Journalist in southern New Mexico, writer, citizen. ABQJournal.com DesertSageNM.substack.com Signal: Algernon.26
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BREAKING: Judge Charles Breyer finds that the Trump administration violated the Posse Comitatus Act by using the military for domestic law enforcement purpose in Los Angeles. He enjoins further violations of the Posse Comitatus Act ⬇️ storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
This is click bait. The headline suggests Allen might be aligning himself politically with Trump. He expresses the opposite, repeatedly, and the praise is limited to saying he found Trump pleasant to work with on a film production in the 1990s. Exploiting two controversial figures for clicks.
It’s OK, there’s no evidence Nietzsche really said or wrote it.
Be aware…
Roswell’s municipal court somehow scored a Top 20 ranking on a survey titled, “The 100 ugliest public buildings in the U.S.” So I went there, met the judge, took a tour, and started digging into the survey itself.
We have real photos from the Holocaust that portray the real suffering of real people. As a historian (and a human being), I find this deeply disturbing. Welcome to dystopian hell. 👇 www.bbc.com/news/article...
From Glenn Kessler, formerly of the Washington Post.
Underrated reply.
The emergency hearing today was moved up because the administration had already started exiling the children. These times we live in.
Kennedy called for a paper that found no link between aluminum in vaccines and disease to be retracted. The journal told him to kick rocks.
On the new acting CDC director. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Good catch by KRQE.
Perhaps they should have indicted the sandwich.
“The recent change in the adult and children’s immunization schedule threaten the lives of the youngest Americans and pregnant people.”
While dust storms are part of life at Burning Man, that one looks really strong.
Love this idea. Would also love to see more of your social posting here.
“A federal grand jury on three separate occasions this month refused to indict a D.C. woman who was accused of assaulting an FBI agent … a federal magistrate judge said an arrest in Northeast Washington was preceded by the ‘most illegal search I’ve seen in my life...’”
A large data center proposed for Santa Teresa drew opponents as well as supporters from the public Tuesday as Doña Ana County commissioners heard a proposal for a large tax incentive package to help build it.
From my colleague Dan Boyd…
Huh? I feel pretty confident that there is not a single journalist who thinks that if an elected official says something in public “it doesn’t count.” Though I agree with you, this statement is A1 and A-block.
Valerie Zink: "I can’t in good conscience continue to work for Reuters given their betrayal of journalists in Gaza and culpability in the assassination of 245 our colleagues." xcancel.com/valeriezink/
New deliveries of #winning keep on coming.
Public Lands Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard announced a new lease Monday of state trust land on the city’s east side in a deal aiming to boost affordable housing stock and build communities of mixed income levels.
On the Great American Duck Race, sons and quests, and shots fired at the carnival...
🔍
Check out this cool autism center in Lovington, in a school district that made a big investment in its kiddos *and* its staff.
A book review for the Sunday Journal.
“…these aren’t neutral tools: They hold the power to subtly reshape our thinking.”
From my colleague, @cathycook.bsky.social. A comment by Duffy has the New Mexico State Police chief concerned that federal highway funds might be weaponized for ideological ends.
An M-ATV deployed to DC, not designed for urban traffic in peacetime, ran a red light and hit an SUV, injuring a civilian. The Guardsman got a ticket.
Community organizations joined a woman who successfully sued a Las Cruces hospital over its debt collection practices Wednesday to promote a state law protecting low-income patients.
I cover all kinds of stories in southern New Mexico for @abqjournal.bsky.social. Lots more to read here: www.abqjournal.com/users/profil... 5/5
They were able to do this at this particular spot because the stockyard on the other side is empty. This is because of the Mexican cattle ban, in effect because of the New World screwworm. 4/5
Noem and these workers from Spencer Construction used rollers for photos and video footage. As my video makes the rounds, I see lots of commenters making fun of this. As we were being driven away in Border Patrol shuttles, I saw some workers begin to use paint sprayers on that section of wall. 3/5
We were all actually standing on a narrow strip of land in Santa Teresa, NM, between TWO border fences. On the left, you see Trump-era steel bollard fencing; on the right, older fencing authorized under Bush. 2/5
A lot of reactions to this video have assumed that Secretary Noem and these gentlemen were painting the “American” side of the border wall, and I thought I would clarify. This is actually the southern, Mexico-facing side of the wall. But no, we were not on Mexican soil. So how could that be? 1/5
US pediatric group breaks with federal policy, recommends COVID vaccines for young children… www.reuters.com/business/hea...
