HERE ARE THE SEVEN BIG THINGS THAT WE’RE FOLLOWING FOR YOU TODAY. IT’S LOOKING LIKE IT’S GOING TO BE MILD AND DRY OUT THERE TODAY. HERE’S ERIC WITH YOUR KOAT 7 WEATHER FORECAST. YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE TO WAIT OUT A FREEZING OR BELOW FREEZING MORNING HERE THOUGH THROUGH CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. WE’RE DOWN AT 26 IN SANTA FE, RIO RANCHO AND THE ALBUQUERQUE SUNPORT SITTING AT 32. OKAY. WE GAINED A DEGREE IN SANTA FE, BUT WE’RE STILL WELL BELOW FREEZING HERE IN THE METRO. WE DO HAVE A MOSTLY SUNNY SKY EXPECTED HERE. IT’S JUST STARTING TO BRIGHTEN UP. WE’LL NEED THOSE COATS ON THE KIDS AS WE SEND THEM BACK TO SCHOOL. MIDDAY NUMBERS NEAR 50 AND IT’S MILD MID 50S THIS AFTERNOON. WE’LL HAVE A PARTLY CLOUDY SKY AND HARDLY ANY WIND. YET ANOTHER REAL FINE WINTER TIME DAY. JUST WAY ABOVE AVERAGE HERE BY EARLY JANUARY STANDARDS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, ERIC, IN THIS MORNING’S TOP STORIES, FORMER VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO AND HIS WIFE PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO NARCO TERRORISM CHARGES IN AN AMERICAN FEDERAL COURT. YESTERDAY’S HEARING CAME JUST TWO DAYS AFTER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CAPTURED MADURO AND HIS WIFE IN A MILITARY OPERATION. U.S. PROSECUTORS SAY MADURO RAN A DRUG FUELED, GOVERNMENT BACKED OPERATION THAT SENT COCAINE INTO THE U.S. THE COUPLE WILL RETURN TO COURT IN MARCH. STUDENTS AT WILSON, KENNEDY, HAYES, WASHINGTON AND CLEVELAND MIDDLE SCHOOLS HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE WILL HAVE TO CARRY CLEAR BACKPACKS. STARTING TODAY. THE DISTRICT SAYS IT’S A WAY TO KEEP THE CAMPUS SAFER. APS WILL PROVIDE CLEAR BACKPACKS TO EACH STUDENTS AT EACH OF THOSE SCHOOLS AT TWO THIS AFTERNOON. THEY WILL ALSO HOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE AT CLEVELAND MIDDLE SCHOOL THIS AFTERNOON TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS NEW EFFORT. BERNALILLO COUNTY COURTS ARE ROLLING OUT A NEW PILOT PROGRAM TODAY. IT’S AIMED AT HELPING PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS GET TREATMENT INSTEAD OF GETTING PULLED DEEPER INTO THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. THIS IS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE CHARGED WITH A MISDEMEANOR OR NONVIOLENT FELONY, EXCEPT DWI. IF THEY FINISH THE PROGRAM SUCCESSFULLY, THE COURT WILL DISMISS THEIR CHARGES. OUR STATE IS NOW OFFERING $1 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING TO STRENGTHEN NEW MEXICO’S PRIMARY CARE WORKFORCE. THIS IS COMING FROM THE HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY AND IS MEANT TO HELP CREATE OR EXPAND RESIDENCY PROGRAMS. PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY FOR FUNDING. APPLICATIONS ARE DUE FEBRUARY 27TH. THE HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY WILL DISTRIBUTE THOSE AWARDS IN JULY. THE STATE’S BROADBAND OFFICE IS RELEASING A NEW THREE YEAR PLAN AIMED AT CONNECTING EVERY CORNER OF NEW MEXICO. STATE OFFICIALS SAY ABOUT 90% OF OUR STATE CURRENTLY HAS HIGH SPEED INTERNET. THE GOAL IS TO REACH FULL CONNECTIVITY STATEWIDE. HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WILL BE USED OVER THE COURSE OF THIS PROJECT. TIME TO CHECK IN ON THE ROADS HERE ON THIS TUESDAY MORNING. WE’VE GOT OUR EYES ON THE SIDE STREETS IN THE INTERSTATE LANES, AND RIGHT NOW WE DO NOT HAVE ANY UNUSUAL DELAYS OR REALLY ANY SLOW SPOTS IN INTERSTATE LANES TO TELL YOU ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THINKING THAT A BUSIER MORNING DRIVE IS GOING TO BE INEVITABLE AS THE KIDS HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL, BUT NO SIGNS OF THAT YET. ALL RIGHT. REMEMBER, WHEN WE’RE NOT ON AIR, YOU CAN GET THE MOST RECENT NEWSCAST ANYTIME ON THE FREE, VERY LOCAL APP. OUR NEXT NEWSCAST IS AT 11:00. GOOD MORNING AMERICA STARTS RIGHT NOW. HAVE A GREAT DAY.
Ruidoso fire burglary DNA locates incarcerated suspect
Uziah Alaniz, 25, charged with aggravated burglary, larceny over $20K, and evidence tampering.
When it comes to criminal investigations, the trail can sometimes lead to a jail.That’s what happened when New Mexico State Police investigated a jewelry store heist when they were in Ruidoso helping with public safety during the 2024 wildfires, a NMSP news release said.There was plenty of evidence at Johnson Jewelry on Sudderth Drive — none better than the DNA that went to the FBI laboratory. It matched that of Uziah Alaniz, 25, of Ruidoso Downs, who turned out to be a prisoner at the Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Clayton, on unrelated charges.On Oct. 30, 2025, agents went to the Northeast New Mexico Detention Facility with a warrant to collect DNA from Alaniz, which was sent to the FBI Lab, and on Dec. 29, the lab confirmed that the DNA from Alaniz matched the DNA at the crime scene.Alaniz was served with an arrest warrant, taken into custody, and charged with aggravated burglary (deadly weapon), possession of burglary tools, larceny over $20,000, tampering with evidence and criminal damage to property.
When it comes to criminal investigations, the trail can sometimes lead to a jail.
That’s what happened when New Mexico State Police investigated a jewelry store heist when they were in Ruidoso helping with public safety during the 2024 wildfires, a NMSP news release said.
There was plenty of evidence at Johnson Jewelry on Sudderth Drive — none better than the DNA that went to the FBI laboratory. It matched that of Uziah Alaniz, 25, of Ruidoso Downs, who turned out to be a prisoner at the Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Clayton, on unrelated charges.
On Oct. 30, 2025, agents went to the Northeast New Mexico Detention Facility with a warrant to collect DNA from Alaniz, which was sent to the FBI Lab, and on Dec. 29, the lab confirmed that the DNA from Alaniz matched the DNA at the crime scene.
Alaniz was served with an arrest warrant, taken into custody, and charged with aggravated burglary (deadly weapon), possession of burglary tools, larceny over $20,000, tampering with evidence and criminal damage to property.
