October 23, 2025

Featured Presentation

Brother Joseph Bach and Ana Rodriguez talked about their work with Acompañantes, or the Borderland Companions of Hope. What they do is provide accompaniment for immigrants during and after court, detention center visits, spiritual and emotional support, presence, and advocacy through witness. Sometimes an immigrant is taken by ICE at their court appearance and their family is not informed. Brother Joseph and the volunteers will contact the family and tell them what has happened. He explained, “We do not go in there as Catholics or anything else. We go in there as human beings that are there to accompany, realizing that no one should be going through this alone. And for us, this is compassionate accompaniment that honors the value, dignity, and worth of each human being, of each person.”

If you are interested in volunteering with this group, or would like to donate money, contact Brother Joseph at brjbach@holycrossretreat.org or Crystal Massey at cfmassey@proton.me.

Rosenda Chavez Lara, running for re-election for Magistrate Court, Division III (in 2026)

Judge Rosenda Chavez Lara gave us an idea of what she has been doing the past nine months. She has been engaging with young people who are considering practicing law. She has held a community legal clinic, and is developing a framework for a pro se clinic at the magistrate court. Not to mention, she has closed 4,000 cases. Learn more at her website.

Go to this link to sign Rosenda’s nominating petition.

Bob Wofford, running for re-election to LCPS School Board, District 3 (in 2025!)

Bob Wofford announced that he and Pamela Cort and Patrick Nolan (the dream team) would be canvassing one last time before the election. They met on Saturday, October 25, at 9am, at Picacho Coffee Roasters. “This is how campaigns are won,” he said. Check out Bob’s campaign website to see the great work he’s been doing on the LCPS School Board.

For more information, contact Bob at bobwofford3lcps@gmail.com.

Pamela Cort, running for re-election to the LCPS School Board, District 2 (in 8 days!)

Like Bob Wofford, Pamela Cort is an incumbent on the LCPS School Board. She expressed gratitude for the community support. She emphasized the importance of voting for the LCPS school bond and mill levy, assuring that taxes will not increase and that the funding is essential for much-needed school improvements, including at Mayfield High School. Pam highlighted the excitement of students being involved in planning future school developments. Finally, she urged people not to assume her victory is guaranteed—stressing that every vote counts. Check out Pam’s campaign website.

For more information, contact Pam at mmecort@gmail.com.

The LCPS School Bond vote is important

Fred Montalvo hopes you will vote FOR the LCPS Bond on the November 4 ballot. Here’s what you are voting for:

Turn over the ballot!

LCPS School Board member Ed Frank reminded people to turn the ballot over because the school bond and mill levy may be on the back of your ballot. He hopes that you will vote for these, especially because some of these projects are possibly going to be supported by the PSCOF (Public Schools Capital Outlay Fund). “That means that they’re going to give us matching money. But if we don’t get the 65 million from the bond, we’re going to lose that money. So voting this thing down would probably result in the loss of tens of millions of dollars that the school district would get to upgrade our buildings,” Ed explained.

For more information, contact Ed at lascruceslalo@gmail.com.

Becky Corran, running for re-election for City Council, District 5

City Councilor Becky Corran announced a get-out-the-vote canvass held on Saturday, October 25, at 1pm. She hopes you will vote for her. “I hope that you will get out the vote and maintain our progressive school board, maintain our progressive city council. It’s extraordinarily important at this moment. So many things are at stake locally and everywhere,” Becky said. She added that this would be a good time to donate to Casa de Peregrinos, because SNAP benefits could potentially be cut off because of the government shutdown.

For more information, visit Becky’s campaign website or email her at beckycorran@gmail.com.

Michael Harris, running for City Council, District 3

Michael Harris said this is the time to contact your personal influence networks about voting between now and November 4; “it is the best way to support local campaigns.” Michael’s campaign will be canvassing until the Election. Email him for details!

For more information, visit Michael’s campaign website or email him at michael@harris4lc.com.

Party unity

Jim Hoerst had some thoughts about (Democratic) Party unity. He said, “As you know, I supported Project Jupiter. That’s not a popular position in this room. I’m glad I’m not running for office. I’m starting to feel a little alienated. I’m afraid people judge me by that one issue. I do want to be part of this political community. And we disagree. But we agree on more things than we disagree.” Jim worries that Democratic elected officials will be targeted in the primaries because of their support of Project Jupiter. He does not think this is a good strategy, concluding by saying, “You win elections by multiplying and adding, not by dividing and subtracting.”

