In-person graduations set in Las Cruces & many city workers return amid declining virus cases

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — A year after holding only drive-thru graduations, the school district for New Mexico’s second most populous city has scheduled in-person graduation ceremonies at the district’s soccer stadium for its six high schools.

Las Cruces Public Schools scheduled ceremonies for the various schools on May 21 and May 22.

New Mexico State University also has two in-person ceremonies planned this weekend. Social distancing and mask-wearing will be required.

Meantime, many Las Cruces municipal employees who have worked remotely during the pandemic are back at their regular work sites.

Most city workers were deemed essential and worked on site during the pandemic, but up to 40% of the work force had been working remotely.

The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that changed recently when employees were ordered to return to in-person work under a phased-in approach that has returning employees working on site at least three days a week.

The city cited Dona Ana County’s declining daily coronavirus case numbers and increasing vaccinations.