New Mexico News & Current Events | Public News Service

The Rio Grande and its tributaries provide drinking water for about 13 million people in the United States and Mexico. (SeanPavonePhoto/Adobe Stock)

Friday, November 29, 2024

Lawsuit limbo over disputed NM, TX water rights

A delegation of New Mexico lawmakers is asking the federal government to quickly resolve long-standing litigation affecting water users in the Rio Gra…

New Mexico immigrant advocacy groups said mass deportations promised by the next Trump administration would destabilize local economies. (LRafael/AdobeStock)

NM human rights groups promise to defend immigrants against deportation

New Mexico immigrant-based and immigrant-serving organizations are developing strategies to defend those workers and their families in the new year…

Researchers say when a larger group of people are walking together, the risk of being hit by a car is generally lower. (Viam/Adobe Stock - AI enhanced)

NM researcher studies why pedestrian, bicyclist deaths are on the rise

The number of pedestrians and bicyclists killed on roadways in the U.S. has nearly doubled in the past 12 years and a New Mexico researcher wants to …

Building generational wealth is the goal behind New Mexico's proposed

Child advocates want NM to eradicate poverty through 'baby bonds'

New Mexico child welfare groups are behind an initiative they plan to introduce in the next legislative session to create a so-called baby bonds progr…

New Mexicans who qualify can receive benefits beyond doctor visits and prescription drugs through a Dual Special Needs Plan. (Kzenon/Adobe Stock)

NM Medicaid, Medicare enrollees qualify for extra health insurance coverage

Nearly 13 million people nationwide, including 785,000 in New Mexico who receive Medicare and Medicaid, may also qualify for even more coverage under …

Almost 50 million people, one in six in the United States, rely on food assistance from charities, according to Feeding America. (Photo courtesy Roadrunner Food Bank)

NM food bank encourages neighbors to help neighbors during holidays

Nearly 390,000 New Mexicans received help from the Roadrunner Food Bank last year, and holidays make the need all the more urgent. One in five …

America's schoolteachers report spending nearly 30% of instructional time repeating information because of poor listening skills. (JacobLund/Adobe Stock)

NM's schoolchildren, adults could benefit from 'active listening'

If the election season made one thing clear, it is neither side can hear what the other is saying and one expert believes it is because most of us …

The Associated Press has tabulated election results since 1848 when Zachary Taylor won the presidential election as a member of the Whig Party. (WPW enhanced/Adobe Stock)<br />

To call or not to call: The election night question

After a long campaign season, voters in New Mexico and around the country are casting their ballots. But in some races, the outcome might not be …

More than half of the 46 million immigrants living in the United States are naturalized citizens, according to the United States Census Bureau. (AdobeStock AI enhanced/ChaoticMind)

Legal immigrants in NM, elsewhere, ensnared in voting allegations

New Mexico has a sizable immigrant community - making up 11% of the state's labor force. But during contentious U.S. elections, they can suffer a …

The estimated 11 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States in 2022 was below the peak of 12.2 million in 2007. (Gretchen/Adobe Stock)

Mass deportation of immigrants opposed by most U.S. voters

A strong majority of voters across party lines want lawmakers to create a path to citizenship for America's 11 million undocumented immigrants…

Early voting in New Mexico will end on Nov. 2. (Photo courtesy of Megan Gleason/Source NM)

Trump schedules last-minute campaign rally in 'blue' New Mexico

Many voters in New Mexico are wondering why former President Donald Trump plans tomorrow's visit to a state where polls showed a firm Democratic lead…

Moms of young children remain vastly underrepresented in state capitols across the country, according to the Vote Mama Foundation. (Mediteraneo/Adobe Stock)

Breaking down barriers to seeking political office in New Mexico

In politics, money talks and the barrier makes it tough for the average person to run for office and still harder in New Mexico. State legislators …

Despite unique barriers, a survey shows transgender people in the United States have a higher voter turnout than the general population. (freshidea/Adobe Stock)

NM GOP candidates amplify Trump's debunked transgender surgery claims

A New Mexico, LGBTQ civil rights group says a debunked claim by the Trump-Vance presidential campaign that "sex changes" are taking place in schools …

Breast cancer in the United States occurs primarily in middle-aged and older women, but age is not the only risk factor. (TarasGrebinets/Adobe Stock)

NM women get new recommendations for breast cancer screenings

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and health professionals are urging New Mexico women and those in other states to get screened at younger …

Because of their remote nature and limited capacity to access financial help, many of New Mexico's colonias rely on water wells not built to code. (GAO)

NM's colonias need oversight to improve water, wastewater systems

Federal funding for infrastructure improvements in colonias, predominately rural, Hispanic communities near the U.S.-Mexico border, including 150 in …

New Mexico changed its state law in 2023 to allow people with felony convictions to vote if they are not incarcerated. (niyazz/Adobe Stock)

Lawsuit forces NM to rush voter registration for those with felony convictions

New Mexicans who've been released from prison after serving time for a felony conviction will be able to vote in next month's election, after pro-…

