WED: New Mexico Highlands regents accuse former president of misconduct, financial mismanagement, +More
By KUNM News
June 17, 2026 at 7:27 AM MDT
Highlands regents accuse former president of misconduct, financial mismanagement
—Margaret O’Hara, Santa Fe New Mexican
There’s more information out regarding the recent firing of New Mexico Highlands University president Neil Woolf.
The Santa Fe New Mexican obtained a document relevant to the story on Tuesday through a public-records request.
The New Mexican reports that on May 27, the New Mexico Highlands University Board of Regents sent a letter to the New Mexico Office of the State Auditor. The letter accused the former president of improper hiring and procurement practices, financial mismanagement and retaliation against university employees.
The New Mexican contacted Woolf regarding the content of the letter and reports that Woolf disputed the claims.
Woolf's firing was among a wave of dismissals earlier this year. Highlands also terminated the university provost, several vice presidents and the men’s basketball coach.
The moves led to a special audit from the state auditor and a mandatory corrective action plan from the New Mexico Higher Education Department.
The board of regents later publicly said they fired Woolf without cause and would comply with the terms of his contract, including "separation pay."
Edgewood adopts ordinance, town to continue receiving fire, EMS services from Santa Fe County
—Gregory R.C. Hasman, Albuquerque Journal
More than 6,100 Edgewood residents won’t have to worry about whether they will receive help if a fire or medical emergency occurs.
The Town Commission voted 5-0 during a special meeting Tuesday evening to adopt an ordinance pledging gross receipts tax revenue to pay for emergency services. The tax dollars will cover the town’s portion of the joint powers agreement with the Santa Fe County Fire Department.
Dozens of meeting attendees applauded the decision.
“That’s the best news I’ve heard today,” Edgewood Mayor Mike Rariden said as he heard the reaction. “In fact, in quite some time.”
The ordinance will be published in a newspaper. After five days, it will be finalized, he said.
“Our town manager is committed tomorrow to get this thing submitted as soon as possible to start that clock for the five-day countdown,” Rariden said.
Before the vote, several residents requested that the commissioners adopt the ordinance.
Among the speakers was Jean DeMarte, who brought a Bible to the podium.
“You guys have made it very clear to all of us that your religion is very important to you,” she said. “And, in some ways, it affects your vote. OK, so right here is a Bible and I'm going to ask that each one of you swear on this Bible that you will not do anything further to jeopardize this JPA. Do I have any takers, gentlemen?”
DeMarte brought the Bible to the commissioners, who then placed their hands on it and said, “I swear.”
Resident Adrian Chavez Sr. said voting for the ordinance was not about politics.
“It’s about protecting the fire and EMS services for our community,” he said.
In early April, the town and Santa Fe County Fire Department announced they were terminating the prior joint powers agreement, stemming from a legal dispute over payments.
That agreement was set to expire June 30. A few weeks later, however, they reached an agreement in principle to preserve the original payment structure that caused commissioners to rethink their 20-year partnership.
As part of the new joint powers agreement, Edgewood will make monthly $10,000 payments for technical support, donations of surplus fire materials and machinery and capital for continued operations for 18½ years, totaling $2.27 million.
The attorneys for the county and town were collaborating on the ordinance when a commissioner brought forward a different version, Santa Fe County spokesperson Stephanie Stancil said.
The county attorney sent the town a letter requesting to communicate with them about the undisclosed changes, “which they’ve done and we’re all very pleased to have worked through that issue effectively,” she said.
“The big thing is to make sure there is no disruption in fire and EMS services,” Edgewood Commissioner Ken Brennan said in a phone interview. “That's the most important thing.”
Santa Fe County Commissioner Camilla Bustamante said in an email she was “happy to hear that we are moving forward in a manner that assures EMS services for the community.”
Attempts to reach the firefighters union, Local IAFF 4366, for comment were unsuccessful.
Following the vote, commissioners adopted a resolution to extend a fireworks ban, which was put into effect in May. That came after the State Forestry Division issued a ban in April — which included fireworks — on non-municipal, non-federal and non-tribal lands.
“If we have a fantastic monsoon season and God gives us lots of rain then we can go ahead and ease up on it,” Brennan said.
Feds seek to thwart New Mexico suit against Kalshi
—Olivier Uyttebrouck, Albuquerque Journal
The federal government has thrown its weight behind the New York-based prediction market company Kalshi Inc., which faces a New Mexico lawsuit alleging its sports-betting app violates state gambling laws.
New Mexico is the latest state targeted by the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission over state efforts to rein in the activities of sports-betting platforms like Kalshi.
The United States and the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed the suit last week in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque against New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, as well as other state officials and agencies.
The suit is a response to a lawsuit Torrez filed on June 4 in state district court, alleging Kalshi’s sports-betting app functions as a sportsbook in violation of state gambling laws and allows people under age 21 to gamble on sporting events.
“The only lawful gaming in New Mexico operates either under tribal-state gaming compacts, or under strict state regulations to ensure honest gaming free from corruption,” Torrez said at the time. “Kalshi has ignored that framework entirely while offering online sports betting within the state.”
Raúl Torrez The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is asking a judge to issue an injunction that would block New Mexico’s effort to bring Kalshi under the purview of the state’s Gaming Control Act.
The suit argues that New Mexico law is subordinate to federal law, which gives the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission “exclusive jurisdiction” to regulate what it describes as “event contracts,” “swaps” or derivatives.
“The event contracts targeted by New Mexico are ‘swaps’ under the federal CEA (Commodities Exchange Act),” the suit contends. “New Mexico is not the first State that has attempted to invade the Commission’s exclusive jurisdiction over swaps.”
The federal agency has filed similar lawsuits against seven other states that have attempted to regulate “sports-related events contracts,” the agency said on its website.
“The United States and the CFTC bring this action to halt (New Mexico’s) efforts to prohibit the operation of derivatives markets governed by federal law,” the suit said.
Torrez’s office did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment about the new lawsuit.
The state action followed a federal suit filed in May by three New Mexico pueblos and the Mescalero Apache Tribe, alleging Kalshi offers sports betting on tribal lands in violation of federal gambling laws and state-tribal compacts.
The two New Mexico lawsuits add to a growing list of legal actions nationwide that pit states and tribes against sports-wagering platforms for control of gambling within their jurisdictions.
New Mexico AG seeks nearly $1 billion payment from Meta in second phase of trial
—Joshua Bowling, Source New Mexico
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has asked a Santa Fe judge to order Meta, the social media giant that operates Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, to pay $953 million to remedy harm to the state’s youth, recent court filings show.
In a nearly 300-page document filed late Friday evening, attorneys with the New Mexico Department of Justice argue that tens of thousands of New Mexico children and teenagers suffer from depression, eating disorders and suicide risk factors. Meta’s design features, including infinite scrolling and recommendation algorithms, have “substantially contributed to the increase and severity of these problems,” NMDOJ lawyers wrote in the filing.
The filing asked First Judicial District Judge Bryan Biedscheid to require Meta to pay $953 million into a fund meant to boost public education and behavioral health work aimed at kids and teenagers as Meta’s “equitable share of the cost of abating” the harms done to New Mexico’s youth.
When the state rested its case against Meta last month, its expert witnesses testified that fully addressing these issues statewide could take 15 years and cost about $3.7 billion. Any money left unspent after the 15-year mark would be returned to Meta, the filing says.
The recent filings represent the written closing statements from both sides in the bench trial for New Mexico’s case against Meta. In the first phase of the case, a Santa Fe jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million in damages to the state based on 75,000 violations of the state’s Unfair Practices Act, which Torrez has since invoked in a different lawsuit against retailers who allegedly sell vapes to underage customers.
In a filing of its own Friday night, Meta’s attorneys argued that Torrez is seeking an “extraordinary expansion of the law of public nuisance.”
Millions of teenagers “around the world enjoy” Meta’s apps “with positive benefits and, for the vast majority of people, no ill effects,” company lawyers wrote.
They also argued that Torrez is inappropriately alleging a public nuisance. If a user was a victim of bullying or sexual extortion or if someone suffered depression after seeing other people on their social media feeds having fun, those should be considered individual harms and not a broader danger to rights widely held by the public, they wrote in their Friday filing.
The state’s request for Meta to pay into an abatement fund is analogous to forcing a factory that polluted a lake to pay for every cancer patient’s treatment for the next 15 years, they wrote, adding that the proper solution in that scenario would be to order an end to the pollution.
In an email to Source NM, a Meta spokesperson wrote that the state’s demands would “risk leaving teens less safe, infringe on parental rights and stifle free expression.”
“Even the judge has noted those mandates could be an ‘overreach,’” the spokesperson wrote, in reference to Biedscheid’s previous comments in May that he held “some concerns” about the NMDOJ’s demands. “The state’s case ignores the hundreds of apps teens use daily and fails to provide scientific or legal justification for their demands of Meta. We remain committed to providing safe, age-appropriate experiences and have already launched many of the protections the state seeks, including 13 safety measures this past year.”
