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KDEM-FM 94.3 - KOTS-AM 1230 Radio - Bravo Mic Communications

State Police Officers Work to Keep Drivers Safe in Alamogordo and Ruidoso

2/29/2024

ALAMOGORDO & RUIDOSO – Over the course of two days in February, officers in Alamogordo and Ruidoso organized seatbelt operations to educate drivers and keep them safe through the proper usage of seatbelts.

During the operation, 45 individuals were identified as not wearing their seatbelt and issued citations. 13 other citations were issued for various traffic violations. In addition, during the course of the operation, officers encountered 4 individuals with active misdemeanor arrest warrants who were taken into custody, and 1 stolen vehicle was recovered.

Wearing a seat belt has been proven to reduce the risk of severe injury or death in the event of a crash by almost 50 percent. New Mexico State Police officers across the state will continue to educate drivers and occupants of vehicles on the importance of wearing a seatbelt.

Fatal Seven-Car Pileup South of Roswell in Chaves County

2/28/2024

Chaves County, NM – On February 27, 2024, at around 2:30 p.m., the New Mexico State Police was called to investigate a fatal crash involving multiple vehicles on U.S. Highway 285 and the intersection of East Orchard Park Road south of Roswell.

The initial investigation indicated that a Ford pickup truck, driven by a 46-year-old male, was trying to cross 285 from East Orchard Park Road. A 2008 Dodge Ram pickup truck driven by a 43-year-old male struck the Ford pickup truck as it crossed 285, causing both vehicles to become disabled in the northbound lanes.

A 2019 Ford pickup truck pulling a flatbed trailer, driven by a 64-year-old male, was stopping or stopped to avoid the crash when a Nissan Frontier, driven by David Pedroza, 63, of Roswell, collided with the rear of the trailer.

Mr. Pedroza suffered fatal injuries during the impact and was pronounced deceased on the scene by the Office of the Medical Investigator. The 49-year-old female passenger in the Nissan Frontier was injured and transported to an area hospital. Her injuries and condition are not known.

Following the initial crash and subsequent fatal crash, a 2004 Dodge Ram pickup truck driven by a 64-year-old female, a 2022 Ford Escape driven by a 47-year-old male, and a 2003 Honda Civic driven by a 43-year-old male all collided with the initial crash. The drivers of those three vehicles were not injured.

In addition to the drivers listed above, the 2008 Dodge Ram pickup truck had an uninjured 16-year-old male, 41-year-old female, and 8-year-old male passengers. A 15-year-old female passenger sustained injuries and was transported to an area hospital.

The 2019 Ford pickup had an uninjured 27-year-old and a 57-year-old male passenger.

Alcohol is not suspected as being a factor. High winds and limited visibility due to blowing dust contributed to this crash, which remains under investigation by the New Mexico State Police.

Federal Government Forgives 6,270 New Mexicans’ federal student loans

2/26/2024

$267.1 million in total debt discharged in the state since last year

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Higher Education Department announced Monday that 6,270 New Mexicans have received forgiveness of their federal student loans via the SAVE loan forgiveness plan and fixes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Plan.

This amounts to $267.1 million in debt discharged statewide as a result of the action. The federal government also forgave the loans of 5,410 New Mexico borrowers last year due to fixes to the longstanding PSLF Plan, totaling $260.2 million. Nationwide, 806,000 borrowers received $39 billion in total forgiveness.

“I’m thrilled that the Administration has eliminated the burden of student loans for thousands of New Mexicans who decided to continue their education and have been faithfully making payments for a decade or more. This move will provide these individuals with greater capacity to support their lives and families, contribute to our state economy, and potentially consider further education and career options. I am glad to see that the federal government is complimenting New Mexico’s leading work in becoming a debt-free college state. We remain committed to that mission through the groundbreaking Opportunity Scholarship, the Lottery Scholarship and our many loan repayment and loan-for-service programs for hardworking professionals,” said Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez.

The U.S. Department of Education announced Thursday that $1.2 billion in federal student loan debt had been discharged via President Biden’s Saving on Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan. The Department announced numbers for the PSLF Program last July. The Department has said it will continue to identify and discharge eligible loans on an ongoing basis.

