As fear ripples across the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire burn scar about newly discovered toxic metals in Mora County groundwater, elected officials and residents are increasingly wondering whether a federal office overseeing a $5.45B fire compensation fund will step in to help. buff.ly/KrqzXrI

Read it and your day will get better. www.hcn.org/issues/57-11...

Approximately 460,000 NM residents receive SNAP benefits. Here’s the latest on where they stand

Wildfires, floods and National Guard deployments over the last few years have depleted a key New Mexico disaster fund. Gov. Lujan Grisham has, nonetheless, used emergency declarations and state funds to cover the cost. Where's the money coming from? Read Source's latest "By the #s" buff.ly/emjyJys

Hey everyone! Thrilled to announce I’m joining the team at @sourcenm.com as Senior Reporter! I’ll cover the State Legislature & focus on the accountability reporting you’ve come to expect from my 3.5 years @ @searchlightnm.bsky.social. Follow along (for free!) at sourcenm.com HMU w/ tips & ideas!

A Cuban immigrant held in a Torrance County immigrant detention center faces a key court hearing Thursday without what he described as crucial legal documents to help him avoid deportation. "If I go back to Cuba, my life will be in danger,” he said. buff.ly/VyxZZPZ

NEW: States told by Trump administration to 'undo' full SNAP benefits paid for November. @statesnewsroom.com story:

Updated @statesnewsroom.com story with detail from Trump DOJ brief, account of wild back and forth today.

It's been seven days since the Torrance County's contract with ICE to house detainees at the Estancia jail expired. An advocacy group says all the detainees should be released. One of them emailed Source on Friday saying he was denied access to attorney. More here: buff.ly/glwAxYb

Even though it was a local, non-partisan, off-year election, enthusiastic Democratic voters turned out at higher-than-expected rates, according to our analysis. More here: buff.ly/dfsiX5F

Lawmakers head back to the Roundhouse Monday for a one-day special session to extend food benefits. Some of them are happy about it.

Voting was robust at the Santa Fe County Fairgrounds first thing Tuesday morning. We chatted with voters there, as well as in ABQ and Las Cruces to see what was on their minds.

Lots of developments in SNAP payments fight today, most notably a defiant Trump vowing no payments until Democrats cave on shutdown. Story for @statesnewsroom.com:

Amid the SNAP uncertainty, officials at the Las Cruces-based Casa de Peregrinos food distribution center said Monday they are seeing hundreds of additional people seeking help.

Congrats to jennifershutt.bsky.social of statesnewsroom.com for winning NPF's 2025 Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress https://nationalpress.org/award-story/jennifer-shutt-of-states-newsroom-wins-2025-dirksen-award/

When uranium prices go up, uranium mines spread out. As the U.S. seeks to revive its nuclear energy supply chain, @wyattmyskow.bsky.social, @dylanbaddour.bsky.social, and I dug into what this may mean for Western communities and landscapes home to U.S. uranium. insideclimatenews.org/news/0211202...

HCA Secretary Kari Armijo tells Source that all the state's roughly 460K SNAP recipients will get their partial food benefits from the state this weekend, amid federal shutdown uncertainty. Meanwhile, 250 people lined up for food Friday morning at a distro site in Albuquerque. buff.ly/JrT19Fw

BREAKING: Trump administration blocked from cutting off SNAP benefits as two judges issue orders. @statesnewsroom.com story w/ @arianalfigueroa.bsky.social: www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trum...

The intersections on either side of the New Mexico State Fair grounds are the most dangerous for pedestrians in New Mexico. A board overseeing up to $500M in fair redevelopment today OKed some of that money going toward making the intersections safer. buff.ly/phq1vbA

Do any New Mexicans — particularly SNAP recipients — have questions about what will happen now that the state has promised to fund $30M in SNAP benefits beginning Nov. 1? Comment below and Source will try to get them answered in the next day or two. Some background: sourcenm.com/2025/10/29/n...

The money comes from state emergency funds replenished during the Oct. 1 special session when lawmakers added $30 million to the state’s contingency fund, which the governor can spend down without needing legislative approval for disaster declarations.

