This category will feature news releases from out-of-area government agencies and representatives, as well as events that are not taking place in the four-county area of Grant, Catron, Hidalgo or Luna. For local events please visit Local News Releases.

NMSU College of Engineering research leads to international recognition

Recent investigations on data-driven interventions employed by the College of Engineering at New Mexico State University have revealed positive impacts on student success. They build upon a century-old tradition of this land-grant institution’s student-centric approach.

The findings are even more poignant due to increased challenge for students pursuing engineering degrees during the COVID-19 pandemic and need for new alternatives to traditional classroom teaching methods.

Studies conducted by Senior Data Analyst Sashidhar Chintalapati and Dean Lakshmi N. Reddi and Assistant Dean Gabe Garcia yielded data supporting the use of several strategies that improve student performance and retention: instructor changes in transition and key courses, course sequencing changes and the establishment of learning communities and leadership training. The effectiveness of these strategies was measured with D/W/F grades.

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Department of Health reports hantavirus in Four Corners region

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) Scientific Laboratory Division reports three people with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) discovered within the last two weeks, bringing the 2023 case total to five.  

All of the people are unrelated, occurring in different locations in the Four Corners region. One person died from the virus. The four surviving patients all required hospitalization, including time in intensive care units, before being able to return home.  

HPS is a severe respiratory illness is caused by the Sin Nombre virus. In New Mexico, deer mice are the main carriers of hantavirus. The virus is found in mice droppings and urine. 

A person may get HPS by breathing in the virus. This can happen when droppings or urine containing the virus are stirred up and the virus is put into the air as mist or dust.

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House GOP Statement on CYFD leadership changes

 STATEMENT on CYFD leadership changes from House Republican Leader Ryan Lane (Aztec): "While New Mexicans are frustrated that more meaningful reforms did not take place under Justice Vigil's leadership of CYFD, we will continue to hold accountable the next CYFD leader. House Republicans remain resolute that the children and families within CYFD need better support and more accountability, and we will continue to lead on presenting reforms that benefit the families and not the broken system."

Senator Crystal Diamond Releases Statement in Response to Resignation of CYFD Secretary

SANTA FE — Today, Barbara Vigil announced her resignation as Cabinet Secretary of the Children, Youth and Families Department effective May 1, 2023.

Senator Crystal Diamond (R-Elephant Butte) issued the following stateament regarding Secretary Vigil's resignation:

"I am heartbroken to see the vulnerable children of our state failed by this administration yet again. We had a chance to force structural change in the department that would have created stability and accountability. Instead, certain legislators were bullied by the Governor into rejecting viable, bipartisan solutions with the empty promise that Secretary Vigil would be a steady hand of change. This is truly a sad day for New Mexico."

CYFD Secretary Barbara Vigil to transition to new role on Policy Advisory Council

Governor's Chief Operating Officer, Teresa Casados, to lead bold transition of CYFD in interim

 SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced today that Children, Youth and Families Department Secretary (CYFD) Barbara J. Vigil will transition from heading the Children, Youth and Family Services Department to serving on the newly created Policy Advisory Council, effective May 1. As the administration launches a national search to find Secretary Vigil's replacement, Teresa Casados, Chief Operating Officer of the Office of the Governor, will serve as interim leadership at the agency.

Vigil has served as cabinet secretary of CYFD since August 2021, bringing a steady hand to the organization and resetting vital relationships with staff, stakeholders and tribes.

"I am profoundly grateful to Barbara Vigil for her legacy of service to the children of our state, especially for being such a stabilizing force for the Children, Youth and Family Services Department. I'm looking forward to continuing to benefit from her expertise in her new role on the Policy Advisory Council," said Gov. Lujan Grisham. "Chief Casados has hit the ground running and is already making significant strides to meaningfully transform CYFD."

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NMSU to host 33rd annual WERC Environmental Design Contest April 16-19

WHAT: 33rd annual WERC Environmental Design Contest

WHO: Undergraduate students from various universities 

WHEN: 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, April 16; 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday, April 18

WHERE: New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum

VISUALS: Flash talks, April 16; student team demonstrations of operational bench-scale models of their developed technologies, April 18

New Mexico State University’s College of Engineering will host the 33rd annual WERC Environmental Design Contest April 16-19 at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum.

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Exhibitions, events at University Museum at NMSU in April

A panel discussion with Zuni elders about the “Humanhood in the Organ Mountains: Prehistory” exhibition, a showing of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument artwork and a wrap-up of the “Weaving for Justice” exhibition round out April events at the New Mexico State University Museum this month.

The University Museum will host a panel of Zuni elders as they discuss the “Humanhood in the Organ Mountains: Prehistory” exhibit. The event, which is free and open to the public and incudes light refreshments, will begin at 4 p.m. Friday, April 14, inside the University Museum auditorium at Kent Hall, 1280 E. University Ave.

For the development of the exhibition, Director and Anthropology Professor Fumi Arakawa, museum staff and the anthropology department at NMSU invited the Zuni Cultural Resources Advisory Team to visit two cave sites within the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, as well as to review hundreds of artifacts from one of the cave sites – Chavez Cave.

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NMSU Chile Pepper Institute to host annual spring plant sale April 20-21

New Mexico State University’s Chile Pepper Institute will host its annual spring plant sale Thursday, April 20, and Friday, April 21, at the Fabián García Science Center, 113 W. University Ave., starting at 9 a.m. each day.

This year’s sale will feature a variety of chile peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, tomatillos, zucchini and summer squash – all grown by Chile Pepper Institute staff and NMSU students.

Tomato varieties will include “Gardener’s Delight,” “Bush Early Girl,” “Supersteak” and “Golden Sweet.” Chile varieties will include “NuMex Heritage Big Jim,” “NuMex Joe E. Parker,” jalapeños, bell peppers and several super-hot peppers.

“People should get there early for the best selection as we expect to sell out like last year,” said Liza López, program specialist for the Chile Pepper Institute.

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