LAS CRUCES, New Mexico – The Las Cruces City Council voted Friday to approve an economic aid package of nearly $1.1 million in response to the coronavirus pandemic. “The people are hurting” said Councilman Gabe Vasquez, who represents district three. “I think we need to get this right. I think we need to act boldly
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AUSTIN, Texas — With 5,478 Texans having tested positive for coronavirus as of Friday, Gov. Greg Abbott addressed how medical facilities were handling an influx of patients as 827 critically ill people were hospitalized around the state. Abbott said Texas has doubled its number of available hospital beds in the past two weeks. But hospital officials noted not
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SANTA FE, New Mexico — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday announced New Mexico now has 495 coronavirus cases and added that 10 people have died. The governor said New Mexico’s demographics, with an aging population, pose a challenge which will require the state to work all the harder to contain the virus. Confirmed Covid-19
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DEMING, New Mexico — A southern New Mexico county official is under fire for posting a social media video casting blame for the novel coronavirus pandemic on “Asians.” Luna County Safety and Risk Coordinator Tyler Massey posted an expletive-laden video on Snapchat recently, where he complained about people of Asian descent buying “in bulk” at a Walmart,
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WASHINGTON, DC — The Democratic National Committee is delaying its presidential nominating convention until the week of Aug. 17 after prospective nominee Joe Biden said he didn’t think it would be possible to hold it in mid-July because of the coronavirus pandemic. Convention CEO Joe Solmonese confirmed the decision in a statement Thursday. “In our
Continue Reading AUSTIN, Texas — As the novel coronavirus continues to spread in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered an end to non-essential business and activities statewide through April 30 as the latest effort to combat the pandemic, which as of Tuesday claimed 41 lives in the Lone Star state. The new executive order, which goes into effect at 12:01
Continue Reading SANTA FE, New Mexico – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday announced the state’s fifth coronavirus death, an Albuquerque-area man in his 40s who was found unresponsive, and predicted that unfortunately “we will see more deaths.” Two new patients were also hospitalized, she added, bringing the number to 24 of those suffering severe enough symptoms
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EL PASO, Texas — El Paso City Council voted Monday to divert $6.6 million budgeted for street repair to the city’s rainy day fund – known as the budget stabilization fund – in case it’s needed for more pressing items amid the economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak. Mayor Dee Margo broke a tie vote
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AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday ratcheted up travel restrictions into Texas during the coronavirus pandemic, while announcing the state’s first pop-up hospital to deal with the crisis. He also said he was moving to “stop the release of dangerous felons” amid the outbreak. Texas health officials reported that the state now has 2,552
Continue Reading WASHINGTON, DC — Former Vice President Joe Biden has emerged as Democrats’ top choice for the presidential nomination in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, but with only bare majority support within his party and a massive enthusiasm gap in a November match-up against President Donald Trump. (Scroll down in this article to see the complete poll data.)
