Latest news with #AlbuquerqueJournal
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
NM Gov declares state of emergency for ongoing drought, fire risk
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, pictured during a March news conference, announced Thursday she issued a state of emergency due to ongoing drought in New Mexico. She also called on counties to ban fireworks. (Eddie Moore / Albuquerque Journal) New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is urging counties across the state to ban fireworks and has ordered a task force to come up with short-term emergency measures to address the ongoing drought and mounting wildfire risk, her office announced on Wednesday. The governor issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency last Thursday, which unlocks funds to help address the drought. It also directed the New Mexico Drought Task Force to meet, which it did Wednesday, to come up with ways to coordinate response efforts across more than 10 state agencies, according to a news release. New Mexico is currently experiencing some of the worst drought conditions ever recorded amid long-term predictions that the state could lose 25% of its water supply over the next 50 years. Snowpack, particularly in the southwestern part of the state, is at record lows, and about 87% of the state is experiencing drought conditions. Meanwhile, local, state, federal and tribal governments across New Mexico have imposed various levels of wildfire restrictions, citing the ongoing wildfire risk. A New Mexico State Forestry website compilation of those restrictions lists 38 jurisdictions that ban fireworks, campfires or impose other measures. 'It's bad': How drought, lack of snowpack and federal cuts could spell wildfire disaster in NM 'Despite some spring precipitation, almost all of New Mexico remains in conditions that threaten water supplies and elevate fire danger,' Lujan Grisham said in a news release. 'The State Forester has enacted fire restrictions for high-risk areas, but we can't stop there. This executive order ensures that we act decisively to conserve water and lessen our exposure to wildfire risk.' In its Wednesday meeting, the Drought Task Force, led by New Mexico State Engineer Elizabeth Anderson, began coming up with a list of short-term measures to reduce fire risk and help those affected by the drought, which it needs to have in place by July 31, according to the governor's office. The task force also is tasked with compiling and sharing emergency and other funding sources to help families and governments respond to the drought. 'New Mexico's river basins have seen below average precipitation this year, and our reservoir levels are among the lowest on record,' Anderson said in a news release. 'These conditions clearly justify emergency action.' As July 4 approaches, the governor wrote that she urges 'New Mexico's counties, municipalities and local governments to consider implementing firework bans pursuant to the Fireworks Safety and Licensing Act…as well as any other appropriate fire prevention measures that they may legally enact.'
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
NM Gov declares state of emergency for ongoing drought, fire risk
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, pictured during a March news conference, announced Thursday she issued a state of emergency due to ongoing drought in New Mexico. She also called on counties to ban fireworks. (Eddie Moore / Albuquerque Journal) New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is urging counties across the state to ban fireworks and has ordered a task force to come up with short-term emergency measures to address the ongoing drought and mounting wildfire risk, her office announced on Wednesday. The governor issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency last Thursday, which unlocks funds to help address the drought. It also directed the New Mexico Drought Task Force to meet, which it did Wednesday, to come up with ways to coordinate response efforts across more than 10 state agencies, according to a news release. New Mexico is currently experiencing some of the worst drought conditions ever recorded amid long-term predictions that the state could lose 25% of its water supply over the next 50 years. Snowpack, particularly in the southwestern part of the state, is at record lows, and about 87% of the state is experiencing drought conditions. Meanwhile, local, state, federal and tribal governments across New Mexico have imposed various levels of wildfire restrictions, citing the ongoing wildfire risk. A New Mexico State Forestry website compilation of those restrictions lists 38 jurisdictions that ban fireworks, campfires or impose other measures. 'It's bad': How drought, lack of snowpack and federal cuts could spell wildfire disaster in NM 'Despite some spring precipitation, almost all of New Mexico remains in conditions that threaten water supplies and elevate fire danger,' Lujan Grisham said in a news release. 'The State Forester has enacted fire restrictions for high-risk areas, but we can't stop there. This executive order ensures that we act decisively to conserve water and lessen our exposure to wildfire risk.' In its Wednesday meeting, the Drought Task Force, led by New Mexico State Engineer Elizabeth Anderson, began coming up with a list of short-term measures to reduce fire risk and help those affected by the drought, which it needs to have in place by July 31, according to the governor's office. The task force also is tasked with compiling and sharing emergency and other funding sources to help families and governments respond to the drought. 'New Mexico's river basins have seen below average precipitation this year, and our reservoir levels are among the lowest on record,' Anderson said in a news release. 'These conditions clearly justify emergency action.' As July 4 approaches, the governor wrote that she urges 'New Mexico's counties, municipalities and local governments to consider implementing firework bans pursuant to the Fireworks Safety and Licensing Act…as well as any other appropriate fire prevention measures that they may legally enact.'
