Legislators aim to give convicted felons second chance
By Elaina Jameson/ NM In Depth / Warren Rivera walked out of federal prison nearly two months ago after serving about seven years for his conviction on a charge of illegal firearm possession. First on the 40 year old’s list: Get a job. As a “person who has totally changed his life,” Rivera fired off […]
Law center files human rights report in Navajo uranium case
By Shelby Coen and Matthew Narvaiz / NM News Port / For years, members of the Red Water Pond Road Community, in the Navajo Nation of Northern New Mexico, have been exposed to toxic uranium radiation from government-contracted mines that have yet to be addressed. That’s according to Eric Jantz, the staff attorney at the […]
An ignored epidemic in New Mexico’s prisons
By Ted Alcorn / New Mexico In Depth / The treatment was simple — three pills a day, best taken on a full stomach — and it cured Gabriel Serna of hepatitis C in eight weeks. He just had to wait eight years to get it. In theory, revolutionary medications have made the blood-borne, sometimes-fatal […]
New Mexico faces moral test on educating diverse students
By Sylvia Ulloa and Trip Jennings / New Mexico In Depth / When Wilhelmina Yazzie thinks back to elementary school, she remembers feeling shame in not speaking “proper English.” These days, Yazzie feels pride in speaking Navajo and wants the same for her children when they grow up. “That would be one of the great […]
Big push is on for early education funding from school permanent fund
By Sylvia Ulloa / New Mexico In Depth / Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is proposing $60 million more this year for early childhood education — part of a five-year plan to make access to preschool in New Mexico available to all 3- and 4-year-olds. Legislation has been introduced that expands the prekindergarten program in public schools and adds […]
Lawmakers aim to make voter registration automatic, more convenient
By Ximena Tapia / New Mexico In Depth / A group of legislators want to ensure more New Mexicans can vote by making registration easier. They’re proposing automatic voter registration when a person gets a driver’s license and they also want to allow registration right at the polls. Eligible voters already can register or update […]
Breaking Down the Numbers: Diversity in the House
By Trip Jennings / New Mexico In Depth / Democratic Speaker of the House Brian Egolf kicked off the 54th legislative session last week by acknowledging the diversity he saw arrayed before him in the Legislature’s lower chamber. “We start with the most diverse House of Representatives our state has ever seen,” the Santa Fe […]
N.M. Gov.-elect promises new era in renewable energy
By Andrea Solis and Anna Padilla / NM News Port / Dale and Diantha Schreffler have invested approximately $40 thousand dollars in solar energy. They used a loan to buy the 24 panels for their house, located in Tijeras, New Mexico, but, since getting their panels. they no longer have an electric bill. In fact, […]
Marijuana industry anticipates legalization for recreational use in N.M.
By Cade Guerrero and Daniel Zuniga / NM News Port / Sweeping victories by New Mexico Democrats in the November midterm elections may open the door for the legalization of recreational marijuana in the state. Encouraging the industry was prioritized in the party’s political platform as a means of economic development. “You look at Colorado, […]
New Mexico police decline to comment on marijuana legalization
By Bethany Johnson / NM News Port / Multiple New Mexico Police Departments have declined to comment on the potential legalization of recreational marijuana in the state. The issue is rising in political circles based on the latest wave of Democrats elected into state and national office. On Nov. 6, voters elected Michelle Lujan Grisham, […]