Trial against Meta in New Mexico highlights video depositions by top executives - By Morgan Lee, Associated Press
Prosecutors began presenting never-before-seen video depositions of Meta executives at a trial in New Mexico on Tuesday to bolster accusations that the social media conglomerate failed to disclose what it knows about harmful effects to children on its platforms, including Instagram.
New Mexico prosecutors are billing depositions from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram leader Adam Mosseri as centerpieces of the state's case against Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Prosecutors have accused Meta of violating state consumer protection laws.
Prosecutors say the dangers of addiction to social media as well as child sexual exploitation on Meta's platforms weren't properly addressed or disclosed by the company.
Meta attorney Kevin Huff pushed back on those assertions during opening statements on Feb. 9, highlighting efforts to weed out harmful content from its platforms while warning users that some content still gets through its safety net. He said Meta discloses the risks.
On Tuesday, the New Mexico jury watched a video in which prosecutors peppered Mosseri with questions about Meta's approach to safety, corporate profits and social media features. They also asked him about policies for young users that might contribute to sleep deprivation, unwanted communications with adults and negative effects of cosmetic beauty filters.
Counsel for state prosecutors repeatedly asked whether Instagram should do everything it can to keep teens safe.
"I think we should do what we can," Mosseri said. "I think that there's over 2 billion people on Instagram, which means there are millions of teens on Instagram. So when you say everything, I want to be clear that we are a large enough platform that sometimes some things will — so for instance, problematic content will be seen."
Under deposition, Mosseri also said that at Meta "we will prioritize safety over profits." Prosecutors juxtaposed that assertion with the company's internal audits, emails and messages about proposed social media features that might change the compulsive use of Instagram by teens or interrupt negative social comparisons, and weren't always adopted.
Pressured about a decision by Instagram to continue recommending connections with teen accounts to adults amid concerns about child sexual exploitation, Mosseri described the company's belief in "proportional risk mitigation."
"We carved out a subset of adults that we thought might be more likely to be problematic," he said. "We basically tried to identify a subset of adults that might be risky and then remove them from ... accounts you should follow."
Mosseri also talked about the positive powers of social media to connect people, including his own relatives living on different continents. But he also acknowledged that Meta platforms may offer unwanted recommendations — in one instance, content about babies to a woman after miscarriage — and cited Instagram's "recommendations reset" as a creative solution.
The New Mexico case and a separate trial playing out in Los Angeles could set the course for thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies.
Zuckerberg testified last month in Los Angeles about young people's use of Instagram and has answered questions from Congress about youth safety on Meta's platforms.
During his 2024 congressional testimony, he apologized to families whose lives had been upended by tragedies they believed were caused by social media. But while he told parents he was "sorry for everything you have all been through," he stopped short of taking direct responsibility for it.
Mosseri testified at the California trial that he disagrees with the idea that people can be clinically addicted to social media platforms — an opinion repeated in the New Mexico courtroom by deposition.
"I'm not a scientist, but I don't believe the latest science suggests that social media platforms are addictive," Mosseri said.
Snow drought, higher temps spell active NM wildfire season, forecasters warn - Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
Diminished snow pack in New Mexico, as well as ongoing drought and above-normal temperatures, could mean an active wildfire season across the state through June, according to a new long-term forecast and the National Weather Service.
Fire season has already begun in New Mexico: Much of northeast New Mexico is under an NWS Red Flag Warning on Tuesday, indicating high risk of wildfire, and a small wildfire Monday in southeast New Mexico prompted the evacuation of a Capitan mobile home park before State Forestry crews controlled it Monday evening.
The warning and ignition underscore a forecast that the National Interagency Fire Center published Tuesday that warns above-normal wildfire potential exists across eastern New Mexico through March.
The outlook notes that eastern New Mexico received less than 10% of its normal precipitation in February. The lack of precipitation, as well as high temperatures and long-term drought conditions, have left grasslands and brush that cover much of the region dried out and primed for fire, according to the outlook.
Matt Hurteau, a fire ecologist at the University of New Mexico, told Source NM on Tuesday that conditions are shaping up to be dire, especially if the state does not receive spring moisture.
