New Mexico News & Current Events | Public News Service

The Rio Grande Basin provides critical habitat to sandhill cranes, migratory and wintering waterfowl and many other species. (nm.audubon.org)

Monday, May 23, 2022

Champions for Biodiversity Want Biden Administration to Do More

Land-use changes, pollution, and climate change all contribute to declining biodiversity. Now a broad group of U.S. lawmakers wants the Biden …

In New Mexico, where major wildfires continue to burn, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has warned residents to be ready for evacuations all summer because of strong winds, higher temperatures fueled by climate change, and no significant precipitation on the horizon. (Wikipedia)

Friday, May 20, 2022

As New Mexico Wildfires Rage, Neighboring States Warned of High Fire Danger

New Mexico continues to battle the largest wildfires in its history, and other states including Nevada, along with parts of Arizona and Colorado…

In 2018, the last non-presidential primary, only about one in five eligible New Mexico voters cast a ballot. (bernco.gov)

Early Voting Continues for New Mexico's June Primary Election

Early and absentee voting is underway for New Mexico's June 7 primary, with some speculating if higher prices at the grocery store and gas pump will …

In New Mexico, 32% of roads are in poor condition and each motorist pays $767 per year in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair, according to the 2021 Report Card for America's Infrastructure. (suwichanpralomram/Pixabay)

USDA Pilot Program Launches in Nine NM Counties

New Mexico will be one of the first states to receive help from the Rural Partners Network, a new government initiative aiming to reset the way …

The pandemic and a strong job market have reduced college enrollment - but studies show college graduates will earn nearly $1 million more over the course of their careers. (viviandu/dailycal.org)

College Degree Increasingly Requires Part-Time Job

Many U.S. college degree programs can take years of full-time study, a serious time crunch for working adults. That's why more universities are …

The Journal of the American Medical Association says trans youths with access to gender-affirming care are 60% less likely to have moderate to severe depression and are 73% less suicidal. (MaryBettiniBlank/Pixabay)

States Form Coalition to Counter Anti-LGBTQ Bills

New Mexico and 18 other states have announced plans to introduce legislation they say will be needed to protect transgender kids from civil and crimin…

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Mexico includes one in four children being at risk of hunger, and one in six people overall. (hfcc.edu)

Letter Carriers 'Stamp Out Hunger' Campaign Returns After COVID Hiatus

Mail carriers across New Mexico are gearing-up for the "2022 Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive" this Saturday, May 14. The National Association of Letter …

Assuming the Supreme Court's leaked ruling overturning Roe v. Wade becomes effective this year, five decades of what many thought was "settled law" will be cast aside. (DavidMark/Pixabay)

NM Activists Want "Sanctuary" Laws for Abortion Providers

Pro-choice activists want New Mexico to follow the lead of Connecticut in providing a safe haven for abortion providers after last week's leaked draft…

U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has launched the "Honoring Chaco Initiative" to address meaningful cultural landscape management and protection for the ancient New Mexico site. (Monica Sanchez/Natural Resources Democrats/Flickr)

NM's Chaco Supporters Rally for Protections from Drilling

At a rally today in Santa Fe, thousands of comments about a proposed withdrawal of new oil and gas drilling leases near New Mexico's Chaco Culture …

If New Mexico adopts clean-car rules, more energy-efficient electric vehicles could be on the roads in 2024 or sooner. (Courtesy newmexico.org)

New Mexico Latest to Consider Adoption of Clean Car Rules

New Mexico may soon join more than a dozen other states in adopting California's clean car standards. The statewide and Albuquerque environmental-…

A half-century after the "Green Book" published its last edition, a modern-day version is flourishing in the online community of Black Twitter, according to research at the University of Colorado. (blogs.library.duke.edu)

What Does Musk Takeover Mean for 'Black Twitter?'

