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High Court Will Not Hear Mine Spill Suit, 2 More Plague Cases Hit Santa Fe County

By • 9 hours ago
Photo via www.commons.wikimedia.org

Supreme Court Declines To Hear Arguments In Mine Spill Suit – The Associated Press

The U.S. Supreme Court won't hear arguments on New Mexico's lawsuit against Colorado over a 2015 mine waste spill that polluted rivers in both states and Utah.

N. M. Opioid Prescriptions Taper Off, University Professor, 2 Students Overcome By Heat

By • Jun 24, 2017
user: ep_jhu / Flickr via Creative Commons

Under Scrutiny, New Mexico Opioid Prescriptions Taper Off - Associated Press

The number of people receiving opioid pain medication prescriptions or risky duplicate prescriptions is showing a precipitous decline in New Mexico since the state ordered doctors to check a database that flags patients who get narcotics from multiple sources.

The Photographs (And More) Of Subhankar Banerjee

By • Jun 23, 2017
http://www.subhankarbanerjee.org/

Subhankar Banerjee is an internationally known writer, environmental activist and scholar.  He is also an extraordinary photographer and has said that photography, for him, is a portal to activism and knowledge.  Several of his large-scale photographs of Arctic Alaska are now on display in Long Environmentalism in the Near North, Subhankar Banerjee: Activism – Photographs – Writing at the UNM Art Museum in Albuquerque.

Feds Investigate Los Alamos Over More Safety Concerns, NM Gov Studies Impact Of Health Overhaul

By • Jun 23, 2017
Energy.Gov / Public Domain

Feds Investigate After Lab Improperly Ships Nuclear Material – The Associated Press

Federal regulators are launching an investigation into the improper shipment of nuclear material from Los Alamos National Laboratory to other federal labs last week.

Senate's Health Care Proposal Could Cut Crucial Services In N.M.

By • Jun 22, 2017
Wikimedia Commons

The Senate released a revised GOP health care bill on Thursday, June 22, with major cuts to Medicaid, reproductive health, and mental health programs widely used by people in New Mexico. Advocates are saying the changes could have long-lasting negative impacts.

Officals Say 3 Pueblos Owe Casino Revenue, NM Forest Imposes More Stringent Fire Restrictions

By • Jun 22, 2017
Prayitno via Flickr / Creative Commons

Regulators Say 3 Pueblos Owe State Money Over Casino Revenue – The Associated Press & The Santa Fe New Mexican

Regulators say three pueblos owe New Mexico a combined $40 million under a long-disputed interpretation of an old agreement for sharing revenue from tribal casinos.

Education Lawsuit Points To Disparities In State’s Pre-K

By • Jun 21, 2017
Pixabay via Creative Commons

Lawmakers and educators in New Mexico have been talking about the achievement gap in public schools for years—and trying to figure out how to close it. Testimony in a landmark education trial underway in Santa Fe touched on early childhood education programs this week. The lawsuit says they’re crucial to making sure students of color, children from families with low incomes and English language-learners succeed. But those programs aren’t widely available. 

Scrutiny Intensifies Over Safety At US Nuclear Weapons Lab

By • Jun 21, 2017
Los Alamos National Laboratory / CREATIVE COMMONS

Scrutiny Intensifies Over Safety At US Nuclear Weapons Lab – The Associated Press

The safety record at Los Alamos National Laboratory is facing intensifying criticism as work ramps up to produce a key component for the U.S. nuclear weapons cache.

Auditor: Local Companies Get A Fraction Of State Food Spending

By • Jun 20, 2017

Local government has to provide millions of meals every year to schools and to people who are incarcerated. It’s big money for whoever’s providing that food. The state auditor found it’s mostly national companies that get those multi-million-dollar food contracts.

Report Puts NM At No. 34 For Education Spending, Police Want Treasure Hunt To End

By • Jun 20, 2017
La Veu del País Valencià via Flickr / Creative Commons License

Report Puts New Mexico At No. 34 For Education Spending – The Associated Press & The Santa Fe New Mexican

A report by the Census Bureau ranks New Mexico as 34th in the nation for its public education spending.

Pastor's Disappearance Sparks Debate Over Treasure Hunt, Fire 60 Percent Contained,

By • Jun 19, 2017
Johanna84 via Pixabay / Creative Commons

Pastor's Disappearance Reignites Debate Over Treasure Hunt – The Associated Press

Police say a body has been found along the Rio Grande in northern New Mexico not far from where a Colorado pastor parked his vehicle before heading out to search for a supposed hidden cache of gold and jewels.

Federal Funds To Help Fight Fire In New Mexico, As Wall Looms, US Moves To Settle Border Fence Land

By • Jun 17, 2017
Kari Greer via USFS Gila National Forest

Federal Funds To Help Fight Fire In New Mexico – Associated Press

New Mexico's request for funding to help with the fight against a blaze that prompted evacuations in northern New Mexico has been granted by the federal government.

5 Fatally Shot In Northern NM, Fire Crews Still Battling NM Blaze

By • Jun 16, 2017
Credit: Null Value / Creative Commons

5 Fatally Shot In Northern New Mexico; Gunman Arrested – The Associated Press & The Santa Fe New Mexican

Authorities have arrested a man who they say fatally shot five people in New Mexico on Thursday.

Potential Changes To Medicaid Draw Criticism

By & • Jun 15, 2017
Sarah Trujillo / KUNM

More than three years after the health care expansion, 43 percent of New Mexico’s total population is signed up for Medicaid. But budgets are tight, and the Human Services Department is trying to figure out how to make it all work. Some of the  proposals presented at a public meeting in Albuquerque were contentious.

