Ending Water Woes
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In this week’s Chile Street:
The end is in sight for a northern New Mexico town’s water problems thanks to an influx of federal funds
ABQ house shot at in bizar drive-by incident
Graduate workers approve collective bargaining agreements
And more!
Good morning! Today is Friday, Dec. 23. Here’s a look at the past week in New Mexico news.
The northern New Mexico town of Las Vegas plans to use $140 million included in the $1.7 trillion Congressional spending plan to replace and reconfigure its drinking water system imperiled after a huge wildfire this year, Patrick Lohmann of Source New Mexico reported.
The money will go toward upgrading the city’s water treatment facility, installing a sediment filter upriver of the city’s reservoirs and building a new system to make effluent water drinkable, according to Las Vegas Mayor Louie Trujillo.
The projects could help the city be better prepared for drought and contaminants than it was before the fire. Even before debris and ash from the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire polluted the Gallinas River, the city was often in various stages of drought restrictions, he said.
“Everybody is used to living on a very, very little bit of water,” Trujillo said Wednesday. “So these projects are really going to help in the future to upgrade the supply of water for the community.”
The $140 million is part of $1.45 billion in additional aid to victims of the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire.
Read Lohmann’s story here (no paywall): sourcenm.com/2022/12/22/how-las-vegas-got-140-million-in-pending-congressional-bill-to-save-its-drinking-water/
Top Stories
Albuquerque man troubled after home shot up in middle of night
An Albuquerque man said someone drove by his house and fired dozens of shots at it late Tuesday night. Some of the bullets went through the walls and windows into his house, KRQE-TV reported.
Watch or read the story here (no paywall): krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/albuquerque-man-troubled-after-home-shot-up-in-middle-of-night/
UNM and NMSU graduate workers approve collective bargaining agreements
Graduate workers at New Mexico’s two biggest higher education institutions have overwhelmingly approved their first-ever collective bargaining agreements with their bosses, Austin Fisher of Sournce New Mexico reported.
Read the story here (no paywall): sourcenm.com/2022/12/20/unm-and-nmsu-graduate-workers-approve-collective-bargaining-agreements/
Man held on $75k bond following task force raid
Agents with a northern New Mexico drug task force located $18,000 in cash along with hundreds of fentanyl pills during a raid on a home south of Storrie Lake State Park earlier this week, Ryan Lowery reported for the Las Vegas Optic.
Read the story here (no paywall): lasvegasoptic.com/news/crime/man-held-on-75k-bond-following-task-force-raid/article_7cd39a7e-816c-11ed-bef5-5f79c6e4f474.html
Teen charged in connection to deadly UNM shooting granted pretrial release
The 19-year-old UNM student accused of being involved in the deadly shooting on campus in November will be released ahead of trial, KOB-TV reported.
Read the story here (no paywall): kob.com/new-mexico/teen-charged-in-connection-to-deadly-unm-shooting-granted-pretrial-release/
New Mexico’s HSD proposes medication-assisted treatment for incarcerated people
Beginning in 2024, New Mexico’s Medicaid program could start providing medication-assisted treatment to incarcerated people 30 days before they are released, along with a 30-day supply of medication when they leave, Austin Fisher of Sournce New Mexico reported.
Read the story here (no paywall): sourcenm.com/briefs/new-mexicos-hsd-proposes-medication-assisted-treatment-for-incarcerated-people/
Happy Holidays
We here at Chile Street wish you and yours a happy holiday season filed with family and all the warmth of the season.
That’s it for now. Have a great weekend!
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Who’s responsible for Chile Street? The culprit is Ryan Lowery, a New Mexico journalist living in Albuquerque.
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