Suspect charged with arson in Los Lunas fire - Matthew Reisen, Albuquerque Journal
A Los Lunas man has been accused of setting a fire in the bosque that went on to destroy nearly a dozen homes in a neighborhood along the river.
Jacob LaHair, 31, is charged with one count each of negligent arson and criminal damage to property over $1,000, fourth-degree felonies in the Cotton 1 Fire.
The Desert Willow Complex Fire, made up of the Cotton 1 and Cotton 2 fires, sparked on opposite sides of the Rio Grande on Saturday and Sunday.
The Valencia County Sheriff’s Office said LaHair turned himself in to Los Lunas police on Wednesday and was booked into the Valencia County Detention Center.
LaHair’s family declined to comment Wednesday.
Lt. Joseph Rowland, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, did not specify the evidence against LaHair.
“Investigators conducted interviews, analyzed surveillance footage, and completed on-site field evaluations to determine the origin and cause of both fires,” he said in a news release Wednesday evening. “Based on gathered evidence, investigators identified (LaHair) as a suspect.”
An arrest warrant was issued for LaHair on Wednesday.
In all, the blaze destroyed 10 homes and left four more with “minor to major” damage along Las Rosas Road, which butts up against the west side of the Rio Grande, south of the Main Street bridge. The fires also burned over 260 acres and led to evacuations for 1,300 people over two days.
At least 12 firefighters were assessed for heat and smoke injuries, with at least two being hospitalized in Albuquerque.
Albuquerque ramps up fireworks enforcement and safety ahead of July 4th - Jesse Jones, nm.news
Burqueños can expect ramped-up patrols and enforcement over the Fourth of July holiday to curb illegal fireworks and prevent fires in high-risk areas like the Bosque and foothills.
With recent arson activity and a rise in illegal fireworks, Albuquerque Fire Rescue and the Albuquerque Police Department are stepping up efforts to keep neighborhoods safe from fire danger. From July 3 to 5, patrols will target open spaces where fireworks are banned and residents are urged to report violations. City officials say only ground-based “CAUTION”-labeled fireworks sold locally are legal, and anyone caught using banned devices could face fines or citations.
“It’s really important for everyone to understand that all fireworks within the Albuquerque area that you see in the tents are regulated by our fire inspectors, and they’re permitted for use,” Albuquerque Fire Rescue Chief Emily Jaramillo said. “However, fireworks of all kinds are prohibited around the Bosque or Open Space areas and the City of Albuquerque ordinance prohibits the sale of aerial fireworks and ground audible devices within the city limits.”
Between June 17 and 22, four brush fires broke out within Albuquerque city limits, with additional major fires reported in Valencia County. In Los Lunas, the Cotton One and Cotton Two fires destroyed nearly a dozen homes and forced more than 1,300 residents to evacuate.
According to the Valencia County News Bulletin, Thirteen firefighters were injured while battling the fires —12 suffered heat-related issues and one was hospitalized for smoke inhalation.
Officials believe all the fires were intentionally set.
“We are seeing a troubling sequence of human-caused fires in the Bosque,” Keller said. “It’s extremely flammable, and these are things that can be very difficult to control for us if they get out of hand. That’s why we try and control them right away — and why we try and prevent them.”
What to expect
In the wake of the fires and extreme drought conditions, AFR’s Fireworks Education Units will patrol the Bosque, foothills and other open space areas July 3–5 from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Units will patrol for illegal fireworks and other suspicious activity, with four APD teams assisting the Fire Marshal’s Office and ready to respond alongside enforcement crews as needed.
Jaramillo said the city bans the sale and use of aerial fireworks and ground audible devices. While AFR regulates what’s sold in Albuquerque, Jaramillo noted they can’t control what people buy elsewhere in the state.
“We can’t control what people buy elsewhere,” she said, “but we can respond when they use them here. Report what you see so we can take action.”
AFD and APD will watch for illegal fireworks banned within city limits, including aerial devices and loud ground fireworks.
According to city guidelines, fireworks labeled “WARNING” are illegal, while those marked “CAUTION” are legal.
Illegal fireworks include:
Aerial Devices
· Aerial Spinners
· Helicopters
· Mines
· Missile-type Rockets
· Roman Candles
· Shells
· Stick Type Rockets
Ground Audible Devices
· Chasers (bottle rockets)
· Firecrackers
According to the city website, once ignited, aerial and ground audible fireworks fly unpredictably and pose serious fire risks to buildings and vegetation. They can cause injuries to users and bystanders and disrupt public peace.
