City says economic indicators are stable despite Trump turbulence- Justin Garcia, Albuquerque Journal
Despite worries following the whirlwind of news, tariffs and executive orders from the federal government, a presentation given to the Albuquerque City Council last week suggested the turbulence has yet to hit the local economy.
The presentation, delivered by Christine Boerner, a city economist, stated that economic models and gross receipts tax predictions have not shown much year-to-year change despite the onslaught of news, particularly around tariffs and a stock market dip.
“Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying, that I think everything is just fine. A lot of what’s going on could still be filtering through the system,” Boerner said.
In their proposed budget for the fiscal year 2025, the mayor’s office expressed concern that economic disruptions — such as cuts in federal funding, increased inflation, and even war in Europe and the Middle East driving up gas prices — would require the city to reduce nonessential spending and consider selling nonessential property, equipment and vehicles.
The same proposed budget predicted that gross receipts taxes — a tax collected on nearly all exchanges of goods and services that funds everything from parks to police salaries — would grow in the next fiscal year, but at a slower rate.
“While there’s a lot happening at the federal level, there’s not much of a change in the economic models,” Boerner said. “It generally looks the same as it was in the prior administration.”
Boerner also said that nearly all business sectors saw growth in GRT collections in February compared to 2024. The data indicated growth in accommodation, food, construction, professional, scientific and technical services.
The data showed that health care and social assistance declined slightly, but nothing fell as noticeably as retail.
“Retail has pretty much struggled the entire year so far,” Boerner said.
Councilor Dan Lewis asked if the decline in retail GRT represented a long-term trend. Boerner said she couldn't say for sure, but that it was clear that retail sales in Albuquerque were hurting.
“There’s a lot going there,” Boerner said. “But for us, retail has been struggling.”
Boerner went on to say that nationally, there is not as much of a pronounced decline in retail. She didn’t have any data on the cause but speculated that consumers are worried about an economic slowdown and are cutting back.
“It’s just something I think folks are worried about, all the information that’s out there,” Boerner said.
Albuquerque’s situation seems to contrast with that of national retail sales. U.S. retail sales rose 1.4% in March and 4.6% compared to last year, according to federal Census Bureau data. Much of the rise was attributed to cars and car parts, as consumers look to get ahead of looming tariffs.
Lewis also asked if the decline was felt more in small retailers or big box stores, information that Boerner didn’t have but said she would look into.
Councilor Klarissa Peña said she’d like to see the retail data broken out as online sales versus brick-and-mortar sales. Boerner said that information, much of which is handed down by the state, was not readily available.
Looking forward, Boerner said a forecast from the University of New Mexico’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research could provide more insight into the local economic future. That forecast is expected in early May.
New Mexico Democrats elevate labor leader as top party official- Austin Fisher, Source New Mexico
Democratic Party of New Mexico insiders this month chose a labor official to lead the party for the next two years.
Sara Attleson is the new chair of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, according to voting results announced on Sunday.
Attleson, of Albuquerque, chairs the party’s Labor Caucus, as well as the Albuquerque Teachers Federation’s Committee on Political Education. She defeated Marisol Enriquez, Letitia Montoya and Joseph Weathers to lead the party. Former Chair Jessica Velasquez did not seek reelection.
Attleson said in a statement she wants to work with county-level Democratic parties “to make sure we have a presence in every community.”
“Democrats across the country have our work cut out for us,” she said in a statement. “But here in New Mexico, we have the energy to make sure that MAGA Republicans and Donald Trump are never able to get a foothold here.”
DPNM announced the results at the spring meeting of its governing body, the State Central Committee, at the Albuquerque Little Theater following voting by 466 SCC members via online absentee ballot from April 19-26. The new party officers’ terms end in 2027.
Party members elected Cameron Crawford as vice chair. Crawford, of Santa Fe, defeated incumbent Manny Crespin and Augustine Montoya to win the seat.
