diff --git a/RELEASE-NOTES.md b/RELEASE-NOTES.md
index 7758f57fa..b9f74535a 100644
--- a/RELEASE-NOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASE-NOTES.md
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@ The project release numbers follow [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/spec/
 
 ## [Unreleased] - Release date yyyy-mm-dd
 
+## [Version 0.6.1] - Release date 2024-01-29
+
+### Fixed
+- Turned off GoogleTest finding Python
+
 ## [Version 0.6.0] - Release date 2024-01-18
 
 ### Added
@@ -312,8 +317,9 @@ The project release numbers follow [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/spec/
 
 
 
-[Unreleased]:    https://github.com/LLNL/blt/compare/v0.6.0...develop
-[Version 0.5.3]: https://github.com/LLNL/blt/compare/v0.5.3...v0.6.0
+[Unreleased]:    https://github.com/LLNL/blt/compare/v0.6.1...develop
+[Version 0.6.1]: https://github.com/LLNL/blt/compare/v0.6.0...v0.6.1
+[Version 0.6.0]: https://github.com/LLNL/blt/compare/v0.5.3...v0.6.0
 [Version 0.5.3]: https://github.com/LLNL/blt/compare/v0.5.2...v0.5.3
 [Version 0.5.2]: https://github.com/LLNL/blt/compare/v0.5.1...v0.5.2
 [Version 0.5.1]: https://github.com/LLNL/blt/compare/v0.5.0...v0.5.1
diff --git a/SetupBLT.cmake b/SetupBLT.cmake
index eb06d81c9..3bf3c1485 100644
--- a/SetupBLT.cmake
+++ b/SetupBLT.cmake
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: (BSD-3-Clause)
 
 if (NOT BLT_LOADED)
-    set(BLT_VERSION "0.6.0" CACHE STRING "")
+    set(BLT_VERSION "0.6.1" CACHE STRING "")
     mark_as_advanced(BLT_VERSION)
     message(STATUS "BLT Version: ${BLT_VERSION}")
 
diff --git a/thirdparty_builtin/benchmark-1.8.0/requirements.txt b/thirdparty_builtin/benchmark-1.8.0/requirements.txt
index 1c8a4bd12..2f1cbe9b4 100644
--- a/thirdparty_builtin/benchmark-1.8.0/requirements.txt
+++ b/thirdparty_builtin/benchmark-1.8.0/requirements.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 numpy == 1.22
-scipy == 1.5.4
+scipy == 1.10.0
diff --git a/thirdparty_builtin/googletest/googletest/cmake/internal_utils.cmake b/thirdparty_builtin/googletest/googletest/cmake/internal_utils.cmake
index fa7da4e68..6ddb794c8 100644
--- a/thirdparty_builtin/googletest/googletest/cmake/internal_utils.cmake
+++ b/thirdparty_builtin/googletest/googletest/cmake/internal_utils.cmake
@@ -260,16 +260,22 @@ if (POLICY CMP0094)
   cmake_policy(SET CMP0094 NEW)
 endif()
 
-# Sets PYTHONINTERP_FOUND and PYTHON_EXECUTABLE.
-if ("${CMAKE_VERSION}" VERSION_LESS "3.12.0")
-  find_package(PythonInterp)
-  set(PYTHONINTERP_FOUND ${PYTHONINTERP_FOUND} CACHE INTERNAL "")
-  set(PYTHON_EXECUTABLE ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} CACHE INTERNAL "")
-else()
-  find_package(Python COMPONENTS Interpreter)
-  set(PYTHONINTERP_FOUND ${Python_Interpreter_FOUND} CACHE INTERNAL "")
-  set(PYTHON_EXECUTABLE ${Python_EXECUTABLE} CACHE INTERNAL "")
-endif()
+#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
+# BLT CHANGE
+#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
+# Avoid finding Python.
+#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
+# # Sets PYTHONINTERP_FOUND and PYTHON_EXECUTABLE.
+# if ("${CMAKE_VERSION}" VERSION_LESS "3.12.0")
+#   find_package(PythonInterp)
+#   set(PYTHONINTERP_FOUND ${PYTHONINTERP_FOUND} CACHE INTERNAL "")
+#   set(PYTHON_EXECUTABLE ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} CACHE INTERNAL "")
+# else()
+#   find_package(Python COMPONENTS Interpreter)
+#   set(PYTHONINTERP_FOUND ${Python_Interpreter_FOUND} CACHE INTERNAL "")
+#   set(PYTHON_EXECUTABLE ${Python_EXECUTABLE} CACHE INTERNAL "")
+# endif()
+#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
 # cxx_test_with_flags(name cxx_flags libs srcs...)
 #
diff --git a/thirdparty_builtin/patches/gtest-2024-01-23-turn-off-find-python.patch b/thirdparty_builtin/patches/gtest-2024-01-23-turn-off-find-python.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e67ffee49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/thirdparty_builtin/patches/gtest-2024-01-23-turn-off-find-python.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+diff --git a/thirdparty_builtin/googletest/googletest/cmake/internal_utils.cmake b/thirdparty_builtin/googletest/googletest/cmake/internal_utils.cmake
+index fa7da4e..6ddb794 100644
+--- a/thirdparty_builtin/googletest/googletest/cmake/internal_utils.cmake
++++ b/thirdparty_builtin/googletest/googletest/cmake/internal_utils.cmake
+@@ -260,16 +260,22 @@ if (POLICY CMP0094)
+   cmake_policy(SET CMP0094 NEW)
+ endif()
+ 
+-# Sets PYTHONINTERP_FOUND and PYTHON_EXECUTABLE.
+-if ("${CMAKE_VERSION}" VERSION_LESS "3.12.0")
+-  find_package(PythonInterp)
+-  set(PYTHONINTERP_FOUND ${PYTHONINTERP_FOUND} CACHE INTERNAL "")
+-  set(PYTHON_EXECUTABLE ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} CACHE INTERNAL "")
+-else()
+-  find_package(Python COMPONENTS Interpreter)
+-  set(PYTHONINTERP_FOUND ${Python_Interpreter_FOUND} CACHE INTERNAL "")
+-  set(PYTHON_EXECUTABLE ${Python_EXECUTABLE} CACHE INTERNAL "")
+-endif()
++#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
++# BLT CHANGE
++#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
++# Avoid finding Python.
++#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
++# # Sets PYTHONINTERP_FOUND and PYTHON_EXECUTABLE.
++# if ("${CMAKE_VERSION}" VERSION_LESS "3.12.0")
++#   find_package(PythonInterp)
++#   set(PYTHONINTERP_FOUND ${PYTHONINTERP_FOUND} CACHE INTERNAL "")
++#   set(PYTHON_EXECUTABLE ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} CACHE INTERNAL "")
++# else()
++#   find_package(Python COMPONENTS Interpreter)
++#   set(PYTHONINTERP_FOUND ${Python_Interpreter_FOUND} CACHE INTERNAL "")
++#   set(PYTHON_EXECUTABLE ${Python_EXECUTABLE} CACHE INTERNAL "")
++# endif()
++#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
+ 
+ # cxx_test_with_flags(name cxx_flags libs srcs...)
+ #