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As Farm Bill languishes, Leger Fernández hears from New Mexico agricultural community
As the federal Farm Bill continues to stagnate in Congress, U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández hosted a roundtable last week with New Mexico farmers and ranchers to hear their concerns. Leger Fernández said she’s hopeful that bipartisan efforts will help push the Farm Bill through because of the House’s shared interests in it, such as […]
Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District voting begins for three open positions
Early voting starts on Tuesday for the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District where three positions are up for election. Board members of the Conservancy District make decisions that impact all of us, like maintaining river flood protection, drainage, and water storage for irrigation in the middle Rio Grande Valley, from Cochiti to Socorro. The district […]
Albuquerque apartment residents form a union to protest ‘uninhabitable conditions’
Tenants of the Artisan Village in Albuquerque’s Sawmill neighborhood have formed a union to demand that the owners and property managers address ongoing issues. They held a rally this week at the property. Members of the Sawmill Tenants Union said they are living in “uninhabitable conditions” in their apartments. The People’s Housing Project is helping […]
Navajo Nation gives updates on program to bring electricity to communities
In a legislative meeting on Monday the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) reported on an initiative that’s working to bring electricity to rural Navajo communities. NTUA serves a territory of over 27,000 square miles across the Navajo Nation. Within that territory, 32% lack electricity and 86% lack natural gas with many having to rely on coal and firewood to […]
NM lawmakers share thoughts, concerns on AI tech
A legislative committee held a second day of hearings on artificial intelligence on Tuesday to hear how state governments and federal officials are handling concerns about the technology. Last year 35% of organizations reported that they were using AI technology in their business. The rapid growth of artificial intelligence has left state and federal governments scrambling to […]
Summit to give an update on Yazzie/Martinez case
The 2023 Institute of American Indian Education (IAIE) is hosting a summit to give an update ahead of the five year anniversary of the Yazzie-Martinez v. State of New Mexico ruling. In 2014, the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty (NMCLP) brought a lawsuit against the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) and the […]
U.S. Forest Service says it’s not obligated to follow state law on prescribed burns
The U.S. Forest Service scheduled two prescribed burns last week in the southwest part of the state despite a red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service. Ultimately the agency burned the day before, but not the day of the warning. However, officials also said a new state law banning burning during red flag […]
New Mexico adds insomnia to the list of qualifying conditions for medical cannabis
The New Mexico Department of Health’s medical cannabis program announced this week that it will be adding insomnia to the program’s list of qualifying conditions for enrollments starting on June 1, 2023. Insomnia is a common medical complaint experienced by up to 70 million U.S. adults per year according to the Institute of Medicine. The […]
Native American theater company ready to mark its footprint
Two Worlds is a Native American theater company dedicated to telling Native stories through performing arts. Artistic director Kim Gleason said the inaugural festival is primarily about Native people reclaiming their own identity by representing themselves through a Native lens within the plays as actors and incorporating issues that are affecting Native people today. “We […]
The NDN Girls Book Club is igniting a spark for Native American literature
Kinsale Drake started teaching writing and literary workshops to children when she was seventeen. She’d help with anything, from teaching poetry to editing portfolios and submissions students sent to fellowships or literary journals. Drake’s newest endeavor, The NDN Girls Book Club, is not just a bookclub and it’s not just for Native American girls. The […]
Legislature passes bill requiring more transparency in budget process
As we near the end of the legislative session in Santa Fe, we’re also in the middle of Sunshine Week. That’s a national initiative by the News Leaders Association to educate the public about the importance of open government and the dangers of hidden agendas. A bill that passed and is on it’s way to […]
Bill for Native American early childhood education heads to governor
The youngest school kids in New Mexico are one step closer to seeing commitments to teach cultural education in tribal head start programs. House Bill 148 mandates the New Mexico Early Childhood and Education Department work with tribes through intergovernmental agreements to administer and provide funding for early childhood programs using a tribe’s cultural teachings […]