By Andrea Vasquez The 2025 edition of Origami in the Garden began on May 5 and runs through October 31 in Cerrillos. The outdoor sculpture exhibition will highlight Master Peace, a 25-foot monument made of 1,000 cast metal origami cranes, 500 of which have been sent across the world as individual sculptures, while the remaining […]
Category: Torrance County
Sewage flooding cells inside Torrance County ICE prison again, advocates say
by Austin Fisher, Source New MexicoMay 2, 2025 Advocates for people held in an immigration detention center in Estancia, N.M. say sewage is again backing up into their cells, and they do not have access to clean drinking water. The Town of Estancia, where the prison is located, posted on social media on Monday asking […]
Torrance County extends ICE contract despite abuse allegations
By Andrea Vasquez At its March 26 meeting, the Torrance County Commission unanimously passed a seven-month extension of its contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to house migrants at the Torrance County Detention Facility. The meeting featured many members of the public speaking about alleged abuse at the facility, which has been a […]
East Mountains communities set to receive capital outlay funding
By Hannah Grover About $7.4 million of state capital outlay funding could be coming to Torrance County, while other East Mountains communities also had projects included in the legislation. Capital outlay funding is awarded to local governments through legislation annually. The $7.4 million that Torrance County entities are set to receive is in addition to […]
Overnight Camp Corazón offers free support for grieving children
By Andrea Vasquez The Grief Center of New Mexico will host a free three-day, two-night camp for children who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Camp Corazón will include camp-like activities such as a challenge course, bonfire, songs, games and swimming for children ages 7 up to seniors in high school. The camp […]
11-year-old from Torrance County in custody for role in the murder of Corrales cyclist
By Kevin Hendricks Police arrested another minor who is accused of intentionally crashing a stolen car into and killing a 63-year-old Corrales man who was riding his bike last summer in Albuquerque. The Albuquerque Police Department announced Tuesday that an 11-year-old is in custody for his role in the murder of Scott Habermehl, a longtime […]
Play Ball: Little League Registration is Now Open
By Independent Staff Registration is open for the Estancia Valley Little League 2025 season. Athletes ages 4 to 12 can participate and sign up for this baseball year. Enrollment will run from Feb.28 through March 22. To register online, families can visit leagues.bluesombrero.com/estanciavalleylittleleague or scan the QR code provided in the official flyer. For questions […]
Estancia Mayor: Community May Never Recover if Prison Closes
By Andrea Vasquez A proposed bill, HB9, is currently facing opposition due to concerns about its negative impacts on local communities, especially the Town of Estancia and elsewhere in Torrance County. The Immigrant Safety Act aims to prevent state and local governments from participating in detention agreements with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). […]
Could Learning Torrance County History Stop Youth From Leaving the Area After Graduation?
By Hannah Grover Estancia Municipal and Mountainair Public school districts high school students may be required to learn Torrance County history in the future. SB 314 would provide the school districts with $250,000 to develop a curriculum for Torrance County history. The curriculum would encompass history from pre-Colonial times through the modern era. Javier Sánchez, […]
Estancia Goes to Washington to Seek Funding
By Andrea Vasquez The town of Estancia is planning another trip to Washington, D.C., for funding purposes. Mayor Nathan Dial confirmed that Estancia is considering a trip to the nation’s capitol to secure funding for one of the town’s new “big ticket item” project. The project will include a park, pond and pool, with a […]
