'Abundance of caution' prompts isolation for UNMH patient with Ebola-like symptoms

From KOB-TV.com - By: Caleb James, KOB Eyewitness News 4 - Health officials continue to monitor a Bernalillo County woman showing symptoms similar to the Ebola virus. The woman was traveling in the West African nation of Sierra Leone at the beginning of the month. 

      She then returned to Albuquerque and soon after began to develop symptoms on Friday. She was admitted to UNM Hospital on Saturday. The patient is currently undergoing a series of tests and remains in isolation at the hospital -- blood samples will go to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta.
      Health officials say this is not a highly probable case of the virus, but because of the symptoms -- and her recent return from West Africa -- there's no room for guesses.
      On Saturday that woman checked herself into UNM Hospital with flu-like symptoms. Officials say she's in isolation, with hospital staff following strict guidelines. "They wear gowns, gloves, face masks, in addition to eye protection," said UNM Hospital epidemiologist Meghan Brett.  Brett says extreme caution is being taken.
     CDC and state health officials say the patient's symptoms do not rise to what would be considered a "probable" case of the virus -- but some of Ebola's most basic symptoms are there. Baumbach says the woman does not believe she was in contact with anyone who has the virus -- and transmission is difficult.
     Blood samples from the woman are being collected and will be shipped to the CDC in Atlanta. More

'Abundance of caution' prompts isolation for UNMH patient with Ebola-like symptoms

NMFOG: Public deserves answers in Brooks resignation

From KRQE-TV.com - ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE)- It’s the first week of the new school year and APS has given its superintendent the boot. Winston Brooks was forced out and in exchange for his resignation, he gets a small fortune. Yet, you’ll be hard-pressed to find out what led to his ouster and that has people upset.
      Sources tell News 13 the investigation that led to all this was centered around Brooks’ wife but APS still won’t confirm it. A $250,000 a year salary, two more years left on his contract and Winston Brooks steps down to the unanimous approval of the school board.
      President Analee Maestas read a joint statement, speaking for Brooks. “The decision to end the the appointed relationship will allow both the board and Brooks to establish a new direction. Both agree this decision is the best option for APS at this time,” read Maestas.
      In a nine-page settlement agreement, the district agrees to pay Brooks $350,000 and another $25,000 for him to remain on sick leave until he’s gone in a month. If APS bad-mouths Brooks publicly, that’s another $25,000. Brooks would see the same fine if he says anything negative about the district.
      What about the results of that private investigation? The settlement reads it’s not to be released to anyone. “The public still has a right to know what led to this, what were the facts that led us to a situation in which the superintendent resigned and the school district had to pay a payout,” explains New Mexico Foundation for Open Government Officer Greg Williams. More

NMFOG: Public deserves answers in Brooks resignation

Hearing officer: Delay medical pot rule changes

From the Santa Fe New Mexican - By Phaedra Haywood, The New Mexican - A hearing officer hired to make recommendations on proposed changes to the state’s Medical Cannabis Program has advised the Department of Health to hold off on implementing the changes.
      After listening to comments from about 140 people and reviewing about 1,000 written comments — most of which were critical of the changes — hearing officer Susan Hapka recommended the department not alter the rules until the Medical Cannabis Program’s Medical Advisory Board has met and issued recommendations and another public hearing is held.
      More than 240 people attended a July 14 hearing on the proposals, which include increasing fees for patients and nonprofit producers, adding more testing of medical marijuana and reducing the number of plants patients can grow. Many who spoke said the proposed new regulations would unfairly limit patient access to legally grown marijuana.
      About 11,200 patients — each with one or more of 16 qualifying conditions — are enrolled in the program. More

