New Mexico Archives - Page 3 of 196

DHS Sec. Mayorkas has bad news for Gov. Lujan Grisham over pot seizures

15 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Piñon Post

The U.S. Border Patrol continues to use its authority over marijuana shipments, including state-licensed cannabis, including in New Mexico, where it is legal.

Despite the state’s legal market exceeding $1 billion in sales, many cannabis transporters report being detained and their products seized at Border Patrol checkpoints, according to the Associated Press. These checkpoints are typically situated about 60 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, primarily to screen for illegal immigrants and illicit drugs.

This issue has escalated to the point where far-left Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham discussed the matter with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

“Secretary Mayorkas assured the governor that federal policies with respect to legalized cannabis have not changed,” stated Michael Coleman, a spokesperson for the governor.

Moreover, the situation has prompted marijuana business managers to seek intervention from New Mexico’s fully Democrat congressional delegation, hoping to secure safe passage for their shipments and address financial losses due to federal seizures. “We request that operators who have had product federally seized should be allowed to either get their product returned or be monetarily compensated for the losses they’ve sustained,” the group wrote in a letter.

Leftist Democrat Sen. Martin Heinrich criticized the Department of Homeland Security’s priorities, suggesting that they should focus more on stopping illicit drugs like fentanyl rather than targeting state-compliant cannabis suppliers.

“Stopping the flow of illicit fentanyl into our country should be the Department of Homeland Security’s focus at these checkpoints, not seizing cannabis that’s being transported in compliance with state law,” he stated. Heinrich, however, does not appear to care about the flow of fentanyl across the border, though, as he opposes measures to secure the wide-open border where the killer drug is seeping through.

The U.S. Border Patrol reaffirmed that despite the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana in many states, under federal law, which classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance, its sale and distribution remain illegal.

Even leftist Santa Fe school board fed up with governor’s ‘unfunded mandate’

10 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Piñon Post

Santa Fe Public Schools is facing a daunting budgetary challenge as it adapts to a new Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham administration mandate requiring 180 instructional days per school year without significant funding increases, Superintendent Hilario “Larry” Chavez explained during a recent school board meeting in the leftist school district.

Describing his experience, Chavez said, “This has been the most difficult year to figure out what your budget’s going to look like, what the school calendar is going to look like and meet all the requirements. [It] almost feels like it’s a moving target.”

As the district begins its budget planning, there remains uncertainty around state funding levels, as the New Mexico Public Education Department has not yet finalized student enrollment counts for the upcoming 2023-24 academic year. These figures are crucial as they directly influence the financial support the district receives from the state. The district must submit its finalized budget, which last year was nearly $315 million, by May 28.

The implementation of the 180-day requirement, set to begin in the 2024-25 academic year, complicates matters further. Santa Fe schools will need to extend their academic calendar by four days, including two days designated for parent-teacher conferences. The challenge, as outlined by district Chief Financial Officer Robert Martinez, is that the state’s funding formula, which is projecting a modest 3% increase to about $6,442.55 per student, does not adequately cover the cost of these additional days.

Board member Kate Noble highlighted the financial strain, noting the increase is “one of the smallest … in recent memory.” The minimal funding boost is expected to cover a mandated 3% salary increase for educators but falls short of addressing the costs associated with the added instructional days. “The 180-day rule is unfunded. It’s an unfunded mandate,” Chavez stated, emphasizing the lack of financial support for the expanded calendar.

During the process of finalizing the rule, a vast majority of those who spoke at the New Mexico Public Education Department meeting were in strong opposition to the mandate, including parents, administrators, teachers, and even teacher’s unions, which are usually in lockstep with the far-left Lujan Grisham regime.

Further complicating the budget outlook is the upcoming expiration of federal COVID-19 relief funds in September 2024, alongside rising needs for academic and behavioral support due to learning disruptions caused by the pandemic lockdowns. Noble described the situation as “a kaleidoscope of complexity.”

Board President Sascha Anderson underlined the board’s commitment to maintaining employee benefits, combating chronic absenteeism, enhancing mental health services, bolstering special education, and ensuring effective staff recruitment and retention. These efforts, she believes, are essential to improving the district’s proficiency rates, which remain a major concern.