As a reminder, all fireworks are prohibited in all open spaces.
On the other hand, legal fireworks, like those found in retail stores and fireworks tents or stands throughout the city, can be used, just not in open spaces.
The following fireworks are considered safe and legal to use within city limits:
· Ground and handheld sparkling devices
· Cone Fountains
· Crackling Devices
· Cylindrical Fountains
· Flitter Sparklers
· Ground Spinners
· Illuminating Torches
· Wheels
If residents break the rules, they can expect real consequences.
Anyone caught using illegal fireworks will get a Cease and Desist Order sent to the property’s owner or resident. The notice means someone from the fire or police department saw the fireworks being used illegally.
“We do start issuing [Cease and Desist Orders] as soon as we start having those come in,” Jaramillo said.
A second violation at the same address can lead to legal action.
Breaking the city’s fireworks rules is a misdemeanor and means a mandatory trip to court. If convicted, you could face up to a $500 fine, 90 days in jail, or both.
Improper use of legal fireworks — or setting off banned ones — can also lead to the user or supervising adult being held financially responsible for any damage.
How to report illegal fireworks
When reporting illegal fireworks, include the exact address where they’re being set off, not your address.
Use:
· ABQ311 app
· Call 311
Outside city limits?
· Bernalillo County: (505) 798-7000
· Rio Rancho: (505) 891-7226
“Please make sure you’re reporting,” Jaramillo said. “Whether it be suspicious activity in the Bosque or any illegal firework activity, so that we can help address that.”
Firework safety
According to the city, fireworks pose serious risks every year.
In 2023, they caused eight deaths and an estimated 9,700 injuries nationwide. They can cause blindness, third-degree burns and permanent scars.
During the July 3 and 4 weekend last year, AFR responded to 140 outdoor fires and four structure fires. Sparklers alone accounted for more than half of the injuries among children under 5.
To enjoy fireworks safely this Fourth of July, the city recommends Burqueños follow these simple tips:
· Avoid using fireworks on Red Flag Warning days, which signal high fire danger. Check conditions at weather.gov.
· Buy local. Fireworks sold by licensed vendors in Albuquerque are legal for use within city limits.
· Use fireworks only on paved or barren surfaces, away from homes, dry vegetation and anything flammable.
· Never use fireworks in the Bosque, open space areas or city parks.
· Keep water nearby, like a charged hose or two 5-gallon buckets, in case of fire.
· Always have an adult present. Don’t let children handle or light fireworks.
· Follow all instructions on fireworks packaging.
· Soak used fireworks in water until they’re cool before tossing them in the trash.
· In an emergency, call 911 and leave the area immediately.
The city’s Animal Welfare department is also encouraging pet owners to take simple steps to keep animals safe and calm this Independence Day.
“Knowing how to prepare your pet and keep them calm during the fireworks can make a big difference in ensuring their comfort during Fourth of July festivities,” Keller said in a press release. “Celebrate responsibly so it’s a fun holiday for everyone.”
Animal Welfare recommends the following tips:
· Leave your pets at home and indoors. The noise of the fireworks for most pets could cause anxiety, fear and a desire to flee.
· Keep pets in a lit, cool, calm closed room with familiar sounds and chew toys that will help to distract and make the animal feel safe.
· Identification tags and microchips are a must in case the pet escapes. This will help reunite pets and owners quickly and effectively. Please make sure information on tags and microchips is updated. FREE microchipping and custom pet tags are available until Thursday, July 3, at the Eastside and Westside shelters. No appointment needed.
· If a pet gets especially stressed, ask your vet for help to soothe them.
“Taking these precautions can help ensure that both you and your pets have a safe and stress-free Fourth of July,” said Animal Welfare Director Carolyn Ortega. “Let’s have a happy holiday for both people and pets.”
New report: New Mexico on the hook for millions, if not billions, to plug oil and gas wells - Danielle Prokop, Source New Mexico
New Mexico could face ballooning costs to address oil and gas wells abandoned by operators – sometimes called “orphan wells” — and the problem is poised to get bigger, a new report said, as more wells reach the end of their lifespans
Current cleanup of 700 wells will cost $208 million and take close to a decade to complete, analysts from the Legislative Finance Committee estimated in a 47-page report released Tuesday. Future plugging of an identified 1,400 wells could cost New Mexico between $700 million dollars to as high as $1.6 billion.
