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TIJERAS, N.M. – A blizzard and road closures in the East Mountains were not about to keep one courageous pup from finding her family late Monday night.

Delese Dellios explains how her disappointment instantly turned into relief, the moment she confirmed the wet and cold dog in the back of a BCSO deputy’s cruiser was her Alba.

“The deputy shined the light in the back of his truck to make sure it was her, and as we saw her face, we knew instantly it was her,” Dellios told KOB 4. “I just couldn’t imagine her being out there, in the freezing cold, by herself and wondering if she was going to be okay.”

Alba is home safe right now, a miracle, considering just over 24-hours ago, her family wondered if they would ever see her again.

“My friend and I—and Alba and another dog—took off about 1:30 p.m., just to go on a very short little snowshoe adventure,” Dellios said.

Alba decided to embark on an hours-long adventure of her own near Sandia Crest Road in the snowy mountains.

“I hiked around looking for her, couldn’t find her anywhere, and finally came back to the car, and she hadn’t shown up there,” Dellios said. “It was starting to snow pretty heavy by then, and my friend went up and started following all of her trails down, like by the creeks, and over the river or the rocks, and we just couldn’t find her.”

She and her friend even tried howling at one point, to see if they could get Alba to bark.

“We took out a blanket, and a towel, and a piece of clothing, and built a shelter for her near the car in case she came back,” Dellios said.

Shortly before she gave up her search for the night, Dellios ran into BCSO Deputy Nicholas Throgmorton. He was shutting down Crest Road for the night because of the weather, but promised to look out for Alba.

“We saw the deputy at the barricade and just kind of waved to him, and we were driving back into town, and both of us were sobbing because we were coming back into town without our dog,” she said.

“I’m a dog owner, myself, it kind of just made me think about my animals as well,” Deputy Throgmorton said. “I informed her that the road was being closed, but I wasn’t about to tell her that she wasn’t going to go look for a dog because, like I said, I kind of put myself in her shoes and thought about my own animals. I would want them to be found.”

Little did Dellios know, just minutes after she drove away, a miracle happened.

“I actually heard the footsteps, and you know, up in the mountains, you don’t know what kind of animal it’s going to be, and when I looked out the window, I saw Alba running towards me,” Deputy Throgmorton said. “We’ve had missing dogs before, but usually the owners find them. It’s never like the dog finding us, so it was a pretty unique situation.”

After snapping a quick selfie, the deputy reunited the freezing pup with her mom.

“To lose her was just not a thought,” Dellios said. “Like, I just couldn’t imagine it.”

She went on to say Alba was sore and sleepy the day after her big adventure, but she had an extra big dinner Monday night and has been recovering in a warm and cozy bed.

Click the video above to watch the body cam video of Alba’s reunion with her family.

At 67, Steve Stucker — who has been a weatherman with KOB for 33 years — will be retiring at the end of March, ending his nearly five-decade career in the weather reporting profession.

Stucker was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and attended Northwest Missouri State University.

He has worked in several markets, including Saint Joseph, Missouri; Omaha, Nebraska; Amarillo, Texas; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Santa Fe, and Albuquerque.

He has been married to his wife, Rose, for 30 years and they have four children and three grandchildren.

Stucker is an institution at the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which he typically covers while sporting a multitude of pins and a signature cap, and is known for bringing his dogs on-air with him during his weather reports. He’s also the president and founder of Beds4Kidz, a Christian organization that “collects and distributes new and gently used beds to New Mexico children and their families.”

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From the names — and health statuses — of his current bevy of pups, to his off-air hobbies, here’s a round-up of things to know about Stucker before he retires.

The Journal conducted this interview by email, and Stucker’s responses have been lightly edited for clarity.

How did you get into weather?

“Longtime radio career. A local TV station asked me to audition.”

What do we need to know about the current weather dog(s)?

“Radar is ill and won’t last much longer but we are nursing him along. Koukla is the Chihuahua pup and is an active handful.”

What work accomplishment are you most proud of?

“Hmmm. Perhaps staying in the same spot for 33 years. Not taking other offers to work elsewhere. Establishing real roots and becoming part of the New Mexico community.”

What was the hardest day for you as a weatherman?

“There have been many, but probably driving to work through the Bosque fires years ago. Concerned we would lose so much.”

What’s your secret skill or hobby?

“Beekeeper & Harley rider.”

Where did the idea for your nonprofit Beds4Kidz come from?

“It honestly came from God. I had NO clue there was such a big need. Once we understood, it was just a natural progression to develop the charity.”

How’d you get into balloons?

