DESERT EXPOSURE
exposure
Arts & Leisure in Southern New Mexico
JANUARY 2016 • 1
Double E Ranch Update Page 11
Asombro Institute Page 20
Gila Conservation Page 29
January 2016 Volume 21 • Number 1
2 • JANUARY 2016
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DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 3
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DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 5
ADOBE TECHNIQUES, LLC
CONTENTS 6 POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE • Journeying Desert Exposure travels to St. Croix and San Diego
32 TALKING HORSES • Life on a Curve Helping yourself and you mount make a circle by Scott Thomson
7 EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK • Too Many Left Behind From one education bill to another by Elva K. Österreich
33 BODY, MIND & SPIRIT • Grant County Events Weekly happenings in Grant County
8 DESERT DIARY • Life’s Questions A few things to ponder from our contributors
34 CYCLES OF LIFE • Vow to Ride Commuter biking worth the time by Fr. Gabriel Rochelle
8 ON STAGE • Opening Night The One That Got Away | by Carol Anton
34 ALONG THE WAY • Minding the Community Kristy Ortiz makes a difference in Bayard | by Terry Brunner
10 LETTERS • Back to PNM Concerns and responses from the readers
35 BODY, MIND & SPIRIT • Organic Bytes Climbing to the Cloud | by Steve Chiang
11 CONSERVATION • Double E Ranch New Mexicans celebrate acquisition by Vanessa Burge
36 GETTING NUTTY • What’s Your O-piñon A look at New Mexico’s dandy little snack by Susie Ouderkirk
12 SAILBOAT • Filmmaking in Silver City A boy with the most unlikely name | by Elva K. Österreich
36 PARTNERSHIPS • Helping one another Detention center, college join for programs
13 WNMU • New Alumni Director Amanda Moffett takes a hand in affairs
37 RED OR GREEN • Dining Guide Restaurants in southwest New Mexico
14 ARTS EXPOSURE • Arts Scene Latest area arts happenings 16 ARTS EXPOSURE • Gallery Guide Area arts venues listed 17 ON STAGE • At the Buckhorn Tall Heights presented by MRAC Folk Series 18 ON REVIEW • Rock Star Blues artist CW Ayon profiled By Susie Ouderkirk 19 TOWN NEWS • Tularosa Businesses ready to fit into growing plans by Jennifer Gruger
38 TABLE TALK • Red Barn Closed Silver City restaurant owners move on by Elva K. Österreich 40 DOUBLE E RANCH • Preservation Funds Becomes State Wildlife Management Area 41 IN THE GILA • Firefighter Training Time Orientation scheduled for January
20 ASOMBRO INSTITUTE • Desert Nature Park Education programs established | by Susie Ouderkirk
51 LIVING ON WHEELS • RV Life Hints to get started by Sheila Sowder
24 THE STARRY DOME • Triangulum, the Triangle Small constellation has big effect by Bert Stevens 25 SUBORBITAL • Space Camp Registration Rocketeer Academy setting up | by Cathy Harper 25 SUBORBITAL • New Law in Space Arena Competitiveness act modernizes regulations 26 RANDOM ACTS OF STORYTELLING • Product Placement News reporting style | by Jim Duchene 27 PUBLISHER’S NOTEBOOK • Long Live Music Rejoicing in the return of vinyl | by Richard Coltharp 29 GILA CONSERVATION • Diversion History Making sense of the river project | by Allyson Savik 30 MANEUVERING ELDERDOM • When Seniors Help Seniors Retired and active people work on behalf of others by Vivian Savitt
ABOUT THE COVER:
Georgette Grey, one of the owners at Vertu Fine Art Gallery in Socorro, created this watercolor egret in honor of the thousands of migratory birds which winter in New Mexico riparian areas from along the Rio Grande bosque to the lakes and channels of other southern riparian parts of the state. The migratory birds, which visit from October to April, include sandhill cranes, great blue herons, egrets, grey geese, snow geese and coots.
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Thank you
To the Little Toad Creek; musicians of Tri-City Buzzards and Shotgun Calliope; all the artisans, stores and service providers who donated items; and everyone who came to our fundraiser!
Happy New Year to all of you!
SNAP
Spay/Neuter Awareness Program
snap@q.com www.snap-sw-nm.com
575-388-5194 or 575-297-9734
Tchotchkes Kitsch Books Gifts Art
44 40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS • Events Guide For October and a little beyond 49 LOOKING FOR LAUGHTER • Lauren Bresner profile A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Fountain by Susie Ouderkirk
22 SANCTUARY • Mini-horses Take Burden Bib miracles come in tiny packages | by Statia Dougherty
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42 ALAMOGORDO • Basin History Preserved Museum stands ready to open by Joan E. Price
19 CALL FOR ARTISTS • Arts Opportunities Area galleries, state shows open now to applications
22 BORDERLINES • Predatory Lending Rampant Interest rates create years of debt | by Marjorie Lilly
SPECIALIZING IN Concete Pumping, Shotcrete, Slabs, Block Laying, Bobcat, Dirt, Gravel and Pavers
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PUBLISHER
Richard Coltharp 575-524-8061 • editor@desertexposure.com
EDITOR
Elva K. Österreich 575-680-1978 • editor@desertexposure.com
Thursday-Sunday 10-6 daily, except Sunday, 9-1 316 Granado St., Tularosa, New Mexico Like us on ... The MERC
ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Pam Rossi 575-680-1974 pam@lascrucesbulletin.com
DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Teresa Tolonen 575-680-1841 teresa@lascrucesbulletin.com
ADVERTISING SALES
Silver City Ilene Wignall 575-313-0002 jiwignall@comcast.net Deming Claire Frohs 575-680-1844 claire@lascrucesbulletin.com
Otero County Pam Rossi 575-680-1974 pam@lascrucesbulletin.com Ruidoso Elaine Sasnow 575-635-1188 elaine@lascrucesbulletin.com
LAYOUT AND DESIGN
Cary J. Howard, Eddie Hodges, Stacey Neal, Ryan Galloway
WEB DESIGNER Ryan Galloway
COLUMNISTS
Fr. Gabriel Rochelle, Marjorie Lilly, Sheila Sower, Vivian Savitt, Steve Chiang, Scott Thomson, Bert Stevens, Jim Duchene 840 N. Telshor Blvd., Suite E • Las Cruces, NM 88011 575-524-8061 www.desertexposure.com Desert Exposure is published monthly and distributed free of charge at choice establishments throughout Southern New Mexico. Mail subscriptions are $42 for 12 issues. Single copies by mail $4. All contents © 2015 OPC News, LLC. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. All rights to material by outside contributors revert to the author. Views expressed in articles, advertisements, graphics and/or photos appearing in Desert Exposure do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or advertisers. Desert Exposure is not responsible for unsolicited submissions of articles or artwork. Submissions by mail must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for reply or return. It will be assumed that all submissions, including email letters, are intended for publication. All submissions, including letters to the editor, may be edited for length, style and content.
Wayne’s Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning 575-537-2674
6 • JANUARY 2016
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POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE Desert Exposure Travels
M
arjie Alkire and Stephen Bonyun went south to St. Croix USVI in November 2015. Whether you’re going to Nebraska, New England or Nepal or visiting southern New Mexico from other places, snap a photo of yourself holding a copy of Desert Exposure and send it to diary@desertexposure. com or stick it in the mail to: Desert Exposure, 840 N. Telshor Blvd., Suite E. Las Cruces, NM 88011.
J
ohn Rieger and his spouse Mary Platter-Rieger recently visited Silver City and greatly enjoyed it. They then traveled home to San Diego with a copy of Desert Exposure. They and the paper are standing in front of the old and historic Point Loma Lighthouse, which is part of the Cabrillo National Monument, by the Pacific Ocean.
“Our Family Taking Care of Your Family”: Primary Care at Silver Health CARE We have compassionate and skilled practitioners who are now taking new patients. They are able to look after all your healthcare needs, and our staff members will treat you like family. To stay healthy, keep up with your regularly scheduled check-ups and follow-ups with a primary care practitioner so that medical conditions can be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. Primary care gives you and your family the best chance to keep out of the hospital and out of the emergency room. We have been committed to keeping our community healthy for 41 years. Five convenient locations to serve you! SILVER CITY CLINICS 1600 E 32nd St. 1380 Hwy 180E 3185 N Leslie Rd
DEMING 1511 S. Lime St. BAYARD 608 Winifred St.
CALL 575-538-2981 www.silverhealthcare.org
Dr. Kathryn Randall provides a full range of specialized care that includes pediatric gynecology, urogynecology, well-woman care and more. The services she provides include: • Laparoscopic hysterectomy and reproductive surgeries • Contraceptive and hormone management • Treatment for incontinence • Infertility evaluation and treatment • Early pregnancy confirmation Dr. Randall is now accepting new patients. Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance plans welcome. Ask us about preventive care services your health insurance may cover at no cost to you. To schedule an appointment, please call 575-543-7200.
