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New Mexico

Eddy County Courthouse was built in 1914. County officials say its time to build a new one

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Eddy County Courthouse was built in 1914. County officials say its time to build a new one


Eddy County supported a request for $20 million in state funds by New Mexico Counties (NMC) to construct courthouses statewide.

Eddy County’s Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution Nov. 7 affirming NMC’s legislative priorities for the 30-day 2024 legislative session, which included the funding request, hoping some of the money would find its way to the County to replace an ageing and cramped Eddy County District Courthouse in Carlsbad.

Barry Massey, spokesperson for the New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts, said the judiciary sought money for courthouse projects during the 2023 legislative session, though Eddy County didn’t receive any of those funds.

“Of the $23 million provided by the Legislature (in 2023), $15 million was allocated for a new courthouse in Otero County. The remaining $8 million was provided for improvements and upgrades to courts in Mora, Colfax, Curry, San Juan, Valencia, Socorro, Santa Fe and Bernalillo counties.”

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Massey said counties needed to commit to fund at least 50% of the total cost of a project. Rising costs of construction, security and technology necessitate a shared revenue stream, according to NMC.

“State district courthouse construction can reach well over $50 million and the addition of a single judge can cost a county $2 to $3 million for renovation and increased operational support,” according to New Mexico Counties.

More: Funding for detention center on Eddy County priority list for 2024 legislative session

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A new courthouse is needed in Eddy County

Built in 1914, the Eddy County Courthouse has been remodeled numerous times over the decades, according to the County website.

Eddy County Sheriff Mark Cage, who is also the New Mexico Counties board president, said the organization worked for years to create a fund to assist counties in meeting the ask for matching funds.

“We are in dire need of a modern courthouse and an efficient county jail that does not reside in the middle of town. Our current district courthouse, as historical and beautiful as it may be, is literally falling apart,” Cage said.

More: Here are the projects funded by New Mexico lawmakers in your community via capital outlay

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A study conducted for Eddy County by inspection company Bureau Veritas in 2019, reported that the courthouse would reach the end of its usable life by 2029.

Replacing the courthouse could cost Eddy County $8.4 million, according to the study.

Upgrades to the courthouse were discussed during the tenure of former District 2 county commissioner Royce Pearson who served from 2013 through 2017.

“Time has come to figure out a new courthouse for Eddy County. As a taxpaying constituent that’s my opinion. You can only do so much fixing up,” he said.

Cage said building a new judicial facility south of Carlsbad near the Sheriff’s Office located at 1502 Corrales Drive and Eddy County Fire and Rescue at 1400 Commerce Drive is a possible solution.

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“In my opinion (the south location is) the answer to the problem and will allow us to work in a more efficient, safe manner for the citizens of Eddy County,” Cage said.

Cage pointed to the surplus revenue available to New Mexico, largely fueled by oil and gas operations in the Permian Basin, as a good sign that the courthouse project might find some funding to move forward.

Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on X, formerly known as Twitter.





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New Mexico

Grants cancels Christmas parade due to shootings

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Grants cancels Christmas parade due to shootings


GRANTS, N.M. – The City of Grants is canceling this year’s annual Christmas light parade, citing the safety of the public and their own officers.

Dozens of floats were supposed to roll down Santa Fe Avenue on Saturday night, but Grants police are holding off until next year after three incidents where someone shot at law enforcement officers.

“It was definitely a difficult decision, but due to the incident that took place on December 8, where law enforcement was shot at in the area of Santa Fe Avenue, we made that decision to protect the citizens of Grants,” says Grants Police Chief Maxine Monte.

She says a New Mexico State Police officer was shot at while making a traffic stop. The officer walked away uninjured, but this was too much for the chief.

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“We’ve had three different incidents where law enforcement was shot at. One was May of 2025, the other one was August of 2025, and then the recent event of December 8 of 2025,” says Monte.

It’s not a risk the chief wants to take, and points out people would be standing exactly where the last shooting happened.

“We have a lot of citizens that attend our parade, and our main concern was that they were out in the open in the middle of the night, and in the same area that our latest shooting took place.”

Grant residents will be able to see the floats during the day on Saturday. But even some daylight isn’t convincing some residents.

“I’ll be staying home,” said Amy Brigdon. “There’s too many people in the world that want to see bad things happen to other people. I’m not one of them.”

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Police still don’t have a suspect for this week’s attempted shooting. Anyone with information is asked to get in touch with the Grants Police Department.



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New Mexico

Colorado wolf rereleased in Grand County after crossing into New Mexico

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Colorado wolf rereleased in Grand County after crossing into New Mexico


Colorado Parks and Wildlife rereleased a wolf into Grand County this week after it had traveled into New Mexico, according to a news release.

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish captured gray wolf 2403 and returned the animal to Colorado.

Colorado wildlife officials decided to release the wolf in Grand County yesterday because of the proximity to “an unpaired female gray wolf,” nearby prey populations and distance from livestock, according to the release.

“Gray wolf 2403 has been returned to Colorado and released in a location where it can best contribute to CPW’s efforts to establish a self-sustaining wolf population while concurrently attempting to minimize potential wolf-related livestock conflicts,” said acting director of CPW Laura Clellan, according to the release.

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The wolf was once a member of the Copper Creek pack but departed from it this fall.

A memorandum of understanding between Colorado and Arizona, New Mexico and Utah requires that any gray wolves that leave Colorado and enter those states be returned. That was created in part to maintain the integrity of a Mexican wolf recovery program.



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New Mexico

New Mexico man sentenced to nearly 20 years for distributing meth

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New Mexico man sentenced to nearly 20 years for distributing meth


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A judge sentenced a New Mexico man to nearly 20 years in prison for distributing meth and having guns in his possession to use while doing so.

Court records indicate 43-year-old David Amaya sold meth from a trailer on his parents’ property in Anthony throughout July and August 2024. Agents executed a search warrant Aug. 22 and found 1.18 kilograms of meth, two firearms and ammunition in the trailer and a makeshift bathroom.

Amaya pleaded guilty to possession of meth with intent to distribute it. A judge sentenced him to 235 months in prison.

Once he is out, Amaya will face five years of supervised release.

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The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office and the Las Cruces Metro Narcotics Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Williams prosecuted it.



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