Albuquerque's Muslim community heals and Las Cruces film scene gets a boost

Albuquerque Muslims healing after suspect in killings was identified as one of their own

It's sometimes a home away from home for Muslim students. Other times, it's a refuge for those fleeing conflict on the other side of the world.

For years, New Mexico's largest city has operated as an unobtrusive enclave for thousands of Muslims. Albuquerque's close-knit Islamic community boasts an informal network of imams who help newcomers assimilate to the U.S. and offer a welcome to a diaspora of people from different backgrounds and countries.

But that peaceful world was rocked earlier this month as Albuquerque's Islamic community realized they were being targeted by a killer. After four Muslim men were killed in the same part of town over the span of several months — including three in 11 days — the community was on edge. The multi-agency manhunt and subsequent arrest made national news, even drawing the attention of President Joe Biden. Many feared it was the work of an Islamophobic serial killer.

But the reality of what happened was much more complicated and harder to comprehend. On August 9, police arrested 51-year-old Muhammed Syed, a Muslim and known community member, this month. Syed was charged in two killings, and authorities say they are gathering evidence to charge him in the two others.

Following the arrest, Las Cruces Sun-News reporter Justin Garcia and El Paso Times photojournalist Omar Ornelas traveled to Albuquerque to find out how the tight-knit community was beginning to heal. They came away with a moving story that ended up on the front page of USA Today. Justin said:

In a story like this, there's always something that gets skipped over. Some detail or interesting thread, but the deadline does not allow for its exploration. Such was the case for this story. I'm afraid the story is a surface sample of an otherwise rich, beautiful, complicated community. 

Maybe that's the wrong way to think about it. Maybe, I should think of it as a teaser. Now readers know this space exists. But if they want to know it intimately, they must explore it themselves. 

Justin also joins us on this week's episode of The Reporter's Notebook Podcast, on which we discuss his reporting experience — and the complexity of Albuquerque's rich, international tapestry — in much more depth. We hope you'll give it a listen.

Lights! Camera! Action!

The old seed barn in the 900 block of West Amador Avenue — the metal building that towers above the Brewer Oil Company fill site — is becoming a film production studio, officials announced at the Rio Grande Theatre downtown on Wednesday.

Representatives from the nonprofit Film Las Cruces were joined by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, state Economic Development Secretary Alicia Keyes, state lawmakers, Doña Ana County and City of Las Cruces officials and other distinguished guests at the theater to announce 828 Productions would locate a new film studio on 35 acres of land in the Amador Próximo area. The Film Las Cruces website refers to the site as the old Santa Fe Mining Company.

828 Productions, a California-based company, will invest $75 million over the next six years to construct a 300,000-square-foot studio and 20-acre back lot, resulting in at least 100 full-time, year-round jobs in Las Cruces. In May, 828 Productions acquired a 7,500 square-foot office building in downtown Las Cruces for training, post-production and visual effects work. And the company will be getting some financial help from the State of New Mexico and — quite possibly — the City of Las Cruces.

Sun-News reporter Michael McDevitt was at the Rio Grande Theatre on Wednesday for the announcement. He said:

It’s a big deal that the third economic development partnership between the state and a film production company is centered in Las Cruces. The city has hosted an unprecedented number of productions over the last year and a half when compared with previous years — so it’s fitting that a studio makes the city its permanent home.

The Film Las Cruces staff have spoken for months about the need to establish permanent soundstage infrastructure in the city. A warehouse rented for the nonprofit a few years ago that was being used to house sets and props needed to be vacated in spring 2021, and since then the nonprofit’s leaders have said a permanent soundstage was key to providing stable work and increasing the unionized film workforce in the city.

The expectation that comes with consistent work and productions means local talent will stick around Las Cruces and other vendors could locate here. More spending on hospitality, set decoration and dining could also mean an increase in revenues at some local businesses.

Press under tight control as Ronchetti rallies in Carlsbad with DeSantis and Rep. Herrell

Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti greeted an enthusiastic crowd in New Mexico's oil and gas region Sunday, Aug. 14, making his pitch to replace Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in November with the help of conservative star Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis who headlined the event.