For more information, contact Jim at seattletags@gmail.com.

Chrystian J. Gonzalez, running for Magistrate Court Judge

Chrystian Gonzalez announced that he is beginning a campaign to run for Magistrate Court Judge, Division V. He explained that he’s worked as a prosecutor, as well as in family law, and knows the issues of the community. “I see what the community needs,” he said, adding, “I want to continue in the next chapter in my career to serve my community.”

Go to this link to sign Chrystian’s nominating petition.

Voter Fiesta held to promote Early Voting

Luis Guerrero from the Center for Civic Policy invited us to join a “Voter Fiesta” on Saturday, October 25, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at Albert Johnson Park in front of Branigan Library. The event featured food, coffee, donuts, music by a mariachi band, and a surprise guest speaker. At 11:15, everyone walked together to vote.

For more information, contact Luis at luis@civicpolicy.com

State Representative Silva secures benefits from Project Jupiter

State Representative Sarah Silva discussed her support for Project Jupiter. Noting her experience of growing up in Vado and work as a community organizer, she said her decision-making – once it became clear that the project was likely to be approved – was centered on addressing her constituents’ long-standing needs for clean drinking water and jobs that will allow young people to continue living in the community. Through collaboration with county leadership, she and Representative Nathan Small were able to secure in writing the inclusion of nearly $60 million in additional commitments from project developers, including $50 million dedicated to rebuilding south county water infrastructure. Sarah pledged to work hard for state matching funds to further support those improvements.

For more information, contact Sarah at sarahangelinasilva@gmail.com

Agreement and disagreement on community issues

As always, Peter Goodman urged continued support for KTAL community radio. He also noted that, while he disagreed with many of the comments from speakers supporting Project Jupiter, he disagreed even more strongly with those who demonize a person for not agreeing with us on a particular issue. While he might have personally supported the Jupiter Project under better, legally enforceable terms, he emphasized the importance of civil discourse and mutual respect, noting that disagreement is natural and that he doesn’t always agree even with himself.

For more information, contact Peter at peter@pgoodmanphotos.com

Some thoughts (and actions) regarding Project Jupiter

Vince Gutschick is a numbers guy (for example, he figured out that he’s been in Las Cruces 62.5% of his life). He’s looked at the Project Jupiter numbers and said, “Project Jupiter is rife with environmental, legal, financial, and social problems. 165 billion by government standards should have generated 122,000 jobs. 700 jobs is not worth it.” Vince has testified about this at public meetings, and has filed a complaint with the New Mexico Attorney General. He said if you are against Project Jupiter, you can sign on to an amicus brief by the Empowerment Congress.“ Help fund the Empowerment Congress to stop this. Reverse it.”

For more information, contact Vince at vince.gutschick@gmail.com.

An open invitation to watch court proceedings with lunch afterwards!

District Court Judge Robert Lara noted that many of the community issues we discuss, from immigration to Project Jupiter, ultimately surface in his courtroom. He expressed concern about the broader problem of public distrust and lack of awareness about government and judicial institutions.

To help bridge that gap, Robert regularly extends an open invitation to all community members to visit his courtroom, observe hearings, and to join him and other judges afterwards for lunch and discussion. His next open court and lunch session will be on Monday, November 24, beginning at 9 a.m. Please RSVP by November 19 by emailing lcrdymg@nmcourts.gov.

Courts & Community
November 24, 2025, 9am-12pm
201 W. Picacho, Las Cruces, Courtroom 2

Stop Project Jupiter group formed

Jonathan Delgado spoke in opposition to the Project Jupiter development, warning that many of its supporters do not live near the proposed gas turbine facilities and will not bear the environmental impact. He noted that the Empowerment Congress, originally founded to fight for clean water, is now the group leading opposition to the project due to concerns about community health and environmental justice. Jon announced the formation of a Stop Project Jupiter coalition, with the Empowerment Congress taking the lead, and he invited attendees to join a Zoom meeting on Sunday, October 26 at 4 p.m. to learn more and get involved.

He also expressed concern about the Flock surveillance cameras being installed around the city, noting that while the city claims the data cannot be accessed by ICE, government agencies in fact are able to secretly subpoena companies like Flock for information.

For more information about the Stop Jupiter Project, contact Jonathan at jonathandpolitics@gmail.com

Young Democrat calls for greater transparency

Jay Choate, a member of Young Democrats and College Democrats, emphasized the importance of transparency as a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. He argued that without open access to information, voters cannot make informed decisions or hold officials accountable. While acknowledging rare exceptions like national security, he maintained that government and corporations benefiting from public resources should operate transparently. Jay encouraged continued civic engagement, urging people—especially younger generations—to get involved and follow the organizations’ activities online.

