New Mexico

Will Rep. Vasquez vote to avert border catastrophe by extending Title 42?

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First-term U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico’s Second Congressional District represents one of the two swing districts held by Democrats that include swaths of the southern border. The other vulnerable Democrat is Rep. Vicente Gonzales of Texas. 

Since Joe Biden took office, over six million illegal immigrants have flooded into the United States. Some of the immigration catastrophe has been averted due to Title 42, which was implemented first during the Trump administration, which grants removals by the U.S. government of persons who have recently been in a country where a communicable disease was present. However, Title 42 is set to expire on May 11, 2023.

Recently in El Paso, TX — just 46 miles from the Second District — over 1,000 migrants rushed the Paso Del Norte bridge border entry point.

On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote on a measure, H.R. 2, to extend the policy that has alleviated some of the border fiasco. 

According to Axios, “Months of work” on the GOP package have resulted in “the strongest border security package that Congress has ever taken up,” said Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA).

“The bill also includes money to improve technology for border security and additional border personnel,” reported the outlet.

“The crisis at the border is unfolding in these vulnerable Democrats’ backyards. They can either vote with their extreme party leadership or do something to alleviate the pain for their constituents – and we will be watching closely whose side they choose,” wrote National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Delanie Bomar in a statement to the Piñon Post. 

Vasquez is one of the most vulnerable House Democrats up in 2024, with the NRCC putting his seat on the shortlist of congressional districts being targeted in Next November’s election. Former Congresswoman Yvette Herrell, who held the seat between 2021 to 2023, is running again for the seat with national figures, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who was in Las Cruces for her election kickoff. 

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NM had one of the highest gaming revenue jumps in 2022

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Figures released by the American Gaming Association (AGA) show that New Mexico had the sixth-highest gaming revenue growth among all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The figures show New Mexico’s gaming revenue grew 20.5 percent from 2021 to 2022, ranking only below Michigan (20.7 percent increase), Illinois (25.5 percent increase), New Hampshire (52.3 percent increase), New York (55.9 percent increase), and Oregon (62.8 percent increase). 

In 2022, New Mexico took in $262.0 million in gaming revenue versus $217.5 million in 2021. 

Nationally, legal gaming brought in $60.4 billion in revenue in 2022, which broke an annual record for two consecutive years.

“In 2022, the Las Vegas Strip and Atlantic City retained their top commercial market positions. The Baltimore-Washington, D.C. market reclaimed its position as the nation’s third largest gaming market, besting Chicagoland (fourth) and the Mississippi Gulf Coast (fifth) which round out the top five,” according to AGA.

“Twenty-five of the 28 states on the list increased gambling revenue from 2021 to 2022. New York brought in $909 million in revenue in its first year of legalized sports betting sites. Oregon has tried to expand wagering into college sports but has yet to be successful. New Hampshire has traditionally drawn wagers from neighboring Massachusetts, which, as of 2023, is allowing online and mobile sports wagering,” reported KRDO News.

“Our industry significantly outpaced expectations in 2022,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “Simply put, American adults are choosing casino gaming for entertainment in record numbers, benefitting communities, and taking market share from the predatory, illegal marketplace.”

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Unions demand UNM wage hike despite just getting raises

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The University of New Mexico teacher’s union, “United Academics” of UNM, along with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) New Mexico, are picketing on Wednesday from noon to 1:00 p.m. at the university for higher wages despite just being given a six percent raise bump.

But the raise was not enough for the militant unions, which are now demanding a “living wage” and scoffing at the six percent raise as not “real.”

AFT New Mexico wrote, “Are you fired up about the fight for a living wage? It’s time to make your voice heard! Join @UA_UNM for a Living Wage Rally to show we won’t stand for low wages! Together, let’s show our strength and commitment.”

A signup sheet for the picket claims, “Thousands of UNM employees, including hospital workers, faculty, graduate workers, facilities workers, and staff, struggle to make ends meet every day living on wages that often fall below the federal poverty line. The UNM Regents need to ensure that staff and educators (who are bringing up the next generation of New Mexicans, producing research advancements, and ensuring our university’s day-to-day functions) are paid a dignified wage!” 