“A friend invited me to volunteer in the media tent the year before I started at KOB. I had such fun and really loved the atmosphere.”

How many balloon pins do you have?

“Too many lol! Can’t count because the number changes every time I go out. I’ve given away more pins than I’ve collected.”

Where’d you get the balloon hat and how long have you had it?

“My late father-in-law found it at a booth at fiesta. He bought it for me. I’ve worn out maybe 10 of them through the years.”

How’d you end up in Albuquerque?

“(I) moved to New Mexico 40 years ago when I was hired to build a new radio station.”

Red or green?

“Green. But I’m good with Christmas too. Any chile is good in my book”

What’s your favorite place to get a breakfast burrito?

“At fiesta it’s Hello Deli. But I love SO many spots. They are like my kids, so I can’t really choose a favorite!”

Where do you go for the best views of the city?

“My backyard is awesome. Driving into Albuquerque from the west on I-40 is spectacular!”

What are your plans for retirement?

“To be very active in full-time ministry.”

Are you planning to stay in the area or move somewhere else?

“I hope to be able to stay in New Mexico.”

Albuquerque Journal and its reporters are committed to telling the stories of our community. • Do you have a question you want someone to try to answer for you? Do you have a bright spot you want to share? We want to hear from you. Please email yourstory@abqjournal.com

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —

It’s not every day you hear artificial intelligence and beer in the same sentence. Artificial Intelligence is some of the newest technology available.

For the folks at Rio Bravo Brewing Company, the idea of an AI-created beer has been brewing for a while.

AI can be used for several situations like something as simple as a recipe.

“That's kind of what we did is we were like, let's just see how it goes and see how we can use it,” Jennifer Baker, Marketing Director at Rio Bravo Brewing Company said.

For Baker, it's a completely AI-generated recipe unique to the brewery and the tools they use.

“It gave us a few different options and that's when we had our brewer kind of look at it because we also wanted it to still be a quality beer and something we're happy serving on tap, even though it's like age generated and we still wanted it to taste good,” Jennifer Baker- Marketing Director Rio Bravo.

The type of beer? A pale ale.

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“We were happy with the pale ale because it's approachable, we decided to figure out a name for it so we went and asked the AI to give us a beer name as if it was created by artificial intelligence,” Baker said.

She added, “Once it threw out a bunch of different options, it finally spit out Alegorithm, which we really love. And so it works with the pale ale, the type of beer.”

Then came the idea for the label using another program for artwork, using keywords like algorithm, futuristic, abstract and neon.

“It spit out a bunch of different images and that and from there you kind of just filter through it. We saw things we liked, things we didn't, and you can kind of edit it to add words,” Baker said.

The “Alegorithm” beer is still in the brewing process.

The brew is expected to be ready by the first week of April.

It took the creation of 4,000 handmade ceramic tiles of cottonwood leaves and flower motifs and two years of installation before the Rosalie Doolittle Fountain at the ABQ BioPark’s Botanic Garden began flowing in 1996.

The whimsical, curvilinear fountain with incorporated bench space for seating, was artist Shel Neymark’s first large public art project, for which he was paid $50,000 from the city’s Public Art Program.

Jump ahead 27 years and the multi-colored fountain, prominently located near the entrance to the Botanic Garden, has physically deteriorated to the point where it is now being considered for decommissioning and removal.

Neymark said this week that he is not happy that the fountain was allowed to deteriorate and he’s not convinced that it is beyond repair.

After multiple inspections and assessments, the fountain was found to have delaminated tiles, a faulty plumbing system and numerous leaks, according to a report to the Albuquerque Arts Board drafted by Sherri Brueggemann, the Public Art Urban Enhancement Division manager. The fountain is “damaged irreparably, or to an extent where the repair is unreasonable or impractical,” according to the report.

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Brueggemann’s report was presented to the Albuquerque Arts Board on Feb. 15, and the board is currently considering the conclusion that the fountain “should be removed completely from the Public Art Collection,” as well as other options including relocating the work, selling or trading it, offering it back to the artist at its current value, or selling it through an auction or other public sale.

The board, which is an advisory body, will make a recommendation to the city’s Department of Arts and Culture, which in consultation with the Mayor’s Office makes the final determination, Brueggemann said.

Neymark doesn’t disagree that the fountain “looks really bad,” and based on that he believes that “there have been assumptions made that it’s ruined, and I’m not so sure that’s true.”

Neymark, who lives in Embudo, said he had an opportunity to look at the now waterless fountain about two weeks ago. “I certainly believe that it was leaking,” he said. “I didn’t see any real damage, but I couldn’t inspect it closely and the bottom of it was covered in leaves and dirt,” he said. “I’m concerned that the city hasn’t done a real technical assessment.”

