Mescalero Community Easter Egg Hunt

It’s already here again, the Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt! This means spring is beginning and our community has come out to enjoy an afternoon of egg hunting with the children.

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The annual Easter Egg Hunt took place on March 31, 2021at 5 pm. 

Mescalero Violence Against Women participated in coloring eggs and hiding the eggs on the west side of the football field.

VAW hid over 1000 eggs and the 7 – 12 group of kids participated in the hunt, they also provided prizes to the ones that found prized eggs. 

Many of the kids were very fast and collected many eggs within 5 to 10 minutes after they were told to GO. 

The pictures above show many egg hunters scrambling about on the field and by the community center building, everyone truly enjoyed themselves.

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The Violence Against Women program hosted a candle light vigil on Thursday April 15, 2021 for Sexual Assault Awareness month.

Information was distributed throughout the community at different tribal departments about the upcoming event with a guest speaker.

The community participants would start the walk at Violence Against Women program building located at 145 Warbonnet drive then proceed to the Chiricahua plaza where sandwiches and fruit would be provided with gift bags.

The guest speaker Pax Harvey gave a speech about sexual assault with some comedy relief for our participants. 

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Sexual Assault is a subject that is avoided most of the time.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness month and VAW program sponsored the candle light vigil to open the subject to the public by providing information about sexual assault, whether you are a survivor or what you can do to prevent it from happening to you or others.

Sexual Assault is described as an act of a person sexually touching you without consent or forcing you to engage in a sexual act against your will. Sexual assault is a violent crime especially when one is over powered by the other person.

It has been known to happen between family members, married couples, intimate partners, and in some cases by a stranger.

Parents, if your child discloses a sexual assault let them know they are safe and that you believe them.

Prevention strategy by using safety techniques and the bystander intervention approach offers clear benefits.

The safety technique provides safety in numbers by traveling in groups by going out together and leaving together.

When going out always have a plan B when drinking never leave your drink unattended or out of your sight. Always ask for others help to remove a victim from a potentially dangerous situation.

The bystander approach discourages victim blaming questions such as “how could you have let this happen to you” or “why didn’t you say anything”.

With bystanders as active participants, the sense of responsibility shifts away from the victim and towards family, friends, and the community as a whole.

The question becomes “how could we let this happen in OUR community? Or How can we learn to say something when we see something? 

This offers a chance to change social norms by saying friends don’t let friends hurt others. 

Sexual assault is every one’s responsibility

We all need to work together to put an end to sexual violence. 

At the Sexual Assault Awareness and Candle Light Vigil, walkers were provided music conducted by Chris Frizzell a DJ from the Inn of the Mountain Gods. 

Snacks were provided to the walkers while the music played before the guest speaker Pax Harvey began his presentation. 

The participants enjoyed the walking event to the plaza and the information gained from guest speaker Pax Harvey, who gave a really good presentation on the subject of sexual assault. 

When the event ended we all thanked our guest speaker and participants.

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**RUN/WALK IS POSTPONED TO MAY 5, 2021 AT 5:30PM**

Join the Mescalero Apache Boys & Girls Club as they walk/run to honor Child Abuse Awareness Month! For more information, contact the Boys & Girls Club.

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Click here for more information on Mescalero Violence Against Women.

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Inspections continuing under color-coded risk framework

The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) is now conducting inspections at public pools across the state. Public pools are eligible to reopen under the state’s current Public Health Order and color-coded COVID-19 risk framework.

Under the current Public Health Order, public pool capacity is determined depending on how they are used:

• Pools used for recreational activities (such as water parks, splash pads, kiddie pools, pools at hotels/motels and apartment complexes, and pools operated by homeowner associations that are not strictly limited to physical therapy or socially distanced exercise) may operate under the following capacities:
  1. Red – at 25% capacity (outdoor space only)
  2. Yellow – at 33% capacity (outdoor space only)
  3. Green – at 50% capacity of any outdoor space / 25% of any enclosed space
  4. Turquoise – at 75% capacity of any outdoor space / 50% of any enclosed space
• Pools used solely for physical therapy or socially distanced exercise such as lane swimming may operate under the following capacities:
  1. Red – at 25% capacity (outdoor or enclosed space)
  2. Yellow – at 33% capacity (outdoor or enclosed space)
  3. Green – at 50% capacity (outdoor or enclosed space)
  4. Turquoise – at 75% capacity of any enclosed space / 100% capacity of any outdoor space

Public communal spas and hot tubs are still required to remain closed. The state’s COVID-19 guidelines are subject to change depending on the status of the virus in New Mexico. 

