KRWG--One of the favorite tropes of news articles and literature is the miser—an individual who hoards money even to the determent of their own well-being. These skinflints refuse to spend money even when doing so would improve their quality of life or that of their family. Take, for example, Hetty Green who inherited $7.5 million dollars in 1864, a vast sum for the time. Turns out that Green was also a brilliant business woman, allowing her to amass even more wealth. She was also a famous miser.

KNME TV--On New Mexico in Focus correspondent Megan Kamerick sits down with Bill Jordan from New Mexico Voices for Children to discuss the latest KIDS COUNT Data Book, released this month to coincide with the start of the legislative session. The report shows improvements in some areas, but our state is still at the bottom of the nation in nearly all measures of child and family well-being.

Las Cruces Sun-News--Quality of life is low for children in New Mexico, according to a new report. The 2017 New Mexico Kids Count Data Book found more children are living in poverty, are without health insurance and are living in single-parent households than a year ago. The report from the New Mexico Voices for Children ranked New Mexico as the second-worst state in child well-being, saying 29 percent of New Mexico children live in poverty.

Santa Fe New Mexican--“It’s a real mixed bag,” James Jimenez, executive director of New Mexico Voices for Children, said of the report. “The encouraging thing is that some of the indicators are moving in the right direction, but clearly poverty continues to be a major concern … it can compromise a child’s long-term ability to thrive.”

Las Cruces Bulletin--“We should see early childhood education as economic development,” state Rep. Nathan Small, D-Doña Ana, said at the Nov. 10 Southern New Mexico Kids Count conference. The day-long conference was sponsored by Ngage New Mexico and focused on child wellbeing, including early childhood care and education, in the southern part of the state. New Mexico needs a “responsible, fair revenue system to fund priorities,” Small said. Small was part of a panel discussion of local elected officials about policy solutions for child wellbeing given the political climate.

Las Cruces Sun-News--NM Voices for Children and Ngage NM will host a KIDS COUNT Conference in Las Cruces this week to focus on child well-being in the southern part of New Mexico. The conference will offer a deep dive into child well-being data sets, will address public policies and encourage discussion about the impact the changing political landscape might have on children, a news release stated.