COLU January enchantment 2021

enchantment The Voice of New Mexico’s Rural Electric Cooperatives

COLUMBUS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

JANUARY 

The Original Las Vegas An aerial shot of Centennial Park on the New Mexico Highlands University campus in Las Vegas, New Mexico. A circle of various countries’ flags fly at the university’s alumni tower to honor the school’s international students. PHOTO COURTESY OF NEW MEXICO TRUE

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ALSO INSIDE >>

Dream of New Beginnings Generator Safety

19 School Districts/Charter Lawsuit vs. NMPED (This is a portion of a press release on the lawsuit filed against the NMPED on Oct. 23, 2020).

SANTA FE – Eighteen (18) school districts and one (1) charter school in New Mexico have joined together in a lawsuit challenging the unlawful actions of the NM Public Education Secretary.

While both local and state officials acknowledge the need for safety measures during the current public health crisis, the need for such measures do not excuse the Secretary from acting outside of his legal authority, especially if such actions tread upon the rights of students and families to a public education, disregard constitutional and statutory limitations, and deprive locally elected boards of education of their proper authority to govern schools.

“I am unaware of any action ever taken by the state legislature that authorizes the PED to seize control of public schools, even in an emergency situation,” said Logan Superintendent Dennis Roch, himself a former state lawmaker.

These School Districts include: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Gallup McKinley County School District Animas Public Schools Capitan Municipal Schools Clayton Municipal Schools Elida Municipal Schools Eunice Public Schools Floyd Municipal Schools Fort Sumner Municipal Schools Grady Municipal Schools Hondo Valley Public Schools Logan Municipal Schools Mission Achievement and Success Charter Schools Mora Independent School District Mosquero Municipal Schools Mountainair Public Schools Roy Municipal Schools Truth or Consequences Municipal Schools

District Gallup McKinley County School District SuperintendentZuni MikePublic HyattSchool is worried the recent actions taken by the New Mexico Public Education Secretary Dr. Ryan Stewart could set a precedent on the future power of local school boards.

“This isn’t about defying any health orders, this isn’t about saying that kids should come back to school, it doesn’t have anything to do with that,” Hyatt said. “It has to do with the Secretary of Education overstepping his authority. Legally, he has no authority to do what he is doing.”

Hyatt added, “This is not about following health orders but letting us do the things that we need to do. Because if not, then what happens if this precedent continues? Do they (communities) lose their voting rights for their elected officials. Can the Secretary of Whatever take over cities and counties?

You can see where there’s a conflict.”

Eighteen school districts, including the Gallup-McKinley County www.gmcs.org Schools, have joined together in a lawsuit vs. the NMPED.

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JANUARY 2021 CONTENTS  We Are enchantment  View From enchantment  Hale to the Stars  Energy Explorers

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 Energy Sense  Book Chat  The Original Las Vegas  Your Electric Co-op  Dream of New Beginnings

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 On the Menu  What Is Net Metering?  Home Automation  The Market Place  Youth Art

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

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 Energy-Saving Outlets

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enchantment!

We live in the Land of Enchantment…

We are

Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month

Replace standard power strips with advanced power strips to save energy. Advanced power strips look like ordinary power strips, but have built-in features designed to reduce the amount of energy used by standby electronics that consume energy even when they are not in use, also known as phantom load.

enchantment monthly photo winner

Take a photo of you holding YOUR MAGAZINE AND WIN!

Congratulations to…

Amy Goode, who is reading the May 2020 enchantment.

Amy writes: “We miss Mad Jacks’ excellent atmosphere, but we are social distancing, staying home and reading enchantment and saving lives. Thank you, frontline heroes. You have always been essential.” Amy is a member of Otero County Electric Cooperative.

Amy wins $20!

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How to contact enchantment Phone 505-982-4671 Email enchantment@nmelectric.coop

Facebook facebook.com/enchantmentnmreca Mail 614 Don Gaspar Ave. Santa Fe, NM 87505 Community Events events@nmelectric.coop Display Ads enchantmentads@nmelectric.coop Book Chat Inquiries enchantment@nmelectric.coop

enchantment

January 1, 2021 • Vol. 73, No. 01 USPS 175-880 • ISSN 0046-1946 Circulation 88,000

enchantment (ISSN -) is published monthly by the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association,  Don Gaspar Ave., Santa Fe, NM . enchantment provides reliable, helpful information on rural living and energy use to electric cooperative members and customers.

More than , families and businesses receive enchantment magazine as electric cooperative members. Nonmember subscriptions are available at $ per year or $ for two years, payable to NMRECA. Allow four to eight weeks for delivery.

PERIODICAL POSTAGE paid at Santa Fe, NM - and additional mailing offices.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Postmaster please send address changes to  Don Gaspar Ave., Santa Fe, NM -.

Readers who receive the publication through their electric cooperative membership should report address changes to their local electric cooperative office.

THE NEW MEXICO RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION provides legislative and educational services

to the cooperatives who are members of the association that deliver electric power to New Mexico’s rural areas and small communities. The mission of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association is to strengthen, support, unify and represent cooperative member interests at the local, state and national levels. Each cooperative has a representative on the association’s board of directors, which controls the editorial content and advertising policy of enchantment through its Publications Committee.

Take a photo of you or someone with the magazine and email it with a few words about the photo. Include your name, mailing address and co-op name.

OFFICERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

One lucky member will win $20. Submitting your photo(s) gives us permission to publish the photo(s) in enchantment, Facebook and other media outlets.

Chris Martinez, Columbus Electric Co-op, Deming; Keith Gottlieb, Continental Divide Electric Co-op, Grants; Lance R. Adkins, Farmers’ Electric Co-op, Clovis; Robert Caudle, Lea County Electric Co-op, Lovington; Robert Quintana, Mora-San Miguel Electric Co-op, Mora; Thomas G. Rivas, Northern Río Arriba Electric Co-op, Chama; Preston Stone, Otero County Electric Co-op, Cloudcroft; Antonio Sanchez, Jr., Roosevelt County Electric Co-op, Portales; George Biel, Sierra Electric Co-op, Elephant Butte; Donald L. Wolberg, Socorro Electric Co-op, Socorro; Travis Sullivan, Southwestern Electric Co-op, Clayton; Wayne Connell, Tri-State G&T Association, Westminster, Colorado; Charles G. Wagner, Western Farmers Electric Co-op, Oklahoma

Email to: enchantment@nmelectric.coop

Charles Pinson, president, Central Valley Electric Co-op, Artesia; Tim Morrow, vice president, Springer Electric Co-op, Springer; Duane Frost, secretary-treasurer, Central NM Electric Co-op, Mountainair BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NEW MEXICO RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION

 Don Gaspar Ave. Phone: -- Santa Fe, NM  Fax: -- nmelectric.coop enchantment.coop Keven J. Groenewold, CEO, kgroenewold@nmelectric.coop Tom Condit, editor, tcondit@nmelectric.coop DISPLAY ADVERTISING: Rates available upon request. Co-op members and New Mexico display advertisers, email Shaylyn

at enchantmentads@nmelectric.coop or call --.

National representative: American MainStreet Publications, --.

Advertisements in enchantment are paid solicitations and are not endorsed by the publisher or the electric cooperatives that are members of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association. PRODUCT SATISFACTION AND DELIVERY RESPONSIBILITY LIE SOLELY WITH THE ADVERTISER. ©  New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association Inc. in partnership with Pioneer Utility Resources. Reproduction prohibited without written permission of the publisher.