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LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — The Las Cruces City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Friday that would grant the mayor the authority to issue an emergency proclamation to declare a state of emergency. This was an authority that was not included in the city’s charter, but discussion arose on it due to the current coronavirus
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(Editor’s note: Scroll down in this article to read the entire legal opinion issued by the Texas Attorney General on this topic.) AUSTIN, Texas — In some parts of the U.S., authorities say gun shops aren’t essential businesses and should close during stay-at-home orders meant to slow the coronavirus. In other places, officials are stopping
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AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has imposed quarantines on travelers from the New York City area, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., and put similar restrictions on people arriving from nearby New Orleans as the number of cases there surges dramatically. Abbott ordered the moves Thursday as Texas surpassed 1,400
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SANTA FE, New Mexico — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Monday a statewide stay-at-home order aimed at fighting the spread of the novel coronavirus. She said all “non-essential businesses” are ordered to close effective 8 a.m. Tuesday and “100 percent” of the state’s non-essential workforce are required to work from home. The order
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AUSTIN, Texas — Leaders in El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston and Austin on Tuesday joined a growing a list of Texas cities including Dallas and San Antonio that have ordered people to stay at home to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The announcements came as Gov. Greg Abbott, who has declined to issue a statewide shelter-in-place
Continue Reading Tx Lt Gov Dan Patrick says grandparents would be willing to die to save the economy for their grandchildren pic.twitter.com/wC3Ngvtsbj— Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) March 24, 2020 AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Monday night that he’s “not living in fear” of the novel coronavirus pandemic and is “all in” on lifting social
Continue Reading AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter to President Trump on Monday requesting a presidential declaration of a major disaster in Texas due to the impact of the coronavirus, which has now claimed nine lives in the state. The three new deaths reported Monday included a woman in her 80s who is the San
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AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott declined at a news conference Sunday to follow the lead of other states with a statewide “shelter in place” order even as the number of cases in Texas swelled by at least 30 in a day. The death toll went from five to six. Abbott said the increase in
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AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott announced new measures Sunday to free up hospital resources to address the coronavirus pandemic, as Texas saw it’s sixth death tied to disease. Abbott said at a news conference that he issued executive orders to allow hospitals to treat two patient in a room, rather than one, and directing
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EL PASO, Texas — The citywide closures connected to coronavirus are forcing many in the Borderland to change the way they do business. We’ve seen restaurants following mandates that allow them to operate on a drive-thru only basis, now we are seeing political parties do the same. Both El Paso County Republican and Democratic conventions
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LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — With the number of confirmed positive cases of coronavirus in New Mexico growing to 43 including Dona Ana County’s first case, the state has stepped up testing by adding new drive-thru screenings in Las Cruces. Lt. Governor of New Mexico Howie Morales, who is under self quarantine after returning from
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LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small, D-Las Cruces, has gone into isolation as a precaution, though she is not exhibiting any symptoms after coming into contact with an individual who later tested positive for cornavirus. Torres Small announced her situation in this statement below to the media. “I was recently in contact
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AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday that he has postponed the May 26 primary runoff elections throughout the state until July 14 because of the coronavirus threat. Abbott signed the postponement order Friday under the emergency powers of his previous statewide disaster declaration. Dozens of runoffs are ongoing for party nominations to
Continue Reading SAN ELIZARIO , Texas (KVIA) — The City of San Elizario announced Friday it is moving its mayoral and city council elections from May to November. The city issued a statement read in part: “Action on this item is an emergency and an urgent public necessity…due to the imminent threat to public health and safety
Continue Reading SANTA FE, New Mexico — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham indicated she is likely to call legislators to a special session to revise a recently signed state budget, address public health needs and provide economic relief in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Confirmed statewide coronavirus infections climbed Thursday to 35. In a letter to
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Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said Wednesday he feels “great” and “strong” on his first day back to the Capitol after a 10-day self-quarantine at his home in Texas following interactions with individuals who tested positive for COVID-19. “It’s good to be back in the Senate,” Cruz told reporters. “There’s a lot happening here
Continue Reading WASHINGTON, DC — ABC News projected that Joe Biden swept to victory in Florida, Illinois and Arizona on Tuesday night, increasingly pulling away with a Democratic presidential primary upended by the coronavirus and building pressure on Bernie Sanders to abandon his campaign. The former vice president’s third big night in as many weeks came amid
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HOUSTON, Texas — Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas announced that he will now extend his self-quarantine until March 17 after “a second interaction” with an individual who tested positive for coronavirus. Cruz is is also speaking out critically about the Trump administration’s handling of coronavirus testing. Cruz, who has been a loyal supporter
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AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott isn’t making decisions on canceling public gatherings in response to the coronavirus outbreak, even as some local officials seek guidance and other U.S. governors urge bans on big crowds and school closures. It is a stance that puts Abbott, a Republican, in contrast with governors in both parties
Continue Reading BURLINGTON, Vermont — Bernie Sanders says he’s moving ahead with his Democratic presidential campaign and plans to appear at Sunday debate with Biden. He told reporters in Burlington on Wednesday that he’s not quitting despite key primary losses to Joe Biden the night before. The Vermont senator’s path to the presidential nomination considerably narrowed after
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