Many of our local students are concluding their third week of the hybrid mode. That would have typically meant six days of being in class so far, but between power outages, quarantines and one holiday, many have actually only been to school for just a few of those days. This continues to be a very trying time for students, parents and educators. We receive letters every day asking for us to push for a greater return to normalcy, and we certainly agree. While the hybrid mode has many problems, we at least hope it is a step in the right direction in terms of getting kids back to school.
Our hearts are also with all of the students and families in Las Cruces, who are grieving over the passing of Las Cruces Public Schools Superintendent Karen Trujillo, who was struck by a vehicle on Thursday. Trujillo was an educator in Las Cruces for 30 years, and she was very well known and liked by many of our teachers and administrators here. Please keep the Las Cruces school system in your prayers as they face this tragedy.
In her update on Thursday, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced a number of changes to the stay home order, but most of them go into effect once you reach the “Yellow” level. For example, indoor dining can be at 33% capacity instead of 25% when yellow. Event venues and recreational facilities can also begin to open at an increased capacity, as can bars and clubs when you reach the “Green” level. Although Eddy County is currently still “Red,” we are very optimistic that things are moving in the right direction.
The state also did announce a change to the quarantine process, per CDC guidelines. Instead of a 14-day quarantine, we were informed that a 10-day period can be used if no symptoms have been reported. Additionally, the state renewed its goal of making sure vaccines are being equally distributed across New Mexico.
One of the other areas where we are advocating for change is in the realm of youth-club sports. While there has been progress in terms of getting school district sports going, youth-club sports are still currently restricted to only conditioning and skills development, according to the state. Recreational facilities are increasingly allowed to be open at a larger capacity. We believe it is an appropriate time to re-evaluate the restrictions related to club sports and allow them to resume.
Just a reminder that family members and friends of officer Jarrott are planning a memorial service for him on Saturday. Thank you again to Officer Jarrott for his outstanding service to this community.
Sincerely,
Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway