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To Fight Climate Change, Experts Say Hope is Key in NMSU Talks

By Michael Hernandez • 8 minutes ago

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As news breaks daily about the impacts of climate change worldwide, taking local action to reduce its effects can seem daunting and even futile. As Michael Hernandez reports, climate scientists are educating the Las Cruces community with a message of hope.

The American Southwest faces a multitude of threats when it comes to climate change; hotter temperatures, increased forest fires and longer droughts to name a few.

It’s a monumental problem, but a problem Dr. Scott Denning, an atmospheric science professor at Colorado State University can describe in three words; simple, serious and solvable.

Extreme conservation next in NMSU Las Cruces climate change series

By News Editor And Partners • 14 hours ago

The plight of animals living on the extreme edges of the world will be the focus of the latest installment in New Mexico State University’s Climate Change Education Seminar Series.

Joel Berger, an ecologist at Colorado State University’s Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, will give a presentation titled “Extreme Conservation on a Glacier-less Planet,” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20 at the Rio Grande Theatre. The event is free and open to the public.

NMSU Las Cruces early childhood education online master’s program ranked among best in the country

By News Editor And Partners • 14 hours ago

The online early childhood education master’s program at New Mexico State University has been named among the top 20 such programs in the country, according to an online ranking site that researches graduate programs in the U.S.

D’Angelo and Perry to receive awards at NMSU’s Las Cruces International Film Festival

By News Editor And Partners • 14 hours ago

Two well-known actresses will be honored for their work at the Las Cruces International Film festival during the awards ceremony at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23 at the Rio Grande Theatre, 211 Main St.

Gas and Water Meter Upgrades in Las Cruces

By cassie mcclure and suzanne michaels • 14 hours ago

Last July, the City of Las Cruces launched a huge project to upgrade and/or retrofit the thousands of water and gas meters across the city to Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). With the upgraded technology, instead of a meter reader coming to your home or business to read meters, the meter sends a signal to a receiver high on a nearby utility pole. Leak detection is part of the meter upgrade.

Queen scores 13 to lift New Mexico St. past Seattle 59-53

By News Editor And Partners • 17 hours ago

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Trevelin Queen had 13 points off the bench to carry New Mexico State to a 59-53 win over Seattle on Saturday night, the Aggies' 11th consecutive victory.

AJ Harris had 12 points for New Mexico State (22-4, 11-1 Western Athletic Conference).

After falling behind 29-22 at the half, New Mexico State outscored Seattle 37-24 in the second half to earn the six-point victory. The Redhawks' 24 points in the second half were a season low for the team.

Shanahan says he hasn't determined amount for border wall

By News Editor And Partners • Feb 16, 2019

WASHINGTON (AP) — The acting secretary of defense said Saturday he has not yet determined how much money he will redirect to President Donald Trump's border wall project.

Pat Shanahan, who has been leading the Pentagon since Jim Mattis stepped down Dec. 31, made the comment in an interview with reporters flying with him from Germany to Washington.

Shanahan said he has a great deal of discretion in deciding how to use the authorities granted to him by Trump's declaration Friday of a national emergency.

New Mexico library killer sentenced to life in prison

By News Editor And Partners • Feb 16, 2019

CLOVIS, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico teenager convicted of opening fire and killing two people at a public library will spend decades in prison before being eligible for parole under a sentence imposed Friday by a state district judge.

Judge James Hudson made his decision after hearing emotional testimony during a three-day proceeding. He sentenced Nathaniel Jouett as an adult to two life sentences that will run concurrently plus 40 years in prison for carrying out the 2017 shooting at the Clovis library.

New Mexico shuns proposal to raise royalty rates on oil

By News Editor And Partners • Feb 16, 2019

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico state legislators shunned a proposal to increase the maximum royalty rate for oil and natural gas production on state trust lands that generate money for public schools, after hours of contentious public debate Friday.

The bill would have raised the top potential royalty rate on future oil leases for highly valued tracks in the Permian Basin of southwestern New Mexico from 20 percent of production to 25 percent.

