Non-Local News Releases

ELEPHANT BUTTE — Today, Attorney General Raúl Torrez released a 224-page investigative report finding that New Mexico's Children, Youth and Families Department has systemically endangered the children it is sworn to protect — returning children to dangerous homes, obstructing oversight, and losing at least seven children to preventable deaths since the investigation opened in April 2025. Simultaneous with the report, AG Torrez announced a lawsuit to narrow the Children's Code confidentiality statute.

Senator Crystal Brantley (R-Elephant Butte) has introduced CYFD reform legislation every session since taking office in 2021, including bills to establish a best interest of the child standard (SB 207, 2023; SB 4, 2025), to narrow CYFD's use of the Children's Code confidentiality clause (SB 84, 2025), to create an independent Office of the Child Advocate (SB 373, 2023; HB 5, 2025), and to reform CYFD's reunification-first policy (2023, 2026 session).

Boaters, anglers and recreationists urged to follow safety rules during holiday weekend

SANTA FE – As the Fourth of July holiday weekend approaches, the New Mexico Department of Wildlife is reminding boaters and off-highway vehicle (OHV) riders to follow all state safety and environmental requirements while enjoying New Mexico's waters and trails. 

AIS stattion

Clean, Drain, Dry and Protect 

Our Waters

Changes to manual, handbooks to simplify direction, more quickly make management decisions

Washington, D.C., June 30, 2026—The U.S. Forest Service is inviting public comment on a proposed rule to modernize its directives system – the agency's internal documentation that guides how employees carry out their work. The proposal would redefine the agency's manual and handbooks to reduce procedural burdens, encourage innovation and return decision-making authority to employees closest to the land.

"Today, the Forest Service maintains more than 900 chapters of national guidance and thousands of additional regional and unit-level supplements," said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. "Half of these directives are more than 20 years old, and many exceed 100 pages in length. By streamlining our directives, we can empower local decision-making and innovation so that employees make smart, informed decisions that benefit the land and the American people."

Update on Wildfires within

Mountainair and Mt. Taylor Ranger Districts

Ox Fire in Manzano Mountain Wilderness - Rivera Canyon Fire in Zuni Mountains
Trough Fire in Mt Taylor Mountains

Albuquerque, NM – June 29, 2026 — Fire crews continue with suppression and mop up operations on multiple lightning strike fires within Mountainair and Mt Taylor Ranger Districts.

 Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Members of the public should avoid the fire areas.

Drones pose a serious risk to firefighting and can cause air operations to cease. The public is reminded that "If you fly, we can't!" 

Mountainair Ranger District- Manzano Mountain Wilderness: Ox Fire (Update)

Statewide, NM - State Police will be conducting sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols; and registration, insurance, and driver's license checkpoints in all New Mexico counties during July2026.

We are bringing awareness to these events to reduce impaired driving-related fatalities through continued media attention and intensive advertising.

These checkpoints are helping to change society's attitude about driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs.

"If New Mexicans deserve tax relief today, why didn't the Governor push this proposal when families were paying even higher gas prices over the last several years?

A $250 rebate is welcome. But after years of record breaking state revenues, New Mexicans deserve to keep more of their own money every year. Instead, they continue to pay some of the highest taxes in the country while receiving some of the worst results. Families need permanent tax relief, not another one time rebate that conveniently arrives during campaign season."

Departments of the Interior and Agriculture coordinating support for families, crews and communities 

MESA COUNTY, Colo.—Federal wildland fire officials are releasing the identities of three firefighters who died while responding to the Knowles Fire in western Colorado on Saturday.

The firefighters were assigned to the Rifle Helitack crew and were engaged in initial attack operations on the Knowles Fire when the incident occurred.

The deceased firefighters have been identified as:

RADIUM SPRINGS, N.M. – A $2.9 million capital improvement project is creating safer roads, a modernized wastewater system and long-term protection for the landscape and water at Leasburg Dam State Park in the Mesilla Valley. 

These upgrades are part of an ongoing capital improvement campaign that has invested more than $200 million in facility and infrastructure upgrades at various New Mexico State Parks since 2021.   

"For Radium Springs and the surrounding area, Leasburg Dam State Park is a gathering place—a home base— for families, school groups and generations of New Mexicans who love the Rio Grande, said Toby Velásquez, director of New Mexico State Parks. "These improvements honor that connection. They make the park more accessible and safer for everyone."