Users of "Black Twitter," a community keeping in touch via Twitter about issues of interest to Black Americans, are watching for changes after Elon …

A storytelling project in the desert Southwest demonstrated the resiliency of local food production versus reliance on the industrial food system. (Courtesy Michelle Carreon)

Desert Southwest Shows Resilience in Feeding Families Amid COVID-19

When a nonprofit food center in the desert Southwest began a project to chronicle challenges of land and water access combined with climate change…

Research in 2020 and 2021 at the University of New Mexico found a higher percentage of undergraduates were food insecure than graduate/professional students. (news.unm.edu)

More Money for Food Pantries at NM Colleges, Universities

More than half of Native American students at the University of New Mexico face food insecurity, with Hispanics second-most affected, at 35%…

People of color are 61% more likely than white people to live in a county with a failing grade for at least one pollutant that contributes to poor air quality, according to the American Lung Association. (DavidMark/Pixabay)

Report: NM's ABQ, Eddy County Rank High for Poor Air Quality

A new study found high ozone levels have made the air quality in Albuquerque worse than ever reported. For the past 23 years, the American Lung …

Venting, flaring and leaks waste $275 million worth of natural gas per year in New Mexico, depriving the state of more than $40 million in royalties and tax revenue, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. (nasa.gov)

NM's Methane Rules Designed to Reduce Air Pollution, Improve Health

New Mexico is home to some of the worst methane pollution in the country, but new rules aimed at oil and gas operators could be a turning point for …

Unhoused residents who apply to live at Albuquerque's Hope Village must meet the federal definition of homelessness, have a documented mental, emotional or behavioral disorder and income at or below 30% of the Area Median Income. (courtesy Hope Village)

Albuquerque Opens Center of "Hope" for Homeless Population

In the midst of the pandemic, hope was in the air as construction proceeded on a one-of-a-kind housing project to serve a portion of Albuquerque's …

Firefighters' ability to gain ground on wildfires overnight has been reduced by climate change because humidity levels no longer rise to previous levels when daytime temperatures drop. (NOAA.gov)

Scientists: Excessive Fuels Likely to Increase NM's Climate-Driven Wildfires

Wildfires continue to burn in New Mexico after destroying at least 150 homes in Ruidoso, killing an older couple in the village last week. Matt …

Geneva Ortiz, Tom Elmhorst and Mildred Griffee sort surplus bread as weekly volunteers for Albuquerque's Roadrunner Food Bank. (courtesy photo: rrfb)

Purpose, Better Health Drives New Mexico Volunteers

COVID-19 shutdowns sent many New Mexico volunteers home to isolate, especially those 60 and older. This month, volunteer contributions are being …

The San Juan Generating Station is a coal-fired electric power plant located near its coal source, the San Juan Mine, near Waterflow, N.M. (ecoflight.org)

Feud Over NM Coal-Plant Closure Could Cost Customers

This year's planned closure of a New Mexico coal-fired power plant is expected to save money for the state's utility company and its customers…

The Pecos River Basin will likely face major water shortages for irrigated agriculture as temperatures rise over the next century due to climate change, according to a new study by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission. (nfwf.org)

Protections Sought for NM's Pecos Watershed Amidst Mining Proposal

Conservationists, farmers and residents are seeking protection of a section of New Mexico's Pecos River even as a mining company has proposed an …

Gasoline prices are higher in California than New Mexico, but drivers could pay over $5 and even $6 a gallon for unleaded during peak summer driving season, according to AAA. (Obelixlatino/Pixabay)

NM Legislature Convenes to Consider Relief for Gas, Food Prices

With the goal of providing financial relief for New Mexicans struggling with higher prices for gas and food, legislators convene today for a special …

New Mexico could benefit from sales of recreational marijuana to neighboring Texans, where it is illegal, much as Colorado has benefited from sales to those traveling from the Land of Enchantment. (medicalmarijuana.procon.org)

No April Fool’s Joke: NM Recreational Cannabis Dispensaries Open Today

Retail cannabis hits the shelves today in New Mexico, with many hoping it will be a boon to the state's fossil-fuel-dependent economy. Medical …

Some 67% of New Mexicans think oil and gas development on national public lands should be stopped or strictly limited rather than expanded, according to the 2022 Conservation in the West poll. (BLM/Flickr)

Public Lands Face New Threats from Climate Change, Drilling

The use of public lands is back in the spotlight as the war in Ukraine enters its second month and gas prices remain high. The American Petroleum …

Safe wildlife passages, either under or over roads, are estimated to have reduced collisions by more than 80%, according to Pew Charitable Trusts. (BridgetDonaldson/Virgina.gov)

NM Summit Works to Solve Safe Passage for People, Wildlife

Shrinking wildlife habitat puts big-game animals at greater risk of colliding with cars and trucks, and has led to the Wildlife Corridors Action Plan …

