an onboard wireless access system will provide continuous internet connectivity, courtesy of New Mexico's Solstar Space Co. Northrop Grumman Corp. subcontracted Solstar in July to supply the wireless-enabling technology to create a Wi-Fi "hotspot" on NASA's Habitation and Logistics Outpost, or HALO, which will launch in 2024 as...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer First Choice Community Healthcare patients' personal information may have been compromised as part of a data security incident that occurred in March. The Albuquerque-based health care organization on Monday sent out a notice to patients that were potentially impacted. According to First Choice, the organization became aware of the incident on Mar. 27 and immediately engaged an independent cybersecurity firm to investigate the possible breach. The investigation revealed that a data breach had happened, and that "certain protected health information may have been accessed or acquired," the company said in a news...
By ABQJournal News Staff Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity breaks away from its mother ship and heads for the edge of space on July 11, 2021, after taking off from Spaceport America. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Virgin Galactic is planning a new astronaut campus and training facility in southern New Mexico where its high-dollar customers will prepare for their rides into suborbit, the company announced Tuesday morning. The firm has already acquired land in Sierra County for the facility, described as a "first of its kind astronaut campus, for exclusive use by Virgin Galactic Future Astronauts and up to three of...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County Fire Deputy Chief Robert Rose presents firefighter Lt. Matt King's family with a King's posthumous medal of honor during a his funeral on Aug. 1, 2022, at Tingley Coliseum after he was killed in a helicopter crash. From left to right, they are King's son, Aedden, King's daughter, Kyra, and his wife, Audrey. (Liam DeBonis/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Fire control to Metro 2. Fire control to Metro 2. Fire control to Lt. Matthew King. No response. Lt. Matthew A. King, this is your final dispatch. During funeral...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A state district judge ruled Monday that court administrators in Bernalillo County violated the state Inspection of Public Records Act when they withheld GPS data from prosecutors on two defendants arrested for new crimes while wearing court-ordered ankle monitors. The ruling by state District Judge James A. Noel marked a victory for District Attorney Raúl Torrez, who sued the 2nd Judicial District Court's records custodian last December contending the ankle monitoring data was a public record and a matter of public safety. Torrez had no immediate comment...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer A vacant building at 1250 Menaul NE in Albuquerque. The property is a proposed site for a safe space for the homeless population. (Liam DeBonis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal An organization focused on helping those who have been trafficked for sex and other vulnerable populations is looking to launch the first safe outdoor space in Albuquerque. Just days after the city began accepting applications for safe outdoor spaces – organized campsites for people who are homeless – the newly formed Dawn Legacy Pointe has submitted the first one. Dawn Legacy...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Razor-thin margins in six primary races triggered New Mexico's automatic recount law this summer. As candidates and attorneys watched, the recounts put the state's Dominion vote-tabulation machines to another public test, with election workers feeding paper ballots through them a second time. The outcome didn't change in any race. Five of the six recounts produced exactly the same results, in fact, and the winner's margin changed by just one vote – out of almost 1,600 cast – in the other. "The machines don't lie,"...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer PNM field worker Estela Montes quickly jumped into action to aid a pregnant woman and others injured in a car crash. (Courtesy PNM) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Even Estela Montes isn't quite sure if she was acting on instinct or adrenaline; either way, a pregnant woman involved in a recent car crash is no doubt thankful that Montes sprang into action. A Public Service Company of New Mexico field employee, Montes was working near a property at San Mateo and Gibson SE on July 12 when she saw a fast-moving vehicle...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Adolfo Garcia Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A 36-year-old man was arrested Wednesday after allegedly trying to shoot the person who had killed his brother in a December 2021 justified homicide in Southwest Albuquerque. Adolfo Garcia is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and shooting at or from a motor vehicle in the July 27 incident. Garcia was shot and injured when the man he's accused of targeting returned fire but has since been booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center. It is unclear if Garcia has an attorney. Prosecutors have...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police investigate after a man was shot and killed on Cornell, south of Coal SE, Monday night. (Elise Kaplan/Albuquerque Journal) Homicide detectives are investigating a fatal shooting in a neighborhood south of the University of New Mexico Monday night. Officer Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said around 9:23 p.m. officers were called to the 400 block of Cornell SE, near Coal SE, in reference to a shooting. "When officers arrived they discovered a deceased male," DeAguero wrote in an email. "This has been deemed a homicide call out." Subscribe...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Matt Smith as Price Daemon Targaryen in a scene from "House of the Dragon." (Courtesy of HBO) It pays to have written the source material. On Monday, the George R.R. Martin-owned Jean Cocteau Cinema announced it was hosting a special preview screening of "House of the Dragon," on Aug. 18, in Santa Fe. There will two screenings — one at 5 p.m. in Spanish and one at 7 p.m. in English. "House of Dragon," the prequel to "Game of Thrones," is coming to...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Tarvish Felton, seen coaching the Fresno State Bulldogs, has been hired as an assistant coach for the UNM Lobos. (Photo courtesy Fresno State Athletics) In the past four seasons Tarvish Felton spent on the bench at Fresno State, including the last two as associate head coach, the Bulldogs went 8-1 against the UNM Lobo men’s basketball team. It’s time the Lobos see what that’s all about. Richard Pitino on Monday announced he has hired Felton as the team’s third assistant coach, filling the vacancy created in early July when Andy Hill left...
By Associated Press SANTA TERESA, N.M. -- A Mexican man has been arrested for reckless driving in connection with a rollover crash that left two people dead and 10 others injured last week, New Mexico State Police said Monday. They said 19-year-old Julio Garcia Rascon was driving an SUV at a high rate of speed around 5 a.m. on July 27 when it struck a utility pole and rolled near Santa Teresa a few miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. Police said 24-year-old Jorge Garcia-Vazquez and 18-year-old Guadalupe Cruze-Vasquez, both from Mexico, were ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Fire trucks park on the Menaul bridge over the arroyo, just east of I-25 and north of I-40, where they pulled a man from the flowing water. (Liam DeBonis/Journal Swift water rescue crews with Albuquerque Fire Rescue managed to pull a man out of the arroyo after he was swept away Monday afternoon. Tom Ruiz, an AFR spokesman, said the man was seen in the Embudo arroyo near Morningside and then was helped out near Menaul. He is now in stable condition, Ruiz said. "We got the reports, set up really quick,...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Yonnis Abreu, 20 (Courtesy of APD) The Albuquerque Police Department is looking for a 20-year-old murder suspect who they say cut off his GPS ankle monitor over the weekend. Yonnis Abreu is charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Dylan Spiess at the American Inn and Suites on Central, near Louisiana, in March 2021. Detectives say surveillance footage shows a man with distinctive tattoos and dyed blond hair – whom they identified as Abreu – running from the scene. "He was arrested in July 2021, and...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico is expecting another hot, rainy week. Flooding is likely for many areas of the state burned by recent wildfires. Thursday will have the greatest potential for flash floods, said Scott Overpeck, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Albuquerque. "We've certainly got things primed for rainfall to just run off and cause flooding problems," he said. Tuesday in Albuquerque could reach 93 degrees, with a 20% chance of rain. Temperatures on Wednesday could top out at 96 degrees. Rain chances will ramp up on Thursday. Albuquerque has a...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Kristen Thomson. (Eddie Moore/Journal) Kristen Thomson isn't out of the New Mexico cannabis game after all. A little more than a month after the former Cannabis Control Division director resigned from her post without notice after just half a year, Thomson has joined local cannabis consulting firm Weeds. Cannabis Co. as a partner and chief strategy officer. In her new role, Thomson will have a more business-facing role, working directly with clients on helping them understand the rules and regulations of adult-use cannabis, said Matt Kennicott, a Weeds. partner and cofounder. "I...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Kristen Thomson. (Eddie Moore/Journal) Kristen Thomson isn't out of the New Mexico cannabis game after all. A little more than a month after the former Cannabis Control Division director resigned from her post without notice after just half a year, Thomson has joined local cannabis consulting firm Weeds. Cannabis Co. as a partner and chief strategy officer. In her new role, Thomson will have a more business-facing role, working directly with clients on helping them understand the rules and regulations of adult-use cannabis, said Matt Kennicott, a Weeds. partner and cofounder. "I...
By Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- New Mexico's state forester on Monday lifted fire restrictions that had been imposed in the spring due to extreme wildfire danger, saying summer rains were bringing relief. Still, State Forester Laura McCarthy warned that some parts of New Mexico remain dry and that people should be cautious with any use of fire and fireworks. "New Mexicans are living through historic climate change that is becoming our new normal," she said in a statement. The state restrictions prohibiting campfires, smoking and other opening burning were put in place in late April as hot,...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer The family of Victoria Martens embraces prosecutors after Fabian Gonzales was found guilty on all charges he faced in connection with Victoria’s death. Gonzales faces up to a 40-year prison sentence. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Fabian Gonzales, 37, was booked into jail after he was convicted of child abuse resulting in death, other charges in the death of Victoria Martens. (MDC) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Just a few moments after the verdict was announced, a Bernalillo County sheriff's deputy closed the door to a small room where Fabian Gonzales was watching the...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Claire Moloney A business-to-business cannabis platform has entered the New Mexico market, offering local establishments the ability to make payments electronically. LeafLink, founded in 2016, offers a system for businesses to sell to one another — mainly giving manufacturers and producers a way to connect with retailers for the wholesale of cannabis products such as flower, concentrates and edibles. "We were really excited by the prospect of the size of the market," Claire Moloney, LeafLink's VP of business operations, told the Journal. "We know that a lot of the sales (in New...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Nick Zano is filming "Obliterated" in Albuquerque. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) The creators of "Cobra Kai" have a new project filming in Albuquerque. According to the New Mexico Film Office, Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald, and Hayden Schlossberg are filming the TV series "Obliterated," for Netflix. It is also being produced by Sony Pictures Television. Terrence Terrell is filming the Netflix series, "Obliterated," in New Mexico. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) "We are so excited to be making our next project in Albuquerque, where many of our friends have had an excellent experience filming," the producers...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer On Saturday, Aug. 6, gallupARTS is hosting "Exposé: A Show for Economic Justice," a special limited-run show that tackles issues of exploitation in the Native arts market with work of five Diné visual and literary artists. This exhibit is located at 204 E. Aztec Ave. in Gallup. The opening reception is from 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6. It is open to the public from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Aug. 9-14 and then by appointment from Aug. 15-Sept. 3. Artists in "Exposé" include: Armond Antonio, Jerry Brown, Manny Loley, Tasha N, and Jay Smiley....
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Twenty-four pencils. One box of crayons. Two pink erasers. These are just a few of the items on Albuquerque Public Schools' back-to-school supply lists for fifth grade students. Excluding costs for backpacks, clothes, shoes, and tech, the list totals almost at Target. However, New Mexico parents will get a small reprieve from school supply costs next weekend as some back-to-school purchases become tax-free. The New Mexico Tax and Revenue Department is preparing for its annual tax holiday Aug. 5-7 for businesses selling back-to-school products like laptops,...
By Joel Jacobsen / Syndicated Columnist The 1960 advertisement that appeared in The New York Times and ultimately led to the landmark New York Times Co. v. Sullivan case. (Courtesy of Alabama Department of Archives and History) On Feb. 25, 1960, more than two dozen students of Alabama State College (formerly Alabama State College for Negroes) went into downtown Montgomery for lunch. Their chosen spot was the county courthouse's cafeteria. As soon as they arrived, according to the Alabama Heritage website, "the white snack bar owner acted quickly to halt the protest, closing the lunchroom, turning off lights, and...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal LOS RANCHOS DE ALBUQUERQUE – Construction is slated to begin any day on a project, at the southeast corner of Fourth and Osuna in Los Ranchos, that will include a three-story hotel with 30 to 50 units; an apartment complex with 204 units split between three, three-story buildings; a 14,000 square-foot specialty grocery store; and up to 60 houses. The Palindrome development, named for the Portland, Oregon, company building it, is part of the Los Ranchos Village Center Plan. It was approved by the village board...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer The exterior of the Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in November 2021. NMCD has been told to bolster educational services. (Adria Malcolm/For the Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A high school senior in need of speech and language therapy who was sent to prison last October waited five months before getting any special education services. An incarcerated sophomore with a "significant mental health history" – and a reading level somewhere between that of a fourth and fifth-grader – needed 16 hours per week of services, but only received two. Because of...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior HUNDREDS PAY CAMERA FINES: Last month Joan Wierzba emailed she was "curious how many tickets have been paid since speed cameras have issued them? And how much money taken in?" The cameras went live May 25. Each citation is for 0. And Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins shared that in the first six weeks of the program, ",800 has been paid by individuals who have received tickets. Several people have signed up for community service and I believe at least one person has completed their community service so far." ARE BIKES,...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Rotary Club of Albuquerque Del Norte Foundation has awarded ,000 in grants to 17 local charities. Nonprofit organizations selected for the grant received between ,000 and ,000 each, according to a news release. The organizations focus on basic humanitarian needs, which range from domestic violence prevention to education and literacy. "The Rotary Club of Albuquerque Del Norte Foundation Board feels honored to be able to make an impact on our community, especially at a time like this," Steve Becker, president of the foundation, said in the...
By Lindsey Bahr/ Associated Press Actor Nichelle Nichols speaks during the Creation Entertainments Official Star Trek Convention at The Westin OHare in Rosemont, Ill., in 2014. Nichols, who gained fame as Lt. Ntoya Uhura on the original "Star Trek" has died. (Photo by Barry Brecheisen/Invision/AP, File) Nichelle Nichols, who broke barriers for Black women in Hollywood when she played communications officer Lt. Uhura on the original "Star Trek" television series, has died at the age of 89. Her son Kyle Johnson said Nichols died Saturday in Silver City, New Mexico. "Last night, my mother, Nichelle Nichols, succumbed to natural...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police said homicide detectives are investigating after a man was dropped off at a local hospital with serious injuries that he is not expected to survive. Gilbert Gallegos, a police spokesman, said that Michael Sherwood, 39, was dropped of the Presbyterian Hospital, 1100 Central SE, around 4:15 p.m. Saturday with unknown injuries. He died Sunday afternoon, Gallegos said. Gallegos said police are still investigating the suspicious death. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Fittingly, Jesse Pinkman's first pitch before Saturday night's Albuquerque Isotopes game was high. And, as his former high school chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin Walter White hauled in the pitch from behind the plate, it was clear to an announced crowd of 15,619 fans – the largest attended Minor League Baseball game in the country in 2022 – that Albuquerque is still addicted to "Breaking Bad." Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston – the actors who portrayed the lead characters of the critically acclaimed smash hit "Breaking Bad" from 2008 to 2013 –...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Over the years, the list of possible additional victims of the West Mesa serial killer has changed. Some of the missing women were found alive, or discovered to have died some other way, and were removed from the list. Two women were added in recent years as investigators recognized similarities in their circumstances to those of the 11 women who were found buried in the barren plot of land on the outskirts of town. Here are the women investigators are searching for now. The dates they were...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Investigators Elizabeth Thomson, left, and Ida Lopez are working on a contract basis on the case involving 11 women buried on the West Mesa. The women’s bodies were found in graves in 2009 and the case has not been solved. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Investigator Ida Lopez visits Albuquerque a couple of times a year as part of her work investigating the West Mesa serial killer case. She spoke with the Journal along East Central, an area where many of the women went missing. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal...
By Jerry Pacheco / For the Journal Andrés Manuel López Obrador In 1938, Mexico nationalized its energy sector, putting Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) firmly under centralized government control where it remained for decades. During this time, PEMEX developed the reputation of a bloated bureaucracy, inefficient and incapable of keeping up with the nation's energy needs. Although Mexico is one of the largest oil producers in the world, it is forced to import most of its refined fuels. As a cornerstone of his administration, former Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto (2012 to 2018) led the reform of Mexico's energy industry. This...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer The New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department is reminding businesses to adjust their Gross Receipts Tax rate following a decrease in the rate implemented on July 1, according to a department spokesman. The GRT rate decreased from 5.125% to 5% effective July 1, department spokesman Charlie Moore wrote in an email announcing the reminder. It is the first decrease in the GRT rate in 40 years, he said. Along with the decrease is a new GRT deduction that will benefit "certain professional services sold to manufacturers" by reducing taxation multiple times throughout...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Over the years, the list of possible additional victims of the West Mesa serial killer has changed. Some of the missing women were found alive, or discovered to have died some other way, and were removed from the list. Two women were added in recent years as investigators recognized similarities in their circumstances to those of the 11 women who were found buried in the barren plot of land on the outskirts of town. Here are the women investigators are searching for now. The dates they were...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Visitors gather around the 3D model of Ebbets Field created by Ideum Inc. during the Tuesday, July 26, opening of the new Jackie Robinson Museum. (Courtesy of Ideum Inc.) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Visitors to the newly inaugurated Jackie Robinson Museum in New York City can take a virtual tour of the iconic Ebbets Field where the baseball legend played with the Brooklyn Dodgers, thanks to a new, immersive exhibit created by Ideum Inc. The Corrales-based interactive design firm built a scale model of the stadium as a signature exhibit at...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Saul "Tony" Lujan being inducted into the New Mexico Music Hall of Fame in 2020. (Courtesy of the New Mexico Music Hall of Fame) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal He played trumpet with big names like Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and Dizzy Gillespie in front of thousands of people. Those who knew Saul "Tony" Lujan called him "one of the best God-given talents in the trumpet world." The music ended abruptly when, according to Bernalillo County deputies, the Albuquerque native killed himself during a lengthy standoff Wednesday at his home in the...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Zookeeper Valerie Thietten, who looks after the carnivores at the ABQ BioPark Zoo, feeds a Malayan Tiger named Bunga who is 11 years old. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Think of it as zoo school – a way for animal keepers and aquarists at the ABQ BioPark to acquire additional knowledge and skills in animal care and maintenance, move into new and higher job classifications, and earn higher pay. The recently launched Animal Care Excellence program, or ACE, consists of workshops, seminars, online courses and hands-on training, explained...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Isabella Lopez, 18, left, Rhegan Glidewell, 18, second from left, and Lucy Saint, 17, right are on staff with Camp Festive, a City of Santa Fe program to give teenagers summer jobs. They are entertaining and playing with Rihanna Lopez, 9, center, and dozens of other kids during the camp at Monica Lucero Park in Santa Fe, Wednesday July 27, 2022. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Legislators hear plenty about what is not working in New Mexico. But they got a peek at something unusual this...
By Felicia Fonseca/Associated Press FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Natalia Sells has a list of qualities she wants to see in the next Navajo Nation president: Approachable. Adaptable. Inspiring. Someone who upholds traditional values but also is progressive. She'll join thousands of other tribal members on Tuesday in casting their vote for one of 15 presidential hopefuls in the nonpartisan race. The field includes incumbent Jonathan Nez, former Navajo Vice President Frank Dayish Jr., former tribal Attorney General Ethel Branch, attorney Justin Jones, and Buu Van Nygren, the vice presidential candidate from 2018. "I'm trying to go into this with...
By Felicia Fonseca / Associated Press FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Samuel Sandoval, one of the last remaining Navajo Code Talkers who transmitted messages in World War II using a code based on their native language, has died. Sandoval died late Friday at a hospital in Shiprock, New Mexico, his wife, Malula told The Associated Press on Saturday. He was 98. Hundreds of Navajos were recruited from the vast Navajo Nation to serve as Code Talkers with the U.S. Marine Corps. Only three are still alive today: Peter MacDonald, John Kinsel Sr. and Thomas H. Begay. The Code Talkers took part...
By Martin Salazar / Journal City Editor Police investigate after a shooting left one person dead and two others injured at a residence in Northwest Albuquerque. (Elizabeth Tucker/ Albuquerque Journal.) Albuquerque police say one person was killed and at least two others were wounded when gunfire erupted in Northwest Albuquerque late Friday night. Officer Chase Jewell, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said homicide detectives are investigating the shooting, which occurred near Atrisco Drive and Milne Road NW. He said officers were dispatched to the area just before midnight. “Officers arrived and learned at least three individuals had been transported...
By Martin Salazar / Journal City Editor Police investigate after a shooting left one person dead and two others injured at a residence in Northwest Albuquerque. (Elizabeth Tucker/ Albuquerque Journal.) Albuquerque police say one person was killed and at least two others were wounded when gunfire erupted in Northwest Albuquerque late Friday night. Officer Chase Jewell, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said homicide detectives are investigating the shooting, which occurred near Atrisco Drive and Milne Road NW. He said officers were dispatched to the area just before midnight. “Officers arrived and learned at least three individuals had been transported...
By James Hamill / For the Journal The tax law affects, or some may say infects, just about everything that we do in life. I thought of this pearl of wisdom as I checked the flight status before driving my daughter to the airport. This may require a bit of an explanation. To start, you need to know that the tax law says income can be any economic benefit not specifically excluded by law. In a simple sense, if you were happy to get something, it's income unless you can find a specific exclusion that says otherwise. In 1998,...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer This photo provided by the New Mexico Department of Transportation shows a newly upgraded state Department of Transportation sign erected last week that points drivers toward Albuquerque. The city's name is misspelled, losing the 'R.' (Source: New Mexico Department of Transportation) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Interstate 40 drivers – the ones who are good spellers, anyway – likely did a double take recently while passing one road sign at the Sedillo Hill exit. It aimed motorists toward "Albuqueque" – the city's name was spelled without the R. Kimberly Gallegos, District 3...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer This photo provided by the New Mexico Department of Transportation shows a newly upgraded state Department of Transportation sign erected last week that points drivers toward Albuquerque. The city's name is misspelled, losing the 'R.' (Source: New Mexico Department of Transportation) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Interstate 40 drivers – the ones who are good spellers, anyway – likely did a double take recently while passing one road sign at the Sedillo Hill exit. It aimed motorists toward "Albuqueque" – the city's name was spelled without the R. Kimberly Gallegos, District 3...
By ABQJournal News Staff Alaina Mencinger Alaina Mencinger has been hired to cover retail and commercial real estate for the Albuquerque Journal's business desk. Originally from Phoenix, Mencinger recently graduated from Boston University, where she studied journalism and Spanish. Previously, she freelanced for the Belmont Citizen-Herald and the Watertown Tab; served as the business, science and tech editor for BU News Service, and held the position of editor-in-chief of BU's chapter of digital food magazine Spoon University. Mencinger can be reached at 505-823-3924. Tips about businesses opening, closing, expanding or moving may be sent to amencinger@abqjournal.com or submitted online...
By Donna Skeels Cygan / For the Journal Cathryn Cunningham/Journal We are in the dog days of summer. The days are often sweltering, we desperately need rain, and we're wary as a new variant is causing COVID-19 cases to increase. What can we do? How about establish a new, healthy habit? I recently read five books on creating good habits, and I share the wisdom of the authors of three of the books below. Fortunately, the old opinion that we are morally weak or lack willpower if we can't stick to a new habit has been tossed aside. Neuroscientists...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Sen. Jacob Candelaria Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – A lawsuit filed Friday accuses the state Corrections Department of violating the law by failing to release records on its decision to hire a private company to photocopy prison mail and deliver copies – rather than the actual letters – to inmates. Independent state Sen. Jacob Candelaria of Albuquerque filed the lawsuit in his capacity as an attorney working with inmates and families who believe the new policy violates their rights. But Friday's suit centers on allegations that the state failed...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Students exhibit their showmanship during the final performance of the 2022 Roots Summer Leadership Academy on Friday. The closing ceremony marked the 10th anniversary of the camp, which primarily serves International District kids. (Esteban Candelaria/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Throughout a summer filled with basketball, miniature horses and ice cream, making new friends at the Roots Summer Leadership Academy was 10-year-old Marlou Ann Obregon's favorite activity. Obregon was one of around 45 kids from in and around Albuquerque's International District who wrapped up a three-week summer camp – the 10th...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer During a memorial service for Bernalillo County Undersheriff Larry Koren on Friday at The Pit, Sheriff Manuel Gonzales presents a flag to Koren’s widow, Maria Koren, who is flanked by sons Justice and Carson. (Liam DeBonis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Colleagues who knew Bernalillo County Undersheriff Larry Koren described him as a loving family man and the best friend a person could have, in addition to being extremely intelligent, hardworking, resourceful, trustworthy, loyal, driven, humble and funny. Several people took to the podium Friday during a memorial service at the...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer Pilar Martinez Some of my earliest memories involve me, usually book in hand, standing with my mom in the long line that seemed a perennial future of the Nob Hill location of Flying Star (then Double Rainbow) in the early '00s. If I wasn't there, then I was spending time playing on the shop floor of my grandparents' now-closed sewing machine business or wandering through the aisles of Beeps. Whether I realized it or not, local businesses shaped who I am, with most of my fondest memories revolving around many of the...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer Actors Bryan Cranston, left, and Aaron Paul view statues of their characters during the “Breaking Bad” statue unveiling on Friday at the Albuquerque Convention Center in Downtown. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal America's favorite drug dealers have returned to their old stomping grounds. On Friday, the city of Albuquerque teamed up with Sony Pictures Television and the cast and crew of "Breaking Bad" to unveil bronze statues of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. The two characters have become ingrained into popular culture since the show began airing in January...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer X-Bow Systems “Rocket Factory in a Box” facility. The Albuquerque-based company uses its own additive-manufacturing process to produce solid-state fuel in a compressed timeline, a process that takes place in customized shipping containers. (Courtesy of X-Bow Systems) After nearly six years of closed-door research and development, Albuquerque-based X-Bow Systems publicly debuted ground-breaking rocket-motor technology this year that could shake up the space-launch industry. X-Bow (pronounced "crossbow"), which originally formed in 2016, burst out of stealth mode last April, unveiling a newly developed family of suborbital and orbital launch vehicles, along with a...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Danielle Casey (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Building a strong regional economy takes time, multiple entities coming together in a way that combats siloing and duplication, and a focus on solving systemic issues. Danielle Casey, who is nearing two years leading the organization, urged leaders of industry, educational institutions and government agencies to work together to build the region's economy. in a presentation at the Economic Forum of Albuquerque on Wednesday at the Embassy Suites. "It's got to be all of us," Casey said. "We've got to work with the state; we've got to work...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer These are a few of the items related to the iconic "Breaking Bad" TV series that will be up for silent auction on Saturday at Isotopes Park when Albuquerque hosts Las Vegas in Triple-A baseball action. (Courtesy of the Albuquerque Isotopes) Even television stars want to unwind a bit after a long day's work. When self-professed baseball fanatic Bryan Cranston would punch the clock at the end of the day filming "Breaking Bad" in Albuquerque from 2007 through 2013, he enjoyed one thing in particular. "So often, I would finish work and...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Students show off their showmanship during their final performance of the 2022 Roots Summer Leadership Academy on Friday. The closing ceremony marked the 10th anniversary of the camp, which primarily serves International District kids. (Esteban Candelaria/Albuquerque Journal) Throughout a summer filled with basketball, miniature horses and ice cream, making new friends at the Roots Summer Leadership Academy was 10-year-old Marlou Ann Obregon's favorite thing she did. Obregon was one of around 45 kids from in and around Albuquerque's International District who wrapped up a three-week summer camp on Friday — the 10th...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Michelle Martens, Victoria Martens’s mother, wipes tears from her face as she testifies about the events leading up to her daughter's death in 2016. (Chancey Bush / Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Michelle Martens used to call Victoria her "miracle child." "I delivered her by myself at home – I just went into labor with her at my house and they took me to the hospital afterwards with her," Martens testified on Friday. "Basically I wasn't having no doctor visits, I didn't have no prenatal care but she was healthy."...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire burns northeast of Pecos in this May 13 photo. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bipartisan bill package that would compensate Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire victims, reform Rio Grande management, create a federal water database and increase wildland firefighter pay. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) As New Mexico endures crippling drought and wildfires, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bipartisan bill package that would compensate Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire victims, reform Rio Grande management, create a federal water database and increase wildland firefighter pay. Rep....
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer (Chancey Bush/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The city of Albuquerque has paid 0,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a former traffic engineer who alleged he was fired after voicing concerns about Albuquerque Rapid Transit and other projects. John Kolessar, who used to lead the city's traffic division, filed the whistleblower lawsuit in 2019 against the city and two of his former supervisors. He alleged that he was wrongfully terminated in 2017 "for repeatedly complaining about the city's failure to adhere to traffic safety rules and ordinances." His concerns included the...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer The Bradner Reservoir, pictured in April, stores some of Las Vegas’s water supply. The northern New Mexico city received .25 million in state emergency funds to buy a new filtration system after burn scar floods and ash pollution prevented the city from diverting water from the Gallinas River. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Las Vegas declared a state of emergency this week as ash in the Gallinas River watershed has forced the city to rely on reservoir storage for water supply. The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire has burned across more than 341,000 acres. The...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Las Vegas declared a state of emergency this week as ash in the Gallinas River watershed has forced the city to rely on reservoir storage for water supply. The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire has burned across more than 341,000 acres. The blaze, which was started by two separate U.S. Forest Service burns, was 94% contained on Friday. Mayor Louie Trujillo said the city has enough water in storage for 50 days. Large swaths of the watershed west of town were severely burned in the fire. "The Gallinas River — that's our lifeline,"...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man was shot and killed Thursday night at a gas station in Southwest Albuquerque. Authorities released a photo of a man believed to have been involved in a homicide Thursday afternoon at a gas station on the West Side. (BCSO) Authorities released a photo of a woman believed to have been involved in a homicide Thursday night on Albuquerque's West Side. (BCSO) A truck believed to have been involved in a homicide Thursday night outside a gas station in Southwest Albuquerque (BCSO) Angelina Navarro, a Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman, said...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer The South Valley is getting its first Chick-fil-A. The popular chicken chain is adding a new location in the Las Estancias shopping center between Coors and Rio Bravo. According to Bernalillo County records, the project received a building permit for 3911 Las Estancias SW in December. Chick-fil-A Inc. confirmed in a statement Friday that the South Valley location will open in late fall this year. Local subcontractor Chavez Concrete said its crews started laying concrete for the building more than a month ago. Main Frame Construction Corp. is also involved in the...
By Vanessa Gera / Associated Press Journal illustration WARSAW, Poland – A respected Polish scientific institute has classified domestic cats as an "invasive alien species," citing the damage they cause to birds and other wildlife. Some cat lovers have reacted emotionally to this month's decision and put the key scientist behind it on the defensive. Wojciech Solarz, a biologist at the state-run Polish Academy of Sciences, wasn't prepared for the disapproving public response when he entered "Felis catus," the scientific name for the common house cat, into a national database run by the academy's Institute of Nature Conservation. The...
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal Fourth in a series. Dogs with separation anxiety can freak out badly if they feel boxed in. With the crate left open and outdoor access through his dog door, Harvey had the choices he'd needed all along. It's hard to wring your paws and fret while scrounging for survival, so I advised Don to bury food toys in an outdoor digging box before leaving home. Now, this hungry spaniel had to work for a living, darn it. No more loafing around and bellyaching. Carefully dosed anti-anxiety medication plus at-home treatments with a pulsed...
By Terry Tang / Associated Press Some of the Mexican antiquities returned to the country by the Albuquerque Museum Foundation are seen during a repatriation ceremony Wednesday in Albuquerque.(Nora Vanesky/Albuquerque Museum Foundation via AP) Small, ancient sculptures that have been gathering dust in an Albuquerque storage box are returning home to Mexico, where they are intertwined with the identity of Indigenous communities. The Albuquerque Museum Foundation celebrated the repatriation of the dozen sculptures in a ceremony Wednesday. The local Consulate of Mexico will accept Olmec greenstone sculptures, a figure from the city of Zacatecas, bowls that were buried with...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) in a scene from "Breaking Bad." (Ben Leuner/AMC) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Aaron Paul stopped in any and every business he could find on the way home that night in 2009. Walking down Central Avenue with a grin he couldn't wipe off his face and an Emmy in his hand, it was a good night. No, the small gold statue was not his own. Three of those would come later in his career. On this particular night, Paul carried from a presentation...
By Lloyd Jojola / Journal Assistant City Editor La Familia Growers Market will host its 5th annual back to school giveaway on Friday, July 29. The giveaway will take place from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Dolores Huerta Gateway Park, a Bernalillo County news release stated. Staff will distribute 500 backpacks full of supplies for elementary, middle and high school students. Backpack distribution starts at 5:30 p.m. and children must be present to receive one, according to the release. Aside from the giveaway, the event will also feature arts and crafts, food trucks, bicycle raffles, poetry and...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Teacher Therese Garcia directs her class during an activity while some students pay attention at the Albuquerque Sign Language Academy last Thursday. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Some things are too important to put off. Even though the new fiscal year just started, New Mexico lawmakers are already laying out some of their educational priorities for next year. A big topic of conversation has been providing quality training for educators and school leaders. New Mexico has recently seen teachers entering classrooms with slightly less experience. One way the state...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Leonard Devoer boards the Albuquerque Rapid Transit bus at Central and San Mateo. The city of Albuquerque stopped collecting bus fares in January as part of a “zero-fare” pilot project. Data show ridership is up compared to last year, though volume remains well below prepandemic levels. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) When her car recently broke down, Micaela Chavez found herself boarding a city of Albuquerque bus. It was something she had done many times before. Chavez had been reliant on the city's bus system for years. She started using it at age 16...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Police investigate after at least one officer shot and killed Wendel Tagle on July 21 at an apartment complex on the West Side. Police say Tagle attacked his wife and pointed a gun at several people in the area before being shot. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) An incident report lays out the welfare check made on a man who, a day later, attacked his wife and pointed a pistol at neighbors before being shot dead by Albuquerque police last week on the West Side. Wendel Tagle, 43,...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer An empty classroom at Dennis Chavez Elementary School. (Marla Brose/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal What to do about a student who consistently doesn't show up to class, or one who bullies others? Is it a school's responsibility to sit down with the student to figure out what's going on? Or does that miss the mark of helping the students whose learning is being disrupted? Often, when students act out, it's because of some sort of trauma, says Emma Green, the state Public Education Department's first prevention, response and resiliency coordinator....
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Leland Hust at his sentencing hearing Thursday in the 2018 rape and strangulation death of a 6-year-old Rio Rancho girl. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Nearly four years after the rape and strangulation death of a 6-year-old Rio Rancho girl horrified New Mexicans, a judge sentenced Leland Hust to 48 years in prison for the crime. Jurors convicted Hust in March of intentional child abuse resulting in the death of a child under 12, with a mandatory 30-year prison sentence, and criminal sexual penetration of a child under...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Five hundred Albuquerque residents will have the chance to learn in-demand skills for careers in the technology sector thanks to a partnership between the City of Albuquerque's Economic Development Department and Google. The partnership between the city and Google will include scholarships for hundreds of Burqueños to get training through the Google Career Certificate program, which includes certificates in data analytics, digital marketing and e-commerce, IT support, project management and UX design, according to a city news release. "We're breaking down barriers for those in our city who are hungry for new...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico will receive more than 0 million for high-speed internet projects in rural areas, the federal government announced Thursday. The projects, part of a 1 million national funding announcement, are supported by the U.S. Agriculture Department's ReConnect program. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters that the money will bring fast internet to rural residents, public schools, farms and businesses. "Connectivity is a catalyst for economic prosperity anywhere, but it is certainly a catalyst for economic prosperity in rural communities," Vilsack said. The USDA says the projects will connect schools to distance...
By Anita Snow / Associated Press PHOENIX -- Border officials got the go-ahead Thursday to fill four remaining gaps in the U.S.-Mexico wall near the southern Arizona community of Yuma to protect the safety of migrants and U.S. agents working there. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that the work to complete a barrier project near the Morelos Dam is to protect the safety of migrants and its own agents. Border crossers have been killed or injured in the area by falling down a slope or drowning while walking across a low level section of the...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Denise De Los Santos testifies in Fabian Gonzales trial on charges related to his involved in Victoria Martens’ 2016 death. De Los Santos, an eighth grader at the time, saw Kelley carry Victoria out of the apartment. She thought Victoria was asleep but prosecutors have said Victoria was dead at the time. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In the weeks leading up to Victoria Martens' death, Amber Wilson, a neighbor, noticed a change in her behavior. Wilson, who had a daughter a year younger than 10-year-old Victoria, said the...
By Anita Snow / Associated Press PHOENIX -- Border officials got the go-ahead Thursday to fill four remaining gaps in the U.S.-Mexico wall near the southern Arizona community of Yuma to protect the safety of migrants and U.S. agents working there. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that the work to complete a barrier project near the Morelos Dam is to protect the safety of migrants and its own agents. Border crossers have been killed or injured in the area by falling down a slope or drowning while walking across a low level section of the...
By Journal Staff Report A fundraiser to benefit the Grief Center will be hosted by M'tucci's Bar Roma in Nob Hill on Saturday. The Italian restaurant, 3222 Central SE, will donate 20% of all dine-in and take-out sales from that day in support of the center's programs. "The fundraiser could not come at a better time to help with our recovery effort due to a recent break-in and theft," said the center's development director Suzie Blake. "We are grateful to M'tucci's and to the public for their ongoing support of our mission." During the Fourth of July weekend, someone...
By Associated Press Sunland Park, New Mexico, is a preferred route for many entering the U.S. The border wall is about a half mile to the south. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) SUNLAND PARK – Two people died and 10 were injured Wednesday when the SUV they were in rolled over in southeastern New Mexico about eight miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, officials said. A 13th person was in the Chevrolet Tahoe, but it was unclear whether that person was injured, said Sunland Park Fire Chief Daniel Medrano. His agency responded to the crash, which occurred around 4:45 a.m....
By ABQJournal News Staff Pallbearers carry the casket of deputy Fred Beers III, who perished two weeks ago in a helicopter crash in northern New Mexico. The funeral was held at The Pit in Albuquerque on 27 July, 2022. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) The funerals of the first responders killed in a July 16 helicopter crash began Wednesday with a service for Bernalillo County Sheriff's Lt. Fred Beers III at University Arena (The Pit). Bagpipes and drums, flags and flowers and the respect and admiration of those who knew him well and of those who had not known him...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Police Chief Harold Medina holds up fliers the department has made to try to entice recruits. Medina and Chief Administrative Office Lawrence Rael held a news conference on Wednesday about recent successes in the reform effort. (Elise Kaplan / Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In contrast to previous hearings, the adjective "optimistic" or sometimes the more tempered "cautiously optimistic" were a recurring refrain at a federal court hearing on Tuesday regarding the latest developments in the yearslong case reforming the Albuquerque Police Department. "What I will say – from our...
By Matthew Reisen and Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writers Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Izaiah Bolagh (MDC) Deputies arrested a man accused of shooting at another vehicle – with his 4-year-old son in the back seat – during a gunfight that left his wife dead earlier this month in Southwest Albuquerque. Izaiah Bolagh, 21, is charged with shooting at or from a motor vehicle, child abuse and tampering with evidence. Bolagh was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Wednesday. It is unclear if he has an attorney. The incident marked the second time Bolagh has faced such...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, D-Albuquerque Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Members of about two dozen advocacy groups asked legislative leaders Wednesday to bar Democratic state Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto from interim committee meetings while sexual harassment allegations against him are pending. In an open letter, they said Ivey-Soto, as committee member, is in position to influence the outcome of bills brought by lobbyists who have accused him of inappropriate behavior. Ivey-Soto said Wednesday that he hasn't mistreated anyone during interim committee hearings and is entitled to be treated as innocent until...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Popular fast food chain Raising Cane's is now planning to open five locations in the Albuquerque metro area in 2023, the company said Wednesday. The Louisiana-based chicken finger chain first posted on social media in 2021 that it would be coming to Albuquerque, later confirming that its first restaurant would be located at the old Furr's Cafeteria at 2004 Wyoming NE. Raising Cane's previously said that location would open during the summer of 2022, but a company spokesman said Wednesday that they are now tentatively looking to open their doors in January...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Blowing dirt and dust from a subdivision construction site west of the Jubilee at Los Lunas community has prompted a lawsuit against the developer. (Source: New Mexico Environment Department) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Residents at Jubilee in Los Lunas have a sand problem. In recent months, they say the fine particles have seeped through windows, piled up in backyards and lodged under roof shingles. The Los Lunas homeowners are now suing the businesses behind the Sierra Vista development on N.M. 6 west of their community. The lawsuit, filed in 2nd Judicial...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Pallbearers carry the casket of Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office Lt. Fred Beers III, who perished two weeks ago in a helicopter crash in northern New Mexico. The funeral was held at the Pit in Albuquerque on Wednesday. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Anita Beers consoles her son, Daniel, Wednesday morning during her husband’s funeral. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Pictures from Lt. Fred Beers III's life rotated across the two large screens hanging high up on opposite ends of the Lobo basketball court as hundreds of people filed into the Pit Wednesday to...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Authorities said a 1-year-old boy has been found safe after being taken from his mother's home Wednesday in Albuquerque. Jody Ellis (State Police) Regin Gutierrez (State Police) Ray Wilson, a State Police spokesman, said Regin Gutierrez "has been located and is safe." An Amber Alert was issued after, according to State Police, Gutierrez was abducted by 35-year-old Jody Ellis. Wilson did not say when the boy was taken. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer FILE - People walk under the state Capitol rotunda during the annual legislative session on Feb. 2, 2022, in Santa Fe. (AP Photo/Cedar Attanasio, File) SANTA FE — Legislators questioned corrections leaders Wednesday about the effectiveness of a new policy that provides inmates with photocopies of their personal mail — never the actual mail itself — as part of a plan to limit the flow of drugs into New Mexico prisons. They examined data showing the policy didn't appear to have made an immediate impact on the drug positivity rate of inmates...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Sacred Wind Communications CEO John Badal. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Sacred Wind Communications is set to be acquired by an out-of-state company looking to expand its infrastructure reach and broadband services in the southwestern United States. Colorado-based Commnet Broadband acquired the New Mexico company in an announcement made on Wednesday. The acquisition cost wasn't disclosed in the announcement and Sacred Wind CEO John Badal declined to comment on the purchase price, other than saying the deal included a "combo of cash and equity." The deal is expected to close as soon as regulatory approvals...
By Associated Press SUNLAND PARK, N.M. -- Two people died and 10 were injured Wednesday when the SUV they were in rolled over in southeastern New Mexico about eight miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, officials said. A thirteenth person also was in the Chevrolet Tahoe but it was unclear whether that person was injured, said Sunland Park Fire Chief Daniel Medrano. His agency responded to the crash, which occurred around 4:45 a.m. about 13 miles (21 kilometers) northwest of El Paso, Texas. New Mexico State Police confirmed the two fatalities but did not respond to repeated requests for comment...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Fabian Gonzales, left, on Tuesday during the third week of his trial. Gonzales tested positive for COVID on Tuesday evening. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Judge Cindy Leos informs jurors on Wednesday morning that Fabian Gonzales has tested positive for COVID-19. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Deputy District Attorney Greer Staley and Chief Deputy DA James Grayson sit in court next to an empty defense table on Wednesday morning. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Fabian Gonzales' trial will resume at 9 a.m. Thursday, with the COVID-19-positive Gonzales rejoining proceedings in a glass box. The New Mexico Supreme...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Rich Lewis, a retired Albuquerque police officer, gives his testimony during the third week of Fabian Gonzales’ trial for his involvement in the 2016 death of 10-year-old Victoria Martens, at the Second Judicial District Court Bernalillo County in Downtown Albuquerque, N.M., on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A retired police detective who spent more than a year investigating nothing but 10-year-old Victoria Martens' death said he firmly believes that an unknown man killed the child. "You'd have to just ignore all the physical evidence," retired...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press SANTA FE – A conservative-backed initiative to publish voter registration records from across the country online for public consumption can move forward over the objections of New Mexico election regulators, a federal judge has ordered in a preliminary opinion. Albuquerque-based U.S. District Court Judge James Browning issued an order Friday preventing New Mexico state prosecutors from pursuing allegations of possible election code violations against the creators of VoteRef.com. The VoteRef.com website provides searchable access to voter registration records by name and street addresses, often indicating when people voted in past elections. The online...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Rich Lewis, a retired Albuquerque police officer, gives his testimony during the third week of Fabian Gonzales’ trial for his involvement in the 2016 death of 10-year-old Victoria Martens, at the Second Judicial District Court Bernalillo County in Downtown Albuquerque, N.M., on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A retired police detective who spent more than a year investigating nothing but 10-year-old Victoria Martens' death said he firmly believes that an unknown man killed the child. "You'd have to just ignore all the physical evidence," retired...