905 S. 8th Street • Deming, NM 88030 • 575-543-7200 • DemingWomensCenter.com
Katthrryn Rand dall, M.D., FAC COG Board Certifie ed in Obste etriicss and Gyneccolo ogy
DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 7
EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK • ELVA K. ÖSTERREICH
Too Many Left Behind Evert child may have chance to succeed in the future
N
o Child Left Behind has become Every Child Succeeds, opening the door to states to start changing the face of education. President Barack Obama signed the revised Elementary and Secondary Education Act into law on Dec. 10, hopefully ending one of the most devastating things the U.S. government has done to children in its history. “This bill upholds the core value that animated the original Elementary and Secondary Education Act signed by President Lyndon Johnson, the value that says education, the key to economic opportunity, is a civil right,” Obama said when he signed it. While the new bill maintains children be tested yearly for grades three to eight and once in high school, the Adequate Yearly Progress mandate is gone and the bill requires the use of multiple measures in evaluating student success and provides greater access to early childhood education. The act returns decision-making to the states, no longer mandating academic standards like the Common Core or mandating teachers be evaluated based on things like student test scores. “NCLB was only about outcomes. There was nothing about how we were supposed to help students get there,” said Julie Hiltz, a teacher and certified media specialist in Florida. “It sounds like we’re now finally addressing that issue. Do students have access to equitable resources? Do they have access to guidance counselors? Do they have art and music classes? It’s all part of educating the whole child, and it’s something that I’m very excited about.” The new version of ESEA can open the potential for New Mexico to bring the light back into education. It could change the teacher accountability system, making the bizarre habit of judging, and rewarding, teachers based on their student’s test scores obsolete, thus allowing them to enjoy teaching again. Remember those teachers who inspired you with their enthusiasm and love for their subjects, the ones who made you want to learn and become who you are? Those teachers will once again have the leeway to teach their students to love their subjects. The state could allow students, especially the elementary aged ones, to learn to love learning again, opening the door to inspiration. It could allow art, science, history and music to become fascinating again leading to an interest in pursuing fields today lacking in interest. Drop-out rates could fall because when children learn at an early age to love education, they will keep that through their lives. In New Mexico today, because of intense teaching to the test and AYP standards, elementary school children often never get the chance to they discover what might love. For example, while the cost of bussing students for field trips is sometimes prohibitive, there are organizations which can help with those costs. But currently, often teachers cannot even find time away from teaching to the test to take the children on field trips, even when the resources are available.
If the New Mexico Public Education Department will change some of the requirements, allowing for teaching to the child instead of to the test, some of these essential, inspirational experiences can be returned to the classroom. The Every Student Succeeds Act is returning control to the state, allowing each state to adapt its guidelines to its individual needs. With New Mexico already operating under a NCLB waiver, allowing flexibility in its programs according to certain guidelines, it is unlikely the state secretary of education, Hanna Skandera, will be willing to change things up in the state. The people and the educators of the state need to make their voices heard if they want things to change in New Mexico. One organization continuously working for change in state’s education polices is the State School Superintendent’s Association. In the past several years I have worked as a journalist in communities across southern New Mexico and have found strong, innovative school superintendents in all the communities are working toward supporting their students and teachers with strong words and active ideas to improve the system. Hopefully the state’s administrators will open their ears more and hear the words of the superintendents better now that NCLB has been left behind. In Silver City, Superintendent Lon Streib and the school board sent out the following memo to Silver Consolidated Schools teachers in regards to the state’s system of evaluating teachers: “The Silver Consolidated Schools Superintendent and building administration will not us the current teacher Summative Evaluation as established by the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) for any circumstance regarding employment, professional development plans, or professional improvement plans. Because the evaluation system is required by the NMPED, the District will continue its use.” The voices of these individuals, working for teacher and student success, need to be bolstered by the population to be heard up in Santa Fe. According to a White House report ESSA will help schools build on educational progress by: • Ensuring states set high standards so children graduate high school ready for college and career. • Maintaining accountability by guaranteeing that when students fall behind, states target resources towards what works to help them and their schools improve, with a particular focus on the lowest-performing 5 percent of schools, high schools with high dropout rates, and schools where subgroups of students are struggling. • Empowering state and local decision-makers to develop their own strong systems for school improvement based upon evidence, rather than imposing cookie-cutter federal solutions like No Child Left Behind (NCLB) did. • Preserving annual assessments and reduce the often onerous burden of unnecessary and ineffective test-
ing on students and teachers, making sure standardized tests don’t crowd out teaching and learning, without sacrificing clear, annual information parents and educators need to make sure our children are learning. • Providing more children access to high-quality preschool, giving them the chance to get a strong start to their education. • And establishing new resources to test promising practices and replicate proven strategies that will drive opportunity and better outcomes for America’s students. In the meantime, while we can rejoice that children in the future may have more of the educational quality and opportunity they need to succeed, we have left behind us a ageneration of students who faced the pressure of NCLB edicts and either shined or failed to thrive in the stressful environment. There will always be the smart and ambitious students who will achieve and rise to the top and there will always be those who give up, fail to care in a school environment. It is the students in-between who lost out on the caring about learning opportunities for 13 years. When my first son, who is now 25, went to kindergarten it lasted half a day. Students learned to get along, they took naps and they made bag
puppets to learn their letters. When my youngest son, who is now 14, went to kindergarten in the middle of the NCLB years, kindergarten was a full day, involved having to learn to read and there was no time for naps or even to finish an art project. The teacher, who had been teaching for more than 30 years, was so jaded and unable to adapt, she was angry much of the time. Gone were the days when all Robert Fulghum needed to know was learned in kindergarten because those things were left behind too: “Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life - Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some. Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together. Be aware of wonder.” What happens to those children who didn’t learn those things? Some are OK, children are resilient and hungry for input; some hate school; many in New Mexico dropped right out of
school with more than a quarter of high-school students leaving school before graduation. We have work to do, support your educators with your legislators and things can get better. And for those left behind by NCLB? I don’t know, I guess they were just an experiment. Postcards from the edge: Hosting travelers? Take them to your favorite place in southern New Mexico and catch them with a copy of Desert Exposure and send it to us. Traveling? Whether you’re going to Nebraska, New England or Nepal, snap a photo of yourself holding a copy of “Desert Exposure” and send it to editor@ desertexposure.com or stick it in the mail to: Desert Exposure, 840 N. Telshor Blvd., Suite E, Las Cruces, NM, 88011. Elva K. Österreich is editor of Desert Exposure and delighted to be holding “office hours” in Silver City on the second Wednesday of the month (Jan. 13) from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Yankie Creek Coffee House. Please drop by and say hello.
CELEBRATING 12 YEARS
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Bikes - Repairs - Outdoor Gear Silver City’s Outdoor Adventure Center Bike Rentals Maps Parts
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8 • JANUARY 2016
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CAROL ANTON
The One That Got Away
J
an. 8 is the opening night for the Truth or Consequences Community Theatre, production of “The One That Got Away,� by Eddie McPherson. This comedy, directed by Susie Wisdom, is a laugh-a-minute with the antics of three non-fishermen, whose sole purpose is to gain access to “chicks� while fishing a “tournament sure to bring in large numbers of women.� Portraying those erstwhile fishermen are Bob Culpepper as Brad, PJ Waggaman as Geordie and Marcus Vickers as Max. The “chicks,� who are real fisherwomen and catch on to
the men’s scheme, are portrayed by Indrani Rauth as Annie, Linda Larson as Blair, Genevieve Cervantes as Donna and Leslie McKinney as Madeline. More complications occur when Max brings along his socially inept cousin, Harold, portrayed by Rick O’Neill. Clive, played by Bob Laskey, is sent by other contestants to find the best fishing hole. Then Brad’s fiancÊ, Carol, played by Susie Wisdom, shows up to visit Brad. Mayhem ensues as the different factions collide while sharing a fishing lodge for the
GOT AWAY
continued on page 14
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DESERT DIARY
Sometimes there are just no answers to life’s questions GOTTA BE SICK
H
enry Duchene is still raising his father: My elderly father and I were visiting his younger brother in the hospital and, like my uncle’s residency here on earth, we were ready to go. I could tell my father wanted to leave by the way he kept inching closer to the door. My uncle, however, is just as oblivious to visual and verbal clues as my father is. “So,� he asked his older brother, “how are you feeling?� This got my father’s attention, because if there’s one thing my father likes to talk about, it’s himself. “Well,� my father answered, shaking his head sadly. “I’m pretty sick myself.� This came as something of a surprise to me. I only go with him to all of his doctor appointments, of which there are many, and he is always given a clean bill of health. For his age, that is. “You’re not sick, dad,� I corrected him. “Yes, I am,� he corrected me back. “No, you’re not.� My poor uncle laid there looking at us point and counter-point, his head swiveling from side to side to side to side as if he was watching a Ping-Pong tournament. “Well, I’d better be sick,� my father finally said in his I’m-tired-of-this tone of voice. “Why the heck do you want to be sick?� I asked, enquiring minds wanted to know. “Because,� he explained, “I’d hate to be well and feel this crappy.�
MONDAY MUSINGS Gee Richard spends his Mondays musing: • Would a fly without wings be called a walk? • Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery? • If walking is good for your health, the postman would be immortal. • A whale swims all day, only eats fish, drinks water, but is still fat. • A rabbit runs and hops and only lives 15 years, while a tortoise doesn’t run and does mostly nothing, yet it lives for 150 years. And you tell me to exercise? I don’t think so. • I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it. • My wild oats are mostly enjoyed with prunes and all bran. • I finally got my head together, and now my body is falling apart. • Funny, I don’t remember being absent-minded. • Funny, I don’t remember being absent-minded. • If all is not lost, then where the heck is it? • It was a whole lot easier to get older, than to get wiser. • Some days, you’re the top dog, some days you’re the hydrant • The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. • Kids in the back seat cause accidents. Accidents in the back seat cause kids. • It’s hard to make a comeback when you haven’t been anywhere. • When I’m finally holding all the right cards, everyone wants to play chess. • It’s not hard to meet expenses.... they’re everywhere. • The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth. • These days, I spend a lot of time thinking about the hereafter: I go somewhere to get something and then wonder what I’m “here after.â€? • Funny, I don’t remember being absent-minded.
HALF-BAKED FAMILY SAYS GOOD-BYE The California Cutie is mourning: Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community. The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71. Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The gravesite was piled high with flours. Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Born and bread in Minnesota, Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times, he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive roll model for millions. Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, three children: John Dough, Jane Dough and Dosey Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart. The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.