Hearing officer: Delay medical pot rule changes

Energy secretary vows WIPP will reopen

From KRQE-TV.com - CARLSBAD, N.M. (KRQE) – The Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz is vowing to get the WIPP site near Carlsbad back up and running, and is hoping a plan will be in place by the end of next month.
      Moniz is touring the site Tuesday which has remained shut down since the February radiation leak.
      Officials have yet to pinpoint the cause of the leak, but do know it came from a barrel that had been shipped to WIPP from Los Alamos National Lab.
     Moniz says investigators are narrowing in a plausible theory. More

Energy secretary vows WIPP will reopen

Marita Noon: Colorado Dems Frack Backtrack is all about November

Commentary by Marita Noon - In June, in a sparsely populated county in northern New Mexico, a primary election surprisingly unseated an incumbent County Commissioner. No one seemed to notice. But, apparently, high-ranking Democrats to the north were paying attention.
     The northern New Mexico county is Mora. The high-ranking Democrats: from Colorado. The election upset was about Mora County’s oil-and-gas drilling ban.
     In April 2013, the Mora County Commission voted, 2 to 1, and passed the first-in-the-nation county-wide ban on all oil-and-gas drilling. It was spearheaded by Commission Chairman John Olivas—who also served as northern director for the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance. Since then, two lawsuits have been filed against the little county because of the anti-drilling ordinance.
     A little more than a year after Olivas’ pet project, the Mora County Water Rights and Self-Governance Ordinance, was passed, he was ousted. Olivas didn't just lose in the Democrat primary election, he was, according to the Albuquerque Journal, “soundly beaten” by George Trujillo—59.8% to 34.2%. 

     Both Olivas and Trujillo acknowledged that the ban had an impact on the outcome, with Olivas saying: “In my opinion, it was a referendum on oil and gas.” Trujillo campaigned on a repeal of the ordinance (which, due to the language of the ordinance will be difficult to do) and has said he is open to a limited amount of drilling in the eastern edge of the county. Read full column

Marita Noon: Colorado Dems Frack Backtrack is all about November

Swickard: Time, the great destroyer of students

© 2014 Michael Swickard, Ph.D. Last week I wrote about standing in line at college. So this week I pondered the lessons from my time in college. During my career at college I came to understand that time is the great destroyer of college students. Understand, it is not having too much time or, as most think, too little time doing the damage.
      Rather, it is the act of saying, “I don’t have to do this assignment now, I have plenty of time.” When we say that to ourselves, one part of our brain thinks, “Wait a second, you just don’t feel like doing it now.”
      While we mull this over the North and South parts of our brain go through some rationalizations: “If I don’t spend the evening studying, I’ll flunk the test.” This is countered by “No, you won’t, you really want to go out tonight.” Hmmm, “I want to go out tonight, but I don’t want to flunk the test.”
      That lazy brain says “You can study when you get back, there's plenty of time.” Well, “After the party I won’t feel like studying.” College logic, “You don’t feel like studying now!” But but,“But I don’t want to flunk.” One voice gets the upper hand, “You won’t flunk. Besides right now everyone else in the class is out partying, you will do at least as good as them and since the course is graded on the curve you will get a C and heck, a C is OK.”
      “Well, maybe you are right; I’ll go for a little time.” Time passes. It is now 2:00 a.m. and you sit at your desk. You have recreated until closing time. The words in the book swim before your eyes when North and South speak again: “I have to read the material.” Yawn, “You don’t want to read the book; you want to go to bed so you will be fresh for the test in just 6 hours. Go to bed now and get up an hour early, you’ll still have plenty of time.”
      “You’re right; I’ll get up an hour early.”
       As you drag into class at 8:32 a friend asks if you studied. You say, “A little.”
       What you don’t say to your fellow classmate is that you woke up at 8:23 a.m. which didn’t leave much time to do all of the studying you had been avoiding. You begin writing. As you scan the test questions you recognize a word here and there, but you wonder if you sat down in the wrong classroom.
       While grading your paper the professor notices your fine work such as, “Christopher Columbus discovered America with his ships the Nina, the Ford Pinto and the Santa Fe.”
       Your professor is not amused and rewards your work with the grade of an F minus, minus, minus. When you get your paper back you say to yourself, “Well, I still have other tests. I can pull my grade up to a C if I get an A on a couple of them. I’ll start studying tonight.”
       There’s that voice, “But I thought you were going to go out tonight.” “I don’t want to flunk the course.”
       “You won’t, you have plenty of time to study.” “Yeah, you’re right, I have plenty of time to study, but I’m going to start studying tomorrow so I can ace the other tests.” Read full column

