Governor Shutters Socorro County Restaurants Days before Valentine’s Day Weekend
Senator Joshua Sanchez, Representative Gail Armstrong Respond
SANTA FE – On Wednesday, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and the New Mexico Department of Health updated their statewide COVID-19 “Red to Green” map. The Governor and health officials were quick to highlight that several counties moved from red to yellow. They said little, however, about the fact that at least one county – Socorro County – was downgraded from yellow to red just days before Valentine’s Day.
“While the Governor dines at the White House in Washington, D.C. today, Socorro County residents and restaurants are facing another shutdown,” said Senator Joshua Sanchez (District 30-Cibola, Socorro, McKinley, and Valencia). “How does the Governor expect these businesses to survive with such uncertainty from week to week? It is time to rethink the ‘Red to Green Framework’ and take the necessary steps to reopen our state.”
Under the Governor’s existing framework, restaurants in a “red” county cannot offer indoor dining and can only operate at 25% of their outdoor dining capacity. The recent downgrade in Socorro County is proving to be particularly harsh for local restaurants that anticipated and planned for the holiday weekend.
“Restaurants have patiently waited to reopen, completed the steps to be COVID-safe, invested in inventory and bringing back staff, in a framework that has no long-term in-person guidelines,” added Representative Gail Armstrong (District 49-Catron, Socorro, and Valencia). “As we start to come out of the pandemic, our restaurants will face increased strain as they are forced to reevaluate staffing levels and inventory to comply with a reentry system that is already inefficient and cumbersome. Giving a business 48 hours to comply in a system that is ever-changing just makes it harder on our entire community.”
Earlier this week, Senator Sanchez introduced legislation (Senate Bill 364) to allow businesses to operate at a minimum of 50% of their occupancy limit during a public health order. According to a recent New York Times article, New Mexico and Oregon remain the only two “mostly closed” states for business in the entire country.
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FRPM YESTERDAY:
FGGAM just received this news release:
New Mexico Senate Votes to Repeal Abortion Law
Senate Republicans Respond
SANTA FE – Following a lengthy debate in which Senate Democrats refused to answer questions from Republican members, the Senate today voted to repeal New Mexico’s abortion law. Senate Bill 10, sponsored by Democratic Senator Linda Lopez (District 11-Bernalillo), strikes an entire section of law that among other things protects medical professionals from being forced to participate in abortions and requires that abortions be performed by licensed physicians, using safe medical procedures. All fifteen Senate Republicans and two Democrats voted against the legislation.
“Today, Senate Democrats who want to codify a 48-year-old decision from the Supreme Court lectured us about the outdated nature of New Mexico’s abortion law,” said Senator Crystal Diamond (District 35-Doña Ana, Hidalgo, Luna, and Sierra). “Their rejection of our common sense recommendations prove this had nothing to do with correcting archaic language or protecting women. This bill was about giving the multi-million dollar abortion industry freedom to operate unchecked in our state, thereby jeopardizing the health and well-being of New Mexico women and children.”
Senate Republicans, led by Senator Diamond and Senator William Sharer (District 1-San Juan), introduced several amendments and substitutes in an effort to preserve vital components of the law, including healthcare protections for women and conscience protections for medical professionals. All amendments were soundly rejected by the Democratic-led chamber.
“This is truly a sad day for our state,” added Senator Sharer. “In addition to sending a message that unborn children’s lives do not matter, we are weakening standards of care for women and repealing the only abortion-related conscience clause we have. Nevertheless, Senate Democrats refused to answer our questions and ultimately prevailed in getting exactly what they wanted all along – unrestricted, elective abortion on demand, up to the moment of birth.”
Senate Bill 10 passed the Senate on a 25-17 vote. The bill will now advance to the House of Representatives for consideration.
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From Pastor Don Kimbro:
When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” — Mark 10:14
Recently, an “Op-Ed” piece appeared in our local newspaper, authored by a minister of a denomination that sadly is well-known for its liberal approach to Christianity. It was in regard to abortion. After reading it, I felt a need to write an “Op-Ed” of my own in rebuttal.
His article was titled, “As A Minister, I Support The Repeal Of The Ban On Abortion.” That bill is currently in our State Legislature and will be voted on tomorrow. These were his opening words, “I was very sad at the conclusion of the 2019 legislative session when the New Mexico Senate failed to repeal the old law on the books that made abortion a crime, and even more disappointed to see so many other states passing laws criminalizing providers and women.”
I was very sad, as well, when I read his short treatise—but it wasn’t his gloom that impressed me but his failure, as a minister who claims to be Christian, to cite any biblical authority for his position—not even one verse! I was very disappointed also, that one who would identify as a ordained minister, would publicly sanction the killing of babies in the womb, which now reaches over one million every year in America! So perhaps I can help him and others in this short space by introducing just a few of the many Scriptures from the Bible that speak to the issue.
Exodus 20:13, one of the well-known Ten Commandments says, “You shall not murder.” Murder is defined as the premeditated act of taking another person’s life. Proverbs 6:17, expresses seven things that God hates. One of them is, “Hands that shed innocent blood.” There is no person more innocent than a defenseless baby in its mother’s womb.
Psalm 119:73 speaks tenderly of God’s involvement in the birth process, “Your hands have made me and fashioned me.” However, perhaps the most definitive of all the Biblical passages that express God’s view of human life may be found in Psalm 139:13-16, which describes the process of human development in the womb by God Himself, speaking through the words of David: “For you formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.”
In love we must seek out and embrace the countless young women who—through fear, ignorance, coercion, bad counsel or family pressure—felt that abortion was their only choice and let them know that we have a merciful, gracious, and loving Savior who forgives completely and removes all guilt when one comes to the cross of Christ (Colossians 1:14-15).
Having said that, we also must speak up at every opportunity against the evil of abortion and not accept it as a cultural option when someone makes a mistake. God’s word does not allow that. Maranatha!
To help us walk closer with God and to know Him better