“On top of that, there are more than 3,000 wells on state or private land producing extremely small quantities of oil and gas whose expected cleanup costs far exceed their predicted future revenues, increasing their risk of being orphaned,” the report says.
Unplugged oil and gas wells can pollute groundwater; pose threats to human health from wastewater or gas exposure; and can prevent further extraction from nearby wells. Private owners plug most wells, but since fiscal year 2019 the state has spent more than $50 million to plug about 1,000 orphaned wells.
Analysts recommended four policy proposals for lawmakers to incentivize oil and gas companies to address unplugged wells before they become a state problem.
They include: clarifying the definitions of abandoned and orphaned wells in the law; amending the state limits on bonds for drilling oil and gas wells to reflect cleanup costs; allowing for operators to fund cleanup through trusts; and providing state regulators the power to review or disallow the transfer of wells if the buyer can’t plug or clean them up.
Several other states adopted laws requiring operators to pay a fixed rate into trust funds for certain wells, according to Stephanie Joyce, a program evaluator for the nonpartisan Legislative Finance Committee.
“Think of it as something like a retirement account for a well, where companies put money into a fund over a well’s life, so the money is there when it is needed,” Joyce told lawmakers at a committee meeting in Taos.
Analysts also recommended the Oil Conservation Division adopt new rules to address wells at the end of their lifespan; change its bidding procedures; and adopt controls to ensure that the state is not overpaying contractors for plugging.
The report found the state’s costs for plugging wells have dramatically risen in recent years in part due to plugging deeper, more complex wells, and some inflation, but also due to procurement practices at the Oil Conservation Division.
New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Deputy Secretary Ben Shelton called the report “fair and comprehensive,” noting that the Oil Conservation Division was not originally set up to deal with orphan wells.
“We’re a regulatory agency set up to permit the operation of the oil and gas industry in New Mexico, this is something that has become a bit of an elephant that the division is dealing with,” Shelton said.
In addition, state laws obligating oil and gas companies to pay are insufficient to meet the costs of cleanup, analysts said.
State law limits oil and gas bonds plugging wells to $250,000 for all of a company’s active wells in the state — even as the average cost to plug one well last year was $163,000. More than three dozen oil and gas operators would be required to pay less than $1,000 per well, according to the report.
Sen. George Muñoz (D-Gallup) asked Shelton why the the Oil Conservation Division hasn’t pursued more funds from operators to reclaim public money spent on cleanup.
“The juice is not worth the squeeze,” Shelton responded. “I’m not going to send one of my three attorneys doing 100% of enforcement for the state on a two-month goose chase for a $50,000 bond — it’s just not worth the state’s taxpayer dollars.”
Shelton said he was hiring an additional attorney to help pivot to seeking assurance, but noted that it still is insufficient to pay.
Muñoz said the state was shirking its responsibilities to “go after bad actors,” and asked if the division was denying permits to operators with outstanding wells.
Shelton said state law doesn’t give the agency that power.
“The view right now is that we don’t have that sort of bad-actor review on that sort of personal compliance,” he told lawmakers. “If you start a brand-new company that has a clean bill of health and a clean record, then we don’t have the ability to come in and say ‘one of your officers has outstanding liability in another company.’”
A new bill could change how Albuquerque handles homeless camps - Jesse Jones, nm.news
Albuquerque City Councilor Nichole Rogers is proposing changes to the city’s Safe Outdoor Space (SOS) Operator’s Permit Ordinance, aiming to reduce regulatory obstacles and make it easier to open and manage sanctioned encampments for people experiencing homelessness.
Rogers is pushing to ease city rules on Safe Outdoor Spaces. She argues that current regulations create unnecessary red tape that blocks efforts to establish safe, legal places for people living in tents or vehicles. Her proposed amendments seek to cut permit fees, simplify community engagement requirements and remove barriers that have prevented operators from opening these sites.
Only one city-approved Safe Outdoor Space exists right now — the Refuge House, run by the New Creation Albuquerque church. It has eight wooden platforms, a portable toilet, showers, laundry and case management. An on-site manager runs the site, providing a safer, cleaner alternative to illegal encampments.
