Adrian Hedden, managing editor for El Rito Media, has the top stories from Alamogordo and Otero County.
Scott Brocato:
Let's start with a meeting last week about flock cameras, which is a big topic around this neck of the woods around Las Curses. What's it like there?
Adrian Hedden:
Yeah, it's a similar controversy. You know, we have these cameras at intersections in various points of town that film cars as they drive by, issue tickets automatically. Some people feel like it's a violation of their privacy. On the other hand, I think they've been used to solve a lot of criminal investigations. It's a useful tool for law enforcement. So a bit of a debate there nationwide and especially in New Mexico.
In Alamogordo and Otero County, they've been discussing getting rid of them in response to all the controversy. So there's discussions going on. They had a discussion about it at the County Commission meeting recently. including Sheriff Black. So people can read about the nuts and bolts of that discussion and kind of the direction the county is going in our story.
Scott Brocato:
And you have a couple of Holloman Air Force Base stories. Let's start with a new billboard of a missing soldier from Holloman.
Adrian Hedden:
Yeah, there's a soldier that has been missing for quite some time. There's an effort to try to find him. They're really pushing, trying to solve this search. So, if you're driving through Alamogordo, check out the new billboards that have been going up. That'll give you all the information you need to help out with the search.
Scott Brocato:
And there's talk about them wanting to build another Air Force base in New Mexico, correct?
Adrian Hedden:
Yeah, I think it's pretty preliminary, but there may be a new sort of support facility, sort of an Air Force base. I think it would be quite a bit smaller than Holloman and some of the others, but it would provide additional support to the operations. to the military at large, which is, very concentrated in the Alamogordo area. So we're always keeping eyes on any sort of development like that. Like I said, talks are preliminary. People can learn more, reading our coverage.
Scott Brocato:
And finally, Otero County has instituted or will be instituting a program for the police department to compensate for their fitness, their level of fitness.
Adrian Hedden:
They approved a contract at the Otero County Commission meeting October 8th with the police union that'll compensate police officers in the area for their physical fitness. They have fitness exams, how many pushups, sit-ups they can perform, how quickly they can complete a 1.5 mile run. And if they can meet those requirements, they'll get just an additional $550 bonus. There's going to be even stronger requirements that are being discussed and they can get up to $800. So I guess it's just a way to try to incentivize the local police department to be healthy and stay in shape.
Scott Brocato:
Well, where can folks read about those stories and more?
Adrian Hedden:
All at elmagordonnews.com.
Scott Brocato:
All right. Adrian Hedden, managing editor for El Rito Media, thanks for joining us today.
Adrian Hedden:
Thank you.