by Melissa Herrera (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Sunland Park City Council is set to make a decision Wednesday on a proposed cannabis dispensary that has sparked significant debate among local residents which also includes a cannabis lounge and a Bucks Cabaret as part of a larger project called "Station X" was initially scheduled for discussion at last week's Planning and Zoning Commission meeting the meeting was postponed after several cannabis business owners The city decided to delay the discussion to ensure their attorney could also be present the Planning and Zoning Commission had previously set conditions for the approval of the dispensary including prohibiting adult entertainment and outdoor consumption lounges at the site Nearby residents have raised their concerns about the proposed project one woman expressed concerns about the impact a cannabis dispensary can have on the surrounding area She also questioned jurisdictional responsibilities if there was a shooting or an accident or you know who has the jurisdiction to serve the public The city council meeting is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m at City Council Chambers located at 1000 McNutt Rd RECOMMENDED:Residents protest proposed strip club near family venues in Sunland Park Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox (KFOX14/CBS4) — The city of Sunland Park has opened its newest basketball courts part of a brand new sports complex located off McNutt Road "The council has made investments in diversifying and the options are available here at the complex we're inaugurating the basketball courts." The project is part of a $400,000 fund from the city aimed at diversifying the complex which previously only featured soccer fields The 65th year of horse racing is set to start at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino There will be several top jockeys and trainers competing during the 55-day meet on Friday as well as several major stakes races in both the quarter horse and thoroughbred divisions Post time during the 55-day season will be 12:25 p.m. with racing being held on a Thursday through Sunday basis and closing day to be held on Sunday This week will be the only week without a Thursday race card will feature two thoroughbred stakes races the $90,000 New Mexico State Racing Commission Stakes and the $65,000 KLAQ Stakes The calendar features 38 stakes races worth purses of $4.25 million The $400,000 Sunland Derby is set for Sunday 16 and serves as a Kentucky Derby prep race offering 20 qualifying points to the winner for entry to the 2025 Run for the Roses The 20th edition of the 1 and 1/16th miles mile classic anchors a huge day of racing with six stakes races worth over $1 million in purse money The $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks will also take place Sunday The Kentucky Oaks is always run the day before the Kentucky Derby The Sunland Oaks also carries 20 qualifying points The Kentucky Oaks and Derby are May 3-4 at Churchill Downs in Louisville parlayed the win into a hard-fought victory in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby before finishing seventh in the Kentucky Derby Trained by Phil D'Amato and owned by Eric and Sharon Waller Stronghold finished his 3-year-old campaign with consecutive second-place efforts in the Grade 3 Indiana Derby and the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby while the Sunland Derby will still have the qualifying points it will not be a Grade III race this season The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association took away the graded status for the Sunland Derby stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000 and assigned graded status to 415 Listed status represents a step below Group Grade III status in terms of quality and The $100,000 Riley Allison Derby at one mile on Friday features 3-year-old fillies in a prep for the Sunland Park Oaks Other key racesState-bred thoroughbreds will be in the spotlight when Sunland Park presents the $150,000 New Mexico Breeders’ Derby and the $150,000 New Mexico Breeders’ Oaks will be run on Friday The top races for Quarter Horses this season are the $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park The world’s best quarter horses will collide in the 23rd running of this 440-yard featured event trained by Heath Taylor and ridden by Francisco Calderon flew home in the final yards to win last year's race The New Mexican Spring Futurity and Grade II West Texas Futurity for two-year-old quarter horses will be showcased on Saturday and will showcase some of the top young quarter horses More: Horse Racing News Trainer Toby Keeton wins All American Derby in tight finish at Ruidoso Downs Race Track Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on X The Mango Cannabis storefront in Sunland Park Customers wait in line at the Mango Cannabis dispensary in Sunland Park The store recorded $91,363 in recreational cannabis sales last month in just over a week Mango Cannabis chose Sunland Park for its growth potential and access to the El Paso market is not the obvious place for a multi-state business to begin its venture in New Mexico But it was the ideal location for Kevin Pattah and Mango Cannabis Pattah is the co-founder and CEO of the Oklahoma-based company which also operates dispensaries in Michigan and New York When he decided to expand Mango’s footprint into New Mexico Pattah said he first considered areas with numerous potential customers 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 You can reach Justin Garcia at jgarcia@abqjournal.com Email notifications are only sent once a day 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 Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect a late scratch in the field The field is set for the 20th running of the Sunland Derby Nine horses will compete on Sunday, Feb. 16, in the $400,000 Sunland Derby which serves as a Kentucky Derby prep race The field was announced on Sunday, Feb. 9, at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino in Sunland Park The 1 1/16th mile classic anchors a huge day of racing in Sunland Park including the Sunland Oaks and New Mexico-bred stakes The Sunland Derby is for 3-year-old thoroughbred The first race of the day will be at 12:25 p,.m Here is a look at the field for the Sunland Derby Itsmybirthday drew morning-line odds of 20-1 and is trained by Robertino Diodoro Post position 2: Remember Big JimRemember Big Jim is trained by Sunland Park trainer Dick Cappellucci and finished second in the Riley Allison Derby Sunland Park trainer Todd Fincher will look to win this year's race with Smash It who has run first or second six times in eight starts The 9-5 morning-line favorite is trained by Bob Baffert second or third in all three previous races Take Charge Tom has won all three career starts and won the Riley Allison Derby last month at Sunland Park Post position 7: McKinzie Street - late scratchMcKinzie Street is trained by former Sunland Park trainer and has finished in the top three in four of five starts Post position 8: TouchyTouchy is trained by Wesley Ward and willl get Joel Rosario aboard Wayne Lukas was last seen winning a race at the famed Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs. More horse racing news: Trainers Todd Fincher, Bob Baffert, D. Wayne Lukas eye 2025 Sunland Derby in New Mexico The 20th running of the 1 1/16th mile Sunland Derby will highlight a 10-race on Sunday at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino located in Southern New Mexico The Sunland Derby will feature both local and out of town horses with some big name trainers and jockeys The Sunland Derby is expected to start at 4:17 p.m More: Horse racing field set for Sunland Derby 2025 at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino Admission to the races and parking are free The race serves as a Kentucky Derby prep race This year's Sunland Derby field has nine horses More: Sunland Park Racetrack opened in 1960 with 10 races Trainer Justin Evans said his horse McKinzie Street will be scratched because of a high fever hoped to score his first Sunland Derby win Bob Baffert horse Maysam is favorite in Sunland OaksThe one mile Sunland Oaks which has 20 qualifying points to the winner for entry to the 2025 Kentucky Oaks Baffert's horse Maysam is the 9-5 favorite Other horses in the field are Rogue Justice Rafael Bejarano in 2025 Sunland DerbySome of the top jockeys in the field include Rafael Bejarano place and show bets are common and the minimum bet is $2 a place bet is where the horse can finish first or second and a show bet is where the horse can finish first Other popular bets are the exacta and trifecta bets Both bests can be made with as little as $1 or $2 Chavez' trifecta for the Sunland Derby is Getaway Car More: Racing news Horse racing field set for Sunland Derby 2025 at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino (KFOX14/CBS4) — In celebration of National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day Raising Cane's in Sunland Park has made a significant contribution to the local Humane Society The restaurant presented a check for over $1,900 funds raised during its Golden Plush Puppy campaign aimed at helping shelter pets find permanent homes "So we invented the golden plush puppy and our customers were able to come into our restaurants and 100% of those net sales of those plush puppies are going back to the Humane Society." The funds will assist the Humane Society in providing essential services such as medical care and surgeries for hundreds of homeless cats and dogs RECOMMENDED: Rep. Escobar introduces Medicare for All Act, aims for comprehensive healthcare reform (KFOX14/CBS4) — Looking for something new to do on the weekends now that the holidays are over The Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino announced the start of live horse racing Friday will be the start of Sunland Park's 65th live horse racing season the Director of Racing Operations at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino Thursday and Friday are going to be reserved for thoroughbred racing while Saturdays and Sundays will be for quarter horse racing February 16 will also be all thoroughbreds for the Sunland Derby and April 6 which will be the last day of the season RECOMMENDED: Monster Jam returns to Sun Bowl stadium in March Dix said that year after year they tend to see the same people at the racetrack but is hoping this year to see some new faces "It's a great place to bring kids.. you don't have to gamble to have a good time," Dix said "We see a lot of generations of grandparents bringing their grandkids." Sunland Park Racetrack Announcer Eric Alwan said people should be excited at the quality of racing that they have RECOMMENDED: Local business owner and author Lili Gutierrez joins ARC El Paso for a fun game session they all put on such a great show," Alwan said adding that "it's a great place to have fun The horse racing season will kick off Friday at 12:25 p.m The Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino is located at 1200 Futurity Dr (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Camino Real Regional Utility Authority is once again facing scrutiny as residents in Sunland Park report discolored water flowing from their taps these communities have battled arsenic levels exceeding legal limits in their drinking water Despite ongoing efforts by CRRUA to meet state water quality standards "We just want clean water," said Jose Saldana Jr "They're killing us—slowly but surely." CRRUA has been working to comply with water standards set by the New Mexico Environment Department But some residents say they have started seeing yellow murky water in their homes again—including Saldana but this has been an ongoing issue," he said a spokesperson attributed the discoloration on February 23rd to ongoing well repairs and claimed the issue had already been resolved we observed that the water was still discolored—leaving residents frustrated and looking for answers and we still have to buy water," said Saldana "When I stay at my kids' house in Las Cruces and we don’t have to rely on bottled water." Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Construction ruptured a water main in Sunland Park Wednesday morning According to the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority led to a water main break which affected service in the area for almost four hours At the time CRRUA said they didn't know when the water will be restored it was eventually restored at around 4 p.m CRRUA advised that the water might appear discolored for a few hours CRRUA claims that despite the discoloration but recommends people wait until it comes out clear before washing laundry CRRUA also recommends flushing all faucets for five minutes once the water is restored RECOMMENDED: Sunland Park Residents Frustrated as Discolored Water Returns NM — A house fire erupted early Thursday morning on Calle Diaz near McNutt Road prompting a response from the Sunland Park Fire Department Video shared on the social media platform "X" showed intense flames engulfing the home The Sunland Park Fire Incident Commander said crews faced significant challenges in containing the blaze because nearby fire hydrants were not operational The Sunland Park Fire Department reported that 10 units including assistance from the El Paso Fire Department and the cause of the fire is still under investigation (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Sunland Park Fire Department and the troubled local water utility said they are working to upgrade hydrant systems after a house fire proved that the current system lacks water pressure and flow KFOX14/CBS4 sat down with SPFD Fire Chief Daniel Medrano to address concerns about water supply issues during a house fire on the 200 block of Calle Diaz Street where SPFD fire crews had to call Dona Ana Fire Rescue and El Paso fire crews for help to extinguish it RELATED:Sunland Park house fire challenges firefighters due to faulty hydrants "It's been misreported that the fire hydrants were not working," Medrano said all the hydrants in that neighborhood are brand new They're about 12 to 18 months old." Medrano explained that the hydrants in the area do not produce enough water flow to effectively combat large fires maybe 600 gallons per minute coming out of a hydrant," Medrano said "But when you try to operate a fire truck with a fire hose on a burning building Medrano explained that the hydrants don't offer enough water pressure "We end up trying to pull too much out of a source that can't provide," Medrano said this is why SPFD asked El Paso and Dona Ana County for help as crews on the scene were afraid that the fire could grow following first extinguishing maneuvers Medrano noted that the water system in the area is outdated and in need of an upgrade something that he believes will cost a lot of money "It's a very old neighborhood and the water utility but they haven't upgraded that area of town," Medrano said "One of our big hurdles we have to overcome is funding.. It is millions and millions and millions of dollars." Medrano wants to assure the people of Sunland Park that SPFD is aware of the water system issues and has adjusted its fire suppression procedures "We've augmented our policies so that when we go into that particular neighborhood it's all hands on deck," Medrano said "It takes a lot of training and they did a great job in extinguishing [Thursday's] fire." Medrano said efforts to upgrade the water system are ongoing with regular communication between the fire department and the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority (CRRUA) "We're confident that they're gonna solve these issues in the future," Medrano said CRRUA released a statement looking to reassure the people of Sunland Park that they are taking steps to remedy this situation "As part of a regional improvement initiative under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program CRRUA contributed $345,000 in match funding to install new fire hydrants and water meters throughout the Anapra subdivision; an area that previously lacked this essential infrastructure," said CRRUA Executive Director Juan Crosby CRRUA added that while they are aware of the low water pressure he said that at least thanks to recent improvements fire crews at least had access to nearby hydrants the nearest hydrant would have been on McNutt Road potentially delaying response efforts and increasing fire damage," Crosby said CRRUA admits that work needs to be done to improve the infrastructure they said that they are committed to finding funding for these much-needed upgrades "CRRUA remains fully committed to securing funds and making the long-term investments needed to strengthen the entire utility system," Crosby said by Julia Spencer (KFOX14/CBS4) — A small patch of land near the New Mexico-Texas border is at the center of a growing debate in Sunland Park located just off Emory Lane and a few feet from the state line is being eyed by a local cannabis dispensary and it's raising eyebrows among nearby residents "This is not what we formerly referred to as the mom and pop head shops," said Dan Arvizu of the Sunland Park Cannabis Coalition “This is more of a business that is growing into its own.” RELATED:Sunland Park City Council to decide on cannabis dispensary proposal Arvizu was one of several voices at the meeting where concerns were raised about a potential cannabis business moving in next to the Independent Nation property it remains illegal just across the state line in Texas prompting some residents to worry about potential cross-border tensions “We don't want to be too close to Texas or poke them too much because they will bite,” said New Mexico resident Chad Lozano The piece of land in question had previously attracted controversy when it was considered for a strip club president of Heritage Group and co-owner of Independent Nation and a gentleman’s club made an offer to buy the land "We're not involved [in the current sale] They're just buying land in this area." the top bidder for the land now is a local dispensary one he claims is already the top-selling cannabis retailer in Sunland Park a representative of the Independent Nation project addressed concerns regarding delays and the nature of businesses associated with the development has faced setbacks due to issues with public utilities and a redesign of the facility "We completely redesigned it to make sure that we got it right." Residents and nearby businesses have expressed concerns about the types of establishments that may open near Independent Nation fearing it could include a strip club or dispensary "Independent Nation is an entertainment complex and it's a community center for the city The controversy also involves a piece of land near the development "We were going to sell a vacant piece of unused land to a gentleman's club.. That's our only involvement." He added that the land sale was contingent on the buyer obtaining a license Bingham assured that Independent Nation complies with all state laws and regulations "We've complied with every state law that there is.. an amazing addition to the city of Sunland Park." He urged the community to consider the facts and history of cannabis in the area look at the history of cannabis in the last two years in Sunland Park and don't overreact to a group of competitors trying to stop a high selling operation." not everyone is convinced it's the right move “Is what they're planning something that the citizens of our community really could find value and benefit in?” Arvizu questioned Adding to the tension is the land’s proximity to Texas “We need to make sure that we reach out to both sides the Texas side and the New Mexico side,” Arvizu said “There have been a number of objections right there on that line.” While the Sunland Park City Council was initially set to vote on steps that would move the sale of the land forward at Tuesday’s meeting officials ultimately decided to postpone the item for 60 days giving more time for public input and further discussion Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox military personnel were deployed along the border in New Mexico Army Stryker Brigade arriving at Fort Bliss we saw an Army Stryker vehicle in Sunland Park overlooking the border Ground troops were also spotted surveying the desert near Ciudad Juárez says this Joint Task Force-Southern Border aims at sealing the border and repelling illegal activity 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 (KFOX14/CBS4) — A former chief of the Sunland Park Fire Department died from injuries he suffered during a crash in Santa Teresa According to the Sunland Park Fire Department former SPFD Chief Benito Hernandez succumbed to the injuries he sustained after a crash that happened on April 9 at the 5600 block of McNutt Road near Santa Teresa High School The announcement was made Wednesday via SPFD's social media accounts RECOMMENDED: Sunland Park police chief decries 'lenient' sentence for man who shot at officer in 2023 Hernandez was appointed Chief back in May of 1990 SPFD also shared Hernandez's funeral and graveside service RECOMMENDED: Two rescued from Santa Teresa home as neighbors help battle fire before crews arrive Jockey Juan Hernandez celebrates aboard Getaway Car after winning the Sunland Derby at Sunland Park The Sunland Park Derby was meant to be a different story as the colt entered as the even-money favorite and it set up that way for him as he took a clear lead beneath Juan Hernandez into the backstretch while setting fractions of :23.31 Caldera and jockey Rafael Bejarano took up hot pursuit around the far turn and drew even with the favorite at the