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Senate GOP responds to governor’s State of the State address for 2025 legislative session [Video]
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Senate GOP responds to governor’s State of the State address for 2025 legislative session [Video]

Video above: Senate Republican Leader Bill Sharer, Whip Pat Woods and Caucus Chair David Gallegos responded to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s State of the State address on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. They also outlined their priorities for the 2025 legislative session. The first day of the 60-day session began at New Mexico State Capitol on Tuesday. Follow up questions to the presser is below.WATCH: Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham delivers 2025 State of the State address “We’re here to talk about what the governor just talked about. So, first of all, I want to acknowledge the public safety issue. Certainly, statewide everybody knows we have a public safety issue, but we also need a meaningful way to address this stuff, and I’m not sure we got there today,” Sharer stated during Tuesday’s news conference. “She did acknowledge we have serious crime problem, but she more focused on behavioral health than on what the real crime was. We, as Republicans, have been talking about real crime solutions for a long time. In fact, during the special session, we actually supported real crime solutions, while her own party completely abandoned it,” Sharer said.Related: New Mexico Senate and House adjourn for 2024 special session”We’re here to make sure we can do the real work that needs to be done. It’s paramount that we collaborate with the governor on this, but we also need her to collaborate with us to make sure we’re making real solutions,” Sharer added. “We must think more about how we stop random violent crime, drug trafficking, retail crime, auto thefts, or the rest of us will continue to pay. It’s time to talk about putting more criminals into jail and quit the revolving door,” State Senator Pat Woods said. “The Children’s Youth & Families Department she acknowledged this is a real problem. We’re not protecting our children, so her solution was to create another government program. When I think of government programs of what’s failing us, so we need something else, we need to figure out what’s going on at CYFD, and I think we do know what’s going on and put our effort into protecting the children,” Woods said during Tuesday’s news conference. Faith Egbuonu: You guys stated that you all have common-sense solutions that have been rejected from the other side. I ask the specifics of that. You guys also stated you need a meaningful way to address these issues and you guys aren’t sure you got there today with the governor’s State of the State address. The governor stated in her speech that they plan to fully fund CYFD Moving the responsibility of CARA, a program that helps families whose children have been exposed to drug and alcohol use in the womb to the Department of Health. What do you guys’ plan to do?Sharer: So, you talked about commonsense for crime Egbuonu: Yes, that you guys said was rejected from the other side, so I’m curious to know.Sharer: Well, we offered a variety of these things over time, but one of them is the catch and the release. How do you stop the catch and release? Well, we can. Our judges can, but if our judges aren’t going to do it by themselves, certainly, through statute, we can keep violent and repeated offenders off the streets. The governor said so, but for years, we haven’t tried to do anything legislatively. It wasn’t shot down in the first committee. Our bills were shot down in the first committee. The catch-and-release is a huge one because that brings us to the certainty of punishment and the certainty of the punishment is really the deterrent, that’s commonsense.Sharer: As far as fully funding CYFD, I don’t remember exactly what they are in the budget, but fully funded; come on, our budget has increased 70 percent since she became the governor. Do we have 70 percent less crime? Do we have 70 percent more children at can read? Do we have 70 percent better outcomes at CYFD? We’re fully funded. We’re not fully organized and using it. Egbuonu: Were you guys in support of the bill, because it’s been modified for years and still nothing is being done about it but increasing prison time for convicted felons in possession of a handgun, did you guys back that as well? Because I know that’s something the governor proposed, and we got nowhere with the special session. Sharer: In the special session, yes, Senator Morres, Republican, carried that bill. In fact, only republicans carried her crime bills.Republican Party of New Mexico statement”While we acknowledge the governors sentiment that New Mexicans deserve better, her same approach of throwing more money at the many issues in our state has not produced results. Over her 6-year tenure, the state budget has increased by approximately 73%, yet critical areas like education and child welfare remain last in the nation. We have yet to see substantial progress in The Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD).While the governor briefly acknowledged the record oil and gas revenues, she once again failed to thank the oil and gas industry for contributing nearly half of our state’s budget while proposing legislation that threatens to eliminate this vital sector by 2050.She introduced the idea of a tax credit for businesses to combat crime, but she ignored the Paid Family Leave Act, which would force many small businesses to close or relocate out of state.We appreciate the governor’s recognition of the crime crisis plaguing our cities. She mentioned some “common sense” policies like reforming the competency laws to keep repeat offenders behind bars, but what she didn’t mention is that these are also Republican policies that Democrats have repeatedly killed year after year. We are hopeful that the governor and the progressive Democrats in the legislature will finally back these critical pieces of legislation this year.Immigration, a critical issue for New Mexico as a border state, was notably absent from her speech. New Mexico cannot continue to be a hub for those exploiting our open borders to bring crime and deadly drugs like fentanyl into our communities.We urge the Democrats in the legislature to prioritize the issues that matter to New Mexicans this year. The Republican Party of New Mexico remains committed keeping our citizens informed about their legislators’ votes throughout this session.” Chair Amy BarelaStay updated on the latest news updates with the KOAT app. You can download it here.

