Patrick Lohmann
@patricklohmann.bsky.social
Journalist @sourcenm.com; previously ProPublica Local Reporting Network, Syracuse.com, ABQ Journal
Cover photo is of a rainbow over the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire burn scar
Cover photo is of a rainbow over the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire burn scar
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
This time of year is when Anna Walker, who directs the Western Firefly Project in New Mexico, gets a few false reports in her inbox.
People, mostly in Albuquerque and other urban areas, see flashes of yellow light dancing through trees and become convinced they’ve seen a firefly.
People, mostly in Albuquerque and other urban areas, see flashes of yellow light dancing through trees and become convinced they’ve seen a firefly.
buff.ly
December 25, 2025 at 3:03 PM
This time of year is when Anna Walker, who directs the Western Firefly Project in New Mexico, gets a few false reports in her inbox.
People, mostly in Albuquerque and other urban areas, see flashes of yellow light dancing through trees and become convinced they’ve seen a firefly.
People, mostly in Albuquerque and other urban areas, see flashes of yellow light dancing through trees and become convinced they’ve seen a firefly.
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Officials attribute rising costs to universal childcare, ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ cuts.
NM Governor’s office proposes $11.3 billion state budget and increased spending • Source New Mexico
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham proposed an $11.3 billion state budget despite slowed recurring revenue growth.
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December 22, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Officials attribute rising costs to universal childcare, ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ cuts.
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
ICE reported arresting more than 1,800 people in New Mexico as of Oct. 15 this year, according to new data.
In the same period last year, the agency reported 128 arrests.
Read more in Source's latest 'By the #s', including about why this year's numbers are likely an undercount.
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In the same period last year, the agency reported 128 arrests.
Read more in Source's latest 'By the #s', including about why this year's numbers are likely an undercount.
buff.ly/OwajTh5
By the #s: ICE reported 1,800 New Mexico arrests in 2025—a surge from year prior • Source New Mexico
The number of daily arrests started rising after Trump’s inauguration earlier this year and exploded after July, according to a Source New Mexico analysis.
buff.ly
December 16, 2025 at 11:09 PM
ICE reported arresting more than 1,800 people in New Mexico as of Oct. 15 this year, according to new data.
In the same period last year, the agency reported 128 arrests.
Read more in Source's latest 'By the #s', including about why this year's numbers are likely an undercount.
buff.ly/OwajTh5
In the same period last year, the agency reported 128 arrests.
Read more in Source's latest 'By the #s', including about why this year's numbers are likely an undercount.
buff.ly/OwajTh5
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
NEW: For years, authorities have had difficulty delivering parking tickets to GOP candidate Duke Rodriguez’s Albuquerque home
In 2019, he identified himself in a lawsuit as a resident of Scottsdale, AZ
READ HERE:
In 2019, he identified himself in a lawsuit as a resident of Scottsdale, AZ
READ HERE:
Republican NM candidate for governor Duke Rodriguez insists he meets residency requirement for race • Source New Mexico
Candidate Duke Rodriguez said he meets residency requirements to be New Mexico's governor. He previously identified as an Arizona resident.
sourcenm.com
December 16, 2025 at 10:04 PM
NEW: For years, authorities have had difficulty delivering parking tickets to GOP candidate Duke Rodriguez’s Albuquerque home
In 2019, he identified himself in a lawsuit as a resident of Scottsdale, AZ
READ HERE:
In 2019, he identified himself in a lawsuit as a resident of Scottsdale, AZ
READ HERE:
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Court records show that in 2019 he identified himself as an Arizona resident.
Republican NM candidate for governor Duke Rodriguez insists he meets residency requirement for race • Source New Mexico
Candidate Duke Rodriguez said he meets residency requirements to be New Mexico's governor. He previously identified as an Arizona resident.
buff.ly
December 16, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Court records show that in 2019 he identified himself as an Arizona resident.
