Kids and Pets
August is all about the kids and pets we love!
Our August issue is all about Kids and Pets and is one of the most popular issues of the year. I'm an absolute lover of dogs with three who are all about a year old. The unconditional love and happiness a dog brings to your life can't possibly be measured. They certainly keep me busy now that my youngest has graduated and we are empty nesters.
Each month our editor and writers work tirelessly to find great stories that are interesting and appealing to our readers. Albuquerque City Lifestyle is a local magazine that takes great pride in our community and wants to bring you positive, entertaining, and uplifting stories. We are always looking for new story ideas so feel free to contact our editor, Richard Lakin, with your story. His email is richard.lakin@citylifestyle.com.
This month we talked with Sandy Dierks of Catopia Cat Café where you can visit with cats who are ready for adoption, Roger and Jamie Linn of i9 Sports who are making a difference in kids’ lives by offering high quality sport programs, Megan Pierce, RVT, Practice Manager at Roadrunner Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital in nearby Algodones, and Courtney Lewis and Jeff Utrata who own a children’s gym called We Rock the Spectrum in Rio Rancho. I recently had to take my one year old dog in for emergency surgery at Roadrunner Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital and the staff and doctors are simply amazing.
John Woods of Phocus Real Estate explains the changes taking place this month with commissions paid to real estate brokers.
It is truly and honor and privilege to be the publisher of this growing publication and I welcome your comments and emails.
Thank you,
August 2024 Visit our Instagram
PUBLISHER
Rich Ringrose | rich.ringrose@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Richard Lakin | richard.lakin@citylifestyle.com
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
Cecily Sullivan
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Andrea Jacquin, John Woods, Richard Lakin
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Denise Husted
Corporate Team
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Rachel Otto
LAYOUT DESIGNER Andi Foster
Learn how to start your own publication at citylifestyle.com/franchise.
city scene
1: Brooks & Dunn Concert: Joelle Bobinksy and Andrelle Bobinsky 2: Moonwalk Gin Launch Party: Alex Nicolette, Jade Ryden, Cassandra Rose Cooper, Amanda Getchell Stevenson 3: Dive In Movies: Keith and Felicia Marie 4: Growers Market: Camille Carlson and Brandon Carter at the Space Dog Farms booth 5: Pack Your Maxx Grand Opening: Hannah and Sonya from Nutrishop 6: Old Town: Olivia Chavez, Carolina Ockerman, Yarely Becerra, and Gabrielle Gallegos from Baila! Baila! Dance Academy 7: Old Town: Laih Vergara Cañete
KALEN KEITH IMAGES
8: Rail Yards Market: Laurel Knipling and Braden Lindsay 9: Rail Yards Market: Mila Franco from Born & Raised Clothing Co. 10: Rail Yards Market: Chantelle Fawn from Big Jim Farms 11: Red Hot Chili Peppers Concert: Aubree Ware and Shalicia Jones 12: Sawmill Market: Marisa and Bella Anderson 13: SURFACE Exhibition at the Harwood Art Center: Lori Colt, Rosario Glezmir, and Paula Sussman 14: Viva Skydive: Eric and John Dodson
AN EARLY START TO AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE
Roger and Jamie Linn both grew up in Las Vegas, NV, but had family in New Mexico and wanted to re-locate here, so they bought some property in Tijeras. It took a few years to work out the career changes needed to make the move, but they decided to use Roger’s background in sports to take on a franchise with i9 Sports, a company that provides high-quality programs for kids in flag football, soccer, t-ball, basketball, cheer, volleyball, tennis, and multi-sports youth leagues.
ARTICLE BY RICHARD LAKIN
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF i 9 SPORTS
Roger told us, “I was a quarterback in college and high school and went on to play arena football. When my career was done, we kind of needed to figure out what we’re going to do with life.”
I9 Sports Albuquerque recently celebrated their 13-year anniversary and have
been franchise of the year three times. Jamie told us, “We felt like there was a gap here in Albuquerque. It seems to go from very basic recreation, if you were getting it at school, to competitive team sports. There was nothing for kids who just wanted to play and didn’t yet have a particular sport in mind.”
“WE FEEL THERE’S NO WAY TO DO SPORTS JUSTICE IN THE COMMUNITY IF YOU’RE NOT MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY CAN PARTICIPATE.”