Health Secretary Rejects Medical Cannabis Expansion, New Mexico Fire Threatens Structures

By • Jun 15, 2017
Dank Depot / Creative Commons via Flickr

Health Secretary Rules Out Expanding Medical Pot  – Santa Fe New Mexican

State Health Secretary Lynn Gallagher rejected proposals that would have expanded the list of conditions under the state’s medical cannabis program to include Alzheimer’s disease and opioid addiction.

Heinrich On Medicaid And ACA Overhaul

By • Jun 14, 2017
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons by cliff1066™

More than 50,000 people in the U.S. died because of an opioid overdose last year, which is an all-time high.

The opioid epidemic was the subject of Congress’s Joint Economic Committee hearing last week. New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich, a Democrat, is the ranking member of that committee. He spoke with KUNM about the hearing and the prospects for behavioral health in the Republican health care replacement bill. 

New Mexico Rep. Pearce Describes Shooting, Secretary Of State Proposes Campaign Disclosure Rules

By • Jun 14, 2017
Robert Smith via Flickr / Creative Commons License

New Mexico Rep. Pearce Describes Shooting – The Associated Press

New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce says the gunshots started to ring out as he left the batting cage during an early morning congressional baseball practice.

HSD To Take Public Comment On Medicaid Overhaul

By • Jun 13, 2017
Mark_K_ / Flickr via Creative Commons

The New Mexico Human Services Department released its plan for the fate of Medicaid, and it includes massive cuts that could sever coverage for thousands.

Recovery Courts For Teens

By sarah gustavus • Jun 13, 2017
Joe Gratz via Flickr CC

Young people who end up in the court system for substance abuse are at a crucial point in their lives. In many New Mexico communities, recovery courts provide resources for minors to address substance abuse and take advantage of mental health services. One goal is to address drug use before a minor ends up in the adult court system.

VIDEO: Jeff Sessions Testimony With NPR Analysis

By • Jun 13, 2017
Gage Skidmore via Creative Commons

Attorney General Jeff Sessions testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee at 2:30pm ET today, as the investigation continues into Russian attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election. Sessions took questions about his recusal from the Russia investigation, his own meetings with Russian officials, and what if anything he knew about a private Oval Office meeting between President Trump and fired FBI Director James Comey. Here is Sessions' prepared opening statement to the committee, annotated by NPR journalists, and a video of his testimony.

New Mexico Ranks 49th In Child Well-Being, New Rules Proposed For Campaign Reports

By • Jun 13, 2017
Air Force Staff Sgt. Bowman via Scott AFB / CREATIVE COMMONS

Southwestern States Rank Among Lowest In Child Well-Being - By Susan Montoya Bryan, Associated Press

Three Southwestern states are ranked near the bottom when it comes to child well-being, with New Mexico leading the way among its neighbors.

Major Education Lawsuit Heads To Trial

By • Jun 12, 2017

Two civil rights groups are taking New Mexico’s public education system to court. They say the state doesn’t fund education well enough, doesn’t provide the right programming and is violating some students’ rights.

The trial started Monday in Santa Fe. 

US 550 Deadliest In The State, EPA Had No Rules For Working At Gold King Mine

By • Jun 12, 2017
Ken Lund / Creative Commons

New Mexico's US 550 Continues To Be Deadly Major Highway – The Associated Press & The Santa Fe New Mexican

Government traffic data shows that highway U.S. 550 in northwestern New Mexico could be the state's deadliest major highway.

Advocates File Lawsuit Over Trump Hold On Methane Rules

By • Jun 10, 2017
Jeremy Buckingham / Flickr via Creative Commons

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Trump Administration are facing a lawsuit after they suspended a rule to curb oil and gas industry methane emissions for 90 days.

New Mexico Launches Zika Awareness Campaign, 30 Units Damaged In Fire At Storage Facility

By • Jun 10, 2017
James Gathany / Flickr via Creative Commons

New Mexico Launches Zika Awareness Campaign – Associated Press

The New Mexico Department of Health is launching a campaign to educate people about Zika.

Finding The Link Between Music And Math

By • Jun 9, 2017
http://santafesymphony.org/

Four years ago, the Santa Fe Symphony collaborated with the local think tank, the Santa Fe Institute, on a program for all ages that combined music with entertaining educational demonstrations.  The Majesty of Music & Mathematics caused a lot of excitement and it will return to the Lensic Center on June 19.  The performance will be taped for broadcast on New Mexico PBS.

New Rule Lets Pharmacists Offer Birth Control, Amber Alert Cancelled

By • Jun 9, 2017
Bruce Blaus via Wikimedia / CREATIVE COMMONS

Pharmacists Can Now Provide Birth Control – Santa Fe New Mexican

A new rule taking effect Friday allows women to get birth control directly from pharmacists.

Health Insurance Uncertainty Has Carriers And Consumers In Limbo

By • Jun 8, 2017
OpenClipArt-Vector via Pixabay / Creative Commons License

As Republicans work to fulfill their promises to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, the future of healthcare in the U.S. is up in the air. In New Mexico, health insurance carriers have to submit their proposed premium rates by this weekend. After state officials review them, the public will have 10 days to weigh in.

NM Public Education Secretary Stepping Down, NM DA Faces Charges Over DWI Stop

By • Jun 8, 2017
New Mexico PBS / Creative Commons

New Mexico Public Education Secretary Skandera To Step Down – The Associated Press

New Mexico Public Education Secretary Hanna Skandera is stepping down after seven years on the job.

Report: Spending On Child Behavioral Health Lopsided In NM

By • Jun 7, 2017
Thaliesin via Pixabay / Creative Commons License

The state spent almost half its 2015 child behavioral health dollars on expensive outpatient programs that have not been shown to be effective, according to a report presented to lawmakers Wednesday.

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