“We have all the conditions in place,” he said. “It’s been really warm across the West this year. We’re got a severe snow drought in New Mexico, and so all the fuels are going to be…basically cured and ready to burn.”
Early March typically marks when the state experiences its highest level of snowpack, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. Snowpack is key to reducing the flammability of vegetation until the monsoon season, Hurteau said.
So far this year, the Rio Grande Basin, which covers most of New Mexico, is at roughly 6% of the median snowpack. The snow drought has afflicted most of the West this winter, which Hurteau said could mean federal and state firefighting resources could be stretched thin if multiple large wildfires ignite at the same time.
“As hot as it’s been throughout the West this season, other regions are going to start to come online earlier in the season from a flammability perspective,” he said.
Carter Gruelich, an NWS meteorologist, told Source NM on Tuesday that drought conditions contribute to the high wildfire risk.
“We may be looking at some short term relief coming up next week,” he said while looking at a precipitation forecast. “But on a longer term scale, that is not going to do much. We kind of need several of those systems to consistently give rainfall for us to start to worry less about the fire season.”
While the NIFC outlook for April shows that the state will experience typical wildfire potential, risks increase across the state in May and June, particularly in higher elevations and in the western part of the state due to widespread tree deaths and drought stress.
Apart from the snow drought, Hurteau noted that conditions were similar this time last year. What “saved us,” he said, was late spring moisture. That’s what he’s praying for this season.
“We’re kind of dependent on hope this fire season like last year,” he said.
Albuquerque City Council settles dispute over firefighter staffing - Gillian Barkhurst, Albuquerque Journal
After a year of tense debate and legal strife, the City Council voted on a staffing policy for Albuquerque Fire Rescue on Monday night.
“This is the winding down of a lot of drama,” said sponsor Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn.
The resolution revisited the controversial decision by AFR leadership to split paramedics between firetrucks and ambulances. Under this policy, paramedics on ambulances were reduced from two to one in order to place a paramedic on each firetruck.
Under this change, the lone ambulance paramedic is accompanied by an emergency medical technician, while firetrucks are staffed with one paramedic and three emergency medical technicians.
Leadership at the local firefighters' union staunchly opposed the change, calling it unsafe and burdensome.
“Our policy over the past 40-plus years is now getting diluted, which is putting the safety and lives of citizens at risk,” said union president Miguel Tittmann on Monday.
Fire Chief Emily Jaramillo has repeatedly defended her decision, saying the change was necessary to improve response times and efficiency, especially as the nation faces a shortage of paramedics.
Many other firefighters have sided with Jaramillo, arguing that the move freed up paramedics to get to scenes faster and save lives.
Despite pushback from the local union, this policy is currently being piloted at five fire stations around Albuquerque.
In response to the staffing change, the City Council passed a resolution in March 2024 to reverse this decision and a legal battle between the City Council and Mayor’s Office ensued over an alleged separation of powers overstep.
This latest resolution sought to put an end to the debate, at least where it concerned the council, by restoring authority to the fire chief.
The council unanimously voted to approve the measure Monday night.
“The amended resolution passed tonight supports the operational model that has strengthened AFR’s reliability and performance,” Jaramillo said in a statement Monday night. “... My commitment remains unchanged: delivering timely, high-quality emergency response to every member of our community.”
The Mayor’s Office also accepted the council’s olive branch.
“This decision shows the shared trust we have in Chief Jaramillo and her ability to lead her department to keep us all safe, especially when we call 911,” a spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office said in a statement Monday.
Legal fight still on the horizon
Though union president Tittmann was supportive of the resolution, he said that an ongoing legal battle between the union and administration still looms over department morale.
Although disagreements between the council and administration have now been formally settled, the administration has sued the union for violating the Labor Management Relations Ordinance.
The lawsuit alleges that Tittmann went to the City Council when his negotiations with the administration failed.
This constitutes “direct dealing," an outlawed bargaining tactic, according to the lawsuit.
However, this situation is unique.
Direct dealing typically happens when an employer negotiates directly with a union-represented employee, bypassing union leadership. In this case, the lawsuit alleges union leadership bypassed the administration by appealing to an outside party.
Though the council and administration have reached an agreement, the relationship between the union and AFR leadership is still tense, Tittmann said.
