KSFR News

State Senate Minority Leader Bill Sharer is once again calling for Andrea Romero to resign from the legislature and the subcommittee investigating Zorro Ranch and Jeffrey Epstein. Romero is the chair of the Survivors' Truth Commission.

Sharer pointed to $100,000 in capital outlay funds that Romero sent to the local District Attorney's office during the 2026 legislative session. A couple of months after approving the funds Romero took a part-time job at the same DA's office.

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Much has changed since the 9/11 terror attacks 25 years ago. Almost 3,000 people died that day making it the deadliest terrorist attack in history. Each one of those people had family members- parents, children, siblings. Each life lost that day undoubtedly rippled out into waves of grief, anger and confusion, changing innumerable lives.

But the country changed as well. Surveillance measures were heightened and Islamophobia surged. 

Much has changed since the 9/11 terror attacks 25 years ago. Almost 3,000 people died that day making it the deadliest terrorist attack in history. Each one of those people had family members--parents, children, siblings. Each life lost that day undoubtedly rippled out into waves of grief, anger and confusion, changing innumerable lives.

But the country changed as well. Surveillance measures were heightened and Islamophobia surged. Four days after the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh man, was murdered while working at the Chevron gas station he owned in Mesa, Arizona. When the murderer was arrested, he reportedly told police that he was seeking revenge for the 9/11 attacks, which were carried out by Muslim extremist group al Qaeda.

While Muslims and other religious minorities have become more respected in the United States, religious discrimination and xenophobia persist. Communities in Albuquerque recently tried to block construction of a new mosque. The Department of Homeland Security faced backlash this week for posting an image depicting an Indian man with the caption, "Get off our roads, you don't know how to drive Mr. Singh." 

Democratic candidate for governor Deb Haaland spent her Labor Day weekend speaking to supporters around Northern New Mexico. That included a stop at the KTAOS Solar Center in Taos. 

Haaland detailed some of her policy objectives including more transparency for Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the state.

"I want to pass laws that say no law enforcement officer in New Mexico can conceal their identity," she told the cheering crowd.

But Haaland told KSFR after the rally that she worried state laws would have little effect. 

 The problem is, they wouldn't care," she said. "They're following orders from a racist president who doesn't value human life."

Santa Fe City Council is reviving a plan to convert the old Lamplighter Inn into low-income housing. The plan has been met with delays and the original funding stream fell apart earlier this year. Now the city plans to pursue financing through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. 

The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that city council heard a presentation on the plan from a consulting firm at Wednesday night's meeting. 

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Somos Un Pueblo Unido launched a new tool for immigrant workers in New Mexico last week. Somos Futuro is a Spanish-language online platform that connects workers with skills building, job training, financial assistance and other opportunities. 

Somos Futuro is intended to be an online hub--bringing together resources that can be difficult to find or navigate. 

State Senate Minority Leader Bill Sharer is once again calling for Andrea Romero to resign from the legislature and the subcommittee investigating Zorro Ranch and Jeffrey Epstein. Romero is the chair of the Survivors' Truth Commission. 

Sharer pointed to $100,000 in capital outlay funds that Romero sent to the local District Attorney's office during the 2026 legislative session. A couple of months after approving the funds Romero took a part-time job at the same DA's office. 

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 Renewable energy development has become more important on the Navajo Nation since coal-related revenue has dwindled in recent years. 

But some Navajo citizens are raising concerns about renewable projects. They say they're seeing patterns that were troublesome with coal projects- extractive practices, little community benefit and a lack of transparency. 

"Y'all read that ridiculous, stupid tweet by the president of the United States? He says that he's going to name "New Mexico" "New America." 

That was how Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland chose to open her speech at campaign stop in Taos on Sunday afternoon. 

The speech was just a few hours after President Trump posted a map on Truth Social that showed the state of New Mexico with the word "Mexico" crossed out and replaced with "America." The official White House account reposted the image on X.

New Mexico Democratic Party Spokeswoman Mila Myles called on Haaland's opponent, Republican Greg Hull to denounce Trump's post. Hull said in a statement Sunday, "New Mexico does not need a new name. This state carries the history of Native nations and Spanish explorers who named this land nearly five hundred years ago, and generations of families who built New Mexico into what is is today. That identity is not up for negotiation." 

US Senator Martin Heinrich has introduced new legislation to strengthen Native language presence in Tribal Head Start programs. But, the Trump administration is pushing for all instruction to be in the English language

A New Mexico activist spoke at the UN and called for and end to nuclear testing.

And for the first time, a Native American will become the Zozobra Fire Spirit.

Plus, candidates for Lieutenant Governor share their thoughts on how to improve education in New Mexico. 

The two Republican members of the Survivors' Truth Commission are once again raising concerns about the commission's chair, Democratic Representative Andrea Romero. The bipartisan committee was formed to investigate Jeffrey Epstein and abuse that occurred at his Santa Fe County property, Zorro Ranch. 

Romero used a media relations firm contracted by the commission to issue a statement about her personal employment controversy. She claimed to have the commission's permission. 

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Republicans will run unopposed in two state House races in the general election this fall. Democrats tried to nominate replacements for two candidates that dropped out of their races. The New Mexico Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the party did not meet a deadline for nominating the replacements.

New legislation from U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich looks to strengthen Native language use in Tribal Head Start programs. The New Mexico Democrat introduced the Native Language Educators in Classrooms Act last month. Senator Alan Armstrong, a Republican from Oklahoma, is also a cosponsor of the bipartisan legislation. 

If it becomes law, the bill will recognize the knowledge of elders and fluent Native language speakers, allowing them to bypass some degree requirements for Head Start programs. It would also recognize more credentials from Tribal colleges and universities. 

The legislation comes as the Trump administration proposes a sweeping overhaul of the Head Start system. Educators and politicians nationwide are pushing back. 

One proposed change is directly at odds with Heinrich’s new legislation. The Trump administration wants to require all programs to be taught in the English language. Other plans include potentially eliminating small class sizes, math and literacy standards, and free dental and medical screenings.

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Than Povi Martinez will become the first Native American Fire Spirit at the Burning of Zozobra this Friday. Bernadette Lauritzen has more on Martinez’s rise through the flames.