City administration offices and certain other city facilities will be closed Monday, Sept. 7, in observance of Labor Day. Some city services will have an adjusted schedule for that Monday or that week.
Roswell police arrested Christian Analla, 34, on Sept. 1 after he allegedly fled an Aug. 25 traffic stop in a reportedly stolen Chevrolet Malibu. Court records say he drove through a yard and residential streets after being warned he would face additional charges. Analla faces aggravated fleeing and resisting arrest charges, alongside multiple outstanding warrants.
The Savannah River Site in South Carolina will begin shipping highly radioactive, remote-handled transuranic waste to New Mexico’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant after containers passed flammable-gas testing. The shipments revive debate over WIPP’s capacity and priorities, as state officials push for more legacy waste from Los Alamos while federal regulators oppose proposed disposal requirements.
Roswell man Sean Michael Caraska, 37, was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the July shootings of homeless men Andrew Lujan-Huerta and Karl Affsprung. Police found a white pickup and firearm linked to both cases during a search. The investigation continues, including possible connections to other crimes; no motive has been established.
Roswell City Council will consider a proposal to close Spring River Zoo by June 30, 2027, and replace it with a $17.5 million multi-generational center. The project would include a new Adult Center, recreation amenities and flood repairs, with FEMA covering $13.125 million. Animals would be relocated, while Peppermint Park remains open until construction.
Nuclear waste shipments from Washington’s Hanford Site to New Mexico’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant will resume after a 15-year pause. The move renews debate over WIPP’s priorities, as New Mexico officials and watchdogs argue that waste from Los Alamos National Laboratory should receive greater attention under the state’s 2023 permit requirements.
Roswell voters will not decide on a proposed 10-year, 0.25% local option gross receipts tax this November after procedural and technical errors prevented the measure from reaching the ballot. The tax could have raised $4.5 million annually for economic development. City officials may revisit the proposal in 2027 or call a costly special election.
An August Bureau of Land Management auction generated about $139 million from oil and gas leases, led by three Eddy County parcels with a combined value exceeding $115 million. The sale included acreage in New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma, bringing New Mexico’s 2025 federal lease-sale revenue to roughly $4.4 billion amid debate over lower royalty rates.
Tony “Nacho” Gonzales was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the 2021 fatal shooting of 29-year-old Jose Diaz in Roswell. Convicted of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence, Gonzales will serve about 13 years after credit for time served. His attorney plans to appeal, citing insufficient evidence. родствен
Chaves County commissioners voted 3-2 to place a proposed five-year, 0.125% local-option gross receipts tax on the November ballot. If approved, the measure would raise the county rate to 6.39% and generate an estimated $2 million annually for economic development projects, including site preparation and public works. Supporters cite growth; opponents warn of added costs.
New Mexico officials proposed new oilfield methane rules, including a “super emitter” program allowing certified third parties to report leaks of at least 50 kilograms per hour and requiring operators to investigate and repair them. The proposal also mandates zero-emission electric pneumatic pumps by 2031, but oil and gas leaders object to the shortened timeline.
The FBI has joined a local investigation into the deaths of three transient men found in the Roswell area in June and July. Authorities are seeking tips about possible links between the killings of Kent Hoffman, Andrew Lujan-Huerta and Karl Affsprung, all of whom were found dead in separate locations, some with gunshot wounds.
An environmental group has appealed a federal court ruling that vacated endangered species protections for the dunes sagebrush lizard, a tiny species native to the Permian Basin in New Mexico and Texas. The fight centers on whether federal safeguards are needed to curb oil and gas development and prevent the lizard’s extinction.
