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 […]
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Posted inPolitics & Elections, State News, Syndicated
Organizers launch ‘Uncommitted’ primary campaign to criticize Biden’s support for Israel
By Austin Fisher/Source NM A grassroots effort to use the New Mexico primary election to push President Joe Biden’s policy positions on Gaza officially launched in the state over the weekend. The campaign called Vote Uncommitted New Mexico, is encouraging people to register as Democrats and vote “uncommitted” on their primary ballots, rather than selecting […]
Posted inNew Mexico, State News, Syndicated
Environment officials ask state authorities to look into Southern NM utility
Danielle Prokop/Source NM New Mexico state agencies are taking a closer look at the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority at the request of environmental regulators. The state’s top environmental official penned a letter recently requesting the state’s top prosecutor and auditor investigate the southern New Mexico utility for “potential violations of consumer protection laws, and […]
Posted inEnvironment & Climate, Jobs, Workers & Economy, Syndicated
Extreme heat drives up food prices. Just how bad will it get?
Kate Yoder/Source NM Sometimes climate change appears where you least expect it — like the grocery store. Food prices have climbed 25 percent over the past four years, and Americans have been shocked by the growing cost of staples like beef, sugar, and citrus. While many factors, like supply chain disruptions and labor shortages, have contributed to […]
Posted inNew Mexico, State News, Syndicated
San Juan County scraps gerrymandered voting map
Austin Fisher/Source NM After more than two years in court, San Juan County officials agreed to adopt a new county commission voting map that supporters say gives Native American voters a bigger voice in who is elected to the local seats. The settlement announced on Monday resolves a dispute between the county and the Navajo […]
Posted inNew Mexico, State News, Syndicated
Public comment still sought on proposed NM Gas Company rate increase
Austin Fisher/Source NM New Mexico’s largest natural gas provider wants to raise prices for the more than 540,000 people who rely on its service to heat their homes or businesses. Thursday, the Public Regulation Commission opened its meeting for public comment on the New Mexico Gas Company’s proposal to increase the cost of its gas service. It […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., State News, Syndicated
U.S. Supreme Court questions both positions in Rio Grande water case
WASHINGTON — The nation’s highest court will decide what’s next for a 10-year-old case over Rio Grande water. On Wednesday, attorneys for Texas and New Mexico came to the defense of a proposed deal allocating Rio Grande water between the states against federal opposition to the agreement at the U.S. Supreme Court. Justices scrutinized both […]
Posted inNew Mexico, State Government, Syndicated
How NM will enforce the new deepfake disclosure law
By Austin Fisher / Source NM About one week after early voting in New Mexico’s primary elections begins, a new law will go into effect requiring political campaigns and candidates to tell the public whenever they use false information generated by artificial intelligence in a campaign ad. The New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office and […]
Posted inJobs, Workers & Economy, New Mexico, Syndicated
New dashboard from the governor tracks Biden administration dollars in New Mexico
By Nash Jones / KUNM News The office of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has released an online tool the public can use to track how Biden administration dollars are being spent across the state. Its launch coincides with President Joe Biden securing his party’s nomination as the governor campaigns for his reelection. The New Mexico Federal Funding Dashboard tracks […]
Posted inObituaries
Former Legislator Pauline Eisenstadt Dies at 86
Pauline Eisenstadt, 86, a retired state legislator and the first woman to serve in both houses of the New Mexico State Legislature died March 1, 2024 of natural causes. Eisenstadt served in the New Mexico House of Representatives (1984-1992), where she rose to a leadership position in the Democratic Party, and the New Mexico Senate (1996-2000). […]