Rep. Rebecca Dow Introduces Bill To Prohibit Critical Race Theory In School Curriculum
Rep. Rebecca Dow
By ROBERT NOTT
Santa Fe New Mexican
A leading Republican lawmaker and gubernatorial hopeful has introduced a bill to prohibit the state from including critical race theory — a controversial and often-misunderstood concept that is seen by some as a potential electoral wedge issue — in New Mexico’s school curriculum.
Rep. Rebecca Dow of Truth or Consequences said Wednesday the theory is “racist” and is being misrepresented.
“We are a state of diverse cultures, and we should be promoting the thinking of Martin Luther King Jr. — judging people on their character and not Read More
Reilly: We Have A Lawyer Problem…
Los Alamos
We have a lawyer problem. It’s not just too many; it’s where they are and what they’re taught.
The American Bar Association says there are four lawyers for every thousand people; that’s 0.4 percent. The percentage of lawyers in our congress is 40 percent. Imagine if we had a representative distribution of work categories in congress.
Congress would have almost no lawyers; however, It would have more agriculture, manufacturing, and construction workers, and many more service sector workers. Physicists represent 0.003 percent of the population; it would be unlikely Read More
New Mexico State Senate Adopts Rules For 2022 Legislative Session Amid Mask Debate
Sen. Gregg Schmedes, R-Tijeras, left, asks to speak on the Senate floor after Sen. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, right, said wearing a mask was a ‘basic courtesy’. Schmedes said he believes masks are a ‘net harm’ and doesn’t view them as a ‘neutral courtesy’. Photo by Luis Sánchez Saturno/SFNM
By DANIEL J. CHACÓN
Santa Fe New Mexican
Lawmakers gathered in Santa Fe for a 30-day legislative session meant to deal with budget and tax issues are supposed to be fighting on New Mexicans’ behalf.
But on the second day of the session Wednesday, members of the state Senate continued to fight over face masks. Read More
New Mexico LFC Report Fleshes Out Crime Surge
The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photo
By ROBERT NOTT
Santa Fe New Mexican
Lawmakers looking to push through an array of “tough on crime” bills got some legislative ammunition to support their cause this week.
The Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) released a memo to Rep. Patti Lundstrom, chair of the committee, saying violent crime rates are going up, and not just in Albuquerque.
The memo says at least 20 New Mexico communities — including Gallup and Albuquerque — have experienced increases in violent crimes.
Santa Fe was not among those cities.
The LFC document says Albuquerque’s Read More
Santa Fe Veterans For Peace Gathering At Pond Saturday
SFVP News:
Santa Fe Veterans for Peace (SFVP) invites the community to Ashley Pond Park 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22 to celebrate the first anniversary of Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Monday, SFVP paused to honor the life of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an apostle for nonviolence. A week later they celebrate the first anniversary of another milestone toward peace: the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons entered into force Jan. 22, 2021.
This is the Treaty that prohibits states parties from developing, testing, producing, manufacturing, acquiring, possessing Read More
Legislative Roundup: 29 Days Remaining In 2022 Session
Legislative Roundup
The Santa Fe New Mexican
No booster shot? Call a conservative: The president of the Rio Grande Foundation, an Albuquerque-based free market think tank, was denied entry to the Roundhouse because he hasn’t received a booster shot.
Paul Gessing was “highly surprised” his Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which he received in June, wasn’t enough to gain entry to the Capitol, according to a blog post Gessing wrote.
Proof of vaccination is required to be allowed inside the building amid ongoing concerns about the spread of COVID-19, though there are three exemptions. Read More
Luján On Senate GOP Blocking Voting Rights Legislation
From the Office of U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked debate Thursday on the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act:
“Today’s vote was a defining moment for voting rights and our democracy, and Senate Republicans demonstrated once again that they want to keep Americans from the ballot box. Historically, voting rights have transcended political party, but today’s obstruction Read More
NMVC: To Improve Child Well-Being New Mexico Must Ensure An Equitable Recovery
NMVC News:
ALBUQUERQUE — The continuing COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on New Mexico’s children, families, communities, and small businesses. But not all of the hardship has been felt equally.
Families of color – Hispanic families in particular – have been hardest hit by income losses and are more likely to be having trouble paying their usual household expenses and putting enough food on the table.
That is one of the findings in the 2021 New Mexico KIDS COUNT Data Book, which was released Thursday via a virtual press conference.
This annual accounting of child well-being in the state tracks Read More
New Mexico COVID-19 Update Jan. 19, 2022: 5,735 New Cases, Totaling 425,920 With 28 Deaths & 328,438 Recovered
STATE News:
SANTA FE — New Mexico state health officials announced 5,735 new COVID-19 cases today.
Los Alamos County reported 32 new cases today, bringing the total to 1,813 people who have tested positive for COVID-19. (County totals are subject to change upon further investigation and determination of residency of individuals positive for COVID-19.)
This update includes 28 new deaths in New Mexico related to COVID-19 and a 7-Day positivity rate of 28.3 percent.
Per the state Department of Health, the most recent cases are:
1658 new cases in Bernalillo County
2 new cases in Catron County
285 Read More
New Global Health Book By Local Author Richard Skolnik
Staff Report:
Jones and Bartlett Learning has announced the publication of Global Population Health: A Primer by author Richard Skolnik of Los Alamos.
Global Population Health is designed to provide a brief overview of global health to a wide range of health administration and clinical audiences.