Candice Griego, the new director of Tribal Relations for Roadrunner Food Bank, wants to help New Mexico's Indigenous communities develop food sovereignty. (Courtesy Roadrunner Food Bank)

NM food bank goes the distance to reach Indigenous communities

A New Mexico food bank has expanded outreach to the state's Indigenous communities by hiring a Director of Tribal Relations. Candice Griego will …

The financially beleaguered U.S. Postal Service expects to save billions of dollars by using electric rather than gas-powered mail delivery trucks. (USPSoig.gov)

NM streets will be quieter, cleaner when USPS electric mail trucks arrive

Neighborhoods across New Mexico and other states will soon be cleaner and quieter as the U.S. Postal Service rolls out its new electric mail-delivery …

The average person's struggle to distinguish between true and false online information now extends beyond voting to health, well-being and civic life. (nicoletaionescu/Adobe Stock)

America's 'era of misinformation' not exclusive to elections, voting

Wading through misinformation these days is not exclusive to voting rights and rules - but also can cause confusion about health, well-being…

Nearly 90% of nonbinary adults in the workforce are younger than age 35 and half are people of color. (Marcos/AdobeStock)

Boosting transgender employment could boost a company's bottom line

Experts say a diverse workforce is crucial for creativity and social justice, and equally good for a company's bottom line. But reluctance to hire …

Life expectancy among American Indians and Alaskan Natives is more than five years shorter than the national average. (unm.edu)

Public health officials lack data in treating Native American communities

By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for New Mexico News Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public …

Declining monarch butterfly populations are getting help from

Testing the 'butterfly effect' in New Mexico's Bosque

New Mexico volunteers will test the "butterfly effect" this Saturday as they perform small actions meant to produce monumental change. Civic and …

Critics of Project 2025 allege it would put water at greater risk of pollution and contamination for the sake of corporate profits. (wckiw/Adobe Stock)

NM news org identifies impacts of 'Project 2025' on state residents

A New Mexico nonprofit news organization wants voters to know what is included in "Project 2025" and how it could potentially change the course of the…

The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act provides lump-sum compensation for illnesses contracted by people working in the uranium industry or exposed to above-ground nuclear tests. (Courtesy Nuclear Threat Initiative)

New Mexico tribal representatives in D.C. to support radiation exposure compensation

A 2,000-mile bus trip has not deterred representatives from Southwest tribes from traveling to Washington, D.C., this week to support expansion of …

Democrats outnumber Republicans in New Mexico, with about 43% of the electorate compared to the GOP's 31%. (Courtesy Heath Haussamen/NMPolitics.net)

NM officials, voter advocates monitor election disinformation

New Mexico's Doña Ana County Clerk said she feels better than expected about security and safety ahead of November's elections - but still works …

Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruling for Citizens United in 2010, a handful of wealthy donors have dominated electoral giving and spending in America's political campaigns. (AddMeshCube/Adobe Stock)

Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's

A new analysis of money contributed to 2024 congressional candidates showed women contribute about as frequently as men but dollar amounts are signifi…

A new U.S. Census Bureau report shows the rate of children without health insurance in New Mexico was 5.9% in 2023, compared to 5.4% nationwide. (FotoAndalucia/Adobe Stock)

New census data show significant drop in NM's child poverty

A new federal report shows anti-poverty policies enacted by New Mexico are making a big difference. This month, the U.S. Census Bureau has released …

Orange glow in Albuquerque night sky lights up Hunger Action Month

New Mexico's Roadrunner Food Bank sent a "glowing" invitation to encourage food and financial contributions during September's Hunger Action Month…

In New Mexico, 70% of extremely low-income renter households face a severe cost burden, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. (qingwa/AdobeStock)

America's 2-decade-long housing shortage needs a fix

New Mexico houses cost less to buy than in many other states but there's also less inventory and one data expert does not expect a building boom to re…

Green chiles take center stage next month when New Mexico extension agents offer classes in preservation techniques. (Photo courtesy of NMSU)

NM experts dish up best techniques for preserving green chile

The growing season is winding down in New Mexico and experts want to make sure the people preserving green chile for the colder months are doing it ri…

The Sierra Club said a third of all Americans, including 28 million children, do not have a park or natural space within a 10-minute walk of their home. (milicanistoran/Adobe Stock)

Congress urged to protect outdoor program for 4th-graders

A national program to connect children and families with the outdoors is at risk of ending without help from Congress. The Every Kid Outdoors …

The 2024 Braver Angels convention in Kenosha, Wisconsin drew about 700 delegates to Carthage College. (braver angels.org)

NM's Braver Angels offers political junkies an alternative to divisiveness

There's evidence that respectful conversations about politics - while not changing hearts or minds - can lead to greater understanding on both sides…

A mega-dairy concentrated animal feeding operations can produce as much waste as a city without the benefit of an advanced sewage treatment system. (ArtemZakharov/Adobe Stock)

