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The Police are on a Manhunt for 2 Suspects Accused of Shooting a State Trooper During a Traffic Stop. Warns Public to Stay Indoors, Be Alert.

Juan Oliveros
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The Police are on a Manhunt for 2 Suspects Accused of Shooting a State Trooper During a Traffic Stop. Warns Public to Stay Indoors, Be Alert.

Police have launched a manhunt for a man and a woman accused of shooting at a state trooper during a traffic stop along U.S. Highway 285 near Fort Sumner.

Investigators said the suspects are in a gray Kia with a Texas license plate XMX8165. The police have released photos showing an unidentified bearded man pointing a rifle during the traffic stop. He was wearing a red T-shirt, a black beanie, and sunglasses.

The police, however, identified the woman as Makaela Johnson, who has the word “Loyalty” tattooed above her right eyebrow. Johnson faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, harboring a felon, receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle, escape from an officer, and larceny.

The shooting incident happened Monday evening, February 23, near milepost 185 in eastern New Mexico, authorities said in social media posts. However, the trooper was unharmed.

Police called on residents in the Fort Sumner area to remain indoors, lock their doors, and be alert for suspicious persons. The search for the suspects has continued into Tuesday morning, February 24.

Police advised the public not to approach the suspects. Call 911 immediately for any information about their whereabouts, the police said.

The state ranked second in the United States for assaults per capita against law enforcement officers, according to 2023 data reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Encounters such as shooting, stabbing, and physical assault against officers are more common in New Mexico than in other states.

‘High Quality, Consistent’ Services Await Students with Disabilities Through Senate Bill 64

Grace Tackman
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‘High Quality, Consistent’ Services Await Students with Disabilities Through Senate Bill 64

In a move to strengthen support for students with disabilities, the New Mexico Legislature passed Senate Bill 64 (SB 64). The landmark legislation aims to improve and modernize special education services across the state.  

SB 64 establishes the Special Education Act within the New Mexico Public School Code. It also codifies the Office of Special Education (OSE) within the New Mexico Public Education Department. 

The bill creates the role of deputy secretary for special education, who will report directly to the public education secretary. The deputy secretary will spearhead efforts to help ensure students with disabilities receive high-quality, consistent services. This measure codifies the OSE in statute, securing the office’s permanence and continuity after operating under executive order since 2023.

Public Education Secretary Mariana Padilla said SB 64 represents a milestone to guarantee high-quality, consistent support for students with disabilities. “By strengthening statewide leadership and modernizing our special education systems, we are building a more equitable and responsive framework for students, families, and educators across New Mexico,” she said in a news release. 

What are the key provisions of SB 64? 

SB 64 establishes a clear statewide framework for special education services and support. It aims to improve outcomes for students with disabilities from early childhood through college and career.  

Additionally, the bill creates the Office of Special Education and a deputy secretary for special education. This ensures equity, compliance, stable statewide services, and enforcement of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and state special education law. 

The measure also requires the OSE to develop and maintain a uniform online system for individualized education programs. This system, used by all school districts and charter schools, will improve consistency, compliance, progress monitoring, and transparency. 

Further, SB 64 aligns state law with federal requirements and ensures stability and consistency of services for students with disabilities.  

The bill also updates statutory definitions and incorporates best practices to enhance support for students exhibiting characteristics such as dyslexia. It aims to streamline special education law within the broader New Mexico Public School Code.  

SB 64 is a major step in strengthening educational equity and outcomes for New Mexico’s students with disabilities. It will take effect on July 1, 2026. 

‘Why Should I Be Ashamed?’: Why it Matters as Lawmakers Reopen Painful History of Forced Sterilization of Native women

Juan Oliveros
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‘Why Should I Be Ashamed?’: Why it Matters as Lawmakers Reopen Painful History of Forced Sterilization of Native women

A decades-old pain and injustice resurfaced. This time, in the halls of government, after the lawmakers have approved a measure directing the state Indian Affairs Department and the Commission on the Status of Women to look into forced and coerced sterilization of Native American women by the Indian Health Service (IHS) in the 1970s. The practice, according to survivors and advocates, still casts a long shadow on them.

