New Mexico
State leaders consider expanding Wi-Fi access in New Mexico state parks
When you think of camping essentials, you probably think of a tent, a sleeping bag and cooking supplies. But what about a Wi-Fi connection?
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – When you think of camping essentials, you probably think of a tent, a sleeping bag and cooking supplies. But what about a Wi-Fi connection?
For some, the thought of staying online defeats the purpose of being in the great outdoors. But for others, it’s an amenity they’d rather have while camping.
KOB 4 learned it’s a debate our State Parks Division is following closely.
It’s not hard to escape everyday life in New Mexico. It’s estimated three-quarters of all New Mexicans live within 40 miles of a state park. For example, the Manzano Mountains, where some families spent their Labor Day weekend unplugged.
“We call it dinosaur camping,” said Sterling Williams, who prefers less connectivity while camping. “There’s no Facebook, there’s no social media. It’s really talking and spending time with your family.”
For other families, camping isn’t so much of an escape.
“We can unplug anytime we want to, but we like to be outside. We like to hike, we like the scenery, but we still want to be able to watch Netflix when we’re tired,” said Jan Branham, who prefers more connectivity while camping.
New Mexico state leaders want to make sure both families can have the outdoor experience they want.
“Wi-Fi in parks is definitely something that’s a national discussion,” said Toby Velasquez, director of the New Mexico State Parks Division.
According to the Outdoor Hospitality Industry Trade Group, roughly 82% of U.S. campgrounds already offer Wi-Fi.
Nearly 40% of campers say it affects where they pitch their tents, including in New Mexico.
“We still see, you know, folks who are interested in remaining connected in different ways, and so that’s really going to be the challenge for state parks in New Mexico moving forward,” said Velasquez.
Velasquez says there are discussions about expanding Wi-Fi capabilities to all 35 state parks.
“It’s going to be a balance of different locations. You know what we’re able to provide, for example, at Rio Grande Nature Center State Park in the heart of Albuquerque versus Pecos Canyon or Sugary Canyon State Park up in Colfax County might be a different menu than what we would see in other areas,” Velasquez said.
Velasquez says the State Parks Division just wrapped up a five-year contract with Viasat, providing Wi-Fi service in 10 different state parks. His team is still reviewing the data to answer some important questions.
“How much is too much? How much is needed? What is not needed? And how’s that going to be provided? Is it going to be a user pay, user benefit option? Is it going to be something that’s somehow supplied by the government entity in order to maintain that connectivity?” Velasquez said.
Velasquez says they’ll be relying on input from park users, but it’s clear there’s still a debate out there.
“We do like to have Wi-Fi for her phones and all that stuff,” Branham said.
“To do Wi-Fi for camping. That’s not really camping to me,” said Williams.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Detectives are investigating a homicide that they say happened late Sunday night near Central and Louisiana in Albuquerque.
Officers found one man dead with gunshot wounds in the area of Chico Road and Grove Street just after 11 p.m. Sunday. Police haven’t identified any suspects yet.
Detectives are in the early stages of their investigation.
Since August began, APD has now launched 13 homicide investigations with 17 victims total. That is more than what APD lists for June and July combined:
- September: 2 cases, 4 victims (1 solved, as of Sept. 2)
- August: 11 cases, 13 victims (4 cases solved)
- July: 3 cases, 3 victims (1 solved)
- June: 9 cases, 10 victims (5 solved)
August had the highest number of cases and victims since July 2023. July 2023 had 14 cases with 14 victims.
The first homicide case of September was a murder-suicide that left four people dead this past weekend.
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New Mexico
Sam Houston vs. New Mexico State Football Game Tickets, Venue, Start Time – September 21 – Bleacher Nation
The Sam Houston Bearkats meet a fellow CUSA opponent when they visit the New Mexico State Aggies at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium on Saturday, September 21, 2024.
Looking to attend this game live? College football tickets are available on Vivid Seats.
Sam Houston vs. New Mexico State Tickets & How to Watch Info
Sam Houston Offensive Insights (2023)
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Catch tons of live college football, plus original programming, with ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle.
