President Trump Issues Order Reinstating Service Members Discharged Under Military’s COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate
From the White House:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose and Policy. On August 24, 2021, the Secretary of Defense mandated that all service members receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The Secretary of Defense later rescinded the mandate on January 10, 2023. The vaccine mandate was an unfair, overbroad, and completely unnecessary burden on our service members. Further, the military unjustly discharged those who refused the vaccine, regardless of the years of service given to our Read More
Early Childhood Workers Shore Up Support For Pay Raises
Ellie Panteah sits beside her mother, Lori Panteah, an early childhood teacher at an Albuquerque day care, and listens to speakers during a Monday news conference at the Capitol, where early childhood advocates and officials worked to shore up support for two proposals tied to the pay of early childhood workers. Photo by Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
By ESTEBAN CANDELARIA
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Lori Panteah loved being an early childhood teacher at an Albuquerque day care.
She did the job for over 13 years, she said. But the mother of two could not support her family on her wage of $13.50 per Read More
Legislative Roundup: 54 Days Remaining In Session
By Santa Fe New Mexican
Days remaining in session: 54
Committee processes under microscope: The New Mexico Senate is expected to discuss committee processes Tuesday after objections emerged over a five-minute time limit for lawmakers to ask questions during Monday’s Senate Rules Committee meeting, as well as the consideration of bills without a fiscal impact report.
“I do want our chairs to kind of respond about how things have been done and kind of what the customs have been,” Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, said at the conclusion of Monday’s Senate Read More
Los Alamos Police Chief Answers Immigration Policy Questions From Local Community
By Los Alamos Police Chief Dino Sgambellone:
The Los Alamos Police Department has received questions from the community regarding our immigration policy given the recent coverage of immigration enforcement at the federal level.
Although the federal administration has changed, our policy has not.
The Police Department works with all our federal partners and provides assistance as prescribed by law, or as a matter of public and officer safety.
With specific respect to immigration, the Department has a responsibility to properly identify and make Counsular notification of any foreign Read More
Korean War Army Soldier Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton To Be Laid To Rest After His Remains Identified Nearly 75 Years Later
Army Private First Class Arthur A. Clifton
VA News:
Korean War Army Private First Class Arthur A. Clifton will finally be laid to rest after his remains were identified almost 75 years later.
All are invited to attend the ceremony and pay their respects. The service, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, will include full military honors and caisson.
Clifton was a Korean War soldier who fought in the “Frozen Chosin”. The service is 1:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31 at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in the Assembly Area, 1520 Harry Wurzbach Road, San Antonio, Texas 78209.
Background
On Thanksgiving Read More
GOP Lawmakers Were Apologists For Inept University Board
By MILAN SIMONICH
The Santa Fe New Mexican
New Mexico’s Republican legislators enjoy lecturing everyone else about fiscal responsibility.
Listen to them long enough, and you might believe they’re committed to pinching the nickels and squeezing the dimes.
These days, the Republicans should be censuring two of their own members, state lawmakers Luis Terrazas and Gabriel Ramos.
Terrazas and Ramos in December publicly said the president and regents of Western New Mexico University should be left alone to run the institution as they saw fit. The two legislators were tired of critics who said Read More
Taylor Cook Appointed As Director Of Homeless Initiatives
Taylor Michelle Cook
STATE News:
SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has named Taylor Michelle Cook as director of homeless initiatives. Cook brings extensive experience in homeless service system design, project management, and applied research to the role.
“Taylor has dedicated her career to building equitable systems that support the most vulnerable populations,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “Her deep knowledge, combined with her hands-on experience, will strengthen our state’s efforts to combat homelessness and expand access to housing.”
Cook, a doctoral candidate in Community Read More
State Chief Judge Talks Pretrial Detention, Judicial Pay
Chief Justice David K. Thomson enters the House chambers to deliver the State of the Judiciary speech Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. Photo by Michael G. Seamans/The New Mexican
By PHAEDRA HAYWOOD
The Santa Fe New Mexican
In what is anticipated to be a public safety-dominated legislative session, state Supreme Court Chief Justice David Thomson told a joint session of the House and Senate Thursday the question of what to do about crime is a complex one.
This question reveals the challenges and burdens imposed on the judicial branch, Thomson said, and in today’s world one might just as well ask: Read More
Senate Pro Tem Mimi Stewart Introduces Clear Horizons Act To Protect New Mexico’s Future
U.S. Sen. Mimi Stewart
SENATE News:
SANTA FE — Across New Mexico, families and communities are facing the growing threats of pollution, wildfire, flooding, drought and extreme weather. From devastating wildfires that forced residents of Ruidoso to flee their homes to record-breaking floods in Roswell that soaked entire neighborhoods, the evidence is clear: we must act now to protect our New Mexican way of life.
Senate Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque) announced the introduction of Senate Bill 4, the Clear Horizons Act, along with companion legislation—Senate Bill 48, the Community Read More
Robinson: Future Disaster Costs Shadow State Tax Bills
By SHERRY ROBINSON
All She Wrote
© 2024 New Mexico News Services
Republicans want to get rid of personal income taxes in the state, and they’ve made it their priority for the current legislative session. It’s a big step, but in recent years a surge in oil and gas revenues have fattened state coffers so much that we can think about it.