There’s no try-outs or pressure in the programs. The kids get a chance to try a variety of sports to find out which one they like best, which encourages continuing attendance. There is also an emphasis on equal participation so there’s no one who is doing a lot of bench-sitting. Kids can join the programs as young as age three and continue to age 14. All instruction and play are age-appropriate, and safety is a priority.
One of the biggest issues in playing youth sports is the time commitment. The regular practices, games, and tournaments can tie up the kid’s and the parent’s schedules. A lot of kids get burned-out and don’t find it fun anymore. Studies have found that if a
kid stops playing sports by age 12, there is a good chance that they’ll be inactive in physical recreation for the rest of their life. i9’s programs are once per week, with practice and games occurring on the same day, eliminating a heavy schedule and commitment.
Another interesting element of the i9 programs is the participation of parents as coaches, enhancing the family experience with sports. Parents are schooled in coaching through clinics. Conducting practice drills also gives the parents some exercise opportunity. Extensive background checks are performed on anyone interacting with the kids and are some of the most thorough and frequent in the state.
Roger and Jamie set up a non-profit to contribute to the community. Jamie said, “We feel there’s no way to do sports justice in the community if you’re not making sure that everybody can participate. If you can find a way for them to participate and at the same time making sure to give back to all the schools as much as you can. Any kind of involvement that we can do because we don’t just do sports. We try to help in any way that a kid asks us for assistance with an extracurricular we will do our very best to step in, so we’ve sent entire classrooms to the zoo and the planetarium.”
Two things are paramount in i9’s programs…sportsmanship and safety. Each week there is a sportsmanship lesson and i9 Albuquerque promises the kids and the parents a positive atmosphere that builds character. Safety instruction is given, and appropriate protective gear is always used. Jamie told us, “Our mantra is helping kids succeed in life through sports, so we’ve made it our job to make them good people first and love sports as part of that.”
i9 Sports can be contacted at 3501Moon St. SE ABQ, 505.312.4999, leagueoffice280@i9sports.com
Jamie and Roger Linn with daughters Georgia and June
CATOPIA CAT CAFÉ
A Happy Place for People and a Better World for Cats
A cat café may sound unusual, but is actually quite practical. Cat cafes offer a comfortable environment for cats until they find a forever home through adoption. Catopia Cat Café opened in Albuquerque in 2019. Animal lover Sandy Dierks owns and operates the local café. Dierks’ father was a veterinarian and she grew up surrounded by a house full of pets. Dierks thought owning the café would be a hobby that could pay the bills, too.
Dierks once worked as a medical transcriptionist but was ready for a change. Her son asked her what she would do if she could do anything, and the cat café came to mind. After doing her
research, she made her dream a reality. She learned about the first cat café that opened in Taiwan in 1998. That idea quickly spread to other countries. Now, the U.S. has more than 100 cat cafes, including Catopia.
“Catopia’s mission is to provide a happy temporary home for adoptable cats” and a great place for people to relax and have fun. Dierks says, “The cats are comforting, sweet, and fun. I really do love them. It is really therapeutic to be around cats.” Some people come to the café with their laptops and get their work done while they watch the cats play.
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ARTICLE BY ANDREA JACQUIN | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CATOPIA CAT CAFÉ
Typically, around 20 cats reside in the café at a time. Depending on adoptions, there could be less than 20 cats in the café. The café is filled with a plethora of cat toys and some unique contraptions for cats to play on and hide in. Within the café are plenty of high perches and soft spots for felines to sleep. Dierks says, “The wheel is really fun to spin around, but mostly younger cats like to use it.”
Visitors can relax in comfortable chairs and enjoy books, games, and free Wi-Fi. Guests can simply observe, cuddle, or interact with the cats. Catopia café serves hot tea, coffee, instant cappuccinos, juice, sodas, and pre-packaged snacks. Restrictions prevent the cafe from preparing food, but most customers mainly visit for the cats.
All of the cats at the café are adoptable and have been spayed, neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. Catopia Cat Cafe follows the adoption policies of Albuquerque Animal Welfare, Bernalillo County Animal Care Center, and their rescue group partners to ensure successful lifelong adoptions for cats. If visitors find a cat they want to adopt they can fill out the application at Catopia. Most adoptions take a day or two to process.
The most important thing to remember is that “these are shelter and rescue animals; we are trying to get them adopted.” Guests at the café also help socialize the cats for their future forever homes. Dierks and her staff miss the playful residents when they leave, but are always there with open arms to welcome the next group of cats to the café.
