Here’s a look at today’s headlines:
Since July 8th, the Silver City Police Department has received 13 complaints of graffiti. Of those, seven occurred over this past weekend. The Police Department believes two different groups are committing the crimes. A burglary was also reported over the weekend at the Silver Café downtown. Anyone with information about these crimes is urged to call the Silver City Police Department at 538-3723 or Grant County Crimestoppers at 538-5254. Calls can remain anonymous.
Luna County Commissioners will take action on the final county budget for 2015-2016 when the board meets in special session at 9 o’clock Thursday morning. The budget was formerly introduced on May 27th. After some adjustment, the budget has come before the Commissioners for approval.
Today, the New Mexico Department of Health broke ground on a new $23 million facility for state veterans in need of long-term Alzheimer’s and skilled nursing care at the New Mexico State Veterans’ Home in Truth or Consequences, NM. The new facility will add 87,431 square feet to the Veterans’ Home and about 60 beds. About 40 of the beds will be for Alzheimer’s patients and the others will be for patients requiring skilled nursing.
Medicaid expansion in New Mexico has been expensive — to the extent that projected cost savings are essentially being nullified by expenditures associated with the program.
The number of children living in poverty in New Mexico is on the rise, and advocates say that doesn’t bode well for the state. An annual report on the well-being of American children finds an increasing number living in poverty even as the nation’s economy continues to recover from the 2008 recession.
Today, Governor Susana Martinez announced the expansion of the state’s mental health crisis hotline, a phone line established in 2013 that provides New Mexicans access to local assistance and resources during a mental health crisis. The expansion of the New Mexico Crisis Line (NMCAL) includes additional funding and certified peer counselors, which will help improve access to treatment and care to New Mexicans or their loved ones experiencing mental health or behavioral health crises.
