SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Oct. 5 she is temporarily self-quarantined in Santa Fe after a possible exposure to COVID-19 in accordance with state Department of Health guidelines.

A custodial staff member of the governor’s residence reported feeling unwell in the afternoon Oct. 1, and was immediately sent for a COVID-19 test. The staff member – who wore a facemask at all times, had worked on the personal side of the governor’s residence but did not come into personal contact with the governor.

Lujan Grisham received a COVID-19 test Oct. 2. The result was negative. The governor showed no symptoms of COVID-19.

The governor’s fiancé, Manny Cordova, also...

Nine staff members, two students tested positive

SANTA FE – The Public Education Department on Oct. 8 announced 11 new positive cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. Rapid response has been initiated, and all pertinent information has been verified. The following new cases have been reported:

One case in McKinley County. The infected individual is a staff member who was last on school property Oct. 2.  All staff members and parents and guardians of all students in the affected school have been notified of the positive case.

Two cases in Bernalillo County. The infected individuals are staff members who were last on school property Sept. 23 and Oct. 5. All staff members and...

SANTA FE— The New Mexico Human Services Department announced Oct. 6 that New Mexico households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will again receive the maximum amount for their household size for the month of October.

Beginning in March 2020, SNAP households that were not already receiving the maximum SNAP benefit amount for their household size received an increase to their benefits to bring them to the maximum amount each month. These increases were made to help reduce food insecurity for New Mexicans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“HSD will continue to help New Mexicans during this difficult time,” Karmela Martinez, director of HSD’s Income...

Week ending Friday, October 2, 2020

UV Protection

A new study finds that one species of maple offers the best protection from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation for those who want to plant shade trees. Writing in the journal Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, researchers say the crimson king maple (Acer platanoides) provides the most protection.

The University of Toronto team found that swamp white oak, hackberry and copper beech trees also offered good UV protection. “One way to reduce effects of UV reflectance is to increase tree canopy. This is particularly important in urban areas where concrete and other hard surfaces pose heightened UV exposure risks to humans,”...