in the news

LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Bob Phillips said he’s been in pain since he was 19. That’s how old he was when he was badly injured while serving in the Air Force. Now, at age 66, he has two prosthetic knees, several rods, screws and pins in his legs, back and feet. He lives in Las Vegas, New Mexico, and sees a health care professional several...

New Mexico’s U.S. senators are holding discussions with veterans this week on a recent recommendation to shut down smaller Department of Veterans Affairs’ health clinics in four New Mexico towns. Sen. Martin Heinrich, an Albuquerque Democrat, will be at the VFW San Juan Argonne Post 1547 in Las Vegas, N.M., Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.,...

A bill aimed at supporting some of the America’s most imperiled plant and animal species passed a Senate committee last week after it was introduced by New Mexico U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM). The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act was also sponsored by U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) and was passed April 7 by the U.S. Senate Committee on...

The federal Recovering America’s Wildlife Act cleared the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on a 15-5 vote Thursday, advancing what proponents call the “most significant wildlife conservation bill in half a century.” This bill, which is sponsored by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich, a New Mexico Democrat, and Roy...

New Mexico is in the running to be the home of two parts of the U.S. Space Force’s Space and Training Readiness Command Headquarters, or STARCOM. The U.S. Air Force this week announced that Kirtland Air Force Base is a finalist to be the home of two of five space deltas – which are essentially a specific mission or area of focus –...

Homes throughout New Mexico could become more energy efficient during extreme weather events as the state will receive up to $22 million in federal grant dollars to do so via the infrastructure bill recently signed into law by President Joe Biden. The bill earmarked the federal dollars for New Mexico through the U.S. Department of Energy’s...

Climate hawks in Congress had mixed reactions yesterday to the Biden administration’s expected effort to expand domestic production of critical minerals by invoking the Defense Production Act. Some were cautiously optimistic. Others downright apprehensive. Still others were looking for more action on other priorities. Taken together, those...

A $1.5 trillion federal spending plan included dollars for local projects throughout eastern New Mexico supporting services like public safety, water infrastructure and the military. President Joe Biden signed the bill, known as the “omnibus bill” into law earlier this month after it passed the U.S. House and Senate. The...

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) joined with four other senators in urging the administration of President Joe Biden, via a recent letter, to support the nation’s shift away from fossil fuels in light of the recent energy crisis brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. After the events in Ukraine, world leaders -- including...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico will be the new location for training pilots and other crew members to operate a type of large attack planes flown by the Air Force Special Operations Command, a member of the state’s congressional delegation announced Friday. The establishment of...

SOCORRO – After years of community advocacy, the Eagle Picher Battery Superfund site is set to receive $19 million in federal funds to clean it up, with the money split into $3 million for soil excavation and building demolition, and $16 million for a pump-and-treat remedy for the contaminated groundwater. The New Mexico Environment...

The Electrifying America’s Future Resolution (S. Res. 224) addresses the renewable energy on the demand side of the United States energy economy. This piece of legislation works to incentivize the electrification of homes, businesses and buildings while creating jobs and modernizing the grid. POW Alliance Members Caroline...

A privately managed migrant detention facility in Estancia, N.M. was drubbed for unsanitary living conditions and poor staffing in a newly released report by the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general. The Torrance County Detention Facility houses detainees in the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, known as...

Santa Fe braces for evictions A statewide prohibition on evictions—enacted by New Mexico’s Supreme Court two years ago at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic—will end soon and, alongside it, the City of Santa Fe’s moratorium also will cease. Local housing advocates foresee a coming wave of evictions as a result,...

Some of New Mexico’s political leaders voiced opposition Monday to a new federal report’s recommendation for future closure of several veterans health clinics in the state where enrollment has declined. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Asset and Infrastructure Review, released Monday, said the agency should centralize services...

New Mexico Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., said her very first actions as a congresswoman are reflected in the $1.5 trillion 2022 omnibus spending package that was approved by Congress last week. Stansbury said she learned hours before her swearing-in ceremony June 14 that she would immediately need to submit proposals for federal funding for...

Guadalupe, Lincoln and Torrance counties are now collectively supporting the electricity needs of nearly 1 million people through a massive new wind farm and transmission line in central New Mexico. Pattern Energy officially dedicated its Western Spirit wind project in late February after more than a decade of development. The project includes four...

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – The Senate’s $1.5 trillion omnibus spending bill includes funds for improvements at two New Mexico international ports of entry, a lawmaker says. The Columbus Port of Entry is slated to get $1 million for drainage work that includes the construction of berms to prevent flooding on both sides of...

With the tragic, illegal, and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin, the world has been turned upside down. There is a hardening resolve among peace-loving nations and people around the globe to support Ukraine and isolate the Putin regime. The U.S. is leading this effort alongside our allies, reaffirming historic bonds in the...

DONA ANA COUNTY, N.M. (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office will be receiving a US Government Appropriation for $350,000 to intensify their Rapid DNA Machine, which in turn, will help them solve crimes, according to Sheriff Kim Stewart. "One of the values of that is that DNA that can be collected at crime scenes now...