Here’s a look at today’s headlines:
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that beginning Sept. 1, farmers and ranchers can apply for financial assistance to help conserve working grasslands, rangeland and pastureland while maintaining the areas as livestock grazing lands. The initiative is part of the voluntary Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), a federally funded program that for 30 years has assisted agricultural producers with the cost of restoring, enhancing and protecting certain grasses, shrubs and trees to improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and reduce loss of wildlife habitat. In return, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. CRP has helped farmers and ranchers prevent more than 8 billion tons of soil from eroding, reduce nitrogen and phosphorous runoff relative to cropland by 95 and 85 percent respectively, and even sequester 43 million tons of greenhouse gases annually, equal to taking 8 million cars off the road.
At Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility a new program is underway that is working with inmates and dogs. The program is called P.A.W.S. and the goal of the program is to help dogs who are just days away from being euthanized get basic training and find a home.
New Mexico has one of the highest rates of skin cancer per capita in the nation, according to dermatologists. Now, researchers in Albuquerque are using state-of-the-art technology to help detect it.
A new national TV show is about to highlight one of the most dangerous jobs in New Mexico. A&E thought the state pen would make the perfect setting for a reality show about corrections officers. It’s called “Behind Bars: Rookie Year” and the reality show was filmed at the Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe. A&E said the show is about novice correctional officers trying to survive at one of the most perilous prisons in America.
A judge has dismissed a lawsuit that sought to overturn a contract issued for New Mexico’s assessment exam for students in public schools. Washington-based nonprofit American Institutes for Research had accused state officials of rigging the bidding process in favor of Pearson by tailoring the request for bidders to a testing program already run by Pearson.
