New Mexico

Hobbs woman found guilty after horrifically throwing newborn in dumpster

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On Friday, a jury found Alexis Avila, 19, of Hobbs guilty of abuse of a child relating in great bodily harm and attempted murder in the first degree. 

In January of 2022, Avila was caught on camera throwing her newborn, dubbed Baby Saul, in a dumpster outside the Rig Outfitters and Home Store in Hobbs. He was wrapped in a trash bag.

Fortunately, three people dug through the dumpster to find him, and he was rushed to the hospital in Lubbock, Texas. Baby Saul is “happy and healthy today living with family,” according to reports. 

“Officers with the Hobbs Police Department were called to an alley way in the Broadmoor Shopping Center after three people who had been digging through a dumpster found the hours old boy in a trash bag, alive, and with his umbilical cord still attached but crudely cut,” according to YourBasin.com. 

“Medical staff testified that the newborn suffered from hypothermia, severe anemia, and kidney problem, among other issues after being abandoned and left in 40 degree temperatures for more than six hours.”

Once police found Avila, she admitted she gave birth at home and abandoned the child, claiming to be too young to take care of him.

Avila’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 1. She faces 18 years imprisonment, but it could be reduced to 12 years.

Following the verdict, Fifth Judicial District Attorney Dianna Luce noted how “tough” the case was but how fortunate it was that the perpetrator’s actions were caught on camera. 

“That video said it all,” she said. “It clearly caught her actions, her expressions and it’s still difficult for people to watch that video when you think about the fact that baby was inside that bag.” 

Just how religious are New Mexicans? A new report has the answer

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The results from the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies’ (ASARB) 2020 U.S. Religion Census report show a growing trend for people of faith in New Mexico.

According to the data in the report, there were 1,111,977 “adherents” (churchgoers) in the state. That is a 7.26  percent increase from 2010’s report, which showed 1,031,198 adherents. 

Despite congregations dwindling from 2,447 in 2010 to 2,405 in 2020, church membership grew.

The ASARB defined adherents as people who “generally are members, children who are not members, and others who are not members but are considered participants in the congregation.”

Catholics were by far the greatest number of church congregants in 2020, with 633,259 adherents (29.9 percent), which is a slight bump of 1.5 percent from 2010’s number of 584,941 adherents (28.4 percent). 

The next largest religious denomination in New Mexico is evangelical protestants, with 277,326 adherents, a slight 1.21 percent decline from 273,956 in 2010. Evangelical protestants make up 12.9 percent of all churchgoers, with non-denominational Christian Churches making up the largest amount of that figure or around 37.6 percent.

The Catholic Church had the highest concentration of adherents in 32 out of New Mexico’s 33 counties, with the only exception being Hidalgo County, which had a higher percentage of adherents belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).

Islam had a massive 192.6 percent increase in New Mexico, with 12,046 members of the church in 2020, while there were only 4,116 adherents in 2010.

Judaism had a significant 14.4 percent decline in New Mexico adherents, with 3,698 in 2020 versus 4,232 back in 2010.

According to an analysis of the data by Ryan Roys of Eastern Illinois University, “South Florida and many of the least-populous counties in Texas close to the border with Mexico saw notable growth, as did parts of New Mexico and Arizona. Additionally, counties in Idaho became more religious in 2020 over 2010.”

Nationwide, the Catholic Church remained the leader in religious denominations, with 61,858,137 adherents, and non-denominational Christian Churches came in second place with 21,095,641 adherents. 

See the full results of the 2020 U.S. Religion Census here.

Pew Research Center’s 2015 Religious Landscape Study revealed that New Mexico is the 15th most religious state, with 63 percent of respondents saying they believe in God with absolute certainty and 57 percent of the population being “highly religious.” A similar statistic from the World Population Review revealed that New Mexico is the 18th most religious state, with 57 percent of adults being religious. 

Barbara Vigil is out as Lujan Grisham’s CYFD secretary

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On Thursday, it was announced that Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s New Mexico Children, Youth, and Family Department Secretary Barbara Vigil is stepping down from the role after fewer than two years.

“My time at CYFD has been the culmination of a career working in both the judicial and the executive branches of government, always with a particular focus on the well-being of New Mexico’s children and families,” Vigil, a former New Mexico Supreme Court justice, said in a statement.

“Collaborating with child welfare professionals, we built a foundation for lasting change and positive outcomes for our children and families. It’s been my honor to serve these families. I am grateful to the thousands of dedicated professionals – foster families, service providers, and CYFD staff and believe deeply in their capacity to achieve transformational change.” 

CYFD, which has been failing for years, did not get meaningful reform during the 2023 Legislative Session, despite many Republican and Democrat proposals to fix issues at the ailing department.

