Briefs
Rising rents, stagnant wages driving increase in homelessness, analysts say
There are almost 4,000 homeless people in New Mexico, an uptick from last year, after nearly a decade of declines in the homeless population in the state, according to a 32-page report by the Legislative Finance Committee. Rising housing prices coupled with a lack of affordable housing has increased the number of New Mexicans who […]
Community solar moves forward; developers chosen to set up renewable energy facilities
After weeks of delay, New Mexico’s push to get solar energy to communities like apartment renters and low-income households is progressing again. InClime, a renewable energy-affiliated company, chose 45 solar facility projects out of over 400 proposals, giving companies the green light to start the process to set up farms they’ll soon operate for New […]
Virgin Galactic plans a flight for May, says more to follow from Spaceport
Virgin Galactic announced Wednesday a flight window opens next week for its crewed spaceflight from Spaceport America outside Truth or Consequences. The five-person crew includes a Las Cruces woman, Jamila Gilbert. According to the announcement on the company’s website, the crew will begin training next week, before the Thursday, May 25 flight window. On a […]
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 […]
Pojoaque school board prepares for local election
The Board of Education for the Pojoaque Valley School District on May 10 made preparations for the local election happening this fall. Board members approved a resolution notifying the Santa Fe County Clerk there will be three positions on the board which will come up for election this year. New Mexico’s local election will be […]
Transparency group urges CYFD panel to open all of its meetings
After news broke that an advisory panel created by New Mexico’s child welfare agency plans to hold some of its meetings behind closed doors, the most prominent government transparency organization in the state is pushing for more openness. In its first public meeting, the Children Youth and Families Department Policy Advisory Council indicated it will […]
How New Mexico’s early childhood agency fared in the most recent legislative session
New Mexico’s pre-kindergarten education and child care agency greatly benefited from the most recent legislative session, receiving hundreds of millions more in funding from state lawmakers than it initially requested. In the 2022 midterm elections before the recent 60-day legislative session, New Mexicans overwhelmingly voted to amend the state constitution to require the state to […]
NM Environment Department rolls out website for public to see pollution violations
The silhouette of a drill head, backlit by a vibrant sunset, is visible from Route 550 just outside Farmington, N.M., on Oct. 26, 2021. The New Mexico Environment Department rolled out a new website for the public to better track pollution violations, whether in air quality, water or in hazardous waste disposal. (Photo by Isabel Koyama / Howard Center for Investigative Journalism)
Right this sway for senior dance classes
Following the pull of the music, New Mexico seniors can line up at the National Hispanic Cultural Center for free dance classes this month and next. This is part of the multidisciplinary arts series, Siempre Creativo. Albuquerque’s National Hispanic Cultural Center will be hosting free dance classes, art workshops, genealogy classes and literary events through […]
End of COVID exposure app part of long ‘unwinding’ process
As part of the broader “unwinding” of its response to the ongoing COVID pandemic, the phone application New Mexico uses to tell people when they may have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 will go dark on May 11. Funding for the NM Notify app has run out, New Mexico Department of Health Communications Coordinator David Barre […]
Otero declines to join other counties in opioid collaborative effort
Otero County commissioners unanimously rejected a proposal to join other county governments pooling together their settlement funds from national opioid lawsuits. At the April 13 meeting, commissioners were tasked with deciding whether to join seven other counties to pool resources to develop a treatment system to remediate from the opioid crisis. This would include establishing […]
FEMA opens claims offices to help compensate northern NM fire victims
An office for people seeking compensation for damage caused by the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire is now open. It took about seven months to get the office running, a response by the federal government that is at fault for New Mexico’s largest wildfire and, by law, intends to send billions of dollars in financial aid […]