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More Young Children Enter Early Education, Report Shows

Gregg Morgan
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More Young Children Enter Early Education, Report Shows

Enrollment of 3- and 4-year-olds in New Mexico early education continues to grow. This progress reflects the state’s commitment to supporting young learners as they begin their academic journey. A new report highlights efforts to expand access to early education for more families. 

New Mexico ranks seventh in the nation for preschool access among 3-year-olds, according to a new report from the National Institute for Early Education Research dubbed “State of Preschool 2025 Yearbook.” The report also ranks the state 11th nationwide for access among 4-year-olds.

New Mexico ranked fifth nationally in state spending per child. The state exceeded the national average and outspent many larger and wealthier states. 

“Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and the New Mexico Legislature have made an unwavering commitment to our youngest children, and this report reflects that,” said Early Childhood Education and Care Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky. “We are proud to be a national leader in both access and investment, and the state will keep raising the bar to ensure every child in every community has access to the high-quality early learning opportunities they deserve.” 

What the Data Say

During the 2024-2025 school year, New Mexico PreK enrolled 16,429 children, an increase of 334 from the previous year. The data shows 22 percent of enrolled children are 3-year-olds, while 53 percent are 4-year-olds. 

State spending reached $226,084,608, up by $9,246,573, or 4 percent, from the prior year after adjusting for inflation.

Meanwhile, state spending per child equaled $13,761 in 2024-2025, increasing by $289 from 2023-2024 after adjusting for inflation.

New Mexico met nine of the institute’s 10 quality standards benchmarks. The standards assess indicators such as teacher qualifications, class size, early learning criteria, and curriculum support.  

The institute does not award New Mexico the benchmark requiring teachers to hold a bachelor’s degree. However, NM PreK Standards require teachers to hold a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, hold an early childhood education license, or actively pursue a bachelor’s degree or alternative licensure in early childhood education. 

New Mexico ranks among a small group of states approaching the highest tier of quality recognition in the institute’s report. Only six states currently meet all 10 benchmarks. New Mexico’s programs operate at a level of investment and access that surpasses most of them. Even New Mexico’s spending per child places the state well above the national average.  

The yearbook analyzes state-funded preschool enrollment, spending, and quality nationwide. In 2024-25, 44 states and the District of Columbia funded preschool programs nationwide. Enrollment reached 37 percent of 4-year-olds and 9 percent of 3-year-olds. Most state pre-K programs continue to primarily serve 4-year-olds. 

Community-based New Mexico PreK educators may also qualify for increased compensation through the PreK Parity Program. The initiative helps align their pay with public school compensation. In FY25, the program funded 179 educators and provided additional stipends for some staff with specialized credentials. 

The recent NIEER report highlights an increase in early childhood enrollment in New Mexico. The findings bring positive news for the state and for families seeking to give young children an early start in their academic journey.

Rabies in Curry County Shows How Easily a Virus Slips Past the Boundaries We Trust

Juan Oliveros
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Rabies in Curry County Shows How Easily a Virus Slips Past the Boundaries We Trust

A rabies case involving a 10-month-old dog in Curry County is more than an isolated public health incident. It is a reminder that the boundaries people trust to keep them from danger, even a fenced backyard, offer little protection against a virus that silently moves through wildlife.

The unvaccinated dog was euthanized after testing positive for rabies when it displayed signs of distress and aggression. It became the second dog in New Mexico to contract the disease in the last 10 months.

The animal has bitten one person and is undergoing post-exposure treatment. Five others exposed to the dog received preventive vaccination, officials said.

But the deeper story goes beyond a single infected animal. Even pets in a fenced yard are not free from risk due to bats, skunks, and foxes that move at the periphery of human settlement. That illusion of separation has always been fragile.

Rabies in the American landscape is rare in humans because of vaccination and surveillance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 9 in 10 animal cases are still in wildlife. Healthcare providers treat 1.4 million Americans every year for possible rabies exposure. They also administer post-exposure prophylaxis to 100,000 people.