NM group seeks moratorium on new factory farms

By Lena Beck for Modern Farmer.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for New Mexico News Connection reporting for the Modern Farmer-Public News Service Colla…

New Mexico's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is the nation's only deep geologic long-lived radioactive waste repository. (DOE) New Mexico's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is the nation's only deep geologic long-lived radioactive waste repository. (DOE)

Feds hold NM meetings to decide expansion of radioactive waste site

Public meetings in New Mexico this week will gather input on proposed expansion of a nuclear waste repository. But watchdog groups are urging a …

In 2020, President Joe Biden won the state of New Mexico by a 10.79% margin of victory over Donald Trump. (mrr/AdobeStock)

High priorities for NM's Dem voters: Health care, education, border security

A New Mexico delegate to last week's Democratic National Convention said he heard specific themes he expects Presidential nominee Kamala Harris and he…

The federal government began cleaning up nuclear waste in New Mexico's Acid Canyon in the late 1960s, but one scientist said it is not gone. (National Park Service)

Scientist: plutonium contamination still present in NM's Acid Canyon

A scientist who said he found extreme plutonium contamination in Los Alamos' Acid Canyon believes concerned residents should invest in monitoring equi…

The 2019 Energy Transition Act was passed with the goal of cementing New Mexico's place as a leader in the clean energy transition. (hrui/AdobeStock)

NM's Just Transition: No community left behind, everyone shares benefits

New Mexico is taking a page from Colorado's Office of Just Transition to support communities affected by climate change. The office aims to support …

Sixty-two percent of student parents are first-generation college students, according to a study by Child Trends. (Unsplash/ElijahHiett)

NM parents, mostly women, pursue better paying jobs through higher education

Student parents at New Mexico's community colleges represent a significant portion of the postsecondary population. And while the state has taken …

Two of the five New Mexico Supreme Court justices are women, as are seven of the 10 Court of Appeals judges. (mehaniq41/AdobeStock)

Demystifing campaign finance effects on NM's female candidates

When it comes to getting elected to statewide offices, women candidates face a disadvantage, a new study shows. Historically, many women haven't been …

New Mexico implemented same-day voter registration in 2020, resulting in 11,449 new voters, according to a study by the University of New Mexico. (MariaVitkovska/AdobeStock)

League of Women Voters promotes civic participation one election at a time

The arrival of social media some 20 years ago has created a challenge when it comes to finding nonpartisan political information. The League of …

Policies proposed in Project 2025 would undermine already enacted environmental and climate policies related to fossil-fuel production, climate action and environmental justice. (newmexico.org)

Project 2025 alarms NM's teachers, human rights advocates, conservationists

From education to the environment and immigration, proposals in the "Project 2025" document alarm many New Mexicans promoting a more equal society…

Extreme heat, a direct result of the rise in the Earth's temperature, kills more people in the U.S. than flooding and hurricanes combined. (StillIAmWorking/Adobe Stock, AI enhanced)

Fires, floods, heat: NM August 'town halls' focus on climate change

A summer of fires, floods and extreme heat have prompted a series of climate change town halls in New Mexico this month, ahead of the 2025 …

Ponderosa pines in New Mexico's Zuni Mountains can measure 60 inches wide and live 300 to 600 years. (Courtesy Zander Evans)

Importance of NM's old-growth forests amid climate change cited

Climate change is forcing hard conversations about the importance of old-growth forests but in New Mexico, many say future generations must know the …

The need to reform mental-health treatment standards is expected to be a major push by the New Mexico governor during the 2025 legislative session. (TatyanaGladskih/Adobe Stock)

Substance misuse, suicide mortality rates decline slightly

The most recent data from the group Trust for America's Health show overdoses and suicides remain at historic levels - despite a small decrease in 202…

Researchers have long noted a correlation between scorching outdoor temperatures and violent crime. (ytutye/Adobe Stock)

NM advocacy group: more climate change infrastructure needed

A New Mexico advocacy group is reminding lawmakers the state must revise its approach to extreme heat, air pollution and the oil and gas industry if …

New Mexico is among the top 10 states where women hold a significant number of seats in the state Legislature. (Eldon/Adobe Stock)

Harris proves exception as fewer women seek office in 2024

Earlier this year, Mexico elected the first woman president in the country's 200-year history, and Kamala Harris hopes to duplicate that milestone in …

A proposal by a far-right think tank would increase funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall, should Republicans retake the White House in November. (Jeff/Adobe Stock)

NM voters get lowdown on far right's 'Project 2025'

A sweeping conservative plan to shape a possible second Donald Trump presidency is making headlines, even as the GOP candidate claims to know little …

In New Mexico, immigrants account for 22% percent of the state's construction workforce. (NicholasFelix/peopleimages.com/AdobeStock)<br />

Political scapegoating of immigrants surges ahead of U.S. elections

Polls show a significant number of Americans believe immigration is the most important issue facing the U.S. but experts argued claims of immigrants …

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - November 29, 2024

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