Tuesday’s Top Stories
UNM Hospital promises medical upgrades with new ‘Critical Care Tower’
Albuquerque Police officer arrested for DWI
VIDEO: Woman caught breaking into abandoned Corrales home
Dept. of Labor: Two ABQ seafood restaurants withheld employee tips, wages
NMSP investigating fatal police shooting in Española
Emergency alert sirens to be tested weekly in Mora and San Miguel counties
Baltimore shipping channel fully reopens after bridge collapse
Chinese police say a suspect is in custody in the stabbing of 4 US college instructors
Tuesday’s Five Facts
[1] Man who ran over and killed ABQ church security guard sentenced to life – Marc Ward was convicted of first-degree murder back in March for taking the life of 61-year-old Daniel Bourne who was working as a security guard at Calvary Church. On September 23, 2022, Bourne went to check on what he thought was a suspicious vehicle in the Calvary Church parking lot along Osuna near Jefferson. As Bourne got closer to the truck, Ward ran him over twice and then dragged Bourne’s body to a nearby arroyo. Ward faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison. He will have the possibility of parole after 30 years.
[2] Major delays to a years-long water project affecting New Mexico farmers – The Federal Bureau of Reclamation is looking for new ways to get water to New Mexico farmers after construction on a dam was stopped. The feds conducted a 12-year study on the El Vado Dam, concluding the dam had problems with seepage and needed repairs to the spill way. Construction began in 2021 to address the problems, but was recently stopped after running into issues. The bureau said they are working to find a new solution and get some water back in the dam by next year, but they are still not sure how much it might be able to hold. They said they hope to resume construction in the next three years.
[3] Isolated storms and hotter temperatures around New Mexico – Storms will develop in the mountains across the state during the early afternoon, moving southeast into the adjacent lower terrain. We cannot rule out an isolated storm in the Metro during the afternoon and evening. Temperatures will heat up back to normal today, with highs in the 80s and 90s for most of the state.
[4] City of Albuquerque restarting homeless day job program – The City of Albuquerque is bringing back a program aimed at helping homeless residents. The program would give the homeless a day job with the city. Former mayor Richard Berry started a similar program in 2015. the program lasted a few years before going away. Officials say jobs in the previous program were limited and want to bring in more departments to take part. The city has 60 days to come up with an outline for the program that city council will eventually approve.
[5] New light-based art installations coming to downtown Albuquerque – A project aimed at bringing light-based artwork near downtown Albuquerque is returning this year. “City Brights II” will showcase light-based art at 10 sites in the downtown area, including around Lomas, Broadway, 12th St., and Coal. The city is currently looking for artists to participate in the project and will provide them funding. The deadline for artists to submit their proposals is July 1. The pieces are expected to be installed during fall 2024–early 2025.
