As cases continue to climb across the state, the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH), in close collaboration with other state agencies, public, private and tribal partners, has increased capacity COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. Click here to find a Ruidoso testing location. Find vaccines near you at www.vaccineNM.org and get your shot.

In an effort to increase testing and help Lincoln County to cut its positivity rate and permit local businesses to operate under less restrictive public health measures, pop-up testing sites are now available across the county. Check out where to get tested near you and schedule an appointment today. On-site registration will also be available for those without internet access or other difficulties.

The Village of Ruidoso will host two public meetings on Wednesday, August 4, 2021, at 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM to seek public input for the 2023-2027 Village of Ruidoso Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP). The meetings will be held via Zoom and in-person at the Horton Complex, 134 Reese Drive, Ruidoso, NM. Residents are encouraged to participate.

Beginning July 27, 2021, crews from MP Chavez will be working on River Trail between Country Club Drive and River Trail on new construction until their anticipated completion on August 6. Please approach the area with caution and at a low rate of speed.

Beginning Tuesday, July 27, 2021, the Village of Ruidoso will be continuing its efforts with the assessment of the recent Heavy Precipitation and Flood Event - FLOOD2021. We have engaged with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) – Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program and High Water Mark (HWM) to develop a team that will be walking the river from Upper Canyon to Midtown areas thru the RWWTP.

In an effort to preserve our natural resources and manage visitor capacity, the Village of Ruidoso will require a daily parking fee at Grindstone Lake and advance parking reservations to access Grindstone (Fri./Sat./Sun.) from 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM throughout the summer. The parking fee is $10 per vehicle. No advance reservations are required at Grindstone Monday - Thursday. MAKE ONLINE RESERVATIONS HERE >> There is no charge or reservation requirement at Alto Lake.

Two-family dwellings are allowed in the Village of Ruidoso R-1 district but require a conditional use permit and must meet the following standards and criteria.

The Village of Ruidoso has issued a wastewater release advisory for the Rio Ruidoso area, downstream of Martin Road in the Upper Canyon. This precautionary advisory has been issued to warn of a potential threat to public health by recreation in these waters. Please avoid swimming, wading, or fishing while this advisory is active until further notice. This advisory applies to the Rio Ruidoso downstream of Martin Road in the Upper Canyon.

Get the latest information and updates on the July 6 Rio Ruidoso flooding including bridge closures, how to request immediate assistance, and damage recovery. This story will be updated as we receive more information.

July 1, 2021: The early arrival of the seasonal summer monsoons, accompanied by higher humidity levels and lower temperatures, has reduced fire danger across the forest resulting in the lifting of fire restrictions within Lincoln National Forest beginning Friday, July 2, 2021, at 6 am. Fires, campfires, grills, and smoking will once again be permitted within Lincoln National Forest. Fireworks remain prohibited and are always illegal in the National Forest.

The Ruidoso Police Department has received information from citizens that they have received calls that have been identified as potential IRS phone scams. You can avoid falling for an IRS scam if you know how to spot these scammers and their tricks, which starts with knowing how the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) contacts taxpayers. Here is a list of things a tax scammer will do but the IRS will NEVER do.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday, June 18, 2021, confirmed New Mexico will retire its color-coded, county-by-county system and all COVID-19 health restrictions on commercial and day-to-day activity on July 1, allowing for the thousands of vaccinations administered this week as part of a statewide public health push to take full effect.

The Ball Field Fire started at 11:30 a.m on Tuesday, June 8 off of Ski Run Road and Highway 48 above the ball fields in the Village of Ruidoso. Ruidoso Fire Department (RFD) kept 6 firefighters on the Ball Field Fire throughout the night. Those crews worked on keeping the fire within the containment lines. The wind was an issue blowing embers and causing some slop-over, however, everything is still burning on the interior of the containment lines at this time. RFD will have 10 crew members working today to mop up and clean up the line around it. The fire is 50% contained and is holding at 25 acres.

The Ball Field Fire started at 11:30 a.m on Tuesday, June 8 off of Ski Run Road and Highway 48 above the ball fields in the Village of Ruidoso. The fire is currently 25% contained and has burned 25 acres. The cause of the fire is under investigation. All county and volunteer crews have been released from the scene. Crews from the Ruidoso Fire Department will remain on-scene throughout the night. The fire is currently 25% contained and is estimated to be at 25 acres. No cause has been determined, and the fire is still under investigation. Highway 48 has reopened in both directions.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, the New Mexico Department of Health and the New Mexico Lottery on Tuesday announced New Mexico’s Vax 2 the Max Sweepstakes, a statewide vaccination incentive program that will make available $10 million in total prize money to New Mexicans who receive their COVID-19 vaccinations, among other prizes and awards throughout the summer. Drawings will begin mid-June with $1M awarded weekly for five weeks (four $250,000 regional winners) and then, in early August, a statewide $5M grand prize.

With southern NM being drier than we've seen in years, the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners has issued a Declaration of Fire Danger Emergency (Resolution 2020-44) in accordance with Lincoln County Ordinance 2017-03 and Lincoln National Forest Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. The emergency declaration includes a ban on all burning of open flames, fires, campfires (except in official designated areas), trash, shrubbery, or other material of any kind except by permit. Help keep our forest, firefighters, and local communities safe. Dry conditions are expected to continue through June. These fire restrictions help prevent wildfires so you can continue to enjoy the forest for many years to come.

Applications are now being accepted for Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) Recovery Grants of up to $100,000 to support New Mexico small businesses that are experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic.

Beginning May 24 at 8:00 a.m., the Village of Ruidoso will be repairing a sewer line on Gavilan Canyon Road. The road and lane closures will continue until the work has been completed. Approach the area with caution, at a very slow speed, and watch for employees directing traffic.

Beginning May 18 at 8:00 a.m., the Village of Ruidoso will be repairing a sewer line on Burro Lane which will be closed. The 2800 block of Sudderth Drive will have one lane closed on the outside eastbound side of Burro Lane. The road and lane closures will continue through May 20 or until the work has been completed.

If you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, you can resume activities that you did before the pandemic without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, including local business and workplace guidance. If you haven't received a COVID-19 vaccine, find vaccines near you at www.vaccineNM.org and get your shot! Learn more: https://bit.ly/3btJaFU