New Mexico
Contract awarded for New Mexico State Fairgrounds redevelopment master plan
SANTA FE, N.M. — The New Mexico state government awarded a contract to a company to produce a master plan of the redevelopment of the state fairgrounds.
Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. will develop a plan to transform the grounds “into a stronger economic, cultural and entertainment driver for New Mexico.”
In December, city and state leaders, including Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, announced their plans to redevelop the 236 acres of land in the center of Albuquerque. They believe there is “substantial potential” to use the state fairgrounds more throughout the year.
Developers submitted their ideas for bids. Now, Stantec will produce a plan that “maximizes the operation and utilization of facilities.” The plan will focus on the needs and growth of the area over the “next 10 to 20 years.”
While the move spurred excitement, it raised questions about the Albuquerque Downs Racetrack and Casino and the New Mexico State Fair.
“The New Mexico State Fair has long been an annual “must attend event” for our families across the state,. This project will ensure the Fair and its facilities continue to serve as a vital economic and cultural asset for generations to come,” said Anna Silva, the acting cabinet secretary of the General Services Department. “Through this master planning process, we will identify innovative and forward-thinking ideas which will help us reimagine the future of this great state event.”
It’s unclear yet what the timeline is beyond the contract being awarded for the New Mexico State Fairgrounds redevelopment master plan.
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New Mexico
Actor Timothy Busfield turns himself in following child sex abuse allegations in New Mexico
Timothy Busfield turned himself into police on Tuesday after authorities in New Mexico issued an arrest warrant for the director and Emmy Award-winning actor accused of child sex abuse.
A spokesperson for the Albuquerque Police Department confirmed to CBS News that Busfield had surrendered. He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center in Bernalillo County on a child sex abuse charge. The arrest warrant, which was signed by a judge, said the charge was for two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor.
An investigator with the Albuquerque Police Department on Friday filed a criminal complaint which alleged a child reported that Busfield touched him inappropriately. The acts allegedly occurred on the set of “The Cleaning Lady,” a TV series that Busfield directed and acted in.
In a video provided to TMZ, Busfield said the allegations “are all lies.”
“I did not do anything to those little boys,” the 68-year-old actor said in the video appearing to show him in Albuquerque. He said he arrived in the city after driving 2,000 miles. Busfield’s attorney did not immediately return a message seeking comment Tuesday.
The criminal complaint filed by an investigator with Albuquerque police says the boy reported that he was 7 years old when Busfield touched him three or four times on private areas over his clothing. Busfield allegedly touched him five or six times on another occasion when he was 8, the complaint said.
The child was reportedly afraid to tell anyone because Busfield was the director and he feared he would get mad at him, the complaint said.
The boy’s twin brother told authorities he was touched by Busfield but did not specify where. He said he didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to get in trouble.
When interviewed by authorities, Busfield suggested that the boys’ mother was seeking revenge for her children being replaced on the series. He also said he likely would have picked up and tickled the boys, saying the set was a playful environment.
The mother of the twins — who are identified only by their initials in court records — reported to Child Protective Services that the abuse occurred between November 2022 and spring 2024, the complaint said.
“The Cleaning Lady” aired for four seasons on Fox, ending in 2025. It was produced by Warner Bros., which according to the complaint conducted its own investigation into the abuse allegations but was unable to corroborate them.
Busfield is known for appearances in “The West Wing,” “Field of Dreams” and “Thirtysomething,” the latter of which won him an Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series in 1991. He is married to actor Melissa Gilbert, who deactivated her Instagram account amid the allegations.
Gilbert indicated through a publicist that she won’t speak publicly at the request of attorneys for Busfield while the legal process unfolds.
“Her focus is on supporting and caring for their very large family,” publicist Ame Van Iden said in a statement. “Melissa stands with and supports her husband and will address the public at an appropriate time.”
The investigation began in November 2024, when the investigator responded to a call from a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. The boys’ parents had gone there at the recommendation of a law firm, the complaint said.
According to the complaint, one of the boys has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. A social worker documented him saying he has had nightmares about Busfield touching him.
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