A Church Rock man has pled guilty to sexual abuse of a minor.

According to court documents, Lathem Eskeets engaged in a sexual act with a minor who was older than 12 at the time, but younger than 16 between August 2012 and August 2013. During the same time period, Eskeets, who is now 30 years old, made sexual contact with a minor victim who was younger than 12 at the time.

Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, announced on Sept. 6 that Lathem Eskeets pleaded guilty to one count each of sexual abuse of a minor and abusive sexual contact. Eskeets will remain in...

ISLETA, N.M. — A road rage indecent ended in a shooting that left one man dead.

The New Mexico State Police Investigation Bureau was requested to investigate a shooting that occurred on Interstate 25 northbound south of Isleta on Aug. 31.

Investigations Bureau agents learned that at around 2:00 p.m., a New Mexico State Police officer conducted a welfare check on a vehicle on the shoulder of I-25 around the 209-mile marker. The officer quickly learned that a road rage incident had just occurred, and someone had reportedly been shot.

Agents learned that two vehicles were involved in some kind of altercation while driving north on I-25.  The two vehicles pulled over and the...

This weekend marks the unofficial end to summer, and it’s expected to draw thousands of New Mexicans out to their state parks and waterways. The Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department State Park Division sent out a reminder in a press release published Sept. 1 asking park visitors to wear life jackets.

Eleven people have died while boating in New Mexico since August of last year. Out of those, 75% died from drowning and most were not wearing a life jacket. Most of these deaths occurred on boats where the operator had not taken a boating safety course.

It’s equally important to wear a life jacket while swimming. Even strong swimmers have underestimated the water and...

Three candidates put their hats in the ring for District 4 City Councilor after Councilor Fran Palochak stepped down at the July 25 council meeting.

The council held interviews on Aug. 21 in a special meeting. The council voted on the matter at the Aug. 22 meeting, and Ron Molina, who owns Ron Molina Gas Services, was elected.

Molina was born and raised in Belen, N.M., but he moved to Gallup in 1964 after he was offered a District Manager job in the city.

“Gallup’s been good to [my family},” Molina said during his interview.

Molina admitted he didn’t know much about city government and how it is run. The first city council meeting he ever attended was the Aug. 8 one where...