In New Mexico alone, health officials confirmed 13 rabid animals in 2025, following 12 cases the year before. Mostly involved in wildlife, particularly bats. But the lesson of the Curry County dog is that the line between wild and domestic is more porous than many pet owners expect.

Backyards, after all, do not stop a bat from descending at twilight. But health officials described the case as preventable. The dog received no vaccination despite the state law requiring rabies shots for dogs and cats. That detail matters. Rabies is among the few diseases where prevention is essential: Once symptoms appear, survival is almost nil.

“Rabies vaccines are an invisible but strong barrier against this deadly disease,” said Dr. Erin Phipps, state public health veterinarian for the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH).

The incident also exposes a larger public health irony: the success of rabies control has made the danger easier to overlook. As cases in humans become rare, urgency fades. But that rarity does not signal absence.

Officials asked residents to avoid unfamiliar animals, report suspicious wildlife behavior, and seek immediate medical help after bites or even exposure to saliva. They reminded the public that bats found in bedrooms, particularly where children are present, may warrant precautionary treatment even without a visible bite.

Such guidance can sound routine until a case like this makes it feel urgent again.

The death of one unvaccinated puppy in rural New Mexico may not signal an emergency. But it does point to a quieter truth about public safety: some protections work only when people believe in them enough to maintain them.

A fence can mark a boundary. And a vaccine can save lives. But only one of them keeps rabies out.

Authorities Charge Family with Felony, Sex Trafficking at Six Massage Parlors

Ruben Reyes
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A family should foster love, care, compassion, and trust among its members; family members should create a safe place for each and every member. But a family in Albuquerque defies this definition.

Authorities have charged three family members in Albuquerque with numerous felony charges after they organized a sex trafficking operation in six Albuquerque massage parlors.

The governor’s New Mexico Crime Commission, led by Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman, has been investigating a string of local massage parlors for a month after an anonymous tipster reported the parlors’ suspicious activity.

According to the investigators, recruiters brought immigrant women, many of whom are Chinese, to Albuquerque with promises of real jobs and then forced them to live full-time at massage parlors and perform sex acts on men or they wouldn’t get paid.

The investigation led special agents to Yufang Bao, who owns six different parlors. Authorities now hold her in custody, and she faces 18 felony charges related to sex trafficking and prostitution.

Aside from Bao, the Bernalillo County D.A. Office states that her husband, John Tunney, and her son Guanxian Wang are also facing similar charges but are not currently in custody.

Bregman says anyone involved in this case will face “a long, long time in prison” if they prove guilty.

“And I hope that this case sends a very clear message to people out there who are willing to traffic other human beings, especially in the sex trade. This is disgusting,” said Bregman.”

The Harsh Reality of Immigrants

These recruiters often take advantage of those who want to leave their homeland to give their families better lives. And when these people are lured to the place with nothing but the recruiters’ assurance of a job and their promise to their families of a better life.

One of its victims experienced this exact scene. According to her, someone lured her to Albuquerque with a promise of a job as a cleaner. She later found out that her job required doing sexual acts.

Another victim told the investigators about the abuse she had experienced. She said recruiters had recruited her to be a masseuse and they would beat her, restrain her, and strike her if she refused to perform sexual acts on men.

“Forcing people to have sex with other people. Beating them if they don’t. This organization would beat some of these victims if they did not perform sex acts,” said Bregman.

The victim also told investigators that they would drop off supplies for her at the parlor because she was required to live there.

This is exactly what happens when recruiters promise people who want nothing but a better life for their families an interesting job with “good” pay. Other people should not take advantage of this.

People should not tolerate exploitation, and the law should punish those who exploit them.

Investigators Actions

The investigators visited other properties associated with the family, including a house reportedly owned by Yufang Bao. They found what appear to be financial records linking the family to operations at multiple massage parlors, along with tens of thousands of dollars in cash.

Aside from that, based on the photos provided by Bernalillo County D.A.’s Office, they found a money counter.

