This Santa Fe arts college could lose almost all its federal funding. Here’s why. – Noah Alcala Bach, Albuquerque Journal
The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), one of the few post-secondary institutions in New Mexico’s capital city, could see its funding slashed by almost 80% as the Trump administration eyes further cuts to higher education institutions, public education and now those that are affiliated with tribes.
The Santa Fe-based art school, which serves over 1,000 students and has a staff of over 100 people, 79% and 42% of whom are Native American, respectively, could lose some $13.4 million in federal funding of its overall budget of roughly $17 million.
On Tuesday, ProPublica reported that the Trump administration, via a budget request on its way to Congress from the Department of the Interior, was looking to cut 90% of funding for the 37 tribal colleges and universities across the country — one of which is IAIA.
The cuts are part of a broader Trump Administration push to cut programs targeted at diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and other programs the administration deems wasteful, such as foreign aid. The administration has touted some $2.3 billion in savings from DEI cuts and $8.3 billion in savings annually that went to some of the poorest nations in the world.
“We will terminate every diversity, equity, and inclusion program across the entire federal government,” Trump said in an executive order promising to eliminate every government program helping “underrepresented” populations in the U.S.
U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., who is an ex officio non-voting member on the IAIA board of trustees, did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
IAIA President Robert Martin said in a phone interview Wednesday that they had been bracing for the cuts.
“We knew it was going to happen sometime but to tell you the truth, we were hoping that somehow we were going to remain in the budget,” he told the Journal. “We were trying to make sure this didn’t happen, but it has happened, and we’re well-prepared to deal with it, and we’re confident that we’re going to prevail in the end.”
Martin expressed confidence that the school would remain funded through the coming fiscal year, stating that he’s been reassured by the New Mexico congressional delegation that “they are going to fund us at the level of funding that we requested” and that the presidential administration’s proposed cuts could meet legal challenges. Still, Martin acknowledged that the looming cuts could have an impact on the campus community.
“It is scary, but I think they want to instill fear, and these are challenging times for all of us,” Martin said. “Uncertainty creates a lot of stress and anxiety among our faculty, staff and students.”
The Bureau of Indian Education Central Office, a department housed within the Department of the Interior, did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
“We know federal funding cuts have already hit New Mexico’s higher education institutions. Currently, the New Mexico Higher Education Department is working closely with all public colleges and universities throughout the state, including the state’s four tribal colleges, to track changes that may impact current and future federal funding,” Auriella Ortiz, spokesperson for the New Mexico Higher Education Department, wrote in a statement. “During these unpredictable times, we will continue to support students at the Institute of American Indian Arts and other tribal colleges across the state.”
In March, Martin penned a campus-wide letter ahead of spring break addressing federal concerns and wrote “During my more than 17-year tenure as President, IAIA’s budget has been reduced only once.” He also noted additional reasons for students and staff to remain optimistic and pointed to some actions the school was taking to mitigate federal effects.
“We have drawn down the maximum allowable funding amounts for each of our federal grants. Given the intent of several of the Executive Orders to terminate federal workers and programs, freeze federal hiring, reduce federal funding, and pausing certain federal grants,” Martin wrote. “We must remain vigilant.”
New Mexico faces increased fire danger in June, after moist end to May – Danielle Prokop, Source New Mexico
New Mexico’s relatively cool and moist weather so far this spring will dry and warm up in coming weeks, putting fire managers and forecasters on high alert for wildfires before the start of the seasonal monsoon rains this summer.
This year’s low snowpack has already put much of the state in drought conditions, and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham recently declared a state of emergency and additional actions to prevent fires over the coming weeks.
Recent rains around the state offer some relief, as May and June typically emerge as some of the driest months, said George Ducker, a wildfire prevention and spokesperson at the New Mexico Forestry Division.
But the projected warm temperatures through the next several weeks could mean the recent spouting of new plants could aggravate the problem, he said.
“We could see a substantial dry up of these flashy fuels, the grasses and even shrubs,” Ducker said. “Then, if you get a start, get a little bit of wind — there would be more fuel to burn.”
The recent rains did not herald the start of the monsoon, the seasonal tropical patterns that provide Arizona and New Mexico with critical moisture, said Andrea Bair, a forecaster with the National Weather Service Western Region based in Salt Lake City, at a National Integrated Drought Information System presentation Tuesday.
Rather, she said monsoons are expected to start in mid-June and could be stronger than past years, but hot temperatures will continue to dry out the soils and stress plants across much of the Southwestern U.S.
“The drought looks to continue throughout the season and the monthly outlook forecasts,” she said. “So not a lot of relief is expected.”
