Author Archives: Kevin Hendricks

A judge has ordered two state agencies to work together to ensure roughly 11,000 formerly incarcerated New Mexicans can vote in next month’s election if they want.  Tuesday’s order came in response to a lawsuit filed in late September alleging the voting rights of up to 11,000 individuals were in jeopardy this year, a violation […]

Early voting for the 2024 election began in New Mexico this week. No matter who becomes our next President, more than 40% of the country will have voted for someone else. Put another way, no matter whom you vote for, nearly half the country is voting for the other candidate. Here’s the tough part about […]

The “D” in “Democrat” stands for “Deliver,” U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told local elected and religious leaders Friday morning. The Democrats have, in the past couple of years delivered, lower prescription drug costs, more access to healthcare, new manufacturing jobs and lower poverty levels, he said. Jeffries, who stands to become Speaker […]

Sammy Lopez, a long-time New Mexican media leader, passed away surrounded by his family on Sunday, Oct. 6.  He is survived by his beloved wife of 51 years, Kathy Lou Lopez; his cherished daughter, Melinda Lopez; his devoted brother, Victor Lopez; his caring sister, Bertha Benavidez; and his loving grandchildren, Javaris Smith, Jazmine Lopez, and […]

The attempted murder trial of a man who shot a Native activist at a protest over a controversial monument in northern New Mexico was canceled at the 11th hour. In what local prosecutors are framing as “a surprise change of events,” Ryan Martinez on Monday morning pleaded no contest to aggravated battery against Jacob Johns and aggravated […]

Submitted by state Rep. Stefani Lord, Sandia Park New Mexicans are beginning to ask – why our state is ranked last in the nation in every important category (from education, to crime, addiction, and child welfare); and why isn’t their legislator proposing solutions to fix these problems?   Both are fair questions.   The answer partially […]

Mountainair Mayor Peter Nieto announced on social media that the town had hired Paul Lucero as the new chief of police on Sept. 17. Less than two weeks later, Nieto took to social media to address “some rumors that have been circulating lately” about a connection between Lucero and the former police chief, Juan Reyes. […]

Submitted by Lois Vermilya, Sandia Park As a long-time east mountain resident, I believe we have to listen to the large group of Republican officials who are warning us that Donald Trump is unfit for office.  His own Vice President Mike Pence and former President George W. Bush’s Vice President Dick Cheney have both disavowed […]

I am writing this column from another state where I am currently undergoing a course ofmedical treatment. When this medical issue arose earlier this summer, I was told flat outby my Albuquerque primary care provider that getting a consult to this particularspecialty in New Mexico’s largest city would take a year. So here I am […]

A judge on Monday afternoon set guardrails around certain evidence and witness testimony in the upcoming attempted murder trial of a man who shot a climate activist at a protest over a controversial monument in northern New Mexico. First Judicial District Court Judge Jason Lidyard ruled on five disputes between state prosecutors and defense attorneys […]