Non-Local News Releases

DEMING, N.M. – A $2.6 million pavement preservation and roadway safety project along NM 26 (Hatch Highway) from US 180 near Deming to Hatch is set to begin.

Motorists should expect daytime lane closures and a pilot car operation in both directions on NM 26 from mile marker 0 at US 180 working towards mile marker 46 in Hatch as crews complete crack sealing, fog sealing and installation of centerline rumble strips.

As part of NMDOT's Target Zero initiative, centerline rumble strips are being installed to help reduce head-on and crossover crashes by alerting inattentive drivers who drift across the centerline.

Unauthorized drilling found within Mimbres, Hachita, and Lower Rio Grande Basins 

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Office of the State Engineer (OSE) has issued formal Notices of Violation against two drilling companies operating near the U.S.-Mexico border on behalf of a contractor constructing the border wall, citing repeated unauthorized well drilling in protected underground water basins without state permits.

OSE staff documented Wyatt Drilling Arizona, LLC and Cascade Drilling, LP drilling wells at multiple sites within the Mimbres, Hachita, and Lower Rio Grande Underground Water Basins without the required State Engineer authorization. This includes some locations inside the Roosevelt Reservation along the border, where OSE staff reported encountering limited cooperation while attempting to inspect the site.

Sunday, July 26

Welfare check – Ellis Road – Arenas Valley – After investigation, the person who called in the offense was transported to GRMC and Adult Protective Services were contacted.

Domestic disturbance – Leslie Road – Silver City (Lintero Apartments)
Medical – Quartz Drive – Silver City
Dog bite – Cottonwood Road – Silver City
Harassment – Cortez Avenue – Hurley
Accident with injuries – Highway 78 – MM 9
Breaking and entering – Main Street – Bayard
Threat – Aztec Avenue – Hurley
Welfare check – S. Robert Street – Silver City (El Refugio)

Domestic disturbance – Lea Drive – Hurley – Both parties separated and no charges were filed.

Weapons fired – Mountain View Road – Silver City

Monday, July 27

Domestic violence – N. Hudson Street – Silver City (Visitor Center)
Welfare check – North Street – Bayard
Dog bite – Prescott Street – Santa Clara
Suicide threat – Truck Bypass – Silver City
Battery – Cuprite Street – Tyrone – Battery charges were filed on Jason Lombard.
Welfare check – D Street – Hurley
Firework complaint – Bill Evans Lake
Agency assist – Truck Bypass – Silver City
Hit and run accident – Bornite Street – Tyrone – incident still under investigation.
Fire – Mangas Valley Road – Silver City

Tuesday, July 28

Accident with injuries – Highway 15 – Silver City – MM 3
Unwanted subject – Rainier Street – Silver City
Suspicious vehicle – Prescott Street – Santa Clara (Central Apartments)
Harassment – Ridge Road – Silver City (James Hamilton Construction)
Fraud/embezzlement – E. Highway 180 – Silver City (GCDC)
Stolen vehicle – Luna County

Intoxicated driver – Highway 90 and Ridge Road – Silver City – Angelina Sanchez was arrested on charges of aggravated DWI and open container and booked into the GCDC.

Traffic hazard – Highway 180 – Silver City

Wednesday, July 29

Fire, other – Bear Mountain Road and FS Road 862 – Silver City
Traffic hazard – PA Road – Silver City
Domestic disturbance – Pearl Street – Bayard
Special detail – Blackhawk Street – Bayard

Larceny – E. Street – San Lorenzo – Reported stolen from the San Lorenzo Church was a Sacred Heart Statue valued at $10,000, an angel statue valued at $500, and two small crosses valued at $20 each.

Suspicious activity – Cottonwood Road – Silver City
Welfare check – Jack Rabbit Drive – Arenas Valley
Animal – Rio de Arenas Road – Arenas Valley (Snappy)
Larceny – Little Walnut Road – Silver City
Animal – D Street – Hurley
Assault – Highway 180 – Arenas Valley
Suspicious activity – D Street – Hurley

Shooting – Diaz Avenue – Hurley – Deputies responded to a male who was shot. Deputies rendered aid until the arrival of EMS. Charges of child abuse, aggravated assault and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon were filed on Isaih Cordoba.

Welfare check – El Paseo Road – Mimbres

Attempted suicide – El Otro Lado Road – Mimbres – Deputies rendered aid until EMS arrived and the male was airlifted for further treatment.

Thursday, July 30

Welfare check – N. Hurley Road – Hurley

Aggravated battery – Covellite Drive – Tyrone – the investigation continues and charges are pending.

Agency assist – Ridge Road – Silver City (GCDC)
Harassment – Oak Way – Santa Clara
Animal – Yucca Valley Drive – Arenas Valley

Domestic disturbance – N. Hurley Road – Hurley – The female was taken to GRMC for further evaluation.

Suspicious activity – Hill Street – Hurley
Suicide threat – Spear Drive – Silver City
Animal – Kneeling Nun Road – Hanover
Custodial interference – N. Hurley Road – Hurley
Welfare check – Elguea Avenue – Hurley
Welfare check –Carasco Avenue – Hurley (Dollar General)
Suspicious activity – Ridge Road – Silver City
Noise complaint – Arenas Valley Road –Arenas Valley – 11:05 p.m.

