Six Mile Dam improvements
The City of Carlsbad partnered with several local companies and organizations to make improvements to Six Mile Dam.
What to know about surgery during the pandemic
The thought of having surgery for a nagging injury or lingering pain can make some patients feel uneasy. But, as many experts have said over the last few months, it is extremely important not to neglect medical needs during the pandemic.
Patients can feel confident seeking the medical care they need at Carlsbad Medical Center. Numerous steps have been put in place to keep patients safe during their visits, including:
- Screening all visitors for COVID-19 exposure and symptoms before they are allowed to enter.
- Visitor restrictions reduce the number of people inside to enable social distancing and keep patients and employees safe.
- Facemasks are worn by everyone inside the hospital – patients, employees and physicians.
- Caregivers are using appropriate personal protective equipment and washing hands before and after caring for every patient.
- Cleaning protocols have been enhanced with extra measures and increased frequency, including disinfection of frequently touched surfaces and all patient care areas.
- Furniture in waiting areas arranged to support social distancing.
“What might start out as a minor injury or illness can actually lead to long-term health issues if not addressed,” said Murugan Athigaman, MD, General Surgeon at CMC. “I have seen an increase in the number of patients who are experiencing more significant health issues because of delayed care. Carlsbad Medical Center has precautions in place to safely treat all patients who need medical care. I strongly urge people to contact their physician if they have any health concerns.”
Pre-surgery COVID-19 testing is required for patients undergoing procedures involving general anesthesia or aerosolizing procedures. Patients are asked to self-quarantine after receiving the test and before arriving at the hospital. Care for surgery patients is delivered in a non-COVID care zone in which all patients have tested negative for COVID and provided by a dedicated group of staff who only work in this area.
“Working with Dr. Athigaman, my focus and area of expertise is to get patients in the clinic for early screenings, interventions, and surgical procedures,” said Katherine Kleinsteuber, DNP. “Those patients who go ahead and seek treatment early do recover more quickly and have less pain. Remember, the sooner you are seen, the sooner your relief and recovery can begin.”
To request an appointment with a surgeon, other specialist or a primary care provider, visit www.PecosValleyDocs.com. For more information about the hospital’s safety plan, click here.
Keep Carlsbad Beautiful earns Keep America Beautiful President’s Circle Award Recognition
Keep America Beautiful®, the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization, has presented Keep Carlsbad Beautiful with its 2020 President’s Circle Award. The President’s Circle Award recognizes exemplary performance by certified affiliates of Keep America Beautiful in creating clean, green, and beautiful communities.
In qualifying for the President’s Circle Award, Keep Carlsbad Beautiful has met standards of merit of Keep America Beautiful by conducting an annual Community Appearance Index; calculating the affiliate’s cost/benefit ratio; and administering initiatives to end littering, improve recycling, and beautify Carlsbad, NM’s community. Keep Carlsbad Beautiful is one of nearly 700 community-based affiliates in the Keep America Beautiful network whose programs, initiatives, and efforts, supported by millions of volunteers, help transform public spaces into beautiful places.
“Each year, our dynamic affiliate network carries out our shared mission at the state, county, and municipal levels across the country,” said Keep America Beautiful President and CEO Helen Lowman, PhD. “By engaging volunteers, building partnerships, and executing innovative programming, our affiliates demonstrate purpose and create collective impact through a national movement with local execution built around mutually reinforcing activities.”
“Keep Carlsbad Beautiful works diligently year round to encourage residents and visitors to take actions every day to improve our public appearance by making proper choices with waste disposal, so this award is very much appreciated! We have a great network of local individuals, businesses, and civic groups that have contributed to this award,” says Mary Garwood, Keep Carlsbad Beautiful Director.
Community Appearance Index-Litter Index: The Keep America Beautiful Community Appearance Index-Litter Index is a tool used by its affiliates to visually assess overall appearance of communities through indicators such as litter, illegal signs, graffiti, abandoned or junk vehicles, and outside storage. A team of community, business and government representatives conduct the visual analysis using a scoring system ranging from 1-4, with “1” rated as “no litter” to “4” being “extremely littered.” Each year, affiliates grade their communities during a drive-by examination of the same areas at the same time of the year. This provides an indication of the success of each community’s anti-littering education and other anti-littering programs.
Cost/Benefit Analysis: This measurement tool enables Keep America Beautiful affiliates to demonstrate their ability to leverage community resources by determining the dollar value returned to the community for every dollar invested by government.
The Keep Carlsbad Beautiful committee meets to address local issues regarding community appearance and aesthetic improvement ideas. KCB heads up the annual Pecos River clean-up event called “Riverblitz.” In which community members lend a hand to remove litter and illegal dumping at spots all along the widely used river. KCB also has headed up our community labyrinth project, electrical mural box projects with partners Carlsbad MainStreet & Pearl of the Pecos Arts & Culture District, Earth Day events, several community litter clean-up opportunities, and partners with several other local organizations in its efforts to engage residents and visitors to take pride in Carlsbad and Southeast New Mexico & keep it clean for all to enjoy.
Jessica Onsurez can be reached at jonsurez@currentargus.com, @JussGREAT on Twitter at by phone at 575-628-5531.
