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He Built CNN. But Ted Turner Wanted to Be Remembered for Saving the Wild.

Juan Oliveros
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He Built CNN. But Ted Turner Wanted to Be Remembered for Saving the Wild.

CNN founder Ted Turner was silently trying to save something else: the American landscape. And that was long before Americans debated through the evening on cable TV, and also before the nonstop churn of breaking news became the soundtrack of modern life.

By then, Turner had already conquered television. He had made the Atlanta Braves a part of the national consciousness, sparred publicly with politicians and moguls, and built a reputation as a flamboyant tycoon who seemed to treat controversy like oxygen. To the world, Turner was loud, impulsive, and almost impossible to ignore.

But on the vast ranchlands lies his other persona. Across Montana and the Rocky Mountains, another version of Ted Turner emerged — a persona many Americans scarcely knew existed. There, the CNN mogul became obsessed with restoration.

Beyond CNN: Ted Turner’s Quiet Crusade to Restore America’s Wild Lands

He acquired damaged ranches not to develop them into luxury subdivisions or exclusive retreats. Turner returned them to something closer to what they had once been. He rehabilitated rivers, restored native grasses, and reopened wildlife corridors. Most visibly, bison once again roamed across lands where they had nearly vanished, to a herd of more than 55,000, among the largest in the world.

Friends and biologists who worked alongside Turner say he deeply believed that private landownership has moral obligations. Property rights, in his mind, were never absolute if the landscape was being destroyed. That philosophy stunned many of his wealthy peers.

In the 1980s, residents around Bozeman, Montana, were startled when Turner placed a conservation easement on his 113,000-acre Flying D Ranch. The initiative had permanently limited future development. It was among the largest easements in the United States at the time. The decision almost cost him hundreds of millions of dollars in potential real estate revenue.

To Turner, the sacrifice seemed evident. He often contended that conservation and capitalism need not be enemies. Ranches, he believed, could remain economically viable while sheltering wolves, elk, moose, and bison. He transformed his lands into living experiments in coexistence. Wolves roamed freely on the Flying D Ranch, under a take-it-leave-it instruction from Turner: they were never to be hunted.

The Untold Story of Ted Turner’s War to Bring Nature Back

Friends still recall the image as almost cinematic. Billionaire investor Thomas Kaplan once stood beside Turner as a pack of wolves howled across the Montana wilderness. Then Turner tilted back his head and howled back to the pack.

Kaplan later claimed the CNN founder inspired him to devote his own fortune to wildlife preservation. He helped establish global conservation efforts for jaguars, reptiles and amphibians. Ranchers in Brazil’s Pantanal wetlands once killed jaguars. Now, they profit from ecotourism by protecting them.

To those who knew him, Turner’s conservation work showed the emotional core beneath his swagger. The media mogul’s childhood had been one of grief and emotional brutality. His father, a demanding businessman, ended his life by suicide. His sister died from lupus at a young age. Friends say Turner masked his loneliness with humor, excess, and unparalleled ambition.

Turner’s former wife, actress Jane Fonda, once reflected that nature became a sanctuary for him. “What did he want most of all?” she said. “To be recognized as a good guy.” The desire deepened as Turner aged.

Ted Turner Tried to Heal the Land — and Himself

Biologist Mike Phillips, director of Turner Natural Resources, oversaw many of Turner’s rewilding projects. He remembered a quiet conversation during Turner’s later years, when illness had tempered the once-boisterous mogul. “We did okay, didn’t we?” Turner asked him. Phillips told him only a few private citizens in history had done more to restore native species and ecosystems. He said Turner became emotional.

The public story of Ted Turner centered on disruption — the man who reinvented television news and took delight in the show. But his lesser-known legacy is scattered across millions of acres of protected land and restored wildlife habitat. Less visible but perhaps more lasting. Not the noise of cable news. But the return of wolves, the recovery of rivers, the sound of bison moving again through open landscape.

The CNN founder spent much of his life trying to save nature. But his closest friends believe he may also have been trying to save himself.