The review will investigate the history, scope, and lasting impact of the procedures. A report to the governor is due by 2027.

Roybal Caballero, a Democrat from Albuquerque, is a member of the Piro-Manso-Tiwa tribe. She has a story of being nearly sterilized without consent. Caballero broke her silence during an interim committee hearing last year after she heard other women share similar experiences.

“It gave me courage to speak up on their behalf,” said Caballero. She sponsored House Memorial 32, calling for a review of the impacts of forced sterilization of Indigenous women and women of color.

The Senate has also passed a mirror effort, Senate Memorial 14. Memorials don’t have the force of law. But their effects could lead to action.

State Senator Linda Lopez, one of the sponsors of the measure, in an AP report, said, New Mexico needs to understand the atrocities that took place within the borders of our state.

A story that refuses to fade

Survivors and advocates are sharing their testimonies in response to renewed calls for accountability. One of them is Jean Whitehorse, a citizen of the Navajo Nation.

Whitehorse was brought to the IHS hospital in Gallup, New Mexico, for a ruptured appendix in 1972. She was 22 and had just given birth. While in severe pain, she said a nurse handed her consent forms moments before surgery.

The nurse, she claimed, held the pen in her hand and let her sign on a line.

Years later, she had difficulty conceiving. She discovered that a tubal ligation had been performed on her during that hospitalization.

“Each time I tell my story, it relieves the shame, the guilt,” Whitehorse said in recent public testimony. “Now I think, why should I be ashamed? It’s the government that should be ashamed of what they did to us.”

Her story amplifies calls for a formal apology and deeper investigation.

What we know — and what we don’t

A 1976 audit by the U.S. Government Accountability Office revealed that between 1973 and 1976, the IHS sterilized some 3,406 women across four of its 12 service areas, including Albuquerque.

Investigators found that some patients were under 21. And that many of the consent forms they signed did not meet the federal informed consent requirements.

The audit, however, did not include interviews of the women who underwent the procedures. Advocates argue the true number of victims — and its impact many years after — remains unknown.

A broader reckoning

New Mexico is not the first state to have had to confront histories of reproductive injustice.

In 2023, Vermont created a truth and reconciliation commission to review forced sterilizations of indigenous groups. The state of California in 2024 began paying compensation to individuals sterilized without prior consent in state institutions.

Sterilization trauma passed down

Retired IHS physician Dr. Donald Clark said the legacy of legalization has influenced the reproductive health decisions today.

He told lawmakers that he has treated young women seeking contraception who had fears of irreversible sterilization because of stories from their mothers and grandmothers.

“It’s still an issue that is affecting women’s choice of birth control today,” Clark said.

Rachael Lorenzo of Indigenous Women Rising said the investigation must avoid retraumatizing families. It must center on survivors.

NMSU selects Karen Kopera-Frye as Graduate School Associate Dean

Grace Tackman
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NMSU selects Karen Kopera-Frye as Graduate School Associate Dean

New Mexico State University (NMSU) named Karen Kopera-Frye as associate dean of the Graduate School. Kopera-Frye assumes her new role starting February 23. 

Kopera-Frye expressed that she feels honored and humbled to join NMSU’s Graduate School.  “I look forward to collaborating with our interdisciplinary faculty and students to help position the Graduate School as a premier center for promoting graduate student success and academic partnerships, particularly with our tribal and community business partners.”

As associate dean, Kopera-Frye aims to expand interdisciplinary programming. She plans to explore the development of a graduate gerontology certificate and degree program at NMSU. 

“There are many opportunities to enhance student social mobility and workforce development through the collaborative creation of graduate stackable credentials and innovative specialization training,” Kopera-Frye said.

