- VETERANS HOME-OVERSIGHT
Report outlines problems at New Mexico veterans' homeSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A report says a lack of oversight within the New Mexico Department of Health likely was a factor in high COVID-19 infection and death rates among residents at the New Mexico State Veterans' Home. It's one of the findings outlined in a scathing review by legislative analysts. The report was discussed during a meeting Wednesday of the Legislative Finance Committee. The report noted that multiple independent reviews found failure to follow proper infection control and personal protective equipment procedures at the home despite early guidance from state health officials. Also, a pattern of deficiencies has cost the facility over $180,000 in federal penalties since 2015.
- ALBUQUERQUE STORM-BODY RECOVERED
3rd body found in wake of storms, flooding in AlbuquerqueALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Firefighters believe they have located a third person who went missing after being swept into an arroyo as a result of storms in Albuquerque. Albuquerque Fire Department spokesman Tom Ruiz said Thursday that crews recovered a body in the washout area of a diversion channel. Authorities recovered the bodies of two men were in the area Wednesday. Their names and ages were not immediately released by authorities. Crews initially responded Tuesday afternoon when three people were seen floating down the diversion channel in northeast Albuquerque after the area was hit with heavy rains. Swift water rescue units scrambled to the sides of the channel to attempt a rescue but didn't spot the trio over a two-hour period.
- PNM-UTILITY MORATORIUM ENDING
PNM customers with unpaid bills may face shutoffs in AugustALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's largest utility is urging thousands of customers to contact them before they lose power when a pandemic moratorium on electricity payments ends. PNM said Thursday more than 47,000 households have past-due bills that could lead to power shutoffs as soon as mid-August. Officials with the electricity provider say there are millions of dollars in financial assistance available but customers must contact them. The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission recently voted to temporarily avoid disconnecting power over unpaid bills because of COVID-19. PNM estimates it is owed more than $21 million in past-due electricity bills. Customers are expected to eventually pay for the energy consumed.
- EDUCATION-RECOVERY FUNDING
New Mexico to get another $327M in federal recovery aidSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Federal education officials have approved New Mexico's spending plan for recovery aid, clearing the way for another $327 million to be distributed to the state. The money is intended to help the state Education Department sustain safe operation of schools and boost learning opportunities, particularly for students who have been most affected by the pandemic. Some of the money will go toward grants for districts and other organizations to run summer programs focused on science and math. The state already had received more than $650 million in emergency education funding. New Mexico is among 14 other states to have their plans approved by the U.S. Department of Education.
- MINE SPILL-RESTORATION
New Mexico seeks restoration ideas after 2015 mine spillSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico officials are looking for ideas for restoration projects to repair damage caused by a 2015 spill that fouled rivers in three western states with arsenic, lead and other heavy metals. The state Office of the Natural Resources Trustee said Wednesday that the projects would be funded through a proposed $1 million settlement with Sunnyside Gold Corp. and its parent companies. The spill released 3 million gallons of wastewater from the inactive Gold King Mine in southwestern Colorado. A crew hired by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency triggered the spill while trying to excavate the mine opening in preparation for a possible cleanup.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NAVAJO NATION
Navajo Nation: 21 new COVID cases, no deaths 4th day in rowWINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation on Wednesday reported 21 new COVID-19 cases, but no additional deaths for the fourth consecutive day. The latest numbers brought the total number of coronavirus-related cases on the vast reservation to 31,239 since the pandemic began more than a year ago. The number of known deaths remained at 1,366. The Navajo Nation recently relaxed restrictions to allow visitors to travel on the reservation and visit popular attractions like Canyon de Chelly and Monument Valley. The reservation is the country's largest at 27,000 square miles (70,000 square kilometers) and it covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. While cases are down, Navajo leaders are urging residents to continue wearing masks and get vaccinated.
- CHILE SEASON
Chile harvest starts early for some New Mexico farmersHATCH, N.M. (AP) — The aroma of fresh roasted green chiles is already wafting through southern New Mexico as some farmers are getting a jumpstart on the harvest. They say the season is shaping up to be a good one, with transplanted fields in Hatch among those where workers are busy picking peppers. Farmers say the plants seem to be happy and the fruit is growing fast due to perfectly timed rains and cooler temperatures. Instead of starting from seed, more farmers are planting seedlings that have sprouted in a greenhouse to get their fields going faster. They say it's another tool as water supplies shrink.