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Four Las Cruces doctors donned their white coats and headed to Santa Fe on Monday to urge lawmakers to pursue major medical malpractice and tax reform legislation at the upcoming legislative session.
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Las Cruces doctors push for legislation to stem New Mexico doctor shortage • Source New Mexico
They said statewide sales taxes on medical service providers and rising medical malpractice insurance premiums as key forces driving doctors out of the state.
buff.ly
December 16, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Four Las Cruces doctors donned their white coats and headed to Santa Fe on Monday to urge lawmakers to pursue major medical malpractice and tax reform legislation at the upcoming legislative session.
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Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
“We shouldn’t have sheriffs’ deputies and police officers from smaller departments being forced to drive into our larger cities to take advantage of this technology," New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said Monday.
New Mexico DOJ unveils statewide gun data center • Source New Mexico
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced an initiative to help rural police forces easily access national ballistics databases.
buff.ly
December 15, 2025 at 10:58 PM
“We shouldn’t have sheriffs’ deputies and police officers from smaller departments being forced to drive into our larger cities to take advantage of this technology," New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said Monday.
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
New Mexico was making progress bringing down its SNAP "error rate," but a provision in the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" puts the state into something of a holding pattern.
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New Mexico agency seeks funds to bring down SNAP error rate — but not too quickly • Source New Mexico
Progress came to a halt on incrementally reducing the state's SNAP error rate due to a unique provision in the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act."
buff.ly
December 13, 2025 at 12:01 AM
New Mexico was making progress bringing down its SNAP "error rate," but a provision in the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" puts the state into something of a holding pattern.
buff.ly/JuCK3YJ
buff.ly/JuCK3YJ
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
"Our plan is moving," Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Thursday during the board's regular meeting at the fairgrounds.
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NM State Fair Board sees new fairgrounds concepts, as first round of spending nears approval • Source New Mexico
The concepts make clear the potential tradeoffs required to fit all the priorities that have emerged for the project.
buff.ly
December 11, 2025 at 10:37 PM
"Our plan is moving," Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Thursday during the board's regular meeting at the fairgrounds.
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Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Gallup lawmaker threatens to involve law enforcement in funding snafu.
New Mexico education department faces $35M shortfall due to overpayment to Gallup schools • Source New Mexico
New Mexico Public Education Department asked lawmakers for $35 million after paying a district for online students it no longer has.
buff.ly
December 11, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Gallup lawmaker threatens to involve law enforcement in funding snafu.
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
That the Estancia ICE facility would lose detainees as it operates without a contract is “striking,” said immigration attorney Zoe Bowman. "The Trump administration is doing absolutely everything they can to detain as many people as possible and fill ICE detention beds,” she said.
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Newly released data shows sharp decline of inmates at New Mexico ICE facility • Source New Mexico
The apparent decline coincides with an expired contract at the facility and bucks the norm of ICE facilities nationwide seeing increases.
buff.ly
December 10, 2025 at 11:06 PM
That the Estancia ICE facility would lose detainees as it operates without a contract is “striking,” said immigration attorney Zoe Bowman. "The Trump administration is doing absolutely everything they can to detain as many people as possible and fill ICE detention beds,” she said.
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Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Incumbent Mayor Tim Keller won a runoff election and will lead Albuquerque for at least another four years.
Keller wins third consecutive term in Albuquerque runoff election
www.abqjournal.com
December 10, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Incumbent Mayor Tim Keller won a runoff election and will lead Albuquerque for at least another four years.
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
A recent announcement from HUD has made federal homelessness-prevention funding in New Mexico even more precarious, according to Monet Silva, director of the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness.
NM homelessness coalition will ask Legislature to fill in federal funding gaps • Source New Mexico
HUD issued an abrupt “Notice of Funding Opportunity” to New Mexico and other states that would slash Continuum of Care funding here by roughly 70%.
buff.ly
December 9, 2025 at 4:14 PM
A recent announcement from HUD has made federal homelessness-prevention funding in New Mexico even more precarious, according to Monet Silva, director of the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness.
