When a desperate father couldn’t calm his adult son during a severe mental health crisis, Albuquerque’s alternative emergency response team stepped in where traditional police might have struggled, successfully connecting the man to voluntary treatment within an hour. Behavioral Health Responders from the Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS) Department responded to the 911 call and found […]
Author Archives: Kevin Hendricks, nm.news
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 inCongress & Federal Gov., New Mexico
Sen. Heinrich secures $6.5M for New Mexico crime fighting
U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich announced that nine New Mexico law enforcement agencies will receive federal funding totaling $6,521,000 for forensic equipment, crime scene processing tools and safety improvements through the bipartisan Senate Appropriations Committee’s passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. The funding comes as New Mexico grapples […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
Albuquerque City Council to vote on stricter animal sales enforcement
Albuquerque residents who find animals being sold or given away on sidewalks, in parking lots or other public spaces could soon see stricter enforcement under a proposed ordinance update scheduled for a City Council vote in August. The proposed ordinance, O-25-84, would strengthen enforcement of the city’s 2006 Humane and Ethical Animal Rules and Treatment […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov.
Sen. Luján secures nearly $190 Million for New Mexico public safety, military infrastructure
U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján secured nearly $190 million in federal funding for New Mexico communities through two major appropriations bills passed by Senate committees, with the bulk targeting major construction projects at military bases alongside public safety improvements across the state. The funding comes as New Mexico grapples with persistent crime challenges, with Albuquerque […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety
Sheriff’s Office, courts clash over security cuts at Bernalillo County courthouse
A disagreement over security cuts at the Bernalillo County courthouse has led to operational limitations for thousands of monthly court users as the dispute between the Sheriff’s Office and courts escalates over staffing and costs. The Administrative Office of the Courts announced on Sunday that it would limit access to the Bernalillo County Courthouse due […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., New Mexico
Federal budget proposal could eliminate key Native American workforce programs
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 […]
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 […]