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Ruidoso Downs Casino Shuts for All of 2026 — Horse Racing Carries On

Victoria Padilla
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Ruidoso Downs Casino Shuts for All of 2026 — Horse Racing Carries On

The New Mexico Gaming Control Board plans to meet about the Ruidoso Race Track, a well-known horse racing venue. Recent reports say Ruidoso Downs Casino will stay closed for all of 2026 because of flooding.

Engineers have raised safety concerns about damaged drainage at the entrance, which is one reason for the casino closure at Ruidoso Downs.

Officials said the entrance should stay closed until repairs are finished. The New Mexico Department of Transportation checked the waterways and found signs of damage, linking the Ruidoso Downs casino closure to these infrastructure problems.

General Manager Rick Baugh said the temporary closure is required to protect employees, guests, and business partners. He explained that this break will give them time to fix the safety issues.

The facility urges visitors to redeem any cash or betting vouchers before it closes, since the Ruidoso Downs casino closure is coming soon.

The racetrack said customers who cannot redeem their vouchers before the closure will have up to 60 days to request a refund. They can use a mail-in process if affected by the Ruidoso Downs casino closure.

Racing will continue

Casino operations will pause, but horse racing will continue at the Downs of Albuquerque on weekends and Labor Day, even though Ruidoso Downs casino will be closed in 2026.

Organizers expect the All American Select Sale and the New Mexico Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred Sale to go ahead as planned. These events will be held at the Ruidoso Downs Horse Sale Pavilion and will not be affected by the casino closure.

Scorching Heat and Daily Thunderstorms Ahead for New Mexico

Juan Oliveros
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Scorching Heat and Daily Thunderstorms Ahead for New Mexico

Hot and unstable weather settled over New Mexico on Thursday as high pressure built across the state, setting the stage for a multiday stretch of scorching heat and daily thunderstorm chances.

According to the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, temperatures will climb into the high 90s on Thursday in most parts of central and eastern New Mexico. The southeast plains could hit or go over 100 degrees. Heat risks will increase through the weekend, with lower areas seeing moderate to major impacts and highs in the upper 90s to low 100s.

The low-pressure system that caused flooding in western New Mexico earlier this week has moved into southeast Utah, leaving behind a lot of moisture in the western part of the state. While the overall flash flood risk went down on Thursday, forecasters say heavy downpours could still happen, especially in northern New Mexico, where scattered storms are expected in the afternoon and evening.

“Daily rounds of afternoon thunderstorms threatening lightning, gusty winds, small hail, and localized heavy rainfall continue at varying coverages through the weekend into next week,” the National Weather Service said in its overnight forecast discussion.

On Friday, the high-pressure system will move west, letting storm outflows bring more moisture into eastern and central New Mexico. This will increase the chance of rain in the eastern plains on Saturday. Slow and unpredictable storms will continue into early next week, raising the risk of flash flooding as moisture levels run much higher than usual for late July.

In Albuquerque, forecasters expect a high near 97 degrees on Thursday with a small chance of afternoon thunderstorms. Hot weather will stick around from Friday through the weekend, with highs in the upper 90s to near 100 and a daily chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms.

Forecasters say no critical fire weather will develop over the next week, though scattered storms will bring variable rainfall, mainly across the western and northern parts of the state.

Overnight temperatures will range from the upper 60s to around 70, with little relief from the heat.

Forecasters say the monsoon pattern will stay. But it will be erratic through at least early next week as the position of the upper high shifts. Officials warn residents to stay hydrated and avoid outdoor activity during the hottest hours.

Extreme Heat Kills More Than Hurricanes and Floods Combined — Here’s How to Survive New Mexico’s Scorching Summer

Juan Oliveros
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Extreme Heat Kills More Than Hurricanes and Floods Combined — Here’s How to Survive New Mexico’s Scorching Summer

The Southwest is experiencing triple-digit temperatures, and extreme heat is now the world’s deadliest climate threat. Every year, it takes hundreds of thousands of lives, often with little warning. In New Mexico, where deserts and high deserts heat up in summer, experts say getting ready is the best way to stay safe.

Extreme temperatures cause more deaths worldwide than floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and wildfires combined. Reports estimate that between 2000 and 2019, as many as 489,000 people died each year from heat.

When our core temperature goes up, our bodies have a hard time coping. Sweating helps cool us down, but high heat and humidity make this harder by thickening the blood and putting more strain on the heart, which can damage organs. At dangerous ‘wet-bulb’ levels, sweating no longer works. Older adults, children, outdoor workers, pregnant people, and those with chronic health problems are most at risk.