Safe Outdoor Spaces remain a divisive issue, with frequent pushback from neighborhood groups and some elected officials. Applicants have either been denied or withdrawn their proposals under the city’s current rules. The city keeps a map showing approved, denied and withdrawn locations.
Rogers hopes her bill will clear the way for more providers to open Safe Outdoor Spaces while still protecting health and safety. A committee hearing is expected in August after the Council’s summer break. If the amendment advances, a full City Council vote will follow.
Here’s a closer look at what the bill would do:
Permit application changes
Under the proposed amendment, sites with 10 or fewer spaces would no longer need to provide contact information for someone available 24 hours per day, seven days a week, easing the burden on smaller operators. Sites with 11 or more would still be required to list a 24/7 contact to handle complaints about the site’s operation or occupancy.
To align with the background check requirements of New Mexico’s Criminal Offender Employment Act, meaning people would not be denied a permit solely based on a criminal record unless legally allowed.
The amendment changes what site operators need to include in their operations plan.
It drops the old rule, which said they had to specify if and when the site would be open to the public, making the rules about public access simpler.
Operators must include a comprehensive plan in their applications.
They need to explain how tenants will check in and register, outline site security and tenant safety measures and detail fire safety and evacuation procedures.
A code of conduct must cover violent behavior, weapons, drugs, alcohol and what the process is before removing someone.
Operators also must provide a property maintenance plan to keep the site clean and free of weeds, debris and waste, plus a pet policy ensuring humane and sanitary conditions.
The application should include a policy to help residents get government-issued IDs, a wastewater and sanitation plan and proof of property ownership or consent.
Finally, operators must submit a decommissioning plan explaining how and when the site will close and how it will be restored to its previous condition or better.
Permit term limits and fee reductions
The amendment sets a clear timeline, giving permits a 12-month limit instead of leaving them open-ended. Operators would need to reapply each year, replacing the old system tied to zoning rules.
It also adds a $100 fee for new permits and a $50 fee for renewals. The city must use that money to run, manage and enforce the program. Permits can’t be transferred and only stay valid while the listed operator is still in charge.
Good neighbor provisions
Each of the site operators must engage in a “Good Neighbor Program” with neighbors within 100 feet of the property and keep updated records of current and past tenants, including the reason they left. They must keep a log of all visitors.
Operators must report any illegal use of nearby public spaces by non-tenants to 311 and partner with a nonprofit to do outreach in the surrounding area.
During the first six months, they are expected to meet monthly with nearby property owners — after that, quarterly check-ins would be required. Quiet hours would run from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
The proposal also blocks people with felony assault or battery convictions from staying at a site, though they can remain during a pending background check. Operators must cover the cost of those checks.
What’s Next
The amendments were referred to the Land Use, Planning, and Zoning Committee, which is next scheduled to meet at 5 p.m., August 13 in the Vincent E. Griego Chambers, basement level of the City of Albuquerque Government Center, 1 Civic Plaza NW.
Watch live:
· Comcast Channel 16 (GOVTV)
· Stream at cabq.gov/govtv
On YouTube at youtube.com/@GOVTVBoardsCommissionMeetings
A look at how Trump's big bill could change the US immigration system - By Tim Sullivan, Associated Press
President Donald Trump's spending cuts and border security package would inject roughly $150 billion into his mass deportation agenda over the next four years, funding everything from an extension of the United States' southern border wall to detention centers to thousands of additional law enforcement staff.
The current annual budget for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the government's primary department for immigration enforcement, is around $10 billion. If the Republican president's big bill passes in Congress, the immense cash infusion could reshape America's immigration system by expanding the law enforcement and detention network while increasing costs to legally immigrate to the U.S.
The Senate is debating its own version of the bill, which largely aligns with the House's approach when it comes to these issues. In recent days, Republicans have focused on sometimes-violent protests against Trump's immigration crackdown to press for quick passage over Democratic opposition.
That's what happened earlier in June when protests triggered unrest in parts of Los Angeles.
"The lawlessness happening in LA is ANOTHER reason why we need to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill IMMEDIATELY," House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote on X. "It provides the ESSENTIAL funding needed to secure our nation's borders."
Plenty, though, remains unclear about the legislation.
"One thing about this bill, these sections are super vague," said Adam Isacson, a researcher with the Washington-based human rights advocacy organization WOLA, including multibillion-dollar expenditures sometimes explained in just a few vague lines. "There's no real specificity in the bill about how it's going to be spent."
