A new exhibition at Albuquerque Museum explores the history of the Special Collections Library which now houses a vast collection of materials documenting the history and culture of Albuquerque Open to All: A Century of Access at the Special Collections Library looks at the history of the building and recognizes the people who provided access to a world of learning for thousands of Albuquerque residents Open to All places Albuquerque’s Special Collections Library in a broader context of libraries across the nation as they face challenges with providing open free access to everyone regardless of gender The exhibition will be on view May 24 to November 2 The Opening Conversation will take place Sunday featuring current and former library staff reflecting on the rich history of service at the Special Collections Library “We owe a debt of gratitude to the many librarians and board members who worked together with the community to build the incredible public library system we have today,” said Curator of History Alicia Romero “We hope this exhibition honors their efforts and further instills the value of what public libraries bring to our society on the northwest corner of Edith Boulevard and Central Avenue the Main Library provided books to the local community the bookmobile became a lifeline for those craving books and periodicals who lived far from the library building and were without easy transportation to the center of Albuquerque As the Albuquerque Public Library system grew and new branch locations were built around town the Main Library no longer needed to serve the city’s entire population though the surrounding community continued to patronize its stacks and reading areas when a new main library was built downtown the newly named Special Collections Library has grown its archival collection to over 100,000 materials that focus on local as it is lovingly referred to by librarians has evolved to serve its patrons beyond providing access to reading and research materials “Our Special Collections Library is a time capsule of Albuquerque’s past,” said Mayor Tim Keller “The evolution of this library and our whole library system is proof that the fight for free and open access to knowledge never ends.” This exhibition is made possible in part by the Albuquerque Museum Foundation [email protected] [email protected] The 311 Community Contact Center is a centralized call center for the City of Albuquerque The 311 service is a single telephone number for all non-emergency City of Albuquerque inquiries and services The official website for the City of Albuquerque — An off-duty Albuquerque Police Department officer was arrested late Saturday night at a DWI checkpoint at Unser and Rainbow NW Officer Jonathan Franco was detained by Bernalillo County deputies after they smelled a strong alcohol odor coming from the vehicle Standard sobriety tests were administered by the deputies who wrote in a criminal complaint that Franco performed “poorly.” Franco ultimately admitted to drinking “three or four” beers Franco’s 6-year-old daughter was in the backseat of his gray Ford pickup truck “We are disappointed that this officer made a bad choice,” said APD Chief Harold Medina in a press release “There are many rideshare options for people to avoid drinking and driving.” Franco has a bond arraignment set for June 5 He is charged with driving under the influence and driving under the influence with a minor in the vehicle Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public File may contact KOB via our online formor call 505-243-4411 – Albuquerque police are investigating a deadly crash that had a major stretch of road shut down for hours Friday morning Police say a motorcycle hit the back of an SUV just before 2 a.m on eastbound Montgomery near Washington.  Officers say the motorcyclist died at the scene.  The crash caused the SUV to spin into lanes going the opposite way has been Downtown's tallest building for 35 years David Silverman at the former Wells Fargo building on the 200 block of Lomas NW on Wednesday Silverman’s Geltmore LLC is currently under contract to acquire the property and its neighboring vacant lot which could be a spot for vertical development Downtown Albuquerque is pictured on Tuesday The area is at the center of many recent revitalization efforts but significant barriers pose challenges to upward growth for those who want to see a taller skyline involved in the equation The recognizable top of Downtown Albuquerque’s tallest tower is pictured on Tuesday Downtown Albuquerque’s vertical density is on par with some cities of a similar size and population but some cities are shooting higher with support from economic development The Journal spoke with numerous local experts to explore both the limitations and visions of Downtown Albuquerque's vertical growth Albuquerque is shooting for the sky when it comes to development in Downtown Albuquerque Revitalizing Downtown Albuquerque has been at the center of development conversations for years but those conversations always seem to have the question: Is building up a part of the equation Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content it provides narrative coverage of local trends going beyond the headlines to keep you informed Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Albuquerque Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com Email notifications are only sent once a day