A federal judge’s nationwide ruling has temporarily shielded New Mexico’s five Planned Parenthood health centers from losing Medicaid funding, protecting healthcare access for residents who rely on the program in a state where nearly 885,000 people are enrolled in Medicaid. The preliminary injunction issued July 28 by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Massachusetts blocks […]
Category: Communities
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov.
Heinrich, Luján warn public broadcasting cuts could cost lives in New Mexico
U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján convened a roundtable discussion Thursday with New Mexico public broadcasting leaders to address the devastating impact of federal funding cuts that will eliminate $5.8 million in annual support for stations across the state. Speaking at KANW-FM in Albuquerque, Heinrich warned that the cuts pose serious risks to […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
Albuquerque cracks down on landlords as new cooling law faces first test
Albuquerque’s new cooling ordinance faced its first major test this summer, as city inspectors cracked down on landlords failing to provide working air conditioning during extreme heat. The city’s response at The Retreat at Candelaria in July marked a shift in how it enforces Albuquerque’s six-month-old cooling ordinance. After weeks of tenant complaints and indoor […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
City Council defers $3.6M Gateway Housing expansion amid funding questions
Albuquerque city councilors postponed votes on two Gateway Center expansion contracts Monday, citing concerns about transparency and unconfirmed state funding for the $3.6 million proposal. The City Council voted Aug. 4 to delay approving two $1.8 million agreements—one with Chicanos Por La Causa to expand women’s services, and another with Community Bridges for men’s beds—until […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., New Mexico
Rep. Vasquez warns of rural health crisis in Carlsbad visit, Slams GOP Medicaid cuts
U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez this week visited Carlsbad Medical Center and hosted a roundtable with disability service provider CARC, Inc., highlighting what he called the devastating impact of Medicaid cuts tied to the new Republican tax law. The tax law, passed in July, slashes Medicaid funding and threatens health care coverage for more than 110,000 […]
Posted inEducation
Back to school in a heat wave, APS juggles 500 work orders to fix aging cooling
Albuquerque Public Schools has more than 500 active cooling system work orders, even after running units all summer to avoid startup issues. Now, district officials are asking voters for $40.2 million in November to upgrade 20 schools to modern air conditioning, though they admit some campuses could still wait years for relief. John Dufay, APS […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
Bernalillo County honors teen ambassadors who led Summer of Nonviolence initiative
The Bernalillo County Commission formally honored five local teenagers Tuesday night for their groundbreaking work as the inaugural youth ambassadors for the Summer of Nonviolence, a collaborative initiative aimed at providing safe and positive opportunities for area youth. Generation Peace, known as “Gen P,” consisted of teen leaders from across Albuquerque-area high schools who spent […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., New Mexico
Sen. Heinrich leads fight to halt federal job cuts threatening New Mexico’s $9 billion lab economy
New Mexico’s senior senator is leading national legislation to halt federal workforce cuts that threaten thousands of jobs at Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories, which pump nearly $9 billion into the state’s economy annually and employ about 30,000 New Mexicans. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, […]
Posted inNew Mexico, NM State Gov.
Protecting New Mexico’s water supply and farming communities
Submitted by Representative Kathleen Cates (D-Rio Rancho) New Mexico’s arid climate means we naturally receive limited annual precipitation, but the effects of climate change have exacerbated these challenges. Rising temperatures have led to prolonged droughts, decreased snowpack, early melting, and reduced river flows, while higher evaporation rates have diminished our water storage in reservoirs. To […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
Bernalillo County Commission defends Constitution, challenges federal administration policies
Bernalillo County commissioners passed a resolution defending the U.S. Constitution and challenging current federal administration policies they say threaten county residents’ rights and access to essential services. The Aug. 4 resolution, sponsored by Commission Chair Eric Olivas and Vice-Chair Adriann Barboa, directly addresses how federal policy changes could affect the county’s 676,000 residents — particularly […]