Ranjit T. Koodali, dean of the Graduate School and associate provost for interdisciplinary studies, welcomed Kopera-Frye to the Graduate School with delight.

“Dr. Kopera-Frye brings extensive administrative experience, including 18 years in advanced leadership roles such as associate dean of academics and research, as well as institutional knowledge and Faculty Senate leadership that will help raise the visibility of graduate education at NMSU,” he said. 

Kopera-Frye’s Career Journey 

Kopera-Frye joined NMSU in 2016 and is a professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences. She has served in numerous leadership roles. She chaired the Faculty Senate Access, Opportunity and Outreach Committee, joined the Faculty Senate Leadership Committee, and was a member of the President’s Task Force on Federal and State Initiatives. 

Additionally, Kopera-Frye has served on the Provost Search Committee, the Federal and State Government Initiatives – Overall EID Impacts Committee, and the Inclusive Practices at a Land-Grant University Task Force. 

Kopera-Frye earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in developmental and clinical psychology from Wayne State University. She also earned a master’s degree in public administration from NMSU. She completed graduate specialist training in gerontology. Her research focuses on aging, caregiving and cultural values among Latinx and Indigenous families.

Moreover, Kopera-Frye developed an HEST interprofessional course that supports peer mentoring among undergraduate and graduate students. She has coordinated the undergraduate and graduate gerontology minor in the Department of Public Health Sciences. 

Kopera-Frye is also a fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Gerontological Society of America and the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education. She is certified as an advanced-level mentor through the University of New Mexico Mentoring Institute. 

This year, she was selected to serve a four-year term as editor-in-chief of Gerontology & Geriatrics Education. This journal is published by the Gerontological Society of America. She was also chair-elect of the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education, a division of the Gerontological Society of America. 

‘Ideas Moving Both Ways’: UNM Officially Inks Deal with Osaka Metropolitan University

Grace Tackman
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‘Ideas Moving Both Ways’: UNM Officially Inks Deal with Osaka Metropolitan University

University of New Mexico’s (UNM) Anderson School of Management announced its partnership with Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU). 

It recently formalized an agreement with OMU to ensure credit transfers for doctoral students in Osaka’s Future Innovators Development Program. UNM News reported that the international collaboration strengthens both institutions’ relationships and creates new opportunities for sustained global partnership.

Through the agreement, doctoral students from Osaka can spend one semester at Anderson. They will complete 12 credit hours in the Master of Science in Project Management or Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Business Analytics programs. 

After returning to Osaka, students may complete the remainder of their master’s degree online. This allows them to earn a doctoral degree from OMU and a master’s degree from Anderson.

Additionally, the partnership includes a commitment for an Anderson faculty member to teach one course in Osaka each summer. The agreement guarantees credit transfer for the next five years, providing stability and continuity for participating students.

The general cooperation agreement was facilitated by:

  • Nicole Tami, executive director of Global Education Initiatives; 
  • UNM President Garnett Stokes; and 
  • Anderson leadership, including Dean Alina Chircu, Associate Dean Reilly White, Matthew Vallejos, Graduate Programs operations manager, and Rob DelCampo, senior executive director of Corporate and Community Engagement (CCE). 

Toshiyuki Matsui, vice president of International Affairs, and faculty members Yong-Gu Shim and Eri Hoshi, represented OMU.

UNM Officials Explain the Advantage of the Agreement with OMU

Anderson Associate Dean Reilly White said the partnership is about people. 

“Students coming to Anderson, faculty going to Osaka, and ideas moving both ways. It’s a powerful way to give our students and faculty real, lived global experience with OMU as an incredible partner,” said White.

Vallejos said both institutions collaborated closely, with advising staff and faculty coordinating to bring the agreement to fruition. “Our priority was to build a structure that was clear and student-centered from the start. We are not only welcoming talented students from Osaka Metropolitan University; we are also enriching our classrooms and strengthening our graduate programs.”