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lawmakers vow further exploration of CYFD reforms in interim before 2026 session
New Mexico lawmakers created a new child advocate position to oversee the troubled CYFD agency. (Dean Hanson/Albuquerque Journal) New Mexico lawmakers said Tuesday they plan to investigate more reforms for the state's troubled child welfare agency in advance of next year's legislative session, pointing to the recent tragedy of a 16-year old foster child's suicide as a catalyst for further action. The Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee convened at the Roundhouse for the first meeting of the interim, which included a presentation on recent reforms to the Children, Youth & Families Department lawmakers passed in the 2025 Legislative session. Specifically, House Bill 5 created an Office of the Child Advocate, which will be administratively attached to the state Department of Justice. Tuesday's hearing also exposed continued tension over the management of CYFD. The troubled agency has faced increased scrutiny over rising costs of settlements for maltreatment and deaths of children in custody from years past, as well as the housing of children in offices, which have included incidents of injury from private security guards. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez in April announced an investigation into the April death. In a recent interview with Source, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who has clashed with the AG over CYFD, said the agency intends to abide with the Legislature's reforms 'in a robust and cooperative manner.' Sen. Joe Cervantes (D-Las Cruces), who co-chairs the interim committee with Rep. Christine Chandler (D-Los Alamos), said New Mexico was failing to protect children in state custody which he called 'our most important, sacred responsibility.' 'We're not saving lives, we have children who are dying on our watch,' he said Tuesday. Cervantes alluded to Jaydun Garcia, the 16-year old who died by suicide in congregate care in April, but also mentioned a second case: 'I cannot go into detail, that we had another suicide: a young woman who was pregnant at the time in our state custody.' CYFD spokesperson Jessica Preston said she could not corroborate Cervantes' statement. 'State and federal confidentiality laws strictly limit what the Children, Youth, and Families Department can confirm or disclose about individual cases. We are only authorized to release information when it is determined that abuse or neglect caused a child's death,' Preston said in a written statement. 'Accordingly, no information can be provided.' CYFD was not invited to testify at today's meeting, both Cervantes and CYFD confirmed, with Preston noting that the agenda item related to the new office attached to the NMDOJ. CYFD Cabinet Secretary Teresa Casados 'has said on many occasions that the Department welcomes oversight, and we look forward to collaborating with the new Office of Child Advocate to serve the children, youth, and families of New Mexico when it is up and running,' Preston wrote. Lujan Grisham line-item vetoed $1 million earmarked for Office of the Child Advocate from the budget, but allowed both a $650,000 appropriation the New Mexico Department of Justice to set up the office and $300,000 for CYFD to hire additional staff to respond to inquiries from the advocate to remain in the budget. Attorneys for NMDOJ said they would be able to stand up the office with the $650,000 appropriation, but would seek further funding in 2026. 'That sets us on a pretty good entry point,' said Billy Jimenez, the deputy attorney general for civil affairs at NMDOJ. 'From a purely administrative standpoint, we can provide staff to assist whether that's paralegals or clerical staff, HR staff. But I think, at the end of the day, we want to make sure that that office maintains… independence [and] their own paralegals and staff over time.' Further decisions about staffing the office will be made once the child advocate is in the role Jimenez said. The state is still in the process of appointing a statutorily required state child advocate selection committee, which is required by law to meet before Sept. 1 to consider recommendations for the state child advocate. Within 30 days of meeting, the committee is supposed to recommend a short list of candidates to the governor, who will make the appointment.
Sky News AU
12-05-2025
- Sky News AU
New Mexico boys, aged seven and nine, seen in armed standoff with loaded gun receiving assistance from deputies
A New Mexico sheriff's office is defending its decision not to arrest two young boys, ages 7 and 9, seen in drone footage in an armed standoff with deputies. Video released Thursday by the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) shows the two boys dressed in Minecraft and Star Wars-themed pajamas standing behind a covered air-conditioning unit and carrying a loaded handgun. In the nearly six minutes of footage shared, the children are seen looking around as if they are trying to avoid detection and capture. Eventually, the boys are surrounded and detained by deputies. "This case illustrates the complex intersection of juvenile crime, mental health and public safety," Sheriff John Allen said in a statement. "We are taking important steps to close service gaps and expand our ability to work with juveniles involved in firearms or violent crimes." The incident took place on Feb. 16 but was highlighted on Thursday while BCSO showcased the work of its behavioral health unit and "a new initiative designed to address critical service gaps in the community," according to a press release. Allen said his department had been called to the home of the incident dozens of times prior to the standoff due to problems with the boys and their families, the Albuquerque Journal reported, adding that it is not known how the boys got the gun. The newspaper said no charges have been filed against the boys and that they have not been removed from their home, although the gun seen in the video was seized. "Children are our future, and we know one side is going to say, 'Lock them in jail.' They're 7 and 9 years old. I told you before, numerous times in numerous interviews, that I understand the frontal lobe," Allen said, according to the Albuquerque Journal. Members of the department's behavioral health unit are in contact with the boys' families "providing every recourse possible to assist the children involved," a BCSO sergeant told Fox News Digital. BCSO said its drone "allowed deputies to secure the area swiftly and safely, ultimately preventing a potential deadly force encounter with the juveniles." Originally published as New Mexico boys, aged seven and nine, seen in armed standoff with loaded gun receiving assistance from deputies
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Editor's note
May 11—Editor's note: Last Sunday, the Albuquerque Journal Community Council wrote an open letter to Albuquerque Public School officials, asking questions of the superintendent, board members, union officials and others. Over the course of the last week, we've received numerous responses from many of them, as well as community members. We're running several of those responses this week, and will publish additional responses in future opinion pages. If we receive more responses later from additional Board of Education members, we will publish those as well.
