Firefighters at the scene an apartment complex fire
Traffic is backed up in the vicinity of the Academy Heights Apartments at 555 Wyoming Blvd. NE.
AS YOU PREPARE FOR THE REST OF YOUR SATURDAY, HERE ARE THE BIG THINGS WE’RE FOLLOWING FOR YOU TODAY. FIRST, LET’S GET YOU BACK OVER TO CHRISTIANA FOR YOUR KOAT WEATHER FORECAST. GOING TO BE ANOTHER WARM ONE OUT THERE, POSSIBLY SETTING A NEW RECORD OF 80 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON IN ALBUQUERQUE. STRONG WINDS FOR SUNDAY ACROSS THE STATE. HIGH WIND WATCH WILL BE IN EFFECT LATER TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY. BREEZY AS WE HEAD INTO NEXT WEEK. BUT THE BIG STORY FOR NEXT WEEK ARE GOING TO BE ALL TIME MARCH RECORDS. YOU CAN SEE WE’RE GOING TO BE IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER 80S, POSSIBLY SETTING NEW RECORDS FOR WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. IN THIS MORNING’S TOP STORIES, THE U.S. MILITARY IS BUILDING UP ITS PRESENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AS THE WAR WITH IRAN HITS THE TWO WEEK MARK. AN ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORT SAYS ABOUT 2500 MARINES AND AN ASSAULT SHIP ARE BEING SENT TO THE REGION, THOUGH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS NOT CONFIRMED IT. MEANWHILE, PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS U.S. FORCES HAVE CARRIED OUT WHAT HE CALLED ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL BOMBING RAIDS IN THE HISTORY OF THE MIDDLE EAST, TARGETING IRAN’S MAIN OIL EXPORT HUB. THE PRESIDENT SAYS THE OPERATION COULD CONTINUE AS LONG AS NECESSARY. VALENCIA COUNTY IS OUT MORE THAN 2 MILLION TAXPAYER DOLLARS AFTER AN EMPLOYEE FELL VICTIM TO AN EMAIL PHISHING SCAM. THAT MONEY WAS SET ASIDE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW HOSPITAL IN LOS LUNAS, THE COUNTY SAYS A SCAMMER POSING AS THE HOSPITAL’S CONTRACTOR TRICKED THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT INTO SENDING ABOUT $2.2 MILLION. AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION IS NOW UNDERWAY. COUNTY LEADERS SAY THE SCAM WILL NOT IMPACT CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW HOSPITAL, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE FINISHED IN AUGUST. AND THE PUBLIC GOT ANOTHER CHANCE TO WEIGH IN ON A MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT PLAN AT EXPO NEW MEXICO. IT COMES AFTER NEW QUESTIONS THIS WEEK ABOUT WHETHER A NEW MEXICO UNITED STADIUM COULD BE PART OF THIS PROJECT, EVEN AS STATE OFFICIALS SAY NO FINAL DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE. ALIYAH CHAVEZ EXPLAINS WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING AND WHAT COULD COME NEXT. THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE STATE FAIRGROUNDS IS BEING CALLED A ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY. IT’S A PLAN THAT COULD RESHAPE THE 250 ACRE SITE AND THE SURROUNDING INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT. DO NOT THINK THAT ANY OF THOSE PICTURES THAT YOU SAW IS WHAT THE FINAL FAIRGROUNDS WILL LOOK LIKE. MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE FRIDAY ATTENDING A THIRD AND FINAL PUBLIC MEETING ON THE PROJECT, AN IDEA WITH THE MOST TRACTION SO FAR INCLUDES UPGRADING FAIRGROUND FACILITIES LIKE PARKING AND NEW ENTRANCES, ADDING RETAIL AND ENTERTAINMENT, A STADIUM, MIXED INCOME HOUSING AND MORE. GREEN SPACE LIKE A COMMUNITY PARK. WE’RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID THEY WANT. CENTRAL IS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS STREETS IN THE COUNTRY. IN A COMMUNITY SURVEY OF OVER 900 RESPONSES, PLUS 26 IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS, THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY WAS REDUCING CRIME. HOUSING WAS THE NEXT HIGHEST PRIORITY, FOLLOWED BY CONCERNS ABOUT TRAFFIC, PARKING AND WATER. STATE FAIR IS IMPORTANT. COUNTY FAIRS ARE IMPORTANT. THE GOVERNOR, WHO CHAIRS THE STATE FAIRGROUNDS BOARD, PREVIOUSLY TOLD KOAT. THE FAIR ITSELF REMAINS A KEY PART OF THE FUTURE HERE. ONE OF THE MOST TALKED ABOUT IDEAS A SPORTS STADIUM. I’D LIKE TO LEND MY SUPPORT TO THE IDEA OF A STADIUM IN THE AREA. SUPPORTERS SAY IT COULD BE A YEAR ROUND ECONOMIC GENERATOR AND A WAY TO ACTIVATE UNDERUSED LAND. ESTIMATES SUGGEST MORE THAN 900 JOBS COULD BE