By Julia Goldberg | Editor-in-Chief
Happy Friday, everyone! We’re heading into a long Labor Day weekend, but you can expect this newsletter on Monday at its usual early-morning time (feel free to sleep in and read it later). We can’t promise, but chances are good that our Monday newsletter will include a photo from tonight’s Zozobra celebration in Santa Fe. In the meantime, we’ve got plenty of news, only some of it gloomy. Read on below and online at sourcenm.com. You also don’t have to wait until Monday for more news. If you’re not receiving our free weekend roundup, subscribe here.
Finally, in case you missed it, on Monday, Source NM celebrated our fifth birthday. No cake, but thanks to those of you who donated to our birthday fundraiser. And yesterday we welcomed our newest staff member: Matthew Mondschein, who will be covering healthcare, education, politics, veterans’ issues and plenty more.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, pictured on Feb. 9, 2026, backed two legal challenges to the Project Jupiter data center pending before the state Supreme Court. (Photo by Danielle Prokop/Source NM)
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez on Thursday announced his support for two legal challenges before the state Supreme Court — both from environmental groups — regarding the Project Jupiter data center. Source senior reporter Joshua Bowling has the latest on the evolving legal situation. Read all our ongoing data center coverage here.
More than 112 miles of the Rio Grande in Albuquerque were dry as of Aug. 30, 2026, which marks the most dry miles in at least two decades. (Photo by Patrick Lohmann/Source NM)
Amid historic dryness, 615 million gallons of water are coursing through the Rio Grande in Albuquerque this week to help dying vegetation and also provide scientists with data about the ongoing drought. In addition, Middle Rio Grande water managers told state legislators on the interim Water and Natural Resources Committee earlier this week that they need additional funding to help address the buildup of sediment from low or non-existent flows.
A coalition of New Mexico climate groups and residents signed a petition asking state leaders — and both gubernatorial nominees — to consider buying a significant stake in electric company PNM, whose proposed sale to Blackstone has prompted numerous protests, such as the one above on April 30, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Prokop for Source NM)
New Mexico groups, residents call on state leaders to buy stake in state’s largest electric provider
More than 50 progressive organizations and 1,400 New Mexico residents this week signed a petition to state leaders and both gubernatorial nominees urging them to consider buying a stake in PNM, the state’s largest electric provider. The new initiative comes amid ongoing concern about PNM’s potential sale to private equity firm Blackstone Infrastructure.
New Mexico Senate Minority Leader Bill Sharer (R-Farmington), pictured on Jan. 20, 2026, called for Rep. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe) to step down from the Epstein “truth commission” and the state Legislature amid allegations that she violated state law by working for a local prosecutor’s office. (Photo by Patrick Lohmann/Source NM)
New Mexico Senate Minority Leader Bill Sharer (R-Farmington) on Thursday called on state Rep. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe) to resign both from the special subcommittee investigating the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s activities in New Mexico, as well as from the state House of Representatives. Romero has come under increasing scrutiny for taking a part-time job with the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office while holding office.
ICYMI
Thanks for reading!
We're reading a New Mexico Magazine post about pumpkin posole and getting hungry (and ready for autumn).
Thanks for reading Direct From the Source. Did you know our weekend digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.