Posted inSandoval County

County Fire Departments Gear Up for Wildfire Season

Sandoval County Fire and Rescue completed training exercises in April to prepare for the busy wildfire season. These include the annual wildland training, which is required for all firefighters throughout Sandoval County and the surrounding areas, and the special Rope Rescue Technician training taught by the Rio Grande Basin Heavy Technical Rescue team. The team […]

Posted inBernalillo County, Courts, Justice & Safety, Local Gov.

Former corrections officer shot himself outside MDC on Tuesday

The man who shot himself outside of the Metropolitan Detention Center on Tuesday was a former corrections officer, according to a county spokesperson.  He was taken to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where he later died.  Candace Hopkins, a spokesperson for the county jail, said the man worked for MDC “for several different stints […]

City hunts for Westside shelter operator

The city is searching for someone to take on a complex assignment: staff and operate the Westside Emergency Housing Center (WEHC) for hundreds of people experiencing homelessness.  The facility is located about 20 miles west of Downtown near the Double Eagle II Airport. Its remote location is typically accessed through shuttle services departing from pickup […]

Posted inAlbuquerque, Courts, Justice & Safety, Housing & Homelessness

Suspect arrested in deadly fight outside homeless services provider

Albuquerque police have arrested a man suspected of severely beating another man during a fight in front of a homeless services provider Downtown in late February.  The victim, Mark Lavine, died a couple weeks later. Jose Gracia, 54, was arrested Wednesday. He is charged with an open count of murder. Both he and Lavine were […]

Posted inAlbuquerque

Studies find Albuquerque largest contributor in NM to ‘forever’ chemicals in Rio Grande

Two statewide studies released findings that PFAS — which stands for poly-fluoroalkyl substances — chemicals have been detected in groundwater and surface water resources across New Mexico. The study, conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) found urban areas — like Albuquerque — are the most significant contributor. […]

Posted inBernalillo County, Courts, Justice & Safety, Local Gov.

Man shoots, injures himself outside county jail

A man shot and injured himself outside the Metropolitan Detention Center Tuesday afternoon, according to a county spokesperson. He has been taken to the University of New Mexico Hospital. “No one else was injured or involved in the incident,” spokesperson Candace Hopkins wrote in a news release. “The Sheriff’s Office has secured the grounds and […]