Our Latest Stories
- APS Transitions Back to In-Person Learning, Experimenting As They Go
By Isabella Baca | NM News Port During the pandemic teachers had to find creative ways to transition from teaching in person to teaching remotely and back again—but different. Although some parents have opted out of face-to-face meetings, choosing to have their children continue distance learning, most APS students went… Continue reading APS Transitions Back to In-Person Learning, Experimenting As They Go - After Much Anticipation, New Mexico High School Football Returns
Tyler Braunhardt / NM News Port After a six-month delay, New Mexico high school football finally returned this spring. The New Mexico Activities Association voted in 2020 to move fall high school sports to a tentative late-winter/early-spring start. And months of uncertainty, Gov. Michelle Lujan-Grisham decided in February that the state’s… Continue reading After Much Anticipation, New Mexico High School Football Returns - Virtual group meetings divide teen addicts
Teens who are down and out can’t simply log on for group meetings after rehab. By Dane Vaughn | NM News Port This year 19-year-old Vincent C. has had six relapses and lost two jobs, his car and a place to stay. He got clean seven months ago but now… Continue reading Virtual group meetings divide teen addicts - Mayor’s plan to help homeless upsets neighboring communities
By Gordon Payne / New Mexico News Port Some residents of southeast Albuquerque are showing concern after Mayor Tim Keller announced the city’s purchase of a former hospital as a means of combating homelessness in the city “The City of Albuquerque has officially bought the Gibson Medical Center, the cornerstone… Continue reading Mayor’s plan to help homeless upsets neighboring communities - NM schools dealing with increased educator vacancies
Adam Evarts / NM News Port Elizabeth Schilling looks at her watch: 8:47 a.m. The school day is three minutes away. It has been four months since she took over this kindergarten class after the teacher that began the year resigned. In front of her are 12 desks for her… Continue reading NM schools dealing with increased educator vacancies - New Mexico prepares for recreational marijuana
Manuel Romero / NM News Port New Mexico is officially the 16th state to legalize recreational marijuana, and while it was not the first and most likely won’t be the last to do so, one state official believes New Mexico will “be revolutionary” in the cannabis industry. The legalization came… Continue reading New Mexico prepares for recreational marijuana - Leading the nation: How New Mexico is vaccinating its population
By William Jennings / NM News Port A year ago, New Mexico found itself in the midst of a once in a lifetime pandemic. Now, the vaccine is here and New Mexico is leading at vaccinating its population. About 60% percent of New Mexicans have already received their first dose… Continue reading Leading the nation: How New Mexico is vaccinating its population - Albuquerque wellness hotels prioritizing families in need
By Daniel Ward The city of Albuquerque currently has three wellness hotels available for unhoused families or individuals with underlying health problems. Two of the hotels will be discontinued at the end of June due to warmer temperatures, COVID-19 cases going down and vaccinations increasing. One will continue operating for… Continue reading Albuquerque wellness hotels prioritizing families in need - Albuquerque City Council approves lease for Orion Center satellite facility
By Shane Farias / NM News Port New Mexico is set to become the home of a massive satellite facility. The Orion Center is planned to be a four-million-square-foot development built by Theia Group Inc. and its subsidiary company, Group Orion. It will be located on 114 acres of city… Continue reading Albuquerque City Council approves lease for Orion Center satellite facility - Family proximity quells pandemic baby blues
Dane Vaughn / NM News Port In the weeks preceding the birth of her daughter Oakley, Brianna Tower was separated from her husband by restrictions brought on by the virus outbreak. Days after giving birth in San Antonio, Texas, Tower moved to Albuquerque in order to be closer to her… Continue reading Family proximity quells pandemic baby blues - Happy, Worried, Relieved
Noah Solomon / NM News Port Ellie Aikman’s UNM experience has been a whirlwind since last spring. She was frustrated when she received the email over spring break 2020 to return to Hokona Hall to collect her belongings by March 26 before they were donated to Lobo Reclaim. “[I] got… Continue reading Happy, Worried, Relieved - Crowns, Chile and Gators
Outgoing Miss Indian World Cheyenne Kippenberger reflects on her unusual reign Jeanette DeDios / NM News Port Nothing could have prepared Cheyenne Kippenberger, former Miss Seminole, as she stood around her Miss Indian World competitors, all waiting for their names to be called at the Gathering of Nations in 2019.… Continue reading Crowns, Chile and Gators - Who still plays 78’s? HHF on KUNM!