SANTA TERESA — At the personal direction of President Donald Trump, the entire southern border wall will be painted black, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Tuesday.
Today, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem hailed plans to paint the entire border wall black, at the request of President Donald Trump, reasoning that the black paint would make the steel bollard structure hotter to the touch. She visited Santa Teresa this afternoon. Story up soon.
Nearly three years have passed since Carl Lee Johnson, a 22-year-old construction worker, was fatally struck by a car at a job site on Interstate 10 a few miles west of Deming.
50-something dad has entered the chat.
New from me, a longer read (yet somehow still too brief) looking at the difficult balance between New Mexico’s carbon emissions goals and the growth of data centers.
I’ve got to be a part of it— New Yora, Neeeeew Yora….
I have always wanted to visit!
OK, now it’s funnier.
That’s near Canada, right? Have a great trip.
Good morning, GPT-5. It is a beautiful afternoon in the state of Austin, where I am driving home after a visit to our capital city, Atlanta.
So they fire this guy who threw a sandwich at a law enforcement officer, and they pass up on the opportunity to say that his performance was “sub par?” Sad! Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Stephen McKinley will remain in custody while awaiting his trial on two counts of making shooting threats in social media posts last month.
“…libraries buy the books of midlist authors at a higher rate than anyone-- even book stores. If those authors don't get into libraries, they will not only not make as many sales, but they will also not be discovered by as many readers.”
For the record, our division commander BANNED things called “presence patrols” in Iraq. “If you don’t have a specific task & purpose, your ‘presence’ doesn’t do anything.” National Guard stating they are now doing presence patrols in DC. A complete waste of soldier’s time & effort.
A persistent stalker was again sentenced on criminal charges, and the woman dealing with the situation for 12 years insisted he be evaluated for mental health treatment.
A story I have been reporting on over seven years may actually be coming to a conclusion. This week I visited the newly rebuilt, still under construction, Columbia Elementary School, which had been plagued with problems due to construction errors, especially heavy mold.
“We?” Not all of us are interested in celebrity gossip. In fact, most of the world‘s population does not. Nothing against Lindsay Lohan, who is a real person and has navigated highs and lows in her life in the public eye, but I have no business with it.
The Trump administration has announced that the US will rewrite past climate reports, in a clear attempt to erase scientific history and undermine the consensus on human-caused climate change.
Shedding some light on an ongoing federal investigation into Las Cruces International Airport. It centers on a dispute between the airport director and the city manager’s office regarding a maintenance worker, according to documents obtained through public records requests.
A status conference hearing today demonstrated some of the complexities behind setting a trial for the four accused Young Park shooters.
Rep. John Block of Alamogordo had a go at the menswear guy, too. I’ll let you decide how that went…
“News Media Corp., which owns local newspapers across five states, said it will close 14 operations in Wyoming, seven in Illinois, five in Arizona, four in South Dakota and one in Nebraska.”
A nascent faculty union at Western New Mexico University overcame a procedural hurdle in seeking recognition of its collective bargaining unit after settling objections by the administration over the unit’s composition last week.
“One basic character of the politicization necessary to create an authoritarian regime is that public employees are reluctant to share information that displeases their political bosses.”
Have you lost your mind or are you sensationalizing? Holy hell, man.
It’s a chatbot, @jimacosta.bsky.social. You’re talking to a computer. And it’s not a sentient computer. And it is definitely not Joaquin Oliver. And these things apparently need to be said.
Affordable housing dominated the agenda Monday at Las Cruces City Council.
A new Desert Sage letter reflects on July, neighborhood fireworks and reporting on disasters.
“Minimizing cruelty.” The focus group asked for zero cruelty, but we can’t go to extremes here.
Rev. Carlo Alberto Capella was released from prison and quietly returned to work after being convicted of possessing and distributing child pornography while serving as a Vatican diplomat, according to reports on Catholic blogs.
“A person familiar with the exhibit plans, who was not authorized to discuss them publicly, said the change came about as part of a content review that the Smithsonian agreed to undertake following pressure from the White House to remove an art museum director.”