“We are all concerned about our proficiency scores; not a person in this room is not concerned about our proficiency scores,” Anderson declared, as reported by the Santa Fe New Mexican. “The way that we get those up is through quality instruction.”

Lujan Grisham officially declares special session

28 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Renato Costa

Far-left Democrat Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico has declared that she will convene a special legislative session on July 18 to address so-called urgent public safety concerns within the state, although she has said she refuses to address the border crisis, as all other border-state governors have. This decision follows what the governor described as incomplete efforts in the regular session to bolster the safety of New Mexican communities. “While we made some progress toward a safer New Mexico during the 30-day day session, we agree that we must do more,” Lujan Grisham stated.

The Governor emphasized the necessity of this special session to implement critical legislative measures to diminish the threats facing residents daily. “The special session in July will enable us to deliver additional statutory changes that reduce the danger and risk New Mexico communities face every day,” she elaborated.

Lujan Grisham also mentioned that she is open to suggestions on how to enhance the state’s safety laws, inviting lawmakers to propose effective solutions. “The best proposals for making our state safer will be under consideration, and I welcome input from my colleagues in the legislature,” she added, refusing to give specifics.

The session, which marks the fifth special session called during Governor Lujan Grisham’s administration, is expected to be brief. “Based on discussions with legislative leadership, the governor anticipates that the special session will be completed within several days,” her office disclosed in a news release.

Recently, the governor sat down with “New Mexico In Focus” on PBS to talk about the potential of a special session.

She told the program, “It’s a decision I can make. I have the authority to do that as governor [of] the state of New Mexico, so why not just decide? You know, part of it is I want to be successful for the public.”

She added, “We have a lot of public safety issues that still require, in my view, immediate and dramatic attention. And what I want is these strategies to get through a very narrow, very tight, special session.”

In the New Mexican’s report, the governor claimed she was leaning “80/20” in favor of calling a special session. Previously, the governor called a special session in 2021 to ram through a bill to legalize recreational marijuana sales in the state.

Woke Meow Wolf laying off an eye-popping number of employees

13 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Piñon Post

Four years after its significant layoffs at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Meow Wolf, an increasingly woke arts corporation known for its immersive experiences, is facing another major workforce reduction.

CEO Jose Tolosa announced in an internal company email, which the Santa Fe Reporter later obtained, that the company will cut approximately 10% of its expenses and reduce its workforce this Wednesday, April 17. Tolosa described the decision as part of a “reorganization” aimed at resizing the business to fund growth and drive future success.

The impending layoffs will impact 165 employees across Meow Wolf’s locations in Santa Fe, Texas, Colorado, and Nevada. This includes 111 employees from both the exhibition and corporate teams, as well as an additional 54 bargaining unit positions from the Meow Wolf Workers Collective union in Las Vegas.

In his communication, Tolosa emphasized that “Expansion is still an important part of our business strategy, and these changes will enable us to continue to grow in a way that is smart and sustainable.” He acknowledged the difficulty of saying goodbye to team members who have significantly contributed to the company’s achievements. Tolosa reassured that Meow Wolf is committed to supporting the affected employees through this transition, promising to disclose specific details of this support soon, thereby demonstrating the company’s empathy and care for its workforce.

The decision to downsize follows a series of challenges and controversies, including a bigoted staff refusal to work during a concert by artist Matisyahu at the Santa Fe location, which stirred debates and possibly contributed to decreased demand and financial strain. The antisemitic employees did not want to staff the Jewish musician’s concert

Back in 2020, Meow Wolf attributed its layoffs to the financial pressures unleashed by the pandemic, although leaked audio later revealed plans for reductions were already in place due to unsustainable rapid growth. Jim Ward, one of the then-CEOs, was recorded stating, “We knew we were going to hit our financial wall in June. The company grew too big, too fast, without a clear view about what is truly core to us, what core contributions we must make to our projects, and how we should organize our projects.”

