Non-Local News Releases

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Wildlife is now accepting applications for its 2026-2027 Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) grant program through May 8.

These grants support projects that promote safe and responsible OHV recreation across the state. Projects include trail building, clearing debris, providing safety gear for minors and public awareness campaigns, as well as dedicated law enforcement patrols to better enforce the state's OHV act and keep paved roads safe.

See newsletter below

Update: Yesterday, a New Mexico Forestry Division Type-3 ad-hoc team assumed command of the Tusas Fire at approximately 6 p.m. Crews worked overnight on initial attack and structure protection. Fire activity was steady through the night but moderated slightly this morning.

Today, crews are working to establish containment lines along the flanks. State, local and federal fire crews and aviation resources are engaging with full suppression tactics. No structures have been impacted, but multiple structures are still threatened and evacuations are in place. 

SANTA FE –New Mexico State Parks officials urge boaters to check water temperatures before hitting the lakes this spring, after several near-miss incidents in recent weeks involving boaters who underestimated how cold the water remains. 

"People are eager to get back on the water, but the conditions haven't caught up to the season yet," said Scott Chalmers, New Mexico boating safety coordinator. 

Boating on cold water requires planning for the possibility of sudden immersion. Survival depends on the ability to stay afloat and stay warm. Even experienced swimmers can become incapacitated quickly. Cold water immersion can: 

April 22, 2026 

The New Mexico Forestry Division would like to update you on a wildfire that is requiring the attention of suppression resources in New Mexico.  

Tusas Fire 

Update: The Tusas Fire was discovered at approximately 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22 near NM 266, mile marker 2.5, west of Sapello in San Miguel County. The fire is burning in timber fuels, torching and making wind-driven runs from the southwest. Structures are threatened, and smoke is visible from N.M. 266 and the surrounding areas. State, local and federal fire crews are responding and utilizing full suppression tactics, including ordering of air resources. Currently, the fire is estimated at 50-75 acres and is zero percent contained. The cause of the fire is under investigation.  

WASHINGTON—The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced today that U.S. Army, Cpl. Richard A. Veal, 36, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, who was captured and died as a prisoner of war during World War II, was accounted for Sept. 29, 2025.

Veal's family recently received their full briefing on his identification, therefore, additional details on his identification can be shared.

Veal was a member of Battery C, 200th Coast Artillery Regiment, when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December 1941. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan Peninsula on April 9, 1942, and of Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942.

Thousands of U.S. and Filipino service members were captured and interned at POW camps. Veal was among those reported captured when U.S. forces in Bataan surrendered to the Japanese. They were subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March and then held at the Cabanatuan POW Camp #1. More than 2,500 POWs perished in this camp during the war.

According to prison camp and other historical records, Veal died on Dec. 27, 1942, and was buried along with other deceased prisoners in the local Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in Common Grave 837.

SANTA FE, NM — Representative Rebecca Dow issued the following statement after the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled to restore her to the June 2 Republican primary ballot:

"The Supreme Court made the right call, and I am grateful they upheld a fair and lawful process. This puts the decision back where it belongs, with the voters.

What happened here should concern every New Mexican. The political establishment tried to use a flawed system to decide who could be on the ballot. That is not how elections should work.

(Albuquerque, NM) – PNM has been recognized as one of Albuquerque Business First's 2026 Corporate Philanthropy Award honorees, celebrating companies that demonstrate exceptional commitment to strengthening New Mexico communities through charitable giving, volunteerism, and long-term community partnerships. 

"We have a long history of corporate giving, and it stems from our core values. It's at the heart of who we are," said Lisa Goodman, PNM Vice President of Investor and Community Relations. "PNM is more than powering homes and businesses, we are also powering our communities and supporting organizations working every day to make New Mexico stronger. This is how we are powering New Mexico, together. We're grateful for the opportunity to support this work and help create lasting, positive change."