New Mexico News & Current Events | Public News Service

Because of their remote nature and limited capacity to access financial help, many of New Mexico's colonias rely on water wells not built to code. (GAO)

Monday, October 21, 2024

NM's colonias need oversight to improve water, wastewater systems

Federal funding for infrastructure improvements in colonias, predominately rural, Hispanic communities near the U.S.-Mexico border, including 150 in …

New Mexico changed its state law in 2023 to allow people with felony convictions to vote if they are not incarcerated. (niyazz/Adobe Stock)

Lawsuit forces NM to rush voter registration for those with felony convictions

New Mexicans who've been released from prison after serving time for a felony conviction will be able to vote in next month's election, after pro-…

Candice Griego, the new director of Tribal Relations for Roadrunner Food Bank, wants to help New Mexico's Indigenous communities develop food sovereignty. (Courtesy Roadrunner Food Bank)

NM food bank goes the distance to reach Indigenous communities

A New Mexico food bank has expanded outreach to the state's Indigenous communities by hiring a Director of Tribal Relations. Candice Griego will …

The financially beleaguered U.S. Postal Service expects to save billions of dollars by using electric rather than gas-powered mail delivery trucks. (USPSoig.gov)

NM streets will be quieter, cleaner when USPS electric mail trucks arrive

Neighborhoods across New Mexico and other states will soon be cleaner and quieter as the U.S. Postal Service rolls out its new electric mail-delivery …

The average person's struggle to distinguish between true and false online information now extends beyond voting to health, well-being and civic life. (nicoletaionescu/Adobe Stock)

America's 'era of misinformation' not exclusive to elections, voting

Wading through misinformation these days is not exclusive to voting rights and rules - but also can cause confusion about health, well-being…

Nearly 90% of nonbinary adults in the workforce are younger than age 35 and half are people of color. (Marcos/AdobeStock)

Boosting transgender employment could boost a company's bottom line

Experts say a diverse workforce is crucial for creativity and social justice, and equally good for a company's bottom line. But reluctance to hire …

Life expectancy among American Indians and Alaskan Natives is more than five years shorter than the national average. (unm.edu)

Public health officials lack data in treating Native American communities

By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for New Mexico News Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public …

Declining monarch butterfly populations are getting help from

Testing the 'butterfly effect' in New Mexico's Bosque

New Mexico volunteers will test the "butterfly effect" this Saturday as they perform small actions meant to produce monumental change. Civic and …

Critics of Project 2025 allege it would put water at greater risk of pollution and contamination for the sake of corporate profits. (wckiw/Adobe Stock)

NM news org identifies impacts of 'Project 2025' on state residents

A New Mexico nonprofit news organization wants voters to know what is included in "Project 2025" and how it could potentially change the course of the…

The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act provides lump-sum compensation for illnesses contracted by people working in the uranium industry or exposed to above-ground nuclear tests. (Courtesy Nuclear Threat Initiative)

New Mexico tribal representatives in D.C. to support radiation exposure compensation

A 2,000-mile bus trip has not deterred representatives from Southwest tribes from traveling to Washington, D.C., this week to support expansion of …

Democrats outnumber Republicans in New Mexico, with about 43% of the electorate compared to the GOP's 31%. (Courtesy Heath Haussamen/NMPolitics.net)

NM officials, voter advocates monitor election disinformation

New Mexico's Doña Ana County Clerk said she feels better than expected about security and safety ahead of November's elections - but still works …

Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruling for Citizens United in 2010, a handful of wealthy donors have dominated electoral giving and spending in America's political campaigns. (AddMeshCube/Adobe Stock)

Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's

A new analysis of money contributed to 2024 congressional candidates showed women contribute about as frequently as men but dollar amounts are signifi…

A new U.S. Census Bureau report shows the rate of children without health insurance in New Mexico was 5.9% in 2023, compared to 5.4% nationwide. (FotoAndalucia/Adobe Stock)

New census data show significant drop in NM's child poverty

A new federal report shows anti-poverty policies enacted by New Mexico are making a big difference. This month, the U.S. Census Bureau has released …

Orange glow in Albuquerque night sky lights up Hunger Action Month

New Mexico's Roadrunner Food Bank sent a "glowing" invitation to encourage food and financial contributions during September's Hunger Action Month…

In New Mexico, 70% of extremely low-income renter households face a severe cost burden, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. (qingwa/AdobeStock)

America's 2-decade-long housing shortage needs a fix

New Mexico houses cost less to buy than in many other states but there's also less inventory and one data expert does not expect a building boom to re…

Green chiles take center stage next month when New Mexico extension agents offer classes in preservation techniques. (Photo courtesy of NMSU)

NM experts dish up best techniques for preserving green chile

The growing season is winding down in New Mexico and experts want to make sure the people preserving green chile for the colder months are doing it ri…

The Sierra Club said a third of all Americans, including 28 million children, do not have a park or natural space within a 10-minute walk of their home. (milicanistoran/Adobe Stock)

