Here’s a look at today’s news:
This week is recognized as National Infant Immunization Week and the New Mexico Department of Health is reminding New Mexico parents about the importance of protecting infants from vaccine preventable diseases. The NMDOH Immunization Program sends reminder postcards to parents who may have missed age-appropriate immunizations for infants, up to their 12-month well visit. Postcards are mailed monthly to the parents and/or legal guardians of children identified to ensure families are reminded of their child’s immunization needs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that among children born during 1994-2016, vaccination will prevent an estimated 381 million illnesses, 24.5 million hospitalizations, and 855,000 deaths over the course of their lifetimes. The New Mexico Department of Health provides free immunizations at public clinics throughout the state for children whose parents are not insured. For more information about what immunizations are recommended and at what age, visit immunize nm dot org.
A truck driver from North Carolina was robbed at gunpoint in Luna County at approximately 3:00 A.M. Tuesday morning. The victim was driving westbound on Interstate 10 when he was alerted by another trucker that his truck was dragging something. The victim pulled over at the Butterfield Truck Stop to deal with the issue when he was approached by two men wearing ski masks, one of which pointed at pistol at his chest. It was reported that the men spoke a foreign language and the victim gave them cash. The men drove off in a vehicle described as an older model Pontiac.
The New Mexico Battle of the Books reading competition will be taking place this Saturday in Las Lunas, New Mexico. Students in grades 4 through 8. Will compete in a quiz-style battle, with four rounds, in which they are asked about books that they have read from the year’s designated Battle of the Books reading list. The New Mexico Battle of the Books encourages the youth of New Mexico to read high quality literature, have fun, and compete by demonstrating their knowledge of books. Teams are sponsored by schools, public libraries or other organizations, and compete in either the Elementary or Middle School Division. While teams enter the Statewide Battle as a group, when they arrive at the Battle, participants are placed on mixed teams that consist of children from other schools all over the state. This year, a total of 341 students, comprised of 40 elementary school teams and 16 middle school teams will compete, including students from Hurley and Bayard Elementary and Snell Middle School form the Cobre District, and G.W. Stout Elementary and La Plata Middle School from the Silver District.
Today, a celebratory ribbon cutting took place at the Silver City Tourism & Visitor Information Center to highlight the installation of a new Electric Vehicle Charging Station that was made possible by a partnership with the Town of Silver City and PNM. The event was titled, “plug into the future”. An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, such as plug-in electric vehicles, including Electric cars, neighborhood electric vehicles, and plug-in hybrids.