He also said that as part of that technical assessment a plumbing expert should be consulted, something that he said has not been done — at least not recently. Other than replacing some tiles in the first few years after the fountain was installed, Neymark maintains that until he was notified about the possible decommissioning, BioPark officials have not consulted with him at all.

Brueggemann’s report, however, indicates that is not the situation:

“Over the past 25 years, the Public Art Program and the BioPark have participated in numerous conservation and maintenance efforts regarding many aspects of the fountain, from tile replacement to structural assessments to pump replacements,” the report said. “Some of those efforts included consultation with the original artist and others did not. Some of the conservation work was performed by hired public art conservators and some was provided by the BioPark Staff.”

As far as options to relocate or sell the fountain, Neymark said, “it’s built in place and there’s absolutely no way it can be moved or salvaged, and that includes individual tiles, which would be really hard to get off and would probably break in the process.”

The fountain was named for the late Rosalie Doolittle, a longtime Albuquerque resident, master gardener, author of gardening books, a charter member of Albuquerque’s first garden club, founder and president of the Albuquerque Rose Society and a driving force behind establishment of the Albuquerque Garden Center.

Since the first Art Board meeting about the fountain in January, various departments and city officials have fielded nearly 100 messages and emails from citizens who said they appreciated the fountain, were disappointed that it might be removed, and encouraged the city to try and save it, Brueggemann said.

While Neymark received $50,000 for his design work and creation of the tiles, the total cost of the fountain is unclear. The city, he said, was supposed to have committed $100,000 for material and for workers to build the forms, do the cement work and install the fountain infrastructure. In addition, the predecessor organization of the New Mexico BioPark Society was supposed to have conducted a fundraiser for the remaining costs.

Brueggemann said she could find no documents detailing the total cost of the fountain; likewise, BioPark Society spokeswoman Danielle Flores-Mills said the society had no documents indicating if a fountain fundraiser was actually held.

Neymark has created and posted a YouTube video explaining to Albuquerque residents what they got for their money, the process of designing and installing the fountain, and what they will miss if the fountain is removed. The video can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9DQhoYelqQ.

Now in its 44th year, the Public Art Program has helped to fund and place more than 1,400 pieces of art in public outdoor and indoor spaces. During those years, Brueggemann said, about 30 pieces of art have been decommissioned.

“It happens for a variety of reasons and every situation is unique, and follows a thorough analysis,” she said. “We take this process very seriously.”

Albuquerque Journal and its reporters are committed to telling the stories of our community. • Do you have a question you want someone to try to answer for you? Do you have a bright spot you want to share? We want to hear from you. Please email yourstory@abqjournal.com

It stood to reason — a boys basketball season dominated by schools in the metro area would also see that dominance reflected in the All-State teams announced earlier this week by the New Mexico High School Coaches Association.

All five members of the Class 5A boys first team are from the metro area, led by Volcano Vista sophomore forward Kenyon Aguino, who last week was named the Gatorade Player of the Year.

He is joined on the first team by four outstanding guards in Los Lunas’ Jalin Holland, Cleveland’s Daniel Steverson, West Mesa’s Elijah Brody and Rio Grande’s Jonah Lopez.

Three of the five members of the 4A first team also were from Albuquerque: Del Norte’s Shane Douma-Sanchez, Kellan Gehres from state champion Albuquerque Academy, and Highland’s Alexis Dominguez.

Sandia Prep forward Alex Jeffries was the lone metro member on the 3A first team. Menaul’s Prashant Chouhan was named to the 2A first team.

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GIRLS: The 5A first team wasn’t a clean sweep for the metro area as the boys were, but it was still largely filled by standout local talent.

The city’s two most imposing forwards — Leilani Love of Albuquerque High and Taejhuan Hill of Volcano Vista — were voted to the first team. So were the city’s two premier guards: Eldorado’s Bella Hines and Sandia’s Sydney Benally.

The first team is rounded out by Kapiolani Anitielu of Farmington, and Aspen Salazar of Centennial.

Hope Christian’s outstanding forward, Kathleen Obisike, a double-double machine for the Huskies, and St. Pius guard Alyssa Maes were voted to the first team in Class 4A.

There were no first-team representatives from the metro area in 3A, 2A or 1A.

NOTE: The Journal’s annual All-Metro teams will be announced this weekend.