The rains lessened the acute risks of fire in the Southwest, said Jim Wallmann, a senior forecaster for the National Interagency Coordination Center Predictive Services. But other parts of the county are seeing wildfires “extremely early” in the fire season, he said, noting the 1,000-acre Banana Lake fire in Montana.
“We’re having to spread our resources over a much greater footprint of the country,” Wallmann said. “That could affect how big a fire gets in California, if we’re stretched and can’t send everything to California while it’s burning; we’ll be on fires burning everywhere else.”
Ducker said the concerns about availability for resources to fight wildfires is “a bridge we’ll cross when we come to it,” and said the state is working to be prepared.
“We have the resources to be able to jump on fires as they start,” Ducker said. Our federal partners seem to be in the same place where they’re ready to respond, so right now we’re just waiting for June to see what it shows us.”
New mixed-income housing project breaks ground in International District – nm.news
Sol Housing has begun construction on ‘Somos’, a 70-unit mixed-income apartment community in Albuquerque’s International District.
The project aims to provide affordable housing, particularly for seniors, and will include commercial space and access to transit.
Located near Central Avenue and Louisiana Boulevard, Somos will feature 59 income-restricted and 11 market-rate units. Eighty percent of the apartments will be reserved for residents aged 55 and older, with a focus on accessibility and safety. The remaining twenty percent will be open to residents of all ages.
Sol Housing aims to provide affordable senior housing that meets the needs of Albuquerque’s growing population of older adults.
According to Sol, research shows that mixed-income communities can generate both financial and social benefits, including neighborhood revitalization, deconcentration of poverty, and improvements in safety, health, and sustainable living environments.
“As our population ages, we’re making sure Albuquerque’s growth includes thoughtful planning for our older residents,” Mayor Tim Keller said. “Projects like Somos help more seniors stay in the communities they love—close to family, services, and the support they need to age with dignity.”
The development incorporates Universal Design Standards, including two elevators, to allow residents to age in place. Somos differentiates itself from Sol Housing’s other senior-focused projects by emphasizing mixed-income housing, which is expected to foster social connections and community engagement.
“We believe that mixed-income housing developments offer the foundation to create upward mobility for residents and communities,” said Miriam Hicks, Director of Housing Development at Sol Housing. “Housing that is affordable is critical to economic stability and to creating the thriving, joyful neighborhood we all desire. Somos residents will support local businesses including the emerging small businesses leasing our commercial spaces.”
In addition to housing, Somos will include an on-site food pantry, fitness room, pet area, community space, and commercial square footage for local small businesses and nonprofits.
The project supports the Near Heights Metropolitan Redevelopment Plan, which focuses on stabilizing low-income neighborhoods and expanding affordable housing. Somos will also include landscaping, lighting, and street activation improvements.
Albuquerque City Councilors approved $6.1 million in April for Somos to be built. The council directed $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money toward the project, along with $5.1 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The City’s Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency (MRA) supported Somos by donating the land and facilitating its approval for the Redevelopment Tax Abatement (RTA) Program—an MRA incentive that freezes property tax increases for seven years to promote long-term affordability.
The project also received significant public investment, including:
$4 million from the New Mexico Housing Trust Fund in the form of a loan;
Approximately $1.6 million annually in 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits for 10 years;
$158,756 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for infrastructure improvements.
“This project brings a long-standing community vision to life by turning a vacant lot into high-quality, affordable housing,” said Terry Brunner, Director of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency.
“With tools like our tax abatement program, we can support developments like Somos that address urgent housing needs while helping create safer, more vibrant corridors in the International District.”
Construction is expected to be completed in December 2026.
Family hires lawyer after New Mexico man dies in Clayton state prison - Austin Fisher, Source New Mexico
The family of a man who died in a New Mexico state prison last month has taken initial steps toward pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit.
New Mexico State Police officers responded to the Northeastern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Clayton at 2 a.m. on May 14, according to a spokesperson for the agency.
A spokesperson for the New Mexico Corrections Department confirmed that a person incarcerated at the prison died that morning; a State Police spokesperson identified the deceased as Eduardo Merino.
Corrections Department spokesperson Brittany Roembach told Source NM in an email that NENMCF Warden John Beaird informed Merino’s family about his death at 3:11 a.m. on May 14. Roembach said the department is investigating the death.
Source NM has filed a public records request with the Office of the Medical Investigator for any reports on Merino’s death.
Merino’s cause of death remains unknown. According to his obituary, he died “unexpectedly.” The Atrisco High School graduate and father of one was 31 years old.