Stefanik pledges an ‘America First’ agenda at the UN [Video]
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Stefanik pledges an ‘America First’ agenda at the UN [Video]

Rep. Elise Stefanik pledged Tuesday to push President Donald Trump’s “America First” stance if confirmed as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and roll out a review of U.S. funding critical for U.N. agencies handling health programs and more around the world.Noting that the U.S. is the largest single contributor to the United Nations, Stefanik said at her confirmation hearing that the country has to ensure its investments are making America safer, stronger and more prosperous echoing Secretary of State Marco Rubio.”Our tax dollars should not be complicit in propping up entities that are counter to American interests, antisemitic, or engaging in fraud, corruption or terrorism,” Stefanik said in her opening remarks before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.She stressed the need to reform the U.N., where several resolutions have passed condemning Israel over its war in Gaza, and went so far as to say that it has not lived up to its founding mission. Lawmakers also noted the ability for American rivals Russia and China to veto resolutions in the most powerful U.N. body, the Security Council, notably on the invasion of Ukraine.Sen. Jim Risch, the Republican committee chairman, set the tone by sharply criticizing the U.N., saying Stefanik “can bring much-needed change” to the institution.”At this point, the U.S. should seriously examine if further contributions and, indeed, participation in the U.N. is even beneficial to the American people,” the Idaho lawmaker said.The United States pays about one-fifth of the U.N.’s regular budget, and Stefanik was questioned repeatedly about U.S. support for its multiple agencies, which tackle everything from health, education and migration to reproductive rights and nuclear proliferation.Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the committee, stressed the importance of America’s presence at the U.N. and how China and other adversaries could fill the vacuum if it takes a step back.”We benefit from U.N. peacekeeping missions that would otherwise fall to the American military,” the New Hampshire lawmaker said. “We are better off because of efforts to stabilize societies and provide lifesaving assistance in places like Sudan, Syria and Ukraine.”Stefanik responded by saying she is open to reviewing agencies to ensure “that all of our taxpayer dollars are going to U.N. entities that function very well.” She pointed to the children’s agency UNICEF and the World Food Program as examples of those that are “effective.”She said she supported Trump moving to pull U.S. funding from the U.N. World Health Organization in one of his first executive orders in office Monday.Stefanik, a fierce Trump ally who repeated his idea of “peace through strength,” was asked about her views on a number of global issue, including the wars in Gaza and Ukraine as well as the Iranian nuclear program all items on the U.N. agenda.She called Iran “the most significant threat to world peace.” She agreed with Democratic Sen. Chris Coons about supporting efforts to strengthen alliances, especially when it comes to countering China’s influence at the world body, even though Trump has been skeptical of such global partnerships, like NATO.Asked by Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen about Israeli settler violence in the West Bank, Stefanik confirmed that her private comments to the senator about Israel having a “biblical right” to the occupied territory still stand. Her comments came after Trump rescinded the Biden administration’s sanctions against Israeli settlers.”I was interested in this position because if you look at the antisemitic rot within the United Nations, there are more resolutions targeting Israel than any other country, any other crisis combined,” Stefanik testified.Harvard-educated and the fourth-ranking member of the U.S. House, Stefanik was elected to Congress in 2015 as a moderate Republican and became one of Trump’s most ardent allies. She embraced Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol as he denied he lost the election to Democrat Joe Biden.Stefanik saw her profile rise after her aggressive questioning last year of a trio of university presidents about antisemitism on their campuses, leading to two of their resignations a performance Trump repeatedly praised.Stefanik most recently was the most senior and longest-serving woman on both the House Armed Services Committee and the coveted House committee that oversees national intelligence. Stefanik also was tapped to be on a select committee focused on strategic competition between the U.S. and China.Born and raised in upstate New York, Stefanik worked in Bush’s White House on the domestic policy council and in the chief of staff’s office. She was the youngest person in her freshman class in Congress just 30 and ascended to the House leadership team in 2021, becoming the only woman.