You can follow the Young Democrats on Instagram at ydemsdac and College Democrats at collegedemsnmsu. You can contact Jay at thejaychoate@protonmail.com

Project 2025 central to plans for government takeover

Elisa Sanchez urged attendees to pay closer attention to Project 2025, warning that while people are distracted by “the craziness of an orange man in the White House,” this movement is quietly working to change the government by eliminating institutions like the Department of Education. She said the Project 2025 goal is to create a “white Christian country,” posing a threat to anyone who is not white or Christian, and emphasized the growing influence of the evangelical community aligned with MAGA politics. Elisa encouraged everyone to educate themselves about this movement and recommended watching the documentary God and Country on streaming platforms to understand the danger it represents.

For more information, contact Elisa at xiqana100@aol.com

Updates on food insecurity and solar for schools

Rocky Bacchus spoke about two main issues: food insecurity and school solar programs. He began by sharing a personal story from college, when he ran out of money and couldn’t afford food for three days, to highlight how difficult it is for those who experience hunger on a regular basis. He emphasized that many New Mexico families rely on SNAP benefits that may be curtailed by the federal government and he urged policymakers and the public to do whatever possible to support those struggling with food insecurity.

He also updated us on Las Cruces Public Schools’ solar energy initiatives, noting that recent data from Centennial High School’s electric bills show the solar project is saving the school over $60,000 per year, despite claims from some that it is losing money. Rocky clarified the installation cost was $1.5 million, not $2.5 million, and encouraged continued support and collaboration with staff to ensure accurate understanding and further advancement of solar initiatives.

For more information, contact Rocky at rockybacchus@gmail.com.

The healthcare problem in New Mexico

Janet Nordman, speaking on behalf of Patients Primero, described the organization as a group of ordinary people who are patients or will be patients, advocating for improved healthcare in New Mexico. They are currently focused on supporting the Think New Mexico 10-point plan, which outlines reforms aimed at strengthening the state’s healthcare system. Although their efforts helped get healthcare compacts placed on the special legislative session agenda, the results were disappointing, and they plan to push for passage again during the 30-day session in January.

Janet encouraged us to join Patients Primero’s email list to receive updates and action plans, and invited us to a Health Care Crisis panel discussion at the Memorial Medical Center Annex on Saturday, November 8 from 10 to noon, sponsored by the Desert Southwest Cancer Support Group.

For more information, contact Janet at janetnordmann@yahoo.com.

New Mexicans now covered under Radiation Exposure Compensation Act

Mary Martinez-White of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium reminded us that New Mexicans are now covered under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act recently passed by Congress!

Here are the details: all New Mexico residents who lived in New Mexico for at least one year prior to 1962, and who have been diagnosed, or have had a loved one diagnosed, with at least one of the 19 compensable cancers, are eligible for a one-time compassionate payment of $100,000. Applications are currently being processed, and some New Mexicans have already received payments. Clear guidance for how to apply for the payment are available at the Downwinders website. Applicants can file from now through December 2027, so those who are eligible should apply quickly.

Mary also invited everyone to a screening of the documentary First We Bombed New Mexico on November 22nd at 7 PM at the Rio Grande Theater in Las Cruces.

For more information, contact Mary at mwhite9409@gmail.com.

Questioning the $165 billion price tag for Project Jupiter

Charlotte Lipson expressed concern about the $165 billion approved for Project Jupiter’s Industrial Revenue Bonds and the potential impact that amount of money will have on local politics, and specifically on how it could affect local progress made over the past 20 years to combat corruption. Referencing research by Vince Gutchick indicating that data centers around the country are being built for single-digit billions, she questions where the enormous $165 billion for Project Jupiter comes from and suggests the projected financing just doesn’t add up.

For more information, contact Charlotte at lipson@zianet.com.

Holtec abandons plans for nuclear waste repository in New Mexico!!

Lynn Moorer announced a great victory: Holtec has abandoned its plans for a spent nuclear fuel storage site in Lea County. She specifically credits Senator Jeff Steinborn’s legislation making obtaining state permits difficult without a national repository and the governor’s support in signing the bill in 2023. Lynn also noted that the Eddy/Lea County Energy Alliance is now considering an effort to bring to their area a nuclear waste processing facility, an alternative even worse than storage, but for now she urges us to celebrate the Holtec victory and thank Jeff for his five years of hard work that led to this positive outcome!

