It's not surprising because Los Alamos, home to Los Alamos Labs and thousands of six figure jobs, is one of the richest counties in America, the most white of the state's counties, the one with the most educational achievement, the one with the most high speed broadband connections, the lowest child poverty rate and a county with very few front line workers. 

 Of course Los Alamos is an anomaly, first established basically as an insular federal colony that never faced the historic problems that other counties have. Still, if the most troubled areas of the state could jump just a small percentage in the social condition standings, we could easily vault to near the middle of the pack from last in the nation.

The following is not meant to be a fair comparison but the disparity in living conditions between the least exposed coronavirus county and the most exposed is stark, like comparing a first world nation to one in the third world. We offer it as an eye-opener on the formidable divide facing the state.

McKinley is the county that has the highest coronavirus cases. While Los Alamos is the whitest county at 87 percent. McKinley is the most minority with Native Americans making up 80 percent of the population, according to the 2019 Census Estimates.

Media household income income in Los Alamos is over $115,000; in McKinley it's $31,000. In Los Alamos 98 percent of adults have a high school degree and 66 percent have a Bachelor's degree or higher; in McKinley 75 percent have a high school degree and 12 percent a Bachelor's degree or more.

During this decade the population of McKinley, now 71,000, has declined 0.2 percent. In Los Alamos, population 18,000, the growth rate has been 8 percent, thanks largely to the expansion of nuclear weapons work .

In Los Alamos 91 percent of households have a computer and 86 percent have broadband. In McKinley 59% have a computer and 43 percent have broadband. 

The state's poorest counties are not going to be hotbeds of high-paying jobs anytime soon but more educational achievement and more broadband are obtainable goals.

THE SWITCH

The switch to a three tiered, county by county coronavirus model was a major reversal for MLG who until now has favored the shutdown model. But with unemployment and other federal relief programs expiring with no signs yet of a congressional extension, the economic pain is growing. And the public is growing increasingly antsy, with more examples of the public health order being flouted and holiday gatherings numerous despite official warnings. 

 

tax cuts no tax relief yes---https://www.denverpost.com/2020/11/25/colorado-tax-break-restaurants-bars-covid/?trk_msg=MQU29MT2C1545C89UDDPRO3BQ4&trk_contact=MCPDC4NE4BAVVFMV512M899MTG&trk_sid=UKACR0BGFC54V0TGH8QVOIQLF4&utm_email=546EB44565979593A447B5354B&g2i_eui=oa33EUY8d%2ftq0QH9xAgTOb%2byK0vzWAQ5&g2i_source=newsletter&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=https%3a%2f%2fwww.denverpost.com%2f2020%2f11%2f25%2fcolorado-tax-break-restaurants-bars-covid%2f&utm_campaign=denver-mile-high-roundup&utm_content=manual Colorado bars and eateries that have been ordered to limit their capacity are getting a temporary tax break from the state at a time of profound challenge and uncertainty for the industry. Gov. Jared Polis announced Wednesday that via executive order he has suspended collection of the 2.9% sales tax that businesses must typically return to the government. That means businesses affected by the executive order — bars, restaurants and food trucks — can hang onto an extra $2.90 per $100 in revenue. SENATE COMMITTEES seniro algiatr at the roundhouse -Sen. Ivey-Soto to succeed Sen. Lopez as Chair of Senate Rules Committee; -Sens. Cervantes and Soules to continue as Chairs of Judiciary and Education respectively; -Sen. Stefanics to continue as Chair of Senate Conservation unless offered something else she wants; -Sen. Shannon Pinto as Chair of Senate Indian and Cultural Affairs. only DC has more axneity than ne wmexico...35.1 percent here..hightst mong th 50 states...https://www.nbcnews.com/health/mental-health/map-anxiety-depression-your-state-compares-united-states-n1248473?cid=eml_nbn_20201123 v>

ream killer for colon..torrss for us attorney bill riordan obit https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/legislature/legislative-report-says-medicaid-costing-more-delivering-less-in-new-mexico/article_5bb21a44-29aa-11eb-ac21-b7b9fb6d3a24.html#utm_source=santafenewmexican.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Fyour-morning-headlines%2F%3F123%26-dc%3D1605787214&utm_medium=email&utm_content=read%20more The coronavirus pandemic has driven Medicaid enrollment to nearly 900,000 patients, prompting an all-time high in state spending on the health insurance program for low-income people, a new legislative report says. But patient visits to providers are stagnating, the study adds, and there appear to be no oversight procedures in place to determine if outcomes are improving for patients in the program. Jacob Rowberry, a program evaluator for the Legislative Finance Committee, which reviewed the study Wednesday, said Medicaid enrollment has increased since March, when the pandemic began, by nearly 54,000 patients to 891,192. In 2014, when new eligibility rules allowed more people in the state to participate in the federal health program, 570,000 New Mexico patients were enrolled. Meanwhile, Rowberry said, spending has increased from $3.9 billion in 2014 to $5 billion in 2019, and it is expected to rise to $5.8 billion in the current fiscal year. About $1 billion will come from the state’s general fund, he said, while the federal government will cover a much larger share. https://sites.google.com/view/new-mexico-covid19-tracking/home John Culbertson has been tracking the number of COVID-19 cases globally in the news since early January. Culbertson, who has more than 25 years experience as a research analyst and has a Master’s degree in educational research and statistics, is very comfortable with numbers.