New Mexico
New Mexico capital outlay: Here’s what your county and city gets
Funding to update local public infrastructure and other projects throughout New Mexico came this year in the form of the annual Capital Outlay bill passed by the New Mexico House and Senate during the 2024 Legislative Session.
The $1.5 billion bill provided funds for local communities, advocated for by the lawmakers who represent them, to counties and cities throughout the state.
It passed both chambers unanimously and was sent to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham who can sign it into law as is or removed certain projects via “line-item vetoes.”
More: New Mexico Democrats criticized for inaction on fentanyl bills
Here’s are the key projects counties in southeast New Mexico got out of the bill.
Eddy County
Eddy County and its municipalities had $79 million in projects funded this year, compared to about $12 million last year.
$70 million – Improvements on U.S. Highway 180
$1.38 million – Sewer extension project on National Parks Highway
More: ‘Renewable’ geothermal energy boosted by bill passed by New Mexico House
$700,000 – Sheep’s Draw wellfield generators
$600,000 – Eddy County splashpad construction
$500,000 – Eddy County Healthcare Facility renovations
$600,000 – Malaga Domestic Water Consumers Sewage Works Association improvements
$200,000 – Eddy County Sheriff’s Office shooting range
$200,000 – Hope rest area improvements
More: ‘Clean fuels’ bill advances in New Mexico Senate, to make oil companies pay for pollution
Carlsbad
$1 million – Double Eagle waterline replacement
$600,000 – Southeast New Mexico College Vocational Technology Building construction
$500,000 – Carlsbad Riverwalk Recreational Center improvements
$250,000 – Equipment purchases at the National Cave and Karst Research Institute
More: 2024 Legislative session wrap up: Here’s how energy and environment bills fared
Artesia
$500,000 – HVAC construction at Artesia Jr. High School kitchen
$495,000 – Artesia generator purchase
$585,000 – upgrades and equipment at the Artesia Special Hospital District
$125,000 – Truck driving training academy
Loving
$750,000 – South 6th Street improvements
Hope
$300,000 – Pump house improvements
More: Tax credits, rape kits & highways: Find out what bills your Eddy Co. Senators are sponsoring
Otero County
Otero County and its municipalities received $13 million in projects, compared to about $14.2 million last year
$2.1 million – Purchases and construction for Mescalero Apache tribe facilities
Alamogordo
$1.5 million – New Mexico State University – Alamogordo fine arts theater renovations
$1.1 million – NMSU- Alamogordo facility demolition
$1 million – Museum of Space History improvements
$695,000 – Otero County golf facility improvements
More: Short term state revenue loss for Hobbs passes committee, bills for Carlsbad stalled
Cloudcroft
$750,000 – Water treatment facility improvements
$359,000 – Public restroom expansion
Tularosa
$350,000 – Community Ditch Association repairs
Lincoln County
Lincoln County and its municipalities got about $5.2 million this year, compared with $8.5 million last year.
$1.1 million – Enchanted Forest water system replacement
$450,000 – Ft. Stanton veterans conference center construction
$265,000 – Crime scene vehicle purchases
Ruidoso
$500,000 – Ruidoso forest and watershed improvements
$225,000 – Eastern New Mexico University trades education facility renovations
Capitan
$100,000 – Capital water facility solar system construction
Carrizozo
$750,000 – Lincoln County Detention Center water and sewer upgrade
$350,000 – Water system information technology purchases
Lea County
Lea County and its municipalities had $86.7 million in project funded this year, compared to about $12.7 million last year
$75 million – New Mexico Highway 128 improvements
$2 million – Construction on West County Road and New Mexico Highway 208
$400,000 – Lea County event center amphitheater
$420,000 – New Mexico Junior College improvements
Hobbs
$1.5 million – HAZMAT rescue vehicles
$1.4 million – Hobbs Public Safety Center Construction
$525,000 – Hobbs water well construction
Lovington
$250,000 – Library roof and plumbing repairs
$266,000 – Medical transport vans
Chaves County
Chaves County received $16.7 million this year compared with $23.7 million last year
$500,000 – Macho Draw flood control repair
Roswell
$3 million – Roswell Air Center improvements
$2 million – Youth Challenge Building renovations
$2 million – ENMU Roswell nursing center expansion
$1 million – World Champion Park facility upgrade
Hagerman
$700,000 – Water System improvements
Dexter
$700,000 – Lake Van Drive improvements
Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.
New Mexico
Don't Mess With Truckers: One of the Craziest Police Chases Happened in New Mexico
When people think of New Mexico, you probably think of Roswell, the green chile peppers, or perhaps the show Breaking Bad. As someone who grew up watching police pursuits shows on tv like World’s Wildest Police Videos & Real TV, one of the first things that come to mind when thinking of New Mexico, is the iconic police pursuit involving a stolen car and a semi truck.
This crazy police pursuit took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico back in 1993.
The date is March 16, 1993 & the location is Bernalillo County/Albuquerque, New Mexico. Police were in hot pursuit of a stolen red car with 2 armed suspects inside. Realizing they needed help, the officer inside the car with the dashboard camera uses his radio to call any truck drivers ahead to offer some assistance. One truck driver hears the call, and offers to help by using his giant semi truck to help force the car off the road.