Budget Agreement Includes Amtrak Funding

By News Editor And Partners • Feb 16, 2019

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Lawmakers say a federal budget compromise approved by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump provides $50 million of additional federal funding to maintain Amtrak rail passenger service through New Mexico, Colorado and Kansas.

New Mexico Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and Rep. Ben Ray Lujan said Friday the funding for the Southwest Chief route will enable Amtrak to pay matching funding for a grant to pay for maintenance and safety improvements to the Southwest Chief route.

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Goodman: Fear Is Being Used As A Political Weapon

By peter goodman • 15 hours ago

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Commentary: “Fear is the darkroom in which negatives are developed.” So said a fortune cookie at a local restaurant Thursday.

“Of the many factors that make up your worldview, one is more fundamental than any other in determining which side of the divide you gravitate toward: your perception of how dangerous the world is. Fear is perhaps our most primal instinct, so it’s only logical that people’s level of fearfulness informs their outlook on life.” So write two political scientists in Prius or Pickup. (We have both.) They say our deep political divisions aren't over policies, but between the “fixed” worldviews of people wary of change and suspicious of outsiders, and the “fluid” worldviews of those comfortable with social change and “welcoming of people who look and sound different.”

Fear seems a major factor in our country's current policies and actions.

DNC Announces Details For The First Two Presidential Primary Debates

By dnc • Feb 14, 2019

Commentary: Last year, DNC Chair Tom Perez announced that his goals for the Democratic presidential primary debates are to (1) give the grassroots a bigger voice than ever before; (2) showcase our candidates on an array of media platforms; (3) present an opportunity for vigorous discussion about issues, ideas and solutions; and (4) reach as many potential voters as possible. Perez announced 12 presidential primary debates to be held over the course of the 2020 cycle, with the first two occurring in June and July of 2019.

Let's Talk about "Radicalism"

By violet cauthon • Feb 14, 2019

Commentary: Definition of "radicalism": the beliefs or actions of people who advocate thorough or complete political or social reform. Our news pundits toss the word "radical" around attempting to denigrate newly-elected Congressional Democrats. Allow me to list a few "radical" policies:

Radical: 2009 corporate bailouts, rather than adding jobs or increasing wages, enabled CEOs and stockholders to receive generous bonuses and stock buy-backs.
Radical: 2018 tax cuts for top brackets caused the deficit to increase up to the trillions. 2018 changes to IRS tax codes result in reducing 2018 tax refunds.
Radical: Economists state "wealth concentration has returned to the excesses of the roaring twenties" - a radical rise in wealth for the super rich.
Radical: The upsurge in billionaires and their share of this nation's capital from poor to rich. After WWII, the middle class grew and wage earners got raises and benefits. The 1980s saw the beginning of stagnant workers' wages, benefits cuts and layoffs, yet the 1% grew much wealthier.

New Mexico Workers Celebrate Step Toward Higher Minimum Wage

By Somos Un Pueblo Unido • Feb 14, 2019

Commentary: On Wednesday, low-wage workers celebrated a step toward higher minimum wages for all as the New Mexico House of Representatives voted 44-26 to advance a proposal that would phase-in an increase in the state minimum wage for workers across New Mexico, including tipped workers.

HB 31, sponsored by Representative Miguel Garcia (D-Bernalillo) and Joanne Ferrary (D - District 37), would increase New Mexico's minimum wage from $7.50 to $10.00 beginning July 1, 2019 until reaching $12 an hour in 2021. The bill would also include an annual increase to adjust for inflation, beginning July 1, 2022. The last time there was an increase in minimum wage, it happened in 2009.

Creating a progressive and fair personal income tax in New Mexico

By Paige Knight-New Mexico Voices For Children • Feb 13, 2019

Commentary: During this legislative session, we can choose to continue tax cuts that benefit the wealthy and well-connected, or we can choose a new path and prioritize our children and families. It’s time to reverse course on excessive tax breaks and invest in healthy and thriving communities instead: investments in our schools to set our children on a path to success, investments in health care to keep people healthy and working, and investments in infrastructure – roads, bridges, and modern technology – that will benefit our families and businesses.

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