The agreement expands Anderson’s existing relationship with OMU, which was established through the Innovation Academy’s Entrepreneurship Workshop Week.

“This partnership directly supports the Anderson School of Management’s external engagement strategic pillar by institutionalizing sustained international collaboration, deepening industry and academic ties abroad, and positioning our school as a proactive global partner,” said Chircu.

The partnership with OMU demonstrates a shared commitment to innovation and impact in graduate education. Both institutions aim to create a future defined by continued cooperation, shared discovery, and global leadership development.

New Mexico Bill Permanently Creates Office of New Americans

Juan Oliveros
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New Mexico Bill Permanently Creates Office of New Americans

A new measure to permanently create the Office of New Americans in New Mexico is now awaiting the signature of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham after lawmakers approved House Bill 124 with a vote of 22-12.

The measure formalizes the Office of New Americans under the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, transitioning it from a grant-funded initiative into a permanent state office.

The Office of New Americans was initially launched in 2024 with temporary funding to facilitate workforce integration and economic mobility for immigrants across New Mexico.

The bill mandates the office to continue coordinating workforce development programs, job training access, and partnerships to integrate new arrivals into New Mexico’s labor market.

Seventeen Democratic lawmakers sponsored the bill.

If signed into law, according to Action Network, New Mexico would join a handful of states—including Nevada, Colorado, North Dakota, Ohio, and Utah.

Immigrant Safety Act

Before this, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed House Bill 9, also known as the Immigrant Safety Act, into law on Feb. 5.

The law terminates any existing 287(g) agreements between public entities and ICE. It also prohibits future renewals of the agreement across the state. The law prohibits using public land, facilities, or other government resources to detain individuals for federal immigration purposes.

New Mexico Ends 2026 Session With Universal Child Care, $1.5B Road Bonds, and Malpractice Reforms to Address Doctor Shortages.

Juan Oliveros
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New Mexico Ends 2026 Session With Universal Child Care, $1.5B Road Bonds, and Malpractice Reforms to Address Doctor Shortages.

New Mexico lawmakers concluded their 30-day budget session on Thursday. The session capped what the Senate leadership described as a landmark year for investments in child care, roads, and health care reform.

In a statement issued at the end of the 2026 legislative session, Lieutenant Governor Howie C. Morales cited strong state revenues as key to funding major priorities.

Morales said a “robust state economy and continued strong revenues” allowed lawmakers to channel funding toward affordability measures, infrastructure and road projects, economic development, classrooms, and healthcare.

Constructive tone

The Senate leader credited Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham for setting what he described as a constructive tone for the session.

The legislature, he added, passed several measures advanced with bipartisan backing.

One of the session’s major bills was the establishment of the “first-in-the-nation universal child care for New Mexico’s youngest children and their families, building on our rigorous early childhood education and care system.”

The state legislature has also approved Senate Bill 2, establishing a $1.5 billion bond package for road infrastructure. Morales expects the measure will fund transportation projects over the next decade.

Lujan Grisham hailed the passage of the bill.

“This major investment in New Mexico’s transportation infrastructure is long overdue,” Lujan Grisham said.

In healthcare, the state lawmakers have approved reforms to the state’s medical malpractice rules.

The chamber voted 40-2 in approving House Bill 99, sponsored by Reps. Christine Chandler (D-Los Alamos) and Gail Armstrong (D-Magdalena).

The two negative votes came from Sens. Shannon Pinto (D-Tohatchi) and Linda Lopez (D-Albuquerque), according to Source NM.

The measure, according to the Senate leadership, addresses the “critical doctor shortage and high malpractice insurance costs that have made it difficult to recruit and retain doctors here.”

‘Optimistic’

“I am optimistic that this reform will help our rural communities, which are especially underserved,” Morales concluded.

These important measures await the governor’s signature.

