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NEWS Local news and entertainment since 1969 No login. Entertainment No fees. Free archives! April 16 - 22, 2021 Kate Winslet stars in “Mare of Easttown,” Check out the entirety of premiering Sunday Guide on HBO. the Las Cruces Bulletin, Native Plant Week it’s archives and annual Recognize some publications online at Inside local favorites page 12 www.lascrucesbulletin.com2 x 5.5” ad FRIDAY, PHARMACY APRIL 16, 2021 SOLUTIONS! I Volume 53, Number 16 Providing Full-service Pharmacy Needs in New Mexico for over 60 Years! • Assisted Living • Skilled Nursing I lascrucesbulletin.com • Hospice ‘Mare of Easttown’ – • Long-term care • DD Waiver and more A woman wrestles with her Call us today! 575-288-1412 Ask your provider if they utilize the many A&E benefits of XR Innovations, such as: Blister or multi-dose packaging, OTC’s & FREE Delivery. past, personal demons Learn more about what we do at www.rxinnovationslc.net2 x 4” ad AA BeeBee inin herher New Blues Cafe Downtown business springs to life page 20 BlossomBlossom PETS & PEOPLE Cool Cats addresses feral population problems page 27 SPORTS The Golf Doctor: tips to reach the next level page 31 Spring brings out the apple blossoms at U-Pick Mesilla Valley Apples and the bees are happy to do their job to bring these red delicious delights to life. LuAnne Burke owns Apple of Joy and manages the orchard off of Shalem Colony Trail in the Rio Grande valley just north of Las Cruces. Visit appleofjoy.com for information. See page 29 for the story. BULLETIN PHOTO BY ELVA K. ÖSTERREICH 2 | FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021 LAS CRUCES BULLETIN LAS CRUCES BULLETIN NEWS FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021 | 3 Memorial Medical Center delivers 20,000th dose of COVID-19 vaccine By MIKE COOK come out and supported Las Cruces Bulletin us,” he said. And NMDOH has even Memorial Medical assisted local providers Center (MMC) delivered with data entry to help its first dose of COVID-19 keep the state current vaccine last Dec. 16, and with the number of local surpassed the 20,000-de- residents receiving the livery mark Thursday vaccine, Perkins said. morning, April 8. Some of the programs “We’ve become a well- Memorial Medical Center’s 20,000 COVID-19 dose team, April MMC has developed dur- oiled machine,” MMC Di- 8. ing the pandemic will con- rector of Marketing and tinue “after COVID goes PHOTOS COURTESY OF MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER Communications Ryan complete, the time spent pandemic, Perkins said away,” Perkins said. The Perkins said in an April 9 Memorial Medical Center’s Victoria Grasso, DO, delivers from walking in the door MMC has been “really COVID to Home program telephone interview. “We MMC’s 10,000 COVID-19 vaccine dose Feb. 23. until a Band-Aid is placed impressed with the level the hospital has jointly really have vaccination over the injection site of cooperation” it has administered with the clinics down to a science.” but also administered 800 only vaccines three days could be as little as three received from the New city, the county Electronic All told, MCC had ad- doses of the Johnson & a week to begin with and to four minutes, plus the Mexico Department of Caregiver, and other pri- ministered 20,406 doses of Johnson vaccine in one now increased to four 15-minute observation pe- Health (NMDOH), the city vate companies, for exam- vaccine as of April 8, av- single day earlier this days a week. riod, he said. of Las Cruces, Doña Ana ple, has become “a model eraging about 1,275 doses year — its busiest so far Perkins said the lines of “It’s super quick and County, other healthcare that transformed how we per week over the past 16 as a vaccine provider. people waiting to receive easy to get through the providers, local busi- deliver care,” he said. weeks. Perkins said MMC’s the vaccine are moving line,” Perkins said. nesses and nonprofits, Perkins encouraged the Perkins said MMC has core vaccine delivery quickly at the hospital. Throughout the vac- other groups and indi- community to go to vac- delivered the Pfizer vac- team comprises 36 staff, If an individual already cination process and, viduals. cinenm.org to sign up to cine almost exclusively, providing appointment- has his or her paperwork in fact, throughout the “The community has get vaccinated. 