For borrowers to be eligible for SAVE forgiveness, they must have enrolled in the SAVE Plan, have made at least ten years of payments and have originally taken out $12,000 or less for college. For every $1,000 borrowed above $12,000, a borrower can receive forgiveness after an additional year of payments. All borrowers on the SAVE Plan also receive forgiveness after 20 or 25 years, depending on whether they have loans for graduate school. Benefits are based upon the original principal amount owed.

At the state level, the New Mexico Higher Education Department provided loan forgiveness to 1,314 New Mexicans last year, totaling $14.9 million via its loan repayment and loan-for-service programs for working health care professionals, teachers, Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD) employees, attorneys working in public service law, and nurse educators. Over $31 million is included in the recently passed FY25 budget for these programs, and over $315 million for scholarship programs to reduce debt loads for current and future students.

For more information about federal student loan forgiveness, visit ed.gov. For more information about New Mexico loan repayment, loan-for-service and scholarship programs, visit hed.nm.gov.

Passage of Meat Inspection Act will grant new authority to New Mexico Livestock Board

2/26/2024

Photo Provided: New Mexico’s rural communities to benefit from state-led inspection process

SANTA FE, N.M. – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is set to review a bipartisan-sponsored bill granting the New Mexico Livestock Board (NMLB) authority over meat and poultry inspections in the state. Inspections conducted and certifications issued by NMLB would be equivalent to or greater than those given by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Senate Bill 37 (SB 37), known as The Meat Inspection Act, received unanimous support Feb. 13 from the New Mexico House of Representatives after receiving unanimous approval from the state Senate. The bill calls for the establishment of a comprehensive state meat and poultry inspection program administered through NMLB.

“This legislation plays a critical role in providing value-added agriculture opportunities in New Mexico and fresh local beef to our consumers across New Mexico,” said New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte. “This continues Gov. Lujan Grisham’s commitment to increasing opportunities in value-added agriculture across New Mexico. I look forward to these opportunities in the future.”

“The NMLB is very excited to be an integral part of potential agricultural and economic growth for the state of New Mexico,” said NMLB Executive Director Belinda Garland. “This agency proudly supports the livestock industry, and this is just one more service we will be able to provide to producers throughout the state.”

The New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s (NMDA) analysis of SB 37 suggests that new statutory authority over a state-level meat and poultry inspection program would enhance local meat industries and have a positive effect on the state’s economy. Such a program would have the following positive impacts:

improves food safety;
enables timely inspections of livestock processed in-state;
increases the statewide efficiency of inspections and ensure access to inspectors conveniently located throughout the state;
gives grocery retailers and food service distributors a wider variety of local meat purchasing options and;
provides access to locally-grown and processed food to schools, senior centers, food banks, etc.;
benefits small to mid-size producers interested in direct sales for public consumption.

Inspectors with USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) currently handling meat inspections in New Mexico only conduct a limited number of inspections annually, which leads many of the state’s ranchers to ship livestock out-of-state for processing. Doing so results in extra costs to producers and higher prices for consumers.

Once the state-level program is certified by FSIS and fully operational, all meat and poultry certified by state inspectors and processed in-state will be sold in New Mexico, therefore enabling New Mexico’s rural ranchers to work directly with New Mexico’s supermarkets, restaurants and institutional buyers to bring high-quality, certified meat and poultry to consumers at lower costs.

Currently, 29 states have their own meat and/or poultry inspection programs which must be certified by FSIS and meet or exceed the standards and requirements of the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Federal Poultry Products Inspection Act and the Federal Humane Methods of Slaughter Act of 1978.

“We are humbled by the overwhelming bipartisan support received during the 2024 legislative session,” said Garland. “The NMLB wants to thank Governor Lujan Grisham for allowing SB 37 to be presented, all the state senators and representatives who supported and voted unanimously in favor of the bill, and all the organizations and individuals who stood by us through many long hours to see it sent for final passage. This is truly legislation that will benefit all the people.”

New Mexico State Police and the United States Marshals Service arrest man on warrant for child sex abuse charges

2/16/2024

LAS CRUCES - The New Mexico State Police Fugitive Apprehension Unit (FAU), with assistance from the US Marshals Service (USMS) arrested a man wanted on an active felony warrant of child sex abuse.

On February 13, 2024, New Mexico State Police Fugitive Apprehension Unit with assistance from the USMS, served a warrant on Miguel Florentino (31) stemming from 2 counts of Criminal Sexual Contact of a Minor in the second degree (child under 13) and Criminal Sexual Penetration in the first degree (child under 13).

Following surveillance, Florentino was observed at a residence on Higgins Lane in Las Cruces. A plan was developed by FAU and USMS to surround the house and Florentino was taken into custody without further incident.

“It is great to see our agency work with our federal partners to apprehend a wanted individual with serious felony charges against a child. We will continue to utilize every resource we have to locate and apprehend criminals who hurt others, especially children.” said New Mexico State Police Chief Troy Weisler.

“There is no duty more important than ensuring the safety of the children of our communities. Anybody that harms our children will be brought to justice.” said District of New Mexico Acting U.S. Marshall Russell Lashley.

Statewide Traffic Operation Keeps New Mexico Roads Safe

2/16/2024

STATEWIDE, NM - On February 15, 2024, the New Mexico State Police conducted a statewide traffic operation. The five-hour operation focused on speeding and unsafe driving practices on roadways across the state.

The operation yielded:

700 Traffic Citations
50 CMV Inspections
19 Arrests (5 Felony)
3 CMV Left Lane Citations

Ensuring the motoring public's safety, New Mexico State Police officers will continue to patrol roadways in all areas of the state throughout the year.

Bill banning firearms from polling places on way to governor’s desk

2/14/2024

dSANTA FE - The New Mexico Senate passed an amended public safety bill Wednesday that largely prohibits the carrying of firearms at polling places.

The Firearms Near Polling Places bill, Senate Bill 5, sponsored by Sen. Peter Wirth and supported by the governor, prohibits the carrying of firearms within 100 feet of a polling place during an election with some exceptions.

“New Mexicans should be able to exercise their right to vote without fear of intimidation or, worse, violence,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham. “This legislation solidifies what we already know: Guns do not belong at polling places.”

The final version of the bill includes exemptions for certified peace officers, those conducting lawful non-election business near polling places, concealed carry license holders, and people occupying their private cars in proximity to a polling place.

After the governor signs this bill into law, those found in violation will be charged with a misdemeanor.

Gun waiting period bill receives concurrence from House, heads to governor’s desk

2/14/2024

"Firearm Sale Waiting Period Crimes" would create cooling-off period to prevent gun violence, suicide

SANTA FE - House Bill 129, creating a mandatory 7-day waiting period for the purchase of firearms, was passed through a concurrence vote in the House. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk for her signature.

The bill is the first of more than 20 public safety bills introduced by the governor during this legislative session to pass. The session ends on Thursday.

“HB 129 is an important piece of public safety legislation that will undoubtedly save lives,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham. “This legislation will help prevent gun violence and suicides – both of which are deadly public health and safety challenges in New Mexico.

“With less than two days left in the legislative session, this is the only public safety measure to pass both chambers so far. The clock is ticking, and I urge legislators to act on behalf of the New Mexicans they serve.”

The waiting period, also referred to as a "cool-off" period, allows individuals to reconsider rash, emotional decisions for self-harm or harm to others. Multiple studies have provided evidence supporting the effectiveness of waiting periods in preventing suicides and potentially, impulsive acts of violence. Furthermore, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, death from firearms is the deadliest form of suicide with a mortality rate of approximately 90%.

Senator Siah Correa Hemphill Secures Funding for Local Highway Project and Community Hospital

2/11/2024

(Santa Fe) – The New Mexico Senate, two bills that would have lasting, positive impact on southwest New Mexico advanced through the legislature: one to help jumpstart the next phases of the highway 180 expansion project and a second supporting the Gila Regional Medical Center.

