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COVID-19 by the numbers
New Mexico health officials yesterday reported 219 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the statewide total so far to 198,576. Bernalillo County had 93 cases, followed by San Juan County with 37 and Curry County with 15. Santa Fe County had nine new cases.
The state also announced 10 additional deaths among residents ranging in age from their 30s to their 90s; there have now been 4,083 fatalities. As of yesterday, 138 people were hospitalized with COVID-19.
Currently, 58.5% of New Mexicans have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 44.5 % are fully vaccinated. In Santa Fe County, 69.2% have had at least one dose and 50.1% are fully inoculated.
Health Secretary Dr. Tracie Collins and Human Services Secretary Dr. David Scrase will provide a COVID-19 and vaccine news update at 1 pm today, which will stream on the New Mexico Department of Health Facebook page, and be available with Spanish language interpretation on Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s YouTube page.
The health department will also update counties’ red-to-green status again today using its new and more relaxed metrics for evaluating COVID-19 risk.
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.
Lawmaker plans suit against Health official
Sen. Jacob Candelaria, D-Albuquerque, alleges Health Secretary Dr. Tracie Collins targeted him when she filed an ethics complaint against him in March. That complaint said Candelaria, a lawyer, had a conflict of interest in his vote opposing a bill aimed at changing a patient definition within the state’s medical cannabis program because he represents New Mexico medical marijuana producer Ultra Health LLC (which he disclosed). The ethics commission dismissed the case, saying it was out of its jurisdiction, and referred it to a legislative ethics committee. Candelaria tells the Albuquerque Journal he believes the complaint was made as retribution against him for filing public records requests seeking the governor’s staff emails related to the office’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I’m going to defend myself, my integrity and my family,” Candelaria told the paper, saying he filed notice of his intention to sue with the state’s General Services Department on Monday. He also told the Santa Fe New Mexican that several Senate leaders met with him after he filed his public records requests to warn him he would face consequences from the governor’s office if he persisted. The governor’s office denies having targeted Candelaria in any way: “No such ‘retaliation’ ever occurred,” the governor’s spokeswoman, Nora Meyers Sackett told the Journal, “and it’s troubling that this legislator continues to be seemingly motivated solely by his own personal animus.”
Up, up and away
Canon USA filed suit in federal court against the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta earlier this week, and wants a $250,000 refund. Canon, the Balloon Fiesta’s presenting sponsor, says its $720,000 contract called for the 2018, 2019 and 2020 events to be designated as the “Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta presented by Canon” or the “Balloon Fiesta presented by Canon,” with $250,000 for the 2020 event. Last year’s Balloon Fiesta, however, did not happen because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The core dispute, it seems, revolves around whether or not the Balloon Fiesta was canceled last year or postponed until this year. Canon maintains the event was canceled, and that using its name for the 2021 Balloon Fiesta violates its contract, as does failure to refund the $250,000. Moreover, canceled or postponed, Canon says it exercised its right to terminate the contract. Representatives from the Balloon Fiesta would not comment to the Albuquerque Journal on the lawsuit, but did confirm the 2021 fiesta will kick off Oct. 2.
Talking pictures
If you haven’t caught Nomadland yet (it just won Oscars for best picture, best director and best actress), consider watching it. On a big screen. This Friday. Yes, that’s right. Violet Crown Cinema reopens on Friday, and it looks like, as of now, seats remain for a 6:30 pm showing of Nomadland. Or choose another movie. The point is: Movies have returned. “Our whole team’s excited,” owner Bill Banowsky tells SFR. “It’s been more than a year since we opened our cinemas to public screenings, and we really think and feel like we are ready. Our team is prepared, the building has never been in better shape and we think the movies that are going to start coming out of the distribution system are going to be really exciting for people. They’re going to have a chance to go out and enjoy an out-of-home entertainment experience like they used to.” Seating for public showings will top out at 33% of an auditorium’s maximum capacity as required under the state’s public health law for counties operating at the turquoise level; masks, social distancing and COVID-safe protocols will remain in place for the duration of the pandemic. Banowsky says Violet Crown’s safety and cleaning protocols have been updated across the board, and include: longer downtime between screenings for multiple daily deep cleans; a more effective HVAC system; and extra staff training.
Listen up
Winners of Santa Fe Community College’s Katie Besser Student Art & Writing Awards will share their work during an online celebration from 4 to 6 pm today. Also at the online event, the SFCC Foundation will present this year’s recipient of the Richard C. Bradford Memorial Scholarship. Named for the author of the 1968 classic Red Sky at Morning, the scholarship was initiated by author Michael McGarrity, arts advocate Charmay Allred and former Santa Fe City Councilor Rebecca Wurzburger. Register for a link to the free event here.
Parting Stone announces new funding round
Santa Fe deathcare startup Parting Stone announced the close of a $1.3 million seed-plus capital raise yesterday. Led by Arrowhead Innovation Fund with participation from Lightspeed Scout Fund and Meow Wolf co-founders Matt King and Caity Kennedy, the new round brings Parting Stone’s total financing to $1.9 million. Using proprietary technology, the company creates solidified remains following pet or human cremations, essentially creating a new category of remains for families. Parting Stone founder Justin Crowe first conceived of his company after his grandfather died in 2014, and has won numerous local entrepreneurial grants and competitions, including the 2018 bizMIX award and an honorable mention in Fast Company’s 2020 World Changing Ideas Awards. According to a news release on the new round of investment, Parting Stone grew substantially during the COVID-19 pandemic, “providing a meaningful service for families seeking to memorialize departed loved ones amidst restrictions on gathering.” The company plans to use the new funds grow its network of 200+ local funeral home partners; broaden direct-to-consumer access to its solidified remains service; and expand its Santa Fe laboratory.
Plant-based corp buys NM food companies
Yesterday, California company Tattooed Chef, which makes plant-based food products, announced it is purchasing two Albuquerque food companies, New Mexico Food Distributors Inc. and Karsten Tortilla Factory LLC—aka Foods of New Mexico— for $35 million in cash. Pending regulatory approval, the deal will close this month, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. “We will be immediately addressing the $1 billion frozen Mexican food category once the transactions close,” Tattooed Chef President and CEO Sam Galletti said in a statement. “At full capacity, we believe Foods of New Mexico can contribute up to $200 million annually in revenue in the next two to three years and create significant value for all our stakeholders.” Galletti said the acquisition will allow the company to diversify its products and capitalize on the growing Hispanic/Southwest food market.
T-shirt weather returns
Today’s forecasts predict a sunny day with a high near 77 degrees and southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west 15 to 20 mph in the morning.
Thanks for reading! The Word has bookmarked Longread’s best stories of 2020 for the weekend.
