New Mexico To Set Its Own Fuel Economy, Emission Standards - Associated Press
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says the state will set its own fuel economy and pollution standards for vehicles in a break with federal authorities.
Lujan Grisham announced Tuesday while in New York for a climate-panel discussion that New Mexico will implement new restrictions on vehicle emissions starting with model-year 2022 autos.
The first-year Democratic governor criticized a rollback of federal fuel economy standards from the Trump administration as counterproductive. She says New Mexico fuel-economy standards will increase to an average of 52 mpg.
The Trump administration last week revoked California's authority to set its own, tougher emission standards under a waiver from the federal Clean Air Act.
Lujan Grisham's clean-car plan would bring New Mexico into alignment with at least 13 other states that have adopted independent standards.
Judge Says Nonresidents Can Seek Medical Pot - Associated Press
A state district court judge is standing by his initial decision to allow access to New Mexico's medical cannabis program by people who live outside the state.
Judge Bryan Biedscheid said Monday that recent changes to New Mexico's medical marijuana statute clearly allow nonresidents to enroll for treatment of qualified medical conditions with cannabis.
Medical Cannabis Program Manager Kenny Vigil said the state will appeal the judge's final decision to a higher court and declined to say whether the state would issue medical marijuana cards to out-of-state residents.
Biedscheid declined a motion aimed at holding Vigil in contempt of court for not issuing medical marijuana cards to out-of-state residents.
Medical cannabis entrepreneur Duke Rodriguez of Ultra Health says the decision marks progress toward a more uniform national system for access to medical marijuana that transcends state boundaries.
Texas limits the psychoactive ingredient THC in its medical marijuana, and dispensaries are sparse in many areas where New Mexico borders Arizona.
Test Scores, Teacher Attendance Dropped From Evaluations – Associated Press
New Mexico education officials say test scores and teacher attendance will no longer be included in the state's teacher evaluation system.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the state Public Education Department recently released an outline of an interim teacher evaluation system that drops test scores and teacher attendance but keeps observations and parent surveys.
Deputy Secretary Gwen Perea Warniment says the interim plan for the 2019-20 school year will be used while state officials work on a new system.
The change comes amid uncertainty after Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham scrapped much of the education reforms implemented under former Republican Gov. Susana Martinez.
Teachers unions had been critical of the old evaluation system and said it wasn't a fair measurement of teachers. Supporters have said the state needs to maintain some stability to measure educators.
New Mexico Hires Director To Lead New Outdoor Office – Associated Press
New Mexico has tapped the digital editorial director at Outside Magazine to lead the state's new Office of Outdoor Recreation.
State officials say Santa Fe resident Axie Navas started Monday.
Legislation passed and signed by the governor earlier this year called for the creation of the outdoor office as part of a push to build on hiking, biking and other recreational offerings across New Mexico's diverse landscapes.
Navas managed a team of 25 writers, editors and website developers at Outside Magazine. She also led the publication's online gear channel.
Santa Fe native Peter Mitchell will be the deputy director of the outdoor office. He has worked in economic development since 1994 in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Texas and helped to shepherd the outdoor recreation legislation through the Legislature.
New Mexico University Gets Second $5M Energy Grid Grant - Associated Press
A team of researchers at New Mexico State University has received a second $5 million award from the National Science Foundation to continue with smart grid research.
The grant was awarded through the foundation's Center for Research Excellence in Science and Technology.
The work already has resulted in the publication of 150 peer-reviewed papers.
Officials say the goal is to strengthen the efficiency and sustainability of the electric grid by addressing infrastructure challenges and security issues. The effort also is aimed at developing a flexible workforce to support the industry.
Enrico Pontelli is the project's principal investigator and the dean of NMSU's College of Arts and Sciences. In the second phase, he says researchers will take what they've learned and apply it to other problems and other types of infrastructure.
New Mexico State May Hire Firm To Land Football Conference - Associated Press
New Mexico State athletic director Mario Moccia says the school is considering hiring an outside consulting firm to help its football team join an athletic conference.
Moccia told reporters in Albuquerque last week the university is looking into hiring a firm to assist the university in putting together a robust package after the school tried to do it alone.
Sun Belt Conference announced in 2016 it was dropping New Mexico State and Idaho from its football conference.
New Mexico State is in the Western Athletic Conference for other sports.
Moccia says the school is in an isolated region near the Mexico border but is close to the airport in El Paso, Texas.
The Aggies are 0-4 this season and are operating as an independent team.
Western New Mexico Tribe Getting 1st Organic Food Store - Gallup Independent, Associated Press
A tribe in western New Mexico is getting its first organic food store and deli.
The Gallup Independent reports construction on Zuni Pueblo is beginning this week for the new store that will provide fresh and organic food and meats not available in the region.
Major Market Inc. President Darrell Tsabetsaye says the business is 100% owned by a Zuni family. He says the plan is to offer healthy food choices to the community, including organic produce and grass-fed organic meat.
Tsabetsaye's initiative is funded in part by the Rural Community Assistance Corporation, a nonprofit organization that was recently awarded a $1 million grant and program-related investment from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.