By Julia Goldberg | Editor-in-Chief

Good morning, everyone. We just double-checked: It’s Thursday. Excuse us for thinking it might be Friday. Wednesday was long and packed with news about the state’s two investigations into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s time in New Mexico. You can read about that below, along with news of a new dinosaur species (something for everyone) and many other stories. Find even more to peruse at sourcenm.com. Thanks for reading!

Members of New Mexico’s Truth Commission pictured Wednesday. From left to right: state Reps. Marianna Anaya (D-Albuquerque), Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe), Andrea Reeb (R-Clovis) and Bill Hall (R-Aztec). (Photo by Danielle Prokop for Source NM)

New Mexico AG sues feds over Epstein files as state Truth Commission releases first report

The New Mexico Department of Justice on Wednesday announced a newly filed lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice and Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche in order to gain access to un-redacted investigative files related to the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his time in the state. Shortly thereafter, a state legislative subcommittee known as the Truth Commission issued its first report on its investigation.

The New Mexico Department of Justice has sued the Trump administration 50 times and recovered roughly $885 million, the office told lawmakers this week. Pictured above: NM Attorney General Raúl Torrez, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (top left) and Arizona AG Kris Mayes discuss multi-state litigation against the Trump administration in February of 2025. (Source NM file photo)

NMDOJ says it has recovered $885M through lawsuits against Trump administration 

A top New Mexico Department of Justice official told lawmakers this week that the agency has filed or joined 50 lawsuits against President Donald Trump’s administration since he took office last January and, in doing so, saved $885 million federal officials sought to withhold from the state through program cuts or penalties. 

The New Mexico Supreme Court on Tuesday announced it had approved an alternative licensure program for law school graduates. (Stock photo by Greenleaf123/Getty Images)

New Mexico Supreme Court approves alternative licensure program for lawyers

The New Mexico Supreme Court announced this week its approval of a new skill-based pathway for law-school graduates to become licensed lawyers. Justices previewed the program for state legislators in June, saying it could help address the state’s lawyer shortage.

New Mexico paleontologists this week announced the discovery of a new dinosaur species they named Dinevenator robustus, pictured above, who lived in New Mexico more than 70 million years ago. (Image courtesy New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science)

New Mexico scientists announce discovery of  ‘beefy’ new bird-like dinosaur in San Juan County

The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science announced this week that two of its paleontologists had identified a new bird-like dinosaur species after first discovering an unusual skull fossil in San Juan County in the summer of 2005.  Source’s Patrick Lohmann digs into the new species known as Dinevenator robustus. 

ICYMI

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We're reading a New Mexico Magazine story about the Museum of New Mexico system’s conservation lab.

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