NEW MEXICO – A new three-digit phone number, 988, will make reaching out for help even easier in New Mexico starting July 16, 2022. New Mexico’s Human Services Department and the Behavioral Health Services Divisions is leading the effort to bring the new three-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to all New Mexicans. The easierto-remember 3-digit dialing, along with a focus on more proactive and coordinated care, is expected to help reach significantly more people in need of mental and behavioral health support.

The Cibola County Federation of Democratic Women held an event on June 4 that was a Family Fun Day with a Meet and Greet your Local and Statewide Candidates. To promote a Get out to Vote Campaign on the last day of Early Voting. We had quite a turnout of candidates who are running for their political seat from our United States Representative District 2 Candidate Gabriel Vasquez and Darshan Patel; running for Attorney General Brian Colon; State Auditor Zackary Quintero; State Treasurer Laura Montoya; State Representative Eliseo Alcon; State Representative Harry Garcia and write in candidate Marvin Trujillo for State Representative; and the local Sheriff Candidates Larry Diaz, Maxine Monte, Steve Chavez, Tomas Archuleta and Kimry Ward; County Commissioners Ralph Lucero and Christine Lowery; and Magistrate Judge Tony Mace and Probate Judge Marie Garcia.

SANTA FE – N.M. There is no constitutional prohibition against the staggering of retention elections for district and metropolitan court judges as enacted by legislation last year, the New Mexico Supreme Court concluded in an opinion issued today.

GRANTS, N.M. Exactly a month apart from the first robbery, Wells Fargo on First Street in Grants, New Mexico, has been robbed. The robbery occurred on June 6 at 2:22 p.m., the bandit pulled a handgun and demanded money from the bank teller. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has called the robber, the “Black Cap Bandit.”

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Alexander M.M. Uballez was sworn in today as the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico.

GRANTS, N.M. – A missing man from Grants, 69-year-old Jesus “Jessi” Hernandez, was discovered by his wife on May 30 and taken to Grants Police Department.

COVID-19 continues its slow raise in cases across Cibola County. Because of Memorial Day, the New Mexico Department of Health did not report cases on Monday, meaning the May 31 case report will be abnormally large. Cases have spiked, even without the end-ofmonth report, and are bringing Cibola to levels near that of Omicron in March.