By Julia Goldberg | Editor-in-Chief
Good morning, folks. It’s Wednesday, but we’ve had at least a week of news so far. Below find a smattering of yesterday’s top stories, including protests against data centers; new New World screwworm cases; and just one of several stories we’ve reported this week from the Roundhouse where New Mexico lawmakers have been hearing legislative proposals for the session starting in January. Behind the scenes, we are gearing up for next Tuesday, Nov. 3, when we will be at the polls during the day, and waiting on returns come nightfall. Have you voted yet? The latest numbers from the Secretary of State’s Office have just over 20% of the state’s registered voters casting ballots already. Early voting ends Oct. 31. Need to read up on candidates or statewide questions? Check out our Voter Guide. As always, thanks for being here — you’ll find more stories throughout the day at sourcenm.com.
New Mexico students walk out of classes to protest data centers, US Sen. Heinrich’s permitting bill
Students at New Mexico School for the Arts in Santa Fe and the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque on Tuesday walked out of classes to protest data center Project Jupiter, and U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich’s recently introduced regulatory permit bill. Students in Santa Fe marched to the Roundhouse where they protested and delivered letters to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
Surveillance equipment on the border wall between the United States and Mexico in Nogales, Arizona. (Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy/Arizona Mirror)
Commentary: New Mexico guarded its drivers’ data. Border Patrol is watching anyway.
In an opinion piece for Source NM’s commentary section, University of New Mexico Law Assistant Professor Shaw Drake offers his thoughts on how New Mexico can protect itself from federal surveillance, particularly on the border. The state recently passed a law barring police and others from sharing license plate reader data for a variety of reasons, but Drake outlines why additional steps may be needed when it comes to federal surveillance.
New Mexico Public Regulation Commission Public Interest Advocacy Section Chief John Kreienkamp, left, and PRC Chief of Staff Cholla Khoury, right, speak before the interim Water and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday about their legislative proposals. (Photo by Joshua Bowling/Source NM)
New Mexico utility regulators seek Legislature’s help with small water utilities
New Mexico Public Regulation Commission Chief of Staff Cholla Khoury on Tuesday told state lawmakers she hopes to see legislation in next year’s session that makes it easier for utilities to access capital and streamlines the lengthy process by which a judge can place a utility under state receivership.
A pinned specimen of a fully grown New World screwworm fly. (Image via Texas A&M)
New Mexico announces new screwworm cases, creating infested zone in Las Cruces
New Mexico agriculture officials on Tuesday announced two more confirmed cases of New World screwworm, and a new infested zone in Las Cruces. The two cases in Doña Ana County include a sheep on the New Mexico State University campus and a cow at an off-campus location. They follow four confirmed cases last week in Otero and Grant counties.
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