By Jessica Dyer and Rick Nathanson / Journal staff writers The city of Albuquerque plans to close Coronado Park in August. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Calling it "the most dangerous place in the state of New Mexico," Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller says closing Coronado Park is imperative even without a fully formed plan for how to do it and what happens next. A day after announcing the park's impending closure, Keller provided more insight into why he is shuttering the park that hosts one of the city's largest unsanctioned homeless encampments. He said he had to act due to rampant...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police are investigating a homicide Tuesday afternoon in the parking lot of a hotel in Northeast Albuquerque. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said the person was found dead in the parking lot of the Marriott Pyramid near Paseo del Norte and Jefferson. He did not give any other details other than the incident is being investigated as a homicide. Crime scene investigators and police could be seen gathered around the body of a person on the west side of the hotel. Crime scene tape had cordoned off the area. Subscribe to...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer In this file photo, a ballot drop box sits near the Main Post Office in Santa Fe. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — The state Attorney General's Office is looking into a recent Otero County Commission vote to eliminate ballot drop boxes and halt the use of vote-tabulation machines. In a letter this week, Novela Salazar, director of the AG's advocacy and intervention division, asked the commissioners to respond in writing to a complaint alleging the changes would make it harder to vote in Otero County. Salazar also reminded the commissioners of...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police are investigating a homicide Tuesday afternoon in the parking lot of a hotel in Northeast Albuquerque. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said the person was found dead in the parking lot of the Marriott Pyramid near Paseo del Norte and Jefferson. He did not give any other details other than the incident is being investigated as a homicide. Crime scene investigators and police could be seen gathered around the body of a person on the west side of the hotel. Crime scene tape had cordoned off the area. Subscribe to...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer An ATV traverses the dry Rio Grande near the Rio Bravo overpass Monday. New Mexico water officials point to legal issues with Texas, extreme drought and a changing climate, thirsty vegetation and a resistance to using less water as some reasons behind the current situation. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) The Rio Grande is drying in Albuquerque, which hasn't happened in nearly four decades. New Mexico water officials point to legal issues with Texas, extreme drought and a changing climate, thirsty vegetation and a resistance to using less water as some reasons behind...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Sgt. Matt Jenkins and other members of the New Mexico National Guard search along Tecolote Creek in Mineral Hill on July 22. The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office and other emergency response agencies have found and identified three victims of a flash flood last week west of Las Vegas. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Law enforcement has found the third victim of a July 21 flash flood in San Miguel County west of Las Vegas, the Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday afternoon. A search team found the body of Jimmy Chris Cummings, a 62-year-old man...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Sierra County Sheriff Glenn Hamilton testifies Tuesday to the legislative Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee, as state Department of Public Safety Deputy Chief Matthew Broom and advocates with the group New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence listen intently. New Mexico has one of the nation's highest rates of gun violence on a per capita basis. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- The number of firearm-related deaths in New Mexico has increased in recent years, prompting legislators to approve new laws expanding background check requirements and allowing guns to be seized from individuals...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Arsenal FX Color opened an Albuquerque office to become the first and only full-service post house in the state. (Courtesy of city of Albuquerque) As the New Mexico film industry continues to grow, the goal is to attract businesses to New Mexico. The latest is Arsenal FX Color, which becomes the first and only full-service post house in the state. The Santa Monica, California-based production facility opened a satellite office in Albuquerque. Larry Field, Arsenal FX Color's co-founder, say an opportunity to get into business New Mexico as it becomes...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer X-Bow tested its new rocket motor and launch vehicle for the first time on Saturday at White Sands Missile Range. (Courtesy of X-Bow) X-Bow Systems successfully flew its new "Bolt Rocket" for the first time at White Sands Missile Range on Saturday, marking a major milestone for the company's new, breakthrough rocket-motor technology and launch capabilities. The Albuquerque-based company has developed a unique 3D printing process for solid-state rocket-motor fuel, along with a new family of launch vehicles for orbital and suborbital flights. Its additive fuel manufacturing process is a first for...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer The dogs will soon be crossing the river. Well, Urban Hotdog Co. that is. The West Side-based hot dog shop is set to make the journey east with the planned opening of a new Nob Hill location early next year, according to owner Matthew Bernabe. Founded in 2012, Urban Hotdog Co. focuses on serving up a childhood favorite food, hot dogs, with an adult spin with menu items like the Chicago Dog and the Relleno Dog with panko-covered hot dog bites topped with chile con queso and green chile. Bernabe said that...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science Executive Director Anthony Fiorillo. Fiorillo’s tenure will begin Sept. 19, 2022. (Courtesy of NMMNHS) After nine months, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science has a new executive director. According to the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, Anthony R. Fiorillo was named to the position. He will begin on Sept. 19. Fiorillo replaces Margie Marino, who retired in October 2021. Gary Romero, museum deputy director, has filled in during the interim. "I am very excited to welcome Tony to...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Santa Fe is featured as one of cities in Nutella's "Breakfast Across America" special collection. Pictured is the jar representing Santa Fe. (Courtesy of Nutella) Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Nutella is sharing the beauty of the country with its collectable "Breakfast Across America" jars. The collection features 16 landmark locations such as Lake Tahoe, Napa Valley, Niagara Falls, along with corresponding breakfast recipes to transport consumers with each bite. Santa Fe is one of the cities featured in the special collection. "Nutella is all about...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In New Mexico, where the correlation between high poverty and low literacy has been clear for decades, the state is funding a number of programs and initiatives designed to close the achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students, as well as improve training, salaries and other opportunities for teachers. In addition, the state implemented several tax credit programs that actually lowered the poverty rates the past couple of years. Many of the financial commitments to education are aimed at helping fulfill goals of the 2018 Yazzie/Martinez lawsuit,...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Chaplain Jose L. Villegas Sr. offers an oracion, or prayer, in multiple languages at the start of a press conference to address improvements of reporting regarding missing Indigenous people in New Mexico and the Navajo Nation at the New Mexico Attorney General's office in Albuquerque on Monday, July 25, 2022. (Liam DeBonis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The FBI on Monday unveiled a new database listing the names of 177 missing Native Americans from New Mexico and throughout the Navajo Nation, as part of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Marisa Martinez and her dog Rufus celebrate their reunion Monday at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter. Rufus, a deaf blue heeler, was given to Martinez as a gift after she lost her 9-year-old daughter to a brain tumor in 2017. He wandered from his Santa Fe home in September 2021 and had been missing until he was found this month by Team Frijoles, a lost pet recovery service. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Recognition started at Rufus' nose and rippled rapidly through the 5-year-old blue...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Chaplain Jose L. Villegas Sr. offers an oracion, or prayer, in multiple languages at the start of a press conference to address improvements of reporting regarding missing Indigenous people in New Mexico and the Navajo Nation at the New Mexico Attorney General's office in Albuquerque on Monday, July 25, 2022. (Liam DeBonis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The FBI on Monday unveiled a new database listing the names of 177 missing Native Americans from New Mexico and throughout the Navajo Nation, as part of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said the city will close Coronado Park next month. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal After years as one of the city's largest, most visible and most notorious unsanctioned homeless encampments, Coronado Park is now slated for closure. Mayor Tim Keller made the bombshell announcement Monday while speaking to a room full of local business professionals. "That situation is absolutely unacceptable, so we're going to stop it. In August we're closing Coronado Park," he said during a speech to the New Mexico chapter of NAIOP,...
By Journal staff and wire reports Andrea Howard now has University of New Mexico softball records for career home runs (47) and career total bases (380). (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Following the announcement earlier this month that softball's Andrea Howard was named a University of New Mexico nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year award, the Mountain West has selected Howard to represent the conference. In total, conference offices named 151 athletes as their nominees, according to the NCAA announcement released Monday, with 53 nominees from Division I. The Lobo will be the lone nominee from the Mountain West....
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Former Albuquerque Police Detective Rich Lewis, right describes the way Victoria Martens was strangled while being questioned by prosecutors on Monday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Jurors on Monday heard from two Albuquerque police officers who played key roles at different stages in the investigation of Victoria Martens' death – the first officer on scene who kicked in the door to the apartment and found the 10-year-old girl dead and on fire in a bath tub, and a cold case detective who brought a fresh pair of eyes to...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Corroded pipes and rust-colored water are common in the Navajo community of To’Hajiilee west of Albuquerque. Engineers told state lawmakers on Monday that a pipeline to connect the community to the city’s water supply is on track. (Anthony Jackson/Albuquerque Journal File) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A plastic bottle filled with rust-colored water at his side, George Mihalik holds up a water pipe segment from To'hajiilee. The worn metal looks to be a few decades old. But it was only used for about 18 months in the Navajo Nation satellite community of...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer SANDIA PUEBLO — The six pueblos that share the Middle Rio Grande are in the earliest stages of a legal process that could quantify their water rights, tribal and state officials said Monday. Sandia Pueblo Gov. Stuart Paisano told state lawmakers at the Water and Natural Resources Committee meeting that "it's time" to determine the specific amount of water that should be allocated to regional pueblos. "It's going to be a huge task," he said. Paisano chairs a water coalition of Cochiti, San Felipe, Santo Domingo, Santa Ana, Sandia and Isleta pueblos....
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE — About 86% of the thousands of defendants under pretrial supervision by the state Administrative Office of the Courts in a recent nine-month period weren't charged with a new crime while being supervised, according to data presented to lawmakers Monday. About 95% of the defendants — out of a sample of 3,595 cases — didn't face a new violent crime charge while under supervision, and 77% attended all their court hearings. The Administrative Office of the Courts...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Police at the scene where officers were involved in a shooting Thursday afternoon at a West Side apartment complex. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) The Albuquerque Police Department has identified the man who was shot and killed by at least one officer last week as Wendel Tagle. Tagle, 43, does not have a criminal history in New Mexico, according to online court records. Police say he possibly shot his wife at the West Side apartment complex where he lived, and pointed a handgun at several people there, including an APD sergeant. Tagle's wife...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Tucked behind M'tucci's Bar Roma is a black door labeled with just one word: "Bakery." It's not the door to a new patisserie in Nob Hill (although there are baked goods for sale inside). Pulling open a bakery "shelf" reveals red velvet curtains which frame a bar, frozen in the 1920s; or, more accurately, Albuquerque's newest '20s-themed speakeasy, Teddy Roe's. The bar, located near Central and Carlisle, is steeped in gangster history, and decked out with antique glassware, newspaper clippings and glitzy wallpaper. Behind the counter, a fake brick wall slides open...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The New Mexico Business Coalition says the Public Regulation Commission continues to violate the state's Open Meetings Act, leading to a new complaint filed last week with the Attorney General's Office. The group filed two complaints in April that accused the PRC of holding secret deliberations on issues that it says should be aired in public. The latest complaint regards a two-hour "executive session" on June 28, where the five commissioners met behind closed doors to discuss an order requiring Public Service Company of New Mexico to...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said the city will close Coronado Park next month. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal After years as one of the city's largest, most visible and most notorious unsanctioned homeless encampments, Coronado Park is now slated for closure. Mayor Tim Keller made the bombshell announcement Monday while speaking to a room full of local business professionals. "That situation is absolutely unacceptable, so we're going to stop it. In August we're closing Coronado Park," he said during a speech to the New Mexico chapter of NAIOP,...
By Jeff Tucker / Journal Editorial Writer This week's question: What do you think of placing statues of "Breaking Bad" characters inside the Albuquerque Convention Center? Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published. Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-form Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer The Public Regulation Commission launched another verbal tirade last week against Public Service Company of New Mexico for opposing a customer rate credit after closing the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station. The commission voted 5-0 on Thursday to reject PNM's appeal and request for a stay on a rate credit that commissioners had previously ordered. That order required the utility to apply an initial rate credit to customers' bills after shutting the first of San Juan's two operating units on June 30, followed by another, larger, rate credit once the second unit...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico State Police is investigating a fatal crash involving a commercial vehicle east of Santa Rosa. All lanes of Interstate 40 eastbound have been closed because of the two-vehicle crash near mile post 294, according to a New Mexico State Police tweet posted early Monday. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer The New Mexico Rail Runner Express gets ready to pull away for the Santa Fe Depot in 2018. Authorities say the train collided with a vehicle near San Felipe Pueblo on Sunday, killing two people. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Authorities have identified the two people killed Sunday when the Rail Runner crashed into a vehicle near San Felipe Pueblo as a 6-year-old girl and her father. Police responded to the crash near milepost 15 on N.M. 313 around 11:15 a.m. They said in the release that 30-year-old Derrick...
By Associated Press ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- A 22-year-old man is dead after being shot by police officers at a home in suburban Denver on Sunday, police said. In a statement, the Englewood Police Department said the shooting happened after officers responded to a disturbance involving family members at a home in the city south of Denver. When officers arrived, they were met with gunfire being fired from inside the home and the officers fired shot back at the shooter, the department said. The man was killed as a result, police said. No officers were injured, police said. Subscribe to...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Children at Westgate Community Park enjoy free books as part of the Albuquerque Public Schools Story Time in the Park program. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal There is an inextricable link between poverty and literacy – particularly between child poverty and literacy, according to education experts. And for many New Mexicans, the relationship is generational. That is grim news for New Mexico, which had a poverty rate in 2021 of 19.1% – the third highest in the country and well above the national poverty rate of 13.4%, according...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior BALLOON FIESTA GETTING I-25 RAMP: Starting today, traffic on the southbound Interstate 25 frontage road will not be able to merge onto the interstate just past the Tramway/Roy interchange. Instead, drivers will continue down the frontage road and access the interstate just south of Alameda Boulevard. Mountain States Constructors Inc. is relocating the Tramway/Roy on-ramp about 1,100 feet south to Pasadena Avenue "to improve safety and provide better access to southbound I-25 for traffic exiting Balloon Fiesta Park," according to a news release from the city of Albuquerque. Completion is scheduled before...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior BALLOON FIESTA GETTING I-25 RAMP: Starting today, traffic on the southbound Interstate 25 frontage road will not be able to merge onto the interstate just past the Tramway/Roy interchange. Instead, drivers will continue down the frontage road and access the interstate just south of Alameda Boulevard. Mountain States Constructors Inc. is relocating the Tramway/Roy on-ramp about 1,100 feet south to Pasadena Avenue "to improve safety and provide better access to southbound I-25 for traffic exiting Balloon Fiesta Park," according to a news release from the city of Albuquerque. Completion is scheduled before...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer The Shop Breakfast & Lunch owner Israel “Izz” Rivera at his restaurant in Nob Hill. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Regular consumers may be worried about rising costs amid record-setting inflation, but Israel "Izz" Rivera, owner of The Shop Breakfast & Lunch in Albuquerque, said he's seen it before. As a restaurant owner who weathered the pandemic, Rivera said the past two years have been spent navigating fluctuating supply costs – something going on long before those costs reached grocery store shelves this year. "Halfway through is when prices...
By Makayla Grijalva / Valencia County News-Bulletin Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the name of U.S. attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. PERALTA – After failing to account for more than 20,000 doses of opioids and other controlled substances, Joe's Pharmacy in Peralta settled with the United States for violations of the Controlled Substances Act, paying ,000 in civil penalties. "Pharmacies are on the front lines of preventing the abuse of opioids and other controlled substances in our communities," U.S. attorney for the District of New Mexico, Alexander M.M. Uballez, said in a June 12 news release....
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Police service aides block traffic near the railroad tracks on Mountain Road late Sunday. APD's homicide unit was investigating a suspicious death in the area. (Liam DeBonis/Albuquerque Journal) Albuquerque police are investigating a suspicious death next to the railroad tracks near Downtown. Rebecca Atkins, a police spokeswoman, said Sunday evening that officers were called to the tracks near Mountain. An individual was found dead next to a building in the area. No other information was immediately available. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police investigate a homicide near Morningside and Comanche NE on Sunday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A man was shot and killed by a homeowner Sunday morning while breaking into a home near Morningside and Comanche NE, according to Albuquerque police. No charges are expected to be filed against the homeowner, said Lt. Ray Del Greco. Del Greco said around 8:30 a.m., the suspect entered a home in the area through a back door. He was rifling through some items in the kitchen when he was confronted by...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer The New Mexico Rail Runner Express gets ready to pull away for the Santa Fe Depot in 2018. Authorities say the train collided with a vehicle near San Felipe Pueblo on Sunday, killing two people. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Rail Runner hit a vehicle near San Felipe Pueblo on Sunday, leaving two people dead, according to New Mexico State Police. Officer Dusty Francisco, a State Police spokesman, said police responded to a crash around 11:15 a.m. between a vehicle and the train on State Road 313 near...
By Matt Vasilogambros / Stateline.org Free-roaming horses graze in Placitas, south of Bureau of Land Management land near Llano del Norte and Mustang Road, in 2012. Wild horses roam private, state and tribal lands all over the West. (Greg Sorber/Albuquerque Journal) Wild horses hold a special place in the mythos of the American West, with images of free-roaming herds of mustangs grazing on vast public rangelands. But for some communities in New Mexico, the reality tragically differs. Dehydrated and emaciated horses wander into towns such as Placitas, just north of Albuquerque, looking for food and water, often straying onto...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer The new 49.5-megawatt solar facility supplying renewable energy to the Facebook data center in Los Lunas came fully online this month. More firms are interested in locating facilities in the state, emphasizing access to clean power. (Courtesy of PNM) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Public Service Company of New Mexico announced the inauguration this month of a new 50-megawatt solar facility in Cibola County to provide clean energy to Facebook's massive data center in Los Lunas. It's the sixth solar farm built by PNM and third-party developers since 2018 to directly provide...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press Sand and gravel bars in the Rio Grande expand in the river's reach through central New Mexico as monsoon clouds form north of Bernalillo, N.M., on Thursday, July 21, 2022. (Susan Montoya Bryan/Associated Press) BERNALILLO – Triple-digit temperatures and a fickle monsoon season have combined with decades of persistent drought to put one of North America's longest rivers in its most precarious situation yet. Islands of sand and gravel, and patches of cracked mud are taking over where the Rio Grande once flowed. It's a scene not unlike other hot, dry spots...
By Alaina Mencinger / Journal Staff Writer Dr. Darren Norby, center, and his Albuquerque team pose for a group photo during the opening day of the Aspen Dental and ClearChoice Dental Implant Center on Thursday, July 14, 2022 in Albuquerque, NM. (Courtesy of Andres Leighton/AP Images for Aspen Dental) Two new dental facilities opened next door to each other in Cottonwood Crossing on Albuquerque's West Side on July 14. The two aren't competitors; the Aspen Dental and ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers, located at 10010 Coors NW, are intentionally placed next to each other to make receiving dental care more...
By Matthew Reisen And Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writers Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Eight days ago, on July 16, a Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office helicopter crashed in a remote area south of Las Vegas, killing all four men on board. It was the deadliest incident to befall law enforcement in state history and among the deadliest for first responders. The crew with the Metro Air Support Unit had been assisting firefighters on the East Mesa Fire by dropping buckets of water and helping with logistics from the air. They were returning home when the helicopter plummeted straight...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor For decades, New Mexico has worked to bring the film industry to the state. The first film commission was founded in New Mexico in 1968 by former Gov. David Cargo. The governmental body has since evolved into the New Mexico Film Office. Though the name has changed, the mission has always been the same — steering full-fledged feature-film and TV productions to the state. Today, the effort is not only to have productions come to film in the state, but to build a sustainable industry that would create jobs for...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor The New Mexico film industry is coming off another record year with a direct spend of 5.4 million to the state and a record 109 productions during FY22. Of course, everyone wants a piece of the pie. In early July, New Mexico's neighbors to the West — Arizona — approved the Arizona Motion Picture Production Program. The film and TV tax incentive offers productions up to million a year in 2023. It will then go up to 0 million in 2024 and 5 million in 2025. Arizona is hoping...
By Casey Anglada DeRaad / Founder/CEO, NewSpace New Mexico Casey Anglada DeRaad In leading NewSpace New Mexico, which houses a first-of-its-kind co-innovation hub called Unite & Ignite Space, I have seen the space race surge to new heights in recent years — and New Mexico is in the middle of the action. Virgin Galactic, Space X and Blue Origin sent the first civilians traveling to space, over 100 companies have plans to get back to the moon, and thousands of low-orbit satellites will launch to bring new capabilities, such as reliable internet coverage worldwide. Leading financial institutions expect the...
By Journal staff and wire reports From left, Dave Stewart, Ron Cey and Richard “Dick” Moots are this year’s class entering the Albuquerque Professional Baseball Hall of Fame. (Images courtesy Albuquerque Isotopes)Two wore the Dukes hat and one created the Dukes logo. Saturday, all three -- Dave Stewart, Ron Cey and Richard “Dick” Moots -- will be inducted into the Albuquerque Professional Baseball Hall of Fame and honored by the Albuquerque Isotopes at a pregame ceremony. Here are feature articles published by the Journal in recent weeks on all three of the Class of 2022 inductees: DAVE STEWART: Albuquerque...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer A trip to Coronado Center may just be a little bit sweeter with the opening of a new bakery on the mall's north side. Roxy's Cake Studio, located at 6600 Menaul NE, opened July 17. The new 2,400-square-foot bakery, housed inside a former Wise Pies location, offers customers a selection of cupcakes, cake pops and ready-made cakes along with other treats designed to satiate a sweet tooth. Originally started in a home kitchen in 2018 by Roxanne "Roxy" Sanchez, Roxy's Cake Studio has since grown into a storefront bakery with a dedicated...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A Las Cruces woman who authorities say embezzled more than [post_excerpt] million from a transportation company has been sentenced to prison. Sandra Roberto, 44, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison by U.S. District Judge Margaret Strickland on Thursday. She pleaded guilty on Jan. 29 to one count of wire fraud and willfully making and subscribing a false and fraudulent individual tax return. Roberto worked in the accounting office of Mesilla Valley Transportation, and from 2011 to 2018, she used her position to embezzle...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A Las Cruces woman who authorities say embezzled more than [post_excerpt] million from a transportation company has been sentenced to prison. Sandra Roberto, 44, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison by U.S. District Judge Margaret Strickland on Thursday. She pleaded guilty on Jan. 29 to one count of wire fraud and willfully making and subscribing a false and fraudulent individual tax return. Roberto worked in the accounting office of Mesilla Valley Transportation, and from 2011 to 2018, she used her position to embezzle...
By Journal Staff Report Zuni Olla Maidens were among those participating in the 2021 Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial. This year’s event will be held Aug. 4-14. (Source: New Mexico Department of Tourism) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal One of the longest running and historic events in the state, the Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial will mark its 100th celebration with a full slate of activities at various sites in and around Gallup, from Aug. 4 to 14. Sponsored by the city of Gallup and the Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial Association, the celebration kicks off Aug. 4, at 7 p.m., with a parade in...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – A Republican legislative candidate from Albuquerque could be blocked from taking office – if he's elected in November – due to past felony burglary and larceny convictions. But the issue could end up playing out in court as a recent federal ruling found the New Mexico law that, in most cases, bars individuals with felony convictions from holding elected office might violate the state Constitution. Solomon Pena, who is the GOP nominee for the House District 14 seat in the South Valley, served...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Two Mexican men have been arrested for their alleged roles in the deaths of three undocumented people who were being smuggled across the U.S. border on Tuesday. Jose Luis Aguilera-Guzman, 25, and Jesus David Nuñez-Monreal, whose age wasn't provided, were charged Thursday with conspiracy to bring in and harbor certain aliens, as well as bringing in and harboring aliens resulting in death. The U.S. Attorney's Office said in a news release that Aguilera-Guzman and Nuñez-Monreal helped a group of Mexican citizens cross into Luna County. Border Patrol...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Jeffrey Smith, a forensic scientist with the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, points to the spot on the inside of a laundry basket, where he found a fingerprint. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal No fewer than six detectives interrogated Fabian Gonzales in the hours after 10-year-old Victoria Martens was killed and her body dismembered and burned in a bathtub on Aug. 23, 2016. Josh Brown, then the Albuquerque Police Department's lead detective on the case, testified the entire morning Friday. It was his second day on the stand....
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Laryngenesis Speech Therapy, LLC., has relocated to a larger office in Albuquerque and now offers occupational therapy services, according to a news release. "We're excited to provide much-needed speech-language services and occupational therapy under one roof, with no extra driving required for clients and their families," said Marc D. Nez, certified speech language pathologist and owner of Laryngenesis, in a statement. Laryngenesis offers speech therapy services including speech language evaluation, individual therapy, early-intervention therapy, feeding therapy, home-based services and occupational therapy. The new office is located at 4141 Montgomery NE and is...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer A new hearing aid center is coming to Albuquerque's West Side next month. Beltone Hearing Care Center will open on Aug. 1 at 8201 Golf Course NW. The store is owned by Dr. Andy Chiou. A grand opening will feature door prizes and refreshments, Chief Operating Officer for Beltone Pamela Crow said. The hearing care stores are typically independently owned, and there are about 1,500 stores across the U.S., according to the company. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Ellen Marks / For the Journal He's 6 foot 7, so it's easy to guess that Mark Tobiassen was big into basketball when he was a kid and on into his college years. But it was his coaching of the sport that eventually launched him into his current career of helping local businesses and organizations thrive. Tobiassen is a certified business and executive coach who does such things as helping with cash flow problems and the nitty-gritty of running or expanding a business. More important, he says, is the mentoring and human connection he provides to help business...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Vicky Ho, a recruiter for Kairos Power, receives Nick Neely’s resume during the Sen. Michael Padilla Job Fair in Albuquerque on Wednesday, July 20, 2022. New Mexico's unemployment rate stood at 4.9% in June, according to a report released Friday by the Department of Workforce Solutions. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico's unemployment rate dropped to 4.9% in June, according to a Friday report from the state Department of Workforce Solutions. That number is down from 5.1% in May and from 7.3% in June 2021. But the...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell has introduced a bill that would expand financial compensation for farmers and ranchers whose livestock is killed by endangered Mexican wolves. The New Mexico Republican said that the bill, introduced in the House on Thursday with Arizona Democrat Rep. Tom O'Halleran, would "create a more easily accessible and steady stream of compensation." "The wolves have a devastating impact on farms and ranches in New Mexico and the federal government has a duty to compensate them," Herrell said. U.S. Fish and Wildlife data shows there were 79 confirmed livestock...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter CYFD Secretary Barbara Vigil. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Child protective services staff are feeling overworked, underappreciated and experience a "culture of fear" at the state Children, Youth and Families Department when a child previously on their radar has been seriously hurt or killed, according to a newly released study. Sometimes front-line workers are "left feeling as though they are making little difference with the families they are working to help," the study states. "Staff experience recidivism with the families they are working with and are often trying to...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Bruce Ferguson with the New Mexico National Guard searches a large pile of logs in the middle of Tecolote Creek in the Mineral Hill area west of Las Vegas on Friday. He and dozens of National Guardsmen helped the San Miguel Sheriff's Office search the area for a missing person after floods raged through the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire burn scar on Thursday, killing at least two people. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Two women are dead in San Miguel County and a man is missing after flash floods...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer San Miguel County deputies shot at a suspect, who wasn't hit, following a chase involving multiple law enforcement agencies Friday. New Mexico State Police, in a news release, said it is investigating the incident that started around 8 a.m., when Chaves County Sheriff's deputies were involved in the pursuit of the suspect — later identified as 24-year-old Dion Isaac Lueras Ortiz of Albuquerque — on U.S. 285. Chaves County authorities ended the chase near Vaughn as the suspect car continued north. State Police and the San Miguel County Sheriff's Office were contacted...
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal Third in a series. Harvey's stone sampling diminished quickly with medication for his intestinal disorder. His daddy, Don the designated household pooper scooper, seldom found landscaping rocks in his spaniel's stool anymore. Harvey's intense fear of storms and intermittent wild jumping at the clothes dryer continued. There is robust evidence that our brains are often influenced by problems elsewhere in the body. When Harvey's intestines felt better his barking, pacing and destruction when home alone improved somewhat but he had additional reasons for his separation anxiety. In most cases, it's a dog's genetic...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Drew Gordon, left, celebrates with teammate J.R. Giddens on the Pit floor after Monday's night's win for The Enchantment, a team of mostly former Lobos, over The Panamaniacs, a team of mostly former NMSU Aggies, in the Pit in the TBT (The Basketball Tournament) New Mexico Regional. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal)When organizers of the [post_excerpt] million, winner-take-all TBT – The Basketball Tournament – started looking to expand their footprint and add some new regional host locations this summer, the Pit seemed intriguing. Not only did TBT need to stretch farther west, but...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer San Juan Generating Station. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Searing summer heat is stressing Public Service Company of New Mexico's grid as consumers blast their air conditioners, but a utility decision to partially postpone closure of the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station makes blackouts unlikely. Electricity consumption in PNM's service territory hit record levels early this week as triple-digit temperatures engulfed New Mexico and many other states. "Peak load," or maximum daily consumer electric demand, climbed to all-time highs on Monday and Tuesday, said PNM Vice President for...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Yolanda Cordova Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The state's labor force participation rate remains low — and New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions leaders say some of that has to do with the high number of people in the state on disability. DWS Deputy Secretary Yolanda Cordova on Thursday called the number of New Mexicans receiving disability benefits "very concerning." She said part of that may be due to the substance abuse issue impacting the state. The number of disabled workers on Old-Age and Survivors' Disability Insurance totaled 61,294 in December 2020,...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Two brothers stand accused in a string of crimes over several months in Albuquerque, including multiple vehicle thefts and carjackings where shots were fired. Adrian Cly, 21, and Jeremy Cly, 23, are each charged with two counts of armed robbery and auto theft, and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and tampering with evidence in various crimes between March and June. Both have been booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center and prosecutors have filed a motion to detain the pair until trial. An attorney...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Police Sgt. Josh Brown takes the stand Thursday during Fabian Gonzales' trial for his involvement in the 2016 killing of Victoria Martens. Brown questioned Gonzales at the scene. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Four hours after officers arrived at a chaotic scene and found 10-year-old Victoria Martens dead and dismembered in a bathtub at a West Side apartment, Fabian Gonzales sat on the steps of the complex and relayed the events of the night to two police detectives. He talked very fast and stammered. Josh Brown, the primary...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief State employees gets ready to board a southbound Rail Runner train at Santa Fe's South Capitol Station in this recent file photo. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Wednesday a 75% fare reduction will be extended through the end of this year. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- With gas prices still hovering at wallet-busting levels around New Mexico, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Wednesday a 75% fare reduction for the Rail Runner commuter train enacted in April will be extended through the end of this year. In addition, two additional mid-day trains...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer RIO RANCHO — The City of Vision is continuing to expand with the groundbreaking of a new mixed-use development next to the Presbyterian Rust Medical Center Wednesday morning. Named The Village in Rio Rancho, the 65-acre development will eventually house retail, hospitality and entertainment tenants, according to developer Robert Geringer, CEO and president of Geringer Capital. The Village is located on the southeast corner of Unser and Westside in Rio Rancho. Among the first of the tenants to call The Village home is a new location of the upscale grocery store, Market...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer FILE - A syringe is prepared with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic at the Keystone First Wellness Center in Chester, Pa., in December 2021. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) A new, highly contagious strain of the coronavirus has emerged in New Mexico, as the state eclipsed 8,000 COVID-related deaths since the onset of the pandemic. Health officials this week said people may want to consider masking up in public places because the omicron BA.5 subvariant has arrived in New Mexico. The strain is proving to be more contagious than previous...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Fabian Gonzales, center, stands Wednesday with private investigator Maurice Moya, left, and his attorney Hugh Dangler, right, during his trial in the 2016 death of 10-year-old Victoria Martens. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Fabian Gonzales did not kill 10-year-old Victoria Martens, but he created the dangerous environment that led to the girl's 2016 murder, a prosecutor told jurors on the first day of his trial. Victoria had lived a normal life with a caring mother until Michelle Martens met Gonzales on a dating app just weeks before the girl's Aug. 23, 2016, strangulation death, Chief...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer More than 300 miles of rivers and streams in northern New Mexico now have the state's highest water quality protections. On Tuesday, the state Water Quality Control Commission approved Outstanding National Resource Waters designations for sections of the Upper Pecos, Rio Grande, Rio Hondo, Jemez River, San Antonio Creek and Redondo Creek. The designations prohibit new activities and projects from degrading water quality. The New Mexico Environment Department, Game and Fish, and the Outdoor Recreation Division all supported the designations. San Miguel County Commissioner Janice Varela said the decision protects "the lifeblood...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer The Attorney General's Office said it will investigate a SWAT standoff that ended in a house fire that killed a 15-year-old boy last week in Southeast Albuquerque. Jerri Mares, a spokeswoman for the AG's Office, said they will "review the actions of law enforcement that led to the death of Brett Rosenau on July 6." “The tragic death of this 15-year-old is a serious matter that warrants a comprehensive review, and we have already taken steps to assemble a team to examine the handling of the incident and conduct an analysis of...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer A feral cow wanders near the river in the Gila National Forest. The New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association and the U.S. Agriculture Department settled a lawsuit this week with an agreement by the Forest Service to give ample notice to ranchers and the public before conducting more aerial shooting operations to remove the feral cattle. (Robin Silver/Center for Biological Diversity) The New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association has settled a lawsuit against the U.S. Agriculture Department that could impact how the government manages feral cows on federal land. A dismissal agreement announced this...
By Rick Wright / Journal Staff Writer In Wichita, Kansas, Albuquerque amateur boxer Yoruba Moreu Jr. defeated Kansan Jose Zuniga-Martinez by unanimous (5-0) decision on Tuesday at the 2022 USA Boxing Junior Olympics and Summer Boxing Festival. Moreu is competing in the 119-pound Youth division. On Wednesday, he'll face Texas' Ranulfo Bocanegra, the top seed in the division. Bocanegra drew a bye into the second round. The Moreu-Bocanegra bout is scheduled for the evening session, which begins at 5 p.m. MDT. All bouts are being streamed at teamusa.org. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer In this April 2017 photo provided by NASA, technicians lift the mirror of the James Webb Space Telescope using a crane at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. (Laura Betz/NASA) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The James Webb Space Telescope looks farther back in time than any telescope thus far – more than 13 billion years, nearly to the beginning of the universe. The images provided by Webb would not have been possible without the 18 precisely shaped and polished hexagonal mirrors, which once unfolded in the extreme cold of...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Michelle Lujan Grisham and Mark Ronchetti. (Images courtesy of the candidates) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – As national political groups continue to set their sights – and their checkbooks – on New Mexico's race for governor, abortion is shaping up to be a prominent issue. The latest salvos were fired this week, when a political committee with ties to a national Democratic group launched a TV ad in New Mexico targeting Republican Mark Ronchetti's stance on abortion. The group, called "A Stronger New Mexico," is affiliated with the...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer St. Mary's head coach Randy Bennett shouts from the sidelines during the first half of an NCAA semifinal college basketball game against St. Mary's at the West Coast Conference tournament Monday, March 7, 2022, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) Lobo basketball will get a double-dose of Gael this season. And coach Richard Pitino had to go coast-to-coast to make it happen. The UNM men's team on Tuesday announced the final two additions to its 2022-23 nonconference schedule – a 13-game slate (plus one home exhibition) that is highlighted by the...
By Seth Borenstein / Associated Press This image released by NASA on July 12, 2022, shows the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region, NGC 3324, in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on the James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals previously obscured areas of star birth, according to NASA. (SOURCE: NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI) GREENBELT, Md. – A sparkling landscape of baby stars. A foamy blue-and-orange view of a dying star. Five galaxies in a cosmic dance. The splendors of the universe glowed in a new batch of images released...
By Associated Press Matt King works on an installation in Santa Fe in 2009. King, one of the co-founders of Meow Wolf, died on Saturday. (Greg Sorber/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — Matt King, a co-founder of the Santa Fe-based arts collective Meow Wolf that has grown into an offbeat, interactive entertainment juggernaut, has died. He was 37. Meow Wolf spokeswoman Didi Bethurum on Tuesday confirmed King's death. He died Saturday, but the cause and location of his death was withheld. In a statement, Meow Wolf called King a "pioneer of immersive art" who "had a joy for creation that...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer A bouquet of flowers sits in the front yard of the Southeast Albuquerque home where 15-year-old Brett Rosenau was found dead. The house caught fire after authorities threw tear gas inside during a SWAT standoff. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) A day after police reform advocates and family members asked the state attorney general to conduct an independent investigation into a fire that sparked during a SWAT standoff — killing a teenage boy — the Albuquerque chief of police added his voice to the request. Chief Harold Medina sent a letter to Attorney...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer A bouquet of flowers sits in the front yard of the Southeast Albuquerque home where 15-year-old Brett Rosenau was found dead. The house caught fire after authorities threw tear gas inside during a SWAT standoff. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) A day after police reform advocates and family members asked the state attorney general to conduct an independent investigation into a fire that sparked during a SWAT standoff — killing a teenage boy — the Albuquerque chief of police added his voice to the request. Chief Harold Medina sent a letter to Attorney...
By Associated Press LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- A New Mexico police officer got emotional on the witness stand Tuesday at his former professional partner's murder trial when recalling the danger that he believed he faced in trying to arrest a man who died in a 2020 struggle with officers. Las Cruces Officer Andrew Tuton said he believed Antonio Valenzuela had a gun and was reaching for it during his struggle with Tuton and Officer Christopher Smelser, who is charged with murder in the death. In the end, though, no gun was found on Valenzuela. Tuton, who paused to gather...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Management of the U.S. government's only underground nuclear waste repository will be taken over later this year by a company created by one of the largest engineering, construction and project management firms in the world. The U.S. Energy Department announced Monday that the new contract with the Bechtel company to oversee the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in southern New Mexico is worth up to billion if all options are exercised over the next decade. The current contract with Nuclear Waste Partnership will expire at the end of September,...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Drew Tulchin. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Up to 14 companies could benefit from a new, million venture fund focused on investments in New Mexico startups, and in local firms with high-growth potential. The New Mexico Angels investor group created the newly launched "Vintage Fund 2022" to broaden the availability of private equity in the local ecosystem, said NM Angels President Drew Tulchin. The new fund will operate independently from the NM Angels, investing up to 0,000 in individual startups and established firms. But it will work in direct partnership with the NM...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- Physicians and researchers are urging New Mexico legislators to allow the use of psychedelic mushrooms in mental health therapy aimed at overcoming depression, anxiety, psychological trauma and alcoholism. A legislative panel on Tuesday listened to advocates who hope to broaden the scope of medical treatment and research assisted by psilocybin, the psychedelic active ingredient in certain mushrooms. Oregon is so far the only state to legalize the therapeutic use of psilocybin, the psychedelic active ingredient in certain mushrooms. Recent studies indicate psilocybin could be useful in the treatment of...
By Adrian Gomez and Geoff Grammer/Journal Staff Writers Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) and Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in promotional shots for “Breaking Bad.” (Frank Ockenfels 3/AMC) There were doubts from the city of Albuquerque in 2006, when the pilot for a new show called "Breaking Bad" was slated to film. At the time, the city didn't know if a project about a teacher turned meth dealer would be the right fit. Production on the pilot began in March 2007 and the series has become a cultural juggernaut. Flash forward to July 29, 2022, and the city will honor Walter...
By Jeff Tucker / Journal Editorial Writer This week's question: What should Albuquerque, Bernalillo County or the state do about the sale and/or use of fireworks? Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published. Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-form Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque firefighters battle a house fire on the 2900 block of San Diego SE on Tuesday morning. (Mike Sandoval/For the Journal) Fire crews fought a house fire Tuesday in a neighborhood in Southeast Albuquerque. Albuquerque Fire Rescue Lt. Tom Ruiz said one firefighter was hospitalized for heat exhaustion but is in stable condition. He said there were no injuries to residents and the fire is under investigation. Ruiz said AFR responded around 11:45 a.m. to a house fire in the 2900 block of San Diego SE, near Girard. He said they found...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief New Mexico would join Alaska in providing annual oil-derived financial relief payments to residents under a plan released Tuesday by Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti. A top Democratic legislator said she was wary of the proposal due to uncertainty about future revenue levels. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) SANTA FE -- New Mexico is already providing up to [post_excerpt],500 in tax rebates to taxpayers this year with the state awash in revenue, but Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti said Tuesday he wants to make the rebates an annual occurrence. A proposal released...
By Adrian Gomez and Geoff Grammer/Journal Staff Writers Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) and Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in promotional shots for “Breaking Bad.” (Frank Ockenfels 3/AMC) There were doubts from the city of Albuquerque in 2006, when the pilot for a new show called "Breaking Bad" was slated to film. At the time, the city didn't know if a project about a teacher turned meth dealer would be the right fit. Production on the pilot began in March 2007 and the series has become a cultural juggernaut. Flash forward to July 29, 2022, and the city will honor Walter...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler, Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman in “Better Call Saul.” The two actors received Emmy nominations on Tuesday. (Greg Lewis/AMC/Sony Pictures Television) Twenty. That's the total number of Emmy nominations that "Better Call Saul" and "Stranger Things" picked up on Tuesday. The two projects — "Saul" with seven nominations, "Stranger Things" with 13 — both filmed in New Mexico. HBO's "Succession" was the overall leader with 25 nominations, while "Ted Lasso" got 20 bids and tied with "The White Lotus." The sixth and final season of...
By ABQJournal News Staff Roadrunner Food Bank on Monday received a check for more than ,300 from Albertsons Market, collected during a recent statewide donate-at-the-register fundraising campaign. "We thank Albertsons and their customers for this annual campaign and their ongoing support, especially during the summer when hunger is higher for families with children," said Roadrunner spokeswoman Sonya Warwick. "Inflation is impacting not just the food that the food bank obtains, but also the people we serve." More than 70,000 hungry people receive food each week supplied by Roadrunner and its network of 500 member partners, including food pantries, soup...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer In an effort to address a staffing crisis, Bernalillo County will be giving correctional officers at the Metropolitan Detention Center a 13% raise. That means that correctional officers who have been there for two to four years will now be making .43 — up from .85. Officers who have been there for more than five years will make .67 — up from .83 — sergeants will make .49 — up from .33 — and lieutenants will make .28 — up from .45. Officers who come from other detention facilities will receive a...
By Journal Staff Report APS Berna Facio Professional Development Complex (Courtesy of AIA Albuquerque) Albuquerque Public Schools will be hosting a job fair aimed at bolstering its numbers of school support staff. In a Tuesday news release, the district said it needs nurses, IT techs, educational assistants, bus drivers, custodians, food service workers, maintenance workers, coaches and substitute teachers. The district will hold the job fair at its professional development complex at 3315 Louisiana Blvd. NE on Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m. The job fair will follow an internal "Transfer Expo" from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. It...
By Darlene Superville / Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Jill Biden apologized Tuesday for saying Latinos are "as unique" as San Antonio breakfast tacos during a speech to the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. "The first lady apologizes that her words conveyed anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community," tweeted Jill Biden's spokesperson, Michael LaRosa. The first lady flew to San Antonio on Monday to address the annual conference of UnidosUS, a Latino civil rights and advocacy group formerly known as the National Council of La Raza. She also spoke at a Democratic Party...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Some dream of regular meals, some wish to help the homeless, others hope for an end to violence in their communities. These are the aspirations of Albuquerque Public Schools kids whose own lives have not been easy – kids who don't have a permanent address to call home and who receive services through the APS Title I McKinney-Vento Homeless Program. Fifteen of these students, ages 6-19, recently participated in the Pictures of Hope program founded and led by internationally known photographer Linda Solomon. The students were given...
By Martin Salazar / Journal City Editor Albuquerque Police Department homicide detectives investigate after a woman was found shot to death at Bell and San Pablo SE on Monday night. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Albuquerque homicide detectives are investigating after a woman was found shot to death inside this vehicle at San Mateo and Grand Monday night. It was the second fatal shooting APD responded to on Monday night. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Albuquerque police say two women were shot to death in separate shootings that occurred less than two miles away from each other Monday night. Lt. Ray...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Protesters angry about Brett Rosenau's death interrupt a news conference and ribbon cutting ceremony at the city's new library in the International District on Saturday. Rosenau died in a fire during a SWAT standoff not far from the library. The ACLU of New Mexico and the family are calling for an independent investigation. (Roberto E. Rosales / Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Brett Rosenau was small for his 15 years. His family describes him as a boy who "walked to the beat of his own drum" and wasn't shy about...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Tracy Robinson and Alan Brioso of Albuquerque board the 4:20 p.m. Rail Runner train Wednesday at the South Capitol station in Santa Fe. About 50 people boarded the train at the stop, which Brioso said was a light day. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – No one boarded a Rail Runner train car for about a year after the pandemic reached New Mexico. But ridership jumped sharply this spring and has kept climbing this summer, reaching its highest level since the first coronavirus infections surfaced 2½ years...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal An Albuquerque Police Department detective alleges in a whistleblower lawsuit that investigators violated the constitutional rights of a man charged in the 2019 shooting death of Jacqueline Vigil. The lawsuit alleges APD investigators who questioned Luis Talamantes-Romero in San Antonio, Texas, ignored his repeated requests for an attorney and failed to inform him of his constitutional rights. APD detective Jessie Carter alleges in the lawsuit that APD retaliated against him after he reported the alleged violations to the District Attorney's Office and an APD supervisor. Carter was...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Diesel pumps and pipelines near Siphon Beach have delivered Rio Grande water to Corrales irrigators this spring and summer after a siphon broke. The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District is considering several options to repair or replace the siphon. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District is exploring how to repair or replace a broken siphon that has strained the Corrales irrigation water supply. Low river levels and high-maintenance equipment have hampered this summer's temporary solution to the aging infrastructure. Earlier this year after finding a hole in the siphon,...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Wilhelmina Yazzie stands outside Jefferson Elementary School in Gallup, where two of her children went to school. She was one of the original plaintiffs in the Yazzie-Martinez consolidated lawsuit, which in 2018 produced a landmark decision that required the state to turn public education around. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Wilhelmina Yazzie, a mother of three who's lived most of her life on the Navajo Nation, said she's waited four years for New Mexico to make good on its duty to serve kids like hers. She was the original...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Thunder, a 22-year-old male chimpanzee, died at the BioPark Zoo Saturday from complications of a shigella bacteria infection. (Source: ABQ BioPark) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The shigella bacterial outbreak that took the lives of three siamangs and a western lowland gorilla within the last year has claimed another victim. Thunder, a 22-year-old male chimpanzee, died on Saturday from complications of a shigella bacteria infection, zoo officials announced Monday. Thunder began showing signs of gastrointestinal illness in early July, and fecal samples from the chimpanzee troop tested positive for shigella, said ABQ...