CREATED. OTHERS WARN A PUBLICLY FUNDED STADIUM COULD DRIVE UP RENT AND ACCELERATE GENTRIFICATION IN AN AREA ALREADY STRUGGLING WITH AFFORDABILITY. PUBLICLY FUNDED STADIUMS ARE A SCAM. THEY ARE NOT A CATALYST FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. BUT WHAT THEY DO DO IS RAISE RENTS. WE’RE TRYING TO AVOID GENTRIFICATION, BUT ALSO WE DESERVE NICE THINGS. AT THIS WEEK’S MEETING, SOME PEOPLE SAID THEY’RE UPSET WITH THE PROCESS. I THIS PANEL GIVING THE PUBLIC OUTDATED AND INCORRECT INFORMATION. PLANNERS INSIST NOTHING IS FINAL IN THAT FRIDAY NIGHT’S MEETING IS ABOUT HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY BEFORE RECOMMENDATIONS GO BACK TO THE BOARD. PLANNERS SAY ALL OF THAT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK WILL NOW GO TO THE STATE FAIRGROUNDS DISTRICT BOARD, AND THAT’S THE GROUP OVERSEEING THIS PROJECT. THEY SAY A FINAL MASTER PLAN COULD BE FINISHED BY THE END OF THIS MONTH. THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE CONTINUES A SEARCH FOR ITS NEXT POLICE CHIEF, AND THE MAYOR SAYS A DECISION COULD COME BY THE END OF THIS MONTH. CITY LEADERS HAVE NOW NARROWED THE FIELD TO THREE FINALISTS. THEY ARE APD INTERIM CHIEF CECILY BARKER, DALLAS ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF GILBERTO GARZA AND PERRY TARRANT, A FORMER ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF IN SEATTLE. CITY OFFICIALS SAY 19 PEOPLE APPLIED FOR THAT POSITION. THE LOBOS RUN IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT ENDED IN A HEARTBREAKER HEARTBREAKER IN LAS VEGAS. NUMBER THREE SEED NEW MEXICO FELL 64 TO 62 TO SAN DIEGO STATE IN THE SEMIFINALS. AFTER A BACK AND FORTH GAME THAT CAME DOWN TO THE FINAL SECONDS. THE AZTECS ARE GOING TO THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP NOW. THE LOBOS WAIT TO SEE IF THEIR SEASON CONTINUES, WITH SELECTION SUNDAY COMING UP TOMORROW. AND CRISTIANA. ALL RIGHT, NOW A TIME FOR PETS OF THE WEEK. THIS LITTLE CUTIE IS GEORGIE. HE IS NINE YEARS OLD. HE’S A PIT BULL MIX. HE’S CALM, EASY GOING, AND HE ENJOYS THE QUIET SIDE OF THINGS. OF COURSE, LIKE ANY OLD MAN DOES, RIGHT? HE WOULD LOVE A BEST FRIEND TO SHARE QUIET MOMENTS AND COZY NAPS WITH. GEORGIE IS AVAILABLE AT THE EAST SIDE SHELTER, AND BAYMAX IS NEXT UP. THIS IS A TWO YEAR OLD GERMAN SHEPHERD MIX LOOKING SO CUTE. HE ADORES PLAYING WITH HIS TOYS AND GOING OUT EXPLORING, WHICH IS PERFECT. THERE’S LOTS OF HIKES TO DO HERE IN NEW MEXICO. HE’S THE PERFECT BLEND OF FUN LOVING ENERGY AND AFFECTIONATE LOYALTY. IF YOU WANT TO GIVE BAYMAX A FOREVER HOME, YOU CAN MEET HIM AT THE WEST SIDE SHELTER. OH MY GOSH, THOSE TWO ARE SO PRECIOUS. I REALLY, YOU KNOW, I REALLY NEED TO GET A DOG. YOU OKAY? I HAVE ONE BACK IN HOBBS, BUT I NEED ONE HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE. YOU KNOW THAT I CAN HANG OUT WITH. I CAN GO FOR HIKES. THAT’S TRUE. IT’S VERY TRUE. YOU NEED ONE. THEY’LL PROTECT YOU AND EVERYTHING. I LOVE ANIMALS, I WENT WITH TWO KITTIES. OH, AND I LOVE DOGS TOO. BUT DOGS ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE HIGH MAINTENANCE TO TAKE CARE OF. YOU DEFINITELY GOT TO GO FOR A WALK EVERY DAY. EXACTLY. YOU’LL HAVE TO BRING THEM TO WORK. YES. WELL, MAYBE WE’LL GET A DOG. YEAH. BUT THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. ACTION 7 NEWS WILL B
Firefighters at the scene an apartment complex fire
Traffic is backed up in the vicinity of the Academy Heights Apartments at 555 Wyoming Blvd. NE.
Firefighters are at the scene of a large fire Saturday afternoon at the Academy Heights Apartments on 5555 Wyoming Blvd. Northeast, near Academy Boulevard. Details are scarce at this time, but KOAT has received calls that traffic in that area is backed up. Drivers should avoid the area until more information is made available.KOAT has a crew headed to scene, and we will update this story just as soon as we know more.
Firefighters are at the scene of a large fire Saturday afternoon at the Academy Heights Apartments on 5555 Wyoming Blvd. Northeast, near Academy Boulevard.
Details are scarce at this time, but KOAT has received calls that traffic in that area is backed up. Drivers should avoid the area until more information is made available.
KOAT has a crew headed to scene, and we will update this story just as soon as we know more.
