Jeanette DeDios

In a historic victory, Deb Haaland has become the first female Native American governor in New Mexico – and the entire country.

New Mexico is the only state that does not give its lawmakers a salary. But that could change if voters pass Constitutional Amendment 4 in this election. If it passes, lawmakers would receive a salary equal to the median household income for New Mexico, which is currently $68,000, starting in 2029.

For the first time in 8 years, New Mexicans will be choosing a new governor on November 3rd. Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland from Laguna Pueblo served in the U.S. Congress and then as Interior Secretary. She told KUNM she would continue to support public education through the state’s oil and gas revenue.

With Michelle Lujan Grisham being termed-limited, two candidates are vying to be the next governor of New Mexico. Republican Gregg Hull was mayor of Rio Rancho for 12 years. He tells KUNM that sets him up well to lead the state, especially since he focused on building up the city’s water infrastructure. Hull says he wants to use the state’s robust revenues to address water issues around New Mexico.

With Election Day coming up on Nov. 3rd, the Native American Rights Fund is deploying volunteers to communities with high Native populations, including New Mexico, to support Native voters casting their ballots.

Last month Zuni Pueblo and the Navajo Nation experienced catastrophic flooding. Unfortunately a new report shows that’s not uncommon. Natural disasters caused more than $4 billion in damages to tribal communities across the nation over a ten-year period. But there’s a shortfall in economic support from the federal government to address these impacts.

Albuquerque native Julianna Rubio Slager used her own experience with post-partum depression to offer a more compassionate view of the legendary New Mexico story.

With election day less than three weeks away, knowing who and what will be on your ballot is key to making informed decisions. In addition to choosing which candidates to vote for, New Mexicans will also decide whether state legislators, who currently work for free, should be paid during the legislative session. New Mexico remains the only legislature in the country that does not give its lawmakers a salary.

It’s October, that means hot air balloons have taken over the Duke Ccity for the International Balloon Fiesta, the largest gathering of hot air balloons in the world.

Protestors marched at the University of New Mexico on Wednesday in the wake of a lawsuit against Cornell University by a woman who said she was gang raped. The case has ignited controversy over how the school dealt with the allegations. The march was organized to show solidarity with the Cornell student and draw attention to assaults on the UNM campus.