CYFD has suffered a 39% turnover rate for youth care specialists for the 2022 budget year, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

Lujan Grisham said she is conducting a nationwide search to fill Vigil’s position, saying the candidate “must have experience in successfully pioneering major systemic reforms.” The governor’s chief operating officer Teresa Casados will serve as interim secretary.

Although Vigil is leaving the role of secretary, she will remain on the governor-sanctioned Policy Advisory Council to make “recommendations” to the administration. 

Following Vigil’s announcement, House Republican Leader Ryan Lane of Aztec wrote, “While New Mexicans are frustrated that more meaningful reforms did not take place under Justice Vigil’s leadership of CYFD, we will continue to hold accountable the next CYFD leader. House Republicans remain resolute that the children and families within CYFD need better support and more accountability, and we will continue to lead on presenting reforms that benefit the families and not the broken system.”

The ACLU is ‘deeply disappointed’ with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham

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Following Democrat New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s sweeping vetoes of bills passed during the 2023 Legislative Session, some leftists are furious.

In a Tuesday statement from the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU-NM) director of public policy, Nayomi Valdez, the group showed frustration with Lujan Grisham.

S.B. 84, which “strictly limited re-incarceration for technical violations such as missing appointments or failed drug tests while someone is on probation or parole,” was vetoed due to Lujan Grsham claiming it “failed to get the support of district attorneys and other stakeholders.”

Another bill veto ACLU-NM trashed was SB 187 would have nixed drug possession or DWI charges in another jurisdiction when considering sentencing for “habitual offenders.” Lujan Grisham claimed the bill would actually result in “the opposite of the intended effect” by restricting prosecutors from “encourag[ing] defendants to get treatment for their addiction.”

In a strong statement of rebuke, Valdez wrote, “We are deeply disappointed by the governor’s veto of these much-needed reforms to our criminal-legal system.”

“Simply put, this administration has it wrong on crime and safety. Until the executive branch starts making decisions about our criminal-legal system based on the facts and in alignment with our values, New Mexico will continue to trap people in the same vicious cycle of incarceration without making our state any safer,” she concluded.

The ACLU of New Mexico along with other groups, such as the Office of the Public Defender, continually advocated against incarcerating criminals during the past legislative session, with some success. 

Bills that did get signed by Lujan Grisham include one piece of legislation that will let violent offenders life-sentenced as minors the possibility of parole at 15 years, even if they were convicted of murder or rape. 

Dems panic over Herrell CD2 bid while national Republicans send endorsements

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Immediately following former Congresswoman Yvette Herrell’s announcement alongside U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy that she is running to reclaim New Mexico’s Second Congressional District, New Mexico Democrats freaked out on social media.

The Democrat Party of New Mexico (DPNM) wrote, “At a rally with GOP elite Speaker McCarthy, Yvette Herrell just announced yet another bid for NM’s 2nd Congressional District. Herrell’s damaging record speaks for itself. Her radical and out-of-touch agenda prioritizes corporations and GOP elites over New Mexicans,” not mentioning current Rep. Gabe Vasquez’s extreme abortion up-to-birth, pro-criminal, or anti-parent agenda.

The group claimed, “From promoting dangerous conspiracy theories to undermining democracy, her actions don’t align with New Mexico’s values.” 

“Yvette Herrell’s announcement with national elite GOP leadership is out of step with New Mexican values and shows that she remains beholden to Washington politicians, not to the people of New Mexico’s Second District,” claimed DPNM chairwoman Jessica Velasquez.

A tiny band of elderly protesters showed up to protest Herrell’s Las Cruces campaign announcement, some of them spewing profanities at attendees while they drove into the event.

The crying from New Mexico Democrats comes as every national Republican in the U.S. House leadership has endorsed Herrell. 

House Speaker McCarthy wrote in a statement, “Yvette Herrell is a fearless conservative leader -and New Mexico needs her back in Congress. During her time in Washington, Yvette always put her constituents first: working hard to deliver results for New Mexico families and standing up for fiscal responsibility, free markets, and constitutional rights. Yvette has my full endorsement and I look forward to serving with her again next Congress.”

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise wrote, “I am proud to endorse my friend Yvette Herrell for Congress in New Mexico’s Second District. Yvette is a humble and hardworking leader who proved her effectiveness as legislator while serving in the New Mexico House and then in Congress. As a small business woman, Yvette is a champion for good paying jobs and the New Mexico industries that create them, and is a strong advocate for the conservative principles that make our country great.”

“Yvette Herrell’s work ethic and perseverance are an inspiration to us all, and I am excited to endorse her for Congress today. Yvette is a tireless campaigner, a knowledgeable and principled legislator, and a true advocate for New Mexico’s Second District. I am proud to stand with Yvette and eagerly anticipate working with her again in the next Congress,” wrote House Majority Whip Tom Emmer.

