New Mexico State Land Office Hires New Leads For Commercial Division & Cultural Resources Office
Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard
STATE News:
SANTA FE — New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard has announced two new additions to the leadership team at the State Land Office:
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- Michael Sage, CEcD, as Assistant Commissioner of Commercial Resources; and
- Ethan Orlando Ortega (he/him/his) as Assistant Commissioner of Cultural Resources.
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Sage is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) recognized by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and comes to the agency with more than 16 years of economic development experience. Ortega previously Read More
Robinson: Gun Bills Return In Governor’s Crime Package
By SHERRY ROBINSON
All She Wrote
© 2024 New Mexico News Services
Guns are back on the governor’s priority list this year. She and the sponsors of several defeated bills from last year hope for a better outcome, but the dynamics haven’t really changed.
In the legislative session starting Jan. 16, are:
House Bill 127, by Rep. Reena Szczepanski, D-Santa Fe. It would raise the age to buy automatic firearms from 18 to 21.
HB 129, by Rep. Andrea Romero, D-Santa Fe. It requires a 14-day waiting period for gun purchases and completion of a federal background check.
The GOSAFE Act, to be introduced by Romero. Read More
Martin Luther King Jr. Honored Today For Non-Violent Quest For Peace And Justice
Martin Luther King Jr.
Photo from the Nobel Foundation archive
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day – a national holiday honoring the life of a man awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 “for his non-violent struggle for civil rights for the Afro-American population”.
Martin Luther (Jan. 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was born Michael Luther King, Jr., but later had his name changed to Martin. His grandfather began the family’s long tenure as pastors of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, serving from 1914 to 1931; his father then served, and from 1960 until his death Martin Luther acted as co-pastor. Read More
Denish: How To Pass A Bill In The Legislature
By DIANE DENISH
Corner to Corner
© 2024 New Mexico News Services
The 56th Legislature, Second Session, opens this week. There have been media reports about proposals from the executive and legislative branches. Debates about the budget proposals and agency requests are already in progress in Legislative Finance Committee meetings. At the same time, interest groups such as gun safety groups, education advocates, environmental and economic development and business people are expressing their support and in some cases opposition to bills being proposed.
This is a 30-day session. There Read More
N.M. Delegation Welcomes Nearly $68 Million Investment From Bipartisan Infrastructure Law For EV Charging Network
Congressional News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) are welcoming nearly $68 million in competitive federal grant funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program to build major new electric vehicle (EV) charging networks throughout New Mexico.
“I am thrilled that New Mexico is receiving such a substantial share of the investment from the first round Read More
New Mexico’s 2024 Legislative Session Opens Tuesday
Gov. Lujan Grisham delivers her State of the State Address before a joint session of the House and Senate during the opening of the 2020 Legislative Session at the Roundhouse. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
Staff Report:
The Second Session of the 56th Legislature gets underway at noon Tuesday, Jan. 16. It is a 30-day session so will end at noon Thursday, Feb. 15.
The organization of the New Mexico Legislature is similar to those in other states. The 112 members of the Legislature are divided into two chambers — the House of Representatives, composed of 70 members who run for office every Read More
Chaves County Commissioners Appoint IPANM Board President Jared Hembree To Fill District 59 House Seat
Jared Hembree
IPANM News:
The Chaves County Board of Commissioners has nominated Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico (IPANM) Board President Jared Hembree (R) as successor to the New Mexico House District 59 seat previously held by State Rep. Greg Nibert (R-Roswell).
Commissioners made the decision recently at the Chaves County Administrative Center at Roswell, and because District 59 lies entirely inside Chaves County, the Commissioner’s nominee will be the only name submitted to the governor for appointment.
Due to the appointment, Hembree will formally suspend his work Read More
U.S. Senators Heinrich, Luján Call On Agriculture Committee Leadership To Address Long-Term Drought In Farm Bill
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and 13 bipartisan Senate colleagues, to call on the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry leaders to address long-term drought in the upcoming Farm Bill.
“Agriculture is the economic backbone for rural communities in our states. However, severe, long-term drought is devastating these rural areas. During periods of droughts, our farmers and ranchers face diminishing crop and livestock Read More
Military Order Of The World Wars To Host Robert Hull On ‘Spy Recruiting: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly’
Robert Hull
MOWW News:
At this month’s meeting of Military Order Of The World Wars (MOWW), Robert Hull will speak on “Spy Recruiting: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly”. He will talk about the Agent Recruitment Cycle, the effect of the John Walker spy ring on establishing the Personnel Security Research Center (PERSEREC), and his own personal experience in the late 1960s with a Soviet agent when he was an intelligence analyst working in the Middle East.
Hull served as a Cold-War Era intelligence operations/analyst for the US Air Force covering the Czechoslovakian Prague Spring, Sputnik launches, Read More
County Lodgers’ Tax Advisory Board To Meet Tuesday
New Mexico Early Childhood Education Presents FY25 Budget To House Finance & Appropriations Committee
ECECD News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) presented Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s FY25 agency budget request to the House Finance and Appropriations Committee Thursday at the New Mexico State Capitol.