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view from enchantment I By Keven J. Groenewold, CEO New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association

W

New Mexico's Political Landscape

hen the first session of the 55th Legislature breaks from the gate at noon January 19, we will again see plenty of new faces in the two chambers. Eleven new Senate members and 13 new House members convene for a long session—60 days. They will roll up their sleeves and tackle many of the challenges we see every year. However, with the pandemic, the 2021 legislative session will have a very different look.

In a state that was expected to be “blue” at all levels of the ballot, New Mexico generally stayed within predictions.

Following a record turnout of more than 928,000 voters, or 69% of the eligible voters, the Senate will consist of 27 Democrats and 15 Republicans. In the House, there will be 45 Democrats and 25 Republicans, with the possibility of one recount.

This year’s primary and general election results indicate that rural areas are much more conservative than their urban counterparts. Just as Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Santa Fe continue to perform strongly for more liberal candidates, areas like southwestern New Mexico and the eastern third of the state support more conservative candidates, regardless of political party affiliation.

With respect to ballot questions, the controversial measure to make the New Mexico

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Public Regulation Commission an appointed body after being an elected body for more than two decades has passed, setting the stage for an oversight committee controlled by the governor to select the commissioners who regulate the state’s public utilities, telecommunications companies and motor carriers. This transition happens January 1, 2023.

Control of the New Mexico Legislature is particularly important this coming year as the state embarks upon its once-adecade redistricting of legislative seats. Redistricting is critical to the state’s political balance; depending how the legislative districts are drawn, the balance of power in the legislature can change.

Following redistricting, typically only a relatively small number of legislative districts are deemed competitive during elections, with many districts clearly leaning toward one political party. Shifting a district geographically can alter the political balance within the district and make it either more or less competitive. More important in the future may be the political philosophy of the legislative districts rather than the party affiliation.

This is clearly borne out by the results in the race for Congressional District 2, where the winner, Republican Yvette Herrell, significantly outperformed her Democratic

opponent in rural areas, while not being as strong in the city of Las Cruces.

For rural electric cooperatives, we will keep our eyes on the issues that affect our business.

We are watching out for energy legislation and other bills that can impact how we provide reliable and affordable power to our rural consumers.

There are still some challenges that will be difficult to manage.

We are looking at a legislative session that is going to be primarily virtual. At this time, only legislators and staff are going to be allowed in the New Mexico Capitol.

Voters will be watching to decide if their elected representatives are doing what they were sent to Santa Fe to do. We will post updates on issues that affect rural electric cooperatives using social media platforms.

New Mexico has a long history of people who meet the challenges of our dry and remote home.

We have a new set of volunteers willing to give their time to the state. We welcome them to their task and wish them the best of luck. It is time to make new friends and introduce them to rural New Mexico.

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hale to the stars I By Alan Hale

Artist’s conception of the Sirius system, as viewed by a hypothetical alien approaching it. The primary star is at left, and the white dwarf star Sirius B is at right. The bright stars of the summer triangle—Vega, Deneb and Altair—surround Sirius B, while our sun is just to the lower right of the primary star. PHOTO COURTESY OF NASA/EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY/GREG BACON (SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE INSTITUTE)

Start 2021 With Out-of-This World Views

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en ch a n tmen t.coop

BY VAS

ILEVA

was once a much larger star; physically it is roughly the same size as Earth, although it is actually as massive as our sun. Sirius B orbits around the main star every 50 years, and is presently about as far away from the main star as it can get. Large backyard telescopes may succeed in revealing it but this is, at best, a difficult observation to make.

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on Monday morning, January 11.

One of the strongest of the annual meteor showers—the Quadrantids—peaks Sunday morning, January 3, although bright moonlight will wash out much of the shower this year. Under favorable conditions and dark skies, as many as 100 or more meteors may appear per hour.

The “winter triangle” comprising the bright stars Betelgeuse—the eastern “shoulder” of the constellation Orion— Procyon and Sirius is prominently placed high in our southern sky during the evening hours this time of year. The brightest of the three, Sirius, in the constellation Canis Major—the big dog— is commonly called the Dog Star, and is the brightest star in our entire nighttime sky. It is also one of the closest stars to our solar system, being “only” 8.6 light-years away.

In the 19th century, astronomers discovered that Sirius is accompanied by a dim companion star, usually called Sirius B. This is what is now called a white dwarf star, which is the remaining core of what

ILLUST

T

he new year begins with our solar system’s two largest worlds, Jupiter and Saturn, lying close to each other low in the dusk after sunset. Slowly separating from each other after their “great conjunction” late last month, the two planets disappear into the twilight by around mid-January. Before doing so, they are joined by Mercury, which passes by them between the 9th and the 11th en route to its highest showing above the horizon two weeks later.

The Red Planet, Mars, is high in the western sky during the evening hours, and sets about an hour after midnight. It isn’t as bright or prominent as it was a couple of months ago when it was near Earth, but is still bright enough that it stands out in our sky.

Meanwhile, Venus, which has been a brilliant beacon in our morning sky for the past few months, shines low in the dawn early in January then starts to disappear into twilight near the end of the month.

The thin crescent moon lies close to Venus

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2021 ENERGY EFFICIENCY CALENDAR There are so many ways you can save energy! Saving energy helps reduce your family’s monthly bills – and it helps our environment. Change your energy use habits by following the monthly tips below. Keep this calendar on your refrigerator to remind family members to be energy efficient throughout the year.

JANUARY Turn off ceiling fans when you leave room.

FEBRUARY Instead of turning up the heat, put on an extra layer of clothing or stay cozy under a blanket.

MAY

JUNE

Decorate your backyard or porch with solarpowered lights.

SEPTEMBER Turn off running water while brushing your teeth.

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Turn off lights when you leave a room.

JULY

Take short showers instead of baths.

Dry heavy linens outside on a clothesline instead of using the dryer.

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

Unplug energy vampires, like chargers, gaming consoles and cable/ satellite boxes.

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MARCH

Remind family members to use cold water when washing clothes.

APRIL Ask an adult to help you plant a tree to help shade your home in the summer.

AUGUST Ask an adult to help you schedule a reminder to change the A/C filter every 60-90 days.

DECEMBER Decorate your home with energysaving LED holiday lights.

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energy sense I By Patrick Keegan and Brad Thiessen

Start the New Year With Energy Savings Q: Is it possible to cut my energy bill in half?

A: We’ve been involved with energy-efficiency programs that have achieved those kinds of results. Let’s talk about some energy-saving measures you can do right away and how you plan for greater savings down the road.

Dial in Savings Now: The first place to start is your home thermostat. In most homes, the largest portion of the energy bill goes toward heating and cooling.

Lowering your thermostat by 7 to 10 degrees for eight hours a day can save you up to 10% a year on heating. In the winter, you could aim for 56 F at night and when no one is at home, and 68 F when you’re up and around. If you prefer a warmer house, it may mean throwing on a sweater or pair of slippers.

This tactic is not as effective for some homes with radiant heat systems.

Later: Adjust your airconditioning settings next summer. If you have a manual thermostat and don’t remember to adjust it, consider buying a smart thermostat, or at least one that’s programmable.

Check Fridge/Freezer Temps Now: Make sure your refrigerator and freezer aren’t set to a colder temperature than needed. The fridge should be at 38 F to 40 F, and the freezer compartment should be 5 F. If you have a separate chest freezer, set it to 0 F. Also, check your water heater setting. You 10

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Programming your thermostat, or at least changing with the seasons, is an easy way to lower energy costs.