Porch pirate steals Winston-Salem woman’s birthday gifts [Video]
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Porch pirate steals Winston-Salem woman’s birthday gifts [Video]

A Winston-Salem woman is speaking out after her birthday gifts were stolen off of her front porch over the weekend. Tina Utt was talking to her mother over the weekend when she made an alarming discovery. She was like, Did you open your birthday gifts? And I was like, What are you talking about? I didn’t. I didn’t get anything. And she’s like, No, it was delivered yesterday. And I was like, No, there was nothing, Utt said. Then she goes, Somebody must have stolen it, And I said, What?Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking hereUtt checked her Ring doorbell camera footage for Jan. 18 and confirmed that her mothers premonition was correct. The footage revealed that around noon, Amazon dropped off three packages at Utts Southwin Drive home. Then, at around 5:11 p.m., Utt watched those same packages disappear.I kept watching and saw where a vehicle pulled into my driveway, Utt said. And a girl got out in an Amazon vest and approached my house.From there, the person wearing the Amazon vest places an envelope on Utts porch and proceeds to take the three Amazon packages off of her porch. The suspect loads them into what appears to be a personal vehicle before driving away. Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.Utt says the envelope was Amazon-branded with the label slightly torn off and was empty on the inside. She says there was a Walmart package on her porch as well that the porch pirate did not steal. Utt says she filed a report with the Winston-Salem Police Department (WSPD). While watching WXII 12 News, she discovered the same thing happened to a Winston-Salem couple last week. I’m just really angry that this keeps happening, she said. I remembered seeing the story on WXII about the couple who had their gifts stolen for their wedding, and I was like, If nobody speaks out, then this is just going to keep happening.Utt says the incident has left her feeling disappointed. It’s hurtful because you feel personally violated by somebody who thinks that they just have a right to come and step onto your property and take what belongs to you, she said.Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscastsShe says its not the missing gifts that bother her but rather the impact this kind of theft has on people like her mother. It bothers me that she took her time and her money to do something nice for me, and somebody took that away, Utt said. Utt hopes this incident serves as a warning to the whole community. It’s a growing problem in the community, like it’s growing, she said. It’s not stopping, it’s not slowing down. And especially when they have evidence like, can we investigate it?WSPD confirmed to WXII in an email that it is investigating this incident. At this point, investigators cannot confirm this incident and the similar larceny of Amazon wedding gifts on Kinnamon Rd are connected. No arrests have been made in either case. WXII reached out to Amazon. A spokesperson with the company says they are looking into this incident.WSPD shared tips for residents to avoid falling victim to porch pirates.Schedule deliveries: WSPD recommends scheduling deliveries to be dropped off when you or someone you trust will be at home.Pick a secure location: Choose a delivery location that you are confident a porch pirate cant get to, such as your workplace or a trusted neighbors home. Choose signature-required delivery: Many carriers offer options for package holds or deliveries requiring a signature, ensuring that packages are not left unattended.Choose a less visible delivery location: Many carriers will allow a customer to choose a specific spot around their property to drop off packages that may be less visible to those looking for a quick grab. Invest in a package lockbox: A lockbox can be used by legitimate delivery persons to secure your items if you are unable to pick them up immediately upon drop off. Build strong relationships with neighbors: Building strong relationships with neighbors can be invaluable, as a watchful community is often the first line of defense against suspicious activity.Contact authorities and sellers: If theft does occur, report it immediately to both the delivery service and local authorities. Many retailers and credit card companies offer purchase protections and may replace stolen items at no additional cost.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love | Trending Stories

