House New Mexico Dems denounce NNSA furloughs, push for more info
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Two New Mexico Congressional delegation members have joined other Democratic lawmakers demanding the federal government reverse its decision to furlough federal workers overseeing nuclear weapons work and stockpile.
Source New Mexico reports U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright confirmed 1,400 employees across the nation had been furloughed as part of the ongoing federal government shutdown that began Oct. 1. Those employees include 152 National Nuclear Security Agency workers in New Mexico. That leaves only 14 employees split between the agency鈥檚 Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories locations. The furloughs are the National Nuclear Security Agency鈥檚 first since its creation in 2000. There were no furloughs during previous shutdowns.
Democratic U.S. Reps. Melanie Stansbury and Teresa Leger Fern谩ndez, representing the 1st and 3rd congressional districts signed an Oct. 23 letter, along with Reps. Eric Swalwell from California, Dina Titus from Nevada and more than 20 other members of Congress.
The letter, addressed to Dept. of Energy Secretary Wright and National Nuclear Security Agency Administrator Brandon Williams, asks for an explanation of why more NNSA employees were not kept on as essential workers, 鈥済iven the gravity of their duties鈥� in overseeing the nuclear weapons stockpile and nonproliferation work overseas.
Other questions the letter asks to be answered by Nov. 7 include the administration鈥檚 legal basis for furloughing NNSA staff, along with an accounting for the total numbers of staff furloughed and remaining on duty.
The letter, which notes the unprecedented nature of the NNSA furloughs, concludes with a request that the agency reverse its decision.
NM delegation calls on USDA to use contingency funds to pay for SNAP in November -
Three members of New Mexico鈥檚 congressional delegation said Thursday that the United States Department of Agriculture has all the money it needs to keep food assistance flowing to 42 million Americans in November, despite officials鈥� claims otherwise.
In a little more than a week, more than 450,000 New Mexicans will likely not receive SNAP payments, according to state officials. That鈥檚 because the USDA on Oct. 10 sent state SNAP administrators a letter ordering them not to send SNAP recipient information to statewide vendors due to 鈥渋nsufficient funds鈥� resulting from the ongoing federal government shutdown.
But U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fern谩ndez, who represents New Mexico鈥檚 3rd Congressional District, said Thursday that the USDA has access to $5 billion in SNAP 鈥渃ontingency funds鈥� it could use to keep SNAP recipients fed.
鈥淧resident Trump could act today to make sure families don鈥檛 go hungry 鈥� but instead he鈥檚 using hunger as punishment while taking $200 million from billionaires for a gilded ballroom and sending a $40 billion bailout to Argentina. That鈥檚 cruel. That鈥檚 un-American,鈥� Leger Fern谩ndez said in a statement.
Food and Nutrition Services, the USDA division that runs SNAP, did not respond to Source New Mexico鈥檚 request for comment Thursday about why it isn鈥檛 using contingency funds 鈥� money Leger Fern谩ndez said was 鈥渟et aside specifically for emergencies like this鈥� 鈥� to keep benefits flowing through Thanksgiving despite the shutdown.
In addition to the statement, Leger Fern谩ndez joined about 180 colleagues in signing a letter regarding SNAP expected to be sent tomorrow, according to her spokesperson. Democratic members of the Senate, including U.S. Sens. Ben Ray Luj谩n and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, sent their own letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins earlier Thursday.
The latter also notes the USDA鈥檚 contingency funding as one example of the agency having sufficient funding and authority to avoid any lapse in SNAP funding.
鈥淎mericans are already struggling with the rising cost of groceries, and they cannot afford a sudden lapse in grocery assistance,鈥� the letter reads.
New Mexico , with $90 million in benefits serving 250,000 households hanging in the balance come Nov. 1. Food banks across the state are gearing up to meet the increased demand, thoughWednesday they do not have the capacity to meet an increase in demand for food.
Michael Coleman, Gov. Michellle Lujan Grisham鈥檚 communications director, told Source in a statement Wednesday evening that the governor is 鈥渃arefully assessing options for those whose benefits could be abruptly cut off Nov. 1.鈥�
However, spokespersons from the Health Care Authority, which administers SNAP, and the governor鈥檚 office did not provide further comment Thursday about how the state might intervene to save the benefits.
鈥淕ov. Lujan Grisham is fully aware and deeply concerned that food security is in grave jeopardy for nearly a half-million New Mexicans who rely on the SNAP program,鈥� Coleman said.
D铆a de los Muertos celebration transforms Old Town with ofrendas, globitos and more
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In Albuquerque鈥檚 Old Town, Dia de los Muertos celebrations begin this weekend and will continue through the Nov. 2nd holiday, which falls on a Sunday this year.
The Albuquerque Journal reports observances will culminate with the plaza transforming into a Plaza de los Recuerdos on Saturday, November 1st. Members of the community can sign up for a 6-by-6-foot spot and build an ofrenda in the plaza.
J.J. Mancini, president of the Historic Old Town Association told the Journal last year the event had about 20 ofrendas and they expect up to 75 this year.
Events will also include a Catrina procession, a candlelight procession and other traditional events for the community.
The Globitos Candlelight Glow, featuring tiny hot-air balloons will bring a Burqueno touch to the observances. The globitos will be on the street and church courtyard during the evening this Saturday and Sunday and also next Thursday evening.
The Historic Old Town Association is working with other groups, including San Felipe de Neri Catholic School and Escuela del Sol Montessori, along with Old Town merchants and homeowners.
New Mexico wins part of $51 million settlement from fraudulent coin scheme -
Six New Mexico investors will be compensated after they were defrauded of $2.2 million in a precious metals scheme by California-based company Safeguard Metals.
State officials announced Thursday that a final judgment has been made in a multi-state lawsuit against the company and its founder, Jeffrey Ikahn, after an investigation found that Safeguard had convinced its elderly victims to liquidate their retirement accounts to purchase overpriced metals and coins, generating around $68 million for the company.
In a 2022 , plaintiffs alleged that Ikahn and his sales agents posed as investment advisers and convinced elderly victims that the coins they bought would be more valuable and more secure than traditional investments using lies and high-pressure sales tactics.
Safeguard Metals has been ordered to pay $51.2 million for defrauding 450 victims across 30 states in a scheme that ran from October 2017 through July 2021, New Mexico officials said in a news release.
Half of the money will go to the victims for restitution, and the other half will be divided between the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and regulators in each state. The amount of settlement money going to the state of New Mexico has not yet been determined, said state Regulation and Licensing Department spokesperson Andrea Brown.
鈥淭his judgment sends a clear message: if you target elderly investors in our state, we will pursue every avenue to hold you accountable,鈥� Alissa Berger, lead counsel for New Mexico on the case, said in a statement.