Sam Houston’s 2024 Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Score/Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/31/2024 | Rice | Away | W 34-14 |
| 9/7/2024 | UCF | Away | Tickets |
| 9/14/2024 | Hawaii | Home | Tickets |
| 9/21/2024 | New Mexico State | Home | Tickets |
| 9/28/2024 | Texas State | Home | Tickets |
| 10/3/2024 | UTEP | Away | Tickets |
| 10/16/2024 | Western Kentucky | Home | Tickets |
| 10/22/2024 | Florida International | Away | Tickets |
| 10/29/2024 | Louisiana Tech | Home | Tickets |
| 11/16/2024 | Kennesaw State | Away | Tickets |
| 11/23/2024 | Jacksonville State | Away | Tickets |
| 11/29/2024 | Liberty | Home | Tickets |
New Mexico State’s 2024 Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Home/Away | Score/Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/31/2024 | Southeast Missouri State | Home | W 23-16 |
| 9/7/2024 | Liberty | Home | Tickets |
| 9/14/2024 | Fresno State | Away | Tickets |
| 9/21/2024 | Sam Houston | Away | Tickets |
| 9/28/2024 | New Mexico | Home | Tickets |
| 10/9/2024 | Jacksonville State | Away | Tickets |
| 10/15/2024 | Louisiana Tech | Home | Tickets |
| 10/29/2024 | Florida International | Away | Tickets |
| 11/9/2024 | Western Kentucky | Home | Tickets |
| 11/16/2024 | Texas A&M | Away | Tickets |
| 11/23/2024 | Middle Tennessee | Away | Tickets |
| 11/30/2024 | UTEP | Home | Tickets |
Get tickets to NCAA football games this season with Vivid Seats.
Starting off the year with a win is the goal of every program around the country, but it especially feels good for Arizona after they joined a new conference in the offseason and are led by a new coaching staff.
Because the expectations are so high surrounding this team since many of their star players returned instead of transferring, leaving Week 1 with a comfortable win is a great way to get this campaign underway.
But, even amid all the excitement that came from their offense putting up 61 points that was powered by their star quarterback Noah Fifita and the record-breakout output by Tetairoa McMillan, there are still plenty of things that need to be cleaned up before they face some of the best opponents on their schedule in the next few weeks.
So, here are the key takeaways after the Wildcats opened up their season with a dominant victory.
Superstar Duo Isn’t Slowing Down
While New Mexico isn’t exactly the best team to gauge the results of anything offensively, it’s clear the chemistry between Fifita and McMillan continues to drive this unit, and could take them to their first ever College Football Playoff.
One could only wonder what numbers these two would have put up last year if Fifita had been the starter from the beginning, but after a historic 300-plus yard receiving performance by McMillan in Week 1, there’s a chance the superstar wide receiver puts up the most prolific single-season numbers in program history.
Defense Has Issues
Coming into the year, there were some question marks about how the Wildcats might look on defense with a new coordinator in charge. Despite some high-end talent back in the mix, the pass rushing threat was viewed as the weakest link on this team.
Well, the entire defense has some improvements to make after they gave up 39 points and 471 total yards of offense that included 211 on the ground.
They struggled at the point of attack, getting gashed for 5.6 yards per carry as the Lobos quarterback ran for 130 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.
Arizona has to come up with answers or else they are going to have a hard time contending in the Big 12, let alone for a College Football Playoff spot.
Running Game is Loaded
Much of the attention surrounding Arizona’s offensive attack was centered around what Fifita and McMillan were going to do this season. While they certainly turned heads with their performance on Saturday, another area of the offense flew under the radar.
The Wildcats rushed for 205 yards on 26 carries with four touchdowns, averaging 7.9 yards per carry as their top two running backs of Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Quali Conley were gashing New Mexico’s defense for almost a first down every attempt.
There was some thought throughout camp this could be a major strength of the team, providing them with a balance between their potent passing attack and effective running.
Even though this output came against an inferior opponent, seeing how well this running game looked in live action was huge for this team going forward.
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