“Our country is on the brink because of failed Far Left policies and New Mexico needs my good friend and conservative fighter Yvette Herrell more than ever. Yvette is a rock solid conservative who puts America First and prioritizes results for hardworking families over partisan politics. I am fully backing Yvette in her race and encourage all voters to rally behind her as we work together to flip this seat!” wrote House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik. 

Stefanik’s E-PAC also endorsed Herrell, as well as the group Value In Electing Women (VIEW) PAC.

New ABQ abortion facility servicing mostly Texans

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According to a new report by The Dallas Morning News, Albuquerque’s newest abortion facility, Whole Woman’s Health, which opened on March 23, is servicing mostly Texans at the New Mexico abortion center. 

The piece notes that “nearly all of its patients have come from Texas, said Amy Hagstrom Miller, the organization’s founder and CEO.” 

The group is also targeting women in Fort Worth and Austin by serving them social media ads promoting killing unborn babies in New Mexico, where it is legal up to the moment of birth. The ads reportedly read, “Think access to safe legal abortion is a thing of the past? Think again.” 

As we reported in March, The facility is performing first and second-trimester abortions up to 18 weeks of the child’s gestational age. It plans on expanding those services to late-term abortions “up to 24 weeks in the near future.” Also offered at Whole Woman’s Health are abortion pills at up to 11 weeks while setting a “starting goal” of killing up to 75 babies per week.

The group “now operates clinics in Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota and Virginia and provides abortion pills by mail.”

Recently, a Texas judge halted the dangerous abortion drug mifepristone due to “legitimate safety concerns” to women.

However, Whole Woman’s Health is bucking the order, with Miller claiming, “We don’t take our orders from that judge…. [We]’re still offering medicated abortion.”

Joined by Speaker McCarthy, Yvette Herrell announces 2024 run

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On Monday, former Congresswoman Yvette Herrell, who served New Mexico’s Second Congressional District from 2021 to 2023, announced her candidacy for another term in the U.S. House flanked by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California). 

Herrell’s announcement took place at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces, where hundreds of supporters packed into the well-attended event.

During the visit, Speaker McCarthy said, “Gabe is pretty much a socialist,” saying he’s “not in the bounds” of the district, referencing the incumbent Democrat Rep. Gabe Vasquez. Vasquez took the seat from Herrell in 2022 by a little over 1,000 votes.

“We’re going to make tomorrow better than today. If we elect Yvette, I don’t think Joe Biden’s gonna get re-elected too,” he said, concluding, “We have a reason to stand up right now.”

Herrell said, “Let’s make America great, and let’s make New Mexico great for the first time,” adding, “I will never give up.”

“Democrats are counting on us – on YOU – to falter. They want to divide us. They want us to stay home and give up. It’s the only way they can ram through their unpopular, America LAST agenda,” McCarthy wrote in an email promoting Herrell’s candidacy.

Vasquez has recently taken bad votes that go against the values of the Second Congressional District, including voting against a bill that most House members and even Joe Biden signed to block the District of Columbia’s updated criminal code from becoming law, a code that would favor criminals. He also voted against lower energy costs for New Mexicans. 

In a desperate-sounding email following Herrell’s announcement, Vasquez’s campaign wrote, “This is a top-target of the NRCC as well as a DCCC Frontline seat. Gabe needs all the grassroots support he can get to go up against extremist Herrell and her far-right backers like McCarthy and Trump,” although the 45th President has yet to endorse the former congresswoman in her 2024 run. 

NM’s ‘woke’ social studies standards get national spotlight

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New Mexico’s failed education system has been a headline for years, with recent rankings showing the state dead last compared to all other states. However, fewer national headlines spotlighted New Mexico’s ultra-woke social studies standards being rammed down public school students’ throats — until now.

The Washington Examiner recently ran an op-ed by The Heritage Foundation’s Mike Gonzalez detailing the New Mexico Public Education Department’s (NMPED) Marxist standards, which the Piñon Post has covered for years. 

Gonzalez writes, “Things couldn’t be that bad, you say? A typical sentence in the standards instructs teachers to have high schoolers ‘assess how social policies and economic forces offer privilege or systemic inequity in accessing social, political, and economic opportunity for identity groups in education, government, healthcare, industry, and law enforcement.’” 

He continues: 

Indeed, the standards, approved last year, mention “diversity” 65 times, “identity” 156 times (in just 104 pages!), and “equity” a comparably paltry 29 times. “Systemic,” meanwhile, appears 10 times — nine as in “systemic inequity” and once in the standard version, “systemic oppression.” “Power,” a key term to an ideology that sees all of life in terms of power dynamics, appears 43 times.

