Latest news with #healthissues
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
UFC main event cancelled just moments before the first bell as fighter is rushed to hospital
A UFC main event was cancelled just minutes before it was scheduled to take place on Saturday night. The world's largest MMA promotion hosted a UFC on ESPN card from the promotion's Apex hub. The main event was set to see women's flyweight prospects Maycee Barber and Erin Blanchfield do battle over five rounds with the winner expected to stake their claim for a title shot. However, after the pre-fight promotional video was broadcast to viewers at home the commentators announced that Barber was 'not ready' to make the walk to the Octagon, before subsequently revealing that the fight had been cancelled. Blanchfield later claimed that Barber had suffered a seizure minutes before the fight was set to take place, with reports suggesting she had been taken to hospital. 'Hunter [Campbell - UFC executive] came in and was saying that she was having a seizure and having medical issues and that she's not going to be able to fight,' Blanchfield said. 'I knew once I saw him that it wasn't something good, because he was being serious.' 'I'm just in a little bit of disbelief. We were already told six minutes until workouts, I had already warmed up and hit pads. I was literally ready to go - then we got the news.' The fight had been set to mark Barber's return to action, more than a year since she had extended her win streak to six by defeating Katlyn Cerminara at UFC 299. Since then however, the 14-2 star had been dealing with ongoing health issues that had delayed her comeback. On Friday, the 27-year-old missed weight for the flyweight contest, tipping the scales at 126.5lbs, half a pound over the non-title limit for the weight class. Prior to the ultimately cancelled return, UFC commentator Laura Sanko commented on Barber's recent struggles. 'I can't emphasise how much she's been battling with her health this last year,' she said. 'We don't know what happened, but clearly it was something serious enough where she's not cleared.'
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Deion Sanders Reveals He's Been Battling Health Issues During Offseason
Deion Sanders Reveals He's Been Battling Health Issues During Offseason originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Former NFL All-Pro cornerback Asante Samuel recently sparked debate after declaring on social media that he belongs in the same all-time tier as Hall-of-Famer Deion Sanders. Advertisement The online back-and-forth led to Sanders joining Samuel on the 'Say What Needs to Be Said' podcast on Friday night. The two former stars tackled rumors of a rift and shared insights on cornerback play in today's game. However, the tone of the hour-long episode shifted at the end when Sanders opened up about ongoing health concerns. He revealed unexpected weight loss and hinted at a health issue, calling it 'on another level.' Cue to the 1:00:13 mark. When Samuel asked if fasting was involved, Sanders replied by saying it more serious. He noted this was his first public appearance since a press conference on April 22, adding that he needed to go on the podcast for a boost. Advertisement "I've done no media. I've done nothing for a minute, Sanders admitted. "So coming on with you is something. I ain't been in front of nobody for a minute. I lost about 14 pounds. I'm coming back, but I needed this." Sanders' health challenges have been widely reported. He previously underwent multiple surgeries related to blood clots, resulting in the amputation of two toes on his left foot while at Jackson State. In late 2024, Sanders said doctors advised removing the remaining toes, which he declined. Related: Deion Sanders Breaks Silence About Shedeur's NFL Draft Slide: 'Stop Lying' Despite the concerns, Sanders recently signed a five-year, $54 million extension with Colorado. He became the highest-paid coach in the Big 12 conference. The Buffaloes open the 2025 season against Georgia Tech on Friday, August 29 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Eamonn Holmes, 65, issues heartbreaking update just days after falling off his chair live on air amid ongoing health issues
Eamonn Holmes has shared a heartbreaking update just days after he suffered an on-air tumble, amid the star's ongoing health issues. The broadcaster, 65, sparked concern last week when he fell off his chair live on air, shocking his GB News co-stars. And just a few weeks before the fall, Eamonn was rushed to hospital after collapsing at home. The star has been open about his ongoing health problems, which have left him using a wheelchair. And in a candid post on Thursday, Eamonn took to social media to share an old photo of himself broadcasting which he captioned: 'Great picture popped up from 3 years but it's made me sad - I could walk. Got to redouble my efforts.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Last week, Eamonn fell off his chair live on air, concerning viewers. As the camera focused on commentator Charlie Rowley at 6:15am, a crash could be heard off screen and the broadcaster's co-host Ellie Costello exclaimed 'oh my gosh.' Eamonn was then heard saying: 'I'm fine, fine, fine, carry on, carry on.' A stunned Charlie tried to continue but the early morning news programme cut to adverts seconds later. After an extended six minute break, Eamonn returned to screens, joking: 'I'm still alive' as he blamed the 'wonky' wheels on his chair. 