🌱 Ongoing Wild Fire Near City + Water Treatment Facility Proposal

Hey, neighbors! It's Wednesday in Albuquerque and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on the most important things happening locally.

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Mostly sunny and pleasant. High: 88 Low: 60.
• Thursday: Breezy in the afternoon. High: 90 Low: 60.

From our sponsor:

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Here are the top three stories in Albuquerque today:

1. Chaunie Saunders of Albuquerque was scheduled for sentencing earlier this week after pleading guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against his former girlfriend. Saunders was caught on film assaulting Alyssa Pierce back in 2022, and Pierce sent the video to a friend who sent it to the police and he was arrested in April 2023. Sadly, Pierce was later found dead in September 2022 and no one has been charged for her death; however, the District Attorney is looking more into this case and if any details were missed. (KRQE News 13)
2. A fire is currently ongoing in the Sandia Mountains, just east of Albuquerque, that is being attacked by Albuquerque Fire Rescue, Bernalillo County, and other neighboring agencies in the hope of easier containment. The 10K Fire, as it has been labeled, reportedly began a bit before 2:00 p.m. Monday afternoon — what started the fire is currently unknown, but the concern for it is high as it reportedly is the size of 3.5 acres. As of the time of this writing, crews are prioritizing safely getting travelers off of the nearby 10k trail and working toward some bit of containment of the flame. (KOAT New Mexico)
3. After having the land approved for more than 20 years, a water treatment facility may finally be in the works in the city to increase the amount of clean drinking water in the community. The proposal for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County’s Water Utility Authority to begin constructing one of these treatment facilities will be presented to the City Council tomorrow (Jun. 15) with the hopes of approval for construction next year. The need for the facility wasn't always necessary as Albuquerque was steadily growing, but now the five acres of land are being called upon to serve the community. The $23 million arsenic treatment plant would clean the water and allegedly add about 15 million gallons of clean drinking water daily to the west side of the city. (KRQE News 13)

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Today and tomorrow in Albuquerque:

Wednesday, June 14

• Family Storytime At Erna Fergusson Public Library (10:15 AM)
• Family Craft At Taylor Ranch Public Library (3:30 PM)
• A Taste Of Playback Theater At North Fourth Art Center (5:30 PM)

Thursday, June 15

• Howl At The Moon At Plaza Don Luis (3:00 PM)

In partnership with T-Mobile:

Do you know an Albuquerque dad whose texts make you smile? This Father’s Day, celebrate him with a shoutout on Patch. Just fill out this simple form and we’ll do the rest!

From my notebook:

• If you're in Albuquerque and still looking for a last-minute Father's Day gift, the Isotopes have a Flex or Combo Plan that could make a great gift. Not to mention, anyone who purchases either of these plans by Sunday automatically has a chance to win a Single Game Suite! Tickets are available here. (Albuquerque Isotopes via Instagram)
• As part of New Hire Monday, the Albuquerque Museum wanted to welcome its new Curator of History, Alicia Romero. Born and raised in Albuquerque, Alicia has prior museum experience at the New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe and hopes to bring these past experiences as well as new learnings to this role for the community. (Albuquerque Museum via Instagram)
• All the way through Jul. 21, hot lunches will be available at certain elementary schools in the Albuquerque School District. The meals are available to be eaten on-site for those 18 and younger. Click here to view the list of participating schools. (Albuquerque Public Schools via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• Intro to Detox (June 15)

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Wednesday off right! I'll see you soon.

— Michelle Paul

About me: Michelle Paul is a Utah-based writer and photographer with a professional background in content management and registered nursing. When not working on projects ranging from photo editing to copywriting, they enjoy traveling, video games, and expanding their skills.