The Las Cruces New Mexican
@lcnewmexican.bsky.social
Covering news on the environment, education, politics, sports and more in Las Cruces and Southern New Mexico.
While New Mexico overall has seen a drop in film spending, the industry has grown in Las Cruces, a destination for indie productions. sfnm.co/4z214bb
Cruces to Cannes: Growing indie industry puts Southern New Mexico on the map
While New Mexico overall has seen a drop in film spending, the industry has grown in Las Cruces, a destination for indie productions.
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A Sept. 29 arroyo breach inundated Hatch area fields with water. Farmers estimate it will take years and millions of dollars to recover. Meanwhile, chile farmers experienced drastic drops in crop production this season due to extremely hot evenings. sfnm.co/4rY3t3L
Dearth of water, then deluge: Hatch chiles take hit from weather extremes
A levee breach close to the outlet of the Rio Grande near Hatch caused catastrophic flooding that also devastated pecan orchards.
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Doña Ana Dispatches: Oracle is exploring truck delivery of natural gas to fuel Project Jupiter’s data center in Santa Teresa due to pipeline delays, a strategy already used at their Salt Lake City site. sfnm.co/3TueZXZ
Doña Ana Dispatches: Oracle to consider delivering natural gas by truck to Project Jupiter
Oracle is exploring truck delivery of natural gas to fuel Project Jupiter’s data center in Santa Teresa due to pipeline delays, a strategy already used at their Salt Lake City
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The studio in the KOB 4 newsroom had all the makings of a gubernatorial debate Thursday night. But with Democrat Deb Haaland some 200 miles away, the event was a one-man show billed as a conversation with Republican Gregg Hull. www.santafenewmexican.com/news/electio...
‘It should have been a debate’: Hull faces empty podium as Haaland meets with farmers
Thursday’s debate was a one-man show as Democrat Deb Haaland was absent, citing a prior commitment. Republican Gregg Hull answered questions and said it should have been a real face-off.
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Pipeline ruptures Tuesday led to emergencies in the northwest and southeast parts of the state: one in Lea County that resulted in two deaths, and one in San Juan County that sparked a wildfire. www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_n...
Two pipeline fires in New Mexico Tuesday, two dead in Lea County
The incidents happened in Lea County and San Juan County Tuesday afternoon.
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Democratic Doña Ana County Clerk Amanda López Askin and Republican political newcomer Ramona Goolsby, the two candidates for secretary of state, differ significantly in their priorities and views on New Mexico’s voting system. sfnm.co/4781H6w
New Mexico secretary of state candidates differ wildly in backgrounds, priorities
Democratic Amanda López Askin and Republican Ramona Goolsby agree on the necessity of expanded voter education and transparency.
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The federal government announced Friday they intend to waive New Mexico water code to pave the way for continued border drilling as construction crews in four states race to put up walls funded by more than $46 billion in federal money. www.santafenewmexican.com/las_cruces/e...
Trump administration says it’s waiving New Mexico water law to keep using disputed wells for border wall
The Office of the State Engineer intends to fight the federal government’s purported waiver of New Mexico water laws.
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Pinto is one of several horses on the ranch, which serves as a sanctuary for unwanted, neglected and retired horses to live out their twilight years. www.santafenewmexican.com/ap/national/...
Retired and rescued: Old horses live out their final years at River Thunder Ranch
The 2-acre property sits just outside El Paso in Anthony, N.M. Michele Sleighel started the rescue after moving back to the El Paso area in 2022.
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Toa Fa’avae threw for 249 yards and three touchdowns as New Mexico routed UTEP 61-7 on Saturday in a Mountain West opener for both teams. www.santafenewmexican.com/ap/sports/to...
Toa Fa’avae's 3 TDs, New Mexico defense lead Lobos over UTEP 61-7
Toa Fa’avae threw for 249 yards and three touchdowns as New Mexico routed UTEP 61-7 in a Mountain West opener for both teams.
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While Sunland Park’s water is now technically compliant with EPA limits on arsenic, it’s only by a hair — and residents are paying more for that water now. www.santafenewmexican.com/las_cruces/s...
Sunland Park's water now meets EPA arsenic standards. Can the state rebuild trust with residents?
The region's water authority has come under fire for distributing high arsenic drinking water to customers without telling them.
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Doña Ana Dispatches: State Environment Cabinet Secretary James Kenney again called out the developers behind a secretive data center in Grant County for neglecting to engage with the community. www.lascrucesnewmexican.com/local_news/a...
Doña Ana Dispatches: Environment secretary slaps secretive data center
Environment Secretary James Kenney reprimanded developers behind a secretive Grant County data center, while an NMSU professor warned people not to eat false parasol mushrooms sprouting on campus.
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The New Mexico State football team opened conference play with a dominant 34-13 victory over Western Kentucky on Thursday night at Aggie Memorial Stadium. sfnm.co/4hZYZGl
New Mexico State opens Conference USA with 34-13 win over Western Kentucky
The Aggies started Conference USA play 1-0 for the first time since joining CUSA in 2023. With the win, head coach Tony Sanchez and the Aggies established an early foothold
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Heavy rains that began falling across the state last week shattered several records and improved drought conditions while they flooded roads and spurred evacuation orders. Now, with fall officially underway, drier days are on the horizon. www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_n...
Little rain in Santa Fe forecast after wettest September on record
The municipal airport measured 6.95 inches of rain over the month, breaking the record of 4.32 inches, which was set in 2013.
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Southern New Mexico woke up to sunny skies Wednesday, following evacuations Tuesday of communities near Hatch due to flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Polo and a flood mitigation dam’s failure. www.santafenewmexican.com/las_cruces/l...
