artdirector@sfreporter.com
Morning Word
COVID-19 by the numbers
New Mexico health officials yesterday reported 933 new COVID-19 cases, with the latest modeling from Los Alamos National Laboratory showing a worst-case scenario in September of more than 1,400 cases per day. Yesterday’s cases bring the total case load to 228,558; DOH has designated 200,706 of those cases as recovered. Bernalillo County had 222 new cases, followed by Lea County with 95 and Doña Ana County with 78. Santa Fe County had 57 new cases.
The state also announced nine additional deaths; there have now been 4,497 fatalities. As of yesterday, 415 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, a decline of 18 cases from the day prior.
Currently, 76.6% of New Mexicans 18 years and older have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 67% are fully vaccinated. In the 12-17-year-old age group, 58.2% people have had at least one dose and 45.5% are fully inoculated. In Santa Fe County, among those 18 years and older, 87.7% have had at least one dose and 77.2% are fully vaccinated. You can read all of SFR’s COVID-19 coverage here.
NM responds to attack in Afghanistan
Flags will fly at half staff in New Mexico starting today through sunset Aug. 30, following a presidential proclamation issued by President Joe Biden, to honor and pay respect to the those killed yesterday in the terrorist attack in Afghanistan. The Islamic State affiliate known as ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack, which reportedly left at least 60 Afghans and 13 US troops dead, and took place at the Kabul airport, where thousands have been waiting to evacuate. Some members of New Mexico’s federal delegation issued statements condemning the attacks, with US Sen. Ben Ray Luján saying via Tweet: “My prayers are with the families of our service members and Afghans who have lost their lives and those injured in today’s attack.” Fellow Democrat US Martin Heinrich issued a statement noting that “today’s attacks caused a devastating loss of American and Afghan lives. They also make clear the dangerous conditions that US service members are operating under to assist in the evacuation efforts. My thoughts are with the family members of those killed today and with the many injured.” Heinrich’s statement notes that his office “has been working day and night with individuals on the ground to help evacuate those seeking refuge.” Both Heinrich and Luján say anyone seeking help evacuating from Afghanistan should contact their offices. SFR spoke earlier this week to two women with longstanding ties to Afghanistan, who also offered resources for those wishing to help.
NM overdoses rise sharply
Fentanyl-related deaths rose by 129% between 2019 and 2020, according to a report presented yesterday to state lawmakers on the Legislative Finance Committee. Alcohol-related deaths also increased to a record high last year, “even though the state has tripled spending on substance use treatment since 2014,” the report notes. The COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to the number of avoidable deaths last year and curtailed further expansion of treatment. However, having “the most severe consequences of substance use disorders continue to worsen despite increased access to services indicates treatment is an essential but incomplete solution,” the report states. New Mexico also needs to “improve its prevention and early intervention programs, particularly those that can address the complex, underlying causes of substance abuse, including poverty and childhood trauma.” The report further notes that little progress has been made to address lack of treatment programs within the criminal justice system, which helps “perpetuate cycles of substance abuse and incarceration.” While New Mexico has long had one of the highest death rates for alcohol and drug overdoses, the nature of the problem has shifted, with Fentanyl and methamphetamine surpassing heroin and prescription opioids as the leading causes of overdose deaths—78% of them last year. Cally Carswell, the LFC’s program evaluator, told members that statistic “is important because the details of the problem should inform the solutions.”
State approves two Santa Fe businesses for job training funds
Two Santa Fe companies were among those announced yesterday by the state Economic Development Department to receive funding from its Job Training Incentive Program Board. The JTIP board approved more than $2.2 million to support employee and intern training for 160 jobs at 17 New Mexico businesses. According to a news release, the board was “jam-packed with applications,” including five companies applying for the first time. “It’s exciting to see such a diversity of businesses taking advantage of JTIP,” Economic Development Secretary Alicia J. Keyes said in a statement yesterday. “We had so many applications this month…which shows a real economic optimism that is beginning to permeate throughout the state as we move forward toward recovery.” The Santa Fe-based Earth Traveler Teardrop Trailers LLC was one of the first-time companies, and will receive close to $26,000 to hire six trainees at an average hourly salary of $17.25. Founder & CEO Angel R. Irlanda also was a winning finalist in the 2018 Santa fe MIX BizMIX entrepreneurial competition with his company. Santa Fe Brewing Company also received funding—the fourth time the state’s oldest and largest craft brewery has been approved by JTIP—for nearly $70,000 to train three new employees with an average hourly salary of $32.
