By Rodd Cayton – Corrales Comment Corrales Village Councilor John Alsobrook II died Friday, village staff have announced. Village Administrator Melanie Romero released the following statement from his family: “He loved serving the community of Corrales and always tried to take a balanced and reasoned approach to issues before the Village Council. He didn’t mind […]
Rodd Cayton
Rodd Cayton is a senior reporter with nm.news covering local news and government as a local reporting fellow with NM Reports.
Posted inCorrales
Corrales council clears money from fire and flood control projects, starts budget process
The fiscal 2027 Village of Corrales budget is moving toward approval, after councilors cleared up a lodger’s tax shortfall and administrators clarified the reason for a special fire department account. The $20,000 lodger’s tax fund deficiency, Village Administrator Melanie Romero said, is due in part to the way that money is collected. She told councilors […]
Posted inPlacitas
Placitas resident files complaint about flood control tax overpayment
Residents of Placitas have paid almost $7 million to a local flood control district and not flood control received any benefit, Mike Neas says. Neas told the Sandoval Signpost he has filed a formal complaint with the New Mexico Finance Authority over the issue, which stems from Placitas residents’ continued taxation for Eastern Sandoval Arroyo […]
Posted inCorrales
Corrales council to start work on fiscal ‘27 spending plan
What will the Village of Corrales spend in fiscal year 2027, and what will that money buy? Village councilors will take the first step toward determining that at Tuesday’s meeting. The preliminary budget up for consideration includes $11.31 million in general fund spending, up about 5.5% from the current fiscal year. The police and fire […]
Posted inCorrales
Smarter than the average bear?
The Village of Corrales and northwest Albuquerque have had an unusual — and elusive — tourist over the last couple of days. Residents report seeing a black bear in both communities, with state and local animal control authorities a step behind in their pursuit. In his weekly message to the community, Corrales Mayor Fred Hashimoto […]
Posted inCorrales
Weekend precipitation doesn’t get Corrales pumps going
The reprieve water regulators and irrigators were hoping for in the first weekend of May didn’t come. While parts of the Albuquerque area saw some rain and it snowed elsewhere in New Mexico, that precipitation was not enough to turn the pumps serving Corrales back on, according to Amanda Molina, a spokesperson for the Middle […]
Posted inCorrales
Farewell to a legend and advocate
Memorial services are May 9 for one of Corrales’ scions and giants. Rafael J. “Ralph” Martinez, died April 6 at age 91. He was born into one of the village’s founding families, and was known across Sandoval County as a longtime public servant. Martinez was a local poll worker for 47 years and served on […]
Posted inPlacitas
Back to the ranch: Placitas RanchFest returns this summer
Placitas RanchFest is back, bigger and bringing babies. The June 20 affair is the second iteration and first as the flagship event of New Mexico RanchFest, which organizers say is rooted in ranch life, local culture, and community connection. West said more than 1,200 attended the first RanchFest. “Last year was more successful than we’d […]
Posted inCorrales
Corrales councilors to review wish list
Village councilors in Corrales are going to talk about their wish list Tuesday evening. Their agenda includes a discussion of the village’s infrastructure capital improvement plan (ICIP), which spells out Corrales’ priorities for the next several years. Each local government in New Mexico assembles an ICIP, which the state legislature uses to help make budget […]
Posted inEstancia
Full Circle: Estancia superintendent retiring as a lover of rural schools
By Rodd Cayton, Route 66 Independent — Cindy Sims says her next role will be “the little old lady with story books.” After 45 years in education, the last seven as superintendent of the Estancia Municipal School District, Sims is retiring at the end of the school year. She said she wants to spend more […]