Six new positive cases, five staff, one student

SANTA FE — The Public Education Department announced six new positive cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours ending at 4 pm Sept. 24. Rapid response has been initiated, and all pertinent information has been verified with the schools and school districts. The following new cases were reported:

• Two staff members at two public schools in Eddy County were infected. They were last on campus Sept. 14 and 18.

• One case at a public school in Chaves County that is in the remote learning mode. The infected individual is a staff member who was last on school property Sept. 18.

• One case at a public school in Doña Ana County in the remote...

Addresses new ‘Spay and Neuter Program Fee’ section of rule

LAS CRUCES – The New Mexico State University Board of Regents approved the New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s  proposed Commercial Feeds rule amendment at its regular meeting Sept. 18.

During the 2020 legislative session, Senate Bill 57 Pet Food Fee for Neutering & Sheltering was signed into law. This amended the New Mexico Commercial Feed Act (Section 76-19A NMSA 1978) to add a new section titled Spay and Neuter Program Fee. The legislation mandates that NMDA shall impose an additional fee on pet food registration for dogs and cats to fund the dog and cat spay and neuter assistance program and the animal...

ALBUQUERQUE – The New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management  announced Sept. 23 that New Mexico firefighters are en route to California to help crews battle wildfires. This is the second mobilization this year by New Mexico in response to California wildfires.

The New Mexico Task Force departed from Albuquerque Fire and Rescue’s Training Academy with six engines and crews. AFR’s Captain Brian Fox has been assigned as the leader of the task force, consisting of 20 total firefighting personnel.

Four departments from Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, Los Alamos County and the village of Corrales are sending resources as part of the New Mexico Task Force...

Michigan, Hawaii come off the list

SANTA FE – The state of New Mexico amended the list of states from which visitors and arriving residents must quarantine Sept. 23 in connection with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s executive order.

Based on the executive order intended to protect New Mexicans by minimizing the risk of spread from out-of-state travel, Colorado, Oregon and 
Rhode Island have been added to the list of high-risk states. Individuals arriving from those states must quarantine for a period of 14 days or for the duration of their stay in the state of New Mexico, whichever is shorter.

Michigan and Hawaii moved from high-risk to low-risk, according to the rolling...