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should aim for a setting of 120 F. Later: Old refrigerators and freezers can use a lot of electricity. If yours was made before 1993, you could save upwards of $65 a year with a new Energy Star model. If you eliminate a second refrigerator or freezer, you can save even more, especially if they are stored in your garage.

Maximize Your Heat Now: Look around each room and make sure the vents and radiators aren’t blocked by furniture or other objects.

If the floors feel cold even when the room is warm, put down area rugs for additional warmth. Open curtains and blinds to let the sunshine in, and close them at night.

Later: Hire an energy auditor or HVAC specialist to test for duct leakage and ensure

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your system is balanced and running efficiently.

Update Your Lights Now: The obvious first step is to make sure lights are turned off when they’re not in use. You can do this manually or employ one of the many automated strategies. If you’re still using incandescent bulbs, you could switch the five most-used bulbs to LEDs and save about $75 a year. LEDs last much longer and use about one-fourth as much energy. Prices on LED bulbs have decreased in the past few years, and you can save more if you buy them in packs.

Later: Over time, plan to replace all your old incandescent bulbs and consider smart lighting options that can be programmed to turn off when a room is not in use.

Eliminate Drafts Now: Look carefully around your home for signs of air leaks. If you have a gap under an exterior door, you can block it with a towel or, better yet, install some weatherstripping.

Make sure windows are sealed with caulk, and you can also seal areas around plumbing and wiring penetrations.

Later: Have an energy auditor do a blower door test, which is the best at finding air leaks.

Taking some of these steps now should provide quick energy savings. To save more, make a plan that includes the “later” steps shared above.

An energy audit can help you determine a more precise plan. Your utility may be able to provide an audit or recommend a qualified local energy auditor.

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book chat I By Phaedra Greenwood Visit your local bookstores to buy books. Send your book for review to: Book Chat,  Don Gaspar Ave., Santa Fe, NM 5

Arizona and New Mexico: 25 Scenic Side Trips Quinn offers 25 scenic side trips that begin and end at interstates, and might transform your long, boring “speed run” into one of the most memorable journeys of your life.

Even if you’re in lockdown, you can savor the freedom of the open road just reading this book and planning your next trip. As Quinn points out, the most stunning places in the Southwest cannot been seen from the interstate.

He locked himself in a room full of maps, pinpointed every spot he loved or always wanted to visit, and then drove 11,000 miles and took more than 7,000 photographs for “more beauty and more joy than I ever thought possible ... Road trips through the American West are among my absolute favorite adventures,” he says.

Quinn’s route selections plus tips and equipment are spot on. The way he describes sunrise in the Bisti Badlands of New Mexico makes you want to grab your cooler and sleeping bag and hit the road.

Well done! Five stars.

Eanger Irving Couse: The Life and Times of an American Artist, 1866-1936 This beautiful cloth book is a tribute to academic art, richly enhanced by many photos and paintings that reveal the intimate details of Couse’s life in America and abroad.

Virginia Couse Leavitt, his granddaughter, was an art history scholar who spent years gathering memorabilia, correspondence, sketchbooks and photos to create a timeline of Couse’s artistic development.

The son of a talented cabinet maker in Saginaw, Michigan, young Eanger was fascinated by the Chippewa Indians. He earned a hundred dollars from painting frescoes and carriages to launch his art studies in Chicago.

Couse married Virginia Walker, whom he met at the famous Académie Julian in Paris.

Virginia often posed for him.

They wintered in New York City and eventually settled in Taos. Couse became one of the founders and president of the Taos Society of Artists. In Taos, he found many attractive models for his respectful portraits of Native Americans.

Five stars.

Fly Fish Taos, Sante Fe, New Mexico This attractive, glossy-paged book is a homage to fly fishing in New Mexico.

Streit, a legendary fishing guide who often fishes with his son Nick, draws on half a century guiding small groups to the best fishing spots in Northern New Mexico. “Fly Fish” covers the Taos-Santa Fe area, plus the Rio Grande, San Juan, Chama, Conejos and Pecos rivers and streams.

Streit includes amusing fishing tales, how to figure out where and when the fish are biting, fishing with kids, camping, safety and comfort, accessibility, essential gear, and ecological and environmental issues such, as the danger of stocking streams with nonnative fish.

Peruse Pete Chadwell’s fine, hand-drawn maps of each area for access points and information such as land status, terrain, where to camp, park or gas up. Even if you’ve never been fly fishing or don’t intend to, this colorfully illustrated book can take you there without ever leaving the house.

A labor of love with graphic design by Kelly Pasholk.

Five stars.

By Rick Quinn • Flattop Productions Inc. imbrifex.com • amazon.com

By Virginia Couse Leavitt • University of Oklahoma Press • amazon.com

By Taylor Streit • Poundmeister Press shop.taosflyshop.com

Tales From Rattlesnake Gultch: A collection of humorous short stories If you’ve ever had the urge to find a hidden treasure out in the desert, you’d better read “Old Stan,” then maybe hire him for your guide.

He’ll show you how to figure out which direction is north and find a treasure map scratched on the bottom of a rock that leads to

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some hidden cave where the walls are solid gold.

The downer is when Old Stan disappears into the dust and leaves you alone to hike back to your vehicle through 40 miles of nothing. But if you make it, you’re rich!

Other tales, drawn from “the sticks of Oklahoma” where Smith grew up, involve how to tell a hippie from an Indian, and a life lesson about moving a log cabin.

“Now, I wouldn’t say we was hicks, we just lived 10 miles from the nearest crank phone,” Smith writes. “I was about 10 when we got ’lectricity. We never did get a phone or running water.”

A fun read from the olden days.

By D.W. Smith • Page Publishing amazon.com

enchantment.coop

The Las Vegas Cowboys’ Reunion inaugural event was in Las Vegas in 1915. Organized by cowboys and ranchers, the event celebrates the area’s tradition of ranching, which began in the early 19th century. The reunions were held until 1931, and reinstituted in 1939. PHOTOS COURTESY OF NEW MEXICO TRUE

The Original Las Vegas Its action-packed history makes nearby Las Vegas an exciting tourism destination

By Eric Bryan

L

as Vegas, New Mexico, the county seat of San Miguel County, has one of the most picturesque histories of any town in the American West.

Some of Las Vegas’ former denizens and visitors are amongst the most famous of the Old West. They include

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Jesse James, Doc Holliday, Billy the Kid and Wyatt Earp.

Ralph E. Twitchell, a former mayor of Santa Fe and historian who authored several works on New Mexico, wrote, “Without exception, in the days of construction of the Santa Fe railway into the Southwest, there was no town which harbored a more disreputable gang of gamblers, desperadoes,

and outlaws than did Las Vegas.

For a while, they controlled the local peace officers, and the dance halls and public resorts were the scenes of many shooting affrays and robberies.”

After acquiring a land grant from the Mexican government, settlers founded Las Vegas in 1835. The town was laid out in the Spanish colonial style, with buildings surrounding a central plaza. The fort-like arrangement made the town defensible should it come under attack.

Due to its position as a stop on the Santa Fe Trail, Las Vegas

blossomed. At the outset of the Mexican-American War in 1846, U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Stephen W. Kearny delivered a speech from a rooftop in the town plaza declaring New Mexico to be territory of the United States.

One of the town’s most tragic series of events arose out of a love triangle. In March 1861, Las Vegas resident Paula Angel was arrested for the stabbing death of her married lover, Miguel Martin.