In New Mexico, summer temperatures often climb into the triple digits in cities like Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and Roswell. The sun is strong, the air is dry.

In late summer, monsoon rains bring added humidity, making it even harder to stay cool. State health officials have reported hundreds of heat-related emergency room visits since spring.

The New Mexico Department of Health urges everyone to act early. Chelsea Langer, who leads the department’s Environmental Health Epidemiology Bureau, says it is especially important to watch out for those most at risk, like older adults, children, and outdoor workers.

“It’s going to be a hot summer,” said Langer.

Here are some important steps to help you stay safe during New Mexico summers:

  • Rehydrate by drinking plenty of water before you feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine because they can make you lose water faster in the dry climate.
  • Avoid staying outdoors or in the shade during the hottest hours, usually from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Keep your blinds closed and use air conditioning if you can. Swamp coolers do not work as well when it is humid.
  • Wear light, loose, and light-colored clothes, along with a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen. Try to do hard activities in the early morning or evening.
  • Check on your neighbors, especially older adults or anyone without air conditioning. Never leave children or pets in cars because temperatures inside can become deadly in just a few minutes.
  • Know the signs: Learn the warning signs. Heat exhaustion can cause heavy sweating, cold and clammy skin, nausea, cramps, and dizziness.

If you see these symptoms, move to a cool place, loosen clothing, and sip water. Heat stroke can cause hot red skin, confusion, a fast pulse, or unconsciousness, and is a medical emergency. Call 911 right away and try to cool the person quickly. Many communities have cooling centers. The state health department also has a helpline at 1-833-SWNURSE for immediate help.

New Mexico’s dry air helps sweat evaporate more easily than in humid places, but the high altitude, strong sun and long stretches of heat still make conditions dangerous. Officials say most heat-related illnesses and deaths can be prevented by staying alert and taking simple precautions. Preparing now can help save lives during the next heat wave.

Artist Charles Ross to Complete His Earthwork ‘Star Axis’ After 50 Years

Juan Oliveros
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Artist Charles Ross to Complete His Earthwork ‘Star Axis’ After 50 Years

Nearly 50 years after breaking ground in 1976, Charles Ross’s monumental earthwork “Star Axis” is finally set to be completed this year. His vision, shaped over decades on a remote New Mexico mesa, is about to become reality.

Last spring, Ross sat in his SoHo studio, but his mind was on eastern New Mexico. That’s where his life’s work, a monumental project that is both an observatory and a pyramid, rises toward the sky. “If you’re there in the winter during a snowstorm, it’s like the sky is painting the earth white,” Ross said. “There are also thunderstorms, and rainbows appear several times a week.”

‘Star Axis’: Ambitious Land Art Project

At 88, Ross has spent fifty years building “Star Axis,” an ambitious land art project that blends sculpture, architecture, and astronomy on a mesa 85 miles from Santa Fe. He came up with the idea in 1971 and started building in 1976. The structure, about 11 stories tall and made from earth, sandstone, granite, concrete, bronze, and stainless steel, is almost done. Supporters hope to open it to the public soon.

The central feature is the Star Tunnel, a 147-step stairway aligned with the North Star. As visitors ascend, the opening at the top frames views that demonstrate the 26,000-year cycle of axial precession — the gradual wobble of Earth’s axis that shifts which star serves as the North Star over millennia. Other features include a Solar Pyramid that casts an annual shadow, an Equatorial Chamber and an Hour Chamber, all designed to make cosmic movements visible.

Ross studied mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley, then earned a master’s degree in art, finding his artistic path almost by accident. His early experiments with prisms and light led him to explore planetary motion and ancient alignments similar to those of Egyptian pyramids. After four years searching the Southwest, he found the mesa.

As Ross put it, “your feet are planted on the ground, your head is in the space of the stars, and the horizon is at midsection.”

W.O. Culbertson Jr., a well-known New Mexico rancher, allowed Ross to build on the land after meeting Culbertson’s son by chance. Construction has been slow and careful, using local stonemasons and traditional methods. Ross and his wife, artist Jill O’Bryan, live off-grid near the site in the warmer months, then return to their SoHo loft for winter.

