Good morning,

This week, Organ Mountain News published the results of months of listening to southern New Mexicans about what they need from local news — what information is missing, what earns their trust and where the region’s information gaps remain.

The rest of this week’s news underscores why that work matters. Doña Ana County abruptly changed managers. Lawmakers heard new warnings about Project Jupiter’s potential effect on air quality. Falling water complicated access at Elephant Butte. A local water system faced another violation after failing to notify customers of a uranium exceedance. And as dangerous heat continued, Las Cruces kept cooling stations open.

Taken together, these stories make a simple point: Local news should help people understand the decisions affecting their communities — and give them information they can use.

Southern New Mexicans are not simply asking for more news. They want reporting that explains who has authority, how decisions are made, when the public can participate and what happens after residents raise concerns. That is one of the clearest findings in Organ Mountain News’ new 78-page community listening assessment, What Matters in southern New Mexico.

The report draws from 24 guided interviews and 290 retained survey responses. Participants called for clearer civic reporting, stronger follow-through and broader coverage of community life — not only crime, conflict and political controversy. One striking finding: 70.3% of retained respondents said they had avoided speaking publicly about a local issue because of fear, pressure or distrust. The survey was voluntary and not statistically representative, but the result highlights the need for safer, lower-risk ways for residents to share information.

The assessment also sets out commitments for OMN: explain public processes before decisions are final, broaden geographic representation, strengthen service reporting, follow stories beyond the first headline and show readers how community input changes the journalism. The value of the project will not be measured by the report alone, but by whether southern New Mexicans can see that listening made a difference.

What southern New Mexicans say they need from local news

A new Organ Mountain News assessment finds southern New Mexicans want clearer civic reporting, broader community coverage and stronger follow-through.

Organ Mountain NewsDamien Willis

Here’s what you need to know today

Scott Andrews out: Doña Ana County commissioners voted unanimously to terminate County Manager Scott Andrews’ contract without cause, effective immediately. Andrews had served in the role since October 2024 and will receive six months of salary under his contract and separation agreement.

Project Jupiter could erase decades of air-quality gains: An energy policy expert told New Mexico lawmakers that the data center’s proposed fuel-cell microgrid could push electric-sector carbon dioxide emissions back to 2005 levels. The project would emit fewer pollutants than the two natural-gas plants developers first proposed, but potentially more than all existing New Mexico power plants combined.

Elephant Butte stays open as water falls: Reservoir releases will continue through July 28, exposing debris, unstable shoreline areas and terrain normally covered by water. State Parks crews are clearing hazards and working to preserve access at the Marina del Sur boat ramp, while camping, hiking, shoreline recreation and paddle-craft opportunities remain available.

Water system faces another uranium-related violation: State regulators say the Doña Ana Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Association failed to meet a June deadline to notify customers about a uranium exceedance at Treatment Plant No. 5. The association also has not proposed corrective action or told regulators whether the affected well was taken offline.

Worth knowing

Las Cruces will keep several cooling stations open through Wednesday, July 29, as near triple-digit temperatures continue across the area. The stations offer temporary relief for older adults, people at elevated risk of heat-related illness and anyone who needs a place to escape the heat. Residents should call ahead to confirm operating hours.

No cooling stations will operate Sunday, July 26. During the week, locations include Thomas Branigan Memorial Library, the Mesilla Valley Intermodal Transit Terminal, Meerscheidt Recreation Center and four senior or community centers.

Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Warning signs can include hot, dry skin, confusion, loss of consciousness or seizures. Call 911 immediately if someone shows those symptoms.

From the newsroom

This week brought difficult news for southern New Mexico’s information landscape: Heath Haussamen announced that Haussamen.com is shutting down, at least for now. After returning to journalism and spending the past year producing sustained, consequential coverage — especially of Project Jupiter — he said the work simply was not bringing in enough money to continue.

That loss matters. Independent local reporting is often praised after it exposes something important, clarifies a complicated public decision or forces powerful institutions to answer questions. But praise alone does not pay for the hours required to review documents, attend meetings, interview sources, publish stories and keep following them after the public’s attention moves elsewhere.

Organ Mountain News remains committed to doing that work without a paywall. This week alone, that meant publishing the results of months of community listening, reporting on an abrupt change in county leadership, tracking the environmental stakes surrounding Project Jupiter and pressing for answers after a local water system failed to notify customers about a uranium exceedance.

Haussamen’s announcement is a reminder that none of this is guaranteed. Southern New Mexico needs more independent reporting voices, not fewer. And when one disappears, the remaining newsrooms inherit a larger responsibility — but not automatically the resources required to meet it.

If you supported Haussamen.com because you value persistent, independent reporting about the decisions shaping this region, please consider directing some of that support to Organ Mountain News. A recurring contribution helps keep this newsroom present, accountable and able to follow the stories southern New Mexicans have told us matter most.

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