The prosecution argued that Miguel was going to end the relationship with Paula, enchantment.coop

LEFT: History abounds in Las Vegas, but that’s no reason not to enjoy modern delights, such as local favorite Charlie’s Spic & Span Bakery and Cafe. ABOVE: Artwork celebrates the town’s history.

which set her on a course of vengeance. Judge Kirby Benedict barred the jury from considering any charge but first-degree murder. Paula was found guilty by a jury, and condemned to death.

Paula’s hanging took place at a cottonwood tree in Las Vegas on April 26, 1861. She is the only woman to have been officially executed in postcolonial New Mexico.

Las Vegas’ New Town, situated 1 mile east of the plaza, was built in 1879, and was an expansion that anticipated the coming of the railroad July 4 that year. The Gallinas River divides Las Vegas into its west Old Town and east New Town.

There was also Upper Town—a suburb that flourished until 1870 and then dwindled. Las Vegas inhabitants sometimes referred to their area as Las Gallinas. enchantment.coop

With its new link to the railroad, Las Vegas became a boomtown and attracted an array of colorful characters, turning its east side into a rough-and-ready neighborhood “policed” in 1879-80 by the infamous Dodge City Gang, a group of Kansas outlaws and gamblers.

Many of them had been involved in the Railroad War in Colorado and New Mexico.

Hyman G. Neill, better known as Hoodoo Brown, was the leader of the Dodge City Gang in Las Vegas. He was elected justice of the peace of East Las Vegas, and performed the duties of mayor and coroner.

Outlaw J.J. Webb was town marshal. In addition to local acts of corruption that included attempting to control and profit from gambling establishments, the murderous gang robbed

trains and stagecoaches.

As coroner, Hoodoo appointed members of the band to make up the coroner’s jury. In cases of killings perpetrated by gang members, the jury would find them to be acts of self-defense and exonerate killers.

It didn’t take long for the residents of Las Vegas to get fed up with the crime and corruption inflicted on the town by Hoodoo and his gang.

In the summer of 1880, an organized group of vigilantes drove the group out of town.

Las Vegas developed into one of the Southwest’s major cities. In 1899, the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry, better known as the Rough Riders, had its first reunion at the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas. The event was attended by Rough Rider Theodore Roosevelt, then governor of New York.

At the dawning of the 20th century, Las Vegas boasted many then-modern amenities, including a Carnegie library, opera house, the Hotel Castañeda and an electric

street railway.

The Las Vegas Cowboys’ Reunions held its first gathering in 1915. Organized by cowboys and ranchers, events celebrated the area’s ranching tradition, which began in the early 19th century. The reunions were held until 1931, and then again in 1939.

More than 900 structures in the town are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Besides houses built during the railroad era, there are storied buildings such as the Plaza Hotel, the Carnegie Library and the trackside Castañeda Hotel. Many of the buildings are in decay, but some have been restored and others are scheduled for restoration.

The Castañeda, which opened in 1898, had been closed since 1948. Allan Affeldt and Tina Mion bought the hotel in 2014 and began renovations in January 2018.

The Castañeda, noted to be New Mexico’s oldest Mission Revival style building, reopened in April 2019.

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Columbus ColumbusElectric ElectricCooperative Cooperative

General Manager Chris Martinez Address  N. Gold • P.O. Box  Deming, NM  Telephone -- Toll-Free -- Emergency Outages -- Website www.columbusco-op.org Office Hours : a.m. to : p.m. (M-F)

Board of Trustees President

Randy L. Massey, Animas, District 

Vice President

Nancy Clopton, Hachita, District 

Secretary-Treasurer

William A. Swift, Animas, District 

Assistant Secretary-Treasurer Joel Nañez, Deming, At-Large William J. Cloudt Rodeo, District  Joe Johnson Columbus, District  Hal B. Keeler Deming, District  Zane Shannon Nunn Deming, District  Jay Peterson Animas, District 

Board Meeting The Board of Trustees meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at  p.m. in the cooperative boardroom.

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This Thisinstitution institutionisisananequal equalopportunity opportunityprovider providerand andemployer. employer. enchantment.coop

Columbus Electric Cooperative

College Scholarships Available

ADOBE STOCK ILLUSTRATION BY КАТЕРИНА БОРОДІНА

Lobby Changes Coming in New Year

Columbus Electric Cooperative has been helping fund the continuing education dreams of students planning to attend a college, university, vocational or technical school.

Scholarships are awarded in the amount of $1,000 per year ($500 per student per semester). Students interested in applying for a scholarship can obtain applications and full details at www.columbuselectricco-op.org or by contacting the CEC office at 575-546-8838 or 800-950-2667.

Our lobby will reopen to the public beginning on January 2, 2021.

We are still limited to four (4) people in the lobby at one time based on the current Governor’s order.

Anyone entering the office is required to wear a mask.

Lobby and Drive-thru hours will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Remember to Update Your Contact Info At various times and for various reasons, CEC may need to contact our members.

The information you provide is our source of contact. If that information is incorrect—for example, your phone number has changed or you no longer use your post office box, etc.— we have no way of knowing unless you make us aware of the change. If you call in your information, please be prepared to confirm your identity. A correct phone number could be the means of avoiding disconnection of service.

A correct address helps ensure you receive your bill. A correct forwarding address helps ensure you receive your final bill, your deposit refund enchantment.coop

check—if applicable—and your capital credit checks when the time comes.

Did you not receive your bill? Remember that failure to receive your bill does not relieve you, the member, from paying it. If you do not receive your bill, contact the office billing department before the due date so another bill can be issued.

Even if you no longer receive electric service from Columbus Electric Cooperative, you may be entitled to receive checks from your capital credit allocation account. Please update your current mailing address so we can mail your capital credit retirement checks if applicable.

JA N UA RY 2021

17

Dare to Dream of N From a global pandemic and national politics to social unrest and devastating wildfires, Americans have seen their share of challenges in 2020

S

helter-in-place, home school and virtual reality took on new meanings. We spent a lot more time washing our hands—and our groceries..

Now that 2020 is behind us, how can we greet 2021 with hope amidst the ongoing change and uncertainty?

Resilience is the key, says Erin Martin, a physician and empowerment coach from Santa Rosa, California.

“The human ability to bounce back from adversity is what makes us so adaptable,” Erin says. “We actually can thrive despite and in the midst of adversity.

“I encourage my patients and clients to dig deeper and find a source of resilience they may have not tapped in a long time or, for some, ever. When we don’t have a choice and there’s no definite end in sight, we can choose to find the resources and the inner strength we need, or we become the victims of circumstance.”

Erin suggests beginning 2021 by writing down all that has happened in the past year: the good and bad, accomplishments and setbacks.

“We move so fast in life that we often don’t take the time to reflect on what actually transpired and give ourselves credit for what we’ve made it through and our successes,” she says. “Most of us need to have a little more grace for ourselves, and it’s easier to see that when it is in black and white right in front of our eyes.”

Many Americans began 2020 with a list of resolutions and goals, only to toss them out a few Story by Lori Russell

ILLUSTRATION BY ELENA SCHWEITZER

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enchantment.coop

f New Beginnings Tips for a Better Today

Need Help?

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, symptoms for anxiety and depressive disorders in U.S. adults have more than tripled in the past year, increasing from 11% in 2019 to 41% in 2020.

Amy Marshall, a licensed clinical social worker from The Dalles, Oregon, offers these tips for a better today.

• Smile from behind your mask. Tell your neighbor you are glad to see them. Share your appreciation with the grocery clerk, postal carrier and others. You will feel better and so will they.

