New Mexico
New Mexico Olympian sets sights on becoming a doctor
Andrea Howard has been called an Olympian and a Lobo but she is hoping she can add “doctor” to that very soon.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Olympic softball player Andrea Howard calls New Mexico home and she fell in love with the sport at a young age.
“My love for softball comes from when I was little. My brother plays baseball and I always wanted to beat him at something and softball comes naturally as a sport that I can beat him at that I can play,” she said.
Eventually, Howard played at La Cueva High School and then at UNM, playing five seasons in the cherry and silver.
When she wasn’t hitting home runs for UNM, she was spending her summers in Italy, playing for their national team.
“I’m a dual citizen, so I was able to play on that Italian team and during my college career I went every summer to Italy and I was able to play with them,” she said.
Howard took to the field with Team Italy in 2021 when they played in the Tokyo Olympics.
“We were either in the Olympic Village or the field, but we couldn’t be anywhere in between. I think that made it even more fun because we were able to kind of bond as a team a little bit more in the village,” she said.
While Howard’s team didn’t make it very far in the Games, she walked away with an unforgettable experience.
“I think it [the most memorable moment] was playing center field and being able stand in the rings. That was super cool,” she said.
After being a Bear, a Lobo and an Olympian, Howard hopes to become a doctor.
“I’ve always been interested in medicine and I knew I wanted to be a doctor one day. And that’s why I chose UNM for softball in college, because I knew they had a great medical school. So now I get to live out my second dream,” she said.
Living out her dream and inspiring other softball players to follow in her footsteps.
“I think if you have that big dream, you can absolutely do it. You just need to put the work in and you will flourish,” Howard said.
SANTA FE, N.M. (KFOX14/CBS4) – The New Mexico Department of Health says it will continue to recommend the full schedule of childhood vaccines.
State officials announced the move Tuesday, directly defying a new federal policy that scaled back routine immunization guidance.
The announcement comes after U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS), under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., reduced the number of vaccines it recommends for all children.
The New Mexico Department of Health stated the federal changes were “not based on new scientific evidence or safety data.”
“New Mexico will not follow the federal government in walking away from decades of proven public health practice,” said Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. “Our recommendations remain unchanged.”
State health officials sought to reassure parents, emphasizing that vaccines remain widely available and covered by insurance.
“We know this is confusing for parents, but the science is clear: vaccines are safe, effective, and save children’s lives,” said Dr. Miranda Durham, chief medical officer for NMDOH.
All childhood vaccinations will continue to be covered under programs like Medicaid and the federal Vaccines for Children Program.
The state encourages parents to consult their healthcare providers using the American Academy of Pediatrics’ immunization schedule.
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SANTA FE, N.M. — Former New Mexico Public Regulation Commissioner Jim Ellison is running for governor as a Republican, he announced on social media Tuesday.
Ellison is running on affordability, opportunity and trust in government as the key points of his campaign. His experience includes serving on the NMPRC in 2023 and 2024.
“New Mexico deserves leadership that listens, acts, and delivers results. Our state has enormous potential, but too often that potential is held back by policies that don’t serve everyday New Mexicans,” he said on his website. “I’m running to bring practical solutions, honest accountability, and a renewed focus on the public interest.”
A Georgia native, Ellison has lived in New Mexico for 20 years and currently lives in the Albuquerque area with his wife and two children.
Ellison is aiming to get 5,000 signatures by Feb. 2, to appear on the primary ballot with at least three other Republicans who have announced their candidacy.
Ultra Health CEO Duke Rodriguez announced his campaign in December and recently confirmed to KOB 4 that he received enough signatures to appear on the primary ballot. Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull and New Mexico State Sen. Steve Lanier are also running.
Three Democrats are running – Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman, Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Former Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima.
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