AGP Executive Report

Meta Settlement & Teen Safety: Meta agreed to pay up to $17.1B in a landmark teen social media settlement and adopt new limits on Facebook/Instagram use, including a two-hour daily cap and overnight restrictions for teens. Local Courts & Guns: A federal judge blocked New Mexico’s 7-day waiting period for gun purchases, and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office says an appeal is likely. Border Security: The U.S. military used a high-energy laser to shoot down “cartel-linked” drones on the southern border, with more laser deployments planned by 2026. Public Health: New Mexico Department of Health offices will close for Labor Day Sept. 7, with the helpline still available. Education & Workforce: CNM and Rio Rancho Public Schools opened a Transportation Systems Technology Center to expand dual-credit training for transportation careers. Economy & Jobs: A report says Sandia Science & Technology Park has generated billions in wages, jobs, and consumer spending since 1998. Santa Fe Dining: Bon Appétit named Leo’s in Santa Fe among the nation’s best new restaurants. Sports: A rare 43-43 high school football tie in Albuquerque came after lightning delays.

Federal Courts & Immigration: The U.S. Justice Department sued Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington over state laws letting immigrants without legal status pay in-state tuition, saying the policies violate federal law and undercut citizens’ benefits. Local Governance & Privacy: Bernalillo County’s sheriff said he’s ending Flock surveillance contracts amid privacy concerns, while the City of Grants also moved to terminate its Flock deal. Tech & Youth Safety: Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to settle claims it designed Facebook and Instagram to addict teens, including new default limits like muted notifications and two-hour daily caps. Santa Fe Business & Innovation: The New Mexico Innovation Hub in midtown Santa Fe hit capacity faster than expected after adding new tenants tied to quantum imaging and AI. Food & Tourism: Michelin’s first Southwest guide named 12 New Mexico restaurants as “Recommended” or “Bib Gourmand,” including Albuquerque’s Campo at Los Poblanos and Frontier.

State Budget: New Mexico is projected to hit record $14.8 billion in general fund revenue for FY 2028, with about $924 million in “new money” expected for the 2027 Legislature, as reserves remain strong. Public Safety & Courts: Meta reached a landmark settlement in child-safety lawsuits, agreeing to up to $17B–$18B in payments and new limits for teens on Facebook and Instagram, including a two-hour daily cap and school-hours notification silencing. Local Justice & Health: San Juan County’s Alternative Sentencing program says it’s a proven behavioral-health success and is asking lawmakers for $1.8 billion to restore funding to “optimal levels.” Environment & Water: The Frijoles Fire’s aftermath is raising fears of flash flooding and impacts to Santa Cruz Lake tributaries as drought-stressed conditions persist. Community & Services: Red Desert Humane Society reports pet surrenders and out-of-state rescues are pushing it to capacity. Roads: NMDOT roadwork is set to begin on NM 6 and NM 53 in Cibola County, with minor delays expected.

Meta Settlement: Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion and overhaul Facebook and Instagram for teens, including a default two-hour daily limit and overnight blocks, ending a major Oakland trial while leaving other lawsuits in play. New Mexico Courts: A New Mexico jury previously found Meta liable in a separate case tied to child harm and ordered major penalties, with a judge later increasing the amount and imposing limits like a 90-hour monthly cap for under-18 users. Local Safety Lawsuit: A family filed a wrongful-death suit over a fatal I-25 crash in Albuquerque’s South Valley, arguing missing streetlights left a 19-year-old unseen. Santa Fe Culture: “Phasmagorica,” a sold-out immersive séance experience, opened in Santa Fe after relocating from Los Angeles. Wildlife & Climate: New Mexico animal rehab is taking in orphaned bear cubs after the state euthanized “problem” bears that repeatedly entered homes. Weather/Water: Lake Mead’s shrinking levels continue to expose the scale of drought and climate impacts across the Southwest. Sports: UNM football and basketball updates continue, including a judge’s pending decision on UNM defensive end Brett Karhu’s NCAA eligibility fight.

