[hoosiermama]

You might want to send that information to the Trump campaign

[CedarDave]

The Drug Capitals Of America

It may not be surprising that well-known urban centers like New Orleans, Baltimore, and San Francisco appear on the Forbes list of cities dealing with the worst drug problems in the nation. But some smaller communities are also facing epic battles with drugs, including tiny Española, N.M.

Española is a small city in rural Rio Arriba county, north of Santa Fe. Its population of roughly 10,000 includes a large Hispanic community, relies largely on Los Alamos National Lab for employment and struggles with a high poverty rate. This is the U.S. city that consistently ranks among the top in the nation in drug overdoses, according to federal statistics. It is tough to find another American city that records 42.5 drug-related deaths per 100,000, compared with a national average of 7.3.

Heroin is the drug of choice in Española, and local health groups are at a loss to explain the high rate of overdoses despite a longstanding public health effort.

The Drug Capitals Of America

Los Alamos scientists live mainly high up on Los Alamos mesa. The working stiffs, those who perform administrative and support tasks, live down in the valley.

[CedarDave]

From A 1984 New York Times story:

Hence the Espanola joke, which has been making the rounds of New Mexico lately. These are always question-and-answer jokes. Few of them are nice and fewer still are free of an obvious anti-Hispanic bias. A printable sample: ''How can you tell when it's winter in Espanola? When the fur on low rider dashboards grows longer.'' Printable, but ethnically hostile: ''Why are low rider steering wheels so small? So you can drive them handcuffed.''

One of my favorites when I lived in Santa Fe 30 years ago: "What is the most confusing day of the year in Espanola? Father's day."