Florida Gov. DeSantis makes first ‘Gulf of America’ reference [Video]
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Florida Gov. DeSantis makes first ‘Gulf of America’ reference [Video]

On President Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made his state the first to reference the “Gulf of America” in an executive order when he issued a state of emergency due to cold weather. Executive Order EO 25-13 reads, “Whereas an area of low pressure moving across the Gulf of America, interacting with Arctic air, will bring widespread impactful weather to North Florida beginning Tuesday.”During his inauguration speech, Trump said, “America will reclaim its rightful place as the greatest, most powerful, most respected nation on earth, inspiring the awe and admiration of the entire world.”Among the first executive orders signed by Trump was an order to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” Trump signed a series of executive orders on his first day in office, stating the “Gulf of America” is of “critical importance to our nation’s economy and its people.”Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, took to X to share his thoughts.”‘Gulf of America’ has a beautiful ring to it,” Musk wrote. Florida U.S. Senator Rick Scott also took to X, sharing an image of a map with the “Gulf of America”.”The GULF OF AMERICA has never looked better off of Floridas shores,” Scott wrote.Additionally, the executive order reinstated the name “Mount McKinley” to the tallest mountain in North America, reversing a 2015 Obama administration decision to federally recognize the mountain as Denali, the name used by the Koyukon Alaska Native people.Now, federal agencies have 30 days to begin updating documents and maps to reflect the new name as directed by Trump’s executive order.Legislative action may be taken next to formalize the change in U.S. law.After Trump first proposed changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico on Jan. 8, Mexicos president, Claudia Sheinbaum, responded sarcastically by proposing that North America should be renamed Amrica Mexicana, or Mexican America, because a founding document dating from 1814 that preceded Mexicos constitution referred to it that way.Can President Trump change the name of the Gulf of Mexico?Maybe, but it is not a unilateral decision, and other countries do not have to recognize the change.The International Hydrographic Organization works to ensure all the world’s seas, oceans and navigable waters are surveyed and charted uniformly, and also names some of them.The United States and Mexico are both active members of the organization.It can be easier when a landmark or body of water is within a countrys boundaries. In 2015, then-President Barack Obama approved an order from the Department of Interior to rename Mount McKinley to Denali.On Tuesday, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said during an interview with podcaster Benny Johnson that she would direct her staff to draft legislation to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico.This is a move she said would take care of funding for new maps and administrative policy materials throughout the federal government.How did the Gulf of Mexico get its name?The body of water has been depicted with that name for more than four centuries, an original determination believed to have been taken from a Native American city of Mexico.

New program could erase medical debt for thousands of Vermonters [Video]
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New program could erase medical debt for thousands of Vermonters [Video]

VERMONT TREASURER MIKE PIECIAK INTRODUCING A NEW PROGRAM — TO RELIEVE YOUR HE’S ASKING THE STATE TO PARTNER WITH THE NON-PROFIT “UNDUE MEDICAL DEBT”. IT USES DONATIONS TO BUY AND ERASE MEDICAL DEBT. PIECIAK SAYS A 1 MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT FROM HIS OFFICE WOULD EQUATE TO 100 MILLION DOLLARS IN RELIEF. AND THE TREASURER SAYS HIS OFFICE ALREADY HAS THE MONEY. SO IT WOULDN’T COST THE STATE OR TAXPAYERS ANYTHING. THE PROGRAM WOULD BE FOR HOUSEHOLDS AT OR BELOW 400 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LINE. OR THAT OWE MEDICAL DEBT EXCEEDING 5 PERCENT THEIR INCOME.