State - Organ Mountain News (Page 2)

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham sits at her desk in a light blue jacket, and Attorney General Raúl Torrez stands outdoors in a navy suit and red tie.

New Mexico officials challenge federal suspension of November SNAP benefits

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Attorney General Raúl Torrez are pressing the USDA to reverse its decision to suspend November SNAP benefits, citing harm to 460,000 New Mexicans and potential legal overreach.

Two young children sit on the floor playing with a box of colorful sidewalk chalk, their hands reaching for pieces during an early learning or preschool activity.

State

Federal shutdown threatens Head Start; NM Dem introduces bill to extend protections

With the federal government shutdown threatening to cut funding for Head Start programs across New Mexico, U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández and colleagues introduced legislation to establish permanent protections for the early-education initiative.

Portrait of New Mexico State University creative-writing professor Connie Voisine, recipient of the 2025 Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts.

NMSU

NMSU professor among 2025 recipients of Governor’s Award for Excellence

Connie Voisine of New Mexico State University is among seven recipients of the 2025 Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, recognized for her poetry, teaching and role in elevating the literary arts across New Mexico.

State

New Mexico officials weighing options in advance of lost SNAP benefits

With SNAP benefits for 250 000 households in New Mexico hanging in the balance, state officials say they are evaluating every possible option—ramping up food-bank support and coordinating with schools and charities—to avoid a full-scale hunger crisis.

Side-by-side portraits of U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján.

Government

Heinrich, Luján back bill to compensate federal contract workers affected by shutdown

U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján are backing legislation to ensure New Mexico’s federal contract workers receive back pay for wages lost during the government shutdown.

A Roadrunner Food Bank truck with the message “Together we can solve hunger!” and a photo of a child is parked at a community food distribution site during a Feeding America partner event.

State

NM delegation calls on USDA to use contingency funds to pay for SNAP in November

Three members of the New Mexico delegation call on the USDA to tap contingency funds and ensure SNAP benefits continue for 250,000 households in the state in November, amid a federal government shutdown and an expected shortfall of $90 million in assistance.

Close-up portrait of Gene Grant smiling against a blue background.

State

Governor appoints Gene Grant to lead New Mexico Office of African American Affairs

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has appointed journalist and former PBS host Gene Grant as executive director of the New Mexico Office of African American Affairs.

Health

State launches initiative to improve health literacy across New Mexico

The New Mexico Department of Health has launched a statewide initiative to improve health literacy and help residents better understand and act on health information.

Public Safety

New Mexico boosts funding for regional behavioral health planning

The Administrative Office of the Courts says funding for regional behavioral health planning in New Mexico has increased to $60,000 per region under Senate Bill 3, the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act.