“In an era of unprecedented political turmoil, I will go to counties red and blue to rebuild community by showing up for everyone, regardless of who they vote for,” Crawford said in a statement. “Politics is about making people’s lives better, and I’m more than prepared to take that message far and wide.”
The party elected Brenda Hoskie as its treasurer. Hoskie, from Springstead, is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation and chair of the McKinley County Democrats. She defeated Daniel Alfredo Garcia and Barbara Jordan to become secretary.
Members elected Julie Rochman as Secretary. Rochman, of Albuquerque, defeated Joseph Ortiz to become treasurer.
The Republican Party of New Mexico elected its party officers in December.
Only one NM college president signs letter opposing ‘unprecedented government overreach’- Danielle Prokop, Source New Mexico
Hundreds of leaders at colleges and universities from across the United States recently signed an open letter to the Trump Administration, rebuking “the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.”
Only one New Mexico higher-education leader signed the letter — from a small college in Santa Fe.
In the first 100 days, the Trump administration has frozen billions of dollars in research grants and threatened further cuts if universities fail to comply with policies to reshape admissions, curriculum and speech on campus. Broadly, the Trump and Republicans have alleged higher education indoctrinates students with left-wing ideologies, and are using federal funds as leverage to require universities to change campus policies.
Last week, Harvard University sued the Trump administration over its freezing of $2.2 billion in grants after the school refused to comply with federal demands to limit activism on campus.
The letter from academics, released last week by the American Association of Colleges and Universities, pushes back against the Trump Administration, penning a defense of higher education.
“We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight,” the letter states. “However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses. We will always seek effective and fair financial practices, but we must reject the coercive use of public research funding.”
As of Monday morning, the letter had amassed 523 signatures from colleges, universities and scholarly societies.
Leaders from University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University, the state’s largest schools, did not sign on.When reached for comment, Cinnamon Blair, a spokesperson for UNM wrote: “What I can share is that UNM’s participation in any statements is an internal administrative decision, and will be reflected in the public record.”
New Mexico State University spokesperson Amanda Bradford confirmed the administration had not signed the letter, stating: “The university has no further comments on this topic at this time.”
As of press time, Thom Chesney, president of Southwestern College, a private graduate-level school tucked away on Santa Fe’s Southside, remains the only New Mexico school leader on the list.
Southwestern College offers a variety of graduate-level programs and certificates, including: master’s degrees in counseling, art therapy and consciousness in action; as well as a Ph.D in visionary practice and regenerative leadership.
In an interview with Source NM, Chesney said higher education is facing unprecedented threats at multiple levels. Chesney took the position at Southwestern College eight months ago, following three years as president at Clarke University in Iowa and nearly eight years as president of Brookhaven College in Texas, among other academic postings. He’s been in higher education for nearly 30 years and started his work in academia teaching English, American and British literature and the humanities.
“We’ve not seen this before,” Chesney said. “The federal government stepping in and making demands about how we admit, who we admit and what we teach — that flies directly in the face of independence, of building a curriculum.”
Chesney told Source NM that this was the right time for his college to speak out, and said other New Mexican institutions are trying to navigate a difficult position.
“I’m going to defend my colleagues, my peers from the public and private institutions in New Mexico, who haven’t signed the letter,” Chesney said. “They’re not on the sidelines, they’re not silent, in assent or giving in — we can’t assume any of that. They are absolutely, I believe, thinking through where their space is, at this time, for this type of response.”
Chesney said the letter he signed offers the chance to be part of “a collective, unified voice.”
“It fits in with not only the mission of my institution, but also the broader need to respond in a call to action for dialogue, for decorum to come together and recognize we have a shared space, to identify the successes, the flaws — all of that, rather than react reactionarily,” he said.
Chesney noted that all higher education institutions face threats, regardless of size and programs. Southwestern College’s enrollment is just over 320 students. While his institution does not receive federal research grants, some of the students rely on Title IV funds to attend college. The college also offers a counseling center at which its counseling and therapy students receive real-world experience and provide low-cost or no-cost services for 500 Santa Fe residents.
