The daily recap of New Mexico COVID-19 news (4/13/20 edition)

Note: This daily recap of COVID-19 news from New Mexico is available in a free daily email. Sign up here. See all of our COVID-19 coverage here. State officials announced six additional deaths related to COVID-19 on Sunday. The Department of Health also announced 74 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in […]

The daily recap of New Mexico COVID-19 news (4/13/20 edition)

Note: This daily recap of COVID-19 news from New Mexico is available in a free daily email. Sign up here.

See all of our COVID-19 coverage here.

  • State officials announced six additional deaths related to COVID-19 on Sunday. The Department of Health also announced 74 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in New Mexico to 1,245. Read our story here
  • The state of New Mexico is making plans for what happens if it is short on ventilators when the surge in cases starts to spread across the state.
  • A doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital has launched clinical trials for multiple drugs that may be useful in treating COVID-19 in patients.The trials include experimental treatments of two antimalarial drugs, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, and one drug that was developed to treat ebola. Read our story here
  • Native Americans represent 29 percent of the COVID-19 cases in New Mexico, despite accounting for just 11 percent of the state’s population, according to an analysis by New Mexico in Depth
  • Holy Cross Medical Center in Taos County announced that 10 of the 15 who tested positive for COVID-19 are full-imtes county residents, the Taos News reported. One is a dual residency and the other four were out of state residents.
  • McKinley County, which has the highest amount of positive COVID-19 cases per capita in the state, will consider a curfew, the Navajo Times reported.
  • The Albuquerque Journal wrote about the support that frontline health care workers are receiving from around the city.
  • The Associated Press and the Albuquerque Journal wrote about churches, including the Catholic Church, holding Easter services online and in other non-traditional ways.
  • Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union” show Sunday morning with Jake Tapper. Lujan Grisham said she’ll do “what’s right” for her state to slow coronavirus spread, as President Donald Trump has suggested easing guidelines on social distancing by May. Lujan Grisham said she expects the state’s peak of COVID-19 cases to hit in late May. 
  • KOB-TV also spoke to Lujan Grisham, and said New Mexicans should expect the public health emergency orders to remain in place at least through early May.
  • The Santa Fe New Mexican reported on how farms are connecting with food banks. Farms are impacted by restaurants closing and food banks are being hurt by grocery stores’ thin supplies.
  • The U.S. Internal Revenue Service deposited the first wave of stimulus checks on Saturday, CNN reported.
  • Farmington artists will participate in a virtual spring art walk April 17, in lieu of the annual event that usually includes groups of spectators moving from gallery to gallery, the Farmington Daily Times reported. The event is being put on by the Farmington Convention & Visitors Bureau. 
  • The President of the Immigrant and Refugee Resource Village of Albuquerque told KUNM that a property owner attempted to evict an African family despite a Supreme Court order that paused evictions for inability to pay during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
  • U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall signed on to a letter to Acting Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Russell Vought Friday, calling on OMB to extend existing public comment periods and hearings until social distancing and stay at home orders have been lifted. 
  • The City of Santa Fe closed all drop-off recycling sites because of strained resources and concerns about sanitation, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
  • Los Alamos National Laboratory posted links to some of the research LANL employees have conducted related to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes COVID-19, according to the Los Alamos Reporter.
  • Food trucks will be able to operate at New Mexico rest areas, the state Department of Transportation announced this weekend, after approval from federal officials.

We're ad free

That means that we rely on support from readers like you. Help us keep reporting on the most important New Mexico Stories by donating today.