'They're very wonky wheels on chairs we've got here, as a matter of fact we don't really like the chairs here,' he said to his co-host Ellie Costello. 'It was a shock for me because I had a fall two weeks ago in my bathroom that hospitalised me and that hit me right in the back.' 'And that hit me again right in the back. Really really sore, really sore' As the camera focused on commentator Charlie Rowley at 6:15am, a crash could be heard off screen and the broadcaster's co-host Ellie Costello exclaimed 'oh my gosh' Eamonn was rushed to hospital earlier this month after taking a fall at home. Alongside a picture taken in the ambulance he explained on Instagram: 'An unexpected journey this morning... bit of a fall on the bathroom floor. Gosh it hurts. Thank you Ambulance crew.' A couple of hours later, he shared a picture of himself from his hospital bed, writing: 'Not how I wanted to be spending The Holiday weekend …… but life's not easy these days . Thanks to everybody who is looking after me.' Eamonn has been plagued with health woes following surgery on his back in 2022 and has been relying on the aid of a walking frame or wheelchair since and later shared a photo from his bed and writing: 'Life's not easy these days.' In March this year, he revealed his problems are ongoing, admitting on Instagram: 'Even when The Sun shines there's pain. Sometimes I feel I'll never beat this disc immobility but I'm determined to have a life... 'So pray for me, help me or get out of the way Social Media haters.' In 2016, Eamonn underwent a double-hip replacement operation after living with acute pain for many years. Speaking about his operation at the time, Eamonn said: 'Was I nervous? No! It was just like being on television. In the build-up I was stressed — can I do this? Will I handle it? 'And it was a bit odd the night before when people started paying me tributes: 'Eamonn, you were brilliant and I'll always remember when you did this and that.' It was like dying but not dying.' He faced a completely different health ordeal two years later, as he was struck down by shingles which threatened to derail his son Declan's wedding day. In 2021, Eamonn's chronic back pain had begun and it seemingly came completely of the blue. The pain become so severe that it left Eamonn reliant on a walking stick, but he soon found out the root cause. He eventually discovered it was three slipped discs that affected the movement of his right leg. In December 2021, Eamonn told The Sun how his struggles with his 'trapped sciatic nerve' had an impact on his family who had to help him with everyday tasks. He admitted: 'It's been a difficult year. For months now I haven't been able to walk, sometimes at all, and it has really taken its toll on everyone around me too... 'I can't bend down to pick things up so [his ex-wife] Ruth [Langsford] ends up having to wait on me, and I know my sons particularly are a bit embarrassed by the way I move around.' In September 2022, Eamonn was forced to step away from his GB news show as he underwent vital back surgery to aid his chronic back pain. His battle with chronic back pain started after a dislocated pelvis led to three slipped discs. Following his surgery, he revealed that despite physiotherapy, he continues to find his lack of mobility stops him from doing simple things and is forced to rely on others, which he described as 'soul destroying'. He wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: 'Worked hard at my physio this morning, very tiring but I've now sat on my backside for 5 hours and feel bad about doing nothing. 'Lack of mobility & depending on others stops me doing really simple things. For peace of mind I feel another round of foot exercises coming on.' His spinal surgery left him with a weakened left leg, too, and just over two weeks into his recovery from the operation, Eamonn fell backwards down 18 stairs at the Weybridge home, hitting the stone floor at the bottom. The horrific accident could easily have killed him. Instead, he emerged with a broken shoulder, and his legs further weakened. The former This Morning host admitted at the time that fracturing his shoulder in a fall was a 'massive setback'. Eamonn told GB News of fracturing his shoulder during the fall: 'It was a massive setback and means I'm going to need to take some extra time off to get myself better. 'It's been a hellish few weeks. But day by day I'm improving and I am remaining positive and trying to look on the bright side.' A year after his spinal surgery, Eamonn underwent a spine and neck stretching procedure in September 2023 after admitting he 'couldn't walk'. Eamonn admitted he 'hadn't recovered' from his back surgery, confessing: 'I can't run, I can't walk, I can't do anything except watch TV and eat.' He explained: 'I just got problems last year in my back, which I haven't recovered from. It's not good, it's not a good recipe I have to say.' Eamonn discussed his use of a wheelchair back in December while mentioning a Christmas travel warning on his Breakfast show. With the trains being pushed as an alternative for those trying to make their way home over the festive period, Eamonn made a sad admission. He said: 'The train definitely could be a dream, but I'm now sort of wheelchair laden... you rely on a lot of people to get you on and off. It's very, very difficult doing that. 