“If someone comes in and says ‘you can’t do that anymore,’ that’s a threat,” he said. “That threatens the wellness of Santa Fe’s Southside, Santa Fe in general and ultimately New Mexico, in my mind.”
Not only did Chesney sign the letter, he hopes his participation in a national dialogue creates an opportunity for students to become more engaged with faculty and administrators in addressing the future of higher education.
And he has a message for prospective students who are considering further training or schooling: “Don’t become cynical.”
“No one should give up on that dream or that aspiration to do the kind of learning that leads them into opportunities to serve and create and have jobs that are for the greater, common good,” Chesney said.
Trump says Columbus Day will now just be Columbus Day- Nicholas Riccardi, Associated Press
President Donald Trump made clear Sunday that he would not follow his predecessor's practice of recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day alongside Columbus Day in October, accusing Democrats of denigrating the explorer's legacy as he pressed his campaign to restore what he argues are traditional American icons.
Democrat Joe Biden was the first president to mark Indigenous Peoples Day, issuing a proclamation in 2021 that celebrated “the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigenous peoples” and recognize “their inherent sovereignty.”
The proclamation noted that America “was conceived on a promise of equality and opportunity for all people” but that promise “we have never fully lived up to. That is especially true when it comes to upholding the rights and dignity of the Indigenous people who were here long before colonization of the Americas began.”
Trump on Sunday used a social media post to declare, “I'm bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes." He said on his Truth Social site that “the Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much.”
The federal holiday, the second Monday in October, was still known as Columbus Day during Biden's term, but also as Indigenous Peoples Day. That's been a longtime goal of activists who wanted to shift the focus from commemorating Columbus' navigation to the Americas to his and his successors' exploitation of the indigenous people he encountered there.
Though Trump has long objected to telling the country's history through a lens of diversity and oppression, the holiday he seeks to restore to its primacy was added to the calendar as a nod to the country's growing diversity.
Columbus’ expeditions never landed on the North American mainland, let alone any of the places that would become the 50 states. But the native of Genoa became increasingly commemorated in the United States as Italian immigrants flocked to the country and politicians sought to win their support.
Indeed, it was the lynching of 11 Italian-American immigrants in New Orleans in 1891 that led to the first Columbus Day celebration in the United States, led the following year by President Benjamin Harrison. President Franklin D. Roosevelt designated Columbus Day as a national holiday in 1934.
Trump has long complained about Democrats tearing down statues of Columbus, a complaint he made again in Sunday's post. In 2017, he spoke out against a review of the 76-foot-tall statue of the explorer in New York's Columbus Circle that then-Mayor Bill de Blasio had ordered. It remains in place today, but other statues have been defaced or torn down.
In 2020, Trump's administration paid to restore a Columbus statue in Baltimore that was dumped in the harbor during protests against the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Autopsy confirms Gene Hackman died from heart disease, notes his Alzheimer's and prolonged fasting- Associated Press
The main cause of Gene Hackman's death was heart disease, but he was also in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease and likely had not eaten for a long time, according to a new autopsy report.
The report documents the 95-year-old actor’s poor heart health, noting he had experienced congestive heart failure, an aortic valve replacement and an irregular heart beat. He was given a pacemaker in April 2019.
Hackman’s carbon monoxide concentration was less than 5% saturation, which is within the normal range. He tested negative for the hantavirus, which is a rare but potentially fatal disease spread by infected rodent droppings.
Authorities have said Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, likely died Feb. 11 at home from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Her autopsy report hasn’t yet been released.
A toxicology report says Hackman tested negative for alcohol and intoxicating drugs, but that he had a low concentration of acetone in his system that indicates prolonged fasting.
Hackman appeared to have outlived Arakawa at home by about a week, possibly unaware of his wife's death. Hackman’s pacemaker showed an abnormal heart rhythm on Feb. 18 — the day he likely died, according to the state's chief medical examiner.
Records released earlier in the investigation showed Arakawa made phone calls and internet searches as she scoured for information on flu-like symptoms and breathing techniques.
