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Ray Renfroe’s wild, joyful art haven Whatville in Angel Fire, New Mexico, is transforming a quirky 10-acre slice of land into a surreal sculpture park and community hub—complete with a kaleidoscope-in-the-making, live music stages, turquoise-painted doors, and dreams of a local bar. Once a tiny home builder, Renfroe now turns found objects and old grain silos into whimsical installations, aiming t...

New Mexico’s legal fight against the $100B Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger is reaching a boiling point, with settlement talks set for October 14th involving California’s AG and other states alarmed by potential industry monopolization. The core concern? This mega-merger could crush competition, shrink creative opportunities, and reduce content diversity. Just one day later, on October 15th...

Santa Fe’s art scene is reinventing itself beyond Canyon Road, as galleries like KEEP Contemporary, Pie Projects, and 5. Gallery relocate to vibrant neighborhoods—each redefining access, curation, and community in the city’s ever-evolving creative landscape. Listen in comfort: Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: advertise@thednn.ai This is an auto...

AI is getting geographically confused—think fake degrees from Mexico City instead of New Mexico, and Route 66 landmarks misplaced in Arizona. These “hallucinations” reveal a troubling trend: even advanced systems are making basic factual errors, reminding us that human oversight still matters more than ever. Listen in comfort: Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Ad...

Google’s eyeing a new data center in Lea County, New Mexico, powered by solar, wind, batteries, and natural gas — but this time, they’re listening. Unlike Oracle, which’s facing backlash over water use and community impact, Google is reaching out to locals before finalizing plans. In a region where water is scarce, this proactive engagement could be key to balancing tech growth with environmental...

Two suspects are wanted after a brazen weekend break-in at Desert View Elementary School, where they sprayed graffiti on walls and shattered multiple windows—inflicting serious damage to a place meant for learning. The Valencia County Sheriff’s Office is urging the public to come forward with any tips that could help identify or locate the vandals. Call 505-866-2400 to report information. Listen i...

New Mexico agencies initially failed to spend nearly half of their opioid settlement funds—over $5 million—in the first year, but have since dramatically improved, spending almost all of their subsequent funding to tackle the opioid crisis head-on. Listen in comfort: Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: advertise@thednn.ai This is an automated, hig...

New Mexico is set to receive over $2.6 million from FEMA to repair permanent damage caused by wildfires, floods, and mudflows from 2022, while also snagging $720,000 for future disaster preparedness through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. This funding is part of a $39 million national package targeting Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas—with more than $30 million focused on rebuilding...

San Juan County’s big annual emergency drill kicks off Wednesday, September 16th at McGee Park in Aztec — a full-scale simulation involving police, fire, and EMS crews from across the county, plus local hospitals like San Juan Regional and Exceptional Community, all testing their response to a mass casualty event. The park will be closed to the public, but Sunray Casino remains open. This is serio...

A federal unit created to combat the crisis of missing and murdered Native people is crippled by staffing shortages and misallocated funds, leaving families in anguish as investigations stall. With nearly half its positions unfilled and critical resources diverted, the unit struggles to process hundreds of pending cases — including the cold case of Peter Martin, whose assigned agent vanished witho...

Hunger Action Month hits Albuquerque with Rio Metro and Roadrunner Food Bank teaming up for “Stuff the Train” — two free food drives at Montaño Rail Runner Station on Sept. 16 & 23, where you can drop off non-perishables and walk away with a free Rail Runner Day Pass valid all year. It’s simple, impactful, and part of an annual effort to fight food insecurity right in your community. Listen in com...

College and Career Day at the New Mexico State Fair is flipping the script on higher education—showing attendees that a four-year degree isn’t the only path to success. From 10 AM to 3 PM on Main Street, explore fast-track programs (6 to 16 weeks) that land you job-ready with real pay in no time. Led by Stephanie Rodriguez of the New Mexico Higher Education Department, this event champions flexibl...

Tucumcari’s Police Chief Lorenzo Emillio is stepping down after thirty days, calling his tenure an “incredible honor” and thanking the community, officers, and staff for their support. He’s looking forward to family time and personal projects but will stay on to ensure a smooth transition. The city now turns its attention to finding his successor. Listen in comfort: Get a discount on a Soli Pillow...

