Top Story

Two Down: Town Facilities & Events Director and Tourism Director Both Resign

Taos News reports that Karina Armijo has resigned, she was marketing and tourism director for the Town of Taos since October 2015. Also departing is Events and Facilities Director Mitch Miller, Taos News reports. Miller is credited with helping Taos navigate its path to success as a music venue destination. Armijo has been an integral part of shaping Taos’s image nationally. Both departures likely reflect the current Town administration’s pivot as they change our local approach for managing both events and tourism. (Aug. 8, 2023)

Local News

Texas Man Dies in Rio near John Dunn

Taos News reports that the body of a male has been retrieved from the river north of the John Dunn bridge. Taos County Sherrif’s office responded to a call that a man, “had attempted to swim in the Rio Grande but never returned to shore.” (Jul. 25, 2023)

Body Recovered from Gorge possible suicide

Taos News reports that body of male retrieved is being investigated as a possible suicide. (Jul. 18, 2023)

Days Inn Rehab Renovation a Go

Taos News reports that the drug rehab center planned for the old Days Inn is moving forward and could be operational this year. (Jul. 18, 2023)

Land & Home News

ABQJournal: Taos Housing Stock Lacking Due to Vacation Homes

An article on the Taos housing market indicates “finding and affording a place to live can be an arduous process that forces out many residents,” the Albuquerque Journal reports. Forty-two percent of all housing units in Taos County are vacant according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Nearly half of them are vacation homes. (Feb. 7, 2021)

Camino Fiesta Subdivision Application Denied

Taos — Land behind Taos Pizza Outback denied subdivision application by Town of Taos planning and zoning commission. (Feb. 4, 2021)

Weather

Heat Continues to Bake NM

TAOS, NM – Taos saw the mercury rise into record-tying or even record breaking territory in July as New Mexico sweltered under a series of heat waves gripping various parts of the US west and south at times.

Taos reached 97º July 18th according to WeatherUnderground, a recorded high for the date.

Meanwhile records were made across the state yesterday for the date including in Santa Fe (100º), Farmington (103º), Roswell (111º), and Tucumcari (106º). KRQE reports that Las Vegas saw its hottest day in recorded history – a first ever triple-digit 100º day.

Read more here …

(Jul. 19, 2023. Updated Jul. 25, 2023)

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Old News

Town Unveils Plans for Potential Future Annexation of Taos Airport

The Town of Taos unveiled their plans to potentially annex land enough to eventually connect the Town to the Airport and hopefully annex the Airport. The plan focuses on the area where Blueberry Hill meets Lower Ranchitos, which would allow them to run water and sewer lines to the Airport. “This would create a small strip of annexed territory where the lines are placed in order to open the airport to annexation (in order to annex an area, it has to be adjacent to current town borders),” Taos News reports. (Mar. 12, 2021)

Older News

Accused Killer of World Cup Cafe Owner Found Guilty

After three days of testimony and closing arguments it only took jurors one hour to find the man accused of murdering the owner of a local coffee shop guilty. Gregg Steele was found guilty to all three charges, including a second degree murder charge, all relating to the August 2019 death of Patrick Larkin, owner of World Cup Cafe on the Taos Plaza. Taos News reports, “the jurors ultimately decided that Steele’s contradictory evidentiary testimony didn’t hold up to the state’s case framing him as the aggressor.” In a late night confrontation over the death of one of his goats, Larkin ended up dead, killed by Steele. Larkins body was found in an area covered by sagebrush in Ranchos de Taos. Steele defense is maintaining that the death was self-defense, the Taos News reports, while prosecutors in the case “pleaded with the jury to realize Steele’s guilt” arguing this was not a self-defense case but a murder.
The jury trial is being held in Raton because of the high profile of the case in the Taos area. It began on Tuesday (Feb. 16), and is being live streamed to the Taos County Courthouse. (Mar. 10, 2021).