In July 2022, UNM raised its minimum hourly wage for staff employees increased to $15. The average salary estimate for a UNM employee is around $21.29 per hour or $44,277 annually, according to data from August 2022.

The university’s guiding principles regarding salaries state that “[q]uantifiable, objective measures are used to evaluate the success of the University’s Compensation program over time.” The program notes some key factors in its pay adjustments include rewarding “individual excellence and promote employee growth and development” and promoting “fair and equitable compensation of its staff employees at all organizational levels.” 

The minimum wage of $15 an hour and competitive salaries for UNM workers aren’t enough to appease the unions, which are now moving the goalposts for a “living wage.” The unions have not said what salary number they are looking for to achieve the so-called living wage. 

According to MIT’s living wage calculator, for a single adult in Albuquerque, New Mexico, one would be making $15.97. The $15 minimum wage plus a six percent increase, as set by UNM, essentially matches this figure. However, it appears the unions want an even higher salary than a “living wage.”

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Eco-leftists take out full-page ABQ Journal ad to attack Gov. Lujan Grisham

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On Sunday, a full-page ad funded by multiple aco-left groups appeared in the state’s largest newspaper, the Albuquerque Journal, and the Santa Fe New Mexican and the Las Cruces Sun-News blasting Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

The group angered over the governor’s veto of electric vehicle tax cuts, claimed the Democrat made “empty promises” on “climate change.”

The ad, paid for by the Western Environmental Law Center (WELC), was co-signed by a mirage of different “climate change” groups, including 350NM, the Center for Biological Diversity, ProgressNow New Mexico, the Sierra Club’s Rio Grande Chapter, WildEarth Guardians, among others. 

WELC wrote on Twitter, “After stymieing #ClimateAction for two consecutive #NMLeg sessions, we call on @GovMLG & #nmpol to #ActOnClimate,” adding, “The climate movement in New Mexico will not relent.”

ProgressNow New Mexico chimed in, “We hope @GovMLG takes her role on [the U.S. Climate Alliance] seriously and leads with a commitment to #ActOnClimate that she has shown in the past. There’s no time to waste,” referring to the group Lujan Grisham was recently appointed to serve. 

The outcry comes after the far-left Democrat governor signed 2019’s Energy Transition Act, which is the state’s version of the extreme socialist Green New Deal. Apparently, the groups are not happy with these extreme steps to harm the oil, gas, and coal industries, wanting even more New Mexico energy jobs to be stricken by the pen of Gov. Lujan Grisham.

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See how deadly New Mexico is for pedestrians

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A new report by Smart Growth America showed some rather interesting results regarding how deadly states are for pedestrians. 

It found that Florida and New Mexico are the two deadliest states for pedestrians in the United States, with the Land of Enchantment being ranked number one, according to data compiled from 2016 to 2020. 

Following New Mexico and Florida was South Carolina, Arizona, Delaware, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Nevada as states most dangerous for pedestrians.

However, Albuquerque ranks as the second-highest metro area across the country, being beaten only by the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida, metro area.

Nationally, “[t]he number of people struck and killed while walking reached yet another new high in 2020. More than 6,500 people were struck and killed while walking in 2020, an average of nearly 18 per day, and a 4.5 percent increase over 2019.”

“This epidemic continues growing worse because our nation’s streets are dangerous by design, designed primarily to move cars quickly at the expense of keeping everyone safe. The result in 2020 was a significant increase in all traffic fatalities, even with less driving overall due to the pandemic,” wrote the organization.

“Dangerous by Design uses federal data that is complete only through the end of 2020, but early estimates from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) are that 7,485 people walking were struck and killed in 2021. This would be the highest number in 40 years and one of the biggest single-year jumps in decades—between 11 and 13 percent in one year.”