Putting Downtown ABQ’s height into perspective Downtown Albuquerque’s vertical growth has been stagnant for years, with many of its tallest buildings built prior to the 2000s The skyline has remained relatively flat since then with its tallest building — the 351-foot-tall WaFd Bank building — standing 22 floors high The Duke City is on par with cities like Tuscon and El Paso with their tallest buildings reaching 23 and 20 stories but is behind Colorado Springs’ new 27-story building under construction and Fort Worth’s 40-story building Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Stay informed with the latest top headlines from your trusted local source the Albuquerque Journal—delivered to your inbox every day Stay in the loop with the top stories of the week delivered straight to your inbox every Saturday Sign up to see what’s trending and get the latest on the stories that matter most to our readers Get breaking news and important alerts sent straight to your inbox as they happen Stay up-to-date with the latest sports headlines and highlights from the Albuquerque Journal Get the latest on local happenings delivered straight to your inbox Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account shows In-N-Out will set up its second location near Cottonwood Mall but plans show a two-lane drive-thru in the parking lot of the mall In-N-Out plans to open its first Albuquerque location in 2027 somewhere near The Pit as part of UNM’s South Campus master plan A Mexican gray wolf inside its habitat at the ABQ BioPark Zoo in Albuquerque on Thursday The BioPark is in the process of constructing a conservation facility for the endangered wolves which will cover 4.5 acres in a closed-to-public area next to the bosque Gabriel Castillo works on constructing fencing for ABQ BioPark’s new Mexican gray wolf care facility in Albuquerque on Thursday Construction at the facility is slated to be complete in August The first layer of fencing goes up for a new conservation facility for endangered Mexican gray wolves as they observe the Mexican gray wolf habitat at the ABQ BioPark Zoo in Albuquerque on Thursday The BioPark is in the process of constructing a conservation facility for the endangered Mexican gray wolves which will cover 4.5 acres in a closed-to-public area next in the bosque on the property of the ABQ BioPark Botanic Gardens People living next door to the Albuquerque botanic gardens might hear howling wolves in their neighborhood come winter The ABQ BioPark is increasing its capacity to care for and breed endangered Mexican gray wolves with a new behind-the-scenes facility near the botanic garden and adjacent to the bosque The BioPark has been working on Mexican gray wolf conservation since 1976 Cathy Cook covers the federal government for the Albuquerque Journal. Reach her via email at ccook@abqjournal.com the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office conducted a much needed DWI Checkpoint near Unser and Rainbow NW An off-duty Albuquerque Police Department Aviation Department officer Jonathan Franco pulled up to the DWI Checkpoint a BCSO deputy made contact with Franco and could immediatelysmell the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Franco’s breath as Franco spoke with him The deputy noted that he could see that Franco had blood shot and watery eyes along with the distinct oder of alcohol he gave the typical New Mexico drunk driver answer and said one or two beers the deputy observed a six-year-old in a car seat inside Franco’s truck Franco submitted two breath samples that were at/above .08 BAC The complaint does not say who picked up his child The Albuquerque Police Department released a statement from APD Police Chief Harold Medina: “We are disappointed that this officer made a bad choice and there are many rideshare options for people to avoid drinking and driving.” Franco was charged with DWI first offense and DWI with a minor in the vehicle This is the second law enforcement officer to be arrested on suspicion of drunk driving since Friday a New Mexico State Police officer was arrested after an alleged DWI crash in Rio Rancho Sandoval County deputies responded to a collision incident where the off-duty NMSP officer fled the scene Please Request Permission Before Disseminating on Other Social Media Platforms We also need your support in keeping local journalism alive Go to https://www.paypal.com/donate?campaign_id=ZRPKF56W3ATGS […] According to the criminal complaint a BCSO deputy made contact with Franco and could immediately smell the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Franco’s breath as Franco spoke with him The deputy noted that he could see that Franco had blood shot and watery eyes along with the distinct odor of alcohol You must be logged in to post a comment Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive The lot could be the potential site of an In-N-Out Burger as company officials say they are in the pre-development process for the site The burger chain is in the development application process for a possible Cottonwood location and in the pre-development process for a potential Coors location In-N-Out Burger — a restaurant chain with more than 400 locations scattered primarily throughout the West Coast — has shed light on plans for two potential locations on Albuquerque’s West Side the owner of several Garcia car dealerships in Albuquerque and a philanthropist and activist stands