Daily Digest

Chama Valley & Abiquiú Daily Digest Monday, June 29, 2026

Ty McDuffey

29 Jun 2026 — 1 min read

Ty's Take

Fire's still walking through Mesa de la Gallina country, and by now most of you know what that means—smoke in the valley, ash on the truck windshields, the smell of juniper and piñon carrying down from the high ground. These fires move slow or fast depending on what the mountain wants to do, and nobody down here can do much but watch and pray the wind stays favorable. Meanwhile, life in the villages keeps its ordinary rhythm: Trina Thomas settling into her new role at the Rio Grande SUN, a legal case down in Ranchos playing out its delays like they do. This is how it goes in country like ours—the big fires and the small human business happening at the same time, each one mattering to somebody, and both of them worth paying attention to.

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Rio Grande SUN

Trina Thomas is El Rito Account Executive

Trina Thomas has taken on the role of account executive at El Rito Media, managing advertising sales across the company's five New Mexico newspapers starting mid-June. Thomas said she was drawn to the position by the opportunity to support community journalism in the region.

Ranchos de Taos Man’s Case Reset

A Rancho de Taos man charged with aggravated fleeing and vehicle theft has been cleared as mentally competent after psychiatric treatment and will proceed to trial. Wayne Romero, 48, is expected back in court following his evaluation at the state psychiatric hospital.

Fire Still Burning in Mesa De La Gallina

The Rio fire burning near Chicoma Mountain has consumed 184 acres with zero containment as of this weekend, driven by dense oak brush and pine forests. More than 140 firefighters are working to contain the blaze that ignited from a lightning strike on June 16.

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