Listen up
Yesterday morning, prior to the fatal attack in Afghanistan, KUNM’s Let’s Talk New Mexico program delved into the growing crises faced by Afghani refugees and what role New Mexico can play in helping—a situation that grows only more urgent each day. Guests included: Mohammad Ismial, a former Afghan interpreter to US armed forces; Brandon Baca, refugee and newcomer supports program manager for Albuquerque Public Schools; and Beatriz Elena Valencia, immigrant and refugee affairs liaison for the City of Albuquerque. Ismial also spoke separately to KUNM about the “imminent danger” his family members remaining in Afghanistan are facing. He says he has been in constant contact with several members of the state’s congressional delegation: “I’ve sent them a list of immediate family members of not just me, there are other Afghans who have served the government the same way I did. We have made a list of 107 people and we have sent it to them.”
Head out with patience
AFAR magazine encourages travelers to be patient, warning that flights, hotels and restaurants may be short-staffed for a while with fewer services and decreased hours. The story leads with a case in point: Fresh oysters have disappeared from the menu at Pappadeux Seafood Kitchen in Albuquerque, because shucking is labor-intensive and the restaurant would need more line workers to bring them back. In Santa Fe, Restaurant Martin co-owner Jennifer Rios tells AFAR every day feels like the movie Fifty First Dates, in which Drew Barrymore wakes up each morning unable to remember anything, including her boyfriend, who has to help her relearn her life. “That’s exactly how I feel every day,” Rios says about struggle to find and train new workers. “It’s tumultuous. A lot of new people all the time.” Santa Fe has been packed, Rios notes, and the restaurant solidly booked. “We looked at our numbers from OpenTable, and for July we were up 171% from 2020. And we’re doing that with a bunch of people that don’t know where the trays are,” Rios says.
Zozofest begins
As regular Morning Word readers know, SFR is collecting gloom at our offices (1512 Pacheco St., Ste. D105) for this year’s Sept. 3 burning of Zozobra, and those who wish to unburden from home can also utilize an affordable online option. But anyone yearning for a more up-close and personal experience should swing by this year’s Zozofest, which kicks off from 5 to 8 pm this evening at Santa Fe Plaza Mall, and continues from 10 am to 7 pm on Saturday and 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday. You can directly stuff your woe into Zozobra and check out his 2021 visage. Zozofest also will feature limited edition prints, sculptures, photographs and creative works depicting the city’s favorite malcontent, along with hundreds of drawings created by Santa Fe Public School students. “When the Kiwanis Club builds Zozobra, we accept that we have to get rid of him,” Zozobra Event Chair man Ray Sandoval said in a statement. “This is his entire purpose, but the artwork created in his likeness gives him a chance to stay alive year-round, existing as an important element in our history and culture. The art show is also extremely inclusive. We’ve never had to turn down any artists and the entry fee is $0. It doesn’t matter if it’s an artist’s first time showing in an art show or their 100th––all are welcome.” The weekend’s event also includes ‘80s music to commemorate this year’s continuation of the Decades project, as well as performances by local musicians and sales of this year’s Zozobra merchandise.
More rain, please
Yesterday’s chances for rain may have been slim, but they were enough to deliver. Let’s hope the trend continues. Today, the National Weather Service forecasts a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3 pm. Otherwise, TGIF should be sunny, with a high near 84 degrees and east wind 5 to 15 mph becoming west in the morning. Chances for rain tonight rise to 30%, dip back down to 20% tomorrow and rise to 60% on Sunday. Look for temps in the low to mid 80s all weekend long.
Thanks for reading! The Word isn’t big on visiting cemeteries, but the recent unveiling of Dorothy Parker’s headstone sounds like it was a good time.
