New Mexico News & Current Events | Public News Service

Water scarcity in the U.S. Southwest, augmented by drought, climate change, and increased competition for the resource creates uncertainty for those who grow chile peppers in the Rio Grande Valley. (Susan Vineyard/Adobe)

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Hot Conference Topic: NM First State With Official Aroma, Chile Peppers?

Can a state have an official aroma? That topic will on attendees' minds when the annual New Mexico Chile Conference is held in Las Cruces today…

Currently, New Mexico is one of the few Western states without a dedicated land and water conservation funding. (Don/AdobeStock)

Monday, February 6, 2023

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 …

A bill before the New Mexico Legislature would add gender to the list of protected classes in the state Human Rights Act enacted in 1969. (Dmitry/AdobeStock)

NM Legislation Would Boost Protections for LGBTQ Students, Others

Legislation to close a loophole that potentially allows discrimination against LGBTQ New Mexicans will be debated by the State Legislature this sessio…

Since the beginning of 2022, seven Western states have initiated programs to maintain wildlife habitat and safe passage, through fencing, signs, overpasses and underpasses, according to Pew research. (TaborChichakly/Adobe Stock)

NM Lawmakers Weigh Next Step for Wildlife Crossings

Reducing the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions is the goal of a bill before the New Mexico Legislature this session. Sen. Mimi Stewart, D-…

Exposure to methane from oil and gas wells is known to cause health problems, including asthma, along with higher rates of leukemia, lymphoma and cancer. (Cavan/Adobe Stock)

Stronger Federal Methane Rules Would Benefit NM Residents, But When?

New Mexico residents have two weeks to submit written comments to the Environmental Protection Agency about its proposal to implement stronger standar…

Child poverty rates worsened nationwide in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, but improved slightly in New Mexico. (Rawpixel.com/AdobeStock)<br />

Report: NM Child Well-Being Fared Better Than Expected During Pandemic

New Mexico's Voices for Children has released its latest Kids Count Data Book - noting some quality-of-life improvements despite COVID, but also …

Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSIs) educate more than 3.2 million students every year, according to the USDA. (JackF/Adobe Stock)

NMSU Minority Students Get Boost Toward Ag Careers

Students from underrepresented groups are being recruited by New Mexico State University and California State University-Chico for a new program aimed…

New Mexico has provided benefits to same-sex partners of state employees since 2003. (LeonardoBorges/AdobeStock)

Equality NM Celebrates 30 Years of Transformation for LGBTQ+ Community

Equality New Mexico will advocate for new LGBTQ protections during this year's legislative session as it celebrates 30 years as a leading advocacy org…

The number of families with children experiencing homelessness declined by 6% between 2020 and 2022, marking a total decline of 36% since 2010, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. (AdobeStock)

Report: 2022 a Mixed Bag on Homelessness as "All In" Program Launches

Volunteers will fan out across New Mexico cities this month for the annual "point-in-time" count of the unhoused, even as a new program launches …

Virtual tutoring for K-12 students has shown mixed results, but New Mexico is counting on it to improve academic performance. (Westock/AdobeStock)

New Mexico Turns to Virtual Tutoring To Boost Student Grades

To boost educational outcomes, New Mexico will start the new year with a free, virtual tutoring program - focused on math, language arts, and science …

The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire burned through a number of rural, isolated Hispanic communities, settlements, and family homesteads dating back centuries. (nmfwri.org)

Northern NM Communities Get Boost in 2022 Wildfire Financial Relief

More money is on the way to help New Mexico's communities recover from the largest wildfire in state history. The 2022 Hermit's Peak-Calf Canyon …

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…

In a 2018 ruling, a state District Court judge found New Mexico was failing to prepare students equally for college and a career, specifically citing a lack of sufficient education for Native Americans. (AdobeStock/mmg1design)

NM's Boost in Early Education Funds Included in Federal Omnibus Bill

New Mexico voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot question in November to spend more money on early childhood education and public schools, and now …

