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.
LAS ANIMAS COUNTY, Colo. (KKTV) – A 4.0 magnitude earthquake struck in southern Colorado near the New Mexico border Thursday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), with shocks felt as far as Pueblo.
According to the USGS, around 10:45 a.m., an earthquake struck near Weston at a depth of 8.7 km.
USGS said weak shaking could be felt as far as southern Pueblo and Monte Vista, with the shaking measured at an intensity level 3.
USGS said it estimates a 28% chance that an aftershock greater than 3.0 can be felt again within the next week.
Copyright 2026 KKTV. All rights reserved.
The All-American Rejects played a pop-up show in a former alfalfa field in the South Valley after telling fans the location just hours before the concert.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A former alfalfa field in the South Valley served as the venue for one of the most highly-anticipated concerts of the year in New Mexico Wednesday night, although no one knew exactly where it would take place until a few hours before showtime.
The All-American Rejects, the band behind hits such as “Move Along” and “Dirty Little Secret” said they were coming to the Albuquerque area for a concert, but only fans who signed up for an alert received the exact location, and that didn’t come down until 5:55 p.m. Wednesday.
It’s part of the band’s free “House Party” concert series, which features performances in barns and backyards instead of more traditional venues in an effort to fight back against rising concert ticket prices.
“The whole tour, the message we’re trying to get across is what’s happened with concerts in general. It’s become a one-percenters club to have access to the one commodity we need for togetherness, which is music,” said Tyson Ritter, the lead singer and bassist for the band.
The owners of the property couldn’t believe their luck when they were selected. Jackeline and Thomas Ingham told KOB 4 their family’s properties in the South Valley have been used for weddings in the past, but certainly never for a major concert.
“And I thought it was a scam, so I hung up,” said Jackeline Ingham when asked about how the band’s manager reached out to her to set up the concert. “So, [my husband] is like, ‘Call her back!’ So, he ended up talking the rest of the way with her.”
Throughout the day, many fans of the All-American Rejects across New Mexico were trying to guess where the band might show up later in the evening.
“I thought it was either gonna be at Ex Novo, New Mexico United, or just somewhere in the South Valley because that’s what Reddit said all day,” said Brooke Palmer.
Fans within a 124-mile (200 km) radius were able to receive the band’s concert alert.
It ended with thousands of fans flocking to the area, and just before 8:30 p.m., an announcement was made saying the venue was at capacity, forcing many to leave.
Others remained outside the main gate trying to get the best view they could from afar.
But the band was ultimately happy with the former alfalfa field that was quickly turned into a concert stage.
“Well, this is number four. And this feels like this is the example,” said Ritter ahead of the show. “This is what a house party is. Right here, man. We’ve got a beautiful field, an incredibly generous host, the weather is with us.”
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