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NM suffers service industry worker shortage, but positions lack pay, protection and benefits
New Mexico is in dire need of more service workers, but the state hasn’t changed the industry’s low pay or minimal benefits that makes the job unsustainable for many. Instead, the Department of Workforce Solutions is focused on finding young adults to fill the roles that are being abandoned in favor of better paying positions. […]
State gives ‘outstanding’ designation to northern NM waters, enhancing pollution rules
The state will soon enact heightened protection against any unauthorized water pollution or other damages across hundreds of miles of rivers and streams in northern New Mexico. On Tuesday morning, the Water Quality Control Commission, a state water pollution control agency, unanimously passed the designation of Outstanding National Resource Waters for the Upper Pecos watershed […]
The Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire damaged watersheds the state won’t likely assess for years
Watersheds in Northern New Mexico are taking a hit as monsoons push wildfire ash and debris into sources, threatening water systems, people and aquatic life. “Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon and some of other fires in 2022 fire season have dramatically changed the landscape and condition of our watersheds,” said hydrologist Phoebe Suina. Damage to watersheds, or […]
State inspections lag for New Mexico’s primary drinking water source
Nearly 80% of New Mexicans depend on groundwater sources for their drinking water, according to the state. But the N.M. Environment Department isn’t keeping up with inspections and enforcement of health standards with those who hold permits to discharge into groundwater systems. People in New Mexico can discharge liquid waste or pollutants into water sources […]
More rights at risk after Roe v. Wade is overturned
More nationally protected rights could be in danger using the same reasoning that upended Roe v. Wade. Same-sex marriages and sex, and birth control decisions were mentioned by Justice Clarence Thomas in his concurring opinion in the decision to end 49 years of upholding abortion rights across the United States. The original decision in Roe […]
New Mexico reacts to Supreme Court decision flanked by states poised to outlaw abortion
The Supreme Court on Friday morning released its decision reversing a landmark abortion rights ruling and ending nearly 50 years of legality throughout the United States. With the ruling, advocates are shoved further into the fight for reproductive rights, which often seemed tenuous through the decades as state officials rolled out abortion restrictions and presented […]
White House announces increased wages, support for firefighters
Firefighters have been working around the clock to battle one of the worst wildfire years ever in New Mexico with minimal pay that doesn’t always cover the bills. On Tuesday, the White House announced steps that the Biden-Harris administration is taking to increase wages and support systems for federal wildlife firefighters. These steps include temporary pay increases […]
No floods reported over weekend, but they’re expected soon in the burn zones
Residents in northern New Mexico are preparing for floods and solidifying evacuation plans, but so far, no floods have been reported. There is a flood watch for Mora County and San Miguel County around the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fire for Tuesday. This doesn’t mean it will flood, but it is possible, according to the National […]
Electric appliances and technology could help mitigate climate change but are costly
As climate change accelerates, one possible solution – relying more on electric vehicles and appliances – remains out of reach of many Americans because of the higher cost. Electric appliances and technology can cost hundreds or even tens of thousands of dollars more than those that use fossil fuels such as gas, oil or coal, […]
Meteorologists warn about flood risk intensifying over the weekend due to wildfires
Monsoon season already causes concerns for a potential risk for flooding in New Mexico, but the enormous wildfires roaring across the state have created rough soil conditions that increase the risk of flooding, according to meteorologists. Wednesday kicked off the monsoon season in New Mexico, where a shift in wind direction created potential for thunderstorms. […]
Ranchers carry heavy workload, strain against second-largest wildfire in NM
Outrunning a setting sun and a raging wildfire, fifth-generation rancher Loretta Rabenau wrangled her cattle to safety from fires last month when firefighters’ told her she had an hour to do so. It’s something she won’t forget for the rest of her life. Scorching swaths of the Gila National Forest, the Black Fire has forced […]
Black Fire spreads in hot, dry conditions
From a comparatively small blaze of just 150 acres to ravaging over 311,000 acres of southern New Mexico in just a month, the Black Fire is on the path to becoming the largest wildfire in the state. Dry weather across the Gila and Aldo Leopold Wilderness in the next few days will likely speed the […]