Swickard: Time, the great destroyer of students

Thursday NNM crew not in studio

NewsNM - Swickard: we are not in studio Thursday because most of us are sick, really sick, with the summer flu. I know it is more blessed to give than receive so we are trying to keep our summer flu to ourselves and not give it to anyone else in our broadcast complex.
     Therefore, we are playing a "Best of" show Thursday and taking all sorts of meds to get unsick including drinking tea and resting in bed while reading good books. That will get us well I am sure.
     It is our best hope that enough of us will have a miracle cure and get better so that we can resume broadcasting live on Friday.
     God Bless and Keep each of you. Michael
PS - Conrad the dog is completely well and cheering us on.

Thursday NNM crew not in studio

Investigation into veteran deaths comes up negative

From KRQE-TV.com - ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – After careful review by the New Mexico Veterans Affairs health care system, no link has been found between the deaths of dozens of veterans and their place on the waiting list for medical care.
      Veterans affairs found 21 people who died as a result of being on the waiting list waiting for the doctor. As a result, officials investigated finding an additional 167 patients who died while awaiting various appointments.
      It wasn't until today that the officials found that there was no link between the two.
      Last week’s audit of Albuquerque’s Veterans Affairs hospital showed that there were 248 veterans on the waiting list.
      Veterans are still awaiting appointments and more doctors are currently being recruited. More

Investigation into veteran deaths comes up negative

EPA goes from Environmental Protection Agency to Extremist Political Agenda

Commentary by Marita Noon - During the week of July 28, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held hearings in four cities: Atlanta, Denver, Pittsburgh, and Washington. DC. The two-day sessions were to allow the public to have their voice heard about the proposed rules it released on June 2 that will supposedly cut CO2 emissions by 30 percent.

      Many, including myself, believe that these rules are really an attempt to shut down coal-fueled electricity generation and implement a cap-and-trade program that the Administration couldn't get through Congress in 2009, when cap-and-trade’s obvious allies held both houses of Congress.

      If the EPA’s plans were clear, direct, and honest, the public would likely revolt outright. Instead, the intent is hidden in pages of cumbersome language and the messaging becomes all about clean air and water—and about the health of children.
      Because I was in the area—speaking a few hours from Atlanta on Sunday—I took advantage of the proximity and signed up to speak at the hearing. When I first attempted to sign up, day one was already full. The EPA had so many people who wanted time to share their opinions, a second day was added, and I was put on the schedule. Read full column

EPA goes from Environmental Protection Agency to Extremist Political Agenda

Parents say son robbed them at gunpoint

NewsNM Swickard - My goodness, what is this younger generation coming to? Sounds like he is going to get coal for Christmas this year. From KRQE-TV.com - ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) – An Albuquerque man has been arrested, accused of robbing his parents with a weapon.

      Sheriff’s deputies were called out to a northeast heights home friday night where a woman said her son, 31 year-old Thomas Korman, broke into her home. She said he smashed the window with a rock to get inside.
      According to a criminal complaint, the women says Korman threatened to stab her and her husband if she didn't give him money. The frightened couple gave him cash and their car keys.
      On Sunday, a judge told Korman he will not see his parents for a while. Officers say prior to Friday’s incident, the victims claim Korman posted threatening messages to them on Facebook.
      He’s still locked up on a $25,000 cash-only bond. More

Parents say son robbed them at gunpoint