quarter pole Wayne Lukas trainee then took command entering the stretch but Getaway Car responded and the two performed a classic Baffert-Lukas stretch duel Sign up for BloodHorse Daily After a review that must have been agonizingly long for the connections Getaway Car was posted the nose victor and paid $4.40 for his win. Baffert's longtime assistant Jimmy Barnes seemed happy in the Sunland Park winner's circle with the performance "That was the race we expected him to run," Barnes said Juan did an excellent job of warming him up and getting him on the lead and finding more when he needed it." duels Caldera in the Sunland Park Derby at Sunland Park The victory was crucial in putting Getaway Car back on track toward the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1) The race offered 20-10-6-4-2 qualifying points to the top five finishers elevating the bay colt to third place on the leaderboard with 36 points Bred in Kentucky by Blue Heaven Farm and Curlin Syndicate Getaway Car was a $700,000 purchase out of the Gainesway consignment at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale He has earned $585,800 through seven starts for the partnership of SF Racing Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen didn't have a runner in the Derby but he made up for it by sending out the exacta two races earlier in the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks her first stakes victory was her third triumph in her last four starts Photo: Coady MediaRunnin N Gunnin wins the Sunland Park Oaks at Sunland Park a childhood friend of Asmussen's who takes care of his horses when he ships to Sunland said all the chaos at the start was concerning but ultimately both fillies got into a good rhythm once the gates opened "I was really comfortable with our horses all the way around the track after (the start)," Lambert said relaxed Runnin N Gunnin in last around the clubhouse turn and inched up down the backside behind fractions of :24.19 The Oaks offered points on the same 20-10-6-4-2 scale as the Derby on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks Runnin N Gunnin now finds herself ranked seventh on the leaderboard for the May 2 race Heroic Move cruised to an open-length victory Sunday in the $200,000 Sunland Park Stakes at the the New Mexico track. Ridden by Harry Hernandez for trainer Robertino Diodoro, the 5-year-old Quality Road horse won by eight lengths from Bearings who rallied up the rail in the final furlong. Mine That Star finished a neck back in third in the field of nine after racing next to last at the six-furlong mark the 6-5 favorite who was second into the lane had no rally when called upon and finished fourth and Piney Bluff completed the order of finish Heroic Move led into the first turn before Piney Bluff the longest shot in the field at 51-1 odds Shaking off that rival he was engaged by Battle Strike into the far turn then dispatched that foe in early stretch and drew off late for a decisive win was produced by the Smart Strike mare Family Tree and the debates surrounding trainer Bob Baffert (KFOX14/CBS4) — Two people were taken to the hospital Monday afternoon after an SUV rollover in Sunland Park two people were taken to the hospital with "non-life threatening" injuries after a Chevrolet Tahoe ended up wheels up on the corner where McNutt Road and Rio Grande Drive meet No word on how the rollover happened or on the identity of the injured This is a developing story; check back for updates New Mexico (KVIA) — Sunland Park fire crews are responding to a house fire that started early Thursday morning Sunland Park Fire says the fire started at 1:18 a.m and Doña Ana Fire Rescue are all responding KVIA ABC 7 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines | KVIA-TV FCC Public File | FCC Applications | Do Not Sell My Personal Information (KFOX14/CBS4) — One person is seriously injured following a two vehicle crash in Sunland Park according to the Sunland Park Fire Department The crash happened at McNutt Road and Poplar Drive and the Sunland Park Fire Department and the Doña Ana County Fire Rescue responded to the scene One person was airlifted by the El Paso Fire Department's STAR 1 helicopter with serious injuries Border Patrol El Paso assisted and were out shortly after 9:00 p.m RECOMMENDED:Parolee arrested in Horizon for possession of child porn during routine check Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox. Wind gusts of 30+ mph along with afternoon and evening blowing dust, could reduce visibility. Weather Maps RadarSunland Park woman sentenced to 16 years for stabbing at a West El Paso retail storeby David Ibave Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — A 23-year-old woman from Sunland Park According to the El Paso County District Attorney's Office Jewelle Refghio Perez pleaded guilty to a second-degree felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon The charge stemmed from a stabbing that happened on May 16 RELATED: Woman charged with aggravated assault after stabbing in west El Paso store Police documents describe a surveillance video showing Refghio Perez browsing around the store and then at a counter with a 29-year-old employee showing her women's accessories before she took out a large kitchen knife and started stabbing the employee multiple times the victim tried to fight Refghio Perez off using whatever items she could grab to shield herself from the blade and even ran from the store all while being chased by Refghio Perez The victim was seriously injured and was rushed to the hospital where she was taken to the ICU (KFOX14/CBS4) — An RV is considered a total loss following a fire in Sunland Park early Tuesday morning The department got called out to the fire at 1120 Sunland Park Dr Sunland Park Fire Department Battalion Chief Ramiro Rios said A semi-truck with construction materials inside also caught fire and crews are working to put out those flames The El Paso Fire Department and Doña Ana County Fire Department also assisted Rios said that both departments helped provide water for crews since this area isn’t equipped with hydrants The cause of the fire has still not been determined but a fire investigator is en route to the scene RECOMMENDED: No injuries reported from house fire near Armijo Park Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily to your inbox One of Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino's tradition rich races will be with the 61st running of the $158,060 West Texas Derby What is the West Texas Derby?It is a 400-yard quarter horse race for 3-year-olds, and all 10 horses qualified for the Grade III stakes race on Feb. 8. The West Texas Derby is one of the top quarter horse races for 3-year-olds as they prepare for summer racing at Ruidoso Downs Race Track & Casino El Paso Times prediction for West Texas DerbyHarken is the one to beat with jockey Sergio Becerra and he runs well in New Mexico stakes races with a first- and second-place finish.My longshot pick is Running Over All he ran second by a neck to Toastin Heros.Top jockeys in West Texas DerbyAdrian Ramos aboard Beach FireSergio Becerra aboard Wiskey Cowboy.What time does West Texas Derby start?The West Texas Derby is race No It is part of a nine-race card that begins