SANTA FE – Having met the goal of 60 percent of eligible residents completing their COVID-19 vaccination series, the state of New Mexico on Thursday will remove the remaining pandemic occupancy restrictions on commercial and day-to-day activities, including the color-coded county-by-county system. Sixty-two percent of eligible New Mexicans have completed their vaccination series as of Tuesday, according to Department of …

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico legalized the possession of recreational cannabis on Tuesday and allowed hobbyists to start growing their own weed at home, as regulators prepared for the launch next year of recreational marijuana sales. The milestone was celebrated by cannabis consumers and advocates for criminal justice reform that believe poor and minority communities have been prosecuted …

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Two former officials with the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department are suing the state under whistleblower protection laws. Debra and Cliff Gilmore announced the lawsuit Thursday after filing it with a state district court earlier this week. It’s the latest fallout from the use of the Signal messaging app by the Children, Youth, …

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Two former officials with the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department are suing the state under whistleblower protection laws. Debra and Cliff Gilmore announced the lawsuit Thursday after filing it with a state district court earlier this week. It’s the latest fallout from the use of the Signal messaging app by the Children, Youth, …

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The University of New Mexico has helped lead a national study of hesitancy surrounding COVID-19 vaccines, which found it prevalent in its own state. The school announced Wednesday researchers with the UNM Center for Social Policy joined a coalition of groups to conduct the American COVID-19 Vaccine Poll. The poll encompassed 13,000 people from across various …

SANTA FE – The state of New Mexico confirmed the first prize winners in the Vax 2 the Max Sweepstakes, a $10 million cash sweepstakes funded by federal stimulus and intended to incentivize COVID-19 vaccinations. Four vaccinated New Mexicans — one from each public health region of the state — are each confirmed winners of $250,000, as drawn at random by the …

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico residents who get vaccinated against COVID-19 will now be eligible for a $100 incentive. The New Mexico Department of Health over the weekend announced the reward for anyone who gets the second dose or the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine by Thursday. State health officials are trying to reach a goal of having …

ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) — Severe flooding in eastern New Mexico has prompted Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to declare states of emergency in Lincoln and Chaves counties. The governor issued her executive orders Wednesday, freeing up $1.5 million for the counties to use for repairs and to prevent more damage. State officials say the flooding that began over the Memorial Day …

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A nationwide search is underway for an administrator to guide New Mexico’s expansion of high-speed internet, with an appointment expected in July. Details of the talent search are part of a progress report by state information technology officials, scheduled for discussion Thursday at a legislative hearing. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham expanded the search …

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican officials said Friday they will use 1 million U.S. doses of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine to inoculate people along the border. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said the vaccinations along Mexico’s northern border with the United States is part of an effort to fully reopen border crossings, which are currently restricted to essential …