News
Federal judge overturns Tennessee’s ban on drag shows
Late Friday, a federal judge overturned a new Tennessee law prohibiting drag performances in public spaces, ruling it unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker ruled the Adult Entertainment Act (AEA) violates the separation-of-powers principle and chills speech protected through the First Amendment. In March, Friends of George’s, a Memphis theater company that raises funds for […]
Northern NM disaster victims can request repair estimates “at no cost” from federal agency
Many recovering from the enormous disasters that plagued northern New Mexico last year still haven’t received compensation for all of their losses. Dead trees, debris and erosion from the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire still clutter people’s land in northern New Mexico. And concerns remain that these things could turn into greater threats as more floods […]
Half a million people in 11 states have lost Medicaid coverage since April
More than 500,000 people across 11 states have lost their Medicaid coverage since the unwinding of a policy that allowed people to stay in the program throughout the pandemic. The data, reported by the states and tracked by health policy researcher KFF, shows that of the five states providing data on people who lost Medicaid […]
NM joins cascade of states suing PFAS manufacturers
The state of New Mexico is suing 21 manufacturers of ‘forever chemicals,’ also known as PFAS, for deceptive trade practices. The lawsuit was filed Thursday in district court in Santa Fe, a site that has PFAS contamination at the City of Santa Fe Fire Department. The court filing also named Lea County Airport in Hobbs, […]
U.S. Interior Department finalizes fossil fuel, mining ban near Chaco Canyon
The federal government will not issue new oil and gas or mining leases on federal lands within 10 miles of Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico, the U.S. Interior Department said Friday. The public lands order from the department’s Bureau of Land Management will stay in effect for 20 years. The order said […]
NM environmental agency bracing for water law changes
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling changed water law overnight last week – and the impacts will ripple through New Mexico over coming months. New Mexico’s complicated water landscape, coupled with the fact it’s one of three states that does not have a state agency regulate pollution in surface water, leaves it uniquely vulnerable, officials for […]
New Mexico temporarily bans new oil and gas leases near schools
Nearly a month ago, plaintiffs sued New Mexico regarding pollution caused by the state’s robust oil and gas production. On Thursday, the state put a temporary halt on granting new fossil fuel leases near places where children and students gather. New Mexico Lands Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard announced the moratorium Thursday morning with an executive […]
NM public bank oversight panel sets agenda for the rest of 2023
A legislative panel overseeing New Mexico’s public bank set its agenda for the rest of the year. The 32-member New Mexico Finance Authority (NMFA) Oversight Committee voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve its 2023 Work Plan, which will guide the topics it discusses leading up to the next legislative session in January 2024. NMFA is […]
U.S. Senate sends Biden debt limit legislation ahead of Monday default deadline
WASHINGTON — The bipartisan debt limit bill is on its way to President Joe Biden after the U.S. Senate voted Thursday to clear the measure for his signature. The 63-36 vote followed several amendment votes, all of which were rejected. Biden is expected to quickly sign the package, preventing a default on the debt that […]
Tribes call on Haaland to push increased protections for the Grand Canyon
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland met with tribal leaders representing a dozen Indigenous nations last weekend in a move that could expand protections for land around The Grand Canyon, permanently safeguarding the region from future uranium mining. The proposed Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument would convert 1.1 million acres of public land surrounding […]
Biden delivers speech during Air Force Academy graduation in Colorado Springs
President Joe Biden gave a commencement address during a ceremony Thursday at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. He congratulated each member of the class of 2023 after they received diplomas in the academy’s 65th graduation ceremony. Hundreds of families crowded into Falcon Stadium on the Air Force Academy campus under a cloudy […]
Agricultural producers share concerns about new federal environmental protection proposal
New Mexico rancher Bret Riley is concerned a new federal rule that the U.S. Bureau of Land Management wants to set in place could interfere with his agricultural business. Leroy Romero, a retired electrical engineer, didn’t know much about the proposed rule until recently but has questions about how it’ll affect his outdoor hunting and […]