Primary results, public records questions and a proposed transfer rule
Good morning, and happy Sunday from Organ Mountain News.
Election results led this week’s news coverage — naturally — but the broader picture is one of public accountability: a records lawsuit against Doña Ana County, a questioned police academy roof project, a federal identity case, a GOP leadership fight and a proposed transfer rule for high school athletes.
Primary results set the November ballot
Election night set up the November race for governor, with Democrat Deb Haaland and Republican Gregg Hull winning their primaries, while several key Doña Ana County contests also came into focus.
Closer to home, Daisy Maldonado won the Democratic primary for the open District 1 seat on the Doña Ana County Commission and will face Republican Samantha Barncastle Salopek in November. Vanessa Ordoñez won the Democratic primary for sheriff and will face Republican Todd Garrison. In House District 37, Lori Martinez won the Democratic primary for the open seat held by retiring Rep. Joanne Ferrary and is set to face Republican Isabella Solis.
Here’s what you need to know today
- Public records lawsuit filed: Las Cruces patient advocate Yoli Diaz alleges Doña Ana County violated state public records law, withheld documents and produced a falsified version of a Memorial Medical Center indigent care policy tied to cancer treatment for eligible patients. (Organ Mountain News was proud to share Searchlight New Mexico's reporting on the case.)
- Council questions roof cost: Las Cruces City Council dropped a proposed $360,000 police academy roof project after councilors questioned spending that much on a facility described during the meeting as a double-wide.
- Long-running fugitive case: Stephen Craig Campbell pleaded guilty to federal fraud and firearms charges after prosecutors said he used a dead man’s identity for decades while living in Weed and hiding from a Wyoming warrant dating to 1983.
- GOP leadership fight appealed: The Republican Party of New Mexico asked the state Supreme Court to overturn a judge’s order removing Chairwoman Amy Barela and barring party officials from making primary endorsements days before voting ended.
Worth knowing
New Mexico high school athletes could soon have more freedom to change schools without sitting out a year of varsity competition.
The NMAA Board of Directors approved a proposed bylaw change that would allow student-athletes one transfer with immediate varsity eligibility during their high school career. The rule is not in effect yet — member schools still have to approve it in a referendum vote expected to be counted later this month.
From the newsroom
This week, one incredibly generous reader made a $1,000 contribution to Organ Mountain News.
That kind of support is more than generous. For a small, independent newsroom working to keep Las Cruces and southern New Mexico informed, it is existentially meaningful. It helps make this work possible — the daily coverage, the public accountability reporting, the election updates, the community stories and the steady presence this region deserves.
If our coverage has been useful to you, please consider making a contribution today. Every donation helps us keep showing up, asking questions and reporting on the stories southern New Mexico needs told.
One quick note: We are working to address a minor glitch on our donation page. Occasionally, the donation form does not load the first time. A simple refresh or two usually fixes it, and we are sorry for the inconvenience.
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