Amidst these changes, the company has been actively engaging with the Meow Wolf Workers Collective, the employee union formed two years ago. However, the union has previously accused the company of engaging in unfair labor practices. Employees laid off in 2020 were reportedly required to sign non-disclosure agreements that included a non-disparagement clause to receive their severance packages.

A union member hinted that the Meow Wolf Workers Collective plans to issue a statement regarding the current layoffs, but legal constraints prevent them from doing so until Wednesday.

Matisyahu’s incredible response to anti-Israel Meow Wolf staff canceling concert

Guilty ‘Rust’ armorer who called jurors ‘a**holes’ gets max sentence

22 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Piñon Post

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer involved in the tragic 2021 shooting on the set of the movie “Rust,” has been sentenced to the maximum of 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The sentence was handed down after intense deliberations, where Gutierrez-Reed’s legal team had pleaded for probation based on her lack of prior criminal history and youth. However, prosecutors argued for a severe sentence, citing her “extreme recklessness” on set.

During the sentencing, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer emphasized Gutierrez-Reed’s critical role in the incident, stating, “You alone turned a safe weapon into a lethal weapon,” and highlighted the profound loss caused by her actions: “But for you, Ms. Hutchins would be alive. A husband would have his partner, and a little boy would have his mother.”

After she was found guilty, “she blasted jurors as ‘idiots’ and ‘a–holes’ for convicting her of involuntary manslaughter,” as reported by the New York Post:

“She referred to the jurors as “r—-ds,’ ‘idiots’ and ‘a–holes,’” [prosecutors] wrote as proof of how she “continues to deny responsibility and blame others.”

“She calls the jury r—-ded. ‘When they say jury of your peers they mean f—in r—-ds,’” the filing states, saying that the armorer also called the judge “terrible.”

Gutierrez-Reed, appearing remorseful, addressed the court, expressing her sorrow for the impact of the incident on Hutchins’ family, friends, and colleagues. “My heart aches for the Hutchins family and friends and colleagues, as well,” she said. Despite her plea for leniency, she acknowledged her responsibilities on the “Rust” set, “When I took on ‘Rust’ I was young and I was naive. But I took my job as seriously as I knew how to, despite not having proper time, resources and staffing, I just did my best to handle it,” she added, “I beg you, please don’t give me more time.”

The court also heard from Hutchins’ friend, Jen White, who expressed her ongoing grief and the void left by Hutchins’ absence. “I still look for her. I still expect to see her. I still wonder what adventures she’s on … then my heart drops through my feet,” White conveyed. Asserting the need for accountability, she urged the court, “I beg you to impose the maximum sentence.”

Supporting the prosecution’s stance, White argued that if Gutierrez-Reed had adequately performed her duties, Hutchins would still be alive, emphasizing the preventable nature of the tragedy.

The issue of gun safety and protocol on set was a focal point throughout the trial. Prosecutors highlighted that the mishandling of firearms under Gutierrez-Reed watch was a direct violation of industry standards, contributing to the fatal outcome. They argued that her failure in this crucial role warranted the maximum sentence to underscore the seriousness of her negligence and the irreversible consequences it inflicted.

This case has stirred broader discussions about safety protocols in film production, highlighted by the ongoing legal proceedings against actor Alec Baldwin, who also faces charges related to the incident. His trial is set to commence in July, further continuing the legal examination of responsibility and safety on movie sets.

As Cartel conquers NM land, MLG shuns state action for federal help

37 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Renato Costa

Far-left open-borders Democrat Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico has decided against convening a special legislative session focused on border security measures despite the border catastrophe, with the Cartel taking over New Mexico land. The governor punted the issue to the federal government despite neighboring states like Texas working with federal authorities to protect the homeland.

In a statement, Lujan Grisham said, “While I share my Republican colleagues’ concern about border security, calling a special session doesn’t give me federal authority over the border.” This response came after Republican senators penned a letter to the governor early in the week, advocating for legislative action to mitigate the impact of illegal crossings at the southern border.

House members were not asked by the Senate GOP to sign, although the only bills proposed to fix the border crisis in the last two years came from House Republicans, with Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo) leading the charge, including a measure to finish the border barrier between New Mexico’s approximately 50.3 wide-open miles of border.

