Wednesday’s Top Stories

Santa Fe public schools will continue with a surveillance robot for now
Man wanted in connection to massacre of 9 Americans in Mexico arrested in Albuquerque
Smith’s on Wyoming temporarily closed for health code violations
Clovis Walmart fire is one of the biggest for fire department
Police arrest suspected repeat offender accused of stealing alcohol from Walgreens
New Mexico Dept. of Health announces winners of 2023 Golden Chile Awards
Blinken expected to announce $1 billion in new U.S. funding for Ukraine during visit to Kyiv
Oil prices spike as Saudi Arabia, Russia extend 1.3 million barrel a day oil cut through December

Wednesday’s Five Facts

[1] Lawyer looks to help New Mexicans left out of solar company settlement – In 2018, then-Attorney General Hector Balderas filed a lawsuit against Vivint Solar. The Attorney General’s office accused the company of racketeering and of tricking homeowners, locking them into long contracts with high prices. The state later settled with the company for nearly $2 million. That money went to the state and Attorney General’s office, not the thousands of customers affected by Vivint’s alleged practices. Patrick Griebel, an attorney with Marrs Griebel Law Ltd. in Albuquerque. Griebel is now working to find and help victims who may have been left to fend for themselves. Griebel is encouraging potential victims to reach out to his office.

[2] Police find thousands of pounds of marijuana in a trailer crossing into NM – Dozens of duffle bags filled with marijuana were found in a truck driver’s trailer as he was crossing into New Mexico from Arizona. The driver, Tewelde Ghebreyoyanes, told officers he didn’t check what was inside the trailer he was hauling. After police searched the truck and trailer, they found stacks of money, 70 duffle bags weighing about 3,500 pounds, a medium bag weighing 16 pounds and seven boxes weighing 55 pounds; all filled with marijuana and no paperwork, or indication of where it came from. Ghebreyoyanes is set to be charged with trafficking, conspiracy to commit trafficking, and two counts of possession of cannabis products in public. Ghebreyoyanes’ charges are pending. He is scheduled for trial in January.

[3] Summer heat continues into September for New Mexico – Another heat wave will bring record heat to the state Thursday through Saturday, thanks to a strong area of high pressure moving over New Mexico. This heat and dry pattern continues through the first week of September. However, relief is in sight for the second week of September, as a strong backdoor cold front is forecast to arrive, bringing higher moisture for storms, as well as near and below average temperatures to the central and eastern half of the state.

[4] Rural libraries in New Mexico get a financial boost – New Mexico is helping rural libraries by bolstering the Rural Libraries Endowment. The endowment was first created in 2019 with an initial investment of $1 million. This year, an additional $15 million has been allotted to the fund Now, the endowment is at a total of $28 million to support rural libraries in the state. This funding will go toward helping libraries afford facility improvements, community programs, book purchases, and more. New Mexico has 54 libraries that are eligible for Rural Library Program Grants. 

[5] ABQ City Council resolution could help revitalize stretch of San Pedro Drive – A resolution aims to create a New Mexico Main Street Program through the state’s Economic Development Department on a section of San Pedro from I-40 to Central. This resolution will also give $20,000 from the city to the Revitalize San Pedro Partnership, which is a group of residents and businesses from four neighborhood associations along the San Pedro stretch. That group of residents would lead the Main Street program. Improvements they’re looking at include sidewalks, landscaping, and giving the corridor more of an identity.