YOU KNOW YOU ARE AN ADULT WHEN The Packrat out Back sends these suggestions to make adults smile: • Just took a leaflet out of my mailbox, informing me that I can have sex at 73. I’m so happy, because I live at number 71. So it’s not too far to walk home afterwards. And it’s the same side of the street. I don’t even have to cross the road. • Answering machine message: “I am not available right now, but thank you for caring enough to call. I am making some changes in my life. Please leave a message after the beep. If I do not return your call, you are one of the changes.â€? • Frustration is trying to find your glasses without your glasses. • Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting. • The irony of life is that, by the time you’re old enough to know your way around, you’re not going anywhere. • The biggest lie I tell myself is ...â€?I don’t need to write that down, I’ll remember it.â€? • Wouldn’t it be great if we could put ourselves in the dryer for ten minutes and come out wrinkle-free and three sizes smaller? • Last year I joined a support group for procrastinators. We haven’t met yet. • I don’t trip over things, I do random gravity checks. • Old age is coming at a really bad time. • Lord grant me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the friends to post my bail when I finally snap. • Teach your daughter how to shoot, because a restraining order is just a piece of paper. • If God wanted me to touch my toes, he would’ve put them on my knees. • I’m going to retire and live off of my savings. Not sure what I’ll do that second week. • Of course I talk to myself, sometimes I need expert advice. • Oops! Did I roll my eyes out loud? • At my age “Getting luckyâ€? means walking into a room and remembering what I came in there for.
DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 9
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10 • JANUARY 2016
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LETTERS Clean, affordable energy is good goal
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ditor, In his recent letter (PNM Power Plan, December 2015), Mr. Vondracek seems to leave us with an either/or decision in regard to using wind and solar versus nuclear and fossil fuels to generate electricity. He is correct in stating that storing electrical energy is difficult and expensive at this time. He is also correct in saying that a total conversion to solar and wind – even if it were possible – could not provide electricity 24 hours a day, seven days a week. While electricity needs to be available 24/7, the fact is that the majority of it is used during the day. This is why many power companies offer a discount for electricity used at night. With the efficiency of solar panels increasing and their cost decreasing, more homeowners are opting to produce their own power during the daytime, sell the surplus to the utility company and pay lower rates at night. Some companies such as Walmart also see the benefits and are beginning to install
their own solar panels to reduce costs. With the rapid advance of technology, the storage of electricity will improve, making solar and wind power more practical and affordable. In the meantime, fossil fuel deposits decline while burning them continues to pollute and, of course, nuclear waste is a hazard forever. Certainly no one likes pollution, but everyone likes a reliable energy supply. No system is 100 percent reliable, so it’s a good idea to have backup systems in place. In spite of the problems, a total conversion to solar and wind may not be desirable for the foreseeable future. But even if we cannot foresee the solution at this time, we must not limit our vision. Our vision of the future should be a day when we have an affordable and reliable electrical system that does not pollute or deplete our planet. It’s a goal that we can all support. Mark Andrews Deming
Jonathan Diener Attorney and Mediator General Practice
30 years experience
lawsuits, contracts, estate planning, real estate, civil rights, divorce and family law 575-388-1754 or 575-535-2760 505 W. College • Silver City Brushy Mountain Rd. • Mule Creek
Don’t sacrifice TV translators for unlicensed devices
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etter to the FCC Re: MB Docket No. 15-146 - Amendment of Parts 15, 73 and 74 of the Commission’s Rules to Provide for the Preservation of One Vacant Channel in the UHF Television Band for Use by White Space Devices and Wireless Microphones On behalf of the below organizations representing rural communities and businesses in America, we write to express our interest in the Commission’s proposal to reserve up to two television channels in each area for exclusive use by unlicensed devices. As we understand this proposal, it could potentially displace a significant number of television translators – translators that are critical to delivering local television service to rural communities. We are fearful that this proposal, coupled with the anticipated translator losses resulting from the spectrum auction, will disproportionately and unnecessarily harm rural television viewers. Our members rely heavily on broadcast television for local news and emergency information – as well as information essential to managing farming and ranching op-
erations. Any proposal that negatively affects television translators not only impacts us as community members, but also affects us as business owners and employees. From weather to commodities, local television is a vital source of information for many of the livelihoods in rural America. In May of 2013, many of the groups represented on this letter wrote to urge the Commission to study seriously the impact of its decisions on television translator service. At that time we also asked for public hearings on the impact of the Commission’s incentive auction policy choices on rural America. We were concerned then – and remain concerned today – that the Commission is continuing to undertake measures that will cause permanent damage to a service that offers real, irreplaceable value to viewers in rural areas and on native lands. What we find uniquely puzzling about this proposal is that it contemplates considerable additional translator loss in exchange for highly speculative benefits from unlicensed devices – benefits that
have not yet materialized and may never materialize. We find it extraordinary that the Commission would consider displacing television translators serving rural communities based on nothing more than a gamble that unlicensed spectrum will – someday – provide some benefit to our communities. We urge you to study this issue carefully, and not to take action that will deprive rural viewers of service we rely on today. Sincerely, American Agri-Women American Farm Bureau Federation Intertribal Agriculture Council National Association of Farm Broadcasting National Association of State Departments of Agriculture National Black Growers Council National Farmers Union Rural & Agriculture Council of America U.S. Cattlemen’s Association Women Involved in Farm Economics
Town welcomes World War II vets
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or a day at least, the town of Rodeo, N.M. traveled back in time. On the patriotic holiday of Columbus Day, Rodeo was transported back to 1945 when a convoy of 50 World War II jeeps and other military vehicles rolled into town. This motorized unit is known as “Team Golden Gate, the Spirit of ’45” – a group of veterans traveling the country to honor the 70th anniversary of World War II.
Rodeo responded to this “invasion” with military precision. Men and women manned their posts. Women dressed as Rosie the Riveter rolled up their sleeves to generously prepare food and drink and serve delicious meals. Local “G.I. Joe” veterans of World War II and Korea stood straight and tall as they saluted the convoy, and held flags and welcome signs. The Rodeo Volunteer Fire De-
partment and Portal, Arizona EMTs selflessly made themselves availale to handle any emergency or contingency. Not to worry. Rodeo is a little town with a big heart. It’s 100 or so patriotic residents would not allow anything to rain on this parade. At ease, Uncle Sam, the Spirit of ’45 is alive and well in 2015. Paul Hoylen Deming
Keep pressure on power companies
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ditor, Yes, Charles (Vondracek), what the “Do Good People” want isn’t achievable today, but the tools and concepts are in the works. Large stationary batteries are installed and operating in several venues around the nation. Superconducting grid connections are practical: there’s one in eastern New Mexico. The wholesale price of solar panels is now commonly fifty cents per watt and converters to grid electricity are similarly
priced. Tesla Auto’s mega battery factory now selling a box that can store and release on a single residence scale is now taking orders. Perhaps your experience as a utility engineer didn’t acquaint you with Moore’s law – power of a semiconductor technology roughly doubles every two years for the same cost. While not hard and fast this simple rule, like Ohm’s law, will transform the utility industry, kicking and screaming, into a new
By the Book
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Powering the Future: New Energy Technologies by Eva Thaddeus This book takes young readers inside laboratories to watch as scientists grapple with finding safe and costeffective ways to harness alternative energy sources. Solar, wind, nuclear, geothermal, and biomass are discussed. Also introduced are futuristic technologies on the cutting edge of research today.