In court last month, Meta’s attorneys argued that the company had already implemented many of the safety measures Torrez is seeking, including blocking adults from messaging children with whom they aren’t connected and limiting adults from sending “unreasonable” amounts of friend requests or messages to underage users.
NM ethics watchdog looks into dark money group that propped up state House Democratic candidates — Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
The New Mexico State Ethics Commission voted Monday to seek more information, through a lawsuit if necessary, from New Chapter New Mexico, a political action committee that spent more than $400,000 during the June 2 Democratic primary election to help elect an array of candidates and did not disclose its donors.
The commission, which is empowered under state law to enforce the state Campaign Reporting Act, unanimously voted during its meeting to make an unspecified demand of — “and, if necessary, file a civil action against” — the New Chapter group and its 501(c)4 nonprofit organization that carries a similar name.
In response to a question about the commission’s investigation, SEC Deputy Director Amelia Bierle pointed Source NM to a resolution the commission passed that notes that the SEC is looking into two provisions of the Campaign Reporting Act related to New Chapter’s conduct.
One provision that makes it unlawful for a political donor to contribute “in the name of another person” and for a recipient to knowingly accept a deceptive campaign contribution.
The other provision prohibits donors from making contributions “with an intent to conceal” the “true source of funds.”
Connor Woods, an attorney for the SEC, mentioned New Chapter New Mexico by name during the meeting Monday after the commission met in closed session.
The SEC did not specify what demand it was making of the group or which provision of the Campaign Reporting Act it seeks to enforce. The act dictates limits on political donations and lays out disclosure requirements for candidates and political action committees, among other election-related provisions.
New Chapter’s treasurer, Greg Gallegos, who previously ran for the New Mexico House of Representatives as a Republican, did not respond to Source NM’s request for comment Tuesday about the commission’s action.
Source NM previously reported that James Altamirano, an attorney who lives in House District 30 in Albuquerque, filed a complaint with the State Ethics Commission against candidate Veronica Mireles, one of the six Democratic candidates in contested primaries that New Chapter boosted through digital advertisements and mailers.
State law allows independent expenditure committees like New Chapter to spend unlimited funds without disclosing their donors provided they do not coordinate with campaigns. But Altamirano’s complaint noted that Mireles’ fiancé, Vincent Chavez, is her campaign treasurer and once served on New Chapter’s board of directors.
Chavez and Mireles denied coordinating, despite their apparent connections, in an interview with Source NM. Chavez also said Andrew Short, a Colorado man who runs a similar dark money group in that state, pitched New Chapter to him as a “centrist” organization that would support small businesses.
Altamirano’s complaint alleges that Chavez and Mireles coordinated and, as a result, are subject to a $6,200 contribution limit under state law, as well as disclosure requirements.
Mireles ultimately earned only 36% of the vote in her race against incumbent Rep. E. Dianne Torres Velásquez (D-Albuquerque) in the primary earlier this month.
New Mexico Senate Democratic floor leader Peter Wirth says he won't seek reelection in 2028
—Dan Boyd, Albuquerque Journal
New Mexico Senate Democratic floor leader Peter Wirth generated political shock waves Tuesday by announcing he will not seek reelection in 2028.
The Santa Fe Democrat, who has served in the Legislature since 2004, also said he would relinquish his leadership post before the start of next year’s 60-day legislative session but would still serve out the remainder of his term.
The decision means New Mexico will have a new governor and a new Senate Democratic floor leader come January — in addition to other possible leadership shakeups.
Wirth, whose home was the target of a bomb threat last year that prompted the closure of nearby roads, is currently tied as the Senate’s fourth-longest tenured member. He said his decision was prompted by a desire to allow for new leaders to step up.
“Part of being a leader is knowing when it’s time to pass the baton,” Wirth told the Journal.
A professional mediator known at the Roundhouse for his even-keeled demeanor, Wirth has served as Senate Democratic floor leader since November 2016. He succeeded former Sen. Michael Sanchez of Belen, who was defeated in that year’s general election.
As majority leader, Wirth played a key role in ensuring many of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s top-priority bills reached the Senate floor. He also took the lead in recent years on bills dealing with water rights and limiting data sharing from automatic license plate readers, among other topics.
“I’m super proud of what we were able to accomplish, especially in the last two years,” said Wirth, who also cited an overhaul of the state’s Public Regulation Commission as among his top accomplishments.
But Wirth and other Senate Democrats also broke ranks with the governor on occasion, including during a July 2024 special session that ended with lawmakers largely rejecting Lujan Grisham’s public safety-focused agenda.
Senate Minority Leader William Sharer, R-Farmington, lauded Wirth’s leadership after his Tuesday announcement, saying Wirth had treated minority Republicans with respect.
“What we demonstrated together is that you can fight hard for what you believe in, disagree openly and honestly, and still find a way to move the state forward,” Sharer said in a statement. “That is what the people of New Mexico sent us here to do, and I am proud of the way we did it.”
Lt. Gov. Howie Morales, who’s also leaving office at the end of this year, said in an interview Wirth sought to maintain a high level of decorum and civility in the Senate during his time as Democratic floor leader.
“He demonstrated exactly what public service should be about,” said Morales, who also praised Wirth’s calm presence and keen sense of strategy.
Democrats have held a majority in the New Mexico Senate since 1988, and currently outnumber Republicans in the chamber by a 26-16 margin.
However, the Senate Democratic caucus has undergone a facelift over the last several election cycles, as several moderate Democrats were ousted by more progressive challengers in the 2020 primary election.
Wirth avoided such political challenges since winning election to the Senate in 2008 — he previously served four-plus years in the House — as his Santa Fe-based district was the state’s most Democratic-leaning as of the last round of redistricting in 2021.
He also largely avoided controversy during his time in the Legislature, though Wirth faced political pressure last year for resisting a push to include the passage of interstate medical compacts on the agenda of an October 2025 special session.
Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, prepares to present a bill on behavioral health on the Senate floor in this February 2025 file photo. Wirth announced Tuesday he plans to relinquish his leadership post at the end of this year and will not run for reelection in 2026.
Eddie Moore/Journal
Lawmakers ultimately approved compacts for physicians and social workers during this year’s 30-day session, but proposals for other medical professions stalled in the Senate.
Senate Democrats are expected to vote on a new leadership team for the next two years during a closed-door caucus meeting later this year.
Wirth said he plans to provide assistance to whoever is selected as his successor, but also said he plans to get to work on bills dealing with energy and environmental issues over the next two-plus years.
“I don’t plan on sitting in the back row and doing nothing,” said Wirth.
City Council votes down gross receipts tax increase (again)
—Matthew Reisen, Albuquerque Journal
For the second time in four months, a proposal to raise gross receipts taxes failed to advance at the Albuquerque City Council.
The proposed 0.4875% increase, dubbed the Community Enhancement and Local Investment Tax, would have generated about $113 million annually. The revenue would have been split between community projects — divided equally among council districts — and city operations, including cost-of-living increases.
Councilors voted down the proposal 5-4, preventing it from going before voters in November.
Councilors Dan Champine, Tammy Fiebelkorn, Renée Grout, Dan Lewis and Stephanie Telles voted against the measure. Councilors Brook Bassan, Klarissa Peña, Nichole Rogers and Joaquín Baca voted in favor.
Sponsored by Bassan and Peña, the ordinance would have raised Albuquerque’s gross receipts tax rate from 7.625% to 8.1%. A similar proposal failed in March. That measure was sponsored by Baca and Bassan, who ultimately voted against it.
Gross receipts taxes are paid by businesses and passed on to consumers. The tax makes up a significant share of the city’s operating budget and general fund. In 2025, 40% of the city’s revenue came from gross receipts taxes.
Among New Mexico’s five most populous cities and towns, Albuquerque has the second-lowest gross receipts tax rate at 7.625%. Neighboring Rio Rancho’s rate is 0.1875 percentage points lower. New Mexico is one of a minority of states that levy a gross receipts tax.
Under the proposal, half of the new revenue would have gone toward general municipal operations, maintenance and cost-of-living increases. The remaining 50% would have funded community enhancement projects, with the money divided among the city’s nine council districts and the Mayor’s Office.
Most public commenters during Monday’s meeting opposed the proposal, citing concerns that higher taxes would increase costs for consumers already struggling with inflation, particularly low-income residents and those on fixed incomes.
“It’s already been defeated once, we don’t want it on the ballot,” resident Dennis Curtis said. He added that the city should “budget responsibly and lower taxes so we can make Albuquerque more prosperous.”
Several opponents pointed to the North Domingo Baca Park Aquatics Center as an example of a project that would benefit from the tax increase despite its costs rising substantially since it was approved.
Bassan, who championed the project, pushed back on that criticism.
“The proposal splits 50% of the revenues from the GRT increase 10 ways,” she said, “not just for one district or one project.”
Bassan also said the aquatics center was not “a mismanaged project” and argued that much of the increase in costs resulted from inflation between the project’s approval and construction.