'I just threw that in... it's not a concern to anybody, but there we go. Sympathising with his situation, his co-host Isabel Webster acknowledged: 'Well, it's a consideration for lots people in the same position as you, Eamonn.' Eamonn meanwhile has also been dealing with the collapse of his marriage to ex-wife Ruth Langsford, which reportedly ended after she made the 'shock' discovery that he was 'sharing intimate chats with another woman'. The former This Morning star couple shocked fans in May last year when it was revealed that they had split after 14 years of marriage and were headed for divorce. Eamonn has since moved on with new girlfriend Katie Alexander, 43, while Ruth is enjoying the single life, with the star recently enjoying a girls' getaway for her birthday. The Loose Women star also reportedly found messages on his laptop, with The Sun reporting that the discovery was a 'real kick in the teeth'. The publication said: 'Eamonn thought he was in the house alone while he was chatting on the phone. But Ruth could hear him from elsewhere in the house and was totally horrified. She confronted Eamonn. It was quite a shock - for both of them. 'Eamonn had no idea Ruth was in the house at the time. It was a huge blow to Ruth, particularly as she had been devoted to caring for Eamonn during his physical health issues. To discover he was sharing intimate chats with another woman was a real kick in the teeth for Ruth.' A source reported to The Sun that the row over the phone call occurred in April in the pair's Surrey home, however, just weeks later Ruth was said to have found messages on his laptop. The discovery was said to have triggered their split announcement, with the heartbreaking discovery said to have been 'the straw that broke the camel's back'. The insider added: 'After the phone call row the marriage limped on for a few weeks until Ruth found the laptop messages. It was another awful experience for her and the straw that broke the camel's back as far as the marriage was concerned.' A joint statement issued by the pair announcing their split simply read: 'Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes have confirmed their marriage is over and they are in the process of divorcing.'
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Kara Tointon's healing new life in Norway: Star's double mastectomy came in the same year as she reunited with her fiancé and quit the UK for his homeland - after a string of romantic woes and a tragic death
She was one of the UK's biggest soap stars and made headlines after lifting the glitterball trophy at the height of her career back in 2010. However in the last five years Kara Tointon has faded out of the spotlight and has ditched the UK for a quieter life in Norway with her family. Despite rumours she has split with her fiancé Marius Jensen, the pair have put their troubles behind them and live together in the peaceful Nordic countryside with their two sons Frey, six, and Helly, four. Yet behind the scenes the former EastEnders actress has been undergoing a series of health issues after she took to Instagram on Wednesday to open up about her choice to undergo a double mastectomy. The actress, 41, shared that she underwent the preventative measure last year after learning she carries the deadly BRAC1 gene. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The operation comes six years after the tragic death of her mother Carol who died of ovarian cancer back in 2019, just a few months after Kara welcomed her first child. Kara explained she was invited for genetic testing at the time of her mother's illness as their is a history of cancer on both sides. And since her mother's passing Kara has retreated from the limelight and left London all together as she put her life back together after a series of heartbreaks. Kara first shared the news of her mother's passing in a heartbreaking Instagram post back in 2019 as Carol was seen doting on her children in throwback footage. Kara simply captioned the clip with the words, 'My mum,' as her friends rushed to offer their condolences. A few months later the star took to social media once again to pay tribute to Carol as she shared her overwhelming sadness. The post read: 'I miss you. I miss your voice. I miss your smile. I miss your smell. I miss your hug. I miss your jokes. I miss how you made me feel. I miss your everything.' She added: 'God I was so lucky muma. Do laugh that I'm reaching out to you on INSTAGRAM. I love you.' Kara had welcomed her first son Frey with her fiancé Marius Jensen in November 2018, just a few months before her mother's passing. She previously revealed she had put off setting a wedding date due to her mother's illness. Speaking to Hello! after Frey's birth she confessed: 'We are hoping next year, perhaps in Norway or maybe in London. 'My mum hasn't been too well over the last year or so and I want her to be able to enjoy it. 'Seeing her with Frey and dealing with everything she has to right now is overwhelming and I couldn't be more proud. I just want her to be back to herself again. That's our priority.' However tragically her mother never got to see her walk down the aisle and the couple are not publicly known to have ever officially tied the knot. After welcoming their second son in January 2021, split rumours then encircled the pair and it was believed they had parted ways. According to reports in October 2022 the pair were believed to have split in early 2022 after realising there was 'no future for them as a couple'. Marius was even spotted sharing a kiss with an unidentified woman outside a London club in snaps obtained by The Sun. A source told the publication at the time: 'Kara and Marius quietly separated around 10 months ago. 'There was no wrong-doing on either side, and they both still care about each other. But they came to the decision that there was no future for them as a couple. 