at 12:25 p.m The $400,000 Sunland Derby is set for Sunday, Feb. 16 and serves as a Kentucky Derby prep race The 20th edition of the 1 1/16th mile classic anchors a huge day of racing at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino with six stakes races worth over $1 million in purse money The Sunland Derby is for 3-year-old thoroughbreds The $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks will also take place Feb The post position draw for the Sunland Derby is on Sunday Here is a look at hopefuls for the Sunland Derby When is the Sunland Derby?The race will be Sunday This the second straight year the race has been held in February after being held in March in previous years (KFOX14/CBS4) — A new dino-rific attraction is hoping to launch in the borderland promising the community an educational and entertaining experience centering around dinosaurs is being spearheaded by the group Moms On Board in collaboration with the city of Sunland Park The inspiration for the project comes from the natural dinosaur tracks located at the base of Mount Cristo Rey "We actually have natural dinosaur tracks here in our border region," said Adrianne Moody "You could go there today with your kids and you could see the fossils that are actually there." The Dino Dig will feature educational plaques and allow children to dig for replicas of the fossils found in Sunland Park Moody explained that the next step in the project is to finalize an agreement with the city of Sunland Park and outline responsibilities and contributions from both parties what we're looking to do is create many different opportunities for the kids and families to enjoy here within the city," said Sunland Park Mayor The MOB is also seeking community donations to support the Dino Dig project Those interested in contributing can visit mobep.org or email momsonboardunite@gmail.com RECOMMENDED: Eagle Scout transforms historic Smeltertown Cemetery to honor El Paso's past RECOMMENDED: Bark on ARC: El Paso Humane Society highlights dog allergies Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox. Live Weather Cameras Weather MapsMan dies after barn fire in Sunland Park by Erika Esquivel (KFOX14/CBS4) — Firefighters worked to put out a fire in Sunland Park The incident happened on the 5500 block of Crawford Road around 6:51 a.m The barn caught fire and officials said one man died RECOMMENDED: Diesel spill impacts Friday morning commute; all lanes closed on I-10 West Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox (KFOX14/CBS4) — A man who shot at a Sunland Park police officer in Santa Teresa in 2023 was sentenced to three years in 30-day increments and five years probation Judge Richard Jacquez sentenced Tony Gomez on Friday after he pleaded guilty Eric Lopez the Sunland Park police chief voiced his frustration and disappointment on what he called a "lenient" sentence in a press release the sentence should have been anywhere from five to 15 years The statement of facts for Gomez indicated that he shot at the officer multiple times was struck multiple times in the front and driver's side Authorities had responded to a domestic dispute at 5817 Megan Street Saturday morning Gomez's wife told New Mexico State Police Gomez had placed her up against a corner in their bedroom while their children were home She said Gomez struck her in the thigh and hand with the "muzzle of a rifle." RELATED: Suspect in shooting of Sunland Park police officer armed with rifle, handgun, ammunition She said Gomez grabbed a bullet-proof vest and military-grade helmet and left the room She said she called 911 while Gomez was outside shooting the rifle multiple times New Mexico State Police stated he was shooting in an unknown direction while other residents remained inside their homes Gomez wore a bulletproof vest while he shot They said a SPPD officer arrived on the scene and was shot by Gomez A person who lives in the neighborhood said he saw when the suspect was shooting at the officer Gomez surrendered was handcuffed and taken into custody Authorities searched the home and found that a dining table had been placed on its side by a window which authorities believe was used as a barricade The vest with multiple rifle magazines on it handgun and helmet were found inside the home Authorities also found a military spec magazine carrier and multiple rifle ammunitions throughout the house Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox. Weather Maps RadarCommunity meeting addresses potential strip club coming to Sunland Parkby Aylin Herrera Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso City Representative Brian Kennedy held a community meeting Tuesday to inform Upper Valley residents on property taxes the Frontera Road project and a possible strip club being built in Sunland Park Kennedy explained to the residents of the City of Sunland Park that the Planning and Zoning Commission is set to hear a permit application for the possible construction of a Buck's Cabaret at 3801 Emory Road near a Walmart and the State Line Restaurant The City of Sunland Park Planning and Zoning Commission was set to hear permit requests back in September however Kennedy told residents he contacted New Mexico state officials who told him they would look into the proposal If approved the cabaret would not be near a New Mexico residential neighborhood but close to a Texas residential neighborhood “I think that it's wrong if you say because there is a state line there that we're going to build a topless bar and a drive-thru dispensary virtually close enough to a residential property Kennedy encouraged residents to attend the upcoming meeting if they want to oppose the project RELATED:Residents protest proposed strip club near family venues in Sunland Park Weather Maps RadarFamilies devastated as Sunland Park cemetery removes grave decorations without noticeby Julia Spencer (KFOX14/CBS4) — Families visiting Memorial Pines Cemetery in Sunland Park were shocked to find that decorations and gifts left on their loved ones' gravesites had been removed without notice whose 2-year-old daughter Mia Ojeda was buried at the cemetery six years ago She fought cancer and she fought it with a smile," Gonzalez said tearfully recalling her daughter's battle And some of them were super glued to her tombstone." citing rules that only allow flowers in designated vases are allowed Signs in Spanish were posted on the site of the cemetery explaining the rules which state that families won't be notified of removed items Some families claim they were not informed of the policy enforcement who has multiple family members buried at the cemetery "It feels like they're ripping a piece of them a little bit from us "We never got notified from the new owners themselves." Attempts to contact the cemetery and its new owner "They didn't reach out to anyone The fact that we had to find out on social media I think it was probably the worst part," Anastasia Varkonyi said Varkonyi and her other sister Isabella arrived at the cemetery to remove a cross they built and painted with their father to leave at their sister's gravesite "We wanted something a little more personal for her So I spent a really hard and long time working on this cross and I painted it by hand And it was