“But I hope that this case sends a very clear signal,” said Bregman. “We’re not gonna put up with it anymore.”  

Further actions are still under review.

Ethics Commission Lawsuit Against Elevate is More Than Paperwork — It’s a Warning Flare for New Mexico

Juan Oliveros
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Ethics Commission Lawsuit Against Elevate is More Than Paperwork — It’s a Warning Flare for New Mexico

There are moments when a lawsuit is more than a court submission. Sometimes it is a civic warning flare. The lawsuit brought Thursday by the New Mexico State Ethics Commission against Elevate New Mexico is one of these moments.

Elevate New Mexico is described as a shadowy, out-of-state company behind a sweeping campaign that promotes the proposed OpenAI-Oracle “Project Jupiter” data center complex. And the lawsuit against the company is not just about paperwork, registration rules, or reporting requirements. At stake is the integrity of democratic consent. It is not only about compliance with the state’s Lobbyist Regulation Act.

According to the complaint filed in state district court, the company spent money on ads urging residents to support permits for natural gas power plants tied to Project Jupiter. The complaint alleged that Elevate New Mexico lobbied state regulators during a critical public comment period while it refused to register as a lobbying organization or disclose who funds the campaign.

“Despite the Commission’s request for compliance with the registration and disclosure requirements…Elevate refuses to register and to disclose any information related to its expenditures and contributions for its advertising campaign for the purpose of lobbying Secretary Kenney to approve Acoma, LLC’s air permit applications,” the lawsuit says.

The public, the lawsuit stresses, has a right to know “who is contributing money to fund advertising campaigns for lobbying, including who Elevate is and who is contributing money to Elevate.”

That should trouble anyone, regardless of their stand on artificial intelligence, data centers, or economic development. Because the question here is simple: If a project is as transformative and beneficial as New Elevate Mexico claims, why hide the messengers?

The ads promised prosperity in almost astronomical proportions — hundreds of millions in community investments, enhancements to water systems, and thousands of jobs. Mailers bearing carefully curated imagery invoke New Mexico identity while hiding the interests behind them.

In March, Brant reported that purple and yellow mailers began arriving across the state. The mailers came with a promise of $360 million in community investments, $50 million for local water system upgrades, and “thousands of high-paying careers” prioritizing residents of Doña Ana County.

Critics called it “brownwashing,” using stock photography and corporate names wrapped in regional symbolism. Those criticisms sounded harsh months ago. But the Ethics Commission lawsuit now gives them a voice.

“New Mexicans have a right to know who is funding efforts to influence state official acts that impact their communities, environment, health, and public resources,” State Ethics Commission Deputy Director Amelia Bierle said in a statement.

This is not about an isolated fight over one ad campaign. It lies at the intersection of several larger issues: the unchecked expansion of energy-intensive AI infrastructure, the increasing political power of shadowy corporate advocacy groups, and a pattern in which communities are asked to bear the environmental risks while outsiders dictate the narrative.

Project Jupiter has already stirred the hornet’s nest over water, emissions, and the reliance on natural gas generation amid a warming world. Those debates deserve an explanation. New Mexicans instead were met with a multimillion-dollar campaign whose financial backers remain a mystery.

The Ethics Commission is right. Disclosure is not optional. Transparency is not an anti-business burden. But the minimum price of legitimacy.

“Considering the quantity of greenhouse gases and nitrogen oxides that Project Jupiter microgrids are likely to emit, this matter is of great public import,” the Commission said in its court filing.

This case may seem procedural, but disclosure laws exist precisely because power often prefers anonymity. Money seeks influence quietly. Democracy demands transparency.

And there is a larger irony. Proponents of Project Jupiter hyped it as the infrastructure of the future. Yet the politics surrounding the massive project have unfolded through secrecy, front groups, and undisclosed spending.

Indeed, it is difficult to sell the future while operating like a machine from the past.

The lawsuit does not decide whether Project Jupiter should proceed. It shouldn’t be. That judgment belongs to state regulators and, ultimately, the public. It insists, however, on something indispensable before any such decision can be legitimate: people have the right to know who is trying to persuade them.