outside Garcia Infiniti in Albuquerque in 2000 owner of several Garcia car dealerships in Albuquerque died Wednesday due to a sudden illness while on a trip for the Albuquerque Museum foundation is survived by her five children and nine grandchildren carving a path for women in an industry that catered to men She spent her free time supporting arts and education and loved living in Albuquerque and supporting everything that makes New Mexico what it is You can reach staff writer Nakayla McClelland via email at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com A crew works on the roof of a Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers building in Waukee Freddy’s is opening a sixth Albuquerque location by mid-June is opening another Albuquerque location at 4315 Wyoming NE the location is slated to open in mid-June said Freddy’s spokesperson Kim Huynh in an email to the Journal The Wyoming location will likely employee around 50 people Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Apr 8, 2025 | Press Releases Michelle Lujan Grisham has authorized the deployment of New Mexico National Guard personnel to support the Albuquerque Police Department in response to ongoing public safety challenges in the city particularly along the Central Avenue corridor and other specific areas The emergency request from APD cites the fentanyl epidemic and rising violent juvenile crime as critical issues requiring immediate intervention Additional support is needed to maintain momentum in addressing these challenges “The safety of New Mexicans is my top priority,” said Gov “By deploying our National Guard to support APD with essential duties we’re ensuring that trained police officers can focus on what they do best–keeping our communities safe This partnership represents our commitment to addressing the fentanyl crisis and juvenile crime with every resource at our disposal.” Between 60-70 National Guard personnel will be deployed to Albuquerque beginning in mid-May Their training to assist APD is already underway under the supervision of the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security The initiative aims to improve public safety and quality of life for Albuquerque residents by addressing immediate needs while working toward long-term solutions to the city’s most pressing public safety challenges National Guard personnel will assist in multiple support areas including: This strategic deployment will allow APD to reallocate police resources to enforcement activities while maintaining 24/7 continuous essential services The National Guard will serve as a visible trusted presence supporting law enforcement duties which will enhance officer presence in high-crime areas and reinforce community trust through visible engagement A memorandum from APD Chief Medina to the governor requesting assistance and Executive Order 80 are attached The Office of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is located on the fourth floor of the New Mexico State Capitol in Room 400 Address:490 Old Santa Fe Trail Room 400Santa Fe Phone: (505) 476-2200Toll free: (833) 520-0020 An undated social media image shows former Doña Ana County Magistrate Joel Cano The image was included in federal court filings seeking to detain Ortega-Lopez through his trial on a weapons charge The Doña Ana County Magistrate Court in Las Cruces is seen on Wednesday LAS CRUCES — Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano has resigned from the bench where he has sat since 2011 did not state his reason for stepping down it followed shortly after a man awaiting deportation proceedings accused by federal law enforcement of being affiliated with a Venezuelan gang Algernon D’Ammassa is the Albuquerque Journal’s Southern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at adammassa@abqjournal.com LAS CRUCES — Former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano and his wife were arrested by FBI agents Thursday afternoon on federal … Police Chief Harold Medina listens to Mayor Tim Keller speak at a news conference on Tuesday Tensions flared Thursday night as an Albuquerque city councilor and the chief of police got into a shouting match amid discussion of the city’s proposed budget The City Council was meeting as a Committee of the Whole about the budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 After Albuquerque Police Department Chief Harold Medina took to the podium to answer questions about his department’s request Councilor Louie Sanchez and Medina clashed with Sanchez commenting on Medina’s attire Flix Brewhouse’s new Northeast Heights location was still under construction in mid-April but the freshly renovated theater is now up and running on the corner of Indian School and Tramway NE Albuquerque’s second Flix Brewhouse is now open filling the Northeast Heights theater with movie magic once again Albuquerque’s second Flix Brewhouse was still buzzing with construction the freshly renovated theater is buzzing with the sounds of movie showings and popcorn crunching Flix Brewhouse CEO Chance Robertson told the Journal in an April 21 Business Outlook podcast that he hoped to open the Northeast Heights location either May 1 or 2 under a “best case scenario.” Robertson’s hopes came true as the freshly innovated theater officially opened its doors at 12921 Indian School NE on Thursday night Fans of Flix Brewhouse who live in the Northeast Heights will soon no longer