Recommendations Targeting US Oil, Gas Leasing Across The West

An Indigenous leader from New Mexico and former U.S. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt called on the federal government Tuesday to overhaul its oil and gas leasing program to ensure the protection of cultural resources, saying for far too long tribal expertise has been ignored to the detriment of sacred landscapes. Acoma Pueblo Gov. Brian Vallo … Read more

Lawsuit Challenges NM COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

A lawsuit filed on behalf of a New Mexico nurse and an agricultural worker challenges the constitutionality of recent public health orders requiring people with certain jobs to get COVID-19 vaccinations and restricting admittance to the state fair. The lawsuit filed last week in federal court asks a judge to block enforcement of an order … Read more

Roswell Police Investigate Monday Shooting Incident

A developing story out of Roswell. RPD officers responded to the report of a shooting Monday afternoon in the 300 block of South Beech Street. Once there, the officers discovered a man who had been shot at least once. Paramedics arrived and began treating the unnamed victim, eventually taking him to an area hospital. Dteectives … Read more

Artesia School Board Meeting Tonight (Monday)

The Artesia Public Schools Board of Education will meet in a Special Board Meeting tonight at 5:30 p.m. in the Lowell M. Irby Board room at the Administration Building located at 301 Bulldog Boulevard. The meeting may also be joined via Zoom. The Zoom link is included on the agenda. A copy of the agenda … Read more

NM Scales Down Unemployment Benefits, Battles Fraud

State labor officials warned Thursday that unemployment benefits are scheduled to come to a close for about 50,000 New Mexico residents in early September, as the federal government ends supplemental payments to people who lost jobs or self-employment income during the pandemic. Employers are warily watching whether those individuals will return to work and stabilize … Read more

US Energy Sec. Meets With Navajo Nation In NM

U.S Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm met with Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and other tribal leaders Thursday at a power plant in northwest New Mexico Thursday to discuss renewable energy initiatives, including a solar project and energy storage system. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., and U.S. Office of Indian Energy Director … Read more

NM Shrinks Reliance On For-Profit Prison Operators

New Mexico is on the cusp of finalizing prison takeovers that will reduce private prison operations to 25% of inmate beds, amid a plunge in prison population numbers statewide. Corrections Secretary Alisha Tafoya Lucero briefed a panel of state lawmakers Wednesday on negotiations by her agency to take over day-to-day prison operations from CoreCivic at … Read more

Artesia School Board Moves To Strongly Encourage Mask Usage

The Artesia School Board did not vote Monday on whether or not to go against the public education department’s mask mandates. The board did unanimously approve a resolution encourging the state PED to allow more local control over school district policies. The resolution vote took place prior to public comment from over two dozen residents … Read more

Prosecutors Offer Plea Deal to Cowboys For Trump Founder

Federal prosecutors have offered a confidential plea agreement to Cowboys for Trump founder Couy Griffin that might resolve misdemeanor criminal charges against him linked to the Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol, according to discussions at a Monday court hearing in Washington. The county commissioner from New Mexico still denies federal charges that he … Read more

Suspect Sought In Sunday Night Roswell Shooting

An 18-year-old male is charged with aggravated battery for allegedly shooting a 16-year-old girl in the leg Sunday night (Aug. 8) during a drive-by shooting in the 70 block of East Byrne Street in south Roswell. Roswell Police are asking for the public’s help in providing any information that could potentially help locate the suspect, … Read more