The Ronchetti campaign said approximately 1,000 were expected to show up at the Walter Gerrells Performing Arts and Exhibition Center in Carlsbad, and by the 4 p.m. start time the venue appeared close to full as a crowd milled in front of a stage decked with the red and white logo of the former television meteorologist's campaign for governor, with rows of seats behind them.

Ronchetti, DeSantis, Republican congresswoman Yvette Herrell and others addressed an overwhelmingly sympathetic crowd — sharing their party's priorities while feeding red meat to their base. But the next day, the story across the state had little to do with what the candidates said. Instead, the story quickly became the two reporters from Source New Mexico, a nonprofit news organization that began operations nearly a year ago, who were denied entry to the event. Reporter Shaun Griswold had obtained a general admission ticket after the news outlet was refused a press credential — but he was reportedly identified by private security officers from a photograph of him.

Las Cruces Sun-News reporter Algernon D'Ammassa traveled to Carlsbad to cover the campaign event:

The Sun-News teamed up with the Carlsbad Current-Argus to cover GOP candidate Mark Ronchetti's rally with Congresswoman Yvette Herrell and, as the headliner, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a rising star in GOP national politics. It was a predictably friendly audience in the southeastern corner of the state and all three figures tied incumbent Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to fellow Democrats President Joe Biden and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, neither of whom are getting the key to this city anytime soon.

Events like these with cheering crowds of supporters are designed for press coverage but the careful supervision of reporters at this event, to the extent that we were discouraged even from talking to enthusiastic conservatives in attendance, caught my attention even before two journalists from another outlet were barred from entry. That made this a political story in itself.

Politicians on parade

Last Wednesday, both of New Mexico's U.S. Senators, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and New Mexico's Secretary of Economic Development Alicia Keyes were all in Doña Ana County for various reasons.

It was enough to stretch our newsroom pretty thin, but our team of talented reporters managed to pull it off.

Wednesday morning, local and state officials and health providers gave a public briefing to Becerra and Lujánon the state of behavioral health services in New Mexico, how school-based health centers have helped bridge gaps and why ongoing federal support for the initiatives is necessary.

Luján and Heinrich made three infrastructure-related visits to the county for briefings on rural water systems, the county jetport and economic development for the border region including ports of entry in El Paso and Santa Teresa along with Ciudad Juárez and the state of Chihuahua in Mexico.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned film studio announcement was happening at the Rio Grande Theatre.

Reporter Michael McDevitt joined the senators for their trip to the jetport. He said:

This week I accompanied U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján to the county jetport to discuss increasing its commercial capability to benefit the Santa Teresa port of entry.

The senators touted their work securing federal funding to support the jetport’s ultimate goals. 

The Doña Ana County jetport is attempting to build air cargo handling capability. In July, the county board of commissioners approved a land lease agreement with a company that promises to build facilities and infrastructure at the jetport to serve that end.

'Getcha Some': Frank Ray performs at Las Cruces middle school

Getcha some, Las Cruces!

Country music’s rising star and former Las Cruces police officer Frank Ray visited Picacho Middle School Wednesday to donate supplies and perform a short concert for the kids and staff. His stop in Las Cruces is the first of several upcoming visits to schools in the area.

Before Ray became known for such hits as “Country’d Look Good on You” and “Tequila Mockingbird,” he was simply a southern New Mexican, born in Deming. He spent 10 years serving the Las Cruces community as a police officer before quitting his job and pursuing a career in music full time.

Since then, he has shared stages with such popular performers as Luke Bryan, Ashley McBryde, Kane Brown and Hunter Hayes. And he made his Grand Ole Opry debut in November 2021, a milestone in the country music world.

Reporter Leah Romero was able to attend the assembly and catch up with the singer. She said:

Country singer Frank Ray came to southern New Mexico earlier last week in between tour dates. He spoke and performed a mini-concert for Picacho Middle School students during an assembly one afternoon. Aside from performing, he also donated school supplies and speakers for the kids.

He explained that this was a way to give back to the community, which he said is very important to him. Photojournalist Meg Potter and I got the chance to join the kids for the concert. They were so loud and so energized that you could tell they were excited to be close to this celebrity — and also to be out of class!

Damien Willis is a Lead Reporter for the Las Cruces Sun-News. He can be reached at 575-541-5443, dwillis@lcsun-news.com or @DamienWillis on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Albuquerque's Muslim community heals, local film scene gets a boost