By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper A soggy September just bought New Mexicans a rain check. The state forester lifted restrictions on campfires, smoking, fireworks and open burning Monday morning after late-season storms knocked down the wildfire threat. State Forester Laura McCarthy’s order ends restrictions in place since April 6 on

Rick Clemente died on Friday, August 28, 2026, at the age of 79. He passed peacefully in Albuquerque with his wife Debbie by his side. Debbie says, “Rick lived life to the fullest and there wasn’t a thing he wanted to do that he didn’t end up doing.” His career

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper New Mexicans who spent last week wringing out their socks should keep the towels handy. Moisture from Hurricane Polo is rolling north this week, and it’s bringing flash flood risk to nearly every corner of the state. Polo is forecast to hit Baja California Sur

Corrales packed its hay wagons, pet parade and pastures this past weekend for the Corrales Harvest Festival, and the village had plenty to celebrate. Chief among the news: Poptart, a pony, is the new Corrales Pet Mayor. She was announced Saturday, Sept. 26, ahead of Sunday’s Pet Parade, and she

By Rodd Cayton The difficult part of the Corrales siphon replacement project is done, Jason Casuga told village councilors at their Sept. 22 meeting. Casuga, CEO and chief engineer for the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD), said the specialized drilling equipment required for running pipes below the riverbed will

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. County Manager Wayne Johnson delivered Sandoval County’s first formal State of the County address since 2020 Wednesday, using a “Six Years of Progress” slide deck to argue the county is “stronger, safer” than in July 2020 — and pitching the report itself as a new

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. The last full weekend of September arrives with tractor wagons, a pet mayor election, meet-and-greets down the hill with two of the most recognizable faces in television history and a comedian who’s shared a stage with Dr. Dre, LeBron James and Jay-Z. Pick your weekend.

By Rodd Cayton Human waste belongs in toilets, Corrales resident Paul Ortega says. Speaking at the Sept. 22 Village Council meeting, he implored councilors to pass an ordinance to that effect. Ortega said that since April, he and his wife have been dealing with a neighbor who has repeatedly defecated

Hundreds of thousands of visitors pack Albuquerque every October for the Balloon Fiesta, but once the morning mass ascension wraps and traffic clogs the roads around the park, savvy travelers point their cars north. Rio Rancho and the rest of Sandoval County pick up where the launch field leaves off,

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. Low-income Sandoval County homeowners with disabilities can get wheelchair ramps, wider doorways and walk-in showers on the house — literally — after Rebuilding Together Sandoval County landed a $60,000 grant. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico awarded the nonprofit a Blue Impact grant

Submitted by NM Rep. Kathleen Cates, District 44 On November 3, New Mexicans will vote on four amendments to the state Constitution. These bipartisan proposals, passed by the Legislature in 2025 and 2026, would strengthen democratic representation and support our state’s future. I support all four and encourage voters to

Submitted by Judith Gordon, Bernalillo Presbyterian’s decision to drop Medicare Advantage plans in 2027 disrupts many seniors’ coverage—but creates an important opportunity. Medicare Advantage plans attract seniors with low premiums and extra benefits such as dental and vision coverage. Yet those advantages can come at a cost. Because Medicare Advantage

By Rodd Cayton Village councilors in Corrales will be dreaming about traffic codes for the next couple of nights, Melanie Romero predicted near the end of their Sept. 8 meeting. Councilors spent almost two hours fine-tuning the village’s proposed code as it approaches final approval. Romero, the village administrator, recommended

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. The weekend of Sept. 18-20 doesn’t ease you into fall — it throws a party. Rio Rancho hosts its own Oktoberfest and two community markets on Saturday, while Quezada’s brings a globally touring comedian for two nights and Albuquerque breaks out the prickly pear. Friday:

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. New Mexico’s signature crop is having a rough year, and that means chile lovers and the businesses that sell it should brace for tighter supply and higher prices this season. The New Mexico Chile Association said Tuesday that unusually warm nighttime temperatures during the summer

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. Rio Rancho families already leaning on St. Felix Pantry for groceries will soon get help with another budget-buster: diapers. The pantry launches its new Diaper Pantry program with a ribbon-cutting Tuesday. The kickoff runs noon to 1 p.m. Sept. 15 at 4020 Barbara Loop SE,

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. Rio Rancho’s Governing Body shut the door Thursday on a Maverik gas station planned for the corner of NM 528 and Obregon Road NE, voting to deny the site plan over concerns that traffic would still flood a residential street even after a late compromise

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. A quarter-century after the Sept. 11 attacks, Rio Rancho residents can pause and remember together this Friday evening at Vista Verde Memorial Park. Daniels Family Funerals and Vista Verde Memorial Park are hosting a “Never Forget Memorial Service” at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, at

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. The 25th anniversary of Sept. 11 arrives Friday, and Rio Rancho marks it before the rest of the weekend begins. Then Sandoval County gets busy — with a beloved canine tradition, a free mayoral cookout, a gallery opening, a 30-year road race and a walk

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. Project Ranger, Castelion’s hypersonic missile manufacturing campus in Sandoval County, was named 2026 Collaborative Impact Project of the Year at the New Mexico IDEA Economic Development Excellence Awards, held during the Governor’s Conference on Economic Development at Isleta Resort & Casino last week. The award

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. Drivers crossing the Rio Grande on Paseo Del Norte have two new sets of eyes clocking their speed. Bernalillo County activated automated speed cameras this week in the eastbound and westbound lanes near NM 423, extending a program that now covers roughly 15 locations countywide.

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. Sandoval County’s hypersonic missile campus is about to scale up fast. Castelion Corporation closed a $1 billion funding round in August and locked in a new Pentagon production contract — both aimed squarely at Project Ranger, the company’s manufacturing site west of Rio Rancho. The

By Rodd Cayton Traffic is frequently on the minds of Corraleños, and the Village Council will put it in the spotlight once again at its Sept. 8 meeting. An ongoing review of the village’s uniform traffic code reaches an important stage, with councilors discussing the latest draft. The revision has

By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. — Albuquerque’s cracked, dry stretch of the Rio Grande got wet again Thursday, as a one-time water release made its way downriver — though the agencies behind it are clear this is a science project, not a fix. The Water Authority and a coalition of

By Kevin Hendricks Corrales’ “Not-So-Rapid-Transit” tractor wagons roll again this month as the Corrales Harvest Festival returns for its 41st year, running Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 26-27, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the village. The Kiwanis Club of Corrales Foundation, a nonprofit run entirely by unpaid board and