NM Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham just announced the state will pay $30 million to cover statewide SNAP between Nov. 1 to 10, money that will be loaded onto EBT cards. More coverage via @sourcenm.com

In a news conference today announcing legislation to keep SNAP funded, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján quoted the late NM Gov. Bruce King: "He always used to tell folks, ‘If you can’t come up with the solution, sometimes you need to lock them up in a barn..."

As New Mexico maintains the highest rate of deaths from alcohol misuse, lawmakers are again considering changes to state liquor tax policy to redirect revenue to treatment options.

The massive data center Project Jupiter in southern New Mexico faces two lawsuits and poses numerous unanswered questions.

It’s been six years since the death of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but two New Mexico Democratic lawmakers are looking to convene a "truth commission" to investigate his activities in years past at his Zorro ranch near Stanley in Santa Fe County.

Upcoming federal food assistance pause intensifies shutdown fight. @statesnewsroom.com's @arianalfigueroa.bsky.social and @jennifershutt.bsky.social on Shutdown Day 27:

Check out the first edition of Detours on Source NM, our new photo story segment. This weekend, Source NM spoke to vendors at the Growers' Market who said upcoming food assistance cuts posed concerns both for the people that it need to eat, and for impacts to fresh food sales.

While officials are still determining how it could work, U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) says an “emergency food plan” is emerging that tasks charitable organizations and schools with counteracting the expected loss of $90M in SNAP benefits for 450K New Mexicans More here: buff.ly/Vo8BN4D

NEW: USDA says it can’t shuffle funds to extend food assistance during shutdown @statesnewsroom.com's Shauneen Miranda reports: www.newsfromthestates.com/article/usda...

NNSA confirmed 152 workers in Sandia and Los Alamos were furloughed this week.

Read our full coverage for @sourcenm.com here:

I crossed the street to talk to a chicken today at #nokings March in ABQ today.

Thousands took to the streets in Santa Fe and Albuquerque for No Kings Day on Saturday, two of nearly 30 protests planned around New Mexico.

SNAP benefits are on pace to run out in two weeks if the shutdown persists, @arianalfigueroa.bsky.social reports for @statesnewsroom.com:

National parks, public lands feared at risk of long-term harm as shutdown drags on. Story by @fischler.bsky.social www.newsfromthestates.com/article/nati...

Haaland has raised nearly $7 million in her race for NM governor, drawing from 180k donations that come from every state in the country, along with territories and military bases. North Dakotans gave $5,700. Hawaiians gave $34,993. The Virgin Islands gave $45. More here: buff.ly/zdOHqBc

NEW: The USDA told New Mexico that it will not pay for food stamps next month if the gov't shutdown continues, HCA secretary said today. 450k NM SNAP recipients wouldn't get $90m in benefits. "As of right now, it’s looking like those benefits will be delayed,” she said. buff.ly/VltjcXO

Here's some of the most serious fines issued by New Mexico state environment officials during September.

The issue has emerged as one possible factor driving doctors away from New Mexico, with many legislative fixes under consideration. buff.ly/IrKrzac

MrBeast, the world’s most subscribed to YouTuber, and East Carolina University announced a credentialing program back in 2022. It was supposed to debut in 6-12 months, but nearly 3 years later there’s no sign of it. What happened? I tried to find out: www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...

From furloughs to RIFs. The latest from DC...

According to the latest filings, New Mexico lobbyists have spent more than $1.25 million to wine and dine lawmakers, along with other expenses, so far this year. That's, by far, the highest amount of lobbyist spending since at least 2021. See which lobbyists spent the most here: buff.ly/8uOJ8Lw

The federal government is looking to exempt itself from more than two dozen federal laws to build border walls in New Mexico.

Six FAA inspectors are on the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta launch field this week — half the number that usually work the event in years when the government is not shut down. buff.ly/ussmWSM

Cervical cancer could be eradicated, experts say. But not with Medicaid cuts and anti-vax politics. Part 3 in our series on repro health care. From @kelciemmorris.bsky.social / @statesnewsroom.com: www.newsfromthestates.com/article/cerv...

It's about 12:45 p.m. on a Thursday. Do you know what your state lawmakers are doing? Catch up on the special session, which is likely to end today.

NM Democratic leaders say they are keeping a tight leash on bills for the special legislative session and they hope to wrap by Thursday. Here's what's happening so far.

New Mexico's special legislative session starts at noon on Wednesday. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham added a couple of topics to the agenda.