Following defacement of New Mexico's centuries-old La Cieneguilla Petroglyphs in January, momentum is growing for permanent protections for Caja del Rio. (sfnfsitestewards.org)

Permanent Protections Sought for NM's Caja del Rio

New Mexico is home to more world heritage sites than any other state, but also a smaller site outside Santa Fe that indigenous leaders and …

When the 2023 legislative session convenes, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says she'll push lawmakers to ensure all public school students get free school meals. (vejaa/AdobeStock)

Post-Pandemic, Hunger in NM Still a Critical Concern for Thousands

Holiday preparations are underway, and those who battle hunger in New Mexico are urging communities to remember their neighbors at a time when food …

Albuquerque's city-owned animal shelters are waiving adoption fees this weekend in an effort to reduce the high number of animals boarded there. (poetanimalrescue.org)

COVID-Related Crisis Continues for Animals, Animal Shelters

Adopting a pet was a lifesaver for many people isolated during the pandemic. Two years later, many animal shelters, including those in Albuquerque…

The Respect for Marriage Act will not force states to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but they would be required to recognize marriages performed in other states that issue valid licenses. (Mario/Adobe Stock)

NM's LGBTQ Advocates Await Final Passage of Respect for Marriage Act

New Mexico's LGBTQ community is celebrating passage of the "Respect for Marriage Act" by the U.S. Senate - but also surprised it came about so …

More than 6 million people rely on the Upper Rio Grande River for water, food, and shelter. (rgbrt.org)

Report Card: Upper Rio Grande Basin's Health Rated 'Moderate'

To help people better understand the health of the Upper Rio Grande Basin, a first-ever "report card" gave the overall river basin a "C" for its …

In New Mexico, local landowners, tribal leaders, business owners and others are working to protect the Gila and San Francisco rivers as Wild and Scenic. (AdobeStock)

New Mexico Reaps Increasing Benefits from Outdoor Recreation

The Land of Enchantment collects more than $2 billion a year from those who enjoy the outdoors, including camping, hiking, climbing and biking…

The expansion of tax credits and free school meals during COVID-19 temporarily lifted more than three-million children out of poverty during the latter half of 2021, according to a Child Trends report. (disha1980/AdobeStock)

Study: Lifting Children Out of Poverty Losing Momentum

A new study found progress made to reduce child poverty over the past 25 years in the U.S. is at risk of stalling or being reversed. Child poverty …

After years of drought, scientists at the Jornada Experimental Range in Southern New Mexico are researching the viability of Raramuri Criollo cattle as a food source because they have less environmental impact. (USDA)

Searching for a Better Cow as Southwest Drought Persists

By Jacqueline Covey for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for New Mexico News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public…

With extreme weather events taking center stage worldwide, 40,000 people from across the globe are attending COP27, the United Nations climate change conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, this month. (Ricochet64/AdobeStock)

COP27 Representatives Warned of Planet Sending 'Distress Signals'

New Mexico's dwindling water supply is just one issue caused by the climate crisis, with the drought-stricken Colorado River Basin creating problems …

An estimated 29 million Latinos are eligible to vote in the United States, with a record 11.7 million voting in the 2018 midterms. (niyazz/Adobe Stock)

Last-Minute Campaigning Brings President Biden to New Mexico

President Joe Biden delivered remarks about his student loan debt-relief program at a stop in New Mexico Thursday, while campaigning for Gov…

About 63% of the 18,000 naturalized citizens welcomed in New Mexico between 2016 through 2022 arrived from Mexico. (somosunpueblounido)

NM's Newly Naturalized Citizens Encouraged to Vote in Midterms

Many newly naturalized citizens will be eligible to vote for the first time next week, including about 18,000 in New Mexico. According to the …

New Mexico has a statewide shortage of 32,000 affordable housing units, according to this year's survey by the New Mexico Housing Authority. (Adobe Stock)

NM Rent-Control Advocates: 'In It for the Long Haul'