The Catopia Cat Café charges $12 per person for an hour’s visit. The summer hours are Wednesday, 11 am to 8 pm, and Thursday through Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm. During the school year, the café is closed on Thursdays. “The cats are really fun to be around. It lifts your spirits for sure,” says Dierks. Walk-ins are welcome, or you can schedule a visit on the website at www.catopiacatcafe.com
Catopia’s
shelter and rescue partners include:
• Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department
• Bernalillo County Animal Care Center
• Desert Paws Rescue
• Hart NM
• High Desert Cat Rescue
We Rock the Spectrum
A place of acceptance
ARTICLE BY ANDREA JACQUIN PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF WE
We Rock the Spectrum is a new children’s recreational gym in Rio Rancho. Owners Courtney Lewis and her husband, Jeff Utrata, say playing in the gym is an excellent way for children to meet other kids and interact. Lewis says, “It’s a gym where there are so many different ways to play. The gym has a variety of activities available, like swings, a trampoline, and climbing structures. There is also a special area for younger children to play.
Courtney Lewis is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. She and Utrata are excited to bring the We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym to the Westside. Lewis has provided specialized care to children and their families through her
business, Small Steps Child Counseling. Utrata has worked for facilities, providing detailed organization and management.
Utrata feels the gym is a gift to his children and children in the community who think they don’t fit into ableist culture. Jeff identifies as neurodivergent and is committed to providing his children with opportunities that weren’t available when he was a child.
Lewis says, “Jeff has been instrumental in getting the gym off the ground and giving our family and this community resources he never had access to. We have had so many parents who found their kids don’t fit in or
are overstimulated in other places because of their size or loudness. For some kids, it can be too much,” says Lewis. The couple says seeing happy repeat customers has been a big win. Lewis says, “Parents often thank us for providing a welcoming place and fun outlet where all children can play.”
She believes We Rock the Spectrum will be a new resource for children in the Albuquerque and Rio Rancho communities. The gym is open to the public and offers fun activities for children of all abilities. Open play is every day from 10 am to 6 pm.
In addition to the sensory gym equipment, We Rock the Spectrum has an art center, an imagination station for pretend play and dress-up, and a calming room. The calming room is a play area where kids can calm their
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The staff
HUB AN D PARENTS KEEPCOMING “THE GY M FEELS LIKEACOMMUNIT BECAUS E THEY FEEL THE SAME WA
bodies if they get overwhelmed. The sensory gym also offers a special toddler time from 10:30 to 11 am. The gym has storytime on Mondays, art on Wednesdays, and a Zumbini music and dance class on Saturdays.
Neurodivergent acceptance is a big goal for Lewis and Utrata. The owners’ children also benefit from using the gym to help them thrive. In the past, Lewis says, “You either fit into the mold being outgoing, friendly, chatty, or you were the shy kid. Now, that is no longer true. All of us have some level of neurodivergence… everyone’s brain is different.” Today, more social-emotional variations are identified in children.
The gym’s activities are similar to those used by occupational therapists to help kids work on strength and developmental skills. The gym also allows children to work on their social-emotional
skills, meet new friends, and receive the sensory input their bodies need to feel regulated. Lewis is most excited about the gym because children can play with their peers and feel safe.
We Rock the Spectrum also offers a new spin on birthday parties. Birthdays at the gym can be fun and social with plenty of exercise and activity, but they can also be “low-key.” Birthday guests can meet their sensory needs by playing with fidgets. They can also take a break from the sights and sounds of the party in the calming room.
Lewis says the gym has fun “sensory pockets” all around. Children can wear soundproof headphones or feel the different textures on the gym’s walls. These are just a few ways kids can regulate and calm their busy bodies.
Lewis’s work as a children’s play therapist and mental health counselor has taught her a lot. She believes early intervention is important when it comes to helping children. She says, “Nobody moves hardly any more in our sedentary environment,” which can affect our mental health.
In today’s sedentary lifestyle, people need to work harder to give their bodies the nutrition and movement they once had. “Lack of movement affects everyone. The way your body gets rid of stress biologically is through movement, says Lewis.” Exercise also reduces Cortisol, which regulates the body’s response to stress. “To cope with stress and anxiety, we need exercise, and we need to try to eat clean. Sugar, processed foods, or sleep deprivation can make it harder for kids’ brains to develop and focus.”
Owners Courtney Lewis and her husband, Jeff Utrata
TBACK Y AY.”
Lewis believes We Rock the Spectrum can be another useful resource for parents and kids. The gym “feels like a community hub, and parents keep coming back because they feel the same way.”
