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What Albuquerque is talking about
legal
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez sued Meta Platforms and CEO Mark Zuckerberg in 2023 under the state Unfair Practices Act. The case centered on allegations that Facebook and Instagram failed to protect minors from sexual exploitation and mental-health harms, not on the Cambridge Analytica data-harvesting scandal. Jury selection was scheduled to begin in Santa Fe on February 2, 2026, and the jury returned a verdict in March; subsequent proceedings resulted in additional court-ordered safeguards and penalties.
via apnews.com·9h agoDetails →
state fair
New Mexico’s State Fairgrounds District is pursuing a long-term redevelopment of the 236-acre fairgrounds in central Albuquerque. The approved first phase envisions a mixed-use district with a stadium, housing, parks and related community space, while planning documents call for the New Mexico State Fair to remain on the fairgrounds. State officials say construction planning will be managed around the annual fair rather than relocating it.
via fairgroundsdistrict.nm.gov·9h agoDetails →
weather
New Mexico’s monsoon season typically runs from mid-June through late September and brings increased moisture, showers and thunderstorms to the otherwise arid Southwest. A new plume of monsoon moisture was forecast to move north into the state on Thursday, September 3, increasing afternoon and evening thunderstorm coverage after a relatively dry Wednesday. Forecast hazards included gusty, erratic outflow winds, frequent lightning, brief heavy rain and localized flash-flood potential, especially in susceptible areas.
via forecast.weather.gov·9h agoDetails →
public safety
Flock Safety automated license-plate-reader cameras capture vehicle-location data and have drawn privacy and data-security concerns. Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen ended the sheriff’s office’s three Flock contracts in late August 2026, according to KOB’s reporting. The Sept. 2 incident remains under investigation, and the available reporting does not establish charges arising from that arrest.
via kob.com·9h agoDetails →
culture
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico, features a special-shape balloon program alongside its mass ascensions and other balloon events. KRQE reports that 13 special-shape balloons will make their first Fiesta appearances in 2026, including Scout, a Sasquatch-shaped balloon. Scout’s pilot, Morgan Snipes, is a five-time Fiesta veteran and says the balloon will fly only in suitable conditions.
via krqe.com·9h agoDetails →
sports
The New Mexico Activities Association regulates interscholastic athletics and applies a “2 Strikes” sportsmanship policy to serious conduct violations. A second strike during the same season can result in cancellation or suspension of the remaining season. The Mayfield–Organ Mountain incident occurred during their football game at Las Cruces’ Field of Dreams, after which the NMAA reviewed reports, video, and accounts from officials and school or district administrators.
via ktsm.com·9h agoDetails →
infrastructure
Las Cruces International Airport in Las Cruces, New Mexico, has added a fixed-wing medical transport and air base. The initiative is a partnership between Memorial Medical Center and Native Air, adding an aircraft as well as pilots and medical personnel for emergency-care transport in southern New Mexico. The Pilatus PC-12 is intended to extend transport capability beyond what typical first-responder helicopters can provide, including for longer trips, poorer weather and heavier loads.