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7,000 residents of Ruidoso, New Mexico ordered to evacuate due to wildfire: ‘GO NOW’

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7,000 residents of Ruidoso, New Mexico ordered to evacuate due to wildfire: ‘GO NOW’


Several areas of southern New Mexico have been ordered to evacuate after a fast-moving wildfire spread across the state on Monday.

Authorities for the village of Ruidoso issued a mandatory “GO” evacuation order due to the South Fork Fire, telling residents to evacuate immediately without attempting to collect their belongings or protect their homes.

Other areas under evacuation orders span Mescalero, Otero and Lincoln counties including Rudioso Downs, Upper Canyon, Brady Canyon, Ponderosa Heights, Alpine Village, Cedar Creek, Lower Eagle Creek, Alto Lakes, Sonterra 1, 2 and 3, West Gavilan, Sun Valley, Sierra Vista, Villa Madonna and Ski Run Road.

Authorities are urging residents to evacuate using Highway 70, in the direction of Roswell.

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The fire started on Monday around 9am on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, where officials have declared a state of emergency in response to the blaze.

The South Fork Fire burns on the Mescalero Apache Reservation. It later engulfed the Lincoln National Forest causing mandatory evacuations in Ruidoso, New Mexico on 17 June 2024. Thousands of residents have been evacuated
The South Fork Fire burns on the Mescalero Apache Reservation. It later engulfed the Lincoln National Forest causing mandatory evacuations in Ruidoso, New Mexico on 17 June 2024. Thousands of residents have been evacuated (REUTERS)

The area is home to over 7,000 residents. An estimated 500 structures have been impacted so far. The Public Service Company of New Mexico shut off electricity to part of Ruidoso due to the fire. The decision affected 778 customers, the provider said in a Facebook post.

“Public safety is a top priority and we do not take this decision lightly but are doing all we can to work in lockstep with our first responders who are helping the communities who are impacted,” the utility provider wrote.

The South Fork Fire had burned over 13,000 acres on Monday, and another blaze, dubbed the Salt Fire, has destroyed 4,000 acres. Both fires are currently at 0 per cent containment. A team specialized in handling multiple fires will be taking over command of the firefighting on Tuesday afternoon, according to the municipal website of the village of Ruidoso.

Weather conditions on Tuesday are expected to be similar to Monday with 15-20mph winds, and low humidity with officials planning “massive” air attacks. Officials have described the conditions as “near critical fire weather”. Authorities have set up several emergency shelters and animal shelters in response to the blaze.

The Red Cross has reported 270 individuals checked in to shelters in Roswell, and 120 in Capitan, according to New Mexico fire agencies. Further evacuation numbers will be released once an approximate count has been generated.

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The Village of Ruidoso is closed for mandatory evacuation. Roads are now closed into town. Persons are requested to stay away from the area.

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said that her office is working closely with state, tribal and federal officials and is deploying as many resources as they can.

“I strongly urge residents or Ruidoso and the surrounding areas to remain calm and heed official instructions to help minimize risk,” she said.

“I want to thank all first responders and others who are battling these fires, managing the evacuation and providing crucial emergency services including the town of Roswell which rapidly stood up shelter for evacuees. New Mexicans always pull together in times of need, and this time is no different.”



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Alec Baldwin sues New Mexico prosecutors, investigators for civil rights violations

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Alec Baldwin sues New Mexico prosecutors, investigators for civil rights violations


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Alec Baldwin, whose involuntary manslaughter case was dismissed last summer over suppressed evidence, is taking the fatal 2021 “Rust” set shooting back to the court room.

The actor on Thursday filed a civil lawsuit in Santa Fe County District Court alleging prosecutors violated his civil rights and defamed him. The defendants named in the filing included special prosecutor Kari Morrissey, personnel within the district attorney’s office for New Mexico’s First Judicial District and members of the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.

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The complaint detailed Baldwin’s claims that prosecutors and investigators “conspired to procure a groundless indictment against Baldwin” by not following the proper criminal process and also intentionally kept exculpatory evidence from the defense.

In a statement to USA TODAY, Morrissey said, “In October 2023 the prosecution team became aware that Mr. Baldwin intended to file a retaliatory civil lawsuit. We look forward to our day in court.”

USA TODAY has reached out to lawyers for Baldwin as well as the DA’s office for comment. The sheriff’s office declined to comment.

Last summer, Baldwin’s lawyer Alex Spiro forewarned the sheriff’s office and prosecutor in letters sent to the parties on July 12 to preserve evidence for “potential for future litigation,” according to copies obtained at the time by USA TODAY.

