Local - Organ Mountain News (Page 2)

Portable road sign reading “Road Closed” above a black-and-orange “Detour” sign with a right-pointing arrow, set up on a street with orange traffic barrels in the background

Moongate and Sirus intersection to close for gas line location work starting Aug. 18

Doña Ana County will close the Moongate Road and Sirus Street intersection starting Aug. 18 for gas line location work. Closures will occur during daytime hours for about five business days.

Doña Ana Community College East Mesa Campus with the Organ Mountains in the background.

DACC

DACC welcomes students and families with campus bashes this month

Doña Ana Community College is hosting Welcome Back Bashes in August at three locations, offering swag, food and information sessions for students and families.

The Doña Ana Magistrate Court building in Las Cruces is pictured at dusk, with the Organ Mountains visible in the background.

Public Safety

Judge releases woman accused in Vado crash that killed two children under strict monitoring

A Doña Ana County judge released Christina Escobedo Arriaga on personal recognizance with GPS and continuous alcohol monitoring after an Aug. 10 crash in the 8100 block of State Road 478 in Vado that killed two passengers, ages 15 and 12, according to court records.

Organ Mountain News

Listening Post Collective grant helps OMN strengthen community-centered reporting

Organ Mountain News has received a $20,000 grant from the Listening Post Collective, supported by national foundations. The funding allows OMN to focus on listening and responding to the unmet information needs of southern New Mexico communities.

Sign outside the United States Courthouse on North Church Street in Las Cruces, New Mexico, showing the seal of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico

Crime

Las Cruces man sentenced to 7 years for meth, fentanyl possession

Guillermo Yanez, 47, of Las Cruces, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison after police found methamphetamine and fentanyl during a foot chase in 2024.

Close-up of the front of a fire engine, showing headlights, turn signals and red emergency lights.

Public Safety

Fire damages home on Rio Arriza Loop in Las Cruces

Las Cruces firefighters contained a Wednesday afternoon blaze that damaged a home on Rio Arriza Loop. No injuries were reported.

Two Las Cruces police officers on motorcycles conduct a traffic enforcement operation, with one officer using binoculars to monitor vehicles along El Paseo Road

Public Safety

Las Cruces police issue 37 citations during El Paseo Road traffic operation

Las Cruces police issued 37 citations in one hour along El Paseo Road on Aug. 14, including speeding, registration, insurance and cell phone violations. More operations are planned.

Exterior view of the Las Cruces Regional Aquatic Center, a modern building with an orange facade, large glass windows, and metal sunshades under a clear blue sky.

Local

Activity pool at Las Cruces Regional Aquatic Center closed for repairs

The Activity Pool at the Las Cruces Regional Aquatic Center is closed until further notice, but other facilities remain open for swimming.

A red-and-white “Warning: Neighborhood Watch Area” sign with a crossed-out silhouette of a suspicious figure in a hat, against a plain light gray background.

Community

City invites neighborhood, watch groups to August 14 meeting

Neighborhood and watch groups can register with the City of Las Cruces during an August 14 meeting aimed at boosting communication and collaboration.