just like a fear of not knowing if that was still there...It's almost like a desecration of her grave because we've put time in the things that we've put out for her and the things that we did for my little sister," shared Varkonyi Families would also spend time during the holiday season to decorate the gravesites of their loved ones and commemorate the memory of those they lost so like the holidays are always a really difficult time for us So just to have to come out here and deal with this and like just like no notice It's hard to not take it as a personal attack," shared Varkonyi "People come here to visit their loved ones They want to bring life to a place where it's already hard to breathe And for a lot of people to come and realize that their stuff is gone It's heart-wrenching," shared Padille RECOMMENDED:Human smuggling arrests made in El Paso linked to woman's death Families are now left to either remove their gifts or face the loss of sentimental items Gonzalez explained why they chose the cemetery "We chose the cemetery because they gave us the option to decorate her area...I just wish the new owners could give us a heads-up if they wanted the cemetery to be clean "This is a business for living people And they have to recognize that there's empathy and ethics in all this." KFOX14/CBS4 attempted to contact the cemetery's new owner Service Corporation International (SCI) out of Houston however after many attempts no one answered the phone KFOX14/CBS4 then contacted the San Jose Funeral Home which is associated with Memorial Pines Cemetery and a manager confirmed that the cemetery is under new ownership KFOX14/CBS4 also contacted the New Mexico Board of Funeral Services to get information about who exactly the new owner is and what the rules and regulations of the cemetery are An El Paso police officer shot a man who allegedly tried to run over the officer during a road rage incident on the West Side El Paso Police Department spokesperson Detective Judy Oviedo said who has only been identified as a 33-year-old man allegedly tried to runover an El Paso police officer The driver then fled in his vehicle heading downhill on Sunland Park Drive The man was soon arrested on Sunland Park Drive before reaching Cromo Drive More: Police seek tips in shooting that killed teen at traffic intersection in Central El Paso The man was taken to a hospital with undisclosed injuries Detectives could be seen looking at a dark gray pickup that was sandwiched between two patrol cars on the westbound lanes of Sunland Park Drive though police spokesperson did not immediately confirm if that was the vehicle involved in the road rage Sunland Park between South Mesa Hills Drive to Mesa Street will likely remain closed until Tuesday morning as police continue to investigate the incident There was traffic jam in the area surrounding The Shoppes of Solana because of the closure of Sunland Park Drive Vehicles were backed up onto the Sunland Park exit of Interstate 10 West Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com and @BorundaDaniel on X This move follows the April 15 designation of the New Mexico National Defense Area (NMNDA) 200-mile-long strip of land now under Department of Defense control Gen. Gregory Guillot, Commander of USNORTHCOM said in a statement that service members stationed in these areas may temporarily detain individuals suspected of trespassing until they are transferred to law enforcement authorities: "The establishment of a second National Defense Area increases our operational reach and effectiveness in denying illegal activity along the southern border Service members who are already detecting and monitoring through stationary positions and mobile patrols nearby can now temporarily detain trespassers" Court records reviewed by Border Report and revealed in a report on Thursday confirm that migrants have already begun facing prosecution for entering military property without authorization At least seven individuals have been charged in the NMNDA since April 24 who was apprehended five miles west of the Antelope Wells Agents stated he had no legal claim to be in the U.S and formally charged him with unlawful entry of military property four days later Other apprehended migrants include Eleazar Acosta Flores and Marcial Perez Diaz both of whom admitted in court that they saw posted signs indicating the land was restricted military territory but entered anyway The Pentagon has deployed nearly 8,000 troops to the Southwest border in response to a directive from President Trump earlier this year, including forces from the Fourth Infantry Division and Joint Task Force–Southern Border, as The New York Times reports Their mission includes border surveillance and assisting civilian authorities in enforcement The expansion has drawn concern from civil rights organizations. "As New Mexicans, we have deep concerns about the enhanced militarization of our borderland communities," said Rebecca Sheff, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of New Mexico Sheff also criticized the use of military detention powers within the New Mexico National Defense Area calling it "a dangerous erosion of the constitutional principle that the military should not be policing civilians." Getaway Car wins the 2024 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar The Road to the Kentucky Derby makes a stop in New Mexico Feb 16 as nine 3-year-olds are entered to compete over 1 1/16 miles in the $400,000 Sunland Park Derby The top five finishers will receive qualifying points on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale in an attempt to get back in the win column Getaway Car finally has the barn's spotlight to himself as the field's lone Baffert entrant His company kept has earned him 9-5 morning-line favoritism for SF Racing Entries: Sunland Park Derby Sunland Park the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks will award the same point values for the Road to the Kentucky Oaks Entries: Sunland Park Oaks Sunland Park Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Sunland Park Fire Department has reported a significant increase in emergency calls over the past four years the department says it received 2,804 calls More than half the calls were rescues and emergency medical services which can include gas leaks and house fires Fire Chief Daniel Medrano said the department has seen a spike in calls related to migrants particularly between the months of May and September Medrano says they responded to about 150 to 300 migrant-related calls throughout those two months Medrano said the department has to make financial adjustments to address the rise in calls by ensuring their equipment is ideal to prepare for any rescue or incident and training personnel One was used as a brush truck with a small pump in the back The other was a small Polaris used mostly for parades and pilgrimages When we started seeing the spike in migrant calls we had to put patient transport systems on those vehicles all out of our own budget," Medrano said the department addressed the issue by training personnel and outfitting them with proper rescue equipment The department is also preparing for the city's growth said Medrano The department is in the planning stages of building