Free Meals Await Kids and Teens This Summer

Gregg Morgan
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Free Meals Await Kids and Teens This Summer

Even during summer break, Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) continues serving children in the community. And what better way to make summer more fun than by offering free meals?

This year, APS Food and Nutrition Services partnered with the City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County to expand summer meals. The program provides free, nutritious and delicious meals to anyone 18 and under at over 100 sites across the city.

These summer meal programs give children and teens access to healthy food throughout the summer. The meals aim to help them stay active and ready to learn.

The program will serve meals Monday through Friday at various times. It will close meal service on June 19 in observance of Juneteenth and on July 3 for Independence Day.

Families do not need to sign up in advance for the program. Children and teens can simply show up hungry and enjoy a meal.

Rules to Follow

Here are the guidelines to follow for the Summer Food Service Program:

  • Children ages 1–18 must be present to receive a meal. 
  • Staff will serve all meals on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Children must receive the entire meal, including milk.
  • Staff will provide each child with one meal.
  • Staff will not give meals to adults without a child present.
  • Children must eat their meal at the site, and staff will not allow meals to be taken off site.
  • Participants must clean up their area when they finish eating.
  • Participants must respect others around them and have fun!

The program seeks volunteers to facilitate summer meals at park locations across Albuquerque. Interested individuals may visit the Volunteer Opportunity Page to apply. 

Find summer meal sites here. 

“He Never Had a Chance”: A Correction Officer Was Beaten Unconscious and Tased in a 22-Second Jailhouse Attack

Juan Oliveros
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“He Never Had a Chance”: A Correction Officer Was Beaten Unconscious and Tased in a 22-Second Jailhouse Attack

The correction officer scaled the steps, expecting to monitor inmates. Instead, prosecutors say, he entered into an ambush, where three inmates allegedly cornered and assaulted him in an attack so brutal that he lost consciousness before it ended. The beating lasted for 22 seconds.

By the time other guards hurried into the housing pod, prosecutors said, the attackers had already punched the officer approximately 30 times and kicked about 15 times. They shocked the correction officer with his own taser as he collapsed, unresponsive on the floor.

Federal authorities this week accused the three inmates — Juan Gabriel Torres, Sergio Seanez and Titus Josiah McGaw Bulger — of assault with a dangerous weapon and inflicting bodily injury on a person assisting officers of the United States. All three are in federal custody pending trial. Each of the attackers faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.

The court filings described the episode in stark detail, which unfolded inside a section of the jail where six inmates were supposed to be locked inside their cells. Among the inmates was a federal detainee the correction officer had been assigned to monitor for the U.S. Marshals Service.

According to newly filed federal court documents, the officer, identified only as John Doe, worked on behalf of the U.S. Marshals Service inside the Doña Ana County Detention Center on the night of May 11. The prosecutors allege that Torres, Seanez, and Bulger waited at the top of the stairs — an area where inmates were not authorized to be.

By the time the officer reached the second floor, Torres allegedly lunged first. He attempted to punch Doe. The officer ducked the blow, according to court records. But prosecutors say Seanez and Bulger joined the attack, knocking the officer to the ground. Investigators say the inmates then attacked him relentlessly.

Court filings allege that Seanez pinned the officer down as Torres and Bulger punched, kicked, and stomped on his body, head, and neck. At some point during the relentless attack, the officer lost consciousness.

But the assault did not stop there. Prosecutors say the three inmates continued striking him even after he lay unconscious. Then, according to the complaint, Torres removed Doe’s taser from its holster and used it against the unconscious officer. Responders later rushed the officer to a hospital, where he regained consciousness.

The incident has intensified the review of detention facility safety standards that house both county and federal inmates — institutions where inadequate staffing, inmate violence, and security gaps have become flashpoints across the country.

Federal authorities did not publicly disclose possible motives for the assault. They also did not discuss whether additional security failures are under investigation. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, the special agent in charge of the F.B.I.’s Albuquerque field office, said the probe involved the F.B.I.’s Las Cruces Resident Agency, the Doña Ana County Detention Center, the U.S. Marshals Service and task force officers from the Las Cruces Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant Gardner is handling the case. The court has yet to schedule a trial date.