“I’m pleased to announce today that funding has been secured for additional phases of the highway 180 expansion project,” said Senator Correa Hemphill (D-Silver City). “Adding lanes to U.S. 180 is important for both safety and economic development for the region and I’m happy that this funding will get us beyond the initial phase of this local project.” Correa Hemphill worked with the Department of Transportation, Lieutenant Governor Howie Morales, and Chair of Senate Finance George Muñoz to include $70 million in funding through Senate Bill 300, which passed today in the Senate Finance Committee on a unanimous vote.

In 2022, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Lt. Governor Howie Morales announced $25 million in funding for phase one of the project to widen U.S. 180. The bulk of that funding was sourced from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, with the state supplying money from the road fund and general fund. Phase one, scheduled to begin this summer, will widen a portion of U.S. 180 to four lanes, realign the road over existing railroad tracks, remove the Hurley overpass, rehabilitate pavement and make improvements at intersections.

Phase two, from south of the railroad crossing near Hurley to the junction with N.M. 61, a little more than 14 miles, is now one step closer to reality thanks to the additional funding.

“Thanks to the work of Senator Correa Hemphill and her advocacy as a member of the Senate Finance Committee, we can now move right into the next phase of the Highway 180 expansion project,” said Lt. Governor Howie Morales, who as a state senator began advocating for the project in 2008. “It’s good to see this project funded as it will bring safer roadways and greater economic opportunities to southwest New Mexico.”

Another bill focused on rural hospitals also moved forward today. Senate Bill 161 appropriates $50 million from the general fund to the Health Care Authority for expenditure in FY25 and FY26 to provide subsidies to smaller acute care hospitals. The subsidies are meant to cover certain revenue losses realized due to services provided that may not be fully reimbursed such as emergency medical services, maternal and child health, and in-patient unit care. While the Gila Regional Medical Center was not originally on the list of hospitals included in the bill, Senator Correa Hemphill advocated for and won over approval to add the facility onto the list. The Medical Center will now be eligible to receive up to $5.7 million dollars over the next two fiscal years.

“Rural and regional hospitals are quite literally the heart of our communities,” said Senator Correa Hemphill. “I have been happy to work with Lieutenant Governor Howie Morales to secure funding to assist Gila Regional over the years with capital outlay. And now, by adding them to the list of hospitals in SB 161, I hope some of the additional burdensome and very real financial pressures will be eased, allowing the Center to continue prioritizing the health and well-being of local residents.”

Governor signs bill modernizing graduation requirements

2/11/2024

Requirements not updated since 2009

SANTA FE – Today, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed HB 171 into law, a bill that updates high school graduation requirements in New Mexico for the first time in over a decade.

“High school should be about preparing students for the real world while providing more opportunities to pursue their unique interests and future careers,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. “These changes will lead to more young New Mexicans staying engaged in school, graduating, and continuing that success in their adult lives.”

The requirements outlined in HB 171 will impact students entering the ninth grade in the 2025-2026 school year. The bill makes key changes to graduation requirements that better align with New Mexico’s workforce and higher education landscape. These include the addition of two units decided on by local school boards or charter school governing bodies, as long as they meet Public Education Department academic content and performance standards. The new requirements provide options for students to demonstrate proficiency in math that align with their college or career interests.

“This allows flexibility for districts to tailor the requirements to the needs of their communities and allows students to gain valuable experience and receive credit at the same time,” said Public education Department Secretary Arsenio Romero. “A modern, flexible, forward-looking curriculum will help engage students, address chronic absences and improve student achievement.”

The updated requirements provide a greater level of student choice while keeping the total number of credits needed to graduate at 24.

“I’m both proud and grateful to the Governor, PED Secretary Romero, and my co-sponsors, Rep. Andrés Romero and Sen. Bill Soules for the collaboration during the last four months,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart, one of the chief sponsors of HB 171. “Working together, we have created new graduation requirements that focus on more flexibility for students to create a path for those who want Career Technical Education classes and pathways while keeping high standards for core academic standards.”

“By providing our students with greater flexibility and control over their course load, we can better engage them, increase their graduation rates, and more effectively prepare them for life after high school,” said bill sponsor Representative G. Andres Romero. “House Bill 171 will help chart the path forward for students interested in the trades, giving them a head start to a successful career and helping New Mexico staff up these in-demand fields.”