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NM faith leaders announce support for reproductive freedom
Vice magazine delves into the state of US abortion post-Roe, focusing on New Mexico as “the center of the abortion wars.” The story opens in Santa Teresa, NM, where an abortion clinic there serves women coming from Texas, where abortion is now mostly illegal. New Mexico, where abortion remains protected, has seen the number of the procedures steadily rise, Vice notes, citing research that shows a 17% increase in abortions between April and August 2022 in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s June reversal of Roe v. Wade. “New Mexico has emerged as one of the key battlefronts in the U.S. war over abortion,” Vice writes. “In interviews with abortion rights supporters, foes, and patients since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a story of tensions simmering in the state has emerged, both between the two sides of the abortion wars and within the pro-abortion rights movement itself.”
As it happens, New Mexico advocates for reproductive freedom are scheduled to hold a news conference at 11 am today at the Roundhouse in Committee Room 326 (and livestreamed on Facebook) to showcase a letter from faith leaders across New Mexico who support abortion. The action comes via a partnership between New Mexico Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and Catholics for Choice. “Our religious principles are grounded in a love and acceptance of all people, and we believe deeply that means ending the shame and stigma associated with abortion and increasing access for all women to a full range of reproductive healthcare options,” the letter reads. “New Mexico has a long history of valuing and protecting the dignity of all women. It is time to end all attempts to interfere in a woman’s deeply private medical decisions about abortion and leave them in the capable hands of a woman, her family, and her doctor, in consultation with her faith.” Several bills introduced this legislative session seek to further codify abortion protections in the state.
NMSU fires Heiar following hazing allegations
Following a closed meeting yesterday by its Board of Regents, New Mexico State University announced the termination of men’s basketball coach Greg Heiar, whom the school hired last March. Chancellor Dan Arvizu said in a statement he had made the decision in the wake of the recently revealed hazing allegations among student athletes. “As I’ve stated previously, hazing has no place on our campus,” Arvizu wrote in a statement, adding that, “those found responsible will be held accountable for their actions,” and promising “an expansive review and full investigation,” to ensure “we fully understand what happened here, and that those found responsible are held accountable. We will also ensure that support systems are in place to prevent this from happening again.” Additional decisions regarding remaining coaching staff will be made “after additional investigations are concluded,” he said. Arvizu suspended the program last Saturday when the allegations first came to light and then ended the season the following day following the release of a redacted NMSU Police report providing more details about the hazing incidents, which included allegations of criminal sexual conduct, false imprisonment and harassment. The season’s cancellation and Heiar’s termination follow last November’s fatal shooting by NMSU forward Mike Peake of University of New Mexico student Brandon Travis. Peake also sustained a gunshot injury in the incident, in which police believe a group of UNM students lured Peake to campus in retaliation for a fight at an earlier game. Police did not charge Peake in that incident, but the school suspended him from the team in early December pending its own investigation into the incident.
Senate passes conservation, fire recovery bills
Yesterday, the New Mexico Senate passed Senate Bill 9, creating the “Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund” and the “Conservation Legacy Fund.” If the House passes the bill, it will create New Mexico’s first dedicated funding source for conservation, agriculture and outdoor recreation programs. Specifically, the bill would use an initial $150 million investment—managed by the State Investment Council—to provide annual disbursements to existing state programs that prioritize conservation work but have been historically under or un-funded.”Now is the perfect time to make proactive investments in our land and water,” Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, one of the bill’s sponsors said in a statement. “With sustained, predictable funding in place, we gain access to untapped federal dollars to multiply our investments many times over. Passing this measure marks a giant step forward in helping communities be more resilient as we continue to deal with wildfires, flooding and long-term drought.” According to a news release, New Mexico is the only Western state without dedicated land and water conservation funding. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who backs the bill, also released a statement in its support, noting its bipartisan support; the bill’s co-sponsor is Sen. Steven Neville, R-Aztec; state Rep. Nathan Small, D-Las Cruces, is sponsoring it in the House.
The governor’s office also lauded the House’s unanimous passage yesterday of Senate Bill 6, the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Recovery Funds bill, which will appropriate $100 million to the Department of Finance and Administration to provide no-interest loans to communities recovering from the damage caused by Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire, the subsequent flooding and anticipated runoff issues this spring. The money comes in advance of expected federal funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “It will take generations for our rural Northern New Mexican communities to rebuild from the devastating losses and destruction caused by the Hermit’s Peak-Calf Canyon fire,” bill co-sponsor state Rep. Ambrose Castellano, D-Las Vegas, said in a statement that thanked members of the Legislature and the governor “for all working together, so we can bring relief to those who need it right away.” The bill now goes to the governor to be signed.
Chimayó post office burns down
District and volunteer fire fighters, administrators, wildland crew members and emergency management staff fought all day yesterday to suppress a fire at the Chimayó post office. According to a news release from Santa Fe County, a call came into the Regional Emergency Communications Center at 9:18 am yesterday reporting the fire. Despite the crews’ efforts, Santa Fe County Assistant Fire Chief Martin Vigil tells the Santa Fe New Mexican both the post office and an attached residential building appear to be total losses. “The postmaster has been notified, and I think they will handle the rest of the postal issues for people and what their plans are to deal with that service,” Vigil said, noting his suspicion a heater caused the blaze. A county spokeswoman says the state fire marshal will help investigate the cause of the fire, in which no one was injured.