Congress urged to protect outdoor program for 4th-graders

A national program to connect children and families with the outdoors is at risk of ending without help from Congress. The Every Kid Outdoors …

The 2024 Braver Angels convention in Kenosha, Wisconsin drew about 700 delegates to Carthage College. (braver angels.org)

NM's Braver Angels offers political junkies an alternative to divisiveness

There's evidence that respectful conversations about politics - while not changing hearts or minds - can lead to greater understanding on both sides…

A mega-dairy concentrated animal feeding operations can produce as much waste as a city without the benefit of an advanced sewage treatment system. (ArtemZakharov/Adobe Stock)

NM group seeks moratorium on new factory farms

By Lena Beck for Modern Farmer.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for New Mexico News Connection reporting for the Modern Farmer-Public News Service Colla…

New Mexico's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is the nation's only deep geologic long-lived radioactive waste repository. (DOE) New Mexico's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is the nation's only deep geologic long-lived radioactive waste repository. (DOE)

Feds hold NM meetings to decide expansion of radioactive waste site

Public meetings in New Mexico this week will gather input on proposed expansion of a nuclear waste repository. But watchdog groups are urging a …

In 2020, President Joe Biden won the state of New Mexico by a 10.79% margin of victory over Donald Trump. (mrr/AdobeStock)

High priorities for NM's Dem voters: Health care, education, border security

A New Mexico delegate to last week's Democratic National Convention said he heard specific themes he expects Presidential nominee Kamala Harris and he…

The federal government began cleaning up nuclear waste in New Mexico's Acid Canyon in the late 1960s, but one scientist said it is not gone. (National Park Service)

Scientist: plutonium contamination still present in NM's Acid Canyon

A scientist who said he found extreme plutonium contamination in Los Alamos' Acid Canyon believes concerned residents should invest in monitoring equi…

The 2019 Energy Transition Act was passed with the goal of cementing New Mexico's place as a leader in the clean energy transition. (hrui/AdobeStock)

NM's Just Transition: No community left behind, everyone shares benefits

New Mexico is taking a page from Colorado's Office of Just Transition to support communities affected by climate change. The office aims to support …

Sixty-two percent of student parents are first-generation college students, according to a study by Child Trends. (Unsplash/ElijahHiett)

NM parents, mostly women, pursue better paying jobs through higher education

Student parents at New Mexico's community colleges represent a significant portion of the postsecondary population. And while the state has taken …

Two of the five New Mexico Supreme Court justices are women, as are seven of the 10 Court of Appeals judges. (mehaniq41/AdobeStock)

Demystifing campaign finance effects on NM's female candidates

When it comes to getting elected to statewide offices, women candidates face a disadvantage, a new study shows. Historically, many women haven't been …

New Mexico implemented same-day voter registration in 2020, resulting in 11,449 new voters, according to a study by the University of New Mexico. (MariaVitkovska/AdobeStock)

League of Women Voters promotes civic participation one election at a time

The arrival of social media some 20 years ago has created a challenge when it comes to finding nonpartisan political information. The League of …

Policies proposed in Project 2025 would undermine already enacted environmental and climate policies related to fossil-fuel production, climate action and environmental justice. (newmexico.org)

Project 2025 alarms NM's teachers, human rights advocates, conservationists

From education to the environment and immigration, proposals in the "Project 2025" document alarm many New Mexicans promoting a more equal society…

Extreme heat, a direct result of the rise in the Earth's temperature, kills more people in the U.S. than flooding and hurricanes combined. (StillIAmWorking/Adobe Stock, AI enhanced)

Fires, floods, heat: NM August 'town halls' focus on climate change

A summer of fires, floods and extreme heat have prompted a series of climate change town halls in New Mexico this month, ahead of the 2025 …

Ponderosa pines in New Mexico's Zuni Mountains can measure 60 inches wide and live 300 to 600 years. (Courtesy Zander Evans)

Importance of NM's old-growth forests amid climate change cited

Climate change is forcing hard conversations about the importance of old-growth forests but in New Mexico, many say future generations must know the …

The need to reform mental-health treatment standards is expected to be a major push by the New Mexico governor during the 2025 legislative session. (TatyanaGladskih/Adobe Stock)

Substance misuse, suicide mortality rates decline slightly

The most recent data from the group Trust for America's Health show overdoses and suicides remain at historic levels - despite a small decrease in 202…

Researchers have long noted a correlation between scorching outdoor temperatures and violent crime. (ytutye/Adobe Stock)

NM advocacy group: more climate change infrastructure needed

A New Mexico advocacy group is reminding lawmakers the state must revise its approach to extreme heat, air pollution and the oil and gas industry if …

New Mexico is among the top 10 states where women hold a significant number of seats in the state Legislature. (Eldon/Adobe Stock)

Harris proves exception as fewer women seek office in 2024

Earlier this year, Mexico elected the first woman president in the country's 200-year history, and Kamala Harris hopes to duplicate that milestone in …

