Patrick Lohmann
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patricklohmann.bsky.social
Patrick Lohmann
@patricklohmann.bsky.social
Journalist @sourcenm.com; previously ProPublica Local Reporting Network, Syracuse.com, ABQ Journal

Cover photo is of a rainbow over the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire burn scar
Pinned
Millions of people saw a video this week of Deivi Molina-Pena, seen here making an arepa in his apartment, screaming for help as ICE arrested him in a local Walmart.

Our story today at @sourcenm.com interviews his family and explores a feud that might have led to his arrest:
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Years-old government reports found issues with private equity firm founder’s previous company during Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill
New Mexico lawmakers Pope, McQueen raise questions about New Mexico Gas Company sale • Source New Mexico
New Mexico lawmakers joined a small group of residents to call for greater transparency around the proposed New Mexico Gas Company sale.
sourcenm.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Officials with the federal claims office overseeing a multi-billion-dollar compensation fund for Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire victims told Source they will consider paying to address newly found well contamination, but only if victims first prove “injuries and causation.”

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FEMA says NM fire victims will have to prove ‘causation’ to get payment for well contamination • Source New Mexico
“Heavy metals caused by the fire can be compensable," FEMA officials tell Source. "And a claimant will need to present a claim demonstrating injuries and causation."
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November 24, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
As fear ripples across the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire burn scar about newly discovered toxic metals in Mora County groundwater, elected officials and residents are increasingly wondering whether a federal office overseeing a $5.45B fire compensation fund will step in to help.

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New Mexico officials, Mora residents say feds should respond to groundwater contamination • Source New Mexico
In the latest crisis affecting the burn scar of the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire, state and local officials are asking what FEMA's plan is.
sourcenm.com
November 19, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Read it and your day will get better. www.hcn.org/issues/57-11...
November 7, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Approximately 460,000 NM residents receive SNAP benefits. Here’s the latest on where they stand
Legislative committee says federal funds for SNAP are safe • Source New Mexico
New Mexico Legislative Finance Council director says SNAP funds should be safe going forward, but not all funds will be
sourcenm.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Wildfires, floods and National Guard deployments over the last few years have depleted a key New Mexico disaster fund. Gov. Lujan Grisham has, nonetheless, used emergency declarations and state funds to cover the cost.

Where's the money coming from? Read Source's latest "By the #s"

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November 17, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Hey everyone! Thrilled to announce I’m joining the team at @sourcenm.com as Senior Reporter!

I’ll cover the State Legislature & focus on the accountability reporting you’ve come to expect from my 3.5 years @ @searchlightnm.bsky.social. Follow along (for free!) at sourcenm.com

HMU w/ tips & ideas!
Home • Source New Mexico
sourcenm.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
A Cuban immigrant held in a Torrance County immigrant detention center faces a key court hearing Thursday without what he described as crucial legal documents to help him avoid deportation.

"If I go back to Cuba, my life will be in danger,” he said.

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Trump-supporting Cuban dissident says NM ICE lockup denied him legal documents • Source New Mexico
His allegations of denied access to lawyers and legal materials occur as the facility, one of three ICE lockups in the state, operates without a contract.
sourcenm.com
November 12, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
NEW: States told by Trump administration to 'undo' full SNAP benefits paid for November. @statesnewsroom.com story:
States told by Trump administration to 'undo' full SNAP benefits paid for November
Following a late Friday emergency ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court, the Trump administration has instructed states that authorized full November nutrition assistance benefits to return a portion, an...
www.newsfromthestates.com
November 9, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Updated @statesnewsroom.com story with detail from Trump DOJ brief, account of wild back and forth today.
November 8, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
It's been seven days since the Torrance County's contract with ICE to house detainees at the Estancia jail expired.

An advocacy group says all the detainees should be released. One of them emailed Source on Friday saying he was denied access to attorney.

More here:

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Torrance County immigration detention center continues operating without ICE contract • Source New Mexico
In the meantime, seven detainees signed a letter to Source saying they’re being denied attorney access.
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November 7, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Even though it was a local, non-partisan, off-year election, enthusiastic Democratic voters turned out at higher-than-expected rates, according to our analysis.