More New Mexico Students are Filling Out FAFSA. Why That Could Change the State’s Future.

Juan Oliveros
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More New Mexico Students are Filling Out FAFSA. Why That Could Change the State’s Future.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — has been one of the most important, but underrecognized stewards of higher education pathways in America. Students who complete it are more likely to enroll in college, thrive through graduation, and earn higher lifetime incomes. And those who do not often leave awarded funds unspent.

Now, New Mexico has emerged as one of the country’s success stories.

The state documented one of the largest year-over-year increases in FAFSA completion in the nation. New Mexico joined only Alaska, Arizona, and Florida in reporting gains of at least 20 percent, according to new data from the National College Attainment Network. Nationwide, 54.7 percent of high school seniors had completed the application by May 1, a record high reached nearly two months ahead of the usual June benchmark.

In New Mexico, however, education officials say the numbers represent more than bureaucratic progress. These numbers, they say, are an early signal of a transformation in a state long strained by poverty, low educational attainment, and the outmigration of young people to seek opportunity elsewhere.

Aggressive investments

“New Mexico’s students continue to show what is possible when a state invests in its people,” said Stephanie M. Rodriguez, the state’s higher education secretary. She cited the gains as proof that aggressive investments in tuition-free college programs and student outreach have begun to reshape expectations about who gets to pursue higher education.

The FAFSA form is often seen as a technical financial aid document. But it serves as the front door to college affordability; completing it unlocks access to federal Pell Grants, state scholarships, work-study programs, and institutional aid. For a large share of New Mexico’s population — the low-income and first-generation students — failure to submit the application can result in abandoning college plans entirely.

That reality became particularly urgent after the federal launch of a redesigned FAFSA system last year was marred by widespread operational bottlenecks and technical setbacks. The problem had frustrated students and counselors, contributing to fears of declining college enrollment across the country.

New Mexico moved in the opposite direction instead.

State officials attribute the increase to a coordinated effort involving schools, counselors, educators, and community organizations that aggressively promoted FAFSA completion, pairing it with one of the nation’s tuition-free college programs. The state’s Opportunity and Lottery scholarships allow students to attend public colleges essentially tuition-free.

The strategy appears to be redefining enrollment patterns. Nearly 118,000 New Mexicans are now enrolling in certificates, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and graduate programs, according to state data — part of a 13.6 percent enrollment increase since 2021. New Mexico is one of only two states to record consistent growth in higher education enrollment over the past four years, a reversal at a time when many American colleges are coping with declining student numbers.

FAFSA completion matters

FAFSA completion matters because it often predicts whether students will continue their education at all. Mandatory FAFSA policies in states such as Louisiana, Texas, and Illinois have resulted in significant increases in completion rates, especially among low-income and first-generation students, according to The Century Foundation. And communities with higher college-going rates are likely to have lower unemployment levels, as more residents find stable, higher-paying jobs, the foundation added.

New Mexico’s rural communities and working-class families have historically faced high barriers to higher education; the implications could ripple far beyond college campuses. State leaders have long argued that improving access to college education is also a workforce strategy. The state has been trying to develop talent pipelines in health care, renewable energy, education, and technology sectors that need higher education credentials.

Officials say the next phase will remain focused on adult learners, loan repayment programs, and expanding affordable access to workforce training and postsecondary education. Behind the statistics is a bigger political gambit: that public investment in education can lessen inequality and create a more economically resilient future in one of America’s poorest states.

Thousands of New Mexico students may view the FAFSA form as mere paperwork. But for the state, it represents more of an economic blueprint.

Why Inclusion Matters: UNM Study Explores Experiences of Faculty Members with Disabilities 

Gregg Morgan
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Why Inclusion Matters: UNM Study Explores Experiences of Faculty Members with Disabilities 

In today’s society, persons with disabilities actively work and build careers across various fields, including the academe. A faculty member with disabilities at University of New Mexico led a study on disabled educators’ experiences in higher education.

Marissa Greenberg serves as associate professor in the Department of English Language and Literature. She co-authored the paper Confronting Disability Pasts, Constructing Disability Futures: Recommendations for Growing Access, Equity, and Inclusion for Disabled Faculty in Higher Education. 

“The initial motivating factor was my lived experience as a faculty member with disabilities and wanting to better understand how my experience related to the experiences of others,” Greenberg said. 

Greenberg combines disability studies with research on higher education and faculty experiences at UNM. She also led a 2022 survey of faculty with disabilities as the Academic Faculty Leadership Fellow with the Division for Change and Empowerment (DiCE). 

For Greenberg, the research forms part of her ongoing advocacy work at the university. She carried out the initiative while serving as academic faculty leadership fellow for DiCE. She now holds the position of Special Advisor to the Vice President and conducts  interviews with university leaders to gather research data. The research will help shape recommendations for the incoming provost and president expected to assume office in the coming months. 

Greenberg and co-author Siobhán Cully sought to publish the article to share their research. They aimed to help academic leaders understand the historical harms experienced by faculty, staff, and students with disabilities.  

“We’re hoping this sort of information can help administrators make informed choices based on past experiences in order to have a more successful future in serving everyone in our community,” Greenberg said. 

Inside the Experiences of Faculty with Disabilities at UNM

The article highlights how UNM recognizes the value of faculty with disabilities. 

“We as a university take a lot of pride in the diversity of our faculty and how that diversity reflects the diversity of our students,” Greenberg said. 

But Greenberg says many faculty across higher education experience anxiety about disclosing their disabilities. 

“There’s this culture of ableism where the idea is if you have a disability, you don’t belong in academia,” Greenberg said. “It’s this bias against any kind of body or mind that doesn’t fit a norm and is therefore seen as less-than.” 

Faculty with disabilities may avoid disclosing their conditions even when they need accommodations. They often fear that the disclosure process will be time-consuming and energy-draining. 

Study Offers Recommendations for Inclusive Higher Education

The research article identifies these shortcomings and offers recommendations to address them. The authors examine these failures and address them in ways that will improve conditions for faculty with disabilities. 

The article emphasizes shifting compliance to inclusion within institutions of higher education and beyond. It states that institutions should move beyond “checking boxes” and minimal legal compliance. They should instead foster a culture of belonging that values faculty with disabilities. 

“It starts with a conversation asking what they need and trusting that the faculty member knows themselves, knows their needs, and knows how to succeed,” Greenberg said. “Shifting away from compliance to real inclusion and having ourselves represented in our leadership and at all levels, is how institutions can serve their communities of folks with disabilities.”

Literacy Night Builds Reading Skills and Creativity

Gregg Morgan
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Literacy Night Builds Reading Skills and Creativity

How do educators inspire children to love literacy? Every school at Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) creates engaging activities that build reading confidence and encourage young learners to enjoy books. Sierra Vista Elementary School recently organized such an activity.

The school welcomed families for its annual Literacy Night and Wax Museum, celebrating reading, creativity and student learning. Librarian Sue Gonzalez and the school’s Reading Goal Team organized the celebration. The event formed part of a week-long series of activities tied to the One Book, One School initiative featuring The Wild Robot.

Students also read Macho No Machismo by Miguel Briones. Briones had visited the school earlier in the week to speak with students about the book and its themes.

During Literacy Night, students proudly presented projects inspired by The Wild Robot, showcasing their creativity and connections to the story.

A highlight of the evening was the fifth-grade Wax Museum. Students researched important historical figures and influential individuals and dressed as their chosen person. They became “living wax figures” as families walked through the exhibit, learning about each character.

School leaders said the event reflected the hard work, enthusiasm and imagination of both students and staff. It also created a memorable experience for families and the school community.

Summer Reading Program

APS has been active in strengthening literacy, especially among young learners.  

