artdirector@sfreporter.com
COVID-19 by the numbers
New Mexico health officials yesterday reported 1,083 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the statewide total so far to 505,359; DOH has designated 405,383 of those cases as recovered. As the chart on the first page of this week’s epidemiological report on geographical trends indicates, cases have declined steeply.
Bernalillo County had 308 cases, followed by Doña Ana County with 122 and San Juan County with 105. Santa Fe County had 41 new cases.
According to the most recent weekly vaccine report, between Jan. 17-Feb. 14, 51.7% of COVID-19 cases were among people who had not completed a primary vaccination series; 29.9% were among those who had completed the series but had not received a booster; and 18.4% were among those who were fully vaccinated and boosted. For hospitalizations, those figures change to 65.3%, 21.3% and 13.4%. The percentages shift to 67.1%, 23.6% and 9.3% for fatalities.
The state also reported 18 additional deaths, 10 of them recent; there have been 6,729 statewide. As of yesterday, 446 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, 14 fewer than the day before.
Currently, 91.6% percent of adults 18 years and older have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 77.7% have completed their primary series. Among the same demographic, 43.5% have had a booster shot. In the 12-17-year-old age group, 70.7% of people have had at least one dose and 60.5% have completed their primary series. Among children ages 5-11, 37.5% have had at least one dose of the Pfizer vaccine and 27.7% have completed their primary series. In Santa Fe County, 99% of people 18 and older have had at least one dose and 86.7% have completed their primary series.
The health department yesterday canceled its weekly COVID-19 update, “to be available for legislators as we work to ensure important health care legislation is passed,” Acting Health Secretary Dr. David Scrase said via a news release. Scrase is expected to resume weekly briefings on Feb. 23.
New Mexicans can register for a COVID-19 vaccine here, schedule a COVID-19 vaccine booster here and view a public calendar for vaccine availability here. Parents can add dependents to their vaccine profiles here. You can read the guidelines for quarantine and isolation here.
You can order free at-home COVID-19 tests here and find other testing options at findatestnm.org. New Mexicans living in ZIP codes disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 may be eligible for five free tests through Accesscovidtest.org. The health department is offering drive-through PCR testing through Feb. 21; to find an appointment (recommended only for people with symptoms), register here. You can self-report a positive COVID-19 test result to the health department here.
The City of Santa Fe also is distributing free at-home rapid antigen COVID-19 tests; residents and visitors may collect one kit per person (up to four per household) at all three library branches; all three recreation centers; the convention center and tourism office. See locations and times here (except for the Genoveva Chavez Community Center, which isn’t listed, but offers free tests during its operating hours).
For those who test positive for COVID-19, the state advises seeking treatments, such as the oral treatments Paxlovid (age 12+) and Molnupiravir (age 18+); as well as monoclonal antibody treatment. People seeking treatment who do not have a medical provider can call NMDOH’s COVID-19 hotline at 1-855-600-3453.
You can read all of SFR’s COVID-19 coverage here.
The final hours
The 30-day 55th Legislature draws to a close at noon today, with a flurry of activity overtaking its final hours. Lawmakers resolved differences over the close to $8.5 billion budget, a 14% increase over current spending, and have sent the bill to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for consideration. The compromise bill eliminated funding for hydrogen energy hubs, one of the governor’s initiatives this session, and also took out budget language tying law enforcement officer recruitment bonuses to a larger crime package. SB140, expanding the state’s Opportunity Scholarship, has passed, prompting praise from the governor’s office, along with HB132, aimed at ending the state’s long-time predatory loan problems. House Bill 163, which contains several tax reforms, including the elimination of tax on Social Security up to a certain income bracket, will need approval from the House following changes in the Senate. As for crime legislation, a re-vamped bill that incorporates several elements of proposals that have been in play throughout the session passed the Senate yesterday and will be considered by the House today in advance of the session’s conclusion. The bill addresses the issue of pre-trial detention by expediting release of defendants’ GPS data to law enforcement; and requiring the courts to create a program to expand supervision of people on pretrial supervision. The bill also addresses law enforcement recruitment bonuses and enhanced penalties for a variety of crimes.
PED announces final rule on social studies curriculum
The Public Education Department announced yesterday it has adopted a final rule that replaces the state’s social studies standards, the culmination of months of public participation and controversy. The proposed changes, as described in a draft version of the rules, included an emphasis on “major historical themes such as power, class conflict, struggle, geo-political impact, social justice, equity and diversity,” and “ensuring divergence from a singular Eurocentric cultural script ensuring equitable inclusion of accurate historical stories reflecting Indigenous, Hispano/Latino, Chicano, Mestizo, Genizaro, African American and other cultural perspectives.” That emphasis swiftly prompted outcry that dovetailed with a national conservative backlash against so-called critical race theory, with hundreds of written and verbal comments pouring in during the public comment period that ended in November. According to a news release, following the public comment period, PED invited members of the writing committee to join a revision committee, and 29 of the original writers did so. The revision committee then reviewed and analyzed public comment and revised the original rule, resulting in the new social studies standards. The new standards also incorporate a personal finance component, following a letter-writing campaign spearheaded by Think New Mexico. You can view a detailed explanation of changes between the proposed and final rule here and read the final rule here. Students will see the new standards in the classroom beginning in school year 2023-2024. “The new social studies standards are a celebration of the best in public education,” PED Deputy Secretary Gwen Perea Warniment, who oversaw the standards revision process, said in a statement. “They demonstrate historical accuracy and, most importantly, provide the framework for educators and students to engage in meaningful discourse about the story of ourselves and our future.”
