State, City Adapt Federal Mask Guidelines

COVID-19 by the numbers

New Mexico health officials on Friday reported 223 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the statewide total so far to 200,650. The health department has designated 185,779 of those cases as recovered. Bernalillo County had 75 new cases, followed by San Juan County with 36 and Santa Fe County with 17.

The state also announced one additional death: a woman in her 70s from San Juan County who had been hospitalized and had underlying conditions. There have now been 4,113 fatalities. As of Friday, 112 people were hospitalized with COVID-19. The state will provide a three-day update for COVID-19 cases this afternoon.

Currently, 62.6% of people in New Mexico have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine; 51.7% are fully vaccinated. In Santa Fe County, 70.8% have had at least one and 56.9% have been 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.

State, city adopt new CDC mask guidelines

On Friday, the state of New Mexico modified its public health order and adopted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated guidance: Fully vaccinated people don’t have to wear masks in most indoor and outdoor settings. The public health order requires anyone not meeting that criteria to continue wearing a mask in public settings. A health department news release also reiterated the need for COVID-safe practices. “As the CDC continues to evaluate available data and develop additional guidance, it is critical that New Mexicans continue to take all precautions until they are fully vaccinated,” Human Services Department Secretary Dr. David Scrase said in a statement. “While the science is clear that vaccinated individuals are protected, New Mexicans must continue to get vaccinated in order to guarantee that protection.” As with the CDC guidance, everyone must wear a mask when in: health care settings; correctional facilities; homeless shelters; and when on public transportation. The City of Santa Fe later on Friday also amended its face-covering order in tandem. In addition, city Communications Director Dave Herndon told SFR Friday afternoon that the City Council will be meeting in special session May 25 ″to discuss plans for returning to in-person services and meetings.”

What happens in Texas...

New Mexico Republicans spent the weekend in Amarillo, Texas for the state party’s convention, aka Operation Freedom, featuring South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and US Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio. While the party didn’t allow news coverage of at least some events, the Santa Fe New Mexican gleaned that topics included the post-Trump GOP identity, along with the less philosophic issue of how to find and elect more Republican candidates. “We’re never going to win New Mexico with 30-second TV ads. We’re not,” party Chairman Steve Pearce reportedly told Republicans at the event. “You’re going to have to take your values into communities that typically reject us. I went into areas that said they’ve never seen a Republican before, and they listened.” The state GOP booked its convention in Texas to avoid COVID-19 restrictions; Gov. Greg Abbott lifted mask mandates and other safety practices in March. “The New Mexico GOP has made it clear that their values are more aligned with Texas than with New Mexico,” DPNM Chair Jessica Velasquez said in a statement. “While they hold an unnecessary and risky political convention, Democrats will continue to hold our events where we can engage New Mexicans and support local businesses.”

State launches WIPP expansion hearings

The state environment department’s Hazardous Waste Bureau begins virtual public hearings at noon today on a draft Hazardous Waste Facility Permit for the transuranic waste depository, aka the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, 26 miles east of Carlsbad. Residents can provide comments or follow the hearing via Zoom or by phone; you will find details of how to do that on page 3 of this document hiding in plain site on the department’s website. The hearing continues until 4 pm today and then takes place from noon to 4 pm and 6 to 9 pm through May 21, with specific times for public comments. More background information can be found on the Stop Forever WIPP website, which also provides sample letters opposing the permit. Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety also has extensive background information regarding the expansion. CCNS Executive Director Joni Arends and Southwest Research and Information Center Nuclear Waste Program Director and Administrator Don Hancock discussed the expansion and all things WIPP with KSFR Living on the Edge show host Xubi Wilson.

Listen up

Today, the state Human Services Department kicks off several listening sessions aimed at gathering public feedback about its business processes and customer satisfaction, specifically on the topics of Medicaid and behavioral health services; child support services; and applying for HSD benefits and customer service. The first session takes place from noon to 1:30 pm today on the topic of Medicaid and behavioral health services; log in here or dial in +1 (872) 240-3212 and use the access code: 566-402-293. Sessions will be held at the same time on Tuesday and Wednesday on child support and applying for HSD benefits, respectively. Comments may also be submitted directly to the New Mexico Human Services Department by email at: HSD-PublicComment@state.nm.us.

Hit the road

Thrillist assembles a New Mexico road trip from Las Cruces to Santa Fe highlighting kayaking, art museums and chile peppers along the way. The story recommends chile pepper farm Hatch Chile Express, particularly between August and September, to satiate one’s chile fix and pick up chile swag. Elephant Butte State Park makes the list for its water-sports options, including kayaking (although party poopers that we are, we’d advise checking the park’s alerts for low-water levels first). Socorro’s Bureau of Geology Mineral Museum apparently has a must-see gift shop. Albuquerque rates for the New Mexico Museum of Natural History to learn about the history of New Mexico “from the beginnings of life on earth.” And Santa Fe? You guessed it: Meow Wolf for “one experience that’s sure to leave an impression.”

Meow Wolf nixes DC plan for now

Speaking of Meow Wolf, plans for an installation at the Art Place at Fort Totten in Washington DC are reportedly off for now. The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the development company behind the project, told DCist last week that Meow Wolf is no longer part of the project, as first reported by local blog Next Stop Riggs Park. “While no longer pursuing our original plans, Meow Wolf and the Cafritz Foundation remain excited about the vibrant creative community of Washington, D.C. and the vision for Art Place at Fort Totten,” a spokesperson for the company wrote in a statement to DCist. “We will keep open the option to work together in the coming years as we hope to find ways to honor each other’s social impact mission for the benefit of the metropolitan area.” A Meow Wolf spokesperson told the Washingtonian in a statement the company had “reevaluated our original plan in Fort Totten and are still in the exploratory phase, which means we are looking at several options as to what an exhibition in DC will entail. We currently do not have concrete plans, but we will continue to update our community as our plans develop.”

Fingers crossed for rain

The National Weather Service forecasts a slight chance (30%) of showers today, with a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 9 am. Otherwise, it should be partly sunny with a high near 73 degrees and east wind 15 to 20 mph becoming south in the afternoon.

Thanks for reading! The Word appreciated the cohesion and concision of Harper Magazine’s recent annotation feature on vaccine passports.