• Make a phone call or create a virtual visit with another human every day. Now’s the time to call the people you have not had time to call. To express yourself on many levels, contact different friends and family members who share your interests, such as a fellow gardener, a fishing buddy, a hiking pal or a church member.

• Remember all the things you did to connect early on in the coronavirus pandemic. Do them again.

• Pick one thing to accomplish each day, then check it off the list. Feel the relief that something is over.

• Create a sense of timelessness by spending time outdoors where there is no indication of what year it is.

• Shift your perspective. Imagine it is a year from now. What do you want to have learned or experienced in 2021?

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration operates a disaster distress helpline, offering free confidential counseling 24/7, 365 days a year for anyone experiencing emotional distress related to a natural or human-caused disaster, including the coronavirus pandemic, wildfires, floods and incidents of community unrest. SAMHSA is an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Call 800-985-5990 for more information or to find help.

a week of sunny days and then a storm blows in. A loved one gets COVID-19.

The school district announces classes will remain online for another semester.

“When those things pile up, most of us keep it to ourselves and isolate more,” says Jan Berg, a certified life and professional coach from Tacoma, Washington. “We would be better off to recognize the cycle—that it gets bad and then it gets better again and then it gets bad and then it gets better again.”

Rather than waiting until life is difficult to try to figure out how to cope or tough it out alone, Jan says it is easier to create a plan when things are better.

Think about what brings satisfaction

and connection. Activities may include meditation, exercise, regular conversations with loved ones, holding a child or reading books together. Friends can help friends by setting regular times for virtual support calls.

When times are rough, work the plan.

Finally, remember to take in the good.

Americans created new candy delivery systems for trick-or-treaters, celebrated virtual graduations and had drive-by birthday parades.

We no longer wash our groceries.

“We are reimagining our sources of friendship and support,” Jan says. “It takes imagination and focusing on what you want rather than what you don’t want.”

months later with the arrival of the coronavirus. This year, Erin suggests setting an intention instead.

“Examine what you really value, what you really hold important in your life, and set intentions to amplify these things,” she says. “If family is important, set an intention to cultivate experiences that connect you deeper with those you love. If helping others is something you prioritize, set an intention to be of service in new and creative ways given the current limitations of the pandemic.”

It’s tempting at the start of a new year to overcommit. Don’t. Decide what is valuable.

Say yes to those things and little else.

Life has its ups and downs. There is

enchantment.coop

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on the menu I By Sue Hutchison

Ring in 2021 With New Recipes

T

he new year is freshly on the horizon, along with a brand new batch of possibilities and “whatifs.” Continued comfort and joy can be found in January’s recipes. Colder months fairly scream for comfort food as we continue to hunker down at home, and there is no reason to begin a fresh year with anything but delicious tastes from your kitchen.

While visiting northern New Mexico a couple months ago, I visited Red River. While there, I stopped at Red River Brewing Co. Relatively new to the restaurant scene, the brewery is a familyrun local business a mere three years old. While the smoked ribs, chicken and house-crafted barbecue sauce were fantastic, what really tickled my tastebuds was their black bean and corn relish.

Chef Jave Cronauer graciously shared his recipe for “enchantment” magazine readers to enjoy. The Texas native has had a passion for cooking since childhood. Jave said he enjoys creating culinary delights even when he’s not behind the grill at the brewery. He has created a lovely blend of vegetables and spice to bring a healthy dose of both comfort AND joy to New Mexicans.

Red River Brewing Co.’s Black Bean and Corn Relish 2 cups roasted corn (use corn on the cob or frozen) 2 cups cooked black beans (may use canned) 1/2 cup diced tomato 1/2 cup white onion, diced

1/2 cup green and red bell pepper together, diced 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Spice to taste with cajun seasoning, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper

Either roast corn on the cob on grill or place frozen corn on a baking sheet with a light sprinkle of olive oil in a 375 F oven until warmed and slightly golden.

Drain and rinse black beans. Combine all ingredients and spice to taste. Allow to chill prior to serving. Serves 4 to 6, depending on serving size.

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enchantment.coop

Main Dish Macaroni and Cheese 2 cups elbow macaroni 1 can evaporated milk 1 cup water 1 teaspoon ground dry mustard 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper

2 cups finely grated cheddar cheese ½ cup finely grated Monterey jack cheese Cooked protein of choice: shredded chicken, diced ham, sausage, browned and diced Spam, shredded beef, steamed lobster, etc.

Heat oven to 350 F. Spray a lidded 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.

Cook macaroni until soft. Rinse in hot water and place in large mixing bowl.

In a heavy saucepan, blend evaporated milk, water, mustard, cornstarch, butter, salt and pepper with a wire whisk. Heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Stir cheeses into sauce until cheeses have melted. Pour cheese sauce over macaroni and stir to incorporate.

Add cooked protein of choice and stir.

Place mixture into a prepared baking dish and cover. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly on sides. Uncover and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Allow to set for 10 minutes prior to serving.

Shortcut Brownie Bottomed Cheesecake Brownie mix, prepared with ingredients according to instructions 1 box no-bake cheesecake mix 1 ½ cup milk 3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups powdered sugar 8-ounce tub whipped topping ½ cup mini chocolate chips Prepared chocolate syrup

Heat oven to 350 F. Prepare a springform baking pan, as well as another smaller baking pan, with butter-flavored cooking spray. Set aside.

Prepare brownie mix. Pour half into the springform pan, and the other half in the other prepared baking dish to use as leftovers. Bake according to instructions. Cool springform pan on a wire rack.

Mix prepared cheesecake mix with milk, reserving crust envelope for a later use. Pour cheesecake mix over cooled brownie layer. Chill for 2 hours.

In a medium mixing bowl, whip cream cheese until soft. Add vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped topping and spread on cheesecake.

Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top and return to refrigerator until ready to serve. (May prepare a day in advance.)

With a thin knife, work around the inside edge of the springform pan, loosening both brownie and cheesecake layers from the edge.

Remove outer edge of springform pan and serve cheesecake. For an extra touch, drizzle slices with prepared chocolate syrup.

enchantment.coop

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How Net Metering Affects Electric Cooperatives

By Paul Wesslund Net metering is a controversial and misunderstood energy issue. At its most basic, net metering is a way of measuring and valuing the electricity output of privately owned resources. It requires utilities to buy excess electricity from consumers who generate electricity themselves.

States and electric utilities have established net-metering programs to encourage clean energy generation. But the rules change all the time.

In the first nine months of 2018, states took more than 400 actions to change how they compensate small energy producers, according to the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center, which collects net-metering information from around the country.

What is net metering?

Net metering is a billing method in which the consumer is charged for any electricity used from the grid, and credited for excess electricity they generated and sent back to the electric grid.

That excess electricity could be produced by solar panels, a windmill or a portable generator. The main source for this extra electricity is from homeowners who have installed solar panels on their property.

Under net metering, whenever their solar system generates more electricity than their home uses, the electric utility may compensate the homeowner for the excess electricity.

How do electric utilities compensate consumers for the excess electricity?

Many net-metering programs require the utility to buy back or credit the consumer’s bill for excess electricity at the same retail rate the utility charges. Other programs allow the utility to credit the consumer at the avoided cost, which is what the utility pays for power. Some utilities require consumers with privately owned generation to be metered separately. Under netbilling programs, the consumer receives a bill with a credit for the excess electricity subtracted from the total amount due.

Net-metering programs that set reimbursement at avoided cost rather than retail rates are more likely to ensure appropriate levels of compensation for both utilities and consumers who generate electricity, without negatively affecting other members.

