Happy 2025. It’s a new year and we have a new way to deliver the news you care about. This year, The Independent News is transitioning from a once-per-week print and email news source to a daily, digital format with an expanded bi-weekly print product. Why the change? Even in our rural areas where we’re […]
Kevin Hendricks
Kevin Hendricks is an editor with nm.news where he oversees Sandoval County newsrooms. A native of Southeast ABQ, he reported for the ABQ Journal and Rio Rancho Observer before joining nm.news in 2024.
Posted inUncategorized
The year in water news: Preparing for New Mexico’s drier future
Water stayed at the forefront of news about conservation, health and money in New Mexico this year, and pressure is growing for increased support from the Roundhouse in the January legislative session. As the world keeps heating up due to human burning and extraction of fossil fuels, New Mexico faces the dual anxiety of too […]
Posted inCommunity Content, Congress & Federal Gov., Uncategorized
The Spirit of Lucy–Its Cemetery
By Denise Tessier If you’ve traveled U.S. 60 to Willard, you’ve passed the railroad town of Lucy, N.M., and likely never saw it; a tall railroad berm parallel to the highway had long kept Lucy hidden. Twelve years ago, when members of the East Mountain Historical Society toured the town, even those on that field […]
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Governor Appoints Former State Senator to New Mexico Public Regulation Commission
A former state senator will soon be joining the regulatory body that oversees most utilities in the state. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced on New Year’s Day the appointment of Greg Nibert to the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC). Nibert is a lawyer who specializes in real property, energy, and administrative law. In that […]
Posted inEdgewood, Housing & Homelessness, Uncategorized, Westside Albuquerque
Mountainair announces first inductee into 2025 Hall of Excellence
The Town of Mountainair announced Larry Gustin is the first inductee into the 2025 Mountainair Hall of Excellence on Jan. 7. Larry Gustin, a lifelong resident of Torrance County and owner of Gustin Hardware in both Mountainair and Estancia, will be honored posthumously along with seven other individuals at a March 29 ceremony. Mountainair Mayor […]
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On the lam: Donkeys escape in Mountainair
A local rancher’s fence was knocked down last week south of Mountainair and approximately 7 to 10 donkeys (including a baby) escaped. They have been missing for about a week and, according to town officials, are likely near Highway 55 and Dry Lake Road, approximately 20 miles south of Mountainair. The Town of Mountainair asks […]
Posted inUncategorized
Company plans to extract uranium from the Grants area
Uranium extraction could be returning to the Grants area after nearly 30 years. Grants Energy is reaching out to nearby communities about plans to extract uranium from deep underground, using private lands about 20 miles from the city of Grants. The Grants area has the largest uranium resource in the country, which has made it a […]
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Heinrich, Stansbury Sworn in for 119th Congress
U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) were sworn in for their terms representing New Mexico Jan. 3 in Washington. “I am honored to have been elected by New Mexicans to serve a third term in the United States Senate,” Heinrich said. “In this new Congress, I look forward to continuing […]
Posted inEdgewood, Uncategorized
Op-ed: Let’s Put our Money Where our Mouth is
Submitted by Laura M. Montoya, NM State Treasurer My journey is similar to many other New Mexicans’ in that it took a lot of hard work, hope, resilience, community, and prayer to keep pushing forward to work towards something better for me and my family. Dreams were the hope that helped drive the determination to keep […]
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New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department Seeks $1M to Reactivate Key Division
By Leah Romero, Source New Mexico A 2025 budget proposal aims to revive a division of state government aimed at providing community-based and caregiver-based services to New Mexicans who fall just outside of Medicaid eligibility. In the Aging and Long-Term Services Department’s roughly $5.7 million budget request for next year, $1 million is intended to […]