WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. - The Naabik’íyáti Committee of the 24th Navajo Nation Council announced March 12 that the March 13 and 14 Uranium Public Hearings planned for Chinle and Tuba City are postponed until further notice.

“The postponements come in the wake of declarations of emergencies by Arizona, New Mexico, and the Navajo Nation over the spread of COVID-19. The responses have been made after COVID-19 cases in all southwestern states were confirmed.

“As a preemptive measure, the Navajo Nation Council is postponing the uranium public hearings to reduce the potential for unintentional transmission,” 24th Navajo Nation Council Speaker Seth Damon said.

The Legislative Branch...

At the same time it admits students lack a sufficient education

ALBUQUERQUE - In a motion asking the First Judicial District Court to dismiss the Yazzie/Martinez v. State of New Mexico lawsuit on March 13, the state acknowledged it continues to violate students’ rights to a sufficient education. Legal counsel for the Yazzie plaintiff families pledge to continue litigation to hold the state accountable to comply with the court’s landmark ruling.

The following can be attributed to Gail Evans, lead counsel for the Yazzie plaintiffs in the Yazzie/Martinez v. State of New Mexico lawsuit.

“The state knows it must make comprehensive changes to fix the education system for our...

Letter to Vice President outlines need for contingency plan for rural communities as more COVID-19 cases are identified nationwide

Las Cruces, N.M. ­– Today, Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small, N.M.-02, Ann Kuster, N.H.-02, and Jared Huffman, CA-02, were joined by 19 additional House colleagues urging Vice President Pence’s COVID-19 Taskforce to prioritize the needs of rural healthcare providers, even after Congress passes the economic stimulus package aimed at providing immediate relief for families, businesses, and workers in rural and urban communities alike. Specifically, the letter outlines a need for a contingency plan to provide immediate assistance for rural communities as...

The New Mexico Small Business Investment Corporation, at its March 23 meeting, committed up to $25 million to its lending partners to assist New Mexico businesses that have been impacted by market disruption related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

“Small businesses across the state, in nearly every sector of the economy, are suffering devastating losses,” Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said. “We are tapping every resource we have, such as the NMSBIC, to provide relief to businesses during this unprecedented public health emergency.”

Joseph Badal, NMSBIC’s president and chairman stated, “We have never experienced anything like this before. It’s vital for the NMSBIC...