New Mexico
Fencing, go-carts damaged in fire at St. Bernard Farms
Plans for a new go-kart attraction at the recreational business St. Bernard Farms went up in smoke Monday. A wind-driven grass fire burned an estimated 15 to 20 acres, destroying cedar fencing, lighting, signage and the go-carts.
Owner Rocky Bernard said the farm sustained about $50,000 in damages.
Good news, he said, was the flames never reached the farm fields, so they will be able to provide corn mazes and pumpkin patches this fall as usual.
However, he said Monday’s fire left him reminiscing of past incidents.
“I’m bummed, you know? It just reminded me of all the damage that happened at the light show,” Bernard said.
Bernard’s Glitter and Glow Light Show on U.S. 70 between Clovis and Portales sustained heavy damage in the spring of 2022. That grass fire damaged 1,000 acres of grassland, the former Blackwater Draw Museum, and outbuildings in the area as well as the grounds of the light show.
Bernard said Monday’s fire wasn’t as bad as the one in 2022.
Bernard said he received word about Monday’s fire from a local resident who had contacted the fire department as well. He said he didn’t know the individual personally, but appreciated how the community looked out for him.
Clovis Fire Department Battalion Chief John Bradley said the ignition source for the blaze is under investigation.
The fire was driven by winds gusting over 40 mph. Officials said 26 firefighters responded to the scene when the fire was reported at 1:24 p.m. Bradley said it took nearly two hours for 15 to 20 fire trucks to put out the flames.
Helping the Clovis Fire Department were departments from Texico, Broadview, Pleasant Hill, Grady and Ranchvale.
Bradley said the entire state of New Mexico this week is under a fire weather warning, meaning increased chances for grass fires.
“We’re under a high wind warning and a red flag warning for fire. … Your red flag warnings are going to be warm temperatures with very low humidity and strong winds,” Bradley said.
Bernard said it should only take a couple of days to clean up the debris and ash from Monday’s damage, but the go-kart plans have been scrapped.
Native Vote 2026
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A Laguna Pueblo woman is the front runner to be New Mexico’s next governor.
Shortly after polls closed Tuesday night, Deb Haaland was declared the winner over Bernalillo County district attorney Sam Bregman in the state’s semi-open Democratic Party primary. As of 11:00 p.m., Haaland carried support from 72% of the Democratic primary voters to Bregman’s 28%, according to unofficial results from the New Mexico Secretary of State.
“We’re showing everyone that a better future in New Mexico is possible,” she told supporters gathered in Albuquerque’s historic Old Town Plaza. “New Mexicans want a leader who will stand up for working people, and who is ready to take on Donald Trump. I proudly accept your nomination as a Democratic nominee.”
Haaland spoke for 13 minutes, at times through a scratchy throat that required her to pause for water breaks. “Excuse me, I’ve been talking with voters all day,” she said while grabbing a water bottle before hitting her campaign stump notes on affordability, health care and public safety.
She will face Republican Gregg Hull, a former mayor from suburban Rio Rancho that won his party’s three-way primary with 47% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the New Mexico Secretary of State.
Haaland will be the Democratic Party nominee in a state dominated at every level by Democrats, and is expected to be heavily favored in the general election. With that insight she said her campaign message does translate to Republicans and Independent voters.
“We want our kids to thrive. We want our kids to have a quality, public education. We want every New Mexican to have health care. Everybody wants to feel safe in their neighborhoods, and everybody wants to be able to afford to put a hot meal on their table every night and have a roof over their children’s heads,” she said. “Those issues transcend whatever political spectrum we’re trying to slice and dice people into.”
Shortly after the race was called, Haaland campaign staff, major donors, surrogates, and their families walked from a building on the west side of Albuquerque’s Old Town Plaza to the historic plaza core, where the Haaland campaign had set up a stage and reserved the entire plaza for its victory celebration.
“We are now witnessing history in the making,” New Mexico state Rep. Derrick Lente (Sandia Pueblo) said to supporters immediately after Haaland was declared the winner.
Denise Wilie (Dine) also joined the celebration of Haaland’s victory. Wilie said she worked on get-out-the-vote efforts with the Native American Voters Alliance in McKinley County.
“It just is so exhilarating to even think about, a woman and a Pueblo woman,” she said. “Indigenous all the way, is how I feel. I’m like, yes, let’s get more of our voices.”
Haaland was introduced by her two sisters and walked to the stage escorted by a mariachi band.
Speaking to reporters after the event Haaland reflected on voting for a Pueblo woman (herself) for governor.
“I got emotional, quite frankly, when I went to vote for myself because you do that when you’re a candidate,” she said. “We’ve never had a Native American governor in New Mexico. We’re a multicultural state. I think representation matters, especially in a political era such as this one. So, I’m really proud and honored to carry on the legacy of my ancestors, who worked so incredibly hard to make sure that I had a place here today.”
Related
When a famly unexpectedly loses a loved one, or has someone go missing, the details of what comes next can be overwhelming.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – When a famly unexpectedly loses a loved one, or has someone go missing, the details of what comes next can be overwhelming.
But they don’t have to do it alone thanks to an organization helping New Mexico families with some of those burdens.
Watch the video above for more.
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