New Mexico drivers are feeling the squeeze at the pump as soaring gas prices ripple through everyday life—hitting groceries, rent, and travel budgets. While the state’s fuel tax is among the lowest in the nation, lawmakers are proposing a tiny 3-cent-per-gallon hike to fund overdue road repairs and safety upgrades. But with oil and gas revenues already flowing in, critics argue drivers shouldn’t p...

Albuquerque Public Schools is facing a major cooling crisis with 400 work orders—most for broken or outdated systems—leaving students and teachers sweltering in classrooms. While some are routine maintenance, many schools rely on swamp coolers that can’t handle triple-digit heat, and refrigerated units are often broken or delayed. Teachers and parents are frustrated, demanding permanent upgrades t...

The National Championship Air Races roar back to Roswell for their second year, featuring all seven high-speed aircraft classes—including two brand-new ones—thanks to a newly added emergency landing strip. This sky-high family reunion promises an unmatched spectacle, with over 80 planes taking to the skies—double last year’s total. Attendees can also dive into Microsoft Flight Simulator’s latest u...

Gallup’s latest flash flood hit hard just weeks after the last one, but thankfully no lives were lost. While drainage systems helped divert water and saved downtown buildings, aging pipes choked with debris remain a critical threat—cleaning them will cost millions and require heavy machinery. City leaders are calling for better state coordination across agencies to prevent future disasters, and Se...

Albuquerque’s bait car program is paying off big time—stealing 32% fewer cars between 2025 and 2026—with two new arrests this week targeting repeat offenders. Officers nabbed Patrick Lucero, 47, for hiding stolen vehicles, including one allegedly taken by Alfredo Ojeda, 43, a top 25 auto thief. The program has led to 249 arrests and 12 gun recoveries in just 28 activations. With tourist seasons li...

An Edgewood couple is fighting to recover after a city sanitation truck totaled their car during a routine right turn — the vehicle was being driven by a father taking his 9-year-old grandson to therapy. Though the child was unharmed, the $10K+ damage left them stranded and financially strained. They’ve filed a police report and demanded accountability from the city, which says it’s investigating...

Tiny tremors rattling New Mexico’s Whites City and Jal may not be natural—but they’re likely tied to human activity. Dr. Jeff Amato from New Mexico State University points the finger at wastewater injection from oil and gas operations, not fracking itself. The salty byproduct, pumped deep underground into old, dormant fault lines, acts like lubricant, nudging these ancient cracks back to life. Whi...

State Auditor Joseph Maestas has uncovered a troubling pattern: federal DEA agents may have knowingly allowed fentanyl to flow into northern New Mexico to build larger drug cases, coinciding with a shocking surge in overdose deaths. In just six months, Rio Arriba saw a 48% spike, Santa Fe a staggering 104%, and Taos a terrifying 340% increase — nearly all involving fentanyl. While Maestas admits p...

New Mexico braces for a major weather bomb: torrential rain, lightning, and flash flood risks are pounding the state through Thursday—with Wednesday as the peak. Heavy moisture lingers, turning showers into drenching downpours that could last hours, saturating ground from Albuquerque to Raton. Even overnight, central regions like Santa Fe stay soaked, and storms may intensify or stall depending on...

Lego art takes center stage at the New Mexico State Fair, with over 100 jaw-dropping builds on display — from Navy ships to imaginative custom creations. One standout? Brennon Velarde’s meticulously crafted USS New Mexico, built from official blueprints and months of painstaking work. Whether using standard kits or going off-script, builders prove that creativity knows no bounds — and it’s enough...

New Mexico’s monsoon is unleashing serious rain this week—unusual for this time of year—with flash flood warnings especially for urban areas, dry riverbeds, and wildfire burn scars. While it won’t end the drought, the downpours offer temporary relief for vegetation and cooler temps (mostly in the 60s-70s), though Roswell and Tucumcari may still hit 80s-90s. The National Weather Service urges extre...

Mercedez Holtry, once a kid who found refuge at the Boys & Girls Clubs, is now spearheading their brand-new teen center—set to open by year’s end—with a $100K grant from Bank of America New Mexico. This full-circle moment isn’t just about funding; it’s about empowering youth through creativity, featuring a podcast studio, digital arts lab, and culinary kitchen, all designed with input from local t...