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New Mexico

NM officials withdraw $1.2 million fine against El Paso Water

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NM officials withdraw .2 million fine against El Paso Water


A bridge spans the Rio Grande between Texas and New Mexico on September 9, 2021. More than 1.1 billion gallons of untreated sewage was pumped into the Rio Grande by El Paso Water after a series of main breaks in August 2021. (Photo Danielle Prokop / Source NM)

The fight between Texas and New Mexico over the sewage spill of more than 1 billion gallons into the Rio Grande near Sunland Park is over.

A federal district court judge in Texas approved a settlement last week with New Mexico environmental officials, dropping a $1.2 million fine against El Paso Water Utility.

The Aug. 6th ruling from Western District of Texas Judge David Briones officially dismissed the case, which resulted with both parties agreeing to pay for their own costs and attorney fees.

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The fine from New Mexico environment officials stemmed after a catastrophic break in two sewage mains in August 2021. El Paso Water said the utility’s only option was to divert an eventual 1 billion gallons of untreated sewage into the Rio Grande near Sunland Park, N.M. over five months.

The Rio Grande, which acts as both the international boundary between the U.S. and Mexico, also meanders across the Texas and New Mexico state lines in that reach.

Officials with the New Mexico Environment Department filed two enforcement actions, including the $1.2 million fine in June 2022, saying the spill posed threats to New Mexico’s health and environment. El Paso Water called the accusations “false and misleading” at the time, and pointed to environmental reviews the utility commissioned finding no wildlife harmed by the spill.

Now, New Mexico is dropping the case against El Paso Water altogether.

State environment agency attorneys determined there was no chance the case would succeed, said Drew Goretzka, a spokesperson for the agency.

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“The people of Sunland Park were heavily impacted by the over billion gallons of sewage released by El Paso Water,  that’s why we filed this case” Goretzka said. “However, after evaluating its legal merits, we’ve decided to withdraw it.”

There is no expectation that the New Mexico Environment Department will appeal.

Texas environmental officials fined the El Paso utility just over $2 million dollars for the spill, but allowed for it to go towards the estimated $7 million spent on cleanup, according to a September 2023 settlement with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

In a press release from El Paso Water, the utility will provide New Mexico environmental officials with information, documents and materials from the spill, in exchange for the dismissal for the fine.



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New Mexico

Santa Fe cracks down on illicit massage parlors as New Mexico legislation fails

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Santa Fe cracks down on illicit massage parlors as New Mexico legislation fails


Santa Fe police received a report in September about a man’s visit to a massage business on Rosina Street, where workers offered more than he had bargained for.

He gave officers a list of sexual acts he alleged he had been offered for a price at Korea Spa, police wrote in a report.

The man told police “he has nothing against prostitution but believes it shouldn’t be near a school,” officers wrote, noting the business sits across the street from Salazar Elementary School, just a block from the busy intersection of Cerrillos Road and St. Michael’s Drive.

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Good Luck Body Massage, at 360 E. Palace Ave., is one of several massage businesses the city has shut down amid concerns about suspected illicit activities.

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‘Whack-a-mole’ situation







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Yang Yang Massage/Pony Massage at 1225 S. St. Francis Drive, Unit E shut down after the Santa Fe City Council Finance Committee approved a cease-and-desist order.

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Reports to police rare

The failed state effort



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New Mexico

New Mexico Dominates Distance Events On Day One Of 2026 Credit Union 1 MW Indoor Track & Field Championships

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Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Championship Central | Live Results

RENO, Nev. – The 2026 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Championships opened competition Thursday with six events at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

New Mexico raced out to day one leads on both team leaderboards thanks to dominant efforts in Thursday’s distance events. Both Pamela Kosgei and Habtom Samuel won repeat 5,000-Meter gold and broke their respective Mountain West Championships records.

Kosgei’s time of 15:32.15 led a top-four sweep in the event as she was followed in order by Mercy Kirarei, Christina Nisoli, and Nicola Jansen. The performance paced the Lobo women to 41 points on the night, leading Fresno State (19 points) and GCU (18) early on.

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On the men’s side, Habtom Samuel captured the 5,000 Meters in 13:30.40, breaking his own meet record for the second year in a row, for a 14-second victory over Wyoming’s Jacob White. Lobo teammate Evans Kiplagat took third, pacing the New Mexico to 29 points for an early lead over Air Force (13 points) and Utah State (12).

New Mexico also swept both Distance Medley Relays. First up, the Lobo women cruised to gold in 11:02.09, 22 seconds better than runner-up Boise State. The New Mexico men’s DMR held off Utah State and Colorado State at the end, the Lobos’ winning time of 9:39.63 besting the Aggies by 0.69 of a second and the Rams by just over two seconds.

The meet’s first champion was crowned in the women’s pentathlon as Fresno State’s Ella Spaulding took gold, using a second-place effort in the 800 Meters to clinch. Nevada’s Johanna Haas took an early lead with a win in the 60-Meter Hurdles and a fourth place in High Jump, holding on at the end to take silver.

Wrapping up the medals for the night, conference newcomer GCU captured its first Mountain West podium finishes in Pole Vault as Eva Lowder (4.29 meters) and Tatum Moku (4.09 meters) went 1-2.

The men’s Heptathlon will wrap Friday with the 60-Meter Hurdles and Pole Vault. Through four events, Colorado State’s Mateo Munoz, with 3,199 points, holds a 49-point lead over Boise State’s Landon Helms.