After a couple of minutes of avoiding the truck and by driving onto the other side of the highway, eventually the thieves gave up & pulled over. This allowed the officers to stop & arrest them. The best part of this whole story? The driver of the semi truck was actually a retired Sheriff’s Deputy from Alabama, so he’s had YEARS of experience stopping police pursuits.
The dashboard camera was uploaded onto YouTube in 2019; it has over 10 MILLION views (and has been featured in various blogs of the craziest police chases ever captured on video).All of which goes to show just how many people were amazed by this 30 year piece of police footage.
Now normally police don’t want people to get involved in police chases; there’s a good chance you can get hurt (or worse). But every so often, they do appreciate the help.
If you want to see more insane police dashcam footage, you can see the story of the Texas psychic cop here.
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10 Haunted Locations Across Texas to Check Out
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New Mexico
New Mexico mother accused of allowing her 5-year-old son to slowly starve to death
In the years prior to the boy’s death, state investigators with the Children, Youth, and Families Department had responded to at least four reports of neglect involving the child.
A New Mexico mother has been arrested after authorities say she is suspected of allowing her 5-year-old son to slowly die by starvation.
Marecella Vasquez Montelongo, 23, was arrested in late February months after her son, who had Cerebral Palsy and other disabilities, was found in July unconscious and not breathing at her Albuquerque home. The boy was pronounced dead and an autopsy later determined that he died of starvation and dehydration due to neglect, according to a criminal complaint provided to USA TODAY.
In the years prior to the boy’s death, state investigators with the Children, Youth, and Families Department had responded to at least four reports of neglect involving the child, according to the complaint.
Montelongo had her first court appearance Wednesday in a Bernalillo County court room on a charge of child abuse resulting in death. A judge ruled that Montelongo must remain in custody until the start of her trial and complete an addiction treatment program, according to KOAT-TV, which was the first to report on the case.
Philadelphia: Body found in duffel bag identified as 4-year-old reported missing in December
Child appeared to be ‘skin and bones’ at his death
Albuquerque police were dispatched to Montelongo’s home on July 16 after receiving a report of the unresponsive child. While paramedics attempted life-saving measures, the boy was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the complaint, dated Feb. 26.
Montelongo told police at the scene that she had fed her son but that he had vomited. Shortly after, she noticed he was not breathing and called 911, the complaint states.
At the time of his death, the boy appeared as “skin and bones,” with his hip bones clearly defined and open ulcers on his tailbone, according to the complaint. When medical examiners conducted a preliminary autopsy, they discovered that the boy had dropped to a weight of about 13.6 pounds.
The final autopsy, which was completed in October, concluded that Montelongo’s son had died from starvation and dehydration, and ruled that the manner of death was a homicide.
‘Red flags’ surfaced before boy’s July death
The boy was nonverbal, blind, used a wheelchair and required round-the-clock care, according to investigators. Montelongo was required to give her son medication three times a day through a gastrostomy tube, otherwise known as a G-tube.
However, Montelongo routinely missed her son’s doctor’s appointments, including five since December 2022. While she noticed her son was losing weight, she told investigators that she did not think it was a concern, the complaint states.
Since the boy’s birth, the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department received four reports of medical neglect, including one report that was substantiated, according to the complaint.
Though the child was enrolled at he New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, records provided to investigators showed that he only reported for on day of school in September 2022 and never showed up again.
“This defendant made efforts to hide the abuse and this child’s demise from medical advisors and the school,” Bernalillo County Judge David Murphy said at Montelongo’s hearing, according to video aired by KOAT-TV.
Some advocates went so far as to question how Montelongo was able to retain custody of her son following the series of red flags.
“We had medical providers, educational providers, service providers and family members raising flags,” Maralyn Beck, founder and executive director of the nonprofit New Mexico Child Network told KOAT-TV. “Yet here we are.”
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com
New Mexico
New Mexico Restaurant Settles Wage-Theft Complaint After Prolonged Legal Battle
New Mexico labor announced a legal settlement that resolves longstanding accusations of unpaid wages against a restaurant business in northwestern New Mexico.
The Workforce Solutions Department said in a news release that 505 Burgers Farmington LLC has agreed to pay out $100,000 to resolve claims by two former employees that they received only a small portion of the wages they were due for more than 3,000 hours of work, including overtime.
The settlement resolves a complaint originally filed in 2017 by Francisco and Sandra Olivas with the state labor relations division that wound its way through an administrative investigation before going to trial in 2022. The New Mexico Court of Appeals rejected a challenge by the employer before a final settlement was reached.
505 Burgers owner Morgan Newsom declined to comment on the settlement.
Workforce Solutions Secretary Sarita Nair said her agency strives to provide education and training to businesses to ensure employees are paid fairly.
“But when prevention does not work, our capable team will pursue these cases for workers, no matter how long it takes,” she said in a statement.
New Mexico workplace regulators have struggled in the past to keep pace with complaints of alleged wage theft linked to enforcement of the state’s minimum wage law.
The state labor relations division said it collected more than $689,000 during the 12-month period ending in June 2023 for New Mexico workers claiming underpayment or nonpayment of wages. Most of the complaints have raised allegations of unpaid overtime, failure to pay minimum wage and an employer withholding a final paycheck.
Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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