Month: July 2026

(KVIA) — The New Mexico Gaming Control Board unanimously voted to approve the temporarily close the Ruidoso Downs Racetrack & Casino Wednesday.

The emergency meeting came after Ruidoso Downs announced the temporary closure July 16. Ruidoso Downs said a flood-damaged culvert brought the issue.

The New Mexico Department of Transportation recommended the temporary closure.

Meanwhile, the mayor of Ruidoso, Lynn D. Crawford, is hoping to maintain the track’s license to continue horse racing and casino operations at it’s current location.

The grounds have long been considered one of the most popular attractions in all of Ruidoso, with events like the annual All-American Futurity which has been relocated to Albuquerque this year, generating more than $100 million for businesses in the village.

In a statement from July 16, Ruidoso Downs General Manager Rick Baugh said the following:

“We recognize the impact this decision has on our employees, business partners, and loyal patrons. However, the safety of every individual who enters our property must remain our foremost consideration. Given the heightened flood risk during the monsoon season and concerns surrounding the condition of the main entrance culvert, we believe this closure is the prudent and responsible decision.”

The full press release from the now closed casino and racetrack can be found with this link here.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) — Mesilla Valley Community of Hope’s “Mano y Mano Day Labor” program gives those that are unhoused or near homeless the opportunity to find paid work.

The program has been around since 2018 and has a lottery draw to select 20 people out of the 75-100 people who sign up for work opportunities.

Labor mainly surrounds landscaping, picking up litter and cleaning up “hotspots” (abandoned camps).

One worker, Rick Garibaldi, said there are limits to where the workers go due to the program’s partnership with the City of Las Cruces.

Workers don’t have to be homeless. The Community of Hope’s employees said the program will take anyone willing to work, but those that are homeless are referred to as “regulars.”

The shifts are five hours — 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. — after the daily lottery selection.

People who aren’t picked but show up three days in a row are given vouchers to be automatically selected their fourth day.

After the day’s shift, workers are paid and sign their name to show they worked in an effort to keep things fair. People are only allowed to work in the program once a week due to the high demand.

One worker told ABC-7 people will get there as early as 5:30 a.m. to increase their chances at getting picked.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) –- A Las Cruces mother shared her worries about the local justice system ahead of a trial stemming from the shooting death of her 13-year-old son, Chris Carnero, that happened March 30.

The trial for the accused teenager facing involuntary manslaughter charges is scheduled to begin July 28 in the Third Judicial District Court in Las Cruces.

The incident involved an alleged stolen firearm brought into their home where Carnero was shot.

Janel Carnero, Chris’s mother, said she’s worried the defendant, if convicted of involuntary manslaughter, faces a maximum sentence of two years in a juvenile facility with no probation.

“The fact that this person who took my son away is possibly going to get a maximum of two years in juvenile detention and immediately released back out into society. It’s terrifying because I… I couldn’t keep Chris safe. So how can I help other people keep their kids safe when I’m living in this reality of two years. He’ll be in high school around so many other kids,” Carnero said.

The three-day jury trial will happen in Courtroom 2 at the Third Judicial District Court in Las Cruces. Judge Lara is presiding over the proceedings.

Chris’ mother described her son as an incredibly kind and deeply loved child. She said thousands in the community have shared stories of his kindness since his death, which has left a significant void in Las Cruces.

“Yet, despite the devastating reality of bringing a stolen firearm into someone’s home and taking the life of a 13-year-old boy, the charge being brought is involuntary manslaughter,” Carnero said in an email.

Carnero recounted stories people have told her since her son’s death.

“We had a little girl come up to us at his funeral and she was just crying. We all were. And she said she was being bullied in school, and she was having a really hard time until she moved into another class with Chris. And Chris immediately became her friend and told his other friends that he needed them to be friends with her and to be nice. Otherwise they weren’t going to be his friends anymore, and she suddenly friends. And everything was okay for her,” Carnero said.

Carnero shared another story about a time Chris made a care package for a friend.

“I had gotten a little boy. He didn’t have a very many friends, and he was having a really hard time at school and started started seventh grade. And he had Chris for two classes, and Chris ended up seeing that he wasn’t getting very many friends, and people were making fun of him because of the way that he was addressed,” Carnero said. “So Chris took him some cologne, and deodorant. He made him a little care package and became his friend. He introduced him to all his friends and they were really close after that,” Carnero continued.

Carnero said his friends used to call him ‘snack king’ because he would bring snacks to all his friends at school. She said a lot of his friends in the area didn’t have too much. She went on to say Chris would make sure they all had food when they came over to the house.

Carnero said the incident brought juvenile crime to a brighter light on how severe it’s getting.

“My son wasn’t safe in his own room. Those kids weren’t safe at a park. It’s it’s just scary. As a parent, you try your best, to give your kids the best and to teach them right from wrong. And to see what;s good in the world and to help others to be good people. What do you do with this? How do you fight this,” Carnero said.

Carnero had one more message for other parents.

“Just be as vigilant as you can. Ask as many questions as you can. Protect your babies. And hold them a little bit longer for me,” Carnero said.

ABC-7 reached out to Doña Ana District Attorney Fernando Macias on penalties for juvenile crime. He was unavailable for an interview.