Public Safety

NIST: Masks Under The Microscope…

Close up look at a mask. Courtesy/N. Hanacek/NIST (based on images by E.P. Vicenzi)

NIST News:

To understand how something works, it helps to see it up close. A team of researchers took this approach when studying the fabric masks that people wear to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Those masks work by blocking some of the virus-filled droplets and smaller particles, called aerosols, that an infected person exhales, and they also offer some protection to the wearer by filtering incoming air.

The researchers wanted to know how well different fabrics filter out those particles and what makes some fabrics Read More

Paulson: Let Government Know Who’s Boss

By KEN PAULSON

When government fails, it’s the rare public official who says, “Oops. My fault”.

That’s human nature, particularly for officials in the public eye who may have to run for office again. No one wants to be held directly responsible for letting the public down.

Case in point is the recent catastrophe in Texas, when unexpected winter storms left 4 million homes without power, ruptured pipes and tainted the water supply for many. 

Texas’ energy grid essentially collapsed. While Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was quick to blame frozen wind turbines, the cause was much more complex than that. Read More

New Mexico COVID-19 Update: 198 New Cases, Total 188,167 With 3 New Deaths And 164,614 Patients Recovered

STATE News:
SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials today announced 198 additional COVID-19 cases.
Los Alamos County reports 1 new case today bringing the total to 488 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.)

Today’s update includes 3 more deaths in New Mexico related to COVID-19.

The New Mexico Department of Health reports today’s most recent cases:

  • 74 new cases in Bernalillo County
  • 5 new cases in Chaves County
  • 4 new cases in Cibola County
  • 1 new case
Read More

Time Grows Thin For Two Redistricting Bills For New Mexico

The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photo

By ROBERT NOTT
SFNM

The legislative challenge to choose a process for redistricting still hasn’t been settled.

Lawmakers have just one week to get the job done. 

On Friday, members of the House Judiciary Committee voted to advance two bills that each would create an independent commission to redraw election district boundaries for congressional and legislative seats. That means the competing measures both will move to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The committee adopted some amendments for House Bill 211 and Senate Bill 15 that Read More

Environment Protections Bill Passes New Mexico Senate

Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth

By DANIEL J. CHACÓN
SFNM

A bill that would allow the state of New Mexico to adopt air quality and hazardous waste rules more stringent than federal regulations survived a challenge Friday from Senate Republicans, who had previously stalled the measure with a procedural maneuver that kept it in limbo for days.

Sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, the bill would amend the Air Quality Control Act and the Hazardous Waste Act to allow rules more rigid than federal standards.

“In each case … there must be substantial evidence that the proposed state rules Read More

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