Friday’s Top Stories
- Truck crashes into Albuquerque home damaging gas, electric, and structure
- Bernalillo County gives update on speed cameras
- 1 dead after being struck by train in Gallup
- What’s happening around New Mexico January 3–9
- MDC investigating second inmate death since Saturday
- Sports Desk: UNM MBB gears up for The Pit’s 1,000th game
- Chick-fil-A celebrates the New Year with fan-favorite menu comebacks
Friday’s Five Facts
[1] Report: CABQ misused federal funds to give bonuses to high-ranking staff – An Albuquerque city councilor is calling for an investigation into Mayor Tim Keller’s administration. A new report accuses the administration of misusing COVID federal grant money meant for childcare and repurposing them for bonuses to high ranking employees back in 2021. The Albuquerque City Council approved 21 federal grants to help facilities that offered early childhood education. However, a new Office of Inspector General report states, out of the almost $9 million, nearly $288,000 went to big bonuses for city workers who were not qualified providers or worked at a childcare center.
[2] NMSU fires Athletic Director Mario Moccia – NMSU’s athletic department has a new director after firing now former Athletic Director, Mario Moccia. The announcement came from newly sworn in NMSU President, Valerio Ferme. Moccia had been with NMSU as the athletic director since 2015. Under his watch the men’s basketball team was involved in a number of incidents, including a fight at a football game followed by a deadly shooting during a trip to Albuquerque. There has also been claims of hazing and sexual assault, leading to lawsuits and charges against student athletes.
[3] Dry & warmer before some New Mexico snow & cold – Temperatures will continue to slightly rebound once again into the early weekend for some with even stronger westerly winds returning. As a storm system brings far-northern mountain snow with some valley rain, setting the stage for a more moist, cloudier, and colder week next week with another potential snowstorm by Tuesday.
[4] Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Open Space Unit – BCSO is recognizing its open space unit after they received a major honor. At the recent New Mexico Bowl, ESPN and ServPo honored the BCSO Open Space Unit on the field during the game, naming them “First Responders of the Year.” BCSO says the specialty search and rescue team is led by Sergeant Chris Starr and includes deputies Sergio Cordova, Ryan Stoffel, Travis Iverson, Tyler Mirabal and Antonio Ortega.
[5] ABQ BioPark working to restore Socorro Dove population – The Socorro Dove is native to the Socorro Island off the west coast of Mexico, but a small population of them have called Albuquerque “home” since 2008. The species has been extinct from the wild since around the 1950’s after domestic cats on the island began to hunt them.