News

Stacia Marie Pearce, 38, and Tony Joseph Ontiveros, 39, were found suffering gunshots wounds by police officers at about 3 a.m. at a residence in the1600 block of Juniper Street, according to a news release from the Roswell Police Department.

Residents in either county affected by specific disasters in 2024 can receive assistance for their home ranging from minor repairs to reconstruction.

On Aug. 18, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins filed a proposal in the Federal Register to rescind the Roadless Rule, initiating a public comment period until Sept. 21 when the Department of Agriculture will receive feedback before making its final decision.

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.

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 owners of the Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino have announced that Triple Crown races and other operations will be moving to Grand...

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.