SANDOVAL COUNTY, N.M. – The Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office is getting more than a million dollars to chip away at a backlog of felony warrants.

“According to dispatch it is just under 500, 470 or so, and those are warrants that we are trying to target at this point,” said Sandoval County Undersheriff Joe Gonzales.  

Gonzales says this is their second round of money this year. They got together with Bernalillo County, Rio Rancho police, and Corrales police to put together a taskforce to make the process easier. 

“So some of these people are reoffenders and if they do not appear in court they never face the consequences of their crime. When we do these, that is what we are trying to get at, reoffenders and the most violent of the warrants that we have at this point,” said Gonzales. 

The grant will give the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office the money they need to pay deputies overtime, allowing them to knock on doors and clear warrants.

“As you know, Albuquerque had a huge problem with gun violence. Rio Rancho and Sandoval County, we don’t have that big of a problem, but what we do have is property crimes,” Gonzales said.  

Gonzales says as the population grows, it’s even more important to make sure everyone is safe. That means getting this backlog under control.

“These people have been charged with a crime they either failed to appear in court, or they appeared and absconded. At this point, those are the people that we want to bring back to the court and have their cases adjudicated,” said Gonzales. 

Playoff season continues in New Mexico high school football.

The postseason dwindles down this week as classes 2A-7A start the semifinals on Friday, Nov. 22, along with the 8-man championship game on Saturday, Nov. 23.

>>New Mexico high school football playoff brackets

Stick with High School on SI for all of the matchups, game times and scores throughout the 2024 New Mexico (NMAA) high school football playoffs.

New Mexico high school football playoffs 2024 brackets

Here are the New Mexico high school football playoff brackets, with matchups and game times from all classifications in the semifinals, and one championship game:

Semifinal matchups

(1) La Cueva vs. (5) Las Cruces

1 p.m. Saturday

(2) Centennial vs. (3) Cleveland

7 p.m. Friday

2024 New Mexico Class 6A bracket

Semifinal matchups

(1) Roswell vs. (4) Gadsden

1 p.m. Saturday

(6) Mayfield vs. (2) Artesia

1 p.m. Saturday

2024 New Mexico Class 5A bracket

Semifinal matchups

(4) Bernalillo vs. (1) Bloomfield

1 p.m. Saturday

(6) Espanola Valley vs. (2) St. Pius X

1 p.m. Saturday

2024 New Mexico Class 4A bracket

Semifinal matchups

(1) St. Michael’s vs. (5) New Mexico Military Institute

7 p.m. Friday

(2) Dexter vs. (3) Robertson

1 p.m. Saturday

2024 New Mexico Class 3A bracket

Semifinal matchups

(5) Eunice vs. (1) Texico

1 p.m. Saturday

(6) Loving vs. (2) Santa Rosa

7 p.m. Friday

2024 New Mexico Class 2A bracket

Championship game matchup

(1) Melrose vs. (4) Mesilla Valley Christian School

1 p.m. Saturday

2024 New Mexico Class 8-Man bracket

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RIO RANCHO, N.M. — The holiday season is rolling around and the Rio Rancho Police Department is hosting its annual food drive this weekend.

From 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 23, RRPD will be accepting nonperishable food donations and canned goods at these locations:

• Walmart at 901 Unser Blvd. SE
• Walmart at 1115 New Mexico Highway 528 SE
• Smith’s at 1000 Rio Rancho Dr. SE
• Sprouts at 3575 NM-528 NE
• Albertsons at 4300 Ridgecrest Dr. SE
• Albertsons at 7800 Enchanted Hills Dr. NE

All of the donations will be delivered to St. Felix Pantry and Storehouse West