The New Mexico State Land Office has announced a historic achievement, auctioning oil and gas leases at a new 25% royalty rate for the first time, a change championed by Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard. The new state law, which took effect on June 20, allows the State Land Office to offer its […]
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Posted inFederal Government & Congress, Pueblos
Luján secures $6.9 Million in federal funding for New Mexico communities
U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee has passed legislation that would deliver over $6.9 million in federal investments to New Mexico communities, marking a significant win for the state’s rural development and public safety initiatives. The funding, secured through the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress, Pueblos
Sen. Luján calls for quick RECA implementation as healthcare cuts threaten New Mexico victims
As the 80th anniversary of the Trinity Test approaches this week, New Mexico radiation exposure victims are closer than ever to receiving federal compensation, but face new threats to their healthcare access from proposed Medicaid cuts. Senator Ben Ray Luján called for federal agencies to quickly establish guidelines for the expanded Radiation Exposure Compensation Act […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress, Pueblos
Local artists transform whimsical phrase into art at Placitas Library
Local artists are giving new meaning to the phrase “raining cats and dogs” with a colorful exhibition that opens this weekend at the Placitas Community Library. The “Raining Cats & Dogs” exhibit in the library’s Gracie Lee Community Room features work by more than a dozen artists from Placitas and surrounding areas, challenging them to […]
Posted inEdgewood
Edgewood commission approves FY2026 budget, awaits state certification
The Edgewood Town Commission unanimously approved its fiscal year 2025–2026 budget during a regular meeting on July 8, finalizing weeks of review, workshops and revisions. Adopted under Resolution 2025-031, the budget outlines the town’s spending priorities for the next year, including public safety, infrastructure and employee compensation. It now heads to the New Mexico Department […]
Posted inNew Mexico State Government, Pueblos
Sen. Pope enters 2026 race for lieutenant governor
By Connor Currier New Mexico Senator Harold Pope has officially entered the race to become the state’s next lieutenant governor. His candidacy comes after current lieutenant governor Howie Morales’ announcement that he will not seek re-election in 2026. Morales, who has served in the role since 2019, spent the past seven years working alongside Governor […]
Posted inJobs, Workers & Economy, Pueblos
Cheese plant gas leak hospitalizes 14 workers
A major chemical accident at a local cheese plant that led to the hospitalization of more than a dozen workers has landed a local company in hot water with the state. Last month, the New Mexico Environment Department’s (NMED) Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (OHSB) cited Southwest Cheese Company for five serious violations following a […]
Posted inNew Mexico State Government
Peeing gets partisan: Republicans challenge new Roundhouse restroom policy
The legislature’s Facilities Review Subcommittee voted last week to convert a shower into a gender-neutral restroom and build a dedicated lactation room on the fourth floor of the New Mexico State Capitol. The project will also include an adult changing table for people with disabilities. But Senate Republican Leader Bill Sharer (R-Farmington) said in a […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress, NM.news, Pueblos
When Is the Right Time to Ask the Hard Questions?
This is a heartbreaking column to write. But as the flood tragedies in Texas and New Mexico unfold, heartbreak is unavoidable. More families are reeling from the deaths of children, missing loved ones, and homes and lives destroyed. As I watched the crisis in Texas, my mind went back to childhood memories — when my […]
Posted inFederal Government & Congress, Pueblos
Sen. Luján warns against public broadcasting cuts amidst deadly flooding
U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, delivered a Senate floor speech Wednesday, criticizing the Trump administration’s proposal to eliminate $1.1 billion in federal funding for public radio and television stations across the nation. The senator’s address comes as New Mexico and Texas grapple with deadly […]