Recently released videos outline the scope of the investigation into the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa.
Before they understood how Hackman and Arakawa died, authorities recorded themselves conducting interviews with workers and returning to Hackman’s home to search for more evidence. Detectives searched the home in early March for Arakawa’s laptop and other clues.
City launches basic income payments program- Rod Cayton nm.news
A new guaranteed basic income (GBI) program in Albuquerque is distributing its first monthly payments.
City leaders say the $750 payments will provide financial relief to struggling residents and underscore Albuquerque’s commitment to economic equity and financial empowerment. The first payments went out last week.
The money is unrestricted, and participants were selected from families of students in selected high-needs public schools — those with some of the lowest academic outcomes and highest rates of chronic absenteeism — on the Westside and in the International District.
“We’re putting dollars directly into the hands of our residents,” Mayor Tim Keller said. “And more importantly, we’re putting trust in their ability to make the best decisions for their families. This program is about building a city where everyone, regardless of their starting point, has the opportunity to thrive.”
Rada Moss, financial empowerment manager for the city’s Office of Equity and Inclusion, said the guaranteed income will position recipients to pursue new educational or career goals, care for loved ones or simply experience less financial uncertainty each month.
The first cohort will consist of 80 households will receive the income support for three years. The $4.02 million program cost will be partially financed with $2 million in adult-use cannabis tax revenue.
City officials say the program aims to support communities disproportionately impacted by cannabis criminalization. It was designed by community members, local organizations and city departments.
As the GBI program progresses, according to the release, participants will gain access to training and other resources to help strengthen financial decision-making, through the city Office of Financial Empowerment.
The release states the program is modeled after a successful similar effort launched in Santa Fe in 2022.
More information on the guaranteed basic income and the Office of Financial Empowerment is available here.
First community solar project on state lands breaks ground- Hannah Grover, New Mexico Political Report
The first community solar project on state trust lands in New Mexico broke ground on Thursday in Los Lunas.
The Global Give A Book Community Solar Project is one of eight currently slated to be installed on parcels leased from the State Land Office as the agency looks to increase renewable energy capacity on state lands.
The projects slated to be placed on state lands will be in Doña Ana, Grant, Hidalgo and Roosevelt counties.
The Global Give A Book project is being developed by the Albuquerque-based company Affordable Solar, which names each of its community solar projects after nonprofit organizations that are receiving monetary donations from the business.
The community solar arrays are five-megawatt projects that utility customers who are unable to install solar on their residences can subscribe to receive electricity from.
There are 49 community solar projects in the works in New Mexico, including seven that Affordable Solar is working on. Three of Affordable Solar’s projects are on state trust land.
Developers who proposed projects on state trust land received extra points during the scoring process while a third-party administrator was deciding which of the more than 400 projects to accept into the community solar program.
“The State Land Office has lots of land. This beautiful site, and pretty much as far as you can see in those directions, is state land,” Dylan Connelly with Affordable Solar said.
The State Land Office also has land in close proximity to communities, which is important because the community solar projects tie into distribution systems rather than relying on large transmission lines.
State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard said one of the benefits of community solar is that the electricity produced stays in the local area.
“Usually what happens is, we’re building a renewable project, and the community comes up and says, ‘where is this power going?’” she said. “And we have to tell them that most likely, if it’s a large-scale project, the power is going to be exported elsewhere, and the local folks won’t be able to take advantage of renewable power in their community. And that’s part of the reason we love community solar so much is because it gives access to local folks.”
She said community solar also helps solve some of the challenges communities in New Mexico face.
“Managing your 13 million acres of state land, we like to think of ourselves as problem solvers,” she said. “We want to be in communities, helping communities solve their challenges, and we use land to do that. And so obviously one challenge is how to get affordable, sustainable renewable power to people who may not have, like we said before, easy access to that. And so partnering on this community solar really has given us a land based solution to solving that problem.”
She said locating community solar projects on state lands also helps fund schools, universities and hospitals. The Global Give A Book Community Solar Project will generate $2.7 million for those institutions over the life of the lease.
