Now You Know Sept. 28, 2026

Tuskegee Airman

A free presentation of the movie "Red Tails" - about the Tuskegee Airman in WW2, will be shown on Saturday, Sept. 5, 3-5:30 p.m., at the Baha’i Center, 525 E. Lohman Ave (back entrance on Tornillo St side). Myron Wilson, son of Tuskegee Airman Myron “Mike” Wilson, will speak about his father’s WW2 era experiences while America struggled with racism.

RSVP: text to 575-386-5491 or 575-323-2277. Hosted by The Baha’is of Las Cruces.

34 years of balloons

The White Sands Balloon Invitational will take place on Saturday, Sept. 19 and Sunday, Sept. 20, continuing a tradition that has filled the skies over southern New Mexico for 34 years.

Saturday morning's mass ascension lifts off from White Sands National Park at 7 a.m., with balloons rising over the white gypsum dunes. The National Park charges a $25 per vehicle entry fee. Sunday's ascension takes flight from Ed Brabson Balloon Park at 700 Lavelle Road in Alamogordo, with free admission for all attendees.

Organizers are also working to include Globitos in this year's flights.

This year's event celebrates its focus on what has always been at the heart of the invitational: the balloons themselves. There will be no balloon glow, entertainment, or vendors scheduled for 2026, though organizers say that may change in coming years.

"We want people to experience what made this event special in the first place, watching balloons lift off the dunes at sunrise and fill the Alamogordo sky," said Jake Roberts, owner of RE/MAX Alamogordo and committee organizer.

The invitational takes its name and spirit from one of Alamogordo's foundational civic leaders. Ed Brabson organized the city's first balloon liftoff in 1992 with 18 balloons rising from a lot outside of town. The seed of what would grow into one of southern New Mexico's signature annual gatherings. The park bearing his name now hosts Sunday's ascension.

Saturday evening offers a companion event for visitors staying in the area. The New Mexico Museum of Space History will host a stargazing party on Sept. 19 with telescopes and experts on hand. Visitors looking for nighttime sky viewing should note that White Sands National Park closes at sunset; Oliver Lee Memorial State Park is recommended for stargazing.

For the most current information, attendees should visit www.whitesandsballoons.com and follow the official Facebook page at facebook.com/profile.php?id=61591291230083.

U.S. Wildland Fire Service prescribed burns in Las Cruces District

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service plans to burn piles of juniper, piñon, oak and ponderosa pine slash near Las Cruces in Doña Ana County and vegetation and undergrowth in a broadcast burn across the Pinos Altos area of Grant County. Weather permitting, the burns will take place between Sept. 1 - Oct. 31. Notices will be posted in nearby communities prior to each prescribed burn event.

These burns will remove material from thinning projects to help reduce wildfire risk, improve ecosystem health, enhance wildlife habitat, and protect local communities from wildfire. The Pinos Altos Broadcast Burn and Ice Canyon Piles Burn are cooperative efforts with local communities to provide fuel reduction treatments on Bureau of Land Management lands to reduce wildfire threats to both private and public lands.

WFS fire personnel will coordinate with the Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire Department, adjacent landowners, range allotment permittees and others prior to igniting the broadcast burn.

Prescribed Burn Locations

·       Pinos Altos Broadcast Burn: 205 acres, located about a quarter-mile north of Pinos Altos, adjacent roads to Bear Creek Road and NM Highway 15 to the east. Smoke may be visible from Highways 15 and 180, and from Pinos Altos, Silver City and the Mimbres Valley.

·       Ice Canyon Pile Burn: 10 acres, located approximately 10 miles east of Las Cruces, N.M., and about two miles south of Organ, N.M. Smoke may be visible from Baylor Canyon Road, Dripping Springs Road, and the communities of Las Cruces and Organ.

Active ignition at each location will take one to three days, with some smoke potentially visible in the burn areas for up to one week after ignition operations are completed. Site-specific weather forecasts will be requested and obtained from the National Weather Service prior to ignition to ensure each burn is conducted within pre-identified parameters and to help minimize fire and smoke impacts to the public.

Fire personnel will monitor each site for heat and smoke and ensure the perimeter is secure. Once smoke and heat are no longer present, the prescribed fire will be declared out.

For added public safety, prescribed fire signs will be posted on Highway 15, county roads near the burn locations, the town of Pinos Altos, and near the Dripping Springs Recreation Area. Motorists should be aware that smoke from the fires could briefly reduce visibility on Highway 15. Caution is also advised when driving in the area due to the presence of fire personnel and equipment along roadways.

Prior to and during all prescribed fires, fire managers coordinate with the New Mexico Environment Department and follow all air quality regulations. Those who may have health conditions that make them vulnerable to smoke exposure can get information about smoke and protecting their health at https://nmfireinfo.com/smoke-management/. NMED’s air quality monitoring site at https://aqi.air.env.nm.gov and www.airnow.gov are resources for viewing sources of smoke and other factors affecting air quality.

For questions about these projects, please contact the BLM Las Cruces District Office at 575-525-4300.

Ace of Races

The 2026 Holloman AFB Ace of Races marathon is happening Oct. 10. The event is open to the public, giving participants a rare opportunity to run on our flightline past F-16 fighter jets and MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft.

The Ace of Races includes a full marathon, half marathon, 5K and 1-mile kid’s dash. The course is USA Track and Field certified which means it’s a qualifier for major races like the Boston and New York Marathon.

With less than 65 feet of elevation gain, the race provides a uniquely flat course on paved roads, creating the perfect conditions for your first and/or fastest 26.2, 13.1 or 3.1 miler.

Full marathon: $86, open to ages 15+

Half marathon: $75, open to ages 12+

5K: $45, open to ages 5+

Kids dash: FREE! open to ages 5-12

Registration fees will increase on September 4.

For event details, to sign up for a race, access training plans, find course time limits, and much more, visit runsignup.com/Race/NM/Alamogordo/HollomanMarathon.

The marathon is named for Major Richard Bong, known as the “Ace of Aces,” who was assigned to the 49th Fighter Group in the 1940s. He was the country’s top flying ace during World War II having shot down 40 Japanese aircraft.