In fact, the district offers a free and comprehensive summer reading program for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It has partnered with the New Mexico Public Education Department for the initiative. This helps children use their time wisely and avoid idle moments during the period. 

The program aims to empower participating students. It has three simple goals: enhance literacy, track reading progress, and boost confidence and skills in literacy. 

This high-impact opportunity helps students who may be struggling to catch up in reading. It also provides focused instruction for those who want to get further ahead. APS said it is one of the several summer learning programs available to students.

“What do they want?” – Pizza Shop Hit Twice in 60 Days at New Location

Ruben Reyes
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“What do they want?” – Pizza Shop Hit Twice in 60 Days at New Location

Being hit by thieves once is already stressful, what more if they hit your store twice at your new location? This is what happened at Richie B’s Pizza.

With less than 60 days, thieves broke out once again at the pizza place and left the place with shattered glass and a torn-up wall.

Chuck Ruiz, the owner of the place, found the damage when he arrived to work on Tuesday at their new location in Albuquerque. He said the thieves came in through a window overnight.

“It was shocking to see that, like, “Oh my goodness!” said Chuck Ruiz.

He said thieves did not take much from the shop and only stole Ninja Turtle that customers had given the restaurant and shop phone.

“Moving is a huge burden, extra costs like this not quite necessary, just makes it all the harder,” said Ruiz.

However, he does not think that they are the thieves’ target base on how how they attempted to get through the wall to the shop beside them. A smoke shop name DeNovo Market is their neighbor and he thinks the thieves tried to hit.

“They were trying to get from here to the shop next door, and ended up breaking the toilet down on the other side,” he explained.

He shared the incident on social media and many residents started offering help right away, including a glass company.

“Somebody responded to my post on Facebook, and said that they are with a glass company, and they can come down right away to take a look at it,” he said.

What Happens to the Richie B’s?

He said the pizza place is open again, however customers cannot call in order because the thieves stole the phone. The customers must order online while he works to fix the phone and the wall.

“This was my dream, you know, Richie B’s was a dream come true for me. Once you achieve that dream, it’s going to take a lot to take it away from there, and there’s no way we’re letting go,” said Ruiz.

The Albuquerque Police said they are still investigating and did not disclose if the smoke shop was the target.

The police urges anyone with the information to contact APD.

Santa Fe’s Culinary Journey—Here Are 5 Restaurants Worth Planning

Juan Oliveros
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Santa Fe’s Culinary Journey—Here Are 5 Restaurants Worth Planning

The first question in Santa Fe’s culinary journey is not where you came from. As the waiter gently leans, almost ceremonially, it is: red or green? Red chile — smoky, earthy, slow-burning — or green chile, bright with fire and tangy bite. Pick one, and you enter the grammar of New Mexican cuisine. Choose both, and you quickly learn the local word: Christmas.

Food is not a side attraction for travelers coming to Santa Fe. It is the emotional geography charted across the Adobe Dining Hall, wood smoke, blue corn tortillas, and recipes older than the United States itself.

The best way to understand Santa Fe is to eat through it. Slowly.

Start at The Shed, Where Santa Fe Still Tastes Like Itself

Behind the adobe walls near the Plaza, The Shed feels less like a restaurant. It is more of a living inheritance. The dining rooms are dim and warm, and time darkened their wooden beams. Servers navigate through narrow hallways balancing plates full of red chile. Tourists came curious while locals arrive loyal.

Trends have barely changed the menu. Deep crimson sauce wrapped the enchiladas. Blue corn tortillas, almost sweet, taste earthy. Green chile stew arrives with enough sting to make strangers grab for water at neighboring tables. This is not performative Southwestern cuisine. It is its original language.

And yes, the margaritas are deceptively dangerous.

At Cafe Pasqual’s, Breakfast Becomes a Contact Sport

Morning in Cafe Pasqual’s starts with a line. And none present seems angry about it.

Visitors patiently wait outside the small restaurant under the strings of chile ristras. Their conversations center on hiking plans, gallery visits, and whether anyone has physically acclimated to Santa Fe’s altitude.