The project is being built on sandy lands covered in brush that Garcia Richard said has been used for agriculture in the past. She said agriculture and community solar uses can co-exist on leased State Trust Land.
Other ways that the State Land Office can make money for schools, universities and hospitals in ways that solve problems include leasing lands for affordable housing, Garcia Richard said. However, she said often the State Trust Land is leased for agricultural purposes such as grazing.
The Global Give A Book Community Solar Project is located near an elementary school and Connelly said Affordable Solar plans on bringing students to tour the facility.
“We’re going to do one tour per year for the local school nearby so that those local schools can kind of see what’s going on,” he said. “What’s really exciting about these projects, to me is they move every 12 minutes…So it’s a fun tour to see as the sun’s moving across. There’s a little bit of physics lesson there as well.”
Homes threatened in Grants fire; at least 300 acres burned in Socorro, no reported injuries - Gregory R.C. Hasman, Albuquerque Journal
Two fires ignited across New Mexico on Sunday that caused people to evacuate.
The causes of the fires are being investigated, but "I'm sure this was driven by wind," New Mexico State Forestry Division spokesperson George Ducker told the Journal. Wind gusts reached over 45 mph across parts of the state Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Albuquerque.
In Grants, the Balsam Fire caused people to evacuate.
A couple of acres burned in the area of Balsam Street and Sage Avenue, but its forward progress has stopped, Ducker said. No injuries were reported but people had to be evacuated, he said just before 10 p.m. Sunday.
Ducker said that some structures were destroyed but no other details were immediately available.
"Please stay away from the area to allow emergency personnel to (do) their jobs without interference," Grants Fire & Rescue said in a Facebook post.
Pearl Chamberlin said in a Facebook post she had to evacuate, though the fire missed her home.
"Scary sight in Grants," she said.
The Way, Truth & Life Ministries, 700 Sakelares Blvd., opened for evacuees late Sunday, Ducker said.
About 130 miles southeast of Grants, at about 5 p.m., the Otero Fire was reported on the east side of Socorro by the Rio Grande. No one was reported injured and no structures have been threatened, Ducker said.
About "300-plus acres" have burned so far, he said.
Fortunately, Ducker said, the wind has pushed the fire away from Socorro and the river.
"This is the time everyone is arriving on scene figuring out where the head of the fire is," he said. "You don't want to be in front of the fire, you want to be on the side of it."
Court grants NM Tech student temporary restraining order against Homeland Security - Source New Mexico
The U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico on Friday granted a Ghanaian doctoral student at New Mexico Tech a temporary restraining order so his legal team can continue challenging the termination of his F-1 student status by Homeland Security, ACLU of New Mexico announced.
ACLU-NM, which is representing the student — known as K.O.D. in court records —along with Huffman, Wallace & Monagle LLC, on Wednesday filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico.
As Source reported earlier this week, according to court records, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on April 9 abruptly terminated the student’s status in the Student and Exchange Visitor (SEVIS) system, placing K.O.D. in danger of immigration detention and deportation, his attorneys wrote.
“Losing my F-1 status puts my education, research, and career trajectory at risk, and I fear being forced to leave the country before I can complete my Ph.D. program,” the student wrote in a sworn statement included in court records. “This sudden disruption has made me feel vulnerable and anxious, not only about my immediate situation but also about the stability and direction of my life in the years to come.”
In a statement Friday, attorney Shayne Huffman said the court’s ruling “reaffirms that every person within our borders, regardless of where they were born, deserves to be protected from arbitrary actions by the U.S. government. The court has recognized that K.O.D., like other international students, cannot simply have his status terminated without notice or explanation. K.O.D. can now continue his doctoral research without the immediate threat of detention or deportation hanging over his head.”
According to an ACLU-NM news release, New Mexico universities have approximately 2,000 international students. K.O.D.’s lawsuit against Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons will continue, the release notes, and seek permanent relief.
