Monday's Top Stories Duke City Redi Mix launches special shape hot air balloon Pedestrian dies after being struck 3 times, APD says 2024 pet mayor of Corrales announced; all funds heading to animal services Meet and greet held for Better Call Saul, and Breaking Bad actors at local store Long-time fall festival shines spotlight on Japanese culture in Albuquerque Non-residents start fire in Albuquerque home, AFR reports Green Chile Fiesta showcases New Mexico’s favorite veggie Hundreds come out for Fiesta Fanatics cleanup event ahead of Balloon Fiesta Monday's Five Facts [1] NMSU coach on leave after ‘controversial’ posts discovered – A New Mexico State University football coach is on leave after a string of controversial posts on social media from over 10 years ago were found. The night before the Rio Grande Rivalry, Las Cruces Sun-News Reported Aggies’ Offensive Coordinator Tyler Wright had posted a series of controversial tweets ranging from 2011 to 2014. During that time, Wright was a wide receiver at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. Many of the posts in question come from 2012 and appear to make jokes about Joseph Kony, a Ugandan warlord who went viral at the time. [2] Emergency landing at Albuquerque airport leads to an unexpected act of kindness – A United Airlines pilot went out of his way to cheer up the passengers on the flight after an emergency landing, due to a medical emergency, turned into a seven-hour layover in Albuquerque. The passengers were given vouchers for food but, because of the time, not many places were open. Things started to look up when the pilot of the flight put in a call to a local restaurant, ordering pizza for all 150 passengers. [3] Hot day in New Mexico, cold front arrives overnight – Warmer-than-normal conditions aloft continue across the Land of Enchantment, despite a few showers circulating around a Monsoon high-pressure system in the four corners. Despite the slight chill in the air to start, conditions will warm up to near-record criteria for many. Temperatures will mostly rise across the region from the morning school commute on, eventually reaching into the upper 70s, 80s, and 90s by the afternoon.  [4] CABQ Transit Dept. competes in ‘Bus Roadeo’ for the first time in 20 years – For the first time in more than 20 years, bus drivers across the city tested their skills in a friendly competition, the “Bus Roadeo,” with a chance to represent the city at the state, or even national, level. The competition brought out more than 30 bus drivers from the department. Each driver had eight minutes to complete the course before points would be deducted. [5] Museum offering VR balloon rides during Balloon Fiesta – For those who won’t get to see Balloon Fiesta from the sky, a local museum is offering a similar experience without ever leaving the ground. For the first time, the Anderson Abruzzo Museum is offering balloon rides using virtual reality. Visitors can feel what it’s like to take in the view of the Duke City from a hot air balloon roughly 3,000 feet up.