Michael Meek has jumped early into the Rio Rancho mayor’s race. Meek, who chairs the Sandoval County Board of Commissioners, has declared he will seek to replace Gregg Hull next year as leader of what might already be New Mexico’s second-largest city. He has lived in Rio Rancho since 1990, and served in the city […]
Westside Albuquerque
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Westside Albuquerque
Santa Fe County sees 104% spike in overdose deaths as fentanyl potency increases
Santa Fe County experienced a 104% increase in drug overdose deaths during the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to data released Thursday by the New Mexico Department of Health. The county also saw a 131% surge in overdose-related emergency department visits, part of a troubling trend across three […]
Posted inHousing & Homelessness, Westside Albuquerque
Rio Rancho to host annual Food Truck Fiesta at Cabezon Park
The City of Rio Rancho will host its annual Food Truck Fiesta and Fall Market on Saturday, Sept. 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Cabezon Park. The free community event will feature local food trucks, craft vendors and entertainment for all ages. Awards will be presented to top food vendors in selected categories. […]
Posted inHousing & Homelessness, Westside Albuquerque
Raise your steins!
If green chile schnitzel exists, it will probably be available Saturday in Rio Rancho. It’s time for Rio Rancho Oktoberfest, a tradition in the city for about three decades. The theme for this year is “Órale Prost,” a combination of Spanish and German interjections commonly used to convey positive feelings. The Rio Rancho Regional Chamber […]
Posted inWestside Albuquerque
Estancia, Torrance County receive nearly $2.3 million in state transportation funding
The Town of Estancia and Torrance County will receive a combined $2.25 million in state transportation funding to improve local roads, the New Mexico Department of Transportation announced this week. The funding comes through NMDOT’s Transportation Project Fund program, which awarded $16.3 million to 13 local governments across District Five. Statewide, the program distributed $100.4 […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Westside Albuquerque
Rio Rancho Public Schools’ first and only superintendent announces retirement
The longest-serving superintendent in New Mexico announced her retirement Wednesday morning after more than three decades leading Rio Rancho Public Schools since its founding. Dr. V. Sue Cleveland will step down later this school year, with a leadership transition expected in spring 2026, the Rio Rancho Board of Education announced in a joint statement. The […]
Posted inLocal Gov., Westside Albuquerque
Rio Rancho council approves police union contract worth $1.4 million
The Rio Rancho City Council unanimously approved a three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Rio Rancho Police and Communications Association on Thursday, authorizing $950,390 in additional funding for fiscal year 2026 to cover enhanced benefits and pay increases. The contract, which runs from Sept. 22, through June 30, 2028, affects 187 bargaining unit positions within […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety
New Mexico woman’s gun show protest triggers constitutional case after arrest
A 70-year-old woman filed a civil rights lawsuit Monday against the City of Moriarty and Torrance County after being arrested and detained for three days while peacefully protesting outside a gun show in February. Jill Gatwood, an Albuquerque resident represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, alleges in the lawsuit that she […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Westside Albuquerque
Santa Fe court launches mental health diversion program for arrestees
The First Judicial District Court has announced a new program designed to divert people with severe mental illness away from the criminal justice system and into treatment services. The competency diversion pilot program will serve individuals charged with misdemeanors, excluding DWI and nonviolent felony offenses. It marks the fourth such initiative established by New Mexico […]
Posted inLocal Gov., Westside Albuquerque
The future of rubbish
Sandoval County commissioners are taking an efficiency-focused approach to landfill affairs. At their Sept. 10 meeting, commissioners voted to adopt a new fee schedule for the current county landfill, as well as volume-based discounts intended to maximize use of the site before its shutdown in 2036. Of the latter, Public Works Director Mark Hatzenbuhler told […]