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Too many opioids
A new report by the US Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General has found that Indian Health Service hospitals prescribed too many opioids to some patients, according to federal guidelines. Native Americans and Alaska Natives had the second-highest rate of opioid overdose out of all racial and ethnic groups in 2017, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The audit covered five of 25 hospitals run by IHS, one of which is in Shiprock, New Mexico.
Watching the streams
The gov has appointed new members to an eight-person panel that keeps a handle on water disputes with other states as well as oversees conservation projects for the state's streams. The revamp of the Interstate Stream Commission is on the heels of last month's delayed action on a plan that details environmental reviews and other work on the controversial Gila River diversion project.
Step it up to the IX
Seven years ago, the Office of Civil Rights, a sub-agency of the Department of Education, found that Northern New Mexico College wasn't doing enough to educate its students and staff about Title IX regulations (which protect people from sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination), and ordered the institution to complete 13 steps fix that. The school still hasn't completed them, reports Kyle Land of The Rio Grande Sun.
News in brief
A few stories you may just want to have on your radar today: Cops found and arrested ($ TNM) the owner of the car that was involved in shootings on the Southside last week. Remember that explosion in June in Roswell? Unfortunately, a firefighter injured that day has died. A man was found dead at De Vargas and Don Gaspar ($ TNM) during the wee hours Saturday morning from what appeared to be a gunshot wound. The police blotter from The Rio Grande Sun is a good read, and involves kittens.
San Juan shutdown snags
A lot of folks crowed about the passing of the Energy Transition Act, which aims to make New Mexico a leader in the use and production of renewable energy, but closing down the coal-powered San Juan Generating Station is still hitting snags. Now, ratepayers may be on the hook for some of the costs associated. SFR's Leah Cantor reports.
Chicago in Belen
Judy Chicago, one of the mothers of feminist art, opened her storied gallery in Belen with a colorful smoke-bomb show. It's one of a half dozen galleries in Belen's new Arts District, an area of that town that the mayor and residents hope will boost the town's profile and support artists.
Did you feed them?
If you're gonna be hungry downtown any time soon, keep an eye out for Henry and the Fish ($ TNM), a new cafe set to open in the old Yoberri space on San Francisco Street near the Lensic and the Eldorado Hotel. It'll focus on coffee, baked goods and bowls (that class of dish that's a lovely halfway point between an entree and a salad), comes from the owners of Lincoln Avenue's Mamunia.
Aaaahhhhhhh
It's supposed to cool down a bit today, praise be. Santa Fe is looking at the low 80s and maybe even a chance of rain. What a beautiful thing.
Thanks for reading! The Word would like to clarify a headline in Friday's newsletter: We said we hoped some wolves would be delisted, believing it meant population levels were safe. But we learned quite quickly from a … shall we say, passionate wildlife advocate that most don't consider delisting a good thing. We updated the web version of Friday's Word and would like to take this opportunity to apologize to anyone we offended with our error, and also advise that vitriolic, profane rage isn't how we make friends and influence people.