Meta Child-Safety Settlement: Meta agreed to pay up to $16.68 billion (as high as $18 billion in some reports) and make major changes to Facebook and Instagram after a landmark trial accusing the company of designing addictive features for children and mishandling kids’ data; the deal covers 29 states in the main case plus additional privacy claims tied to Cambridge Analytica, with New Mexico’s AG Raúl Torrez saying the nationwide settlement still falls short of protections New Mexico already won in court, including a ban on romantic/sexualized AI chatbot interactions with minors. Local AI in Courts: New Mexico judges are drafting statewide courtroom AI guidelines, aiming for practical guardrails after high-profile misuse cases. USPS Voting Fight: New Mexico and other states are suing to block a USPS rule that would require states to overhaul vote-by-mail procedures on a tight timeline, arguing it risks disenfranchising voters. Clean Energy in NM: U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich joined Pacific Fusion’s groundbreaking for a $1 billion Albuquerque research and manufacturing campus aimed at producing more energy than it uses by 2030. Weather & Community: A partial lunar eclipse will be visible in New Mexico Thursday night, turning the moon red-orange during the darkest phase.

Project Jupiter, New Mexico Supreme Court: The state’s high court paused key parts of Oracle’s Project Jupiter permitting process, including an air quality permit hearing, after challenges kept piling up and a hearing officer recused. Data privacy fight: Michigan AG Dana Nessel and a coalition won a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from demanding a database of sensitive CDL driver records, a dispute tied to privacy and federal funding. AI data-center politics: A national backlash to data centers is reshaping elections and policy, with New Mexico’s Project Jupiter cited as concerns grow over water and impacts. Local water crisis: Pojoaque Terraces Mobile Home Park residents say they’ve been without water for 11 days after a well collapse, raising worries about water quality and communication. Energy & weather: Pacific Fusion broke ground on a $1B Albuquerque fusion campus, while forecasters warn of hot conditions and monsoon storms with damaging wind and hail possible in parts of northeastern New Mexico. Community & culture: New Mexico mourned Dolly Parton, whose Imagination Library has been sending books to local children.

Vanderbilt QB Watch: Blaze Berlowitz was named the Commodores’ starting quarterback after beating out five-star freshman Jared Curtis, though Curtis is still expected to see playing time in Week 1. Israel/2028 Primary Mood: A new poll of early 2028 primary states finds many Democratic voters oppose arms aid to Israel and increasingly view Israel’s Gaza actions as genocide. Frijoles Fire Update: Firefighters boosted Frijoles Fire containment to 52% while managing lingering hot spots and keeping some Santa Fe and Rio Arriba areas on evacuation “Ready/Set” status; a San Carlos Apache fire support crew member, Randy Lupe, died after a medical emergency. New Mexico Courts: The NM Supreme Court announced its next term starts Sept. 4, including cases tied to utility smart meters and Project Jupiter permit fights. Public Safety Tech Debate: Grand Rapids officials defended Flock Safety cameras as useful for locating suspects and missing people, even as residents push for tighter scrutiny. National Health: Pennsylvania reported two measles deaths, both unvaccinated, amid a growing outbreak.

Colorado River Fight: Nevada sued the U.S. Interior Department over a new Colorado River water plan, arguing it would cut Nevada’s already small allocation far more than the Upper Basin states, including New Mexico. Local Water Planning: Elephant Butte Irrigation District is starting contingency planning after a consultant warned of critically low supply in 2027, with dry Rio Grande conditions raising alarms for farmers. Project Jupiter Setback: New Mexico Supreme Court actions paused parts of Project Jupiter’s air permit process and dealt setbacks to the data center’s challenges, keeping the project tied up in court. Public Health & Mosquitoes: Albuquerque may approve $130,000 to expand mosquito surveillance as officials warn the mosquito season could run longer, boosting West Nile risk. Wildfire Watch: Two small but fast-growing fires in the Manzano Mountains put the Fourth of July recreation area at risk, with smoke concerns spreading across nearby communities. Safety in Indian Country: The FBI set a $25,000 minimum reward for unsolved missing-person and homicide cases in tribal communities. UNM Case Update: A suspect in a UNM fatal dorm shooting was sentenced to about 12 years in prison.