That should not be controversial. In a political age saturated with dark money and artificial grassroots campaigns, the state has drawn a line worth defending.

Whether this lawsuit compels disclosure from Elevate New Mexico or exposes broader networks of influence, it serves as a reminder that economic development cannot come wrapped in secrecy and still claim public trust.

The question raised by this lawsuit is not only about who funded these ads. It is who speaks for New Mexico: is it the people, or the money speaking through anonymous intermediaries?

A court may answer the legal question. Citizens should insist on transparency, too. Upon knowing of the court filing, Neeshia Macanowicz, a Las Cruces resident who received one of the mailers, said: “I hope this is indicative of what’s to come.”

Reports Drop in Syphilis and STI Cases in 2026 Health Update

Victoria Padilla
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Health officials in New Mexico reported a decline in sexually transmitted infections, including syphilis, based on data released during STI Awareness Week by the New Mexico Department of Health.

The department recorded an 18.6% drop in syphilis cases. It also recorded a 32.4% drop in congenital syphilis cases between 2024 and 2025. Officials linked this improvement to stronger prevention programs, better testing, and increased public awareness.

The report came out in April 2026 during STI Awareness Week.

The findings focus on infection trends in New Mexico, United States.

Health officials continue to encourage residents to get tested, practice safe sex, and seek early treatment to help prevent the spread of infections.

The New Mexico Department of Health highlighted these results as a sign of progress in ongoing public health efforts.

Trump Participates in Healthcare Event Discussing Innovation and Affordability

Victoria Padilla
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Donald Trump attended a healthcare event in Washington, D.C. Government officials and healthcare workers attended the forum to discuss rising medical costs and new healthcare ideas.

The forum gathered policymakers and industry experts. They discussed problems affecting the healthcare system.

Many discussions focused on healthcare costs, health policies, and new health technology.

Organizers held the forum in April 2026 as part of ongoing talks about healthcare reform in the United States.

During the event, Trump spoke about healthcare policies. He also highlighted new technologies that could improve medical services.

He said these technologies could help make healthcare easier to access.

Trump also mentioned possible reforms that could make healthcare more affordable for Americans.

Participants also talked about the challenges facing the healthcare sector. They also explored ways to improve healthcare services nationwide.

Small Actions, Big Difference: Students Make an Impact on Earth Day

Gregg Morgan
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Small Actions, Big Difference: Students Make an Impact on Earth Day

Have you done something meaningful for the environment on Earth Day? The Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) students took action through interactive activities. 

Tree planting has been a common activity to show love for nature. Atrisco Heritage Academy High School celebrated Earth Day by participating in the inaugural Sapling Summit 2026. The collaborative community initiative brought students, staff, and local partners together to make a lasting impact on campus. 

Abeyta’s Nursery led the Sapling Summit in partnership with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department and Atrisco Heritage Academy. Participants planted more than 20 trees across the school grounds, gaining hands-on experience in environmental stewardship and community engagement.

Family Community Liaison Specialist Priscilla Valdez coordinated the event at AHA. AHA Family Center interns organized and assisted throughout the event, working closely with students to encourage participation. AHA cheerleaders also joined the effort, building excitement and school spirit while supporting the event.

Students worked side-by-side with deputies from BCSO and community partners. They reinforced the importance of teamwork, civic engagement, and community pride.

AHA creates opportunities for students to gain real-world experiences that build responsibility, teamwork, and pride in their school community.

Additional Earth Day Learning Activities

At Dolores Gonzales Elementary, students celebrated Earth Day with hands-on activities. They explored sustainability, agriculture, and environmental care. 

The school partnered with Bernalillo County Solid Waste Services, Bernalillo County 4-H, New Mexico Agriculture in the Classroom, and the ABQ BioPark. Together, they created an engaging Earth Day experience for students.

All day long, students learned about the power of healthy soil and the essential elements of agriculture. They also discovered the joys and responsibilities of raising animals. Community partners delivered interactive lessons helping students better understand where food comes from and how land care supports healthy communities.