ALL-STATE BASKETBALL TEAMS

BOYS

CLASS 5A

First team: Elijah Brody, West Mesa; Jalin Holland, Los Lunas; Kenyon Aguino, Volcano Vista; Jonah Lopez, Rio Grande; Daniel Steverson, Cleveland.

Second team: Andrew Hill, Sandia; Brandon Kehres, Organ Mountain; Michael Mackey, Hobbs; Damian Perez, Carlsbad; Yehnhi Wilson, Organ Mountain.

CLASS 4A

First team: Daemon Ely, Taos; Alexis Dominguez, Highland; Nick Sanchez, Artesia; Kellan Gehres, Albuquerque Academy; Shane Douma-Sanchez, Del Norte.

Second team: Derek Sanchez, Pojoaque Valley; Joe Jack, Albuquerque Academy; Jett Wyckoff, Hope Christian; Alex Alfaro, Deming; Satchel Hogue, Kirtland Central.

CLASS 3A

First team: Adam Montoya, St. Michael’s; Bodie Schlinger, Robertson; Jude Thomas, Navajo Prep; Orion King, Navajo Prep; Alex Jeffries, Sandia Prep.

Second team: Sabiani Rios, St. Michael’s; Kenneth Montoya, Robertson; Tyrell Archie, Crownpoint; Cooper Hautau, Bosque School; Mitch Grover, Santa Fe Prep.

CLASS 2A

First team: Jacob Lujan, Jal; Prashant Chouhan, Menaul; Jahvon Askew, Texico; Jodaiah Padilla, Pecos; Rylan Ruff, Clayton.

Second team: Marcos Chavez, Santa Rosa; Luka Torrez, Escalante; Dillon Salazar, Tularosa; Ashton Thompson, Eunice; Aidan Holton, Pecos.

CLASS 1A

First team: Kael Stephens, Magdalena; Steven Masini, Dora; Joaquin Segura, Fort Sumner/House; D’Shaun Vinyard, Magdalena; Clay Norman, Fort Sumner/House.

Second team: Cy Draper, Melrose; Orren Floyd, Maxwell; Brock Burns, Logan; Cash Burney, Fort Sumner/House; Zane Rush, Grady.

GIRLS

CLASS 5A

First team: Kapiolani Anitielu, Farmington; Sydney Benally, Sandia; Bella Hines, Eldorado; Taejhuan Hill, Volcano Vista; Leilani Love, Albuquerque High; Aspen Salazar, Centennial.

Second team: Mari Manzanares, Volcano Vista; Emma Christiano, Las Cruces; Jordyn Dyer, La Cueva; Brynn Hargrove, Hobbs; Bhret Clay, Hobbs.

CLASS 4A

First team: Aaryanna Lansing, Kirtland Central; Kathleen Obisike, Hope Christian; Rylie Whitehair, Gallup; Daliyah Morris, Gallup; Alyssa Maes, St. Pius.

Second team: Alyssa Vigil, Hope Christian; Aaliyah Nevarez, Highland; Kiera Livingston, Gallup; G.G. Romero, Los Alamos; Emilia Clani, Kirtland Central.

CLASS 3A

First team: Brooke Badonie, Tohatchi; Leah Delgarito, Thoreau; Emma Lewis, Santa Fe Indian; Aniya Johnson, Navajo Prep; Alexis Pacheco, Robertson.

Second team: Tru Billie, Navajo Prep; WynterRose Sheka, Tohatchi; Alexus Lafferty, Tucumcari; MistiDawn Roybal, Robertson; Mika Juan, Sandia Prep.

CLASS 2A

First team: Tana Lopez, Mesa Vista; Sylvia Gedman, Laguna-Acoma; Brycelyn Martinez, Escalante; Catelyn Breshears, Texico; Morgan Crisp, Clayton.

Second team: Bailey Vigil, Dulce; Natalia Stout, Pecos; Isabella Poison, Santa Rosa; Haileigh Brown, Capitan; Rochelle Lopez, Peñasco.

CLASS 1A

First team: Tana Crisp, Roy/Mosquero; Isabelle Sena, Melrose; Alyce Apachito, To’hajiilee; Tyler-Rose Apachito, To’hajiilee; Selma Baca, Roy/Mosquero.

Second team: Faith Jasso, Dora; Olivia Lucero, Fort Sumner/House; Graci Odom, Melrose; Addy Offutt, Animas; Yuliana Garcia, Evangel Christian/Oak Grove.

Albuquerque Journal and its reporters are committed to telling the stories of our community. • Do you have a question you want someone to try to answer for you? Do you have a bright spot you want to share? We want to hear from you. Please email yourstory@abqjournal.com