Keep an eye out for extra City of Carlsbad work crews this week. From Dec. 7-9, additional crews will be cleaning up debris placed in front of residential properties. This is a supplement to our normal grappler service. There’s naturally a lot of yard work going on right now, and this extra push will help us keep Carlsbad clean.
Help our crews out by having your waste properly bagged and stacked at the curb of your residence. You can always let us know you are ready for pickup by calling 311 from a landline phone, (575) 887-1200 from a cell phone or visiting www.egovlink.com/carlsbad.
COVID update: There were 37 new cases reported for Eddy County on Sunday and a total of 1,250 positives for the state, which is the lowest daily total in over a month. There were also 56 new positive COVID-19 cases reported for Eddy County on Saturday as well as two COVID-related deaths here.
The New Mexico Department of Health has recently introduced a new kind of COVID test at several of its health offices, including the ones in Carlsbad and Artesia. These new oral swabs are self-collected and do not require a medical professional to administer them. The DOH also says that the tests are less invasive and can result in faster result times. Hours for the Carlsbad Public Health Office, at West Stevens, are 8-11:30 a.m. and 2-4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8-11:30 a.m. Friday. Preregister online at https://cvtestreg.nmhealth.org. Call (575) 885-4191 if you have any difficulty registering online.
We believe the decision to turn White Sands into a national park was a positive for our community. As things return to normal, tourists from around the globe will be able to visit Carlsbad Caverns, Guadalupe Mountains National Park and the new park at White Sands. Please take a moment to visit the Carlsbad Museum & Art Center to check out the newest temporary exhibit “Into the Great White Sands: Photographs by Craig Varjabedian.” The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, with COVID restrictions in place.
The Carlsbad Pubic Library has delivered its first batch of its “Pen Pals for Seniors” program today. Please keep dropping off cards and letters in the outside book drop-off, and we will help deliver them to the community. For more information, please call (575) 887-6776. Our library is also open with COVID restrictions in place.
Reminder: The application for Small Business CARES Relief Grants are now live. Visit www.nmfinance.com to complete an application. The application process closes on Dec. 18, so the earlier you can turn everything in the better.
Sincerely,
Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway