Local news matters – now more than ever. Over the past few weeks, our newsrooms have had to get a little smaller as we navigate the same budget challenges that come with increased printing prices and lagging advertising from government agencies and nonprofits reliant on federal funds.
In the end, we’ll be stronger for it – and our journalists are still here covering news that matters to New Mexico now more than ever.
In case you missed it, here are just a few of the issues our newsroom has been chasing thanks to your help:
- Before President Trump announced plans to “bring back coal” (a fossil fuel even fossil fuel companies have given up on), our Hannah Grover, one of the only energy transition reporters in the state, had already previewed the impacts for New Mexico at NM Political Report last week.
- While other news outlets were focused on student Visa stories at big national schools, our newsroom received a tip that ICE was revoking student visas here in New Mexico. Our team tag-teamed to sort rumor from fact and were the first to confirm that NMSU students had been targeted (they confirmed UNM revocations here, too).
- Last week, Sam Bregman threw his cowboy hat in the race for governor. Everyone knows the prosecutor sees an opening to run as a crimefighter but we also wanted to know how he plans to catch up to Deb Haaland’s multi-million dollar finance lead. Editor Kevin Hendricks got Sam on the record on both before his announcement. Now Editor Matthew Reichbach is following up to see who gave to whom in their first few weeks.
Regular readers know that Kevin was also the first to report that Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull was lining up a campaign for governor – almost 4 weeks before he made it official. - Last month, Rodd Cayton was the first to preview that City Councilor Louie Sanchez was eyeing a run for mayor – an announcement he made official two weeks later.
Those stories matter because they are New Mexico’s stories – the local impact and insider insight – by and about us.
What next? Over the next few weeks, we’re reaching out to every one who has supported a nonprofit newsroom or sponsored a journalist to ask if they’ll do it again. If you had a recurring donation set up for City Desk or NM Political Report or for a nonprofit-sponsored project in one of our affiliate newsrooms, (Thank you!) we’ll ask your permission to keep those going (we don’t want to duplicate charges for those who supported both). If you only give once-in-a-while, thank you, too.
You can get a head start on that next donation or set up a monthly gift anytime at cmg.nm.news.
Thank you!
Pat Davis, Publisher
pat@newmexico.news