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The actor and producer’s attorney advised Morrissey and Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza to preserve all “devices, hard drives, emails, text messages, and other electronic communications” in addition to “documents, records, electronically stored information (‘ESI’), and other materials and data existing in any form whatsoever, that are actually or potentially relevant or relate in any way to the investigation(s) and/or prosecution(s) conducted by the State in connection with the death of Halyna Hutchins.”

The filing comes nearly six months after First Judicial District Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer abruptly dismissed the criminal case against Baldwin on the grounds that prosecutors and law enforcement withheld evidence that might be favorable to the actor’s defense. In October, she upheld her dismissal; though prosecutors appealed the judge’s decision in November, they withdrew the notice of appeal the following month.

Baldwin’s criminal charge stemmed from an Oct. 21, 2021, incident in which Baldwin’s prop gun, which he said he’d been told did not contain live ammunition, discharged during a rehearsal for the movie, killing 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

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‘No verdict’ can ‘undo the trauma’ of criminal case against Alec Baldwin, lawsuit says

Baldwin’s legal complaint accused New Mexico investigators and prosecutors of being ” blinded by their desire to convict Alec Baldwin for all the wrong reasons, and at any cost, for the October 2021 accidental shooting of Halyna Hutchins.”

“Defendants sought at every turn to scapegoat Baldwin for the acts and omissions of others, regardless of the evidence or the law,” the filing continued.

Baldwin seeks a jury trial and an award of financial compensation for his “injuries suffered” as well as punitive damages against the defendants.

“Defendants must now be held accountable for their malicious and unlawful pursuit of Baldwin,” the lawsuit states. “Although no verdict in this civil case can undo the trauma the State’s threat of conviction and incarceration has inflicted, Alec Baldwin has filed this action to hold Defendants responsible for their appalling violations of the laws that governed their work.”

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Why was Alec Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter case dismissed?

The conclusion of Baldwin’s case with the state of New Mexico arrived more than two years after the on-set tragedy. Sommer dismissed the charge with prejudice, meaning prosecutors cannot refile the same claim.

Baldwin’s lawyers alleged in their filing that Santa Fe sheriffs and state prosecutors “concealed” evidence that could be linked to the source of the bullet that killed Hutchins. Prosecutors and sheriffs argued the evidence had no relevance or value to Baldwin’s case.

The judge reprimanded Morrissey and her team as “they have continued to fail to disclose critical evidence to the defendant.”

“The state’s willful withholding of this information was intentional and deliberate,” Sommer said. “If this conduct does not rise to the level of bad faith, it certainly comes so near to bad faith as to show signs of scorching.”

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Testimony revealed withheld evidence in ‘Rust’ case

On July 12, Baldwin’s lawyers said the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office was in possession of live rounds they argued might be connected to the one that killed Hutchins but failed to list them as evidence in the “Rust” investigation file or disclose their existence to defense lawyers.

On July 11, testimony revealed Troy Teske, a friend of “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed’s stepfather, had delivered Colt .45 live rounds to the sheriff’s office on March 6. Baldwin’s team claimed this was evidence that could have established a connection to Seth Kenney, the prop supplier for “Rust.”

Baldwin’s attorneys alleged the rounds were evidence that the bullet that killed Hutchins came from Kenney. Kenney has denied supplying live ammunition to the production and has not been charged in the case.

Baldwin’s team has blamed Gutierrez-Reed, who is serving 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter, and first assistant director Dave Halls for negligence that led to Hutchins’ death. Meanwhile, prosecutors argued Baldwin handled the gun irresponsibly, exhibited “bullyish behavior on set” and changed his story to cast blame on others.

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Contributing: Andrew Hay, Reuters



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New Mexico Supreme Court Strikes Down Local Abortion Restrictions

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New Mexico Supreme Court Strikes Down Local Abortion Restrictions


By Jasper Ward (Reuters) – The New Mexico Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against several local ordinances in the state that aim to restrict distribution of the abortion pill. In a unanimous opinion, the court said the ordinances invade the legislature’s authority to regulate reproductive care. “Our …



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Snowy and slick Thursday expected in New Mexico

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Snowy and slick Thursday expected in New Mexico


We’re expecting widespread light snow Thursday in New Mexico. See the latest forecast at KOB.com/Weather.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The snow was falling and the roads were slick to start Thursday in parts of New Mexico and it’s likely that will continue throughout the day.

We’ll see on and off scattered snow showers, especially in parts of southern New Mexico. That will become more widespread with blowing snow possible.

A winter weather advisory is still in effect until Friday morning for 1-3 inches of snow expected and 5-6 inches of snow in higher-elevation areas. It encompasses most of southern New Mexico and stretches just above Interstate 40 near Tucumcari, heading toward the Texas state line.

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High temperatures will be at least 10° below average for pretty much everyone.

Meteorologist Kira Miner shares all the details in her full forecast in the video above.

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