Katrina Hotrum-Lopez

As senior centers across New Mexico begin to reopen their doors after pandemic shutdowns and fire evacuations, $24.5 million for the facilities is up for a vote in the November election. General Obligation Bond 1 — if approved — would go toward designing, renovating, or equipping centers across 21 counties and six pueblos.

Last week President Joe Biden said the pandemic had ended. Yet the federal public health emergency order is good until mid-October and will likely be extended into January. For two weeks in a row all 33 New Mexico counties are pastel green on the CDC COVID Community Levels map showing low hospitalization rates from the virus across the state. Yet, only two counties, Harding and Hidalgo actually have low COVID transmission rates.

Your NM Gov is back and shifting gears with weekday news updates on coronavirus, plus community stories, resources and an eye on government response.In…