Lewis said he would vote against the tax increase because of the views of his constituents.
“I have constituents that have elected me four times and they know how strongly I feel,” he said. “They feel strongly about decisions like this and I feel like I owe it to them … the people in this city who want to see the cost of living in the city go down.”
Grout said she was conflicted about the proposal and questioned whether there were other ways to increase city revenue. She said the current budget “should be enough to run the city.”
“We need to live within our means … with the budget we are given. I have to do that at home,” Grout said.
She also cited rising costs for residents, including property taxes, solid waste fees and vehicle registration costs.
“It’s not fair to continually ask people for more and more,” she said. “I don’t think this is the right time.”
Peña called it “courageous” for Bassan to bring the proposal back and said it had “nothing to do with the pool.” She questioned why residents should not invest more in city services and employees.
“The citizens are the employers of our employees and I think it’s time we help our own employees have a better quality of life themselves,” Peña said.
She added that the proposal could fund significant projects in District 3, which she said has received less attention and economic opportunity than other parts of the city.
“As a city we are struggling. I think we need to grow and if we do nothing, we have the same thing,” she said. “If we try to do something different, and build 10, 15 amazing projects in each of our districts, I think that really changes the trajectory for our city.”
New Mexico’s Epstein ‘truth commission’ publishes subpoenas, with more on the way
—Joshua Bowling, Source New Mexico
The New Mexico commission investigating the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s time in the state made its first batch of subpoenas public late last week, and is scheduled to hold a public meeting at noon on Thursday at which commissioners are expected to announce more subpoenas.
An update on the subpoenas — all of which list a June 30 deadline for compliance — and survivor testimony are on the meeting’s tentative agenda. A news release Tuesday said new subpoenas would be announced as well.
The House investigatory subcommittee commonly known as the Epstein “truth commission” at a meeting earlier this month announced it was issuing 14 subpoenas, mostly to state and federal government agencies, seeking information and documentation about Epstein’s connections. On Friday, the commission posted the first six subpoenas on its website, NMTruthCommission.com.
In those six subpoenas — which were sent to the New Mexico Department of Justice, State Land Office, Department of Public Safety, the Office of the Governor, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office and the Santa Fe Institute — the commission seeks financial documents, real estate records and correspondence to help paint a fuller picture of the late sex offender’s activities in New Mexico.
The commission posts the full subpoenas online here as they’re issued.
New Mexico Department of JusticeThe commission’s subpoena to the New Mexico Department of Justice seeks investigation files, such as notes and witness interviews related to Epstein; personnel records for NMDOJ employees involved in Epstein investigations; files sent to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York; internal memoranda relating to Epstein investigations and more.
In a statement, NMDOJ Chief of Staff Lauren Rodriguez said the department received the subpoena and is reviewing it.
“We intend to comply with all lawful requests and are assessing the subpoena’s provisions to determine how we can best support the truth commission’s important mission,” she wrote.
New Mexico State Land OfficeThe subpoena to the State Land Office seeks real estate records related to Epstein and Zorro Ranch; records of inspections, audits and site visits; financial transactions between Epstein-related entities and the State Land Office and more.
A spokesperson for the State Land Office in an email to Source NM said the office has received the subpoena and intends to “fully comply.”
New Mexico Department of Public SafetyThe subpoena to the state’s public safety department seeks documents related to former Gov. Bill Richardson and Epstein from 2003 to 2011, including records that contain details about Richardson’s travels to properties owned by Epstein.
John Heil, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Safety, in an email to Source said the department has “not yet been served the subpoena. We would comply to the extent we can under the law.”
Governor’s officeThe subpoena to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office seeks much of the same documentation requested of the state Department of Public Safety.
Leah March, Lujan Grisham’s deputy communications director, told Source NM that the governor’s office did not have any responsive records as prior governors’ records are held in the New Mexico State Archives. March noted that Lujan Grisham “strongly” supports the commission and abuse survivors.
Santa Fe County Sheriff’s OfficeThe Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office subpoena focuses largely on police reports and calls for service to Zorro Ranch, including statements from witnesses, victims and suspects. It also requests video footage from body-cameras and dashcams.
Shawna Graves, a county communications coordinator, in a statement said the county sheriff’s office received the subpoena and is working with county attorneys to gather the responsive records.
“The Board of County Commissioners has expressed its support for the work of the Truth Commission through Resolution No. 2026-063,” she wrote. “The resolution affirms the county’s commitment to cooperating fully with the Truth Commission, including providing timely responses to lawful requests for records, documents, reports, and other information within the county’s custody or control.”
Santa Fe InstituteThe subpoena to the Santa Fe Institute, so far the only non-governmental entity to be subpoenaed, seeks financial records such as donations and contributions that Epstein or any Epstein-affiliated entities made to the organization. It also requests documentation of how the Santa Fe Institute used those funds and correspondence between Santa Fe Institute officials and Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell.
David Krakauer, Santa Fe Institute president and William H. Miller Professor of Complex Systems, in an email to Source NM said the organization is complying with the subpoena.
3.9 earthquake jolts Valencia County
—Aubrie Moore, Albuquerque Journal
It wasn't your dog or your coffee shaking Sunday morning.
A series of light earthquakes rattled Valencia County, with the strongest reaching magnitude 3.9, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The cluster continues a long-observed pattern of seismic activity tied to the Socorro magma body about 1 hour south/southwest of Albuquerque.
The activity began with a magnitude 3.7 earthquake near Abeytas. Minutes later, a slightly stronger magnitude 3.9 quake near Las Nutrias had residents across the county checking their walls, pets and sanity around 11:45 a.m.
Two smaller quakes, measuring magnitudes 2.7 and 2.9, followed later in the afternoon west of the earlier epicenters.
Dr. Mairi Litherland of the New Mexico Bureau of Geology said the pattern is familiar for the region.
"This sort of cluster of earthquakes is pretty typical of what we see associated with the Socorro magma body," Litherland said.
About 12 miles beneath the surface, a slowly expanding magma body puts stress on the crust, triggering small earthquakes, she said.
"This whole area around Socorro is the most seismically active part of New Mexico," Litherland said. "This isn't something new. We've seen swarms like this going back decades."
While the swarm could taper off or continue, Litherland said nothing suggests an unusual or escalating threat.
"There's a possibility there could be larger events, but there's no reason to think anything outside the typical is likely."
Valencia County Fire Chief Matt Propp said no injuries or damage were reported, though many residents felt the shaking and took to the fire department's Facebook page to compare notes.
"I felt it here in Los Lunas! I was lying in bed watching TV and felt the bed and floor move. I thought it was all in my head!" Vanessa Gutierrez commented.
"It shook me here in Belen," added Wilma Ulibarri. "As I was walking, I felt my legs shake. It knocked my balance off, and it took me a few seconds to regain it."
Hayley Griggs wrote on the News-Bulletin's Facebook page that she was startled by the quake.
"I was in the bathroom, and I thought someone finally hit the side of my house in Veguita off N.M. 304. I was relieved it was an earthquake lol," she wrote.
One commenter, Jamie Hatchett, joked about oilfield activity, though Litherland clarified that, unlike in other parts of the state, Valencia County's earthquakes are natural and not tied to drilling.
Litherland noted that while oil- and gas-producing regions in New Mexico have experienced an increase in human-induced earthquakes, the Socorro area has a long, well-documented history of natural seismic activity.
"We do see faults slipping and earthquakes," Litherland said. "But the magma body is deep, so we haven't seen magma coming to the surface. Mostly, we just see it in these earthquakes."
Litherland encouraged residents to practice basic earthquake safety.
"If they feel an earthquake, they should drop, cover and hold on," she said. "They can report the earthquake they felt through the USGS 'Did You Feel It?' website."
Largest wind project in the US comes online in New Mexico
—Keelin Fisher, Albuquerque Journal
The largest wind project in the nation came online in New Mexico this month, doubling local wind-generating capacity and sending power to homes in western states.
The SunZia Wind Project is more than three times the size of the next two largest wind farms, Alta Wind Energy Center in California and Great Prairie Wind Farm in Texas, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Friday.
SunZia, developed by California-based Pattern Energy Group, features more than 900 turbines and generates 3,650 megawatts of power, which will supply about 1 million homes.
Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., praised the project’s completion on Monday, saying it has been a priority of his since entering office in 2013.
“Through a whole series of obstacles spanning over a decade and a half, we kept working to move it forward because we knew what it could mean for America’s energy future and New Mexico’s role in leading it,” Heinrich said in a statement to the Journal.
June marks the beginning of the project’s commercial operations after nearly two decades of permitting and planning. Pattern started constructing the $11 billion project in 2023, and some wind turbines were producing power around April 2026 during a testing phase.
In New Mexico, wind makes up 45% of the total power capacity mix with the addition of the project, according to the EIA. The remaining installed generating capacity is primarily split between solar at roughly 19% and natural gas, which also accounts for about 19%.