“Home of Happy Feet” enters its 48th year on local public radio By Bodie “Bo” Russell / NM News Port “Well good evening everybody, this is the Home of Happy Feet,” is the greeting you might hear from Karl Stalnaker as he introduces his radio show on Tuesday nights. The… Continue reading Who still plays 78’s? HHF on KUNM! - Ammo shortage causes limitation for training
By Dane Vaughn / NM News Port New gun owners learning to shoot are encountering an obstacle: an ammo shortage in Albuquerque that has lasted an entire year. Retailers such as Big 5, Calibers and Right to Bear Arms in Albuquerque answer calls daily about what ammo is in stock.… Continue reading Ammo shortage causes limitation for training - NM photographers find ways to keep their businesses running
By Isabella Baca / NM News port Since the beginning of 2020, the Coronavirus pandemic has struck countless small businesses in the city of Albuquerque. Photographers had to find ways to make ends meet without group gatherings such as weddings, graduations, and family reunions. Jennifer Zamora had just started out… Continue reading NM photographers find ways to keep their businesses running - In their own words: Chimayó
By Alicia Inez Guzmán | Searchlight NM Photography by Don J. Usner This is the second in a series of articles that ask students in New Mexico how they feel about school during the pandemic. Today we hear from three sisters in Chimayó. These comments have been lightly edited. The… Continue reading In their own words: Chimayó - In Their Own Words: What children think about online learning and a school year lost to COVID – Zuni Pueblo and Navajo Nation
This is the third in a series of articles that ask students in the region how they feel about school during the pandemic. Today we hear from students from Zuni Pueblo and the Navajo Nation. By Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi Photography by Don J. Usner and Curtis Ray Benally Not far… Continue reading In Their Own Words: What children think about online learning and a school year lost to COVID – Zuni Pueblo and Navajo Nation - Zoom Fatigue Adds to Pandemic Stresses
By Noah Solomon Struggling focus in front of a computer screen, feeling disoriented in front of a fuzzy camera, mourning the loss of social and physical interaction with others. These are the symptoms of Zoom fatigue, which some students say they’re experiencing since UNM moved classes online last spring. “For… Continue reading Zoom Fatigue Adds to Pandemic Stresses - Taos Suffers Through Ski Season
Taos Suffers Through Ski Season By Sean Johnson-Latham / NM News Port Businesses in Taos struggled to remain open as the pandemic throttled tourism in northern New Mexico’s choice ski resort town. “We’re hurting! We’re really hurting!” Marco Barbitta, the general manager of Stella’s Italian Restaurant, shouted into the phone.… Continue reading Taos Suffers Through Ski Season - Albuquerque Homelessness Rises During Pandemic
By Tyler Braunhardt / NM News Port Homelessness in Albuquerque was on a sharp rise just as the pandemic hit and economic hardships related to the pandemic increased pressure on low-income and unhoused people in the city. Now Mayor Tim Keller is asking for $4.7 million to start operations at the Gateway… Continue reading Albuquerque Homelessness Rises During Pandemic - NM lawmakers approve recreational marijuana
Manuel Romero / NM News Port The New Mexico State Legislature, meeting in special session, passed two bills that would expunge past marijuana convictions while making New Mexico the 16th state to permit the recreational use of marijuana. The bills now head to the governor’s desk where she’s expected to… Continue reading NM lawmakers approve recreational marijuana - New Mexico opens vaccine eligibility to everyone 16+
By William Jennings / NM News Port The New Mexico Department of Health expanded vaccine eligibility today to all New Mexicans 16 years and older. New Mexicans interested in receiving the shot must register online with the NMDOH who will then contact them when there are shots available. The state… Continue reading New Mexico opens vaccine eligibility to everyone 16+ - UNM’s Spring 2021 graduation ceremony to be in-person outdoors
By Bodie “Bo” Russell / NM News Port The University of New Mexico (UNM) decided it would hold a graduation ceremony for its 2021 class this May at University Stadium, allowing only graduating students and faculty to attend. “This is a discussion the leadership team at UNM has been having… Continue reading UNM’s Spring 2021 graduation ceremony to be in-person outdoors - New Mexico schools promise safe return to classrooms
By Shane Farias / NM News Port As public schools gear up for student reentry for the first time in more than a year, staff and students are expected to follow the guidelines provided by the New Mexico Public Education Department. “We expect all schools to offer full reentry no… Continue reading New Mexico schools promise safe return to classrooms - How New Mexico schools returned to in-person learning
By Adam Evarts / NM News Port The state of New Mexico is sending kids back to school in-person and on a full-time basis beginning this week. For many parents, the move is long overdue, after spending more than a year of having their students learn from home under coronavirus… Continue reading How New Mexico schools returned to in-person learning - Same COVID setting, but Lady Lobos prevail while men dwindle
Sports Analysis by Shane Farias / NM News Port Both the University of New Mexico men’s and women’s basketball seasons are in the books, and while both teams dealt with the same COVID-19 restrictions, their results were much different. The Lady Lobos strove to a 15-4 record, winning the Mountain… Continue reading Same COVID setting, but Lady Lobos prevail while men dwindle - Pine Ridge or Bust
Even as Dineh Benally’s illegal cannabis operations in the Navajo Nation are under ongoing investigation, he’s looking for more opportunities across Indian Country. By Wufei Yu and Ed Williams | Searchlight NM Last year, Dineh Benally, the former president of San Juan River Farm Board in the Navajo Nation, oversaw the transformation of… Continue reading Pine Ridge or Bust - Redrawing of NM’s districts looms
By Adam Evarts / NM News Port The 2020 Census data will be put to use later this year in a special legislative session that will determine a redrawing of legislative districts throughout New Mexico, as required by federal law every 10 years. The reason there is redistricting is to… Continue reading Redrawing of NM’s districts looms - In Their Own Words:What children say about online learning and a school year lost to COVID
This the first in a series of articles that ask students in New Mexico how they feel about school during the pandemic. What has online learning been like? What do they think about returning to the classroom? Today we hear from a 9-year-old and a 5-year-old in Albuquerque. (The comments… Continue reading In Their Own Words:What children say about online learning and a school year lost to COVID - Mayor Keller names two to leadership positions at APD
By Ludella Awad / NM News Port / After a six month national search for a new police chief, Mayor Tim Keller has named two leadership positions at the Albuquerque Police Department with Harold Medina being selected as Chief of Police and Sylvester Stanley as Superintendent of Police Reform. “Each… Continue reading Mayor Keller names two to leadership positions at APD