New Mexico
CYFD leaders face tough questions as lawmakers seek solutions
New Mexico lawmakers had tough questions for leaders of the Children, Youth & Families Department Thursday morning. Members of the Senate Finance Committee did not hold back.
SANTA FE, N.M. — New Mexico lawmakers had tough questions for leaders of the Children, Youth & Families Department Thursday morning. Members of the Senate Finance Committee did not hold back.
Cabinet secretaries from CYFD and three other agencies impacting children presented their plans for improving childhood well-being in New Mexico.
However, it was clear state lawmakers wanted to talk about their concerns with the CARA program, also known as the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. It’s a voluntary program that’s meant to help families with newborn babies exposed to drugs or alcohol.
The program has been around since 2019, but a recent legislative report found nearly 42% of families did not know they had a recovery plan – and for the families who do know they have plans, the report found the state does not regularly follow through with treatments and services.
Our 4 Investigates team has pointed out problems with tracking those plans, and department leaders acknowledged Thursday that there is not one state agency that oversees the program. They suggested that’s part of the issue, but state lawmakers were surprised that revelation didn’t come with solutions.
“In the interim legislators have discussed all summer long how we are going to come in and fix this broken agency, and to have the agency itself arrive now, while session has started, without any proposed solutions for us, is extremely disappointing,” said Republican state Sen. Crystal Brantley.
Brantley, a fierce advocate of CYFD reform and oversight efforts, submitted a bill this year that would require CYFD to conduct family assessments if those families don’t follow their CARA recovery plans.
House Republicans submitted a nearly identical bill, and it appears Democrat lawmakers are also working on a similar initiative.
It’s not clear if the governor will let those bills move forward since she has her own plan for CYFD. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is asking state lawmakers for nearly $25 million to create a new family services division at CYFD, and part of that funding would go to the CARA program.
CYFD Secretary Teresa Casados said Thursday that she is not against increased transparency and oversight, but doesn’t believe it is time for state lawmakers to get involved.
“Like I said, I’m not opposed to transparency, I just have asked the governor that this legislative session if we can refrain from submitting legislation to give us an opportunity to truly determine what is needed at that agency,” Casados said. “Much of the work we can do through policy or through rulemaking, through holding our staff accountable. It’s not work that has to be done through legislation.”
Some state lawmakers believe it’s time to take CYFD out of the governor’s hands.
Four Democrats have filed a proposed constitutional amendment that would remove the cabinet secretary position and put a three-person commission in charge. The governor would appoint one of those commissioners and state lawmakers would pick the other two.
Because it’s a constitutional amendment, the governor would not be able to stop it if state lawmakers decided to go down that route. New Mexico voters would make the final decision.
Saint Joseph’s (PA) Hawks (24-11, 14-6 A-10) at New Mexico Lobos (25-10, 14-8 MWC)
Albuquerque, New Mexico; Tuesday, 9 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: New Mexico and Saint Joseph’s (PA) meet in the National Invitation Tournament.
The Lobos are 14-8 against MWC opponents and 11-2 in non-conference play. New Mexico ranks second in the MWC with 9.6 offensive rebounds per game led by Tomislav Buljan averaging 4.1.
The Hawks are 14-6 in A-10 play. Saint Joseph’s (PA) scores 73.3 points and has outscored opponents by 3.4 points per game.
New Mexico averages 9.5 made 3-pointers per game, 1.5 more made shots than the 8.0 per game Saint Joseph’s (PA) gives up. Saint Joseph’s (PA) averages 8.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.1 more makes per game than New Mexico allows.
TOP PERFORMERS: Buljan is averaging 12.8 points and 10.4 rebounds for the Lobos. Jake Hall is averaging 16.7 points over the last 10 games.
Jaiden Glover is scoring 16.0 points per game and averaging 4.9 rebounds for the Hawks. Derek Simpson is averaging 14.2 points and 5.4 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Lobos: 6-4, averaging 83.1 points, 35.0 rebounds, 16.1 assists, 8.7 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 74.3 points per game.
Hawks: 9-1, averaging 72.5 points, 35.7 rebounds, 15.5 assists, 5.0 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 66.1 points.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
CLOVIS, N.M. (KCBD) – A 21-year-old woman is dead and four others are injured after a shooting in Clovis early Sunday morning.
Clovis police said a 911 caller reported hearing multiple gunshots at Grand and Calhoun streets at about 12:28 a.m. on March 22. Dispatch received multiple 911 calls where callers stated that multiple people had been shot.
Officers and Clovis Fire Department Emergency Medical Services were dispatched to the scene, where multiple persons were transported to Plains Regional Medical Center with varying degrees of injury.
Five persons were identified as having sustained gunshot wounds. A 17-year-old female was transported to a Lubbock-area hospital with life-threatening injuries. One victim, 21-year-old Lyrasha Haskins, has died from her injuries.
The Major Crimes Unit is actively investigating this homicide.
Anyone having information related to this incident is asked to call the non-emergency line for the Clovis Police Department at 575-769-1921. Information can also be provided anonymously by using the Clovis Police Department’s tip411 program at www.police.cityofclovis.org . Anonymous tips can be provided to the Curry County Crime Stoppers at 575-763-7000.
Copyright 2026 KCBD. All rights reserved.
OLDHAM COUNTY, Texas (KVII) — There was a traffic standstill on I-40 eastbound 5-10 miles east of the TX/NM state line in Oldham County.
Traffic standstill on I-40 near TX/NM state line in Oldham County (Corbin Voges/KVII)
The stalled traffic happened Saturday evening.
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There are reports of an earlier semi crash that was in flames during the day, but it is unknown if this is the cause of the long standstill.
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