Wednesday’s Top Stories
What’s the point of CYFD’s Policy Advisory Council?
APD investigating fatal shooting near 2nd St. and Montaño
The day the Space Shuttle Columbia landed in New Mexico
New Mexicans learn about space-related jobs at Q Station
NMDOH giving up to $10k to midwives, physicians to help bolster workforce
APD warns of potential scam call impersonating Chief Medina
What happens to thousands of boxes of unsold Girl Scout cookies?
The Latest | Blinken says Israel hasn’t told US of any specific date for Rafah ground invasion
Wednesday’s Five Facts
[1] Albuquerque medical practice frustrated after thieves leave them in the dark – An Albuquerque medical practice was left in the dark for the last week. The practice, near Eubank and Montgomery, was left without power after a thief struck in the middle of the day, taking off with thousands of dollars worth of copper wire. For the last week, they’ve been using lanterns, work lights, and relying on daylight through windows to navigate. Their 15 exam rooms were cut down to just five before the power was restored Tuesday afternoon. The man Albuquerque police say is responsible for it, Brian Robinson, is a top ten shoplifting offender in the city, he has since been arrested.
[2] County Commissioner voices support for playground, leaves meeting before vote – Neighbors worked to get a playground installed at Netherwood park near Indian School and I-40. They even had the support of state Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino who secured $200,000 in capital outlay funding for the project during the legislative session. Former Lt. Governor Diane Denish lives near the park and opposed the playground. She admitted that she called Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, and asked to her to cut the funding for the project. The governor followed through, and vetoed the funding, leaving neighbors outraged. County commissioner Steven Michael Quezada introduced a resolution in support of the project. Quezada walked out of the meeting before his resolution could be heard, after an argument with commissioners involving the county manager selection process.
[3] Warmer and calmer weather settling in around New Mexico – Clouds will develop in the northeast highlands and over the northern mountains this afternoon, but the rest of the state will be sunny. Temperatures will be warmer by about ten degrees. Winds will be light, coming from the northwest at around 20 to 30 mph. Even warmer temperatures and light winds are expected Thursday. The warm up will peak on Friday, but we will see higher winds across the state on Friday. Those only last for one day, before a quieter and warmer than normal weekend.
[4] Department of Transportation officials to give update on I-40 rumble strips – The New Mexico Department of Transportation will be giving an update on a road improvement project in Tijeras Canyon. Neighbors say rumble strips on a stretch of I-40 near Tijeras Canyon were placed on top of the painted line instead of the usual 16 inches outside of it, causing excessive noise. NMDOT has decided to fill the rumble strip on the painted line and have a contractor make a new strip outside of the white striping. Officials will present an update on the project. The public meeting will be Wednesday night at 6 p.m. at the Tijeras Village Hall.
[5] State organizations work together to save endangered plant -The endangered plant Aztec Gilia, native to New Mexico, is slowly making a comeback. According to the state’s Energy, Mineral, and Resource Department, the primary threat to the species is habitat destruction from oil and gas drilling in the San Juan Basin. The New Mexico BioPark Society says last year they collected Aztec Gilia, which was set to be destroyed due to road construction, and on Tuesday the plants bloomed. They say this could be the first time the plant blossomed outside of the wild.
