Robinson: Advocates – Child Welfare Crisis Is Not A Priority
By SHERRY ROBINSON
All She Wrote
© 2024 New Mexico News Services
It was a rough week for CYFD. Already in the hot seat before exasperated legislators, the Children, Youth and Families Department was in the public eye again.
Two experts on child welfare reform blasted the department for crushing caseloads and a backlog of more than 2,000 investigations of abuse and neglect. In a letter to agency officials, obtained by The New Mexican, they demanded that the state take immediate action to remedy turnover and severe understaffing.
“(T)he agency must begin acting like there is in fact a crisis that Read More
Meadows: Save Time By Keeping Healthy Proteins On Hand
Jennifer Meadows
DRNT News:
If you’re anything like me, your week can quickly become more packed than you anticipated at the onset of Monday morning.
When time is sparse and demands are high, it can be tempting to grab a bag of chips or run through a drive-through when you’re hungry instead of taking the time to make something.
Having prepared proteins on hand can be a huge help for busy weeks! Here are a few things that I do (for my family of three) at the beginning of each week to make sure there are good options ready in the fridge for those moments when time is tight.
- Boil 1 dozen eggs
- Cook a whole chicken
Farmington Representative Decries Budget Adjustment To Provide Full-Time Staff For Lawmakers
Rep. Rob Montoya, (R-Farmington), is shown at the House Appropriations and Finance Committee meeting Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. Courtesy/Luis Sánchez Saturno/The New Mexican
Rep. Brian Baca, (R-Los Lunas), discussed the proposed state budget bill with Legislative Finance Committee Director Charles Sallee during a meeting of the House Appropriations and Finance Committee Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. Courtesy/Luis Sánchez Saturno/The New Mexican
By DANIEL J. CHACÓN
The Santa Fe New Mexican
A $10.1 billion spending plan approved Monday by the House Appropriations and Finance Committee is turning Read More
Bill To Raise State’s Fossil Fuel Royalty Rates Moves Ahead
By SCOTT WYLAND
The Santa Fe New Mexican
New Mexico’s fossil fuel industry is enjoying a record boom in the Permian Basin, and state officials want the education system to benefit even more than it has from the oil-rich region by making companies pay more to drill on state lands there.
The House Commerce and Economic Development Committee voted 6-5 Monday, mostly along party lines, in favor of House Bill 48, which would raise the maximum royalty rates on state lands to 25 percent from the current 20 percent — the first such increase since the 1970s.
The bill’s next stop is the House floor for a vote. Read More
Denish: Good News Pierces Gloomy Headlines
By DIANE DENISH
Corner to Corner
© 2024 New Mexico News Services
Sometimes I wonder if the job of the media, no matter which channels you select, is to keep Americans wringing their hands. It doesn’t really matter if you watch cable channels such as Fox News or MSNBC or network channels. There is always something to worry about: the economy, the war in Ukraine, violence, food recalls, just to name a few.
Just for starters, let’s think about the economy. For months, media headlines had us on the brink of a recession. First it was, “Buckle up, we are headed for a recession!” Or this: “Is a recession looming Read More
Simonich: Games Legislators Play Are Pricey Proposition
By MILAN SIMONICH
The Santa Fe New Mexican
January is a difficult time for vegetarians in Santa Fe. State legislators as usual are pushing projects made of pure pork.
In certain instances, their efforts are bipartisan, demonstrating that bad government can be a collaborative undertaking.
Two senators, Democrat Moe Maestas and Republican Mark Moores, want $900,000 in state funding to promote the Isleta New Mexico Bowl, a college football game played in their hometown of Albuquerque.
Through Senate Bill 131, Moores and Maestas want the cash appropriated to the state Tourism Department. Then Read More
Tales Of Our Times: Larger Scopes Find Better Remedies For Hard Problems
Tales Of Our Times
By JOHN BARTLIT
Los Alamos
The priorities that make a healthy forest are quite different from the trendy views on the subject that fill the daily news. Politics today finds itself amid a full-blown dilemma. In times past, politicos once believed that the more facts are included, the better informed policy can be crafted on some large national issue, such as forest health.
Now, parties seek victory at the expense of issues. We live immersed in electioneering 24/7. Campaign ads tell us 24/7 to choose truths and trash truths according to our favorite ads. So, forest issues are used Read More