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The preliminaries for the 200 meters also took place Thursday. Nevada’s Annalies Kalma paced the field with a time of 23.37 to qualify for Friday’s final, while on the men’s side Air Force’s Jett Rose ran a 20.82 to top the eight qualifiers.

Day Two’s competition gets underway at 10 a.m. MT with the men’s heptathlon 60-meter hurdles.

The Mountain West Network will provide live coverage of the 2026 MW Indoor Track & Field Championships. Fans can watch the indoor track & field championships on their phones or connected TVs via the Mountain West app.

Watch every moment of the MW Indoor Track & Field Championships LIVE on your own TV through Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV or Roku. Mobile applications are available through the iOS App Store and Google Play. Visit TheMW.com/app for more information.

For more information regarding the Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Championships, including live results, visit the championship central page or follow the Mountain West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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2026 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Champions – Day One

Women

Pentathlon: Ella Spaulding, Fresno State – 4,022 points

5,000-Meters: Pamela Kosgei, New Mexico – 15:32.15

Pole Vault: Eva Lowder, GCU – 4.29 Meters

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Distance Medley Relay: New Mexico – 11:02.09

Men

5,000 Meters: Habtom Samuel, New Mexico; 13:30.40

Distance Medley Relay: New Mexico; 9:39.63

2026 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Team Leaderboards – Day One

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Women

1. New Mexico – 41

2. Fresno State – 18

3. Grand Canyon – 17

4. Nevada – 16

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T5. Air Force – 1 4

T5. Boise State – 14

7. Utah State – 13.5

8. San Diego State – 11.5

9. Wyoming – 7

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10. Colorado State – 4

11. San José State – 0

12. UNLV – 0

Men

1. New Mexico – 29

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2. Air Force – 13

3. Utah State – 12

4. Wyoming – 12

5. Colorado State – 6

6. Boise State – 3

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7. San José State – 2

8. Grand Canyon – 1





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NMSP release details on capture of Fort Sumner shooting suspects

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NMSP release details on capture of Fort Sumner shooting suspects


DE BACA COUNTY, N.M. (KFDA) – New Mexico State Police have released new details on the capture of both Fort Sumner shooting suspects.

On Feb. 23, NMSP Investigations Bureau agents were requested to investigate an officer-involved shooting involving a NMSP Sergeant on US Highway 285, south of Vaughn in Guadalupe County, New Mexico.

Agents learned that the NMSP Sergeant conducted a traffic stop on a black Kia Sportage on US Highway 285, near mile marker 185, after learning the car was reportedly stolen.

Officials say during the stop, the female driver identified as 26-year-old Makaela Johnson, exited the car. As the Sergeant was placing Johnson in handcuffs, the male passenger, identified as 40-year-old Jovan Martinez, exited the stolen car with a rifle and fired at the Sergeant.

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Police say Johnson ran back to the stolen car while still handcuffed and entered the passenger seat as the Sergeant took cover behind his police unit and returned fire with his duty weapon.

Martinez and Johnson fled from the scene and officers lost sight of the car.

While responding to the incident, NMSP officers encountered a couple near mile marker 166, who reported that their car had just been stolen at gunpoint.

The couple stated that Martinez and Johnson were standing in the roadway and Martinez fired a least one shot at the ground, forcing the couple to stop.

According to officials, the couple was ordered out of their car, which was a grey Kia K5 passenger vehicle.

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Martinez and Johnson then took the second Kia and continued fleeing.

Officials say the original stolen Kia Sportage involved in the traffic stop was later located near the intersection of US Highway 285 and New Mexico State Highway 247.

The car left the roadway and drove through two barbed wire fences before coming to a rest in an open field.

According to police, the second stolen Kia K5 was found abandoned east of the intersection of River Road and Lone Wolf Road, south of Fort Sumner, New Mexico.

On Feb. 25, following a two-day manhunt, Martinez and Johnson were located hiding in a shed and taken into custody outside of Fort Sumner.

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They were booked without incident on the following charges:

jovan Martinez:

  • Attempt to commit a felony, to WIT: first degree murder(willful or deliberate)
  • Aggravated assault upon a Peace Officer (deadly weapon)
  • Receipt, transportation or possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon
  • Conspiracy to commit receiving or transferring stolen motor vehicles
  • Armed robbery
  • Harboring a felon
  • Aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer (no injury or great bodily harm)

Makaela Johnson:

  • Conspiracy to commit first degree murder (willful or deliberate)
  • Conspiracy to commit aggravated assault upon a Peace Officer (deadly weapon)
  • Conspiracy to commit armed robbery
  • Harboring a felon
  • Receiving or transferring stolen motor vehicles
  • Escape or attempt to escape from Peace Officer
  • Larceny ($250 or less)

Officials say no officers were injured during this incident.

This incident remains under investigation by the New Mexico State Investigations Bureau.

The identity of the NMSP Sergeant will not be released until interviews are completed. The Sergeant has been placed on standard administrative leave.

New Mexico State Police act solely as factfinders in their investigation and conduct an unbiased and impartial investigation. In officer involved shootings, NMSP thoroughly documents the scene, collects evidence, and interviews officers, subjects, and witnesses.

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The New Mexico State Police does not determine whether an officer’s actions were justified, this determination rests solely with the district attorney’s office.



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