The power generated by the SunZia project spans three counties, including San Miguel County with nearly 250 turbines and Lincoln and Torrance counties with almost 700. The power generated by those turbines will reach central Arizona and Southern California through a 550-mile transmission line, about 350 miles of which crosses through central and western New Mexico.
Lynn Mostoller, executive director of the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority, a public body created by the state Legislature that worked with Pattern on the SunZia project, called the beginning of commercial operations a “tremendous milestone.”
“Our renewable wind resource is getting exported to the West and helping western states reach their renewable portfolio goals,” Mostoller said.
The SunZia project’s commercial launch also comes at a critical time for renewable energy developers, who have faced waning federal tax incentives and permitting delays. Last month, The Associated Press, citing the American Clean Power Association, reported that the Pentagon has stalled the development of more than 250 onshore wind farms on private lands because it failed to complete national security reviews.
But SunZia’s developer has pointed to the project’s economic benefits, including the creation of more than 2,000 jobs at peak construction and more than 100 long-term operational jobs. The company also said the project will have a $20 billion economic impact on New Mexico and Arizona, of which $1.3 billion will go toward direct payments to local schools, governments and private landowners.
Heinrich used the moment to call for permitting reform, noting that SunZia took 18 years from planning to operation.
“If we want more projects like SunZia that lower costs, strengthen our energy security and create good-paying jobs people can build their families around, we need a permitting system that gets to yes — or no — faster while maintaining strong environmental standards and meaningful community engagement,” he said.
New study finds New Mexico underestimates, fails to investigate federal food assistance fraud
—Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
New Mexico legislative analysts tasked with assessing fraud among state recipients of federal food assistance reported Tuesday that the state’s low fraud rate may be misleading and stems from a failure to collect data and investigate fraud allegations.
The Legislative Finance Committee’s 78-page report, six months in the making, resulted from a $50,000 appropriation Republican state legislators secured in November. At the time, the Legislature had just agreed to allocate up to $162.5 million in state funding to pay Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits amid a federal government shutdown.
New Mexico has the nation’s highest SNAP reliance rate — 21.5% — of any state in the country and typically oversees more than $90 million a month in federal SNAP benefits that go to more than 445,000 New Mexicans, or roughly one in five.
The Legislative Finance Committee’s report, which analysts presented to lawmakers on Tuesday during an interim Legislative Committee meeting in Ruidoso, found that New Mexico’s fraud rate was .04%, far less than the national average of between 1% and 2%.
But analysts stressed that figure underestimates the state’s actual fraud rates and buttressed their assertion by providing examples of “high-risk” SNAP transactions they said the New Mexico Health Care Authority, including its inspector general’s office, should have caught.
“The HCA Office of the Inspector General is under-investigating and under-identifying potential SNAP fraud,” LFC analyst Clayton Lobaugh told lawmakers.
The transactions the LFC flagged include an estimated $85 million annually that New Mexico SNAP recipients spend in other states. While recipients can spend SNAP dollars wherever they like, repeated out-of-state SNAP spending likely means recipients are violating the state’s requirements that recipients live in New Mexico.
The LFC review also found two smoke shops in the state that each collected more than $400,000 in SNAP payments in 2025 — suspiciously high amounts for businesses that don’t primarily sell food. The LFC did not name the smoke shops but included photos of them, including one with a large sign announcing that it accepted SNAP debit cards.
The federal USDA authorizes SNAP retailers, though analysts said the state could have flagged the smoke shops to the USDA.
In addition to those specific cases, the report also looked closely at how the HCA’s Office of the Inspector General handled fraud allegations it received through a state telephone and email tipline.
Between fiscal years 2018 and 2023, the office received 9,953 tips but completed only 312 investigations, according to the report, which amounts to roughly 3%.
The HCA also disqualifies the smallest percentage of SNAP recipients after findings of potential fraud than any other state in the country, according to the report.
For instance, in fiscal year 2023, only 18 SNAP recipients were disqualified, amounting to 0.004% of the state’s SNAP recipients.
That same year, the national average disqualification rate was 0.1% — a rate 250 times higher than New Mexico’s.
HCA Secretary Kari Armijo told lawmakers that she largely agreed with the LFC report’s findings, including that the inspector general’s lack of fraud investigations “is an area that the agency needs to do better on.”
But she said the inspector general’s office often doesn’t investigate cases that allege small amounts of fraud, based partially on local prosecutors’ unwillingness to bring criminal charges unless large amounts of money are stolen. And investigating fraud takes a long time, which also means the agency might be trying to only go after major cases.
“We have an investigation backlog right now,” she told lawmakers. “Investigations don’t get cleared quickly. They take a lot of time.”
Republicans in both chambers of the Legislature said the report shows New Mexico’s food system “is broken” and accused the HCA of willfully enabling fraud.
A system that rarely verifies, seldom audits, and barely investigates fraud is a system designed to fail,” House Republicans said in a statement Tuesday morning.
But LFC Chair Nathan Small (D-Las Cruces) noted during Tuesday’s hearing that the median income of SNAP households is roughly $30,000, less than half the $77,000 median salary statewide. SNAP fraud that comprises a fraction of overall spending should not be used as reason to restrict eligibility, he said.
“These are households — without this help — their ability to sort of go and make it through a day, much less a week, much less a month, much less a year, is very, very challenging,” he said, “particularly as we see elevated fuel costs, which are going to translate into elevated food costs, because of the war on Iran.”
Five candidates vying for New Mexico GOP leadership post — including former party chairwoman
—Dan Boyd, Albuquerque Journal
The New Mexico Republican Party wasn’t planning on having to pick a new leader less than five months out from this year’s general election.
But after a state judge ordered former GOP chairwoman Amy Barela to step down from her post last month, Republican Party insiders from around the state will gather in Las Cruces on Saturday to pick a replacement.
The meeting was called by the state party’s 1st Vice Chair Mike Nelson, following the state Supreme Court’s recent decision to deny an appeal of District Court Judge Cindy Mercer’s order. The lawsuit that prompted the judge’s ruling hinged on claims top state GOP officials violated party rules intended to ensure neutrality in contested primary races.
In a twist, Barela herself is among the five candidates running for the state GOP chairmanship, after losing her primary election for the Otero County Commission seat she was elected to in 2022.
The four other candidates running include Albuquerque attorney Robert Aragon, who filed a separate lawsuit seeking Barela’s ouster, and KKOB radio talk show host Brandon Vogt.
Vogt said he felt compelled to run for GOP chairman after Republicans initially failed to field a candidate this year to run against incumbent U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján. After the lone GOP candidate who filed to run for the seat was disqualified, Larry Marker of Roswell ran as a write-in candidate in this month’s primary election and received enough votes to secure his spot on the November ballot.
“This is an ineffective party at this point,” Vogt said in a Monday interview, while adding he would seek to unify the state Republican Party and support GOP candidates on the ballot this fall.
Meanwhile, the two other candidates vying to be the next GOP chair are Zac Anaya of Rio Rancho, who unsuccessfully challenged state Rep. Joshua Hernandez in this month’s primary election, and John Brenna, who is currently the GOP chairman in Valencia County.
Brenna, a former law enforcement officer, said he’s in talks with Aragon about a possible alliance so the two candidates don’t split votes from one another.
He also said he would push for party rule changes if elected, and would also seek to elevate the role of county parties.
“We have enough Republicans to win this election — we just have to get them off the couch,” Brenna told the Journal, referring to this fall’s election in which all statewide offices will be on the ballot.
As for Anaya, he said Monday he has decided to support either Aragon or Brenna’s candidacy — and withdraw his own candidacy — if the other two candidates can reach a deal.
Whoever wins this weekend’s race could have a short stint as party chair, since New Mexico Republicans will meet again in December — just after the general election — to vote on party leadership for the next two years.
New Mexico state aging department reports 18,000 elder abuse reports this year so far
—Source New Mexico staff
The New Mexico state Aging and Long-Term Services Department on June 16, 2026, reported that its Adult Protective Services division has received 18,000 reports of elder abuse so far this year. (Photo courtesy NM Aging Services)
The New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department on Tuesday reported that its Adult Protective Services division has received 18,000 reports of elder abuse so far this year.
“As New Mexico’s older population continues to grow, it is more important than ever that we look out for one another and recognize when someone may need help,” Aging Secretary Emily Kaltenbach said in a statement. “By learning the signs and speaking up when something feels wrong, we can help protect those who may be vulnerable.”
According to previous data shared by the agency, New Mexicans aged 65 and older are expected to have the largest growth of any age group, increasing by more than 80,000 between 2020 and 2040.
According to a news release from the agency, the National Council on Aging says approximately one in 10 Americans age 60 and older may have experienced some form of elder abuse, which can range from physical and emotional abuse to financial exploitation and scams.
June marks Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and Corey Roybal, director of ALTSD’s Adult Protective Services, said in a statement elder abuse prevention begins through “awareness and connection” such as checking in on a neighbor, “noticing unusual behavior, or asking questions when something doesn’t seem right can make a meaningful difference in someone’s well-being.”
