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COVID-19 by the numbers
New Mexico health officials yesterday reported 366 new COVID-19 cases for the three-day period of May 22 through May 24, bringing the statewide total so far to 202,221. The health department has designated 187,937 of those cases as recovered.
Bernalillo County had 91 new cases, followed by San Juan County with 61 and Doña Ana County with 41. Santa Fe County had 32 new cases. Santa Fe County’s Southside 87507 ZIP code had the second highest number of new cases in the state yesterday: 17.
The state also announced one additional death from Bernalillo County, bringing the total number of fatalities to 4,245. That figure—an increase of 114 deaths from the last reporting on Friday—arrives as the New Mexico Department of Health Epidemiology Division concludes an audit of the reported cases and deaths related to the COVID-19 pandemic accompanied by reconciled county-level figures (Santa Fe County has had 146 deaths). As of yesterday, 120 people were hospitalized with COVID-19.
Currently, 64.4% of New Mexicans have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 54.2% are fully vaccinated. In Santa Fe County, 73.5% have had at least one dose and 62.5% are fully inoculated.
The Santa Fe City Council will hold a 4 pm special meeting today to discuss a return to in-person meetings and services. Mayor Alan Webber yesterday issued an updated emergency proclamation, which directs the city manager to begin increasing in-person services; requires the public and employees to wear face masks during interactions; and allows for fully vaccinated employees/committee members to meet without masks in areas not open to the public, among other directives.
You can read all of SFR’s COVID-19 coverage here. If you’ve had experiences with COVID-19, we would like to hear from you.
Cannabis company announces $300 million NM investment
Grants-based cannabis manufacturing business Bright Green Corporation and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham yesterday announced a $300 million investment in a “state-of-the-art agricultural ecosystem” on Bright Green’s property in Grants to produce “high-quality” cannabis for medical research. According to a news release, last week the US Drug Enforcement Administration issued a memorandum of understanding with Bright Green allowing the company to facilitate the production, storage, packaging and distribution of medical research marijuana. That MOU comes as the DEA shifts a long-standing policy that had limited researchers studying marijuana to receive supply solely from the University of Mississippi. On May 14, the DEA announced it would be issuing agreements with additional suppliers. “While much is written about the cannabis market, we believe the true contribution of cannabis lies in its medical applications,” Bright Green Chief Executive Ed Robinson said in a statement. “Our vision is to improve the quality of life across a broad demographic group through the opportunities presented by medicinal applications of plant-based therapies, including cannabis-derived products.” According to the announcement, the facility is expected to create more than 170 construction jobs and an initial 200 research and agricultural jobs. “I couldn’t be more excited about the development of another world-class research facility right here in New Mexico,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement. “We have the talent, workforce and innovative spirit to make this forthcoming new industry a complete success.” In 2017, Bright Green had announced comparable plans to build a facility with Acoma Pueblo on tribal land. Robinson confirms to SFR via email that the company “is no longer building on tribal land, although we still have a great relationship with the Acoma and are very appreciative of their efforts.”
District 4 picks up a candidate
César Chávez Elementary School teacher Amanda Chavez tells SFR she’s officially in the race to represent the city’s Southside District 4, currently held by mayoral candidate JoAnne Vigil Coppler. Chavez says the city’s youth will be central to her campaign, along with “equitable access” for the community. “We have so many people on different paths when it comes to their financial status, their culture, their language,” she says. “When I think of our Santa Fe, I don’t know if it’s at a point where it’s truly ours and there is equitable access for every individual in this community.” A member of the Santa Fe’s Planning Commission, Chavez also cites equity when discussing housing and transportation issues. “We’re building something beautiful, but I don’t think we’re concentrating enough on equity,” she says. “Is it accessible to everyone? Are we building that kind of Santa Fe for every district?” So far, only one other candidate, Santa Fe County Assessor Gus Martinez, has expressed interest in running for the seat in the Nov. 2 election. Keep up with all of SFR’s coverage at sfreporter.com/elections.
Ranchers oppose plan to move wolves to Turner property
Ranchers say they have concerns regarding US wildlife managers’ plans to relocate a pair of wolves and their pups to one of Ted Turner’s New Mexico properties. The US Fish and Wildlife took comments on the plan—which has significant support from environmental groups—through yesterday. Ranchers, however, say they are both worried given previous issues between the wolves and livestock, as well as frustrated they didn’t receive more notice about the plan. The New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association says none of the members the group contacted had been notified. The association wrote a letter to the Fish & Wildlife service opposing the plan, which says: “Translocating wolves with this kill history is a threat to New Mexico livestock and is disingenuous to producers and other citizens. Translocating wolves with this history to private lands will only increase the animosity between producers and the Fish and Wildlife Service over its management of the Mexican gray wolf program.”
Listen up
US Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-NM, joined the most recent episode of New Mexico In Focus to discuss the federal government’s plans to pay for and expand access to broadband internet service; correspondent and Axios reporter Russ Contreras also spoke with Luján about the immigration crisis at the southern border. The show additionally delves into Jemez and Laguna pueblos’ lawsuit against the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Army Corps of Engineers over a 2020 rule that weakens or eliminates protections for ephemeral or intermittent waterways. Finally, The Line opinion panel delves into two issues: masks and voting in the special election for the 1st Congressional District.
Albuquerque skater remains Olympic hopeful
Skateboarding is heading to the Olympics for the first time come July in Tokyo, Japan, “ready or not,” the Washington Post noted, as it checked in on one of the last qualifying events, the Dew Tour, held last weekend in Des Moines, Iowa. Mariah Duran, 24, of Albuquerque, was there—she is, after all, the top ranked women’s street skater in the US, seventh in the world. “That’s the beautiful thing about skateboarding,” Duran told the Post. “It takes you places you’ve never been.” While Duran didn’t advance out of the semifinal at the Dew, Forbes writes she “will likely retain her status as the world’s top American female street skater” and is “well on her way” to an official bid for the Olympics regardless. While the Dew didn’t help her, Duran finished 90 points higher than her next-closest competitor at the USA Skateboarding national championships earlier this month. Duran tells Forbes her family kept her grounded while she was quarantined in New Mexico. If she qualifies for the Olympics, they won’t be able to accompany her, she says, but “through the journey to get there, they’re gonna be there for me. And I feel like that’s the most important thing.”
To market, to market
Tuesdays are back for the Santa Fe Farmers Market, a well-worn hack for avoiding Saturday’s crowds and calmly perusing the seasonal offerings from growers across Northern New Mexico (put on your shoes: The market opens at 8 am and runs until 1 pm). If you’re ready to up your vegetable game, New Mexico Magazine adds three “unique” ingredients for your Farmers Market shopping: black garlic, Jerusalem artichokes and bitter melon. Try Avery’s Farm for the garlic, which will “impart a hint of umami and soft molasses-like flavor to pastas, roast chicken or mashed potatoes.” La Mesilla’s Monte Vista Organic Farm grows the Jerusalem artichokes—President Jennifer Fresquez says she loves their crunchiness. As for the bitter melon, the magazine points to Monroe Seibel at Farmers & Crafts Market of Las Cruces, but if you see them in Santa Fe, let us know!
Some like it hot
Hello, summer! Today will be sunny with a high near 81 degrees and north wind 10 to 15 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
Thanks for reading! The Word became aware of Sweden’s Disgusting Food Museum through this New Yorker story and then listened to this Atlas Obscura podcast about it and now will try to put it out of her head.