Advocates for rent control in Albuquerque said they will not give up their quest for more affordable housing, despite the city council rejecting such …

The 2022 Kids Count report found 56% of New Mexico three- and four-year-olds are not in preschool, the lowest ranking in the nation. (Susan Warner/savethechildren.org)

NM Voters to Decide Major Funding Shift for Early Childhood Education

In educational performance, New Mexico consistently ranks at or near the bottom among the 50 states, but it could change if an influx of dedicated …

More than 80% of LGBTQ students said they felt unsafe at school last year, according to last week's annual report from the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network. (needjustice.org)

Many Fear LGBTQ+ Rights Are On the Midterm Ballot

In the past few years, the LGBTQ community has watched hard-won rights erode, and many fear the worst is yet to come, based on the outcome of the …

Wildlife populations across the world declined an average of 69% between 1970 and 2018, according to the 2020 World Wildlife Fund. (Geschenkpanda/Pixabay)

Report: Declining Wildlife Suggests Planet's Deteriorating Health

The world's wildlife populations are dwindling, according to a new survey, which encourages urgent action to reverse the loss. Dr. Rebecca Shaw…

Direct support professionals enjoy recreational time with participants in program for people with developmental disabilities in Albuquerque. (Michele McCoy/ARCA)

NM Labor Shortage Putting People with Developmental Disabilities at Risk

Come next year, people with developmental disabilities in New Mexico may not be able to find the help they need - because of a severe labor shortage …

Land-use trends in the West, particularly in rural areas, almost invariably result in habitat loss and fragment historic migration routes. (PewTrusts)

Report Cites Wildlife-Migration Challenges, Solutions

Like humans, animals are creatures of habit and often do not adjust when their migration routes are disrupted. A new report said there is adequate …

Exposure to methane gas can displace oxygen supply, resulting in headaches, nausea, nosebleeds and even heart problems. (sammywilliams/Pixabay)

Study: Methane Worse for Climate, Health Than Earlier Estimated

Environmental advocates anticipating new rules from the Environmental Protection Agency to cut methane pollution caused by the oil and gas industry ho…

A collaborative team in Taos is slated to solve a daunting challenge created this spring when a local beaver population built a dam across the river at the city's park. (TaosLandTrust)

The 'Beaver Deceiver' Protects the Taos Watershed, Wetland Habitat

A wildlife ecosystem can benefit from a beaver dam, but their location can cause headaches for humans when they produce flooding. In Taos, New …

Out of all affordable U.S. states, New Mexico has the least home inventory, according to the rental asset management company, Stessa. (keelymiller/Pixabay)

NM Dilemma: Affordable Housing vs. Climate Change

A shortage of housing in New Mexico's largest cities forces many to drive hundreds of miles a day for jobs, making it harder to fight climate change…

Native Americans face unique barriers when they pursue higher education, but more scholarships and tuition support could help, according to research by the National Native Scholarships Providers. (collegehorizons.org)

Money, Family Responsibilities Limit Indigenous College Attendance

Native Americans must often overcome long odds to attain a college degree, but first-of-its kind data is helping educators better understand the …

The Hispanic community in America represents 60 million Latinos - or one in five residents. (magazine.medlineplus.gov)

Report: Latino Families Should Prioritize End-Of-Life Conversations

End-of-life planning, hospice, medical aid in dying - all are difficult decisions, and a new report says Latinos and other underserved communities …

Since 2019, volunteers have helped complete a watershed restoration project in Midnight Meadows, located in New Mexico's Carson National Forest. (amigosbravos.org)

Volunteers Continue Restoration Work in NM's Midnight Meadows

Midnight Meadows in northern New Mexico's Carson National Forest is one of 22 sites identified as "wetland jewels," and volunteers will continue their…

Annual suicides by non-elderly Hispanic adults increased by nearly 36% from 2010 to 2020, while the rate for Hispanic women spiked by 40%, according to a study by the University of New Mexico. (pttcnetwork.org)

