The latest on COVID-19
– Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham yesterday announced the state's cases of COVID-19 now number 28. After thanking New Mexico's first responders, healthcare workers and retail workers, she announced that all casinos must close, along with all recreation centers and spas and the like, and that office-based small businesses must reduce in-person operations as much as possible. All restaurants have to move to take-out only, and hotels need to operate at 50% capacity. Listen to our Reported podcast update here.
– Yesterday President Trump signed into law legislation that makes COVID-19 testing easier and provides emergency leave to those affected by the pandemic (which, at this point, is pretty much everyone). Congress practiced social distancing during the vote.
– Speaking of social distancing, we need to keep practicing it and stay vigilant, because New Mexico's hospitals would be inadequate to handle a large outbreak of coronavirus here, according to an analysis by ProPublica of data released by the Harvard Global Health Institute. The only scenario under which we won't exceed 100% hospital bed capacity is if just 20% of the population comes down with the virus over 18 months, and one Harvard epidemiologist believes that 40% to 70% of the population is likely to get it before all this is said and done.
– US Rep. Ben Ray Luján, D-NM, state officials and medical experts participated in a teletownhall Tuesday night, which drew more than 10,000 callers at its peak. Experts discussed the availability of testing, what the Department of Workforce Solutions is doing about New Mexicans who will miss paychecks, and answered questions about isolation and quarantine.
– Employers laid off lots of local workers yesterday, and the trend is unlikely to stop in the coming weeks. The New Mexican provides some info on what folks are to do if they get laid off; namely, head over to the website of the Department of Workforce Solutions for everything you need.
– To stay updated on COVID-19 stories as we post them, visit sfreporter.com/covid19 and keep refreshing throughout the day.
Montaño accused again
Another person has come out of the woodwork to file a lawsuit against the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Fe. The man is the sixth to accuse the org's former executive director and onetime Santa Fe Mayor Louis Montaño of sexual assault dating to the 1970s and '80s. Montaño died in 2008; the lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount in damages.
Here’s some advice: Don’t
Don't threaten to kill people on Facebook. Well, don't do it anywhere, but don't be like 33-year-old Daniel Logan Mock of Albuquerque, who wrote a Facebook comment in which he threatened to kill the governor. He's now in custody. The man's girlfriend said that he was only "blowing off steam."
Aunt Betty’s ottoman
Sorry to anyone who was psyched to lug their heirlooms up to Museum Hill this June and get them looked at by Antiques Roadshow experts: The program has postponed its summer tour and will be rescheduling its stop in Santa Fe.
Gusty winds a’coming
After that nice scrubbing rain yesterday, we're set to see a cooler day today, so bundle up for those daily hikes of yours. Today there's a high of 44 degrees with a 40% chance of precipitation, and winds at 20 to 30 mph with the occasional gust up to 40 mph. Yuck. Well, it is now officially springtime in New Mexico, after all, and that does mean wind.
Thanks for reading! The Word had a more difficult day yesterday, but enjoyed seeing so many friends' faces while watching Better Call Saul. We have some talented folks in this state, don't we?