Posted inCongress & Federal Gov.

Opinion: Parents, students have opportunity to help choose high school graduation requirements

Submitted by Mandi Torrez, educator With the governor’s signing of a new law updating the state’s high school curriculum, New Mexico families now have a prime opportunity to shape your local high school course requirements in a way that will reflect your community’s values while ensuring that your graduates are college and career ready.   While […]

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov.

Politics Two Ways

Two New Mexico political groups are using opposite tactics to reach a common goal—elect Democrats. While the West Side Democrats in Albuquerque focuses on personal activism, Blue CD2 New Mexico uses data and remote messaging techniques to reach new voters. Both groups say their specific methods are helping win elections. The West Side group is […]

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov.

Is It Good PR, or Russian Propaganda?

You might have missed it. On April 7, the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Mike Turner (R-Ohio) announced on two different Sunday news programs that members of his caucus were repeating Russian propaganda in their arguments against foreign aid for Ukraine. Just let that sink in for a minute. Turner said […]

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Courts, Justice & Safety

Biden admin will require thousands more gun dealers to run background checks on buyers

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and COLLEEN LONG Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands more firearms dealers across the United States will have to run background checks on buyers at gun shows or other places outside brick-and-mortar stores, according to a Biden administration rule that will soon go into effect. The rule aims to close a […]

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., Courts, Justice & Safety, Local Gov.

Former corrections officer shot himself outside MDC on Tuesday

The man who shot himself outside of the Metropolitan Detention Center on Tuesday was a former corrections officer, according to a county spokesperson.  He was taken to the University of New Mexico Hospital, where he later died.  Candace Hopkins, a spokesperson for the county jail, said the man worked for MDC “for several different stints […]

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., New Mexico Statewide News

Senator co-sponsors legislation to protect NM communities from “forever chemicals”

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich announced today that he has co-sponsored new legislation called the Healthy H2O Act to protect New Mexico communities from dangerous contaminants like PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.” This directly follows the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s announcement of the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard that will reduce Americans’ […]

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., New Mexico Statewide News, Westside Albuquerque

U.S. Senate spending panel calls for extending pay boost for Forest Service firefighters

JACOB FISCHLER /Source New Mexico Members of a U.S. Senate Appropriations subcommittee said at a hearing Wednesday they were focused on keeping pay for wildland firefighters at the higher level set in a 2021 law and urged Forest Service Chief Randy Moore to focus on ways to maintain a healthy timber industry. Senate Interior-Environment Subcommittee Chair […]