Related

Effort to challenge six laws enacted last year comes to an end

Effort to challenge six laws enacted last year comes to an end

Earlier this month, the New Mexico Supreme Court denied and dismissed the effort to challenge six laws enacted in 2023. The New Mexico Supreme…
Governor to call special session for public safety legislation this summer

Governor to call special session for public safety legislation this summer

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that she will call the Legislature into a special session this summer to address public safety legislation that did…
Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
Ozone pollution continues to plague New Mexico

Ozone pollution continues to plague New Mexico

Four of the nine New Mexico counties evaluated in the annual State of the Air report received failing marks for ozone pollution. The counties…
NM receives $156M to boost access to solar

NM receives $156M to boost access to solar

New Mexico will receive millions in federal money to increase access to solar power. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced recipients of the $7…
Two PFAS chemicals designated hazardous substances under Superfund law

Two PFAS chemicals designated hazardous substances under Superfund law

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a final rule Friday to designate two types of PFAS chemicals as hazardous substances. Those two chemicals are perfluorooctanoic…
Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican The main things that bring Brayan Chavez to school every day: Seeing, talking to and engaging with…
Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican Brittany Behenna Griffith has a laundry list of adjectives to describe the ideal special education teacher:…
Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican A challenging task awaits New Mexico lawmakers in the next 30 days: Reconciling three very different…
Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Amy Maxmen, KFF Health News Four years after hospitals in New York City overflowed with covid-19 patients, emergency physician Sonya Stokes remains shaken by…
Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act was awarded to six tribal nations and…
Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee discussed a potential constitutional amendment that seeks to limit the governor’s executive powers. The committee approved…
Latest SCOTUS abortion case uncertain and could impact New Mexico

Latest SCOTUS abortion case uncertain and could impact New Mexico

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Wednesday on an abortion-related case, this time over whether an Idaho anti-abortion law preempts a federal…
Abortion fund provider rebrands and holds open house

Abortion fund provider rebrands and holds open house

An abortion fund provider unveiled a rebrand and offered an open house in Las Cruces to celebrate the organization’s new name, mission and values. …
Stansbury introduces judicial ethics bill on U.S. Supreme Court steps

Stansbury introduces judicial ethics bill on U.S. Supreme Court steps

U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury announced a bill on Thursday that would, if enacted, establish judicial ethics to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Judicial Ethics…
Latest SCOTUS abortion case uncertain and could impact New Mexico

Latest SCOTUS abortion case uncertain and could impact New Mexico

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Wednesday on an abortion-related case, this time over whether an Idaho anti-abortion law preempts a federal…
Abortion fund provider rebrands and holds open house

Abortion fund provider rebrands and holds open house

An abortion fund provider unveiled a rebrand and offered an open house in Las Cruces to celebrate the organization’s new name, mission and values. …
Politics and abortion, how much will it matter?

Politics and abortion, how much will it matter?

At the national level, abortion is still a high-stakes issue with both major presidential candidates talking about it in their campaigns, but it may…
Progressives going after incumbents in hot Democratic primaries

Progressives going after incumbents in hot Democratic primaries

By Justin Horwath, NM In Depth It’s a safe bet Democrats will barrel into 2025 with their supremacy intact at the New Mexico Legislature.…
Effort to challenge six laws enacted last year comes to an end

Effort to challenge six laws enacted last year comes to an end

Earlier this month, the New Mexico Supreme Court denied and dismissed the effort to challenge six laws enacted in 2023. The New Mexico Supreme…
Vasquez calls out Republicans for ‘inaction’ on border policy

Vasquez calls out Republicans for ‘inaction’ on border policy

U.S. Rep. Gabriel “Gabe” Vasquez, a Democrat who represents the state’s 2nd Congressional District along the U.S.-Mexico border, cosponsored a resolution on Monday calling…
Latest SCOTUS abortion case uncertain and could impact New Mexico

Latest SCOTUS abortion case uncertain and could impact New Mexico

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Wednesday on an abortion-related case, this time over whether an Idaho anti-abortion law preempts a federal…
Ozone pollution continues to plague New Mexico

Ozone pollution continues to plague New Mexico

Four of the nine New Mexico counties evaluated in the annual State of the Air report received failing marks for ozone pollution. The counties…
Progressives going after incumbents in hot Democratic primaries

Progressives going after incumbents in hot Democratic primaries

By Justin Horwath, NM In Depth It’s a safe bet Democrats will barrel into 2025 with their supremacy intact at the New Mexico Legislature.…

GET INVOLVED

© 2023 New Mexico Political Report