Project Jupiter Court Fight: The New Mexico Supreme Court temporarily paused Project Jupiter’s Sept. 14 air quality permit hearing and ordered the state engineer to stop using a specific well for the data center’s construction, after opponents argued the timeline is too tight and key approvals aren’t in place. Colorado River Fallout: Nevada sued the Trump administration over a Colorado River Operations Record of Decision, saying it could cut Nevada’s allocation by up to 71% while Upper Basin states like New Mexico face no mandatory reductions. Screwworm and Cattle Trade: Mexico resumed phased live cattle exports to the U.S., with initial shipments through Arizona and later expansion to New Mexico ports, as both countries step up sterile-fly controls amid ongoing screwworm risk. Local Accountability: A Gallup teacher fired over alleged classroom misconduct was ordered reinstated with back pay after an arbitrator found the termination too severe. Heat Watch: Record-warm, dry conditions continued across New Mexico, with isolated storms possible but heat staying the main threat.

Project Jupiter Pause: The New Mexico Supreme Court issued a temporary stay blocking proceedings on the air-quality permit for the Oracle/OpenAI hyperscale data center in Santa Teresa, after challengers argued the state hadn’t established the project’s fuel source. Colorado River Cuts: The federal government unveiled a new 10-year Colorado River plan with proposed reductions for California, Nevada and Arizona, while upstream states like New Mexico would not face cuts under the initial terms. Border Cattle Trade: The U.S. is set to partially reopen the border to Mexican cattle via Douglas, Arizona, despite a newly confirmed screwworm case in Sonora, with further New Mexico port openings under review. Frijoles Fire Security: Fire officials tightened access at the Frijoles Fire base camp after intruders tried to enter, while containment rose to about 45% and evacuation areas remained in “Set” or “Ready” status. Santa Fe DWI Crackdown: Santa Fe police reported more than 200 DWI arrests/citations in six months, crediting expanded staffing and training, including a growing share of drug-impaired cases. New Mexico Jobs: The state unemployment rate held at 4.8% in July, with payroll employment up year over year. Route 66 Spotlight: Glenrio, a near-abandoned Route 66 border town, is highlighted as a historic stop with remnants on both sides of the line.

Politics: Pete Buttigieg made a return stop in South Carolina, the state that ended his 2020 bid, drawing standing ovations at an NAACP event and a Black church as he weighs a possible 2028 run. Water & climate: The Intermountain West drought remains severe, with record-low reservoirs and ongoing restrictions; New Mexico’s Elephant Butte is reported at just 1.4% capacity. Local life & services: New Mexico’s broadband office says connectivity is improving and is pushing affordability help after federal ACP ended, including a new low-income assistance program. Public safety & environment: New Mexico continues to bake under near-record heat with only spotty storm chances. Border & agriculture: The U.S. is set to resume Mexican cattle imports under tight screwworm-related controls, with shipments starting Aug. 24. Community & culture: Santa Fe’s Chuck Jones Gallery is pairing the new “Coyote vs. Acme” release with original Wile E. Coyote art. Sports: UNLV’s 2026 season outlook spotlights key roster turnover at wide receiver and quarterback.

Public Safety & Courts: New Mexico AG Raúl Torrez and local law enforcement highlighted results from the state’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center, using ballistic tech and cross-jurisdiction coordination to solve cases. Health & Community: A Common Sense Health column warns organ donation is more complex than “checking a box,” pointing to safeguards and hard questions about death determination. State Policy & Business: New Mexico cannabis operators are bracing for a six-day inventory system blackout starting Aug. 25 as the state shifts from BioTrack to a new seed-to-sale platform. Border & Agriculture: Mexico resumes livestock sales to the U.S. under tight controls tied to New World screwworm risk, with initial restrictions aimed at preventing spread. Weather & Safety: Forecasts call for scorching heat across New Mexico with daily storm chances near mountains and possible heavy rain. Culture: Hundreds marked the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center’s 50th anniversary, celebrating Pueblo storytelling and future-focused programming. Local Tech/Crime: UNM and ScienceSoft launch a statewide WHO Healthy Aging initiative. Earthquake: A 4.1 quake struck near Mount Taylor in northwestern New Mexico; no casualties reported.