Inside the restaurant, the walls bursting with color and folk artistry. Servers dish out plates looking almost celebratory: huevos motuleños topped with black beans and chile, blue corn pancakes, organic eggs, and strong coffee.

Cafe Pasqual’s had already built its identity around local sourcing and seasonal ingredients. It is ahead long before “farm-to-table” became a restaurant vocabulary. The result is deeply Santa Fe: artistic, communal, moderately chaotic, and memorable.

On Canyon Road, Geronimo Turns the Desert Into Fine Dining

At night, lanterns and gallery lights glow above Canyon Road. Behind the adobe doorway sits Geronimo, arguably Santa Fe’s most elegant dining room. Dinner here slowly unfolds: candlelight flickers against old plaster walls, wine glasses capture amber reflections, and conversations are lowered to intimate tones.

The cuisine is refined. The elk tenderloin came perfectly pink. Lamb is flavored, feels rooted in the Southwest, yet modern. Service moves with precision. This is where anniversaries happen. Proposals made. And the final nights before flights home.

Santa Fe can feel raw and magical by day. Geronimo reminds you that the desert also knows fine dining.

Sazón Is Where Mexican Cuisine Becomes Memory

Only a handful of restaurants in New Mexico inspire the devotion surrounding Sazón.

Chef Fernando Olea makes mole a tale of culture, not only award-winning cooking— layered, emotional, historical. Some contain dozens of ingredients and flavors that transform slowly with each bite: bitter chocolate, dried chile, smoke, spice, fruit, earthy.

Dinner at Sazón often feels more like storytelling. The restaurant is one of Santa Fe’s culinary landmarks because it connects Mexico and New Mexico without canceling either tradition. The dishes not only carry sophistication. It also carries intimacy — food everyone will remember later, long after the table is cleaned.

Then There’s Coyote Cafe, Where Santa Fe Finally Loosens Up

Not all meals in Santa Fe need reverence.

The mood shifts toward laughter, cocktails, and rooftop cantina overlooking downtown at Coyote Cafe & Rooftop Cantina. The food has the city’s signature flavors — carne adovada, roasted chile, and smoky meats. But the environment is livelier, louder, less contemplative.

Travelers drift upstairs with margaritas as the evening cools and desert light fades. After spending days wandering museums and adobe alleyways, the rooftop invites everyone to relax.

Santa Fe’s Real Ingredient Is History

To eat in Santa Fe is to taste centuries of history.

Pueblo traditions, Spanish colonial influences, Mexican cuisine, backcountry cooking, and modern fine dining all coexist in Santa Fe on the same plate. Blue corn predates European arrival. Chile shapes the state’s identity. Even the architecture defines the experience: thick adobe walls, fireplaces crackling through winter evenings.

Restaurants in many American cities chase novelty. Santa Fe chases continuity. And perhaps that is why travelers leave talking more of how the city made them feel — slower, warmer, more awake to flavor and place.

The desert they say has its own unique way of sharpening appetite. Santa Fe answers it with chile.

Tumbleroot Brewery Hosts Drag Bingo! Night of Fun and Performance

Victoria Padilla
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Tumbleroot Brewery Hosts Drag Bingo! Night of Fun and Performance

Drag Bingo! is an event at Tumbleroot Brewery, located in Santa Fe, on May 27, 2026. If you’re looking for an unforgettable night out, Drag Bingo Tumbleroot Brewery promises lots of fun and laughs. Moreover, a wide variety of drag artists will perform. Multiple bingo games will keep the audience engaged throughout the night.

Why should we care? It’s a great mix of entertainment (drag performers), community engagement (supporting local culture), and inclusivity (bingo).

As an example, the $22 ticket includes 6 bingo cards worth more than double the ticket price. Additionally, there are many opportunities for guests to win prizes. Many drag shows take place on Drag Bingo! nights to create energy in the crowd before and during the show.

Tumbleroot creates a festive environment where guests can gather with friends and enjoy cocktails before and during Drag Bingo! event. Due to limited seating, advance online ticket purchase is strongly advised.

