Roswell, NM — Following a presentation to the NM Legislative Education Study Committee (LESC) on early literacy efforts in New Mexico schools, Senators Candy Spence Ezzell and Ant Thornton called for New Mexico to provide key interventions to students who are not yet reading at grade level. 

One key intervention is the universal adoption of curriculum based in the science of reading, thus ensuring that students receive phonics instruction proven to teach them to read. Once this research-based reading approach is implemented statewide, the Senators then suggested that students still not reading at grade level by the end of the third grade be retained for another year of phonics instruction in Grade 3. When implemented together, these two interventions contributed to the remarkable growth by students in Mississippi over a ten year period, often referred to as the "Mississippi Miracle."

House Democrats on Layoffs at Sandia Labs

Albuquerque, N.M. - New Mexico House Democrats issued the following statement in response to news that Sandia National Laboratory plans to lay-off up to 510 employees this fall, amidst ongoing chaos in Washington, D.C.:

Santa Fe, N.M. - Today, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a ruling that limits the ability of federal judges to block executive orders that violate the constitution and could potentially lead to the end of birthright citizenship in our country. 

New Mexico House Speaker Javier Martínez (D-Albuquerque), Majority Floor Leader Reena Szczepanski (D-Santa Fe), Majority Whip Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D-Albuquerque), and Caucus Chair Raymundo Lara (D-Chamberino) issued the following statement in response:

 Editor:

After reading Paul Gessing's "Arizona Policy Runs Circles Around New Mexico" opinion piece, The Beat, June 17, 2025, explaining Arizona's obvious population growth and economic advancements over The Land of Enchantment, it wasn't too difficult to figure out why.

For instance, Arizona's population is reported to be 7.6 million. New Mexico's is around 2.1 million people — 5.5 million less. Arizona had an economic GNP of $508 billion in 2023. NM recorded $113 billion 2024 — nearly $400 billion less.

Even though New Mexico became a state before Arizona, and both are next door neighbors, and both are blessed with an abundance of natural resources, the distinguishing factor seems to be decidedly different political and governing policies.

Dear Editor,

I am writing in my role as Chair of the Board of Directors of Hidalgo Medical Services.

We have read with interest the ongoing series by Frost McGahey, including the June 3, 2025 article with the headline "Insurance Company Alleges Fraud." It is unclear why Ms. McGahey has never contacted HMS before publishing. It is also unclear why an eight-year-old news story is now being revisited, and represented to the public as if it were based on recent events.

Sheriff Raul Villanueva,

I'm not laughing. Apparently three out of four Sheriffs deputies laughed and one of those four pulled his taser on a fellow officer to force him to turn over a compromised rabbit. This is sadistic behavior and has NO PLACE in law enforcement. It has long been postulated that abusing animals is accompanied by anti-social or sociopathic behavior. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4552201/ 

And some say Silver City does not need a Citizens Advisory Group. Maybe the county needs one.

We will be watching closely how this event is adjudicated and if the responsible parties are appropriately disciplined or, if necessary, fired. No officer pulls a taser on a fellow officer if nothing dangerous is afoot.

Dennis Nendza
Silver City Resident

Dear Editor...After 250 years of world-shattering success, could it be that the nation's Rule of Law --- managed and executed by our 'Third Estate' --- is now breaking bad!!!

Only 3 weeks ago a horrendous gang shootout and murder of three teenagers shattered Las Cruces; and presently, a Las Cruces judge...no, not an innocent Cruceño homeowner but a Magistrate who presides over the New Mexico Judicial System...was just found harboring a tren de aragua vicious migrant gang-member in his own home!!!

Ken Burns, to celebrate the nation's semiquincentennial, will soon air a new PBS special, and we will be celebrating that the Founders carefully crafted certain guarantees to foster a prosperous civil society, including (a) personal property rights, (b) trial by juries of peers, and (c) IMPARTIALITY by the justice system...pictified in courthouses across the nation as a blindfolded mature woman administering justice fairly and equally. Today, 250 years into our American journey, Judges now act partially, politically, capriciously, imperiously, impulsively, impetuously.