Nash Jones

Starting in the 2025 tax year, New Mexicans will see the impact of the first major adjustment to the state’s income tax structure since 2005. All state taxpayers will owe less, but especially those who make the least.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill Monday that amends state law dealing with detaining defendants before they’re given a fair trial. It requires that courts jail people accused of committing a second felony while awaiting trial for a first until a hearing is held to review their conditions of release. The governor and bill sponsor Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto (D-Bernalillo) touted the measure at its signing as a major win for public safety, but it may have little impact.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Monday signed four bills lawmakers passed as part of her public safety priority for this year’s legislative session. While she called the new laws a “giant leap” in the right direction, she said she’s still considering calling a special legislative session to urge lawmakers to send a few more to her desk.

Homemade signs expressing concern for the ecosystem of Albuquerque’s Bosque have popped up where a thinning project is underway. In addition to questioning the harm to native plants, shade and habitats, some call for the city to pause the work and hold a community meeting. The head of the city’s Open Space Division says her team doesn’t plan to stop the thinning and is confident in its benefits, but encourages those with worries to reach out directly.

Albuquerque Public Schools is holding community forums this week as it stares down budget cuts. While the numbers aren’t finalized, administrators Monday said they expect to be working with around 13% less next fiscal year. They broke down the various pots of money the total will get split into and asked community members which programs they’d prioritize over others. Some participants were displeased, saying they wanted more specifics and more money to work with.

The election is season underway, KUNM News wants to learn how best to serve you. We've launched an effort to hear what issues are most important to you, what questions you want us to ask candidates, and what information you still need to cast your ballot. America Amplified is supporting us in reaching out to you and Managing Editor Alisa Barba spoke with KUNM to help introduce you to the project.

Potentially damaging winds are forecast across central and northern New Mexico today and tomorrow. The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a High Wind Warning from 11 p.m. Monday until 11 p.m. Tuesday, with a risk of downed trees and difficult travel. The Public Service Co. of New Mexico (PNM) is warning customers to take care around compromised power lines.

Albuquerque is a particularly dangerous city for pedestrians, consistently ranking near the top nationally for the number of walkers and bikers killed on its roads. With seven pedestrians killed already this year on East Central, according to the Albuquerque Police Department, 2024 is on track to be the deadliest yet despite years of safety initiatives. Now, the city is looking to AI for help.

New Mexico has the highest rate of alcohol-related deaths in the nation and the situation has gotten even worse since the pandemic. Despite this, state lawmakers this session failed to pass any substantive measures to curb the crisis. Public health reporter Ted Alcorn has long covered the issue for New Mexico in Depth. He spoke with KUNM about a debate over whether and how to change the way the state taxes alcohol. Democrats filed competing bills this year, neither of which got to the governor.

In a news conference following the close of the 2024 New Mexico legislative session, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham expressed frustration and disappointment that more of the approximately 25 public safety-related bills she backed did not pass. She said a special session focused on getting more of these tough-on-crime bills through is “not off the table.”