Study: Hispanic Suicide Rate Increasing, Highest in Southwest

A study by New Mexico State University shows the number of suicides among U.S. Hispanics is on the rise, in part because they are buying more guns…

The new Indian Youth Service Corps enlists Indigenous youths for paying jobs that include trail restoration, habitat surveys, climate mitigation, watershed restoration and other culturally important tasks. (Kristi Rugg/National Park Service)

Indian Youth Services Corps Offers Jobs in Conservation, Preservation

Indigenous youths have been enlisted in the Southwest, including New Mexico, to help conserve natural and cultural resources on tribal lands as part …

New Mexico ranks second in the nation for childhood hunger, according to Feeding America, with one in five children, or about 20.5% of children in the state, at risk of hunger. (nokidhungry.org)

Your Chance to Help Alleviate Hunger in New Mexico

A silver lining of the pandemic was more money available to address hunger, but those funds are drying up, and many in New Mexico will struggle this …

Methane emissions from oil and gas infrastructure in New Mexico are the state's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the University of New Mexico. (umm.edu)

NM Fossil-Fuel Industry Fights Methane, Ozone Rules Compliance

Environmental groups in New Mexico say a lawsuit filed by an advocacy group for the state's fossil-fuel industry suggests it values profit more than p…

Children ages 5 to 17 miss nearly two million school days in a single year due to dental health problems, according to the Healthy Schools Campaign. (teeth.org.au)

Health Screenings: Getting NM Kids Back to School on the Right Foot

As children head back to school in New Mexico, experts say it is important to get them in for a physical and get their hearing, vision, and teeth …

Food banks help the one in five New Mexico children estimated to be at risk for hunger, and one in eight overall, according to Roadrunner Food Bank. (dosomething.org)

Making 'HELP' Available to New Mexico's Hungry, Food Insecure

Inflation has caused some New Mexico families, who were breaking even six months ago, to once again struggle, and groups working to alleviate hunger …

A new report shows the meal gap in New Mexico is 43.6 million meals, according Feeding America's

Federal Pandemic Funds Reduced NM Hunger; Longterm Worries Remain

Food insecurity in New Mexico dropped during COVID, but groups working to fight hunger worry the temporary reprieve will reverse itself now that …

The states of Texas, Florida and Missouri stand to lose the most money following implementation of extreme abortion laws, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research. (erikawittlieb/Pixabay)

Will Anti-abortion Red States Face Professional 'Brain Drain?'

By Linda Burstyn for Ms. Magazine Broadcast version by Roz Brown for New Mexico News Connection/Public News Service Bad Business: Anti-abortion …

FBI Director Christopher Wray recently told the Senate Judiciary Committee the investigation of hate crimes is the number one priority within the agency's civil rights program. (fbi.gov)

Albuquerque's Muslim Community On Edge After Four Murders

Albuquerque has been thrown into the national spotlight after the shootings of four Muslim men, including three in the past two weeks, prompting …

The COVID pandemic caused major challenges for families and blunted progress in New Mexico to improve child well-being, according to New Mexico Voices for Children. (DeanMoriarty/Pixaby)

NM Struggles in Child Well-Being Report but Celebrates Positive Trends

Since 2020, New Mexico has been working to create a more cohesive, equitable and effective early-childhood system. But it could be a while before it …

Certification of primary results came down to the deadline in several conservative New Mexico counties after both elected officials and voters floated unspecified concerns with voting systems. (fairvote.org)

Will Tuesday Primary Losers Encourage New Mexico-Like Chaos?

States holding primaries could be facing a repeat of New Mexico's election chaos if challenges take hold, and one watchdog argued it will further …

Experts say noise-induced hearing loss due to earbud use is almost 100% preventable if you don't use them too long or blast the volume. (Adobe Stock)

Too Long, Too Loud Can Cause Hearing Loss from Earbuds, Headphones

Many people who exercise outside or at the gym use headphones or earbuds to eliminate piped-in music or other noise. But hearing experts caution …

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