Gessing: Some Basic Facts As Session Gets Rolling
By PAUL J. GESSING
President
Rio Grande Foundation
To say that this is an unprecedented legislative session in New Mexico is an understatement. After some public debate over how and when the Legislature was going to meet, the Democrats who overwhelmingly control both houses have decided to plow forward with an entirely “virtual” session.
The Roundhouse is closed to the public and if you want to engage with legislators or committees you need to get online and watch, testify, or send emails or calls to their offices. By itself this COVID-related change is both dramatic and problematic.
Then, in Read More
New Mexico COVID-19 Update: 997 New Cases, Total Now 166,823 With 35 New Deaths And 91,096 Patients Recovered
SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials announced this afternoon 997 additional positive tests for COVID-19.
Los Alamos County reports 5 new cases today bringing the total to 406 people who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Today’s update includes 35 new deaths in New Mexico related to COVID-19.
The New Mexico Department of Health reports today’s most recent cases:
- 232 new cases in Bernalillo County
- 59 new cases in Chaves County
- 12 new cases in Cibola County
- 5 new cases in Colfax County
- 28 new cases in Curry County
- 1 new case in De Baca County
- 125 new cases in Doña Ana County
- 50 new
ALTSD: Seniors; People With Disabilities Will Have Been Offered First Dose Of Moderna COVID Vaccine By Friday
ALTSD News:
The State’s Aging and Long-Term Services Department [ALTSD] has announced that by Friday, Jan. 22 all 309 of New Mexico’s Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities (including staff and residents) will have been offered the first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
Now the department is working to register currently-eligible populations (people 75+ years of age and individuals with underlying health conditions), as well as individuals who will be eligible in upcoming phases.
(The state’s vaccine distribution plan is available here.)
ALTSD is partnering with the Governor’s Read More
Legislators Look At Safely Reopening New Mexico Schools
Sen. William Soules
Chair Senate Education Committee
By ROBERT NOTT
SFNM
As state education officials continue to look for ways to safely reopen schools to students, Republican legislators want that power to be put in the hands of local school boards.
“The goal is to try to get as many kids back into in-house schooling as soon as possible — safely,” said Sen. David Gallegos, R-Eunice, who said he plans to file legislation giving school boards, rather than the state, the authority to do that.
He said the bill will include an emergency clause making it law as soon as Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Read More
Mountaineers Feature Antarctic Explorations Jan. 26
France Córdova in the ice-free dry valleys of Antarctica will discuss ‘The Best Journey in the World’ at the Jan. 26 virtual meeting of the Los Alamos Mountaineers. Courtesy/NSF
By BILL PRIEDHORSKY
Los Alamos Mountaineers
The November Los Alamos Mountaineers meeting continues in its electronic format, consistent with the needs of this special time.
The meeting is 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26. As usual, the Mountaineers meeting is held in collaboration with the Pajarito Environmental Education Center. This month, the meeting features a talk by France Anne Córdova entitled “The Best Journey in Read More
Lynam: Why New Mexico Needs A Public Bank
By DOUGLAS LYNAM
Santa Fe
New Mexico is No. 1.
In payday lenders per capita, that is.
According to a study by California State University, Northridge, we have almost 10 times more payday lenders than we do McDonald’s restaurants.
Payday lenders are one of the worst forms of predatory capitalism, charging exorbitant interest rates on loans to desperate people.
Meanwhile, we are near the very bottom in U.S. News & World Report state rankings for education, economy, opportunity, fiscal stability and crime. And we are dead last in overall childhood well-being, according to the Annie E. Casey Read More
Legislative Roundup: 58 Days Left In 2021 Session
Legislative Roundup
SFNM
Quote of the day: “One of my concerns is that we’re instituting all this security, and I have not heard of really a credible threat. I’ve heard what’s described as chatter – not real clear what that means – but we’re going through quite a bit of [an] extensive security operation there at the Capitol to combat this, and I just sometimes wonder if it’s all warranted or not.” –Senate Minority Leader Greg Baca, R-Belen, during Republican Party of New Mexico Chairman Steve Pearce’s weekly statewide radio broadcast on Network New Mexico.
No parking, no money: Emergency street
Scenes Of Security Around New Mexico State Capitol Today
Security is evident in the state capitol today in Santa Fe due to threats of upheaval throughout the nation during the presidential inauguration, however all is quiet. Photo by Jim O’Donnell
All roads to the state capitol are closed today and the roundhouse and grounds completely fenced off and surrounded by National Guard members, state police and local law enforcement. Photo by Jim O’Donnell
NMSP, National Guard and local law enforcement on alert today in Santa Fe. Photo by Jim O’Donnell
Spectator or undercover security dude … either way there’s nothing to see here. Photo by Jim O’DonnellNew Mexico Lawmakers Begin Abortion Debate Monday
By DANIEL J. CHACÓN
SFNM
Less than a week after the New Mexico Legislature’s opening day, lawmakers will begin debating what could be one of the most controversial measures of the 60-day session: the proposed repeal of a 1969 law that makes it a crime to perform an abortion in the state.
The statute has been unenforceable since the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade. But women’s rights advocates and others worry the high court could overturn or weaken that decision — in which justices found overly restrictive state government regulations of abortion unconstitutional Read More
New Mexico COVID-19 Update: 884 New Cases, Total Now 165,835 With 34 New Deaths And 89,756 Patients Recovered
SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials announced this afternoon 884 additional positive tests for COVID-19.
Los Alamos County reports 8 new cases today bringing the total to 401 people who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Today’s update includes 34 new deaths in New Mexico related to COVID-19.
The New Mexico Department of Health reports today’s most recent cases:
- 213 new cases in Bernalillo County
- 31 new cases in Chaves County
- 5 new cases in Cibola County
- 1 new case in Colfax County
- 13 new cases in Curry County
- 1 new case in De Baca County
- 144 new cases in Doña Ana County
- 53 new cases
New Mexico [External Sources]
- Mitch's Kentucky outshines New Mexico for once | Local News | santafenewmexican.com - Santa Fe New Mexican
- New Mexico United to host MLS team in US Open Cup - KRQE News 13
- Montana State women further bolster backcourt with New Mexico transfer Hannah Robbins - Montana Sports
- Hannah Robbins transfers from New Mexico to Montana State - The Montana Standard
- Warm for western New Mexico, cloudy and cool east - KOAT New Mexico
- The United Family donates more than 50,000 pounds of apples across Texas and New Mexico as part of the Take a Bite Out of Hunger program - KCBD
