The Americans with Disabilities Act is now 25-years old, marking its anniversary on Sunday. The ADA and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 provide protections for people with disabilities similar to those provided to people on the basis of race, color, gender, age, religion and national origin. The law ensures equal opportunity and equal access to businesses, employment, transportation and more. *****073015-Parker-A-1 :05***** Jim Parker is the retired director of the New Mexico Governor’s Commission on Disability. *****073015-Parker-1 :23***** Parker says there’s been a huge amount of progress under the ADA, although he concedes progress has been slow. *****073015-Parker-1 :23***** Parker believes more rigorous enforcement of ADA requires a better understanding of the law, as well as training people, both with and without disabilities to improve compliance.
Santa Fe’s Governing Body spent a lot of time at its Wednesday meeting discussing a vote taken three weeks previous in which it approved an assisted-living center on Old Pecos Trail. Since the July 8th meeting, however, Mayor Javier Gonzales announced an about-face on the matter, saying he wanted the City Council to reconsider its five-to-four vote and re-refer it to the City Planning Commission. The New Mexican reports the Council did vote to reconsider Wednesday night, but delayed for two weeks a decision on what the next step is. The 84-unit MorningStar Senior Living center would be located at Old Pecos Trail and Calle de Sebastian. Council members who rejected the idea of sending the matter back to the Planning Commission said that panel had several new members who were “hand-picked” by the mayor, insinuating that it would vote differently than the previous commission.
A 911 caller says she was panicked but as calm as possible before a New Mexico dispatcher hung up on her while she tried to save the life of a friend who had been shot. Esperanza Quintero told The Associated Press on Wednesday that she wished dispatcher Matthew Sanchez had done more to help before telling the 17-year-old to "deal with it yourself." In the recording, the caller snaps at Sanchez for repeatedly asking whether Chavez-Silver is breathing. The call was made after 17-year-old Jaydon Chavez-Silver was shot in June as he watched other teens play cards at a friend's house. He later died. City officials say Sanchez resigned Tuesday, a day after a recording of the 911 was released.
Nearly half of New Mexico is free of drought conditions following the fourth-wettest six months the state has ever seen. The Albuquerque Journal reports that drought was present statewide in July 2014, with the prevalence of severe drought at 77 percent compared to 1 percent currently, Socorro County extension agent Jessica Smith says while producers are grateful for the rainfall, they aren’t counting on the drought being over for good. Middle Rio Grande Conservancy- District hydrologist David Gensler says this wet year is a rare occurrence. The new numbers were discussed Tuesday during a drought monitoring work group session.
Santa Fe Weather: Mostly cloudy today through tomorrow with showers and thunderstorms likely, with some of the storms likely to produce heavy rain. The high today and tomorrow will be in the upper 70s, while tonight’s low will drop to 58. The chance for rain is 70-percent today, 80-percent tonight through tomorrow.