Now You Know - August 14, 2026

City invites input into Transportation Safety Action Plan

The City of Las Cruces is developing a Transportation Safety Action Plan to help improve transportation safety for everyone who travels in our community. Whether you walk, bike, roll, drive, or use public transit, your experiences can help identify transportation safety concerns, highlight community needs, and help prioritize future safety strategies.

The TSAP is funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Safe Streets and Roads for All program, which supports communities in developing data-driven strategies to help reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries. This plan is the basic building block in helping improve overall roadway safety for all users.

As part of the TSAP, the city’s proposed bikeway and trail networks will be updated. People that bike are vulnerable to severe injury in traffic crashes, and research shows that enhanced bikeway networks improve both safety and connectivity for everyone using the transportation system.

Community engagement is an important part of the TSAP. Throughout the project, residents, businesses, commuters, community organizations, and partner agencies will have opportunities to share their experiences, identify safety priorities, and provide input on transportation safety needs.

Feedback gathered through community outreach and meetings, pop-up events, and online feedback will be reviewed alongside crash data, existing roadway conditions, and other technical information to help identify priorities and develop recommendations for the final TSAP.

Upcoming Community Engagement Opportunities:

Virtual Community Meeting

Location: Zoom Webinar (online)
Date: Tuesday, Aug. 18
Time: 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Community Open House

Las Cruces Regional Aquatic Center, 1401 E Hadley Ave
Date: Tuesday, Aug. 25
Time: 5-6:30 p.m.

Pop-Up Events

Corbett Center Student Union – Aggie Lounge, NMSU
Date: Tuesday, Aug. 25
Time: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Las Cruces City Hall Lobby, 700 N Main St
Date: Tuesday, Aug. 25
Time: 2-4:30 p.m.

Thomas Branigan Memorial Library Kiva, 200 E Picacho Ave
Date: Wednesday, Aug. 26
Time: 10:30 a.m.-noon

Doña Ana County Government Center Lobby, 845 N Motel Blvd
Date: Wednesday, August 26
Time: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Las Cruces Farmer’s & Crafts Market, Downtown Mainstreet
Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

National Night Out – Las Cruces Plaza, Downtown Mainstreet
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 6
Time: 6-9 p.m.

For more information, visit the project webpage at LasCruces.Gov/TSAP to learn more about the project, sign up for an upcoming virtual community meeting, and share your feedback. Everyone who lives, works, studies, or travels in Las Cruces is encouraged to participate

“Aggie Access: Your Ticket to Gameday”

Beginning with the 2026-27 athletics seasons, NM State has transitioned to digital ticketing for all season and single-game tickets through Blocktickets. Digital tickets for the upcoming season will be issued through Blocktickets on Wednesday, Aug. 12, providing fans ample time to set up their accounts and become familiar with the platform before the start of the season.

To help fans adjust to the new platform, NMSU Athletics will host three free educational sessions titled "Aggie Access: Your Ticket to Gameday." The sessions are open to all current ticket holders and will provide step-by-step guidance and personal assistance for fans. Blocktickets representatives will also be available to answer questions.

The sessions will be held Saturday, Aug. 15 and Aug. 22 from 9-10 a.m., and Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 5-6 p.m. All sessions take place at Danny Villanueva Victory Club (3rd Floor, Fulton Center). Refreshments will be provided

Contributors to the Lou and Mary Henson Excellence Fund who receive football parking passes or Danny Villanueva Victory Club access as part of their benefits package should note that those items will be sent via US Mail beginning Friday, Aug. 14.

Season and single game tickets can be purchased online, in person at the Pan American Center Ticket Office or over the phone by calling 575-646-1420.

14 cadets to gaduate from LCPD Academy

The Las Cruces Police Department graduated 14 cadets from its 56th Academy Friday, Aug. 7. The graduating class includes Zachary Beltran, Luis Campos, Caleb Chiarelli, Devinee Flores, Christina Gonzalez, Roberto Hernandez, Luis Jimenez, Dana Nelson, Gabriel Padilla, Sergio Porras, Sergio Ramirez, Dorian Subia, Ayleen Torres and Yadiza Trejo.

Upon graduation, all 14 cadets will become officer-trainees with the Las Cruces Police Department and will be assigned to experienced field training officers who guide them for an additional 17 weeks of instruction on all three patrol shifts.
The graduates will have completed a six-week pre-academy, 22-week state-certified law enforcement academy and passed comprehensive exams that make them eligible for their New Mexico peace officer certification.
The education and training that LCPD cadets receive far exceeds the 677-hour requirement established by the New Mexico Department of Public Safety. LCPD’s state-certified academy provides 1,085 accredited hours of law enforcement education and training. The bulk of the academy, roughly 60 percent of it, is classroom instruction while the remaining 40 percent consists of field training in and around Las Cruces.
Applications for LCPD’s 57th Academy, scheduled to begin in 2027, are now being accepted. More information about LCPD’s academy and a link to the application can be found online.

Traffic signal public input meeting 

The City of Las Cruces Public Works Department invites residents, businesses, and community members to a Public Input Meeting to learn about the upcoming N. Alameda Boulevard & Hoagland Road Intersection Traffic Signal Project. City staff will be available to answer questions from the public. 

Planned improvements include new pavement, curb and gutter, ADA-compliant sidewalks, curb ramps, street lighting, and new traffic signals at the intersection. 

The meeting will take place from 5:30-7 p.m. on Thurs., Aug. 20 in the 2007B & 2007C 2nd floor conference rooms at Las Cruces City Hall, 700 N. Main Street.

For additional information or questions, contact Vanessa Morales-Romero, Senior Engineer at (575) 528-3130 or via email at vmorales@lascruces.gov. If you need to request disability-related accommodation or language access, please contact us no later than 72 hours before the event. 575-528-3130/TTY 711 or 1-800-659-8331

Whitefield named deputy chief for Las Cruces Fire Department

Justin Whitefield, a Las Cruces firefighter for 19 years, has been named Deputy Chief of Operations for the Las Cruces Fire Department. Deputy Chief Whitefield held the interim position of Deputy Chief of Operations for several months and began his new duties Aug. 9.

Whitefield began his career with the City of Las Cruces in 2007 as a member of the Department's 25th Fire Academy after a spending two years with NMSU Fire Department and New Mexico State Forestry Division. Throughout his career, he has steadily advanced through the ranks, serving as a Firefighter, Driver-Operator, Lieutenant, Battalion Chief, and now Deputy Chief.

From 2021 to 2022, he was assigned to the Operational Support Division, where he managed the department's logistical operations before transitioning to the Operations Division to serve as a Battalion Commander. He has also been a licensed paramedic since 2015. 

Throughout his career, Whitefield has demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to the department and community. He has led training initiatives, overseen apparatus and equipment programs, supported the Hazardous Materials Response Team, and deployed with regional Incident Management Teams during major incidents.