By Jesse Jones Most crimes in the City of Vision are down, with shoplifting being one of the few exceptions. According to the Rio Rancho Police Department’s 2024 Annual Report, shoplifting cases have increased by 13% since 2022, likely due to economic pressures and city growth. “Shoplifting is something that we’re always after,” Mayor Gregg […]
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Posted inLocal Government, Westside Albuquerque
Rio Rancho retains March elections and Voter ID after ordinance fails
By Kevin Hendricks March municipal elections and voter identification requirements will remain in place in Rio Rancho after the Governing Body voted against eliminating them and opting into statewide elections at its May 8 meeting. Ordinance 13 failed in a 3-3 tie vote following public opposition. The power of the people was on full display […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Westside Albuquerque
Motor vehicle thefts fall 27% in Rio Rancho in 2024
By Jesse Jones In Rio Rancho, car thefts and break-ins have dropped, likely due to police crackdowns. The City of Vision has seen an 11.4% decrease in property crime as a whole over the past two years. Motor vehicle thefts fell 27.5% and thefts from vehicles dropped 56.5%, according to the Rio Rancho Police Department’s […]
Posted inNew Mexico Legislature #nmleg, New Mexico Statewide News, Westside Albuquerque
Rep. Cullen champions crime reform and education bills
By Jesse Jones Fresh off her first 60-day session, Rio Rancho Republican Rep. Catherine Cullen is highlighting legislative wins focused on empowering communities, cracking down on crime and improving New Mexico schools. Cullen, a former Rio Rancho Public Schools board member and associate real estate broker, sponsored or co-sponsored 25 bills during the session, with […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Westside Albuquerque
Falling Crime, Rising Population
By Jesse Jones Crime in Rio Rancho has dropped by just over 16% over the past two years, even as one of the state’s fastest-growing municipal populations continues to grow. According to the Rio Rancho Police Department’s 2024 Annual Report, the number of reported offenses fell from 8,681 in 2022 to 7,283 in 2024, marking […]
Posted inWestside Albuquerque
Rio Rancho again ranks high on Livability.com’s Top 100 places to live list
By Kevin Hendricks For the third consecutive year, Livability.com has recognized Rio Rancho as one of the top 100 places to live in America. This year, Rio Rancho climbed to the 31st spot with a LivScore of 716, a jump from its 81st ranking and LivScore of 714 in 2024. The LivScore, curated by Livability […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Westside Albuquerque
New Mexico State Police Officer arrested for DWI, crash and leaving scene
By Kevin Hendricks A New Mexico State Police officer was arrested in Rio Rancho on May 2 and placed on administrative leave following allegations of driving while intoxicated, causing a crash and leaving the scene. Hugo Diaz-Amaya was arrested and placed on leave after the incident, which occurred around 3 p.m. near NM 528 and […]
Posted inHousing & Homelessness, Westside Albuquerque
Decades later, Meadowlark Lane finally under construction in Corrales
By Jesse Jones Construction crews began work this week in Corrales on stretches of Meadowlark Lane west of Loma Larga Lane, finally breaking ground on the long-anticipated overhaul nearly two decades in the making. The full rebuild of Meadowlark is a major milestone for Corrales and is also impacting Rio Rancho, as the closure is […]
Posted inHousing & Homelessness, Westside Albuquerque
‘Star Wars Fest 2025: Rise of a Thousand Vaders’ descends upon Rio Rancho
Staff report Star Wars fans of all ages gathered at Rio Rancho’s Loma Colorado Main Library for “Star Wars Fest 2025: Rise of a Thousand Vaders,” which offered a dive into the Star Wars universe. The free event on April 26 allowed attendees to meet characters from the 501st and Rebel Legions, test their skills […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Westside Albuquerque
Teachers union president warns of dangers of federal education cuts at technical school opening
By Kevin Hendricks Over 200 students, friends, families, educators, legislators and community leaders gathered Wednesday outside of RioTECH, a new high school focused on skilled trades, to celebrate the opening of the Rio Rancho school that has been years in the making. Among those celebrating the opening was Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation […]