I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
The U.S. State Department on Monday evening issued a warning to American citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Mexico because of the spreading swine flu. Soon thereafter, U.S. Rep. Harry Teague, a Democrat who represents the southern portion of the state, issued this statement:
“While non-essential travel is discouraged, I want to remind all residents of southern New Mexico that the U.S.-Mexico ports of entry are open,” Teague said. “Our federal agents at the border are taking every precaution to prevent transmission of swine flu, and I urge all residents of southern New Mexico to become familiar with the steps necessary to avoid becoming infected with swine flu.”
There’s worry about what the flu could do to the already struggling U.S. economy. The European Union has discouraged travel by its citizens to Mexico and the United States, where cases of the swine flu have been confirmed in New York, Ohio, Kansas, Texas and California. And there’s this statement in an Associated Press article about the situation:
“The virus poses a potentially grave new threat to the U.S. economy, which was showing tentative early signs of a recovery,” the article states. “A widespread outbreak could batter tourism, food and transportation industries, deepening the recession in the U.S. and possibly worldwide.”
Perhaps that’s one reason Teague wants to remind people that the border remains open even as the State Department wants Americans to stay away from it. It’s critical to commerce in his district and the United States.
You can get more information on swine flu from the Centers for Disease Control and from this Web site set up by U.S. Rep. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M.
