Martin: What Happens When Freedom Of The Press Is Silenced Or Imprisoned?
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 28, 2019
By MELISSA MARTINWhat happens when freedom of the press is silenced or imprisoned? Jailed journalists around the globe. How can it be? First Amendment aggressions in the United States. How can it be?
Devious despots misusing power and preying upon humanity—withholding information because knowledge is power. Silencing the other side of the story. Fear of losing control feeds their depravity. Dictators hiding behind castle walls and armies of destruction for those who dare criticize.
Freedom of the press is held hostage as journalists observe through prison bars. The
Read More Rep. Miguel P. García Seeks AG Opinion On Federal Jurisdiction Of Tri-State Generation And Transmission
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 28, 2019
State Rep. Miguel P. García
STATE News:
ALBUQUERQUE ― State Rep. Miguel P. García (D-Atrisco) has taken his concern to the Attorney General of New Mexico regarding Tri-State’s actions in subjecting themselves to federal jurisdiction under FERC.
“I am of the belief that Tri-State’s arbitrary actions to be subject to the jurisdiction of FERC violates the negotiated jurisdiction of the Public Regulatory Commission (PRC) over Tri-State’s rates, the statutory and constitutional rights of New Mexico ratepayers and the constitutional duties of the PRC,” García said.
Udall, Portman, Stabenow Introduce Legislation To Restore America’s National Forests
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 27, 2019
U.S. SENATE News:WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio.), and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) have introduced the Reforestation Act of 2019 to bolster funding for the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to address its backlog of planting needs by carrying out reforestation projects in forests damaged by events such as wildfires, insects and disease.
Given the Forest Service’s reforestation backlog, the new bipartisan bill would double funding from the Reforestation Trust Fund to $60 million per year. The purpose of the Reforestation Trust
Read More NMDOT Supports Car Seat Inspections Year Round
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 27, 2019
NMDOT News:SANTA FE ― The New Year brings a new schedule for car and booster seat inspections. The New Mexico Department of Transportation and Safer New Mexico Now will host car seat inspection clinics and fitting stations statewide in 2020.
This free educational event provides parents and caregivers the opportunity to receive hands-on instruction from nationally-certified child passenger safety technicians. Technicians will educate parents on the proper selection, installation and use of car seats and booster seats.
Technicians can also determine if a seat is recalled,
Read More Governor Statement On Passing Of Rep. Bill Pratt
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 27, 2019
Gov. Michelle Lujan GrishamSTATE News:
SANTA FE ― Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued the following statement Thursday regarding the passing of New Mexico State Rep. William Pratt:
“I am so saddened to hear of Representative Pratt’s passing, a man who never refused a call to serve others. As a physician he provided health care to underserved New Mexicans and as a legislator he worked diligently, often behind the scenes, to ensure everyone had a voice in the political process.
“Representative Pratt was a dedicated member of the community and in his short time in office
Read More Q&A With Congressional Candidate Joseph Sanchez
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 26, 2019
Congressional District 3 Candidate Joseph Sanchez
By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
Editor’s note: This is the seventh in a series in which the Los Alamos Daily Post presents the same set of questions to each of the candidates running for Congressional District 3, which serves the northern half of New Mexico.
Democratic candidate Joseph Sanchez provided the following answers:
POST: Why do you believe you are qualified to represent New Mexico in Congress?
SANCHEZ: I have over 20 years of experience working at Los Alamos National Laboratory. No candidate understands Read More
Udall, Heinrich, Cassidy Urge NIH To Transfer New Mexico Chimpanzees From Holloman AFB To Sanctuary
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 26, 2019
U.S. SENATE News:WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Bill Cassidy M.D. (R-La.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) submitted a letter Friday to National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis S. Collins, urging the agency transfer 43 chimpanzees from the Alamogordo Primate Facility on Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico to the national sanctuary system at Chimp Haven in Keithville, La.
The letter follows the October decision by NIH announcing that the remaining chimpanzees at the Alamogordo facility will not be transferred to sanctuary. The lawmakers
Read More Data Shows Higher Wages, Jobs For EDD Investments
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 26, 2019
Virgin Galactic announcement at the Roundhouse. Courtesy/EDD 
Secy Keyes at Virgin Galactic Announcement. Courtesy/EDD
EDD News:
SANTA FE ― During Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s first year in office, the New Mexico Economic Development Department has helped create more than 1,700 jobs, boosted private investment in the state by $740 million, and awarded job-training grants for 2,100 new workers at 71 companies, Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes announced.
Keyes held 37 public events or announcements in 18 counties since being named Cabinet Secretary in January.
Read More Luján Statement On USMCA Trade Agreement
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 25, 2019
U.S. Rep. Ben Ray LujánCONGRESSIONAL News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. House Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following statement on the USMCA trade agreement:
“The renegotiated United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement represents a marked improvement over NAFTA and the flawed agreement initially put forward by the Trump administration. Democrats worked diligently to strengthen the agreement’s labor and environmental protections, pushed to ensure meaningful enforcement, and fought to remove provisions that would have locked in higher prescription
Read More Udall Hails Interior Appropriations Bill Passage
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 25, 2019
U.S. Sen. Tom UdallU.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, hails the bipartisan vote to pass the Fiscal Year 2020 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill as part of a larger package of government funding bills.