Students also stepped outside the classroom to participate in a campus cleanup. They took pride in caring for their school environment.

Every student planted a seed and gained knowledge needed to help it grow as Earth Day ended. The experience reinforced the importance of sustainability, stewardship, and food sovereignty. It also showed students how small actions can make a big difference for the planet.

Health Coverage in Charts: Who Actually Benefits From Government Subsidies?

Victoria Padilla
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The analysis concerns U.S. residents, healthcare providers, and agencies at various government levels (federal, state, and local). The topic of U.S. healthcare subsidies distribution is central to understanding the involved parties.

The analysis examines the effects of government subsidies, such as cash transfers, tax breaks, and health insurance programs. These effects influence overall healthcare coverage and shape the distribution of U.S. healthcare subsidies across the population.

The analysis will be published in April 2026 as part of a revision of trends in U.S. healthcare spending.

The focus is on the United States healthcare sector, where public and private spending are closely linked. Therefore, the distribution of U.S. healthcare subsidies is a key part of healthcare financing.

It also seeks to investigate how governments allocate subsidies and whether public funding favors specific populations or programs.

A recent analysis of health spending in the United States found that almost every American receives some form of government healthcare subsidy. This raises questions about who truly benefits from public healthcare spending. It also raises questions about how much the government spends on healthcare, which directly connects to the distribution of U.S. healthcare subsidies.

The analysis also notes that the government plays a major role in the American healthcare system. It funds medical costs in several ways. These include Medicare, Medicaid, tax deductions, and health insurance subsidies.

According to the findings, government funding makes up the largest share of total healthcare spending. Although Medicare and Medicaid receive much attention, they cover fewer than half of insured Americans. In addition, subsidies are available in most types of health insurance.

The study also finds that most Americans benefit from government healthcare spending even if they do not directly enroll in public programs.

Too Many Hunters, Limited Tags—New Mexico’s Hunting Tag System Takes Heat

Juan Oliveros
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Too Many Hunters, Limited Tags—New Mexico’s Hunting Tag System Takes Heat

Changes to the hunting tag system may be on the horizon as the law takes away the governor’s power over appointments to the State Game Commission. The commission, which will be named the State Wildlife Commission, will undergo a restructuring beginning January 1, 2027.

That looming overhaul comes as New Mexico’s big game tag system faces growing criticism. Hunters, outfitters, and conservation groups are questioning whether access to public wildlife is becoming increasingly uneven.

This year, the state has more than 290,000 applicants for big game hunting tags. But the draw results released on Wednesday showed that only about one in five were successful. Around 230,000 applicants went home empty-handed. These unsuccessful applicants may try again next season or pay more for alternative access.

For many hunters, the frustration is not only about odds. “I feel like there should be a chase for quality,” one hunter said while on a trip with outfitter Cole Johnson. “Whether it’s a quality animal, or a quality experience.”

Johnson runs Black Horn Guide Service in Artesia. He said hunting is meant to be about time in the field, shared experience, and tradition. But he admitted that the draw system itself has become part of the modern hunting story. “It’s almost like a welfare system for outfitters,” Johnson said.

New Mexico’s public draw system is designed to favor residents. State law allocates 84 percent of tags to state residents, 10 percent to hunters using outfitters, and 6 percent to nonresidents. But critics say those figures don’t tell the full picture.

The Elk Private Land Use System (EPLUS), a separate channel, allows landowners to receive hunting permits they can either use or sell. These private land authorizations are often traded on the open market, outside the public draw.

A 2020 Legislative Finance Committee report showed that about three-quarters of private land elk tags eventually go to out-of-state hunters. These hunters, according to the report, pay significantly higher fees and sometimes gain access to private land arrangements tied to broader hunting areas.

“The system is rigged against New Mexico residents,” said Jesse Deubel of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. His federation’s analysis suggests that the inclusion of private land allocations resulted in state hunters receiving closer to two-thirds of total elk tags — well below the share that many residents believe they are guaranteed.