4 | FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021 NEWS LAS CRUCES BULLETIN ‘Woo Woo Doc’ goes home with award By ELVA K. ÖSTERREICH lows’ voice cracked a few Bellows said. he called himself the Las Cruces Bulletin times as he read about and Doña Ana Community ‘Woo Woo Doc,” because remembered his experi- College (DACC) EMS pro- he teased he would have Receiving a New Mexico ences with Diven. gram director Ann Bellows to stick his head out the EMS award, Las Cruces’s Diven is a representative wrote the nominating let- window and shout ‘woo Dr. Ben Diven has been and leader within the state ter for the award. woo’ to clear traffic as he recognized for his amaz- EMS community, Bellows She calls Diven a “home- responded to calls since the ing contribution to the said. Diven is a teacher and grown delight,” and said he service would not provide state’s emergency medical medical director and has is always available to sup- him with a siren.” services. The state Tim served on the state Medical port and help the students The nomination letter Fleming Medical Director Director Committee advis- he has worked with. outlines that Diven moved of the Year Award is one ing on the scope of the “He started out as a from being a paramedic to of 10 yearly awards given EMS profession. paramedic working with medical school and then out by the EMS Statewide “Above all, Dr. Diven an ambulance service moved back to Las Cruces PHOTOS BY ELVA K. ÖSTERREICH Advisory Council. has provided an example before most knew what to work in the emergency Las Cruces Fire Department EMS Medical Director Dr. Ben Presenting the award of just how much an a paramedic was,” Ann room at Memorial General Diven receives the statewide Tim Fleming Medical Director of Friday, April 9, statewide individual can change a Bellows said in the nomi- Hospital and to be the the Year Award. committee chair Pete Bel- community for the better,” nation. “When I met him, medical director for local ambulance services. He served as medical director through many ownerships and provided medical direction to New Mexico State University and fire departments. “He educated students with his quiet sense of humor and art (cartoons and photography),” Ann Las Cruces Fire Department EMS Medical Director Dr. Ben Bellows said in the letter. Diven receives the statewide Tim Fleming Medical Director “I recall many hand-drawn of the Year Award from EMS state advisory committee chair cartoons that could make Pete Bellows. a difficult concept become clear, and still have a few in “Las Cruces Fire is EMTs in the area and luck- my treasured lectures.” 107 pages long,” he said. ily for Diven, they “don’t Diven was instrumen- “I wrote, started from screw up very often.” tal in nurturing DACC scratch, and you have to “The citizens of the city through its growing peri- keep them updated all the and county have no idea ods and still is, she said. time because there is al- how good they have got Currently, Diven serves ways new information.” it,” Diven said. “My job, as the medical director in terms of stamping out for the Las Cruces Fire Diven does quality assur- fires and trouble, is very Department, Doña Ana ance, review and dealing easy. They are well trained County Fire and Rescue with problem cases that and know what they are Department, NMSU Fire come up, he said. The side doing.” Department, NMSU Police effects and patient com- The best part of his job, Department, Mesilla Val- plaints come through him. Diven said, is interacting ley Dispatch and the DACC At DACC, he helps with with the EMTs, which he EMS Program. student reviews, writes doesn’t get to do nearly as “I have a lot of services, protocols and lectures. often as he would like. but they don’t keep me as “I assume all of the legal “It is crucial to know busy as you might think,” liability for the behavior of that he is always there and Diven said. the EMTs. That’s just part that he cares, and that the He has written the EMS of the package,” he said. system would not be what treatment guidelines and “I have to be insured for it is in Doña Ana County protocols for each agency, medical liability.” without him,” Pete Bellows he said. There are about 350 said. LAS CRUCES BULLETIN FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021 | 5 NEW MEXICO, DO YOU NEED HELP PAYING YOUR RENT OR UTILITIES? WE CAN HELP. The state of New Mexico will grant $170M of federal aid to New Mexicans for rental and utility assistance to households experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 outbreak. What is covered? Rent, utility bills (electric and gas), water and sewer, trash removal, and other expenses related to housing costs such as hotel/motel costs. The Application Process is open from APRIL 5, 2021 – AUGUST 31, 2021 APPLY TODAY AT RENTHELPNM.ORG OR CALL 1-833-485-1334 6 | FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021 OPINION LAS CRUCES BULLETIN Breaking ground on Casa for a Cause 1740-A Calle de Mercado, You may know Las Cruces NM 88005 it as the Las PHONE: (575) 524-8061 Cruces Home FAX: (575) 526-4621 Builders Associa- www.lascrucesbulletin.com tion Anniversary [email protected] House.