LATEST NEWS
‘He was let down’: Murder victim’s family says accused shooter should’ve been in jail
RIO ARRIBA COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – More than a dozen charges accusing him of kidnapping and repeatedly raping a teenage girl were not enough to keep Kevin Martinez behind bars. While out, awaiting trial in that case, the Rio Arriba Sheriff’s Office said he shot and killed his neighbor. The neighbor’s family and First Judicial District Attorney spoke to KRQE about what they call repeated failures of the state’s justice system.
Alleged Oñate shooter's family settles lawsuit
The family of a Sandia Park man accused of driving to a protest over the installation of the Don Juan de Oñate statue in September 2023 at the Rio Arriba County complex on Industrial Park Road and shooting a Washington man that was protesting, has settled a lawsuit brought by the victim.
Cell Tower Plan Has Resistance
A community meeting held April 18 and hosted by Rio Arriba County Commissioner Alex Naranjo, to discuss a proposed cell tower in Hernandez, drew about 100 community members. The meeting was held so he and other county officials could hear from the public regarding the tower permit application submitted by Commnet Wireless, LLC, to place a new cell tower on Private Drive 1526.
School District Hires Campos as New COO
The Española Public Schools has a new chief operating officer and while he may be new to the school district, he’s no stranger to Rio Arriba County. An undated letter was sent by Human Resources Specialist Nadine Gonzales to former Rio Arriba County manager Tomas Campos, offering him the position. She listed some contingencies of employment, which are:
New Indigenous Language Grant program
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area is trying to preserve language through the new indigenous language grant. The grant is available to Santa Fe, Taos and Rio Arriba counties. Nonprofits, local government, indigenous communities and other eligible organizations of those counties are invited to propose projects that preserve, revitalize or promote […]
Rio del Oso Bridge reopened
The Rio del Oso bridge on U.S. Highway 84 in northern New Mexico is back open. The New Mexico Department of Transportation closed the bridge north of Espanola between Hernandez and Abiquiu Wednesday after damage was discovered. NMDOT said on it's Facebook page an "inspector discovered damage that compromised the integrity of the bridge. It is our understanding that the damage was caused by the contractor during construction."
Two Inmates Die at RACDC
The year is not even half over yet and so far, there have been at least two deaths at the Rio Arriba County Detention Center in which drugs appear to be a contributing factor. John John Martinez, 48, of Chimayó died on Jan. 22 while in custody at the jail in Tierra Amarilla. He’d been there since Nov. 19, when Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Deputies Anthony Vigil and Trevor Walker arrested him for allegedly beating a man, Michael Coriz, 56, of Chimayó, with a pick ax.
Answering the Calls
Dispatchers Celebrated During National Telecommunicators Week. First responders are often acknowledged for the work they do to keep the community safe. There is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, National Police Week, International Firefighters Day and National EMS Week, but it’s not often that we hear about the dispatchers that handle all the calls that go out to police, EMS and firefighters.
NMDOJ Issues Letter in OMA Violation Claim
Rio Arriba County Manager and former Española School Board president Jeremy Maestas is accused of violating the Open Meetings Act and now the New Mexico Department of Justice intends to investigate the claims. Current School Board Member Dale Salazar filed a complaint against the school board on Nov. 14,...
Española Hosts Senior Olympics
After the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, participation in senior olympics cratered. Now, the attendance in Rio Arriba County is starting to come back. Though it was a chilly and windy morning, more than 50 seniors from around Rio Arriba came out to the senior olympics hosted at Española Valley High School on April 20.
Update On Police Activity Near Presbyterian Española Hospital
Update: The area around Presbyterian Española Hospital is now open and all lockdowns have been lifted. Rio Arriba County Emergency Services had issued an alert at 10:09 a.m. today of police activity in the area of Presbyterian Española Hospital at 1010 Spruce St. North Coronado Avenue was shut...
Woman Fleeing Traffic Stop Backs Into Patrol Vehicle
A Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Office sergeant’s patrol vehicle sustained damage after a woman with an outstanding warrant allegedly backed a stolen pickup truck into it as she fled a traffic stop. Sgt. Chris Gurule was on patrol at 11:16 p.m. April 3 in Hernandez when he saw...
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