“Today’s ruling sends a clear message that the government cannot arbitrarily target international students,” ACLU of New Mexico senior staff attorney Rebecca Sheff said in a statement. “This is an important first step toward justice for K.O.D. and potentially hundreds of other international students facing similar situations.
An infamous group of Russian-linked hackers appears to have launched a crippling cyberattack on WNMU - Joshua Bowling, Searchlight New Mexico
For nearly two weeks, Western New Mexico University’s website and digital systems have been held hostage by what officials in internal emails have called the efforts of a “foreign hacking group.” The university has not publicly addressed the severity of the attack, but documentation obtained by Searchlight New Mexico indicates that an infamous Russian-speaking hacking group is behind the attack and claims to have access to employee payroll data, Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses.
In an image of an employee’s computer shared with Searchlight, a note that threatens to leak the employee’s Social Security number, driver’s license and the university’s “complete network map” is signed by Qilin, a hacking group that the federal government has accused of running a “ransomware-as-a-service” operation. Qilin has earned a cutthroat reputation for being willing to go after anyone. Last year, it was accused of being involved in a cyberattack that forced a hospital system to cancel more than 1,000 appointments and operations. Earlier this year, it made headlines for its role in stealing the Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses of journalists who work for newspapers owned by Lee Enterprises.
Since April 13, the WNMU website has been inaccessible to the public. Faculty members told Searchlight that they and their students can use digital platforms like Canvas, which are hosted by a third party, but they’re unable to use classroom tools that connect to the internet, like printers or projectors.
A Western New Mexico employee’s laptop displayed several threatening ransomware messages, apparently signed by the foreign hacking group known as Qilin.
“We have downloaded compromising and sensitive data from your system/network. Our group cooperates with the mass media. If you refuse to communicate with us and we do not come to an agreement, your data will be reviewed and published on our blog,” the message says. “Data includes: Employees personal data, CVs, DL, SSN. Complete network map including credentials for local and remote services. Financial information including clients data, bills, budgets, annual reports.”
The note instructs recipients to download a Tor browser — commonly used to access the dark web — and visit a specific site to begin negotiations with the hackers. “You need cipher key/our decrypt software to restore your files … the police or authorities will not be able to help you get the cipher key. We encourage you to consider your decisions.”
Payday delayed
On April 25 — a Friday, payday at WNMU — hourly and student employees said they had not yet received their direct deposits. In an email to employees reviewed by Searchlight, the university said the problem “stemmed from an unexpected complication during the file upload process to the bank” and said some employees might experience further delays in receiving the payments. “If this delay results in any overdraft fees, the university will reimburse those charges,” the email said.
The cyberattack comes at an inopportune time for university leaders, who are working to rebuild trust with the faculty senate, student body, state government and the surrounding Silver City community. Since December, when former university president Joseph Shepard resigned from his post and the governor demanded the resignations of the sitting regents, the campus has been without a permanent leader. New regents have only been on the job since late March, and now find themselves leading a university in disarray.
Threats like these have become common enough in local government that in 2022 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security launched the “State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program,” the first of its kind, to help upgrade and protect IT networks across the country. It awarded nearly $280 million in grant funding for fiscal year 2024 — nearly $4 million of which went to New Mexico — and anticipated awarding $1 billion over four years.
In an email to executive managers on April 14 — one day after the attack — Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Jack Crocker said WNMU “experienced a cyberattack from a foreign hacking group” and said the university had the “ongoing collective support and assistance” of the New Mexico Higher Education Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and “other university cyber experts to help us combat the attack.”
In an email to Searchlight, Higher Education Department spokesperson Auriella Ortiz said the agency was working closely with the state Department of Information Technology to “evaluate” the issue.
“WNMU is undertaking a formal investigation to identify the scope of the incident and to facilitate necessary remediation efforts,” she wrote. “Our primary objective as state agencies is to support the university in restoring and continuing normal business operations following this incident.”
