Tour Victorian Cottage And 19th Century Chapel During Ranger Walk ‘N Talk Programs At Los Luceros
A 19th century chapel houses religious artwork at Los Luceros Historic Site. Courtesy/NMHS
NMHS News:
Los Luceros Historic Site is offering a Ranger Walk ‘N Talk program on Wednesdays and Sundays guiding visitors through the site’s historic district this spring.
Visitors can join Interpretive Ranger Kara on a guided ranger tour through Los Luceros’ historic district this March and April to learn about the site and its buildings, including the Victorian Cottage, the plans for which were purchased from a catalogue by early owner Abel Lucero near the beginning of the 20th century.
Visitors Read More
Farmington Attorney Becomes First Native American District Court Judge In Eleventh Judicial District
Brenna Clani-Washinawatok
New Mexico Supreme Court News:
AZTEC — Brenna Clani-Washinawatok, a Farmington attorney and enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, will be the first Native American to serve as a district court judge in the Eleventh Judicial District of San Juan and McKinley counties.
Clani-Washinawatok will take the oath of office next month. She has served as a child support hearing officer, domestic violence commissioner and domestic relations hearing officer for the district court since 2022. She was appointed to the bench by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to succeed retired Read More
Sen. Block Proposes DOGE-like Office For New Mexico
Sen. Jay Block
By DANIEL J. CHACÓN
The Santa Fe New Mexican
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, President Donald Trump would surely be charmed by state Sen. Jay Block.
The freshman Rio Rancho Republican dropped a bill Thursday to create a Government Accountability to Taxpayer Office, which would essentially be New Mexico’s version of the federal Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
“It really came about from seeing all the vast amount of fraud, waste and abuse coming out of DOGE at the federal government, [which] is what we’re seeing, and I firmly believe there’s money being Read More
House Measure Would Support Mining, Mineral Leasing Halt In Upper Pecos Watershed In Santa Fe National Forest
Bill Sponsor Rep. Anita Gonzales
By MARGARET O’HARA
The Santa Fe New Mexican
The Upper Pecos watershed attracts hikers, wildlife enthusiasts, anglers and outdoorspeople of all kinds — and for good reason, said fly fishing guide Adrian Akin.
In addition to participating in local chapters of the freshwater conservation organization Trout Unlimited, Akin leads expeditions for Santa Fe fly shop The Reel Life, estimating he brings a half-and-half mix of locals and tourists to the near-pristine upper Pecos River.
The area is special, he said. It’s resilient.
“It’s in very good condition for Read More
Supreme Court Vacates Taos Woman’s Convictions Because Of Prosecutorial Misconduct
NMSC News:
SANTA FE — The state Supreme Court today vacated the convictions of a Taos woman for a 2019 killing and prohibited a retrial because of “outrageous prosecutorial misconduct” that included referring to the defendant as a witch.
The Court unanimously concluded that Desiree Lensegrav failed to receive a fair trial and that state constitutional protections against double jeopardy barred a new trial because of the misconduct. Lensegrav was sentenced in 2022 to 45 years in prison before eligibility for parole for her role in the death of Joseph Morgas.
“In this case of severe and pervasive Read More
NMDOH: Measles Outbreak Declared In Lea County
NMDOH News:
The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) reports two adult Lea County residents tested positive for measles Thursday– as confirmed by the NMDOH Scientific Laboratory Division – totaling to three cases this week.
New Mexico meets the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s outbreak criteria with three unrelated cases in Lea County. The cases border Texas’s Gaines County, where cases have jumped from 2 to 48 cases in two weeks. While a connection to the Texas outbreak is suspected, it remains unconfirmed.
“We are investigating every suspected case, and we encourage Read More
Celebrate New Mexico’s Diversity On Culture Day Feb. 24
NMDCA News:
SANTA FE — Celebrate the creativity, resilience, and heritage of New Mexico at Culture Day in the State Capitol rotunda Monday, Feb. 24, 2025.
This special event showcases the eight museums, eight historic sites, arts, archaeology, historic preservation, and library programs under the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs.
New Mexico’s history spans millions of years—from the time dinosaurs shook the countryside, the first people left footprints in the sand and called this home, to our role in the race to the Moon and stars. From pueblos to historic homesteads and orchards, Read More
Bill To Create New Alcohol Tax Faces Industry Opposition
Three of the sponsors of House Bill 417 take questions from reporters following a House Health and Human Services Committee meeting Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. The bill, which would impose a new 6% retail tax on all alcoholic beverages sold in New Mexico, passed the committee on a 6-4 vote. Pictured from left are Reps. Micaela Lara Cadena, D-Mesilla, Joanne Ferrary, D-Las Cruces and Cristina Parajón, D-Albuquerque. Photo by Cormac Dodd/The New Mexican
By CORMAC DODD
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Lawmakers are taking another run at driving up the cost of alcohol in New Mexico this year, with a bill to do Read More
Paid Leave Proposal Advances Despite Stiff Opposition
Hands go up in the audience as Rep. Doreen Gallegos, chair of the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee, asks who is opposed to HB11 during a long meeting of the committee Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, which narrowly voted to advance a revamped version of the proposal for paid family and medical leave. The proposal will go next to the House floor, where a version of a paid family and medical leave bill died in 2024. Photo by Jim Weber/The New Mexican
Rep. Christine Chandler, D-Los Alamos, testifies during a long meeting of the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee Wednesday, Read More
‘Just The Appetizer’: Senators Say Expect More Crime Bills
By Esteban Candelaria
The Santa Fe New Mexican
As the halfway point of this year’s legislative session approaches, lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee sought to temper criticisms that a public safety package making its way through the Roundhouse does not go far enough.
House Bill 8, which the committee took a red pen to on Wednesday, presently represents one of the largest efforts to tackle crime in New Mexico during this legislative session.
After some changes the committee voted 7-1 to advance the bill, with all but Sen. Moe Maestas, D-Albuquerque, voting for it. Maestas argued cracking Read More