The investigation by the Farmington Fire Department in conjunction with the assistance of the San Juan County Fire Department and the Farmington Police Department has determined the fire was intentionally set, causing significant damage to the church. The investigation remains ongoing in an attempt to identify and arrest subject(s) responsible for the fire.
From the U.S Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives:
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), has announced a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for a fire at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Farmington, New Mexico.
During the morning hours of June 1, 2019, unknown subject(s) arrived at the church located at 400 West Apache St. in Farmington, NM. Shortly after, the alarm company for the church reported a fire. Local fire municipalities responded within several minutes and commenced suppression activities. The investigation by the Farmington Fire Department in conjunction with the assistance of the San Juan County Fire Department and the Farmington Police Department has determined the fire was intentionally set, causing significant damage to the church. The investigation remains ongoing in an attempt to identify and arrest subject(s) responsible for the fire.
Anyone with information on the fire should call the San Juan County Crime stoppers at sjccrimestoppers.org or 505-334-8477, or call the ATF 24/7 toll-free hotline at 888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477), email ATFTips@atf.gov, or contact ATF through its website at www.atf.gov/contact/atftips. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to ATF using the Report it app, available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store or by visiting www.reportit.com (link is external) using the Phoenix field division as the location.
For 15 years, Lauren Laws has dedicated her career to Aztec Schools, beginning as a Special Education teacher in 2008. In 2010 she transitioned to General Education, where she spent six years in the classroom working with 4th and 5th graders at Park Avenue Elementary while completing work on her Master's Degree. During her tenure at Park Avenue Elementary, she also served a Lead Teacher, Assistant Principal, and Principal. Lauren has spent the past three years serving as the Associate Superintendent of Teaching and Learning for the district.
Brice Current was a former narcotics agent with the San Juan County Sheriff's Office in Aztec, NM. He was hired as Durango's Deputy Police Chief in 2019.
The FMS Board of Education authorized school security personnel to carry firearms on school premises during their January 9, 2024, meeting. The move paved the way for the hiring of Armed Campus Safety Monitors (ACSMs), former certified law enforcement officers tasked with providing an additional layer of protection for students and staff during emergencies.
Farmington Officials gathered with representatives from the NM Department of Transportation and San Juan County to break ground on the long-anticipated Pinon Hills Boulevard Extension Project. San Juan County announced that design work on their section of the project is 90% completed.
Kevin Summers will be returning to the Bloomfield School District as Superintendent, after the retirement of Dr. Kim Mizell at the end of the current school year. Summers' hire makes an opening in the Superintendent's Office in Aztec where he has served for the past three years.
Fort Lewis College President Tom Stritikus is stepping down to become the President at Occidental College, a four-year liberal arts college in Los Angeles, Calif. Steven Schwartz, Fort Lewis College’s Vice President for Finance and Administration, will serve as interim president effective May 6.
He will leave after this year’s Spring Commencement scheduled for Saturday, May 4.