The Executive Budget Recommendation for ECECD is $800 million, with requested increases that would maintain expanded child care assistance eligibility, expand access to high-quality infant and toddler child care, continue the historic expansion of New Mexico’s PreK/Early PreK programs, and increase investments in quality and workforce Read More
Garcia, Grothman: ‘Safe Airspace For Americans Act’
ASA News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representives Robert Garcia (D-CA) and Glenn Grothman (R-WI) introduced the “Safe Airspace for Americans Act” today, which would facilitate the reporting of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) by civilian aviation personnel.
Reports would be shared by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to the Department of Defense’s AARO Office with legal protections for those making reports. The bill is endorsed by Americans for Safe Aerospace (ASA).
“UAP transparency is incredibly important for our national security, which is why we need to create a space Read More
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Unveils Public Safety Legislative Agenda For 2024 Session
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
From the Office of the Governor:
SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham today unveiled her public safety legislative agenda at the State Capitol.
“This is, without a doubt, the largest and most comprehensive public safety package in our state’s history,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “Gun violence is a significant contributor to the cycles of crime in our communities and will continue to use every tool at our disposal to end this epidemic. Likewise, we will strengthen our support for law enforcement, increase penalties for violent crimes, and once again pursue legislation Read More
Heinrich Touts ‘Clean Energy Industrial Revolution’ Thanks To Inflation Reduction Act: ‘I Like Winning. Let’s Do More’
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Thursday, during a hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) highlighted how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act have spurred a domestic manufacturing boom in New Mexico and across the country, creating thousands of high-quality jobs, strengthening the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain, building EV charging networks, growing the economy, and growing the middle class.
In an exchange with U.S. Department of Treasury Deputy Secretary Adewale Adeyemo, Heinrich Read More
Berghmans: I’m Running For NM State Senate … Here’s Why
By HEATHER BERGHMANS
Democrat for NM State Senate
My name is Heather Berghmans, and I am running for New Mexico State Senate because I believe public service is one of the most impactful ways to improve the lives of kids, women, and families.
I am challenging Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto in the June 4, 2024 Democratic Primary.
I’m an Albuquerque native, policy analyst, and finance consultant. For more than five years, I have worked with our state lawmakers to pass legislation that has contributed to major victories for working families, our environment, abortion access, gun violence prevention, criminal Read More
Common Cause New Mexico: 2024 Legislative Priorities
Policy Director Mason Graham
CCNM News:
Once again, modernizing the legislative process with longer legislative sessions, salaries for unpaid legislators, and permanent district staff for individual legislators is the top priority for Common Cause New Mexico (CCNM) during the upcoming session.
“For the most part, our current system was set up in 1912, so it’s no wonder that it’s not achieving the outcomes we need in 2023,” CCNM Policy Director Mason Graham said. “Changing the institution to provide salaries would allow people of every stripe to run for office, not just those who can afford Read More
Op/Ed: Response To ACLU Regarding Antisemitism
By KRISTINA HARRIGAN
Class of 1978
Harvard Law School
The ACLU “Gov’s dangerous executive order could silence protected speech in New Mexico” (link) warns that the Governor’s Executive Order’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Association’s definition of antisemitism, adopted by the Federal Government and over 40 countries around the world, threatens Constitutionally protected free speech.
This is a blatant misrepresentation.
The Order does not aim at speech but at acts that accompany the speech. Its purpose is to determine whether an act that, on its own, violates Read More
State Lawmakers To Join Postcard-Signing Event To Rouse Support For Autism Legislation Jan. 20
STATE News:
ALBUQUERQUE — Several state legislators – including Representatives Joshua Hernandez, Kathleen Cates, Liz Thompson and Sen. Linda Lopez – will join the Garza owned McDonald’s and Elevate the Spectrum to host a postcard signing-event on Saturday, Jan. 20 in an effort to impact change for those with autism.
The public is strongly encouraged to participate. The event will take place 2-4 p.m. at McDonald’s on 5700 McMahon Blvd.
Pre-filled postcards will be made available where the public need only add their address.
Volunteers will then send the postcards to the appropriate Read More
Former House Speaker David Norvell To Lie In State Today
David Norvell
STATE News:
SANTA FE — Today at Noon, members of the public are invited to pay their respects to former New Mexico House Speaker and Attorney General David Norvell as he lies in state at the Capitol Rotunda in Santa Fe.
The ceremony will include remarks from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, former Speakers of the New Mexico House Raymond Sanchez, Ken Martinez and Brian Egolf and current Speaker Javier Martínez.
Norvell served as the Attorney General of New Mexico from 1971-1974. Prior to that, he served as Speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives, the youngest person ever to Read More
UNM-Los Alamos Advisory Board Welcomes New Members
From left, Municipal Judge Elizabeth Allen swears in newly elected UNM-LA Advisory Board Member Kristin Henderson while her daughters Violet and Eleanor Henderson look on during the board meeting Tuesday night. Courtesy/UNM-LA
Municipal Judge Elizabeth Allen swears in newly elected UNM-LA Advisory Board Member John Pawlak during the board meeting Tuesday night. Courtesy/UNM-LA
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
University of New Mexico-Los Alamos (UNM-LA) students will not see an increase in tuition in Fiscal Year 2025. During its regular meeting Monday, Read More