Rare, Major Land Art

The nonprofit Land Light Foundation manages the project, which has cost millions. Some funding comes from Ross’s other work, like large prism installations that project solar colors inside buildings and “solar burn” artworks made by focusing sunlight on wood. This spring, supporters started a $5 million fundraising campaign to finish construction and get the site ready for visitors.

“Star Axis” is major land art from the 1960s and 1970s, like Michael Heizer’s “Double Negative” and Robert Smithson’s “Spiral Jetty.” Ross’s project is about aligning with cosmic cycles while many modern works focus on erosion or change,

“It wasn’t enough to just know about this,” Ross said, referring to the precession cycle that causes Polaris to appear to pulse in the sky over thousands of years. “I wanted to walk through it.”

As the project nears completion, Ross, a Guggenheim Fellow whose work is in major museum collections, reflects on decades of dedication. The site’s isolation adds to the experience, with clear dark skies, dramatic weather, and a powerful feeling of standing between earth and space.

For now, the artist moves between his whitewashed SoHo studio, where he plans, and the red-dirt mesa, where his vision is nearly complete. In both places, the stars feel close.

Flash Flood Watch Issued for Parts of New Mexico as Monsoon Storms Build

Juan Oliveros
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Flash Flood Watch Issued for Parts of New Mexico as Monsoon Storms Build

The National Weather Service’s Albuquerque office has issued a Flash Flood Watch this Wednesday morning as the afternoon thunderstorms could bring heavy rainfall and rapid flooding to parts of the state, including areas scarred by recent wildfires near Ruidoso.

The latest forecast shows skies over the metro area were partly cloudy Wednesday morning, with temperatures holding at 70 degrees.

Forecasters expect conditions to turn sunny before shifting to a slight chance of thunderstorms as daytime heat builds, pushing the high to 93 degrees.

Storm chances are expected to linger into the evening before clearing to partly cloudy skies overnight, with lows falling to 69 degrees.

The bigger concern, however, is the flooding risk tied to this afternoon’s storm activity. The Flash Flood Watch covers the Ruidoso burn scar areas as well as west-central and northwestern New Mexico, where thunderstorms are expected to produce heavy rainfall through the afternoon and early evening hours. “Low-lying, poorly drained, and already rain-soaked areas will be most susceptible,” the agency
said in its forecast discussion, noting that repeated rounds of storms could compound the risk in already-saturated ground.

Burn-scarred terrain near Ruidoso remains especially vulnerable to flash flooding as wildfire damage strips away vegetation that would normally slow and absorb runoff.

The watch comes as New Mexico moves further into its summer monsoon pattern.

Forecasters are urging residents in and around the affected areas to monitor conditions closely through the afternoon and to be prepared to move to higher ground if storms develop nearby.

State Advances Bid to Become a Quantum Technology Hub 

Victoria Padilla
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State leaders are pushing to establish New Mexico as a national hub for quantum technology, an effort officials say could generate high-paying jobs and drive economic growth.

The initiative builds on research from Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories while encouraging private technology companies to expand operations in the state. Officials say advancements in quantum technology could yield breakthroughs in cybersecurity, computing, and national defense.

“Today, we’ve invested a little over $450 million across different programs, and we’re really excited to see that we’re growing an industry basically from scratch, and we’re having great success with it,” said Nora Meyers Sackett, Director of the Technology and Innovation Office at Economic Development New Mexico.

Quantinuum, QuEra, Qunnect and Mesa Quantum have announced plans to expand in New Mexico as the state’s quantum sector grows. The companies received state grants aimed at fostering research, innovation and business expansion.

Officials point to the state’s research universities and laboratory-trained workforce as key competitive advantages.

State leaders hope continued investment will position New Mexico as a leading center for quantum innovation in the coming years.

Is New Mexico Losing the Fight Against the Opioid Crisis?

Juan Oliveros
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Is New Mexico Losing the Fight Against the Opioid Crisis?

New Mexico has one of the highest overdose death rates in the country. This opioid crisis is driven mostly by fentanyl and has deep roots in addiction, poverty, limited health care, and drug trafficking over many years.

The state documented about 900 overdose deaths in 2025, ranking fourth nationwide for overdose mortality, the state Department of Health said. Overdose deaths fell across the country. In New Mexico, however, overdose deaths saw a 21 percent increase from the previous year.

Here are some reasons why the opioid epidemic in New Mexico has become so severe.

The shift from prescription painkillers to fentanyl

Like many other states, New Mexico’s opioid crisis started in the 1990s when doctors widely prescribed opioid pain medications.