“It’s a lifestyle, it’s a tradition,” Deubel said. “But we’re losing it because New Mexicans cannot draw tags.” But industry representatives argued that the structure is an economic engine for rural communities.

“It’s a business incentive,” said Kerrie Romero, executive director of the New Mexico Council of Outfitters & Guides. “Lots of other industries have business incentives… and that’s what the outfitter pool is.”

Nonresident hunters pay more, and the revenue supports local economies linked to tourism and outdoor recreation. Johnson explained that some private land elk permits can sell for between $15,000 and $20,000.

Still, even within the outfitting community, the system’s reputation doesn’t sit well with everyone. “I always thought it was kind of funny,” Johnson said, “because a lot of the people who support the outfitter pool are very much like, ‘We hate welfare.’ But they’re deeply tied into a system that functions like one.”

Officials claim they are aware of the growing debate. They maintain, however, that any structural changes will depend on lawmakers.

“We certainly do hear the concerns of the public at large and are willing to listen to their input,” said Darren Vaughan, communications director for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. He said everything depends on how hard they will lobby for the legislature to change the system, adding that “we will abide by whatever the legislature requires.”

New Mexico is heading toward a restructured wildlife commission in 2027. But the fight over who gets access to its prized big game tags appears far from over: hunters are facing a dilemma between tradition, economics, and a system many describe as under increasing strain.

New Mexico Loses Thousands of Federal Jobs as Unemployment Climbs to its Highest since 2022

Juan Oliveros
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New Mexico Loses Thousands of Federal Jobs as Unemployment Climbs to its Highest since 2022

New Mexico lost some 2,700 federal jobs last year, according to a jobs report released Wednesday. The workforce reduction is linked to cost-cutting efforts under Donald Trump’s administration that are beginning to ripple through the state’s economy.

The job losses brought the state’s unemployment rate to 4.7 percent in February. It is the highest level since March 2022, when New Mexico was recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions show marked disparities across counties. Los Alamos County posted a low unemployment rate of 2.3 percent, while Luna County posted 16.5 percent. Bernalillo County registered the same as the statewide rate at 4.7 percent, while Santa Fe County came in close at 4.4 percent.

Economist Kelly O’Donnell said the job losses underscore New Mexico’s dependence on federal employment and spending. This dependence, she said, makes the state particularly vulnerable to policy changes in Washington.

“This is probably a taste of some pretty serious economic headwinds,” O’Donnell said. “New Mexico is very vulnerable to uncertainty and volatility at the federal level.”

Job gains in other sectors helped cushion the impact of the federal layoffs. The state has added 1,900 jobs over the same period, while private employers contributed some 1,600 new positions.

Health care and social assistance topped job growth, adding 2,800 positions. The retail sector followed, which grew by 2,100 jobs.

These gains, however, were partly offset by losses in sectors linked to immigration policy. Construction and manufacturing lost a combined 2,300 jobs last year, reflecting labor shortages and policy impacts, O’Donnell said.

“I don’t think we can underestimate the negative impact that federal immigration policy is having on New Mexico’s economy,” she said. The economist noted that industries such as construction and food processing heavily rely on immigrant labor.

Inflation may add further stress in the months ahead. The consumer price index rose 3.3 percent through March, data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics showed. The uptick is driven largely by energy costs, including higher gas prices.

“The profound uncertainty that many of us are experiencing has to be having a chilling effect on employment, if nothing else,” O’Donnell said. “I expect that it will be an increasingly prominent factor in March and April.”

Federal agencies are also feeling the strain of reduced staffing. One agency official, Prather, said the cuts have left remaining workers barely keeping up. “We’re absolutely strapped,” he said, adding that staff have taken on “a ton of extra responsibilities.”

That’s the reason why some senior employees are opting to leave under the current administration, Prather said. “It’s a crushing thing that’s happening,” he said. “For those who want to get out, I can’t blame them — but we’re at critical levels here.”

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