By Matthew Narvaiz And Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writers Jacob Sherwood, a Starbucks barista at Rio Grande and Interstate 40, is part of an organizing group that filed a petition on Monday that can lead to a possible unionization of the coffee shop’s 31 employees. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Jacob Sherwood has been a barista at the Starbucks on Rio Grande and Interstate 40 since October, and he says it's constantly busy. Most days, he said, the coffee shop is understaffed and employees feel overworked. Sherwood and five of his colleagues have launched the process to make his shop...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer An 11-year-old boy was stabbed to death in Hobbs early Sunday morning, and no arrests have been made. The Lea County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Monday that deputies were called to a reported stabbing on the 3900 block of N. Dal Paso Street shortly before 1 a.m. on Sunday. Bruce Johnson Jr., 11, and Mary Johnson, 49, each had been stabbed multiple times. Bruce Johnson Jr., was transported to Covenant Health Hospital in Hobbs, where he died. Mary Johnson was flown to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas, where she...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer A 48 inch sewer line collapsed near the intersection of 64th and Hawthorn on Sunday night, causing backups in two businesses and a residence. Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority asked West Side Albuquerque residents to limit their water use during the next few days. Crews are currently working on fixing the broken pipe. The cause of the collapse is suspected to be the age of the pipeline, which dates to 1963, said David Morris, spokesman for the authority. According to the emergency notice, limiting showering, flushing and dish washing helps reduce water...
By Anita Snow / Associated Press PHOENIX -- Latino students should be a federal funding priority after they fell behind during the coronavirus pandemic despite making notable educational gains in recent decades, leaders with the largest U.S. Hispanic civil rights and advocacy group said Monday. "There is funding there," said Amalia Chamorro, who oversees educational policy for UnidosUS, formerly the National Council of La Raza. "We need to make sure it is directed to students with the most needs." An Associated Press analysis of state and U.S. data last year found the federal government had provided 0 billion in...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Dr. David Scrase The New Mexico Department of Health on Monday announced the state's first probable case of monkeypox, a rare disease caused by a virus that is being tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The patient had recently returned from out of state and was likely exposed through contact, according to the Department of Health. The DOH Scientific Laboratory Division did the initial testing on Friday and the CDC is working to confirm the results. The patient is doing well and isolating at...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer To one student, this Albuquerque statue was a call to end violence in the community. (Courtesy Pictures of Hope) Some dream for regular meals, some wish to help the homeless, others hope for an end to violence in their communities. These are the aspirations of Albuquerque Public Schools kids whose own lives have not been easy — kids who don't have a permanent address to call home and who receive services through the APS Title I McKinney-Vento Homeless Program. Fifteen of these students, ages 6-19, recently participated in the Pictures of Hope...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Blue is the featured character in the animated series, "Blue's Clues & You." The traveling show will make a stop in Rio Rancho on Nov. 19. (Courtesy of Nickelodeon) Get your handy dandy notebook — Blue is coming. The live stage show based on the animated series, "Blues Clues & You" will be making a stop on Saturday, Nov. 19, at the Rio Rancho Events Center. The traveling show features all the beloved characters from the series, including Blue, her friends Magenta, Rainbow Puppy and many more, this new original...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor The United States Postal Service will release the mariachi stamps in Albuquerque on Friday, July 15. (Courtesy of USPS) The music of mariachi is embedded in New Mexico culture. On Friday, July 15, the United States Postal Service will premiere the new mariachi postage stamps in Albuquerque. California-based artist Rafael López designed the five pieces of art adorned on the stamps. Each musician is dressed in the traje de charro — the traditional outfit for mariachi performers. Each of the performers is outfit with the iconic instruments such at the...
By James Hamill / For the Journal Q: I will gift a rental house to my daughter and her husband. The house is worth about 5,000 with a ,000 mortgage, but I will pay the mortgage before transferring the title. I know I have to file a gift tax return but my estate is between million and million so I will not owe any gift tax. My concern is my daughter's ability to use the 0,000 gain exclusion if she sells the house. She has two children and a third on the way and currently lives in...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man died after a confrontation with police ended in gunfire in a Target parking lot near Lomas and Eubank in Northeast Albuquerque. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The 64-year-old man who shot himself Tuesday after being confronted by Albuquerque police had recently told his probation officer he was going to kill himself due to health issues, according to court records. James Langlois died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after police tried to arrest him on a DWI-related probation violation outside a Target store in Northeast Albuquerque, according to...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior FROM GOOD TO BAD TO WORSE? The drama that is Paseo del Norte and Tramway Boulevard continues. It began with an acceleration lane for eastbound-to-southbound traffic. It was re-striped with a quick merge "to accommodate all modes of transportation," then modified with delineators – white posts – to protect the bike lane. And now a new signal has many drivers confused about whether they can turn right on red. Michael Riordan, the former director of the city of Albuquerque's Municipal Development Department – which oversees things like road construction and signal timing...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A depiction of the Recurve satellite, which was designed and built at Kirtland Air Force Base. (Courtesy Air Force Research Laboratory ) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A Virgin Orbit flight named after Paula Abdul's breakthrough hit "Straight Up" successfully carried seven Department of Defense satellites into space, including an experimental space vehicle designed and built at Kirtland Air Force Base. The Air Force Research Laboratory announced last week that its Recurve satellite, which was made at Kirtland, was one of several satellites launched into low-earth orbit by the Virgin Orbit space...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Fabian Gonzales Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Horrific details began to emerge the day police found the mutilated remains of 10-year-old Victoria Martens in her mother's Albuquerque apartment in August 2016. Police told a stunned public that Victoria's mother and two others drugged and raped the girl before strangling and dismembering her. Arrests and criminal charges for three co-defendants followed quickly. "This homicide is the most gruesome act of evil I have ever seen in my career," then-Police Chief Gorden Eden said of the crime. But nearly two years later, prosecutors revealed...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A memorial in the front yard of a house in Southeast Albuquerque SE where a 15-year-old was found dead after a SWAT situation ended in a house fire. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Albuquerque police released the name of the Black teen found dead in a home that caught fire after authorities threw tear gas inside during a standoff overnight Wednesday in Southeast Albuquerque. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, identified the boy as 15-year-old Brett Rosenau. Police initially said the teen was believed to be 14 years old. "The preliminary results...
By Jordan Clancy / Investor, New Mexico Angels Jordan Clancy Editor's Note: Throughout 2022, New Mexico Angels' members, investors and startup owners will be writing columns on economic development and startup opportunities in the state. The Angels unite individual investors to pool their resources, providing seed and early-stage capital to startup companies. There's a trend emerging in New Mexico, which I call the growing of the "Boomerang Economy." A boomeranger is a young person, typically millennial, who left New Mexico for greener pastures. They've been living in such cities as Denver, Austin, Seattle, San Francisco or New York. Now,...
By Associated Press YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. -- A wildfire threatening the largest grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park more than doubled in size in a day, and firefighters were working in difficult terrain Sunday to protect the iconic trees and a small mountain town as the U.S. weathers another very active year for fires. Campers and residents near the blaze were evacuated but the rest of the sprawling park in California remained open, though heavy smoke obscured scenic vistas and created unhealthy air quality. "Today it's actually the smokiest that we've seen," Nancy Phillipe, a Yosemite...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter CYFD Secretary Barbara Vigil -- pictured when it was announced she would lead the agency -- ordered an "in-depth system analysis" after the November 2021 child abuse death of a month-old boy in Valencia County. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal More than six months ago, the new Children, Youth and Families Department cabinet secretary ordered an outside review of the embattled agency's response to child fatalities and critical incidents. So far CYFD has refused to release the report, which was supposed to be completed by April 15. The agency...
By Associated Press SANTA FE – State investments are being buffeted by turbulent financial markets as New Mexico voters consider whether to divert more money each year toward early childhood education programs. A report Thursday from the Legislature's budget and accountability office shows that the state's four major public pension and permanent funds shrank by about 5 million during the first three months of the year amid a federal interest-rate hike, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and a wave of COVID-19 infections. The losses are a tiny share of the funds' .3 billion valuation that grew by 40% over...
By Sean Murphy / Associated Press Ray Doyah, the first to speak on his experiences at an Indian boarding school, bows his head as he listens to others speak at a meeting to hear about the painful experiences of Native Americans who were sent to government-backed boarding schools designed to strip them of their cultural identities, Saturday, July 9, 2022, in Anadarko, Okla. One by one, Native American tribal elders who were once students at government-backed Indian boarding schools testified about the hardships they endured: beatings, whippings, sexual assaults, forced haircuts and painful nicknames. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) ANADARKO, Okla....
By / Associated Press Among the iconic sequoia trees in Yosemite National Park that are being threatened by the Washburn Fire is the 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant. (Noah Berger/Associated Press) YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. – The largest grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park remained closed Saturday as firefighters battled a blaze that threatened the gathering of the iconic trees and forced hundreds of campers to evacuate. The rest of the park in California remained open, though smoke that hung in the air obscured some of the most scenic vistas and views. More than 500 mature sequoias were threatened...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A virtual telephone town hall with U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury on Tuesday night showed how frustrated many liberal voters are – and the challenges Democratic lawmakers will have trying to appease them. The New Mexico Democrat said during her introductory remarks that water security and economic development are among her top priorities, and she has had success finding bipartisan support for her bills on those topics. She said she was hopeful she could package together a water and fire-recovery proposal in the near future. She also said she had plans to support...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Editorial Page Editor Albuquerque Solid Waste Department workers perform their biweekly Coronado Park cleanup on June 29. The park near Downtown Albuquerque has become a homeless encampment. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Every other Wednesday, around 50 city employees from seven different departments report to Albuquerque's Coronado Park at 6 a.m. and get ready for another homeless encampment cleanup day. This is neither a defense nor an indictment of the sad testament that is Coronado Park. It's simply the reality that everyone who drives by Second and Interstate 40 sees daily. Every cleanup costs city taxpayers...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Dozens mourn the loss of a 17-year-old girl and her 15-year-old cousin who were fatally shot by a man who then took his own life near Cottonwood Mall. This year has had five double homicides so far, a sharp increase from 2021, which had one double homicide and a triple homicide, and is on another record-setting course. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal), Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In 2019, there were 81 homicides in Albuquerque. At the time, it was the highest total in the city's history and shocked a community that had grown...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Former Albuquerque Police Chief Gil Gallegos, described as "a cop's cop," died Tuesday at his Belen home. He was 78. (Courtesy of Maria Henderson) When Gil Gallegos was looking for a job back in 1964, he filled out two applications with the city — one, to work for the sanitation department, and the other, to work for the police department. "He said, ‘Whichever one calls me back first, that's who I'm going with,'" recalled his daughter, Maria Henderson. It was fortuitous that the Albuquerque Police Department called first. Gallegos parlayed that phone...
By Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- Santa Fe, not Roswell, is the place this weekend to possibly spot some aliens--or at least their stuff. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that props from the now-cancelled CW TV drama, "Roswell, New Mexico," are being sold at an estate sale inside the site of an old Kmart in Santa Fe. A reboot of a 2000s-era show on The WB network, "Roswell, New Mexico" is currently airing its fourth and final season. Organizers of the estate sale say roughly 13,000 items including set dressings, costumes and furniture are up for grabs....
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal First in a series. Seemingly logical assumptions can lead the most cautious among us down the wrong path. Veterinary medicine provides generous opportunities, so I gather every detail possible. Because it's important for me to understand the people who bring their pets to me, I ask their ages and occupations. Nearly everybody complies. Diane and Don Sheets, each retired and in their early 80s, lived in a semi-rural (semi-wild) area near Santa Fe. They had one dog, a spaniel mix named Harvey. The Nichol family's previous dog was Miss America; our current border...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer At least one person has been injured and several roads have been shut down in separate crashes in different parts of the city Saturday morning, according to the Albuquerque Police Department. One person was hospitalized after a crash involving a vehicle and bike at Unser and Kimmick NW. Unser northbound is closed at Rainbow NW, said Rebecca Atkins, an APD spokeswoman, in an email before 11 a.m. Another crash, involving a motorcycle and another vehicle, has shut down Anaheim and San Pedro near that intersection, Atkins wrote. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Officials will celebrate the grand opening of the new International District Library on Saturday. The .5 million facility represents years of community advocacy of public investment. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Nancy Bearce remembers brainstorming sessions with fellow International District neighborhood leaders in the early 2000s as they tried to picture what they wanted their community to look like in the future. If they had unlimited influence and funding, what would they do? What would they build? A new library quickly made the wish list, said Bearce, former...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer A new studio for fitness classes is now available to rent on Albuquerque's West Side. Opened toward the beginning of the year, Motion Studio West, at 2115 Vista Oeste NW, is an 1,800-square-foot fitness co-op available to instructors to rent on an hourly basis, according to owner Peter Pineda. Pineda, a real estate broker who owns the shopping center where Motion Studio West is located and an Anytime Fitness franchise, said that he had been looking to fill the space in the strip mall since the beginning of the pandemic, but was...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer In just two years, Lucky Goose has moved from its humble beginnings as a concessions stand in Los Lunas to a wildly popular food truck in Albuquerque — and soon, to its own brick-and-mortar location. Lucky Goose, at 3503 B Central NE, is set to open mid-August. Owners Rafael Guillen and Melissa Timmons said that the goal has always been to open up a storefront location, but when they launched the Lucky Goose food truck in 2021, both assumed it would be quite some time before that dream was a reality. However,...
By Ellen Marks / For the Journal It was the jury-rigged basketball hoop hanging in the family barn that started Mag Strittmatter on the road to sports icon status. Strittmatter, the president and CEO of Roadrunner Food Bank, went from playing with her older brothers and their friends ("I was just the pesky younger sister") to joining her high school team and averaging 27 points per game. When it came time for college, she became the first woman at Pennsylvania State University to win a Title IX scholarship. Title IX, which is 50 years old this year, is the...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal An 18-year-old Santa Fe teen has been arrested in Thursday's shooting death of another teen. According to the Santa Fe Police Department, the shooting happened inside a vehicle parked in the parking lot of a smoke shop at 4350 Airport Road. Andres Griego-Alvarado, 18, was driven to Christus St. Vincent Urgent Care by Efren Sifuentes-Gallegos after being injured with a firearm. Sifuentes-Gallegos was later charged with murder and tampering with evidence. "The firearm used and the vehicle where the shooting took place have been seized," Santa Fe...
By Christina A. Cassidy / Associated Press BATON ROUGE, La. -- After polls closed in New Mexico's primary last month, a worker returning ballots and other election materials to the clerk's office in Santa Fe was followed by a partisan election observer driving so closely that mere inches separated their bumpers. The poll worker was so rattled by the ordeal that she said she may not return for the upcoming November election, according to Santa Fe County Clerk Katharine Clark. The incident is just one of many in which election officials and workers have felt threatened since the 2020...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer U.S. Chief District Judge William P. Johnson Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A 24-year-old Albuquerque man has been sentenced to more than 14 years in prison for threatening people with a gun and robbing an insurance business in 2019. A federal jury convicted Jacquan Abe in February of armed robbery, assault with intent to commit a violent felony and aggravated battery charges in the case. U.S. Chief District Judge William Johnson sentenced him Thursday to 14 years and three months in prison. Abe confronted an employee from an automobile repair shop located...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Police identified James Langlois as the man who shot himself Tuesday in a van during a confrontation with officers outside a Northeast Albuquerque store. Preliminary autopsy results found that Langlois, 64, shot himself in the head, Albuquerque Police Department spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said in a written statement Friday. Officers responded to the Target in the 11100 block of Lomas NE about 9:30 p.m. after a store manager called 242-COPS to report a man in a van who refused to leave the parking lot. Langlois displayed a firearm...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – More than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, some New Mexico state employees who have been allowed to work from home are being told to come back to the office, and remote work is no longer being touted in job postings. But the push to make state workers return to in-person work has not gone totally smoothly as some employees have gotten used to working from home and others say they have been exposed to COVID-19 after coming back to the office. Micheal...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Beaver Creek, a tributary of the Gallinas River, flows through forests burned by the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. Federal agencies and conservation groups are working to protect the City of Las Vegas’ water supply from post-fire flooding and ash, and to restore the fire-damaged ecosystems. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire has left many disasters in its wake. Even though the blaze is mostly contained, impacts to water and land will likely linger for years. Local governments, landowners and conservation groups are now pitching in to protect the water supply...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer In the summer months of pre-pandemic years, tourists would flock to Albuquerque to enjoy near total sunshine or indulge in the city's cultural offerings. Out-of-towners could be spotted throughout the city, strolling through the historic Old Town neighborhood and hiking in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains. This summer, those scenes are finally making a comeback. After two years of pandemic-induced disruptions, Albuquerque's tourism season is finally in full swing again and largely back to pre-pandemic levels, local leaders said. "No doubt the travel industry was hit very hard by the pandemic,...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer In this file photo, protesters gather outside the Supreme Court in Washington last month after the court revoked the federal right to an abortion. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) SANTA FE — A legal petition filed by Republican state Sen. David Gallegos and others asks a state judge to declare that New Mexico has no law allowing abortion. The lawsuit — now pending in the Fifth Judicial District in southeastern New Mexico — says the state has no law, act or other legal authority that "allows for or legalizes abortion procedures" in the...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) SANTA FE — A fifth independent legislative candidate has qualified for the ballot, a sharp increase over the last few election cycles. Just one independent made the ballot in 2020 and two in 2018. This year's crop is up to five after Enrique Cardiel's designation was changed from a minor party to "decline to state" in election paperwork, the label for voters and candidate who have no affiliation. Cardiel, who works in public health, said he is running on his own merits and just...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer The United Way of Central New Mexico's Hispano Philanthropic Society is kicking off its Executive Speakers Series beginning at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 Fourth SW, according to a release. This free event aims to "educate, inspire and inform the audience about the possibilities, pitfalls, and principles they should know as leaders in our contemporary world," the release said. The presentation will emphasize the success of small businesses. The series will feature keynote speakers John and Kathleen Avila of Avila Retail Development and Management, LLC. The Avilas...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Detectives are investigating the homicide of a 4-month-old girl who died a month after being brought to the University of New Mexico Hospital. Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said Trinity Garcia died on March 16 and investigators believe her death is "suspicious in nature." Gallegos did not give a cause of death. He said Garcia was brought to UNMH on Feb. 13 "for a medical issue" and the Crimes Against Children unit took over the investigation. "At that time it was unknown what caused the medical issue," Gallegos said. He said warrants...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer With cotton candy toppings, colorful rims of sprinkles and a generous addition of candy, the creations coming out of a new Albuquerque shake and drink shop are the things of Willy Wonka's dreams. The Shakery, located at the El Vado Motel at 2500 Central SW, opened Sunday. Owned by Amanda Jones, the opening of El Vado's latest spot for sweet treats comes almost two years after the opening of her first business, A Heavenly Taste Cakery, also at the motel. "It's been hectic, but it's been beyond amazing," Jones said of the...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer James Duran The U.S. Forest Service announced Friday that Carson National Forest supervisor James Duran will also serve as acting supervisor for the Santa Fe National Forest for the next four months. Duran is filling in for SFNF supervisor Debbie Cress, who is temporarily assigned to the acting Deputy Chief of Staff role for U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore. The two northern New Mexico forests have had an early and destructive fire season this year. Cress acknowledged the "difficult timing" of the leadership change in the wake of the Calf Canyon/Hermits...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer LaPhonso Ellis remembers well walking up that the Pit ramp in the thin Albuquerque air as a 17-year-old basketball star in April 1988. But the Lincoln High School star from East St. Louis, Illinois, who went on to college and NBA stardom remembers something else even more about his trip to Albuquerque as one of the headliners of the nationally televised McDonald's All-American basketball game. "I just remember the people there," Ellis told the Journal this week. "The locals were just really, really nice and supportive and receptive of us, and I...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Kirtland Air Force Base's 58th Special Operations Wing earlier this summer welcomed new leaders to oversee the training unit that sends thousands of airmen into New Mexico skies for exercises each year. Col. Jonathan Graham Col. Jonathan Graham took command of the training wing during a ceremony last month. Chief Master Sgt. Colin Fleck also recently took over as the wing's command chief. Both Graham and Fleck have ties to New Mexico from previous assignments in their Air Force careers. Graham has been assigned to Kirtland three...
By Raul Flores / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A 2-year-old girl was taken to a Rio Rancho hospital late Friday night after eating several cannabis-infused gummies and becoming unresponsive. The child was in "serious, but stable" condition, but her mother was arrested on a felony after she admitted to police that the child obtained the gummies from her purse, according to a criminal complaint filed Saturday in Metro Court. Amanda Ulibarri, 33, is charged with child abuse. She was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Saturday but has since been released from custody. Her...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A federal judge on Thursday ordered a 32-year-old Las Cruces man with an intellectual disability jailed pending trial on a murder-for-hire charge stemming from his alleged recruitment of what he believed was a professional hit man to kill his girlfriend's mother and harm his caregiver. Senior U.S. District Judge Robert Brack decided there were no conditions of release, such as a GPS monitor and 24/7 supervision by a caregiver, to ensure that Leif Everett Hayman wouldn't pose a danger to public safety or be a flight risk....
By Paul J. Weber / Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday authorized state forces to apprehend and transport migrants to the U.S.-Mexico border, claiming the enforcement powers of federal agents and pushing the legal boundaries of the Republican's escalating efforts to curb the rising number of crossings. The federal government is responsible for enforcement of immigration laws, but for more than a year Texas has patrolled the border with an increasingly heavier hand. Abbott stopped short of authorizing Texas troopers and National Guard members – who he has already deployed to the border by...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Dick Moots is the creator of the Albuquerque Dukes logo, born 50 years ago. On July 12 he will be inducted into the Albuquerque Baseball Hall Of Fame. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) It's a good thing Dick Moots liked that "friendly" looking, baseball-playing conquistador creation he sketched out on his drawing board a half century ago. Lord knows the 84-year-old Rio Rancho resident wouldn't have much luck avoiding it if he wanted to at this point. "I never dreamed that it would last this long," Moots said Thursday, talking about his 1972...
By Associated Press TOKYO -- Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in heart failure after apparently being shot during a campaign speech Friday in western Japan, NHK public television said Friday. The broadcaster aired footage showing Abe collapsed on the street, with several security guards running toward him. Abe was holding his chest when he collapsed, with his shirt smeared with blood. NHK says Abe was rushed to a hospital. Abe was in Nara campaigning ahead of Sunday's election for the parliament's upper house and was giving a speech when people heard a gunshot. Police arrested a male...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man was fatally shot Thursday afternoon in Santa Fe. Deputy Chief of Police Benjamin Valdez said around 4 p.m. a man was dropped off at the CHRISTUS St. Vincent Health Center on Cerrillos. "The male was said to have sustained life-threatening injuries as a result of having been shot," he said. Valdez said police responded and the male later died of his injury. He did not identify the man and said the case is under activ investigation. Valdez gave no other details. "As additional information becomes available it will be provided,"...
By Dan Boyd and Dan McKay / Journal Capitol Bureau Michelle Lujan Grisham and Mark Ronchetti. (Images courtesy of the candidates) SANTA FE -- Republican Mark Ronchetti outraised Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham by more than 0,000 during a recent month-long period, setting the stage for an expensive and pugnacious general election showdown. Lujan Grisham, the incumbent governor, held a big financial advantage over Ronchetti entering the June 7 primary election, but reports filed Thursday showed Ronchetti has narrowed the cash gap due to a fundraising bump after winning a five-way GOP primary race. Specifically, he raised roughly [post_excerpt].2 million...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Safe outdoor spaces will become legal in Albuquerque on July 28. The City Council could vote to make them illegal just a few weeks later. But such a quick reversal would not necessarily preclude safe outdoor spaces from taking shape in New Mexico's largest city. That's because the zoning in place at the time of a land use application carries forward regardless of future zoning code changes. That potentially leaves 18 days to set safe outdoor spaces in motion, a window of opportunity at least one local businessman is watching closely. Brad...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- The first in a series of electric vehicle charging stations that will be paid for with state and federal infrastructure money will be installed in Socorro, one of the few populated areas along a major interstate that spans New Mexico, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Thursday. The first-term Democrat used her visit to the central New Mexico community to tout efforts to fund infrastructure projects as she seeks reelection. She also planned stops in Clovis and Roswell over the coming days. She said million secured through the legislative...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer An area of the Gila Wilderness that was burned by the Black Fire. State forestry officials said restoration work needs to be scaled up to address long-term drought, bark beetle damage and overgrowth. (Jake Quinones, NMBR/For the Journal) Fire season in the Southwest this year has been early and catastrophic. In New Mexico, fires have spread through more than 800,000 acres. State forestry officials say that New Mexico needs to drastically scale up restoration efforts to prevent destructive wildfires in forests facing long-term drought, bark beetle damage and overgrowth. New Mexico state...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer The Albuquerque Public Schools building. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Where do parents' rights end and their students' rights begin? That's an issue Albuquerque Public Schools board members are expected to take up at a policy meeting tonight as they consider a new proposed policy that would detail the rights parents have when it comes to their kids' education. Within the policy is language that parents "have the right … to have access to all educational records of a school district concerning their child" including "educational and/or social support plans, school counseling records, and school health...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Gallup Municipal Airport announced on Thursday that it has signed a two-year contract with Advanced Air for flights to-and-from Phoenix. It's the first time commercial flights have been offered out of the Gallup airport in more than a decade. (Courtesy of City of Gallup) The Gallup Municipal Airport will begin offering commercial flights to and from Phoenix beginning next month, city officials announced on Thursday. California-based Advanced Air, which also offers commercial flights from four other airports in New Mexico, will begin offering the daily flights to and from Phoenix and Gallup...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Public Schools headquarters in Uptown. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) It's official: School social workers and other instructional support providers in Albuquerque will be paid the same as their peers in classrooms next school year. Albuquerque Public Schools board members said they were pleased to bring the same base salaries legislated for teachers earlier this year to other licensed employees. They voted 6-0 on Wednesday to finalize an agreement between the district and the Albuquerque Teachers Federation to do so. Board member Crystal Tapia-Romero was absent. "I'm happy that this finally happened,"...
By ABQJournal News Staff A team from CNM’s welding program won a gold medal at the 2022 SkillsUSA Championships in Georgia. From left, Christopher Rodriguez, Walter Armijo and Zane Horton. (Photo courtesy CNM) It's not exactly an Olympic competition, but winning takes a lot of training and specialized skill, and three Central New Mexico Community College students took home gold in the Welding Fabrication Team category at the SkillsUSA Championships in Atlanta, Georgia, in June. The event is the largest competition in the country of career technical education students, with more than 6,500 college students competing in 108...
By Adolphe Pierre-Louis, Esteban Candelaria and Martin Salazar / Journal Staff Tyken Coleman and his mother Sundra Coleman, who live in a house that burned down during an APD SWAT situation on San Joaquin Ave. SE, wait for officers to come talk to them on Thursday morning. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) APD officers talk to family member who own a house that burned down during an APD SWAT situation on San Joaquin Ave. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina walks through a scene as a multitask law enforcement agency investigates an APD SWAT situation on San Joaquin Ave. Thursday morning....
By Carl Knauf / Journal Staff Writer For love, one finds a way. Even through common travel blunders, a weeklong over-indulgence and a catamaran injury to the bride the night before her wedding, one still finds a way. When my friend and his now wife were venting about the officiant of their destination wedding, without hesitation, I said, "I'll get ordained." The task was undeniably gratifying, and continuing to perform weddings for others is something worth my consideration. Contemporary ceremonies Couples utilizing a non-denominational wedding officiant is not uncommon. According to the city of Albuquerque, the Planning Department no...
By Michael Tarm, Kathleen Foody And Don Babwin / Associated Press Yesenia Hernandez, granddaughter to Nicolas Toledo, who was killed during Mondays Highland Park., Ill., Fourth of July parade, writes on a memorial for Toledo along with the six others who lost their lives in the mass shooting, Wednesday, July 6, 2022, in Highland Park. (Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press)) HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. – The man charged with killing seven people at an Independence Day parade confessed to police that he unleashed a hail of bullets from a rooftop in suburban Chicago and then fled to the Madison, Wisconsin, area,...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Jemez Pueblo artist Michael Toya is painting a five-story mural on the south side of the Nativo Lodge in Albuquerque. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Michael Toya is following in the footsteps of his ancestors. The Jemez Pueblo artist braved the elements for three months as he completed a large-scale mural on the outside of the Nativo Lodge in Albuquerque. "I've never done a mural or anything to this magnitude or scale," Toya says. "At the beginning, it was intimidating. The idea behind this work and...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Adrian Sanchez (MDC) Federal authorities arrested an 18-year-old Tuesday morning who allegedly fatally shot a man in May and dumped him in an East Central neighborhood. Deputy U.S. Marshal Jimmie Glisson said that around 10:30 a.m., the agency took Adrian Sanchez of Bandera, Texas, into custody after a short foot chase near Juan Tabo and Candelaria NE. Glisson said two marshals were hurt during the pursuit – one with a strained calf and another with an ankle injury. He said they were assessed at a hospital and...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- New Mexico residents who say they endured constitutional rights violations, depression and anxiety under aggressive public health restrictions during the coronavirus outbreak have abandoned a lawsuit against Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham after most allegations were dismissed by a judge. The move came after a string of adverse rulings in state and federal courts for plaintiffs in several lawsuits that challenged the authority of the Democratic governor and state health officials to impose public health restrictions, such as mask mandates, that were phased out earlier this year. New Mexico...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man died days after he was allegedly shot by a relative during a fight last weekend in Southwest Albuquerque. Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said 34-year-old Jaron Monte died on Wednesday. He said Monte was shot on Sunday and told police that he did not want to press charges on the shooter. Gallegos said the shooter, a family member, was also injured in the incident and treated at the hospital. It is unclear if he has been charged. "This is an active investigation," Gallegos said. He said police responded around 6:30...
By Jeff Tucker / Journal Editorial Writer This week's question: Should the Legislature take any action in light of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade? If so, what? Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published. Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-form Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police investigate a shooting at a house party that left a woman dead and two others injured early Tuesday morning on the West Side. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Detectives released the names of a teen killed in a crash and a woman shot at a house party in unrelated homicides in Albuquerque. Police department spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said the deaths of Alize Henson, 14, and Aaliyah Vigil, 20, are being investigated as homicides. No arrests have been made in either case. Police responded around 1 a.m. Tuesday to a shooting at a party...
By Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- One of the largest abortion providers in Texas is planning to move its operations to New Mexico and another provider that offers tele-health services related to abortion and reproductive health care is expanding its footprint in the state. Austin-based Whole Woman's Health began winding down its Texas operations after a ruling Friday by the Texas Supreme Court forced an end to abortions in that state. Now, the provider wants to establish a new clinic in a New Mexico city near the state line to provide first and second trimester abortions. Home to a...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer A district judge sentenced Russell Spencer to 12 years in prison Wednesday in the 2019 beating and shooting death of 15-year-old Evyn Scott. Spencer, 21, pleaded guilty in 2020 to second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit kidnapping in Scott's death. Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputies said Spencer and three others lured Scott into a car on March 14, 2019, and drove him into the East Mountains where they beat, strangled and shot the boy. A criminal complaint said that Spencer hid in the trunk while the others lured Scott into the car. Deputies...
By Roberto Rosales / Photographer Thousands of people turned out to watch the 72nd Annual Gallup Lions Club Rodeo held June 17-18 at Red Rock State Park. The crowd was particularly excited to be back after the rodeo had been postponed for two years, during which the town of Gallup and surrounding tribal areas were greatly affected by the COVID pandemic. There was also rejoicing because many of the rodeo events took place as the skies opened up and delivered a generous downpour, providing relief from an ongoing drought. This rodeo is one of the largest in the Southwest...
By Journal Staff Report Nominations are now being accepted for the 2022 William S. Dixon First Amendment Freedom Award. Sponsored by the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, the award recognizes people and organizations that advocate for transparency in government and safeguard the public's right to know what the government is doing. A panel of NMFOG directors will select the winners, who will be announced at the end of August and recognized at NMFOG's annual "Your Right to Know" Dixon Award Lunch to be held Oct. 6 in Albuquerque. Kathi Bearden, NMFOG board president, said in a recent news...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Officers were involved in a shooting late Tuesday night in a Target parking lot in Northeast Albuquerque. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said no officers were injured and a man is dead. He said the shooting happened sometime before 11:45 p.m. at the store east of Lomas and Eubank NE. Gallegos did not say what led to the shooting, if the man was armed or give any other details. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer A member of the Venturi Realty Group team is about to place a sign on a house for sale on the West Side Monday afternoon. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Brian Mozley has seen firsthand how rising mortgage rates have hit the local homebuying economy. Mozley, owner of local lending firm Financial Mortgage Solutions, worked with one couple last year on a pre-approval for a loan they planned on using to build a new home. But supply chain issues hampered the buildout of the house. By the time...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Concerns about unsanctioned encampments and homelessness have dominated City Council meetings, social media and other public discussions in recent months. Here's a look at some of the questions frequently asked in those discussions and responses from the city. Does the city already break up encampments? Yes. City crews have completed 732 cleanups so far in 2022, according to data provided by the Solid Waste Department. The city ranks response based on potential hazards. It moves quickest on those where campers are obstructing streets and sidewalks, where police...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said the current situation at Coronado Park is “not going to stand” and that his administration is currently looking toward a new approach to the dozens of unhoused people who sleep there. Two women are pictured moving a tent from the park during one of the city’s biweekly cleanups of the site. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Amid increasing criticism from the public and some city councilors, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said his administration is now "revisiting" how it addresses homeless encampments that have become...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer A citizen panel charged with recommending once-in-a-decade changes to Albuquerque's political boundaries has decided not to narrow the options and will instead forward eight different maps to the City Council. The city's 2022 Redistricting Committee voted to advance every option it was still considering as its service came to a close last week. That means the council — which has the final say over where to draw political lines — will look at maps that make only minor tweaks to the nine current districts as well as some that include more profound...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico’s gross receipts tax — applied to the sale of both services and goods — has been a focus of debate for years. The state's base rate is set to be cut by 0.25 percentage points over the next two years. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – The state of New Mexico cut its gross receipts tax last week by one-eighth of 1 percentage point – the first reduction of its kind in more than 40 years. Another decrease is planned next summer. Whittling down the...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Elephant Butte Dam and reservoir in early June. A federal judge overseeing a U.S. Supreme Court case between Texas and New Mexico over a long-running groundwater dispute has agreed to postpone an October trial so the parties can work out a potential settlement. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) A federal judge overseeing a U.S. Supreme Court case between Texas and New Mexico over a long-running groundwater dispute has agreed to postpone an October trial so the parties can work out a potential settlement. U.S. Circuit Judge Michael J. Melloy announced the decision on...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer Recreational cannabis sales in New Mexico for June brought in .2 million, according to the state Cannabis Control Division. New Mexico also saw about .5 million in medical sales for June, bringing the total cannabis sales for the month to nearly million. Since cannabis was legalized for recreational sales in New Mexico on April 1, the state has seen more than .3 million in recreational sales. April, the first month recreational cannabis for adult use was legalized, saw about million in sales, with the following month seeing a slight decrease...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Businesses in New Mexico may be eligible for a new program meant to reduce health insurance premiums by 10%. The program, known as the Small Business Health Insurance Premium Relief Initiative, is meant to aid small businesses that offer health insurance in compliance with the Affordable Care Act. Businesses that are eligible must have 50 employees or less, according to a news release from the New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance. The program went into effect on July 1. "Providing healthcare is an incredibly useful tool in attracting and retaining employees...
By Algernon D'Ammassa / Las Cruces Sun-News DEMING, N.M. -- A legal representative of the Fort Sill Apache tribe seemed pleasantly surprised by the prevailing mood at a public scoping meeting for a proposed gaming facility and other developments on a patch of land in Luna County. "I applaud you folks here today," the tribe's attorney, Phillip Thompson, said during the recent meeting. "I've been to some rancorous meetings about casinos in California and other parts of the country where, you know, we were looking for the back exit." No one spoke in opposition to the project at a...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police investigate after a person was found dead Tuesday afternoon in a neighborhood off East Central. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal)A person was found dead Tuesday afternoon in Southeast Albuquerque. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque police spokeswoman, said police responded sometime before 1:30 p.m. to Grove and Chico NE, a block north of Central. They found a person dead in the area. Atkins said homicide detectives are investigating. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By ABQJournal News Staff The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government is now accepting nominations for the 2022 William S. Dixon First Amendment Freedom Award, which recognizes citizens and organizations in New Mexico who champion transparency and defend the people's right to know the affairs of government. A panel of NMFOG directors will select the award winners, who will be announced at the end of August and recognized at NMFOG's annual "Your Right to Know" Dixon Award Lunch to be held on Oct. 6 in Albuquerque. "For more than 20 years NMFOG has celebrated the men and women who...
By Martin Salazar / Journal City Editor Albuquerque Police Crime Scene investigators process the scene of a homicide at 86th St. and Alexis SW. Officers responding to an overnight shooting found a female fatally wounded. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Albuquerque police say a woman was shot to death early Tuesday morning in a Westgate neighborhood. Officer Chase Jewell, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said officers were dispatched to Alexis Avenue and 86th Street at around 2 a.m. after someone reported a shooting. He said responding officers found a woman who had succumbed to gunshot wounds. Homicide detectives are investigating. Subscribe...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Images from the Rent-A-Hitman website offer clues that it’s a spoof. HIPPA Security, for instance, refers to a fake “Hitman Information Privacy & Protection Act,” not the health care privacy law. (Courtesy Rentahitman.com) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The creator of the website RentAHitman.com has some explaining to do when he contacts law enforcement around the country about real, potentially dangerous solicitations received on his spoof website. "Usually they (law enforcement agencies) are very receptive," said Bob Innes, of Sacramento, California. "Sometimes it's a little off putting; sometimes it's 'you have a...
By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer Kevin Pena, Belen football coach If there was any one man most likely to reverse the lack of stability atop the Belen High School football program, it was Kevin Peña. He is a 1983 Belen High graduate and a former quarterback for the Eagles. His children have been athletes at Belen. And he has been coaching football for the Eagles for the past 23 years. But this next season will be his first as Belen's head coach as the 57-year-old last week was tabbed to lead the Eagles. "I think that's probably...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Leif Everett Hayman Leif Everett Hayman is 32 years old, but functions at the level of a 16- to 18-year-old, his court-appointed guardian testified last month. With a mild developmental disability, the Las Cruces man allegedly has been talking about killing people as far back as 2017. But he has no criminal record. Newly filed court records show Hayman's defense attorney has suggested that Hayman's recent attempts to employ a professional hit man to "eliminate" his girlfriend's mother weren't serious. Federal authorities who have charged him in...
By Journal Staff Report Spectators watch the fireworks show after the Mariachis — aka the Albuquerque Isotopes — defeat the Sugar Land Space Cowboys during Lowrider Night at Isotopes Park on Saturday. It was the first of two Fourth of July weekend fireworks shows at the ballpark. There are even more shows and events to attend, including the return of Freedom 4th at Balloon Fiesta Park. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) The city's Freedom 4th Independence Day Celebration at Balloon Fiesta Park is back after a two-year hiatus. Gates will open for the free celebration at 3:30 p.m. There will be...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Students walk in front of the Zimmerman Library on the University of New Mexico campus. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal More than million has been awarded to the University of New Mexico as part of a massive Department of Energy program that is pouring funding into nuclear power research. The DOE announced last month that UNM had received several awards as part of million the department provided for 74 nuclear energy projects. UNM was awarded funding for three projects that will cost an estimated .2 million over...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Anthony Lee Aragon (MDC) A district judge sentenced an Albuquerque man Friday to 18 years in prison for the 2019 beating death of 49-year-old Manuel Barraza in a vacant lot in the South Valley. Anthony Lee Aragon, 35, pleaded guilty in April to charges of second-degree murder and robbery in the April 4, 2019, killing. Prosecutor Mia Rubin said during Aragon's sentencing hearing Friday that at the time of the killing, Aragon had recently been released from custody on an unrelated charge to complete an inpatient drug...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Brandon Kirkpatrick, left, and Steven Lindsey stand next to UNM’s solar-powered boat on display during the Solar Fiesta in Albuquerque on June 24. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal University of New Mexico engineering students splashed down in third place at this year's national solar-powered boat competition in Ohio. The annual Solar Splash event pits student teams from universities across the U.S. against each other in a series of challenges that measure the capabilities of solar boats designed and built by engineering students. Teams compete on everything from speed and...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior AND THE SPEED GOES ON: The response to one of the city's speed cameras being stolen has drawn mixed responses. To recap, last week someone stole the camera on Lead, and the city quickly removed the camera on Coal until it figures out a better way to install the devices. While the cameras on Gibson, Montgomery and Unser are in the medians on existing city poles, the Lead and Coal cameras were on poles mounted on the sidewalks. Some readers weren't surprised. Kevin emails "Albuquerque is totally lawless. And you know dozens...
By Jan M. Olsen and Karl Ritter / Associated Press COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- A gunman opened fire inside a busy shopping mall in the Danish capital Sunday, killing three people and critically wounding three others, police said. A 22-year-old Danish man was arrested after the shooting, Copenhagen police inspector Søren Thomassen told reporters, adding there was no indication that anyone else was involved in the attack, though police were still investigating. Gun violence is relatively rare in Denmark. Thomassen said it was too early to speculate on the motive for the shooting, which happened in the late afternoon at...
By Hope Yen / Associated Press WASHINGTON -- More evidence is emerging in the House's Jan. 6 investigation that lends support to recent testimony that President Donald Trump wanted to join an angry mob that marched to the Capitol where they rioted, a committee member said Sunday. "There will be way more information and stay tuned," said Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill. The committee has been intensifying its yearlong investigation into the attack on Jan. 6, 2021, and Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., the committee's vice chair, is making clear that criminal referrals to...
By ABQJournal News Staff Blake's Lotaburger will celebrate its 70th birthday by hosting seven events at restaurants throughout the state on Saturday. Events will include deals like 70-cent LOTA Burgers or Burritos, free merchandise, contests, VIPs and more. Each event is unique to encourage guests to attend multiple celebrations. In addition, Blake's has created a new milkshake flavor, Chocolate Birthday Cake. Event details can be found on lotaburger.com. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Public Schools headquarters in Uptown. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuqeuerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque Public Schools says it has hired more employees to handle records requests, and that it is now meeting deadlines outlined in state law for those requests. The district has doubled its custodian of records staff – from two to four employees – and none of the 41 open requests for records is overdue, APS spokeswoman Monica Armenta said in an email. APS agreed in a settlement to improve its handling of records requests. New Inspection of...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer A Santa Fe National Forest Service crew lights a pile burn in the Coyote Ranger District in January. Federal agencies and forest experts are examining how to make prescribed burns safer and more effective following the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak disaster. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Prescribed burns are a forest management practice that dates back centuries. But what role do controlled burns have in New Mexico if agencies and communities are to avoid another disaster like the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire? State and federal experts point to the need...