age, regardless of the number of suits and lawyers they might take to the state regulation commission to hold on tight to their water guzzling, dirty and inefficient coal burning plants. So thank you “do-good people” for keeping the pressure on the power companies that would rather soak us and keep polluting instead of leading us into a cleaner more productive future. Herbie Marsden Silver City
DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 11
Rain swollen Bear Creek on Double E Ranch. (Courtesy Photo)
VANESSA BURGE
New Mexicans Celebrate Acquisition of Double E Ranch New Mexico: it’s called the “Land of Enchantment” for good reason
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nchanting are the diverse people who intersect with the variety of landscapes they inhabit. From Arctic-like tundra atop the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Taos that peek out from the snow for a couple of months in summer, to the lowland, bending, wheat-colored Chihuahua grasslands near Silver City, New Mexicans value their open spaces and their connections to the natural world. That intrinsic value was expressed recently in real dollars when the Double E Ranch near Cliff, was brought into the public domain. The 5,867-acre property was purchased through the National Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) settlement funds and State Wildlife Grants administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program. The property was acquired to mitigate for damages done to migratory birds in a settlement with Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Inc. Yellow Billed Cuckoo. (Courtesy Photo) Bear Creek, a tributary to the Gila River and one of the last remaining free-flowing rivers in the West, wildlife and conservation education in perpetuity, and cuts through the Double E Ranch slaking the thirst of adds it to its list of wildlife areas across the state. cottonwoods and willows that need their roots wet to “Acquisition of the Double E Ranch and placing it grow. These streamside bands of native trees and per- into permanent conservation through the State of New manent pools of water make habitats for two feder- Mexico demonstrates how instrumental the NRDAR ally protected endangered species, the loach minnow program is in fostering conservation partnerships and and the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher. Threatened restoring natural resources to the public,” said Wally species live here as well: Yellow-billed Cuckoo, nar- Murphy, field supervisor of FWS’s New Mexico Ecorow-headed garter snake and northern Mexican garter logical Services Field Office. snake. A robust population of Chiricahua leopard frog New Mexicans and visitors alike can celebrate this inhabits Bear Creek. Black bear and mule deer live on conservation win for our beautiful state. This acquithe property, too. Migrant songbirds and resident quail sition provides long-term benefits to fish and wildlife, abound. Double E Ranch is located in the Mogollon some common species and some not so common. region, an area of conservation emphasis for the U.S. ¡Celebramos esta victoria de conservación! Fish and Wildlife Service. Let’s celebrate this conservation victory! Support for the purchase came from multiple sources: the New Mexico Department of Game and Vanessa Burge works for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Fish (NMDGF), the New Mexico Office of Natural Service and is based in Albuquerque. Resources Trustee, The Trust for Public Land and of course, the Double E Ranch landowners. All helped bolster acquisition of this property. The Leopard Frog NMDGF will own and manage the property for
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12 • JANUARY 2016
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SAILBOAT • ELVA K. ÖSTERREICH
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A boy who draws sailboats brings compassion, peace to town
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“Sailboat” movie director Cameron Nugent chats with visitors at the Bear Mountain Lodge during a meet-and-greet event Dec. 1. (Photo by Elva K. Österreich)
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n Australian filmmaker has elected to make a Hollywood film in Silver City. “It’s an unusual marriage of cultures and people,” said director Cameron Nugent. Producer Richard Gray, another Australian, said they had brought together a team which has made a lot of films to put this production together. Production designers Carly Larson and Aaron Bailey were also on hand for the interview on Dec. 1. The crew was meeting with area citizens at Bear Mountain Lodge in Silver City, introducing the concepts and looking for people interested in participating in the movie whether as cast members or by helping in other ways. The movie, “Sailboat,” is billed as a movie about “a boy with the most unlikely name, who does the most unlikely thing…” and it could be set in any small town, Gray said. But they have done some film tests in Silver City, found locations and decided it was exactly what they were looking for. “It was almost like I’d driven into my own script,” Nugent said about his first experience driving into Silver City two years ago. “We cannot be more appreciative. It’s a special town.” The people in Silver City are proud of where they
live and want to show it off, Gray said. The movie will come out in 2017 and premier right in Silver City. Gray said the movie will be a family film with no violence, one you can go to with a 6-year-old and everyone will enjoy. “There’s still room for a film you can sit down and watch with your whole family,” he said. “It doesn’t need to be R rated or have the big special effects.” Nugent said the idea for the film came from an Australian story. But he discovered the culture of the story when he was traveling in Mexico. “It’s whimsy, fantasy, fable – all rooted in reality,” he said. “The town is the hub of the story.” According to the casting guide the movie is about a town squeezed with drought, its people have become extreme products of their former selves. Some desperate, some anxious and some beaten. Morale is at an all-time low. A once all American seed of industry, the town is stricken with drought and on its last legs. A miracle of hope and life may have been found in the most unlikely source; a small Mexican boy mysteriously named
SAILBOAT
continued on page 13
DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 13
WNMU
New face, new director College alumni affairs in good hands with Moffett
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new face is greeting former Western New Mexico University students at Hunter Hall. Amanda Moffett was recently named Director of Alumni Affairs and already she is gearing up for a busy spring semester of events and outreach efforts. “WNMU has such a positive impact in the community and I want to continue to reach out to former students and employees who have benefited from their time here,” Moffett said. Moffett’s background is primarily in the resort and hospitality industry, helping to plan large business and social events for resorts, golf and country clubs and conference centers. A native of Tucson, Arizona, Moffett is familiar with the area, having earned a degree from Cochise College in Douglas, Arizona. Her most recent experience is as a conference manager at Loews Ventana
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DIRECTOR
continued on page 16
Home Organization Ebay & Household Liquidation Errands Airbnb Management Estate Sales Transportation Light Gardening Packing/Unpacking Relocation Assistance Event Planning Photography Meal Preparation Small Business Social Media Optimization
Can you dig it?
CONTACT: JULIE ENOS 575.313.0212 A Direct Primary Care Medical Home Gregory Koury, M.D. Lori Koury, R.N. P.O. Box 891, 10983 Hwy 180 W Silver City, New Mexico 88062-0891 575-534-4299 Office 575-538-5651 Fax
ZIA Family Healthcare is now ZIA ACCESS HEALTHCARE, a Direct Primary Care.
Grant County residents sign up to potentially participate in the production of “Sailboat.” (Photo by Elva K. Österreich)
SAILBOAT
continued from page 12 Sailboat. Gray said they will be needing lots of help from southern New Mexico residents. The movie needs everything from extras to carpenters, drivers and caterers. They are also looking for vintage vehicles and other items. Anyone interested in being extras or having spoken parts can email extras@sailboatthemovie.com and to participate in other ways, working on sets, helping with production or just if you have an interesting vintage car you think they might want to use, email art@sailboatthemovie.com. “We could use up to 100 extras,” Gray said. “We are working closely with Sixth Street Elementary School (where some of the filming will be done).” “These kids are beautifully tuned to the area,” Nugent added about the potential to cast the lead children’s roles right there in Silver
City. “It’s very exciting for us – it’ll happen,” he said. “We are ready to hit the ground running in January.” While some of the production will take place in the heart of the Silver City business district, the house of the boy’s family will be built out near the airport by the designers, Larsen and Bailey, Gray said. The house is a character itself, built on a slant, it can tilt and move. “When I read (the script) I was so excited to be part of it,” Larson said. “It’s going to be beautiful. It’s great to be in a community that’s so saturated in the arts already.” When Gray had the opportunity to speak to the crowd of more than 100 people who had gathered at the Bear Mountain Lodge on Dec. 1 he told them the team is there to make a good movie. “We just want to tell a good story to inspire people,” Nugent said.
We are the last solo, privately owned Family Practice office in the area. We strive to provide quality healthcare to our patients. We are proud to continue our commitment by making the fundamental change to a Direct Primary Care. These changes take the for-profit insurance companies and the government OUT of the office exam room. We are reviving the patient/ physician relationship that is vital to quality patient care. By becoming a MEMBER of ZIA Access Healthcare you have the benefits of: Easy ACCESS to scheduling an appointment with Dr. Koury. LITTLE TO NO wait time in the office for your appointment. LONGER appointment times to address ALL your concerns. 24/7 ACCESS to Dr. Koury by phone and text. AVOIDING urgent care and ER evaluations. We accomplish all this with a very affordable $39 per member per month and a booking fee of $20 for an appointment. We do not participate with any insurance companies, Medicaid carriers or Medicare. We do not fi le any claims. Non-members are also WELCOME for urgent care, other services and treatments for a very reasonable cost. Our ‘A la Carte’ menu is on the website and posted at the office. Just remember non-members do not have all the benefits listed above and cost for some services are more than what a member will pay. MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS BENEFITS ZIA Access Healthcare will continue to provide newborn, pediatric, adult, women’s care and pregnancy care. A full spectrum Family Practice, ‘womb to tomb’, as we say. Please go to our website…www.ziaccesshc.com for more information and money saving options with membership. Please call the office with questions at 534-4299.
14 • JANUARY 2016
www.desertexposure.com
GOT AWAY
ARTS EXPOSURE
continued from page 8 weekend. Linda Larson, Cervantes, McKinney and Lanskey are new actors for TCCT and are T or C residents along with wellknown TCCT actors Culpepper, O’Neill and Wisdom. Waggaman, Rauth and Vickers are thespians from Las Cruces. Waggaman, who has a
passion for acting, previously appeared in TCCT’s production of “Sleeping Indoors.” “The One That Got Away,” will ba on stage at the T or C Civic Center Friday through Sunday Jan. 8-10 and 15-17. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7 p.m. and Sunday performances are at 2 p.m.
HANGPICTURE’EM HIGH FRAMING FREE CONSULTATIONS
203 N Bullard (corner of Broadway & Bullard) 575-313-0641
GEORGE WITZKE Artist Blacksmith • functional home decor ..in iron work • forged sculptures • presents his new series “A STUDY OF TEXTURE” at his reception on Jan. 16 from 1–4 pm
Arts Scene
Upcoming area art happenings SILVER CITY Copper Quail Gallery will host a reception for George Witzke, artist blacksmith, from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, Witzke, who joined the gallery mid-November, will unveil a new series of works titled “A Study of Texture” which express hints of steampunk styling. The show also includes functional ironTrue Love by George work for home décor and Witzke tabletop sculptures featuring forged horses and decorated shaman figures. Light refreshments will be served. The Copper Quail can be found at 211-A N. Texas St. in Silver City. Found Object Jewelry and other objects by Karen Lauseng are the focus of Playful Intent, the new show at Western New Mexico University’s McCray Gallery which kicks off with a lecture at 6:30 p.m., Jan. 14, at WNMU’s Parotti Hall. Reception and opening immediately follow the lecture at the McCray Gallery “Whether pendants or earrings, books or masks, prayer beads or baskets, its fun to design art from inexpensive materials. As I Found Object sculpture by seek to transform the Karen Lauseng simple into the complex, the mundane into the beautiful or the ordinary into the extraordinary, the joyful experience of creating each piece is my motivation,” Lauseng said. Jeremiah and Carolyn Cogan have opened a new Silver City gallery at 206 N Bullard St. The Tree Spirit Gallery is open Mondays and Thursdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact treespiritgallery@gmail.com for more information.
DEMING 211 A N. Texas-Corner of Texas and Yankie in Silver City • OPEN Tuesday – Sunday 11–4 • 575-388-2646
For over a hundred
years, there has been a “Blackwell’s” ... from school and office supplies, music paraphernalia and appliances to clocks and watches, jewelry and diamonds. Now, at “Blackwell’s Antiques & Gifts,” we have it all.
Come see us... OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK MONDAY-SAT. 10:30-5 • SUNDAY 12-4 575-388-1737 • 218 N. BULLARD HISTORIC DOWNTOWN SILVER CITY, NEW MEXICO
Punkie Garretson, Owner
The Deming Art Center is proud to host its January show, titled City Zen, featuring Carmen Ruiz, award winning printmaker, photographer and digital designer who is also known for her drawings and three dimensional works. The DAC Gallery will be filled with her visual genius, humor and whimsy. Carmen Ruiz creates urban Ruiz’s work is in Zen cities with her printmakprivate collections ing skills.
in Europe, Central and South America, and she is nationally known throughout this country. The show opens Jan. 2 and will run through Jan. 27. There will be an artist’s reception from 1 to 3 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 3, at the Deming Art Center, 100 S. Gold St. For more information call the center at 575-5463663 or visit www.demingarts.org.
