New Mexico Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) announced she will introduce a bill in the upcoming 2024 session that will outlaw necrophilia. While it may seem like a no-brainer to have a law already establishing necrophilia as being illegal on the books, in New Mexico, it isn’t. The state is one of few that doesn’t […]
Tierna Unruh-Enos
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Rep Asks Legislature to Outlaw Necrophilia
New Mexico Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) announced she will introduce a bill in the upcoming 2024 session that will outlaw necrophilia. While it may seem like a no-brainer to have a law already establishing necrophilia as being illegal on the books, in New Mexico, it isn’t. The state is one of few that doesn’t […]
Posted inUncategorized
Make No Mistake, Healthcare is Rationed
Whenever anyone talks about changing our healthcare system, the opposition warns of healthcare rationing. Here’s the thing. Healthcare already is rationed, in truly haphazard ways. I am among the most fortunate of Americans in that I am well-insured and quite knowledgeable about healthcare coverage from previous work experience. I consider myself to be a sophisticated […]
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Make No Mistake, Healthcare is Rationed
Whenever anyone talks about changing our healthcare system, the opposition warns of healthcare rationing. Here’s the thing. Healthcare already is rationed, in truly haphazard ways. I am among the most fortunate of Americans in that I am well-insured and quite knowledgeable about healthcare coverage from previous work experience. I consider myself to be a sophisticated […]
Posted inEstancia, Moriarty, Torrance County, Uncategorized
County to Ask Legislature for $16.5M to Pave Rural Roads
The recent unveiling of the new fire station in Moriarty has Torrance County looking at ways to build something similar, particularly after hearing there is federal money available through Rep. Melanie Stansbury’s office for projects ready to hit the ground. While this is not exactly a legislative priority that the county commissioners have approved for […]
Posted inEstancia, Torrance County, Uncategorized
Torrance County Pot Farms Ordered to Shut Down
Two Torrance County marijuana-growing operations have been ordered to shut down and the owners each fined $1 million in rulings announced on Jan. 2. The fines are the largest by far the Cannabis Control Division has issued to violators. “The illicit activity conducted at both of these farms undermines the good work that many cannabis […]
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The Polk Family Farm: Rescuing an “Endangered Species”
As grocery store’s shelves emptied during COVID it suddenly highlighted New Mexico’s growing dependence on out of state corporate agriculture for food. For decades there has been widespread consolidation of farms and a recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows there were 200,000 fewer farms in 2022 than in 2007. In an effort […]
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County Hires New Fire Chief
After going five months without a fire chief since Don Dirks resigned the position in July, Torrance County has a new head of the department. James Winham was selected from a pool of eight applicants to be the fire chief, leading a department with nine firefighters/emergency medical technicians, three Emergency Medical Service lieutenants, a deputy […]
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Community Briefs
Comprehensive Plan Update The Town of Edgewood has kicked off the planning process for an update to the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. As part of the planning process, the Town’s consultant, Consensus Planning, has created a community survey that asks a wide range of questions regarding the future of Edgewood and community aspirations. The results of […]
Posted inEstancia, Moriarty, Torrance County, Uncategorized
The Biggest Stories of 2023
It has been an eventful year as The Independent concludes its first year under new ownership restoring regular newspaper service to the East Mountains and Torrance County. So with the end of the year at hand, it is customary to take a look back on the previous 12 months to remember the good, bad and […]