Legislation was proposed in New Mexico’s 2023 Legislative Session by state Rep. Art De La Cruz (D-Albuquerque), H.B. 328, to help alleviate the issue. However, the move never made it past the full House despite getting bipartisan approval in the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee. 

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Former New Mexico state Senator Dow passes away

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On Saturday, it was reported that former New Mexico Sen. R. Leo Dow, a Republican, passed away at the age of 96. 

According to his obituary, “Leo was born in 1926 in Chilili, New Mexico and worked hard his entire life. He started building barns and cuartito’s in his teens, and served in the U.S. Army, during WWII. He was very proud of his military service and that people everywhere thanked him for it until the day he passed. After the war ended, he returned home, purchased a truck and hauled wheat, beans, potatoes and vigas throughout the Southwest.”

“Certainly, a steadfast entrepreneur from 1950 to 1990, he was elected to public office by age 40 serving as NM State Senator from 1967-1976 for District 32 (became District 10).”

Dow introduced Pete V. Domenici “to every corner of New Mexico in the early 1970’s. Leo and Pete were good friends from early years of baseball and produce deliveries,” according to the write-up.

After serving two terms in the state Senate, Dow ran as former Congressman Joe Skeen’s lieutenant governor running mate, losing the race by one percent. 

He “proudly knew, met, or shook hands with seven U.S. Presidents, and summed a lot up with a handshake,” the obituary added. 

Celebration of Life services will be held on Friday, May 12, 2023, and are arranged through Gabaldon Mortuary at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church (1860 Griegos Rd. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107) with a public viewing at 10:00 a.m., Rosary at 10:30 a.m., Mass at 11:00 a.m., and internment at Mt. Calvary Cemetery (1900 Edith Blvd. NE, 87102) at 12:30 p.m.

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‘Undoo’ products hit the NM market to counter effects of marijuana

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New reports indicate that the New Mexico distributor of the product “Undoo” is selling the new trio of supplements aimed at counteracting the effects of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that come from smoking or consuming marijuana.

Assurance Laboratories, which sells the product under its operations and legacy operator Pecos Valley Production, says the product is expected to grow in distribution.

Tim George, the COO of Assurance Laboratories, told the Albuquerque Journal the products “include olive oil, the organic compound olivetol and vitamin E — the latter of which acts as a preservative for the trio of products that come in gel capsule form.” 

The company sells its “relief” product, which is marketed as a “cannabis companion” for when the drug is “too strong,” its “refresh” product, listed as a “daily after-cannabis ritual” for when there is “lingering fogginess,” and a “reset” product called the “high tolerance solution” for “lowering your tolerance to THC.” 

Since marijuana became legal in New Mexico in April 2022, New Mexico has seen over $300 million in sales, with $2.82 million in pot sales alone on this year’s “420” holiday that praises pot consumption.

It is unclear if the Undoo products will affect the sales of marijuana in New Mexico, either to go higher or lower, due to the purported effects of the compounds.

New Mexico’s 4/20 pot sales grew like a weed

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Open government group urges CYFD to obey Open Meetings Act

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On Thursday, the New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department held a policy advisory council meeting/press conference where it announced that its meetings would be closed to the public.

“Sunlight is the best disinfectant – words from the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis that still ring true today – except it seems for a special council formed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to address the dysfunctional Children Youth and Families Department,” wrote the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government (NMFOG). 

“The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government (FOG) strongly urges the committee to reconsider and adopt a resolution opening all the meetings, and we know from experience it can be done,” the group wrote. 

“As the goal of the CYFD committee is to make recommendations to generally improve the safety and well-being of children in the care of the child protective services system, FOG believes any attempt to engage in a public decision-making process without including the public is a violation of the public’s trust. It is basically a question of accountability and being transparent – something CYFD is sorely lacking,” it continued, noting that The New Mexico Open Meetings Act (OMA) “is dependent upon an informed electorate for the benefit of all New Mexicans.” 

