New Mexico
Starbucks site opposed by resort town locals burns down for second time in ‘suspicious’ blaze
A standalone Starbucks slated to go up in a quaint New Mexico resort town that opposes big chains burned down to the ground — the second time the site was hit by a suspicious fire, local officials said.
Firefighters in Taos, the state’s popular art and skiing destination, responded to the blaze just after midnight on Monday.
Eddie Joe Abeyta, the fire chief in Taos, told Taos News that the construction site was “fully engulfed” by flames.
“It collapsed into the center,” Abeyta told Taos News.
The devastating blaze caused more damage than an Aug. 30 fire that partially destroyed the north-facing wall of the building, according to Taos News.
Graffiti denouncing Starbucks was reportedly found at the site — located on an abandoned lot at the corner of Paseo del Pueblo Sur and Herdner Road — in the aftermath of the first fire, according to local reports.
The latest fire has drawn the attention of the New Mexico State Fire Marshal’s Office as well as the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Abeyta told The Post that the ATF’s involvement was sought due to the federal agency’s ability to deploy more sophisticated means of investigation, including a trained dog capable of sniffing out possible use of accelerant to intensify the spread of the fire.
Starbucks operates two locations in Taos — one inside an Albertsons supermarket and another in a Smiths grocery store.
However, local business owners fear that allowing national chains such as Starbucks and Walmart to expand their presence in Taos will hurt their bottom line.
In March, a coalition of small business owners, grocery workers, and environmental lawyers mounted a campaign opposing plans to build a Walmart “supercenter” in Taos.
Last month, Walmart was forced to close one of its retail locations in Clovis, about 250 miles away from Taos, after a fire caused extensive damage, according to local reports.
The fire, which authorities suspect was due to arson, forced state investigators to divert their resources to Clovis while they were probing the Aug. 30 blaze at the Starbucks site in Taos.
The latest fire has ignited a fierce debate on social media.
“I guess we don’t want to see other business, even small ones, come into the s–t ton of empty spaces along Paseo?” wrote one Reddit user who authored a post titled “Again, burning down the Starbucks.”
An anti-Starbucks Reddit user alleged that the site was burned “because the people building it weren’t paying their contractors.”
The Post has sought comment from Starbucks as well as from Hart Construction, the Albuquerque-based company that was hired by the building’s owner.
The owner, an Arizona-based company called OTB-Taos, was not immediately available for comment.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A man awaiting sentencing in a double-homicide case was back in custody Sunday after escaping from a juvenile jail in Albuquerque.
Bernalillo County Sheriff’s officials said 19-year-old Josef Toney escaped Saturday afternoon from the Youth Detention Center and was taken into custody Sunday morning.
Deputies said video surveillance showed Toney opening a gate at the jail facility and running away. A man who lives in the area saw the escape and alerted authorities.
Court records show Toney pleaded guilty last month to two counts of first-degree murder. He was accused of fatally shooting two people at an apartment complex in northeast Albuquerque in January 2021 and wounding a third person.
Toney was arrested nearly 10 months later in Colorado and extradited to New Mexico.
County prosecutors said Toney was set to be sentenced on June 26 and faced up to 51 years in prison.
He’s now facing an additional charge of escape or attempt to escape from jail.
Updated online court documents don’t show if Toney has a lawyer and a call to the county public defender’s office wasn’t immediately returned Sunday.
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New Mexico
Blue 2 Fire Evening Update – May 25, 2024 — Ruidoso-NM.gov | Municipal Website of the Village of Ruidoso, NM
Current Status: No lives or structures have been lost to the Blue 2 Fire. The full suppression tactics employed today involved extensive ground operations, focusing on scouting control lines and beginning the construction of containment lines. The Albuquerque Type 3 Zone Team will transition leadership to the Complex Incident Management Team 3, with Matt Rau assuming incident command.
High winds today hindered aerial firefighting efforts. An infrared flight conducted on May 24 determined the current size of the fire, 3,249 acres. Smoke remains visible in Ruidoso and Capitan populated areas, and similar weather conditions are expected for the next operational period. A red flag warning issued this afternoon is expected to extend through the weekend, indicating heightened fire danger due to strong winds and dry conditions.
Evacuation Notices:
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Go Now:
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Loma Grande
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Bonito Lake Road
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Forest Service Road 108
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Forest Service Road 107
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Villa Madonna Subdivision
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Forest Service Road 127A, also known as Upper Eagle Creek, off of Ski Run Road and the surrounding area along 523 Ski Run Road
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Be Set:
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Be Ready:
Shelters and Resources:
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Shelters: Lincoln County Fairgrounds, 101 5th St., Capitan, NM 88316
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Animal Shelters: Humane Society of Lincoln County, 25962 US Hwy 70, Ruidoso, NM 88345
Area Closures: Parts of the White Mountain Wilderness Area are currently closed. For more detailed information, please refer to the following link: Closure Update for Trails on White Mountain Wilderness Area – May 22, 2024
Fire Details:
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Start Date / Time: May 17, 2024, approximately 3:45 p.m.
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Cause: Lightning
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Size: 3,249 acres
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Location: White Mountain Wilderness
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Resources: 259 Personnel, more en route
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Vegetation/Fuels: Dead and dead/down trees
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Containment: 0%
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Tactic: Full Suppression
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Smoke: Moderate / Wind Influenced Smoke
For ongoing updates and more information, please visit:
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M – Folks went out to Balloon Fiesta Park Saturday afternoon, not for hot air balloons but for the New Mexico Wine Festival.
Wine enthusiasts said they love having all their favorites in one place for the weekend.
“It’s so great. I honestly feel like it’s just everybody coming together to enjoy our common passion of growing wine and making wine and selling it,” said Audrey Platt with Noisy Water Winery.
She says a lot goes into your favorite glass of red or white. From their vineyard in Alto to the winery in Rincon, and finally into customers’ glasses.
“So it’s so nice to see all the finished product when you know how much went into it. And of course, a lot of the bottles they’ve been, you know, in tanks for sometimes a year, sometimes even more,” said Platt.
Platt says New Mexico is perfect for grape growing.
“They like to dry out, and it changes the flavor completely. It adds to like more of like a hardiness of the grape, and it really does produce quality wines. And I’ve seen that time and time again, it’s amazing,” Platt said.
But with their roots in Ruidoso, the Blue 2 Fire is a big concern for Platt.
“It’s kind of strange being here at this festival and having a good time and just kind of worried in the back of your mind. Like, oh, I hope everything’s okay, back home,” said Platt.
People were still enjoying the wine and the weather.
‘”I’ve always just liked it. I always really enjoyed it, so it’s a nice vibe. It’s sunny, but it keeps it cool,” said Kiana Davis.
The wine festival is going on until Monday, so you still have time to check out for favorite wines.
Don’t forget, the “Take a Ride on Us” program through Bernalillo County is offering the Uber code “NMMD24” for the holiday weekend.
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