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Two New Mexico agencies announced they have taken early steps to remediate four long-abandoned, potentially dangerous uranium mines, marking the state’s first foray into a problem experts have said is of potentially “infinite” scope and cost.
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New Mexico begins cleanup on four abandoned uranium mines • Source New Mexico
The four abandoned mines are among an estimated 1,100 that dot the landscape in New Mexico, including about 500 on or near the Navajo Nation.
buff.ly
December 8, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Two New Mexico agencies announced they have taken early steps to remediate four long-abandoned, potentially dangerous uranium mines, marking the state’s first foray into a problem experts have said is of potentially “infinite” scope and cost.
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Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
“The takeaway from my presentation is one of concern,” Ismael Torres, LFC’s chief economist, told lawmakers Monday morning. “There is still a path forward here. We’re still expecting to miss a recession.”
Report: NM ‘treading water’ while many states ‘in or near recession’ • Source New Mexico
New Mexico is not in danger of a recession, but federal revisions to taxation and more have cut into the state's revenue, analysts say.
buff.ly
December 8, 2025 at 9:33 PM
“The takeaway from my presentation is one of concern,” Ismael Torres, LFC’s chief economist, told lawmakers Monday morning. “There is still a path forward here. We’re still expecting to miss a recession.”
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Applications for air quality permits confirm figures that Source NM previously reported: If approved, Project Jupiter could emit more than 14 million tons of greenhouse gases per year. By comparison, Albuquerque and Las Cruces emit a combined 6.7 million metric tons of greenhouse gases annually.
Data center Project Jupiter’s greenhouse gas emissions could rival NM’s largest cities • Source New Mexico
Project Jupiter's developers have asked the state for permission to emit as many greenhouse gases as the state's largest cities combined.
buff.ly
December 5, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Applications for air quality permits confirm figures that Source NM previously reported: If approved, Project Jupiter could emit more than 14 million tons of greenhouse gases per year. By comparison, Albuquerque and Las Cruces emit a combined 6.7 million metric tons of greenhouse gases annually.
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
When a nonpartisan organization announced it would host a town hall meeting where candidates could discuss their climate change plans, it posted an online flyer with 10 candidates.
By the time people filed into an Albuquerque building to hear from them, they found only one gubernatorial hopeful.
By the time people filed into an Albuquerque building to hear from them, they found only one gubernatorial hopeful.
Lone candidate for New Mexico governor attends climate-focused town hall • Source New Mexico
Only one 2026 New Mexico gubernatorial candidate showed up to a climate change town hall on Dec. 4, 2026; the rest sent representatives
buff.ly
December 5, 2025 at 5:37 PM
When a nonpartisan organization announced it would host a town hall meeting where candidates could discuss their climate change plans, it posted an online flyer with 10 candidates.
By the time people filed into an Albuquerque building to hear from them, they found only one gubernatorial hopeful.
By the time people filed into an Albuquerque building to hear from them, they found only one gubernatorial hopeful.
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Kenderdine has held the position since May of 2024. At the time, Lujan Grisham praised Kenderine’s reputation as “a strategic thinker in the realm of energy policy” and said she expected Kenderdine to play a large role in “helping New Mexico shape our clean-energy future.”
NM cabinet Secretary Kenderdine abruptly resigns ‘for personal reasons’ • Source New Mexico
New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Secretary Melanie Kenderdine abruptly resigned, citing her husband's poor health.
sourcenm.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Kenderdine has held the position since May of 2024. At the time, Lujan Grisham praised Kenderine’s reputation as “a strategic thinker in the realm of energy policy” and said she expected Kenderdine to play a large role in “helping New Mexico shape our clean-energy future.”
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
It's been more than a month since the contract between ICE, CoreCivic and Torrance County expired, and still no word on an extension.
Meanwhile, some ICE detainees tell Source the tablet computers they rely on for legal and other services stopped working.