Two out of three drug-overdose deaths in New Mexico in 2019 involved an opioid, including prescription opioids, heroin, or fentanyl, according to the New Mexico Department of Health. (brown.edu)

NM Joins Other States in Decriminalizing Fentanyl Testing Strips

For the past two decades, New Mexico has had one of the highest rates of overdose deaths in the nation, increasingly linked to fentanyl. But until …

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, pointing to higher gas prices and inflation, has called for a special legislative session the first week of April to address the need by state residents for economic relief. (mikes-photography/Pixabay)

Ukraine Wake-Up Call: Renewables Vs. Fossil Fuels

Soaring gas prices since Russia's invasion of Ukraine have laid bare the dilemma of relying on fossil fuels over power from renewables such as wind an…

The latest redistricting cycle, still under way in some states, resulted in partisan maps by both Republicans and Democrats, according to the Princeton Gerrymandering Project. (fairredistricing.org)

Will Courts Again Decide Fate of New Mexico's Redistricting Map?

Lea County in southeast New Mexico has joined a previously-filed lawsuit asking that a redistricting map be thrown out. The state's Republican …

The New Mexico Department of Agriculture allows state residents who qualify for a refund on their personal income tax return to donate all or part of it to the Healthy Soil Program enacted in 2019. (aces.nmsu.edu)

New Mexico Spills the Dirt on Healthy Soil Practices

Just three years after the New Mexico Healthy Soil Act was approved by lawmakers, the Land of Enchantment is boasting more "soil health champions" …

Passage of Senate Bill 1 will raise the salaries for New Mexico teachers an average of 20% starting on July 1. (wwkf.org)

New Mexico Teachers Praise "Living Wage" Salary Increase

Teachers returning to classrooms in New Mexico this fall will see the first significant pay raise in several years. As of July 1, all teachers in …

More than 90% of Taos County residents report having at least a high school diploma, but only about 28% have a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. (pixels/Pixabay)

Taos Group Receives Funds to Boost Rural Higher Ed, Workforce

A Taos-based group will spend the next two years as part of an initiative to improve higher education and workforce systems in Taos County. The Taos …

Sanctions against Russia for the Ukraine invasion haven't targeted the oil trade, but have nonetheless sent the worldwide price of oil to more than $100 a barrel. (Elionas/Pixabay)

Russia/Ukraine War Puts Pressure on Governments for More Wind, Solar

In recent years, New Mexico has tried to move away from its historical role as an oil and gas hub, and the crisis in Ukraine could have major …

Since the start of the pandemic, at least 30,000 immigrant families in New Mexico were excluded from stimulus rebate checks, unemployment benefits and other safety-net programs. (SomosUnPuebloUnido)

Statewide "Guaranteed Basic Income" Launches in New Mexico

In the next few days, more than 300 undocumented or mixed-immigration-status New Mexico families will begin receiving $500 monthly for the next year…

Immigrants now account for about one in 10 Black persons in the United States, up from three in 10 in 1980, according to a study by the Pew Research Center. (dimitrisvetsikas1969/Pixabay)

Black History Month Includes Focus on Health, Environmental Justice

Communities of color are using this year's Black History Month to advocate for health and wellness, including calling attention to environmental …

A bill to expand voting rights, championed by New Mexico's governor during the 2022 legislative session, failed after the GOP led a one-man filibuster. (Wikipedia)

Wins, Losses for NM Conservation in 2022 Legislative Session

The postmortem has begun on the New Mexico legislative session which ended last week. Conservation groups concede much is left to be done, but …

According to the Sentencing Project, 25 states and the District of Columbia have banned life sentences without the possibility of parole for people younger than 18. (GerdAltmann/Pixabay)

NM Misses Chance to Ban 'Life Without Parole' Sentences for Youths

With hours remaining in New Mexico's 2022 legislative session, a bill to disallow life sentences without the possibility of parole for juveniles was …

New Mexico is trying to buck the trend in at least 19 states, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, by expanding rather than limiting voter access. (unitedstatesofcare.org)

Landmark 'New Mexico Voting Rights Act' Stalls in Senate

Amid support and criticism, a marathon public hearing and debate over a bill to bolster voting access ended in the New Mexico Roundhouse Friday …

In surveying Americans over a year's time, the Pew Research Center found that roughly a quarter of adults said they hadn't read an entire book or even part of one. (kaboompics/Pixabay)

It's February: Shouldn't You Be Reading?

