Chaves County moves to Green level of reopening

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- For a long time, Chaves County stuck out like a yellow thumb on the state’s Red to Green Framework for reopening map. Now as the rest of the state turns Turquoise, Chaves County is finally in the Green.

David Morgan, from the New Mexico Department of Health, said there’s a lot of positive changes to the map this week.

“It’s hopeful to be able to see every county in New Mexico trend in the right direction, and we’re really proud of the effort that residents in Chaves County has made in these last two weeks,” he said.

Those efforts paying off as the county is now in the Green. For local businesses, a Green county is a green light for more customers.

Patricia Villareal works at Rustic Essentials Soap Shop and Factory in Roswell. She said business is picking up.

“We’ve had a lot of business lately, so I’ve been green hope people come out see the UFO Museum can walk around Main Street and if you hear this come stop by and see us” she said.

It also means yet again, changes to graduation plans for the school district.

Mike Gottlieb, RISD Superintendent, met with the high school principals Thursday to solidify graduation plans under the Green level.

“It’s exciting that we’re green, and we really thank everybody for helping us move forward getting out of yellow back to green is a good thing for our graduation we now move from 25% to 50% in the outside,” he said.

Graduation will be at the Wool Bowl, and the superintendent said the PED has locked the district in as green for graduation. So even if the county regresses back to Yellow, graduation won’t change. The only way it would change is if the county moves to Turquoise which would mean even more spectators allowed.

The state reports Chaves County is right on the brink of Turquoise.

For information about RISD graduations you can click this link