Net-billing programs provide more equitable compensation to the net-metered consumer without leaning on consumers who don’t have solar panels or other ways to generate power at home.

What makes net metering challenging?

For electric utilities, the basic challenge with net metering is policies that require them to pay high costs for what is often low-value power.

The reason it is low-value power is you cannot count on it.

There is no solar energy at night and no electricity from wind during calm weather.

Renewable energy advocates argue net-metering rates are a great way to support green power. But utilities say it is not fair for them to have to buy electricity from a rooftop solar owner 22

JA N U A RY 2021

HOW NET METERING WORKS

Net metering is a billing mechanism that compensates consumers who own private solar panels (or other renewable energy systems) for any excess power that is sent back to the electric grid.

A renewable energy system, in this case privately-owned solar panels, converts energy from sunlight into electricity.

An inverter, which is connected to the electric grid, converts the electricity from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) to make it safe for use in homes.

The electricity is used to power the home. (It should be noted that solar panels do not provide electricity during a power outage.)

If the solar panels produce more electricity than the home needs, the consumer is compensated for excess electricity sent back to the electric grid.

To learn more about how net metering credits and policies work in your area, contact your local electric cooperative.

at a rate that covers around-the-clock service when that is not what the homeowner is providing.

Results from that imbalance are where the net-metering issue gets complicated. The economics of net metering create a subsidy for rooftop solar owners paid for by those who don’t have any solar panels.

The cost difference between buying wholesale electricity at retail rates didn’t matter much at first. But solar energy is booming, potentially reshaping the effect net metering could have on the energy industry. The number of rooftop solar installations grew 63% from 2012 to 2015, according to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. As a result of that growth in potential net-metering use, many states started rethinking net-metering rules.

Another result is the utility’s ability to plan for its basic job supplying reliable and affordable electricity. The engineers and accountants who run an electric utility that provides power 24/7 need to place a higher value on dependable electricity, rather than from several homeowners who may or may not generate excess electricity when it is needed.

Net-metering payments don’t cover the costs of setting up a billing system, paying taxes or any of the utility’s other fixed costs.

What are alternatives to net metering?

Tax credits for installing renewable energy systems and dedicated research funds aimed at lowering costs for alternative energy are options to support renewables without implementing net metering.

Electric cooperatives are leaders in community solar programs, which offer members the opportunity to participate in renewable energy programs that are more affordable and reliable than privately owned solar panels.

Community solar arrays can be sized and priced to fit consumer demand, reducing risks of cross-subsidization.

As the energy industry continues to undergo major changes—whether to technology, renewable energy use or other emerging trends—publicly owned utilities will continue working with all customers to ensure delivery of the safe, affordable, reliable energy our communities depend on. enchantment.coop

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Command, Control and Energy Savings

By Derrill Holly Artificial intelligence is changing the way we live, and that has the potential to bring major changes to the way we use energy.

Smart home automation allows folks from all income levels to become more energy efficient to varying degrees. Using a platform to further tie together appliances and loads, consumers can pick and choose their preferred efficiency routes depending on their lifestyle and budgets.

Turning Words to Actions According to the Consumer Technology Association, about 5.5 million Wi-Fi enabled devices are added to the internet each year, and by 2020, the total was expected to surpass 21 billion. Designers and manufacturers of consumer products continue to look for new ways to add value to their products with Wi-Fi enabled features.

As artificial intelligence devices create opportunities for home automation, consumers will play larger roles in deciding how and when systems in their home are controlled.

Smart thermostats have been around for a while. Models that interconnect with home automation systems—like Amazon’s Echo, the Wyse Hub and Google Home—get a lot of attention.

Apps developed for those products are also available for both Android and iPhone. Many electric cooperatives offer discounted smart thermostats to not only encourage member savings, but help manage peak energy demand.

Changing Sources, Changing Needs As the energy sources we use to generate power evolve, and management of the electric grid becomes more agile and sophisticated, the true potential of energy load control provides opportunities for more savings through wholesale power supply.

That’s challenging electric co-ops to find additional ways to strengthen partnerships with consumer-members who are more interested than ever in actively managing their energy use.

Two-way, real-time communications and artificial intelligence offer opportunities to learn consumer preferences and how best to reduce energy during peak demand periods.

New All-Electric Homes Home automation controllers and smartphone apps produce an endless string of new commands daily. While many may not work seamlessly, they are likely to continue to improve.

“We could soon see serial commands allowing your appliances to interact with other devices,” says Keith Dennis, senior director of strategic initiatives for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, who cited household systems, including heat pumps and heat pump water heaters, as examples.

“Your HVAC system could learn your schedule and regulate heating and cooling for your comfort based upon when you are

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Home automation continues to make it easier for electric consumers to manage their energy use.

home,” Dennis says. “Instead of maintaining a steady supply of hot water when no one is home to use it, water could be heated during periods when demand is lowest and electricity costs less, and then boosted to ideal temperatures to meet specific needs like bathing, laundry or washing dishes.”

Many electric co-ops have supported water heater load control programs for decades. Consumers are not overly concerned about when their water is heated as long as it is available on demand.

“Manufacturers and vendors are actually building shared access and control into these systems with utilities,” Dennis says. “The most successful models in the end will work seamlessly with the co-op to provide value to the member, and not necessarily something that is directly managed by the member.”

According to Dennis, new induction stovetops, energy-efficient convection ovens and some countertop appliances offer more opportunities for efficiency in the kitchen—and these efficient products is that they are all electric. An all-electric home with energy-efficient products and automation features could enhance a consumer’s experience.

While consumers are not expected to quickly embrace many of these new options until they reach the plug-and-play level of convenience, smart appliances and home automation systems could, within a few years, lead to rebates and other incentives designed to encourage electric co-op members to retire older appliances to enhance their home’s energy efficiency.

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Meet a Real

Superhero.

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THE MARKET PLACE HAULS FOR YOU-LIVESTOCK TRANSPORTATION SERVICE

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RABBITS ALL AGES AND SIZES. For pets, show, meat, fur. Polish, New Z’Land, Californians. Cages, feeders, door latches, urine and wire guards. Call Gene at 505-906-1291 in Jamestown, New Mexico, at The Bunny Farm. All calls will be answered.

LET US MARKET YOUR livestock.

Live auction every Wednesday at 11 a.m. View online at dvauction.com, country bid or live auction. If you’ve got ‘em, we’ll sell ‘em. Call 575-3742505. fivestateslivestockauction.com

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DRINKING WATER STORAGE TANKS, heavy duty black poly,

Transport to/from the vet, new homes and/or other locations, etc. Transport throughout New Mexico, West Texas and Southern Colorado. For more details, call 575-802-3422 or email king.bluesky@yahoo.com

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Submersible shallow/deep well pumps!

NRCS approved with 2-year warranty on selected pumps with affordable, easy installation! For a custom quote, call 505-429-3093 or email us at sales@ solarsubmersiblewellpumps.com, 24/7 service. Order online at our website: www.solarsubmersiblewellpumps.com

$3,000. Miscellaneous: Hay ring, semen tank, full set of digit brands. Cattle trimming chute used for any size up to 2,000 lbs., pig farrowing house for 6 sows, 6 nursery huts for 12 litters. Email h4mccall@gmail.com

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SUNSET SADDLES OFFERS CUSTOM Leatherwork, ie: saddles,

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GREAT OFFER ON SOLAR

FISHING TACKLE WANTED: ANTIQUE lures, reels, rods, tackle

boxes. Pre-1950, please. Collector paying highest prices for grandpa’s tackle box. Lures $50 to $5,000 each.

