Here’s a look at today’s headlines:
Dry and windy weather will result in critical fire weather conditions across southern New Mexico and far west Texas from midday Tuesday through early Tuesday evening. With very high or greater fire dangers expected, the likelihood is high that critical fire conditions will develop Tuesday and again Wednesday across southern New Mexico and far west Texas. This includes New Mexico Fire Zones 110 through 112 and Texas zones 55 and 56. Areas in the fire weather zone include the southwest mountains, southwest desert and lowlands, south central lowlands and southern Rio Grande valley.
The Grant County Water Commission recently heard from Priscilla Lucero, Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments executive director, showing a spreadsheet of the funds that have been awarded to Hurley, North Hurley, Bayard, Hanover, Santa Clara, Arenas Valley, Tyrone, and Silver City toward the Hurley Regionalization Project, also known as the Regional Water Distribution Plan. Over $12 million have been awarded to date. Needed funds to complete the projects equal over $10 million.
Members of the Luna County Sheriff’s Office captured Chase Hobbs, an inmate who walked off a work crew in February, on Saturday night without incident. Hobbs was found hiding in the closet at a friend’s house over the weekend. He was originally sentenced earlier this year to complete a domestic violence program due to charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, criminal damage to property and possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon.
In sports action: the WNMU Lady ‘Stangs softball team split with Metro State University Denver on Saturday. On Sunday, MSU Denver claimed both games in a 12-0 called game at the fifth inning, and 9-1 in the finale in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Play. WNMU finished the weekend 16-19 for the season and 12-8 in RMAC play. The Lady ‘Stangs will play in Colorado Springs against University of Colorado, Colorado Springs and Colorado Christian.
The New Mexico Department of Health announced today that a 46-year-old Bernalillo County man has tested positive for Zika virus infection. Testing was conducted at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Fort Collins, Colorado. The man acquired the virus while traveling to Central America. “We have anticipated that travel-related cases would be identified in New Mexico,” said Department of Health Deputy Secretary Lynn Gallagher. “We have been working closely with CDC to prepare for Zika cases in New Mexico.”
Numbers released today by the New Mexico Department of Health show childhood obesity has decreased over the past five years in both kindergartners and third graders. Between 2010 and 2015, there was a 16 percent reduction in childhood obesity among third graders, and a ten percent reduction in kindergarteners.