With the multitude of benefits offered through Drag Bingo!, you can find affordable entertainment by way of your many bingo cards. Besides this, you can share some great laughs with your neighbors. You can connect with other friends and even enjoy a night of fun together at an outstanding venue. Thus, you can create new memories and be a part of something wonderful.

This will be evident in the title of the event itself – Drag Bingo! is much more than simply a night of gaming. It is also a celebration of the cultural diversity of our identities. Moreover, it highlights our talent for creativity and the Santa Fe Community.

In short, Drag Bingo!, held at Tumbleroot Brewery, represents the intersection of some of the best drag talent you will find in the city. Additionally, it combines the excitement of playing bingo. The fact that Drag Bingo combines affordability, inclusion, and fun guarantees that attendees will all take home: laughter, physical prizes, and memories to keep for the rest of their lives.

Oracle’s $5 Billion Pitch to New Mexico: Can Project Jupiter Win Over Skeptical Residents?

Juan Oliveros
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Oracle’s $5 Billion Pitch to New Mexico: Can Project Jupiter Win Over Skeptical Residents?

Oracle is facing growing skepticism from residents anxious about water, energy consumption, and the footprint of artificial intelligence infrastructure in the Southwest desert. To address this skepticism, the Austin-headquartered tech firm is rolling out an aggressive public relations campaign to defend what could be one of the biggest data center projects in New Mexico history.

The campaign, announced this week, aims to convince New Mexicans that Project Jupiter — Oracle’s planned data center campus in Doña Ana County — will bring economic development without draining local resources. Advertisements in English and Spanish will air on television, radio, digital platforms, and social media over the coming months. It will highlight promises of cleaner energy technology, minimal water use, and hundreds of millions of dollars in local investments.

Project Jupiter will ‘deliver transformational benefits’

The move comes after mounting questions about the project, including issues raised by residents in previous Brant.One report about whether massive AI-driven data centers belong in one of the driest regions of the country.

“This project is expected to deliver transformational benefits to the residents of Doña Ana County, and we want New Mexicans to get the facts about the project directly from us,” said Julia Robin, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure’s head of infrastructure planning and sourcing.

According to Oracle, Project Jupiter can create more than 4,000 construction jobs and about 1,500 permanent and project-supported jobs after completion. Company estimates showed the project could generate $384 million in annual economic activity during construction and another $113 million annually once operational.

Oracle says it will pour in $50 million to improve local water systems and commit an additional $360 million to schools, infrastructure, and public services across Doña Ana County. The company earmarked another $6.9 million for workforce development, habitat restoration, and community organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club of Las Cruces.

Anxiety across New Mexico

But the economic promises are unraveling alongside growing anxiety across New Mexico about the environmental costs the artificial intelligence economy may bring. In previous public meetings and interviews, some residents asked whether Project Jupiter’s assurances about water conservation are trustworthy promises, particularly as prolonged drought and climate pressures continue to burden communities across the Rio Grande Valley. Some have expressed concern about transparency, and taxpayers could eventually shoulder hidden infrastructure costs linked to the project.

Oracle’s new ad campaign will aim directly at those fears. The company says the project’s revised energy plan will rely on Bloom Energy fuel cells rather than conventional power generation, a move Oracle claims will lessen strain on the electrical grid while preventing an increase in household power costs.

The company insists the campus and its fuel-cell cooling systems will not rely on the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority’s drinking water supply. Instead, Oracle claims its systems will require only a one-time fill using non-potable water from a holder of water usage rights, with a yearly average equivalent to the current water consumption of two American households.

The debate in Doña Ana County represents a broader tension unraveling across the American West. Residents want answers to whether communities desperate for economic growth should embrace the rapidly growing AI infrastructure boom amid pressure on already fragile resources due to climate change.

Oracle, however, is betting that a multimillion-dollar information campaign can help shift public opinion about the project. Residents seeking more information are being directed to Oracle’s campaign website, Project Jupiter Together.

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