Some signs of potential problems can include unexplained injuries, changes in behavior and lack of access to basic needs, such as medical care.
—Margaret O’Hara, Santa Fe New Mexican
There’s more information out regarding the recent firing of New Mexico Highlands University president Neil Woolf.
The Santa Fe New Mexican obtained a document relevant to the story on Tuesday through a public-records request.
The New Mexican reports that on May 27, the New Mexico Highlands University Board of Regents sent a letter to the New Mexico Office of the State Auditor. The letter accused the former president of improper hiring and procurement practices, financial mismanagement and retaliation against university employees.
The New Mexican contacted Woolf regarding the content of the letter and reports that Woolf disputed the claims.
Woolf's firing was among a wave of dismissals earlier this year. Highlands also terminated the university provost, several vice presidents and the men’s basketball coach.
The moves led to a special audit from the state auditor and a mandatory corrective action plan from the New Mexico Higher Education Department.
The board of regents later publicly said they fired Woolf without cause and would comply with the terms of his contract, including "separation pay."
Edgewood adopts ordinance, town to continue receiving fire, EMS services from Santa Fe County
—Gregory R.C. Hasman, Albuquerque Journal
More than 6,100 Edgewood residents won’t have to worry about whether they will receive help if a fire or medical emergency occurs.
The Town Commission voted 5-0 during a special meeting Tuesday evening to adopt an ordinance pledging gross receipts tax revenue to pay for emergency services. The tax dollars will cover the town’s portion of the joint powers agreement with the Santa Fe County Fire Department.
Dozens of meeting attendees applauded the decision.
“That’s the best news I’ve heard today,” Edgewood Mayor Mike Rariden said as he heard the reaction. “In fact, in quite some time.”
The ordinance will be published in a newspaper. After five days, it will be finalized, he said.
“Our town manager is committed tomorrow to get this thing submitted as soon as possible to start that clock for the five-day countdown,” Rariden said.
Before the vote, several residents requested that the commissioners adopt the ordinance.
Among the speakers was Jean DeMarte, who brought a Bible to the podium.
“You guys have made it very clear to all of us that your religion is very important to you,” she said. “And, in some ways, it affects your vote. OK, so right here is a Bible and I'm going to ask that each one of you swear on this Bible that you will not do anything further to jeopardize this JPA. Do I have any takers, gentlemen?”
DeMarte brought the Bible to the commissioners, who then placed their hands on it and said, “I swear.”
Resident Adrian Chavez Sr. said voting for the ordinance was not about politics.
“It’s about protecting the fire and EMS services for our community,” he said.
In early April, the town and Santa Fe County Fire Department announced they were terminating the prior joint powers agreement, stemming from a legal dispute over payments.
That agreement was set to expire June 30. A few weeks later, however, they reached an agreement in principle to preserve the original payment structure that caused commissioners to rethink their 20-year partnership.
As part of the new joint powers agreement, Edgewood will make monthly $10,000 payments for technical support, donations of surplus fire materials and machinery and capital for continued operations for 18½ years, totaling $2.27 million.
The attorneys for the county and town were collaborating on the ordinance when a commissioner brought forward a different version, Santa Fe County spokesperson Stephanie Stancil said.
The county attorney sent the town a letter requesting to communicate with them about the undisclosed changes, “which they’ve done and we’re all very pleased to have worked through that issue effectively,” she said.
“The big thing is to make sure there is no disruption in fire and EMS services,” Edgewood Commissioner Ken Brennan said in a phone interview. “That's the most important thing.”
Santa Fe County Commissioner Camilla Bustamante said in an email she was “happy to hear that we are moving forward in a manner that assures EMS services for the community.”
Attempts to reach the firefighters union, Local IAFF 4366, for comment were unsuccessful.
Following the vote, commissioners adopted a resolution to extend a fireworks ban, which was put into effect in May. That came after the State Forestry Division issued a ban in April — which included fireworks — on non-municipal, non-federal and non-tribal lands.
“If we have a fantastic monsoon season and God gives us lots of rain then we can go ahead and ease up on it,” Brennan said.
Feds seek to thwart New Mexico suit against Kalshi
—Olivier Uyttebrouck, Albuquerque Journal
The federal government has thrown its weight behind the New York-based prediction market company Kalshi Inc., which faces a New Mexico lawsuit alleging its sports-betting app violates state gambling laws.
New Mexico is the latest state targeted by the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission over state efforts to rein in the activities of sports-betting platforms like Kalshi.
The United States and the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed the suit last week in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque against New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, as well as other state officials and agencies.
The suit is a response to a lawsuit Torrez filed on June 4 in state district court, alleging Kalshi’s sports-betting app functions as a sportsbook in violation of state gambling laws and allows people under age 21 to gamble on sporting events.
“The only lawful gaming in New Mexico operates either under tribal-state gaming compacts, or under strict state regulations to ensure honest gaming free from corruption,” Torrez said at the time. “Kalshi has ignored that framework entirely while offering online sports betting within the state.”
Raúl Torrez The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is asking a judge to issue an injunction that would block New Mexico’s effort to bring Kalshi under the purview of the state’s Gaming Control Act.
The suit argues that New Mexico law is subordinate to federal law, which gives the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission “exclusive jurisdiction” to regulate what it describes as “event contracts,” “swaps” or derivatives.
“The event contracts targeted by New Mexico are ‘swaps’ under the federal CEA (Commodities Exchange Act),” the suit contends. “New Mexico is not the first State that has attempted to invade the Commission’s exclusive jurisdiction over swaps.”
The federal agency has filed similar lawsuits against seven other states that have attempted to regulate “sports-related events contracts,” the agency said on its website.
“The United States and the CFTC bring this action to halt (New Mexico’s) efforts to prohibit the operation of derivatives markets governed by federal law,” the suit said.
Torrez’s office did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment about the new lawsuit.
The state action followed a federal suit filed in May by three New Mexico pueblos and the Mescalero Apache Tribe, alleging Kalshi offers sports betting on tribal lands in violation of federal gambling laws and state-tribal compacts.
The two New Mexico lawsuits add to a growing list of legal actions nationwide that pit states and tribes against sports-wagering platforms for control of gambling within their jurisdictions.
New Mexico AG seeks nearly $1 billion payment from Meta in second phase of trial
—Joshua Bowling, Source New Mexico
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has asked a Santa Fe judge to order Meta, the social media giant that operates Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, to pay $953 million to remedy harm to the state’s youth, recent court filings show.
In a nearly 300-page document filed late Friday evening, attorneys with the New Mexico Department of Justice argue that tens of thousands of New Mexico children and teenagers suffer from depression, eating disorders and suicide risk factors. Meta’s design features, including infinite scrolling and recommendation algorithms, have “substantially contributed to the increase and severity of these problems,” NMDOJ lawyers wrote in the filing.
The filing asked First Judicial District Judge Bryan Biedscheid to require Meta to pay $953 million into a fund meant to boost public education and behavioral health work aimed at kids and teenagers as Meta’s “equitable share of the cost of abating” the harms done to New Mexico’s youth.
When the state rested its case against Meta last month, its expert witnesses testified that fully addressing these issues statewide could take 15 years and cost about $3.7 billion. Any money left unspent after the 15-year mark would be returned to Meta, the filing says.
The recent filings represent the written closing statements from both sides in the bench trial for New Mexico’s case against Meta. In the first phase of the case, a Santa Fe jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million in damages to the state based on 75,000 violations of the state’s Unfair Practices Act, which Torrez has since invoked in a different lawsuit against retailers who allegedly sell vapes to underage customers.
In a filing of its own Friday night, Meta’s attorneys argued that Torrez is seeking an “extraordinary expansion of the law of public nuisance.”
Millions of teenagers “around the world enjoy” Meta’s apps “with positive benefits and, for the vast majority of people, no ill effects,” company lawyers wrote.
They also argued that Torrez is inappropriately alleging a public nuisance. If a user was a victim of bullying or sexual extortion or if someone suffered depression after seeing other people on their social media feeds having fun, those should be considered individual harms and not a broader danger to rights widely held by the public, they wrote in their Friday filing.
The state’s request for Meta to pay into an abatement fund is analogous to forcing a factory that polluted a lake to pay for every cancer patient’s treatment for the next 15 years, they wrote, adding that the proper solution in that scenario would be to order an end to the pollution.
In an email to Source NM, a Meta spokesperson wrote that the state’s demands would “risk leaving teens less safe, infringe on parental rights and stifle free expression.”
“Even the judge has noted those mandates could be an ‘overreach,’” the spokesperson wrote, in reference to Biedscheid’s previous comments in May that he held “some concerns” about the NMDOJ’s demands. “The state’s case ignores the hundreds of apps teens use daily and fails to provide scientific or legal justification for their demands of Meta. We remain committed to providing safe, age-appropriate experiences and have already launched many of the protections the state seeks, including 13 safety measures this past year.”