Through a lawyer, Merino’s fiance Nicole Yazzie on May 16 filed a petition in Second Judicial District Court in Albuquerque, asking the court to appoint her as the representative of his estate “for the purpose of investigating and potentially prosecuting a wrongful-death suit.”
The court assigned the case to Judge Nancy Franchini. There have been no developments in the case since then, court records show.
A voicemail and an email seeking comment from the lawyer representing Yazzie, Carter Harrison, were not returned as of Wednesday.
Merino was serving an 18-year sentence in the Clayton prison because he was convicted of kidnapping, armed robbery, stealing a vehicle, fleeing from police and illegally possessing a gun in Las Cruces in 2022, court records show.
Wandering wolf gives birth to a pack of pups - Cathy Cook, Albuquerque Journal
Asha first captured public imagination when the endangered wolf twice wandered outside the bounds of the wolf recovery area in 2023, but the female Mexican gray wolf just embarked on a new adventure: motherhood.
Female Mexican wolf 2754 — nicknamed Asha — gave birth to five pups on May 8, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife. Asha and her captive-born mate, M1966, are first-time parents. The two were paired at the Sevilleta Wolf Management Facility near Socorro in December 2023.
“Plans are in place to release the full pack onto private land in New Mexico this summer,” the agency said in a statement on social media.
The wolf pups are all in good health and Asha had a typical pregnancy and birth. The agency does not know the gender of the pups, as they are minimizing disturbances to the den to maximize Asha’s success in raising her first litter.
The baby wolves have to be 6 weeks oldbefore getting their first round of vaccinations. Afterward, they will be moved to an acclimation pen, then released into the wild when elk are calving in the area to encourage the wolves’ natural hunting behavior, according to Fish and Wildlife.
The details of their release later this month are still being finalized, although the initial 2025 release and translocation proposal suggests placing the family on the Ladder Ranch, managed by Turner Enterprises, which focuses on ecotourism and conservation.
While wild-born Asha has a history of roaming north, she also had no documented conflicts with humans or cattle, according to the proposal. That experience as a wild wolf should reduce the risk of her pack killing livestock. But if the pack relocates to an area with livestock and her mate causes trouble, Fish and Wildlife is prepared to recapture him and place him back into captivity, according to the proposal.
17 foster pups placed
Asha’s pups aren’t the only endangered baby wolves moving out. U.S. Fish and Wildlife placed 17 captive-born Mexican wolf pups in wild dens this year, the Arizona Game and Fish Department announced Monday. Six pups were placed in one Arizona den, and 11 were placed in three New Mexico dens. Nine of those wolves were also born at Sevilleta.
Although the government agencies working on Mexican wolf recovery previously released wolf family units semi-regularly from 1998 to 2006, and relocated a pack onto the Ladder Ranch in 2021, pack releases aren’t typical these days. Instead, they usually place pups under 2 weeks old in wild wolf dens with similarly aged wild wolf pups, so the captive-born baby wolves can learn the hunting and socialization skills they need to survive in the wild.
Fish and Wildlife originally released adult wolves with their offspring from captivity for the sake of establishing a wild population and increasing the wolf population. But fostering captive-born pups is the strategy now that the wild population is larger, because it improves genetic diversity and eliminates nuisance behavior captive-born adult wolves exhibit, according to the proposal.
“Meeting the genetic recovery goals as outlined in the 2022 Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan is essential,” Clay Crowder, assistant director of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, said in a statement.
“The fostering program is achieving these goals faster than was predicted, with 21 of the 22 required fosters having reached breeding age. Also of note from the foster program is that we now have at least 13 fosters having produced 31 litters, all of which are important to contributing to the genetic health of the wild population. With these successes, we are approaching the criteria to begin evaluating potential downlisting of Mexican wolves.”
Environmental activist groups have long advocated for releasing bonded adult pairs with their pups — a wolf pack — instead of only fostering captive-born wolf pups, and have argued that pack releases are avoided in deference to the livestock industry.
“If we look at the longer-term goals of the cross-foster program, which is to increase genetic diversity in the entire wild lobo population, it’s imperative that the wolves survive to breeding age and then go on to breed, so that those genes are permitted to continue in the wild population and increase the genetic diversity and make the lobos more genetically resilient moving forward,” said Leia Barnett, Greater Gila New Mexico Advocate with WildEarth Guardians.
Since the fostering program began in 2014, Fish and Wildlife has identified 30 out of 110 fostered pups that survived their first year. Four of the surviving fosters were born in the wild and 26 were born in captivity.