Albuquerque, NM – January 23, 2020 – Friends and families in Deming dealing with Alzheimer’s disease will have access to a valuable FREE presentation offered by the Alzheimer’s Association, New Mexico Chapter.

“Communications and Behaviors” will be presented from 1:00pm-2:00pm on Tuesday, February 11 at the Deming Luna County Senior Citizens Center, 800 S. Granite St, Deming NM 88030. For more information call 1-800-272-3900 or email Alexis Ramirez (Programs Volunteer Case Manager) alramirez@alz.org. For directions, call 575-647-3868.

This presentation emphasizes the importance of communication in caring for people with Alzheimer’s.  As people with Alzheimer’s disease progress further into their dementia, it can be increasingly difficult for their caregivers and loved ones to communicate effectively with them and to understand the behavioral expression they seem to rely on instead of “using their words.”  This presentation will help caregivers gain an understanding of how the disease affects their loved ones behavior and ability to communicate, and identify effective strategies for addressing the behaviors and communicating appropriately.

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The ancient adage - “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” – is being applied to a new statewide program.

New Mexico State University’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Science successfully introduced the Seed to Supper program last year and has plans to expand in 2020.

The collaborative efforts of the Cooperative Extension Service Master Gardener and Ideas for Cooking and Nutrition programs in three counties piloted the program, which provides opportunities for people to learn how to start a garden and grow their own food on a budget.

“This is a comprehensive beginning vegetable gardening curriculum designed for adults gardening on a budget,” said Sally Cassady, NMSU’s ICAN food system specialist who is coordinating the program designed by Oregon State University Extension Service and the Oregon Food Bank.

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SOCORRO – The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) is pleased to announce safety improvements in Socorro in the following weeks.

A-Mountain Construction (Contractor) will begin replacing the sidewalk, curb and ramps to include ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) improvements on January 27, 2020 along California Street in Socorro. This project is estimated at just over $158,000 and is scheduled to take about two weeks to complete. In total, eight intersections will receive this safety update. California Street will remain open during construction; traffic control will be in place for the safety of our construction workers.

The NMDOT thanks you for your patience. Please use caution in this area, obey the posted speed limit and drive safely. For up-to-date road closure information throughout the state, visit nmroads.com or call 511.

(Washington, D.C., January 23, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today praised the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for defining the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule with the Navigable Waters Protection Rule: 

“President Trump is restoring the rule of law and empowering Americans by removing undue burdens and strangling regulations from the backs of our productive farmers, ranchers, and rural land-owners. The days are gone when the Federal Government can claim a small farm pond on private land as navigable waters,” Secretary Perdue said. “I thank President Trump and Administrator Wheeler for having the backs of our farmers, ranchers, and producers and for continuing to roll back Federal overreach. With reforms and deregulation, Americans once again have the freedom to innovate, create, and grow.”

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Provides national data that compares New Mexico to other states

SANTA FE – New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) Cabinet Secretary David R. Scrase, M.D. announces the publication of the department’s first HSD Data Book. It is a summary of social, economic, and health statistics of our state. The Data Book presents, in one reference document, a diversity of information and is designed to facilitate comparisons of national, state, and county-level data.

“As a policy maker or one who partners with us in this service, we seek here to provide you with national data that compares New Mexico to other states,” said Cabinet Secretary David R. Scrase, M.D. in the book’s introduction. “But, more importantly, this Data Book is designed to provide county level information that is already used by HSD and can be used to identify our state’s areas of greatest need.”

Link to the entire Data Book The HSD Data Book Volume 1 | 2020.1 | File size 21,523 KB

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Legislature established fund to support Native American filmmakers

SANTA FE, N.M. – SANTA FE, N.M. – The New Mexico State Film Office (NMFO) is now accepting grant applications for projects for the newly established Senator John Pinto Filmmakers Fund, NMFO Director Todd Christensen announced today. 

The Native American filmmakers grant fund was spearheaded by the late Sen. John Pinto during his work at the 2019 Legislature. Sen. Pinto worked with the Indian Affairs Committee and other lawmakers for several months to establish the grants. The $100,000 in funding is made available through Senate Bill 649, which became law two months after Sen. Pinto's death.

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Paintings by Victoria Chick will be exhibited from February 7 – March 21, 2020 at the Branigan Cultural Center, part of the museum system of Las Cruces, New Mexico. 

In this exhibition, “New Eyes on New Mexico”, Chick uses her well-known cat images as narrative devices expressing her discovery of New Mexico plants, animals, landscape  and history, as a person seeing the state for the first time. The subjects of the paintings are some of the reasons she decided to move to southwest New Mexico.

Chick is a contemporary figurative painter who uses loose brushwork and harmonic color in compositions that often have a surrealist and humorous edge. Opening reception and artist talk Friday, February 7 at 5:00 pm.

Branigan Cultural Center is located at 105 N. Main, Las Cruces, NM.

SANTA FE, NM – Today, Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) Cabinet Secretary Sarah Cottrell Propst announced Jerry Schoeppner as the new director of the Mining and Minerals Division (MMD). Mr. Schoeppner comes to EMNRD with extensive technical and state government management experience.

“Mr. Schoeppner’s long career as an environmental regulator and knowledge of state and federal laws will be a key asset to EMNRD,” said Secretary Cottrell Propst. “A strong leader in MMD is necessary to safeguard New Mexico’s abandoned and active mines.”

Mr. Schoeppner comes to EMNRD from the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) where he spent several years in the Ground Water Quality Bureau. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from New Mexico State University and is a certified professional geologist.

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