RODEO Located in an historic building that has evolved from frontier saloon to church to the present gallery, the Chiricahua Gallery has been serving area residents as well as visitors to Rodeo and nearby Portal, Ariz., since 1986. Income from artist sales goes to further cultural and educational experiences in the local community through scholarships, art for kids, adult art workshops and concerts. Chiricahua Gallery, Pine Street and Highway 80, Rodeo, N.M., Call 575-5572225, www.chiricahuagallery.org. Open every day except Wednesdays and holidays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
ALAMOGORDO
Decorative tile piece by Larry LaRocque “The Show That Never Ends” with work by Larry LaRocque is featured at Creative Designs Custom Framing & Gallery. A reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., Jan. 15, at the gallery which is located at 917 New York Ave in Alamogordo. Tile Artist LaRocque followed four years in the Marine Corps with a career in woodworking. He married his wife, Robin, in 1992 and they were stationed in the country of Turkey where he discovered tile as an unusual art medium. Many of the pieces reflect his memories of the High Desert of California he knew as a child and new memories he’s creating as an adult here in the High Desert of Alamogordo. For more information call gallery owner Jess King at 575-434-4420.
LAS CRUCES Organizers for the Las Cruces International Film Festival have unveiled the official poster for the event, to be held March 2 – 6. The poster was designed by artist Derek Fisher, who is also an Associate Professor at NMSU’s Creative Media Institute. The poster is a psychedelic burst of color depicting actor Danny Trejo on a “lowrider” bike Official poster for the Las dragging a dirigi- Cruces International Film ble. Trejo, who has Festival starred in numerous films and television series, including “Once Upon a Time in Mexico,” “Spy Kids,” “Machete,” “Breaking Bad” and “Sons of Anarchy,” is to be honored at the festival with an Outstanding Achievement in Entertainment Award. For information about the festival, purchasing passes or sponsorship, call 575-528-9032 or visit www.LCIFFEST.com. The Mesilla Valley Fine Arts Gallery located at 2470-A Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla, across from the Fountain Theatre, features two artists, Bonnie MacQuarrie, wall tilest, and Kay Susin, pastel and oil
DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 15
Seedboat Gallery Flower & Flourish
NMSU asks the question “Water, What is it Good For?” with artists Brenda Perry and Bethany Taylor.
Art by Bonnie MacQuarrie and Kay Susin is featured with the Mesilla Valley Fine Arts group’s show. enthusiast in January. MacQuarrie is a graduate of the San Francisco University. Her early experiment with gourds gave her the ability to deal with forms selectively and analytically developing an increasingly personal style. Susin’s paintings are placed throughout the Southwest. In addition, the 30 artists of the Gallery offer art in many media’s, which include original paintings, acrylics, pastels, fused glass art jewelry, unique one of a kind woodturning objects, stained glass, photography, mixed media, unusual decorated gourds, handmade textile weavings, art tile, affordable natural quality gems stone jewelry, prints, cards, miniature paintings and handcrafted basket weavings. For information, call 575-522-2933 or visit website at www. mesillavalleyfinearts.com. The Gallery at Big Picture presents “Faces, etc.…” by fine artist Carmen Navar. Navar’s mission statement is to create “Peace and Beauty” in a stress filled world. This show presents an array of her newest works of the figure and face. An artist’s reception is from 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 1 Carmen Navar’s new exhibit at the Downtown focuses on faces. Ramble and continues through the month of January 2016. The Gallery at Big Picture is located at 311 N. Main Street in Las Cruces. For more info: 575-647-0508. The Las Cruces Parks and Recreation Department’s Teen Programs will host an art exhibition “2016 Chaos Collaboration” artist reception and poetry slam on Jan. 29 at the Frank O’Brien Papen Community Center, 304 W. Bell St. Public viewing hours will be held Feb. 1 to 4. The art exhibition will feature original artwork and poetry by Las Cruces teens grades 6 through 12. “Chaos Collaboration” empowers teen artists to create artwork for exhibition, to showcase their talents and incorporate themselves fully in the community. “Chaos Collaboration” art show and poetry slam is free. For more information, contact Recreation Programs at 575 541-2455. New Mexico State University Art Gallery’s first exhibition for the spring 2016 semester is “Wa-
ter! What is it Good for?” featuring Florida-based artist Bethany Taylor and Texas-based artist Brenda Perry. In this two-person exhibition, Taylor and Perry create critical spaces for viewers to engage with multifaceted environmental concerns. Through their art, Taylor and Perry ask viewers to consider meanings and practices of sustainability, water rights, renewable natural resources, and environmental consciousness. The exhibition will run from Jan. 21 through Feb. 27. In conjunction with this exhibition, there will be a scholarly panel held in the UAG on Saturday, Jan. 23 with discussions focusing on the topics of water rights, water sustainability, etc. Professional photographer Michael Stephens continues as the featured artist for the month of January at the El Paso Electric Gallery in the lobby of the Rio Grande Theatre. He presents dynamic digital photographs originally taken at Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, then subjected to a technique known as light painting. Every month the Doña Ana Arts Council welcomes local artists to exhibit in Regular exhibit hours are 9am–5pm, Monday through Friday. For more information, or to book an exhibit, call the Arts Council offices during regular working hours. The Rio Grande Theatre is located at 211 N. Main, in Las Cruces. For clarification, photos or additional information, visit www.RioGrandeTheatre. com or contact the Doña Ana Arts Council, 575-5236403. “Linda Hagen: Light Affects” is the current featured display at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. New Mexico always has been renowned for the effects of its light and its attractiveness to artists. Light affects the way we view this beautiful state, and in this collection of paintings by Las Cruces artist Linda Hagen, she accepts the challenge of capturing light on canvas – on form, distance and color. A love of animals, the West, and nature inspire her work. The show continues in the Museum’s Arts Corridor through April 3, 4100 Dripping Springs Road Las Cruces, NM 88011. For more information, call 575-522-4100.
214 W.Yankie St. Silver City, New Mexico 575.534.1136
Closed in January Open in February Th–Sat 11-4pm
Spend Saturday in Silver City y Studio open to the public
Saturdays
from 10 to 4 pm or by calling (575) 313-9631.
211-C N Texas St., Silver City www.loisduffy.com
VICTORIA CHICK
‘Aerial Cat’ 32” x 32” acrylic
COW TRAIL ART STUDIO 119 COW TRAIL, ARENAS VALLEY, N.M. Linda Hagan
vcartcat@hotmail.com 760-533-1897 Studio open Mondays, Noon to 3:00 pm
16 • JANUARY 2016
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DIRECTOR
ARTS EXPOSURE
continued from page 13 give back to their alma mater because WNMU was such a special place for them,” said Moffett. “I’m here to let them know that there are many ways to get involved on campus and back in their home communities.” Moffett already created the Mustang Round Up, an initiative to grow the alumni database by connecting with former students through the creation of alumni chapters. The campaign will include the purchase of a new software program enabling greater outreach through email and other digital communications. “Something that is awesome about our Mustangs is
that there is a sense of family and belonging,” said Moffett. “Each alum that I speak to offers great ideas and is connected with many other alumni throughout the country.” Moffett’s office is located in the second floor of Hunter Hall at the main campus. She can be reached at alumni@wnmu.edu. Western New Mexico University has served the people of the state of New Mexico and its surrounding areas as a comprehensive, regional, rural, public coeducational university since 1893 and serves a student body diverse in age, culture, language and ethnic background.