You might think older Americans would read more than their younger counterparts, because of retirement or a more flexible lifestyle. In fact…

The New Mexico Supreme Court halted all evictions in March 2020, but its edict was inconsistently applied, as some courts did not follow the order, according to the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty. (TierraMallorca/Pixabay)

NM Launches Eviction Prevention & Diversion Pilot Program

New Mexico is preparing to end its eviction moratorium, in effect since the start of the pandemic. At the same time, a pilot program designed to keep …

New Mexico could benefit from a competitive federal grant program that provides funding for safe wildlife corridor projects, but it requires 20% in matching funds. (state.nm.us)

Crossing to Safety Endangers Animals, People

A Wildlife Corridors Action Plan for New Mexico identifies 11 priority "safe passage" projects, such as underpasses and overpasses, to improve driver …

Since 2016, the nonprofit Tequila Interchange Project has been working with tequila producers, scientists, and tequila enthusiasts to introduce bat-friendly agave liquors. (environmentaldefensefund.org)

Mixologists Beware: NM Bat Among 10 Species Imperiled by Climate Change

It doesn't get the kind of attention afforded the endangered monarch butterfly, but without the Mexican long-nosed bat, ingredients for one of …

Child well-being in New Mexico was steadily improving prior to the onset of the pandemic, according to a new report from the state's Voices for Children. (AlexandraKoch/Pixabay)

Report: NM's Hispanic Families Hurt Most by Pandemic

New Mexico's families of color, Hispanic families in particular, have been hit hardest by income losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to …

In 2021, bills prohibiting health care for trans youth were introduced in more than 20 states according to a tally from the American Civil Liberties Union. (Flimbetrachter/Pixabay)

LGBTQ Leaders to NM Governor: Prioritize Anti-Discrimination Laws

New Mexico's short, 30-day legislative session starts today with a focus on budget issues. Nonetheless, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer …

Organizers of today's "Walking for the Climate" event in Santa Fe say the crisis should not instill paralysis, but rather invoke a mass movement, much like the 1960's Civil Rights Movement. (nm-ip.org)

NM Environmental Groups Mark MLK Day with Climate Walk

New Mexico climate activists commemorate today's Martin Luther King Jr. Day by walking to the State Capitol in Santa Fe from four directions…

The Grassroots Law Project is collecting signatures on a petition asking New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to call up a juvenile justice "second chance" bill when the legislature convenes tomorrow. (1388843/Pixabay)

NM Juvenile Justice Advocates Press Governor for Action

New Mexico's 30 day legislative session, held in even-numbered years, typically focuses on budget issues, but juvenile justice advocates are hopeful …

In recent months, 20 gray wolves roamed from Yellowstone National Park and were shot by hunters; the most killed by hunting in a single season since the animals were reintroduced to the region more than 25 years ago, according to park officials.<br />(photo courtesy Don Burkett) — In recent months, 20 gray wolves roamed from Yellowstone National Park and were shot by hunters; the most killed by hunting in a single season since the animals were reintroduced to the region more than 25 years ago, according to park officials.
(photo courtesy Don Burkett)

Pressure Mounts to Protect Mexican Gray Wolves

Last year, advocates for the Mexican gray wolf cheered when a judge ruled the problem of poaching was not adequately addressed in a management plan …

As the climate gets hotter and drier driven by regional and global warming trends, New Mexico is one of several Western states anticipating less-predictable winters, earlier springs and hotter summers. (12019/Pixabay)

Extreme Weather Accelerates Climate-Change Conversation

Record high temperatures, torrential rain, unlikely tornados and devastating wildfires led to record news coverage of climate change in October and …

New Mexico could face tough water decisions if a decades-long drought due to climate change doesn't provide a decent spring runoff in 2022. (nm.water.usgs.gov)

Public Lands Agencies Work to Diversify Staff in 2022

People of color historically have been excluded from outdoor-recreation jobs, but a collaborative effort to diversify staff within agencies that …

For more than 2,000 years, Pueblo peoples occupied the Chaco region of the southwestern United States. (NewMexico.org)

Advocates Want Better Protection From Drilling at Greater Chaco

Conservationists are calling on President Joe Biden to make permanent recent steps to protect Chaco Culture National Historical Park from further dest…

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