By Lakshya Jain, Harrison Lavelle — As Republicans crafted their One Big Beautiful Bill, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) offered a warning: “Our voters support social insurance programs. More than that, our voters depend on those programs.” While House Republicans ignored his pleas, opting to pass a bill with cuts to Medicaid that the Congressional Budget […]
Westside Albuquerque
Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District celebrates 100 Years of service
The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) is marking a significant milestone in 2025: its 100th anniversary. As the district enters the 2025 irrigation season, it celebrates a century of managing water resources in the Middle Rio Grande Valley, a task that has historically been met with numerous challenges and continues to face difficulties with […]
Cates opens in-district office
State Rep. Kathleen Cates said the June 18 grand opening at her legislative office was more than just another ribbon-cutting ceremony. Cates, who represents House of Representatives District 44, said the event marked a historic change for New Mexico. Since gaining statehood in 1912, the state had never had legislative district offices. That means citizens […]
Supreme Court allows Tennessee ban on gender-transition care for minors
By Ann E. Marimow, Casey Parks — Supreme Court allows Tennessee ban on gender-transition care for minors A divided Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared the way for states to ban certain gender transition treatments for minors, a landmark decision on a polarizing issue the Trump administration has seized on in initiatives targeting transgender rights. In […]
Rep. Martinez to host town hall on NM-528 safety concerns
A public town hall meeting is set to address growing community safety concerns along NM-528, a vital and often dangerous corridor in Rio Rancho. The event will take place on June 24 at 6 p.m. at the Church of the Incarnation, located at 2309 Monterrey Rd NE in Rio Rancho. Representative Alan Martinez will join […]
Juneteenth: what’s open, what’s closed
Thursday is Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the day in 1865 when news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached Texas. Sandoval County and some of its communities will be observing the holiday, meaning most services will be unavailable. Most City of Rio Rancho offices and facilities will be closed. Emergency and public safety services will operate […]
‘Digging holes’ to a cleaner energy future
As researchers unveiled a new report focused on New Mexico’s geothermal potential on Thursday, XGS Energy announced plans to develop a 150 megawatt geothermal closed-cycle facility — meaning the fluid inside is recirculated and not discharged — that will provide electricity to a Meta data center in New Mexico. New Mexico hopes the XGS announcement […]
Rio Rancho seeks locals for “express” one-week citizen police academy
Summer camps aren’t just for kids. The Rio Rancho Police Department’s citizen police academy is normally held one night a week for eleven weeks, but next week the department is bundling the program into a weeklong summer academy for adults. Participants will learn about department operations including K9, SWAT, investigation, crisis intervention and crime scene […]
Letter to the Editor: Sen. Padilla’s only crime was being a Democrat
Submitted by Karen Schafer, Rio Rancho Dear Editor, Many deplorable things are happening because of the Trump administration’s policies. Many people have listed them, so I won’t do that. I will only mention my shock, dismay and disbelief that a United States Senator was thrown to the floor and handcuffed. This action is truly reminiscent […]
Say ‘I do’ then pay more: Marriage license fees more than double on June 20
Couples planning to get married in New Mexico will see an increase in marriage license costs. The Sandoval County Clerk’s Office announced that starting June 20, marriage license fees have increased from $25 to $55 statewide. The increase is the result of Senate Bill 290, which was signed into law by the governor on April […]