Beginning with a concise explanation of the importance of global health, this brief text moves on to examine many of the most important global health issues and their economic and social consequences. It then discusses some of the steps that can be taken to address these concerns Read More
Governor: “Supporting Teachers And Families” Initiative … State Workers, National Guard Encouraged To Help Keep Kids In Class
From the Office of the Governor:
SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced today “Supporting Teachers and Families” (STAF), an innovative initiative to provide critical support for New Mexico’s schools and child care facilities, which, like those in the rest of the nation, are facing extreme staffing shortages due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.
The initiative encourages state workers and National Guard members to volunteer to become licensed as substitute pre-K-12 teachers and/or child care workers and work where they are needed to keep doors open for in-person Read More
Skolnik: COVID Briefing Note #10 – Omicron Is Surging
Los Alamos
Editor’s Note: This is the 10th in a series of COVID-19 Updates by Richard Skolnik that appear bi-weekly in the Los Alamos Daily Post. These are meant to keep the community informed on the status of the pandemic, critical new findings on the pandemic, and what this information suggests for our community’s response to COVID-19. These updates complement the data that Eli Ben-Naim prepares for the Post. Unless otherwise noted, data is from the New York Times and the New Mexico Department of Health.
Pandemic Data and Trends – For the Week Ending Jan. 18, 2022
In Read More
Hotline Opens To Report Racism And Bullying In Schools
NMPED News:
SANTA FE — Students, family members and community members may now report school-based incidents of racial bias by calling a hotline maintained by the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) in compliance with 2021 legislation.
The Anti-Racism Anti-Oppression Hotline – 1.505.226.3911 – went live Monday, the federal holiday marking the birth of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Reports also may be submitted by text, email (hotline.bea@gmail.com) or completing a form online at https://forms.gle/
State Introduces Free At-Home Rapid Testing Program
NMDOH News:
More than a million tests expected by next week
SANTA FE – Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) are securing more than 1 million ihealth at-home rapid antigen tests for the state, to be initially distributed in areas of higher social vulnerability.
So far, more than 400,000 tests have been secured, with the remaining tests expected to arrive in the coming week.
“I am committed to doing everything we possibly can to get the resources needed, despite national testing shortages,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “I have directed the Department of Health Read More
Ringside Seat: ‘Kill Bill’ Wasn’t Just A Movie; It’s A Way Of Life
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Guard your wallet. State legislators are back in session.
They have 30 days remaining to elbow for openings to advance poorly conceived pet projects, often at enormous public expense.
William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens favored the phrase “dead as a doornail” and it has a place in this column. The literary giants also inspired the term “doornail bills” to highlight legislation that deserves to die — the faster the better.
Topping the list of bad bills for the second consecutive year is a proposal to establish a public bank in New Mexico.
Rep. Patricia Read More
Republican Response To Governor’s State Of The State
Flanked by Senate Minority Leader Greg Baca, left, and fellow Republicans, House Minority Leader Jim Townsend leads the response to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s State of the State address during a news conference this afternoon at the Roundhouse. Jim Weber/The Santa Fe New Mexican
By Robert Nott
The Santa Fe New Mexican
State Rep. Jim Townsend, the House minority leader, said for a second he thought the governor “almost became a Republican”.
In a news conference today at the Roundhouse after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s State of the State address, the Artesia Republican said the most “heartening” Read More
Legislative Roundup: 30 Days Remaining In Session
The Santa Fe New Mexican:
Removal effort fizzles: An effort to remove an outspoken state senator from the powerful Senate Finance Committee fizzled — at least for now.
The Senate Committees’ Committee voted to replace Sen. Jacob Candelaria, I-Albuquerque, with Sen. Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque.
But Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, pulled the committee report from adoption during the floor session amid objections from Candelaria and some Republicans.
“Our Senate rules make clear that seniority of the members of the Senate shall prevail at all times in committee Read More
First Day Of New Mexico’s 2022 Legislative Session
Republican Sen. Gregg Schmedes refuses to wear a mask in protest of mask mandates today during the first day of the 2022 legislative session at the Roundhouse. Jim Weber/The Santa Fe New Mexican
Kimberly Charley and her 1-year-old daughter Amberly Carlson demonstrate Tuesday outside the Roundhouse with other members of the New Mexico Crusaders for Justice in favor of stricter sentencing, increased police and a harder stance on crime. Jim Weber/The Santa Fe New Mexican
By Robert Nott and Daniel Chacon
The Santa Fe New Mexican
There were sure signs a sense of normalcy had returned to the state Read More
Los Alamos COVID-19 Impact For Week Ending Jan. 18, 2022
Los Alamos COVID Impact:- 2945 tests
- 431 diagnoses (325 in Los Alamos, 106 in White Rock)
- 1 death
Source: New Mexico Department of Health. By Eli Ben-Naim.
Chart: 573 Reflects COVID-19 Diagnoses Versus Date And By Age Group In Los Alamos Jan. 18, 2022
This chart shows the seven-day average number of COVID-19 diagnoses versus date in Los Alamos. On a scale of 0 to 100, the diagnoses index quantifies the current level of diagnoses by using a comparison with daily levels since the start of the pandemic (the higher the index, the more severe the current state of the pandemic is). At an all-time high, the current number of diagnoses is higher than 100 percent of preceding days. Source: New Mexico Department of Health. Created by Eli Ben-Naim
Wind: 14mph S
Humidity: 31%
Pressure: 29.97"Hg
UV index: 3
34/16°F
37/21°F
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