State

Early Childhood Workers In New Mexico Laud Proposed $60 Million Wage And Career Ladder

by

Cabinet Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky
Early Childhood Education and Care Department

By ESTEBAN CANDELARIA
The Santa Fe New Mexican

MJ Lord, a teaching assistant at an Albuquerque preschool, works three jobs just to make ends meet.

The 25-year-old wants to be an early childhood educator — she’s completing a bachelor’s degree in human development and family sciences and has plans to pursue a master’s degree in early childhood as well — but said her pay at the preschool alone is not enough to sustain her goals.

“I would love to stay in this career field, because it is my passion,” she said. “I think Read More

Bill Would Overhaul Virtual Education In New Mexico … And Its Funding

by

Bill Sponsor Rep. Joy Garratt, D-Bernalillo

By ANDRÉ SALKIN
The Santa Fe New Mexican

Supporters of virtual education, many wearing shirts reading “Save Our Virtual Schools,” packed into a room at the state Capitol on Friday to push back against a bill that would overhaul New Mexico’s online learning regulations for the first time in nearly two decades. 

The changes include a slash in funding for schools that serve distance learning students to fix a crisis: a $35 million hole in the roughly $4.5 billion pool of per-student funding.

The provision also would prevent nearly $40 million in state Read More

This Week In Sports: Feb. 9-14, 2026

by

SPORTS News:

This week the Los Alamos High School Hilltopper girls have basketball games at home and away, and the boys have a basketball game at home and wrestling matches away.

The Topper sports games are covered by the Los Alamos Daily Post sports team, which includes John McHale, Mike Cote and Nate Limback.

This Week’s Hilltopper Sports Schedule:

Feb. 9 Monday

  • Girls Basketball vs Valencia Home – 7 p.m.

Feb. 13 Friday

  • Boys Wrestling at Regional Qualifier Tucumcari – TBD
  • Girls Basketball vs Española Away – 6 p.m.

Feb. 14 Saturday

  • Boys Wrestling at Regional Qualifier Tucumcari – TBD
  • Boys Basketball
Read More

Bill Co-Sponsor Rep. Christine Chandler Hopes To Turn Down Temperature On Medical Malpractice Debate

by

Rep. Christine Chandler, D-Los Alamos

By DANIEL J. CHACÓN
The Santa Fe New Mexican

The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to take up a high-profile bill Monday to change New Mexico’s medical malpractice law, after a presentation Friday, the chairwoman said was designed to inoculate the discussion from the divisive rhetoric that has marked the debate.

With less than two weeks left in the 30-day session, Rep. Christine Chandler, D-Los Alamos, who is a co-sponsor of House Bill 99, emphasized the urgency of getting the legislation — which she noted has bipartisan support — passed.

“There has Read More

Luján, Morelle, Gluesenkamp Perez Continue Fight For Consumers’ Right To Repair

by

Congressional News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Congressman Joe Morelle (D-NY-25), and Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-03), introduced the Fair Repair Act, legislation to guarantee consumers and small businesses a right to repair their own products by requiring manufacturers to make diagnostic repair information, parts, and tools readily available.

“For far too long, the wealthiest individuals and largest corporations have made it more difficult for Americans to repair the products they own,” Luján said. “The costs of these barriers can Read More

Legislative Roundup: 13 Days Left In Session

by

Demonstrators cheer and hold up signs during a public lands rally on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, outside of the state Capitol. Matt Dahlseid/The New Mexican

The Santa Fe New Mexican

Dawn the duck: The New Mexico Senate unanimously confirmed the appointment Friday of Dawn Walters to lead the state’s newly established Office of the Child Advocate.

The office will be responsible for providing third-party oversight of New Mexico’s troubled child welfare system.

“This role has been long awaited and is critical to the safety and success of New Mexico’s children and families,” Sen. Katy Duhigg, D-Albuquerque, Read More

NMDOT Awards Nearly $47 Million For 27 Local Transportation Projects

by

NMDOT News:

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) awarded nearly $47 million to 27 projects through four federal funding programs, benefiting 15 agencies statewide, during the federal fiscal year 2026 call for projects.

Awarded projects range from supporting transit operation and infrastructure upgrades, to design and construction of urban and rural multiuse paths and trails, to supporting Safe Routes to School programs. A full list of projects is listed below. 

“These programs are critical for Tribal and local public agencies, funding projects from planning Read More

FBI: Men Sentenced For Kidnapping, Human Smuggling Scheme

by

FBI News:

ALBUQUERQUE — Two Guatemalan nationals were sentenced to prison for orchestrating a ransom scheme in which they held 11 undocumented immigrants captive and extorted their families under threats of violence and cartel retaliation.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court records, the FBI received a kidnapping complaint on March 1, 2025, alleging that the family of an undocumented immigrant was being extorted for ransom under threats of violence and cartel involvement. Agents traced the ransom calls to a residence in southwest Albuquerque and executed a search Read More

Winter Storm Fern Victims Have Until Feb. 23 To Replace Lost SNAP Benefits

by

HCA News:

SANTA FE — Lincoln and Chaves County residents who lost food due to Winter Storm Fern have 18 days remaining to request emergency replacement of their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

The deadline for reporting food losses is Monday, Feb. 23.

“We are committed to standing with the residents of Lincoln and Chaves County as they recover from this winter storm,” Niki Kozlowski, Income Support Division Director said. “We are helping families replace the food they lost so they can continue to have the nutrition they need during this time.”   

The New Mexico Health Read More

Farmington’s Historic Downtown Earns State Arts & Cultural District Authorization

by

Art in the Heart Little Cowboy sculpture by Larry Starck. Courtesy/ Brad Ryan

Art in the Alley mural by Tommy A. Singer located behind the Totah Theater. Courtesy photo

EDD News:

SANTA FE — Historic Downtown Farmington has been granted state authorization as an Arts & Cultural District following the successful completion of the Arts & Cultural District start up benchmarks, becoming the 11th NM community to earn state authorization. 

New Mexico’s Arts & Cultural Districts make a positive impact by working with artists, entrepreneurs, arts organizations/institutions and cultural/historic Read More