“Eliminating the personal income tax will return more than $2 billion a year to New Mexico’s families, without disrupting our public services or tax credits that many families rely on,” wrote House Minority Leader Gail Armstrong, R-Magdalena, in an op-ed.
Freshman Rep. Read More
Ringside Seat: Senator Again Pitches Prohibition At Capitol
By MILAN SIMONICH
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Legislating under the influence of booze isn’t a crime.
State Sen. Harold Pope continues campaigning for what he believes is the next-best option. Pope, D-Albuquerque, wants a prohibition against members of his chamber drinking alcohol while they are working.
Pope for the third consecutive year has introduced Senate Resolution 1. It contains a single sobering sentence: “No senator shall consume alcohol before or during any floor session or meeting of a committee to which a member has been appointed.”
Beginning his fifth year in office, Pope said Read More
Tales Of Our Times: Optimizing The Use Of Low Cost Air Sensors
Tales Of Our Times
By JOHN BARTLIT
New Mexico Citizens
for Clean Air & Water
Optimizing The Use Of Low Cost Air Sensors
Notable remedies for public conflicts begin with new information. New approaches lead to better answers to perennial problems.
Yet, contentious times bring all manner of outcomes when we choose a topic and line up two speakers from different entities for a public program. Legions of talks set out to dispute contradictory facts. At the end, the dispute stands where it began. Loads of talks are pep talks for one side of an issue, which offer nothing new.
Talks that help a breadth Read More
Fr. Glenn: Extreme Data Points
By Fr. Glenn Jones:
Well … it’s been an interesting week, don’t you think? President Trump inaugurated, subsequently resulting in a flurry of executive actions. Love him or not, you have to admit that he’s definitely made his mark in the world during his life—certainly more than most people. Yep … definitely way off the average, and at 78 years old already, apparently not going quietly into the night.
As has J.D. Vance. Again, like him or not, it’s hard not to be impressed by his story. In his childhood he had almost nothing going for him—raised in poverty and with myriad disadvantages, he nonetheless Read More
County Council To Meet In Regular Session Tuesday Jan. 28
Got A Sweet Tooth? Don’t Miss Dems Fun Fundraiser Feb. 8
Los Alamos Democratic Party News:
Sweet on Dems! Enjoy sweet treats, live music and a chance to connect with local and elected Democrats in a fun, welcoming atmosphere.
Whether attending for the desserts, the conversations, or the community spirit, this event has something for everyone.
Bring friends and family—kids 12 and under get in free! Admission is just $20. Read More
Campos: New Mexico’s Oil And Gas Industry Leading The Way In Environmental Responsibility
By Sen. Pete Campos
Dist. 8
Las Vegas, N.M.
In recent years, New Mexico’s oil and gas industry has made significant strides in becoming more environmentally and climate-friendly. As one of the nation’s leading producers of oil and natural gas, our state has a unique responsibility to balance economic growth with environmental stewardship. I am proud to say that we are rising to the challenge.
Through stringent regulations and innovative practices, the industry is reducing its environmental footprint while continuing to drive our state’s economy.
One of the most notable achievements is Read More
Heinrich’s Congressional Briefing Highlights Advancements, Job Creation In Electric Vehicle Supply Chain
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich hosting a congressional briefing on developments in manufacturing electric vehicles and their supply chains in the United States, from batteries to electric school buses. Courtesy photo
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, hosted a congressional briefing on developments in manufacturing electric vehicles and their supply chains in the United States, from batteries to electric school buses.
Panelists from the Zero Emission Transportation Association Read More
Rural Health Councils Push For More State Funding
Health Council Coordinator Raelene Martinez, center, distributes food from the mobile food pantry at the office of San Ildefonso Pueblo Health Council in San Ildefonso Pueblo Thursday. Michael G. Seamans/The New Mexican
By MARGARET O’HARA
The Santa Fe New Mexican
SAN ILDEFONSO PUEBLO — Thelma Gonzales and Raelene Martinez do a little bit of everything.
Technically, the two women work for San Ildefonso Pueblo’s Health and Human Services Department, Gonzales as the community health representative manager and Martinez as the diabetes program manager and health council coordinator.
But Read More
Heinrich Opposes Hegseth Confirmation To Lead Pentagon
From the Office of U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Senate Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement after voting against advancing the confirmation of President Trump’s controversial and unqualified nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth.
“Pete Hegseth’s dishonorable record of sexual assault and domestic violence, drunk and disorderly conduct in public, racist, Read More
Somos Un Pueblo Unido Launches Know Your Rights Campaign Amid Anticipated Threats to Civil Liberties
From Somos Un Pueblo Unido:
SANTA FE — In anticipation of growing threats to civil rights under Donald Trump’s second term as U.S. President, Somos Un Pueblo Unido is launching a Know Your Rights campaign. This initiative aims to empower all individuals—regardless of immigration status—with the knowledge and tools they need to protect their constitutional rights in a climate that threatens to undermine them.
The Know Your Rights campaign is a proactive response to the potential dangers posed by the Trump administration, which has previously pursued policies aimed at rounding up and deporting Read More