In court last month, Meta’s attorneys argued that the company had already implemented many of the safety measures Torrez is seeking, including blocking adults from messaging children with whom they aren’t connected and limiting adults from sending “unreasonable” amounts of friend requests or messages to underage users.
NM ethics watchdog looks into dark money group that propped up state House Democratic candidates — Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
The New Mexico State Ethics Commission voted Monday to seek more information, through a lawsuit if necessary, from New Chapter New Mexico, a political action committee that spent more than $400,000 during the June 2 Democratic primary election to help elect an array of candidates and did not disclose its donors.
The commission, which is empowered under state law to enforce the state Campaign Reporting Act, unanimously voted during its meeting to make an unspecified demand of — “and, if necessary, file a civil action against” — the New Chapter group and its 501(c)4 nonprofit organization that carries a similar name.
In response to a question about the commission’s investigation, SEC Deputy Director Amelia Bierle pointed Source NM to a resolution the commission passed that notes that the SEC is looking into two provisions of the Campaign Reporting Act related to New Chapter’s conduct.
One provision that makes it unlawful for a political donor to contribute “in the name of another person” and for a recipient to knowingly accept a deceptive campaign contribution.
The other provision prohibits donors from making contributions “with an intent to conceal” the “true source of funds.”
Connor Woods, an attorney for the SEC, mentioned New Chapter New Mexico by name during the meeting Monday after the commission met in closed session.
The SEC did not specify what demand it was making of the group or which provision of the Campaign Reporting Act it seeks to enforce. The act dictates limits on political donations and lays out disclosure requirements for candidates and political action committees, among other election-related provisions.
New Chapter’s treasurer, Greg Gallegos, who previously ran for the New Mexico House of Representatives as a Republican, did not respond to Source NM’s request for comment Tuesday about the commission’s action.
Source NM previously reported that James Altamirano, an attorney who lives in House District 30 in Albuquerque, filed a complaint with the State Ethics Commission against candidate Veronica Mireles, one of the six Democratic candidates in contested primaries that New Chapter boosted through digital advertisements and mailers.
State law allows independent expenditure committees like New Chapter to spend unlimited funds without disclosing their donors provided they do not coordinate with campaigns. But Altamirano’s complaint noted that Mireles’ fiancé, Vincent Chavez, is her campaign treasurer and once served on New Chapter’s board of directors.
Chavez and Mireles denied coordinating, despite their apparent connections, in an interview with Source NM. Chavez also said Andrew Short, a Colorado man who runs a similar dark money group in that state, pitched New Chapter to him as a “centrist” organization that would support small businesses.
Altamirano’s complaint alleges that Chavez and Mireles coordinated and, as a result, are subject to a $6,200 contribution limit under state law, as well as disclosure requirements.
Mireles ultimately earned only 36% of the vote in her race against incumbent Rep. E. Dianne Torres Velásquez (D-Albuquerque) in the primary earlier this month.
New Mexico Senate Democratic floor leader Peter Wirth says he won't seek reelection in 2028
—Dan Boyd, Albuquerque Journal
New Mexico Senate Democratic floor leader Peter Wirth generated political shock waves Tuesday by announcing he will not seek reelection in 2028.
The Santa Fe Democrat, who has served in the Legislature since 2004, also said he would relinquish his leadership post before the start of next year’s 60-day legislative session but would still serve out the remainder of his term.
The decision means New Mexico will have a new governor and a new Senate Democratic floor leader come January — in addition to other possible leadership shakeups.
Wirth, whose home was the target of a bomb threat last year that prompted the closure of nearby roads, is currently tied as the Senate’s fourth-longest tenured member. He said his decision was prompted by a desire to allow for new leaders to step up.
“Part of being a leader is knowing when it’s time to pass the baton,” Wirth told the Journal.
A professional mediator known at the Roundhouse for his even-keeled demeanor, Wirth has served as Senate Democratic floor leader since November 2016. He succeeded former Sen. Michael Sanchez of Belen, who was defeated in that year’s general election.
As majority leader, Wirth played a key role in ensuring many of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s top-priority bills reached the Senate floor. He also took the lead in recent years on bills dealing with water rights and limiting data sharing from automatic license plate readers, among other topics.
“I’m super proud of what we were able to accomplish, especially in the last two years,” said Wirth, who also cited an overhaul of the state’s Public Regulation Commission as among his top accomplishments.
But Wirth and other Senate Democrats also broke ranks with the governor on occasion, including during a July 2024 special session that ended with lawmakers largely rejecting Lujan Grisham’s public safety-focused agenda.
Senate Minority Leader William Sharer, R-Farmington, lauded Wirth’s leadership after his Tuesday announcement, saying Wirth had treated minority Republicans with respect.
“What we demonstrated together is that you can fight hard for what you believe in, disagree openly and honestly, and still find a way to move the state forward,” Sharer said in a statement. “That is what the people of New Mexico sent us here to do, and I am proud of the way we did it.”
Lt. Gov. Howie Morales, who’s also leaving office at the end of this year, said in an interview Wirth sought to maintain a high level of decorum and civility in the Senate during his time as Democratic floor leader.
“He demonstrated exactly what public service should be about,” said Morales, who also praised Wirth’s calm presence and keen sense of strategy.
Democrats have held a majority in the New Mexico Senate since 1988, and currently outnumber Republicans in the chamber by a 26-16 margin.
However, the Senate Democratic caucus has undergone a facelift over the last several election cycles, as several moderate Democrats were ousted by more progressive challengers in the 2020 primary election.
Wirth avoided such political challenges since winning election to the Senate in 2008 — he previously served four-plus years in the House — as his Santa Fe-based district was the state’s most Democratic-leaning as of the last round of redistricting in 2021.
He also largely avoided controversy during his time in the Legislature, though Wirth faced political pressure last year for resisting a push to include the passage of interstate medical compacts on the agenda of an October 2025 special session.
Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, prepares to present a bill on behavioral health on the Senate floor in this February 2025 file photo. Wirth announced Tuesday he plans to relinquish his leadership post at the end of this year and will not run for reelection in 2026.
Eddie Moore/Journal
Lawmakers ultimately approved compacts for physicians and social workers during this year’s 30-day session, but proposals for other medical professions stalled in the Senate.
Senate Democrats are expected to vote on a new leadership team for the next two years during a closed-door caucus meeting later this year.
Wirth said he plans to provide assistance to whoever is selected as his successor, but also said he plans to get to work on bills dealing with energy and environmental issues over the next two-plus years.
“I don’t plan on sitting in the back row and doing nothing,” said Wirth.
City Council votes down gross receipts tax increase (again)
—Matthew Reisen, Albuquerque Journal
For the second time in four months, a proposal to raise gross receipts taxes failed to advance at the Albuquerque City Council.
The proposed 0.4875% increase, dubbed the Community Enhancement and Local Investment Tax, would have generated about $113 million annually. The revenue would have been split between community projects — divided equally among council districts — and city operations, including cost-of-living increases.
Councilors voted down the proposal 5-4, preventing it from going before voters in November.
Councilors Dan Champine, Tammy Fiebelkorn, Renée Grout, Dan Lewis and Stephanie Telles voted against the measure. Councilors Brook Bassan, Klarissa Peña, Nichole Rogers and Joaquín Baca voted in favor.
Sponsored by Bassan and Peña, the ordinance would have raised Albuquerque’s gross receipts tax rate from 7.625% to 8.1%. A similar proposal failed in March. That measure was sponsored by Baca and Bassan, who ultimately voted against it.
Gross receipts taxes are paid by businesses and passed on to consumers. The tax makes up a significant share of the city’s operating budget and general fund. In 2025, 40% of the city’s revenue came from gross receipts taxes.
Among New Mexico’s five most populous cities and towns, Albuquerque has the second-lowest gross receipts tax rate at 7.625%. Neighboring Rio Rancho’s rate is 0.1875 percentage points lower. New Mexico is one of a minority of states that levy a gross receipts tax.
Under the proposal, half of the new revenue would have gone toward general municipal operations, maintenance and cost-of-living increases. The remaining 50% would have funded community enhancement projects, with the money divided among the city’s nine council districts and the Mayor’s Office.
Most public commenters during Monday’s meeting opposed the proposal, citing concerns that higher taxes would increase costs for consumers already struggling with inflation, particularly low-income residents and those on fixed incomes.
“It’s already been defeated once, we don’t want it on the ballot,” resident Dennis Curtis said. He added that the city should “budget responsibly and lower taxes so we can make Albuquerque more prosperous.”
Several opponents pointed to the North Domingo Baca Park Aquatics Center as an example of a project that would benefit from the tax increase despite its costs rising substantially since it was approved.
Bassan, who championed the project, pushed back on that criticism.
“The proposal splits 50% of the revenues from the GRT increase 10 ways,” she said, “not just for one district or one project.”
Bassan also said the aquatics center was not “a mismanaged project” and argued that much of the increase in costs resulted from inflation between the project’s approval and construction.
Lewis said he would vote against the tax increase because of the views of his constituents.