We Rock the Spectrum offers an after-school program, themed summer camps, and parents’ nightout events. Lewis and Utrata plan to open a second fun and inclusive gym on the East side. Visit werockthespectrumwestsideabq.com for more information.
CHANGES TO HOME BUYING START THIS MONTH
August brings new real estate rules
ARTICLE BY JOHN WOODS, PHOCUS REAL ESTATE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
ADOBE
The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has been in the news quite often recently, and there has been a lot of misinformation. This article summarizes what has happened, what will change, and how it will impact buyers and sellers. Visit facts.realtor to get updated information and more details. Most of the following details come directly from that site and other NAR resources.
On March 15, 2024, NAR announced an agreement that would end litigation of claims brought on behalf of home sellers related to broker commissions. Preliminary approval was granted on April 23rd. Significant policy changes for REALTORS® and consumers will occur in August. A motion in support of final approval is expected in September with a hearing for final approval in November.
Under the terms of the agreement, NAR would pay $418 million over approximately four years. NAR denies any wrongdoing in connection with the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) cooperative compensation model rule that was introduced in the 1990s in response to calls from consumer protection advocates for buyer representation. Offers of compensation help make professional representation more accessible, decrease costs for home buyers to secure these services, increase fair housing opportunities, and increase the potential buyer pool for sellers.
The agreement would resolve claims against NAR, over one million NAR members, all state and local REALTOR® associations - including the Greater Albuquerque Association of REALTORS® (GAAR), all REALTOR® association-owned MLSs - including Southwest MLS owned by GAAR, and all brokerages with a NAR member as principal that had a residential transaction volume in 2022 of $2 billion or below. There is a way for nearly all brokerages to obtain releases efficiently if they choose to use it.
The policy changes will go into effect on August 17th and must be fully implemented by September 16th. Over 3,000 local real estate professionals are members of GAAR and Southwest MLS. These changes will impact all of those REALTORS® in and around Albuquerque and their clients.
So what’s changing? The settlement agreement mandates two key changes to the way REALTORS® and MLS participants do business.
First, NAR agreed to create a new MLS rule prohibiting offers of compensation on the MLS. This means that offers of compensation to buyers’ brokers will not be communicated via an MLS. But they can continue to be an option consumers could pursue off-MLS through negotiation and consultation with real estate professionals.\
Second, NAR also agreed to create a new rule requiring MLS participants working with buyers to enter into written Buyer Broker Agreements with their buyers before the buyer tours a home. NAR has long encouraged its members to use written agreements to help consumers understand exactly what services and value they provide and for how much.
Both changes will go into effect on August 17th under the terms of the settlement.
How will this impact consumers? If you are a buyer working with a REALTOR® to purchase a property, you must sign a Buyer Broker Agreement (BBA) stating how much the REALTOR will be paid and the duration of the agreement before touring any properties for sale. The agreement can be established for viewing a specific home, any homes shown over a particular week or weekend, or
for one or more months. If you’re meeting a REALTOR® for the first time on a Saturday, you could start with an agreement for that day. If you like the service provided and want to continue working together, you could sign another BBA committing to working exclusively with that REALTOR® for the next two months, for example. There are multiple benefits to buyers who commit to getting to know and work with a professional local REALTOR® who will help them find and purchase a property and negotiate on their behalf.
Since offers of compensation will no longer be offered through MLS, the fee for the REALTOR® is another key term that will need to be discussed and negotiated upfront. The fee can be a fixed amount, a specific percentage of the purchase price, or some other agreed-upon arrangement. It’s important to note that the fee can still be paid in part or in whole by the seller of the property. The buyer’s broker will need to communicate directly with the listing broker to determine if the seller is offering compensation to a buyer broker and, if so, how much. That amount, if any, will be negotiated and documented in the purchase agreement and become part of the contract.
For sellers who want to encourage the most buyers to purchase their property, offering compensation to buyers’ brokers will still benefit them. This will simply have to be communicated outside of the MLS via phone, text, or email, for example. It’s worth having professional representation by an experienced REALTOR®, and buyers and/or sellers can pay their fees.
Let’s be very clear about how this will work come mid-August. If a buyer and REALTOR® sign a Buyer Broker Agreement stating that the buyer broker fee is $10,000, for example, and a seller is willing to pay $7,000 of that fee, the buyer will be responsible for the other $3,000 at closing. The seller could agree to pay the entire $10,000, or they might not be willing to pay the buyer’s broker anything. Everything will still be negotiable, and REALTORS® will still be an invaluable partner in buying and selling real estate.