For more information, contact Lynn at lmoorer3045@gmail.com.

John Muñoz, running for City Council, District 6

John Muñoz gave thanks to all those who have supported him so far. He reiterated that just because we disagree, we don’t have to hate one another. “It’s good to have a discussion. It’s good to have a discourse. However there is also a right and a wrong.” He said that he supports the Welcoming Community Resolution and said bringing that back up now would be a waste of time and taxpayer money.

For more information about John, johnpmonoz@comcast.com.

Hay for horses (Let’s fill the barn!)

Jennifer Kreie talked about the event: Hay for Horses (Let’s fill the Barn!) on 11/15 from 11:30 to 2 pm at Habaneros Restaurant. “Have a nice meal and buy a bale of hay for the horses, all for $25,” she said. Come learn about the DharmaHorse Sanctuary, visit with the owners, and see beautiful photos of the horses at the sanctuary.

For more information, contact Jennifer at jenniferkreie@gmail.com or 575.571.0300.

Party unity is important, but so is transparency

Glenn Landers stressed that party unity is important, but elected officials must be accountable. Primaries are a way to remove bad Democrats without electing Republicans. He also spoke about an air pollution permit notice for Project Jupiter, alleging misrepresentation and suggesting that there may be two microgrids instead of a single facility to evade Clean Air Act control requirements.

For more information, contact Glenn at glenn.landers@gmail.com.

New group to protect utility users

Stephen Fischmann served as chair of the PRC, which regulates utilities in the state. He remarked, “I can tell you there’s so much waste and abuse and overpayment of these utilities, it just makes me sick. So I’m doing something about it along with some other people, such as Public Power New Mexico, New Energy Economy, some tribal communities, and some faith groups. Consumers need protection.” He explained there’s a big case coming up right now for our largest utility in the state, PNM, which is going to be acquired by or hopes to be acquired by Blackstone, a private equity company, which could triple costs over the next 5 to 10 years.

If interested in joining, contact Stephen at stephen.fischmann@gmail.com.

Help for New Mexicans

Representative Nathan Torres Small updated us on the special session which was all about supporting New Mexicans, especially if financial cuts are coming from the federal government. “I was really pleased to sponsor our budget bill along with Representative Silva, one of 18 co-sponsors. $12 million to continue SNAP benefits for lawfully present non-citizens. Another $50 million for healthcare facilities, a rescue fund for what’s coming down the pike.”

He mentioned another $20 million, plus funds to keep 30,000 seniors on their SNAP benefits, which the state had expanded. He said that other things need to be fought for as well. “Not only do we have to hold onto the raises for teachers, for healthcare professionals, for so many others, we’re going to have to work to continue that at a time when the federal government has gone from partner to antagonist.”

He also mentioned a fundraiser for several Democrats, at Stahmann Farms in November. More details to follow.

For more information, contact Nathan at nathan.p.small@gmail.com.

In a world with heavy politics, you need a good book

Sandy Katayanagi talked about the Friends of the Thomas Branigan Memorial Library holding a 4 day sale which ended on Sunday, October 26; the money goes to supporting programs like the summer reading program and author talks. “I know this is a very political and social justice group, but sometimes you just got to relax with a good book,” she said.

For more information, contact Sandy at stkatakya@yahoo.com or visit libraryfriendslc.org.

Reach out to your personal influence network

Doug Kurtz – not Don! – talked about the personal influence network and the change it can have. “I was willing to go outside my comfort zone. Nobody I wrote to ever complained to me. It gives you an opportunity to have an influence on what happens in the community,” he said. So, go ahead! Reach out to your family and friends and tell them about the upcoming election and who you think they should vote for.

For more information, contact Doug at DouglasSKurtz@msn.com.

New museum opening at a familiar place: Taylor Home in Mesilla

Sherry Hulsey spoke about the opening of the new museum at J. Paul and Mary Daniels Taylor Home on Saturday, 11/8, in Mesilla. You can read all about it here.

For more information, contact Sherry at Sherryhulsey1@gmail.com.

Get to know your city

Esther Minick gave a shout-out to the City. “This is a shout-out to the City of Las Cruces. Please look for the “Know Your City” Program and discover the day-to-day work of your city employees. The quality of the city departments and the breadth and depth of what each department does and is responsible for. The main takeaway is concern for citizens and the quality of life. Thank you. This session is coming to a close, but please support this effort in transparency and engagement. Look for it!”

For more information, contact Esther at pronag@aol.com.