Beneath every conversation, Tittmann said, is the promise, "See you in court.
Former city councilor routs Española mayor in municipal election, unofficial results indicate - John Miller, Albuquerque Journal
Dennis Tim Salazar, a former five-term city councilor, appears on track to return to political office as the new mayor of Española.
Tabulator printouts from the Española City Clerk's Office showed Salazar routed incumbent Mayor John Ramon Vigil handily, along with a third write-in candidate, Joann Salazar, the chair of the Rio Arriba Democratic Party and Española Community Development Commission.
Voters in this northern New Mexico city of roughly 10,000 residents also elected four city councilors, one of whom ran unopposed, as well as a municipal judge.
On the city council, District 1 City Councilor Aaron Salazar retained his seat, beating opponent Jacob Torres; Stephen Salazar won a seat in District 2 after defeating Michelle Martinez; Manuel Martinez beat Floyd Archuleta in the race for District 3; and Justin Salazar-Torrez retained his seat in District 4 after facing no challengers, according to the early results.
A series of complaints alleging sexual harassment and discrimination, as well as lawsuits, loomed over Vigil's re-election efforts during his single term in office. Former City Manager Jordan Yutzy and former development director are among those who have taken legal action against the city on the basis of mayoral misconduct since Vigil took office in 2022.
Critics noted that the mayor's legal troubles have weighed down Española's finances, contributing to a $1.7 million general fund deficit in 2025 and a projected $4 million deficit in the current fiscal year, according to budget information provided at a Board of Finance meeting on Feb. 23.
"The city sent a clear message that they want change," District 4 City Councilor Sam Ledoux told the Journal Tuesday night. "They want stability, and they want less drama at City Hall. I think that's basically the reason why Dennis Tim (Salazar) won so overwhelmingly."
Salazar, Vigil's cousin, served on the Española city council for five consecutive terms, from 2004 to 2024.
In statement provided to the Journal Tuesday night, he described the election results as a referendum on Vigil's performance in office for the past four years, saying his incoming administration would have to work to regain the trust of city residents.
"We are ready to move past the last four years of stagnation, controversy and mismanagement of the budget," he said. "Change will be difficult, but the people of Española deserve a better place to live, grow and work.
"We ran on the platform to restore fiscal responsibility, accountability and confidence in city government," he added. "We have a lot to prove to the people of Española, and we will meet that challenge."
In an interview last week, Salazar told the Journal he would consider asking voters to include Española in New Mexico's statewide local election, held in November of odd-numbered years.
Torres wins fifth term as Bernalillo mayor; voters approve economic development tax - Kevin Hendricks, Sandoval Signpost
Jack Torres won a fifth term as mayor of the Town of Bernalillo on Tuesday, defeating challenger James Baca in a municipal election that also asked voters to decide on a new economic development tax.
With all precincts reporting at least some results as of 9 p.m., Torres defeated Baca by a vote of 605 (71%) to 244 (29%)
The quarter-cent gross receipts tax referendum passed 609 (74%) to 213 (26%)
Torres, who first took office in 2010, had campaigned on a record of fiscal turnaround and capital investment. During his tenure, the town secured $8 million for a new fire station, received clean financial audits annually since 2022 and obtained an $835,000 federal grant to help senior citizens with energy efficiency improvements.
More recently, the town received $1 million from U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján’s office for wastewater plant upgrades and broke ground on a $1 million streetscape project along Camino del Pueblo that will add ADA-compliant sidewalks and decorative lighting.
Baca, who narrowly lost Town Council races in both 2022 and 2024, said he was recruited by residents who felt their areas of town were lacking in services. He had argued that Torres’ long tenure had not delivered strong governance or forward-thinking leadership, and raised questions about turnover in police and fire department leadership.
Earlier Tuesday, Baca acknowledged the challenge ahead. “I want to be optimistic,” he said. “But historically in this town, residents don’t vote.”
Torres had expressed confidence going into election day. “We’re encouraged by the reaction we’ve gotten from people,” he said Tuesday.
Town Clerk/Administrator Ida Fierro said 450 voters cast early ballots — up from 300 two years ago — and 73 people had voted by 10:50 a.m. Tuesday. 924 votes were cast total.