As regulations tightened, many people dependent on prescription opioids turned to heroin. In recent years, heroin has largely been replaced by fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times more potent than heroin and far cheaper for traffickers to produce. Today, fentanyl is linked to over 85 percent of overdose deaths in New Mexico.xico.

Geography and poverty create barriers

Many of the communities hit hardest in New Mexico are rural and face economic challenges.

Northern counties like Rio Arriba, Taos, and Santa Fe have faced unemployment, poverty, unstable housing, and limited access to addiction treatment for a long time.

For many people, detox centers and medication-assisted treatment programs are hours away. Lack of transportation, child care, and stable housing often make recovery even harder.

A long history of opioid addiction

Rio Arriba County has struggled with opioid addiction for generations. This area saw widespread heroin use many years before fentanyl appeared, leading to deep-rooted addiction that has affected families and communities for a long time.

Health experts say fentanyl made an existing crisis worse instead of starting a new one. Since even a small amount can cause someone to stop breathing, accidental overdoses have become much more common.

Many people overdose when they are alone, so there is no one there to give them naloxone, the medicine that can reverse an opioid overdose.

Homelessness and mental illness worsen the crisis

Health officials say opioid addiction is closely connected to homelessness and untreated mental illness.

Most people struggling with addiction also face unemployment, trauma, depression or anxiety, making long-term recovery more difficult. Advocates say addressing addiction requires more than law enforcement, pointing to stable housing, counseling, health care and employment support as essential for sustained recovery.

State officials are also worried about large amounts of fentanyl coming into communities through organized drug trafficking networks, which increases both the supply and the risk of overdoses.

Treatment capacity still falls short

Even though New Mexico has added more medication-assisted treatment with buprenorphine and methadone, many communities still do not have enough detox beds, treatment centers, or behavioral health workers.

Some treatment centers have closed in recent years, even as the need for help keeps growing.

The state has started putting millions of dollars from opioid settlements into expanding treatment, harm reduction programs, and behavioral health services.

Addiction is a chronic medical condition

Medical experts stress that opioid use disorder is a long-term brain disease, not a moral weakness.

Long-term Recovering over the long term often takes medication, counseling, support from peers, and ongoing medical care. Relapse is common, and recovery can take years. Officials say reducing overdose deaths will require sustained investments in prevention, treatment, harm reduction and social services alongside efforts to disrupt fentanyl trafficking.

The bottom line

New Mexico’s opioid crisis comes from many overlapping problems: years of prescription opioid misuse, the fast spread of fentanyl, ongoing poverty, limited access to treatment, homelessness, mental illness, and the state’s location along drug trafficking routes.

Officials hope that new investments in behavioral health and addiction treatment will start to turn things around. However, experts warn that real progress will probably take years.

Will the Taylor Farms Iceberg Lettuce Recall Empty Grocery Shelves? What to Know

Juan Oliveros
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Will the Taylor Farms Iceberg Lettuce Recall Empty Grocery Shelves? What to Know

A voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce tied to a nationwide parasite outbreak probably will not cause major shortages in grocery stores, according to health and supply chain data. Officials are still investigating thousands of illnesses across the country.

Taylor Farms, a California-based company, voluntarily pulled all iceberg lettuce from central Mexico out of the U.S. market. The Food and Drug Administration had traced a multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic intestinal infection, to an independent farm in that area.

Even with the high-profile recall, shoppers are unlikely to see empty produce aisles. Taylor Farms’ central Mexico operations make up less than 1 percent of all lettuce sold in the U.S. The recall might cause small supply issues or temporary menu changes at some restaurants, but it should not have a big effect on supermarket shelves.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that lettuce sent to Taco Bell locations was one source of the outbreak.

A honeymoon interrupted

However, for people who got sick from the parasite, the effects have been serious.

Gretchen Pleuss from Wisconsin and her husband had only been married a few days when their honeymoon camping trip to Yellowstone National Park suddenly changed.

“I felt fine until we got out here, and a couple of days into camping here, I started having symptoms,” Pleuss said. She suffered from severe diarrhea and intense abdominal pain that landed her in an emergency room. She described the sensation as feeling as though her intestines were “really tight, like something is seizing them.”

Pleuss thinks she got the parasite after eating a sandwich with shredded lettuce while traveling. Instead of exploring Yellowstone’s hiking trails and geothermal sites, the couple spent their trip focused on her recovery, which put their vows of “in sickness and in health” to the test early on.

