Sandoval County families preparing for the 2025-26 school year will find significant changes awaiting them, with two major educational facilities opening their doors for the first time and staggered start dates across districts beginning as early as Aug. 4. Rio Rancho Public Schools is seeing some major changes for the new school year. The biggest […]
Rodd Cayton
Rodd Cayton is a senior reporter with nm.news covering local news and government.
Posted inLocal Gov., Town of Bernalillo
Bernalillo council approves firefighter incentive pay
Pay for firefighters in the Town of Bernalillo is going up. Town Councilors approved an incentive pay plan July 29 that calls for raises for several classes of employees. Those increases would be based on factors such as years of service, earning new degrees, specialty team membership or instructor positions or bilingual ability. Specialty teams […]
Posted inPolitics & Elections, Sandoval County
Polling places list approved, but perhaps not final
Sandoval County election officials say they’ll keep looking for new places for voters to cast their ballots this fall. County commissioners voted July 23 to approve an updated list of polling places that drops (for now) seven locations used last year. Joey Dominguez, chief deputy county clerk, told commissioners that some voting sites are unavailable […]
Posted inLocal Gov., Sandoval County
Sandoval Commission to weigh new fire districts, polling places
Sandoval County Commissioners Wednesday will consider updating the list of polling places for the Nov, 4 election. Joey Dominguez, chief deputy county clerk, wrote in the agenda that the action is necessary because some sites are no longer available because leases have ended or property owners have construction that conflicts with elections. If the amended […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety
Sandoval County dispatch center opens but Rio Rancho challenges its readiness
The Public Safety Emergency Communications Center of Sandoval County (PSECC) isn’t just a new dispatch hub, says Deputy County Manager Eric Masterson. The building, which began taking calls July 1, also represents an opportunity to create a culture of excellence from the ground up, he said. County officials say it’s the first large-scale dispatch center […]
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State legislators Block and Hernandez open new office in Rio Rancho, tout greater accessibility
Rio Rancho residents now have a new option for bringing their concerns to a pair of state legislators. Sen. Jay Block and Rep. Joshua Hernandez are the latest lawmakers to open in-district legislative offices. In 2023, the Legislature approved funding for in-district offices, which New Mexico hasn’t had since gaining statehood in 1912. At a […]
Posted inLocal Gov., Sandoval Signpost, Town of Bernalillo
Wastewater system tops Bernalillo capital projects
Town Councilors in Bernalillo Monday evening identified wastewater system improvements as their top priority in a capital planning list to be sent to state authorities. Councilors approved the town’s infrastructure capital improvement plan (ICIP) for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. The 21 items on the list were mostly unchanged, with councilors agreeing to a suggestion […]
Posted inBernalillo County
Ethics board dismisses complaint against BernCo chair
A Bernalillo County ethics board’s dismissal of a deputy treasurer’s complaint against County Commission Chair Eric Olivas came as a surprise to neither party. Olivas told CityDesk ABQ the outcome was what he’d expected. He said the board’s argument is that there were no grounds for the complaint, which alleged he violated provisions in the […]
Posted inLocal Gov., Sandoval County, Sandoval Signpost
Sandoval Commission to consider new chief hire
By Rodd Cayton Christopher Bagley is on the verge of climbing to the top rank at Sandoval County Fire and Rescue, the department he started his career with in 2005. County commissioners Wednesday are set to promote Bagley from deputy chief to fire chief, following the recommendation of a selection committee. According to the agenda, […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Housing & Homelessness
Cooling systems now required in all ABQ rentals
By Rodd Cayton Renters in Albuquerque could find themselves a little more comfortable this summer. A new city ordinance requires all rental properties to have cooling systems. According to a city news release, the city council updated to the Uniform Housing Code e to protect renters from dangerous heat, as summers get hotter and last […]