State

Udall Backs Bill to Reform Surveillance Program

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U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON – Friday, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., announced his support for a new bipartisan bill to reform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and ensure Americans’ rights to free speech and freedom from unreasonable searches are protected. 

“The National Security Agency’s mission is to protect our nation from foreign threats, and I support that goal, but it is becoming clear that millions of Americans’ communications are being swept up in their dragnet,” Udall said. “I have been concerned about the potential for abuse of these programs for years. We Read More

NMCD Responds to Flooding Emergency

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New Mexico Corrections Department inmates fill sandbags to protect neighboring communities from flooding. Courtesy photo

NMCD News:

As much of the state was pounded by heavy rains and flooding conditions, the New Mexico Corrections Department put inmates to work to protect the community and provide for those in need.

It started with a call for sandbag crews to work across the state. Crews at half a dozen facilities filled more than 15,000 sandbags to protect neighboring communities

“Making sure our offenders give back to the community is essential to rehabilitation,” Corrections Read More

Council Holds Final Noon Meeting of Year

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The Los Alamos County Council is holding its final noon meeting of the year today in Council Chambers. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Los Alamos County Emergency Management Coordinator/Acting Police Chief Philmont Taylor briefs Council today at noon on the status of flood relief funds from the state and details of the Presidential Declaration being sought by the state. He said this is his seventh major disaster in the 14 years that he has worked for the County. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Community members and County staff attend today’s Council meeting. Photo Read More

Udall Backs Measure to Protect Military Pay in Case of Government Shutdown

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Tom Udall

 

U.S. SENATE News:

 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., announced Thursday that he is joining a bipartisan group of senators in cosponsoring a bill to protect military pay in the event of a government shutdown.

 

The Military Pay Protection Act, which is based on a similar proposal introduced in January, would ensure the nation’s military families, including National Guard units assisting in disaster recovery, and critical Defense Department civilian workers, would not see a delay in their paychecks if the government were to shut down.

  Read More

Teamsters Local #492 Endorses Gary King for Governor

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Gary King
STATE News:
ALBUQUERQUE – Attorney General Gary King Thursday received the endorsement for his bid to be the next Governor of New Mexico from New Mexico Teamsters Local #492, representing the families of more than 2,300 active members in the state. 
“We are pleased today to announce our endorsement of Gary King in this Democratic primary contest for Governor of New Mexico,” said Walter R. Maestas, Secretary Treasurer of Teamsters Local #492. “It is rare for us to endorse in a primary, but it is more than warranted in this instance. Gary King has always been a good friend to
Read More

Forest Service Seeks 8-minute Feedback

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FOREST SERVICE News:

SANTA FE—Forest Service and contract employees working in developed and dispersed recreation sites and along Santa Fe National Forest roads want to know about your visit to the national forest as part of a recreation visitor program.

The interviewers gather basic visitor information. All responses are totally confidential. In fact, a person’s name is never written anywhere on the survey. The basic interview lasts about eight minutes. The questions visitors are asked to include such things as where they recreated in the forest, how many people they traveled with, how Read More

Udall Talks Storm Recovery, Government Shutdown

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U.S. SENATE News:

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On his weekly radio press conference call, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall provided an update on federal storm recovery funding to help repair recent flood damage in New Mexico. He also discussed Republicans’ looming threat of a government shutdown and the impact it would have on the state if agreement cannot be reached prior to Oct. 1.

 

Click here to listen to the full audio online.

 

Click here to download the audio.

 

Below are highlights from Udall’s remarks:

 

0:00 – Udall opens the call with remarks on cleanup efforts from Read More

FBI Searches for Bank Robbery Suspect

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FBI News:

The FBI and Albuquerque Police Department are looking for a man who robbed Western Commerce Bank, 1910 Wyoming Blvd NE, Tuesday.

The suspect is described as a white male, age ranging from 25 into his 30s, approximately 6′ to 6’2″ tall, with a slender build, shoulder-length dark brown hair, a brown goatee, and tattoos on both arms. He wore a black T-shirt with a gray skull design, and black pants.

Witnesses said the suspect entered the bank at approximately 12:11 p.m. and handed a teller a note that demanded money. The teller handed an undisclosed amount of money to the Read More

Udall Calls on VA to Take Immediate Action on Claims Errors

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U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, announced that he has called on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to immediately address New Mexico claims processing errors highlighted in a recent report by the Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General (VA OIG).
 
Numerous problems were found at the Albuquerque VA Regional Office (VARO), including that the office incorrectly processed 40 percent of the disability claims reviewed, and incorrectly
Read More

Policy Agenda to Address State’s 50th Ranking in KIDS COUNT Report

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STATE News:

 ALBUQUERQUE—In response to New Mexico’s fall to dead last in the nation in child well-being in the national KIDS COUNT Data Book, New Mexico Voices for Children is launching a policy campaign to improve child well-being. Advocates hope the campaign, called NM KIDS are COUNTing on Us, will be embraced by elected officials and other leaders.

 “New Mexico has real problems when it comes to the well-being of our children, but they are not insurmountable,” said Veronica C. García, Ed.D., Executive Director of the child advocacy organization. “There is no single solution. Read More