The Placitas Community Library has recently completed the installation of a new solar array, complementing the smaller array located in the parking lot. The new addition enables the library to harness the power of the sun, reducing both its energy costs and environmental footprint. The array, largely funded by an allocation from Rep. Matthew McQueen […]
Jesse Jones
Paseo del Volcan, Judicial Complex and Dispatch Center Top County’s List of Needs
Sandoval County commissioners last week compiled a wish list to give to the state, outlining their top infrastructure projects. The commissioners voted 3-2 to approve an updated list ranking priorities on the 2026-2030 Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP), totaling $106,322,404, at the June 26 commission meeting. The top-ranked project on the list is Paseo del […]
Jemez Springs Man Accused of Giving Crack and Alcohol to Los Alamos Teen
A man from Jemez Springs was arrested by the Los Alamos Police Department (LAPD) June 17 and charged with criminal sexual penetration of a minor, as well as 10 counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Matthew Levi Trujillo, 25, was arrested after his girlfriend allegedly discovered text messages from a 16-year-old girl […]
The ‘30,000-foot’ Timeline for the New Emergency Call Center
The Sandoval County Regional Emergency Communication Center (SCRECC) Board held a work-study session June 25 in preparation for a presentation to the Sandoval County Commission. The board discussed the transition plan for July 1, 2025, which involves relocating the call center from its current location inside the Rio Rancho Police Department to the Sandoval County […]
Bernalillo Council Finalizes Top Five Wish List
The Bernalillo Town Council this week unanimously approved the top five ranked projects for the 2026-2030 Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP), with an estimated cost of $31.95 million. At the June 24 council meeting, Mayor Jack Torres and the council identified and ranked their top five priorities on the ICIP wish list for state funding, […]
Pueblo of Santa Ana Doubles in Size by Reacquiring Ancestral Land
The Pueblo of Santa Ana officially reacquired 60,000 acres of ancestral land in a historic trust signing ceremony with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) on June 12 at the Prairie Star restaurant in Santa Ana. The land, once called the King Brothers’ Alamo Ranch and historically known as Tamaya Kwii Kee Nee Puu by […]
Bernalillo Educator Leads Charge to Curb Trash via Recycling
A Bernalillo elementary educator is leading a school-wide effort to curb trash by implementing a recycling program to instill environmental consciousness and sustainability within the school and the community. In response to the absence of a recycling program in the Bernalillo Public Schools district, Jose Cervantes, a third-grade teacher at W.D. Carroll Elementary, has galvanized […]
The Merc Gets New Life
After a period of decline and subsequent closure, The Merc, a unique grocery store located in the Homestead Village Plaza in Placitas, is set to reopen with revitalized energy under a new partnership. The reopening will mark the return of a community hub that has been more than just a place to shop for locals. […]
County Commissioners Take Out the Trash
At a meeting June 12, the Sandoval County Commission ordered the cleanup of several properties filled with rubbish and debris to restore public health and safety. The county’s Planning and Zoning Department was tasked with enforcing the cleanup of six properties. Five of the properties are adjacent to each other, situated on the same block […]
Aging Pipeline in Placitas Gets Repairs
Placitas residents, represented by the Las Placitas Association (LPA), have longstanding concerns about an aging crude oil pipeline running through their community. Recent repairs have sparked renewed anxiety over safety and environmental risks. The 66-year-old Tex-New Mex crude oil pipeline is owned by MPLX, a company formed by Marathon Petroleum Corporation that operates energy infrastructure […]