The Trump Administration’s proposed fiscal year 2026 federal budget has sparked fierce opposition from Native American advocacy groups, who warn that planned cuts could effectively eliminate critical workforce development programs serving Indigenous communities nationwide. At the center of the controversy is the proposed elimination of the Native American Employment and Training Program under the Workforce […]
Pueblos
New Mexico farmers, egg producers face potential regulatory changes at upcoming public hearings
New Mexico’s $43 billion agricultural industry could see changes to key regulations governing egg inspection fees, seed standards and pesticide rules when the state Department of Agriculture holds public hearings this month in Las Cruces and Albuquerque. The New Mexico Department of Agriculture will accept public input on proposed amendments to three administrative rules during […]
State opens historic primary care clinic in partnership with Mescalero Apache Tribe
The New Mexico Department of Health has opened the state’s first primary care clinic operated in direct partnership with a Native American tribe, expanding healthcare access in a region where 96% of rural counties face physician shortages. The Ruidoso Primary Care Clinic, launched through a partnership between NMDOH and the Mescalero Apache Tribe, offers wellness […]
New Mexico storm victims get tax deadline extensions
The Internal Revenue Service announced Tuesday that individuals and businesses in Chaves, Lincoln, Otero and Valencia counties can postpone various federal tax deadlines following severe storms, flooding and landslides that began June 23. The relief covers quarterly estimated tax payments normally due Sept. 15 and Jan. 15, along with business tax returns and extensions that […]
New Mexico tops nation in pedestrian deaths for eighth consecutive year
New Mexico continues to hold the nation’s highest pedestrian death rate for the eighth consecutive year, with 2.07 deaths per 100,000 residents in the first half of 2024 — more than double the national average of 0.97, according to a new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association. The preliminary data shows 93 pedestrians were […]
New Mexico could lose $177 million under trump plan to transfer national parks to states
New Mexico stands to lose at least $177 million in economic output under the Trump Administration’s plan to transfer national park units to state control, according to a new report that has prompted sharp criticism from the state’s senior senator. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, […]
Sen. Luján introduces $30 billion bill to address infrastructure crisis at New Mexico’s national labs
U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján introduced legislation last week that could bring billions in infrastructure improvements to New Mexico’s two national laboratories, which employ more than 33,000 workers and contribute over $8 billion annually to the state’s economy. The Restore and Modernize Our National Labs Act of 2025 would authorize $30 billion in federal funding […]
Work comp law changes increase attorney fees
Triple Spaced Again Merilee Dannemann is a longtime New Mexico journalist. She has written freelance for many local newsrooms and served as the Taos correspondent for the Albuquerque Journal. Find her online at triplespacedagain.com It has been quite a while since New Mexico has done anything substantive to make life better for injured workers covered […]
New Mexico sues chemical giants over widespread ‘forever chemical’ pollution
The State of New Mexico has filed a sweeping lawsuit accusing a number of major chemical companies of knowingly polluting land, water and communities across the state with toxic “forever chemicals” linked to cancer, immune dysfunction and even reproductive harm. The lawsuit, filed in June by Attorney General Raúl Torrez and the New Mexico Environment […]
Trump says he will “MAKE INDIANS GREAT AGAIN (MIGA)!”
President Donald Trump has a plan to “make Indians great again,” starting with requiring sports teams that abandoned racist Native American names to return to those roots. Trump posted on social media this past weekend that he would like to condition plans for the Washington Commanders NFL team to build a new stadium in the […]
