State, Nation & World

New Mexico Department Of Health Map Update: Rising Positivity Rate Pushes Los Alamos County To Red Level

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on December 2, 2020

NMDOH News:

Department of Health County map ipdate: 32 counties operating at Red Level today

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Health on Wednesday today the updated statewide COVID-19 map for the two-week period beginning Dec. 2, with 32 counties at the Red Level at one county at the Yellow Level.

No counties meet the criteria to operate at the Green Level at present.

The color-coding of the map, in accordance with the state’s amended emergency public health order, will be updated biweekly on Wednesdays.

The next update is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 16. It and other associated demographic

Santa Fe National Forest: Seasonal Road Closures

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on December 2, 2020

SFNF News:

SANTA FE – The Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) reminds visitors that forest roads susceptible to damage under severe weather conditions are closed for the winter to protect public health and safety, infrastructure and natural resources.

Seasonal closures generally occur between December and May, when snow, ice and frigid temperatures make winter travel treacherous.

The closures prohibit the use of motorized vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles, on restricted roads when gates are closed, locked or posted with a closure sign.

Visitors traveling on open Read More

LARSO: Los Alamos And White Rock Seniors Confused About Medicare Enrollment Can Ask New Mexico Aging And Long Term Services Department About The Process

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on December 2, 2020

NMED COVID-19 Business Watchlist For Dec. 1, 2020

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on December 2, 2020

NMED News:

New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) daily Rapid Response COVID-19 Watchlist as of Tuesday, includes New Mexico places of employment with two or more rapid responses in the last 14 days.

There are now 206 establishments on the Watchlist.

The Rapid Response COVID-19 Watchlist and closure list, which includes all establishments that are required to be closed, are posted here.

The state initiates a rapid response when it learns of a positive COVID-19 case in a workplace. NMED or the state agency initiating the rapid response will offer direction to establishments regarding testing, Read More

NIST: Software Shows Progress Recognizing Masked Faces

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on December 2, 2020

Some of the digitally applied face mask variations used in the NIST study, including the four different colors used (black, red, white and light blue) and some of the different shapes and amounts of face covering. Courtesy/B. Hayes, M. Ngan/NIST

NIST News:

A new study of face recognition technology created after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic shows that some software developers have made demonstrable progress at recognizing masked faces.

The findings, produced by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), are detailed in a new report called Ongoing Face Recognition Read More

Weekly Fishing Report: Dec. 2, 2020

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on December 2, 2020

By George Morse
Sports and Outdoors
Los Alamos Daily Post

New Mexico State Parks have been closed for two weeks and will remain closed pending any announcements from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. The closure is due to an increase in COVID-19 cases throughout the state.

Updated statewide health orders are expected to be announced today concerning the reopening of the state parks. For more information, visit the state parks website at: emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/SPD.

Eagle Nest Lake State Park is planning on reopening today pending any new health orders. The lake is starting to freeze over, but the Read More

AGU: Roly Poly Bugs Threaten Fish Populations

Submitted by Chris Clark on December 2, 2020

California’s Big Creek meets the Pacific Ocean on the stretch of coast known as Big Sur. New research finds steelhead trout in Big Creek accumulate mercury when the fish eat roly polies. Courtesy/Dave Rundio

AGU News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Roly poly bugs may be a source of fun for kids and adults but these little bugs that form into balls at the slightest touch are causing problems for some threatened fish.

New research finds steelhead trout in a stream on the California coast accumulate mercury in their bodies when the fish eat roly polies and similar terrestrial bugs that fall into local waterways. Read More

SFNF May Implement Hyde Park, Thompson Ridge Burns

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on December 1, 2020

SFNF News:

Fire managers on the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) are looking at a potential window this week to implement the previously announced Hyde Park and Thompson Ridge prescribed pile burns to reduce the risk of wildfire.

The 132-acre Hyde Park pile burn near Black Canyon Campground on the Española Ranger District is designed to remove woody debris from a previously thinned area within the footprint of the Greater Santa Fe Fireshed.

The 1-acre Thompson Ridge slash pit prescribed burn is a collaborative effort between the Jemez Ranger District and the surrounding area to promote fire-adapted Read More

Chart 262: COVID-19 In New Mexico Dec. 1, 2020

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on December 1, 2020

The bars in this chart show the number of COVID-19 related hospitalizations in New Mexico versus date. Source: New Mexico Department of Health. Photo by Eli Ben-Naim