Politics

Stover: Let’s Rise Above Partisanship To Do What’s Best For New Mexico Students

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By Sharon Stover
Republican Candidate for House Dist. 43 Representative

The issue of adjunct teachers should not be partisan or divisive. I am disappointed by the recent acrimony surrounding this straightforward idea.

Earlier this year, I listened to Dr. Kurt Steinhaus, Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) superintendent, speak about the adjunct teacher proposal that was offered during the 2016 Legislative Session. Dr. Steinhaus supported the idea of adjunct teachers to tap the local expertise of scientists and engineers in our community and to strengthen the relationship between the Los Read More

SGR: How Are The Children?

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By Rep. STEPHANIE GARCIA RICHARD
Dist.43: Los Alamos, Santa Fe, Sandoval, Rio Arriba
 
How Are The Children?

As a mother, I am heart broken by the senseless tragedies plaguing our state. As a Legislator, I am outraged by the repeated lack of action that has now led to the deaths of two young children and multiple police officers.

Within the next few days, Governor Martinez will call a special session to deal with the projected $500 million budget deficit and a few ‘tough on crime’ pieces of legislation. Although her actions are politically motivated, we should take this opportunity

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Sierra Club Chair On PNM Rate Case Decision

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Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter Chair David Coss

SIERRA CLUB News: 

The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission decided Wednesday on PNM’s request for an increase to electric rates. Below is the statement on the decision from Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter Chair David Coss:

Today’s decision held good news and bad news for ratepayers and a healthy climate.

While PNM got its way on making consumers pay for its poor decision to reinvest in coal, the commission prevented PNM from punishing ratepayers with significantly higher service fees, and we customers won’t have to foot the bill for the Read More

Special Session Alert: Educators Are Petitioning For Students To Be Protected From Budget Cuts

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NEA-New Mexico News:

Education employees throughout New Mexico are collecting petition signatures ahead of the Special Session of the Legislature and Friday morning NEA-New Mexico will present those petition signatures to the Governor and Chairman Larry Larranaga of the House Finance Committee and Chairman John Smith of the Senate Finance Committee.  

The petition reads as follows:

AS YOU WORK TO RESOLVE THE STATE BUDGET CRISIS, make no more cuts to public schools and higher education. As educators, we are all committed to the success of every student. The success of New Mexico Read More

Presidential Proclamation: Death Of Shimon Peres

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Shimon Peres

From the Office of the President:

Shimon Peres, one of the last surviving members of Israel’s founding generation who during his long career served as the nation’s defense minister, minister of foreign affairs, prime minister and president has died at 93.

President Barack Obama has issued the following proclamation:

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION

As a mark of respect for the memory of Shimon Peres, former President and Prime Minister of Israel, I hereby order, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, Read More

Heinrich, Collins Introduce Two-Generation Economic Empowerment Act

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SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) introduced the bipartisan Two-Generation Economic Empowerment Act to increase opportunities for families living in poverty.
 
The bill aligns and links existing systems and funding streams to target both parents and children with support aimed at increasing economic security, educational success, social capital, and the health and wellbeing of whole families.
 
“While we’ve seen signs of economic recovery, far
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Secretary Of Defense Reviews Plutonium Operations At Los Alamos National Laboratory

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U.S. Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter, center, Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Charlie McMillan, right and Bob Webster, Principal Associate Director for Weapons Programs, today in the pit casting area of the Laboratory’s Plutonium Facility 4 (PF-4), the nation’s only plutonium science, technology and manufacturing center. ‘A strong plutonium science and manufacturing capability is essential to the U.S. nuclear deterrent and cannot be underestimated,’ Carter said. ‘I want to express my sincere appreciation for the difficult and vitally important work done Read More

A Teacher’s Simple Plea To Legislators, Parents, Students And My Community

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By HEIDI SCHEMBRI
Los Alamos

My name is Heidi Schembri, and I have been teaching for 15 years in Los Alamos Public Schools. I love my profession and have had the honor to work with many wonderful children, parents, school employees and community members.

Over the last several years, there has been much controversy over the new teacher evaluation system. Our current New Mexico teacher evaluation system rates teachers on the following criteria: “Each category is weighted according to the amount of student achievement data available for the teacher. Improved student achievement is worth from Read More

Governor: 135 Arrested In Child Support Roundup

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STATE News:

  • Effort Collects More Than $64,000 in Unpaid Child Support

SANTA FE – Today, Gov. Susana Martinez announced that law enforcement arrested 135 parents who failed to pay child support during an annual sting.

In addition, through the amnesty period allowing parents to come forward and pay child support debt – and the subsequent roundup – the Human Services Department collected $64,310.

“This program ensures that we hold parents accountable when they fail to do their duty and support their children,” Martinez said. “We’re working to make New Mexico the best place to be a kid, and the roundup Read More