'They remain friends, and are both very committed to co-parenting their two children.' Kara never commented on the split, but in September 2024 it was revealed the family were living together in Norway, where her fiancé is originally from, and had seemingly overcome their troubles. Kara and Marius went public with their relationship in 2017 after meeting the year before following her split from Strictly professional Artem Chigvintsev. The pair met while dancing together during the series in 2010, making it all the way to the final when they lifted the glitterball trophy. After a three year romance the pair split in 2014 after Kara told The Telegraph's Mandrake column: 'We are not together. We're fine, but we aren't a couple any more. The reason I haven't spoken about it is because I hate reading about myself in that way.' Rumours about their relationship coming to an end begun to circulate in the December of 2013 when they hadn't been pictured together in months. Since their split Artem relocated to California with his now ex wife Nikki Bella. The pair have since divorced and the Russian dancer moved out of the marital home he shared with Nikki after his arrest, which took place in August, when he was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence. Charges were dropped a month later due to lack of sufficient evidence, according to the Napa County District Attorney's Office. Prior to her relationship with Artem, Kara dated Joe Swash after they met while playing brother and sister Mickey Miller and Dawn Swann on EastEnders back in 2005. After Joe left the soap in July 2008, the pair stayed in touch and had just started dating when he flew to Australia for I'm A Celeb in November 2008. Their relationship came as a surprise after the actress swore off dating famous men following her romances with EastEnders co-star James Alexandrou for a year and Busted rocker James Bourne before that. But her and Joe split in 2010 with Joe later admitting he was an 'idiot' to let her go, blaming himself for 'abandoning' her when she was struggling to find work after leaving EastEnders. Yet her tumultous love life is now behind her and Kara has ditched the UK for a life in Norway with her family. The mother-of-two had previously said that after the birth of her first born she wanted to avoid the busy nature of London and it seems now the family of four are enjoying a quieter paced life. While Kara travels to London for work, her Instagram shows photos of with her kids in the outdoors as well as fishing trips with Marius. In an interview with Weekend Magazine last September Kara admitted she was 'just hitting her stride' at age 41 as she opened up about wanting to give her children an idyllic childhood away from the spotlight that's followed her for so many decades. She explained: 'I'm really enjoying getting older. I know we're in a world where people grapple with that but I feel like I'm learning to like myself more and hopefully becoming a more well-rounded person. 'A lot of the stuff people struggle with is down to circumstances – everyone has bad stuff happen to them and that can happen at any age. 'I think experience means you know how to deal with things and hopefully grow and build and get stronger from it.' Speaking how the move to Europe wasn't what she expected she said: 'I never expected to make a life here but I am loving it.' 'We're bringing our kids up in Norway together. Being here is still quite new, it's early days, but it's working out really well. We thought we'd see how it goes, but so far so good. 'We spent most of last year in Norway as a base, I was going back and forth for work, and then we just decided to give it a go. It happened really naturally as we were spending more and more time over here. It's so easy to get back to London and it just seems to work. 'It's such a beautiful country and a great place to bring up children and I'm definitely adapting to the Scandinavian lifestyle.' On Wednesday Kara took to Instagram with a candid video as she shared she underwent the procedure, along with having her fallopian tubes removed as a preventative measure, after learning she carries the deadly BRAC1 gene. As an ambassador for the Eve appeal, a charity that raises awareness of gynaecological cancers, the actress opened up to her followers about the journey that led to her discovery that she carries the BRCA1 gene. She explained: 'Last year having had my second son in 2021 and deciding that our family was complete, I underwent two preventative surgeries. 'The first a double mastectomy and the second a two part protector study, a trial. 'They believe that ovarian cancer begins in the fallopian tubes so by removing them first checking out you can remove the ovaries later.' Kara revealed that after having several medical investigations, she decided that surgery was the best option. 'We are finding out more and more about personal genetics and most people believe in surveillance, but after doing this for a couple of years, having MRIs, waiting for biopsy, we decided that this was the right decision for me and my family,' she said. 'I wasn't an easy decision, but one I am very glad that I made and I can now with hindsight talk about it properly.' What is the BRCA gene and how does it affect people's risk of cancer? Having a mutated BRCA gene - as famously carried by Angelina Jolie - dramatically increases the chance a woman will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, from 12 per cent to 90 per cent. Between one in 800 and one in 1,000 women carry a BRCA gene mutation, which increases the chances of breast and ovarian cancer. Both BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes that produce proteins to suppress tumours. When these are mutated, DNA damage can be caused and cells are more likely to become cancerous. The mutations are usually inherited and increase the risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer significantly. When a child has a parent who carries a mutation in one of these genes they have a 50 percent chance of inheriting the mutations. About 1.3 per cent of women in the general population will develop ovarian cancer, this increase to 44 percent of women who inherit a harmful BRCA1 mutation.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Schoolchildren struggling with headaches and vomiting from gas plant pollution