By Eddie Moore / North Chief Photographer A photo shot June 22, 2022, shows trees around Morphy Lake State Park that were burned by the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) After years of asking the state for money to replace the dam at Morphy Lake, built in 1890, the Acequia de San Jose and the Acequia de la Isla got what they needed, and a new dam was completed in 2019. Now, the mountain lake at the center of Morphy Lake State Park in Mora County has a new problem. Many of the trees around the lake...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Vanessa Sandoval pushes her ballot into a voting machine at the Santa Fe County Administration Building during the primary election in 2020 as Miguel Rodriguez of the Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office stands by to help. New Mexico has a series of procedures in place to test the accuracy of its vote-tabulation machines, like the one above. The hand and machine tallies from 2020 show almost no difference in tested precincts. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – No one describes it as exciting. But counties throughout New...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer These forests west of Chacon in Mora County were burned by the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. The overgrown forests have suffered from long-term drought and insect damage. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire has been a costly and traumatic disaster. The blaze, which is now 93% contained, has burned more than 340,000 acres. It has destroyed at least 400 homes, threatened regional water supplies and displaced thousands of residents. Crews have spent more than 0 million fighting the fire that started as two separate U.S....
By John Dilmore/Roswell Daily Record ROSWELL — The Roswell incident has been one of the most thoroughly researched and debated mysteries in the history of the UFO phenomenon and among the most enduring. Roswell will mark the 75th anniversary of the alleged 1947 UFO crash with the debate over what occurred here far from settled. That hasn't been for a lack of digging. For decades now, journalists, authors, documentary film crews and others fascinated by the incident have unearthed and publicized countless bits of information and artifacts of that time. Along the way, they've brought attention to many pieces...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque police have arrested one of at least three men they believe shot up a car at an East Central convenience store, killing the driver and wounding the passenger, in early May. Curtis Taylor III (MDC) Raymond Sedillo, 25, died on May 21 – two and a half weeks after he was shot. The Albuquerque Police Department's Gun Violence Reduction Unit was initially tasked with investigating the case but turned it over to homicide detectives after Sedillo's death. Curtis Taylor III, 24, was arrested Friday and charged...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Fashion designer Doug Wiggins works on creating wearable art using recycled materials inside his workshop at his home in Albuquerque. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) On a daily basis, Doug Wiggins aims to express his true self. At first glance, it's through the tattoos that adorn his body. If one looks closer, Wiggins' personality is shown in true form through the clothes he wears. Billie Eilish wears a design from Doug Wiggins that features Marilyn Monroe’s image. (Courtesy of Doug Wiggins) Often second-hand or recycled, the clothing adds to his dynamic. It's...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Irene Romero and her 4-year-old granddaughter Annalise Romero. (Courtesy of Debbie Romero) In the small northern New Mexico town of Wagon Mound on Friday night, Irene Romero backed out of a driveway and into the road. She was taking her 9-year-old niece, Daniella Lopez, home – just up the block – after taking care of the girl while her parents were at work. Romero's 21-year-old daughter, Shantelle Romero, and 4-year-old granddaughter Annalise Romero – who also lived nearby – went along for the ride. That's when, police...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The FBI and the Sandia Police Department are looking for a man who robbed the Sandia Resort and Casino on Friday night. Frank Fisher, an FBI spokesman, said around 9:15 p.m. the man entered the casino and demanded money from a cashier, threatening that he had a weapon. "The robber received an undisclosed sum of money and left the establishment," Fisher wrote in an email. He described the suspect as a white man in his 30s who is 6 feet to 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs between 180 and 210...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer The University of New Mexico Anderson School of Management recently received a .2 million gift, the largest cash gift in the school's history, following the beginning of the dissolution of the Anderson Foundation. The gift, which was given in late June by the Anderson Foundation, comes after the foundation's board announced that it would dissolve at the beginning of July and pass all fundraising responsibilities to the UNM Foundation, Anna Dykeman, UNM Anderson School of Management marketing and outreach officer said. The UNM Foundation manages gifts and endowments to every college at...
By Donna Skeels Cygan / For the Journal Illustration by Cathryn Cunningham/Journal The U.S. stock market is having a bad year. It may turn around before year-end, but the S&P 500 index is currently down 20% (Jan. 1 to June 28), and an index for U.S. bonds (the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index) is down roughly 11%. If you have a diversified, balanced investment portfolio that is approximately 50% equities and 50% bonds, your portfolio has declined roughly 16%. By comparison, cryptocurrencies have declined over 50% year-to-date, and Netflix and Peloton stock are each down over 70%. The stock...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Molina Healthcare of New Mexico on Thursday announced a new plan president, the highest-ranking position for the state's health plan. Carolyn Ingram will take the reins from former plan president, David Nater, who is now leading Molina's New Mexico operations as chief operating officer. "I'm honored to lead the New Mexico health plan and help the people of my home state, in all of our beautiful diversity, access the best possible health care and community services," Ingram said. Ingram isn't new to Molina Healthcare, having served in a variety of roles for...
By Avraham Shama / Professor Emeritus, Anderson School of Management Avraham Shama According to the Internet Complaint Center of the FBI, cyberattacks are a big and growing business. But foreign invasions of the U.S. cyberspace, especially Russian, are much more dangerous. In 2021, American businesses lost .7 billion to cybercriminals using ransomware attacks, data, account and identity theft and cryptojacking. Companies responded by developing new cybersecurity policies, dedicated more money to protect their digital data, and hired more cybersecurity professionals. The demand for skills in this area is so high that there are 3.5 million jobs unfilled. Giant companies...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Six entrepreneurs from New Mexico have joined the list of finalists in Walmart Inc.'s ninth annual open call event, joining nearly 1,200 small- to mid-sized business owners nationwide, according to a news release. The six business owners are: Fishki Provisions: Headquartered in Valdez, the company pitched its Jalapeño Hatch Green Chile Cheddar Grits. StrapEaze: Headquartered in Hernandez, the company pitched its product, which simplifies using tie downs for moving and towing objects. Admiral Cable: Headquartered in Santa Teresa, the company pitched its extension cord product. Generation Alpha: Headquartered in Rio Rancho, the...
By James Hamill / For the Journal Q: I have a partnership tax depreciation question. The accountant for a partnership that I used to be a partner (of) said I have to find my own tax adviser. I do my own return using purchased software. I tried to answer this question by searching the internet and posting a question on a website. I feel like this is a common thing and there must be an answer. I owned a 25% interest in a partnership that owned several rental properties. I left the partnership in May and received one of...
By Joel Jacobsen / Syndicated Columnist In the decades following the end of the shooting part of the Civil War, midwestern farmers shipped their grain by rail to Chicago, where it was transferred first into huge grain elevators and then into the ships that transported it around the world. It was an era of great prosperity — for the owners of the grain elevators. In 1874, according to the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision Munn v. Illinois, there were 14 enormous elevators on the Chicago waterfront, owned by nine firms. The firms set their prices at the beginning of...
By Jerry Pacheco / For the Journal When a country exports more to other nations than it imports, that country is said to have a trade surplus. If it imports more from the world than it exports, it is deemed to have a trade deficit. During the past 20 years, China has continuously run trade surpluses with the rest of the world. It has been able to do this by positioning itself as the world's manufacturing center for everything from consumer goods to industrial components. It has used its trade surplus to accumulate vast amounts of wealth, and when...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer Leslie Lamb poses for a portrait at the Esther Bone Memorial Library in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Friday, June 3, 2022. Lamb is competing to be one of two entrepreneurs to be offered ,000 through GetSetUp. She is growing Grace Place Creative, a digital design firm that specializes in providing products and services for home-based businesses. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) A Rio Rancho woman took home one of the top prizes in an international start-up competition for entrepreneurs 55 years old and older. Leslie Lamb won a ,500 cash prize to help fund...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer A new mobile solar display will soon visit schools across New Mexico to educate K-12 students about the many ways people can harness the sun to power and heat their homes. Dubbed the "SunChaser," the trailer-mounted display offers a compact, walk-in classroom on wheels for students to learn first hand about everything from solar-electric generation and back-up battery storage to sun-powered heating and cooking systems. Students from the New Mexico Institute for Mining and Technology in Socorro designed the entire structure. And nearly two dozen seniors from ACE Leadership High School in...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A man charged in a fatal shooting last month was a confidential informant for the federal Drug Enforcement Administration at the time of the killing, a new court document suggests. Dakota Cox, 27, exchanged text messages with a DEA agent the day of the killing, threatening to "quit the cops" and stating his intention to kill a man who had beat and robbed him the day before. DEA spokesman Carlos Briano declined comment, saying he could not discuss an ongoing investigation. Cox and Antonio Cordova, 24, each...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Police officers investigate a homicide at Central and Tingley SW. Officers responding to a car crash found two individuals dead at the scene Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Albuquerque Police Department is asking for help to identify two teenage girls who were killed in a suspicious crash early Wednesday morning. The deadly crash occurred around 12:30 a.m. near Central and Tingley, and homicide detectives are investigating whether it was "the result of an intentional act," according to Gilbert Gallegos, an APD spokesman. Police...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Thursday finalized rules that change how the federal agency manages the endangered Mexican gray wolf. The changes temporarily restrict who can relocate or lethally remove "problem wolves" or packs. Livestock owners and state game agencies can receive permits for removing wolves that attack or kill livestock, elk or deer. Tracy Melbihess, Fish and Wildlife's Mexican wolf policy coordinator, said the agency will continue to issue those permits to ranchers on federal and non-federal lands. but only if the FWS has met its annual population targets. ...
By Jessica Gresko / Associated Press WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court said Thursday the Biden administration can scrap a Trump-era immigration policy that was at the center of efforts to deter asylum-seekers, forcing some to wait in Mexico. Two conservative justices joined their three liberal colleagues in siding with the White House. The justices' decision came in a case involving former President Donald Trump's "Remain in Mexico" policy, formally know as Migrant Protection Protocols, which enrolled about 70,000 people after it was launched in 2019. President Joe Biden suspended the program on his first day in office in January...
By Mark Sherman / Associated Press WASHINGTON -- In a blow to the fight against climate change, the Supreme Court on Thursday limited how the nation's main anti-air pollution law can be used to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. By a 6-3 vote, with conservatives in the majority, the court said that the Clean Air Act does not give the Environmental Protection Agency broad authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants that contribute to global warming. The court's ruling could complicate the administration's plans to combat climate change. Its proposal to regulate power plant emissions...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Aaron Paul (left) and Bryan Cranston pose in a publicity photo for their business venture. The two are making an appearance at Isotopes Park in late July. (Courtesy of the Albuquerque Isotopes) Walter White and Jesse Pinkman are coming back to Albuquerque. No, we don't know yet if or when the two lead characters from the smash hit "Breaking Bad" will actually be making an appearance in the final six episodes of "Better Call Saul," the wildly popular Albuquerque-based spinoff/prequel to Breaking Bad. But the Journal can confirm Bryan Cranston and Aaron...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Emmanuel Kuac high-fives young athletes during the Richard Pitino Basketball Campon Tuesday at UNM. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Attitude hasn't been Emmanuel Kuac's problem. The million-dollar smile is there every day, despite every reason for frustration as a variety of circumstances have limited the 6-foot-7 wing from Canada to playing in just 46 of UNM's 87 games over the past three years. And Kuac's elite-level athletic ability has never been in question, either. When healthy, the fourth-year Lobo is the best leaper on a roster of athletes who held that title on...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer The Trust for Public Land has secured the L Bar Ranch Property with help from the State of New Mexico, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the local community and other partners. (Laguna Pueblo, New Mexico/Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal MARQUEZ WILDLIFE AREA – Theresa Pasqual is eager to get reacquainted with the land east of Mount Taylor where her ancestors hunted and held traditional ceremonies. The Acoma Pueblo Historic Preservation director said she feels that a state project that has opened 54,000 acres of land...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – State Rep. Georgene Louis has entered a no-contest plea to a charge of drunken driving and been ordered to complete 24 hours of community service. Louis, a Democrat who represents part of Albuquerque's West Side, was arrested by Santa Fe police in the final days of a legislative session earlier this year and charged with aggravated drunken driving. Rep. Georgene Louis Her plea deal is for DWI, not aggravated DWI, and other charges were dropped, too, after she provided proof of insurance and registration....
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Activist and scholar Jose Armas was a speech writer for New Mexico governors and other politicians – but, not being a politician himself, he saw no need to be diplomatic. His daughter, Anna Armas, recalls that, when she was in high school, she accompanied her father to a U.S. Hispanic leadership conference in San Antonio, where they met the mayor of a Texas community. "He was bragging about his power over his constituents and would tell them, 'this is the way it's going to be.' " Her...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Nearly 800,000 rebates worth about 0 million have been issued to New Mexico taxpayers by the state's tax department. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Nearly 800,000 rebates worth about 0 million have been issued to New Mexico taxpayers by the state's tax department, under a financial relief plan approved by legislators and signed into law by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. While the majority of rebates have already been sent or paid via direct deposit, some checks have been delayed, including those that have been returned...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer A rendering of Margarita Hill, a new food hall set to be built in Rio Rancho near Rust Medical Center. (Courtesy of Roy Solomon) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal RIO RANCHO – The developer behind Tin Can Alley and Green Jeans Farmery is planning to bring the food hall concept west to Rio Rancho with the opening of Margarita Hill in mid-2023. Located near Unser and Westside close to Presbyterian Rust Medical Center, the roughly 14,000-square-foot Margarita Hill will, following the permitting process by the city of Rio Rancho, house eight tenants...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer The San Juan Generating Station in 2019. The five-member Public Regulation Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to force PNM to immediately provide an initial rate credit on customers' monthly bills after the first of San Juan's two operating units closes down this Friday. (Eddie Moore/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Public Service Company of New Mexico took a verbal beating from state regulators Wednesday for its plan to withhold savings from customers after it shuts down the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station. The five-member Public Regulation Commission voted unanimously to...
By Ivan Leonard / Journal Staff Writer A University of New Mexico group created "a Library, a Classroom and the World,' which is on display at the Venice Biennale in Venice, Italy, through Nov.ember 27. (Courtesy of the University of New Mexico) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It's a first for the University of New Mexico. An artist group created the project "a Library, a Classroom, and the World," which is being presented at the 2022 Venice Biennial Art exhibition "Personal Structures," which is organized and hosted by the European Cultural Centre in Venice, Italy. It is one of...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Anna Martinez speaks at the Albuquerque Museum. Martinez was named Albuquerque Poet Laureate. She is the sixth to hold the position. (Adrian Gomez/Journal) The Albuquerque Poet Laureate program has seen five powerhouse poets since the inaugural poet in 2012. Ten years later, the page has turned and a new chapter begins with Anna Martinez. On Wednesday, Martinez was named the sixth Albuquerque poet laureate, during a ceremony at the Albuquerque Museum. "Wow, I want to thank every single one of that's here, today supporting me, supporting poetry," Martinez said after...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Former Children, Youth and Families Cabinet Secretary Brian Blalock, speaks to reporters in 2019. A state hearing officer dismissed a complaint filed against Blalock alleging wrongdoing in his handling of a no-bid contract. (AP Photo/Russell Contreras, File) An effort by two former top officials at the state Children, Youth and Families Department to award a no-bid multi-million dollar contract to a California firm didn't violate state law, in part because they didn't get a financial benefit in return, a state Ethics Commission hearing officer has concluded. The hearing officer made the finding...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Detectives released the names of two men killed in separate incidents over the past several days in Albuquerque. Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said the deaths of Leonard Fresquez, 38, and Aaron Lucero, 47, are being investigated as homicides. On June 26 police responded around 8 p.m. to the 200 block of Richmond SE when neighbors reported a man's body outside. Officers found Lucero deceased with "trauma to the body" and homicide detectives are investigating. Police found video footage showing Lucero in a confrontation the previous evening. Then, on June 24, police...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Authorities arrested a man accused of supplying drugs at Coronado Park and the Ambassador Inn during an undercover operation carried out over the past month. Thaaer "Mike" Tomasaour, 42, is federally charged with distribution of methamphetamine after allegedly selling an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agent more than a pound of the drug on June 15 in a room at the Court John Motel. He was arrested Tuesday. Tomasaour's attorney could not be reached for comment. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said Tomasaour also sold large...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Rio Rancho-based Deluxe Design is getting help from state and local officials to aid in its manufacturing expansion and hiring of more employees. The state is earmarking 0,000 in Local Economic Development Act funds, while the City of Rio Rancho and Sandoval County are pledging ,000 each, according to a news release from the state's Economic Development Department. Deluxe Design is expected to invest million in the expansion. "It is only with LEDA that this project can move forward successfully," Deluxe Design Vice President Norman Ruth said. "The assistance from the...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer A new 27-unit housing development is coming to Rio Communities, about 30 miles south of Downtown Albuquerque. Some of the homes are expected to be completed by the end of this year. (Courtesy of Pecos Homes) A new housing development is coming to Rio Communities, the first of its kind since the town was incorporated nearly a decade ago. The 27-unit development, known as Manzano Vista, is being built by Pecos Homes - a company that has developed about a dozen properties in recent years off Nancy Boulevard. "It's a big...
By Maureen Cooke / Rio Rancho Observer RIO RANCHO — The Rio Rancho Governing Board at its June 23 meeting approved site plans for Albertsons Market Street @ The Village near Presbyterian Rust Medical Center at Unser and Wellspring Avenue, Rio Rancho Observer reports. Residents in the area have been looking forward to getting a grocery store for some time now. Albertsons Market Street is the second in the state, the first being in Santa Fe. Although both Albertsons and Market Street are part of the United chain of grocery stores, each has its own identity. The Market Street...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police conduct a homicide investigation at Central and Tingley SW on Wednesday morning. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque police investigate a crash at Central and Rio Grande Wednesday morning that may be related to a homicide investigation. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Albuquerque Police investigate a car crash at Central and Rio Grande NW. According to officers, the crash was related to a homicide investigation at Central and Tingley SW . Officers responding to a car crash found two individuals dead at the scene Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal)...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man was shot to death Tuesday night in Southeast Albuquerque. The incident marked the fifth homicide in the city in the past six days. Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said officers responded sometime before 10:45 p.m. to reports of a man being shot at Central and Pennsylvania NE. "Officers arrived and discovered a lifeless individual," he said. "This has been deemed a homicide call-out and the area is shut down." Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. -- New Mexico's top elections regulator says she received threats to her safety via an email and telephone calls to her offices and that the FBI has been notified. Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver on Tuesday told The Associated Press that there have been three instances of threats against her within the last two weeks and that federal investigators have been alerted. Two threats were made indirectly in phone calls to the office of the secretary of state. The FBI in Albuquerque did not immediately respond to requests for...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Two skinny arms coming out from beneath a baggy, oversized neon-yellow practice jersey somehow managed to heave a Nike Elite basketball that seemed to be as big as he was up in the air and into the basket in the Rudy Davalos Center. The shooter – no more than 8 or 9 years old – had maneuvered down the court of the UNM Lobos practice facility early Tuesday, through a moving scrum of controlled chaos of nine other players to score the basket. He put his team up 16-6 during one of...
By Reyes Mata III / For The Journal Students set up rockets on launch pads at Spaceport America on Thursday, June 23, 2022, forthe Spaceport America Cup. The event is the world's largest intercollegiate rocketry engineering contest. (Courtesy of Spaceport America) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SPACEPORT AMERICA – As the first countdown came and went, the crowd stood silently, scanning the New Mexico horizon for any sign of the rocket they knew was sitting on a launchpad about a mile away, poised for liftoff. The second countdown came over the loudspeaker from mission control – "three, two, one...
By D'Val Westphal / Albuquerque Journal It only took 17 days. Just over two weeks after the city of Albuquerque's mobile speed enforcement device (aka speed camera) on Lead at Cornell started issuing 0 tickets, vandals removed the camera box. Resident Joseph Aguirre says he drove by Monday and noticed the camera was gone but the "base and mounting pole were still there with a wire dangling." When he walked over Tuesday to get a closer look, he says "everything (was) gone – except for some screws on the ground that appeared to have secured the base." It used...
By Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- New Mexico's public land commissioner on Monday signed nearly a dozen leases that will clear the way for a major renewable energy developer to erect wind turbines across 230 square miles (595 square kilometers) of state trust land. Officials are billing Pattern Energy's planned development in Lincoln, Torrance and San Miguel counties as the largest wind energy project in the western hemisphere. The company at the end of 2021 brought online four wind farms in central New Mexico totaling more than a gigawatt of capacity for utility customers in California. The new leases...
By Jeff Tucker / Journal Editorial Writer This week's question: What do you think of the governor's opposition to bringing migrants to N.M. at this time? Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published. Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-form Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer State Police Chief Tim Johnson A 17-year-old allegedly threatened to shoot up a school earlier this month in Edgewood. State Police spokeswoman Candace Hopkins said Emma Haviland, of Edgewood, is charged with attempt to commit a felony and multiple misdemeanors, including bomb scares and shooting threats unlawful and disorderly conduct. Haviland was booked into the San Juan County Juvenile Services Center. “Investigating violent threats like the one involved in this incident is of the utmost importance,” State Police Chief Tim Johnson said in a statement. Hopkins said on June 9 State Police...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque's citizen redistricting committee is slated to take its final vote Wednesday, deciding what it thinks is the best way to reshape the city's political boundaries for the next 10 years. The committee – made up of a voting member and alternate from each of the city's nine existing City Council districts – has been exploring potential maps for months. Its ultimate charge is to recommend at least one option to the City Council, which will have the final say on which map the city adopts. There...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Police have formed a unit to tackle aggressive driving – with a way for the public to submit evidence – as detectives search for the shooters in two recent road-rage incidents on Interstate 40. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman, said APD created the Aggressive Driving Unit as they "target street racing, aggressive driving and road rage." She said the unit will have two detectives investigating those incidents along with hit-and-run crashes. Atkins said the public can now upload video or photo evidence to the Road...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police investigate a shooting death Sunday morning at 98th and Central NW. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The past several days have been a roller coaster for Dolores Barreras and her husband. On Sunday morning, their grandson, Raymond Barreras III, called to say his father – their son, Raymond Barreras Jr. – was shooting at him. They made phone calls and went to the family's home to try and find out what was happening, but all was quiet. Then, they learned 50-year-old Barreras Jr. was dead from a...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Detectives arrested two men and two women in the fatal shooting of a man in 2020 outside an apartment complex on West Central. Brianna Archuleta, 24, Davion Jaramillo, 22, Ciera Lopez, 35, and Pedro Escalante, 29, are charged with a slew of felonies, including murder, vehicle theft and arson in the Jan. 26, 2020, death of 26-year-old Benjamin Moore. Archuleta is named as a main orchestrator of Moore's death, trying to collect guns for the homicide and enlisting the help of the others. It is unclear from...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A 17-year-old allegedly threatened to shoot up a school earlier this month in Edgewood. State Police spokeswoman Candace Hopkins said Emma Haviland, of Edgewood, is charged with attempt to commit a felony and multiple misdemeanors, including bomb scares and shooting threats unlawful and disorderly conduct. Haviland was booked into the San Juan County Juvenile Services Center. “Investigating violent threats like the one involved in this incident is of the utmost importance,” State Police Chief Tim Johnson said in a statement. Hopkins said on June 9 State Police began to investigate a threat...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor From left, Jordan Rodrigues, Lisette Olivera, Zuri Reed and Antonio Cipriano in "National Treasure." (Courtesy of Disney+) The search for treasure continues. The New Mexico State Film Office announced that the Disney+ series, "National Treasure" is filming in and around Santa Fe. Pre-production has been taking place for months around the city and principal photography has begun. "We welcome another Disney+ production and this globally-recognized property to New Mexico, along with its all-star production team and talent," said Amber Dodson, New Mexico Film Office director. "New Mexico is a place...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Lew Wallace Elementary School students listen during reading time in the library in April. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Enticing retired teachers to come back may be an answer to New Mexico's teacher shortages – or at least that's what lawmakers hope with a bill they passed earlier this year. Some 48,000 retired educators will be able to return to work without losing their retirement benefits via the new law known as the Educational Retirees Returning to Work Act, or House Bill 73, the Governor's Office said in...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Santa Fe County election workers George Haddad, Esther Bailey and Cyndi Romero, from left, process submitted absentee ballots in this June 6 file photo. About 25% of eligible New Mexico voters cast a ballot in this year's primary election, which was certified Tuesday by the state Canvassing Board. (Eddie Moore/Journal) SANTA FE -- New Mexico closed the books — for the most part — on a primary election cycle marked by conspiracy theories and legal warnings, as top state officials on Tuesday certified election results that showed 25.2% of eligible voters...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Are you a business owner looking for additional sources of funding? The state's Economic Development Department has something for you. This month the department launched the Business Finance Finder tool, designed to help businesses connect with financial institutions that can help fund their projects. Owners of businesses can upload basic information about a project that they are looking to get funded and, through that, can be matched with a local lender. Financial institutions, meanwhile, can use the tool to filter through projects to find one they are looking to potentially fund. The...
By ABQJournal News Staff Bernalillo County is reopening some of its open space properties it had previously closed due to fire concerns. The county announced in a news release that recent rains meant the following sites would reopen noon Tuesday: Ojito de San Antonio, 30 San Antonio Dr. in Cedar Crest Sabino Canyon, 34 Forest Rd. 252 in Tijeras Sandia Knolls, 35 Canyon Rd. in Sandia Park Tijeras Creek, 5 Public School Rd in Tijeras The reopenings do not include Carlito Springs, which is undergoing renovations, and Sedillo Ridge in Tijeras, which remains closed. A burn ban remains in...
By Summer Ballentine / Associated Press MENDON, Mo. -- The chief elected official in the Missouri county where an Amtrak train slammed into a dump truck said Tuesday that residents and county leaders have been pushing for a safety upgrade at the railroad crossing for nearly three years. Meanwhile, the toll from the accident rose to four deaths and 150 injuries. A day after the deadly crash on Monday, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said people were taken to 10 hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to serious. By Tuesday afternoon, at least 15 people remained hospitalized. The dead...
By Eddie Moore / North Chief Photographer Trees around Morphy Lake State Park were burned by the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. Photo shot Wednesday, June 22, 2022. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal After years of asking the state for money to replace the dam at Morphy Lake, built in 1890, the Acequia de San Jose and the Acequia de la Isla got what they needed, and a new dam was completed in 2019. Now the mountain lake at the center of Morphy Lake State Park in Mora County has a new problem. Many of the trees...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Authorities investigate after officers with the U.S. Marshals Service and its New Mexico-Southwest Investigative Fugitive Task Force shot and killed a man near Montgomery and San Mateo NE on Monday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Officers with the U.S. Marshals Service and its New Mexico-Southwest Investigative Fugitive Task Force on Monday shot and killed a man who was suspected of escaping from a halfway home. The man had been considered an escapee since he did not return to the halfway home on May 29 and investigators say he was armed with a gun when...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer John Eastman, left, a lawyer for former President Donald Trump, appears during a video deposition to the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Eastman alleges in a New Mexico court filing that FBI agents seized his phone last week. (House Select Committee/Associated Press) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The New Mexico lawyer who played a key role in trying to keep Donald Trump in office after he lost the presidential election in 2020 was confronted by federal agents last week as he was leaving a restaurant...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police investigate a shooting death Sunday morning at 98th and Central NW. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque police arrested a man they said killed his father – after, they said, his father shot at him and killed his mother Sunday morning. But the 2nd Judicial District Attorney's Office has prepared a motion to dismiss the case without prejudice – meaning it can be refiled. Lauren Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the office, said the motion states that "based on newly discovered video evidence and medical evidence, the State...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Candelaria Pacheco and her nephew, Mauricio Carmona, listen to U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich speak about the New Mexico Education Enhancement Act at the headquarters of OLÉ in Albuquerque on Monday. In English, the poster they hold says that early education teachers demand better salaries. Pacheco runs a day care in Albuquerque. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Taking care of two children alone – and during the COVID-19 pandemic, no less – is no small task. That's why Melissa Martinez, a single mother of a 3-year-old son and a...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Fireworks light up the sky at the Freedom 4th Independence Day Celebration at Balloon Fiesta Park, photographed in 2019, the last year before the pandemic hiatus. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Thanks to generous amounts of recent rainfall, the grass is lush and green at Balloon Fiesta Park, just in time for the return of the city's Freedom 4th Independence Day Celebration next week after a two-year pandemic absence. During a Monday news conference at the park, city officials said the gates will open for the free celebration at...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Peter Mantos SANTA FE — Peter Mantos, who has had a 30-year career in software development and technical management, is joining Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's administration as secretary of information technology. He holds graduate degrees in computer science and business administration from the University of New Mexico, and he has worked for Siemens, Intel and other global companies. "Peter Mantos is eminently qualified to lead the state agency tasked with deploying broadband resources and arming our state against cyber-attacks," Lujan Grisham said in a written statement. "He will also be critical in...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer A vehicle crosses a flooded Cinder Road in Las Vegas, New Mexico, on Monday. The Gallinas River has been rising from steady rainfall over areas burned in the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) In the past two weeks, some parts of New Mexico have received more than half of their typical annual rainfall. The persistent rain is helping to "put a dent" in statewide drought conditions, said Daniel Porter, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque. Rain chances will likely diminish for much of this week, before rebounding...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signs an executive order Monday aimed at shielding abortion patients and providers in New Mexico, as Senate Majority Whip Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque, looks on. The executive order aligns New Mexico with other states like Minnesota and Massachusetts that have moved to protect abortion access in the wake of last week's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned a landmark 1973 case. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) SANTA FE -- Three days after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a landmark abortion ruling, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Monday signed an executive order...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputies are looking for a gray sedan that may have been involved in a homicide at a South Valley gas station earlier this month. Around midnight on June 16, deputies were called to a shooting at the Circle K on Coors and Gun Club SW. When they arrived they found 23-year-old Timothy Wayne Johnson Jr. had been shot in the head. Johnson died from his injuries. On Monday a BCSO spokeswoman released security camera photos of the sedan and said detectives believe it's driver may be involved in the...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police are asking for the public's help after someone was shot in the legs while driving on the interstate two and a half weeks ago. On June 9, the victim was traveling eastbound on Interstate 40, near Rio Grande, and attempted to merge into lanes of traffic from the exit lane, according to Crime Stoppers. "When the victim began to change lanes, an Orange Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck began firing shots at their vehicle, striking the victim a couple times in the legs," Crime Stoppers wrote in a news release....
By Tali Arbel / Associated Press NEW YORK -- People with hearing loss have a new ally in their efforts to navigate the world: Captions that aren't limited to their television screens and streaming services. The COVID pandemic disrupted daily life for people everywhere, but many of those with hearing loss took the resulting isolation especially hard. "When everyone wears a mask they are completely unintelligible to me," said Pat Olken of Sharon, Massachusetts, whose hearing aids were insufficient. (A new cochlear implant has helped her a lot.) So when her grandson's bar mitzvah was streamed on Zoom early...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Jose Salas, center, a Vietnam Veteran, and others talk to U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, left, in April about keeping a V.A. Outpatient Clinic open in Las Vegas. New Mexico's U.S. senators announced Monday that the clinics will stay open. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal) New Mexico's U.S. senators announced on Twitter Monday that Veterans Affairs clinics in New Mexico are no longer at risk of closing. The Department of Veterans Affairs had recommended that VA outpatient clinics in Las Vegas, Raton, Española and Gallup be closed, in part because of a decline in patient...
By Jessica Gresko / Associated Press WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court said Monday that a high school football coach who knelt and prayed on the field after games was protected by the Constitution, a decision that opponents said would open the door to "much more coercive prayer" in public schools. The court ruled 6-3 for the coach with the conservative justices in the majority and the liberals in dissent. The case was the latest in a line of rulings for religious plaintiffs. The case forced the justices to wrestle with how to balance the religious and free speech rights...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior NO, THAT PLATE WASN'T STOLEN: Marc Powell, executive director of the New Mexico Independent Automobile Dealers Association, says that may be a common excuse when drivers get pulled over, but it's an unlikely one when it comes to the thousands of vehicles driving around New Mexico without proof or registration, license plates or paper tags. After the June 6 column reported the Albuquerque Police Department has issued 1,772 tickets so far this year for no registration and 1,014 for not displaying a license plate/paper tag, and 2,062 registration and 1,266 license plate...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer The New Mexico State Capitol in Santa Fe. (Morgan Lee/Associated Press) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Four Cabinet secretaries, a university chancellor and New Mexico's chief public defender failed to disclose their income sources and business interests earlier this year as required by state law, according to documents released by the Secretary of State's Office. The group of non-filers also included the game and fish director, the chief clerk of the Senate and more than 100 appointees to state boards and commissions, the documents say, including panels on state...
By Matthew Narvaiz And Dan Boyd / Journal Staff Writers Elycia Lovato, general manager at Mac’s Steak in the Rough on Menaul, takes an order from a customer. Leaders of Fresquez Cos., which owns the restaurant, said the company has been preparing to transition to compliance with New Mexico’s new Healthy Workplaces Act, which goes into effect Friday. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – After years of debate and dire predictions, a New Mexico law mandating employers provide paid sick leave for their workers is finally set to take effect this week. The...
By Dan Boyd and Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writers Angela Maez works at Mac’s Steak in the Rough on Menaul. The Healthy Workplaces Act, which requires all private businesses — large or small — to provide paid sick leave for all employees, whether part-time, full-time or seasonal, goes into effect Friday. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) New Mexico's new Healthy Workplaces Act takes effect July 1 and will impact thousands of businesses and employees around the state. Here are answers to some basic questions. Q: What type of employees are covered by the law? A: All employees who work...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police were at the scene of an apparent homicide near the 200 block of Richmond SE on Sunday. Rebecca Atkins, a police spokeswoman, said that a person was found dead outside. The death marked another in a deadly two-day stretch over the weekend. On Sunday morning, police found two dead people in what police believe were connected homicides in west Albuquerque. Police also launched two homicide investigation Saturday. A man was found shot and later died in a southeast Albuquerque neighborhood. Homicide detectives were also called to the bosque on Saturday...
By James Hamill / For the Journal Q: I need to borrow money. With the increase in the equity of my home due to the significant increases in the housing market, a home equity loan seems to be the best option for me. I believe that interest on up to 0,000 of home equity debt is deductible. Can you clarify that point? A: Interest expense is deductible unless it is classified as personal interest. Other classifications generally allow a deduction. The tax law has a classification called home equity debt. A loan which is secured by your principal residence...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Albuquerque teen Katie Bone competes on “American Ninja Warrior.” Bone was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 11 and is a nationally ranked rock climber. (Elizabeth Morris/NBC) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal For 20 hours a week, Katie Bone can be found training. Like many others, there are days that she doesn't want to get to NinjaForce Gym. Yet, the 16-year-old pushes through and gets it done. The Albuquerque resident's determination isn't surprising to anyone who knows her. And tonight, Bone will be one of the competitors...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Albuquerque police say one person has been found dead at Circle K off 98th near Central SW. It is unknown at this time who the individual was, or what caused their death. "A full Violent Crimes call out has been initiated," said APD spokesman Ray Del Greco in an email. Subscribe to ABQjournal. Call 505-823-4400
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office deputies will get a one-time incentive of ,000 next month as part of a newly inked union contract. Their hourly pay, however, will remain largely unchanged. A deputy first class will make ,648 – the same as they had been after the county's last cost-of-living adjustment, according to the county attorney's office. That doesn't include longevity pay, which ranges from ,600 annually in year five to ,600 for those who have served more than 17 years. That is the same as the old...
By Ken Sickenger / Journal Staff Writer United midfielder Sergio Rivas (11) gains possession as Legion defender Phanuel Kavita (3) closes in during the first half Saturday night at Isotopes Park. (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal) Afternoon rain didn't put much of a damper on New Mexico United fans Saturday night. The visiting team was a different story. Visiting Birmingham Legion FC netted two first-half goals and let its smothering defense take it from there in a 2-0 victory over United at Isotopes Park. Playing at its home stadium for the first time since May 7 and in front of a...
By Pilar Martinez, Matthew Narvaiz And Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writers Aleah Montoya listens to speakers during the “We Won't go back - Bans Off Our Bodies” rally at Tiguex Park in Old Town in protest of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade on Friday, June 24, 2022. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico has been at the forefront of providing abortion procedures for many out-of-state patients in recent months, but health centers in the state say they are bracing for an even larger number of individuals after the overturning of...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Fifty years ago this month, Title IX changed the course of gender equity in education. And while this past week has shined a light on trailblazers and celebrated strides made in the past half century thanks in large part to the landmark legislation, there are also constant reminders that there is still a ways to go before true gender equity in college athletics exists. As part of the Journal's continuing Title IX series, we wanted to narrow the focus and examine not how far UNM has come in terms of gender equity...
By Kevin Robinson-avila / JOURNAL STAFF WRITER Veteran solar industry executive Peter Lorenz will become the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce board chairman on Friday, replacing Norm Becker, who will step down on June 30. Lorenz is CEO of Albuquerque-based Unirac Inc., one of the nation's premier manufacturers of mounting structures for rooftop and ground-based solar systems. A 51-year-old native of Germany, Lorenz brings 26 years of executive experience to the chamber, having served in solar and other energy-related companies and consultancies since 1996 in the U.S. and Europe. As a seasoned industry leader, Lorenz says he's built a...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque police investigate a homicide in the area of Grove and Trumbull SE on Saturday evening. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) A man was fatally shot Saturday evening in a neighborhood in Southeast Albuquerque. Lt. Ray Del Greco of the Albuquerque Police Department said officers responded around 5:30 p.m. to the area of Grove and Trumbull SE after neighbors reported gunfire. He said a man was found outside with at least gunshot wound and he was taken to a hospital, where he died. Del Greco said no one is in custody and detectives...
By Matthew Ennis / Co-founder, Build With Robots Matthew Ennis I'm in the rare position of being both an angel investor and a recipient of angel investor funding from New Mexico Angels and their networks. I've been on the ground floor with many New Mexico start-ups including NTx, Lumidigm, GNI and Build with Robots. So I truly can see the importance of our community ecosystem when it comes to supporting and growing New Mexico's innovation economy. Why do I feel it's imperative to support the start-up community with funding? In a nutshell — it's the way we build our...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Despite a pandemic and what he called the city's "decades-old challenges," Albuquerque has remained resilient and is pushing toward a brighter future, Mayor Tim Keller said during his annual State of the City address Saturday. In the first such address of his second term, Keller told a crowd of several hundred about the city's efforts to combat crime and homelessness, and revitalize Downtown, saying the community has not given in to despair, despite some "very dark days." "What we share today is the hard work of so...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Joe Garcia with his son Adam and daughter Isabel. The father of three was fatally shot in Southeast Albuquerque and the case remains unsolved. (Courtesy of family) Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Bike Coop owner Amanda Batty met Joe Garcia in 2020 when he came in to get a Strider for his 5-year-old son. He told her bikes "transformed his childhood," and he wanted to pass that on to his three children. Next, it was a bike for his daughter, Isabel, and Garcia spent the last year paying it off piece...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police investigate after walkers found a man's body along the bosque trail in Northwest Albuquerque. (Chancey Bush, Albuquerque Journal) A man was found dead and partially decomposed along the bosque trail Saturday morning in Northwest Albuquerque. A mobile crime lab sits along the bosque after a man's body was found Saturday morning in Northwest Albuquerque. (Chancey Bush, Albuquerque Journal) Lt. Ray Del Greco, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said the man's cause of death is unknown and will be determined by autopsy. He said the death is considered "suspicious" but homicide detectives are...
By Bob Helbig / Energage Employers have been forced to focus harder than ever to retain and attract talent amid the disruption of the business environment during the COVID pandemic. Top Workplaces celebrates the employers that are getting it right. The heart of the Top Workplaces program is an employee survey. The 24-question survey collects feedback from those who know organizations the best: the people who work there. Employee feedback is the sole basis for determining which employers make the Top Workplaces list. This is the 10th year employee survey company Energage has partnered with the Journal to identify...
By ABQJournal News Staff Top Workplaces’ special award recipients were chosen based on standout scores for employee responses to specific survey statements. Leadership Awards Large employer: Joe Christian, Nusenda Credit Union Christian was recognized by his employees for qualities including patience, listening ability and demeanor. One employee noted appreciation for Christian’s openness to educating employees on matters like LGBTQ rights, Black History Month and other important issues. “The emails our CEO sends out are inspiring,” one worker wrote. “It’s exciting to know he cares and recognizes our different department during job well done and he sends out emails during...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Behavior Change Institute is the No. 5 small employer in Top Workplaces for 2022. Description: Behavior Change Institute is an Alamogordo-based behavioral health care agency, specializing in applied behavior analysis therapy for those who have been diagnosed with autism as well as their families. BCI was founded in 2014 by Kathleen Karimi and Joy Pollard. This is the seventh consecutive year that the organization has placed on the Top Workplaces list. From the organization: "It is our mission to inspire hope and improve the health and well-being of those we serve through...
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By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Bohannan Huston Inc. is the No. 4 mid-size company in Top Workplaces for 2022. Description: Bohannan Huston Inc. is an Albuquerque-based engineering firm that specializes in engineering, spatial data and advanced technologies. The company, founded in 1959, has two New Mexico locations and one in Denver with more than 200 employees total. This is BHI's fourth time appearing on the Top Workplaces list. From the organization: "Bohannan Huston has established deep roots in the communities we serve. Simply by the nature of our work, our services play an important role in people's...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer St. Mary’s Catholic School is the No. 4 small employer in Top Workplaces for 2022. Description: St. Mary's Catholic School is a dual-language Catholic school that was started in 1893 in conjunction with Boston College's Two-Way Immersion Network for Catholic Schools. It also works in conjunction with Notre Dame. Spread across two campuses, the school has 41 employees. This is St. Mary's third year on the Top Workplaces list. From the organization: "We are a school of inclusion. We have partnered with Notre Dame to ensure that our teachers are trained and...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer SDV Construction is the No. 3 small company in Top Workplaces for 2022. Description: SDV construction is a commercial construction company that was founded in Albuquerque in 2005. The company employs 50 people and works throughout New Mexico, Arizona, West Texas and Colorado. From the organization: "At SDV, we construct exceptional work environments for our customers, through the utilization of innovative technology and processes with a team of phenomenal people. We strive to create opportunities for veterans and our community to succeed and grow." From the employees: One employee said, "I feel...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer T-Mobile employees celebrate at a company town hall meeting. (Courtesy of T-Mobile US) T-Mobile US is the No. 4 large company in Top Workplaces for 2022. Description: T-Mobile US was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. The wireless company's 53,000 employees nationwide and 1,252 New Mexican employees service 72.6 million customers through its flagship brands, T-Mobile and MetroPCS. It operates 18 locations in New Mexico. This is the tenth consecutive time T-Mobile US has made the Top Workplaces list. From the organization: "T-Mobile employees are dynamic, flexible, and always...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer The location of Eye Associates of New Mexico at 5757 Harper NE. (Courtesy of Eye Associates of New Mexico) Eye Associates of New Mexico is the No. 5 large company in Top Workplaces for 2022. Description: Eye Associates of New Mexico was founded in 1976, and is headquartered in Albuquerque. The privately owned ophthalmology and optometry company is now one of the largest comprehensive eye care practices in the country with over 50 ophthalmologists and optometrists. It consists of 544 U.S. employees with 536 employees in New Mexico across 15 branches. This...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Power Ford is the No. 5 mid-size company in Top Workplaces for 2022. Description: Power Ford, a privately owned auto dealership, was founded in 1994. The dealership has 162 employees. This is the company's fourth year on the Top Workplaces list. From the organization: "We're passionate about helping people find and maintain the car or truck of their dreams. For over 30 years, we've served people by connecting them to the things, people, and places they love. We love celebrating our employees success and helping them thrive. We also like to have...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired is the No. 2 mid-size employer in Top Workplaces for 2022. Description: New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired was founded in 1903 by the Territorial Legislature of New Mexico. The school aims to help students achieve independence by educating them and their families, not only in academics, but also by teaching communication modes, orientation and mobility, social interactions, assistive technology use and self-determination. It consists of more than 230 employees across its two campuses, one in Alamogordo and another in...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer B&D Industries is the No. 3 large company in Top Workplaces for 2022. Description: Founded in 1955, B&D Industries is headquartered in Albuquerque. The privately held electrical company has one location with 600 employees. This is the first time B&D Industries has made the Top Workplaces list. From the employees: "I work with a great group of people who all give 110% every day. They are all also very caring and compassionate people," one employee said. "I'm constantly challenged to better myself and (our) day-to-day operations," said another employee. https://www.abqjournal.com/2511306/new-mexicos-top-workplaces-2022-full-list.html Subscribe to...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer Amy Biehl High School is the No. 2 small employer in Top Workplaces for 2022. Description: Amy Biehl High School is a tuition-free school, founded in 1999, that aims to help students graduate as "civic-minded, college-bound and career ready scholars." The school places a great emphasis on community service, and to date it has donated roughly 150,000 hours of service. The school has 44 staff members. This is its fourth year on the Top Workplaces list. From the organization: "Amy Biehl High School's unique curriculum focuses on service, college and career preparation,...
