Military & Faith: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Pentagon will protect service members at Kirtland Air Force Base who deliver religious greetings after complaints and a nonprofit intervention. Civic Pay Reform: Vote for Change and NM CAFé kick off a statewide campaign for a legislator-pay amendment, arguing Santa Fe’s per-diem-only setup keeps everyday New Mexicans out of politics. Food Security: New Mexico’s universal free school lunch program is set to stay in place until at least 2030, even as SNAP cuts threaten meal funding nationwide. Native Culture & Education: Peña Adobe Park spotlights Native-American heritage through community teaching and living-history programming, while new efforts aim to strengthen Native language learning in Tribal Head Start. Local Sports Dream: Albuquerque’s Tim Barreras returns as a Triple-A umpire with the Isotopes, chasing the Major League path from home. Water & Power: An opinion piece connects drought, low Rio Grande levels, and water crisis power dynamics to real impacts on communities. Online Safety: Meta’s teen-safety settlement is framed as a global model, with knock-on effects for expectations around youth protections. Uranium Watch: New Mexico Mining Watch praises a state order blocking new uranium leasing on trust lands, pushing cleanup over new development. Community Events: Hatch Chile Festival 2026 brings Labor Day weekend food, music, and culture to Hatch.