🌱 ABQ Hospital Capacity + Cold Case Killer Charged In 2nd Murder

Up and at 'em, Albuquerque! Let's get you all caught up to start this Thursday, December 23 off on an informed note. Here's everything worth knowing around Albuquerque today.

---

First, today's weather:

Cloudy. High: 57 Low: 40.

---

Here are the top 4 stories in Albuquerque today:

1. As new COVID-19 cases surge thanks to the Omicron variant, Albuquerque hospitals are at or nearing capacity. Multiple facilities in the city are currently 100 percent full, and many are at 90 percent or above. Throughout New Mexico, state health officials have reported that approximately 78 percent of inpatient beds and 90 percent of intensive care unit beds in hospitals were occupied, with 37 percent of ICU beds statewide being filled by COVID-19 patients. (Albuquerque Patch)
2. A man who confessed to decades-old murders has now been charged in a second case. According to the Albuquerque Police Department, Paul Apodaca, who recently confessed to the cold case murders of Althea Oakley and Kaitlyn Arquette in the 1980s, also admitted to killing another girl, 13-year-old Stella Gonzales. A grand jury indicted Apodaca for Gonzales' murder this week. (KRQE News 13)
3. An Albuquerque task force aimed at tackling gun violence just welcomed 14 new members this week. The goal of the Gun Violence Prevention and Intervention Task Force is to examine and make recommendations to help address gaps in the region's current gun violence response. The new members come from a wide range of agencies, including Children, Youth & Family Services, Bernalillo County Department of Behavioral Health Services, City Council, Adult Probation and Parole, and several other Albuquerque city departments. (KSFR)
4. Looking to buy a car in Albuquerque? You're not alone — and you may not find what you're looking for at a reasonable price. The local auto industry is currently seeing low inventory and extremely high demand, which means vehicle prices are skyrocketing in the city. (KOB)

---

From our sponsor:

Hey Albuquerque, are you looking to buy a house, refinance or just explore your options? Check out the new Patch Mortgage Center for all your home financing needs!

---

Today in Albuquerque:

• Photos With Santa At Cottonwood Mall (10:00 AM)

---

From my notebook:

• Albuquerque Fire Rescue Captain Dave Weaver has retired from the department after proudly serving for 24 years. (Facebook)
• Time is running out to experience the ABQ BioPark's River of Lights! Weekend tickets have been selling out fast, but you can still snag weekday tickets online before you arrive at riveroflights.org. (Instagram)
• The City of Albuquerque is looking for public feedback on the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency's initial draft of the Rail Trail Framework Plan. Review the plan and submit your thoughts by Jan. 31 at cabq.gov/railtrail. (Instagram)

---

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Durango Local News — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Events:

• Save 15 Percent On FTD's Christmas Collection (December 25)
• Add your event

---

Loving the Albuquerque Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

• Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe
• Get your local business listed in front of readers

---

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with another update!

— Erica Zenn

About me: Erica Zenn is a Masters Student in Applied Psychology at the University of Southern California who originally hails from Chapel Hill, NC. With a bachelors degree from Cornell University, Erica is an expert verbal and written communicator who brings extensive experience in employee engagement and customer experience of companies. Erica is passionate about community building, and loves using her writing and communication skills to bring people together.