By Elizabeth Tucker / Journal staff writer EOG Resources is the No. 3 mid-size company in Top Workplaces for 2022. Description: EOG Resources was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Houston. The company has 193 employees across its four New Mexico locations. This is EOG Resources' third year in making the Journal's Top Workplaces. From the organization: "EOG's unique, decentralized organizational structure is comprised of regional, multidisciplinary teams that maximize returns on invested capital while maintaining a commitment to safety, environmental stewardship, and community involvement. All employees, regardless of background, are business people first, and they collaborate across...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer Fidelity Investments employees pose with school supplies from a special drive event. (Courtesy of Fidelity Investments Fidelity Investments is the No. 2 large company in Top Workplaces for 2022. Description: Fidelity Investments was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Fidelity Investments is one of the country's most diversified financial services firms with .8 trillion in assets and 30 million investors. It consists of 40,000 U.S. employees, and 1,147 employees in New Mexico across two branches. This is the sixth year Fidelity Investments has made the Top Workplaces list. From...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Abrazo Homes may be a newer homebuilder for the New Mexico community, but the company's employees say it has already established a great team environment that makes them feel valued. The Albuquerque-based firm placed first in the small category for the Journal's list of Top Workplaces. This is the third consecutive year the company has placed in Top Workplaces and the second time they have placed first. "I have been able to grow at Abrazo," said one employee, according to surveys conducted by research firm Energage. "They are my family and I...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer For the past two years, the pastries of Blue Door Pâtisserie could be found displayed inside glass cases at Albuquerque’s Sawmill Market near Old Town. But now, customers have another spot to pick up a croissant or a loaf of bread with the opening of the bakery’s new 1,200-square-foot storefront location at 900 Park SW in Downtown Albuquerque. Blue Door Pâtisserie specializes in traditional pastries like croissants and croissant tarts, breads, cookies, doughnuts, jams and other sweet and savory selections. The new Downtown location opened in early June. Owner Jove Hubbard, who...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Bradbury Stamm Construction, which has more than 150 employees in New Mexico and over 250 overall across two states, is a place that employees tend to stay as a career, according to CEO Cynthia Schultz. And it’s a place employees say allows them freedom to grow. Bradbury Stamm placed first in the midsize category for Top Workplaces. This is the ninth year overall and seventh consecutive year the company has placed in Top Workplaces. “I have the ability to make big decisions on my own,” an employee said, according to a survey...
By Anne D'Innocenzio and Haleluya Hadero / Associated Press The Supreme Court's decision to end the nation's constitutional protections for abortion has catapulted businesses of all types into the most divisive corner of politics. Some companies that stayed silent last month -- when a draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito was leaked to Politico -- spoke up for the first time Friday, including The Walt Disney Company, which said it will reimburse employees who must travel out of state to get an abortion. Facebook parent Meta, American Express, Bank of America and Goldman Sachs also said they would cover...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal An Albuquerque research laboratory was fined ,200 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in connection with the deaths of two monkeys. Lovelace Biomedical, formerly Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, was found to have violated the Animal Welfare Act in the deaths of two macaques in 2019, according to a USDA citation and notification of penalty issued last month. One of the monkeys died during a face-mask inhalation procedure after it wiggled its arms out of restraints and got entangled in the equipment, according to the citation. The other...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Public Service Company of New Mexico customers could see an reduction in their monthly electric bills starting in October after the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station fully shuts down. But that depends on the five-member state Public Regulation Commission, which must decide whether to force PNM to immediately credit customer bills for savings that come from closing the plant's two operating units, the first of which will cease functioning on June 30, and the second on Sept. 30. PNM wants to continue charging customers for the...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – The drama over certifying New Mexico's primary election results might be over for now, but there could be a political fallout as lawmakers review a state election code that requires counties to approve their vote results before the statewide canvass can be certified. All 33 counties voted to certify this year's primary election results in advance of a deadline last week, though some county commissions faced jeers and angry shouts of "cowards" and "traitors" after casting their votes. In addition, a divided Otero...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Santa Fe police have arrested two 18-year-olds suspected of a shooting that injured a 70-year-old woman on Saturday. Deputy chief of police Ben Valdez said Santos Ben Atencio, 18, turned himself in at the Santa Fe Police Department on Monday. He is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, shooting at or from a motor vehicle, and tampering with evidence. Patrick Marquez, 18, was arrested on Sunday. He is charged with conspiracy to those same charges. Around 6:20 a.m. on Saturday police were called to...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer CORRALES – LouAnn Jordan recalls the time a man came into Secondhand Treasures, the thrift store on Corrales Road, and discovered a didgeridoo, an Australian Aboriginal wind instrument played by vibrating the lips to turn out an eerie, almost otherworldly drone. "The gentleman knew how to play those horns," said Jordan, a volunteer at the thrift store. "He played it, and then he turned around and bought it." So what are the chances of a shopper in Corrales knowing how to play an exotic instrument from Down Under? Never mind that....
By Sam Metz / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size="large" /] SALT LAKE CITY -- Federal officials and tribal nations have formally reestablished a commission to oversee land management decisions at a national monument in Utah -- among the first such joint governance agreements signed by Native Americans and U.S. officials. Leaders from agencies including the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service met with representatives from five tribal nations Saturday to sign a document formalizing the Bears Ears Commission, a governing body tasked with day-to-day decisions on the 2,125 square-mile (5,500 square-kilometer) Bears Ears National Monument. In 2021, President...
By Jeff Tucker / Journal Editorial Writer This week's question: How have you changed your spending habits in light of 40-year high inflation? Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published. Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-form
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A strong start to the monsoon season has brought a collective sigh of relief to drought-stricken New Mexico. The promise of more rainfall this week is welcome news for crews fighting the two largest fires in state history. Still, communities in or near the new burn scars are preparing for floods. The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire in northern New Mexico is more than 341,000 acres and is 72% contained as of Monday. Andy Gorelow, a National Weather Service meteorologist working on the fire, said that "slow and...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's spending out of a discretionary fund intended for social and diplomatic events continues to fuel attack ads targeting her reelection bid, including a new commercial that draws on TV news clips. The new 30-second piece – set to air starting Wednesday – was launched by a group affiliated with the Republican Governors Association. Lujan Grisham "keeps wasting our tax dollars on her personal interests," the ad says, interspersed with snippets of TV news coverage about her spending from the discretionary fund. The fund has been...
By / Eastern New Mexico News PORTALES – Autumn Duran remembers James Roper as a free-spirit, wandering the streets of Portales, making people laugh. She called him "the statue." "We saw him around a lot," she said. "He would stand at Allsup's and not really move, just move his eyes. And then he'd start to winking and smiling. He'd ask for change or whatever, but I think that was just a way for him to get to know people." "He wouldn't harm anyone," Duran said. "What happened to him was very, very inhumane." What happened to Roper, 37, according...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Village of Chama in northern New Mexico is out of water. Matthew Gallegos, the village's mayor pro tem, said Monday morning that what likely began as a break in the main water line has turned into a full-blown water crisis. "We have no water in our tanks," Gallegos said. "We need help." Residents lined up outside the village hall on Monday to fill containers from a state-supplied water truck. The emergency water supply came from the Jicarilla Apache Nation community of Dulce. But Gallegos said that...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer History was made at Isotopes Park on Father’s Day. Coming into the contest against the Salt Lake Bees, the Isotopes had not swept an opponent in four years and had never swept a series of five or six games in team history. All of that changed as Albuquerque used a balanced 12-hit attack and prevailed over Salt Lake 11-5 in a game that was called due to rain in the top of the seventh inning after a 50-minute delay. The Isotopes have won seven straight games, their longest streak since 2016. LATE...
By Anita Snow / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size="large" /] PHOENIX -- Hundreds of blue, green and grey tents are pitched under the sun's searing rays in downtown Phoenix, a jumble of flimsy canvas and plastic along dusty sidewalks. Here, in the hottest big city in America, thousands of homeless people swelter as the summer's triple digit temperatures arrive. The stifling tent city has ballooned amid pandemic-era evictions and surging rents that have dumped hundreds more people onto the sizzling streets that grow eerily quiet when temperatures peak in the midafternoon. A heat wave earlier this month brought temperatures of...
By James Hamill / For the Journal On the old "I Love Lucy" show, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz teamed with Bob Hope, part owner of the then-Cleveland Indians baseball team, to sing "Nobody Loves the Ump." The trio sang, "If I call it a ball, then they call me a slob, if I call it a strike, then they call out the mob." No, nobody loves the ump, even if they understand the game can't be played without the ump. Why is this? Well, each team wants some assurance that the other team will not make calls slanted...
By Reyes Mata Iii / For The Journal [foogallery id="2509766"] SUNLAND PARK – At the top of the mountain stands this borderlands' most iconic monument: The three-story white limestone statue of Christ, arms opened and facing the vast expanse of neatly arrayed subdivisions of the United States, the country fabled in the minds of millions of migrants as the enduring symbol of freedom and the place for a happier life. Mount Cristo Rey – "Cristo" as it is referred to by migrants and the U.S. Border Patrol agents who patrol its surrounding terrain – is a massive upheaval of...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior LEAD, COAL AND UNSER GET CAMERAS: This month the city went live with three more automated speed enforcement cameras, on Lead at Cornell, on Coal at Cornell and on Unser at Tower. The three new cameras started issuing tickets June 10 and are in addition to the three on east- and westbound Gibson at Carlisle and eastbound Montgomery between Wyoming and Eubank, which started issuing citations May 25. Rebecca Atkins, public information officer with the Albuquerque Police Department, says in a news release that from May 25 to June 13, the six...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer Editor's note: In honor of Juneteenth, the Journal is highlighting Black-owned businesses in Albuquerque. For Queneesha Meyers, owner of Q's Cakes and Sweets Boutique, baking has been a part of her life since she made her first batch of chocolate chip cookies when she was around 10 years old. "There was a recipe on the back of a bag of flour at my grandmother's house and I took my allowance and got the remaining ingredients and made chocolate chip cookies and took them to all of the kids in the neighborhood," she...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It's not a rare occasion to find Molly Prewitt dancing. Oftentimes she's in the aisles of Trader Joe's in Santa Fe moving to the beat. "They have the best music," Prewitt says with a laugh. "No matter where I'm at, I'm always dancing. It used to embarrass my children when they were growing up." That confidence and talent has led Prewitt to be a contestant on the NBC show, "Dancing With Myself." The series features 12 contestants during a show as they learn dance routines,...
By Joel Jacobsen / Syndicated Columnist First in a two-part series Giving a speech at Georgetown University in 2019, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg said: "I don't think it's right for a private company to censor politicians or the news in a democracy. … I believe people should decide what is credible, not tech companies." I was struck at the time by his choice of words. Leaving aside the point that credibility is not the same thing as truthfulness, in ordinary usage only governments can censor. The word itself was originally the title of a Roman government official. Since the early...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor In four years, Toltec Brewing was able to make its mark in Albuquerque. That run came to an end on Thursday, June 16. The brewery, located at 10250 Cottonwood Park NW, is permanently closed. Owners Robert and Diana Navarette posted a letter on the door on Thursday. "It is with much consideration and sincere regret that we at Toltec have decided to close our doors," the owners stated in the letter. "We want to thank all of your for your support and patronage over the past 5 years. We truly...
By Martin Salazar / Journal City Editor Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque police officers shot and killed a man early Sunday morning after he approached those officers Downtown, told them he had a gun and refused orders to drop it, authorities said. Chief Harold Medina said investigators have retrieved what appears to be an airsoft gun from the scene and noted that the shooting seems to be a suicide by cop. While airsoft guns often resemble regular firearms, they shoot nonlethal pellets. "We know there's been an increase of suicide across the nation and it's unfortunate that that...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A whiff of marijuana spurred the U.S. Border Patrol to inspect a Ford truck with Florida plates at an immigration checkpoint outside Las Cruces in May 2020. Why it became a federal case was the 6,590 found vacuum-sealed in one of the tires being hauled in the truck's bed. The mere presence of the money was suspicious. But a federal crime? No. At least no criminal charges resulted. The driver, a U.S. citizen who was hired to drive the rental truck from California to Florida and back,...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Albuquerque Police Department is investigating whether the two detectives who shot at an unarmed man suspected of driving a stolen car, injuring him, did so without reasonable grounds to believe he posed a threat. Ten days after the April shooting, detective Jerry Arnold and detective Damian Lujan were sent letters from Chief Harold Medina notifying them that "it is alleged that you used deadly force against an individual without probable cause to believe an individual poses a significant threat of death or serious physical injury to...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer A congressional effort to beef up security for members of the U.S. Supreme Court received broad bipartisan support. But a member of New Mexico's congressional delegation skipped the vote, which was spearheaded by members of her party. Congresswoman Yvette Herrell, the lone Republican member of the state's delegation, didn't vote on the security measure. The bill was introduced after a California man was arrested with a gun, knife, pepper spray and other tools close to the home of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was appointed by former President Trump. The man has been...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The parents of three children injured when a Ford Mustang crashed into their school bus in February are suing Albuquerque Public Schools, the driver of the car and his insurance company. The force of the collision at Messina and Gibson SW caused the school bus to flip on its side and sent five people to the hospital, including several middle school students. Two students, ages 13 and 14, had serious injuries, including a broken pelvis and a broken femur that required surgery. The 2nd Judicial District Court...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Video released about a week ago that appeared to show a young person running in fear from a group of adults has turned out to be a 31-year-old woman, who has now been arrested on two felony warrants and for drug possession, according to Albuquerque police. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said officers arrested Sherriann Flores early Friday. "Through investigation, detectives believe Flores is the person featured in a video circulated this week that was believed to be a 10-year-old boy chased by adults," he said on Saturday. He said...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer Changes are a-coming to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque. The center, located near 12th Street and Interstate 40, is continuing its roll out of new businesses with the opening of the 12th Street Tavern, a sports bar featuring American comfort food with a New Mexican twist. The 4,500-square-foot 12th Street Tavern joins other Avanyu Plaza eateries like Laguna Burger, Sixty-Six Acres and Dominos Pizza. "We wanted a place that really helps us ... celebrate Pueblo culture but also supports the local economy, and offers lots of job opportunities to members...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size="large" /] SANTA FE – Behind the raw public frustration and anger over election security that played out this past week in New Mexico was a hint of something deeper – a growing divide between the state's Democratic power structure and conservative rural residents who feel their way of life is under attack. In Otero County, where the crisis over certifying the state's June 7 primary election began, County Commissioner Vickie Marquardt struck a defiant tone as she relented under pressure from the state's Democratic attorney general, Democratic secretary of state and...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Editor's note: In honor of Juneteenth, the Journal is highlighting Black-owned businesses in Albuquerque. Hundreds of wigs and hair extensions in every style and color imaginable line the walls at Trendz Beauty Supply in northeast Albuquerque. Patrons flit in and out while employees quickly attend to their needs – a speed that's a key part of the shop's success, said co-owner Christina Davis. "We want to have the ultimate shopping experience. That is our goal," said Davis, who co-owns the shop at 4301 Menaul NE with her...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A 70-year-old woman was shot and injured Saturday morning in Santa Fe. Deputy Chief Benjamin Valdez of the Santa Fe Police Department said the woman was shot in the leg and is expected to recover. He said the case remains under investigation. Valdez said police responded around 6:20 a.m. to reports of a gunfire in the 600 block of Gomez, near Paseo de Peralta and Cerrillos. He said the woman was taken to the hospital to be treated for a gunshot wound to the leg. "The victim's injuries do not appear to...
By Kevin Robinson-avila / JOURNAL STAFF WRITER Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's administration has doubled down on efforts to build a hydrogen economy in New Mexico, foreshadowing another bruising battle with environmental groups and clean energy advocates in the coming months. Cabinet secretaries from the state Economic Development, Environment, and Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources departments told the Legislative Finance Committee last week that, under an executive order the governor signed in March, those agencies are coordinating a statewide strategy to jumpstart the local hydrogen industry in cooperation with three other states. New Mexico signed a memorandum of understanding in...
By Steve Mckee / CO-FOUNDER, MCKEE WALLWORK + CO. Artificial intelligence is occupying an increasingly consequential role in our economy and culture. Many predict it will overtake human intelligence, leading to outcomes both exciting and dire. There's no way to know what all those ramifications may be, but we do know one thing: Machines aren't human and never will be. Keeping in mind the differences between the two provides helpful perspective. The power of AI is rooted in taking vast amounts of data that are incomprehensible to the human brain and turning them into information and, ultimately, knowledge that...
By Pilar Martinez And Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writers Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal First in a series RUIDOSO – Standing at the top of McBride Drive in Ruidoso, the path of the recent wildfire seems almost random. Gleaming houses with manicured lawns sit directly next to piles of charred rubble with only chimneys left standing. Just like the houses overlooking Gavilan Canyon Road on the village's east side, where the wildfire ripped through in April, businesses in Ruidoso were met with a similarly scattered fate. Some businesses lost all in the McBride Fire, which spread across nearly...
By Journal Staff Report He was apparently out of fuel — and funds. The FBI says a man toting a gas can robbed a bank just east of Downtown midday Friday. Dubbed the "Out of Gas Robber" in an FBI news release, the agency says the man walked into the Bank of the West branch at 500 Martin Luther King Jr. NE around 12:20 p.m. and verbally demanded money from a teller. "The robber received an undisclosed sum of money and left the bank," the FBI said. The suspect is described as Hispanic and around 6 feet, 2 inches...
By Ellen Marks / For the Journal It was everyone's worst nightmare. Tina Garcia-Shams and her catering crew were headed to Santa Fe in two large food trucks to feed 200 wedding guests when one of the vehicles blew a tire north of Bernalillo. They figured the fastest thing to do was to transfer everything to the other truck and into Garcia-Shams' personal vehicle and continue on their way as quickly as possible. But 10 miles later, they came to a screeching halt again. This time, it was due to an accident that caused "a big line of traffic."...
By Jerry Pacheco / For the Journal Second of a two-part series. In my last column, I discussed the industrial boom in the Borderplex region (El Paso, Texas-Juárez, Chihuahua-southern New Mexico), and how industrial absorption and vacancy rates were at historic levels. This is occurring due to factors such as strong consumer demand, the attempt to better manage supply chain disruptions, and the relocation of production facilities from Asia to North America. While industrial growth at the Borderplex seems to be strong for the foreseeable future, there remain challenges that could affect this growth. One frustrating challenge is that...
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal Third in a series. Life is precious, especially those shared with joy and acceptance. As Cheryl sat on the deck to meditate, Poupon waited for her at the door – every day. A 10-year-old, robust, lifelong family member, he followed her everywhere. A constant presence. We know it will end but who is ever really prepared? Cheryl and Michael weren't. In my long career I have encountered nearly every disorder known to veterinary medicine. Like all of my colleagues I've accomplished a few saves. I've also learned some humbling lessons along the way....
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque police say an officer was hospitalized with several broken bones and other injuries after being hit by a drunken driver early Friday morning on the West Side. Vaughn Stands, 28, is charged with DWI resulting in great bodily harm in the crash. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman, said the officer with the DWI Unit had just come from arresting an alleged drunken driver. She said he was "about to be off duty and was heading home" when the crash occurred. The officer was hospitalized...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Rising COVID-19 case counts have prompted both the Albuquerque City Council and the Bernalillo County Commission to move their normal public meetings online only next week. But that will not stop Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller from proceeding with his planned State of the City address and "community expo and celebration" also set for next week. The pandemic had forced Keller – whose first two SOTC addresses were turned into large, public gatherings – to record last year's version on video. The city had hailed this year's event,...
By Michael Kunzelman And Jacques Billeaud / Associated Press WASHINGTON – Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin avoided more jail time on Friday for joining the mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol. Griffin, who founded the political group Cowboys for Trump, was sentenced to 14 days imprisonment. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden gave Griffin credit for the 20 days he already served in jail after his arrest. Federal prosecutors and a probation officer had both recommended a sentence of three months imprisonment. Griffin faced a maximum prison sentence of one year for his misdemeanor conviction. After a trial without a...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Kristen Thomson is out as the director of the state Cannabis Control Division. In an email to the Journal on Friday, New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department spokeswoman Bernice Geiger said Thomson submitted her resignation on Thursday. Her resignation was effective at that time, Geiger added, and she didn't give a reason for Thomson's resignation. Thomson wasn't immediately available for comment. "We thank Kristen (Thomson) for her service to the Cannabis Control Division and the State of New Mexico and wish her success in her future endeavors,"...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Sandbags are piling up in Mora. Crews are building temporary flood barriers west of Las Vegas, and San Miguel and Mora county officials are warning residents to be ready to evacuate at a moment's notice. Northern New Mexico communities are urgently preparing for the threat of post-fire floods this weekend as the state enters monsoon season. Officials have been knocking on doors this week to warn residents of possible floods. "We don't want anyone to panic – we are not panicked," Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said during...
By ABQJournal News Staff The City of Albuquerque will observe World Refugee Day on Monday, from 5-8 p.m., with free events on Civic Plaza. Featured will be a screening of the documentary, "Captains of Za'atari," which chronicles the story of two friends trapped in the Za'atari Refugee Camp in Jordan and who dream of becoming professional soccer players. New Mexico United will be hosting a soccer clinic as part of the events. There will also be speakers, vendors, kids crafting activities, ethnic foods and food trucks. This event is being organized by the City of Albuquerque's Office of Immigrant...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Officials in New Mexico's largest county have voted to certify the results of the recent primary election, saying they have faith in the integrity of the local system. Bernalillo County commissioners had received messages asking – or, in some cases, demanding – they refuse certification until other actions had occurred, like a hand recount and forensic audit. Citing that skepticism, commissioners took time Friday morning to explain themselves during what typically would be a quick and perfunctory certification process. Walt Benson, the only Republican on the five-member...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The state Attorney General's Office announced Friday it will review the case where two Chaves County sheriff's deputies shot and killed an unarmed man who had gotten into the driver's seat of a cruiser and was behaving erratically. David Aguilera, who worked in the oil fields and had several children with his longtime girlfriend, was shot a couple blocks from his home outside Lake Arthur, south of Roswell, on March 27. The 34-year-old died at the scene. On Wednesday, the 5th Judicial District Attorney asked for Attorney...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Deputies identified two men killed this month in Bernalillo County. Deputy Angelina Navarro, a Bernalillo County Sheriff's spokeswoman, said the deaths of Timothy Johnson Jr., 23, and Victor Atienzo, 32, are being investigated as homicides. Neither case has been solved. Deputies responded overnight Wednesday to a shooting at a Circle K on Coors and Gun Club SW and found Johnson injured with a gunshot wound. He later died from his injuries. The, on June 8, deputies responded to reports of a dead man in the area of Pajarito Mesa and found Atienzo's...
By ABQJournal News Staff Nutritious meals at no cost to children and youth age 18 and younger are now available through August as part of the Summer Food Service Program. Administered by the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the program fills the gap created when school-based meal programs are on pause during the summer. In New Mexico, one of every five children experiences food insecurity. "No child should have to worry about going hungry when the school year ends," said ECECD Cabinet Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky. "The Summer Food...
By Journal Staff Report Journal Staff Report An Albuquerque teen has received a scholarship to continue her high school education at the Li Po Chun United World College in Hong Kong. Emma Ramsey recently completed her sophomore year at the Albuquerque Institute of Math and Science. She was among 59 students from around the country selected for the merit-based Davis Scholarship. The United World College, which has a campus in Montezuma and 18 campuses around the world, is an international high school for students in their junior and senior years. Many of the students come from conflict regions of...
By Journal Staff Report Nineteen New Mexico nonprofits will share 0,000 in Increasing Community Safety grants awarded by the PNM Resources Foundation. The grants help support groups that are preventing things that lead to crime in the first place, said foundation director Laurie Roach. "Part of the vision of the PNM Resources Foundation is to support New Mexico organizations that are providing the needed resources to rebuild stronger, safer, more cohesive, vibrant, participatory communities," she said. The grant recipients can use the funds to cover program expenses, operational expenses and to continue delivering services. Among the organizations receiving grants...
By Eastern New Mexico News CLOVIS – An Albuquerque judge ordered the New Mexico Racing Commission to act within 90 days on whether to accept or reject Coronado Partners' request for a racing license so it can build a track and casino in Tucumcari. State District Judge Nancy Franchini in a ruling issued June 3 affirmed Logan attorney and Coronado Partners principal Warren Frost's request for a writ of mandamus against the commission. A writ of mandamus asks a court to compel another entity to perform its official duties. Franchini rejected arguments from commission director Ismael "Izzy" Trejo during...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal As often as she can, Tina Diep, who is of Vietnamese and American heritage, travels to Vietnam, taking money, food, clothes and supplies to that country's orphans and the impoverished. It's something she loves to do. Something she needs to do. "I believe this is why God put me here," Diep, 51, said, as she sits in the office of her Pink Ribbon Nail Salon on Albuquerque's West Side. Money she makes working at the salon funds her donations in Vietnam. She remembers well her own...
By Journal Staff Report A Las Cruces man accused of contacting an online website to arrange a murder for hire remained in federal custody Wednesday after waiving his right to a preliminary hearing. In a remote court appearance, Leif Hayman told U.S. Magistrate Judge Gregory Wormuth he wanted to forgo the hearing, which would have established whether there was probable cause to believe Hayman committed the crime he is charged with. Hayman is charged with use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire. His arrest came after he allegedly contacted an online satirical website, rentahitman.com,...
By ABQJournal News Staff John Cordova, a 16-year-old with Down syndrome, pumped his arms up, wanting louder cheers before he ran through an obstacle course during the inaugural Extraordinary Lobos event inside the Brian Urlacher indoor practice facility at UNM on Wednesday. Cordova, one of several youths from Rio Grande Down Syndrome Network at the event, ran past the stepover bumps on the ground, then around a hose that was on the turf as the cheers grew louder and several UNM football players followed him. Cordova hit and tackled a blocking bag and finally jumped on a mat, as...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced updated drinking water health advisories for two types of toxic "forever chemicals" known as PFAS. The new advisory limits are drastically lower than the agency's guidance issued six years ago – a signal that even minuscule amounts of the waterproof chemicals are a health hazard. New Mexico has spent several years grappling with the contaminants. In Clovis, a plume of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, migrated from Cannon Air Force Base to the groundwater at a neighboring dairy...
By Journal Staff Report An Albuquerque couple was killed in a two-vehicle crash in Nebraska on Tuesday. Nebraska State Patrol said Charles Dueker, 79, and Linda Dueker, 78, died in the crash that happened around 12:45 p.m. on Highway 385 near Angora in the western part of the state. According to a State Patrol news release, citing the preliminary investigation: The Duekers were driving north in a Ford F-350 pickup truck when a dump truck driver going south failed to yield the right of way while trying to enter a construction site, causing the collision. The dump truck was...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man was shot and killed Wednesday night on Central near San Mateo. Albuquerque police spokesman Daren DeAguero said officers responded sometime before 8:30 p.m. to a shooting in the 5500 block of Central. He said police found a man who had died from a gunshot wound. DeAguero gave no other details.
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Police have arrested a 16-year-old boy accused of gunning down another teen – his sister's boyfriend – during a fight in Downtown Albuquerque earlier this year. Angelo Baldonado, 16, is charged with an open count of murder in the March 4 death of Josue Ruiz, also 16. Baldonado was booked into the Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention Center on Wednesday. Police said a search of Baldonado's phone turned up messages setting up a fight between the two and placed the teen at the scene when the shooting occurred....
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A cookie-cutter high school career isn't for everyone. So state Public Education Department officials are exploring potential changes to New Mexico graduation requirements that would provide students more room to explore their interests. Elaine Perea, director of PED's College and Career Readiness Bureau, briefed a key legislative committee on those efforts Friday and suggested several revisions to the state's graduation requirements for proving competency. The proposal was an early step in the conversation for legislators and policymakers. Many of the suggestions center on baking competency into every...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The rise in COVID cases in New Mexico tapered off this week, according to weekly epidemiology reports. New Mexico reported 6,357 new COVID-19 cases in the weekly case report dated Monday, which was about a 4% increase from the week before. There was an increase in hospital admissions during the same time period. There were 122 patients with COVID-19 admitted to hospitals during the week, up from 102 new admissions the week before. On Wednesday, the state reported 1,132 new cases and four more deaths, pushing the...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The two largest wildfires in New Mexico history remained active on Wednesday as crews battled hot and windy conditions. The Black Fire, burning about 30 miles northwest of Truth or Consequences, had grown to 317,676 acres by Wednesday morning. It is the second biggest fire in state history. Burning mostly on Gila National Forest land, the fire was 48% contained Wednesday. There are currently about 1,100 personnel assigned to the blaze. While fire officials dealt with hot and windy conditions on Wednesday, the weather is expected to...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Authorities allege a man robbed as many as 20 businesses – mainly auto parts stores – over the past few months across the Albuquerque area. Eric Ray Herrera, 39, is charged with two counts of armed robbery in a May 16 and June 9 incident. Detectives suspect he may have committed 14 other robberies that are "still under investigation," according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said Herrera may be involved in as many as 20 armed robberies...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Jurors deliberated only two hours Wednesday before finding Jeremiah Lopez guilty of first-degree murder and other crimes in the 2019 killing of his fiancee. Jurors also convicted 40-year-old Lopez of false imprisonment and three counts of criminal sexual penetration for sexually attacking Krishauna Perez, 27, after strangling her on Jan. 15, 2019, at the home they shared on Bataan SW. Prosecutors alleged that Lopez deliberately killed his fiancee out of jealousy after he found selfies of Perez on a tablet computer that he believed she sent to...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – The New Mexico Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered Otero County commissioners to certify primary election results by the end of this week, raising the stakes of a dispute over election integrity issues that has generated national attention. The ruling by the state's highest court came one day after Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver filed a petition, arguing the county commission's refusal to approve the June 7 election results violates state election law and could nullify votes. The three-member Otero County Commission, in...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Last summer, Mayor Tim Keller convened leaders from throughout the criminal justice system for six meetings where they came up with ways to address crime across the Albuquerque metro area and the state. Out of 40 action items under the categories of fighting crime, reducing gun violence, closing the revolving door and more, 10 have been addressed. Eleven additional action items are in progress. Now the crew is getting back together. This time there will be three sessions addressing gun violence, the fentanyl crisis and domestic violence....
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A Comcast grant program that helps minority- and women-owned businesses with tech and creative costs is accepting applications from New Mexico businesses until Friday, according to a news release. Comcast RISE helps grant awardees pay for technology upgrades and with media, consulting and creative production services. Carmen Prince-Morris, co-owner of 50/50 Coffee House & Pub in Albuquerque, received a RISE grant last year to pay for two computers, two iPads, and a year's worth of business' internet and phone bills. Prince-Morris, who owns the business with her...
By Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /][journal_continued_coverage_notice/] Residents of the West Texas city of Odessa improvised emergency water supplies after a water system outage left them high and dry for days amid scorching heat, even as utility crews scrambled Wednesday to restore normal service. The city said taps in 165,000 homes and businesses lost pressure or went completely dry after a 24-inch (61-centimeter) main broke Monday afternoon. Odessa's water treatment plant was back online by about 8 a.m. Wednesday, but a "recharging" process was taking place during which workers slowly add water back into the system to ensure there are...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Baseball’s an easy game to love. One that brings smiles to the faces of kids and adults. Tuesday night, for instance, UNM Lobo football coach Danny Gonzales was grinning ear to ear posing for a picture with his wife, Sandra, after the Albuquerque native caught a 7th inning foul ball at Isotopes Park while watching his home team Isotopes beat visiting Salt Lake, 5-1. Those stories, those moments — the ones sometimes off the beaten path from the Major League stadiums and not shown on national television broadcasts — are the ones...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A 32-year-old Las Cruces man repeatedly contacted what he thought was a murder-for-hire website in April allegedly to order a hit on his mother-in-law. "Kill that b--ch," he allegedly declared at one point, threatening he would "do it himself" if he couldn't get fast action. The rent-a-hitman website was a spoof, but federal authorities took the alleged threat seriously. Posing as a hit man, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent played along long enough to build a case against Leif Everett Hayman, who is...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – A lawsuit targeting New Mexico's COVID-19 vaccination requirements for hospital workers has encountered another legal setback as a panel of federal appeals court judges on Tuesday upheld a lower court ruling rejecting a request to halt enforcement of the mandate. While the ruling by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals could still be appealed to the Supreme Court and the case itself is still pending, it marks the latest in a series of rulings upholding the vaccine mandate that was enacted last...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – A line of people snaked through Milner Plaza at Museum Hill in Santa Fe on Tuesday. Some of the estimated 2,500 visitors arrived at 7 a.m. and waited patiently to go through "triage" before dispersing to one of the 23 categories. The PBS series "Antiques Roadshow" made a stop in Santa Fe for its annual tour and 27th season. The episode will air in early 2023. It was the first time the series had been back on the road since the beginning...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – As New Mexico continues to deal with raging wildfires that have charred more than 900 square miles of land, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has asked a Cabinet official in President Joe Biden's administration to delay a plan to transport migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border region to Albuquerque and other interior cities. In a Tuesday letter to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the Democratic governor said New Mexico and other states would "bear the brunt" of adverse economic and social impacts if a...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer It wasn't as if Morris Udeze lacked for choices when he dipped his toes into the transfer portal pool this offseason. After all, the 6-foot-8, 245-pound Houston native played in 91 games and started 54 times over four basketball seasons at Wichita State, which happened to win 76 games in that span and qualified twice for the NCAA Tournament. So why, for one final run as a college player, would he pick a University of New Mexico team that is coming off a finish as the No. 9 seed in an 11-team...
By Meg Kinnard / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /][journal_continued_coverage_notice/] CHARLESTON, S.C. -- U.S. Rep. Tom Rice of South Carolina has been ousted from Congress in his Republican primary after voting to impeach Donald Trump over the Jan. 6 insurrection. He is the first of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump to lose a reelection bid. Rice, a five-term congressman, was defeated Tuesday by state Rep. Russell Fry, who was endorsed by Trump. Rice was a strong supporter of Trump's policies in Washington but said he was left no choice but to impeach Trump over his failure...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Albuquerque International Sunport is trying to be green in more ways than one. Officials on Tuesday said the state's largest airport is now using recycled wastewater for the vast majority of the landscaping on its roughly 2,700-acre property. The switch will save the facility an estimated 4 million gallons of potable water every month. The project – in the works for more than a decade – will allow the Sunport to remain a relatively verdant welcome mat for millions of passengers each year while using the...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /] SANTA FE – Votes in a New Mexico community are at risk of not being counted after a Republican-led commission refused to approve primary election results over distrust of Dominion vote-tallying machines. Democratic Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver on Tuesday asked the state Supreme Court to order the three-member Otero County commission to certify June 7 primary election results to ensure voters are not disenfranchised and that political candidates have access to the general election ballot in November. On Monday, the commission, in its role as a county canvassing...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In their first weeks, the city's new speed cameras clocked one driver rocketing down Montgomery at 130 mph. Another was traveling 119 mph on Gibson. They were among thousands caught breaking the law on Albuquerque's streets. In all, Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins said the three speed cameras on Gibson and Montgomery have racked up more than 2,500 "approved" speeding violations since May 25 – fining the drivers 0 or requiring community service. That's compared to the 3,400 drivers cited for speeding by APD officers from...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A note Jeremiah Lopez wrote after he choked his fiancee to death shows that he deliberately killed the woman out of jealousy, prosecutors told jurors Tuesday in closing arguments. Jurors began deliberations Tuesday in the first-degree murder trial of Lopez, 40, who is accused of strangling Krishauna Perez, 27, on Jan. 15, 2019. Lopez also is charged with two counts of criminal sexual penetration for allegedly having sex with Perez's lifeless body twice after she was strangled. Defense attorneys countered that Lopez did not act deliberately when...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The state Water Quality Control Commission on Tuesday considered a petition to designate 125 miles of northern New Mexico rivers and streams as Outstanding National Resource Waters. New Mexico's Outdoor Recreation Division proposed the designation, which would prohibit new activities and projects from degrading water quality. If approved, protected river segments would include: • Rio Grande from the New Mexico-Colorado state line to the confluence with Rio Pueblo de Taos. • Rio Hondo headwaters to the Carson National Forest boundary. • Lake Fork headwaters to the confluence...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Sceye Inc. launched a new helium-filled airship Tuesday morning into the stratosphere above Roswell for a maiden, 24-hour flight that could pave the way for statewide broadband connectivity beamed from the sky. The Roswell-based company, which itself was launched in 2014, has successfully test-flown different versions of the aircraft nine times since 2016 to assess the vehicle's functionality and the capacity of the broadband-beaming technologies installed on board, said company founder and CEO Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen. But this is the first time Sceye (pronounced "Sky") is attempting...
By Jeff Tucker / Journal Editorial Writer This week's question: What do you think of the Albuquerque Solid Waste Management Department collecting and crushing more than 5,200 abandoned shopping carts in the past year and sending them to a local landfill? Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less to question@abqjournal.com. Responses must include your name and city to be published. Or use our form at https://www.abqjournal.com/top-of-mind-weekly-question-form
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque-based Raven Defense Corp.'s hypersonic missile test-and-evaluation technology is propelling the homegrown startup into hyper-growth. The company launched in 2018 to provide remote monitoring services for defense agencies to test and evaluate the performance of new hypersonic missiles and other modern weapons technology currently under development. And now, with less than five years in operation, Raven is rapidly emerging as one of New Mexico's premier government contractors. The company projects at least million in revenue by year-end, up from .6 million last year, said Raven co-founder and CEO Chris Patscheck. And...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Like many people, Leslie Lamb found her life disrupted when the pandemic hit. Her job as a retail merchandiser in grocery stores was suddenly unpredictable, and her normal outlets for socializing at senior centers were no longer an option. In an attempt to break the isolation she was feeling, the 60-year-old Rio Rancho resident, said she signed up for an online program she found in a magazine. That decision led her to discovering a new skill set and now, to leading her own digital design company, Grace...
By ABQJournal News Staff Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In all phases of his life, Hugh Witemeyer displayed a flair for the dramatic, or comedic, a love for the stage and an audience. Witemeyer once devised a production to mark the retirement of two University of New Mexico English Department colleagues. "He created a parody of a James Bond film about the kidnapping of the apostrophe from the world of letters," James Thorson, retired UNM English professor, wrote in a recent tribute to Witemeyer. "Accompanied by a self-dubbed audio pastiche of Bond music, the comedy, the parts played by...
By Images by Journal photographer Chancey Bush It was a colorful day in Nob Hill. Hundreds crowded the sidewalks and street for the annual ABQ Pride Parade on Saturday morning. Some revelers watched the lively, rainbow-drenched procession, while others marched on Central Avenue from Girard to San Pedro alongside floats of all shapes and sizes. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was even spotted in cowboy boots and a tutu skipping around to greet attendees. The parade ended at Expo New Mexico, where the main event featured such festivities as drag and car shows and music as well as vendors.
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal MORA – Alyssa Sanchez stood in the ruins of her home in the rural community of Abuelo, pointing out the twisted remains of a house, barn and vehicles destroyed by wildfire on May 1. Sanchez, 29, grabbed only some clothes and a few personal items when she evacuated April 22, expecting to be back in her home in a week or two. She was shocked to learn that everything was gone. "I never thought my house would burn," she said. Abuelo lies in a valley south of...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Police are looking for a man who allegedly shot and killed a person with a sawed-off shotgun late Thursday night at an apartment complex in Northeast Albuquerque. Christopher Wade, 31, is charged with an open count of murder, tampering with evidence and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the death of 43-year-old Dustin Banteah. Wade is currently serving a three-year supervised probation sentence after taking a plea deal in a 2019 domestic violence case. Wade called his probation officer around 4 a.m. on Friday and left...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A person in custody and another is dead after a stabbing Saturday in Northeast Albuquerque. Albuquerque police spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins said officers responded to a stabbing in the 600 block of Madison NE, near Washington and Lomas. "One person was transported to the hospital and later died, another individual has been detained," she said. "This is an active ongoing investigation and more details will be released as they are available." Atkins gave no other details.
By Dan Mckay and Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writers Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – President Joe Biden flew over the perimeter of the largest wildfire in New Mexico history Saturday – describing parts of what he saw as a "moonscape" of damage – and vowed his administration would do everything it could to help the families who have lost their homes. He also authorized additional federal funding to address the massive Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire and suggested the federal government has a moral obligation to help the people of northern New Mexico as they recover...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer Nusenda Credit Union has opened a second branch location in New Mexico's capital city, according to the credit union. The new Santa Fe branch, at 502 N. Guadalupe St., opened June 6. A third Santa Fe branch, at 5621 Herrera Drive, is also in the works, according to Nusenda. Nusenda Credit Union serves 11,000 members in Santa Fe with 240,000 members in total. The new branch's lobby is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The...
By ABQJournal News Staff The American Solar Energy Society will host its 51st Annual National Solar Conference, "SOLAR 2022", from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 21 through 24 at the University of New Mexico and online, according to a news release. The theme of the conference is "Energy Transition with Economic Justice." ASES is partnering with its local chapter, the New Mexico Solar Energy Association, the release said. Speakers will include: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham; U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich; Jonathan Nez, president of the Navajo Nation; Ron Darnell, senior vice president for public policy at Public Service Company...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer When it comes to food, New Mexico is known for many things — green chile, salsa, even frito pie. However, bagels of the authentic New York variety aren't necessarily something New Mexicans typically come to expect as a culinary option. New Yorkers David Kaufman and Peter Falk are aiming to change that with the opening of Kaufman's Coffee and Bagels on June 18. The new bagel shop, at 2500 Central SW near the El Vado Motel, will offer up a variety of classics like sesame seed and poppy seed, as well as...
By Associated Press [abq-featured-image size="large" /] MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- The U.S. Marine Corps on Friday identified five people who died when their Osprey tiltrotor aircraft crashed during training in the California desert. Killed were two pilots: Capt. Nicholas P. Losapio, 31, of Rockingham, New Hampshire and Capt. John J. Sax, 33, of Placer, California. Also killed were three tiltrotor crew chiefs: Cpl. Nathan E. Carlson, 21, of Winnebago, Illinois; Cpl. Seth D. Rasmuson, 21, of Johnson, Wyoming and Lance Cpl. Evan A. Strickland, 19, of Valencia, New Mexico. The longest-serving Marine was Losapio, with 8...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Authorities say a man was caught with a fully-loaded rifle after selling an undercover agent thousands of fentanyl pills Wednesday in Albuquerque. Juan Luevano is charged federally with distributing fentanyl and carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime. Authorities say the operation nabbed the 29-year-old with a loaded AR-15 rifle, thousands of fentanyl pills, ,000, heroin and cannabis. Luevano was arrested Wednesday and booked into the federal holding facility in Cibola County. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque police spokeswoman, said Luevano and his wife own the Chenelle's Beauty...
By Associated Press SANTA FE – The New Mexico Environment Department announced Thursday that it has fined El Paso Water [post_excerpt].2 million for allegedly discharging more than 1 billion gallons of raw sewage into the Rio Grande in Sunland Park. The state compliance orders also require El Paso Water to fix the problems that caused the illegal diversion and clean up the impacted areas. "El Paso Water's flagrant disregard for the health and welfare of New Mexicans in Sunland is astonishing," state Environment Secretary James Kenney said in announcing the action. According to the Environment Department, El Paso Water...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – When it comes to the once-per-decade census, New Mexico has long struggled with low participation rates. But the state had the nation's most accurate count for the 2020 Census, according to a state-by-state survey released recently by the U.S. Census Bureau that found Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi had the highest undercounts by percentage. Top state officials said this week that New Mexico's successful census count would ensure the state receives the full extent of the federal funding it is entitled to. "New Mexico...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The state agency tasked with enforcing the Inspection of Public Records Act was found to have violated the act when it didn't turn over documents that had been requested. Last week, a judge ordered the state Attorney General's Office to pay the former chief of the Albuquerque Police Department more than ,000 in fines and attorney fees after finding it failed to comply with the act. Michael Geier had requested all correspondence between APD and the AG's Office that were related to him, but, when almost a...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal MORA – Weeks after New Mexico's largest wildfire blazed through rural northern communities, scarred hillsides are dotted with trees covered in blistered black bark. Small raindrops darken the ash-laden ground. Deer roam among the charred trees and a few sprouting plants and grass. Thin smoke plumes are visible in the distance. As President Joe Biden prepares to visit Santa Fe for a wildfire briefing, scientists are studying the ongoing and future impacts of the still-burning Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. The Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response, or...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – More than 20% of the individuals required to file annual disclosures about their income sources and property – a group that includes public officials and candidates in New Mexico – haven't done so, according to the State Ethics Commission. The ethics agency authorized its staff Friday to issue demand letters to about 155 people who haven't filed the mandatory disclosures and to go to court if necessary to enforce the law. Jeremy Farris, executive director of the State Ethics Commission, said the compliance rate...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer The male baby Sumatran orangutan born May 15 at the ABQ BioPark Zoo has a name: Bulan. Bulan, in the Indonesian language, means lunar eclipse or blood moon, according to a Friday announcement from the BioPark Zoo. It's a reference to the celestial phenomenon that occurred the night the ape was born. The new baby is the fifth offspring born to mother Sarah, 38, and her mate, Tonka, 42. He joins older sister, Pixel, who was born in 2014. The orangutan habitat is also home to Rubi, 28, an unrelated female. The...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Authorities said Interstate 25 will be shut down twice on Saturday as President Biden travels through Albuquerque for a briefing on wildfires in the northern part of the state. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said the department will provide traffic control when the presidential motorcade travels through Albuquerque to and from the briefing. He did not give specific times for the closures. "I-25 will be significantly impacted," Gallegos said. "There will be no parking allowed along the route for the President’s motorcade. Parked cars will be towed." He said other events,...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Firefighters are working to suppress a blaze on Friday in the Carson National Forest. Carson National Forest spokesman Zach Behrens said the Midnight Fire is 60 acres, 0% contained, and burning near Forest Road 172 in Potrero Canyon. He said the fire was first reported Thursday at 7:45 p.m. and there are no structures threatened or evacuations ordered "at this time." "As of Friday afternoon, approximately 200 people are assigned to suppression efforts on the ground and in the air," Behrens said.
