COVID19 Joint Information Center
March 19, 2020
Media contact: Kelly Jameson, kjameson@lcps.net / 575-639-2121
The main lobby at the City remains open to only 10 people at a time on abbreviated hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Their Motor Vehicle Division is very busy at this time and is also on an abbreviated schedule.
Some operational changes: Economic Development at the City has reduced its workload to only handle new business licenses. As a result, the fire department is only providing inspections for new businesses and those which are considered essential or required by law due to regulatory guidelines.
Communication team identified some weakness on the website where they could have offered more information to users, so updates are being done. Currently, the City has significantly reduced staff; the main lobby and utility payment windows are open, but there is no other access to the public. Work is being done right now to provide the Community Development Department the ability to do video inspections. They are still open for permits but have moved to an online-only system.
An update from the Animal Services of the Mesilla Valley:
- Our Center is currently open. No plans yet to reduce hours.
- We have placed non-essential on remote work and others have been sent home or on a as needed basis.
- If the public finds a stray animal and it is healthy, we will not accept the animal.
- Only aggressive or injured animals will be accepted.
- Owner surrenders will also be temporary suspended. Only animals that are sick or injured.
- All appointments for vaccines and health checks are suspended. People need to stay at home, not bring their animal to the center for shots that can be postponed for two weeks.
- Only emergency cases will be seen. (these are for recently adopted or sterilized animals)
- Public plea for adoptions and short-term fosters.
- Free adoptions until further notice
- Las Cruces Police Department
The PD has moved to modified schedules for all civilian personnel. The lobby is closed at the main station on Picacho to customer traffic. Currently, they are encouraging people to call the non-emergency number (575-526-0795, option 6) if they need to speak with an officer. The records office is only open on Monday for records pickup. All accident reports are available online.
The City’s Animal Control Office is now prioritizing calls, taken only through central dispatch. There is an advisory to residents to reconsider self-surrendering; ACO won’t take a self-surrender unless it’s vicious.
LCPD announced they suspended their current cadet academy for two weeks.
- Las Cruces Public Schools
Meals continue to be delivered to those sites identified on www.lcps.net and will continue over Spring Break. There is no weekend meal distribution. Some families have expressed a need for delivery, which Administration is trying to work through.
Teachers will start making regular contact with families starting today. They will be checking on students to see if they are okay, need access to healthcare resources or learning materials during the shutdown.
- Doña Ana County
- The Doña Ana County Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Advisory Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Apr. 14, at the Doña Ana County Government Center, is cancelled.
- The Adult Facility lobby will be closed to the public, effective 5 p.m. on Friday March 20, to further enhance preventive measures and minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19 to the community, staff or detainees. Only individuals with court related business, attorneys, individuals posting cash bonds, or clergy will be allowed to enter the lobby.
- o Individuals who are waiting for a detainee’s release will not be able to wait in the lobby and are encouraged to remain in their vehicle.
- o The lobby kiosk for depositing funds into a detainee’s account will be deactivated, until further notice. With the detainee’s identification number, funds can be placed into detainee accounts, using one of the following options:
- Phone, please call (866) 345-1884. Internet, please visit to www.accesscorrections.com. Mail money orders to: Detainee’s Name and ID Number, for example, John Smith #20876; Doña Ana County Detention Center; P.O. Box 454; Las Cruces, N.M. 88004
- The Juvenile Facility lobby will have access restricted to a parent or guardian picking up a juvenile who was released. People with previously scheduled visits or court-related business will be escorted in.
- o Visits will not be granted to walk-ins. All visits to the Doña Ana County Detention Center must be scheduled in advance, by calling (575) 647-7680.
- Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office
The office at 845 N. Motel Blvd. is only open on Wednesdays. Staff is in the office working, and a new directive from the NM Supreme Court requires that screenings be conducted before anyone from the public can enter.
The academy is moving forward, with precautions. They are currently in a phase that doesn’t’ require them to be in close proximity to one another.
No report. Kelly has a new contact and will reach out to them before Friday’s call.
Nothing new to report.
Memorial Medical Center
Updates: nothing new. Implementing higher restrictions on where visitors can enter (main).
- Mountain View Regional Medical Center
Yesterday MVRMC upgraded its visitor policies to limit visitors to patients in isolation to one visitor per day to conserve PPE. A visitor is only allowed one entrance and one exit per day.
- New Mexico State University
Nothing new to report as of Thursday.
- New Mexico State University Police
Nothing new to report as of Thursday.
- Office of Emergency Management (OEM)
OEM is complying with the public health order minimizing gatherings of 10 or more. There was an inquiry about other public meetings. The City reported that all meetings have been canceled but the county’s Board of Commissioners will still meet on Tuesday, with social distancing in effect. Officials with the OEM have provided guidance on that and will do a remote presentation.
- Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility
Prison officials have canceled all visitation. They have also suspended all city highway work crew details. Some employees are on self-quarantine.
- New Mexico Department of Health
No report Thursday. (*Please note that due to the level of commitment of our local DOH PIO in Santa Fe, representation is not always possible for JIC conference call updates.)