UNM Art Lecturer Lovell’s “How to Become Invisible” Photography Project Earns Spotlight

Grace Tackman
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UNM Art Lecturer Lovell’s “How to Become Invisible” Photography Project Earns Spotlight

An online fine art photography journal and platform featured a photography project by a University of New Mexico (UNM) lecturer. 

Jessamyn Lovell, a principal lecturer in UNM’s art department, is a gender-fluid artist and licensed private investigator based in Albuquerque. LENSCRATCH published their project “How to Become Invisible,” highlighting the message behind their recent work.

The article lists and explains many of their disguises. These include Guardia de Seguridad para el Pueblo (Security Guard), Motel Maid Disguise (“Joyce”), Professional Woman Disguise (“Laura”), Pro-Life Activist Disguise (“Laurel”), and Barfly Disguise (“Chelsea”), among others.

About LENSCRATCH

Artist and educator Aline Smithson founded LENSCRATCH. The platform supports and celebrates photographic arts and artists through exposure, discussion, community collaboration, and education initiatives. 

It aims to foster rich critical and cultural discourse on photography’s complex role, reflecting diverse community voices. 

LENSCRATCH began as an individual pursuit to broaden exposure for photographers by actively seeking out and engaging with their work. Since then, other artists have joined LENSCRATCH as volunteers to sustain and expand the platform. Contributing editors and writers also contribute engaging content to support its growth.

Lovell’s Background and Works

Lovell holds a BFA from Rochester Institute of Technology and an MFA from California College of the Arts. 

They are integrating their private investigator skills into their art as an ongoing conceptual piece, titled D.I.Y. P.I. (Do It Yourself Private Investigation). They also work with the internationally known performance troupe La Pocha Nostra as a producer and performer. 

Lovell has received several awards, including the Aperture Portfolio Prize and the Center for Teaching Excellence in Teaching Award. They were named a Center for Teaching Excellence Fellow at UNM. 

Lovell’s work on the No Trespassing project, where they surreptitiously documented their estranged father, and Dear Erin Hart, where they tracked and photographed their identity thief, led them to obtain a private investigator’s license.

Their work appeared in media outlets, including Hyperallergic, Wired, This American Life, the Today Show, BBC World News and others.

NMSU Grants Full-Time Tuition Coverage for Graduate Workers

Grace Tackman
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NMSU Grants Full-Time Tuition Coverage for Graduate Workers

New Mexico State University (NMSU) announced full-time tuition coverage for its graduate assistant workforce, effective the fall 2026 semester. The Board of Regents recently ratified a memorandum of agreement between the university and the union representing graduate assistants.

NMSU says this strategic move could help boost graduate enrollment and retention and increase the competitiveness of research proposals.

On Wednesday, the Board approved an MOA modifying the existing collective bargaining agreement between NMSU and its Graduate Workers United. The agreement increases the number of tuition scholarships for qualified graduate workers from six credit hours per fall and spring semester to nine. NMSU considers this a full-time course load for graduate students.

While discussing the proposal, Regents Chair Ammu Devasthali said board members have long supported full-time tuition remission for graduate assistants. However, she explained that the university was previously unable to fund the additional cost.

The university estimates that the increase from six to nine credit hours will cost around $735,000 more per academic year. University officials say the additional costs will be covered through budget adjustments identified by the university Budget Office. 

University General Counsel Lisa Henderson, who presented the MOA for ratification, joked that NMSU President Valerio Ferme had “looked under all the cushions of the couch” to find the funding for the increase. She noted that the union had previously agreed to the six-credit-hour tuition remission in its existing collective bargaining agreement, originally signed in December 2024.

“We just closed a bargaining session with them last year, and we didn’t think that we could promise any more than the six hours,” Henderson said. “We also knew that we needed to be more competitive … in order to attract more (graduate students) and to do better research and more research – so it’s always on our minds, and I think there was some real initiative by the president to make this happen.”