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico is one of seven states awarded grant money from the U.S. Department of Labor to address disparities in unemployment benefits, according to a news release from the federal department. The state is set to receive about .8 million with the grant funding coming from the American Rescue Plan Act that went into effect last year. The funding is being delivered through the department's Employment and Training Administration, according to the release. The grant money that the state was awarded allows community partners to "conduct outreach and provide resources and training...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer The Village of Ruidoso and the New Mexico Tourism Department have teamed up to promote travel to the southern New Mexico town just a month after the McBride Fire was 100% contained. The village and state have earmarked a combined 0,000 to target tourists from the West Texas market, which is the state with the largest influx of travelers to Ruidoso. "Due to the high risk of wildfires, access to the trails is restricted; however, there is still such beauty to see here in Ruidoso," Village of Ruidoso Director of Tourism Elizabeth...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size="large" /] SANTA FE, N.M. -- A Republican-led county commission in southern New Mexico is seeking to change the way ballots are collected and counted in the run-up to November's mid-term election. Otero County's three-member commission includes Cowboys for Trump co-founder Couy Griffin, who ascribes to unsubstantiated theories that former President Donald Trump won the 2020 election. Griffin was convicted of illegally entering restricted U.S. Capitol grounds -- though not the building -- amid the riots on Jan. 6, 2021. The commission voted unanimously Thursday to recount ballots from this week's statewide...
By ABQJournal News Staff Second in a series. Cheryl contacted me as soon as she and Michael were hit by the first wave of bad news. I learned long ago that what people in this fragile state need most is a brief sympathetic remark like, "Oh, gee." They don't need assurances that life will go on, platitudes like "It's better to have loved and lost," or even "Tell me how you're feeling?" They need us to shut up and listen – with kindness and empathy. My job was to support these folks as the bottom fell out of their...
By Alicia Inez Guzmán / Searchlight New Mexico Land grants are inextricably woven into the fabric of northern New Mexico, where heirs trace their lineage to the Spanish foot soldiers, Indigenous cautivos (slaves), people of mixed descent and Pueblo peoples who settled the edges of a colonial empire. The forests saw a lot in the intervening years, including ongoing protests over how the U.S. Forest Service exercised its power. Tensions rose so high that armed dissidents stormed the Tierra Amarilla Courthouse in 1966, an incident that so surprised the USFS that the agency launched a study to investigate. "The...
By Alicia Inez Guzmán / Searchlight New Mexico TIERRA MONTE – The air smells of ash and the landscape is leached of color. Spots of green punctuate the valley floor in places. But along the ridges, the powdery residue of charred trees has fallen like snow, accumulating up to 4 inches deep. These are the slices of forest where the fire burned the hottest, scorching ponderosa pines from crown to root. Once titans, they are now matchsticks. Pola Lopez gestures their way, southward toward Hermits Peak. Before a tsunami of flames ripped through this canyon in Tierra Monte, the...
By Journal Staff Report This spring, 8-year-old Leighton Mody watched the Cerro Pelado Fire erupt. He lives on the Cochiti Pueblo and knew he had to thank the men and women who were working long days to battle the flames. With the help of his family, Mody put together care packages and included a hand-written letter in each one. "They said, 'Thank you for your service. Firefighters rock. I love you,' " said Mody. KOAT-TV will spotlight Mody as part of its "The Good News Files" feature Friday. The gifts touched the crew deeply and Mody was invited to...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Wildfires in New Mexico this summer have destroyed hundreds of homes, burned federal, state, local, tribal and private lands, and forced thousands of people to flee their homes. Now, aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is beginning to trickle in. And, on Thursday, New Mexico's delegation announced that President Biden has amended the disaster declaration for New Mexico, allowing FEMA to offer additional types of assistance to help rebuild from the largest fire in state history. FEMA has so far approved more than .9 million in...
By Rick Wright / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Don Perkins came to Albuquerque from Waterloo, Iowa, in the fall of 1956, among the first African Americans to play football for the University of New Mexico. He became one of the most decorated Lobos of all time as a fleet, powerful running back, then went on to an eight-year career with the Dallas Cowboys that earned him a spot in the team's Ring of Honor. Through it all, and ever after, he remained steadfast in the belief that being really good with a football tucked under...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico still has a way to go before the needs of "at risk" students are fully met. But Albuquerque Public Schools officials say the district is making some progress on ensuring their voices are heard. They updated the APS board on the input the relatively newly-formed Yazzie-Martinez council has had during an instruction and accountability meeting Wednesday evening. APS developed the council in the 2019-2020 school year, after a decision was made in the ongoing Yazzie-Martinez consolidated lawsuit, according to an overview of the council. The...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer More than a year after New Mexico banned routine venting and flaring of natural gas, the public can now see how much gas energy companies are capturing or emitting in their operations. State officials say the data helps give a clearer picture of industry waste. The Oil Conservation Division has set a mandatory 98% gas capture rate by the end of 2026 and started requiring operators to report emissions. OCD director Adrienne Sandoval said the new data is a "lot more granular than we've had in the past." "We really were not...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Detectives arrested a woman accused of fatally shooting her boyfriend during a fight in 2019 at an apartment complex in Southeast Albuquerque. Jasminn Obleton, 34, is charged with an open count of murder, tampering with evidence and conspiracy in the Feb. 24, 2019, death of 48-year-old Derrick Casey. Roy Baca, 49, and Richard McCarty, 64, were each charged with tampering with evidence and conspiracy in the case. Detectives gathered much of the evidence against Obleton and her alleged accomplices in 2019 but none of them were charged...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Most New Mexico independent voters opted to stay unaffiliated and not sign up with a major political party in order to cast a ballot in this week's primary election. But more than 2,000 registered independents did change their party affiliation in order to vote, under a new state law described as a "baby step" toward open primaries. Of the 2,111 independent voters who took advantage of the law, more than half – 1,097 voters – changed their party affiliation to Republican, according to...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office on Thursday confirmed they are investigating two homicides from April. So far the agency has investigated ten homicides this year. By this time last year, the total was six. Deputy Angelina Navarro, a BCSO spokeswoman, said the April 1 death of Christopher Pitts, 28, and April 22 death of Ernest Casias are being investigated by the Homicide Unit. Navarro did not give an age for Casias, say if anyone has been charged or give any details into either case. BCSO had not publicly mentioned the death of...
By Maureen Cooke / Rio Rancho Observer The Corrales Comment has been sold to Albuquerque city councilor and newspaper publisher Pat Davis. Owner and founder Jeff Radford, a journalistic icon in Corrales, has retired after 40 years in the business. Under Radford's direction, the newspaper provided village residents a local, independent news source since 1982. Whether it was a recap of a city council meeting, a photo spread of the Harvest Festival, or an in-depth examination of water issues, the Comment kept residents current on village activities. Davis declined to disclose the purchase price. Because he's a councilor, Davis...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man was found fatally shot overnight at an apartment complex in Northeast Albuquerque. Lt. Ray Del Greco, with the Albuquerque Police Department, said officers responded to reports of a shooting at Sun Plaza Apartments, near Montgomery and Jefferson NE. He said police found a man in the complex dead from at least one gunshot wound. Del Greco said officers are working to identify the victim and suspect in the incident. He did not give any other details.
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller has tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced Thursday morning. The mayor tested positive earlier this week and “has been experiencing symptoms,” his office said in a statement. He is currently isolating and working remotely but will not be attending upcoming public events, including Summerfest and President Joe Biden’s weekend visit to New Mexico, his office said. Keller is fully vaccinated and boosted, a spokeswoman confirmed.
By Journal Staff Report Looking for a respite from the summer heat? The splash pad on Albuquerque's Civic Plaza is now open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The water feature was installed as a part of the Civic Plaza renovation that was completed in 2019. The plaza also offers a shaded playground, solar pagodas that provide shade and power for the plaza and an upgraded screen at Al Hurricane Pavilion to be used this summer for Movies on the Plaza hosted by the Albuquerque Convention Center. The Disney Pixar film "Coco" will be shown...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal On a rugged, remote landscape west of Albuquerque, high mesas and cliffs give way to valleys dotted by volcanic cones. Elk roam vast grasslands under wide-open skies with views of Mount Taylor in the distance. About 54,000 acres of private ranchland will now become part of New Mexico's largest wildlife management area, thanks to an acquisition project funded by conservation groups, and federal and state money. The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish will work this summer and fall to survey species and habitat on the...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal COVID-19 cases are rising dramatically throughout New Mexico, but several factors indicate this wave won't be as deadly as previous ones, state health officials said. New Mexico Department of Health officials on Wednesday held the first public COVID briefing in three months to address the trend, which is being driven by a subvariant of the omicron variant of the coronavirus. The state reported 1,100 new cases on Wednesday and 13 new deaths, pushing the statewide toll to 7,862 since the onset of the pandemic. There were...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A former New Mexico State Police officer was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine and cannabis in San Juan County in 2018. Daniel Capehart, 37, of Bloomfield, was convicted in July 2021 on three counts of distribution of marijuana and methamphetamine – twice near a school or playground. Capehart will be on supervised release for eight years after serving his sentence. The investigation began in June 2018 when Capehart pulled over a 16-year-old girl and her friend in Farmington, according to court...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A 20-year-old pleaded guilty Wednesday to shooting and killing a postal worker who intervened in a family fight in 2019 on the West Side. Xavier Zamora took the deal offered by prosecutors on charges of second-degree murder of an employee of the United States and using a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. In April 2019, José Hernandez, 47, was delivering mail to a neighborhood near Tower and 98th when he saw Zamora –...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal There are always "bumps in the road" with the rolling out of any new industry, but New Mexico's cannabis industry excites those in and around it. Those are the words of cannabis leaders across New Mexico, some of whom presented their hopes, fears and challenges of the recreational cannabis industry at the Economic Forum of Albuquerque on Wednesday. Presenters at the forum included Everest Cannabis Co. CEO Trishelle Kirk, Sen. Katy Duhigg, Azuca CEO Kim Sanchez Rael and moderator Eric Speegle, president of the Verdes Foundation. "My...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man was found dead Wednesday morning in a remote area west of Albuquerque. Bernalillo County Sheriff's spokeswoman Angelina Navarro said homicide detectives are investigating the incident. She did not identify the man, say how he died or give any other details. Navarro said deputies responded around 8 a.m. to reports of a dead man on the Pajarito Mesa, miles west of Coors. Arriving deputies discovered a body in the area. "It is currently being investigated as a homicide," she said. "The scene is no longer active, but the investigation is still...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Nickelodeon's hit show, "The Loud House" is making the leap from animation to live action. On Wednesday, the New Mexico Film Office announced the Paramount+ project filming in New Mexico. "The Loud House" series is based on the Emmy Award-winning animated show. It follows Lincoln Loud, an 11-year-old boy with 10 sisters, as he navigates everyday life with such a large family. Known as the "Man with a Plan," Lincoln enlists the help of his best friend Clyde McBride to tackle the obstacles and mayhem that they encounter during their...
By Jonathan J. Cooper and Jacques Billeaud / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /][journal_continued_coverage_notice/] FLORENCE, Ariz. -- An Arizona man convicted of murder in the 1984 killing of an 8-year-old girl was put to death Wednesday in the state's second execution since officials resumed carrying out the death penalty in May following a nearly eight-year hiatus. Frank Atwood, 66, died by lethal injection at the state prison in Florence for his murder conviction in the killing of Vicki Lynne Hoskinson, whose body was found in the desert, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said in a statement. Vicki Lynne went missing...
By Dee-Ann Durbin / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /][journal_continued_coverage_notice/] It's the inflation you're not supposed to see. From toilet paper to yogurt and coffee to corn chips, manufacturers are quietly shrinking package sizes without lowering prices. It's dubbed "shrinkflation," and it's accelerating worldwide. In the U.S., a small box of Kleenex now has 60 tissues; a few months ago, it had 65. Chobani Flips yogurts have shrunk from 5.3 ounces to 4.5 ounces. In the U.K., Nestle slimmed down its Nescafe Azera Americano coffee tins from 100 grams to 90 grams. In India, a bar of Vim dish soap...
By Dan Boyd and Dan McKay / Journal Capitol Bureau SANTA FE — Former state Rep. Joseph Sanchez of Alcalde appeared poised Tuesday to reclaim his old seat by knocking off incumbent Rep. Roger Montoya of Velarde in a closely watched Democratic primary race in rural northern New Mexico. Two other incumbent legislators — Republican Rachel Black of Alamogordo and Democrat Ambrose Castellano of Las Vegas — were locked in tight races, according to partial, unofficial results. But a host of Democratic incumbents appeared set to fend off primary challenges across the state, including Reps. Andrea Romero of Santa...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It looks like the Bernalillo County Commission will get a mini-makeover come January. District 5 incumbent Charlene Pyskoty's reelection bid appears to have fallen short as unofficial primary results show challenger Eric Olivas has upset her for the Democratic nomination. Pyskoty's loss means that the five-member commission will have two new members next year since there is also no incumbent in the running for District 1, the only other commission seat contested in the 2022 election cycle. Olivas, a 31-year-old first-time political candidate who owns a small...
By ABQJournal News Staff Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., told local reporters last week that even though Democrats won't be able to get their wish list on gun control legislation in the wake of several recent and horrific mass shootings, they may be able to find common ground with Republicans on some issues. Heinrich is part of a bipartisan group of senators who have met multiple times in recent days to negotiate some sort of gun control legislation, though what that will look like remains to be seen. "Just because we can't pass exactly what we want, we still have...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter District Attorney Raúl Torrez of Albuquerque was on his way to winning the Democratic nomination for state Attorney General on Tuesday night after a bruising campaign with state Auditor Brian Colón over qualifications and who could best help remedy the state's high crime problem. According to unofficial results, Torrez held solid lead in all but a handful of New Mexico's rural counties and Doña Ana County, a Colón stronghold, according to unofficial results posted to the Secretary of State's website. He was leading 53% to 47% for Colón. Projecting a tough persona...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Jeremiah Lopez "lost his mind" and killed his fiancee after learning that she was having an affair, his attorney told jurors Tuesday on the first day of the Albuquerque man's murder trial. Lopez "snapped," but never planned to kill Krishauna Perez in 2019, defense attorney Douglas Wilber said in opening statements. Lopez choked his fiancee while the two were fighting, but he is not guilty of murder because his actions weren't planned or intentional, Wilber said. "His only plan, you will hear, was to get married and...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Laura Montoya withstood a barrage of attack ads to emerge as the winner Tuesday of the Democratic nomination to serve as state treasurer — the culmination of one of the most combative races of the year, according to partial, unofficial election returns. Montoya had about 58% of the vote, and her Democratic opponent, Heather Benavidez, had 42%, according to the partial results. The winner, once certified, will advance to face Republican Harry Montoya in the fall. The race for the nomination emerged as one of the most...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Santa Fe Police have identified the male victim who was found dead over the weekend in the parking lot of a Hopewell Street apartment complex. 19-year-old Juan Emmanuel Vazquez-Salas was found in the parking lot, located at 2001 Hopewell St., on Saturday morning around 5 a.m. with at least one gunshot wound. Patrol officers performed life-saving measures before Vazquez-Salas was pronounced dead on the scene. SFPD is investigating Vazquez-Salas' death as a homicide and detectives are currently "working active leads" to identify a possible suspect. Police are asking anyone with information on...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Police on Tuesday said a man and his passenger were arrested after colliding head-on with a New Mexico State Police vehicle that was chasing them over the weekend in Albuquerque. David Marquez, 41, faces charges including aggravated assault upon a peace officer, fleeing from a law enforcement officer, driving while under the influence and possession of a firearm by a felon. Marquez's passenger, 18-year-old Gabriella Ramos, was charged with resisting, evading and obstructing an officer. According to state police, Marquez was "driving erratic" and traveling 100 miles...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer In the crowded race for Bernalillo County sheriff, Democrat John Allen and Republican Paul Pacheco each dominated their opponents to win their respective primaries. Allen, a former BCSO homicide sergeant, was ahead of the six other Democrats with 41% of the vote based on partial, unofficial election results Tuesday night. Meanwhile, Pacheco, a former Albuquerque Police Department officer and former state representative, was leading over the three other Republicans with 48% of the vote. They were both leading their closest competitors by double digit percentage points. The two men will face off...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size="large" /] ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- The destruction caused by the largest wildfire burning in the U.S. has been devastating for thousands of residents and their lives have been forever disrupted and altered, New Mexico's governor said Tuesday after touring the damage in one county. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham met with homeowners and local officials while surveying homes in two of the many small northern New Mexico villages that were overcome by flames during the past several weeks after two planned government operations meant to clear out overgrown areas of the forest...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE — Mark Ronchetti breezed past his four Republican rivals Tuesday to set up a November showdown against incumbent Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. The former TV meteorologist, who faced "weatherman" jabs from his GOP rivals during a pugnacious campaign, was declared the projected winner of a five-way primary race for governor by The Associated Press less than an hour after polls closed. With nearly 120,000 votes counted in the race, Ronchetti held a decisive lead over his four GOP primary election rivals garnering about...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The city's Violence Intervention Program has received a 0,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to launch a pilot program at West Mesa High School to address the root causes of violence among students and hopefully prevent further tragedies from occurring. Officials hope the 18-month long program can be expanded across Albuquerque Public Schools. A little over three months ago, in late February, 16-year-old Andrew Burson was fatally shot just outside the West Mesa High campus while classes were in session. Police have charged 14-year-old Marcos Trejo with murder and said the...
By Larry Neumeister / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /][journal_continued_coverage_notice/] NEW YORK -- The trial of a Colorado businessman on charges that he ripped off thousands of donors who contributed million to a campaign to build a wall along the southern U.S. border ended Tuesday in a mistrial after jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict in a prosecution that once featured onetime presidential adviser Steve Bannon. The mistrial in the prosecution of Timothy Shea was granted by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres after the jury reported for a third time that it could not reach a verdict on...
By Associated Press [abq-featured-image size="large" /] PHOENIX -- Arizona health officials announced Tuesday that they have identified the state's first probable monkeypox case in Maricopa County. They said testing at the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory returned a presumptive positive result and confirmatory testing is underway at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Officials said the case involves a man in his late 30s who is currently in isolation and recovering. According to medical experts, monkeypox is a viral illness that primarily spreads through skin-to-skin contact although it can also spread through respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact....
By Juan A. Lozano / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /][journal_continued_coverage_notice/] HOUSTON -- Texas' prison system has temporarily stopped transporting inmates as it investigates how a convicted murderer escaped from a bus last month and later killed a man and his four grandsons. "The agency is conducting an internal Serious Incident Review and also intends to bring in an outside firm to conduct an independent review to identify factors that may have led to the escape of (Gonzalo) Lopez," the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said in a statement Monday. No timeline was given for how long the internal review...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Bernalillo County Clerk Linda Stover said "even though most people were expecting a low voter turnout, we're off to a roaring start and I'm pleased with the turnout." As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, more than 8,400 people showed up to cast a ballot in the primary election. Total voter turnout including early voters, indicated that about 59,725 people had voted. "We're already ahead of the last primary in 2018," Stover said. "Even though it's not a huge number, it's still better then in 2018." For the first time, same day registration was...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Following months of debate inside their meeting chambers and beyond, the Albuquerque City Council has given a green light to safe outdoor spaces. The approval came via the annual zoning code update, which the Council passed 5-4 late Monday night. The Integrated Development Ordinance update added safe outdoor spaces as a new use. Also known as sanctioned encampments, safe outdoor spaces are managed sites where people who are homeless can sleep in tents or automobiles and have on-site restrooms and shower facilities. The IDO will set a limit of two in each...
By Journal Staff Report In an effort to bring healthier food to their members, Molina Healthcare of New Mexico has partnered with FarmboxRx to expand its custom food delivery program. The program is specifically designed to help Molina members who live in food deserts, those who are home-bound due to health, mobility or transportation challenges, and expectant and new mothers. Molina New Mexico members enrolled in the program receive monthly food boxes upon completion of activities aimed to improve health outcomes. Boxes contain fresh produce, healthy recipes and nutrition tips. In 2021, the program improved member engagements with their...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque landlords will not be able to turn away prospective tenants simply because they are using a Section 8 or other rental assistance vouchers under legislation that narrowly passed the City Council on Monday night. The Brook Bassan/Pat Davis proposal adds new language to the Albuquerque Human Rights Ordinance that would specifically prohibit discrimination against tenants based on their legal source of income, including vouchers. Property owners currently are allowed to screen out applicants based on their voucher use. The legislation also would make it illegal for...
By Journal Staff Report People with high blood pressure have been able to shave off an average of 14 points from their systolic blood pressure and 5.3 points from their diastolic blood pressure readings after participating in the YMCA's Blood Pressure Self Monitoring program. The YMCA is offering the four-month program, in which people can participate in-person or virtually. More than a quarter of New Mexicans have high blood pressure, according to the state Department of Health. If left untreated the condition can lead to heart problems, stroke and other serious health issues. Participants will work with Healthy Heart...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The White House announced Monday morning that no new tariffs will be imposed on solar imports for at least two years, bringing immediate relief to solar developers in New Mexico and elsewhere. Domestic industry was thrown into crisis in April, after the U.S. Commerce Department began investigating solar manufacturing operations in some Asian countries to determine if companies there are circumventing import tariffs by incorporating Chinese equipment and components in their products that would otherwise face U.S. trade restrictions imposed on China. The inquiry –...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press SANTA FE – A lawsuit claiming that New Mexico county commissioner and Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin engaged in "viewpoint" discrimination could be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court in a test-case for free speech rights on social media platforms. Chaplain and local Democratic Party leader Jeff Swanson lost a federal appeals court ruling in February in a lawsuit claiming he was blocked by Griffin from social media discussions about public county business on Griffin's Facebook page. Swanson, a Marine veteran, says he was blocked in a discriminatory fashion after criticizing Griffin...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It was a busy weekend for Daren Hillary, as friends and family gathered at his home in McIntosh to wish him a happy birthday. He was actually born on May 30 – 1922 – but when you're 100 years old, you celebrate pretty much whenever you feel like it. Growing up in Oakland, California, he recalled, "I never went to school on my birthday in my life," he says. "That's because it was Decoration Day," which until 1971 was what Memorial Day used to be called. Looking...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Public Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus is giving up some of his day-to-day job duties as he handles a personal health issue, state officials say. Steinhaus, who's 68, said he expects to pull back from travel around the state as he transitions to a less-intensive role leading the department. In an interview Monday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Steinhaus said they had talked earlier that day about a personal health matter involving the secretary. In response, the governor said, her administration will make changes to...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Almost 12% of the voters eligible to participate in Tuesday's primary election have cast their ballots already – with Republicans slightly more likely to turn out than Democrats. But voters still have 12 hours to boost those numbers. Polling locations across New Mexico will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, and same-day registration is available for new voters or independents who want to register with a party to participate in the primary. The turnout pace so far roughly matches the turnout...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Two people were critically injured in a rollover crash on southbound Interstate 25 at Avenida Cesar Chavez Monday night. According to Albuquerque Fire Rescue, around 8:30 p.m. crews were called to the area because a vehicle had caught on fire. The firefighters extinguished the fire. "Two people were ejected from the vehicle," an AFR spokesperson wrote in an email. "The two people were in critical condition and transported to UNM hospital. The highway in the area of the crash is closed for investigation." It's unclear what caused the crash.
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The wildland firefighter who was seriously injured late last month when a helicopter fighting the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire dropped approximately 2,500 gallons of water on him has ended his fire season, according to a GoFundMe set up to support him. According to the site, Nickolas Palmer with the Vale Interagency Hotshot Crew out of eastern Oregon has multiple fractures to his face and mouth, as well as three breaks in his nose. He had to have reconstructive surgery on his shattered knee cap, his jaw wired shut and multiple plates and...
By Associated Press [abq-featured-image size="large" /] ALAMOGORDO, N.M. -- A New Mexico man convicted in a 2009 double homicide case has been sentenced to two consecutive life prison terms. Prosecutors said 49-year-old Robert Chavez's sentences will run consecutive with previous sentences, including a 26-year prison term for drug trafficking and life in prison plus 21 years for another murder. Chavez was convicted last month of the 2009 double homicide of Max Griego Jr. and Mary Hudson Gutierrez and sentenced last Thursday. Prosecutors said Chavez was the leader of the "AZ Boys" organization allegedly connected to drug trafficking. Court records...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A Las Cruces woman was sentenced Monday to five years in prison and ordered to pay ,094 in restitution for using a nursing home resident's funds to pay for trips, online dating and other personal expenses. Guadalupe Kingston, 60, pleaded guilty in March to five felony counts, including exploitation of a resident's property and falsification of Medicaid documents, court records show. Kingston, who held power of attorney over the resident's funds, represented to the state Human Services Department that the funds were being held in a Medicaid...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico is in for another hot week, with Albuquerque temperatures pushing into the high 90s this weekend. Daniel Porter, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Albuquerque, said that midweek storms could also cause flash floods in areas burned by this year's wildfires. "You get the wrong storm in the wrong location there, you can get some significant impacts," Porter said. Tuesday in Albuquerque is expected to reach 95 degrees. Rain chances will pick up across the state on Wednesday. Albuquerque has a 20%...
By Jeff Amy / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /][journal_continued_coverage_notice/] ATLANTA -- Some Republican activists are calling for abolishing Georgia's open primary system, complaining that too many Democrats crossed over to vote in the state's GOP primary against candidates endorsed by former President Donald Trump. That call to close primaries comes after an Associated Press analysis of early voting records from data firm L2 found that more than 37,000 people who voted in Georgia's Democratic primary two years ago crossed over to cast ballots in the May 24 Republican primary. The five statewide GOP incumbents whom Trump had targeted for...
By Will Weissert / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /][journal_continued_coverage_notice/] WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden ordered emergency measures Monday to boost crucial supplies to U.S. solar manufacturers and declared a two-year tariff exemption on solar panels from Southeast Asia as he attempted to jumpstart progress toward his climate change-fighting goals. His invoking of the Defense Production Act and his other executive actions come amid complaints by industry groups that the solar sector is being slowed by supply chain problems due to a Commerce Department inquiry into possible trade violations involving Chinese products. Word of the White House's actions caused solar...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Part of the National Hispanic Cultural Center's mission is to preserve and promote Hispanic culture, arts and humanities. On Friday, June 10, the NHCC is presenting author Carmen Tafolla for a book reading and signing. Tafolla's appearance is part of the center's "Escribir/Eschuchar: Latin Writer Series." The free event begins at 6 p.m. Friday, June 10, with a reception in the Roy E. Disney Center for Performing Arts. At 7 p.m. in the Bank of America Theatre, Tafolla will read selections from her more than 30 published works. "Whether she's...
By James Hamill / For the Journal There is an old joke that involves three people who must answer a seemingly simple question: what is two plus two? The protagonist of the story is either a lawyer or a CPA. At the end, the lawyer/CPA leans over and quietly asks, "What do you want it to be?" A well-known tax attorney once said he thought every client needed two tax advisers. One would tell the client what the law was, the other what he wanted the law to be. Then he would choose. In February, New Mexico joined the...
By Juno Ogle / Roswell Daily Record ROSWELL – A little humor can go a long way in delivering a serious message, Kathy Lay learned, so now Roswell residents and visitors can vote with their cigarette butts on questions about UFOs, aliens and New Mexico's ubiquitous chile question. Keep Roswell Beautiful has placed three yellow "ballot bins" at downtown bus stops that pose the questions "Is there life on other planets?" "Did aliens crash near Roswell?" and "Red or green?" Smokers can vote by placing a cigarette butt in the corresponding side of the bin. Lay, the city's volunteer...
By Eastern New Mexico News CLOVIS – Eastern New Mexico University has a new event facility thanks to a donation from an alumna. Casa del Sol, an adobe-style home on Portales' West 17th St. was built in 1948, designed by Santa Fe architect John Gaw Meem and bought by Gay Su Pinnell in 2017. The ENMU alumna grew up in Portales and became a world-renowned early childhood literacy education expert. According to a news release from John Houser, assistant vice president of marketing and communications at ENMU, Pinnell fell in love with the house. "I had fond memories of...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior DRIVERS DO GET CITED FOR NO PLATES: Metro-area drivers have all seen it – vehicles on the road with no license plate, not even a paper tag. Bill D. emails "In a very long time I have only seen one car pulled over for a traffic violation. What I do see very often – three cars at the same time at a red light on Carlisle and Menaul on May 27 – are cars with no license plates. It is obvious to me there is no law enforcement simply because the police...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Mars, the Wet Planet? OK, scientists probably are not going to hang that handle on the fourth rock from the sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System now. But if they had been around 3.5 billion years ago, they might have considered it. Information collected by the NASA Mars rover Curiosity shows that the planet was once a much wetter place than it is now. Analysis of the Glen Torridon region in the Gale crater, created by a meteor impact on Mars 3.7 billion...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In the years leading up to her 16-year-old daughter's death – believed to be from a lack of medical care and malnourishment – Doraelia Espinoza was investigated seven times by the state's Children, Youth and Families Department, according to recently released reports. Three cases dating back to 2016 – involving allegations of inadequate hygiene and clothing, educational neglect and inadequate shelter – were substantiated. However, the agency was not investigating Espinoza at the time of the teenager's death and the most recent allegations of inadequate clothing and...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – New Mexico's red flag gun law was approved in 2020 after a bruising debate that pitted gun control advocates and top state Democrats against Republicans and most county sheriffs statewide. But two years after its enactment, the law that allows firearms to be temporarily taken away from those deemed dangerous to themselves or others is rarely being used. In all, nine petitions have been filed statewide for court orders allowing gun seizures, according to data provided by the state Administrative Office of the...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – A contentious campaign season will tumble to an end Tuesday – and another will begin – as New Mexico voters cement the nominees for governor and a host of open races. The outcome of Tuesday's primary election could also reshape the state House, where moderates and progressives are competing for control of a series of Democratic-leaning seats. For Republican voters, the top of the ballot features an increasingly bitter contest among the five candidates vying to take on Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham this...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal CORRALES – Rudy Perea and his family have cultivated fruit trees along the Rio Grande for generations. His peaches, apples and cherries are a staple at local farmers markets. But now the irrigation ditch that serves the Perea property is bone-dry, and it's only June. "I drilled a well, but it's not enough," he said. "I'm trying to save these trees. It's going to wipe us out." Corrales farmers face a summer with little to no irrigation water, thanks to a broken siphon, a temporary pump system...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In an effort to give Albuquerque's International District more political sway, two city councilors have developed a concept map that would radically reshape their own districts and – potentially – put one of them out of a job. The dramatic boundary revisions posited by Councilors Pat Davis and Tammy Fiebelkorn would separate the International District from Nob Hill, two areas currently located within District 6. But it also would exclude Davis – District 6's second-term councilor – from the district he was twice elected to represent. Under...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Melanie Barnes first interacted with the Bureau of Land Management 18 years ago as a University of New Mexico graduate student researching restoration ecology. In May, Barnes stepped into the role of BLM New Mexico state director. She said "it's an honor" to manage public land for people and wildlife. "When I worked on rare plants, I learned that the number one reason that species are endangered or rare is because of habitat loss," she said. "I really wanted to get on the other side of that...
By Images by Journal photographer Roberto E. Rosales Bagpipes, braemar stones and beard competitions are all on the agenda this weekend at the Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival, which kicked off Saturday at Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque. Day One of the two-day Celtic extravaganza drew crowds from around the state and country as it made a comeback after a two-year hiatus. Attendees were treated to dancing and music — including multiple bagpiping groups from several states. Sporting events featured traditional games such as the caber toss — picture a kilt-clad athlete hefting a timber nearly the size of...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Customers had more than five on it, as the state said cannabis businesses realized about .1 million in recreational sales in the month of May. Medical cannabis sales did .4 million — combining for a total sales month of about .5 million, according to data released by the state's Cannabis Control Division on Thursday. The sales number for both recreational cannabis and medical cannabis were slightly lower than in April — when adult-use sales began and when the state realized nearly million between the two. In April, recreational sales accounted for...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size="large" /] ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- A years-long effort to protect land around a New Mexico mountain peak held sacred by many Native American tribes got a major boost Thursday with the announcement that dozens of additional square miles will be set aside for wildlife, cultural preservation and recreation. The million effort by the national conservation group Trust for Public Land comes as New Mexico and the federal government look to preserve more natural landscapes as part of a nationwide commitment. The goal is to increase green spaces, improve access to...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer On a Friday morning, Melih Solano stands behind a stylist chair at the Sport Clips location at Coronado Mall in Albuquerque. She holds a section of her client's hair between two of her fingers before cutting about an inch of hair off with a clipper. It's a process Solano will repeat with up to 20 clients in a day, and it's a process that has helped honed her skills enough to take home the top prize at the Sport Clips nationwide The Look Competition in Nashville, Tennessee. Solano was crowned this year's...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A driver is in custody after allegedly shooting and killing a man who yelled at him for driving erratically early Thursday morning in a West Side neighborhood. Lt. Ray Del Greco, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said detectives are writing up an arrest warrant for the driver. He did not identify the man who was shot and killed. Del Greco said police responded around 1 a.m. to a shooting in a neighborhood near Gibson and 98th SW. He said neighbors reported a man had been shot in the road and made his way...
By Associated Press [abq-featured-image size="large" /] SEATTLE -- A man has pleaded not guilty to rape and voyeurism charges in Seattle after completing a prison sentence in New Mexico for raping a Washington woman there in 2017. Redwolf Pope, who leased apartments in Seattle and Santa Fe, was arrested in 2018 after his house guests gave police videos from his iPad that allegedly showed him raping several women who appeared to be unconscious, court documents said. A Santa Fe jury in 2020 found Pope guilty of rape and voyeurism, and a judge sentenced him to four years in prison,...
By Denise Lavoie / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /][journal_continued_coverage_notice/] FAIRFAX, Va. -- Amber Heard was "demonized" by ex-husband Johnny Depp's legal team and excoriated on social media during a sensational defamation trial that ended with a jury ordering her to pay Depp million, Heard's lawyer said Thursday. Elaine Bredehoft, one of Heard's lead attorneys during the trial, said she believes the jury was influenced by a relentless barrage of social media posts condemning her and supporting Depp. She said Heard plans to appeal. "These people were giving her death threats. They threatened to microwave her baby. This is...
By Associated Press [abq-featured-image size="large" /] A gunman carrying a rifle and a handgun killed four people Wednesday at a Tulsa medical building on a hospital campus, police said, the latest in a series of deadly mass shootings across the country in recent weeks. Tulsa Police Department Deputy Chief Eric Dalgleish confirmed the number of dead and said the shooter also was dead, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The spate of recent gun violence across the country, including the killing of 19 children and two teachers at a Texas elementary school eight days ago by an 18-year-old gunman...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal There are more leadership changes in store for Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller's administration. With city government veteran Lawrence Rael now filling in as chief administrative officer – Albuquerque's top appointed job – Keller has named someone to replace Rael as the city's chief operations officer. Keller has appointed education official Katarina Sandoval to succeed Rael as COO, a job that works "to ensure efficient and effective delivery of city services across several departments," according to a city news release. Sandoval is currently a deputy secretary in the...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Democratic state auditor candidate Joseph Maestas is pushing back against claims from a labor union that he received an improper campaign contribution. The local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union this week accused Maestas of taking the ,500 campaign contribution from Joe Henri, an Atlanta resident who is also a renewable energy executive, in exchange for favorable treatment regarding community solar rules that were adopted in March by the Public Regulation Commission. Henri is a board member of the Coalition...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Two people were shot Wednesday night in Southeast Albuquerque. Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said officers responded sometime before 9 p.m. to a shooting in the 900 block of Alvarado SE, near San Mateo and Lomas. He said officers found two people injured and they were hospitalized. DeAguero did not give their conditions or any other details.
By Paul Davenport / Associated Press The commission that oversees a historic steam railroad in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado voted Wednesday to delay opening its operating season by nearly three weeks because of the extreme wildfire threats in the region. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad operates passenger trains on 64 miles of narrow-gauge tracks between Chama, New Mexico, and Antonito, Colorado. The two states own the railroad, which provides an economic boost to a five-county region. The commission voted during an emergency meeting to delay the opening from June 11 to July 1, when summer rains...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Take a look at Shelly C. Lowe and one immediately sees the pride in her culture. Decked out in moccasins and turquoise and silver jewelry, the Navajo woman is making a statement. The Gallup native was confirmed by Congress in February as the chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities. She's had a prestigious journey to her current position – one that is filled with hard work. From 2015 to 2021, she served as a member of the National Council on the Humanities, the...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A firefighter was seriously injured when a helicopter dropped a load of water on several members of a hotshot crew Sunday morning as they helped contain the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. The member of the Vale Interagency Hotshot Crew underwent multiple surgeries at an Albuquerque hospital to repair skull fractures and a broken kneecap, according to a preliminary report by the Bureau of Land Management. Two other crew members were injured but treated and released that day. BLM spokeswoman Allison Sandoval said the incident is under investigation....
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Authorities say a woman illegally bought her teenage grandson multiple guns in the years leading up to him fatally shooting her brother this year at the family's West Side home. Alberta Trujillo, 62, is charged in federal court with making a false statement in conjunction with the acquisition of a firearm and conspiracy in the case. According to recently released court records, Trujillo told agents she had bought several guns for Domenic Mora since 2019, when he was 16, after he ordered them online. Trujillo could not...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Rio Grande flows are dropping fast, and significant river drying could impact farmers and wildlife earlier than expected. The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, which manages irrigation from Cochiti Dam to Bosque del Apache, warned farmers on Tuesday that the agency could be out of water in two or three weeks unless the region receives rain. Water operations manager Anne Marken said the San Juan-Chama Project is supplying the district's only stored water this season. "That's due to Rio Grande Compact restrictions on native (water) storage and...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal It was a year teeming with difficult decisions for officials at Albuquerque Public Schools. But in the end, board members approved a nearly billion proposed budget late Wednesday on a 4-3 vote, after tabling it last week – six days ahead of the May 31 deadline to submit it to the New Mexico Public Education Department. The district asked the state for more time, and the PED gave it to the end of this week, an APS spokeswoman said. On Wednesday, Board members Yolanda Montoya-Cordova, Peggy...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE — A political committee with a vague name and a Kentucky address has mailed out attack ads targeting Republican Ant Thornton, a retired aerospace engineer running for lieutenant governor. A mailer sent by the group, Americans for Strong Leadership, calls Thornton a liberal and a RINO, or Republican in Name Only. It cites a series of small donations he made 14 years ago to Barack Obama, then a Democratic candidate for president. Thornton, for his part, has been open about his past as a Democrat. His campaign website says that,...
By The Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /][journal_continued_coverage_notice/] U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has tested positive for COVID-19 and has mild symptoms, the agency said Wednesday. Haaland, 61, is isolating in Nevada where she took part in a roundtable discussion Tuesday in Las Vegas about clean energy production on public lands, the Interior Department said in a statement. Haaland began experiencing coronavirus symptoms on Wednesday and tested positive. She is fully vaccinated and has received two booster shots. The statement said she expects to recover quickly. Haaland canceled travel plans elsewhere in the U.S. West and is working remotely. Haaland...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE -- New Mexico's vote-counting machines aren't connected to the internet, and every voter casts a paper ballot, providing a paper trail to verify election results. These are among the facts the Secretary of State's Office is sharing on a new website aimed at reinforcing confidence in state elections. The "Rumor vs. Reality" site outlines a host of facts about the state's election system to combat misinformation. It points out that who you vote for is secret, that independent post-election audits are mandatory, and that the state uses paper ballots marked...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Police arrested two teens for making threats toward a middle school on Tuesday in Northeast Albuquerque. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque police spokeswoman, said the 13 and 14-year-old are charged with bomb scares and shooting threats unlawful and using a phone to terrify. She said federal agents and local officers responded to Kennedy Middle School near Lomas and Eubank after a faculty member reported a "threat of violence on the school." Atkins said the threat was made to the faculty member through an online gaming platform and The FBI received a tip about...
By Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /][journal_continued_coverage_notice/] ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colo. -- Authorities say rescuers have recovered the body of a man who was killed in a weekend rock fall and avalanche that also injured two other climbers at Rocky Mountain National Park. Park spokeswoman Kyle Patterson said in a statement that a helicopter crew lifted the man's body from the avalanche zone on Mount Meeker on Tuesday. The Boulder County coroner's office planned to release the man's identity after an autopsy, Patterson said. Two New Mexico climbers were injured in Sunday's avalanche. Michael Grieg, 27, of Albuquerque was...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer A 13-year-old girl riding in the back seat of a vehicle in Southeast Albuquerque was shot in a suspected road rage incident earlier this year, according to police. The girl, Alexus Miller, was taken to the hospital and died about a month later. The teenager is the youngest person to be killed in a homicide this year. The Journal could not reach her family. Albuquerque police have remained tight-lipped on the case. They have not said who Miller was with when she was shot. A spokeswoman had provided some details about the...
By Katy Barnitz / Assistant City Editor Two people were found shot to death in a home Tuesday night near Downtown Albuquerque. So far there have been 49 homicides investigated by the Albuquerque Police Department in 2022 and 17 of them happened in May. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque police spokeswoman, said around 10:30 p.m. a 911 caller reported that their parents had been shot. She said police responded to a home in the 900 block of Eighth NW, north of Lomas. Inside they found a man and a woman dead from apparent gunshot wounds. Atkins gave no other details....
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Social workers, counselors and many other instructional support providers got some good news on the last day of school – they'll receive the same minimum salaries as teachers. Albuquerque Public Schools and the Albuquerque Teachers Federation announced the tentative agreement Tuesday, which was the last day of class for many schools. The announcement came after the state this spring legislated minimum salary increases for teachers and some instructional support providers, which averaged around ,000. That left out approximately 850 licensed employees, APS and ATF said in a...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE – Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed gun restrictions into law and called for a statewide ban on the sale of AR-15-style rifles – a position she reiterated Tuesday in response to the recent massacre at a Texas elementary school. Republicans competing to challenge her this fall, by contrast, say they would defend gun rights and focus on other safety initiatives, such as strengthening mental health services and school security. Their comments come as New Mexico heads into next week's primary election, when GOP voters will choose a nominee...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Maybe it's just a formality at this point. Maybe there will be a surprise decision. Either way, the University of New Mexico men's basketball team will know Wednesday – officially – whether rising senior point guard Jaelen House will stay in the NBA Draft. The 6-foot House, who was selected by media and coaches as a third-team All-Mountain West guard this past season for the Lobos, was one of 283 NCAA underclassmen who formally filed paperwork in March to declare for the NBA draft. Those players – many who went through with...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Bigger air tankers could become a more regular tool in the fight against New Mexico wildfires. The Cibola National Forest Air Tanker Base, located on Kirtland Air Force Base, is to receive .5 million for upgrades so the base can serve Very Large Air Tankers, or VLATS. That type of aircraft can hold about 9,000 gallons of fire retardant, about three times as much as the aircraft that currently use the base. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., talked about the funding Tuesday during a tour of the air...
