Mass Ascension To Kick Off International Balloon Fiesta - The Associated Press
Tens of thousands of spectators are expected to crowd the launch field for the first mass ascension of the 44th annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
The nine-day event kicks off Saturday at dawn. More than 500 balloons representing dozens of states and nearly 20 different countries are registered this year.
Organizers say it's one of the most photographed events in the world.
Shelby Burby of Michigan traveled to the fiesta with family members for her father's 80th birthday and they were planning to lift off early Saturday. She described seeing the balloons lift off at sunrise as gorgeous.
A combination of factors makes Albuquerque the perfect place for fiesta: typically clear skies; cool mornings; and the wind patterns at various elevations that help keep the balloons aloft over the city.
Albuquerque Teens Captured After Night Of Fleeing Police - The Associated Press
A pair of Albuquerque teenagers suspected in a home invasion had a long night as they evaded police by hiding in an empty house and walking alone until the morning.
The Sandoval County Sheriff's Office says the teens committed a home invasion around 3 a.m. Friday at a house in Albuquerque. They fled in a stolen vehicle but then wound up in the Placitas area when that car broke down.
It was nearly 4 a.m. when the teens knocked on a resident's door asking for jumper cables. The resident called police.
Police showed up, but the teens fled. One was found in the morning walking along a highway. The other was found in an empty house in Placitas.
Police haven't identified the teens, and an investigation is ongoing.
Navajo Nation Seeks Assistance After Gold King Mine Spill - The Associated Press
The Navajo Nation has taken the first step to seek public assistance for recovery efforts relating to the Gold King Mine spill.
President Russell Begaye says he requested a preliminary damage assessment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Thursday.
He said the spill caused so much damage to the San Juan River that the Navajo Nation declared a state of emergency.
A federal cleanup crew inadvertently triggered the Gold King Mine blowout on Aug. 5 when heavy equipment breached a debris dam holding back wastewater containing heavy metals. The water flowed into rivers in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah, including the Southern Ute Reservation and the Navajo Nation.
FEMA has already rejected the Navajo Nation's request to appoint a disaster-recovery coordinator to direct response to the spill.