More here:

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November 6, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Lawmakers head back to the Roundhouse Monday for a one-day special session to extend food benefits. Some of them are happy about it.
New Mexico Gov. Lujan Grisham calls special legislative session Monday to extend food benefits • Source New Mexico
New Mexico Gov. Lujan Grisham calls lawmakers back to Roundhouse for one-day special session to deal with food benefits
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November 6, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Voting was robust at the Santa Fe County Fairgrounds first thing Tuesday morning. We chatted with voters there, as well as in ABQ and Las Cruces to see what was on their minds.
Voting underway throughout New Mexico • Source New Mexico
Source NM talks to voters in Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Las Cruces on election day Nov. 4, 2025 about local races
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November 4, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Lots of developments in SNAP payments fight today, most notably a defiant Trump vowing no payments until Democrats cave on shutdown. Story for @statesnewsroom.com:
A defiant Trump vows no SNAP payments until Democrats cave on shutdown
President Donald Trump backtracked Tuesday on a pledge by his administration in court filings to partially fund November food assistance during the government shutdown, posting on social media that be...
www.newsfromthestates.com
November 4, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Amid the SNAP uncertainty, officials at the Las Cruces-based Casa de Peregrinos food distribution center said Monday they are seeing hundreds of additional people seeking help.
Las Cruces food agency’s clientele swells amid SNAP uncertainty  • Source New Mexico
Amid SNAP uncertainty, Las Cruces-based Casa de Peregrinos food distribution center said they are seeing hundreds more people seeking help.
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November 3, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Congrats to jennifershutt.bsky.social of statesnewsroom.com for winning NPF's 2025 Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress https://nationalpress.org/award-story/jennifer-shutt-of-states-newsroom-wins-2025-dirksen-award/
November 3, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
When uranium prices go up, uranium mines spread out. As the U.S. seeks to revive its nuclear energy supply chain, @wyattmyskow.bsky.social, @dylanbaddour.bsky.social, and I dug into what this may mean for Western communities and landscapes home to U.S. uranium. insideclimatenews.org/news/0211202...
Western States Brace for a Uranium Boom as the Nation Looks to Recharge its Nuclear Power Industry - Inside Climate News
After years of federal efforts to revive nuclear power, old mines are stirring again in Wyoming, Texas and Arizona, while new ones line up for permitting expedited by a Trump executive order.
insideclimatenews.org
November 3, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
HCA Secretary Kari Armijo tells Source that all the state's roughly 460K SNAP recipients will get their partial food benefits from the state this weekend, amid federal shutdown uncertainty.

Meanwhile, 250 people lined up for food Friday morning at a distro site in Albuquerque.

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Food banks see sharp increase in demand amid federal SNAP uncertainty • Source New Mexico
Over the weekend, the state’s roughly 460,000 SNAP recipients will receive a payment equaling 30% of their typical monthly food assistance benefit, Health Care Authority Secretary Kari Armijo told…
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October 31, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
The intersections on either side of the New Mexico State Fair grounds are the most dangerous for pedestrians in New Mexico.

A board overseeing up to $500M in fair redevelopment today OKed some of that money going toward making the intersections safer.

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New NM State Fair board OKs $67M in infrastructure • Source New Mexico
Board members also received their first glimpse at  “pre-development draft concepts” for the fairgrounds. We linked to them here.
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October 30, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
Do any New Mexicans — particularly SNAP recipients — have questions about what will happen now that the state has promised to fund $30M in SNAP benefits beginning Nov. 1?

Comment below and Source will try to get them answered in the next day or two.

Some background:

sourcenm.com/2025/10/29/n...
New Mexico will supply $30M in emergency funding for food assistance • Source New Mexico
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announces $30 million in emergency funding to compensate for lost SNAP benefits.
sourcenm.com
October 30, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
The money comes from state emergency funds replenished during the Oct. 1 special session when lawmakers added $30 million to the state’s contingency fund, which the governor can spend down without needing legislative approval for disaster declarations.
New Mexico will supply $30M in emergency funding for food assistance • Source New Mexico
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announces $30 million in emergency funding to compensate for lost SNAP benefits.
buff.ly
October 30, 2025 at 12:06 AM
NM Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham just announced the state will pay $30 million to cover statewide SNAP between Nov. 1 to 10, money that will be loaded onto EBT cards.

More coverage via @sourcenm.com
In a news conference today announcing legislation to keep SNAP funded, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján quoted the late NM Gov. Bruce King: "He always used to tell folks, ‘If you can’t come up with the solution, sometimes you need to lock them up in a barn..."
New Mexico congressional members back bills to keep SNAP funded • Source New Mexico
New Mexico congressional members back legislation to ensure funding for food assistance through federal SNAP program
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October 29, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Reposted by Patrick Lohmann
In a news conference today announcing legislation to keep SNAP funded, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján quoted the late NM Gov. Bruce King: "He always used to tell folks, ‘If you can’t come up with the solution, sometimes you need to lock them up in a barn..."
New Mexico congressional members back bills to keep SNAP funded • Source New Mexico
New Mexico congressional members back legislation to ensure funding for food assistance through federal SNAP program
buff.ly
October 29, 2025 at 5:22 PM