NMDOH confirms despite 3 cases, there is not a cyclosporiasis outbreak in NM — Daniel Montaño
New Mexico health officials confirmed today there are three active cases of cyclosporiasis in the state, but urged residents not to panic.
Sara Shrum Davis, an epidemiologist with NMDOH, said New Mexico regularly sees about eight cases of the disease per year. She says although active outbreaks have hit many states, New Mexico is not one of them.
Cyclosporiasis is a disease that is caused by the microscopic parasite cyclospora. Symptoms include extreme gastrointestinal distress, including diarrhea that can cause dangerous levels of dehydration.
Shrum Davis said the disease is most commonly found on the skins of fruits and vegetables and in infected water. The best way to avoid it is by thoroughly washing your hands and all fruits and vegetables.
New Mexico Environment Department to hold hearing for Project Jupiter data center air quality permit —Joshua Bowling, Source New Mexico
The New Mexico Environment Department will hold a public hearing on the pending air quality permit application for Project Jupiter, the controversial Oracle and OpenAI data center under construction in Doña Ana County, following high public interest and complaints that residents’ names were used on supportive public comments without their consent.
Environment Department Secretary James Kenney signed a notice ordering a public hearing on the matter, the department confirmed to Source NM Tuesday. Department spokesperson Drew Goretzka said a date and venue have not yet been selected, but noted that the hearing would be held near the permit’s site.
The pending air quality permit application is for one of Project Jupiter’s developers to build a microgrid — an energy source that does not tie into an existing electrical grid — using fuel cells. Developer Yucca Growth Infrastructure in April withdrew its initial air quality permit applications for natural gas plants in favor of the fuel cell proposal.
Yucca Growth Infrastructure did not respond to Source NM’s request for comment.
The public comment period for the new air quality permit application ended Monday. Source NM previously revealed that three New Mexico residents said their names appeared on letters that urged state environment officials to issue the air quality permits after they were approached by canvassers for the project.
Since then, several elected officials have similarly said their names were misused.
Rep. Cristina Parajón (D-Albuquerque) on Tuesday said that her district legislative aide received emails over the Independence Day weekend thanking them for submitting public comments even though neither of them had.
Parajón told Source NM that the comments, which she said NMED took down after she alerted the department to the issue, aligned with the other similarly phrased letters that urged environmental officials to approve the air quality permit.
Parajón said she has never spoken with project canvassers and doesn’t know who submitted the comment bearing her name.
“Most disturbing of all is that they used the dot gov email, the official legislative email address,” she said. “That is impersonation of a government official.”
Parajón said she has contacted the New Mexico Department of Justice and asked for the attorney general to open an investigation into the matter.
The NMDOJ did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Darien Fernandez, a member of the the Taos Town Council, similarly told Source NM he has not seen or spoken with canvassers. However, he woke up on a recent morning to discover an email in his personal inbox thanking him for submitting a public comment on the matter.
“When I saw my name listed in support, first I was like, ‘WTF?’” he said.
Fernandez, who also works as the executive director of the Taos Land Trust, said he was worried the letter would damage his reputation in the conservation circles he works in.
When people submit public comments, the system sends them an email confirmation that their comments have been received.
The automated email includes contact information that the commenter included, such as address, email address and phone number. While the email was Fernandez’s personal email address, he said the listed phone number, which has a Washington, D.C., area code, was not his.
On Friday, Albuquerque City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn also announced that her name had been used to voice support for the air quality permit without her permission.
“I am outraged that someone would impersonate me in a public process — especially to advocate for a project that I believe is harmful to our environment, our communities and animals,” she wrote in a statement. “Using another person’s name without their knowledge or consent undermines public trust and the integrity of the public comment process. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not submit comments in support of Project Jupiter, and I do not support Project Jupiter.”
Albuquerque senior centers raise meal prices —Gillian Barkhurst, Albuquerque Journal
The city of Albuquerque raised breakfast prices at senior centers this week, drawing criticism from elders.
Menus officially changed Monday, with prices for some items jumping from $1.50 to a high of $5.
While the change may seem negligible to working adults, seniors on fixed incomes say they rely on the centers, which serve meals at a reduced price for those 50 and older, as the cost of living skyrockets around them.
“The pancake used to be a quarter, and I’ve still seen people here counting change at the counter,” said Glenn Karns, who ate breakfast at Los Volcanes Senior Center on Tuesday.
Karns fears that with the price increases, some low-income seniors will skip meals and go hungry.
Meanwhile, city officials justified the change as a necessary step to keep up with inflation and rising food prices.
“The current cost to prepare a breakfast meal is approximately $6.44, while members pay between $3 and $4,” said Senior Affairs spokesperson Beth Delaune in a statement Tuesday.
“(The department) continues to subsidize the program because we believe it provides an affordable opportunity for older adults to gather, socialize and stay connected to their community.”
Just like restaurants have struggled with rising food prices nationwide, so has Albuquerque’s public food program. In the past five years, prices for breakfast items like orange juice, hash browns and eggs have increased between 55% and 68%, Delaune said.
However, despite changes to breakfast, Albuquerque senior centers will continue to serve lunch free of charge for those 60 and older.
The change comes after a tight budgeting season at City Hall, with cuts across departments. Many seniors, however, feel their nutrition is the wrong place to pinch pennies.
“When we need them most, they stop helping,” said Julio Campos, a regular attendee, while passing by to refill a cup of coffee.
On the second day of the price hike, dozens lined up for servings of huevos rancheros, breakfast burritos and hot coffee. Though the line to order was long, the room wasn’t quite as packed as usual, some seniors said.
Most blamed the price change.
“It’s more than just food,” said Paula Narvaiz as she poured black coffee into a paper cup.
For some seniors, these cheap meals are a lifeline, not just for nutrition but for their spirits.
“It’s about giving people something to look forward to and get up in the morning,” she said. “Without that, they’re just wasting away at home. That’s the hardest part.”
Beyond pricing, seniors were concerned about more barebones menus that eliminated cheap options like oatmeal and à la carte items. This decision not only impacts low-income seniors but those with dietary restrictions as well, said attendee Sarah Rahman.
“I have gone all day without eating before,” said Rahman, who cannot eat pork and must sometimes skip meals she usually receives at the center.
Simplifying the menu was also a fiscal decision, Delaune said, which is expected to reduce waste and save money.
Over breakfast, while sipping coffee and spearing potato wedges with forks, many seniors hoped the city would reconsider the changes or, at the least, bring back cheaper menu items like oatmeal to bridge the gap.
“Boy, they keep trying to compare this to a restaurant when this is all taxpayer-funded,” Karns said. “It’s not a business.”
Martin Heinrich rescinds Platner endorsement amid sexual assault allegations - Dan Boyd - Albuquerque Journal, KUNM News
U.S. Senator from New Mexico Martin Heinrich rescinded his endorsement of Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner. The Albuquerque Journal reports Heinrich joins a growing number of other Democrats in distancing themselves from the candidate.
In a social media post late Monday, Heinrich said he could no longer support Platner and called for him to step aside for another Democrat. It follows reported allegations that Platner sexually assaulted a woman he was dating.
Heinrich initially endorsed Platner in March and was one of the first sitting Senate Democrats to endorse the campaign. A committee affiliated with Heinrich also donated $5,000 to Platner’s campaign.
The Maine Senate race is one of the most watched among Democrats for the opportunity to flip a seat.
Platner denies the allegations against him, but late Wednesday Platner announced that he will step aside because he says a run is now untenable.