have to drive across the city to enjoy the dine-in movie experience and for some local restaurants and bars that includes their spring cocktail list Tula’s Kitchen in Albuquerque just released its spring lineup featuring fresh Watch the video above for a look at two new spring cocktails a new private dining space within Tula’s Kitchen at 5021 Pan American NE in Albuquerque recently opened and is now accepting reservations The New American restaurant Tula’s Kitchen is now accepting reservations for its freshly opened private dining space The name instead refers to the Greek god of food Located at Tula’s 5021 Pan American NE restaurant who have a choice between plated meals or buffet-style dining The Pan American restaurant is the brand’s second location Rodeo champion Tilden Hooper as himself in a scene from “Ransom Canyon.” Josh Duhamel and Garrett Wareing in a scene from “Ransom Canyon.” Former Albuquerque resident Minka Kelly as Quinn in “Ransom Canyon.” Minka Kelly as Quinn and Josh Duhamel as Staten in “Ransom Canyon.” ON THE COVER: Former Albuquerque resident Minka Kelly in “Ransom Canyon.” Albuquerque native Kenneth Miller stars as Freddie Gates in “Ransom Canyon.” Josh Duhamel stars as Staten in “Ransom Canyon.” James Brolin as Cap and Jack Schumacher as Yancy in a scene from “Ransom Canyon.” Kenneth Miller went from living on his personal Texas ranch to the set of “Ransom Canyon” last year The Albuquerque native is one of the many celebrating the success of the Netflix series as it continues to hold in the top five in its third week of streaming The Albuquerque native is one of many celebrating the success of the Netflix series as it continues to hold in the top five in its third week of streaming The New Mexico-filmed “Ransom Canyon” is currently streaming on Netflix where it remains in the top five series streamed Minka Kelly grew up in Albuquerque and graduated from Valley High School in 1998 Kelly has appeared in cult favorite series “Friday Night Lights.” She is back with “Ransom Canyon,” which marked her first time filming in the town she grew up in Kelly recently did interviews on TV shows spotlighting “Ransom Canyon” and Albuquerque I’ve been back a couple of times throughout the years But then to think I’m going back to spend six months was a little ‘Yeah and then it just turned out Albuquerque wasn’t really the Boogeyman I thought it would be You really don’t get those flavors anywhere else And I got to go back to this place I grew up eating that was a part of my family is Kathy’s Carry Out in North Valley.” — Minka Kelly on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” talking about her experience of living back in New Mexico for filming It was a really surreal and sort of special way to put a sort of a bow on that whole book experience and then I released this book that sort of makes peace with that whole experience and then suddenly I’m going to live there for six months shooting a new show I had gone back a couple of times with a best friend of mine who’s also from Albuquerque and that was when it was super emotional to go back The sunsets.” — Minka Kelly on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” talking about her book “Tell Me Everything” and her time living in Santa Fe while filming “Ransom Canyon.” The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s assistance in locating 45 year-old Maryrose Quintana and her 3 year-old grandson Quintana was last seen last seen wearing a blue jacket green shirt and blue jeans; Jimmy was in black sweats Both are believed to be in a white Ford Explorer with NM license plate BYLZ05 BCSO didn’t mention the specific part of town where they were last seen This particular detail might not be significant since they are likely in a vehicle and potentially on the move Thank you to everyone in advance for sharing this Endangered Missing Person alert You must be logged in to post a comment The Albuquerque Police Department concludes its on-scene investigation into the death of a baby in Northwest Albuquerque last month The baby was found wrapped in a blanket inside a dumpster New Mexico is one of the worst educated and most dangerous states in the country We make headlines for all the wrong reasons: needing to deploy the National Guard to the “War Zone” of Albuquerque and finding dead newborns thrown away in dumpsters you cannot honestly say you’re proud of these factual statements regarding our state It breaks my heart to learn the news when an innocent newborn has been mercilessly discarded in a dumpster like garbage situations such as this have the potential to be avoided if not for the road blocking which Democrat lawmakers in the Roundhouse have done to proposed fixes to our state’s Safe Haven for Infants Act Pat Boone is the Republican state senator for District 27 Water flows through the Embudo Arroyo at Indian School Road and Chelwood Park Boulevard on Sunday Water flows through Embudo Arroyo at Snow Heights Boulevard on Sunday put up their umbrella as it started to rain during the Cuatro de Mayo celebration at Isotopes Park on Sunday and her daughter Alyssia Lucero get ready to leave Isotopes Park after Sunday’s game was canceled due to rain Fans file out of Isotopes Park after Sunday’s ‘Cuatro de Mayo’ celebration game was canceled due to weather Many parts of New Mexico received plenty of precipitation Sunday Albuquerque got between .23 inches and 1.07 inches of rain