Despite Republican concerns over fentanyl, human trafficking, and human suffering, Lujan Grisham reaffirmed her stance that border security enhancements would require intervention from Congress rather than state-level actions. She urged New Mexico legislators to support federal efforts to improve border management and address immigration issues comprehensively, another refusal by her administration to aide federal authorities. Early in her first term as governor, Lujan Grisham removed New Mexico National Guard personnel from assisting border authorities, claiming at the time, “I reject the federal contention that there exists an overwhelming national security crisis at the Southern border.” She also dubbed the crisis as a “charade of border fear-mongering.”

She is now taking a 180-degree turn in policy, although refusing to alleviate the crisis. She even admitted on a recent podcast the concerns of Hispanic and Latino voters that illegal aliens coming into the country unvetted is unfair.

“The same issues are expected to be addressed here, and Hispanics and Latinos both want that. For example, if I had to wait in line to come here, then other people should too. But they also recognize you can’t get a visa anymore. They recognize that all of the drama about all the nefarious activity at the border — they recognize that more of that nefarious activity is organized crime at ports of entry,” she told Greg Sargent of “The New Republic.”

Her interview highlighted what many see as a pattern of failing to address the tangible crisis at the border — a crisis amplified by her early actions as governor, which directly contributed to the current state of affairs.

“We need to beef up border security, and that requires additional funding and policy changes from Congress,” the governor stated in her recent press release, encouraging a deal to manage the migrant flow and overhaul the asylum process. It is unclear how the governor defines “asylum.”

As discussions continue, the governor’s office, through Michael Coleman, the communications director, hinted that a special session is likely, with Lujan Grisham being “85 percent sure” that it will be convened. The special session, if it takes place, would deal with panhandling.

NM Supreme Court just ruled to force wokeism down your throat in court

26 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Piñon Post

In its latest woke move, the New Mexico Supreme Court implemented a new order allowing individuals interacting with the court system to specify their preferred pronouns and salutations.

This initiative, effective immediately, is designed to ensure that all parties, including defendants and plaintiffs, will force woke “pronoun” madness down the throats of those interacting with the court system.

They can now list their pronouns and salutations next to their names at the top of court documents, such as complaints and other legal pleadings, and those involved must follow their “preferred pronouns.”

This decision was inspired by the court’s Commission on Equity and Justice recommendations, which purportedly seeks to “eliminate biases and inequities within New Mexico’s justice system.” All five justices of the New Mexico Supreme Court — all far-left Democrats — unanimously agreed upon the ruling. Most of the current court members were appointed by Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

The options for pronouns are limited to “she/her/hers, he/him/his, or they/them/theirs,” and for salutations, the choices are “Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Mx., with Mx, being pronounced ‘mix.’”

The directive stipulates that these identifiers should be used by the courts both verbally and in writing when addressing, referring to, or identifying individuals. However, there is a provision for flexibility, allowing for the use of the person’s name or “other respectful means that are not inconsistent” with the chosen gendered terms.

This policy mirrors a similar one adopted by the Michigan Supreme Court in September, which set a precedent as the first state in the nation to enact such a rule.

New poll spells doom for Vasquez’s reelection hopes over this key issue

26 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Piñon Post

A new poll from the leftist Axios spells bad news for far-left open-borders Democrat Rep. Gabe Vasquez as he battles for his political life in the 2024 election against well-funded and popular GOP former Rep. Yvette Herrell for the Second Congressional District.

Immigration, inflation, and crime are top of mind for voters, according to the Axios poll, with a sharp increase in support for mass deportations and finishing the border barrier, especially among Hispanic and Latino voters.

“The percentage of Latinos who say they support building a border wall and deporting all undocumented immigrants has jumped by at least 10 points since 2021, according to the latest Axios-Ipsos Latino Poll in partnership with Noticias Telemundo,” wrote the outlet.

It also noted, “42% of Latino adults surveyed said they support building a wall or fence along the entire U.S.–Mexico border. That’s a 12-point jump from December 2021,” and “38% support sending all [illegal] immigrants in the U.S. back to their country of origin — up from 28% in 2021.”