By Julia M. Dendinger And Makayla Grijalva / Valencia County News-bulletin LOS LUNAS – An altercation in a Los Lunas drug store parking lot ended with one Valencia County teen dead and another injured. Shortly before 5:30 p.m. May 20, officers responded to the Walgreens at 2500 Main NE in response to a call about a shooting. Los Lunas Police Chief Frank Lucero said 16-year-old Ulises Garcia got into a fight with an 18-year-old at the Walgreens at the intersection of N.M. 6 and N.M. 47, more commonly known as the "Valencia Y." Lucero said the preliminary investigation revealed...
By Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE – A New Mexico man accused of shooting the mother of his child to death with the toddler in the room has been captured in Arizona. Lovington Police Chief David Miranda told KOB-TV in Albuquerque as he was driving back from Holbrook, Arizona, Monday that 26-year-old Zion Gibson killed the victim as the 3½-year-old girl was nearby. According to investigators, 25-year-old Rosa Trujillo called 911 on May 23 when Gibson showed up outside her home in Lovington. The dispatcher heard Trujillo yell that Gibson broke a window and had a gun. Then the sound of...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Public Library system has a simple and fun way to avoid the notorious summer brain drain. Read books. The library system, which has 18 branches, with another set to open this summer in the International District, is kicking off its summer reading program Saturday with special events featuring family-friendly entertainment, including games, crafts, and other activities. "Many studies have shown that young people who are exposed to reading or enrichment activities are better able to retain the learning they've done during the school year,...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal With students largely stuck behind computer screens during the COVID-19 pandemic, standardized testing in New Mexico understandably took a hit. Despite kids being back in classrooms, the state likely won't be able to tell how they're doing until next school year. During a Legislative Finance Committee meeting in mid-May, New Mexico Public Education Department officials said data from the SAT, the standardized test for juniors, will be available in August. But data for the final Measures of Student Success & Achievement assessments, the tests for grades three...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal In New Mexico, the Yates family name is synonymous with oil and gas development, and the family patriarch, Harvey E. Yates Jr., is now applying that heritage to virgin lands in Valencia County. Jalapeño Corp. – Yates' Albuquerque-based oil and gas drilling and exploration company – is actively assessing the geology and subsurface hydrocarbon potential on lands around the county that the Yates family either owns outright, or that it has acquired subsurface mineral rights to explore, Yates told the Journal in a recent interview. Between owned...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal As New Mexico welcomes rain chances and slightly cooler temperatures this week, officials are concerned about high winds and flash flooding in new burn scars. Todd Shoemake, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Albuquerque, said wildfires can completely change the landscape. Burned soil is more likely to repel water rather than absorb moisture. "A lot of the ash and the debris and scorched vegetation that has been left behind, that can turn into debris flow and can quickly turn into a pretty dangerous situation,"...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila and Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writers Environmental and community organizations say they were blindsided by the Valencia County Commission's approval of a new "natural resource overlay zone" that could open the doors to local oil and gas development. The ordinance allows developers to apply for exploratory surface and subsurface mineral development in the county without changing existing zoning on targeted properties. The five-member commission approved the ordinance in a 3-1 vote on May 3 with one commissioner absent and virtually no public input. That's because the commission published just one legal advertisement regarding the ordinance...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Margaret Randall has accomplished a lot in her life. Over the years, she's been honored for her poetry and short stories, as well as her social activism. But she says she was surprised to be one of the eight recipients of the city of Albuquerque's Department of Arts & Culture Creative Bravo Awards. "It feels wonderful to be honored in one's own city," Randall said. "And I look forward to sharing the Creative Bravo with others whose work I admire." First Lady Elizabeth Kistin Keller...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Despite several days of challenging weather, officials said Monday the largest wildfire in New Mexico history has not dramatically worsened and they have been able to get more evacuees back into their homes. The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak fire in the Las Vegas, N.M., area now stands at 315,223 acres. Crews have maintained 50% containment even through a series of "red flag" days with low relative humidity and strong winds. "We faced some pretty tough fire conditions the past couple of days and, thus far, it looks like...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal After years on hold, Albuquerque Public Schools' fine arts expansion is moving forward. Executive Director of Fine Arts Gina Rasinski said the district is poised to continue its track record of expanding music and art programs to all of its 88 elementary schools. So far, it's gotten that done in 60 of them – more than two thirds. "It's part of educating our students, it's not a frill, it's not ... extra – it's part of their education," she said. In 2017, the APS board asked Rasinski...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Eric Scott's transition from a working class family in Baltimore to freshman at the University of South Carolina wasn't exactly what you'd call silky smooth. "I had a really challenging first year," said Scott, who was recently named vice president for student affairs at the University of New Mexico. "I was an out-of-state college student attending a pretty large institution. I did not know what to expect. I experienced homesickness. I was lonely and stressed out. I had impostor's syndrome, that feeling that you don't belong...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A photo opportunity staged to make a major airport construction project look further along than it actually was cost the city of Albuquerque's Aviation Department ,625 in "questionable and unnecessary" expenses, according to a recently released audit. But that's just a fraction of the money auditors say the city could have saved – or recouped – on the Albuquerque International Sunport's terminal improvement project, or TIP. The Aviation Department paid primary contractor Flintco 9,779 more than it was obligated to pay, the city's Office of Internal Audit...
By Julia M. Dendinger / Valencia County News-bulletin The New Mexico Supreme Court affirmed a district court judge's ruling Tuesday to let the Democratic primary candidate for Valencia County sheriff remain on the ballot. In March, Michael Candelaria, a Valencia County voter and the chairman of the Republican Party of Valencia County, challenged the candidacy of Democrat Rodney Jones, the only candidate on the primary ballot for his party, saying Jones was not a resident of Valencia County. Later that same month, 13th Judicial District Court Judge James Lawrence Sanchez ruled Jones could remain on the ballot, which prompted...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Authorities say a West Side gas station employee took matters into his own hands earlier this month, shooting and wounding an alleged shoplifter as he drove away from the convenience store. Andres Orona, 27, is charged with aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm, shooting at or from a motor vehicle and tampering with evidence in the incident that happened May 10. The alleged shoplifter, a 30-year-old man, was shot in the face and crashed his truck a few miles away, according to police. He also suffered...
By Gregory Hasman / Rio Rancho Observer RIO RANCHO — Rio Rancho residents may have another place to store their belongings. The Rio Rancho Planning and Zoning Board approved a request for a conditional use permit to build a self-storage facility off Moccasin Drive and Northern Boulevard for residential and small business commercial use. Roadrunner Storage will employ a full-time manager who would live on the site, as well as three other employees. The facility would consist of an office/residence and several storage buildings that will be accessed from a two-way entrance and exit south of Toho Avenue and...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal "We started climbing, but when we reached the cloud we did not have enough altitude to clear it. The pilot banked the ship sharply to the left when the cloud overtook us. It caused the ship to roll completely over. It started to roll a second time but only rolled us over on our back. Then we went into two inside loops. ... I bailed out when the ship came out of its second loop. After the ship came out of its second loop, it went...
By D'Val Westphal / Journal Road Warrior MORE SPEED ENFORCEMENT DETAILS: Albuquerque turned on the speed cameras May 25, and now that they are actually up, running and issuing citations, readers have more questions. L. Thornburg likely speaks for many in her email. "More information is needed. Who calibrates the cameras? How much over the posted limit is 'too much' and will result in a ticket? Where are the locations of all of the cameras? Even if you use cruise control those can be plus or minus by several mph. ... We need accurate and transparent information." Lisa Orlando...
By ABQJournal News Staff Cheers to the return of a local tradition. The New Mexico Wine Festival is back this weekend for the first time in three years. Wineries and their fans are gathering for the holiday weekend at Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque and the Southern New Mexico Fairgrounds in Las Cruces. Festivities include wine-and-cheese seminars and live music. The festival continues from noon-6 p.m. today. For more information, visit nmwine.com.
By Cedar Attanasio / Associated Press/report For America SANTA FE – New Mexico's governor has presented a long-awaited plan that would set goals for academic proficiency as the state struggles to resolve a lawsuit by frustrated parents who won a court ruling saying the state is failing to provide an adequate education for the vast majority of its students. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's proposal released earlier this month is meant to satisfy that 2018 court ruling and ongoing litigation to ensure adequate resources to equip students as they pursue a career or college education. New Mexico is among a...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor ABC is banking on "Big Sky." The drama series, which airs on Thursday, got renewed by the network for a third season. The current season is averaging 5.8 million viewers with a 0.7 demo rating. The season finale will air on Thursday, May 19. The series relocated to New Mexico for its second season. "Big Sky" follows private detectives Cassie Dewell and Jenny Hoyt as they reunite to investigate a car wreck outside of Helena, Montana, and they soon discover that the case may not be as straightforward as it...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Javier Gonzales was a champion of the community. This is why the Santa Fe Community College Foundation started the Javier Gonzales Memorial Presidential Title V Endowed Scholarship. Gonzales was the mayor of Santa Fe from 2014-18 and died in February after battling cancer. The endowment will commemorate Gonzales through scholarships for students who need additional funding to pursue higher education. "This scholarship will carry on and honor Javier Gonzales for generations," said Jeffery Szabat, President, SFCC Foundation Board of Directors, in a release. "It's a wonderful example of how private...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer The Saturday evening briefing began with a story. A firefighter working the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak fire was standing in line to get a meal alongside evacuees when a man tried to hand him . The firefighter declined, telling him to “give that to somebody who needs it.” Later, the man’s wife told the firefighter the money they tried to give him was the family’s last . She thanked him. Bill Morris, spokesman for southwest area incident management team, said the tale speaks to the character of those within the communities they are...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer With strong voice and signage, hundreds took to Albuquerque’s streets in support of abortion rights Saturday morning — part of the Bans Off Our Bodies demonstrations that swept the country the same day. The marchers were fueled by a recent leaked draft opinion indicating the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, stripping women of the constitutional right to have an abortion. In Albuquerque, more than 200 people gathered late-morning at Tiguex Park before marching around Old Town. The crowd chanted and waved signs, conveying such messages as...
By Gabrielle Porter / Journal Business Editor An Albuquerque grantmaking organization smashed its own fundraising record Friday at its annual "Great Grant Giveaway" event, bringing in more than 0,000 to support four local nonprofit coalitions, according to a spokeswoman. The Albuquerque Community Foundation event — which is in its ninth year — pulls in donations from corporate sponsors, individuals and other organizations to support selected nonprofit organizations doing important work in Albuquerque and elsewhere in the state, according Denise Nava Wyrick, the foundation's marketing and communications director. The event set a record for giving last year at 0,000. This...
By Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /][journal_continued_coverage_notice/] Downtown Milwaukee will be under a limited curfew for the rest of the weekend and a massive watch party scheduled for Sunday has been called off after 21 people were injured in three separate shootings near an entertainment district where thousands gathered for an NBA playoff game. In one of the shootings Friday night, 17 people were hurt when two groups started firing at each other. Three people were hurt in another shooting, and one in the third. All of the gunfire happened blocks from the arena where the Milwaukee Bucks lost to...
By Jari Tanner / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size="large" /] HELSINKI -- Russian President Vladimir Putin warned his Finnish counterpart Saturday that relations between the two neighbors could be "negatively affected" if Finland follows through with plans to apply for NATO membership. The Kremlin's press service said in a statement that Putin told Sauli Niinisto Finland's abandonment "of its traditional policy of military neutrality would be an error since there are no threats to Finland's security." "Such a change in the country's foreign policy could negatively affect Russian-Finnish relations, which had been built in the spirit of good neighborliness and...
By Kim Chandler / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size="large" /] MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- A federal judge on Friday blocked part of an Alabama law that made it a felony to prescribe gender-affirming puberty blockers and hormones to transgender minors. U.S. District Judge Liles Burke issued a preliminary injunction to stop the state from enforcing the medication ban, which took effect May 8, while a lawsuit goes forward. The ruling was a victory for families and advocacy groups who challenged the first-of-its-kind law as an illegal intrusion into family and medical decisions. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey referred to the ruling as...
By Ashraf Khalil and David Sharp / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /][journal_continued_coverage_notice/] WASHINGTON -- Abortion rights supporters demonstrating at hundreds of marches and rallies Saturday expressed their outrage that the Supreme Court appears prepared to scrap the constitutional right to abortion that has endured for nearly a half-century and their fear about what that could mean for women's reproductive choices. Incensed after a leaked draft opinion suggested the court's conservative majority would overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, activists spoke of the need to mobilize quickly because Republican-led states are poised to enact tighter restrictions. In the nation's...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Women are making moves in the cannabis industry. And Parin Kumar and Riddhi Bhakta are part of that movement. Kumar and Bhakta are CEO and COO, respectively, of Clovis-based Vana LLC, New Mexico's first approved cannabis manufacturer under the Cannabis Control Division. Since receiving approval from the state, the company has also received approvals for retail locations (they have one in Clovis, where the business is headquartered, and one in Texico) and a grow operation. Together the two have successfully launched both dispensaries and have a grow/manufacturing facility that spans 11,200 square...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Trishelle Kirk always envisioned herself in business either in marketing or finance — but ending up in the world of cannabis was an unexpected turn. Becoming the chief executive officer in 2021 of one of New Mexico's most recognizable cannabis companies — Everest Cannabis Co. — was even more unexpected. But Kirk has taken on the task of leading a staff of more than 100 employees across production, manufacturing and retail. Under her leadership, the business — formerly known as Everest Apothecary — has undergone a rebrand in a shift to serve...
By Oleksandr Stashevskyi and David Keyton / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /][journal_continued_coverage_notice/] KYIV, Ukraine -- Russian troops were withdrawing from around Ukraine's second-largest city after bombarding it for weeks, the Ukrainian military said Saturday, as Kyiv and Moscow's forces engaged in a grinding battle for the country's eastern industrial heartland. Ukraine's military said the Russian forces were pulling back from the northeastern city of Kharkiv and focusing on guarding supply routes, while launching mortar, artillery and airstrikes in the eastern province of Donetsk in order to "deplete Ukrainian forces and destroy fortifications." Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said Ukraine was...
By Matt Hollinshead / Rio Rancho Observer RIO RANCHO — Kim Smith saw the demand for digital advertising and marketing grow, especially from the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Smith, the co-owner of Rio Rancho-based Edit House Productions, soon realized they needed a digital production studio to help accommodate that transition. She found that space upon buying a new building at 640 Quantum Road on May 4. Edit House is a video production company, specializing in television commercials, online marketing videos, documentary work and retrospective videos highlighting a client's history. The new site features a 2,200-square-foot space, which Edit...
By James Hamill / For the Journal One of the first issues a business owner must resolve is what entity type, if any, will be used to operate a business. Two of the more common types in use today are the S corporation and the limited liability company. Treasury regulations classify "eligible business entities," such as LLCs, for federal income tax purposes. If an LLC has two or more owners, it will be classified as a partnership for tax purposes and if it has only one owner it will be disregarded for tax purposes. The regulations also allow an...
By Cathy Cook / El Defensor Chieftain SOCORRO — Business has never been sweeter for Socorro native Rebecca Apodaca, owner of Candyland — Socorro's only candy store. From paletas to piñatas, Apodaca has created a store full of trending treats and nostalgic throwbacks. Apodaca is a graphic designer whose work can be found in logos and signage all over town — she even designed the 400th anniversary logo inscribed on headstones in front of San Miguel Church. In 2015, she opened a pair of businesses in the same storefront with her parents Tim and Moni Apodaca. The family businesses...
By Gregory Hasman / Rio Rancho Observer RIO RANCHO — The City of Rio Rancho could become home to one of the largest solar farms in the state. Clenera, a private Boise, Idaho-based renewable energy company, wants to build solar panels on about 3,100 acres of unused land in the western portion of Quail Ranch. The ranch sits on the West Mesa in Bernalillo County and is annexed within the City of Rio Rancho. The solar project would create about 350 jobs during peak construction and then four full-time jobs. The goal is to have the panels up and...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer Big Lots, a national home goods discount retailer, is poised to open a new location in Albuquerque later this month. The new 34,000-square-foot location, at 9500 Montgomery NE, opens Saturday, May 21. To celebrate the grand opening, the company is offering scratch-off cards with a potential 0 discount to the first 100 customers, according to a news release announcing the opening. For more information, visit biglots.com.
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer The newest location of Icon Cinema may be inside the former Movies 8 location on San Mateo, but according to cinema owner Stetson Snell, the theater is nothing like what you may remember. The former budget theater has undergone a drastic "multi-million dollar" renovation that's more than just a new coat of paint, he said. "It's a complete remodel," he said. "... Basically everything new that we could put in the building we did." Icon Cinema, at 4591 San Mateo NE, opened April 29. Snell said the renovation included replacing and updating...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer With its black painted walls and "blood" splattered tables, one of Albuquerque's latest restaurants is intended to be both an homage to '80s horror movies and its namesake item — blood sausages. Blood Sausage, located at 138 Harvard SE, opened March 16. Co-owner Cameron Markham said the idea for the restaurant came from a childhood love of '80s horror movies and a desire to open a haunted house themed restaurant with "elevated offerings." By late last year, he and his partner, Elizabeth Blankstein, had landed on an idea that would later become...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer RIO RANCHO – There seems to be one constant when it comes to high school sports in New Mexico. Since 2001 – before any of this year's high school athletes were even born – there has always been at least one Metro-area team playing for a state softball title on Championship Saturday. But the seasonal spring winds brought more than just infield dust and smoke from the fires still raging in the north to Cleveland High on Friday afternoon. There was also change in the air. Centennial, a past Class 5A title...
By Sally Trigg Two outstanding New Mexico seniors were chosen for a top academic honor this week. Isabel McCabe, a homeschooled student from Albuquerque, and Quinn Ennis of Albuquerque Academy, were chosen as New Mexico's U.S. Presidential Scholars this year. They were among 161 high-school seniors selected to receive Presidential medallions. "Our 2022 Presidential Scholars represent the best of America, and remind us that, when empowered by education, there are no limits to what our young people can achieve," U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a news release. "Thanks to them, I know America's future is bright."...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Even during his run as a television meteorologist that spanned roughly two decades, Mark Ronchetti always had a political itch. While growing up in a "big Italian family" in Vermont and other states, Ronchetti idolized Ronald Reagan and took part in regular political discussions with his parents and four siblings. "We would sit around the table and just battle back and forth," he said. The political pull persisted, and while Ronchetti, 48, came up short in his first run for elected office in...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal A dispute between two Bernalillo County jail inmates over a tablet computer led to a beating in 2020 that left one man severely injured, according to a lawsuit filed against the county. Matthew Perales, 28, suffered severe head injuries that required multiple brain surgeries and a lengthy stay in the University of New Mexico Hospital intensive care unit, according to the suit, which alleges negligence by Metropolitan Detention Center staff. The beating occurred in April 2020 while Perales was in jail awaiting trial on vehicle theft and...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Editor's note: Fire officials said Saturday morning that the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire has grown to just under 280,000 acres and is now 27% contained. Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal As wildfires rage across drought-stricken New Mexico, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has asked the federal government for more assistance to battle the blazes. The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire has destroyed more than 400 structures, according to the Southwest Coordination Center. Lujan Grisham on Friday sent a letter to President Biden, requesting immediate funds for debris removal and a "full range of emergency...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico State Police have identified the off-duty officer who shot a young man accused of trying to steal ammo from Cabela's before firing at the officer and others outside the Northeast Albuquerque store last month. State Police spokesman Ray Wilson said officer Robert Archuleta wounded Gabriel Velasquez after the 18-year-old fired a gun at Archuleta. Archuleta, who is on the State Police tactical team, has been with the agency for nine years. He was placed on standard administrative leave following the shooting. Velasquez was released from...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Sitting in a massage chair on a recent weekday morning, Sheri Wolcott carefully combed a kitten with a toothbrush. She gently rubbed a puppy's bottom with a wet cloth. In essence, Wolcott spent a few hours playing mother to the most helpless four-legged creatures in the city of Albuquerque's care. "It's needed," she said while an apricot-colored kitten about a month old clambered around her lap. "It's very needed." Cats are not considered adoptable until they are about 8 weeks old, or weigh 2 pounds, said Dr....
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size="large" /] ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- U.S. wildlife managers want to see at least 320 Mexican gray wolves roaming the Southwest within the next several years as they try to recover an endangered species that for decades has been the focus of political strife and litigation. While a population cap would be eliminated under a proposed management rule, environmentalists say the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service isn't going far enough to ensure the recovery of the endangered species. They're pushing for the release of more captive wolves -- specifically bonded pairs with...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal As firefighters battle the second largest blaze in New Mexico's history they are making time to dole out thousands of pounds of food to furry friends left behind by evacuees. Tim Rickey of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said fire crews on the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire have found numerous abandoned cats and dogs since the blaze prompted widespread evacuations. On Tuesday, the U.S. Forest Service asked the ASPCA for help – in the form of kibble. "These folks have a really...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – New Mexico's revenue bonanza continues to fill the state's coffers at an unprecedented clip, with a legislative economist telling lawmakers Friday that revenue collections for the current budget year are tracking at more than 0 million higher than projected in December. The growth is due to a combination of factors, including an ongoing surge in oil production and a larger-than expected increase in statewide wages and employment levels that have boosted personal income tax revenue. While many New Mexicans are struggling with inflation,...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The University of New Mexico School of Medicine has a new leader – a first-generation college student and the school's first female dean. Dr. Patricia Finn, an associate dean for Strategic Initiatives and associate program director for the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago, will start in her new role Sept. 1. Finn, the daughter of Irish immigrants, will be the fifth dean of the medical school, which opened in 1964. The last full-time dean at the school was...
By Albuquerque Journal Legals ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS PROJECT NAME: MARQUETTE AVENUE OVERPASS LIGHTING INSTALLATION PROJECT NO. 617392 Sealed bids will be received in the office of the City Clerk of the City of Albuquerque, electronically, via the link provided in the Instructions to Bidders for the project described herein no later than 1:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday, 31 […]
By Martin Salazar / Journal City Editor Crews from Albuquerque Fire Rescue and the Bernalillo County Fire Department worked into the night to put out a blaze that broke out at a commercial building at 5021 Edith Boulevard NE Tuesday night. Firefighters dispatched to the scene at about 9 p.m. found the main structure and multiple tractor-trailers burning, AFR said in a news release. "There were multiple explosions that kept fire crews at bay for some time," AFR said. Two dozen AFR and BCFD units were still fighting the two-alarm fire just before midnight. AFR said the building was...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Several hundred people crowded outside Downtown Albuquerque courthouses Tuesday evening to rally for abortion rights. "We really need to act and not wait," said Melissa Belfry, one of the demonstrators who gathered outside the state and federal courthouses, and marched in Downtown Albuquerque. "This is a good start, trying to get folks to show up. We can't necessarily do anything right now. But, for the midterms, we need to get people fired up now." A leaked draft opinion that shows the U.S. Supreme Court may be preparing...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal No one can say Karen Lyall and her neighbors don't give a hoot. On Sunday, they came upon a baby Great Horned Owl that had fallen from a nest in a tall South Valley cottonwood tree near the bosque. They are now trying to reunite the owlet with its nearby parents. "The owlet was about 4 or 5 weeks old and was just lying on the ground, so we called Wildlife Rescue Inc. of New Mexico and they advised us to bring it in because it had...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Rociada rancher Jerry Gomez was busy Tuesday morning preparing to get a rig to Roswell to pick up a load of hay for the cattle, some with burned hair, that he has found alive on his fire-ravaged property. Of the 200 head of black Angus and red Angus stock on the ranch, Gomez has so far found 140 survivors, including calves. "We are 140 to the good," he said during a phone interview. "We are gaining ground." As the Calf Canyon/ Hermits Peak Fire continues to...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The state Supreme Court on Tuesday decided to disbar former state senator and longtime attorney Shannon Robinson for spending settlement money intended for a client's "horribly injured" daughter on his personal expenses, such as keeping his Albuquerque law practice afloat. Despite a plea from lawyer Shannon Robinson for "mercy," the court adopted the recommendation of a disciplinary board hearing panel to impose what Chief Justice Shannon Bacon described as "the ultimate penalty of disbarment." Robinson, 74, had two prior disciplinary offenses over his 48-year legal career in...
By Dan Boyd and Dan Mckay / Journal Capitol Bureau Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Less than a year after New Mexico repealed a long-dormant state abortion ban, the state could see a fervent new battle on the horizon with the U.S. Supreme Court reportedly set to overturn a landmark ruling guaranteeing abortion rights. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who signed last year's bill, said she was "outraged and horrified" by news reports that cited a draft ruling overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. The potential ruling, she said, underscores the importance of the 2021 legislation...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal As massive wildfires have forced more than 16,000 homes to be evacuated in northern New Mexico, the state is poised to become the first ever to receive a presidential disaster declaration while the emergency is still ongoing. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the request in a briefing Tuesday. She said she expects the White House to approve the declaration soon. The declaration would "unlock nearly unlimited resources" for individuals, communities and ecosystems affected by the fires, Lujan Grisham said. This type of declaration is usually delivered after...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – Rebecca Dow questioned Mark Ronchetti's conservative credentials on the airwaves last week and he is now striking back with an ad and a website calling into question Dow's honesty about her legislative record – the latest salvo in a combative contest to win the GOP nomination for governor. The Ronchetti ad accuses Dow of "rewarding illegal immigration," despite her tough talk on border security. The ad focuses on Dow's votes in favor of 0 million in economic relief at the height of the pandemic...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque Teachers Federation President Ellen Bernstein has only run opposed in elections for her position three times in her 22-year tenure at the helm of the union. But for the second time in six years, she's facing a challenger in social studies teacher Adrian Nogales. Nogales said he wants to apply more checks and balances on a union that he said "hasn't had really any since 1999." "You have the same people negotiating the contract every year," he said, adding that those negotiations aren't being done in...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer The city wants to raise the price of coffee at its senior centers, but one elected official says he can already sense the backlash brewing. With Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller's fiscal year 2023 budget proposal working its way through the approval and amendment process, City Councilor Pat Davis is questioning whether its planned 20-cent-per-cup price hike is worth the trouble. The Senior Affairs Department currently charges 30 cents for java at its facilities. Keller's budget proposal would raise it to 50 cents per cup. The senior centers sell about 66,000 cups per...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer One person was killed and another critically injured in a two vehicle crash near the Coronado Mall Tuesday afternoon. Officer Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said the fatal crash occurred at Louisiana and Americas Parkway NE. He said one person died at the scene and another was taken to the hospital in critical condition. DeAguero did not say how the crash occurred. The intersection is closed while the incident is being investigated.
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Authorities have identified the man shot and killed by Albuquerque Police Department officers near Spain and Eubank NE late last month as 20-year-old John Withers. Police say Withers shot at officers after a reported carjacking and pursuit and they returned fire. APD recused itself from the investigation and asked New Mexico State Police to take over as the primary agency because one of the officers who shot Withers is the son of the acting sergeant over APD's Multi Agency Task Force. The task force is made up of APD, the Bernalillo County...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer The formation of a new state network by 11 independent phone and internet companies will look to imp ...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal As massive wildfires have forced more than 16,000 homes to be evacuated in northern New Mexico, the state is poised to become the first ever to receive a presidential disaster declaration while the emergency is still ongoing. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the request in a briefing Tuesday. She said she expects the White House to approve the declaration soon. The declaration would "unlock nearly unlimited resources" for individuals, communities and ecosystems affected by the fires, Lujan Grisham said. This type of declaration is usually delivered after...
By Sam Metz / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /][journal_continued_coverage_notice/] SALT LAKE CITY -- U.S. officials announced what they called extraordinary steps on Tuesday to keep hundreds of billions of gallons of water stored in a reservoir on the Utah-Arizona line to prevent it from shrinking more amid prolonged drought and climate change. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation plans to hold back about 480,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Powell to maintain Glen Canyon Dam's ability to produce hydropower for millions of homes and businesses in the region. That's roughly enough water to serve 1 million to 1.5 million average...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Last week, Mayor Tim Keller nominated a 25-year veteran of law enforcement to be the next superintendent of police reform – a position he created in March 2021 to lead the Albuquerque Police Department alongside the chief. On Tuesday, the administration announced it had rescinded the nomination. LaTesha Watson most recently served as the director of the Office of Public Safety Accountability in Sacramento, California. Prior to that she was the chief of the Henderson Police Department in Nevada for 16 months before she was fired following...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer A United States Marshals Service task force arrested the fourth, and final, suspect in the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old man Downtown last summer. Jonathan Gabriel Martinez, 21, is charged with first degree murder, conspiracy, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Investigators say he and two other men — Darryus Chavez, 23, and Asad Moody, 20 — were driving up and down Central on the night of July 10 looking for a man who had beaten Moody up the week before. Investigators say they mistook...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque police officers exchanged fire with a suspect in front of a motel on East Central overnight, according to a department spokeswoman. No officers were injured and the suspect fled the scene and has not been found or publicly identified. Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins said shortly after midnight officers were called to the Albuquerque Inn on Central and Charleston SE. "While on the call for service, officers began hearing multiple shots fired in the area between multiple vehicles," Atkins wrote in an email. "One of...
By Journal Staff Report A motorcycle rider was killed after crashing into a city transit van and being hit by another vehicle Tuesday morning in Albuquerque. The Albuquerque Police Department said the crash happened on eastbound Avenida Dolores Huerta in the area of the river. According to the news release, a motorcyclist was following an ABQ Ride SunVan when the driver went to change lanes and hit the bumper of the van. "When the motorcycle struck the SunVan it caused the rider to lose control and fall" into the other traffic lane in front of a work truck. "The...
By Lindsay Whitehurst and Michelle L. Price / Associated Press [abq-featured-image size=large /][journal_continued_coverage_notice/] The bombshell leak of a draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court is poised to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade case legalizing abortion nationwide has set the country on course for an even more polarized and fluctuating landscape of abortion rights. Almost immediately, Republicans who had fostered a decades-long push to end abortion rights cheered Roe's potential fall. Democrats vowed to fight the possible loss of a constitutional right that has been in place for nearly a half-century. The Supreme Court confirmed the leaked draft, first...
By Albuquerque Journal Legals -LEGAL NOTICE TO BIDDERS – NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Proposals will be received by the Board of Education of Central Consolidated School (CCSD) at their Purchasing Department in Shiprock, New Mexico, at 3:00 PM, local time, Tuesday, June 7, 2022 for furnishing: Request for Proposals RFP 2022-OPT-105 Propane Services Bid conditions and specifications may be obtained at the Purchasing Department, Shiprock, New Mexico via phone (505) 368-4984 or email waltc@centralschools.org. Proposals received after 3:00 PM, local time on Tuesday, June 7, 2022 will be returned to the Bidder unopened. Proposals will be opened June...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Los Alamos residents make plans for possible evacuation
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The proposed merger between Public Service Company of New Mexico and Connecticut-based energy giant Avangrid is still very much alive, despite a Public Regulation Commission decision last December to reject the deal. The two companies vow to battle that decision, and say they remain committed to the planned merger. They originally announced an agreement in fall 2020 for Avangrid to acquire PNM Resources and its two utility subsidiaries – PNM and Texas New Mexico Power – in an all-cash transaction valued at .3 billion. If approved, the...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal As a massive wildfire moves closer to Las Vegas, the city is working to protect and conserve its water supply. Las Vegas Mayor Louie Trujillo said Monday evening that the city has "plenty of water," and the water is safe to consume. "The fire did get into parts of (Bradner) reservoir on a slow crawl, and I understand that the fires are controlled within the reservoir at this time," Trujillo said. City officials met Monday with state and federal agencies to discuss post-fire operations. "We're working on...
By Journal Staff Report After a competition that ran across four days, 18-year-old Tashina Red Hawk, a member of the Sicangu Lakota tribe from Rosebud, South Dakota, was crowned Miss Indian World during the 2022 Gathering of Nations Powwow. Twenty-three contestants vied for the title over the weekend, with the final selection made by a panel of judges. For her traditional talent, Red Hawk sang a Lakota song, discussed bead work and horse culture, and put on a bow-and-arrow demonstration. She also won awards for best essay and best personal interview. With the exception of the last two years,...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE – A social media account for Audrey Trujillo, the Republican candidate for secretary of state, has shared tweets mimicking a Spanish accent and suggesting Jews had outsized influence in the development of COVID-19 vaccines. In an interview Monday, Trujillo initially said the tweets were fabricated, perhaps by antifa activists in Santa Fe creating fake accounts to embarrass political opponents. But after confirming the profile in question was hers, she suggested her account may have been hacked and – if it wasn't – that the tweets...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal The nation's largest wildfire forced the evacuation of nearly 200 patients at New Mexico's state psychiatric hospital on Monday. But crews were able to use aircraft to help keep the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire away from Mora and Las Vegas, officials said Monday evening. "The wind was a little lighter today, which did give us a good opportunity to get in and do some good work," said operations section chief Todd Abel. "We still had some fire growth." Officials issued mandatory evacuation orders Monday morning for the...
By Donna Skeels Cygan / For the Journal Selecting a financial adviser is not easy, and consumers often do not know what to ask. So, let's tackle some of the important questions. I recommend you interview several potential financial advisers, so have your questions ready! First, titles are deceptive. You may find titles like financial planner, investment adviser, financial adviser, wealth adviser, stockbroker, financial counselor, investment representative, and insurance salesperson. Question 1: What services will you provide? Traditionally, a stockbroker or an investment adviser only provided advice on investments. This has changed, and some will now prepare retirement projections...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal When 40-year-old Michelle Morgan knocked on a neighbor's door early Sunday morning, bloodied and asking for help calling police, she said she had stabbed her boyfriend after he stabbed her. But investigators say there were many inconsistencies in her story and the physical evidence at the scene did not support her version of events. Morgan was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Morgan does not have a criminal history in New Mexico according to court records. Prosecutors have asked for her to be held in the county...
By Albuquerque Journal Legals NOTICE OF PUBLIC LIQUOR HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to anyone wishing to comment on the applications that the City of Albuquerque Liquor Hearing Officer, Steven M. Chavez, Esq., pursuant to § 60-6B-4D(1), NMSA 1978 as amended, and § 13-2-1 Revised Ordinances, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1994 as amended, will hold a public hearing Via Zoom Video Conference on Tuesday, May 31, 2022 at 9:00 a.m., for the purpose of considering the applications for a liquor license set forth hereunder. If any persons desire to testify, participate or otherwise submit comments, please contact Donna Montoya,...
By ABQJournal News Staff Last in a four-part series. Mary Beth was committed to bringing out the best in “Cougar,” not to mention her own safety. Getting perforated on her way out the door had never been on her bucket list. On my advice, she purchased some challenging food-dispensing toys that she loaded with tasty canned food. Allowing her cat to get good and hungry ahead of her departures made it easy. He attacked those simulated rodent carcasses with a vengeance, leaving his caring, calculating caretaker free to get herself gussied up for a rousing game of pinochle in...
By Journal Staff Report Think you sound pretty good singing in the shower? Then you’re qualified to participate in an hour-long a cappella singing session Saturday at Albuquerque’s Hyder Park, 700 Pershing SE, starting at 10 a.m. The Park Sing program is organized by the nonprofit Quintessence choral group, which has been putting on singing events since 1986, said artistic director Matt Greer. During the pandemic, when indoor gatherings were discouraged, Quintessence began hosting regular outdoor singing events in area parks. Seeing how much members of the community enjoyed the a cappella outings, Greer said the choral group decided...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press The federal government has finished another environmental review of a proposed transmission line that will carry wind-generated electricity from rural New Mexico to big cities in the West, and similar reviews are planned for two more projects that would span parts of Utah and Nevada, the United States Interior Department announced Thursday. The regulatory steps came a day after the Biden administration announced a .5 billion initiative to make the nation’s power grid better at withstanding catastrophic disasters caused by climate change. It’s also part of the administration’s goal to create a...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Todd Helton hasn’t got time for baseball’s new pace of play nonsense. About 25 minutes into Thursday’s school-day matinee baseball game at Isotopes Park, the all-time Colorado Rockies great, who is now a special assistant to the general manager for the big league club and spending the week with Albuquerque’s Triple-A squad, watched Isotopes first baseman D.J. Peterson get assessed a one-strike penalty for exceeding the time allowed for a hitter to get ready between pitches. With two outs and two strikes, the call by home plate umpire Dave Martinez ultimately had...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico State Police says an officer was unknowingly dealing with a North Carolina homicide suspect when the roadside encounter exploded into an attack, gunfire and a prolonged fight that left the suspect dead earlier this month near Prewitt. Officer Ray Wilson, a State Police spokesman, said Officer Corey Newman fired at least one shot at 26-year-old Oliver Ashley Toledo Saldivar, striking him, before the men got into a tussle along Interstate 40 on April 14. He said Saldivar bit the officer, tried to grab his gun and drew his own firearm...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico State Police released the name of the officer shot and injured following a pursuit in the East Mountains. Officer Dusty Francisco, a State Police spokesman, said Lt. Jeremy Vaughan sustained non-life threatening injuries in the Feb. 11 shootout with Caleb Elledge, 24, near the Sedillo Hill overpass. Vaughan, who has been with State Police for 19 years, was later released from the hospital. Elledge and his girlfriend, Alanna Martinez, 22, were arrested and charged with several felonies in connection with the case. Francisco said the incident started when Vaughan stopped...
By Randy Harrison / Journal Sports Editor Former New Mexico State pitcher Kyle Bradish is tabbed to make his major league debut for the Baltimore Orioles against Boston. He becomes the sixth former Aggie to land on a major league roster, NMSU says. Bradish, 25, was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the fourth round of the 2018 draft. The Orioles acquired him in the Dylan Bundy trade on Dec. 4, 2019. The right-hander has made three starts for Triple-A Norfolk this season, working 15.0 innings, striking out 17 and posting a 1.20 earned-run average, 0.73 WHIP (walks/hits...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE – New Mexico has secured dismissal of one of the longest running lawsuits of its kind, ending 35 years of litigation over the care of people with developmental disabilities. U.S. Magistrate Judge John Robbenhaar issued a 75-page opinion this week granting New Mexico’s motion to dismiss. The constitutional violations that existed at the outset of the lawsuit in 1987 had been rectified, he ruled, and the parties had crafted a “durable remedy” to protect the rights of people covered by the case. The dismissal comes about three years after the...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer For Felix Otero, help accessing early child care means money freed up for clothes and camping trips with his 6-year-old daughter. Otero is a single father and a service manager at the Big O Tires up the street from the East Gate Kids Learning Center, where his daughter has gone for the past couple of months. “I just need some help … for my daughter and I to be able to push further into the future,” he said. Roughly 20,000 additional New Mexico families such as Otero’s will qualify for free...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE – Legislators plunged into a rather personal debate Thursday over how to teach New Mexico students about race and inequity as they traded family stories of discrimination and poverty. They spoke of interracial marriage, the removal of Indigenous children from their communities, and pride in Spanish language and culture – often in testy exchanges over how to accurately present New Mexico history. The debate was touched off by a staff presentation on new academic standards going into effect next year. Republicans repeatedly questioned whether administrators in the Public Education Department...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE – State Rep. Georgene Louis agreed to pay New Mexico’s ethics commission 0 as part of a settlement after her drunken driving arrest in February. The State Ethics Commission, an independent government agency, made the announcement Thursday. The payment of 0 represents the maximum allowable fine under the relevant part of the Governmental Conduct Act, the agency said. In exchange, the commission agreed not to seek a civil enforcement action against Louis, accusing her of violating the act. The commission said it had concluded Louis violated the act by seeking...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer A man convicted in the 2019 shooting death of a University of New Mexico baseball player was sentenced Thursday to three years in prison in an unrelated 2019 case. In November, a jury found Darian Bashir, 26, guilty of first-degree murder in the May 4, 2019, killing of Jackson Weller, 23, outside a Nob Hill nightclub. Bashir was sentenced in February to life in prison for Weller’s killing. He was sentenced Thursday for shooting from a car at occupants of another vehicle on Feb. 12, 2019, in Southeast Albuquerque. In that case,...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Ben E. Keith Co.’s multi-million dollar facility, first announced in 2019, officially opened its doors on Wednesday. Located at 601 Ben E. Keith NW, the facility spans 274,000 square feet and includes regional offices and a distribution center, according to Todd Hickam, Ben E. Keith’s New Mexico division general manager. But as the company expands in the future, so too can the facility – which, according to Hickam, can cap out at 612,000 square feet. Though a groundbreaking took place Wednesday, the facility had originally opened in March 2021, Hickam added. “It’s...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Detectives are investigating after a man died following a fight Wednesday evening in Santa Fe. Santa Fe Deputy Chief of Police Ben Valdez said the death of 73-year-old Michael Trujillo is being investigated as suspicious. Valdez did not say how Trujillo died or what led to his death. He said police responded around 7:15 p.m. to an “after-the-fact fight” in the 1200 block of Camino Consuelo, near Cerrillos and Siler. Valdez said Trujillo was taken to the hospital with a head injury and later died. “The Santa Fe Police Department Criminal Investigations...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Two people were injured when gunfire erupted Thursday afternoon at an apartment complex in Southeast Albuquerque. Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said officers have interviewed the potential shooter and his mother but did not say if charges were pending. The two people who were shot are expected to survive. He said bystanders flagged down police sometime before 2:30 p.m. to report a shooting at an apartment complex in the 100 block of Tennessee SE, near Central. Gallegos said officers found two people with gunshot wounds and separated the witnesses. He said officers...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Lovelace Westside Hospital has a newly revamped outpatient rehabilitation clinic. Located at 10511 Golf Course NW, the updated clinic — which offers physical, occupational, speech and massage therapies — now occupies 9,000 square feet of space on the building’s second floor. The outpatient rehabilitation clinic since 2009 had occupied 3,000 square-feet of space on the building’s first floor prior to the move upstairs. “(We’re) excited to be able to provide our West Side and Rio Rancho communities,” said Julie Borrego, therapy director for Lovelace Westside. “It was a long time in the...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck And Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writers Nearly six years after the death and dismemberment of 10-year-old Victoria Martens, a judge has sentenced the first of three people charged in the girl’s 2016 killing. Jessica Kelley, 37, was sentenced on Thursday to 44 years in prison for her role in one of the city’s most high-profile crimes. Kelley pleaded no contest in January 2019 to six felony crimes, including reckless child abuse resulting in the death of a child under 12. A plea of “no contest” means that Kelley is not admitting guilt, but she is...
By Ollie Reed Jr. And Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writers LAS VEGAS, N.M. – It took generations for the Gomez family to build their ranch in Rociada and just hours for a wildfire to roar in and wipe away so much of that hard work. Jerry Gomez, a 65-year-old cattle rancher, says the fire destroyed his house as well as his garage, all his ATVs, a barn and a saddle house and the saddles in it. “I built that saddle house out of hand-hewed logs, the old way,” he said Thursday morning. “I though it might survive the...
By Drew Costley / Associated Press FILE - This colorized electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health shows a human T cell, indicated in blue, under attack by HIV, in yellow, the virus that causes AIDS. In a study released in the journal Nature on Thursday, April 28, 2022, climate change will result in thousands of new viruses spread among animal species by 2070, which is likely to increase the risk of emerging infectious diseases jumping from animals to humans. (Seth Pincus, Elizabeth Fischer, Austin Athman/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/NIH via AP)...
By Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — PNM Resources Inc. (PNM) on Thursday reported profit of .1 million in its first quarter. The Albuquerque, New Mexico-based company said it had net income of 19 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, were 50 cents per share. The power company posted revenue of 4.1 million in the period. PNM Resources expects full-year earnings in the range of .50 to .60 per share. _____ This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on PNM at https://www.zacks.com/ap/PNM
By Albuquerque Journal Legals CITY OF RIO RANCHO IFB 22-PW-021 WELL 13R EQUIPPING AND SITE IMPROVEMENTS Due to the current health concerns and the changing environment in respect to COVID-19 the City is requesting all bid submissions be submitted via email to anggallegos@rrnm.gov no later than 10:00 AM MST on June 1, 2022. The City will conduct the public bid opening and reading of bids received via the GoToMeeting service. A link will be provided on the City’s website. Bidders must submit their original bid in a sealed envelope or container via USPS, other mailing services or hand deliver...