according to the National Weather Service of Albuquerque Gregory R.C. Hasman covers crime and is the road warrior. You can contact him at ghasman@abqjournal.com A man arrested for allegedly stealing a vehicle is also accused of gunning down a man in Northeast Albuquerque in 2023 was arrested Friday and charged with auto theft and resisting KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/city-of-albuquerque-doles-out-first-guaranteed-income-payments-to-families/ Full Story: https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/new-apartment-complex-coming-to-ruidoso-following-devastating-fires-and-floods/ Full Story: https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/vendors-from-across-new-mexico-welcome-patrons-to-first-weekend-of-the-rail-yard-market/ https://www.krqe.com/news/wildfires/iron-fire-burning-901-acres-in-the-gila-wilderness/ https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/2025-run-for-the-zoo-in-the-books/ https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/rio-grande-valley-celtic-fest-returns-for-37th-year/ https://www.krqe.com/news/politics-government/albuquerque-city-council-to-vote-on-how-opioid-funds-will-be-spent/ https://www.krqe.com/news/crime/apd-officer-facing-dwi-charges/ Residents get first-time look at newly renovated Phil Chacon Park https://www.krqe.com/news/crime/santa-fe-man-caught-stealing-vehicle-by-car-owner/ https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/5-3-magnitude-earthquake-recorded-in-texas/ A polar bear cools off in its exhibit at the BioPark A budget proposal by the Mayor’s Office would increase the entrance fees for the Albuquerque BioPark by $1 FOR THE RECORD: A previous version of this article misstated that the fee increases from last year would be applied this year Justin Garcia can be reached at jgarcia@abqjournal.com Remember “The Breakfast Club?” Or even “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off?” They’re funny movies for sure but they paint an unfulfilling window into life in an American high school Gabriella Blakey is the superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools Pattie Gwendolyn O'Rourke Pattie Gwendolyn O'Rourke passed away unexpectedly in Albuquerque,… talks with Meredith Bunting about groundwater contamination cleanup during a community event held at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial in Albuquerque on Tuesday A poster displaying the history of cleanup work done by Kirtland Air Force Base at a site that was once used for aircraft and likely had fuel leaks Department of Defense joined the Department of Energy in a required public information event in Albuquerque on Tuesday Air Force engineer Begnaud Moayyad explains an active groundwater contamination site on Kirtland Air Force Base during a semiannual public meeting in Albuquerque on Tuesday A couple dozen people attended the community event hosted by the U.S Departments of Defense and Energy to learn about environmental restoration work Sandia National Laboratories and Kirtland Air Force Base are doing The event was held on Tuesday at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial The three groundwater sites Sandia is actively cleaning up or monitoring today cover parts of the Manzanita Mountains east of Albuquerque as well as the north-central and west-central parts of Kirtland Air Force Base and Sandia Labs Sandia National Laboratories had 300-some sites in New Mexico with contaminated groundwater Three contaminated groundwater sites remain today Megan Gleason is an assistant business editor for the Albuquerque Journal. She also covers energy, utilities and government. You can reach her at mgleason@abqjournal.com La Cueva’s Troy Dixon throws the javelin during the 2025 APS Albuquerque Metro Track & Field Championships at Nusenda Community Stadium in Albuquerque NM on May 1 Lightning and weather combined to postpone Day 2 of the Albuquerque Metro Track and Field Championships the day’s program never got started on a dark afternoon on the West Side with some early lightning clearing the facility After a late afternoon meeting of officials it was determined that athletes and coaches will reconvene at Nusenda Community Stadium on Saturday morning to finish the meet James Yodice covers high school sports. You can reach him at jyodice@abqjournal.com A note about the board: 4 Investigates has documented people connected to the DWI Deception scandal on the right side of the board Guilty convictions are noted with red lines; people implicated but not criminally charged are connected with blue lines People on the left side of the board have no known connection to the DWI Deception crimes Green lines indicate a working or financial relationship Black lines indicate connections in the judiciary but not a working or financial relationship The man at the center of the DWI scandal is the son of an accomplished lawyer was a Navy veteran who ran for public office several times including a bid to be the Republican candidate for New Mexico governor in 1970 several years after Clear III says his DWI scheme began in the 1990s Clear graduated from UNM in 1979 with a number of accolades from his time in a fraternity to being named one of the “Outstanding Young Men of America.” Clear graduated law school in Texas before passing the New Mexico Bar exam in 1982 Clear did not respond to 4 Investigates for this story Starting with just twelve DWI cases in 1995 Thomas Clear III quickly became a go-to metro area attorney Clear served around 150 clients with a dismissal rate that year of about 75 percent 4 Investigates reviewed more than 2,700 cases over 30 years and discovered Clear had more than 1,600 cases either dismissed or acquitted at trial.  