In Counselor, New Mexico, a routine drive home for Billton Werito and his son Amari is a stark reminder of the challenges faced by families living near natural gas operations. On a Tuesday in March, as Werito navigated the dirt road leading to their house, Amari was absent from school due to nausea and a headache. "It happens a lot," Amari explained, highlighting a recurring issue linked to the smell of "rotten egg with propane" emanating from nearby natural gas wells. This odour frequently affects Lybrook Elementary School, where Amari and around 70 other Navajo students attend classes. His younger brother also experiences similar symptoms, often leading to missed school days. Billton Werito expressed his concern, stating, "They just keep getting sick. I have to take them out of class because of the headaches. Especially the younger one, he's been throwing up and won't eat." These health issues are not only disrupting the children 's education but also raising concerns about their overall well-being and academic progress. Lybrook sits in the heart of New Mexico's San Juan Basin, a major oil and gas deposit that, along with the Permian Basin in the state's southeast, is supplying natural gas that meets much of the nation's electricity demand. The gas pulled from tens of thousands of wells in New Mexico has reaped huge benefits for the entire country. Natural gas has become a go-to fuel for power plants from coast to coast, sometimes replacing dirtier coal-fired plants and, by extension, improving air quality. Locally, oil and gas companies employ thousands of workers, often in areas with few other opportunities, all while boosting the state's budget with billions in royalty payments. But those benefits may come at a cost for thousands of students in New Mexico whose schools sit near oil and gas pipelines, wellheads and flare stacks. An analysis of state and federal data found 694 oil and gas wells with new or active permits within a mile of a school in the state. This means that around 29,500 students in 74 schools and pre-schools potentially face exposure to noxious emissions, as extraction from the ground can release unhealthy fumes. A measurable effect on students At Lybrook, where Amari just finished sixth grade, fewer than 6 per cent of students are proficient at math, and only a fifth meet state standards for science and reading proficiency. Other factors could help explain students' poor achievement. Poverty rates are higher in some areas with high levels of gas development, and students at rural schools overall tend to face challenges that can adversely affect academic performance. AP's analysis found that two-thirds of the schools within a mile of an oil or gas well were low-income, and the population is around 24 per cent Native American and 45 per cent Hispanic. But research has found that student learning is directly harmed by air pollution from fossil fuels — even when socioeconomic factors are taken into account. And it's not just New Mexico where this is a risk. An AP analysis of data from the Global Oil and Gas Extraction Tracker found over 1,000 public schools across 13 states that are within five miles of a major oil or gas field. Major fields are collections of wells that produce the highest amount of energy in a state. 'This kind of air pollution has a real, measurable effect on students,' said Mike Gilraine, a professor of economics at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada, who studies connections between air quality and student performance. In 2024, Gilraine co-wrote a study showing that student test scores were closely associated with air contamination. Each measured increase in PM2.5, a type of pollution created from the burning of fossil fuels, was associated with a significant decline in student test scores, Gilraine found. Conversely, researchers have documented that reductions in air pollution have led to higher test scores and fewer absences. 'To me the surprise was certainly the magnitude of the effects' of air pollution on students, Gilraine said. 