U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury Votes To Expand Opioid, Behavioral Health, Substance Use Programs
U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury
STATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As New Mexico communities face intersecting opioid, mental health, and substance use crises, U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) voted to pass critical legislation expanding over 30 programs that collectively support opioid response, mental health care, and substance use disorder prevention across the nation.
Statewide, just 12% of New Mexicans have access to behavioral health services.
Rep. Stansbury also is working on a legislative framework to bring a more holistic approach to addressing public safety, behavioral health, Read More
Luján Statement On U.S. Supreme Court Decision To Strike Down New York’s Concealed-Carry License Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following statement after the decision of the Supreme Court to strike down New York’s concealed-carry license law (NYSRPA v. Bruen):
“25 states require a permit to carry concealed weapons in public – a precautionary measure widely accepted by the American people. At a time when the federal government is finally responding to the gun violence epidemic with real action, today’s decision from the extremist justices on the Supreme Court strikes a blow to sensible gun safety laws throughout the country.
“There’s agreement Read More
Retired Educators In New Mexico Now Eligible To Return To Work Without Losing Pension Benefits
From the Office of the Governor:
SANTA FE — New Mexico’s 48,000 retired K-12 and higher education educators now have the opportunity to return to the classroom without losing their retirement benefits thanks to a new law enacted by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham this year.
Retired teachers and college faculty receiving pension benefits from the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board can now return to teaching for an additional three years within a New Mexico public school district, college, or university without forfeiting their retirement benefits.
“This is a win-win for New Mexico teachers Read More
Attorney General Balderas Demands Swift Federal Action To Protect Children From Toxic Metals In Baby Foods
New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas
AG News:
ALBUQUERQUE — New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas joined a multistate coalition of 22 attorneys general in calling on the heads of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take swift action to eliminate toxic metals from baby food.
In a letter to FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, Deputy Commissioner Frank Yiannis, and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, the coalition outlines key strategies for the federal agencies that would allow them to take immediate and widespread action that would drive Read More
Tonight’s Pro-Choice March Location Moves Across Pond
The meeting location for the Los Alamos Pro-Choice March starting at 5 p.m. today at Ashley Pond has been moved from the stage area to near the elephant statue across the pond. Read More
Stansbury Votes For Children’s Access To School Meals
U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury
STATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As one in four kids in New Mexico face food insecurity, U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) voted to pass the bipartisan Keep Kids Fed Act (H.R. 8150) to ensure that schools can continue providing meals for students despite ongoing supply chain issues.
The bill allows the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide additional assistance to child nutrition programs by extending meal waivers and reimbursing providers at a higher rate to keep children across New Mexico from going hungry this summer.
Chart 656: Los Alamos Test Positivity Rate At All Time High
This chart shows the test positivity rate versus date in Los Alamos. The test positivity rate is above 20 percent for the first time. Since the start of the pandemic, 5.8 percent of about 62,000 COVID-19 tests in the county were positive. Source: New Mexico Department of Health. Created by Eli Ben-NaimPro-Choice March Tuesday By Stage At Ashley Pond
Los Alamos COVID Impact: 97 New Cases For Week Ending June 27, 2022
COVID-19 statistics for the week ending June 27, 2022 impacting Los Alamos County:
-
463 tests
- 97 diagnoses (71 in Los Alamos, 25 in White Rock)
- 0 deaths
Source: New Mexico Department of Health. By Eli Ben-Naim.
Balderas: New Mexico Has Joined $1.25 Million Multistate Settlement Over 2019 Carnival Cruise Line Data Breach
New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas
AG News:
ALBUQUERQUE— New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas today announced that New Mexico along with 45 other attorneys general, has obtained a $1.25 million multistate settlement with Florida-based Carnival Cruise Line stemming from a 2019 data breach that involved the personal information of approximately 180,000 Carnival employees and customers nationwide.
New Mexico will receive $11,573.98 from the settlement.
In March 2020, Carnival publicly reported a data breach in which an unauthorized actor gained access to certain Carnival Read More
Governor Takes Action To Safeguard Abortion Access, Protect New Mexico Health Care Providers
From the Office of the Governor:
SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an executive order today protecting access to reproductive health care services in New Mexico, protecting medical providers from attempts at legal retribution and establishing that New Mexico will not entertain extradition attempts from other states relating to receiving or performing reproductive services.