A proposal by a far-right think tank would increase funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall, should Republicans retake the White House in November. (Jeff/Adobe Stock)

NM voters get lowdown on far right's 'Project 2025'

A sweeping conservative plan to shape a possible second Donald Trump presidency is making headlines, even as the GOP candidate claims to know little …

In New Mexico, immigrants account for 22% percent of the state's construction workforce. (NicholasFelix/peopleimages.com/AdobeStock)<br />

Political scapegoating of immigrants surges ahead of U.S. elections

Polls show a significant number of Americans believe immigration is the most important issue facing the U.S. but experts argued claims of immigrants …

In New Mexico, 12 small family-operated farms have provided food for over 1,000 children at more than 30 preschools. (American Friends Service Committee)

NM preschoolers discover purple carrots, plant organic veggies

Like kids everywhere, New Mexico preschoolers balk at eating fresh vegetables. But an educational project has found that with a creative nudge…

President Joe Biden is expected to address the nation this week about his decision to drop out of the 2024 Presidential race and endorse his Vice President, Kamala Harris. (Wiki commons)

NM professor expects VP Harris to face racism, sexism after Biden drops out

Vice President Kamala Harris is now the frontrunner for the 2024 Democratic Presidential nomination after, President Joe Biden exited the race on …

New Mexico is home to 22.9 million acres of public lands, including the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks. (MarthaMarks/Adobe Stock)

First win-win for affordable housing, public lands

Environmentalists are applauding a Bureau of Land Management decision to allow the sale of a small national public land parcel for an affordable housi…

Nationwide, 55% of U.S. mental health visits are remote, according to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. (JPC-PROD/Adobe Stock)

New Mexicans invited to join virtual telehealth conference today

Until the pandemic, telehealth and telemedicine were still outliers in health care but they have gone mainstream, especially benefiting underserved …

The New Mexico Department of Health estimated 42% of Americans know someone who has died of drug overdose. (VictorMoussa/AdobeStock)

New Mexico expands opioid treatment options

Expanded treatment for opioid addiction is now available in New Mexico. The state's Department of Health is offering medication-assisted treatment …

Diminishing snowpack in northern New Mexico due to climate change will shorten the season for skiing and other forms of winter tourism and recreation, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. (RaisaNastukova/AdobeStock)

Boosting ‘Hope’ about climate-change among NM's next generation

New Mexico teachers educating young people about climate change don't want them to feel hopeless - and they've developed an educational curriculum to …

On a single night in 2023, about 20 of every 10,000 people in the U.S. were experiencing homelessness, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (majorosl66/AdobeStock)

Advocacy groups want NM's Governor to halt special legislative session

New Mexico advocacy groups are calling on New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to cancel next week's special session where lawmakers are scheduled …

According to a survey by SafeWise.com, 42% of New Mexicans rely on guard dogs to protect their property while 36% use security cameras. (RobertWilson/AdobeStock)

NM lawmakers return to Roundhouse to address public safety

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has called lawmakers back to the state Capitol this month for a legislative session about public safety…

Recent wildfires and subsequent flooding have made some low-income households in New Mexicans eligible for federal disaster food assistance. (AdobeStock/goodmanphoto)

NM wildfires prompt precautions, new food assistance

New Mexicans affected by recent wildfires and subsequent flooding may be eligible for Disaster Supplemental Nutritional Program benefits. The …

New Mexico was the 15th state to expand access to community-based mental health and substance use crisis care through President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan. (Prostock-studio/Adobe Stock)

Mental health hotline helps thousands in New Mexico

Residents of Western states, including New Mexico, are at a high risk of suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention but …

The New Mexico Secretary of State says paper ballots are used in 100% of elections to ensure there's always physical ballots that can be recounted if necessary. (AdobeStock: PX Media)

Expert: America's erosion of democracy has accelerated

A political expert known for his research on authoritarian regimes says American democracy is threatened by minority rule, which is enshrined in the …

Like New Mexico Senate candidate Cindy Nava, nearly one in 10 New Mexico residents is an immigrant. (Photo courtesy of Nava)

New Mexico 'Dreamer' sets sights on state legislature

A "Dreamer" running for the New Mexico Senate said a Biden administration plan to create pathways allowing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals bene…

New Mexico's Save the Children organization has previously engaged kids on summer break from school to help create a 9-foot paint-by-numbers mural. (Photo courtesy of Save the Children)

Helping prevent the summer slide among NM's school-aged kids

Some New Mexico kids hope summer never ends, while others cannot wait to get back in the classroom and both groups are at risk of falling behind in …

The average college scholarship recipient in New Mexico is under 25 years old, female and Hispanic. (Julie/Adobe Stock)

New Mexico earns high marks, boosts enrollment with no-cost college

New Mexico consistently ranks low in childhood educational achievement, but its path to a college degree is being recognized at the highest levels…

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