There are 1,200 public pools across the state that fall under the jurisdiction of NMED. Per state law, NMED ensures public safety at each public pool annually. Through these inspections, NMED helps to prevent infections, injuries and accidental deaths at these facilities. NMED does not conduct inspections at public pools in Bernalillo County and Albuquerque, which administer their own pool safety programs.

All public pools must adhere to the CDC’s Considerations for Public Pools, Hot Tubs, and Water Playgrounds During COVID-19 as well as the “All Together New Mexico” COVID-safe Practices for Individuals and Employers.

To schedule an inspection, call your local NMED field office. Visit the NMED public pool website for more information.

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Santa Fe–The New Mexico Department of Health on Monday announced that all vaccineNM.org registrants ages 16 and up can now schedule their own COVID-19 vaccine appointments. To do so, users simply log in to vaccineNM.org using their confirmation code and date of birth, choose their location, and then select from available appointments in their area. 

In the event that a user does not immediately find an available appointment, DOH encourages them to check back again. Providers are continually updating their appointment schedules. Seniors and those with disabilities can also call 1-800-432-2080 for support with registration and scheduling.

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Road tests for new driver’s licenses are being suspended at Motor Vehicle Division offices in counties designated as ‘Yellow’ or ‘Red’ under the state’s red-to-turquoise COVID-19 reopening framework.

Nine counties regressed to either the Yellow or Red level in the most recent map, released Wednesday: Catron, Chaves, Eddy, Harding, Lincoln, Rio Arriba, Sierra and Socorro regressed to the Yellow level, and Colfax moved to the Red level.

Also at the Yellow level are Bernalillo, Dona Ana, Grant, Luna, Sandoval, San Juan and Valencia.

Although many MVD services can continue to be safely delivered in yellow and red counties, road tests require an MVD agent and the customer to drive together in the customer’s vehicle—a small indoor space. Road tests will continue to be provided in a safe manner in green and turquoise counties.

All offices are open by appointment only, which can be made at mvdonline.com.

New Mexico’s county-by-county system uses key health metrics – the per-capita daily incidence of new COVID-19 cases and average COVID-19 test positivity within county borders – to determine the level of public health risk and requirement for each county. A county that meets one criterion may operate at the Yellow Level; a county that meets both may operate at the Green Level. A county that has met both for two consecutive biweekly map updates may operate at the Turquoise Level.

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Students encouraged to register and get vaccinated 

Santa Fe–The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) and Public Education Department (PED) on Thursday announced Student COVID-19 Vaccination Week. During the week of May 3-8, students aged 16 and older will be given priority for making appointments on the NMDOH COVID-19 Vaccine Registration System, vaccineNM.org.

“With public schools back in session and summer just around the corner, we want students to know that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 protects them and their families – and will help us all get back to doing the things we miss,” said Department of Health Secretary Dr. Tracie Collins. 

“Vaccinating against this virus protects students’ health and the health of the school community,” Public Education Secretary Ryan Stewart said. “Additionally, once students are fully vaccinated, they won’t have to quarantine if they’re identified as close contacts of someone with COVID-19. That could help reduce school closures in the future.”  

Beginning next Monday, April 26, all New Mexicans 16 years and older will be able to self-schedule their own vaccination appointments through vaccineNM.org, no event code required. 

To schedule a vaccination appointment, register online at VaccineNM.org. Vaccinations for New Mexicans under age 18 require parental consent, and Pfizer is the only vaccine available for students 16-to-17-years-old.  The Department of Health can also assist those who need help registering – including those who do not have internet access. Please call the COVID-19 hotline at 1-855-600-3453, press option 0 (zero) for vaccine questions, and then option 4 for tech support.

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