THE MARKETPLACE IN DOWNTOWN SILVER CITY
OPEN SUN 11-3 • TUES-SAT 10:30-5:30 • CLOSED MON • 5000 SQ. FT. WITH OVER 35 VENDORS... • NOW ACCEPTING QUALITY CONSIGNMENTS. • AFFORDABLE FURNITURE - VENDOR SPACES AVAILABLE FOR INFORMATION PHONE
575-388-2897 “The Incense for the New Year”
601 N. Bullard Suite F in the HUB
In Historic Downtown Silver City
CHIRICAHUA GALLERY Pine Street & Hwy 80 Rodeo, New Mexico Open Thursday - Tuesday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 575-557-2225 chiricahuagallery.org
Weaving Workshop on February 10th and 17th
Gallery Guide Silver City
Ann Simonsen Studio-Gallery, 104 W. Yankie St., 6545727. [a]SP.“A”©E, 110 W. Seventh St., 538-3333, aspace. studiogallery@gmail.com. Azurite Gallery, 110 W. Broadway, 538-9048, Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. www.azuritegallery.com. Barbara Nance Gallery & Stonewalker Studio, 105 Country Road, 534-0530. By appointment. Stone, steel, wood and paint. Sculpture path. www.barbaraNanceArt.com. Blue Dome Gallery, 307 N. Texas, 534-8671. Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. www. bluedomegallery.com. The Cliffs Studio & Gallery, 205 N. Lyon St. and Yankie, (520) 622-0251. Diane Kleiss’ encaustic multimedia art. By appointment. doart2@yahoo.com, www.dianealdrichkleiss.com. Common Ground, 102 W. Kelly, 534-2087. Open by chance or appointment. Common Thread, 107 W. Broadway, 538-5733. Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Retail and gallery space for fiber arts. www.fiberartscollective.org. Copper Quail Gallery, 211-A Texas St., corner of Yankie and Texas streets, 388-2646. Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Fine arts and crafts. Cow Trail Art Studio, 119 Cow Trail in Arenas Valley. Monday, 12-3 p.m. or by appointment, (706) 533-1897, www. victoriachick.com. Creations & Adornments, 108 N. Bullard, 534-4269. Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Work by Diane Reid. Dragonfly Studio, 508 W 6th St., 388-8646. By appointment. Four Directions Weaving, 106 W. Yankie St. Monday, Wednesday, Saturday. 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday. noon-3 p.m. 263-3830. Francis McCray Gallery, 1000 College Ave., WNMU, 5386517. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. The Glasserie Studio and Store, 106 E. College, Monday to Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Guadalupe’s, 505 N. Bullard, 535-2624. Thursday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Hutchings Fine Art, 406 B N. Bullard, Downtown Silver City. Open Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 313-6939. Leyba & Ingalls Arts, 315 N. Bullard St., 388-5725. Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Contemporary art ranging from realism to abstraction in a variety of media. www. LeybaIngallsARTS.com, LeybaIngallsART@zianet.com. Lois Duffy Art Studio, 211C N. Texas, 534-0822. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Original paintings, cards and prints. www.loisduffy. com, loisduffy@signalpeak.net. Lumiere Editions, 108 W. Broadway, 956-6369. Vintage and contemporary photography. Monday to Friday. Mary’s Fine Art, 414 E. 21st St., 956-7315. Mary A. Gravelle. Mimbres Region Arts Council Gallery, Wells Fargo Bank Bldg., 1201 N. Pope St. www.mimbresarts.org. Molly Ramolla Gallery & Framing, 203 N. Bullard, 538- 5538. www.ramollaart.com. Ol’ West Gallery & Mercantile, 104 W. Broadway, 3881811/313-2595. Daily 11 a.m.-6 p.m. The Place@108, 108 Yankie Street. Seedboat Gallery, 214 W. Yankie St., 534- 1136. Wednesday to Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. or by appointment. info@ seedboatgallery.com. Studio Behind the Mountain, 23 Wagon Wheel Lane, 3883277. By appointment. www.jimpalmerbronze.com. The StudioSpace, 109 N. Bullard St., 534-9291. www. jessgorell.com. Studio Upstairs, 109 N. Bullard St., 574-2493. By appointment. 21 Latigo Trail, 388-4557. Works by Barbara Harrison and others. Tree Spirit Gallery, 206 N. Bullard St., 303-888-1358. Vibrations Gallery, 106 W. Yankie St., 654-4384, starxr@ usa. net. Wild West Weaving, 211-D N. Texas, 313-1032, www. wildwestweaving.com. Wednesday to Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wind Canyon Studio, 11 Quail Run off Hwy. 180 mile marker 107, 574- 2308, 619-933-8034. Louise Sackett. Monday and Wednesday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and by appointment. Wynnegate Gallery & Studio, 1105 W. Market St., (214) 9573688. Monday and Thursday to Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday 11:45 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday by appointment. Yankie St. Artist Studios, 103 W. Yankie St., 519-0615. By appointment. Zoe’s Gallery, 305 N. Cooper St., 654-4910.
Pinos Altos
Pinos Altos Art Gallery-Hearst Church Gallery, 14 Golden Ave. Pinos Altos, 574-2831. Open late-April to early October. Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Mimbres
Chamomile Connection, 3918 Highway 35N, 536-9845. Lynnae McConaha. By appointment. Kate Brown Pottery and Tile, HC 15 Box 1335, San Lorenzo, 536-9935, katebrown@gilanet.com, www.katebrownpottery.com. By appointment. Narrie Toole, Estudio de La Montura, 313-7390, www. narrietoole.com. Contemporary western oils, giclées and art prints. By appointment.
Bayard
Kathryn Allen Clay Studio, 601 Erie St., 537-3332. By appointment.
Hurley
JW Art Gallery, Old Hurley Store, 99 Cortez Ave., 537- 0300. Wednesday to Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., www.jwartgallery.com.
Cliff
Gila River Artisans Gallery, 8409 Hwy. 180. Eclectic collection of local artists. Friday to Sunday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Northern Grant County & Catron County
Casitas de Gila, 50 Casita Flats Road, Gila, 535-4455. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. or by appointment. gallery@ casitasdegila. com, www.galleryatthecasitas.com.
Mesilla
Adobe Patio Gallery, 1765 Avenida de Mercado (in the Mesilla Mercado), 532-9310. Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Galeri Azul, Old Mesilla Plaza, 523-8783. Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Galeria on the Plaza, 2310 Calle de Principal, 526-9771. Daily 10 am.-6 p.m. Galería Tepín, 2220 Calle de Parian, 523-3988. Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Mesilla Valley Fine Arts Gallery, 2470 Calle de Guadalupe, 5222933. Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The Potteries, 2260 Calle de Santiago, 524-0538. Rokoko, 1785 Avenida de Mercado, 405-8877.
Las Cruces
Alegre Gallery, 920 N Alameda Blvd., 523-0685. Azure Cherry Gallery & Boutique, 330 E. Lohman Ave., 2913595. Wednesday to Thursday 12-5 p.m., Friday to Saturday, noon-8 p.m. Blue Gate Gallery, 4901 Chagar (intersection of Valley and and Taylor roads), open by calling 523-2950. Casa Blanka Home Décor & More, 1615 N. Solano, Ste. C, 575-526-5272. Charles Inc., 1885 W Boutz Rd, 523-1888, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Cottonwood Gallery, 275 N. Downtown Mall (Southwest Environmental Center), 522-5552. Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Cutter Gallery, 2640 El Paseo,541-0658. Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Galerie Accents, 344 S. San Pedro #3, 522-3567. Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Griggs & Reymond, 504 W. Griggs Ave., 524-8450, Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Justus Wright Galeria, 266 W. Court Ave., 526-6101, jud@ delvalleprintinglc.com. Las Cruces Arts Association, Community Enterprise Center Building, 125 N. Main St. www.lacrucesarts.org. Las Cruces Museum of Art, 491 N. Main St., 541-2137. Tuesday to Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Main Street Gallery, 311 N. Downtown Mall, 647-0508. Tuesday to Friday. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat. 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Mesquite Art Gallery, 340 N. Mesquite St., 640-3502. Thursday to Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat. 2-5 p.m. M. Phillip’s Fine Art Gallery, 221 N. Main St., 525-1367. MVS Studios, 535 N. Main, Stull Bldg., 635-5015, www. mvsstudios.com. New Dimension Art Works, 615 E. Piñon, 373-0043. New Mexico Art, 121 Wyatt Dr., Suite 1, 525-8292/649- 4876. Wednesday 1-6 p.m., Thursday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. NMSU Art Gallery, Williams Hall, University Ave. east of Solano, 646-2545. Tuesday to Sunday Nopalito’s Galeria, 326 S. Mesquite. Friday to Sunday, 8 a.m.8:30 p.m. Ouida Touchön Studio, 1200 N. Reymond St., 635-7899. By appointment. ouida@ouidatouchon.com, www.ouidatouchon. com. Quillin Studio and Gallery, behind downtown Coas Books, 3121064. Monday to Thursday and Saturday. Tombaugh Gallery, Unitarian Universalist Church, 2000 S. Solano, 522-7281. Wednesday to Friday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or by appointment. Unsettled Gallery & Studio, 905 N. Mesquite, 635-2285. Virginia Maria Romero Studio, 4636 Maxim Court, 644-0214. By appointment. agzromero@zianet.com, www. virginiamariaromero.com.
Deming
Deming Arts Center, 100 S. Gold St., 546-3663. Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Gold Street Gallery, 112-116 S. Gold St., 546-8200. Open Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Call first to be sure they are open. Orona Art Studio, 546-4650. By appointment. lyntheoilpainter@ gmail.com, www.lynorona.com. Reader’s Cove Used Books & Gallery, 200 S. Copper, 5442512. Monday to Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Photography by Daniel Gauss. Studio LeMarbe, 4025 Chaparral SE, 544-7708.
Rodeo
Chiricahua Gallery, 5 Pine St., 557-2225. Open daily except Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hillsboro
Barbara Massengill Gallery, 894-9511/895-3377, open weekends and by appointment.
Chloride
Monte Cristo, Wall St., 734-0493, montecristogallery@ windstream.net. Daily 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Ruidoso
Art Ruidoso Gallery, 575-808-1133, www.artruidoso.com, 2809 Sudderth Drive.
Alamogordo
Creative Designs Custom Framing & Gallery, 575-434-4420, 917 New York Ave. Patron’s Hall/Flickinger Center for Performing Arts, 575-4342202, 1110 New York Ave.
Tularosa
Red Door Gallery and Gifts, 575-491-5100, 1201 St. Francis Drive. Thursday to Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Submit gallery information to Desert Exposure, 840 N. Telshor Blvd., Ste. E, Las Cruces NM 88011, email editor@ desertexposure.com.
DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 17
ON STAGE
Growing Upward at the Buckhorn Tall Heights performs at Mimbres Region Arts Council Folk Series
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This East Coast duo produces captivating vocal harmonies accompanied by folk-inspired cello and acoustic guitar. The seriousness with which they approach their craft is obvious in the lush, intimate, and haunting atmosphere they create.
HEIGHTS SATURDAY JANUARY 23
BUCKHORN OPERA HOUSE, 7:30PM
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Help spread the news! Tall Heights duo, Tim Harrington and Paul Wright, will appear at the Buckhorn Opera House on Jan. 23. (Courtesy photo)
A
coustic duo Tall Heights takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, at the Buckhorn Opera House in the scenic mountain town of Pinos Altos, just a 10-minute drive from Silver City. The Mimbres Regional Arts Council Indie/Folk Series showcases unique and emerging talent that reflects the ever-expanding boundaries of the “Folk� genre. Two quirky personalities, Tim Harrington and Paul Wright, blend their talents for the creation of unusual and harmonic music. Harrington and Wright have known each other since third grade. After graduating from different colleges, their paths converged again in Boston, where they formed Tall Heights in 2010. This East Coast duo produces captivating vocal harmonies accompanied by folk-inspired cello and acoustic guitar. The seriousness with which they approach their craft is obvious in the lush, intimate and haunting atmosphere they
create. Harrington and Wright paved their way by playing in front of Boston’s Faneuil Hall while soliciting money. “We have a hard time thinking of ways that it didn’t benefit our music,� Harrington said. “It was tons and tons of hours of experience in a very concentrated period of time.� Performing on the street taught Harrington and Wright how to grab people’s attention with just two instruments and the harmonious blend of their voices, often compared to Simon & Garfunkel. For more information on Tall Heights and to listen to their music visit: www.tallheights.com/. For more information on the 2015-16 Series line-up please visit: mimbresarts.org/ indiefolk-series-2015-16/. MRAC members can purchase tickets for $15, non-member tickets are $20, available online at www.mimbresarts.org/store/, at the MRAC office in the Wells Fargo Bank building, Gila Hike & Bike and Leyba and Ingalls Arts.