Please enjoy this Klimt Eastwood
…I finished this week writing a brief report about a gun-and-drug bust in Las Cruces, what police disclosed and what they didn’t. Just another week as a local reporter. 🗞️📰📝 3/3
I also covered new leadership at Western New Mexico University; a cop who admitted to federal charges involving exploiting a teenage girl; a congressman attempting to inspect an ICE detention center in a lonely corner of our state; and the arrest of a man in acute mental distress; oh, and… 2/3
No. But this week I wrote about how tariffs are hitting local industries and importers; about a biochemistry professor who won a Fulbright to do medical research; about rural towns taking over services at their senior centers from the corporation that had been running them; and that’s not all… 1/3
On the same day that 13 congress members sued for access to ICE facilities, also the day NM’s governor said she’d like to see a bill addressing privately managed immigration detention centers in the state, Gabe Vasquez presented himself at the Otero County Processing Center. Here’s how that went.
I also have this rather upsetting case to tell you about today…
After the Zoom hack was sorted out, Regents went onto effectively void the controversial Shepard severance package. Note: The $1.9 million payment was made back in January.
How my day began.
Lordsburg is the third municipality taking over management of local senior centers from Hidalgo Medical Services.
A professor at New Mexico State wins a Fulbright. The State Department considered cutting this program, although it does receive funding in a draft budget bill currently in the House.
Industry heads in Doña Ana County are talking to political leaders about the Trump administration’s frequently-changing tariff policies, but beyond sympathetic ears and promises to fight for New Mexico businesses and robust trade, New Mexico politicians have limited reassurance to offer.
I just can't find meaning in this kind of narrativization. There is no Rubicon; we've been over the Rubicon our whole lives. What was Iraq if not this, what was Reagan's response to AIDS, etc etc. It's just a constant rediscovery and forgetting so we can operate as relatively sane people
A lot of people need to hear this
Eight new lawsuits alleging past sexual abuse by priests who served in southern New Mexico parishes were filed this month in New Mexico’s 3rd Judicial District.
They didn’t “spar.” Trump put forward misleading figures and Powell corrected him.
Doña Ana County commissioners declared Tuesday night's 100-year flood event in Vado a disaster during an emergency session Thursday. The declaration provides unique disaster grants for some residents.
Slow-moving monsoon rains caused a disastrous flood in Vado.
Today, Doña Ana County commissioners voted to drop invocations from their business meetings. Residents have taken to public comments to debate the practice of ceremonial prayers before meetings for a couple of years, culminating in a passionate debate and today’s vote.
Las Cruces is set to receive a grant of up to $642,469 in fiscal year 2026 under New Mexico's Community Energy Efficiency Development (CEED) program, enacted by the state Legislature in 2022.
When ICE agents questioned a group of 11- to 14-year-olds who’d just finished batting practice, their coach, Youman Wilder, stepped in. “I’m willing to die to make sure these kids can get home,” he recounted afterward.
With regard to allowing unidentified, masked law officers on the streets, the truth is we have slipping on this slope for decades now. In a republic, police stand by actions publicly -- an ethos under assault for longer than ICE has existed. An older essay on this: davidsimon.com/the-endgame-...
“Thank you, Quote Investigator!” — Algernon D’Ammassa
Also, @fattymoon.bsky.social: Calling people prdophiles or insinuating as much over incongruous differences of opinion or questioning somebody’s party line has, until the past week, been a hallmark of MAGA/QAnon. Not an example an any free human being should emulate.
God is all-knowing but the rest of us mortals need to be humble, reasonable, and clear about what facts are in evidence versus speculation. Otherwise we are nothing more than mouthpieces for other people’s ideas and agendas.
“Oh please” what? I think crime should be investigated and prosecuted as the evidence supports, and victims vindicated and compensated. And I have already stated that I think this is a story in the legitimate public interest as a political matter.
What do you think of this format?
Without more information or context, it is not necessarily apathy or indifference.
My first thought would be that they think the Epstein list is a distraction and might not exist. It’s still a legit news story, but that doesn’t mean people generally need to obsess about it or have the same opinion about it. A lot of thought-killing stuff on the socials this weekend.
Doing a story like this – about an error etched into a local monument – requires sympathy and humor without victims. Was most grateful to speak with the fellow behind QuoteInvestigator.com for this piece, helping set the record straight without umbrage.