By ABQJournal News Staff The Best Buddies Friendship Walk in support of inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities will be held Saturday at the Albuquerque Academy, 6400 Wyoming NE. Check-in begins at 8 a.m. and the walk starts at 9 a.m. A dance party will be held on the outdoor track following the walk. Best Buddies New Mexico is part of Best Buddies International, a nonprofit that promotes a global volunteer movement that encourages one-to-one friendships with people who have developmental and intellectual disabilities, as well as promotes job training, job placement and leadership development for those...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Kayt C. Peck is a recently retired firefighter, so she understands the ravenous and indiscriminate appetite of wildland blazes, and feared for her two-story log cabin in Rociada. But Peck is a poet also, and, even after she learned that the Calf Canyon Fire cremated her home, she took comfort in the fact that memories are fireproof. Peck, 68, who is serving as the first poet laureate of Las Vegas, was thinking of her mother’s music box, one of the many things lost in the burned house,...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Renewable generation is now powering up nearly nine-tenths of all government operations in Albuquerque, following the inauguration of a new, 50-megawatt solar array at the Jicarilla Apache Nation. Mayor Tim Keller joined with public officials from Deming and Silver City, and from Santa Fe and Grant counties, to celebrate the plant’s opening on Earth Day last Friday. All five local governments helped fund the project – along with Deming Public Schools, Western New Mexico University and Walmart – through a first-of-its-kind public-private collaboration with Public Service Company of New Mexico. Under that...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer What were you up to in the last few months of the school year when you were in high school? For around 225 students touted as the country’s top high school STEM talent, last weekend meant putting their original research on display for judges from the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force during the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium held in Albuquerque. “It’s exciting to see these high school students working at such a sophisticated level, connecting what they learned in their STEM classes to uncover new discoveries,” said Erika Shugart, executive...
By Esteban Candelaria / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Public Schools has been steadily losing students for years and currently has 400 more teachers and staff members than it should. Yet student achievement, especially among “low-income students,” has faltered, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s time for school officials to right-size and seize opportunities to improve student performance, analysts for the powerful Legislative Finance Committee said in a sobering review released Wednesday. “Despite more funding, and fewer students, student outcomes in the district remain low and are getting worse,” lead LFC program evaluator Katie Dry told lawmakers. She noted that...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer About four months after a ransomware attack forced partial closure and halted many of its operations, Bernalillo County has adopted a new cybersecurity policy. Chief Information Officer Robert Benavidez said the new 11-page policy includes some elements that might have helped had they been in place before the Jan. 5 attack, including one requiring a multi-factor authentication process to access certain accounts. Even with a password, someone attempting to log in will need another code received via a separate device or application, such as a phone. Benavidez said the county was already...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer As predicted, weekly COVID-19 case counts in New Mexico have ticked up 48% in a recent two-week period, according to state Health Department epidemiology reports. But hospitalizations remain low compared to rates earlier in the pandemic. New Mexico reported 1,117 new cases the week ending April 25, according to the latest report. That was up from 979 new cases the week of April 18 and 753 cases the week before. The state also reported nine new deaths on Wednesday, pushing the statewide toll to 7,465 since the start of the pandemic. There...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE – For the first time, New Mexico’s independent voters this year can show up at the polls in a primary election and cast a ballot. But there’s a catch: They will have to register with a major party before accepting the ballot. It’s a small step intended to address the growing number of voters who register without a party affiliation – some of whom show up at the polls without realizing they can’t vote in the primary. “The more participation we have in our democracy, the better,” Secretary of State...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Firefighters have evacuated hundreds of residents Friday evening after a blaze started in the Jemez. Sandoval County spokesman Stephen Montoya said the the fire is burning east of the Jemez Falls campground on Highway 4 near Sierra Los Pinos. He said fire crews have evacuated 200 homes as they respond to the blaze. Julie Anne Overton, a Santa Fe National Forest spokeswoman, said the fire has grown over 50 acres. Montoya said no injuries have been reported and he didn’t know the size of the fire or what caused it. Agencies fighting...
By Journal Staff Report The death of a 4-year-old Santa Fe County girl marks the first pediatric influenza death of the 2021-22 season, the New Mexico Department of Health said Thursday. “Our love and heartfelt prayers go out to the family during this difficult time,” acting state Health Secretary David Scrase said in a news release. “Children younger than age 5 are at particular risk of flu complications, and the American Academy of Pediatrics advises that all children ages 6 months and older get vaccinated against the flu.” According to the release, the DOH has identified 143 pneumonia- and...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Crews are trying to douse a structure fire on Friday afternoon at the north end of Corrales. Sandoval County Fire Chief Eric Masterson said the agency had “a lot” of units responding to the blaze, which is possibly burning multiple structures. Masterson could not give any other details as to the exact location of the fires, how large the blazes were, if any other homes were threatened. Firefighters could be seen fighting a fully-engulfed home in the Greyhawk Estates area of Corrales. An officer at the scene told a Journal photographer that...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Fire officials issued a dire warning Friday about a blaze burning northwest of Las Vegas – expecting it to grow thousands of acres in one day and threaten multiple communities. Ralph Lucas, an operations section chief with the fire incident management team, said the Calf Canyon Fire is currently at 3,000 acres but could exceed 13,000 acres with 50 to 70 mph winds. There is currently no containment on the fire. “The winds are horrible, the fire is — we’re not able to fight it at all, air or ground, with winds...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer An 18-year-old charged in two separate homicides will be heading back to jail after the state Supreme Court ruled that an Albuquerque judge made the wrong call when he ordered the teen released on a GPS monitor while he awaits trial. The March 22 decision to release Adrian Avila pending trial drew fire from Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina and was promptly appealed by 2nd Judicial District Attorney Raúl Torrez. The five justices unanimously reversed the decision by 2nd Judicial District Judge Stanley Whitaker to release Avila and remanded the case to...
By Felicia Fonseca / Associated Press Two firefighters monitor hot spots from a wildfire burning on the outskirts of Flagstaff, Ariz., Thursday, April 21, 2022. (Rachel Gibbons/Arizona Daily Sun via AP) FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Destructive Southwest fires have burned dozens of homes in northern Arizona and put numerous small villages in New Mexico in the path of danger, as wind-fueled flames chewed up wide swaths of tinder dry forest and grassland and towering plumes of smoke filled the sky. Firefighters working to keep more homes from burning on the edge of a mountain town in northern Arizona were helped...
By Associated Press FILE - Women cool themselves with fans in the Rastro flea market during a heatwave in Madrid, Spain, Aug. 15, 2021. Scientists say last summer was the hottest summer on record in Europe, with temperatures a 1.8 Fahrenheit higher than the average for the previous three decades. A report released Friday, April 22, 2022 by the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service found that while spring 2021 was cooler than average, the summer months were marked by "severe and long-lasting heatwaves." (AP Photo/Andrea Comas, file) BERLIN — Scientists say last summer was the hottest summer on...
By Mario Lobao / Associated Press Prev 1of11 Next RIO DE JANEIRO – In Rio de Janeiro, two rescue dogs have become local mascots and budding online influencers after joining their rescuers’ ranks, wooing their growing audience, one bark at a time. Corporal Oliveira, a dog with short brown hair thought to be around 4 years old, turned up one morning in 2019 at a police station on Rio’s Governador Island, injured and weak. “I gave him food, water. It took a while for him to get used to me,” said Cpl. Cristiano Oliveira, the officer who took...
By Dr. Jeff Nichol/For the Journal Third in a series. Sharing stories of “Cougar’s” good behavior while living at their old house helped Mary Beth, his caring person, to relax. I told her that she really did have a good cat, despite his aggression. It was hard for him to live indoors in their new studio apartment, missing the hunt of those outdoor creatures of his previous life. But I believed I could help tame the wild beast. I picked my moment and finally asked: When did Cougar lunge and bite? Mary Beth explained that this only occurred when...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter After seven years of dismantling the ultra-violent Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico prison gang in a massive racketeering prosecution, the FBI had one prominent SNM-related homicide left to solve: the 2019 fatal shooting of a government informant whose testimony a year earlier helped put top gang leaders and members away for rackeetering and murder. On Thursday, a four-count federal indictment was made public, charging alleged Las Vegas, New Mexico, drug trafficker Robert “Fat Head” Padilla and his alleged accomplice, Gary Coca, 49, in the slaying of Leroy “Smurf” Lucero the night of July...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief SANTA FE – With schools around the nation returning to a new normal after two years of disruptions and distance learning, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona got a first-hand glimpse Thursday of how some New Mexico schools are still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic fallout. The nation’s top education official talked with Santa Fe high school students about mental health issues, visited a dual-language classroom at Jemez Pueblo and talked with state and local school leaders. At one point, Cardona even poked his head unannounced into a classroom of students at...
By Journal Staff Report The South Valley Pride Day returns on Sunday, starting with an 11 a.m. parade followed by activities through 5 p.m. at the Westside Community Center, 1250 Isleta SW. “It’s been a long two years since we’ve been able to celebrate, and the community is ready to get together again,” said Bernalillo County Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada, noting the pandemic-forced hiatus. “We’re looking forward to the parade, introducing the 2022 South Valley Pride Day Outstanding Citizens, great entertainment, arts and crafts, and delicious food. It’s going to be a great time.” This year, there are more...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE – The Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce kicked off a new, annual energy summit in Santa Fe on Thursday to help connect Latino businesses with emerging opportunities in renewable energy development. The two-day event, organized jointly with the U.S. Hispano Chamber of Commerce, is uniting a broad range of industry, including clean energy developers, electric utilities and some oil and gas companies to collectively analyze the challenges and progress in building a low-, and eventually, no-carbon economy in New Mexico and nationally, said Albuquerque Hispano Chamber President and CEO Ernie...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Detectives arrested a man accused of fatally shooting two people during a dispute outside a gas station earlier this month in Northeast Albuquerque. Marcos Vigil, 48, is charged with two open counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the April 12 shooting that left Kenneth Sweetwater Jr., 42, and Dominic Sanchez, 32, dead. Authorities say Vigil also pointed the gun at Sweetwater’s son, who watched him shoot the two men. Vigil was arrested Thursday and will be booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center. Officers responded...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer The records of university foundations and athletic booster clubs are not exempt from the state’s transparency law, the New Mexico Court of Appeals said in an opinion issued Thursday. A three-judge panel issued the opinion in response to an appeal from the University of New Mexico Foundation and the Lobo Club in two district court lawsuits. Court of Appeals Judge Megan Duffy, writing on behalf of the panel, said nothing in state law offers blanket exemptions to the state’s Inspection of Public Records Act, or IPRA, for university foundations and booster clubs....
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A California woman is accused of running a prostitution ring through several Asian massage parlors across New Mexico that agents contend raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years. Lily Bai is charged with three counts each of interstate and foreign travel in aid of racketeering enterprises and money laundering related to her businesses in Farmington, Las Cruces, Silver City and Albuquerque. The allegations are contained in a federal search warrant affidavit unsealed this week. The 40-year-old, who lives in Corona, California, was arrested March 29 by the U.S. Marshals...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer The Corrales siphon that serves 1,000 acres with Rio Grande water is inoperable this year, prompting the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District to install a pair of diesel pumps and pipes to deliver water directly from the river into the village’s main canal. The Corrales project site could impact recreation along the river just south of Trailhead Beach. Alicia Lopez, the district’s engineering and mapping manager, said crews found a sinkhole from leaks in the 1,200-foot long pipe constructed in 1933. “Because of the age and condition of the pipe, we discontinued...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Customers were ready to roll it up, light it up and smoke it up on New Mexico’s first legal “High Holy holiday,” as sales surpassed .2 million Wednesday, according to the state’s Cannabis Control Division. “420,” celebrated on April 20, is an unofficial holiday for cannabis consumers. Both adult-use and medical sales did about [post_excerpt].1 million each, according to the data. Overall, the state has realized about .9 million in cannabis sales since April 1 – the first day of legal retail sales in New Mexico. “I would say 420 from, you...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief SANTA FE – Less than three months after suffering a serious stroke, Sen. Ben Ray Luján said Thursday he was almost “fully recovered” and indicated he has no plans to step down from the U.S. Senate. During a tour of Santa Fe High School with U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Luján appeared to be in good spirits as he shook hands and took photos with several students and school staffers. “I’m feeling strong,” Luján told reporters. “I’m still not 100%, but I think I’m over 90%.” Luján said he recently walked...
By Matthew Reisen and Martin Salazar Several passengers were injured after a city bus crashed into a wall Thursday afternoon near Downtown Albuquerque. Albuquerque police spokesman Rebecca Atkins said none of the injuries were life-threatening. “At this time it does not appear that drugs or alcohol were involved. We are actively investigating the cause of the crash,” she said. The crash occurred sometime before 12:30 p.m. at the Interstate 25 overpass on Lomas. The bus could be seen crashed into the corner of the overpass, its windshield blown out. Albuquerque Fire Rescue crews were among the first responders at...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer Intel Corp. hired 173 employees in 2021 in New Mexico, with about 109 of those — or 63% — being local residents. It’s the first time the company has reached its hiring goal of more than 60% since 2017. And the new hires add to the more than 1,900 employees working for Intel in the state. That’s according to the Intel’s most recent New Mexico RISE report that was released Wednesday,. The annual report is part of Intel’s industrial revenue bond agreement with Sandoval County and details the company’s corporate and community...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer It might not be the rebounding power forward from the transfer portal Lobo fans are anxiously awaiting news on. But Richard Pitino on Thursday added a big name to the team, nevertheless. Former Air Force head coach Dave Pilipovich will be returning to the Mountain West and to the University of New Mexico to fill the vacant Special Assistant to the Head Coach position he held two seasons ago under former coach Paul Weir. Pilipovich sent this past season coaching in the NBA G-League. Pilipovich stayed on more than a month after...
By Susan Montoya Bryan / Associated Press FILE - In this April 8, 1998, photo, a worker drives a cart through a tunnel inside the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant No. 2, 150 feet below the surface near Carlsbad, N.M. The U.S. government's nuclear waste repository in New Mexico has major issues in fire training and firefighting vehicles, with its fleet in disrepair after years of neglect, according to an investigation by the U.S. Energy Department's Office of Inspector General. (AP Photo/Eric Draper, File) ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The U.S. government’s nuclear waste repository in New Mexico has major issues in...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer The National Weather Service is warning of “extreme and potentially explosive” fire growth across New Mexico on Friday as drought continues to fuel several wildfires in the state. Low humidity and warm, windy conditions could spell dangerous weather in areas with dry trees and grass, said NWS meteorologist Scott Overpeck. “The fuels are just right for these kinds of conditions to take off,” Overpeck said. The Cooks Peak Fire has now burned more than 21,000 acres north of Ocate in Mora County as of Thursday evening. The fire was first reported Sunday...
By Felicia Fonseca / Associated Press This Wednesday April 20, 2022, photo provided by Bill Wells shows his home on the outskirts of Flagstaff, Ariz., destroyed by a wildfire on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The wind-whipped wildfire has forced the evacuation of hundreds of homes and animals. (Bill Wells via AP) FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Firefighters fanned out across blackened landscape in Arizona’s high country, digging into the ground to put out smoldering tree stumps and roots as helicopters buzzed overhead with buckets of water to drop on a massive blaze. The work has been tedious and steady — all...
By Mike Catalini / Associated Press People give fist bumps as they enter a RISE dispensary in Bloomfield, N.J., Thursday, April 21, 2022. Recreational sales of cannabis for adults 21 and older started Thursday, with the first alternative treatment centers opening at 6 a.m. in part of the state. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) BLOOMFIELD, N.J. — Michael Barrows wore his Grateful Dead T-shirt and Jerry Garcia face mask for opening day of recreational marijuana sales in New Jersey on Thursday, one of dozens of people who lined up before dawn to join the celebratory scene. “It’s pretty amazing, exciting, and...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich is leading a bipartisan charge to push the U.S. Commerce Department to reject a petition to impose new tariffs on solar imports from some Asian countries. The Commerce Department opened an investigation in late March into solar manufacturing operations in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia that could culminate in new countervailing duties of 50% to 250% on imported solar cells and panels from those countries. The trade dispute is pushing the U.S. industry into crisis, because those four Asian nations supply more than 80% of the solar modules...
By Ollie Reed Jr. / Journal Staff Writer Not getting permission has never stopped 420 in the past. Not getting permission is what 420 is all about. Wednesday afternoon, marijuana smoke filled The Jam Spot, a music venue at 415 Central NW. Music blared out from The Jam Spot stage and pulsed in time with flashing lights. Vendors, many of them selling cannabis- or CBD-infused products, lined two walls. 420 is code for marijuana, more specifically smoking marijuana. April 20 (4/20) has for many years been a day of celebration for those who use and champion the use of...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer The court martial of a major general in the U.S. Air Force is underway at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, where a judge is weighing evidence against the Albuquerque native to determine if he committed abusive sexual contact against his sister-in-law after a family barbecue in Albuquerque. Maj. Gen. William Cooley, a graduate of Highland High School, rose through the ranks of the Air Force until he was relieved from duty in January 2020 amid an investigation into misconduct, the Air Force announced at the time. Cooley had been the commander...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer About two dozen South Valley farmers protested at Civic Plaza on Wednesday in response to comments about agricultural water use made by Bernalillo County Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada who referred to farmers as being among the “biggest wasters of water.” The commissioner walked back his comments during Wednesday’s Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority board meeting. “My comments about agricultural irrigation methods were not intended as a criticism,” Quezada said. “We are all dealing with the effects of long-term drought, and farmers know that better than anyone. There is no more important...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer An Edgewood man is accused of stabbing his 87-year-old mother to death before covering the home they shared in bleach earlier this month in the East Mountains. Brian Farley, 51, is charged with an open count of murder and tampering with evidence in the March 4 death of Fileta Farley. Farley is currently behind bars at the Santa Fe County Adult Detention Center. An attorney for Farley could not be reached Thursday. Because a shotgun was found inside the Edgewood home, federal authorities began looking into whether filing a charge of felon...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Weekly COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in New Mexico both saw steep declines this week, according to Health Department epidemiology reports. The reports dated March 14 showed 75 COVID patients had been admitted to hospitals in the last seven days. That was down about 27% from 104 hospital admissions the week before. There were 1,517 new COVID cases in the same time period, which marks a 38% decline from 2,459 cases the week earlier. The state reported 12 new deaths on Thursday, bringing the statewide toll to 7,128 since the start of the...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer The clean energy industry is gaining traction in the state and experts say attracting new talent – even those with just high school diplomas – may be the key to sustaining that growth. The central New Mexico region has seen job growth of 21% in renewable energy industries in the last five years, outpacing the national rate of 7%, Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance vice president of economic competitiveness Chad Matheson said. But making sure the supply of workers keeps up with the demand will require clean energy stakeholders to find new...
By Andy Stiny / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE — Paul Joye, who served as deputy chief of operations and interim chief since late last year, was named chief of the Santa Fe Police Department on Thursday. “He set himself apart during our search process and I’m confident Chief Joye is best positioned to meet the needs of our police department and our city,” said City Manager John Blair, who announced the appointment with Community Health and Safety Director Kyra Ochoa in a news release. Joye, 42, joined the force in 2006 and moved up the ranks to become...
By Cedar Attanasio, Jill Bleed and Anita Snow / Associated Press HOBBS, N.M. — A 13-year-old was driving the pickup truck that struck a van in West Texas in a fiery collision that killed nine people, National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg said Thursday. The truck’s left front tire, which was a spare tire, also blew out before impact, he said. Although it was unclear how fast the two vehicles were traveling, “this was clearly a high-speed collision,” Landsberg said. One must be 14 in Texas to start taking classroom courses for a learner’s license and 15...
By Geoff Grammer / Journal Staff Writer Tuesday night you may have heard the faint chants for the Wyoming Cowboys coming from the homes of University of New Mexico Athetics administrators. Thursday, there may be cheers of “Proud to be a C-S-U Ram!” or chants of “Let’s go Broncos!” or even some athletic department Twitter accounts secretly trying to join “The Show” – SDSU’s highly active student support group – in some in-game trash talking over social media. The fact is, Mountain West administrators everywhere want – many would say need – the league to do more than just...
By Morgan Lee and Jacques Billeaud / Associated Press FILE - Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin, the founder of Cowboys for Trump, takes in the view from his ranch in Tularosa, N.M., May 12, 2021. Griffin who helped found the group Cowboys for Trump is headed to trial in Washington next week on a charge related to the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. And he plans to show up for court on horseback in a defiant show of support to the former president. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File) SANTA FE, N.M. — An elected official in New Mexico who...
By Anthony Izaguirre / Associated Press FILE - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis asks the crowd "How about Virginia," as he arrives at an event in West Palm Beach, Fla., to announce proposed election reform laws, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. Republicans promoting claims of widespread voter fraud in at least two politically important states are turning to a new tactic to appease voters who falsely believe the 2020 presidential election was stolen: election police. The efforts in Florida and Georgia to establish law enforcement units dedicated to investigating voting or election crimes come as Republican lawmakers and governors move to...
By Farnoush Amiri and Morgan Lee / Associated Press FILE - House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., presides during a committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Oct. 7, 2021, in Washington. The House Oversight Committee is opening an investigation into a partisan audit of the 2020 election results that took place in New Mexico and was authorized by a Republican-led county commission. (Bill Clark/Pool via AP, File) WASHINGTON — A congressional oversight committee said Thursday it has opened an investigation into a partisan audit of the 2020 election results that is taking place in New Mexico...
By Associated Press In this Wednesday, March 16, 2022, booking photo provided by the Smith County, Texas, Sheriff's Office is Steven Alexander Smith. Authorities say Smith is jailed on a capital murder charge after he was accused of fatally shooting two dentists at the Affordable Dentures clinic in Tyler, Texas, Wednesday. The Smith County Sheriff's Office said Smith "became angry at clinic staff" and retrieved a handgun from his pickup truck and then returned to the lobby and opened fire. Two doctors were struck by gunfire and both died, the sheriff's office said. (Smith County Sheriff's Office via AP)...
By Jamie Stengle, Susan Montoya Bryan and Cedar Attanasio / Associated Press Self-disciplined and competitive, Jackson Zinn was all business on the golf course. Despite his big heart for helping others, he could be tough on himself if he wasn’t shooting in the 60s. Family pastor Rick Long of Grace Church in Arvada, Colorado, said Zinn had just wrapped up a tournament with his University of the Southwest teammates in Texas when he called his father, Greg Zinn, to talk about what he thought had been a disappointing round. “And he just said, ‘Jackson, you’re amazing. You’re not always...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer A New Mexico jury found two Texas men guilty of federal fraud charges for unlawfully obtaining more than million in government contracts set aside for disabled veterans, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Nick Medeiros, 49, and Bobby Greaves, 62, both of San Antonio, Texas, each were found guilty of major fraud, making false statements, and conspiracy charges, court records show. The jury returned the verdict March 2 following a weeklong trial in the U.S. District Court of New Mexico. A federal indictment filed in 2018 said that Medeiros, a service-disabled veteran,...
By Colleen Heild / Journal Investigative Reporter A sister of the man accused in the fatal shooting of Jacqueline Vigil in her West Side Albuquerque driveway in 2019 has pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm to further a drug-trafficking crime. Elizabeth Talamantes, 40, had been investigated by an FBI-led team in the alleged cover-up after the slaying, and was identified as helping her brother, Luis Talamantes-Romero, flee New Mexico to San Antonio, Texas, after Vigil was fatally shot Nov. 19, 2019. The mother of two New Mexico State Police officers, Vigil was shot through her...
By Andy Stiny / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE – New research by two Los Alamos National Laboratory bio-physicists shows how part of the spike protein, those spiky images we have all seen of the virus that causes COVID-19, fuses with and infects human cells. The research by Karissa Sanbonmatsu and Chang-Shung Tung was presented this week at a meeting of the American Physical Society in Chicago, with about 3,000 physicists and bio-physicists in attendance. Using the lab’s supercomputers with new computer models to produce molecular simulations has given the researchers some of the first visualizations of that part...
By Jamie Stengle, Susan Montoya Bryan And Cedar Attanasio / Associated Press HOBBS – Laci Stone had a special request for her mother. The 18-year-old from Nocona, Texas, wanted to get tiny matching heart tattoos before leaving her hometown and returning to New Mexico to finish out her freshman year at the University of the Southwest. She begged her mother. And now Chelsi Stone is glad she didn’t chicken out. “I’m so forever grateful that God gave me the courage to go through with it and always have this memory with her,” Chelsi Stone wrote on her Facebook page....
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer LOS LUNAS – Police tried to coerce Leland Hust to confess to raping and killing a 6-year-old Rio Rancho girl by falsely telling him that DNA evidence linked him to the 2018 attack, his attorney told jurors Wednesday in opening statements. The allegation, made by police during an hourslong interview in 2018, caused Hust to question his own innocence in the girl’s death, attorney Michael Rosenfield said during the first day of Hust’s trial. “They plant in (Hust’s) mind that he is the perpetrator,” Rosenfield said of detectives who interviewed Hust for...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Another longtime member of the Civilian Police Oversight Agency board has resigned, bringing the board back down to five members. To be fully staffed the board should have nine members. Four members resigned late last year and the City Council had recently appointed a new member. The CPOA and its board have been experiencing turmoil in recent months, and earlier this month the City Council amended the ordinance governing it. William Kass, a retired scientist who has served on the CPOA board since 2017, sent in a letter of resignation on Wednesday,...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Albuquerque Public Schools on Wednesday said no data was “compromised” during a cyberattack that closed schools across the district for two days earlier this year, and a district spokeswoman said the FBI and others were advising school officials not to discuss the incident in more detail. “At this time, we have completed the investigation and restored our critical systems to full functionality,” the district said in a statement posted to its website. “A review of the evidence related to this incident did not identify unauthorized access to or exfiltration of any data...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Detectives charged two men in the 2019 fatal shooting of a local guitar prodigy at an apartment on Albuquerque’s West Side. Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said Gilbert Salazar, 19, and Jose Marquez, 24, are each charged with an open count of murder in the October 2019 death of 20-year-old DeAndre Garcia. Garcia made local news at 13 when he was gifted a handcrafted Pimentel and Sons guitar during a concert. He spent the next several years composing music and traveling the world to play in competitions. Salazar was arrested...
By Matthew Narvaiz / Journal Staff Writer A new airline will begin offering flights out of Albuquerque come late this summer. Albuquerque International Sunport and Spirit Airlines officials announced at a Wednesday news conference that the low-cost carrier will begin offering daily, non-stop flights between Albuquerque and Las Vegas, Nevada, starting Aug. 3. “We’re incredibly excited to be welcoming a new domestic airline to Albuquerque for the first time in more than five years,” said Sunport director Richard McCurley. “Spirit is a great airline for the Albuquerque market.” Florida-based Spirit is the ninth commercial airline to begin operations out...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Keagan Karnes and Richard Farmer are hoping to fill a void when it comes to filming commercials in the state. That’s why the pair started Inspirado in March 2021. For the past year, the company has grown by word of mouth. Inspirado offers commercial advertising production as well as production and editing of feature films and documentaries. Additionally, the pair is offering consulting services to aid productions coming into the state to maximize the film credits and incentives. On the advertising side of the business, they’ve developed and produced ads...
By Rick Nathanson / Journal Staff Writer Hot air balloonists have been granted a one-year waiver in which they will be able to fly in Albuquerque airspace without having to install an advanced electronic tracking system, according to an updated Federal Aviation Administration policy released Wednesday. The waiver, in effect through March 2023, is good news for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and local hot air ballooning companies. “This is huge for New Mexico,” said a joint statement from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, Rep. Melanie Stansbury and Mayor Tim Keller. “Albuquerque...
By Jill Bleed / Associated Press HOBBS, N.M. — Nine people have died in a fiery, head-on collision in West Texas, including six New Mexico university students and a coach returning from a golf tournament, as well as a 13-year-old boy, authorities said. Those killed in the Tuesday evening crash included University of the Southwest students from Portugal and Mexico. Two Canadian students were hospitalized in critical condition. A pickup truck crossed the center line of a two-lane road in Andrews County, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) east of the New Mexico state line, and crashed into a van...
By Elise Kaplan And Martin Salazar / Journal Staff Writers Albuquerque police say a fight between two men in front of the Sunshine Theater in Downtown on Tuesday night turned deadly when one of the men pulled out a pocketknife and stabbed the other. Augustas Brasmer, 29, was arrested and charged with murder, Albuquerque Police Department spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said in a news release. He identified the person killed as 26-year-old Sheldon Saunders. Gallegos said officers responded to the theater at 120 Central SW around 10 p.m. “Witnesses, including security staff from the theater, said the two men were...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man is dead following a stabbing Tuesday night in Downtown Albuquerque. Albuquerque police spokesman Daren DeAguero said officers responded sometime before 10:45 p.m. to a stabbing near Sunshine Theater, at Second and Central. He said the man was taken to the hospital where he died. “Homicide detectives will now be taking over the investigation,” DeAguero said. He gave no other details.
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer It’s been eight months since an external team of investigators was brought in to oversee the work of Albuquerque Police Department’s investigations into use of force by officers and, so far, things seem to have improved. For one thing, cases are no longer accruing in a backlog as they had been before the team arrived in mid-July. As of late January, 157 investigations into all but the most minor use of force had been completed – all within a 90-day deadline, according to a status report filed by the city in federal...
By Journal Staff Report Albuquerque’s Garrick Tam is this year’s winner of the New Mexico Spelling Bee. Garrick, an eighth grader at Cleveland Middle School, is a bee veteran, having competed since the third grade. “I like winning,” he said. “There were words that were easy and hard. It was in between.” The state spelling bee, held online this year because of the pandemic, is sponsored by the Albuquerque Journal and Nusenda Credit Union. Camila Carreon, an eighth grader at Santa Fe Preparatory School, came in second and Ian Zeter, a fifth grader at Ernest Stapleton Elementary in Rio...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer A federal and state goal to conserve land and water has set off a firestorm of county-level opposition in New Mexico, with backing from a Texas advocacy group. The 30×30 initiative in the U.S. began with the Biden administration’s January 2021 announcement to conserve 30% of the nation’s lands and waters by 2030. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an executive order in August mirroring the federal goals. The governor’s announcement garnered praise from New Mexico conservation groups. Soon after the federal announcement, the Georgetown, Texas-based group American Stewards of Liberty...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer A city employee tasked with delivering turkey pot pies to homebound seniors has apparently also used a government vehicle to deliver ill-gotten Christmas decor to their own home. The Senior Affairs Department worker who admitted to taking a resident’s Christmas decorations while on their route in December is facing a formal disciplinary hearing, according to a newly released report from the city’s Office of Inspector General. The employee, who acknowledged nabbing the festive doodads after the owner called the city to report the incident, “took something that belonged to someone else and...
By Randy Harrison / Journal Sports Editor The rule, unwritten though it may be, was happily — and repeatedly — broken Tuesday afternoon by the Cibola Cougars. Their senior pitcher, Tommy White, was cruising along with a no-hitter against Valley in the first round of the Albuquerque Metro Championships, and while it’s traditionally taboo for teammates to speak to or even consort with a starting pitcher in the midst of a no-no, the Cougars didn’t care. Neither did White. “We were talkin’ about it in the dugout the whole time,” White said with a smile. “This is a funny...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer An inmate at the Bernalillo County jail is accused of bribing two other inmates to assault the woman he allegedly raped and get her to drop the charges against him. Phillip Cotham Jr., 37, is charged with bribery of a witness in the Feb. 22 incident. Cotham has been locked up at the Metropolitan Detention Center on rape and other charges since a Jan. 15 incident in which he allegedly raped and choked a woman. Cotham’s criminal history includes arrests for stolen vehicles, burglary, fraud and domestic violence. His attorney could not...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer New COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations continued to decline on Thursday, as the state reported 17 additional deaths. The New Mexico Department of Health reported 407 additional cases of COVID-19, down from 440 on Wednesday and more than 3,000 on Feb. 3. Bernalillo County reported the largest number of new cases with 94, followed by 61 in San Juan County and 30 each in Doña Ana and McKinley counties. New cases also included 13 state Corrections Department inmates at the Guadalupe County Correctional Facility in Santa Rosa. New Mexico hospitals had 225 COVID-19...
By Dan McKay / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE — New Mexico will allocate about million a year to a trust fund that supports affordable housing under legislation signed Thursday by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. The legislation, Senate Bill 134, won bipartisan support in the legislative session that ended last month. “Every New Mexican deserves a safe, affordable and comfortable place to live, and this funding stream will make a real difference in the lives of New Mexicans, especially in rural areas of the state,” Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, said in a statement. The measure requires the state...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer William “Bing” Grady was a man who built bridges. Figuratively, as a mover and shaker in Albuquerque’s business community, as well as literally, as a driving force behind the construction of the Paseo Del Norte bridge. Grady died Feb. 9, 2022, from COVID-19 complications, according to his obituary. He was 89. A prominent business leader, Grady held many roles over his decades long career, at different points leading the Sunwest Bank of Albuquerque, the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, Albuquerque Economic Development, the New Mexico Bankers’ Association and even the now-defunct New...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer The man who police suspect briefly kidnapped three women, stole four vehicles and shot at bystanders in a crosstown “crime spree” early last week is the same man killed by law enforcement in Valencia County last Friday. Authorities say 31-year-old Raphael Marquez led New Mexico State Police officers and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s deputies on a chase in a maroon Ford pickup truck before they did a “pursuit intervention technique” and he crashed on the shoulder of Interstate 25. Two BCSO SWAT team officers and a New Mexico State Police officer shot at...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer Five weeks after suffering a stroke in New Mexico, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján was greeted with a bipartisan standing ovation Thursday upon his return to the Senate. Video posted online showed Luján receiving the round of applause as he entered a meeting of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The 49-year-old hugged several of his colleagues and said he was teary eyed at moments throughout the day. “To everyone of you that sent me notes, that sent videos and all the prayers, it worked,” Luján said, his voice cracking...
By Elise Kaplan / Journal Staff Writer Prev 1of9 Next Frank Lovato, a husband, father and grandfather, served more than 20 years as a firefighter with the close-knit Las Vegas Fire Department before retiring in 2006. On Wednesday late morning the 62-year-old was heading northbound on Interstate 25, just outside of Santa Fe, when he was killed in a multiple-vehicle crash involving a suspect fleeing police officers. The vehicles were headed the wrong way on the interstate. Lovato and Santa Fe Police Department officer Robert Duran of Rio Rancho died at the scene. On Wednesday, a Santa Fe city...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer A judge handed an 11-year prison sentence Wednesday to an Albuquerque man who pleaded guilty to killing a woman with an ax in 2019. Jared Deaton-Ryan, 37, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the Aug. 17, 2019, killing of Patricia Esquibel, 43. The plea agreement had called for a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. State District Judge Alisa Hart said Deaton-Ryan had “displayed intense and shocking violence” toward Esquibel. But Esquibel also had shown aggressive behavior that prompted Deaton-Ryan to call 911 during the confrontation, Hart said. Deaton-Ryan’s attorney and...
By Joline Gutierrez Krueger / Journal Staff Writer A big box cashier starts loading my purchased items in a paper bag, apparently convinced my reusable bag is already full – which it isn’t. I ask if she can fill up the reusable bag to avoid the paper, which I don’t want. “Don’t worry,” she says cheerfully. “You can bring the paper bags back and we’ll recycle them and give you 5 cents for each.” This is something new in this ever-changing single-use plastic bag ban world, I think, so I acquiesce. She ends up filling two paper bags, neither...
By Kevin Robinson-Avila / Journal Staff Writer As local utilities struggle to manage equipment shortages and face possible summer blackouts, state regulators are reaching out to the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to help ensure emergency preparedness. Pandemic-induced supply chain issues are severely straining the ability of most New Mexico utilities to acquire equipment needed to maintain their grids, raising the potential for rolling blackouts during such extreme weather events as a summer heat wave or a severe storm that damages infrastructure. The state Public Regulation Commission ordered all local utilities late last year – and...
By Jessica Dyer / Journal Staff Writer A proposal that would have paved the way for industrial uses inside Santolina hit rough waters Wednesday as the Bernalillo County Planning Commission opposed amendments to the site’s previously approved master plan. The owners of the nearly 14,000-acre Santolina site on the Southwest Mesa want to use 630 acres for waste disposal, recycling and solar/alternative energy generation. Their new, targeted proposal requires changes to Santolina’s previously approved Level A Master Plan since it accelerates Santolina’s nonresidential development and because it changes the water strategy. In lieu of tapping into the Albuquerque Bernalillo...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico weekly COVID-19 hospital admissions have fallen 74% since late January when the state was in the throes of the highly contagious omicron variant. On Wednesday, Acting Health Secretary Dr. David Scrase said hospitalization data will be one of the key metrics health officials use when it comes to managing the virus going forward, as opposed to earlier in the pandemic when daily case counts and the test positivity rate were major data points for state officials. Scrase said he doesn’t expect the state to reimpose mask mandates or other public...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Firefighters are trying to extinguish a structure fire Wednesday night in Northeast Albuquerque. Albuquerque Fire Rescue said, in an alert, crews were fighting a blaze around 6 p.m. at 141 Wyoming NE, near Central. Officials said the fire was inside a vacant building in the area. “The building was under renovation and not occupied. This building has had recent fires at this location,” AFR said in a release. Officials said, in an update at 8 p.m., that the fire was still not under control and “aerial operations are currently underway.” “No further...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A bumper sticker proclaiming “vaccinated” sparked a confrontation between two drivers that nearly ended with a different kind of shot Sunday. Christina Blair of Rio Rancho is accused of accosting another driver over the sticker before pulling a gun on him in Northeast Albuquerque. The 33-year-old is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the Feb. 27 incident. Blair has been booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center. Neither her family nor her attorney could be reached for comment Wednesday. Prosecutors have filed a motion to keep Blair – who reportedly...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer Detectives identified a young man killed in a West Side shootout and gave updates to two other recent homicide investigations. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said the death of Vincent Le, 19, is being investigated as a homicide. Police said Le was killed and three others were injured, one critically, when gunfire erupted Saturday night at Westgate Community Park. Gallegos said the Feb. 25 death of a man found in Downtown Albuquerque has been changed to a “suspicious death investigation.” He said the man was initially believed to have been shot...
By Pilar Martinez / Journal Staff Writer A South Valley grocery store has paid more than ,000 in owed wages and penalties after a federal investigation found that the grocer did not pay employees overtime pay, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Naranjero Super 1, at 1605 Isleta SW, paid ,075 in owed overtime wages to four workers after the agency found the grocer was paying employees a fixed salary rather than paying time-and-one-half, the employees’ pay rate for overtime work, Department of Labor spokesman Juan Rodríguez wrote in a news release. Rodríguez said investigators found that the...
By Elise Kaplan and Andy Stiny / Journal staff writers Prev 1of8 Next SANTA FE — A Santa Fe police officer and another driver were killed in a crash late Wednesday morning as officers pursued a kidnapping suspect who was speeding the wrong way on Interstate 25. The officer was identified Wednesday evening as 43-year-old Robert Duran, a married father of two teenage boys. Interim Police Chief Paul Joye said Duran joined the department in 2015, was a patrol officer and had served on the emergency response team. He said Duran was “well-respected and loved by his peers.” “I...
By Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. — An attorney for a woman who alleges she was sexually harassed by a prominent New Mexico state legislator says an investigation by the Legislature is moving forward after an initial vetting of the complaint. Attorney Levi Monagle on Tuesday said he received confirmation that the harassment complaint is being forwarded to an investigative subcommittee and special counsel. Monagle is representing political lobbyist Marianna Anaya in her complaint against Democratic Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, chairman of a Senate committee that vets major legislative initiatives and political appointments. Monagle says the harassment complaint filed with...
By Argen Duncan / Rio Rancho Observer Editor Incumbents held their seats, and voters approved all bonds and the permanent fund in Tuesday’s Rio Rancho municipal election, according to unofficial results. One race, the three-way contest for the District 3 City Council seat, will go to a runoff between the top two candidates on April 12. Incumbent Bob Tyler garnered 47% of the vote, followed by Joshua Antonio Jones with 29% and Clyde A. Ward with 25%. In the mayoral race, incumbent Gregg Hull won a third term by a landslide, taking 68% of the vote. Challenger Barbara Ann...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer The public will be allowed to enter New Mexico courthouses without face coverings beginning March 21, but masks will still be required in courtrooms and jury assembly areas. The New Mexico Supreme Court announced the updated COVID-19 protocols this week for all state courts and judicial buildings, including district, metropolitan, magistrate, municipal and probate courts. The courts also will launch a new program that allows the public to pay court fines and fees using credit and debit cards, and online, the Administrative Office of the Courts announced Tuesday. Credit card terminals will...
By Andy Stiny / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE – Española police chased an armed robbery suspect into northern Santa Fe County last week, where a man was found hiding under a pile of clothes during a home search. Jeremy Lopez was taken into custody by Española police, and his girlfriend, Tamara Torres, was arrested by Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputies, according to a sheriff’s report. According to that report, just before 6:30 p.m. Feb. 23, deputies were notified that Española officers were in pursuit of a silver Mazda after a Subway was robbed by a suspect with a...
By Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor Inside the Immersive Pavilion in the Sawmill District sits a treasure trove of Vincent van Gogh masterpieces. Unlike in a museum where a piece is static, van Gogh’s masterpieces are projected onto walls so the visitor becomes part of the painting. This is the experience “Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” has brought to the world. Beginning Wednesday, New Mexicans have a chance to visit the traveling show in Albuquerque. It has taken more than 100 workers nearly 14 days to get the space ready for visitors. David Rosenfeld, managing...
By Andy Stiny / Journal Staff Writer SANTA FE – About 60 people rallied Tuesday at the State Capitol to present Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham with over 1,000 petition signatures asking her to stop the expansion of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in southeastern New Mexico. “We strongly support our governor taking all necessary actions, including denying permits for the piecemeal expansion,” the petition reads. Santa Fe County Commissioner Anna Hansen was joined by members of Stop Forever WIPP, 285ALL, Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety and Veterans for Peace who allege that transportation of nuclear...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief SANTA FE – Starting next year, New Mexico will join more than 30 other states with interest rate caps of 36% on storefront loans, after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill Tuesday that was passed by lawmakers after a multiyear debate on the issue. Backers say enactment of the new law will help ensure New Mexicans avoid getting caught in debt spirals by what they describe as “predatory lenders,” many of which operate on or near tribal lands. Currently, title loans and other small loans can come with annual interest...
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief SANTA FE – For New Mexico teachers like Laura Mayo-Rodriguez, being an educator during the COVID-19 pandemic has been about much more than math and reading. Mayo-Rodriguez, a sixth grade teacher at Nava Elementary School in Santa Fe, said teachers have filled the role of therapist, website developer and nurse for their students over the last several years, in addition to more traditional duties. “During remotely hybrid learning, educators worked harder than ever,” she said during a news conference at the school Tuesday. “We carry our students around in our hearts...
By Morgan Lee / Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. — New Mexico welfare agencies are coming under new pressure from a federal judge and state lawmakers to expand translation and oral interpretation services to minority households that don’t speak English or Spanish. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed legislation Tuesday requiring that major state agencies study the need for additional language assistance services and report back to the governor and Legislature. A companion bill would dedicate about 0,000 to the effort. Advocacy groups for immigrants and Indigenous populations also are highlighting a federal court order to expand language services under...
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer A 14-year-old charged in the shooting death last week of a fellow West Mesa High School student will be held at the juvenile detention center while awaiting trial, a judge ordered Tuesday. Police arrested Marco Trejo on charges of murder and tampering with evidence in the fatal shooting Friday of West Mesa High School junior Andrew Burson, 16, near the school’s football field. Albuquerque police and court records previously listed a different spelling for Trejo’s first name. Police say the shooting was prompted by a dispute between the boys over a “ghost...
By Matthew Reisen / Journal Staff Writer A man is behind bars after an alleged monthslong crime spree that included carjacking a pregnant woman, shooting a neighbor and robbing multiple businesses at gunpoint around Albuquerque. Dairon Romero, 25, is charged with five counts of armed robbery but, according to Albuquerque police, is suspected of robbing 42 businesses – including hotels, cellphone stores and gas stations – across the city over a seven-month period. In the midst of the robberies, some apparent missteps by authorities left Romero on the streets. Prosecutors dismissed two cases against him – the shooting of...
By Ryan Boetel / Journal Staff Writer New Mexico reported six additional COVID-19-related deaths, the fewest reported on a single day since late October. The state also reported 692 new cases, though that includes some that should have been included in the weekend counts but weren’t because of a disruption of the electronic data feed to databases used to count the cases. Those whose deaths were reported Tuesday ranged in age from a woman in her 40s from McKinley County to an Otero County woman in her 80s. There have been a total of 6,925 COVID-related deaths in New...
By Theresa Davis / Journal Staff Writer Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has appointed oil industry executive and former Interior Department official Deanna Archuleta to the state Game Commission. Archuleta is the senior director for federal relations at ExxonMobil. She was previously the New Mexico government affairs manager for ExxonMobil subsidiary XTO Energy. Archuleta will fill the at-large seat left vacant when Las Cruces conservationist David Soules died a year ago. A Lujan Grisham spokesperson said the governor has “full confidence in her ability to serve the state on the commission and (we) appreciate her time and dedication to New...