'It's hard to find a similar factor that would have such an impact on schools nationwide.' America's shift to natural gas has resulted in substantial increases in student achievement nationwide, Gilraine's research shows, as it has displaced dirtier coal and led to cleaner air on the whole. But there has been little data on air quality across New Mexico, even as it has become one of the most productive states in the nation for natural gas. State regulators have installed only 20 permanent air monitors, most in areas without oil or gas production. Independent researchers have extensively studied the air quality near schools in at least two locations in the state, however. One is Lybrook, which sits within a mile of 17 active oil and gas wells. In 2024, scientists affiliated with Princeton and Northern Arizona universities conducted an air-monitoring study at the school, finding that levels of pollutants — including benzene, a cancer-causing byproduct of natural gas production that is particularly harmful to children — were spiking during school hours, to nearly double the levels known to cause chronic or acute health effects. That research followed a 2021 health impact assessment that was done with support from several local nonprofits and foundations, which analyzed the effects of the area's oil and gas development on residents. The findings were startling: More than 90 per cent of people surveyed suffered from sinus problems. Nosebleeds, shortness of breath and nausea were widespread. The report attributed the symptoms to the high levels of pollutants that researchers found — including, near Lybrook, hydrogen sulfide, a compound that gives off the sulfur smell that Amari Werito associated with his headaches. Those studies helped confirm what many community members already knew, said Daniel Tso, a community leader who served on the committee that oversaw the 2021 health impact assessment. 'The children and the grandchildren need a safe homeland,' Tso said during an interview in March, standing outside a cluster of gas wells within a mile of Lybrook Elementary. 'You smell that?' he said, nodding towards a nearby wellhead, which smelled like propane. 'That's what the kids at the school are breathing in. I've had people visiting this area from New York. They spend five minutes here and say, 'Hey, I got a headache.' And the kids are what, six hours a day at the school breathing this?' Lybrook school officials did not respond to requests for comment. Despite risks, oil and gas can pump money into schools Researchers have identified similar air quality problems in New Mexico's southeast. In 2023, a team of scientists from a coalition of universities conducted a detailed, yearlong study of the air in Loving, a small town in the Permian Basin. Local air quality, researchers found, was worse than in downtown Los Angeles, and the tested air contained the fifth-highest level of measured ozone contamination in the U.S. The source of the ozone — a pollutant that's especially hazardous to children — was the area's network of gas wells and related infrastructure. Some of that infrastructure sits within a half-mile of a campus that houses Loving's elementary, middle and high schools. A small group of residents has spoken out about the area's air quality, saying it has caused respiratory problems and other health issues. But for most locals, any concerns about pollution are outweighed by the industry's economic benefits. Representatives of the oil and gas industry have claimed the air quality studies themselves are not trustworthy. 'There needs to be a robust study to actually answer these questions,' said Andrea Felix, vice president of regulatory affairs for the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association (NMOGA). Felix said other sources of emissions, such as cars and trucks, are likely a larger source of air quality problems near wells. 'Companies follow the best available science' for well placement and emissions controls, Felix said, and also contribute huge amounts of money to the state's education budget through streams like royalties and direct expenditures. In the most recent fiscal year, oil and gas revenue supported $1.7 billion in K-12 spending in New Mexico, according to a NMOGA report. Officials with Loving Municipal Schools are also skeptical of the alarm over the wells. Loving Superintendent Lee White said the school district used funds from the oil and gas industry to pay for a new wing at the elementary school, a science lab for students, turf on the sports field and training and professional development for teachers. He said the industry's contributions to state coffers can't be ignored. 'Are we willing to give that up because people say our air is not clean?' he said during an interview. 'It's just as clean as anywhere else.' As White spoke, a drill rig worked a couple of miles east of Loving's elementary school while parents poured into the gymnasium to watch kindergartners collect their diplomas. White touted the district's success, saying the elementary school scores above state averages for reading, math and science proficiency, while Loving's high school students far outpace the state average for college and career readiness. But environmental groups, attorneys and residents continue to push for limits on drilling near schools. Those efforts saw a boost in 2023, when New Mexico State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard issued an executive order prohibiting new oil and gas leases on state-owned land within a mile of schools. Industry representatives decried the move, saying it added potentially insurmountable costs and barriers to drilling operators. However, AP's analysis found that relatively few wells would be impacted even if the rule applied to all of New Mexico; only around 1 per cent of oil and gas wells in the state are within a mile of a school. In the years since, residents of areas where exploration is heavy have lobbied for legislation prohibiting gas operations within a mile of schools, regardless of land status. That bill died in committee during the most recent session of the New Mexico legislature. Advocates have also sued the state over an alleged lack of pollution controls. That suit is currently pending in state court.
