The Trump Administration’s proposed fiscal year 2026 federal budget has sparked fierce opposition from Native American advocacy groups, who warn that planned cuts could effectively eliminate critical workforce development programs serving Indigenous communities nationwide. At the center of the controversy is the proposed elimination of the Native American Employment and Training Program under the Workforce […]
Author Archives: Kevin Hendricks
Kevin Hendricks is a local news editor with nm.news. He is a two-decade veteran of local news as a sportswriter and assistant editor with the ABQ Journal and Rio Rancho Observer.
Posted inBernalillo County
Watershed project shields Tijeras from extreme flooding damage
A watershed restoration project behind Los Vecinos Community Center proved its worth July 12 when an extreme rainstorm – the kind that has only a 0.2% to 0.5% chance of occurring in any given year – sent floodwaters surging down Tijeras Creek with minimal damage to the community. The county’s Tijeras Creek Watershed Restoration Project, […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov.
Albuquerque joins lawsuits to protect millions in federal funding from Trump administration cuts
The City of Albuquerque is fighting to protect more than $92 million in federal funding that supports police officers, affordable housing and homelessness programs by joining two lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s efforts to withhold money from cities that limit cooperation with immigration enforcement. The city filed a motion earlier this month to join a […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov.
Good Trouble Lives On: New Mexico communities join national civil rights protests
This report is supported by NM Political Report, a nonprofit newsroom working to increase New Mexicans’ engagement in politics and public policy. Reported by: Kevin Hendricks Photos by: Roberto Rosales This report is original reporting by a New Mexico-based independent journalist with support NMreports.org and its readers and sponsors. Communities across New Mexico took part […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety
Supreme Court saves politico from recall over Rio Arriba Oñate statue dispute
This report is supported by NM Political Report, a nonprofit newsroom working to increase New Mexicans’ engagement in politics and public policy. Reported by: Connor Currier This report is original reporting by a New Mexico-based independent journalist with support NMreports.org and its readers and sponsors. New Mexico’s highest court has dismissed a petition attempting to […]
Posted inBernalillo County
Court upholds Bernalillo County’s ‘cooling-off’ period in treasurer hiring dispute
A Bernalillo County judge last week ruled against County Treasurer Tim Eichenberg’s attempt to immediately hire former County Clerk Linda Stover as his deputy, upholding the county’s ethics rules that require a one-year waiting period before former elected officials can accept county employment. Second Judicial District Court Judge Joshua A. Allison ruled in favor of […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety
Downtown crime drops as APD continues year-long enforcement push
Downtown Albuquerque crime has dropped significantly across multiple categories after a year of intensified police enforcement, with shootings down 20% and sex crimes plummeting 61.5%, city officials announced Wednesday. The Albuquerque Police Department will continue its strict enforcement approach in the downtown area after seeing measurable success from targeted resources deployed in summer 2024, Mayor […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., New Mexico
Heinrich introduces bill to protect DACA recipients’ data amid Trump administration information sharing
U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich is leading a new push to protect the personal information of “Dreamers” in New Mexico and across the country, introducing legislation that would prevent the Trump administration from using their immigration applications against them as federal agencies increasingly share data for deportation efforts. Heinrich’s Protect DREAMer Confidentiality Act would prohibit the […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., New Mexico
Senate votes to cut $1.1 billion in public broadcasting funding, threatening emergency services for rural New Mexico
This report is supported by NM Political Report, a nonprofit newsroom working to increase New Mexicans’ engagement in politics and public policy. Reported by: Kevin Hendricks This report is original reporting by a New Mexico-based independent journalist with support NMreports.org and its readers and sponsors. New Mexico’s rural and tribal communities could lose a critical […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., New Mexico
Sen. Heinrich’s HALT Fentanyl Act signed into law, boosting law enforcement powers
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) announced Wednesday that his Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act has been signed into law. The bill permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances (FRS) as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act. Heinrich, the bill’s lead Democratic sponsor, introduced the HALT Fentanyl Act in January with U.S. Senators Bill […]