Posted inEdgewood

Edgewood community group plans candidate forum for October

A community-organized group is hosting a forum for commissioner candidates next month, aiming to foster dialogue between local officials and residents. The Edgewood CommQuest Committee will hold a “Meet the Candidates” meeting Oct. 19 at 2 p.m. at the Edgewood Community Center, according to Barbara Evans, who heads the ad-hoc committee. The forum, titled “Charging […]

Posted inLocal Gov., Rio Rancho

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, Santa Fe County

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 inSandoval County

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 […]