COVID-19 by the numbers
Reported Feb. 14: New cases: 308; 666,948 total cases. Deaths: three; Santa Fe County has had 396 total deaths; 9,007 total fatalities statewide. Statewide hospitalizations: unavailable at press time. Patients on ventilators: unavailable at press time
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent Feb. 9 “community levels” map shows one county—Guadalupe County—at “yellow”—medium risk—for COVID-19 as last week (down from four the week prior). The rest of the state—including Santa Fe County—is green, aka has low risk. Corresponding recommendations for each level can be found here.
Resources: Receive four free at-home COVID-19 tests per household via COVIDTests.gov; Check availability for additional free COVID-19 tests through Project ACT; CDC interactive booster eligibility tool; NM DOH vaccine & booster registration; CDC isolation and exposure interactive tool; COVID-19 treatment info; NMDOH immunocompromised tool kit. People seeking treatment who do not have a medical provider can call NMDOH’s COVID-19 hotline at 1-855-600-3453. DOH encourages residents to download the NM Notify app and to report positive COVID-19 home tests on the app.
You can read all of SFR’s COVID-19 coverage here.
Listen up
In 2006, when she was 16 years old, Carissa McGee stabbed her mom and sister (both survived). She entered a no-contest plea to charges of attempted murder, was sentenced as an adult to 21 years and, at age 17, was incarcerated at the Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Grants. McGee was ultimately granted parole after nine years. On the most recent episode of the Las Cruces Sun-News podcast The Reporter’s Notebook, host Damien Willis talks with both McGee and ACLU New Mexico Denali Wilson about Senate Bill 64, legislation in this year’s session that would prohibit life sentences without the possibility of release or parole for serious youthful offenders. The bill is scheduled for a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee this afternoon.
Rust to resume filming this spring
Rust will resume filming this spring, according to The Hollywood Reporter, with several members of the original crew returning to the production, including actor and producer Alec Baldwin, against whom First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies recently filed involuntary manslaughter charges for the Oct. 21, 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The production has hired Bianca Cline to be its new cinematographer and says she intends to donate her salary to a charity to honor Hutchins. The company will also be producing a documentary on Hutchins’ life, with her husband, Matthew Hutchins, serving as executive producer on both films. Rust Director Joel Souza, who was injured in the shooting that killed Hutchins, will be returning to the production and said in a statement that while it was “bittersweet,” he was “grateful that a brilliant and dedicated new production team joining former cast and crew are committed to completing what Halyna and I started. My every effort on this film will be devoted to honoring Halyna’s legacy and making her proud. It is a privilege to see this through on her behalf.” Baldwin and Rust armorer Hannah Guttierez-Reed, who also faces involuntary manslaughter charges for Hutchins’ death, are slated for their first court appearances on Feb. 24. Rust Assistant Director David Halls, who has entered a plea agreement for use of a negligent weapon, has his first appearance on March 8. The state environment department’s Occupational Health and Safety Board still has a pending hearing against Rust Movie Productions, for what it says were multiple violations of the New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Act, scheduled for May 8. The company has not yet said where Rust will resume filming, but said previously it won’t be in New Mexico.
Santa Fe the right & wrong way
Sunset magazine enlists photographer Lindsey Calla for its “Inside Guide” series to offer tips on the “best spots to visit in Santa Fe.” For activities, Calla recommends a “soak in hot springs at Ten Thousand Waves,” noting: “You get your own personal sauna with your soak. It feels like you’ve been transported into an onsen in the middle of the Santa Fe mountains.” In a slight twist to the usual Georgia O’Keeffe Museum recommendation, Calla advises visitors to make an appointment at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Research Center to view O’Keeffe’s personal library of books and materials up close (she also has some suggestions for food, drink and lodging, natch). Meanwhile, over at Huffington Post, locals offer up their thoughts on mistakes tourists to Santa Fe would be well advised to avoid. Several marketing professionals say often visitors are confused about the climate and don’t realize Santa Fe isn’t Phoenix and does, in fact, have seasons. Designer and preservationist Rachel Preston tells HuffPo it would be a mistake to visit Santa Fe and not walk around: “If you are into art or architecture, Santa Fe is a place for exploration! Preston says with apparent enthusiasm. “You never know what beautiful old gate or mural you might find just around the corner!” Others advise folks not to skip eating from local food trucks, pointing out rightly that one of them, El Chile Toreado, is currently in the running for a James Beard Award. Photographer Daniel Quat says to ask permission before taking locals’ photographs “especially indigenous people who have a long history of being exploited by settlers, the government and even tourists.”
The skies look grimly/and threaten present blusters
All Santa Fe Public Schools are closed again today due to road conditions: This is not a remote-learning day; all after-school and evening activities are canceled. All City of Santa Fe offices, libraries, community centers and other facilities are also closed, according to an announcement released just before 8 am. The city is strongly discouraging non-essential driving. Crews are out clearing the roads, according to a city news release; view snow removal priority map here. As for today, the National Weather Service forecasts an 80% chance for more precipitation, with snow before 8 am and isolated snow showers after 11 am, along with possible thunder, a high temperature near 27 degrees and west wind 15 to 20 mph. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. More isolated snow showers tonight before 11 pm, but only a 20% chance for more snow, with wind chill values as low as -10.
Thanks for reading! The Word has not personally encountered the alleged pistachio craze of 2023, but she looks forward to doing so.
