Luján, Blunt Rochester, Wyden, And Schumer Introduce Legislation To Cap Medicare Costs For Seniors
U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), introduced the Medicare Cost Cap Act, which will create a $5,000 cap on out-of-pocket costs for Traditional Medicare (Parts A and B) beneficiaries.
Currently, Traditional Medicare does not have a limit on out-of-pocket costs, meaning beneficiaries are confronted with unlimited, catastrophic health Read More
Denish: Democrats Should Ask Questions, Too
By DIANE DENISH
Corner To Corner
diane@dianedenish.com
I’ve often thought the process of electing a Governor and Lt. Governor in NM resembles an arranged marriage.
In New Mexico, candidates for Governor and Lt. Governor are nominated separately in the primary election. They run separate campaigns, raise money through separate accounts, and develop their own strategies. Then, on primary election night, the winners are brought together to form a ticket. The marriage begins.
The Lt. Governor’s role during the general election campaign is limited. The gubernatorial candidate and campaign Read More
Luján, Blunt Rochester Introduce Bill To Restore USDA Food Security Supplemental Survey
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sens. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research, and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) introduced the Food Assurance and Security Act to reinstate the Food Security Supplemental Survey and resume publication of annual household food security reports.
In 1995, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Census Bureau developed this comprehensive nutrition access survey, collecting data on food security and nutrition assistance program participation. However, Read More
Santa Fe County Elections Earns Multiple National Achievement Awards
Winners of the ‘I Voted’ sticker contest. From left to right: Roadrunner & Yucca by Jayden Moya, Adobe Skyline by McKenzie Gallegos, Bold Roadrunner by Io Amswych. Courtesy images
SFCCO News:
SANTA FE — The Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office has received six 2026 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo), recognizing innovative and effective county programs that strengthen services for residents.
Among the honored initiatives is the “I Voted” Sticker Design Program, which engages youth and the broader community by incorporating local art into Read More
Lasses And Lads Of Enchantment To Open Los Alamos County Council Meeting On Tuesday June 30
In a salute to America’s 250th birthday, local barbershop group Lasses and Lads of Enchantment will open the Los Alamos County Council meeting Tuesday with a rendition of America The Beautiful. Photo by Bernadette Lauritzen Read More
Tales Of Our Times: Each Party Depicts Voter Laws In Its Own Way … Here’s My View
Tales Of Our Times
By JOHN BARTLIT
Los Alamos
Each Party Depicts Voter Laws In Its Own Way: Here’s My View
The work done in politics and science is more alike than most would guess. But politics has a worsening handicap. Politics forever deals with the billion dollar costs, lost time, and incoherence of campaign cycles, primaries plus general. With differing burdens, science is more agile. Voting laws illustrate this range of habits.
Political rivals launch separate images of voting laws. Slogans and flyers from either party tell us the importance of stopping the election crimes their rival Read More
Republican Party Of New Mexico Treasurer Kimberly Skaggs Charged With Fatal Hit-And-Run Near Las Cruces
Kimberly Ann Skaggs
COURT News:
Kimberly Ann Skaggs, 54, listed at the time of her arrest on Wednesday as treasurer of the Republican Party of New Mexico, faces felony charges in a hit-and-run that took place June 22 near Las Cruces.
According to court records, Skaggs was charged in Doña Ana County Magistrate Court with leaving the scene of an accident involving great bodily harm or death and tampering with evidence. She is charged with driving the vehicle that hit bicyclist Andrew R. Brown, 40, and failing to stop or return to the scene to provide required information or reasonable assistance. Read More
Leger Fernández, Stansbury, Vasquez Probe Federal Drug Enforcement Actions That Allowed Fentanyl On New Mexico’s Streets
U.S. HOUSE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Reps. Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), and Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) sent a letter to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrator Terrance Cole demanding answers about reports that federal agents and prosecutors knowingly allowed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to flood the streets of Albuquerque and other New Mexico communities.
The practice, known as “walking”, is an investigative tactic where law enforcement agencies, like the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), deliberately allow illicit drugs to pass through Read More
New Electric Rates Begin July 1 In Los Alamos County
COUNTY News:
Time of use rates and residential demand begin July 1, 2026 in Los Alamos County. Customers will see this reflected in their August bills. To see examples of the new bill layout or to learn more, visit https://ladpu.com/TOU.
Residents will automatically be enrolled in Time Of Use (TOU) and residential demand. Electric rates for TOU will be different during on-peak and off-peak hours. Residential demand will be charged once per month, at the highest hour of usage within the billing period and is independent of TOU times.