Whether that collective firepower will be enough to combat the hacking group remains to be seen. Qilin has developed a reputation for wreaking havoc wherever it goes. Last year, it was accused of being involved with an attack on a healthcare provider in London that forced hospitals to immediately halt operations. Qilin has been operational since 2022 and operates “ransomware as a service,” according to a 2024 report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This allows independent hackers to use its digital tools in exchange for a 15 to 20 percent share of the ransom payments. The 2024 report says that the group’s typical demand for ransom is $50,000 to $800,000.
“Actors practice double extortion and operate a data leak site where victims are posted. Victims are directed to communicate with the attackers via dark web portals or encrypted messaging services, ensuring the attackers’ anonymity and complicating law enforcement efforts to track interactions,” the HHS report says. “Payments are demanded in cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin or Monero. However, even after payment, there is no guarantee that victims will receive the decryption tools required to recover their data.”
System outage or cyberattack?
Meanwhile, the severity of the situation hasn’t come through in the school’s public messaging (“While select systems remain offline,” a recent WNMU Facebook post said, “key academic and communications platforms continue to be accessible.”) For nearly two weeks, WNMU’s website has been down and employees have had varying degrees of access to their emails. Everything on the university website — minutes and agendas for Board of Regents meetings, campus announcements and calendars of events — has been blocked from public view, and students have had to use alternative login methods to access online homework, lectures and exams.
In public social media posts and emails to students, the university has not blamed a cyberattack or other nefarious activity for leading to the outages. Instead it has simply said it is “working through technical issues.” Internal communications, however, show that the situation is more serious than the university’s public depictions.
The university has also enlisted the help of private cybersecurity companies. A number of Wi-Fi hotspots have been installed on campus and students have received instructions on alternative ways to access Canvas, an online coursework program used by universities around the nation.
“In the meantime, the plan is to keep campus open,” Crocker wrote in his email to managers. “Face-to-face classes will meet and alternative access to online/hybrid classes is being created. However, university internet, email, phones, and connections outside WNMU are inoperable at this time and must remain so until the issues are resolved. Scheduled events, such as the scholarship luncheon, softball games, Cultural Affairs lectures will continue.”
While faculty and hourly employees have received different communications from the top, students have seemingly been left in the dark as to the serious nature of the system outage.
In an email to students last week, the university made no mention of a cyberattack. Instead, it told students that WNMU “is currently addressing technical issues affecting access to several key web-based services.” It also told students that “protecting your personal data — including your student status — is a top priority.”
In a statement Friday, university spokesperson Mario Sanchez said “impacted individuals” would be notified if their personal information was involved in the attack.
“The university’s investigation into this incident is ongoing. If the investigation determines that personal information was involved, impacted individuals will be notified in accordance with applicable law. We understand there was an issue with payroll processing for the current pay period, but our bank has let us know that the issue has been corrected and payroll should be posted today.”
Ex-New Mexico judge arrested in case involving man suspected of being a Venezuelan gang member - Associated Press
A former New Mexico judge has been arrested on an evidence tampering charge for allegedly destroying a phone belonging to a tenant who is accused of keeping guns at the property and suspected of being a member of a Venezuelan criminal gang.
Federal authorities said in court records that former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Jose Luis "Joel" Cano, who was arrested Thursday, told investigators that he believed photos or videos on the device would reflect negatively on the tenant and threw away what remained of it five weeks ago after smashing it with a hammer.
Cano resigned last month after the state Judicial Standards Commission sought to suspend him, saying he was accused of letting three members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua live on his property in Las Cruces and have access to firearms.
In a court filing, Cano denied the U.S. government's characterization of the men as gang members, saying each of them were subjected to "thorough and rigorous" proceedings with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents when they entered the country. He said the first time he heard that they may have gang ties was the morning federal agents raided their home and took the men into custody.
Cano said he and his wife, Nancy Cano allowed the men to stay in their spare studio apartment in April 2024. He said they told the couple that they requested asylum upon entering the U.S. in 2023, were processed by immigration officials and were then released with court dates for their requests. Cano said the men showed paperwork to back up their stories.