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Meanwhile, some ICE detainees tell Source the tablet computers they rely on for legal and other services stopped working.
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Still no contract for NM ICE lockup, as detainees report interrupted access to ‘vital’ tablets • Source New Mexico
About 30 ICE detainees signed a handwritten letter to Source New Mexico recently saying they continue to face poor conditions inside the jail, including problems accessing tablets they rely on for…
buff.ly
December 5, 2025 at 4:17 PM
It's been more than a month since the contract between ICE, CoreCivic and Torrance County expired, and still no word on an extension.
Meanwhile, some ICE detainees tell Source the tablet computers they rely on for legal and other services stopped working.
buff.ly/QyeXPXt
Meanwhile, some ICE detainees tell Source the tablet computers they rely on for legal and other services stopped working.
buff.ly/QyeXPXt
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Billing problems, dry taps and excessively leaky pipes paint a picture of a rural water utility that is “barely limping along” and may need state intervention, one of New Mexico’s three Public Regulation Commission members said at a recent meeting.
PRC member floats receivership for troubled water utility • Source New Mexico
Billing problems and excessively leaky pipes paint a picture of a rural water utility that is “barely limping along," a PRC member said.
buff.ly
December 4, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Billing problems, dry taps and excessively leaky pipes paint a picture of a rural water utility that is “barely limping along” and may need state intervention, one of New Mexico’s three Public Regulation Commission members said at a recent meeting.
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
"Two Florida migrant detention centers may have violated international standards by imposing conditions that could amount to torture of detainees, a human rights organization claimed in a report released early Thursday morning." www.newsfromthestates.com/article/copy...
‘Copy of Guantánamo’: Human rights group alleges torture, inhumanity at ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ Krome
Two Florida migrant detention centers may have violated international standards by imposing conditions that could amount to torture of detainees, a human rights organization claimed in a report…
www.newsfromthestates.com
December 4, 2025 at 1:39 PM
"Two Florida migrant detention centers may have violated international standards by imposing conditions that could amount to torture of detainees, a human rights organization claimed in a report released early Thursday morning." www.newsfromthestates.com/article/copy...
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Firefighters responding to the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire reported nearly 2,500 retardant drops as they fought the blaze, according to Forest Service.
Where those drops occurred is the subject of renewed interest after contamination was detected in private wells.
More here:
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Where those drops occurred is the subject of renewed interest after contamination was detected in private wells.
More here:
buff.ly/atArxPv
December 3, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Firefighters responding to the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire reported nearly 2,500 retardant drops as they fought the blaze, according to Forest Service.
Where those drops occurred is the subject of renewed interest after contamination was detected in private wells.
More here:
buff.ly/atArxPv
Where those drops occurred is the subject of renewed interest after contamination was detected in private wells.
More here:
buff.ly/atArxPv
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Published greenhouse gas emissions for data center so high that climate advocates assume they’re typos.
Project Jupiter’s plan relies on natural gas — its impact on air quality remains unclear • Source New Mexico
Plans for Project Jupiter, the massive New Mexico data center, rely on natural gas. It's not clear how much pollution that could cause.
buff.ly
December 2, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Published greenhouse gas emissions for data center so high that climate advocates assume they’re typos.
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
The wealthy profit from public lands, and taxpayers pick up the tab
Roughly two-thirds of grazing on Bureau of Land Management land is controlled by just 10% of permit holders.
Roughly two-thirds of grazing on Bureau of Land Management land is controlled by just 10% of permit holders.
The wealthy profit from public lands, and taxpayers pick up the tab
Roughly two-thirds of grazing on Bureau of Land Management land is controlled by just 10% of permit holders.
www.hcn.org
December 1, 2025 at 9:00 AM
The wealthy profit from public lands, and taxpayers pick up the tab
Roughly two-thirds of grazing on Bureau of Land Management land is controlled by just 10% of permit holders.
Roughly two-thirds of grazing on Bureau of Land Management land is controlled by just 10% of permit holders.