Commentary: Congressman Steve Pearce today released the following statement after President Trump outlined his military strategy in Afghanistan:

Commentary: WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), and CPC Peace and Security Taskforce Chair Barbara Lee (D-CA) made the following statement in response to President Trump’s authorization of a troop increase in U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan: 

  Eryn Murphy arrived at New Mexico State University as an undergraduate student on a swim scholarship. She initially majored in nutrition with a minor in exercise science, but eventually realized she was more interested in exercise science and switched majors. She quickly fell in love with NMSU’s Department of Kinesiology and Dance. 

She received her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from NMSU in 2013, returned home to Washington state and received her master’s degree in exercise science from Western Washington, and is back at NMSU working on her doctorate in kinesiology.

Las Cruces, NM--The University Art Gallery (UAG) will present the exhibition, Fugitive Fibers, a group show displaying work by four artists who utilize fiber in their practice to speak about contemporary binaries within the contexts of found and created environments. Commenting on consumerism, Sandra Doore shapes synthetic leather into fragmented objects of beauty and creates plastic “texted” tapestries, both functioning as sites of investigation and critique.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The largest publisher of books in New Mexico is struggling for survival amid layoffs and budget cuts.

The Albuquerque Journal reports the University of New Mexico Press has in recent months cut its staff by about a quarter and made plans to reduce its annual output by about one-third.

UNM Press' director of seven years, John Byram, left last month after his contract was not renewed. University leaders are considering a plan to fold the press into the school's library division and outsource its warehouse functions.

  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The independent monitor overseeing a years long Albuquerque police reform effort found the department is "well below what could reasonably be expected at this point in the project," but has improved in reporting use-of-force incidents.

James Ginger, the monitor, on Friday filed a 41-page report that is intended to determine if the Albuquerque Police Department's efforts have achieved the goals outlined in a settlement between the Department of Justice and the city of Albuquerque.

  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Albuquerque police chief has responded to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' threat to not give the city federal resources due to its detainment practices.

Chief Gorden Eden wrote in a letter to Sessions that the city plans to participate in the U.S. Department of Justice program aimed at reducing crime, which Sessions threatened to exclude Albuquerque from, calling it a sanctuary city for people who are illegally in the country.

Eden denied being the chief of a sanctuary city.