The case is unfolding at the same time as the FBI's arrest of a Milwaukee judge accused of helping a man evade immigration authorities, escalating a clash between the Trump administration and local authorities over the president's sweeping immigration crackdown.
Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan is accused of escorting the man and his lawyer out of her courtroom through a jury door last week after learning that immigration authorities were there to arrest him. The man was taken into custody outside the courthouse after agents chased him on foot.
In the New Mexico case, federal agents believe the phone the former judge allegedly destroyed contained photos that were also posted on social media of the tenant, Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, holding guns.
Federal agents say videos and photos on Ortega-Lopez's social media accounts "displayed clear indicators of Tren de Aragua" and that other elements – tattoos, clothing and hand gestures – "provide strong evidence" of a potential connection to the gang.
President Donald Trump told reporters Friday that the case is "pretty surprising. It's terrible."
Nancy Cano, who also was arrested on a charge of conspiring to tamper with evidence, is accused of keeping one of Ortega-Lopez's cellphones in her possession after his arrest and trying to help him to delete one of his Facebook accounts, although the complaint indicates that it was not deleted before her arrest. Authorities said Nancy Cano was aware his social media accounts could contain evidence that could be used against him.
Video of the arrests captured by KFOX-TV of El Paso, Texas, showed federal agents escorting the former judge, handcuffed and wearing a plaid button-up and jeans, from his home and into an unmarked pickup. In photos posted by the station, his wife was seen handcuffed and standing with agents outside the home.
The Associated Press sent an email seeking comment from Cano. A call to his cellphone was not answered, and the voicemail inbox was full and not accepting messages.
The AP also left a phone message with William Lutz, an attorney for the couple, and for a lawyer representing Ortega-Lopez, who is charged with being an immigrant in the U.S. illegally while in possession of firearms.
Trump says Columbus Day will now just be Columbus Day - By Nicholas Riccardi, Associated Press
President Donald Trump made clear Sunday that he would not follow his predecessor's practice of recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day alongside Columbus Day in October, accusing Democrats of denigrating the explorer's legacy as he pressed his campaign to restore what he argues are traditional American icons.
Democrat Joe Biden was the first president to mark Indigenous Peoples Day, issuing a proclamation in 2021 that celebrated "the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigenous peoples" and recognize "their inherent sovereignty."
The proclamation noted that America "was conceived on a promise of equality and opportunity for all people" but that promise "we have never fully lived up to. That is especially true when it comes to upholding the rights and dignity of the Indigenous people who were here long before colonization of the Americas began."
Trump on Sunday used a social media post to declare, "I'm bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes." He said on his Truth Social site that "the Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much."
The federal holiday, the second Monday in October, was still known as Columbus Day during Biden's term, but also as Indigenous Peoples Day. That's been a longtime goal of activists who wanted to shift the focus from commemorating Columbus' navigation to the Americas to his and his successors' exploitation of the indigenous people he encountered there.
Though Trump has long objected to telling the country's history through a lens of diversity and oppression, the holiday he seeks to restore to its primacy was added to the calendar as a nod to the country's growing diversity.
Columbus' expeditions never landed on the North American mainland, let alone any of the places that would become the 50 states. But the native of Genoa became increasingly commemorated in the United States as Italian immigrants flocked to the country and politicians sought to win their support.
Indeed, it was the lynching of 11 Italian-American immigrants in New Orleans in 1891 that led to the first Columbus Day celebration in the United States, led the following year by President Benjamin Harrison. President Franklin D. Roosevelt designated Columbus Day as a national holiday in 1934.
Trump has long complained about Democrats tearing down statues of Columbus, a complaint he made again in Sunday's post. In 2017, he spoke out against a review of the 76-foot-tall statue of the explorer in New York's Columbus Circle that then-Mayor Bill de Blasio had ordered. It remains in place today, but other statues have been defaced or torn down.
In 2020, Trump's administration paid to restore a Columbus statue in Baltimore that was dumped in the harbor during protests against the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.