Vasquez has for years opposed any and all efforts to protect the border with increased personnel, equipment, and the completion of a border barrier. Vasquez has called the border barrier “racist,” demanding we “tear it down,” as we previously reported.

Along with immigration, Vasquez voted against measures to help alleviate inflation, has fully endorsed the Biden regime’s inflation-boosting “Bidenomics,” has opposed meaningful legislation to reduce crime, and has long been a cop-basher, with rhetoric supporting defunding the police.

In response to the new shocking poll, the National Republican Congressional Committee’s spokeswoman, Delanie Bomar, wrote, “Gabe Vasquez is on the wrong side of the issue of immigration, crime, and inflation.”

“His extreme track record is coming back to bite him as voters look to Republicans to help clean up Vasquez and the Democrats’ messes,” she concluded.

Gabe Vasquez walks the tightrope on border security

Two women injured at UNM abortion facility in single day

33 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Piñon Post

On Wednesday, April 10, 2024, the University of New Mexico Center For Reproductive Health (UNMCRH), a freestanding abortion facility, was the site of two separate abortion-related medical emergencies documented by volunteers from Abortion Free New Mexico.

These incidents marked the eighth time such events have been recorded at this location since the initiation of the group’s daily prayer vigil, “No Sidewalk Without The Savior,” which began in April 2022.

The first emergency unfolded at approximately 2:30 PM, when emergency response teams, including a fire engine, two ambulances, and a police car, arrived at the scene. A woman was seen being transported out of the facility on a gurney to an ambulance.

A similar situation occurred again around 4:00 PM, with another woman requiring urgent medical attention. Both individuals were taken to a local emergency room, and the specifics of their conditions post-incident remain unclear.

The UNMCRH not only offers abortion services up to 24 weeks of pregnancy but is also involved in training resident physicians in abortion procedures through the Ryan Residency Training Program.

In response to these events, Tara Shaver, a spokeswoman for Abortion Free New Mexico, released a statement condemning the practice of abortion.

She expressed to Life News, “Abortion at any stage of pregnancy is a brutal violent act. Precious unborn children pay the ultimate price with their lives but many times, as documented twice today, women sustain life-threatening injuries because abortions are incredibly invasive and unnatural. Many women seeking abortions are not fully aware of the risks and they are even less likely to be told, by the abortion industry, about the alternatives to abortion. The pro-abortion community doesn’t care about women’s health, they just demand unrestricted abortion regardless of the life-threatening consequences.”

Volunteers from Abortion Free New Mexico maintain a consistent presence at Albuquerque’s abortion facilities, advocating for the lives of unborn children and providing information on alternatives to abortion to women considering this option.

Despite woke eco-leftism, Green New Deal, NM one of the ‘least-green states’

9 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Piñon Post

According to a report from WalletHub, New Mexico is one of the “least-green states,” ranking low on many of the 25 metrics identified by the report.

The ranking comes despite the Land of Enchantment’s Democrat-dominated legislature and far-left governor ramming through so-called “climate change” legislation to kill the oil and gas industry.

One such piece of legislation was 2019’s Green New Deal, called the “Energy Transition Act” to completely annihilate the fossil fuel industry by 2035.

On a scale from one to 50th (one being the best and 50th being the worst), New Mexico scored poorly on multiple metrics.

The state ranked 46th in air quality, 50th in soil quality, 45th in water quality, 33rd in energy consumption per capita, and 36th for gasoline consumption in gallons per capita.

According to the study, New Mexico ranked overall as the ninth least-green state. WalletHub dubbed California the most-green state, while West Virginia took last place.

California, in part, took the top spot because of its “high prevalence of droughts” and measures to mitigate those. It also “has the fourth-lowest overall energy consumption per capita, and the sixth-lowest gasoline consumption.”

WalletHub appears to mark high electric vehicle use, solar panels, and other so-called “climate change” efforts into its calculations. Because of these and the extremist eco-leftist laws passed in New Mexico, the state still ranks low on the WalletHub metrics.

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