The data showed many officers with a significant history of DWI dismissals in cases handled by Clear — far more officers than have been named by prosecutors and law enforcement agencies so far.  Online newspaper and archival searches reveal Clear worked on at least two Metro Court judges’ retention campaigns Judge Tommy Jewell had Clear work as his campaign manager in 1986 until an assault and battery case Clear faced came up in Jewell’s courtroom According to an Albuquerque Tribune article Clear resigned from the campaign and Jewell recused himself from the case The article also says Clear used “insider knowledge of the state’s justice system” to delay court proceedings and then use a speedy trial rule to get his own case dismissed The case went to the Court of Appeals and was ultimately dismissed Judge Jewell does not appear on any of Clear’s DWI cases.  Political newspaper ads show Metro Court Judge Frank Gentry asked Clear to be a treasurer for his retention campaigns in 1998 and 2002 New Mexico’s online court record database shows Gentry heard 30 of Clear’s cases from 1995-2005 about half ending with dismissals.   Physical records from Metro Court archives show Gentry’s signature on cases handled by Clear as late as 2006 Gentry initially agreed to an on-camera interview with 4 Investigates but changed his mind He described Clear as his “close friend” and said he filed a “blanket recusal” so he would not be assigned Clear’s cases.  A public records request showed no responsive records at Metro Court for any recusal document Gentry said he went to work with Clear after his time on the bench and recalled working next to Ricardo Mendez Clear’s admitted right-hand man in the DWI scheme Gentry said he had no knowledge of the DWI scheme He told 4 Investigates that he now feels betrayed by Clear but feels compassion for the families of Clear and Mendez a former trial judge who once headed the Judicial Ethics Committee for the Department of Defense said judges with close connections to attorneys raise ethical questions.  “I think people will have a trust in the FBI but the FBI isn’t looking for judicial ethics issues They’re looking for actual crimes,” Kastenberg said 4 Investigates showed Kastenberg the political ad touting Gentry as “Our Best DWI Judge” paid for by Clear as treasurer for Gentry’s retention campaign.   “This ad to me smacks of corruption on the part of Tom Clear and on the part of police officers who may have voted on this at the same time receiving money from Tom Clear to no show,” said Kastenberg that Judge Gentry should have recused himself from each and every case that Tom Clear appeared before him in.” Clear fired office worker Donald Rodriguez in 2009 after a falling out Rodriguez said Clear would use police friends to try and intimidate him including claims that Rodriguez telephonically harassed Clear.   Rodriguez told 4 Investigates he learned first-hand how well the attorney knew the system He says Clear sent a criminal summons to one of Rodriguez’s former addresses something he says Clear knew wasn’t correct because the attorney helped Rodriguez with a down payment for his new home four police officers showed up to arrest him Rodriguez then filed a civil lawsuit for malicious prosecution against Clear he sent a three-page letter to the Disciplinary Board detailing what he says he witnessed at Clear’s office The Board told Rodriguez it couldn’t act on the complaint with a civil suit pending but that he was free to re-file the complaint after the suit was complete After Clear and Rodriguez settled out of court The Disciplinary Board does not appear to have pursued the allegations in the complaint.  Seeking to better understand New Mexico’s DWI problem the state’s Department of Transportation Safety Division started a court monitoring program Funding for the program is available through a federal grant Mothers Against Drunk Driving has held the contract in New Mexico The most recent award came in 2022 for a four-year period It requires court monitors to keep track of a minimum of 250 cases from start to finish around the state.  CLICK to view contract.  MADD is required to document information from each case such as the judge That data is then compiled and sent to NMDOT monthly It then goes into a yearly report sent to stakeholders.    CLICK for the reports.  The reports document similar problems with prosecution every year Noting problems with evidence being turned over or officers failing to appear in court It also notes a 30%-50% dismissal rate in DWI cases across the board.  it’s unclear how that information gets in front of people who can make policy decisions or potentially notice attorneys with high dismissal rates MADD never responded to our requests for an interview it’s not sure how that data is being used.   4 Investigates discovered that of the attorneys monitored most often Thomas Clear had the second-highest dismissal rate.   Correction: A previous version of this online article stated Judge Frank Gentry “said he had knowledge of the DWI scheme.” The current article has been corrected to say “he had no knowledge of the DWI scheme.”