By Julia Goldberg | Editor-in-Chief
Aspens in Santa Fe on Oct. 11, 2026. (Photo by Julia Goldberg/Source NM)
Good morning, folks. It’s Monday and October is in full swing. Hopefully, you can sneak in some leaf-peeping before the season comes and goes. Speaking of which, the National Weather Service forecasts windy conditions today. In addition to autumnal splendor, October also means early voting for the Nov. 3 general election is underway at county clerks’ offices and set to expand next weekend to more locations. Whenever and wherever you vote, be sure to peruse Source NM’s Voter Guide for the lowdown on statewide candidates, constitutional amendments and more. As for now, catch up on news from near and far below as the week kicks off, with more to come at sourcenm.com. Thanks for being here!
More than 99% of New Mexico residents who submitted comments to the United States Forest Service oppose repealing the 2001 Roadless Rule. (Photo of Gila National Forest courtesy U.S. Department of Agriculture)
New Mexico opponents of Roadless Rule repeal describe fear of lost solitude
Most of the roughly 600 New Mexico residents who weighed in on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposal to end the 2001 Roadless Rule said it should remain in place to protect watersheds and wildlife, as well as spare roughly 1.6 million acres of the state’s forestland from extractive industries.
New Mexico Republican gubernatorial nominee Gregg Hull participated solo in a live interview at KOB-TV’s Albuquerque studio on Oct. 8, 2026. (Photo by Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal)
New Mexico GOP gubernatorial nominee Hull takes debate stage solo
ICYMI, New Mexico Republican gubernatorial nominee Gregg Hull appeared alone last week at the only gubernatorial debate scheduled before the Nov. 3 election. Democratic nominee Deb Haaland opted out. Brian Sanderoff, president of the Albuquerque-based firm Research and Polling Inc., which closely monitors political races across the state, on Friday called the situation “highly unusual.”
Last year, New Mexico logged 100 measles cases between February and September, the state’s first outbreak since 1996. (Photo via Getty Images)
Measles cases reach 4,080 for the year — the highest in decades
Stateline reports measles cases across the U.S. for the calendar year surpassed 4,000 for the first time in decades, with as many as five deaths in Pennsylvania, as the federal government steps in with financial help for states but also fans vaccination fears and skepticism. New Mexico reported its 19th measles case on Sept. 10—an unvaccinated child in Valencia County—a significant decline from last year.
The ACLU of New Mexico recently told state lawmakers that consumer protection regarding collection of data is severely lacking in state statute and presented potential solutions to address the issue. (Photo via Getty Images)
ACLU of New Mexico urges lawmakers to pass consumer data protections next legislative session
Nearly half of the nation’s states have either passed or signed legislation that regulates tech companies or protects consumer personal data, research shows — but New Mexico is not one of them. The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico is urging state lawmakers to address the situation in next year’s session kicking off in January.
ICYMI
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