- On-peak hours: 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. at a rate of $0.1970 per kilowatt-hour
Quote Of The Day: Man In The Arena
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, Read More
Deb Haaland Endorses Stephanie Garcia Richard For Lieutenant Governor Of New Mexico
Deb Haaland
Democratic nominee for governor
From the Office of Deb Haaland:
ALBUQUERQUE – Deb Haaland, Democratic nominee for governor, shared the following update with State Central Committee members, along with a video message:
Dear Distinguished Democratic State Central Committee Member:
Stephanie Garcia Richard
I thank each person who put their name forward and who participated in this endorsement process of the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor. Each candidate I spoke with has a deep love and commitment to moving New Mexico forward. This was a difficult decision Read More
Luján, Kelly, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Remove Wildfire Fuel From New Mexico’s Forests
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sens. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), John Curtis (R-UT), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) introduced the bipartisan Hazardous Fuels Transportation Assistance Act to help communities and forest managers remove woody biomass—material left behind from forest thinning operations meant to prevent wildfires—that, if left in place, actually increases wildfire risk.
When forests are mechanically thinned to reduce wildfire risk, the process generates large volumes of woody biomass. Transporting the material out of the Read More
Deb Haaland Shares Update On LG Endorsement Process
Deb Haaland
STATE News:
ALBUQUERQUE — Deb Haaland, Democratic nominee for governor, shared the following update with State Central Committee members, regarding her process for endorsing a candidate for Lieutenant Governor:
Dear Distinguished Democratic State Central Committee Member:
On Monday, I shared that as the State Central Committee considers their options to fill the vacancy on the ballot for Lieutenant Governor, my campaign and I will conduct a thorough endorsement process.
We received thirteen requests for our questionnaire and nine questionnaires were completed and Read More
Democratic Party Of New Mexico Calls State Central Committee Meeting To Fill Lieutenant Governor Vacancy
DPNM News:
ALBUQUERQUE — Shortly after receiving a notice of withdrawal from the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office today, Democratic Party of New Mexico Chair Sara Attleson sent the official Call to the State Central Committee (SCC) Meeting to fill the Lieutenant Governor vacancy.
The State Central Committee meeting will be held July 25 and will be conducted virtually over ZOOM, to ensure accessibility for State Central Committee members across New Mexico. Voting will be conducted by online absentee ballot after the meeting.
Roughly 500 SCC members will be able to vote in the election. Read More
Heinrich, Lummis Introduce Legislation To Improve Teacher Pay At Tribal Schools
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) introduced the Indigenous Students Excel through Parity Act, bipartisan legislation to help improve teacher pay at Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools. New Mexico is home to 45 BIE-funded schools, which serve students from the state’s 23 federally recognized Pueblos, Tribes, and Nations.
BIE schools are funded by Congress and distributed to schools through the Indian School Equalization Program (ISEP) formula. Years of underfunding of ISEP have made it difficult for BIE Read More
FEMA Provides Over $3.5 Billion To Survivors Of Historic Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire
FEMA News:
SANTA FE — As of June 23, FEMA has provided more than $3.51 billion for more than 24,502 claims to individuals and families who were affected by the historic Hermit’s Peak and Calf Canyon fire and flooding.
This milestone comes a little more than four years since the largest and most destructive wildfire in New Mexico’s recorded history. The speed with which these resources were made available and delivered, has helped thousands of survivors navigate recovery faster.
Congress acted swiftly to pass the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act and secure a total of $5.45 billion Read More
County Boards And Commissions Weighs In On Best Option To Improve Safety At Ashley Pond Park
A rendering of one of the options to improve safety at Ashley Pond Park. This option involves installing boulders and having native plants. Courtesy/LAC
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
Looks certainly are not everything but when it comes to improving crowd safety at Ashley Pond Park, Los Alamos County is striving to offer something that ensures the public’s wellbeing and is aesthetically pleasing.
Los Alamos County Senior Engineer Jennifer Morrow explained to the Transportation Board Tuesday that the concrete jersey barriers currently lining the park’s Read More
Video: Councilor Havemann Discusses Tuesday’s Work Session
Los Alamos County Councilor Suzie Havemann provides a briefing on Tuesday’s council work session. Video by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com Read More
Final Public Hearing On Water Rate Adjustments Is June 30
COUNTY News:
A second and final public hearing for water rate adjustments will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, both online and in person at the Los Alamos County Council meeting in Council Chambers at the Los Alamos County Municipal Building, 1000 Central Ave.
Anyone wishing to join remotely may do so using the link https://ladpu.com/ratehearing.
If adopted by the Council, the ordinance will take effect for residential customers on Oct. 1, 2026, and all other customers on July 1, 2026.
The proposed ordinance and answers to frequently-asked-questions about it can be found on DPU’s Read More
Rep. Vasquez Votes To Pass Bipartisan Housing Bill To Bring Down Housing Costs, Curb Corporate Homebuying
U.S. HOUSE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On May 20, 2026, U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) voted to pass the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a bipartisan bill to bring down housing costs in New Mexico. The bill—the largest housing package to pass out of the House in 36 years — now heads to the Senate and makes sweeping changes to the American housing market.
Measures in the bill include:
- Authorizes funding to build more affordable housing for working families in New Mexico: The bill funds additional affordable housing projects to boost housing stock and bring down prices. The bill also establishes
