DOJ grant will expand AG’s efforts

LAS CRUCES––As part of his commitment to combat human trafficking, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas announced Oct. 8 the award of $1.5 million in federal grant funding to combat human trafficking in New Mexico.

The collaborative grants will fund efforts across New Mexico to fight human trafficking, provide services for victims and expand research.

New Mexico is one of 16 sites selected for an anti-trafficking task force award, receiving $1.5 million to support law enforcement efforts and victims’ services for the next three years.

“Human trafficking, modern-day slavery, is not someone else’s problem; it’s happening across...

The New Mexico Office of the State Auditor released its Findings Report Sept. 22.

The report is a comprehensive list of state local government financial workings. This report focused on three main areas: audit opinion, types of annual findings, and repeated findings. The Findings report gave the City of Gallup a Qualified Opinion.

According to the Findings Report, a qualified opinion states that the auditor concludes misstatements, individually, or in the aggregate, are material, but not pervasive to the financial statements.

New Mexico State Auditor Timothy Keller said that historically the city of Gallup has had challenges. However, with the upcoming audit due in October, Keller is...

University of New Mexico Athletic Director Paul Krebs spoke about the college’s current state of athletics to the Gallup Rotary Club at Sammy C’s Sept. 23.

He touched on NCAA government structure, and the more controversial topic of Fantasy Football, which reportedly markets toward college-age males. The NCAA governs college sports and defines Fantasy Football as gambling. If a student-athlete is caught playing the popular game, the penalties are harsh and could result in a suspension or ban from playing college sports.

Meanwhile, Krebs expressed confidence about UNM having a voice on the NCAA Board of Directors. Kendall Spencer, a UNM long jump champion, has become the first...

SANTE FE – Gov. Susana Martinez announced Sept. 23 that the state served more than two million nutritious meals to low-income children over the summer. The Children, Youth, and Families Department, through its partnership with the US Department of Agriculture, provides free nutritious meals during the summer months to children age 18 and younger.

“Making sure that New Mexico’s children have food on their plates every day is so important to their health and wellbeing,” Martinez said. “And sadly, when school is out of session, many of our kids no longer have access to the healthy meals they once relied on. That’s why I’m proud that our summer food program continues to feed...