Southern New Mexico evacuation orders lifted; Rincon still under water
Unincorporated Rincon was the only area still under an evacuation notice Wednesday morning, according to county spokesperson Ariana Parra.
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Doña Ana County lifted evacuation orders for Garfield, Salem, Hatch and Placitas at 11 p.m. Tuesday. Unincorporated Rincon was the only area still under an evacuation notice Wednesday morning. sfnm.co/4hym1CH
Evacuation orders lifted in Southern New Mexico after dam breach
Unincorporated Rincon was the only area still under an evacuation notice Wednesday morning, according to county spokesperson Ariana Parra.
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RINGSIDE SEAT: Households do not serve in the New Mexico Legislature. So why did legislators craft a constitutional amendment proposing they be paid a base salary tied to the median household income in New Mexico? www.santafenewmexican.com/news/electio...
Ugly excess in New Mexico legislators' push for base salary
In asking voters to change the state constitution, individual lawmakers propose to be paid as though they are a household.
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Doña Ana County emergency officials issued an evacuation order for Salem and Garfield residents due to flooding, according to the county's Facebook page. sfnm.co/4AFUSGW
Evacuation ordered in Doña Ana County due to flooding, dam failure threat
Residents are urged to gather medications and essential items, take pets and avoid any flooded roads and low water crossings.
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Toa Fa’avae passed for 174 yards and added 57 on the ground, Scottre Humphrey rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns and New Mexico beat New Mexico State 42-18 on Saturday in the 116th edition of the Rio Grande Rivalry. www.santafenewmexican.com/ap/sports/lo...
Lobos beat NMSU 42-18 in 116th edition of Rio Grande Rivalry
New Mexico (3-1) has won three straight games in the series — with its largest margin of victory against the Aggies since 2013.
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AI giant Oracle is seeking to free itself from liability if setbacks emerge and delay the timeline for its controversial Project Jupiter. sfnm.co/4xIefMM
Oracle sends 'force majeure' notice to Project Jupiter developers to protect itself from liability
Oracle sent a notice of "force majeure" to a developer, seeking to release itself from liability if the data center is not online by 2028.
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The names of the lobbyists for Project Jupiter were released in a Monday email from lobbyist Marco Gonzales to state lawmakers on the Legislative Finance Committee obtained by The New Mexican. sfnm.co/4yV8g8n
Doña Ana Dispatches: A ‘who’s who of power brokers in New Mexico’ lobbying for Project Jupiter
The names range "from a former Executive Director of the state Democratic Party to a family of lobbyists married to legislators."
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While Grant County commissioners approved the first step in potentially issuing a moratorium, Lea County commissioners voted to consider the next steps for a new hyperscale Google data center that would amount to $134 billion in industrial revenue bonds. www.santafenewmexican.com/las_cruces/e...
One Southern New Mexico county eyes big incentives for data center as another mulls a block
The contrasting receptions for the two separate projects echo divisions cropping up in communities around the country.
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Sheriff's deputies arrested an anti-Project Jupiter protester at her home Tuesday evening, bringing her to the Doña Ana County jail on charges of disorderly conduct and concealing identity. www.santafenewmexican.com/las_cruces/l...
Project Jupiter opponent taken to jail, accused of giving deputies wrong name
A Project Jupiter opponent was arrested at her home Tuesday evening following protests at that day's commission meeting.
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Two people were cited on charges of disorderly conduct at Tuesday’s Doña Ana County Commission meeting on the one-year anniversary of a controversial vote approving $165 billion in industrial revenue bonds for Project Jupiter. sfnm.co/4hlwotH
Two Project Jupiter foes accused of disorderly contact at commission meeting
Two people were cited at a Doña Ana County meeting a year after commissioners voted to approve Project Jupiter's bonds.
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Much of New Mexico is bracing for impact as meteorologists warn of possible life-threatening flash flooding through at least Thursday. sfnm.co/4iIcICK
Much of New Mexico braces for possible flooding Tuesday through Thursday
Meteorologists predict a monsoonal surge will arrive Monday night, bringing widespread showers and thunderstorms Tuesday through at least Thursday.
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“When I come to the southern part of the state, I get routinely met with people who both thank me and then kind of scold me for not coming more often, and I promise you that I will do better,” Attorney General Raúl Torrez said. www.santafenewmexican.com/las_cruces/l...
At Las Cruces town hall, Torrez touts child safety work, promises to visit more
The attorney general touted his work to keep kids safe at a town hall in Las Cruces following the landmark Meta settlement.
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Deb Haaland announced Thursday she plans to put a moratorium on new large-scale data center projects while state lawmakers address a laundry list of guardrails if she is elected governor Nov. 3. sfnm.co/46QgGSF
Haaland proposes data center moratorium, guardrails despite $87,000 in data-center related donations
Haaland, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, would sign an executive order establishing the temporary pause on day one.
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The New Mexico Supreme Court on Thursday paved the way for stalled permitting processes to restart for Project Jupiter, a hyperscale data center under construction in Doña Ana County. sfnm.co/47bIxMV
New Mexico Supreme Court allows Project Jupiter permit proceedings to advance
The state high court on Thursdayd denied petitions filed by environmental groups against the hyperscale data center.
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A tech giant behind data center Project Jupiter spent over $3.4 million on a promotional push earlier this year as it sought to influence the state Environment Department to approve an air quality permit, according to records made public Wednesday. sfnm.co/4xoxKcZ
Oracle discloses $3.44 million in spending promoting Project Jupiter
The $3.4 million all went to political consulting firm BrabenderCox, according to the expenditure report Oracle submitted.
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