Others criticized the futility of the meeting itself, with Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) writing, “No solutions to stop our vulnerable children from being neglected, raped, abused, tortured, and killed at this CYFD meeting.  They will think about ideas to recruit and retain workers and foster care parents and meet again in a month. ZERO urgency to save these children right now! These kids don’t have time for roundtables and discussions. I presented over a dozen bills to fix things immediately, and [Gov. Lujan Grisham] had them all pushed aside and promoted these talking heads.” 

Although the governor-appointed board claims to be working on solutions, many are asking for more urgency in attempts to reform the broken Department. Gov. Lujan Grisham has refused to call a special session to fix issues with CYFD, despite in previous years calling special sessions for much less pertinent issues, such as legalizing recreational marijuana sales in the state.

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See how New Mexicans are reacting to Heinrich announcing 2024 reelection bid

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Democrat U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich just announced his reelection campaign for another term, claiming he’s “all in for re-election in 2024. In his campaign video, he touted his work to push for climate change policies and to take away Americans’ Second Amendment rights. 

Here are some of the best reactions to Heinrich’s announcement:

Power The Future’s communications director, Larry Behrens, wrote in response to Heinrich’s announcement, “Since his first day in the Senate, Martin Heinrich continues to be ‘all in’ on whatever Chuck Schumer demands. Martin Heinrich is squarely in the pocket of the environmental left and all he’s helped deliver to our families are record gas prices and massive inflation. New Mexicans deserve a real leader who listens to our state and not another empty suit who does the bidding of his partisan allies in Washington.”

Many were quick to point out that Heinrich lives in Maryland — not New Mexico — as a primary residence. He has been living there for ten years.

“​​But he does not even live in New Mexico. New Mexico stop voting for this,” one person wrote.

Another chimed in, “You ‘work’ for NM? Then why do you and you family live in Maryland full time?? Been living there for years already.” 

“You actually don’t work for New Mexico. You don’t even live here. You work for whatever you’re told to work for by your corporate & party overlords,” one Twitter user wrote. 

Far-left U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico’s Second Congressional District quickly jumped on the bandwagon to endorse Heinrich. However, he remains the only member of New Mexico’s fully Democrat congressional delegation not to endorse Joe Biden for the presidency in 2024.

The National Congressional Campaign Committee’s spokeswoman Delanie Bomar wrote, “Between the porous southern border, surging crime, and skyrocketing inflation, the Biden presidency has been an abject disaster for New Mexicans. Gabe Vasquez has rubber stamped the Biden agenda in Congress, so why is he so afraid to endorse Biden for re-election?”

Other replies noted Heinirch’s far-left actions and votes in office, which turned them off from supporting his reelection. 

“As a lifelong democrat I must say that your recent actions and votes disgust me! I’ll be voting Republican for the first time this year and I know millions of other former democrats who will do the same,” wrote a Twitter user.

Finally, the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of New Mexico wrote, “You’re a clown Marty and you’re not going to win. We have a very special candidate for you. He’s been in office before. Enjoy your short time left.” 

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New Mexico ranks at the top of another ‘worst’ list

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A new WalletHub study has ranked New Mexico as the worst state for drug use, beating out every other state with the highest score of 71.26. 

According to the study, “In order to determine which states have the biggest drug problems, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia in three overall categories: 1) Drug Use & Addiction, 2) Law Enforcement and 3) Drug Health Issues & Rehab.” 

“Those categories include a total of 20 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the biggest drug problem.”

West Virginia came in second with a score of 66.67, and the District of Columbia, although not a state, ranked third in the nation with 62.60. 

The state with the least amount of illicit drug use is Hawaii, scoring 22.8. 

Regarding teen drug use, New Mexico ranked second only after Vermont. For teenagers being offered, sold, or given illegal drugs on school property, New Mexico ranked third-highest, only after Nevada and California, which ranked at the top.

The study notes, “Data used to create this ranking were collected from U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative, U.S. Department of Education – Office of Postsecondary Education, Guttmacher Institute, OHS Health & Safety Services, Recovery.org and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.”

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