Our Latest Stories
- 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 - NM combat sports gyms persist against COVID-19 lockdown
Manuel Romero / NM News Port As New Mexico observes the one year anniversary of the statewide lockdown that began in mid-March 2020, many local businesses are looking to rebound, including those in the boxing and combat sports industry. The pandemic socked New Mexico’s boxing industry hard as events were… Continue reading NM combat sports gyms persist against COVID-19 lockdown - One Year Anniversary: How COVID Turned UNM’s World Upside Down
By William Jennings / NM News Port A year ago on this day, the University of New Mexico extended spring break for two weeks to evaluate next steps and see if the suddenly-emerging COVID-19 situation would improve. It didn’t. Elexis Panas, then a UNM sophomore, remembers it like yesterday. “Everything… Continue reading One Year Anniversary: How COVID Turned UNM’s World Upside Down - Earthships a prevailing home model amidst environmental challenges
By Bodie Russell / NM News Port With global warming looming, the Earthship, New Mexico’s alternative housing model, is finding enthusiasts and popularity. “Every time there’s a crisis – global warming, COVID, Y2K, natural disasters – we get hit. The demand goes way up,” said Jonah Reynolds of Earthship Biotecture… Continue reading Earthships a prevailing home model amidst environmental challenges - APD reports drop in property crime, increase in violent crime
By Ludella Awad / NM News Port New crime totals for 2020 released by the Albuquerque Police Department found that while violent crime has risen, property crimes have gone down. “We have more work to do, but this trend is encouraging because we continue to cut property crime,” Interim APD… Continue reading APD reports drop in property crime, increase in violent crime - Mayor Keller, APD tout proactive approach to crime fighting
By Ludella Awad/ NM News Port Mayor Tim Keller and the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) highlighted the success of the Anti-Crime Operation, a crime-fighting initiative introduced last year that combines officers and detectives in multiple bureaus in an attempt to recover guns and make arrests. The Anti-Crime Operation combines the… Continue reading Mayor Keller, APD tout proactive approach to crime fighting - APD expands use of social media to track illegal drug activity
By Ludella Awad / NM News Port The Albuquerque Police Department (APD) is expanding its monitoring of social media to track illegal drug transactions as part of an initiative to prevent violent crime. “We have social media being used as a means for dealing drugs,” said Interim Albuquerque Police Chief… Continue reading APD expands use of social media to track illegal drug activity - Are Graduate Students Considered Workers? University Says ‘No’.
By Gordon Payne / NM News Port Graduate students employed at the University of New Mexico protested outside of the university president’s house on January 27 as part of an ongoing disagreement between the school and the students over their right to unionize. Graduate workers at UNM officially filed for… Continue reading Are Graduate Students Considered Workers? University Says ‘No’. - New Mexico census self-response rate falls short of 2010 and 2000
By Bodie Russell / NM News Port Census 2020 leaders point to a multitude of problems, especially the coronavirus pandemic, that lead to low self-response numbers in New Mexico. New Mexico’s reported response rate was 58.7%. It fell short of the 60% rate of 2010. But it fell even shorter… Continue reading New Mexico census self-response rate falls short of 2010 and 2000 - COVID-19 restrictions deplete Santa Fe tourism numbers
By Shane Farias / NM News Port Tourism in Santa Fe hit an all-time low over the last 10 months as a result of coronavirus restrictions, which caused the normally substantial number of visitors to drop significantly, affecting local businesses, events and overall revenue for the city. The first positive… Continue reading COVID-19 restrictions deplete Santa Fe tourism numbers - Albuquerque seeks volunteers to help vaccination effort
By William Jennings / NM News Port The city of Albuquerque is vaccinating against COVID-19 and looking for volunteers from all different backgrounds to help. Volunteers may be responsible for directing people, filling out forms, making copies, and translating information if they are bilingual. They will not be responsible for… Continue reading Albuquerque seeks volunteers to help vaccination effort - New Mexico’s vaccine rollout getting mixed reviews
By Adam Evarts / NM News Port / With New Mexico now in the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout, experts and citizens share positive and negative views. The state indicates the mass vaccination effort is going well. It has 200 providers enrolled in administering the shots. As posted… Continue reading New Mexico’s vaccine rollout getting mixed reviews - City narrows selection to three candidates for Albuquerque’s top cop
By Ludella Awad / NM News Port The city of Albuquerque has narrowed its national search for a new police chief to three candidates after three months gathering community input. Consultant Herb Crosby along with city leaders have conducted over 40 community input sessions and collected nearly 2,300 responses to… Continue reading City narrows selection to three candidates for Albuquerque’s top cop - APD report reveals systemic failures in police reform
By Ludella Awad / NM News Port An independent monitor overseeing the Albuquerque Police Department’s reform process concluded that police reform efforts have failed and aren’t likely to improve until APD “shoulders its burden” to take responsibility for violations of policy and training. In the Monitor’s Twelfth Report released by… Continue reading APD report reveals systemic failures in police reform - Months into the pandemic, challenges remain in virtual classrooms
By Adam Evarts / NM News Port Gwen Gordon sits behind her desk, awaiting the arrival of her students. On the desk sits an attendance book, the day’s lesson plans and her grade book. She hears a noise and looks up. But instead the sound of the classroom door, she… Continue reading Months into the pandemic, challenges remain in virtual classrooms