“Today we have once again declared that we will take every available action to protect the rights and access to health care of anyone in New Mexico,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. Read More
Rep. Leger Fernández Applauds Plan To Keep Veterans Health Clinics Open In Northern New Mexico
From the Office of U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández issued the following statement after U.S. Senators announced that they will not move forward with the AIR Commission process.
This will effectively prevent the closure of the Española, Gallup, Las Vegas and Raton veterans health clinics:
“Over the last few months, I listened to veterans in Raton, Las Vegas, Española, and Gallup describe how the VA community health clinics provided them access to essential care. I carried their stories and worries about losing these clinics to my colleagues Read More
Governor Appoints Peter Mantos IT Secretary
Newly appointed IT Secretary Peter Mantos
From the Office of the Governor:
SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced today the appointment of Peter Mantos as secretary of the New Mexico Department of Information and Technology.
“Peter Mantos is eminently qualified to lead the state agency tasked with deploying broadband resources and arming our state against cyber-attacks,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “He will also be critical in our efforts to continue to modernize our technology for both state workers and the public we serve.”
Mantos has more than 30 years of experience in information Read More
Gessing: Think Twice About Universal Pre-K
President
Rio Grande Foundation
As we move beyond a contentious series of primaries in both parties and look to the fall election, one of the big issues on the fall ballot is the plan to “tap” New Mexico’s permanent fund to provide universal preschool.
For years this has been an agenda item for the State’s left-leaning interest groups. But it only received legislative support with the retirement of Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith.
This November voters will decide whether to: “allocate 1.25 percent of the five-year average of year-end market values of the Read More
Interior Department Announces $43.6 Million In Payments To Support Vital Services In New Mexico Communities
DOI Secretary Deb Haaland
DOI News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of the Interior (DOI) has announced that 32 local governments in New Mexico will receive a total of $43.6 million in Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding for 2022.
Because local governments cannot tax federal lands, annual PILT payments help to defray the costs associated with maintaining important community services.
PILT payments are made for tax-exempt federal lands administered by the Department’s agencies – including the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Read More
Clerk’s Office Completes Canvass Process To Certify And Finalize Los Alamos County 2022 Primary Election Results
Canvass attendees from left, Canvass Board Member James Rickman, Chief Deputy Clerk Adrianna Ortiz, Canvass Board Member Heath Davis, standing, Canvass Board Member Betty Ann Gunther and Canvass Board Member Cameron Counters. Photo by County Clerk Naomi Maestas
COUNTY News:
The Los Alamos County Clerk’s Office has completed the required canvass process to certify and finalize the results of the 2022 Primary Election, held Tuesday, June 7, 2022.
The Canvass Board met at 1 p.m. Monday, June 13, in the Municipal Building. The Canvass Board consisted of Cameron Counters (Democrat), Betty Read More
NACo: Metropolitan County Leaders To Provide Update On American Rescue Plan & Pandemic Response
LUCC Chair John O’Grady
NACo News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Elected leaders from major urban counties with over 4.2 million residents this week outlined how they are deploying resources from the American Rescue Plan to respond to urgent community needs.
Leaders of the National Association of Counties (NACo) Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC) hosted a Capitol Hill briefing to describe how they are investing in pandemic recovery, including efforts to address the nation’s growing mental health and homelessness crises.
“Counties are leading our nation’s recovery through strategic investments Read More
Congressional Delegation Urges Secretary McDonough To Visit New Mexico Veteran Health Clinics
NM Congressional Delegation News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) wrote a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary McDonough urging the Secretary to visit the Las Vegas or Raton veteran health clinics, two of the four clinics that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recommended for closure.
All four of the veteran health clinics recommended for closure in New Mexico are in rural parts of the state. The delegation wrote to Secretary Read More
Chart 655: COVID Testing In Los Alamos County Remains Below State Average
This chart shows the cumulative number of tests, per capita, since the pandemic started by county. Los Alamos County and the statewide average are highlighted. Source: New Mexico Department of Health. Created by Eli Ben-Naim Read More
Ronchetti On Supreme Court’s Roe V. Wade Decision
Gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti
From the Mark Ronchetti for Governor Campaign:
ALBUQUERQUE — Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti released the following statement regarding Friday’s Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision.
“(Friday’s) Court ruling paves the way for a measured dialogue on the issue of abortion that will save lives and should result in policies that are more mainstream and reflect our shared values.
“The Governor has taken an extreme position on abortion, out of step with most New Mexicans, in believing that abortion should be unrestricted – all Read More
