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Posted inHousing & Homelessness, Sandoval County

Lawmakers urge Justice Department to speed RECA implementation for radiation victims

A bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández is pressing the Justice Department to quickly implement updated regulations for the expanded Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, warning that delays could cost gravely ill survivors precious time. In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, the New Mexico Democrat and her colleagues thanked the […]

Posted inHousing & Homelessness, Sandoval County

Report shows reconciliation law will cost poorest Americans $1,200 annually while wealthy gain $13,600

A new Congressional Budget Office analysis reveals that recently enacted budget reconciliation legislation will reduce resources for the nation’s poorest families while providing substantial benefits to wealthy households, prompting sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers. The CBO report, released Aug. 11, found that households in the lowest income decile will lose approximately $1,200 per year on […]

Posted inEvents, Housing & Homelessness

Community candlelight vigil Saturday to honor lives lost to substance use

A candlelight vigil honoring lives lost to substance use will take place Saturday night at Civic Plaza, offering community members a space for remembrance and healing as New Mexico continues to grapple with addiction-related deaths. The Keep NM Alive campaign is hosting the free public event beginning at 7 p.m., welcoming attendees to bring framed […]

Posted inHousing & Homelessness

Opt-In Zoning proposal suffers decisive defeat in committee

Albuquerque’s opt-in zoning proposal suffered a decisive defeat on Wednesday when the City Council’s Land Use, Planning and Zoning Committee voted 4-1 against it after many people spoke in public testimony, most of them neighbors opposed to the plan. The resolution, sponsored by City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn for Mayor Tim Keller, would have let property […]

Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety

ACLU on National Guard deployments in D.C. and Albuquerque: ‘Political Theater Won’t Make Us Safer’

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico is speaking out against the use of military forces for civilian law enforcement, criticizing both President Trump’s recent deployment of National Guard troops to Washington D.C. and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s ongoing use of Guard personnel in Albuquerque. “In our country, a simple, foundational principle is that […]

Posted inHousing & Homelessness, Sandoval County

Heinrich hosts roundtable on federal energy legislation’s impact on New Mexico

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, held a roundtable discussion on Friday to examine the potential effects of federal energy legislation on New Mexico’s utility costs and employment. The roundtable included representatives from Western Resource Advocates, the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, the New Mexico Renewable […]

Posted inHousing & Homelessness

Neighborhood groups clash with City Hall over voluntary zoning changes in Albuquerque

Albuquerque property owners could soon choose to increase housing density on their lots under a proposed resolution heading to committee review this week. Resolution 25-167, the Opt-In Zoning Ordinance, sponsored by City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn for Mayor Tim Keller, would let property owners choose to rezone for higher-density or mixed-use development. The measure goes before […]

Posted inHousing & Homelessness

Opinion: Special Session Process Needs to Be Open to Public Input

This commentary is submitted by Peter St. Cyr, an award-winning longtime New Mexico journalist and open government advocate. While the political class debates the timing and merits of a special legislative session this fall, my concerns are focused on the process being discussed by New Mexico House and Senate leadership.  Their idea to have predetermined […]