Local News

SANTA FE (AP) — New Mexico Health Secretary Retta Ward says post-traumatic stress disorder will remain as a qualifying condition for the state’s medical marijuana program.
Ward made the announcement Tuesday. Her decision backed up a recommendation made last year by the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Advisory Board.
The board had rejected a petition by an Albuquerque psychiatrist who said there was a lack of scientific evidence proving medical marijuana helped those with PTSD.
State law allows citizens to petition the board to add or delete medical conditions that qualify patients for a medical marijuana license. 

Atomic City Transit will implement a number of route and schedule changes beginning May 24. A draft of the revised route map and schedules can be viewed at AtomicCityTransit.com.

These upcoming changes will also be discussed at the Transportation Board Meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the Public Works Conference Room, located at 2101 Trinity Dr., Suite A2. Basic hours of operation will remain Monday through Friday from approximately 5:45 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Routes are being renumbered to simplify use. Routes 1, 2, and 3, will all serve the downtown area in some capacity. Route 2 also serves White Rock. Routes 4, 5, and 6 will serve the neighborhoods in Los Alamos.

Peak service on all routes will now run every 30 minutes instead of the current 20/40 minute split.

White Rock service will be enhanced by restructuring Routes 2 and 5 into one new Route 2.

This route will provide service approximately every 15 minutes during peak hours in White Rock and every 30 minutes all day.

The new route will circulate White Rock in a clockwise direction reducing confusion of which side of the street to wait on.

All trips will go to the Transit Center, however every trip will alternate between the Main Hill and the Truck Route.

Buses utilizing the Main Hill will be designated 2M.

Forecasters are warning that high winds will rake parts of the state as a cold front settles in.

The National Weather Service has issued high wind warnings from Wednesday evening into Thursday as near record lows and widespread freezing temperatures grip the state. The chilly start to May is expected to stick around for a couple more days.

The service says strong winds are expected to whip through portions of the Rio Grande Valley and Upper Tularosa Basin. The Santa Fe and Albuquerque areas are also expected to see the winds that could strengthen to 40 mph.

The New Mexico Environment Department, meanwhile, issued a warning about dust, particularly in the northwestern region of the state as well as on the eastern plains. Strong east canyon winds along the middle and lower Rio Grande Valley Wednesday night into Thursday may result in dust impacts, as well.

Dust storms result in elevated levels of airborne particulate matter 10 microns or less in size, which is about 1/7th the diameter of a human hair. Due to the current drought and very dry soil conditions, there is more potential for blowing dust than usual for the entire state.