NM previews pending settlement over Gold King Mine spill
New Mexico state officials yesterday announced litigation against the federal government over the 2015 Gold King Mine disaster will be paused for 90 days as the parties formalize a final settlement agreement. According to a news release, the final settlement terms will focus on investing funds into communities in northwest New Mexico to “bolster the agriculture and outdoor recreation economies and mitigate the stigma caused by the spill.” The settlement also will pay for the state’s response costs; restore and conserve riverine and land habitats; provide ongoing monitoring of water quality; and control and mitigate sources of pollution to protect drinking water. The suit stems from Aug. 5, 2015, when a US Environmental Protection Agency crew doing exploratory work at the Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado, accidentally caused a blowout of impounded mine water. More than 3 million gallons of acidic mine water contaminated with heavy metals flowed into Cement Creek, a tributary of the Animas River; the plume then reached the Animas River and flowed into New Mexico and the San Juan River. The state subsequently sued the EPA and the mining companies involved with the accident. Last January, the state settled with those companies. A settlement with the EPA, Environment Secretary James Kenney said in a statement, “will mark a turning point for our people, our communities and our environment. While we will never forget this tragedy, this settlement will continue to help us rebuild a robust economy in Northwest New Mexico while protecting our fragile environment in this region.”
Listen up
Santa Fe Public Schools has a new podcast, Inside SFPS, which kicked off at the start of the month with a recap of January and an interview with SFPS Superintendent Hilario “Larry” Chavez. The second episode dropped this week and features the district’s Chief Information and Strategy Officer Neal Weaver discussing a variety of technology issues, including the district’s response to the pandemic.
Meanwhile at the Spaceport
With Virgin Galactic opening up ticket reservations yesterday for space flights out of New Mexico later this year, Thrillist offers up “Everything You Need to Know About Spaceport America: The Future Home of Space Tourism.” The story discusses Spaceport’s location (rural) and suitability for space exploration given its close proximity to White Sands Missile Range, where the government launched the first rocket to take a picture of Earth from space and, of course, detonated the first atomic bomb. As for activities at the Spaceport, the story notes “the spaceport hosts engine testing, drone testing, and rocket launches by communications and defense companies.” And one company, Celestis, sends cremated remains into space via Memorial Spaceflight Missions from various locations, with a Spaceport launch, the Aurora flight, scheduled for April 13, 2022. And, of course, Spaceport hosted the VSS Unity 22 crewed test flight last July, witnessed by Spaceport tour guide Curtis Rosemond, who tells Thrillist: “[When] VSS Unity successfully touched ground…you could hear the crowd cheering from a mile away. You could see some people with tears of joy running down their faces. It was a day that I will always remember.”
Calling young poets
Applications remain open through Feb. 28 for Santa Fe’s next Youth Poet Laureate. Prizes include a $1,000 scholarship; five poems published in the National Youth Poet Laureate annual anthology by Penmanship Books; four VIP tickets to the 2022 Zozobra; reading and speaking engagements between April 2022 and April 2023; being featured on the Youth Poet Laureate website with a picture and poem; and the opportunity to apply to the regional youth poet laureate competition. All poets, spoken word artists, emcees and writers ages 12-19 are invited to send five original poems and/or raps, along with a resume to The Witter Bynner Foundation for Poetry, PO Box 10169 Santa Fe, NM 87504. They can also email Kelsey Brown for more information or to submit: witterb123@gmail.com. Read more about the program and past youth poet laureates here. Judging will take place in March with a “crowning” ceremony in April.
Cold snap
Hey, look! It snowed. And it may snow more this morning, according to the National Weather Service, which forecasts precipitation as likely before 11 am. As such, Santa Fe Public Schools announced circa 6 am that all school sites are closed today due to snow-packed roads and icy conditions. According to the district, students in grades 9-12 will be in remote synchronous learning today; grades K-8 should contact their child’s teacher(s) regarding parent-teacher conferences; and all district staff should report as soon as it is safe to do so. Everyone else, we’re looking a mostly cloudy start to Thursday, which will then gradually become mostly sunny with a high near 31 degrees and a bit windy at times. The next few days should be warmer and drier before another potential storm moves in at the beginning of next week.
Thanks for reading! The Word hopes to see Ph5′s fall fashion look catch on in Santa Fe.
