Posts From The Road: Red Oak II Near Carthage
General Store: The Red Oak General Store was operated by Lowell Davis’s father. Davis spent many hours in the store and this is where he learned to paint and sculpt. The store was moved to Red Oak II and restored in 1987. The interior has many features of the original store, but also contains several tables that can be used for a meeting or gathering space today. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Blacksmith Shop: The Blacksmith Shop is another Red Oak structure that played a part in Lowell Davis’s early years. The shop was operated by Lowell’s great-grandfather and there is no doubt where Lowell Read More
Acting Governor Howie Morales Appoints Sandy Ray Jones To Sierra County Commission
Acting Governor Howie C. Morales
STATE News:
SANTA FE — Acting Governor Howie C. Morales on Friday announced the appointment of Sandy Ray Jones to the Sierra County Commission for District 2.
Jones will fill the remainder of the term previously held by Travis Day.
Jones, of Williamsburg, founded and operated Sandy Jones Construction for 40 years, completing large-scale civil construction projects including highways, road paving and infrastructure developments across New Mexico. He served as chairman of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission from 2010 to 2014, where he oversaw Read More
Op-Ed: Energy And Health – Building A Stronger Future For New Mexico
By Sen. Pete Campos
District 8
Colfax, Guadalupe, Harding, Mora, Quay, San Miguel & Taos
New Mexico stands at a pivotal moment. As we work toward a healthier future for every resident, we must recognize the essential role that our energy sector—particularly oil and gas—plays in making that vision possible.
Oil and gas revenues are not just numbers on a ledger; they are the backbone of our state budget. In Fiscal Year 2024, these revenues contributed nearly half of the General Fund and supported over $1.2 billion in health programs, including Medicaid, which is matched three-to-one by federal Read More
NMED And NMDOH Report Increased Levels Of Metals In Mora County’s Groundwater
NMDOH News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) are urging Mora County residents to test their private wells after high levels of metals were found in the county’s groundwater.
Three metals — antimony, arsenic and uranium — exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) safe drinking water limits. The independent geologic study focused on Mora County also found elevated levels of manganese over EPA guidelines.
Seven other metals — barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, thallium and vanadium — were also found Read More
Public Education Department Announces Nineteen New Mexico Schools Show Major Academic Improvement
NMPED News:
SANTA FE — Nineteen New Mexico schools have dramatically improved student achievement, with two reaching the state’s highest performance tier after previously ranking among the lowest-performing schools in the state.
The encouraging findings are contained in the New Mexico Public Education Department’s (NMPPED) new school designations for the 2024–25 school year, highlighting schools that have exited Comprehensive Support & Improvement (CSI) designation—the state’s category for schools identified as lowest-performing.
“These 19 schools prove that with Read More
Little Joe II Rocket Restoration Project Launches At New Mexico Museum Of Space History In Alamogodo
NMMSH News:
ALAMOGORDO — The New Mexico Museum of Space History (NMMSH) is refurbishing the shining star of its Rocket Park, Little Joe II. This restoration will bring it back to its original glory. During this time, the Rocket Park at New Mexico Museum of Space History at 3198 N.M. 200 in Alamogordo and the nearby playground will be temporarily closed to the public to ensure the safety of everyone. However, this also presents a unique opportunity for our visitors to witness the meticulous restoration process, a privilege not many get to experience.
Received by the museum in 1985, Little Joe II Read More
Republicans Implement Audit Of New Mexico SNAP Program, Make Recommendations To Eliminate Waste, Fraud & Abuse
Republican Legislators News:
SANTA FE — This week, Republican legislators were successful in their attempt to incorporate an in-depth audit of New Mexico’s administration of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
This was accomplished by amending House Bill 1 in the 2nd special legislative session to include the funding and directives to the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) to investigate waste, fraud, and abuse of the program.
Furthermore, House and Senate Republican Leadership issued guidance and recommendations to strengthen LFC’s audit in the form of Read More
New Mexico Environment Department Announces That Chromium Plume From Los Alamos National Laboratory Migrates Onto Pueblo De San Ildefonso Land
NMED News:
A toxic chromium plume from Los Alamos National Laboratory has spread beyond lab boundaries onto Pueblo de San Ildefonso land for the first time, with contamination levels exceeding state groundwater standards, the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) announced today.
Recent groundwater sampling conducted by the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) found hexavalent chromium, a toxic and carcinogenic substance, at levels ranging from 53 to 72.9 micrograms per liter (ug/l), depending on the depth sampled. The ground water Read More
NM Higher Education Dept.: Student Debt Relief Granted To Nearly 400 Teachers Working In New Mexico Classrooms
New Mexico Higher Education Department News:
SANTA FE – Nearly 400 teachers will be receiving student loan forgiveness this year through the state’s Teacher Loan Repayment Program, part of New Mexico’s ongoing effort to build and strengthen the teacher pipeline.
The agency awarded funding to 387 new teachers, adding to the 529 teachers who were already receiving benefits through the loan forgiveness program. The program launched in 2013 as an effort to draw more teachers to New Mexico’s classrooms.
The program offers licensed New Mexico teachers up to $6,000 a year in student loan repayment Read More
Senator Heinrich Secures Over $207 Million For New Mexico
NATIONAL News:
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch, announced that the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Military Construction, Veterans Affairs (VA), Legislative Branch, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agencies Appropriations Bills passed into law include $207.5 million Heinrich secured for New Mexico, including Congressionally Directed Spending for 19 local projects.
“I’ve spent months fighting to secure funding for critical investments Read More