Reels $100 to $7,500 each. Send photos to: tacklechaser@aol.com or call Rick at 575-354-0365

OVERHEAD FEED BINS. 1 to 4 compartment, 12 to 48 tons. Any size free-standing cattle guards, no footing needed. Emery Welding, Clayton, New Mexico. Call 575-374-2320 or 575-2077402. Email eweld98@yahoo.com 10” OIL FIELD PIPE, $8 per foot,

any amount. This casing, heavy duty, bar joist to make a 40’x90’ barn. Just weld them. Call 505-379-4333 or email h4mccall@gmail.com

FOR SALE: WELDER, Big Miller 40 300 Amp. on 2 axle custom-made trailer. New tires and battery. OxyAct equipment complete. One owner.

Excellent condition. Call Bill at 575-743-0433.

Equipment FOR SALE: HEAVY DUTY one round bale, bale trailer. Powder River calf table. Round bale feeder rings. Call 575-760-3042 for further information.

enchantment.coop

Great Finds BUYING OLD STUFF: GAS pumps and parts 1960s or earlier, advertising signs, neon clocks, old car parts in original boxes, motor oil cans, license plate collections, Route 66 items, old metal road signs, odd and weird stuff. Fair prices paid. Have pickup, will travel. Gas Guy in Embudo, 505-852-2995.

RAILROAD ITEMS WANTED:

Kerosene Lanterns, Brasslocks, keys, badges, uniforms, bells, whistles, and pre-1950 employee timetables. Always seeking items from any early New Mexico railroad, especially D&RG, C&S, EP&NE, EP&SW, AT&SF, SP or Rock Island. Call Randy Dunson at 575-760-3341 or 575-356-6919.

WANTED: NEW MEXICO MOTORCYCLE license plates 1912-

1970. Paying $100-$500 each. Also buying NM car plates 1900-1923.

Visit NMplates.com for history and 4,500 photographs of NM plates. Bill Johnston, Box 1, Organ, NM 880520001. Email Bill@NMplates.com or call 575-382-7804.

I BUY OLD GUITARS. I recently rebuilt a 1900 guitar that was full of cracks. It’s now making memories again.

Is it time to let that old guitar have a new life? Call Larry at 575-551-8061.

FISHING TACKLE WANTED: ANTIQUE lures, reels, rods, tackle

boxes. Pre-1950, please. Collector paying highest prices for grandpa’s tackle box. Lures $50 to $5,000 each. Reels $100 to $7,500 each. Send photos to: tacklechaser@aol.com or call Rick at 575-354-0365.

enchantment.coop

Real Estate 2 MOUNTAIN CABINS, 25+

acres at 8,000 feet, Wildhorse Ranch Subdivision, Pie Town, NM. Well on stream with 5,000 storage tank and fire hydrant. New Mexico Hunting unit 13.

To view this property, go to: sbo.com/ listings/listings/show/id/520104

FOR SALE: 3 BEDROOM, 2 bathroom home in Kenna, New Mexico, near Portales. New roof, large knotty pine living room, 2-car garage, on 2 acres. Lots of privacy. Asking $75,000.

Call or text: 575-799-5512 or 575-7912190. Email: Whiskerflats@gmail.com CONCHAS, BOAT DOCK DRIVE.

3 lots just over 1/2 acre per property. Two lots starting at $32,000 each. One lot at $35,000. Close to shoreline. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com

CONCHAS, 0 AND 00 Ridge Drive.

Two tracts with two lots per each property. Lots are 100x100 or .23 acre. Each tract has a permitted septic that has never been used. Electricity and co-op water nearby. $50,000 per tract. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com

CUERVO, 0 MESITA PASS

Road, 148.13 acres in Mesita Ranch Subdivision. Beautiful mesa views, perfect for homesite and or livestock. $85,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000.

Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com

LOGAN, TBD STATE ROAD 39, located at mile marker 17 westbound.

121 acres range land. $54,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com

NOGAL, TBD BARBER AVENUE,

2.89 acres in Townsite of Nogal. Co-op water and electricity nearby. $50,000.

Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-7605461. www.bigmesarealty.com

SAN ANTONIO, NM. 0 Zanja Road, 4.66 acres irrigated farmland in Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District with water rights. Produces alfalfa and grass hay crops. Utilities nearby, $69,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com SUMNER LAKE, 0 AND 00 River Ranches Road (at intersection with State Road 203). Price reduced! Two lots just over 20 acres each. Scenic views just west of lake. $18,000 per lot. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com RIBERA, 340 CR B41E, 32.674 acres with 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with custom accents, haybarn, two detached garages. Just over 20 of those acres are in alfalfa and grass hay production. Pecos River frontage. Scenic views and close to I-25. $695,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com MAGDALENA, 47 ANGUS LOOP,

Magdalena Ranch Estates. Price further educed! 11.04 acres with 3 bedroom, 2 bath home, horse barn and corrals.

Beautiful mountain views. Abundant ATV and hunting opportunities nearby. $175,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-4562000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com

DATIL, 464 SOUTHERN TRAIL,

Sugarloaf Mountain Subdivision, 5.5 acres vacant land. $8,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com

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DATIL, TBD WEST OF Herrington Canyon Road, 44.5160 acres vacant land. $32,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000.

Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com DATIL, 31 OLD HIGHWAY 60. 2 bedroom, 1 bath home with bonus room that could be used for bedroom on 3 lots, well, stone fence. Great for hunting property or rental opportunity. $57,000.

Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-7605461. www.bigmesarealty.com PIE TOWN, SOUTH OF Wild Horse

Subdivision. Two tracts with closest access from Goat Ranch Road. One is 20 acres for $16,000, the other is 40 acres at $32,000. Vacant land. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com

PIE TOWN, TBD STATE Road 603, 48.4 acres vacant land, fenced with cleared land in corner for homesite.

Great views, close to US 60 and Pie Town. $147,000. Big Mesa Realty, 575456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com

To Place a Classified Ad

1. Visit www.enchantment.coop/classifieds and complete form. You will be contacted by email with price and to pay by credit card (5% processing fee).

2. Or, complete form and select category.

3. Write ad on another sheet of paper.

4. Price: $20 up to first 40 words per ad, per category, per month. After 40 words, each word is 50 cents. Add $5 for small graphics such as cattle brands. Phone numbers, emails and websites count as one word.

To Send and Pay Your Classified Ad 1. Mail ad and payment (Payable to NMRECA) NMRECA • enchantment 614 Don Gaspar Av. Santa Fe, NM 87505 28

JA N U A RY 2021

WANTED! WORKING FAMILY FARMS and ranches to list and sell.

Broker has over 45 years of experience working on a family farm in New Mexico and has been an owner and operator since 1988. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000. Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575-760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com

CURRY, ROOSEVELT AND QUAY

counties. In Clovis, Portales and Tucumcari. Or in the country. We want your properties to list and sell. Broker is life resident of Curry County and Clovis native. Big Mesa Realty, 575-456-2000.

Paul Stout, Broker NMREL 17843, 575760-5461. www.bigmesarealty.com

ROCIADA, ACROSS FROM PENDARIES Golf Resort. Freshly

renovated Air Lock log home on 10+/gently sloping acres. 3 bedrooms, 2 bath. 3,200+/- square feet. 3-car garage/ workshop with 110V, 220V. Barn.

Good power, water and county road access. Great views from wraparound decks. Contact NM #360 Real Estate, 505-454-0332.

