Non-Local News Releases

Free digital experience gives visitors a new way to celebrate their adventures while exploring America's national forests and grasslands. 

Washington, D.C. August 27, 2026 – The U.S. Forest Service and the National Forest Foundation announced the launch of the National Forests and Grasslands Passport, a free digital experience designed to inspire visitors to discover more of America's national forests and grasslands while earning commemorative digital badges along the way. 

Available through the OuterSpatial mobile app, the National Forests and Grasslands Passport transforms every visit into a rewarding experience, allowing visitors to check in and earn exclusive digital badges for each national forest and national grassland they explore. 

SANTA FE, NM – New Mexico House Republican Leader Gail Armstrong (R- Magdalena) is calling on Rep. Joseph Hernandez (D- Shiprock) to resign from the Legislature following troubling revelations about his conduct at a Chicago hotel and new questions surrounding his campaign finances.

Reports indicate Hernandez was found naked and running through a Chicago hotel, banging on guests' doors before being escorted from the property by police. Democratic leadership remained largely silent as details emerged.

"Representative Hernandez's behavior was unacceptable, but the silence from Democratic leadership is just as troubling," Armstrong said. "Instead of demanding accountability, they tried to minimize the situation and move on."

SANTA FE, NM – House Republican Whip Alan Martinez (R- Rio Rancho) is calling on Attorney General Raúl Torrez to immediately investigate whether Rep. Andrea Romero (D- Santa Fe) violated state law by accepting a state-funded position while serving in the New Mexico Legislature.

Romero was hired on May 23, 2026, as an Assistant Trial Attorney while serving as a sitting legislator. New Mexico law prohibits legislators from receiving compensation as state officers or employees, with potential violations carrying felony penalties.

RUIDOSO, N.M. — New Mexico law-enforcement training is undergoing a major modernization effort, with a new legal training block already in place and other academy curricula slated for updates as state officials recently gathered feedback from county sheriffs.

Those changes were a focus of this year's Sheriffs' Association Conference in Ruidoso in August, where county law-enforcement leaders discussed training, forensic laboratory capacity, and law enforcement records systems with county sheriffs.

During the conference, DPS Deputy Cabinet Secretary Sylvia Serna emphasized the importance of collaboration across New Mexico's public-safety system. 

Albuquerque, NM — State Senators Nicole Tobiassen (R-Albuquerque) and Jay Block (R-Rio Rancho) today celebrated the groundbreaking of Pacific Fusion's new Research and Manufacturing Campus at Mesa del Sol, calling the $1 billion project a major win for New Mexico's economy and its future as a hub for advanced energy technology.

The facility will house Pacific Fusion's Demonstration System, aimed at achieving net facility gain, producing more fusion energy than it consumes, by 2030. The project builds on decades of applied physics research at Sandia National Laboratories and is expected to create more than 200 long-term jobs, along with hundreds of construction jobs, while generating energy applications with uses ranging from the power grid to national defense.

Demonstration System designed to achieve net facility gain, a critical step toward commercial fusion power     High-yield fusion capability will expand U.S. national security infrastructure, with Pacific Fusion and NNSA signing an MOU to collaborate on fusion research and development     $1 billion-scale investment positions New Mexico as a hub for the emerging U.S. fusion industry ecosystem

Albuquerque, NM – Pacific Fusion today broke ground on a $1 billion Research & Manufacturing Campus in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the company will build a fusion facility designed to achieve two first-ever milestones: net facility gain, an essential breakthrough on the path to commercial fusion power, and high-yield fusion, a critical capability for U.S. national security.

ALBUQUERQUE — New Mexico is investing $3 million in the University of New Mexico's Quantum New Mexico Institute (QNM-I) to strengthen the state's quantum workforce and accelerate research and commercialization.

Economic Development New Mexico and QNM-I recently signed an Intergovernmental Agreement that aims to build on the institute's research excellence, attract top talent and grow New Mexico's position as a national leader in quantum innovation.

The investment will support three key priorities:

The New Mexico Supreme Court has issued an order granting the request to stay the underlying administrative proceding in New Energy Economy v. New Mexico Environment Department in S-1-SC-41579 until further order of the Court. 

In S-1-SC-41580 - Center for Biological Diversity v Elizabeth Anderson, in her official capacity as New Mexico State Engineer and Santa Teresa Capital, LLC., the Supreme Court has issued an order granting a stay in the October 23, 2025, emergency drilling authorization permitting the use of water from a new well for the contruction of Project Jupiter until further order of the Court. The Supreme Court further ordered that a response shall be filed on or before September 2, 2026. 

See documents below