Here's a look at some key immigration sections of the 1,000-page bill, as approved by the House, and what it could mean for the U.S. government's posture on immigration:
PROJECT: The wall
WHAT THE BILL SAYS: The bill sets aside $46.5 billion for what the House Homeland Security Committee calls an "integrated border barrier system," including fencing, water barriers, law enforcement access roads and technology like movement sensors. The funding would complete 701 miles (1,128 kilometers) of primary walls and 900 miles (1,448 kilometers) of river barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the committee. It is the bill's largest expenditure.
"Any lawmaker who claims to care about border security will need to put their money where their mouth is and work to advance these recommendations," said the committee's chairman, Republican Rep. Mark Green of Tennessee.
THE IMPACT: Building the wall has long been one of Trump's signature promises, but its impacts beyond political symbolism are unclear. Illegal border crossings have plunged since Trump took office in January amid a string of orders on immigration, including the suspension of the asylum system. Simply ending asylum meant tens of thousands of people who would've surrendered to law enforcement instead of trying to avoid capture didn't even attempt to cross.
Plus, the effectiveness of border walls is hotly debated, even in populated areas where barriers tend to be heavily reinforced. Human smugglers, often linked to drug cartels, have used tunnels, ladders and power tools to cross walls.
But, experts note that though illegal crossings are down now, that can change rapidly.
PROJECT: Detention facilities and staff
WHAT THE BILL SAYS: The bill, which top White House aide and immigration hawk Stephen Miller has called "the most essential piece of legislation currently under consideration in the entire Western World," sets aside $45 billion to expand the network of immigrant detention facilities for adult migrants and families.
The standards in adult facilities, the bill notes, would be set at "the sole discretion of the Secretary of Homeland Security."
More than $12 billion was also requested for 18,000 new ICE and Border Patrol personnel.
THE IMPACT: ICE has said it wants to increase its current detention capacity from about 41,000 people to 100,000. It's part of what ICE's acting director, Todd Lyons, has suggested is a deportation system that could function "like Amazon, trying to get your product delivered in 24 hours."
ICE currently has about 6,000 deportation officers, a number that's been stagnant for years.
While expanding staff and detention centers would make it easier for the administration to increase deportations, even the tens of billions of dollars the bill requests may not be enough to meet Trump's goals. Miller has said ICE should be making 3,000 arrests per day of people in the country illegally. That's a vast increase over the roughly 650 arrested a day in the first five months of Trump's second term.
But the plans are a boon to America's private prison industry, with stock prices for the two dominant companies, Geo Group Inc. and CoreCivic, up more than 50% since Trump's election.
PROJECT: Immigration courts
WHAT THE BILL SAYS: The legislation sets aside $1.25 billion for the immigration court system, with funds to hire more immigration judges and support staff and to expand courtroom capacity. The courts' annual budget currently stands at roughly $850 million.
THE IMPACT: The immigration court system, which has roughly 700 judges, has struggled for years with chronic understaffing and a backlog that has reached more than 3.6 million cases. Judges typically take more than five years to make decisions.
It's a chaotic system, with overworked judges, a shortage of translators and immigrants who often don't have lawyers.
The chaos has grown in recent weeks, with immigration courts seeing a spike in arrests outside courtrooms as agents wait to detain immigrants attending routine hearings. The arrests have spread fed confusion and fear, especially among asylum-seekers, who are accustomed to remaining free while their cases plod their way through the system.
The proposed funding would be "a significant increase, and from an institutional perspective it's urgently needed money," said Greg Chen, director of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
But he also believes the rising numbers of courthouse arrests reflect an administration looking for ways to bypass immigration courts.
PROJECT: Immigration fees
WHAT THE BILL SAYS: The bill overhauls the system of immigration costs, with dramatic increases and new fees imposed for once-free services.
Applying for asylum, which has long been free, will now cost $1,000, with asylum-seekers paying another $550 for employment applications. Among other fee increases, appealing an immigration judge decision jumps from $110 to $900 and applying for temporary protected status, which allows people from certain countries facing civil unrest or natural disasters to stay temporarily in the U.S., goes from $50 to $500.
THE IMPACT: For wealthier immigrants, the new fees will be an inconvenience. But for the vast majority of people even a few hundred dollars could be enough to make them change their plans.