Deadline

1. Due the 9th, one month prior.

Ex: Ads due February 9 for the March issue.

Good to Know 1. Only members of New Mexico electric cooperatives may place ads.

2. We reserve the right to reject any ad.

4. Advertisements in enchantment are paid solicitations and are not endorsed by the publisher or the electric cooperatives of New Mexico.

5. PRODUCT SATISFACTION AND DELIVERY RESPONSIBILITY LIE SOLELY WITH THE ADVERTISER.

Questions

1. Call: 505-982-4671 or 2. Email: enchantment@nmelectric.coop

HOME IN THE MOUNTAINS at Wild Horse Ranch. 3 bedrooms, 2 bath, washer, dryer, dishwasher, natural stone, fireplace. On 20 acres, backing up to national forest. Excellent private well.

3-horse stable with room to expand, fenced pasture. Attached 8x12 tool shed.

2 fenced dog yards. Hundreds of beautiful Ponderosa and other pines. $134,500.

Call 520-458-2800 or 520-366-5463 for photos, etc.

CONCHAS, NM WATERFRONT BEAUTY with just over 1 acre. Located

at 106 Cedar Road, this 3br, 2ba modular home has been lovingly maintained. $234,400. Realty One of New Mexico, Anita Rodriguez, Associate Broker.

Office: 505-883-9400. Direct contact: 505-307-2569. anita.rodriguezrealtor@gmail.com

MOUNTAIN VISTAS! RATON, NM. 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1/2 base-

ment home. Custom woodwork, large screened-in porch, large front porch, small acreage. All rooms look out onto beautiful mountain vistas, mountain lake close by. Wild turkey roam through year-round, hear the elk bugle in the fall.

Approximately 5 miles from Raton, off of Highway 72. Call 575-447-5578.

Name:________________________ ___________________________ Address:_______________________ ___________________________ City:_________________________ State:_________ ZIP:_____________ Phone:________________________ Cooperative:____________________ Select Category Below

Animals

Great Finds

Business

Real Estate

Equipment

Vehicles

enchantment.coop

SOCORRO. HOME WITH 1-2

organic farm acres. New cement ditch, direct access to Rio Grande, water rights, views, dark skies with city utilities. New $30 million levy with miles of trails and parks, hospital and golf. $79,000. Call owner, 505-550-3123.

SOCORRO. 11 ORGANIC, IRRIGATED acres. Water rights, next

to Rio Grande, views, miles of open space and parks. 2 homes, city utilities, dark skies, hospital and golf. Can split property. Take all for $350,000. Call owner, 505-550-3123.

Vehicles FOR SALE: 1999, 4-PASSENGER,

small electric city car. Chinese origin. Licenseable. $2,000 firm! Call 575-517-0684.

enchantment Give the Gift of

Send a gift subscription of enchantment magazine.

Mail a check or money order payable to NMRECA in the amount of $12 for a one-year or $18 for a two-year subscription.

Include name and mailing address of recipient.

Mail payment and details to: enchantment magazine 614 Don Gaspar Ave. Santa Fe, NM 87505

ADOBE STOCK ILLUSTRATION BY KALANUSTUDIOS.COM

Wishing You a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year

ADOBE STOCK ILLUSTRATION BY DILOK

enchantment.coop

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youth art

Happy New Year!

Congratulations to the Winners Servando Acosta • Age 8 Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative

Logan Brown • Age 7 Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative

Isabella Prudencio • Age 9 Lea County Electric Cooperative

Elisabeth Reif • Age 10 Southwestern Electric Cooperative

Kyle Terry • Age 10 Farmers’ Electric Cooperative

Mason Tidenberg • Age 8 Farmers’ Electric Cooperative

February’s Topic: Who’s Your Valentine? With whom do you celebrate Valentine’s Day—mom, dad, sister, brother, pets?

March’s Topic: Your Favorite Music. Draw yourself or family rocking out to your favorite tunes!

Send Your Drawing By mail: Youth Editor 614 Don Gaspar Ave. Santa Fe, NM 87505 By email: enchantment@nmelectric.coop Deadline: Submit by the 9th, one month prior to publication.

Hooray! You Get Paid: $15 Have a Youth Art Topic?

Email or mail to the addresses above, or call 505-982-4671.

5 items to include on the

back of your drawing, otherwise YOU ARE DISQUALIFIED: 1. Name 2. Age 3. Mailing Address 4. Phone 5. Electric Co-op

*Accepted artwork up to age 13.

DON'T FORGET THE 5 ITEMS!

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JA N U A RY 2021

enchantment.coop

Smart outlets, such as the EcoSmart Outlet, give consumers greater control over their energy use and costs. PHOTO BY THINKECO

An Outlet for Energy Savings

By Kaley Lockwood

D

oes the ebb and flow of your energy bill have you searching for an affordable way to reduce or better control your use?

If you answered yes, then look no further, because we’re taking a quick dive into a practical and affordable device that allows you to better manage your home’s energy use: energy-saving outlets.

These next-generation devices provide the same surge protection as their predecessors, but also tie in the smart functionality of an internet-connected device.

There are several kinds of energy-saving outlets available, but there are two factors you should consider.

The first is size. Options range from a single external outlet to a power strip with multiple sockets.

The second thing to consider is Wi-Fi connectivity. Internet-connected outlets, commonly known as smart plugs, allow you to fully realize the potential of energy savings because they give you greater remote control of the outlet through your smartphone, tablet or home assistant, such as Google Home or Amazon’s Alexa. enchantment.coop

You also should consider where the energy-saving outlet will be and what it is used it for. Answering these questions will make it easier to choose the device that works best for you.

With smart plugs or smart power strips, a few clicks and swipes on your smartphone lets you to fully shut down the electrical currents to your high-powered devices to prevent them from consuming electricity even when switched off.

Several devices found inside your home are commonly referred to as parasitic loads, phantom loads or energy vampires.

In fact, most entertainment systems consist of several parasitic loads, such as TVs, DVD players and video gaming consoles.

Energy-saving outlets can curb these loads, saving money year after year.

In addition to preventing unnecessary energy consumption, energy-saving outlets are affordable for most folks who are looking to trim their use. The average smart outlet costs around $10 to $20 and has the potential to pay for itself within two years or less, depending on how often you use it.

Convenience is a major factor to consider when thinking about your next efficiency upgrade. Smart plugs

typically come with simple instructions to download an accompanying app on your smartphone and connect the plug to your home’s Wi-Fi. The ease of turning the device on and off using your phone cannot be overstated.

Advanced smart plugs and smart plug apps can automate the use with your schedule and even your presence in the home.

You can also have large-load devices turn off at a set time each night and back on every morning when you’re ready to use them. If you want to use your TV at a time outside the preset hours, you can easily switch on the device through the smartphone app. Through automation, you can power down these energy-intensive devices and prevent unnecessary energy use.

For folks looking to optimize their energy use and eliminate vampire loads, smart plugs may be your best option.

For those who want more of a handsoff option to save money, energy-saving outlets and power strips without the Wi-Fi connection may be a better choice.

Either way, energy-saving outlets are just one of many energy-efficient options. As technology continues to evolve, we likely will see additional options emerge.

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For the Members of Columbus Electric Cooperative

We’re delivering more Our members have asked for cleaner, more affordable and more flexible electricity – and we’re delivering. Built by and for our members, we power what matters to you. That’s the value of our cooperative family.

To learn how we’re delivering on our mission, visit www.tristate.coop.

Tri-State is a not-for-profit power supplier to cooperatives and public power districts in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.