Albuquerque mayor isolating after testing positive for COVID – Associated Press
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller has tested positive for COVID-19 and has canceled his attendance at upcoming events.
Keller's office said Thursday that he tested positive earlier this week and is experiencing symptoms but didn't elaborate. He is isolating to keep his family and staff safe, the office said.
Keller had planned to attend weekend events in Albuquerque, including a Pride festival and Summerfest.
He also had planned to visit Saturday with President Joe Biden who is scheduled to make a quick stop in New Mexico to be briefed on wildfires burning in the state and the recovery efforts.
Keller said he's looking forward to returning to in-person duties once it's safe.
Coronavirus cases are on the rise again in New Mexico. But top state health officials said Wednesday that a return to mask mandates or other widespread public health restrictions are unlikely because infections are becoming more mild.
Water company fined $1.2M for sewage discharge in New Mexico - Associated Press
The New Mexico Environment Department announced Thursday that it has fined El Paso Water $1.2 million for allegedly discharging more than 1 billion gallons of raw sewage into the Rio Grande River in Sunland Park.
The state compliance orders also require El Paso Water to fix the problems that caused the illegal diversion and clean up the impacted areas.
Environment Department officials said El Paso Water illegally discharged up to 10 million gallons of raw wastewater daily into the river just upstream of the Courchesne Bridge at the Doniphan Outfall since last Aug. 27.
They said sewage travelled downstream along the New Mexico-Texas border for nearly 2 miles and the illegal discharge didn't stop until January.
El Paso Water is accused of not reporting the unauthorized discharge to state environmental officials in violation of the Water Quality Act and Water Quality Control Commission regulations.
Discharges of untreated sewage typically contain disease-causing bacteria and viruses known as pathogens, which can cause diseases like cholera, giardia and hepatitis A, according to health officials.
A call to El Paso Water seeking comment on the fine wasn't immediately returned Thursday.
Human remains found in Sandoval County ID'd as missing woman – Associated Press
Human remains found last month in Sandoval County has been identified as those of a 20-year-old woman reported as an endangered missing person in April, authorities said Thursday.
Bernalillo County Sheriff's officials said the Office of The Medical Investigator identified the remains as 20-year-old Yasmin Marquez, who was reported missing on April 15.
There was no immediate word on a possible cause of death and it was unclear why Marquez was considered to be in danger.
Sheriff's officials said her remains were located in an open field on May 26.
They said homicide detectives, missing person unit detectives and crime scene investigators responded to the scene and began their investigation.
Sheriff's officials said the investigation into Marquez's death was ongoing.
Sizzling temperatures in store across southwestern US - By Felicia Fonseca Associated Press
Scorching temperatures are in store for the southwestern U.S. over the next several days, with cities like Phoenix, Las Vegas and Palm Springs in California expected to top 110 degrees.
Parts of New Mexico and Texas also will see triple-digits.
Heat is part of the normal routine of summertime in the desert, but weather forecasters say that doesn't mean people should feel at ease. Excessive heat causes more deaths in the U.S. than other weather-related disasters, including hurricanes, floods and tornadoes combined.
"Though weather conditions are going to be nice, you have to limit your outdoor activities significantly," said Gabriel Lojero of the National Weather Service in Phoenix.
The temperatures forecast from Wednesday through Monday are the highest yet this year. Scientists say more frequent and intense heat waves are likely in the future because of climate change and a deepening drought.
The effects of spiking temperatures are felt most acutely among vulnerable populations, including people without homes and workers who labor outside. Homeless people are about 200 times more likely to die from heat-associated causes, said David Hondula, a climate scientist who leads the city of Phoenix's Office of Heat Response and Mitigation.
At least 130 homeless individuals were among the 339 people who died from heat-associated causes last year in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, and has the highest population of any county in Arizona.
Phoenix already is considered the hottest big city in the United States. A heat wave last summer pushed temperatures up to 118 degrees.
Most everyone in central and southern Arizona, southern Nevada and southeast California will be at risk for heat-related illness if they don't take proper precautions, Lojero said. Those include wearing light-colored clothing, staying hydrated and seeking shade if they need to go outside.
Temperatures are expected to tie or break records, even at night when it's cooler, before dropping overall early next week.
Phoenix and Yuma are forecast to be just shy of 115 degrees on Saturday when the heat peaks across the region. Blythe and El Centro in California will be at or above that temperature. Las Vegas will top out at 111 degrees during the heat wave, the National Weather Service said.
Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon also will see triple-digit temperatures — a reminder that the weather changes drastically from the canyon's rim to its inner depths. Heat was a factor in the June 2 death of a woman who was hiking back up the popular Bright Angel Trail after reaching the Colorado River the same day — something the park advises against doing, especially during the hottest times of the day, said Angela Boyers, the chief ranger.
Thomas De Masters, a seasonal ranger at the park, wears a sun-protective hoodie under his shirt, a hat and soaks his clothing whenever he passes a water station. He spends much of his time talking to visitors to get a sense of whether they're prepared for what they've planned and whether it's safe. Among the tips he offers is resting in the shade for an hour and aggressively cooling down with water if the heat becomes too much.
"It's very hot, no doubt about that," he said Wednesday. "There's almost always a week like this in June. We just hope we can get out there and talk to people enough."
Some places in New Mexico also are expected to see temperatures that could break records over the weekend. Thunderstorms over the next couple of days could cause flash flooding in areas that have been scorched by wildfire, forecasters said.
While temperatures had cooled this week in Texas, the heat is building through the weekend.
The sizzling numbers come ahead of the annual rainy season in the Southwest, known simply as the monsoon, that starts in mid-June and runs through September. Weather experts say the phenomenon has equal chances of being above, below and normal this year in Arizona.
New Mexico sees uptick in less severe COVID-19 infections - By Susan Montoya Bryan Associated Press
Coronavirus cases are on the rise again in New Mexico, but top state health officials said Wednesday that a return to mask mandates or other widespread public health restrictions are unlikely because infections are becoming more mild.
Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. David Scrase said during his first briefing on the pandemic in months that the situation is very different now than it was over the winter. He noted that more tools and treatments are available and that infections are resulting in far fewer hospitalizations and deaths.
"This isn't about infections. It's about serious disease, it's about hospitalizations, it's about deaths. That's what we need to pay attention to," he said of the focus. "... Our deaths are only a fraction, our hospitalizations are only a fraction and that's really the sticking point for this state."
The pandemic took a toll on New Mexico early on because of the state's historical lack of resources, including nurses and its low ranking among states when it comes to hospital bed capacity.
Health care officials and some elected officials promoted the mandates in hopes of limiting infections and preventing the overtaxing of a system already running at full capacity.
Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 infection are currently low and only a small percentage of patients require ventilators, which state officials said means an evolution toward a milder illness from coronavirus infections.
State epidemiologist Dr. Christine Ross, who will step down from her post in the coming weeks, said it has been a long and difficult public health period but that she was pleased to report what she called a welcomed difference from the severity of prior infections.
"What we're seeing with this wave is very different than what we've seen in the past," she said, pointing to multiple factors that range from the properties of the latest variant to what she referred to as a wall of protection created by vaccination and immunity resulting from infections and in some cases re-infections.
Health officials did acknowledged the difficulty in analyzing data now because many positive infection tests conducted at home go unreported.
While state data showed vaccinated and boosted people made up nearly two-thirds of COVID-19 cases reported over the last four weeks, Scrase said the numbers should not be considered a study of how effective vaccination might be "because there are too many variables."
With treatments now seen as a game-changer, Scrase said his next hope is that deaths caused by the virus can be prevented.
New Mexico's coronavirus death toll is approaching 7,900 people, according to state data.
Albuquerque City Council votes to ban Section 8 discrimination - Patrick Lohmann,Source New Mexico
Albuquerque landlords will no longer be able to turn someone away solely because that person is using a Section 8 voucher or other public subsidy, after a 5-4 City Council vote Monday evening.
The measure, banning what advocates call “source-of-income discrimination,” seeks to help tenants with low incomes find safe and stable housing wherever they deem fit. It would reduce a rolling backlog of as many as 350 people in the city who have vouchers but can’t find a landlord willing to rent to them. The measure heads to Mayor Tim Keller for his signature.
Albuquerque becomes the only city in New Mexico to have such a ban, though cities in other states have taken the step. A similar effort failed in the 2021 state legislative session and was scrapped before the 30-day session this year.
The ban applies to other public subsidies, as well, including money from the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, a COVID-related relief fund meant to help people stay housed during the pandemic.
The Council’s decision comes right after the enactment of a new city budget that contains a windfall of new housing funding, including about $19 million toward housing vouchers.
Section 8 vouchers allow people to pay 30% of their income toward rent, with the federal government picking up the rest of the tab
But many landlords refuse Section 8, even though they receive the full rent they ask for. A city survey of 176 landlords found that 65% of them refuse housing vouchers. Thirty-four Craigslist listings on Monday evening contained the phrase “No Section 8.”
Many landlords and the Apartment Association of New Mexico came out against the proposal. A common concern was the additional burden of paperwork and bureaucracy — especially the inspections required by the Housing and Urban Development department that deem a unit habitable.
Bobby Griffith, the chief financial officer for large property management firm JL Gray, said he supports the goal of the Section 8 program and rents to tenants using Section 8, but said he often encounters two- to three-month waits before getting the first month’s rent.
“That’s just the way life is for us, a life that we chose,” he said. “But to force this on other small rental property owners is unjust and unfair.”
Councilors and tenant advocacy organizations who support the bill dispute that wait times are that long. Rachel Biggs, chief strategy officer of Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless, said landlords typically receive their first rent payment with the organization’s help within a few days, right after an inspection is completed. Another provider, the Albuquerque Housing Authority, might take a few weeks to cut the first rent check, she said, because it makes payments only on the first of every month.
An amendment to the measure before the Council allows landlords to move forward with another tenant if an inspection isn’t completed within five business days.
So Biggs and others hailed the Council’s passage as a major victory in a city facing a housing and homelessness crisis. Rents in Bernalillo County have increased 21% since 2019, according to an analysis in April by the Washington Post.
Councilor Pat Davis, a co-sponsor of the bill, urged landlords to look out for educational materials and outreach designed to help them navigate the new process if someone with a subsidy seeks housing in their properties. The measure allocates $150,000 for that purpose.
“We’ve appropriated what we believe is a good start …on an advocacy program for landlords, somebody on their side of the table to educate them about how to fill out the forms,” and clear other hurdles” Davis said.
The measure will take effect 90 days after it is signed by Keller. His administration signaled support for the legislation.
Councilors who voted against the measure were Louie Sanchez, Dan Lewis, Renée Grout and Trudy Jones. Those in favor were Pat Davis, Isaac Benton, Klarissa Peña, Brook Bassan and Tammy Fiebelkorn.
GOP taps seasoned broadcaster for New Mexico governor race - By Morgan Lee Associated Press
Republicans picked a seasoned TV broadcaster to take on New Mexico's incumbent Democratic governor, nominating former network meteorologist Mark Ronchetti on his pledges to rein in state spending, shore up policing and unleash already record-setting oil production.
Ronchetti won Tuesday's primary by a wide margin in a field of five candidates that included state Rep. Rebecca Dow, a prominent voice among Republicans in the Legislature.
The GOP nominee, joined on the victory stage by his wife and school-aged daughters, pledged to back police officers by restoring immunity from prosecution and blasted Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for a lengthy suspension of in-person teaching and student proficiency testing during the pandemic.
"Now our children are even further behind, and she has no plan to catch them up," Ronchetti said. "Every at-risk child deserves to know that they have a chance with a great education."
He added a jab at new social studies standards that increase instruction related to racial and social identity in a heavily Latino and Native American state.
"We'll focus on teaching them reading, writing, history, science and math. One thing we won't teach them is how to hate each other," Ronchetti said.
New Mexico is home to 23 federally recognized Native American tribes and nations, while nearly half the population claims Hispanic ethnicity.
Separately, the Democratic nomination for attorney general went to Raúl Torrez, a second-term district attorney for Albuquerque and its outskirts. He defeated State Auditor Brian Colón to vie in an open race against Republican attorney and U.S. Marine veteran Jeremy Michael Gay of Gallup.
Torrez has pledged to expand the state's capacity and expertise to handle consumer-rights litigation. He has criticized some provisions of judicial reforms that limit the use of money bail in decisions about pre-trial release.
New Mexico has alternated between Democratic and Republican governors since the early 1980s. An incumbent governor last lost reelection in 1994.
The November election for New Mexico governor will be a test of Democratic resolve in an oil-producing region with a strong culture of gun ownership and evolving opinions on abortion access.
The GOP in 2020 flipped a congressional district along the U.S. border with Mexico with the election of Republican U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, a firm defender of former President Donald Trump.
Ronchetti has pledged to deploy 150 state law enforcement personnel to the remote international border with Mexico to combat illegal migration and drug and human trafficking. The proposal echoes National Guard deployments by Republican governors in Arizona and Texas.
In a nod to his days as a TV personality, Ronchetti cracked some jokes on the victory stage. He ridiculed the governor for what he called lavish public spending at the governor's mansion on premium beef and liquor, contrasting that with his own offer of chips, salsa and a cash bar for supporters on election night.
Lujan Grisham spent much of Election Day surveying recent destruction from the largest wildfire in recorded New Mexico history. President Joe Biden is scheduled to discuss relief efforts during a planned visit Saturday to Santa Fe.
Republicans have faltered in a string of statewide elections, ceding control of every statewide elected office to Democrats, including the five-seat state Supreme Court.
Since taking office in 2019, Lujan Grisham and the Democratic-led Legislature have enacted reforms to ensure access to abortion, expand government oversight of guns and expand police accountability by lifting immunity from prosecution for misconduct.
The incumbent governor has walked a fine line on the environment with climate change initiatives that rein in methane pollution from oilfield infrastructure, phase out coal-fired power plants and mandate new renewable energy investments without restricting oil production. New Mexico last year surpassed North Dakota to become the nation's No. 2 oil producer behind Texas.
Lujan Grisham has harnessed a surge in state government income to underwrite teacher raises, offer free college education to in-state students, expand preschool and bolster Medicaid coverage across a state with high rates of poverty.
In response to inflation, the state is sending out staggered payments of up to $1,500 per household between June and August.
New Mexico's most recent Republican governor was Susana Martinez, an El Paso native with family ties in Mexico who served as a district attorney before winning an open race to succeed termed-out Gov. Bill Richardson.
First-term congresswomen were seeking reelection to New Mexico's three congressional districts, without primary challengers.
In the 2nd District of southern New Mexico, Las Cruces City Councilor Gabe Vasquez won the Democratic nomination to challenge Herrell. He defeated rural physician Darshan Patel.
In the 1st District that includes most of Albuquerque and rural communities to the south, the GOP nomination to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury was won by former police Detective Michelle Garcia Holmes.
Holmes ran for the same congressional seat in 2020 and was defeated by Democrat Deb Haaland, now serving as U.S. Interior secretary.
In other statewide races, former Sandoval County Treasurer Laura Montoya won the Democratic nomination for state treasurer, defeating former Magistrate Judge and Treasury official Heather Benavidez. Montoya will compete against former Santa Fe County Commissioner Harry Montoya in an open race to replace termed out State Treasurer Tim Eichenberg.
The Democratic nomination for state auditor went to utilities regulator Joseph Maestas, an elected member of the Public Regulation Commission. He'll confront Libertarian write-in candidate Robert Vaillancourt in a general election without a Republican contender.
In state legislative races, state Rep. Roger Montoya of Velarde was ousted in the Democratic primary by Joseph Sanchez of Alcalde, who gave up the seat in 2020 to run unsuccessfully for Congress.
About 25% of eligible voters participated in the primary, with higher turnout among registered Republicans.