Algernon D’Ammassa

“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.

US to rewrite its past national climate reports US President Donald Trump's administration is revising past editions of the nation's premier climate report -- its latest move to undermine the scientific consensus on human-caused global warming.

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.

Security breaches at center of FAA investigation of Las Cruces airport LAS CRUCES — An ongoing federal investigation into Las Cruces International Airport centers on a dispute between the airport director, who is a city employee, and the city manager's office

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.

Accused Young Park shooters set for February trial LAS CRUCES — The murder trials for four young men accused in the mass shooting in Young Park nearly five months ago are set to proceed in February.

A status conference hearing today demonstrated some of the complexities behind setting a trial for the four accused Young Park shooters.

Tweet from John Block and a killer reply from Derek Guy.

Rep. John Block of Alamogordo had a go at the menswear guy, too. I’ll let you decide how that went…

Closure of Midwest-based newspaper chain leaves dozens of communities without a news source News Media Corp., an Illinois-based publisher, has announced the abrupt closure of dozens of newspapers across five states due to financial problems.

“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.”

Western New Mexico University settles dispute over who may be in new faculty union 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 ...

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.

Trump Shoots the Messenger Firing the BLS Commissioner moves us into banana republic territory

“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.

Las Cruces council moves more funds to affordable housing LAS CRUCES — Affordable housing dominated the agenda Monday as Las Cruces city councilors approved a series of resolutions paving the way for hundreds of additional units of housing, including

Affordable housing dominated the agenda Monday at Las Cruces City Council.

Casings and mud On neighborhood fireworks and disaster journalism

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.

A convicted priest is back at work. Child advocates want Pope Leo to act. Carlo Alberto Capella served prison time for a child pornography conviction but was allowed to return to work at the Vatican, posing a test for Pope Leo XIV.

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.

Smithsonian removes Trump from impeachment exhibit in American history museum A temporary placard, on display since 2021, described the president's historic impeachments. Officials said the exhibit was restored to an earlier version following a review of legacy content.

“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.”

The image is a piece of fan art titled "Klimt Eastwood," created by Carl Tétreault in 2016. It depicts actor and director Clint Eastwood in a style inspired by the Austrian Symbolist painter Gustav Klimt, specifically referencing Klimt's "The Kiss".

Please enjoy this Klimt Eastwood

Type Duck GIF ALT: Type Duck GIF

…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

As Democrats sue for access to ICE facilities, Vasquez visits NM detention site CHAPARRAL — In a remote area of southern New Mexico close to the El Paso, Texas, state line, the Otero County Processing Center serves as one of three privately managed

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.

Former Deming police officer pleads guilty in child sexual exploitation case A former Deming police officer pleaded guilty Tuesday, in federal court in Las Cruces, to receiving child pornography in a case stemming from alleged sexual abuse of a teenage girl.

I also have this rather upsetting case to tell you about today…

Western New Mexico University regents void severance agreement with former President Joseph Shepard SILVER CITY — Western New Mexico University regents effectively voided a controversial separation agreement with the university's former president Thursday.

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.

WNMU regents' livestream hacked with porn, racist comments SILVER CITY — Western New Mexico University regents briefly recessed their open meeting Thursday morning after the livestreamed broadcast was invaded by hackers.

How my day began.

Lordsburg to take over senior center from Hidalgo Medical Services The city of Lordsburg will assume operations of the community's senior center in August, once Hidalgo Medical Services' contract expires, the Non-Metro Area Agency on Aging announced this week.

Lordsburg is the third municipality taking over management of local senior centers from Hidalgo Medical Services.

New Mexico State professor awarded Fulbright scholarship LAS CRUCES — New Mexico State University hailed the award of a prestigious Fulbright U.S. scholarship to biochemistry professor Erik Yukl on Tuesday.

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.

For New Mexico industries, little reassurance in the face of tariffs LAS CRUCES — Importers and industry heads in Doña Ana County are talking to political leaders about the uncertainties spawned by the Trump administration’s frequently-changing tariff policies, but bey...

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

The Black Panthers didn't mock people for their lack of education. They taught people how to read

A lot of people need to hear this

New claims of clergy abuse name southern New Mexico churches LAS CRUCES — 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.

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.