station number three and is discussing the possibility of station four the department is expecting to receive its first ladder truck by mid-2026 the department has doubled its crew and now has a fully staffed team of 28 personnel Medrano noted that this number might change as the city continues to develop "This is mainly based on the city's growth," Medrano said we have a lot of new neighborhoods and construction The Sunland Park Fire Department considers its efforts a success and said city officials understand the department's needs and demands RECOMMENDED: More troops arrive at Fort Bliss to support border operations amid immigration crackdown RECOMMENDED: Rescue on Mount Cristo Rey: woman with leg injury saved by responders and Border Patrol 1. Itsmybirthday (20-1 morning-line odds): Vekoma colt from the family of leading sire Tapit stretches out in distance after back-to-back sprint victories at Turf Paradise Has some early speed but does not appear to be a need-the-lead type Doesn’t look overmatched while facing the best competition of his career JOCKEY: Harry Hernandez; TRAINER: Robertino Diodoro 2. Remember Big Jim (12-1): Plenty of speed in this race could set the table for this closer who always seems to be gaining late Rallied from 14 lengths back to finish second by a length in the Riley Allison Derby at Sunland Jan Worth a long look at 12-1 on the morning line JOCKEY: Elvin Gonzalez; TRAINER: Dick Cappellucci 3. Smash It (12-1): Third as the odds-on favorite in the Riley Allison Futurity after running some fast races in Southern California as a 2-year-old and closing out 2024 with a stakes win at Zia Park JOCKEY: Florent Geroux; TRAINER: Todd Fincher but he’ll be challenged for the lead and figures to be a very short price JOCKEY: Juan Hernandez; TRAINER: Bob Baffert 5. Spenard (20-1): Huge class and distance test for well-bred Spun to Run colt from family of Birdstone coming out of a runaway win in a maiden sprint at Turf Paradise JOCKEY: Luis Valenzuela; TRAINER: Tena Birdwell 6. Take Charge Tom (8-1): He’s 3-for-3 with a stakes win on this track in the one-mile Riley Allison Futurity but he should be close to the pace early and all he does is win JOCKEY: Orlando Mojica; TRAINER: Robertino Diodoro 7. McKinzie Street (4-1): Makes first start for new trainer after moving from Southern California barn of Tim Yakteen Multiple Grade 1-placed as a 2-year-old but was well-beaten in his two most recent starts when fading late at shorter distance JOCKEY: Ramon Vazquez; TRAINER: Justin Evans 8. Touchy (7-2): Plenty of pace could set up his closing kick Stamina the big question in his first try stretching out in distance after four sprints First starter at Sunland for trainer with more than 2,300 career wins JOCKEY: Joel Rosario; TRAINER: Wesley Ward 9. Caldera (5-1): Seemed like a lightbulb came on in his most recent start, a front-running 5 ½-length romp at this distance Jan. 17 at Oaklawn Park Posted nice workout for this for his Hall of Fame trainer JOCKEY: Rafael Bejarano; TRAINER: D. Wayne Lukas THE PICK: Caldera LIVE LONGSHOT: Itsmybirthday A Beginner’s Guide to the 150th Edition of the Preakness Stakes Sunday Silence: The Star No One Wanted 2025 Triple Crown Prospect Profiles: Evaluating Sovereignty’s Chances in Preakness, Belmont Stakes Ten Unforgettable Kentucky Derby Upsets A Beginner’s Guide to the 2025 Kentucky Derby Sixteen Things to Know About the Kentucky Derby 2021 Kentucky Derby Cheat Sheet Preakness Quick Sheet: Get to Know the 2021 Preakness Horses Get to Know All 13 U.S. Triple Crown Winners Preakness an Option for Derby Runner-up Journalism, Baeza and Sandman to Belmont Stakes Quotes from the 2025 Kentucky Derby: What the Trainers and Jockeys Said Why Each Horse in the 2025 Kentucky Derby Can Win the Race Byron King’s Derby Dozen for April 30 Firefighters in the southern border town of Sunland Park are kept busy with calls involving migrants who are entering the U.S Talking with a reporter from KOAT.com, Fire Chief Danny Medrano showed where Sunland Park firefighters respond and outlined the most common calls they respond too. They include rescues of people trapped atop the border wall, falls from the wall, drownings and body recoveries and other injuries. "The wall in this part of the country or this part of the southwest, it's about 20 feet tall, maybe 25 feet, given the location," Medrano told the television station. "So, a migrant will get either stuck on the top and we have to rescue them from the top or they'll actually fall when they're trying to come on to the United States side." The chief said they "had quite a bit of body recoveries where we assisted other agencies with actually picking up bodies in the desert." One incident in the Rio Grande River resulted in dozens being rescued from the river. Another, Medrano recalled, including both rescues and recoveries. The chief said firefighters work in rugged, dangerous terrain that is often remote an inaccessible from roadways. Medrano was born and raised in Sunland Park. Weather Maps RadarAttorneys rally Sunland Park community for legal action against CRRUAby Ariana Parra (KFOX14/CBS4) — Attorneys encouraged residents in southern New Mexico to join a lawsuit against the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority over alleged elevated levels of arsenic in the water supply also targets the utility's former executive director "This should've never happened to this community," said Brian Colon, an attorney with Singleton Schreiber during a town hall meeting aimed at rallying more plaintiffs we'd be honored to represent you," Colon added The lawsuit claims that CRRUA's water supply has contained elevated arsenic levels at various times since 2012 Some residents have reportedly stopped using the water due to health concerns "The single most important thing is just to get you clean water," said Knut Johnson to have a water supplier treat you like you're worthless." "A lot of people think that we're looking for monetary compensation and all we're looking for is justice," Baquera said The attorneys assured residents that they could join the lawsuit at no cost with the lawyers only being paid a third of any earnings if they won "No guarantees except that we will fight for you," said attorney Israel Chavez Baquera urged more residents to join the lawsuit "We need more people to join us." Attempts to reach CRRUA for comment were unsuccessful and Doña Ana County stated they could not comment on pending litigation Residents in Sunland Park posted photos and videos of yellow water filling up bathtubs coming out of taps at the Sunland Park Senior Citizen Center and out of a soda fountain water spout at the Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino “CRRUA (Camino Real Regional Utility Authority) took all the necessary precautionary measures and verified water quality through independent testing to ensure public safety,” CRRUA Executive Director Juan Crosby said in a March 8 letter to customers During ongoing well repairs, CRRUA operational staff activated a backup well that disturbed naturally occurring sediment deposits in the water lines, causing temporary discoloration, CRRUA's response to its customers read CRRUA operational staff reported that chlorine levels — used