Taken together, the standards aim to use social studies to indoctrinate children and turn them into citizens filled with grievances, who identify not with America but with their given ethno-racial or sexual-gender category and who see the world only in terms of these categories jockeying for power with one another.

The classroom thus becomes the fulcrum of revolution, shaping a generation that hates the West and America. Whether it ends with revolution or not, it is almost guaranteed to end with unhappy citizens, for by generating people who hate their country and community, teachers will create people who hate themselves.

Gonzales wrote to the NMPED to reconsider the standards, telling them that these updates “will in no way help New Mexico students participate in their civic duties of our society if they are taught to abhor that society.” 

Instead of turning schools into “laboratories of revolt,” Gonzales would rather have students learn historical facts without the far-left anti-American spin. The coverage of New Mexico’s failed education system and woke social studies standards is a rare sighting amid mostly silence from the mainstream media.

Heinrich rails against Lujan Grisham’s vetoes, sparking ‘26 governor run rumors

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On Saturday, New Mexico’s U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat, took to Twitter to voice his frustrations over Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s multiple vetoes of legislation he wanted to see reach the finish line.

Although Lujan Grisham signed many extreme far-left bills into law, such as H.B. 9 forcing New Mexicans to lock up their guns at nearly all times, H.B. 207 expanding the “Human Rights Act” with woke transgender ideology, and H.B. 7 mandating public bodies facilitate “gender-affirming care” and abortions, that wasn’t good enough for the Democrat senator.

He wrote on Twitter, “New Mexico’s state legislature took bold action to deliver for our state. I am disappointed to see many of those efforts now vetoed.” 

Heinrich bemoaned the governor’s veto of an electric vehicle tax credit that was stripped from the omnibus tax package. He wrote, “Our state legislature passed HB547 to lower taxes for families, veterans, & educators. And it would have made NM a national leader with climate tax incentives – similar to the ones I fought to pass in the IRA. But these reforms were vetoed.” 

“The legislature also passed SB426 to give children and others a legal advocate in the AG’s office, responding to CYFD’s systemic failures that continue to place children in real danger. But this legislation was also vetoed,” he claimed.

The measure referenced would have created a “Civil Rights Division” in the state Attorney General’s Office, which would mostly be used as another tool to hunt down New Mexicans over alleged Civil Rights Act and Human Rights Act abuses. 

Democrat state Sen. Joseph Cervantes chimed in on the Twitter thread, writing to the senator, “Among vetoes Senator- keeping NM judges lowest paid in the nation. With her stated reason she’s unhappy with the judiciary’s work. That’s the way to get better judges or motivate? Pay far less than raises she gave her own staff and far less than private sector? Hello?” 

Heinrich, who has been rumored to want to run for the governorship in 2026, sparked chatter on Twitter of his potential run, with one commenter writing, “Someone is getting ready to run for governor.”

POLITICO’s senior political columnist Jonathan Martin wrote, “Notable swipe at [Gov. Lujan Grisham] ahead of Heinrich’s own potential gov race in ‘26 .”

New ruling by federal judge could end over half of U.S. abortions

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A new ruling Friday by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of Amarillo, Texas, suspended the Federal Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of the abortion pill mifepristone.

Kacsmaryk “said in a 67-page ruling that the FDA made a series of legal errors in approving the pill for sale in the U.S. The judge suspended approval of the pill but delayed the impact of his decision for a week to give the Biden administration a chance to appeal,” according to the Wall Street Journal.

“The Court does not second-guess FDA’s decision-making lightly,” Kacsmaryk wrote.

“But here, FDA acquiesced on its legitimate safety concerns — in violation of its statutory duty — based on plainly unsound reasoning and studies that did not support its conclusions.” He noted how the agency faced “significant political pressure” to “increase ‘access’ to chemical abortion.”

“In 2000, the FDA approved the drug mifepristone, which is also known by the brand name Mifeprex and is sold by Danco Laboratories LLC. The agency said studies had found its use safe and effective. A generic version is made by GenBioPro Inc.”

The order now halts the use of the drug most commonly used to abort children, with the WSJ report noting, “More than half of abortions in the U.S. now use it.”

The lawsuit was filed last November by the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians & Gynecologists (AAPLOG) and other physicians. They are being represented by the group Alliance Defending Freedom, which helped take down Roe v. Wade in the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision.

The doctors argued that the FDA did not have the authority to authorize mifepristone “under a pathway for drugs treating serious and life-threatening conditions,” the report noted. 

The new lawsuit could halt abortions in states such as New Mexico, where they are aborting many children via medication abortions, including women traveling from pro-life states such as Texas and Oklahoma that do not permit most or all abortions.

A ruling made late Friday in a different case in Washington, D.C., by U.S. District Judge Thomas Rice ordered the FDA to preserve “the status quo,” which could fast-track the litigation due to the dueling nature of the separate rulings.

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