Finance Board Approves Final $67M Bond For State Fairgrounds Development
STATE News:
SANTA FE — The State Board of Finance today approved a $67 million bonding package for the State Fair District Board, representing the largest state investment in Albuquerque’s urban core in decades.
The bond will fund a predevelopment plan for the Fairgrounds’ southwest corner that includes a 10-acre public park with plazas, trails, play areas and restrooms, plus pedestrian-friendly upgrades along the Fairgrounds’ boundary.
The predevelopment plan positions the Fairgrounds as one of Albuquerque’s premier public amenities: a year-round destination Read More
State Releases Top New Mexico Baby Names Of 2025
NMDOH News:
SANTA FE — Olivia and Noah topped the list of baby names in New Mexico for 2025, while other long popular names like Liam, Sophia and Sofia continued to stay in the top 10.
The New Mexico Department of Health’s (NMDOH) Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics has released its provisional list of the top baby names of 2025:
Baby name trends:
- Emma falls out of the top 10 for the first time since NMDOH started tracking baby names in 2014. It is replaced by Aria, returning to the top 10 after a one-year absence.
- The top ten names listed for boys in 2025 are the same as 2024.
- Sophia has been
North Central Regional Transit District Again Earns Prestigious GFOA Triple Crown Award
NCRTD News:
ESPAÑOLA — The North Central Regional Transit District (NCRTD) is proud to announce it has once again been awarded the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Triple Crown Award.
This award recognizes outstanding achievement across all three of GFOA’s premier financial reporting programs.
The Triple Crown Award honors governments that have earned all three of the following distinctions within a single fiscal year:
- Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR)
- Award for Outstanding Achievement
State Environmental Advocates Urge Congress To Vote No On Mining Regulatory Clarity Act
NMELC News:
SILVER CITY — Weakening mining regulations and expanding pollution of public lands, not clarity, would be the outcomes of the pending Mining Regulatory Clarity Act. Environmental groups from across New Mexico, including the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment, Amigos Bravos, Gila Resources Information Project, Southwest Research and Information Center, and the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, are urging the New Mexico Congressional delegation to vote no on H.R.1366, The Mining Regulatory Clarity Act (MRCA), which could be voted on as early as this week.
MRCA, Read More
National Academies: DOE Should Develop AI-Based Foundation Models Fused With Traditional Computational Methods To Bring Paradigm Shift To Scientific Discovery
National Academies News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine examines how the U.S. Department of Energy could use foundation models for scientific research, and finds fusing these models with traditional computational methods could bring a paradigm shift to scientific discovery. The report makes recommendations for how the agency can pursue increased use of such models in research.
Foundation models are large-scale AI neural networks that are trained on vast amounts of data—often trillions of individual data points—and Read More
Legislative Education Study Committee To Meet Dec. 17-19
LESC News:
SANTA FE — The Legislative Education Study Committee (LESC) will meet Wednesday, Dec. 17; Thursday, Dec. 18; and Friday, Dec. 19 in Room 322 at the New Mexico State Capitol.
The three-day meeting will convene lawmakers and state education officials to discuss ongoing public education initiatives and legislative priorities.
Schedule:
- Day 1, Dec. 17 — LESC will begin its December hearings with a report on results from the state’s school climate survey, along with recommendations to strengthen the behavioral health workforce in New Mexico’s schools. The committee will also hear
NCRTD Blue Bus Launches Seasonal Service To Taos Ski Valley TSV Green Route 341, Runs Dec. 20–March 22
NCRTD News:
TAOS — The North Central Regional Transit District (NCRTD) Blue Bus will begin seasonal transit service between the Town of Taos and Taos Ski Valley on the TSV Green Route 341, operating Dec. 20 through March 22.
This seasonal service provides a convenient option for skiers, riders, employees, and visitors traveling between Taos and Taos Ski Valley during the winter season.
Not along the route or want to park and ride? Connect to the Blue Bus Park and Ride lot at NM- 150 & US-64 at the KTAOS Solar Center using the MyBlue Rideshare service for $1 per trip.
To download the app, visit RideTheBlueBus.com Read More
SFNF Extends Camping Area Closure At Headquarters Well
SFNF News:
SANTA FE — The Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) has extended a camping area closure order (03-10-06-25-17) for Headquarters Well in the Española Ranger District to prevent further resource damage caused by an increase in unauthorized long-term camping, vandalism, and trash dumping. While the closure order is in place the SFNF will conduct critical restoration and rehabilitation work to address resource damage and implement a long-term management plan for the area.
The order has been in place since June 21, 2024, and will extend through 8 a.m., Dec. 31, 2026, unless rescinded.
Prohibited Read More
Effective Citizen Advocacy At The Legislature Jan. 10
LWV News:
Learn tips from legislators and an experienced lobbyist about how to interact with legislators, speak at hearings and advocate for your cause.
The webinar will take place from 10 a.m.–12 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, 10 a.m. to Noon
Speakers:
Senator Natalie Figueroa (D-Bernalillo) – Senate Education, Senate Tax, Business & Transportation
Republican Representative — Invited
Linda Siegle – Long time lobbyist, president of a consulting firm focused on lobbying the legislature for nonprofit agencies and strategic planning. She is a former member of the Santa Fe County Read More
Heinrich Legislation To Ensure New Mexico Schools Offer More Dairy & Non-Dairy Options Heads To White House
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration, welcomed the House passage of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, legislation he cosponsored that will allow schools to provide more dairy options and non-dairy alternatives for school lunches.
Currently, schools participating in the National School Lunch Program must provide milk that is consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which means that schools can Read More
