Category: Commentaries

Walt Rubel Commentary: County out of its league with Project Jupiter

4/21/2026

We got snookered.

The Dona Ana County Commission gave the green light to Project Jupiter, a massive $165 billion data center being built in the south county, based on its belief that the project would use an average of 20,000 gallons of water a day, capped at 60,000 gallons.

Walt Rubel Commentary: Bombing power plants would make us the bad guys

4/7/2026

Teddy Roosevelt once advised that we should “speak softly and carry a big stick.”

Donald Trump, like all modern presidents, carries the biggest stick in the world. And it has performed marvelously, including the daring rescue of a downed airman inside Iran last weekend. The skill and bravery of both the airman, who hid for days in a mountain crevice until his rescuers arrived, and those who risked their lives to save him, should serve as an inspiration for all of us and a reason to celebrate.

Walt Rubel Commentary: NM jury tries to hold social media accountable

3/31/2026

Congratulations to New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez, who was able to win a small slice of justice for children in our state who have been victimized by social media.

Last week, a jury in Santa Fe found that Meta Platforms (Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) violated state law by misleading consumers about their safety and allowing children to be sexually exploited.

Walt Rubel Commentary: Shutdown won’t change ICE, but elections will

3/24/2026

It’s my hope that by the time this column is printed, Democrats in Congress will have ended the government shutdown and federal workers will be getting paid again.

Democrats aren’t wrong about the need to dramatically reform ICE, just like they weren’t wrong about the need to prevent health care costs from skyrocketing. But they are foolish in thinking a government shutdown will somehow change the equation.

Walt Rubel Commentary: Conflicts of interest abound and allowed in Santa Fe

3/10/2026

Carroll Leavell was a Republican who served in the New Mexico Senate from 1997 to 2018. Which meant he was on the losing end of a lot of votes in a chamber where Democrats have always been firmly in control.

But there was one issue where Leavell had sway: insurance regulation. That’s because he owned an insurance agency.

Walt Rubel Commentary: Pearce is not a fit steward for our public lands

3/3/2026

The Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument is a local treasure, providing both recreational opportunities and a boost to the economy.

A 2023 story in the Las Cruces Bulletin reported that the monument had produced $35 million in economic development the previous year and visitation had nearly tripled.

Walt Rubel Commentary: So many possibilities, so little time for NM Legislature

2/17/2026

The final weekend of a 30-day legislative session feels a little bit like a child looking through the window of a toy store days before Christmas; there are so many wonderful possibilities.

Every day my email gets filled with press releases about bills and constitutional amendments that have “cleared a significant hurdle and are now one step closer to passage.” And, some of them would make a huge difference.

Walt Rubel Commentary: NM elections don’t need help from the feds

2/10/2026

I don’t think our elections were crooked when I moved here in 2002, but they were conducted incompetently.

Then-County Clerk Ruben Ceballos and his chief deputy Aurelio Enriquez were both charged with 14 offenses related to their handling of the primary election that year, including improper shredding of absentee ballots, demanding illegal fees and conspiracy.

Walt Rubel Commentary: Ranger program could make city parks safer

2/3/2026

The new program using park rangers to supplement the work of Las Cruces Police officers makes a lot of sense, if done correctly.

It’s not just that our deadliest crime since the bowling alley massacre of 1960 took place last year at Young Park. That could have, and still can, happen anywhere large groups of well-armed youth come to a disagreement. Beyond that one incident, a lot of our parks just don’t feel safe.

Walt Rubel Commentary: A weak argument for change of leadership

1/27/2026

Republican gubernatorial candidate Duke Rodriguez makes some fair points in a recent column holding Democratic state leaders accountable for our health care crisis.

“It is a full-scale, statewide health care breakdown unfolding in real time, under current leadership, after years of record budgets and unchecked spending,” Rodriguez wrote. And I can’t disagree with a word of it.

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