Taylor Velazquez

School board members around New Mexico take on a lot of tasks, including setting budgets, establishing school policies, and hiring superintendents. But there’s no standardized training for them. A bill headed for a final floor vote in the legislature aims to change that.

Last year, three New Mexico State University basketball players were charged with felony sex crimes for hazing teammates. As a result, New Mexico lawmakers are considering making hazing a crime.

Gun violence has more than doubled in New Mexico since 2014. Deaths of children in 2023 led to the Governor’s contentious public health order to keep guns out of many public places. On the next Let’s Talk New Mexico we’ll discuss gun safety, access, and the proposed new legislation making its way through the legislature.

New Mexico ranks last in the nation in child literacy, with almost 80% of children not proficient in reading by fourth grade. Governor Michelle Lujhan Grisham is pushing lawmakers to make greater investments in literacy.

Education is a major focus during this year’s legislative session, especially as the Governor has underscored the importance of working towards providing nation-leading education in her State of the State address this/last week. Lawmakers are proposing a bill that would provide more funding for the development of bilingual education in hopes of strengthening the state’s response to the Yazzie/Martinez decision.

This upcoming legislative session advocates will focus on how to move New Mexico out of its last place ranking in education, especially as school districts across the state continue to see low test scores. Think New Mexico shares its legislative priorities, but also what New Mexicans want to see as a result of recent polling.

It’s that time of the year again and cases of winter respiratory illnesses are elevated across the country. In New Mexico, these diseases like RSV, COVID, and especially the flu are hitting hard. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommendations on how best to protect yourself during the holiday season.

Bankers at a Wells Fargo branch in Albuquerque have voted to form a union. This is not only the first Wells Fargo bank to unionize, but also the first victory at any major baking organization.

Members of the Legislative Education Study Committee told lawmakers this week they should take a closer look at suspension and expulsion rates for special education students, especially in light of huge increases in behavioral health issues.

49 million people across the country rely on food assistance or about 1 in 6 folks and local food banks are reporting increased demand. As inflation and the return to pre-pandemic levels of federal SNAP benefits mean people cannot make ends meet. The University of New Mexico is also working to ensure its students have access to food during this holiday season.