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- New Mexico hit a new record high in COVID-19 cases in a single day, thanks to an explosion of cases in the Cibola County Correctional Center and with continued growth in southern and eastern New Mexico. Read more here.
- Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham slammed Senate Republicans over their COVID-19 relief bill that would slash jobless benefits from $600 per month to $200 per month. Part of her statement:
- “More than 175,000 New Mexicans have benefited from the $600 boost throughout the pandemic. It’s a literal lifeline. Parents, workers, our neighbors and our friends all across our state have come to rely upon this to get by every day, every week of this crisis. Congressional Republicans want to take that money out of their pockets, water down essential benefits, provide even less to New Mexicans who need every ounce of assistance they can get during this public health and economic emergency. It represents an unconscionable step backward in our fight to both provide help to affected workers and to help sustain our economy. The proposal as it stands is unworkable and would lead to delays and confusion on behalf of the public, in addition to lacking any additional funding for states dealing with untold revenue losses. As a whole, the proposal falls short in any number of areas. This isn’t a partisan issue. This is about the provision of basic government services to meet the needs of constituents.”
- Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise, which runs the casinos on the Navajo Nation, laid off 900 people, with more to come, the Navajo Times reported.
- The New Mexico Restaurant Association wants an Eddy County judge to rule on the lawsuit against the state’s restriction on indoor dining, KOB-TV reported. The judge halted the ban on indoor dining in restaurants, but the state Supreme Court issued a stay on that.
- On Monday, Navajo Nation health officials announced 21 new COVID-19 cases and two additional deaths related to the disease. The Navajo Nation has now recorded 8,912 cases of COVID-19, which includes 6,554 who have recovered and 441 individuals who have died.
- The governor earmarked $50 million in federal funds for a grant program for local businesses as part of $178 million the state received from the federal CARES Act, the Albuquerque Journal reported.
- Holy Cross Medical Center in Taos held a Facebook live event on COVID-19. You can watch it here.
- Doña Ana Community College is planning to reopen on Aug. 18 with as many online courses as possible, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported.
- More parents in Las Cruces are choosing to home school their children, KFOX-TV reported, citing Home School Las Cruces.
- Parents are also considering their options in Roswell, the Roswell Daily Record reported.
- A Farmington Electric Utility System employee in the customer service office reported that three employees potentially came in contact with someone with COVID-19, the Farmington Daily Times reported.
- KRQE-TV reported on the bars and other businesses that remain closed.
- The TV station also reported on party rental shops, some of whom are doing well while others are struggling.
- The Associated Press reported on a doctor in Roswell who is against the state’s mask mandate. KRQE-TV first reported on the doctor’s stance.
- Bernalillo County is offering
- More free testing areas are opening in San Juan County, the Farmington Daily Times reported.
- The city of Las Cruces will hold a blood drive at City Hall on Tuesday, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported.
- A man in Santa Fe County has the plague, health officials announced Monday.
- New Mexico United moved a previously planned home match to a road venue: They will face Phoenix Rising FC in Phoenix on August 8, the Albuquerque Journal reported. Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, has found 109,190 positive COVID-19 cases as of Monday; the county has 2.2 times as many people as all of New Mexico and 5.6 times as many cases of the disease.
