Features

Skolnik: School Reopening And Safety – A Proposal For Moving Forward

By RICHARD SKOLNIK
Los Alamos

Few things can be more important to our community than reopening schools as safely as possible for teachers, staff, students and those of us who live here.

It will be impossible to guarantee that no one gets infected with COVID-19 as our schools reopen. However, it is imperative that our schools and community engage in the best possible practices to avoid infection. This is especially so given the enormous costs of infection in days of lost schooling, days of lost work, hospital costs, and possible deaths.

In addition, we are learning more and more that infection alone, Read More

New Mexico COVID-19 Cases Now At 25,812 With 1 More Death And 13,283 Patients Recovered

STATE News:

SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials have announced this afternoon 202 additional positive tests for COVID-19.

Los Alamos County remains at 27 cases that have tested positive for COVID-19.

Today’s update announces 1 additional death reported in New Mexico related to COVID-19.

The New Mexico Department of Health reported today the most recent cases:  

  • 37 new cases in Bernalillo County
  • 1 new case in Catron County
  • 22 new cases in Chaves County
  • 1 new case in Cibola County
  • 2 new cases in Colfax County
  • 14 new cases in Curry County
  • 29 new cases in Doña Ana County
  • 32 new cases in Eddy County
Read More

New Mexico Schools In 25 Counties Including Los Alamos May Launch Hybrid Model Sept. 8 … Others Must Wait For Improved Public Health Conditions

PED News:

SANTA FE – School districts and charter schools in 25 New Mexico counties have been cleared to begin a hybrid mode of learning that allows students from pre-K through fifth grade to come to school two days a week wearing face masks and staying at least 6 feet away from others.

A complete list of districts and charters that have cleared strict safety reopening criteria from the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) and may choose to reopen as soon as Tuesday, Sept. 8, in the hybrid mode will be posted on the PED website Friday.

Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart made the announcement Read More

Governor Issues Revised Executive Order Today Easing Mandatory Quarantine Requirements For Certain States

STATE News:

…Safe-certified Hotels May Increase Capacity

SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued a revised executive order today amending the mandatory quarantine for individuals arriving into the state of New Mexico.

The revised executive order exempts travelers and residents arriving from states with lower COVID-positivity rates while retaining the quarantine requirement for those arriving from high-risk states.

The governor also announced today a change to the state’s operative emergency public health order, amending occupancy limits for hotels.

The changes are Read More

New Mexico HSD Secretary David Scrase And CYDF Secretary Brian Blalock Present COVID-19 Day 176 Webinar Update

STATE News:

SANTA FE – Secretary David R. Scrase M.D. of the New Mexico Human Services Department and Secretary Brian Blalock of the Children, Youth and Families Department presented Wednesday a COVID-19 modeling and reopening gating criteria webinar update.

Scrase and Blalock also took questions from the media Wednesday following their presentation.

Click here to view the presentation for the webinar: https://bit.ly/2EZPAyz

Click here to view the webinar: https://youtu.be/UKxmWAEjPTo Read More

Chart 173: COVID-19 In New Mexico Sept. 3

Chart shows change in number of diagnoses during a two week period by county. The percentages indicate change in number of diagnoses for the two week period ending Sept. 2 compared with the two week period ending Aug. 19. Counties with less than 20 diagnoses are not shown. Figures for Los Alamos County and the state of New Mexico are highlighted. Los Alamos had 3 positive tests over the past two weeks, compared with 4 in the preceding two week period. Source: New Mexico Department of Health. Created by Eli Ben-Naim
Read More

Emotional Healing: Trauma And Grief Fatigue … Impacting Our World Deeply

By DR. TED WIARD

Editors Note: This is an ongoing series by grief specialist Dr. Ted Wiard, dedicated to helping educate the community about emotional healing.

As a collective, we are moving through the phases of healing from loss while trying to establish a “new norm’, while the grief phases are following their natural and normal process.

Usually this process makes sense as that new norm is established, the problem is with this virus, the new norm is in continuous flux, and adapting to the present is ambiguous causing high levels of stress individually and collectively.

In the grief process one Read More

Council Chair Scott Provides Update On CARES Act Funds

By CHAIR SARA SCOTT
Los Alamos County Council

Today I’ll focus on providing as much information as we now have regarding the CARES Act funds that the County will receive – understanding that this information is incomplete and County staff are aggressively working to resolve some questions and changes associated with how these funds can be disbursed.

As always, I hope this note finds you, your families and friends well. We’ve been working together to limit the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our community – staying home and always wearing our masks and keeping our distance when we must be out Read More

New Mexico COVID-19 Cases Now At 25,612 With 3 More Deaths And 13,180 Patients Recovered

STATE News:

SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials have announced this afternoon 154 additional positive tests for COVID-19.

Los Alamos County remains at 27 cases that have tested positive for COVID-19.

Today’s update announces 3 additional deaths reported in New Mexico related to COVID-19.

The New Mexico Department of Health reported today the most recent cases:  

  • 24 new cases in Bernalillo County
  • 3 new cases in Catron County
  • 24 new cases in Chaves County
  • 1 new case in Colfax County
  • 5 new cases in Curry County
  • 33 new cases in Doña Ana County
  • 13 new cases in Eddy County
  • 1 new case in Grant County
Read More

Folks 55 And Older Invited To Virtual Social Hour Sept. 8

COMMUNITY News:

New Mexico Senior Olympics and Health Promotion invites those 55 and older to participate in a free virtual event to encourage seniors to be active during the COVID-19 stay at home health order.

New Mexico Senior Olympics and Health Promotion offers 14 individual sport activities, all modified to participate from home.

Participants must complete and agree to the Liability WAIVER prior to getting started. Stay at Home Challenge participants will submit results monthly and be entered in a drawing for $100 Gift Card.

Consult a physician before starting any physical fitness Read More