- RACIAL INJUSTICE-COWBOYS FOR TRUMP
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The founder of the political group Cowboys for Trump urged people who support the playing of the Black National Anthem at football games to "go back to Africa." In a 35-minute video speech on Facebook live Sunday, Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin of New Mexico said supporters of the Black National Anthem want to "destroy our country." At least 2,200 people watched the video before it was removed from the Cowboys for Trump website. Harold Bailey, the president of the Albuquerque chapter of the NAACP, called the remarks some of the most hateful things he's heard in recent memory.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW MEXICO
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico health officials say the state has shattered its record on the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in a single day. The state said Monday it has recorded 467 new cases of the novel coronavirus. That tops a July 23 report when New Mexico recorded 338 cases. New Mexico now has a total of 19,502 confirmed cases. The state also reported that five more people have died from the virus, bringing the total number of deaths to 619. Officials said there are 159 people hospitalized in New Mexico for COVID-19. There also are 7,459 COVID-19 cases designated as having recovered by the New Mexico Department of Health.
- RACIAL INJUSTICE-NEW MEXICO
BAYARD, N.M. (AP) — A graduate of a southwestern New Mexico high school is fighting the state's lieutenant governor over his call to remove a baseball stadium's logo of a Native American caricature. The Deming Headlight reports Samantha "Sami" Morales has started a petition aimed at keeping the "Chief Wahoo" logo from the main sign at Cobre High's baseball stadium in Bayard, New Mexico. She says the logo, offensive to some Native Americans, is a source of pride at the school. Lt. Gov. Howie Morales recently asked the Cobre Consolidated School District superintendent to remove the logo amid racial injustice protests across the U.S.
- VIRUS OUTBREAKS-RESTAURANTS
KIRKLAND, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico restaurant that sparked anger for erecting a sign that blamed China for the pandemic has had its food service permit suspended. The Farmington Daily Times reports the New Mexico Environment Department suspended the food service permit last week for the Country Family Restaurant after accusing the Kirtland, New Mexico, restaurant of violating statewide health orders. That order prohibits indoor dining and requires workers to wear masks. Country Family Restaurant owner Steve Jackson told The Daily Times the state has not shown any proof that indoor dining increases the spread of COVID-19. In March, Jackson generated anger for posting a sign blaming China for the coronavirus.
- RACIAL INJUSTICE-SPANISH LEGACY
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — A member of a New Mexico school board who made a key vote that ended up removing the name of a Spanish conquistador from a high school now regrets her decision. The Las Cruces Sun-News reports Carol Cooper of the Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education said she wishes she could go back in time and reverse her decisive July 14 vote to remove the name of Don Juan de Oñate from Oñate High School. Las Cruces school board members voted 3-1 in favor of changing the name during a virtual special meeting July 14. It remains unclear if the board can revisit.
- AP-US-RACIAL-INJUSTICE-HAIR-SALONS
NEW YORK (AP) — After repeatedly being denied service by high-end salons because her hair was seen as too difficult to style, Kanessa Alexander took an unusual step. She opened a shop of her own in a predominantly white Boston neighborhood with four Black stylists serving all hair textures. Alexander and more than a dozen other people of color in the industry trace such discrimination in mostly white salons to the sidelining of formal education on tightly curled, coiled or kinky hair. Horror stories are also common among Black consumers, from refusal of service to botched treatments by stylists.
- VIRUS OUTBREAK-NAVAJO NATION
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Hundreds of people who had been on paid leave from their jobs with the Navajo Nation's gambling enterprise won't be paid after Monday. The Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise had kept 1,180 people on the payroll since March when its casinos in New Mexico and Arizona shut down because of the coronavirus. The enterprise says it no longer can afford to support the full payroll. The enterprise's interim chief executive says 900 employees will be among the initial layoffs. Another 125 will be paid for another week. The total number of people infected on the vast reservation now stands now stands at 8,912 with 441 known deaths.
- NEW MEXICO-BUBONIC PLAGUE
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico health officials say they have found a case of bubonic plague. The New Mexico Department of Health reported Monday that a Santa Fe County man in his 60s has the plague. He is recovering at a hospital. According to health officials, an environmental investigation is being done around the man's home to see if his immediate family or neighbors face any risk. Department of Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel says this case is a reminder there are other infectious diseases to be aware of besides COVID-19. It is the state's first case of bubonic plague this year.