“I have constituents that have elected me four times and they know how strongly I feel,” he said. “They feel strongly about decisions like this and I feel like I owe it to them … the people in this city who want to see the cost of living in the city go down.”
Grout said she was conflicted about the proposal and questioned whether there were other ways to increase city revenue. She said the current budget “should be enough to run the city.”
“We need to live within our means … with the budget we are given. I have to do that at home,” Grout said.
She also cited rising costs for residents, including property taxes, solid waste fees and vehicle registration costs.
“It’s not fair to continually ask people for more and more,” she said. “I don’t think this is the right time.”
Peña called it “courageous” for Bassan to bring the proposal back and said it had “nothing to do with the pool.” She questioned why residents should not invest more in city services and employees.
“The citizens are the employers of our employees and I think it’s time we help our own employees have a better quality of life themselves,” Peña said.
She added that the proposal could fund significant projects in District 3, which she said has received less attention and economic opportunity than other parts of the city.
“As a city we are struggling. I think we need to grow and if we do nothing, we have the same thing,” she said. “If we try to do something different, and build 10, 15 amazing projects in each of our districts, I think that really changes the trajectory for our city.”
New Mexico’s Epstein ‘truth commission’ publishes subpoenas, with more on the way
—Joshua Bowling, Source New Mexico
The New Mexico commission investigating the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s time in the state made its first batch of subpoenas public late last week, and is scheduled to hold a public meeting at noon on Thursday at which commissioners are expected to announce more subpoenas.
An update on the subpoenas — all of which list a June 30 deadline for compliance — and survivor testimony are on the meeting’s tentative agenda. A news release Tuesday said new subpoenas would be announced as well.
The House investigatory subcommittee commonly known as the Epstein “truth commission” at a meeting earlier this month announced it was issuing 14 subpoenas, mostly to state and federal government agencies, seeking information and documentation about Epstein’s connections. On Friday, the commission posted the first six subpoenas on its website, NMTruthCommission.com.
In those six subpoenas — which were sent to the New Mexico Department of Justice, State Land Office, Department of Public Safety, the Office of the Governor, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office and the Santa Fe Institute — the commission seeks financial documents, real estate records and correspondence to help paint a fuller picture of the late sex offender’s activities in New Mexico.
The commission posts the full subpoenas online here as they’re issued.
New Mexico Department of JusticeThe commission’s subpoena to the New Mexico Department of Justice seeks investigation files, such as notes and witness interviews related to Epstein; personnel records for NMDOJ employees involved in Epstein investigations; files sent to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York; internal memoranda relating to Epstein investigations and more.
In a statement, NMDOJ Chief of Staff Lauren Rodriguez said the department received the subpoena and is reviewing it.
“We intend to comply with all lawful requests and are assessing the subpoena’s provisions to determine how we can best support the truth commission’s important mission,” she wrote.
New Mexico State Land OfficeThe subpoena to the State Land Office seeks real estate records related to Epstein and Zorro Ranch; records of inspections, audits and site visits; financial transactions between Epstein-related entities and the State Land Office and more.
A spokesperson for the State Land Office in an email to Source NM said the office has received the subpoena and intends to “fully comply.”
New Mexico Department of Public SafetyThe subpoena to the state’s public safety department seeks documents related to former Gov. Bill Richardson and Epstein from 2003 to 2011, including records that contain details about Richardson’s travels to properties owned by Epstein.
John Heil, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Safety, in an email to Source said the department has “not yet been served the subpoena. We would comply to the extent we can under the law.”
Governor’s officeThe subpoena to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office seeks much of the same documentation requested of the state Department of Public Safety.
Leah March, Lujan Grisham’s deputy communications director, told Source NM that the governor’s office did not have any responsive records as prior governors’ records are held in the New Mexico State Archives. March noted that Lujan Grisham “strongly” supports the commission and abuse survivors.
Santa Fe County Sheriff’s OfficeThe Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office subpoena focuses largely on police reports and calls for service to Zorro Ranch, including statements from witnesses, victims and suspects. It also requests video footage from body-cameras and dashcams.
Shawna Graves, a county communications coordinator, in a statement said the county sheriff’s office received the subpoena and is working with county attorneys to gather the responsive records.
“The Board of County Commissioners has expressed its support for the work of the Truth Commission through Resolution No. 2026-063,” she wrote. “The resolution affirms the county’s commitment to cooperating fully with the Truth Commission, including providing timely responses to lawful requests for records, documents, reports, and other information within the county’s custody or control.”
Santa Fe InstituteThe subpoena to the Santa Fe Institute, so far the only non-governmental entity to be subpoenaed, seeks financial records such as donations and contributions that Epstein or any Epstein-affiliated entities made to the organization. It also requests documentation of how the Santa Fe Institute used those funds and correspondence between Santa Fe Institute officials and Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell.
David Krakauer, Santa Fe Institute president and William H. Miller Professor of Complex Systems, in an email to Source NM said the organization is complying with the subpoena.
3.9 earthquake jolts Valencia County
—Aubrie Moore, Albuquerque Journal
It wasn't your dog or your coffee shaking Sunday morning.
A series of light earthquakes rattled Valencia County, with the strongest reaching magnitude 3.9, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The cluster continues a long-observed pattern of seismic activity tied to the Socorro magma body about 1 hour south/southwest of Albuquerque.
The activity began with a magnitude 3.7 earthquake near Abeytas. Minutes later, a slightly stronger magnitude 3.9 quake near Las Nutrias had residents across the county checking their walls, pets and sanity around 11:45 a.m.
Two smaller quakes, measuring magnitudes 2.7 and 2.9, followed later in the afternoon west of the earlier epicenters.
Dr. Mairi Litherland of the New Mexico Bureau of Geology said the pattern is familiar for the region.
"This sort of cluster of earthquakes is pretty typical of what we see associated with the Socorro magma body," Litherland said.
About 12 miles beneath the surface, a slowly expanding magma body puts stress on the crust, triggering small earthquakes, she said.
"This whole area around Socorro is the most seismically active part of New Mexico," Litherland said. "This isn't something new. We've seen swarms like this going back decades."
While the swarm could taper off or continue, Litherland said nothing suggests an unusual or escalating threat.
"There's a possibility there could be larger events, but there's no reason to think anything outside the typical is likely."
Valencia County Fire Chief Matt Propp said no injuries or damage were reported, though many residents felt the shaking and took to the fire department's Facebook page to compare notes.
"I felt it here in Los Lunas! I was lying in bed watching TV and felt the bed and floor move. I thought it was all in my head!" Vanessa Gutierrez commented.
"It shook me here in Belen," added Wilma Ulibarri. "As I was walking, I felt my legs shake. It knocked my balance off, and it took me a few seconds to regain it."
Hayley Griggs wrote on the News-Bulletin's Facebook page that she was startled by the quake.
"I was in the bathroom, and I thought someone finally hit the side of my house in Veguita off N.M. 304. I was relieved it was an earthquake lol," she wrote.
One commenter, Jamie Hatchett, joked about oilfield activity, though Litherland clarified that, unlike in other parts of the state, Valencia County's earthquakes are natural and not tied to drilling.
Litherland noted that while oil- and gas-producing regions in New Mexico have experienced an increase in human-induced earthquakes, the Socorro area has a long, well-documented history of natural seismic activity.
"We do see faults slipping and earthquakes," Litherland said. "But the magma body is deep, so we haven't seen magma coming to the surface. Mostly, we just see it in these earthquakes."
Litherland encouraged residents to practice basic earthquake safety.
"If they feel an earthquake, they should drop, cover and hold on," she said. "They can report the earthquake they felt through the USGS 'Did You Feel It?' website."
Largest wind project in the US comes online in New Mexico
—Keelin Fisher, Albuquerque Journal
The largest wind project in the nation came online in New Mexico this month, doubling local wind-generating capacity and sending power to homes in western states.
The SunZia Wind Project is more than three times the size of the next two largest wind farms, Alta Wind Energy Center in California and Great Prairie Wind Farm in Texas, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Friday.
SunZia, developed by California-based Pattern Energy Group, features more than 900 turbines and generates 3,650 megawatts of power, which will supply about 1 million homes.
Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., praised the project’s completion on Monday, saying it has been a priority of his since entering office in 2013.
“Through a whole series of obstacles spanning over a decade and a half, we kept working to move it forward because we knew what it could mean for America’s energy future and New Mexico’s role in leading it,” Heinrich said in a statement to the Journal.
June marks the beginning of the project’s commercial operations after nearly two decades of permitting and planning. Pattern started constructing the $11 billion project in 2023, and some wind turbines were producing power around April 2026 during a testing phase.
In New Mexico, wind makes up 45% of the total power capacity mix with the addition of the project, according to the EIA. The remaining installed generating capacity is primarily split between solar at roughly 19% and natural gas, which also accounts for about 19%.
The power generated by the SunZia project spans three counties, including San Miguel County with nearly 250 turbines and Lincoln and Torrance counties with almost 700. The power generated by those turbines will reach central Arizona and Southern California through a 550-mile transmission line, about 350 miles of which crosses through central and western New Mexico.
