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 those events please visit Local News Releases.

Heinrich, Braun Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Support Agrivoltaics Research and Demonstration

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, and U.S. Senator Mike Braun (R-Ind.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research, are introducing the bipartisan Agrivoltaics Research and Demonstration Act of 2023.

“Agrivoltaics keeps farmland in production, generates clean energy, and strengthens rural economies,” said Heinrich. “The systems offer producers a way to diversify their income and make their operations more resilient. I’m proud to be introducing this legislation alongside Senator Braun – to support agrivoltaics research and scale these systems on farmlands from the Southwest to the Midwest."

“When we can help farmers and producers get more income out of their croplands, it’s a win,” said Braun. “This bill will research agrivoltaics – solar panel systems that can be deployed over crops that can benefit from partial shading during the day – and how they can help farmers get more out of their fields.” 

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NMSU researchers study solar tornadoes' impact, news conference in Albuquerque June 5

WRITER: Minerva Baumann, 575-646-7566, mbauma46@nmsu.edu
SOURCES: Juie Shetye, jshetye@nmsu.edu; Oana Vesa, ovesa@nmsu.edu

Imagine a tornado the size of Texas. Now imagine studying 86 of those tornadoes on the surface of the sun.

New Mexico State University Astronomy Assistant Professor Juie Shetye and Oana Vesa, astronomy Ph.D. candidate, are researching the impact of these massive storms both in the solar atmosphere and ultimately on Earth.

Vesa will give a poster presentation "Characterization of Chromospheric Swirls on the Quiet Sun," at the conference of the American Astronomical Society in Albuquerque. She will present her research between 9 and 10 a.m. Monday, June 5, in the exhibit hall of the Albuquerque Convention Center. She also will participate in a news conference about this research later that day at 2:15 p.m. at the Albuquerque Convention Center, Room 215.

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Settlement approved in civil case related to 'Rust' movie set shooting

A stipulated order approving a settlement for a minor, a protected person, was entered today in a civil lawsuit related to the "Rust" movie set shooting. The case is Matthew Hutchins, et. al., v. Alexander R. Baldwin III, et. al., D-101-CV-2022-00244. A sequestered hearing regarding the settlement was conducted today in the First Judicial District Court in Santa Fe.

The order approving the minor settlement is a public record. Other documents and materials related to the settlement have been sealed by the court. The June 1 order approving the minor settlement and the April 16 sealing order are attached.:

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Heinrich, Luján Welcome Air Force Decision to Make Kirtland AFB the Preferred Location For Space Delta 11

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) are welcoming the announcement that the Department of the Air Force has selected Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, N.M. as the preferred location for Space Delta 11, a new training mission that will fall under the U.S. Space Force Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM).

“Landing the Space Delta 11 mission at Kirtland Air Force Base is a big deal for New Mexico. It will bring hundreds of jobs into our state and grow the space and defense ecosystem that we’ve been investing in for years,” said Heinrich. “New Mexico has world-class public and private space innovators and an exceptional workforce training pipeline. We are the ideal place to build our military’s future in space, and this mission gives us a real foothold to do that.”

"While New Mexico has always been at the forefront of space exploration, the selection of STARCOM's Delta 11 to be based in New Mexico marks a significant milestone in our journey towards becoming a key hub for cutting-edge space technology," said Luján."I'm thrilled to welcome Delta 11 and its advanced range and combat replication capabilities, which will not only enhance our national security but also provide unparalleled opportunities for local talent, job growth, and economic development. I look forward to the incredible possibilities that Delta 11 will bring to New Mexico."

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Gov. Lujan Grisham marks the start of Pride Month

Three landmark bills signed during the session solidify protections for LGBTQIA2S+ New Mexicans

SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday celebrated the beginning of Pride Month by renewing promises to the LGBTQIA+ communities in New Mexico.

For more than 40 years, the LGBTQIA+ community in Albuquerque has marked June as the anniversary of the protests and riots at the Stonewall Inn in New York in 1975. This year, the Human Rights Alliance marks the 30th anniversary of the Pride celebration in Santa Fe and Farmington is hosting a Pride in the Park event.

Gov. Lujan Grisham continued the long tradition of activism and allyship during the last legislative session signing three bills:

HB 7: The Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Act prohibits public bodies, including local municipalities, from denying, restricting, or discriminating against an individual's right to use or refuse reproductive health care or health care related to gender.

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IPANM Releases Statement on SLO's Announced Leasing Moratorium

IPANM (June 1, 2023) - The following statement has been released by Jim Winchester, Executive Director of the Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico regarding the State Land Commissioner’s announcement related to leasing moratoriums: “IPANM agrees that safe and reasonable setbacks are necessary between certain production sites and schools, however, we have concerns that the distance to be enforced under the State Land Office’s assumed discretionary authority is arbitrary and isn’t based on any definitive evidence of health impacts.  While it would have been appropriate for the State Land Commissioner to consult with industry before issuing this order carte blanche, we will work with her office on a case-by-case basis if there are particular tracts of land that might otherwise be safely and responsibly developed to provide critical revenues to improve New Mexico’s schools.”

--Jim Winchester

Executive Director, Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico

NMSU TechSprint accelerator accepting applications from NM tech startups

The Scale Up New Mexico program, funded in part by the United States Economic Development Administration and housed at New Mexico State University's Arrowhead Center, will be offering a TechSprint online accelerator to tech startups in New Mexico.

TechSprint is seeking entrepreneurs and startups located in New Mexico to apply to the free accelerator, which will take place July 13 through Aug. 17. The application deadline is June 30, and selected participants will be notified by July 5.

TechSprint is one of several initiatives under Scale Up NM, a suite of startup support programming for early-stage technology venture development. The program scales existing Arrowhead Center resources such as Sprint business accelerators, Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer assistance and commercialization support.

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New Mexico State Police Participate in Memorial Day C.A.R.E. Operation

Statewide, NM - During the Memorial Day holiday, the New Mexico State Police participated in the Combined Accident Reduction Effort (C.A.R.E.) operation across all roadways within the state. The goal of the traffic initiative is to increase motorist safety and reduce the number of crashes through a strong law enforcement presence.

Because of the increased volume of traffic during the holiday, NMSP increased its patrol presence during this initiative on roadways throughout all State Police districts on the busiest travel days of the Memorial Day weekend, specifically Friday, May 26, through Monday, May 29, 2023.

The operation resulted in State Police officers issuing over 1,500 traffic citations (100 citations were for lack of seat belt usage) and arresting 14 drunk drivers statewide. Officers handled a total of 46 crashes, with 3 being fatal. The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Bureau issued approximately 180 commercial vehicle citations and conducted over 200 commercial vehicle inspections.

The safety of motorists is a top priority of the New Mexico State Police and officers will continue holiday travel operations throughout the year. We encourage the public to drive safely and obey all laws while traveling the motorways of New Mexico.

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