DELIVER DESERT EXPOSURE
Contact Teresa Tolonen, at 575-680-1841 or Teresa@lascrucesbulletin.com
18 • JANUARY 2016
www.desertexposure.com
ON STAGE • SUSIE OUDERKIRK
The Rock Star Next Door
C
Carol and CW Ayon in France, 2015. Ayon brought his New Mexican style blues to Europe, and will be touring there again in 2016. (Courtesy photo)
W Ayon is a rock star. He’s talented, good looking, charming, plays the guitar, travels around the world performing and makes relevant music. And he has great hair. But when you meet him, you’d never know that he’s anything but an average guy from Las Cruces, raising a family and trying to pay the bills. Ayon could be the cliché American rock god, but instead he busts more than one rock ‘n’ roll stereotype as he climbs up the slippery ladder of musical notoriety. Consciously diverging from the characteristics of a rock star, he comes across more
Yankie-Texas ART DISTRICT
at the crossroads of Yankie & Texas Streets in Historic Downtown Silver City
Seedboat Gallery 214 W. Yankie 534-1136
Wed-Sat 11am-5pm or by appt
Blue Dome Gallery * 575-538-2538
Downtown: Thurs – Sat & Mon, 11-5 at 307 N. Texas St. The Lodge: Daily 9-5 at 60 Bear Mt. Ranch Rd.
315 N. TEXAS • 575-388-5430 Breakfast • Sunday 8a-2p Yankie Street Artists Copper Quail Gallery Breakfast • Saturday 7a-10:30a 103 W. Yankie 211A N. Texas Lunch • Monday-Saturday 11a-2:30p 519-0615 388-2646 Dinner • Friday and Saturday 5p-8p
LOIS DUFFY STUDIO
211-C N. Texas St., Silver City www.loisduffy.com
575-313-9631 OPEN SATURDAYS OR BY APPOINTMENT
The Place
@
108
Fine Arts and Folk Art 108 W. Yankie St Silver City, NM 88061 575-388-5262
THANK YOU for making the 1 1th Annual Gila River Festival a HUGE success! VOLUNTEERS & PRESENTERS PETER BILL NANCY KAMINSKI SONNIE SUSSILLO Justin Aloia Jason Amaro Jeff Arterburn Karen Beckenbach Margarite Bellringer Michael Berman Jackie Blurton Allison Boyd Jeff Boyd Fran Browne Pamela Bryant Maria Casler Claire Catlett Joe Chavez Nancy Cliff Van Clothier Joanie Connors John Conway Martha Cooper Michael Darrow Damien Davies Allen Denoyer Stephen Dirkes Richard Ducotey Tim “Elmer” Evans Lisa Fields Ashlee Fischer Barbara Gabioud Ron Gabioud Norm Gaume Lemar Gearhart David Gutzler Margaret Hadderman Ann Hankel-Rolph Lee Hannan Linda Hannan Jeff Haozous Steve Harris
Mary Harwood Susan Harwood Ann Hedlund Rodney Henderson Cynthia Hunter Sarah Johnson Ken Keppeler Ben Kieler Enrique Lamadrid Jack Loeffler Alex Mares Carol Martin Richard Martin Victor Masayesva Larry McDaniel Jeanie McLerie Dave Menzie Roger Metcalfe Paul Michaud John Mooney David Morales Murray Hotel Bill Neely Cindy Neely Kas Nelson Nathan Newcomer Ron Parry Andy Payne Gwen Payne Martyn Pearson David Propst Laura Ramnarace Godfrey Reggio Danny Reyes Patrick Rodgers Joe Rolph Carlene Roters Monica Rude George Ruebelmann Lorna Ruebelmann Dutch Salmon Jenell Scherbel Karen Schollmeyer Todd Schulke
Rita Sherwood Sally Smith Stephanie Smith Ellen Soles Peggy Spofford Nan Spragens Mark Stone Marcia Stout Rebecca Summer Patricia Taber Casney Tadeo Andrew Tegarden Jamie Thomson Frances Trotta Chala Werber Dianna Wynn Yankie Creek Coffeehouse Harolene Pitts Hillary Pierce MAJOR SPONSORS Anonymous Center for Biological Diversity Dennis Weller Photography Fort Sill Apache Tribe Gila Haven Gila/Mimbres Community Radio – KURU Gila Native Plant Society Heartpath-Meyoni Heartwoods KUNM McCune Charitable Foundation Murray Hotel New Mexico Humanities Council & the National
Endowment for the Humanities New Mexico Wilderness Alliance Pitchfork Ranch Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club Sandra & Glenn Griffin/Gila Tree Thinners Stream Dynamics, Inc. T & E, Inc. Western New Mexico University New Media iDEA Lab SPONSORS Ann McMahon Photography Axle Canyon Ecological Preserve Bob Garrett & Mary Hotvedt Bob Wilson & Lisa Houston Carol Morrison & Larry McLaud Far Flung Adventures Gila Wild Defense Fund High-Lonesome Books Shelby Hallmark & Lindee Lennox Sierra Club Southern New Mexico Group Single Socks Southwestern New Mexico Audubon
Society Vicki Allen, LISW Western Institute for Lifelong Learning FRIENDS Adobe Whitewater Club of New Mexico Anonymous Bob O’Keefe Conservation Voters New Mexico Education Fund Curious Kumquat Desert Woman Botanicals First New Mexico Bank Guadalupe’s Lone Mountain Native Plant Nursery Mary Burton Riseley Melvyn Gelb & Mary Ann Finn Patrick Conlin, Realtor Pauline & Richard Matthews Regalos de la Tierra Pottery Co. Richard Mahler, Relham LLC Robert Pittman & Kathleen Wigley Ron Henry Ronald Parry Silver City Food Co-op Syzygy Tileworks TheraSpeech W. Jay Garard DDS
like the faithful best friend, the caring high school teacher, the good guy who finishes last. And he’s absolutely comfortable in his own unassuming skin. At 39 years old, Ayon (pronounced Eye-own) is a successful blues musician who just might put Las Cruces on the musical map. He has produced six albums, containing more than 50 songs, most of which he’s written himself. He records his music in Las Cruces at Image Recordings and Studio 603. His music is rooted in the history of the Mississippi Hill Country, exemplified by the late blues men Junior Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside, Ayon’s idols. Kimbrough’s music “has a slinky vibe,” Ayon said, and Burnside’s “feels like a dance party.” Both Kimbrough and Burnside created music from the north part of Mississippi around Clarksdale and Holly Springs, and their styles share what is called (according to Wikipedia) “trance blues” or “hypnotic boogie.” “It’s kind of a drone,” Ayon explains. “This music is definitely about feel. You can just sit still and listen and feel.” The earthy, elastic Hill Country style developed from working class backyard parties and juke joints all down the Mississippi river and into the delta area during the 1920s and ’30s. Burnside, Kimbrough, and their families, kept the distinct Hill Country sound in the south even as the blues expanded around the United States. The blues themselves seem to have a set of unwritten rules. The ubiquitous five-chord progression most of us recognize (think of the beginning of George Thorogood’s “Bad to The Bone,”) as well as mournful lyrics about unfaithful women, dogs who run away and trucks that won’t start, seem to be mandatory in the blues genre. Ayon’s songs feel authentically pained, although he admits he has to dig deep to find the suffering and the sorrow that usually influences the music. There’s a definite difference between his Hill Country-inflected style and that of the more commercially popular blues sounds of radio staples such as B.B. King and Eric Clapton. “There’s not a lot of chord changes,” he said, which is perfect because as a one-man band, he has only two hands but several instruments. Yes, CW Ayon is a one-man-band. But before you visualize a strangely dressed buffoon flailing on a huge
bass drum with cymbals between his knees, an accordion on his back and a kazoo parked between his lips, clear your mind. He’s really just a guitar player who sits behind a drum set. But the multi layered sounds he creates are remarkable. He has a number of guitars — he takes three with him when he performs — a kick/snare drum, a tambourine and a harmonica. He plays them all, sometimes using several different instruments in one song. There’s something captivating about a man alone, with just a guitar and some drums, making heavy, hooky music. So what makes CW tick? First and foremost, he’s a devoted family man. He and his wife Carol have two daughters and just celebrated their 15th anniversary. In fact, it was Carol who taught him to play the guitar. His songs “Come Here Close” and “Well, Well, Well” are both dedicated to Carol, and his daughters helped write the funky “Baby Ray” from his album “Gone.” “My family means everything to me. They are the beginning and the end of everything, and they’re my biggest sounding board,” he says. But a real blues man has to travel; it’s just part of the lifestyle. He’s played all around the world, most recently in Australia touring for three and a half weeks with Charlie Humphrey’s band Old Gray Mule. He performed in France in March 2015, and is scheduled to go again this year. Ayon was born in Socorro and raised in Reserve by his mother, Linda. He has a twin brother and two more brothers, also twins. His mother was his first musical influence. She was a backup singer for traveling acts around Silver City, including Waylon Jennings when he performed there. “My mom is my hero. She’s amazing,” he said. His father is half Southern Cheyenne. His newest album speaks to his pride: it’s called “Enough to be Proud,” which is what his father always said about being part Native American. His talent and appeal have not gone unnoticed. He’s been nominated many times for New Mexico Music awards, winning in 2010 for Best Blues Production with the song “Seen My Baby” and again for Best Blues Song in 2013 for the song “End of My Rope.” All of his albums are available from CD Baby, iTunes, and at cwayon.com.
