The Roundhouse a comforting cocoon for the 112 lawmakers replete with fawning staffers, lobbyists and citizens kissing up to them as their favorite legislation hangs in the balance. But outside of that comfort zone fresh polling shows a political storm rages over governance of New Mexico as well as the

The Roundhouse Twirl (Moore, Journal)About the 2025 legislative session set to close the books Saturday. . .That bill legalizing medical psilocybin passed the Senate and late yesterday the House did the same. The hallucinogenic is touted as a breakthrough therapy for depression but we remember it from the 70's as

On Tuesday, the New Mexico State Capitol’s Rotunda became the epicenter of a contentious confrontation during what was ostensibly a pro-Palestinian rally. The event took a confrontational turn after state Reps. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) and John Block (R-Alamogordo), both of whom have Jewish heritage, passed through the Rotunda, where

Job losses at Los Alamos Labs? Isn't that sacrosanct territory, especially for a Republican administration?We and others have dismissed the possibility of widespread budget cuts under Trump for the state's nuclear outposts--Los Alamos and Sandia National Labs--and that probably will hold true. But the NYT now reports that National Nuclear

​House Bill 12 (HB 12), recently passed by the New Mexico Senate, proposes significant amendments to the state’s “Extreme Risk Firearm Protection Order Act,” commonly known as the red flag law. While the bill aims to enhance public safety by allowing law enforcement officers to directly petition for firearm seizures

The Rio Grande Foundation’s mission can be boiled down to one core principle: the advancement of economic freedom. In its most straightforward definition, economic freedom refers to the ability of individuals and businesses to make voluntary financial decisions and engage in free-market exchanges without undue government interference. Such interference can

Progressive Democrats spent major league dollars and countless campaign hours to defeat the conservative coalition in the state House in the June 2024 primary only to be ambushed by the resurrection of a coalition in the state senate Saturday. The surprise attack spelled the end of their cherished paid family

​House Bill 11 (HB 11), known as the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act, recently faced a significant setback in the New Mexico Legislature. The anti-business bill, designed to establish a state-administered paid family and medical leave program, was defeated in the Senate Finance Committee with an 8-3 vote, with

ABQ Mayor Tim Keller has officially announced his bid for an unprecedented third consecutive term, defending his leadership on crime and homelessness and asserting that the "turmoil from Washington" requires "an experienced fighter."News release here. One minute video here. Keller said:At City Hall, we are relentless problem solvers, tackling Albuquerque’s

​In a concerted effort to enhance public safety, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in collaboration with multiple federal agencies, conducted a weeklong enforcement operation culminating on March 8, 2025. This operation led to the apprehension of 48 individuals across three New Mexico cities: Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Roswell. The

Efforts to reform the state's medical malpractice system are going nowhere at the Roundhouse. Reformers are now hoping that they at least can get a bill that does away with what remains of the tax on medical services as they work to ease a severe shortage of doctors. Malpractice reform

A proposal to hike New Mexico’s liquor taxes in an effort to curb problem drinking has hit a significant roadblock, as opposition to the measure continues to mount. While advocates of the tax increase remain persistent, the controversial proposal faces significant hurdles in the Legislature. House Bill 417, which would

Trump & Secretary LutnickThe element of surprise is a hallmark of the Trump administration and they've pulled a big one when it comes to providing high speed broadband to rural residents here and nationally who are still waiting for a connection. The surprise could mean a major breakthrough in getting

New Mexico State Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena, D-Mesilla, recently took a strong stance in favor of what is being billed as a transparency in lobbying bill, passionately advocating for H.B. 143, a measure aimed at shining a brighter light on lobbying activities at the Roundhouse. However, her own record raises

The ABQ mayoral field is growing. The newest addition is former Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White and also includes Mayor Tim Keller, radio talker Eddy Aragon, former Sandoval County Deputy Manager Mayling Armijo, Patrick Sais, who tried and failed to make the 2021 mayoral ballot, and retired firefighter Eddie Varela.White

Despite President Donald Trump’s decisive actions to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs—deemed by many as discriminatory and wasteful—a New Mexico state Senate committee has advanced Senate Bill 356 (SB 356), known as the “Diversity Act.” This bill proposes the creation of DEI-focused positions within the State Personnel Office

