Non-Local News Releases

US 70 & US 380 Roadblocks

LAS CRUCES, SAN ANTONIO - The New Mexico Department of Transportation District One office (NMDOT) along with White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) posted an alert for Monday, November 18, 2024.

US 70 will be blocked one time beginning at 6:40 a.m. and lasting approximately 1 hour. This block will be located at Red Block (top of San. Augustin Pass, mile marker 164) and Yellow Block (White Sands National Park, mile marker 200). Las Cruces Gate, Nike Ave, and Owen Road will also be impacted by this block.

LAS CRUCES, NM – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) held a live competitive auction for a 937.5-acre parcel for lease in the Afton Solar Energy Zone in Doña Ana County. Boulevard Associates, LLC was the successful bidder with a final bid of $1,900,000.

Their next step will be to submit a Plan of Development within two years of lease issuance. Boulevard Associates, LLC may not construct any facilities on the right-of-way until the BLM issues a notice to proceed or other written form of approval to begin surface disturbing activities.

SANTA FE - The New Mexico State Parks Division is announcing that Fenton Lake is currently closed to boating due to dangerously thin ice on the water's surface. These unsafe ice conditions prevent the operation of watercraft, and the closure will remain in effect until the ice thickens to a safe level.

In addition to the suspension of boating, the park also remains closed to ice fishing, as the ice thickness does not meet safety standards for this activity. Visitors are strongly advised to stay off the ice and exercise caution near the lake's edge.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – November 14, 2024 – Fire management for the Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NG) did not proceed on ignitions today on the previously announced Sulphur prescribed fire (Rx) Piles on the Sandia Ranger District after test fire resulted in unfavorable conditions for continued burn operations.

Fire managers will continue to assess conditions in the coming days to ensure they fall within the range outlined in the prescribed fire plan before proceeding with operations on the Sulphur Rx fire piles. A final decision to proceed with a prescribed fire depends on agency administrator approval, resource availability, and favorable conditions including fuel moisture levels, air quality and forecast weather. If conditions are not met, the decision will be made to postpone until favorable conditions allow for successful operations.
The Sulphur Rx fire piles burn area is in the Sandia east mountains, north of I-40, west of NM-14 and south of NM-536. See map attached.

SANTA FE – The State Transportation Commission Meeting will be held November 21, 2024, at the Socorro Convention Center and is hosted by NMDOT District One. The meeting begins promptly at 8:30 a.m., and is located at 1220 US 60, Socorro, NM.

The State Transportation Commission is comprised of six commissioners, each appointed by the governor to represent a NMDOT district. The commission meets six times annually and holds one meeting in each of the six districts. The commission sets department policy and oversees the use of the State Road Fund. As an oversight group, each of the commissioners bring unique private industry experiences providing department managers with insight and expertise for the betterment of New Mexico's transportation system.

Santa Fe, NM – November 14th, 2024 - With Fall weather in the air and winter on the way, temperatures are getting colder, and nights are getting longer. This also means that trees are shedding their leaves and dropping their needles. As these burnable materials pile up, they become a fuel bed and can become a fire hazard under dry conditions. In the event of a wildfire, leaves and needles are a fuel source for embers and can ignite easily allowing fires to spread to your home. Wildfire preparedness is an ongoing process and you can set yourself up for success by taking care of the fine fuels on your property this Fall.

State pushes 'Breaking Bad Habits' and showcase natural beauty

SANTA FE — Three state agencies—the Departments of Transportation, Tourism, and Environment—have collectively awarded $4.7 million in grants to 97 local entities, funding projects that aim to make New Mexico cleaner, greener and more beautiful.

The funding initiative is part of a statewide #BreakingBadHabits campaign that encourages residents to preserve New Mexico's unparalleled landscape.

"New Mexico is the most beautiful state in the nation and it's time for all of us to commit to 'Breaking Bad Habits' of littering and trashing our state," said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. "These grants will play a vital role in our push to eliminate litter and protecting our state's spectacular beauty."

Alamogordo, NM – On July 15, 2023, at about 2:18 a.m., officers from the Alamogordo Police Department initiated a traffic stop near Puerto Rico and 9th Street in Alamogordo. The driver, Dominic De La O, 27, fled from law enforcement and crashed into a light pole. He then exited the vehicle with a sawed-off shotgun, and a foot pursuit ensued. During the pursuit, De La O turned and fatally shot Officer Ferguson, who was airlifted to the University Medical Center, in El Paso, Texas, where he succumbed to his injuries on July 16, 2023

On November 8, 2024, after a week-long trial prosecuted by the 12th Judicial District Attorney's Office, a jury found De La O guilty of Murder in the 1st Degree, Tampering with Evidence, Aggravated Fleeing of a Law Enforcement Officer, Resisting/Evading an Officer and Criminal Trespass. On November 12, 2024, De La O was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.