Also on the ballot were two at-large Town Council seats, though incumbents Vincent Montoya and Gerred Prairie ran unopposed. Montoya has bragging rights over Prairie though, with 613 votes to Prairie’s 606.
The proposed quarter-cent gross receipts tax — 25 cents per $100 of taxable gross receipts — was estimated to generate $738,679 annually for economic development, according to town officials. Qualifying uses under state law include arts and cultural districts, cultural facilities and retail businesses. Torres said before the election that the town did not yet have specific plans for the revenue.
Attorneys for state auditor, lawmakers ask for removal from former WNMU president’s lawsuit - Joshua Bowling, Source New Mexico
Attorneys for the New Mexico state auditor and current and former lawmakers on Monday asked a judge to dismiss them from former Western New Mexico University President Joseph Shepard’s lawsuit that alleges powerful state leaders subjected him to a “smear campaign.”
Shepard filed suit against the university, State Auditor Joseph Maestas, former state Sen. Siah Correa Hemphill (D-Silver City) and current state Sens. George Muñoz (D-Gallup) and Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque) in October. In the suit, Shepard alleges that Maestas and the lawmakers conspired to tank his reputation and remove him from leading the public university in Silver City after he raised questions about funding in the state’s budget.
Shepard alleges that state lawmakers in 2022 agreed to send $500,000 to WNMU with the understanding that the university would then dole it out to a local, struggling charter school. Lawmakers later acted inappropriately in the 2023 legislative session, he alleges, by adopting a budget that gave the money directly to WNMU but did not direct university officials to pass it along to Aldo Leopold Charter School. Without that direction, the suit alleges, Shepard could not rightfully transfer the funds.
When he spoke out about the matter, his lawsuit says, state leaders retaliated against him with a “smear campaign.”
Lawyers for Maestas and the current and former state lawmakers said they should all be removed from the lawsuit as defendants because they were acting appropriately within the parameters of their public jobs.
“What the plaintiff has alleged in this case is that the auditor did five things,” Geoffrey White, an attorney representing State Auditor Maestas, told the judge Monday. “First, he initiated an investigation; second, he talked privately with people about that investigation; third, he talked publicly with people about that investigation; fourth, he ordered an independent, outside audit of Western New Mexico University; and fifth, he published the results of that audit after conferring with the auditors.” All of that is within the bounds of how state law characterizes the state auditor’s job, White added.
Sixth Judicial District Court Judge Jarod Hofacket told parties on both sides that he’d take the motions to dismiss under advisement and issue a ruling “as timely as I can.”
Monday’s hearing marked the latest legal proceeding since state leaders first began looking into Shepard’s conduct as university president more than two years ago.
News reports in late 2023 and early 2024 revealed how Shepard, his wife and other university officials used taxpayer dollars to travel the globe and buy luxury home furnishings. The reports prompted the Office of the State Auditor and the New Mexico Higher Education Department to open investigations into the university’s finances. The state auditor’s 2024 report found more than $360,000 of “wasteful” and “improper” spending.
Shepard is a defendant in two other lawsuits. In early 2025, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez filed a lawsuit against him and the regents in an attempt to claw back a $1.9 million severance payment — which a newly appointed Board of Regents has since voted to nullify. In June of 2025, the New Mexico State Ethics Commission sued Shepard for allegedly taking $177,000 meant for an on-campus ADA compliance project and spending it instead on a patio to host his daughter’s wedding. A judge recently shot down Shepard’s motion to toss the lawsuit.
City of Española starts work on water projects, hopes to kickstart development on South Riverside Drive - Santa Fe New Mexican
The city of Española broke ground last week on a series of major water projects.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the city is building a new water well and well house at the Prince-Carter Ranch. The project is projected to cost $2.7 million.
The property was bought by the city in 2003.
The city will also spend $278,000 to fix city water tanks and $14.6 million to install new water lines along South Riverside Drive.
The New Mexican reports funding for all three projects comes from the Water Trust Board, a state entity that recommends uses for the Water Project Fund.
The city contributed a 10% match for the grant funding.
Espanola officials said the aquifer at the Prince-Carter Ranch is one of the best water supplies in the area.
The rehabilitation of the water tanks and the new well are expected to be complete within the next year.