Lynn Mostoller, executive director of the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority, a public body created by the state Legislature that worked with Pattern on the SunZia project, called the beginning of commercial operations a “tremendous milestone.”
“Our renewable wind resource is getting exported to the West and helping western states reach their renewable portfolio goals,” Mostoller said.
The SunZia project’s commercial launch also comes at a critical time for renewable energy developers, who have faced waning federal tax incentives and permitting delays. Last month, The Associated Press, citing the American Clean Power Association, reported that the Pentagon has stalled the development of more than 250 onshore wind farms on private lands because it failed to complete national security reviews.
But SunZia’s developer has pointed to the project’s economic benefits, including the creation of more than 2,000 jobs at peak construction and more than 100 long-term operational jobs. The company also said the project will have a $20 billion economic impact on New Mexico and Arizona, of which $1.3 billion will go toward direct payments to local schools, governments and private landowners.
Heinrich used the moment to call for permitting reform, noting that SunZia took 18 years from planning to operation.
“If we want more projects like SunZia that lower costs, strengthen our energy security and create good-paying jobs people can build their families around, we need a permitting system that gets to yes — or no — faster while maintaining strong environmental standards and meaningful community engagement,” he said.
New study finds New Mexico underestimates, fails to investigate federal food assistance fraud
—Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
New Mexico legislative analysts tasked with assessing fraud among state recipients of federal food assistance reported Tuesday that the state’s low fraud rate may be misleading and stems from a failure to collect data and investigate fraud allegations.
The Legislative Finance Committee’s 78-page report, six months in the making, resulted from a $50,000 appropriation Republican state legislators secured in November. At the time, the Legislature had just agreed to allocate up to $162.5 million in state funding to pay Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits amid a federal government shutdown.
New Mexico has the nation’s highest SNAP reliance rate — 21.5% — of any state in the country and typically oversees more than $90 million a month in federal SNAP benefits that go to more than 445,000 New Mexicans, or roughly one in five.
The Legislative Finance Committee’s report, which analysts presented to lawmakers on Tuesday during an interim Legislative Committee meeting in Ruidoso, found that New Mexico’s fraud rate was .04%, far less than the national average of between 1% and 2%.
But analysts stressed that figure underestimates the state’s actual fraud rates and buttressed their assertion by providing examples of “high-risk” SNAP transactions they said the New Mexico Health Care Authority, including its inspector general’s office, should have caught.
“The HCA Office of the Inspector General is under-investigating and under-identifying potential SNAP fraud,” LFC analyst Clayton Lobaugh told lawmakers.
The transactions the LFC flagged include an estimated $85 million annually that New Mexico SNAP recipients spend in other states. While recipients can spend SNAP dollars wherever they like, repeated out-of-state SNAP spending likely means recipients are violating the state’s requirements that recipients live in New Mexico.
The LFC review also found two smoke shops in the state that each collected more than $400,000 in SNAP payments in 2025 — suspiciously high amounts for businesses that don’t primarily sell food. The LFC did not name the smoke shops but included photos of them, including one with a large sign announcing that it accepted SNAP debit cards.
The federal USDA authorizes SNAP retailers, though analysts said the state could have flagged the smoke shops to the USDA.
In addition to those specific cases, the report also looked closely at how the HCA’s Office of the Inspector General handled fraud allegations it received through a state telephone and email tipline.
Between fiscal years 2018 and 2023, the office received 9,953 tips but completed only 312 investigations, according to the report, which amounts to roughly 3%.
The HCA also disqualifies the smallest percentage of SNAP recipients after findings of potential fraud than any other state in the country, according to the report.
For instance, in fiscal year 2023, only 18 SNAP recipients were disqualified, amounting to 0.004% of the state’s SNAP recipients.
That same year, the national average disqualification rate was 0.1% — a rate 250 times higher than New Mexico’s.
HCA Secretary Kari Armijo told lawmakers that she largely agreed with the LFC report’s findings, including that the inspector general’s lack of fraud investigations “is an area that the agency needs to do better on.”
But she said the inspector general’s office often doesn’t investigate cases that allege small amounts of fraud, based partially on local prosecutors’ unwillingness to bring criminal charges unless large amounts of money are stolen. And investigating fraud takes a long time, which also means the agency might be trying to only go after major cases.
“We have an investigation backlog right now,” she told lawmakers. “Investigations don’t get cleared quickly. They take a lot of time.”
Republicans in both chambers of the Legislature said the report shows New Mexico’s food system “is broken” and accused the HCA of willfully enabling fraud.
A system that rarely verifies, seldom audits, and barely investigates fraud is a system designed to fail,” House Republicans said in a statement Tuesday morning.
But LFC Chair Nathan Small (D-Las Cruces) noted during Tuesday’s hearing that the median income of SNAP households is roughly $30,000, less than half the $77,000 median salary statewide. SNAP fraud that comprises a fraction of overall spending should not be used as reason to restrict eligibility, he said.
“These are households — without this help — their ability to sort of go and make it through a day, much less a week, much less a month, much less a year, is very, very challenging,” he said, “particularly as we see elevated fuel costs, which are going to translate into elevated food costs, because of the war on Iran.”
Five candidates vying for New Mexico GOP leadership post — including former party chairwoman
—Dan Boyd, Albuquerque Journal
The New Mexico Republican Party wasn’t planning on having to pick a new leader less than five months out from this year’s general election.
But after a state judge ordered former GOP chairwoman Amy Barela to step down from her post last month, Republican Party insiders from around the state will gather in Las Cruces on Saturday to pick a replacement.
The meeting was called by the state party’s 1st Vice Chair Mike Nelson, following the state Supreme Court’s recent decision to deny an appeal of District Court Judge Cindy Mercer’s order. The lawsuit that prompted the judge’s ruling hinged on claims top state GOP officials violated party rules intended to ensure neutrality in contested primary races.
In a twist, Barela herself is among the five candidates running for the state GOP chairmanship, after losing her primary election for the Otero County Commission seat she was elected to in 2022.
The four other candidates running include Albuquerque attorney Robert Aragon, who filed a separate lawsuit seeking Barela’s ouster, and KKOB radio talk show host Brandon Vogt.
Vogt said he felt compelled to run for GOP chairman after Republicans initially failed to field a candidate this year to run against incumbent U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján. After the lone GOP candidate who filed to run for the seat was disqualified, Larry Marker of Roswell ran as a write-in candidate in this month’s primary election and received enough votes to secure his spot on the November ballot.
“This is an ineffective party at this point,” Vogt said in a Monday interview, while adding he would seek to unify the state Republican Party and support GOP candidates on the ballot this fall.
Meanwhile, the two other candidates vying to be the next GOP chair are Zac Anaya of Rio Rancho, who unsuccessfully challenged state Rep. Joshua Hernandez in this month’s primary election, and John Brenna, who is currently the GOP chairman in Valencia County.
Brenna, a former law enforcement officer, said he’s in talks with Aragon about a possible alliance so the two candidates don’t split votes from one another.
He also said he would push for party rule changes if elected, and would also seek to elevate the role of county parties.
“We have enough Republicans to win this election — we just have to get them off the couch,” Brenna told the Journal, referring to this fall’s election in which all statewide offices will be on the ballot.
As for Anaya, he said Monday he has decided to support either Aragon or Brenna’s candidacy — and withdraw his own candidacy — if the other two candidates can reach a deal.
Whoever wins this weekend’s race could have a short stint as party chair, since New Mexico Republicans will meet again in December — just after the general election — to vote on party leadership for the next two years.
New Mexico state aging department reports 18,000 elder abuse reports this year so far
—Source New Mexico staff
The New Mexico state Aging and Long-Term Services Department on June 16, 2026, reported that its Adult Protective Services division has received 18,000 reports of elder abuse so far this year. (Photo courtesy NM Aging Services)
The New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department on Tuesday reported that its Adult Protective Services division has received 18,000 reports of elder abuse so far this year.
“As New Mexico’s older population continues to grow, it is more important than ever that we look out for one another and recognize when someone may need help,” Aging Secretary Emily Kaltenbach said in a statement. “By learning the signs and speaking up when something feels wrong, we can help protect those who may be vulnerable.”
According to previous data shared by the agency, New Mexicans aged 65 and older are expected to have the largest growth of any age group, increasing by more than 80,000 between 2020 and 2040.
According to a news release from the agency, the National Council on Aging says approximately one in 10 Americans age 60 and older may have experienced some form of elder abuse, which can range from physical and emotional abuse to financial exploitation and scams.
June marks Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and Corey Roybal, director of ALTSD’s Adult Protective Services, said in a statement elder abuse prevention begins through “awareness and connection” such as checking in on a neighbor, “noticing unusual behavior, or asking questions when something doesn’t seem right can make a meaningful difference in someone’s well-being.”
Some signs of potential problems can include unexplained injuries, changes in behavior and lack of access to basic needs, such as medical care.