Health
Biden urges assault weapons ban, as U.S. House Democrats advance gun control bills
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass gun control legislation in a speech at the White House Thursday evening, following mass shootings in New York, Texas and Oklahoma during the last three weeks. “This isn’t about taking away anyone’s rights. This is about protecting children,” Biden said. “How much more carnage are […]
COVID vaccine for kids under 5 could be available as soon as June 21
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is preparing to ship out to the states millions of COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5 in the coming weeks, likely ending months of waiting for parents and caregivers. White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Ashish Jha said Thursday that if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorizes emergency use of […]
The AR-15 is for mass killing — ban it
The U.S. Senate, controlled by Democrats, shamefully went into recess less than 48 hours after a shooter in Uvalde, Texas, killed 19 children and two of their teachers. Lawmakers should not have left until they did something about this country’s gun problem. Not every kind of gun, but that with the most potential for damage: […]
COVID cases and hospitalizations rise, while NM health officials remain mostly quiet
As the third year of the COVID pandemic drags on, it’s more difficult to get timely, reliable information about viral spread. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New Mexico Department of Health are still using the new pastel green “community level” map, which does not recommend universal masking anywhere in New Mexico. […]
Vilsack offers integrated plan for domestic food production
The Biden administration has set aside billions of dollars to help the nation’s food supply chain recover from the coronavirus pandemic — and, more recently, the looming global effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — and on Wednesday, it announced new funding and a comprehensive overview of how those initiatives mesh. “A transformed food system […]
Long-haul COVID: The ongoing impact of the pandemic in Indigenous communities
Since the onset of the global pandemic that began flourishing in March 2020, COVID-19 alone has become the third leading cause of death among Americans — falling just behind heart disease and cancer. But perhaps more striking is how the increasing and ongoing health disparities lived by Indigenous communities even now, two years into this […]
Gun control bills to be taken up by U.S. House panel in emergency meeting
WASHINGTON — Following mass shootings in New York and Texas, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee is holding an emergency meeting on Thursday to mark up gun control legislation — though it’s likely doomed. The package includes eight gun-related bills, known as the “Protecting Our Kids Act,” and they are expected to pass the Democratic-controlled House. […]
Why won’t the EPA fine New Mexico’s greenhouse gas leakers?
In the fall of 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hired a helicopter equipped with a leak-detecting infrared camera to criss-cross the Permian Basin looking for gaseous emissions, part of a monitoring program undertaken at the behest of and in partnership with the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED). Over the course of nine days, the EPA […]
6 charts shows key role firearms makers play in America’s gun culture
Americans have blamed many culprits, from mental illness to inadequate security, for the tragic mass shootings that are occurring with increasing frequency in schools, offices and theaters across the U.S. The latest, which occurred on May 24, 2022, at a Texas elementary school and left at least 19 children and two teachers dead, was the 213th mass shooting this […]
State launches infant formula website and crowdsourcing campaign
As the United States continues to experience a shortage of infant formula, New Mexico officials on Friday launched a new website where parents and caregivers of infants can find infant formula supplies. NMformula.com is meant to provide medically reliable information for families with questions about how to ensure their children receive proper nutrition, acting Department […]
The air we breathe: Coronavirus and smoke in wildfire zones
How do you respond to a global pandemic of a deadly airborne virus and out-of-control wildfires, two different but related crises, happening at the same time? The answer depends on who you ask. For state and federal officials running the evacuation shelters operating in northern New Mexico, it means offering testing and vaccines, and encouraging […]
Nine monkeypox cases now reported in seven states, and CDC urges awareness
Monkeypox cases are slowly increasing throughout the United States, though public health officials said Thursday they have the tools needed to diagnose, treat and contain the virus that’s mostly spread by skin-to-skin contact.