Colorado River Water Cuts: The federal government finalized a new two-year plan that orders major reductions for California, Nevada and Arizona as Lake Mead and other reservoirs hit historic lows, cutting deliveries by 1.25 million acre-feet per year in 2027-28, with Arizona taking the biggest share. New Mexico Heat & Drought Impacts: Forecasters warn of near-record heat across New Mexico this weekend, with advisories in parts of the state and only spotty storm chances—another reminder of how drought is tightening conditions for residents and outdoor plans. Santa Fe Air Service: United Airlines is adding nonstop service from Chicago O’Hare to Santa Fe starting in December 2026, bringing competition to a market that previously had only one Chicago nonstop. Public Health Watch: Federal officials say cyclospora cases are still rising nationwide, though the pace appears to be easing as investigations continue. Wildlife & Community: Tarantula migration is underway in New Mexico, and organizers are also planning a nationwide “United by Parks Day of Action” with an Albuquerque event to push for stronger park protection.

Colorado River Update: Interior finalized a new two-year operating plan for Lake Powell and Lake Mead, setting 2027-2028 cuts that hit California, Nevada and Arizona while upper-basin states including New Mexico face no mandatory reductions for now. Local Health Care: New Mexico says it will keep funding gender-affirming care for minors with state dollars after a federal Medicaid rule ends federal coverage for those services. Courts & Privacy: A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from accessing sensitive data tied to more than 17 million commercial drivers, pausing a Homeland Security subpoena as litigation continues. Immigration in Santa Fe: An attorney is challenging ICE detention of a Santa Fe father, arguing the agency’s “extensive criminal history” claims rely on charges that were dismissed. Higher Education: UNM and NMSU received a Trump administration letter urging public commitments on admissions, free speech, research and academic rigor. Sports: New Mexico United added goalkeeper Andrew Pannenberg on a short contract, while LSU landed former UCLA guard Donovan Dent. Weather: Another hot weekend is expected, with storms mainly favoring the mountains.

Colorado River Water Cuts: The Trump administration finalized a plan that slashes Colorado River deliveries to California, Nevada and Arizona by about 21% in 2027-28, with potential deeper cuts later, while upper-basin states including New Mexico face no mandatory reductions. Local Immigration Enforcement: Santa Fe residents and officials are pushing back after ICE arrests tied to medical appointments, including concerns about where detainees are sent and whether charges were properly handled. Public Safety: The ATF is offering a $10,000 reward after “explosive devices” were found in New Mexico’s Carson National Forest. Health & Food Safety: A jalapeño-linked salmonella outbreak continues to drive recalls, and officials also warn consumers to check for other recent food recalls. State Fair: New Mexico State Fair auditions are open for singers to perform the national anthem at PRCA rodeo events at Tingley Coliseum. Gas Prices: AAA reports New Mexico’s average gas price rose 13 cents in a week, with crude oil pressures cited.

Immigration in Santa Fe: Neighbors and family members described fresh ICE activity in Santa Fe, including the detention of a father outside a medical center while taking his 11-year-old daughter to an appointment, as lawmakers question what federal agents knew and why arrests are happening so close to home. Courts & public safety: A New Mexico man tied to a long-running river access fight was sentenced to probation after a plea deal that included restrictions on firearms and requirements to complete anger management and keep access open. Wildfire smoke: The Frijoles Fire is about 31% contained, but smoke has pushed into Santa Fe-area communities, with residents reporting thick, dark haze. Federal land policy: USDA proposed rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule, arguing it blocks wildfire risk reduction, while critics warn it could weaken protections. Local housing: U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury highlighted $7.6 million in federal funding for affordable housing and homelessness programs, including a homeless youth center in Albuquerque. Energy & environment: A new study finds outdoor sunlight shifts can reduce next-gen solar output for perovskite-silicon panels, with Albuquerque included in the research. Tech & kids: A landmark Meta trial over alleged social media addiction targeting children is underway, with states seeking penalties that could reach $1.4 trillion.