In a move that has sparked outrage among law enforcement, crime victims, and New Mexico residents, House Democrats in the state legislature voted on Saturday to pass House Bill 255 (HB 255), a controversial measure that includes a provision to give violent juvenile offenders up to $2,000 per month in

A sharply divided New Mexico Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that far-left Democrat Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s 2023 emergency orders restricting gun possession and addressing drug abuse did not violate state law. However, the court did strike down a provision related to a juvenile justice initiative, deeming it an overreach

Our criticism of Sen. Martin Heinrich for boycotting the presidential speech before Congress this week and Rep. Melanie Stansbury's behavior at the joint session brought reader reaction. Like the nation it was quite divided. And with that we kick off this edition of the always popular Reader Vox Populi. First

In yet another display of performative outrage, Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) made a spectacle of herself before former President Donald Trump even began his address to Congress. Instead of conducting herself with dignity, Stansbury chose to hold up a hastily scrawled sign reading, “This is not normal,” as Trump entered

Rep. StansburyThis pic of ABQ Dem Rep. Melanie Stansbury protesting Trump's speech before Congress last night is as divisive as it gets. So lets get to it.Stansbury is the brightest bulb in the state's congressional delegation but she went over the cliff with her out-of-power party last night. Trump overpowered

On Monday in the House Health and Human Services Committee, state Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) presented H.B. 486, a bipartisan bill, which “would require that, when a child is taken into New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) protective custody by law enforcement because of suspected abuse or

The stocks of Maxeon Solar and Virgin Galactic are crashing to more all-time lows, signaling that they may soon be the latest in a decades-long string of failures by state and ABQ economic developers to land the big fish that could improve the private-sector economy.Singapore-based Maxeon received accolades and promises

​A massive dust storm, known as a “haboob,” engulfed regions of New Mexico and Texas on Monday morning, leading to highway closures and confining nearly 900,000 residents within a potentially hazardous cloud. ​ “A haboob is a type of intense dust storm carried by the wind of a weather front.

Attorney Tom ClearTracking ongoing explosive developments in the massive DWI bribery scandal involving APD, the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department and the NM State Police is the busiest of news beats. After the reveal that BernCo Sheriff John Allen received a $200 campaign contribution from paralegal and now convicted felon Rick

The legislative process in Santa Fe has long faced scrutiny, but according to the Rio Grande Foundation, the situation is only worsening. The organization, which has been involved in the Legislature for many years, argues that the current system actively hinders public involvement while leaving lawmakers uninformed about the real

A legislative update from Piñon Post founder and editor and state Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo). John gives a weekly update during the legislative session. If you don’t already get the update, you can get it here or by subscribing on the website JohnForNM.com. A lot happened this week at the

The controversial job-crushing “Welcome Child and Family Wellness Leave Act,” formerly known as the “Paid Family and Medical Leave Act,” narrowly passed the New Mexico House of Representatives last week, but not without significant pushback. While all Republicans opposed the bill, five Democrats also voted against it. Here’s a look

On Wednesday, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham appointed Martha Garcia, a 78-year-old former Cibola County Commissioner and president of the Ramah Navajo Chapter House, to fill the vacant New Mexico House District 6 seat following the passing of Rep. Eliseo Alcon. The district, which covers Cibola and McKinley counties, including the

Legendary actor, two-time Academy Award winner, and author Gene Hackman and his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, were found dead Wednesday afternoon at their home in the Santa Fe Summit community, located northeast of Santa Fe. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed their deaths just after midnight on Thursday,

Here are some clippings that fell to our newsroom floor this week so let's pick them up.Republicans are jazzed over the prospect of taking back the governorship in '26. They will need a formidable candidate and one possible now appears "pretty doubtful," according to sources. Former NM Supreme Court Chief

The New Mexico House of Representatives has approved a state budget proposal valued at $10.8 billion—an amount that, if enacted, would mark the largest in state history with nearly a 6% increase over last year’s record spending. While proponents argue that the budget is designed to invest in key priorities,

At a high-profile White House gathering of state leaders, President Donald Trump made his policy positions unmistakably clear. Among those in attendance was far-left Democrat New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham—a governor whose state relies heavily on federal funding and now faces a stark choice. New Mexico, one of the

A legislative update from Piñon Post founder and editor and state Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo). John gives a weekly update during the legislative session. If you don’t already get the update, you can get it here or by subscribing on the website JohnForNM.com. This was one of the busiest weeks