Latest news with #CrystalBrantley
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
KRQE Newsfeed: Phone policy, Border buffer, Cooler weather, Car show, Foodie fest
National Park Week includes free admission to state parks CABQ leaders renew commitment to environmental protection, renewable energy Diego 'Nightmare' Sanchez talks goals and dream matches Renewable energy focus of Balloon Fiesta Park Earth Day festival NMSP investigate fatal I-25 motorcycle crash New state law expands who can become a NM law enforcement officer Blue Origin slated to launch all-female flight into space [1] New Mexico schools will soon become phone-free – A new law that will declare schools as phone free will soon be taking effect in New Mexico. During this years legislative session, senator Crystal Brantley pushed for a state-wide policy that would incentivize school districts and charter schools to limit the use of mobile devices during instructional hours. The bill made its way to the finish line and was signed into law on the final day of signings. The bill also sets aside $10 million to reimburse schools for phone storage equipment. The new law requires schools to implement the policy no later than August 1. [2] White House memo allows military buffer zone along US-Mexico border – A new order coming from President Trump is establishing a military buffer zone in multiple states including New Mexico. The president recently issued a memo to allow the military to operate in what is known as the Roosevelt Reservation. It's a 60-foot wide strip of land that spans the border from California to New Mexico. According to the memo from the White House, it does exclude 'Federal Indian Reservations.' The order is also directing its use for border-barrier construction and emplacement of detection and monitoring equipment. The DOD has 45 days to review the first phase of the memo and its implementation. [3] Cloudier & cooler in New Mexico & breezier later this week – Spotty sprinkles are possible in the mountains throughout the day as easterly gap winds will temporarily pick up later this morning, but the front will stall along the Central Mountains throughout the day as southwesterly winds from the Metro to the west will lead to above-normal temperatures in the 70s and 80s. [4] Annual 'Honor Flight' car show held at Veterans Memorial Park – Honor Flight of Northern New Mexico held a car show Sunday, looking to raise funds for their annual flight to the nation's capital. Organizers say the car show helps this event get off the ground and lets them treat the vets like royalty. There were giveaways, food trucks, and donations from community partners around the city. The 2025 flights will take off June 11 through June 13, with 31 vets expected to fly. [5] Duke City Foodie Fest takes over Cliff's Amusement Park – Albuquerque locals got their taste buds sizzling with the Duke City Foodie Fest this weekend. Held at Cliff's Amusement Park on San Mateo, the two-day event featured more than 100 food trucks and vendors, activities for kids, and a food truck throwdown. With most food trucks being small businesses, owners say these events help them stay in business. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Mexico schools will soon become phone-free
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Statistics from the National Center for Education reveal more than half of public school leaders said cell phones hurt academic performance. And now, in New Mexico, schools will soon become 'phone free.' 'Our students are spending well over five hours a day on social media apps,' said Senator Crystal Brantley (R- Elephant Butte) in January. It's a major distraction school leaders have been grappling with nationwide. How to keep phones out of the classroom. 'It impacts not just their mental health but also proficiency rates in the classroom,' said Brantley to KRQE in March. Bernalillo County DA speaks out on juvenile crime bills not passing in the NM Legislature During this year's legislative session, Brantley has been fighting for a state-wide policy that would incentivize school districts and charter schools to limit the use of mobile devices during instructional hours. The bill also sets aside $10 million to reimburse schools for phone storage equipment, like phone lockers or a phone pouch already implemented in Taos schools. 'The only opposition that is loud and clear is from my own teenage daughters who are upset about the policy, but for the greater good of all New Mexico students, we hope to see it advance,' said Brantley to KRQE in March. Bill to manage wild horses in New Mexico passes, heads to governor's desk The bill made its way to the finish line and was signed into law on the final day of signings. Senator Brantley responded in a statement saying, 'This bill isn't just about test scores. It's about showing our kids that we care enough about their future to take practical steps forward when we can…The road to lifting New Mexico from the bottom in national education rankings is long—but this is one step in the right direction.' The senator also offered her gratitude to the governor, co-sponsor Moe Maestas, and both chambers for their support of the Distraction-Free Bill. 'It will help with social interaction so that our kids, and most importantly, it will help with academic success, to get them focused on the teachers, on the curriculum, in the classroom, and log off online,' said Brantley in January. The new law requires schools to implement the policy no later than August 1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Anti-distraction' bill moves through Roundhouse
SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – A bill making New Mexico schools phone free is moving forward in the Roundhouse. Senate Bill 11, dubbed the 'anti-distraction policy in schools,' is pushing for school districts to limit the use of cell phones during school hours. CYFD bills pass House Judiciary Committee Districts will be able to use new technology such as magnetic bags or lockers to hold students' phones while school is in session. The bill also allocates funds for grant programs distributed by the Public Education Department, so the financial cost doesn't fall on the districts. The senator sponsoring the bill hopes it will address phone addiction and better assist teachers in the classroom. 'We know that the average teen is spending over five hours a day on their cell phones. Much of that time is actually during the school hours, and it impacts not only their mental health but also proficiency rates in the classroom,' says Sen. Crystal Brantley (R- Elephant Butte) Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
After fishy debate, Senate approves bill modernizing NM Game and Fish department
Mar. 1—SANTA FE — New Mexico's Department of Game and Fish would get its biggest facelift in decades under a bill that cleared the state Senate on Saturday. After a lengthy debate that touched on fishing, wolves, prairie dogs and sand dune lizards, the Senate voted 28-12 to approve the legislation. This year's bill, Senate Bill 5, would rebrand the agency as the state Department of Wildlife, restructure the state Game Commission and increase license fees for anglers and hunters. An in-state New Mexico fishing license, for instance, would increase from $25 to $35, while an out-of-state seasonal fishing license would jump from $56 to $90. Backers of the legislation say the fee increases would help the agency remain functional. Other funding infusions would allow the department to take on a larger role in regulating and protecting New Mexico wildlife. They also described the bill as a delicate deal crafted after months of negotiations. "It is a compromise in which we have addressed concerns from all parties," said Sen. Crystal Brantley, R-Elephant Butte, one of the sponsors of the legislation. The bill has support from a broad coalition of conservation groups, including the New Mexico Wildlife Federation and the local chapters of Trout Unlimited and the Audubon Society. However, Sen. James Townsend, R-Artesia, pointed out groups like the New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association still oppose the legislation. Specifically, Townsend raised concern about whether the legislation would allow game wardens to kill predatory animals and how endangered species would be treated. "I think we need to be more definitive about what we're going to protect and what we're not," Townsend said. This year's bill marks the latest attempt to restructure the seven-member Game Commission, after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's removal of several commissioners and other turnover. The governor pocket vetoed a 2023 bill that would have changed how Game Commission members are appointed, while other measures have stalled at the Roundhouse. After several changes in Senate committees, this year's proposal advancing at the Roundhouse calls for the creation of a nominating committee to help vet new game commissioners, as is currently done for judicial vacancies. The governor would then be able to select names from among a list of nominees. Fishing and hunting issues have occasionally turned into political flashpoints at the Roundhouse, such as when lawmakers voted in 2015 to allow private landowners to bar public access to streams and rivers running through their property. The state Supreme Court in 2022 ruled the state Constitution allows public access to such waterways. Meanwhile, the Saturday vote came after senators rejected a series of amendments proposed by Sen. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, that sought to expand the scope of the legislation. "To try to change it at this point would be unfair, I think, to the process that got us to this point," said Senate President Pro Tem Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe. He also said the state might need to provide more funding for the Game and Fish department, which currently relies on license fees to fund its operations. "Putting it all on the backs of the fishermen and the hunters is an interesting way to do business," Wirth said. The bill now advances to the House of Representatives with three weeks left in the 60-day legislative session that ends March 22.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bill aims to improve telecommunications near New Mexico's southern border
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – A bill to improve telecommunications in border communities has cleared its first legislative hurdle. SB 51 would set aside $3 million to build cell and radio towers in Luna, Hidalgo, and Doña Ana counties. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Crystal Brantley (R-Elephant Butte), said those areas struggle with reliable service even during emergencies. Senate Finance Committee weighs proposed behavioral health package One rancher described a recent challenge he had after he found a border crosser passed out along a highway. 'We came up to the group and we were unable to call out and get any medical help for this person. So we actually had to backtrack several miles to our house to get on a landline so we could get some aid to this person.' The Senate Tax, Business, and Transportation Committee approved the bill on Tuesday. It now heads to the Senate Finance Committee. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
