State

New Mexico State Treasurer’s Office To Swear In Ricky Serna As Deputy State Treasurer Monday April 6

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Ricky Serna

STATE News:

The New Mexico State Treasurer’s Office will swear in Ricky Serna as Deputy State Treasurer at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, April 6, at the State Treasurer’s Office.

The oath of office will be administered by New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver and will be open to members of the public and press.

View the invitation here: Deputy Treasurer Serna’s Swear… | Partiful

Following the swearing-in, Serna will fulfill statutory requirements and be sworn in as Treasurer Montoya’s proxy to serve on the Renewable Energy Transition Authority (RETA), Educational Assistance Read More

FBI: Albuquerque Man Sentenced To Life Plus 60 Months For Violent Kidnapping-for-Ransom Scheme

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to life in prison plus 60 months after a federal jury convicted him on kidnapping charges stemming from a 2018 abduction, following nearly seven years on the run from law enforcement.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2018, just weeks after his release from prison for a felony firearm conviction stemming from a high-speed police chase, and while under court supervision and wearing a GPS ankle monitor, Jose Ramirez, 47, engineered a calculated and violent kidnapping-for-ransom Read More

FBI: Previously Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing Firearms And Ammunition

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FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — A Silver City man has pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing firearms and ammunition after previously being convicted of a felony.

According to court documents, on Dec. 10, 2024, officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Max Flores, 54, a previously convicted felon with an active arrest warrant who was on federal probation after serving 168 months in federal prison and located a firearm in the vehicle. On April 26, 2025, following an unrelated incident, officers executed a search warrant at Flores’ residence and recovered several firearms Read More

Commissioner Garcia Richard’s Statement On Plans In Greater Chaco Region

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Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard

STATE News:

SANTA FE — New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard released the following statement today in response to the Trump administration’s announcement of its plans to end federal protections in the 10-mile buffer zone surrounding Chaco Canyon National Historical Park. The administration is considering revoking Public Land Order No. 7923, which withdrew about 336,404 acres of federal land in the Greater Chaco region from new mineral leasing.

As one of her first acts in office, Commissioner Garcia Richard issued an Read More

High School Students Invited To Apply To FBI Teen Academy

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FBI News:

High school students interested in spending time with the FBI in Albuquerque or Las Cruces are encouraged to apply for the agency’s 2026 Teen Academy.

The Las Cruces Teen Academy will take place June 10–12, 2026.

The Albuquerque Teen Academy will take place from July 6–July 10, 2026.

Applications will be accepted through the end of business April 24, 2026. 

The FBI Teen Academy allows students who will be in high school during the 2026/2027 school year an opportunity to experience the inner workings of today’s FBI.

The FBI’s Teen Academy program in Albuquerque and Las Cruces allows high Read More

New Mexico Higher Education Summit Draws 300+ Attendees

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HED News:

LAS CRUCES — More than 300 educators and policy professionals from colleges and universities across New Mexico attended the third annual Higher Education Technical Summit, the only state-organized conference of its kind in the country.

Attendees engaged in forward-looking policy discussions on financial aid, national trends in state higher education funding and strategic campus capital investments. Presentations spanned academic policy, institutional planning and research, adult education and other emerging priorities shaping the future of higher education. 

“Now Read More

Santa Fe National Forest Enters Stage 1 Fire Restrictions 

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SFNF News:

SANTA FE — Due to elevated wildfire risk, the Santa Fe National Forest will implement Stage 1 Fire Restrictions (Order # 03-10-00-26-03) forest-wide beginning today, April 2, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2026.

The decision to implement fire restrictions is based on various factors, including the availability of firefighting resources, current drought conditions, weather forecast, the time of year, and fuel moisture levels. Implementing fire restrictions can help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public health and safety.

What is prohibited under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions? Read More

New Mexico Invests $1.9M To Expand Youth Outdoor Access

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Wumaniti Earth Native Sanctuary engages Indigenous and rural youth in traditional horseback riding, archery, mustang rescue and shelter building. Courtesy/EDD

EDD News:

SANTA FE — A $1.9 million investment through the state’s Outdoor Equity Fund will connect over 22,000 youth across 14 counties to 62 programs that promote wellness and expand outdoor access.

Applications for overall FY26 funding surged 141% over the previous year, with 228 organizations requesting $7.8 million in funding against $4 million available.

“This state investment in our youth is amplified by nearly $2 million Read More

Groundbreaking April 2 For Magistrate Court In Santa Fe

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Santa Fe Magistrate Courthouse design. Courtesy photo

NMSC News:

SANTA FE — A groundbreaking for a new Magistrate Courthouse in Santa Fe will occur at 2 p.m., Thursday, April 2, at 2551 Camino Entrada in the Valdez Industrial Park on the city’s south side.

The three-story, 48,000 square foot courthouse will have six courtrooms, public parking for 100 vehicles with additional parking for jurors and court personnel, and a secure area for temporarily holding and transporting detainees. 

The new courthouse will replace a leased building at 2056 Galisteo St. that has been used as the Santa Fe County Read More

Hilltopper Track & Field Teams Excel At Bernalillo And Chandler

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Elisabeth McNiff and Emmeline Keller-Moore finished 1st and 3rd in the 800 m at Bernalillo. Elisabeth’s time of 2:27.18 qualified her for the state championship in this event. Photo by Blake Wood

Arianna Galvez vaulted 9’6″ at Bernalillo to qualify for the state championship. She finished 2nd in this event. Photo by Blake Wood

By BLAKE WOOD
Assistant Coach
LAHS Track and Field

The LAHS Track & Field Varsity teams traveled to Chandler, Ariz., to compete in the competitive Brooks Chandler Rotary Invitational on Friday and Saturday, March 20-21, and were not disappointed Read More