The bill includes the largest proposed budget for the EPA in a decade and provides strong funding for New Mexico’s public lands, protections for Chaco Canyon, programs for Indian Country, and gains
Read More Call For New Mexico Events Commemorating Centennial Passage Of Women’s Constitutional Right To Vote
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 24, 2019
Courtesy/NHCCNHCC News:
ALBUQUERQUE ― The National Hispanic Cultural Center, in partnership with the City of Albuquerque and the League of Women Voters of Central New Mexico, has launched a New Mexico master calendar of events celebrating the 100th anniversary of the U.S. women’s vote.
The year 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing and protecting women’s constitutional right to vote. New Mexico ratified the 19th Amendment Feb. 21, 1920.
This historic centennial offers New Mexico communities an opportunity
Read More President Trump Signs National Law Enforcement Museum Commemorative Coin Act Into Law
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 23, 2019
President Donald J. Trump NLEM News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Law Enforcement Museum (NLEM) at the Motorola Solutions Foundation Building has announced that President Donald J. Trump has signed the National Law Enforcement Museum Commemorative Coin Act into law.
The bill, officially known as H.R. 1865, recently passed both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
“We are overjoyed that our nation’s lawmakers have recognized the importance of this Museum and the vital role of law enforcement in our society,” said National Law Enforcement
Read More U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich Introduces Bill To Promote Transmission Infrastructure Growth Across Nation
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 23, 2019
U.S. Sen. Martin HeinrichU.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced the Electric Power Infrastructure Improvement Act Friday to provide a new investment tax credit that will help promote the construction of regionally significant transmission projects across the U.S.
Heinrich’s legislation will help drive investments needed to not only alleviate the current strain on existing transmission lines, but improve the resilience of the grid and support new projects that connect modern renewable energy resources to the
Read More EPA Finalizes List Of Next 20 Chemicals To Undergo Risk Evaluation Under Toxic Substances Control Act
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 23, 2019
EPA News:WASHINGTON, D.C. — After reviewing input from stakeholders and the public, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Friday the next 20 chemicals to undergo risk evaluation under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
Finalizing this list of high-priority chemicals for risk evaluation represents the final step in the prioritization process outlined in TSCA and marks another major TSCA milestone for EPA in its efforts to ensure the safety of existing chemicals in the marketplace.
“Today we are continuing to deliver on the promise
Read More American Psychological Association Commends Congress For Funding Gun Violence Research
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 23, 2019
APA News:WASHINGTON, D.C. ― American Psychological Association (APA) President Rosie Phillips Davis, PhD, released the following statement in response to the passage of legislation that provides federal funding for gun violence research.
“The American Psychological Association commends Congress for providing historic, long overdue funding for research on gun violence prevention. Reducing gun violence is a top priority of APA and we are greatly encouraged by this action.
“The support from Congress is a key step in allowing agencies such as the Centers for Disease
Read More BLM: Closed Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Day
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 22, 2019
Truchas Peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the Pecos Wilderness area within Santa Fe National Forest. Photo by BLM News:
SANTA FE ― President Donald Trump has issued an executive order excusing federal employees from duty for the scheduled workday of Tuesday, Dec. 24.
Therefore, all Bureau of Land Management offices and developed recreation areas will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and reopen Thursday, Dec. 26.
In addition, offices and developed recreation areas also will be closed New Year’s Day.
Read More New Mexico Christmas Trees Brighten U.S. Capitol
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 22, 2019
On display this month in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree from the Red River area in the Questa Ranger District of the Carson National Forest in New Mexico is by far the most impressive tree with its 11,000 ornaments created by New Mexicans. The tradition of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, or the ‘People’s Tree’, began in 1964, and this year New Mexico is providing the tree for the third time. Photo by Donald Taylor
Close up view of some of the 11,000 ornaments created by New Mexicans that decorate the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree on display in Washington, D.C. Photo by Donald Taylor Read More
Udall Includes Los Alamos Students Roshan Prasad And Trystan Osburn Among Nominees To U.S. Academies
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 22, 2019
U.S. Sen. Tom UdallU.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) has announced the names of the 39 New Mexico students who have received his nomination to attend a United States service academy beginning in 2020.
Udall nominated Los Alamos student Roshan Prasad to the U.S. Naval Academy and Trystan Osburn to the U.S. Air Force Academy.
A congressional, vice-presidential, or service-connected nomination is required for admission to the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant
Read More LANL Director Thom Mason Speaks To LACACIS On Leveraging Science Against National Security Threats
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 21, 2019
LANL Director Thom Mason addresses members of the Los Alamos Committee on Arms Control and International Security Thursday at the United Church of Los Alamos. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com By BONNIE J. GORDON
Los Alamos Daily Post
Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Thom Mason presented a talk Thursday evening about leveraging the nation’s scientific base against national security threats.
Mason was the guest speaker at a meeting of the Los Alamos Committee on Arms Control and International Security meeting at the United Church
Attorney General William Barr Announces Launch Of Operation Relentless Pursuit Targeting Violent Crime
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on December 21, 2019
Attorney General William P. BarrAG News:
DETROIT, MI — U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr announced Wednesday the launch of Operation Relentless Pursuit, an initiative aimed at combating violent crime in seven of America’s most violent cities, including Albuquerque, through a surge in federal resources.
Joined at a press conference in Detroit by DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon, ATF Acting Director Regina Lombardo, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray and United States Marshals Service Director Donald W. Washington, Barr pledged to intensify federal law