by water utilities to eliminate micro-organisms and make water safe to consume — showed levels were within the New Mexico Environment Department’s (NMED) maximum level CRRUA and NMED sent water samples to an independent laboratory for bacteriological testing “These reviews are important and welcomed," Crosby said about the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) visiting CRRUA Feb "because they offer opportunities for CRRUA to collaborate with our federal and state partners to identify potential areas of improvement They demonstrate to our customers that CRRUA takes the health and safety of the community seriously and we will do whatever we need to do to ensure that.” according to the New Mexico Environmental Law Center CRRUA posted a notice that it became compliant with EPA and NMED arsenic level standards on Feb the utility company reported arsenic levels were within code the water utility company is facing six violations "NMED Drinking Water Bureau reserves the right to take additional enforcement action regarding the violations identified in this notice of violation to include the issuance of an Administrative Compliance Order compelling compliance and issuing civil penalties," the March 3 notice for lead and copper in tap water sampling read Five deficiencies are left to be addressed of the 58 identified in CRRUA's 2023 Sanitary Survey, according to the Progress Checklist Sunland Park and Santa Teresa residents filed a com plaint Nov and the City of Sunland Park for failing to notify them of unsafe drinking water Wayne Lukas began training quarter horses in 1976, eventually moved to thoroughbreds, and has 15 Triple Crown race wins on his Hall of Fame resume, including four in the Kentucky Derby Even after he won his seventh Preakness Stakes (G1) with Seize the Grey a year ago are of my days with quarter horses in the Southwest,” Lukas has said Ruidoso – those were great times; nothing like ‘em.” Lukas’ presence will be felt again at Sunland Park on Sunday when the 89-year-old trainer sends Caldera in the $400,000 Sunland Park Derby The 1 1/16-mile Sunland Park Derby is one of the Kentucky Derby prep races with the top five finishers earning 20-10-6-4-2 points on a sliding scale Caldera, a son of Liam’s Map, broke his maiden at third asking, winning by 5 ½ lengths going 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park on Jan. 25. The gray colt ran sixth behind Speed King in his Nov. 1 debut at Churchill Downs Caldera is the 5-1 fourth choice on the morning line in a field of nine 3-year-olds Bob Baffert-trained Getaway Car is the 9-5 morning line favorite “He showed up like we expected,” Lukas said after Caldera’s win “We've had high hopes for this horse and liked him from the start Rafael Bejarano returns to ride Caldera again A solid effort here gives Lukas another chance to Run for the Roses The horse to beat is Getaway Car, who avoids highly-regarded stablemates Citizen Bull and Gaming. Last out, Getaway Car ran second to Journalism in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2). He’s also finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and second in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) McKinzie Street enters the race with a new trainer, Justin Evans, who takes over for Tim Yakteen. The colt has been beaten several times by Baffert’s top colts – second to Gaming in the Del Mar Futurity (G1), third behind Citizen Bull and Getaway Car in the American Pharoah, and most recently fifth behind Baffert’s Barnes in the San Vicente Stakes (G2) Last year, Stronghold won the race and captured the Santa Anita Derby (G1) before running seventh in the Kentucky Derby. Post time for the Sunland Park Derby is 6:17 p.m. ET. 1 Itsmybirthday (Harry Hernandez, Robertino Diodoro), 20-1 2 Remember Big Jim (Elvin Gonzalez, Dick Cappellucci), 12-1 3 Smash It (Florent Geroux, Todd Fincher), 12-1 4 Getaway Car (Juan Hernandez, Bob Baffert), 9-5 5 Spenard (Luis Valenzuela, Tena Birdwell), 20-1 6 Take Charge Tom (O Mojica, Robertino Diodoro), 8-1 7 McKinzie Street (Ramon Vazquez, Justin Evans), 4-1 9 Caldera (Rafael Bejarano, D. Wayne Lukas), 5-1 The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings. Weather Maps RadarCRRUA admits failure to test Sunland Park Santa Teresa water; promises transparencyby David Ibave (KFOX14/CBS4) — The troubled water utility company that services Sunland Park and Santa Teresa said it violated state orders when they failed to collect lead and copper samples in 2024 The Camino Real Regional Utility Authority took to social media on Friday to tell its customers about the "Notice of Violation" they received from the New Mexico Environment Department because they failed to take samples of tap water to test for lead and copper from July to December 2024 CRRUA admitted that due to a "misunderstanding" they did not take water samples during that period but added that they collected 49 lead and copper samples from January through June in 2024 it seems that those samples weren't enough according to NMED standards as CRRUA also pointed out they are required to take 60 samples every six months RECOMMENDED: Sunland Park residents frustrated as discolored water returns CRRUA said it will not start collecting the required samples and will post the results online as the utility claims it is committed to being transparent with the public CRRUA's response to the violation notice: CRRUA said the notice is not considered an emergency and no action is required from customers (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Sunland Park Fire Department responded to an ATV rollover near the border involving three minors Two of the three minors involved were seriously injured and transported to a near by hospital RECOMMENDED: El Paso deputies arrest two for illegal dumping in desert area RECOMMENDED: One dead in early morning shooting in Fabens; investigation underway Harken rallied late rally under jockey Sergio Becerra $158,060 West Texas Derby on Saturday at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino the New Mexico-bred son of Eye Am King broke well from the starting gate was joined on the front end to his inside by railsitter Karmalites as well as Daou midway down the stretch Becerra got busy aboard Harken in the final yards and pushed him to the finish line winning by a half-length in a final time of 19.45 seconds in the 400 yard race The winner earned a $74,288 paycheck for the winning owners Alepony earned his way into the starting gate for the West Texas Derby when he won his trial heat by a length on Feb "Every time gives a great effort and it was a great race he ran he won the Grade 2 Mountain Top Futurity at Ruidoso Downs He also finished second in the Grade 1 Zia Futurity last summer at Albuquerque Downs More horse racing: Getaway Car edges Caldera in 2025 Sunland Derby, picks up points for Kentucky Derby Soto said Harken will race this summer in Ruidoso and if he does well against New Mexico breds he could be supplemented to run in the all American derby trials for 3-year-lds The All American Derby is one of the biggest races in the country "Harken is very consistent and he's always given us his best Sergio did a great job of riding him and it feels great to win this race," said Soto