How far the outbreak has spread

The CDC said the outbreak has sickened nearly 3,000 people across the US. More than 5,000 potential cases are still under investigation.

Cyclosporiasis is caused by a tiny parasite called Cyclospora cayetanwhethersis. Common symptoms include watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, and fatigue.

Health authorities continue to monitor. Officials are still watching the situation and remind people to follow basic food safety rules, especially when traveling.

APS Welcome Back to School Community Listening Session Set for July 27; Electric Buses and Menu Tastings Await

Gregg Morgan
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APS Welcome Back to School Community Listening Session Set for July 27; Electric Buses and Menu Tastings Await

Albuquerque Public Schools is once again inviting parents and community members to share their voices. The district will hold its second community listening session of the year on Monday, July 27. 

APS said the “Welcome Back to School” event will give families an opportunity to connect directly with district leaders. The gathering will also offer a firsthand look at the future of student services.

The session will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Alice and Bruce King Educational Complex, 6400 Uptown Blvd. NE. APS designed the collaborative forum to focus on two pillars of the student experience: Food and Nutrition Services and Transportation.

The survey for the event ended on July 10. District officials said students’ and families’ feedback will guide the evening’s facilitated discussions.

More than just a meeting, the event will be a showcase of district innovation. 

Early arrivals can sample new cafeteria items during the “Menu Sneak Peek.” The Food and Nutrition Services department, led by Marie Johnson, created the upcoming school year’s menu based on student feedback collected last semester. 

The district will showcase its commitment to sustainability in the parking lot.

APS invites families to tour its new electric school buses. The activity gives visitors a hands-on look at the cleaner, quieter transportation technology joining the district’s fleet.

The Board of Education will livestream the session on its official YouTube channel for those who cannot attend in person. It will also post a recording for later viewing.

APS urges all community members to participate in the conversation, whether they attend in person or from home. The district will use the feedback as it prepares to welcome students back for another year of learning. 

Godzilla vs. Kong star Kaylee Hottle Dies in Car Crash at 18

Gregg Morgan
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Godzilla vs. Kong star Kaylee Hottle Dies in Car Crash at 18

Kaylee Hottle, a deaf actress renowned for her role as Jia in two ‘Godzilla’ films, has passed away. She was 18. 

Her father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed to TMZ that a car crash killed his daughter early Tuesday morning in Maryland. He told the outlet she died on the way to a hospital.

Joshua later shared the tragic news during a nearly 23-minute livestream. Using American Sign Language, he explained that he had to fly from Texas to claim Kaylee’s body. “I am taking a flight that I never would like to take,” Joshua wrote in the caption of his Facebook post. 

He said officials called to tell him that Kaylee’s heart stopped en route to a hospital.

What Have Authorities Reported?

The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office recently issued a statement regarding Kaylee’s death. According to the release, Hottle died in a single-vehicle collision in the 11400 block of Windsor Road in Ijamsville, Maryland, in which she was a passenger.

Deputies and personnel from the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services responded to a call at about 2:52 a.m. Tuesday. A preliminary investigation found that a 19-year-old Frederick man drove a 1995 Honda Accord off the right side of the two-lane roadway and struck a culvert.

The release stated that two passengers were in the vehicle with the driver at the time of the collision–one being Kaylee. The actress was transported from the scene to an area trauma center, where she was later pronounced deceased.

The driver was transported to a local hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening. Meanwhile, the other passenger declined medical treatment at the scene. 

Authorities said excessive speed is believed to be a contributing factor in the collision. 

The crash is currently under investigation by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit. Authorities ask anyone with information about the accident to contact Dfc. Rose at 301-600-1046. 

Who Was Kaylee Hottle? 

Kaylee, who was deaf, came from a multi-generational deaf family. Her father is also deaf. According to The Houston Chronicle, Joshua’s family has been part of the deaf community for four generations.

The late actress was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 1, 2007. Entertainment Weekly reported that Kaylee got her onscreen start through an appearance in a 2017 ad for the ASL translation app Convo.

In 2021, she starred alongside Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Brian Tyree Henry, Eiza González and Rebecca Hall in Godzilla vs. Kong. She played Jia, an orphan who forms a bond with King Kong through sign language. The character is the adoptive daughter of Dr. Ilene Andrews, played by Hall, who takes her in after meeting her on Skull Island.

Hall, Henry, and Kaylee reprised their roles in 2024’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

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