PET Emergencies
IF YOUR FUR BABY HAS A MEDICAL CRISIS
ARTICLE BY RICHARD LAKIN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DENISE HUSTED
Marilyn
Rachel and Zara
Megan Pierce, RVT, Practice Manager at Roadrunner Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital
“We are currently the only 24/7 emergency hospital in the state of New Mexico.”
What happens when you have a medical emergency with your pet late at night or on the weekend when your regular veterinarian is closed? There are a lot of dangers in the desert at night… hungry predators, fast traffic, toxic substances. Plus, the normal medical conditions that can unexpectedly become life threatening.
We talked to Megan Pierce, RVT, Practice Manager at Roadrunner Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital in nearby Algodones. She told us, “We are currently the only 24/7 emergency hospital in the state of New Mexico. We also recently added other specialty surgery service to our hospital. Dr. freeman and her team joined in January and has been extremely essential in in getting some of these cases taken care of.”
Roadrunner’s availability as a 24-hour emergency clinic is so rare that people bring pets from as far away as Eastern Arizona, West Texas, and Southern Colorado. Meghan said,” Options are limited for people especially on those latenight hours, so we’ve had people drive 6 to 8 hours to come see us and the reality of that situation is that being the only facility in the state seeing patients at that point in time is unfortunately that we have wait times that end up being fairly tremendous. If the patient is stable, we’re taking in the critical patients that are actively
in a potential for a fatality and so those end up occupying so much of our time that even sick patients that do need to be seen but are stable end up waiting 6 plus hours.”
We asked Megan how to avoid ending up in an emergency clinic with our pets in the middle of the night. She told us, “Definitely getting established with a primary care provider as early into the animal’s life as possible. Often, we see emergencies that have worsened because they weren’t diagnosed before they become critical. Regular check-ups and vaccinations can help avoid emergency visits. For treatments of non-life-threatening issues, the general practices can generally get you in in a timelier manner, are generally cheaper, and there are less wait times. We’re here for more critical care scenarios…ingesting toxic substances, including mushrooms and foreign objects that require surgery or lifesaving procedures, attacks by animals, and pets hit by cars. We’re at the start of rattlesnake season so snake bites are also a danger.”
Roadrunner Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital is at 5 Camino Karsten, Algodones, NM.
Contact them at 505.384.6420 or info@roadrunnerveter.com - Megan Pierce, RVT
ALEX NICOLETTE
Ø PATENTED BREAKTHROUGH FORMULA : HAS 10X MORE ANTI - INFLAMMATORY AND 6X MORE ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES THAN THE LEADING INGREDIENT
Ø POWERFUL : REDUCES THE APPEARANCE OF DEEP WRINKLES IN AS LITTLE AS 1 WEEK
Ø SIMPLE : 3 MINUTES IN THE EVENING AND 1 MINUTE IN THE MORNING
events
AUGUST 3RD-4TH
THE GREAT SOUTHWESTERN ANTIQUE & VINTAGE SHOW, 25th ANNIVERSARY
EXPO NEW MEXICO 300 San Pedro Dr. N.E., Albuquerque | 9:00 AM
This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Great Southwestern Antique Show! It will be held on August 3 & 4, 2024, and we are excited to see everyone! The show opens to the Public Saturday, 9 AM -5 PM, Sunday, 10 AM- 4 PM.
AUGUST 3RD
Westside Summerfest
Ventana Ranch Community Park 10000 Universe Blvd NW, Albuquerque | 5:00 PM
This free family-friendly event features fun for everyone. The final installment of this concert series celebrates everything local. Westside Summerfest features small businesses with handcrafted products in The Shops, food trucks with freshly made cuisine in the Food Court, libations created by breweries, wineries and distilleries in The Cantina, and entertainment by local talent on two stages.
AUGUST 10TH
The Latin Explosion Music Festival & Car Show
Balloon Fiesta Park 5500 Balloon Fiesta Parkway NE Albuquerque | 12:00 PM
The Latin Explosion Music Festival & Car Show arriving in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Saturday, August 10th at Balloon Fiesta Park. Have fun in the marvels and sounds of the Latin values. A family responsive cultural experience with live shows, a lowrider car exhibition, live DJ’s, assorted foodstuffs, beverages, vendors, cultural performers, live arts and crafts and amusement for the children.
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