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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

NM: Budget Policy & Priorities

New Mexico is one of 10 states where 20% of school districts have funding below adequate levels, according to a new report.  (exellentschools.org)<br />
Report: NM school funding suffers from lack of 'economic capacity'

A new report says state funding for public schools has fallen off a "fiscal cliff" in 39 states, and that New Mexico is one of 10 states where some 60…

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A bill before the New Mexico Legislature would halt approval of new drilling permits within a mile of school facilities starting in July. (Photo courtesy of Consumer Watchdog)
A trio of NM bills could rein in lucrative oil, gas industry

A trio of bills to curb oil and gas pollution is under consideration by New Mexico lawmakers. New Mexico is the country's second-largest oil …

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Mexican, red and gray wolves were nearly hunted to extinction in the lower 48 states, but the gray wolf is making a limited comeback in the Great Lakes, northern Rockies, California and the Pacific Northwest. (gnagel/AdobeStock)
America's Endangered Species Act turns 50

Five decades after passage of the Endangered Species Act, extinction no longer threatens more than 50 species. Success of the law was demonstrated …

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Farmers and ranchers steward about 44% of the United States' landmass. (ZoranZeremski/Adobe Stock)
Delayed Farm Bill could affect millions of Americans

The Farm Bill, typically renegotiated every five years will likely be extended to six years this time around, as Congress seems months away from …

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New Mexico's Healthy Foods Market, operated by Roadrunner Food Bank, distributes fresh produce and perishable food items monthly in nine urban, rural and tribal communities. (Photo courtesy RRFB)
New Mexico's Food Activists Shine Light on Hunger

The lines at hunger relief organizations are longer now as pandemic-related benefits have ended, but you can help your neighbors with grocery …

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It's estimated nearly 3,400 New Mexicans have had some student loan debt reduced since 2021 through a U.S. Department of Education program that offers loan forgiveness to college graduates who work in qualified public service jobs. (fizkes/AdobeStock)
NM Student Loan Borrowers Urged to Plan Ahead for Payment Restart

The reboot on student loan payments has financial strategists encouraging New Mexicans with debt to figure out what's doable, what's impossible…

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New Mexico used federal pandemic funds to expand child care assistance, which was replaced by state funding during the 2023 legislative session to prevent a reversal. (nmvoices.org)
NM Kids' Well-Being Falls Short; Child Advocates Expect Turnaround

New Mexico ranks last in a new report on kids' overall well-being by state, but children's advocates said the two-year-old data does not tell the …

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A report based on federal data shows New Mexico's rate of homelessness is 12 individuals per 10,000 people, compared with 18 per 10,000 nationwide - lower than neighboring Colorado, also at 18 per 10,000, but higher than Texas at eight per 10,000. (M-SUR/AdobeStock)
NM Homelessness Declines, But Rural Folks Face Barriers

In the past two years, homelessness in America has risen only 1%, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - which …

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In 2022, a stretch of the Rio Grande flowing through Albuquerque ran dry for the first time in 40 years. (LeoYorkPhotos/AdobeStock)
NM Lawmakers Urged to Allocate More Money to Purchase Water

New Mexico lawmakers are considering a bill this session to fully fund the Strategic Water Reserve, a management tool deemed critical as the state …

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Rural Americans pay more when gas prices rise, because they tend to drive farther as part of their day-to-day activities. (SaschaBurkard/Adobe Stock)
Inflation's Impacts on Rural America Likely Higher than Known

Many economists believe inflation will further ease this year, which cannot come soon enough for overburdened rural Americans, including those in New …

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Currently, New Mexico is one of the few Western states without a dedicated land and water conservation funding. (Don/AdobeStock)
NM Legislature Considers Dedicated Funding for Land, Water Conservation

As New Mexico recovers from its worst wildfire in history, lawmakers are considering a proposal to create the "Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund" to …

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Starting next year, the federal government will end noncompetitive oil and gas leasing on federal lands and require lessees to pay higher rents and royalties. (EUDPic/Adobe Stock)
Oil and Gas Leasing Reform to Continue in 2023

New Mexico residents are expected to testify next month in virtual hearings on a draft rule to curb methane pollution from the oil and gas sector…

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