NMSU Community Members Back Tuition Remission Increase for Graduate Workers

Associated Students of NMSU President Wyatt Ziehe said the undergraduate student government organization supports the change. He added that the Graduate Student Council also backs the increase. Ziehe said increasing graduate enrollment at NMSU will help offset the projected nationwide drop in enrollment, or the “demographic cliff.”

Ferme said increased tuition support for graduate assistants will help make the university more competitive when attracting potential graduate students. He said that this support appeals especially to students considering research and teaching roles while earning their advanced degrees.

“During the summer, I made a promise to NM Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero (D-Bernalillo) to increase our support for graduate student workers to cover nine credits per semester,” Ferme said. 

Ferme said that even though the collective bargaining agreement had just been completed and closed, his leadership team saw room to improve support for graduate students. He said the improvements aim both to attract more talent and to help students stay on track with their graduation requirements.

“This change is significant because it parallels our newly achieved status as a Research 1 university in moving us forward to fulfill our mission as a land-grant institution devoted to student success, research, and innovation,” Ferme continued. “I want to thank everyone who helped make this possible, from the Regents to our finance and legal teams to different units in academic affairs, faculty, and obviously, students.”

Caroline Klocksiem, communications chair for Graduate Workers United, said the agreement to provide full tuition coverage puts NMSU on par with other R1 institutions. She said that the agreement also positions the university to better retain and recruit graduate student workers.

“The research, teaching, and scholarship that graduate workers do is a major component of the university’s ability to achieve R1 status, and we want to see that status maintained,” Klocksiem said. “By bringing our effective pay more in line with our contributions to the university, graduate student workers are better able to produce high-quality work that enhances NMSU’s reputation for innovation.”

Graduate School Dean Ranjit Koodali thanked Ferme and the Budget Office for finding financial resources to support graduate student workers.

“Such efforts will help attract high-quality students and help make NMSU the preferred choice for graduate education, regionally and nationally,” Koodali said.

Regent Rico Gonzales said increasing the tuition coverage for graduate workers is an important part of the university’s long-term student success strategy.

“To me, this seems really in line with the strategy of how we are focused on student success,” Gonzales said, “and I hope that … It helps us to continue our R1 rise as an institution. This seems like a real win today for NMSU and for the students of NMSU.”

New Mexico Senate Passes HB4 to Protect Health Coverage Amid Federal Cuts

Juan Oliveros
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New Mexico Senate Passes HB4 to Protect Health Coverage Amid Federal Cuts

The New Mexico Senate approved a bill on Wednesday that sought to shield affordable health insurance for tens of thousands of residents threatened by federal aid and Medicaid cuts.

House Bill 4 headed to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham for signature. The bipartisan measure increases revenue for the state’s Health Care Affordability Fund, New Mexico’s primary tool to keep premiums affordable for working families and small businesses.

The bill passed on a bipartisan 24-12 vote.

State officials said last year’s federal decisions eliminated enhanced premium tax credits and reduced Medicaid funding, putting tens of thousands of New Mexicans at risk.

“The federal government may be cutting back, but New Mexico is not,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement.

The governor described the bill as a measure to preserve coverage and ensure individuals can continue accessing doctors, prescriptions, and other essential health care.

House Majority Leader Reena Szczepanski sponsored the bill. Representatives Elizabeth Thomson, Joseph Hernandez, and Anita Gonzales, as well as Senator Roberto “Bobby” J. Gonzales, also sponsored the measure.

Szczepanski said the state has worked to keep healthcare affordable amid the decline of federal support. Under the Affordable Care Act, the lawmaker noted, coverage has continued to grow, and premiums did not spike in New Mexico when federal support was reduced.

The governor’s FY27 executive budget recommendation ensures that funding for health care affordability programs supported by the fund would continue. Estimates had shown the investments could protect coverage for up to 46,600 residents and lower healthcare costs for as many as 122,000 people statewide.

Gonzales said the bill enhances the state’s capacity to support coverage for affordability programs in the long term.

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