Friday, July 31

Suspicious activity – Womans' Club
Suspicious person – Highway 180 – MM 119 (1 mile east of Uncle Woody's Flea Market)
Missing persons – Highway 180 – Santa Clara
Agency assist – Lea Drive – Hurley
Serving papers/warrant – N. Swan Street – Silver City
Welfare check – Dragonfly Trailhead
Harassment – Prescott Street – Santa Clara (XCPD)
Narcotic violation – Little Walnut Road – Silver City
Game and Fish – Alabama Street – Silver City
Injuring/tampering with motor vehicle – Rosedale Road – Silver City (Walgreen's)
Welfare check – Fierro Road – Hanover

Shooting – Pinon Street – Santa Clara – Reported was a male who drove into caller's driveway and fired off one round into the ground before driving away. Deputies ATL for the vehicle but had negative contact.

Weapons fired – Highway 464 – Redrock
Medical – Peterson Drive – Silver City
Warrant check – Little Walnut Road – Silver City
Fire – Bear Mountain Ranch Road – Silver City (Bear Mountain Lodge)

Saturday, Aug. 1

Harassment – Highway 180 – M 118 (Uncle Woody's Flea Market)
Suicide threat – Chalcocite Court – Tyrone
Domestic violence – S. Theodore Road – Silver City
Suspicious activity – Fort Bayard Road – Santa Clara
Disturbance – Little Walnut Road – Silver City
Animal – N. Hurley Road – Hurley

Hit and run accident – N. Hurley Road – Hurley – no contact was made with the vehicle or driver who left the scene of the accident.

Suspicious activity – Prescott Street – Santa Clara
Suspicious activity – Highway 180
Intoxicated driver – Highway 152
Animal – Mahogany Drive – Silver City
Traffic hazard – Iron Bridge Road – Cliff

Domestic disturbance – Highway 61 – San Lorenzo – Caleb Gary was arrested on an APO hold and on charges of breaking and entering and criminal damage to property of a household member. He was later booked into the GCDC.

Suspicious vehicle-- A Street – Hurley
Animal – Romero Avenue – Hurley
Suspicious activity – Himalaya Way – Silver City
Disturbance – Highway 35 – Mimbres
Threat – Burnham Street – Arenas Valley
Welfare check – Box Canyon – Cliff

SANTA FE, N.M. – New Mexico State Parks is advising visitors of multiple boat ramp closures across the state due to historically low water levels and ongoing water management operations.

The main boat ramp at Elephant Butte is now closed as the reservoir sits at approximately 1.4% capacity. Receding and evaporating water has created new hazards and made traditional boat launching unsafe. The park remains open for boating, camping, shoreline recreation, paddling, and hiking, but boaters should expect significant changes in lake conditions.

Other Statewide Impact

Low reservoir levels and scheduled water releases are also affecting boating access at several additional parks:

Heron Lake State Park: Boat ramps closed due to extremely low water.

Santa Fe, NM — NM Senate Republican Leader Bill Sharer today sent a letter to Lee Zeldin, the Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to request that this federal agency take steps to prevent fuel prices across New Mexico from rising as a result of the planned implementation of the state's recently-enacted clean fuels initiative.

"Without the EPA's intervention, New Mexico families will soon see their gasoline costs rise by as much as $0.20 per gallon," observed Senator Sharer. "As we all suspected, it appears that progressives in our state are far more committed to their extreme climate objectives than to truly protecting 'affordability' for taxpayers across New Mexico."

As posted at this link: https://errorsofenchantment.com/new-mexico-democrats-to-shift-presidential-primary-who-pays-the-15-million-cost/

According to widespread news reports New Mexico's Democratic Party is expected to move forward from June to February. The idea is to make New Mexico's primary votes more relevant in the early stages of their party's primary elections.

Most New Mexicans are likely okay with this move, but there is ONE major problem: who pays? That's because it means the Party's presidential primary and its other primaries would have to be split up thus creating TWO primaries (one in February and one in June). According to the Legislative Finance Committee New Mexico currently spends $15 million for its primary elections. Because the cost is in manning the polls and setting up the machines etc. a second Democrat primary would likely cost New Mexico taxpayers AN ADDITIONAL $15 million each time it is held (the plan is to do this in 2028, but future dates remain open to debate).

It is hard to justify New Mexico taxpayers of any party having to pay the costs of one party's attempt at national relevance, but Democrats are in control of New Mexico and, so far, we haven't heard who will be paying for this additional statewide election. Before the ink is signed on this deal New Mexicans should be told whether they or the Democratic Party are paying for this change.

New Fire Starts and Updates on Wildfires

Magdalena, Mountainair and Mount Taylor Ranger Districts

 Albuquerque, NM – August 1, 2026 — Fire resources are actively responding to suppress multiple fires that may have resulted from recent thunderstorms throughout central New Mexico.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Members of the public should avoid the fire areas. 

Drones pose a serious risk to firefighting and can cause air operations to cease. The public is reminded that "If you fly, we can't!" 

DEMING, NM – State Representative Jenifer Jones (R- Deming) announced that new groundwater well drilling connected to border wall construction in Southern New Mexico has been halted following her work with local ranchers, federal officials, and the Trump Administration.

After ranchers raised concerns about the impact on the region's limited water supply, Jones organized a meeting with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, contractors, and community stakeholders. CBP then directed its contractor to stop drilling new wells and seek alternative water sources.

"When Southern New Mexico ranchers raised the alarm, we acted," Jones said. "We brought everyone to the table, worked with the administration, and secured a solution that protects our water while allowing border security work to continue."