Carlsbad Cold Case Murder Solved With New DNA Evidence

A 1987 cold case murder in Carlsbad has been solved. In July of 1987, Donna Sue Hyatt was found dead at her home. The investigation later determined tha Hyatt had been sexually assaulted and murdered. Before her death, witnesses told police they had seen Donna with a tall, white male, leaving a nearby store on … Read more

Prescribed Fire Planned In Lincoln National Forest

Fire managers on the Lincoln National Forest are planning to continue prescribed fire operations with a broadcast burn around the Sacramento Ranger District administration site. The objective of the burn is to reduce hazardous fuels around the site. The Sacramento prescribed fire is approximately 35 acres and will commence this spring when conditions meet the … Read more

US 285 Traffic Patterns Change

A traffic alert for you, as crews have switched traffic on US 285 on the southern end of the project at Malaga, with all traffic now in the southbound lanes and one lane open in each direction. Starting today, crews will reopen Nicholas Road and CLOSE Onsurez Road at US 285. Motorists can use Duarte … Read more

Community Meeting To Discuss 2023 UFO Festival

The City of Roswell is inviting all citizens, from business owners to community service organization representatives to government leaders to every other resident, to take part in a discussion of ideas and plans for this year’s UFO Festival. A 2023 UFO Festival Community Meeting will take place Thursday, April 6, at noon at the Roswell … Read more

Phase 2 Of US285 Construction Underway At Malaga

Construction contniueson a project to rebuild almost ten miles of US 285 at Malaga. Crews are currently in the seoncd phase of a project to rebuild the entire roadway, extend and replace concrete box culverts to improve drainage, and rehabilitate the existing bridge over the Salt Draw. Thos phase is expected to last the next … Read more

Eddy County Oil & Gas Operator Fined

A Carlsbad-area oil and gas operator has been fined 440-thousand dollars for alleged violations of federal air pollution regulations three years ago. The facilities are located in Eddy County. Chisholm Energy Operating was found to be in violation of the Clean Air Act during an aircraft inspection in 2020 throughotu the Permian Basin region. This … Read more

Man Convicted For 2020 Roswell Murder

A man has been convicted of being involved in a Roswell murder three years ago. Manuel Villareal was found guilty of murder and two other charges for the shooting death of 43 year-old John Halfmann in November of 2020. Halfmann’s body was found in a shed in the 700 block of East 5th Street. Villareal … Read more

US Regulators Delay Decision On Nuclear Fuel Storage License

U.S. regulators say they need more time to wrap up a final safety report and make a decision on whether to license a multibillion-dollar complex meant to temporarily store tons of spent fuel from commercial nuclear power plants around the nation. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a new schedule last week, citing unforeseen staffing constraints. … Read more

RPD Veteran Appointed As Interim Chief

Longtime Roswell Police Department member Capt. Joe Smith has been appointed the department’s interim chief. Mayor Tim Jennings named Smith to serve in RPD’s top law enforcement-commissioned position while the city conducts a search for its next police chief to replace Phil Smith (no relation to Joe Smith), who left RPD this month for a … Read more

Roswell City Council Approves Chad Cole As New City Manager

The Roswell City Council has approved the mayor’s appointment of Chad Cole as Roswell’s new city manager. The vote at Thursday’s regular City Council meeting was 8-1 in favor of hiring the Roswell native as the next city manager. Cole accepted the position in late February, pending council approval. Mayor Tim Jennings chose to recommend … Read more