artdirector@sfreporter.com
Morning Word
COVID-19 by the numbers
New Mexico health officials yesterday reported 148 new COVID-19 cases over the course of the three-day period of June 26-28, bringing the statewide total so far to 205,438. The health department has designated 194,392 of those cases as recovered. Bernalillo County had 42 new cases, followed by San Juan County with 18 and Rio Arriba County with 15. Santa Fe County had eight new cases, half of which were in the Southside 87507 ZIP code, which ranked 10th in the state for the most new cases.
The state also announced one additional death from more than 30 days ago: a female in her 60s from Chaves County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions. There have now been 4,336 total fatalities. As of yesterday, 75 people were hospitalized with COVID-19.
Currently, 69.3% of New Mexicans have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 61% are fully vaccinated. In Santa Fe County, 78.3% have had at least one dose and 69.5% are fully inoculated.
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.
GOP wants Legislature to tackle pandemic spending authority
New Mexico House Republican Whip Rod Montoya of Farmington yesterday set in motion efforts to convene the Legislature in a so-called “extraordinary” legislative session. The move is the latest over a conflict of authority over more than $1 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds. In April, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham vetoed the Legislature’s plan for spending more than $1.6 billion of the funds. An extraordinary session would need support from three-fifths of the members of each legislative chamber. Democrats, who hold majorities in both the House and the Senate, seem unlikely to support the effort (although state Sen. Jacob Candelaria, D-Albuquerque, said on Twitter he supports the move). Montoya raised the issue during yesterday’s Legislative Council meeting (right around the 3:02 pm time stamp). “She’s completely bypassing the appropriating body,” Montoya said, who initially wanted a vote on having the Legislative Council assist in the necessary paperwork. House Speaker Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, said it was inappropriate both for the Legislative Council to vote on having the Legislative Council Service prepare paperwork and to take a position on the issue. Egolf later issued a statement that an extraordinary session isn’t necessary: “We don’t need to fight on this,” he said. “Both sides of the Legislature can have robust conversations with the Governor on how to spend these dollars.” A governor’s spokeswoman says information on Lujan Grisham’s plans for the funds is forthcoming.
State Supreme Court: Griffin recall efforts may proceed
Efforts to recall Cowboys for Trump and Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin may proceed, following a state Supreme Court order released yesterday, which upheld a Twelfth Judicial District decision allowing the recall. Committee to Recall Couy Griffin spokesman Paul Sanchez said, in response to the order, backers of the recall movement were “grateful for this opportunity to provide the registered voters of Otero County District 2 the chance to decide if Commissioner Griffin is still the person they want to continue to represent them on the county commission as well as nationwide.” Griffin has been charged and pled not-guilty to disorderly conduct and unlawful entry onto the Capitol grounds during the Jan. 6 US capitol riot. Griffin tells CNN—which featured him in its “Assault on Democracy: Path to Insurrection” series—that his wife and child left after he was arrested, and his businesses have been “shuttered.” He tells the Alamogordo News, however, he will continue to fight the recall effort, although he has exhausted his legal remedies. “Just because the State of New Mexico wants to acknowledge the recall doesn’t mean that the good people of Otero County will,” Griffin said. “I believe I still have much support in my district. I believe the people in my district still believe in Conservative values and individual rights and freedoms and I believe that if this recall comes to vote, that point will be proved.”
Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em
New Mexico’s Cannabis Regulation Act takes effect today, allowing people over the age of 21 to possess 2 ounces of cannabis, 16 grams of cannabis extract and 800 milligrams of edible cannabis on their person or in their vehicle, although public smoking remains illegal and commercial sales are still in the offing (for more deets on the provisions of the law, read SFR’s breakdown). Commercial sales will start no later than April 1, 2022, but prior to that happening, the state will need to craft a plethora of regulations and solicit public feedback. For instance, the state’s new Cannabis Control Division will hold a public rule hearing starting at 9 am today to consider proposed draft rules regarding the processing, approval and denial of license applications for cannabis producers in New Mexico. Local governments also will have to weigh in on zoning issues under their jurisdictions but, as SFR reported last week, neither the City of Santa Fe nor Santa Fe County appears to have made much headway in doing so.
Listen up
On the most recent episode of Film Talk on KTRC Talk, Shaandiin Tome discusses her award-winning film Mud (Hashtl’ishnii), her time as a Sundance Fellow, and what it means to be a local filmmaker with hosts Jacques Paisner and Gary Farmer, as well as producer Liesette Paisner Bailey. Among other topics, Tome discussed the Legislature’s acknowledgement of her accomplishments with Mud through a 2018 Senate Joint Memorial. “That was kind of strange,” Tome says, “but for me to go from…college to making my first short and have that celebrated in such a big way was a huge honor and I think it really is a big motivator in how I move forward [and] makes me realize I have a lot of support behind me.”
Cooking with Deb
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) talks with Food & Wine magazine about—wait for it—food. Even when she’s in Washington, DC, Haaland keeps her kitchen stocked with red chile powder, corn tortillas and frozen roasted green chile. Each connect to some aspect of her upbringing: The tortillas “taste like Haaland’s childhood in Mesita;” red chile “infused the warming beef posole her mom dutifully prepared no matter where” they were stationed in the US during her father’s 30-year Marine career; Haaland roasted green chile for the salsa she “jarred and sold to earn a living when her daughter was a toddler, then later diced into big batches of chicken posole stew that she made for fellow law students and congressional colleagues.” In other words, Haaland loves to cook, she tells the magazine, and in so doing carries on Pueblo traditions. “In Pueblo culture, we celebrate our patron saint by hosting feast days where people open up their homes and share food with anyone who comes by to eat,” she said.
Former Lobo becomes US citizen, competes in Olympic trials
The Washington Post profiles former New Mexico Lobo Weini Kelati’s journey to compete in last Saturday’s US Olympic trial in the 10,000 meters in Eugene, Ore. She had been there before in 2014 at the age of 17, competing for Eritrea in the world junior track and field championships. Then, she didn’t return to Eritrea, but stayed in the US, eventually ending up at the University of New Mexico, where she made 13 All-America teams. Kelati didn’t finish her race on Saturday, where runners competed earlier in the day due to the extreme heat. But for a while, it didn’t appear she’d be able to compete at all, due to delays in processing her citizen application. Instead, with help from a variety of people, including US Sen. Ben Ray Luján, Kelati became a citizen on Wednesday, just days before her race. “I’m proud that my team was able to help navigate the naturalization process and help take part in this hard-fought milestone,” Luján said via Twitter yesterday. Talking with the Post in advance of the trials, Kelati acknowledged the whirlwind events that brought her back to Eugene: “Three days ago, I didn’t know if they were going to let me race,” she said. “Yesterday, I figured it out. I was like, ‘Wow.’ It’s just, like, insane.”
Take a chill pill
Our favorite week continues, with the National Weather Service forecasting an 80% chance of precipitation with showers and thunderstorms possible after noon and a high temperature near 66 degrees. We have a 50% chance of rain tonight via scattered showers and thunderstorms.
Thanks for reading! The Word normally tries to ignore TikTok, but teens using social media to discuss their love of reading seemed worthy of an exception.
