Non-Local News Releases

SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued the following statement Thursday on the passing of former New Mexico Representative Dona Irwin, who served District 32 and the people of Deming with dedication and strength for 18 years:

"I had the privilege of working alongside Dona Irwin for many years, and I will always remember her as a stalwart advocate for New Mexico's children, families, and rural communities. She was especially skilled at connecting our agricultural heritage with educational opportunities, especially through her work with the Cooperative Extension Service. Dona understood the vital connection between agriculture, our land-grant, university families, and programs like 4-H that support the next generation.

SANTA FE, NM – New Mexico State Parks would like to inform the public that Coyote Creek State Park will be closed from October 14th through October 28th due to construction related to the main Mora San Miguel Electric Cooperative power line. This is a full park closure and access for day-use and camping will not be available.

Contractors will bury the existing overhead electrical line that currently spans the entire length of the park underground, from the North to South boundaries. Closing the park is necessary as open trenches will be present along the main park roadway posing a danger to the public. Once complete, the power line will be protected from the elements and the park will benefit with a major upgrade to its facilities.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The Bureau of Land Management is issuing a proposed plan for the management and protection of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument in southern New Mexico. The BLM developed the plan for the approximately 476,591-acre Monument in close coordination with Tribes, cooperating agencies, and federal, state, and local governments.

"We worked closely with our partners and the public to propose a solid plan," said BLM Las Cruces District Manager Scott Cooke. "This plan is informed by President Obama's Presidential Proclamation 9131 that established the monument, direction from Congress in the John D. Dingell, Jr. Act to include development of a watershed health assessment, and a court order to consider reduced grazing in future allotment lease renewals."

 SANTA FE – The state Supreme Court ruled today that New Mexico law allows governmental agencies to be sued by individuals harmed by an inmate mistakenly released from prison because of the negligence of public employees.

In a unanimous opinion, the Court concluded that the New Mexico Tort Claims Act permits a lawsuit against the state Department of Corrections by the estate of Katherine Paquin, an Albuquerque woman killed in 2012 by Christopher Blattner after he was mistakenly released from prison three years early. He was serving a sentence for convictions of trafficking and possession of drugs.

The New Mexico State Police (NMSP) has partnered with the Department of Criminal Justice at New Mexico State University (NMSU) to give students a unique opportunity to kickstart their law enforcement careers. This partnership allows students to gain hands-on law enforcement experience while completing the final 15 credit hours of their bachelor's degree in criminal justice.

"As an NMSU Criminal Justice program graduate myself, I can vouch for the high-quality instruction provided by NMSU educators," said Troy Weisler, Chief of the New Mexico State Police. "By combining their classroom knowledge with the practical experience gained in our academy, students can set themselves up for a rewarding career with New Mexico's elite law enforcement agency, the New Mexico State Police."

The Property Rights Report

• from the American Property Rights Coalition
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

• http://www.liberato.us/property-rights-report-2410.html 

Support Growing for Utah in Lands Suit October 2024

Amicus Briefs in the Works

Utah has filed a suit in the U.S. Supreme Court asking the question whether the federal government can retain lands indefinitely. Utah’s claim is that the Constitution gives the government the power to dispose of unappropriated lands, but not to hang on to lands forever. The Federal Fault Line Series is a 5-part series of essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the constitutional origin of congressional authority related to federal land.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – October 9, 2024 – The Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands (NF & NGs) is seeking comments on the environmental assessment (EA) for the Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands (KRBNGs) Vegetation Management Project. The KRBNGs have prepared an EA to analyze the effects of the proposal to manage vegetation to improve wildlife habitat, reduce build-up of fuels, and restore shortgrass prairie, pinyon-juniper, and sand sage vegetation habitats. The analysis area is approximately 228,936 acres across the KRBNGs, excluding select riparian areas in the Mills Canyon area previously analyzed under the 2021 Northern New Mexico Riparian, Aquatic, and Wetland Restoration EA.

Golden Chile Awards, Food & Farms Day ceremony to honor food & farming champions
Awardees to be recognized for promoting locally grown food

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Grown Coalition, the New Mexico Food & Agriculture Policy Council, and Farm to Table NM are excited to host the first-ever, in-person Golden Chile Awards ceremony, in conjunction with Food & Farms Day, from 2 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24, at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th St. NW, Albuquerque.

As a member of the NM Grown Coalition, the New Mexico Department of Health's (NMHealth) Obesity, Nutrition and Physical Activity Program partners with state and local organizations to increase healthy eating opportunities for preschoolers and students and support local food production.