An Española man will be held without bail pending trial after he allegedly crashed head-on into a tribal police officer’s cruiser in the Ohkay Casino parking lot. The First Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced the judge’s decision to have Jose Eufemio Martinez Jr., 53, held without bail pending trial following

Prosecutors are asking a judge to hold an Española man without bail after he allegedly attacked his girlfriend while he was on pre-trial release in another case, in which he is accused of breaking and entering. Officers arrested Charles Trujillo, 36, on charges of attempted aggravated battery by strangulation, false

Alex Carrillo entered his eternal home into the arms of his savior, Jesus Christ, on September 24, 2026, and to celebrate his son’s birthday. Born in Carrizo Springs, Texas, on February 17, 1954, to Uvaldo and Tiodora Carrillo, Alex grew up in Hobbs, New Mexico. Alex loved his family, football,

Lorence Martinez, age 92, of Petaca, NM, passed away peacefully on September 26, 2026. She was born on May 17, 1934, to Eugenio and Fedelina Martinez. She lived and spent most of her life in Petaca, NM, where she built a beautiful life and home. She was preceded in death

George Fischer Morse July 30, 1947 – September 19, 2026 A very unique person was the first-born son of William Morse and Thedora Doris Pulone. They named him George Fischer, a name chosen from the paternal side of the family. He learned to love fishing and all sports from his

Dylan Ethan Romero 10 Year Anniversary Remembering you is easy We do it every day, but there’s an ache within our hearts that will never go away. We love you and miss you forver. Mom, Andy Donna Lee & Kathy Grandma & Grandpa Tia Amanda

With the calendar flipping to October, playoffs are lurking on the horizon less than a month away for fall sports as teams sharpen their play in readiness. Volleyball Sept. 28 Dulce 3, Peñasco 0 Although the Lady Panthers had 24 kills, including seven from Emilia Trujillo, the visiting Lady Hawks

Mamba is a 72 lb. land manatee. She is 7 years old, built like a very large loaf and operates at precisely one-quarter speed. She doesn’t rush. She doesn’t fuss. She simply glides and floats through life with the slow, sweet, gentle determination of a manatee who has absolutely nowhere

Applications opened Oct. 1 for the LANL Foundation’s Four-Year Undergraduate Scholarship Program, offering high school seniors and current undergraduate students in Northern New Mexico the opportunity to receive up to $20,000 in scholarship support. Since 1998, the LANL Scholars Program has awarded $15 million in scholarships to nearly 3,000 students,

Low income Española water customers can save nearly $25 on their monthly bill by applying to have the service fees waived, but they only have three weeks to do so. Española residents have until Oct. 30 to submit a low-income application to waive monthly service fees on their water bill.

The football teams for the local big schools are battling for playoff positions as both face beatable opponents this week. Española Valley vs. Rio Grande 7 p.m. Friday Coming off a solid performance, the Sundevils (4-1, 3-1 in District 1-4A) get a break in facing the Ravens (0-7, 0-5). Rio

Items for Northern Briefs may be submitted by sending them to jgarcia@riograndesun.com Submissions must be received no later than noon Monday for publication that week. Library Events The Española Public Library will offer a Halloween-themed acrylic painting class at 4 p.m. Friday (10/9). Seating is limited, so sign up in

At least two football players were rushed to the hospital by ambulance for treatment Sept. 25 following prolonged exposure to propane gas leaking from tanks at the Escalante High School football field during the Lobos home game against Menaul. Details remain unclear as Chama Valley Independent School District officials declined

The police blotter is published to give readers an abridged look at criminal activity in their community and neighborhood. It is simply an illustration of what local law enforcement, funded by taxpayers, must deal with daily throughout the Española Valley. Española Police officers, Ohkay Owingeh Tribal Police, Rio Arriba County

New Mexico State Police officers arrested a Tres Piedras man for allegedly approaching a woman and demanding that she get in his car, while telling her he was a police officer and showing her a badge. Officers arrested Johnathon Mullally, 36, on charges aggravated drunk driving, impersonating an officer and

Tristen Viarreal and Briana Lujan, both of Española, were named to the summer 2026 president’s list at Southern New Hampshire University. Full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade point average of 3.700 and above for the reporting term are named to the president’s list.

Drivers unexpectedly had to go water fording across the 7 Brew Drive-Thru Coffee parking lot in September just to get a drink. Heavy rain caused the parking lot to flood and a representative from the City of Española said it is the company’s responsibility to fix the drainage issues that

I have had the pleasure of knowing Gregg Hull since his early years as mayor of Rio Rancho. From the beginning, what stood out to me was his approach to public service and, particularly, his willingness to work with people who did not always agree with him. That matters in

Cesar Garcia pleaded no contest to one count of second degree murder for stabbing Anthony Velasquez, 32, to death in the Ohkay Owingeh laundromat parking lot in 2025. District Judge Anastasia Martin accepted the plea deal during a plea conference on Sept. 24. The second degree murder charge is a

Now that the air is finally starting to turn a little crisper, the back half of the high school football season is in full swing as teams continue their postseason pushes. Española Valley 20, Grants 14 It took nearly a full half for the Sundevils to shake off the doldrums

A 2025 poll by Research & Polling, Inc. for the Albuquerque-based Garrity Group found that only 19% of New Mexico residents trust state government officials, a record low and down from 31% just five years earlier. (National trust in government fell by 10% over the same period.) The good news

Changes are coming for Century Bank if a deal with Oklahoma-based 7Bank Corp goes through. The Española location at 322 N. Riverside Drive is expected to keep its name, but not its local ownership. However, Century Bank CEO Max Myers said in a telephone interview that they will continue to

For former Rio Grande SUN sports writer George Morse, there was no place he’d rather be than outside. Whether strolling on a trail through the woods headed for a creek with a fly rod over his shoulder, or toting a rifle in search of larger game — or even digging

(Photo by Ben Sandoval/Meye Vision Images) About 160 guests attended the Small Town Outreach Recruitment and Yield event Sept. 28 at Northern New Mexico College. Colleges from across the country were present and 74 students were registered for the program, which is a collaborative initiative to connect with, recruit and

Watching social media chatter and newspaper letters to the editor, I see two questions dominating discussions of the governor’s race: Will she or won’t she? Is he or isn’t he? Democrat Deb Haaland answered the first recently, saying she won’t debate. Republican Gregg Hull isn’t saying if he’s a Trump