CW Ayon, center, with members of the band Vicious Steel Tim Coiffet, left and Cyril Maguy, during their performances in France in 2015. (Courtesy photo)
DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 19
TOWN NEWS • JENNIFER GRUGER
I
Tularosa Businesses in Place
Luna County • The Black Range Artists have and open call for membership. Members have the opportunity to learn from one another and participate in workshops, demonstrations and paint-outs. Membership is $20 a year. For more information email blackrangeart@gmail.com or call Lyn Orona at 474-546-4650.
n the December issue of Desert Exposure the article “Tularosa is Up to Something” featured the plans of The Greater Tularosa Foundation and in particular, put forth the vision for the revitalization of Tularosa’s main business district, Granado Street. This article begins the introduction of some of the businesses there that are active and open and ready for a visit today.
Doña Ana County
TG Jewelry Designs and Bead Store Kansas-raised but Tularosan at heart, Terri Bilke has been making jewelry since 2005. Inspired by family, travels and the mere presence of beads, this self-taught artist designs jewelry with a unique style that is both intriguing and inspiring. In 2007, she opened her first shop in the Basin Trading Building, adjacent to Loredo’s Bakery, on St. Francis Drive in Tularosa. She moved her shop to its current location in 2014, where she co-habitates with the Mano Y Mente museum in the old Tularosa Hotel at 311 Granado St. This 100-year-old hotel has a tall Frontier-Victorian façade and was originally built in conjunction with the expansion of the regional railroad lines. Bilke moved to this location because it makes her “feel more like a part of the community.” As a strong supporter of The Greater Tularosa Foundation Bilke has been included on the Buildings Committee and the numerous marketing efforts of the GTF. Bilke has traveled a lot. She grew up in Kansas, moved to Hawaii and has since also lived in Alaska and on a sailboat in the Bahamas. She spent some time in Guam and Bali and has traveled much of Europe. All of these experiences are infused into her dimensional jewelry. Each piece has depth when worn, in contrast to the “flat” presentation of a simple strand. A key milestone in her creative journey occurred when she started using copper wire — in 2009, long before it became trendy — “because it was cheaper at the time than silver.” She quickly discovered that it brought more freedom to her arrangements. Describing her process, Bilke said, “I just see where it goes when I put wire in my hand – it just sort of happens.” Often Bilke finds herself enjoying the co-creation process that occurs when she collaborates with a client. They tell her what they envision and she designs a piece — or a whole set in some cases — uniquely for them. A complete bridal set to include gifts for the bridal party led to a current project for the bride’s mother-in-law: a Herkimer diamond arrangement with double-terminated crystals from Herkimer, New York. Another example is a piece made from a broken grandmother’s
CALL FOR ARTISTS
A TG Jewelry Designs and Bead Store project is designed for a customer in New York, Herkimer “diamonds” double-terminated crystals. (Courtesy photo)
Chrysoprase Earrings are among many displayed at A TG Jewelry Designs and Bead Store in Tularosa. (Courtesy photo)
Jeff Boroski with Fine and Dandy in Tularosa provides a handy service for the hungry at community events with his Kettle Corn trailer. (Courtesy photo) birthstone ring to be given to a granddaughter who shares the same birthstone. Whether shopping for yourself, or a loved one, Bilke invites you to her shop on Granado Street to choose from the creations there or let yourself be inspired by the selection of beads and specialty items collected throughout her travels. Location: 311 Granado St. Open: Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. and by appointment Contact: Terri Bilke, 575491-4141 t.bilke@yahoo.com Facebook: TG Jewelry Designs Price range: $20 - $350+
Fine and Dandy Gifts Long-time Tularosa residents Jeff and Debbie Boroski are the founders of Fine and Dandy Gifts, a popular gift shop on Granado Street since 2006. Both were born in Alamogordo but have been here in the Tularosa area long enough to consider themselves native. Previously used as an insurance office and barber shop, this striking restored property at 312 Granado St. has pressed-tin ceilings and original old west storefront details. It is on the National Register of Historic Buildings. Jeff is a Board Member for the Greater Tularosa Foundation and says he “feels privileged
to be considered because of his business and his contributions to the town over the years.” The Boroskis have been 4H Leaders for the Tularosa area and have been very involved in the community through church and Post Office activities. In his spare time, Jeff is also a mail carrier for the US Postal Service. They continue to help out with the local athletics department to sponsor and support a variety of sports. Sales from Jeff’s Kettle Corn truck on-site at games go directly to the athletic programs. In addition to the times above, the Fine and Dandy staff will make arrangements for special shop times if needed. Tularosa native Janie Aragon — also catechism director at St. Francis de Paula church — is the shop manager and always willing to help assemble a gift basket or find that special something. When you go there to wander through the variety of unique gifts, tasty treats, coffees and natural remedies be sure to ask for Andy, the store mascot. Location: 312 Granado St. Open: Wednesday through Friday, noon – 4 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Contact: Janie Aragon or Jeff Boroski 575-585-GIFT jeff@ fineanddandygifts.com www.fineanddandygifts.com Price range: $5 - $50
• Aa Studios, located at 2645 Doña Ana Road in Las Cruces, is calling for regional artists to exhibit in 2016. The 17’ x 25’ studio/gallery features fine contemporary art from emerging artists and artists with limited local gallery representation. Owner Roy van der Aa opened his working studio as a gallery in August 2012 and participates in the North Valley Art Loop openings every three months. Five twomonth slots are currently available taking either two feature walls or the whole gallery. The gallery has posted hours three days per month and is open by appointment the rest of the month. There is no fee to apply or show, but the gallery takes a 20 percent commission on work sold. Interested artists can email a proposal, short artist bio, resumé, and 8 jpeg images (4” on the longest edge at 150 dpi) to wysiwyg@zianet.com. Proposals are due by Nov. 15. For details, call 1-575-520-8752. • The potters’ Guild of Las Cruces invites artists who work in fabric/fiber to collaborate with Potters’ Guild clay artists to create works for the biennial show “Fire and Fiber 2016.” For more information and to team up with a clay artist contact Mary Lou LaCasse, 649-0182 mlacassearts@gmail.com • Mesilla Valley Fine Arts Gallery accepting applications. Mesilla Valley Fine Arts Gallery is accepting applications for exhibitions, and encourages artists to stop by the gallery to learn more. Mesilla Valley Fine Arts Gallery is located at 2470-A Calle de Guadalupe, across from
the Fountain Theatre in Mesilla. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday. For more information, call 5222933 or visit www.mesillavalleyfinearts.com. • The New Mexico Handmade, Inc. Gallery in the Old Tortilla Factory in Mesilla has space for two more artists. All mediums are considered. Contact Carolyn Kuhn at ckuhn03@ sprynet.com for additional information. • The Rokoko Art Gallery, located at 1785 Avenida de Marcado, seeks artists for solo or group shows in a rental exhibit space on a monthly basis. Gallery hours are Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m. For prospectus and details, contact Mitch or Ame at alarokokomag@ aol.com or call 405-8877. • West End Art Depot Gallery (WE.AD). Www.we-ad. org. WE.AD announces a call for regional artists interested in displaying original artwork. For more information email nmartco.op@gmail or call 575-3129892. WE.AD is a co-operative arts incubator with art studios and workshop space in a warehouse in the Alameda Historic Depot at 401 N Mesilla St, Las Cruces.
Elsewhere in New Mexico • MasterWorks of New Mexico 2016 is having the 18th Annual Spring Art Show April 2 to 29. Contact Barbara Lohbeck, coordinator, for more information at 505-260-9977, Email: bardean12@comcast.net or check out the website at www. masterworksnm.org. The show is open to all New Mexico artists and has four divisions: Miniatures, Pastel, Watermedia, and Oil/Acrylic. Artist may enter one or all divisions. The show takes place at Expo New Mexico (Fairgrounds), Hispanic Arts Building in Albuquerque. Deadlines: Digital Entries, larger works – Jan. 22; Miniatures entry form, shipped miniature works – March 12; Miniatures, all hand-delivered works — March 19.
Desert Roots ARTISTS’ MARKET & GALLERY 1001 S.Solano, Las Cruces, NM 88001
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Arizona Landscape by Gerry Pierce, etching
Cow Trail Art Studio 119 Cow Trail, Arenas Valley, NM Noon - 3 Monday or by appt.
20 • JANUARY 2016
www.desertexposure.com
ASOMBRO INSTITUTE • SUSIE OUDERKIRK
Education Priority at Desert Nature Park
Environmental science draws students for 25 years
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The 935-acre Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park off of north Jornada Road in Las Cruces is a great place for people of all ages to learn about and experience the beauty of the desert. (Courtesy photo)
ou’ve probably heard of the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park in Las Cruces. You may not know exactly where it is, or what it is, but you know it’s out there and has something to do with the desert. But have
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you heard of Asombro Institute for Science Education? Maybe not. Surprise! They are one and the same. And they both have celebrated a 25-year anniversary in 2015. Who knew? Well, the 210,000 student visitors who have enjoyed the park will never forget their experience. This educational institution, Asombro, which means “wonder” in Spanish, is a Las Cruces treasure in many ways. First and foremost it serves as an educational facility for students of all ages, teachers, and the general public. One goal of the Institute is to provide, “quality, hands-on science education to southern New Mexico students.” In addition to reaching every seventh grader in the Las Cruces public schools, Asomobro hosted more than 17,813 young learners this year alone. Through classroom participation and workshops, nearly 600 teachers were involved with the institute in 2015 as well. Asombro programs have been recognized
at the local, state and national levels, and are considered a role model for other educational outreach programs. According to Director Dr. Stephanie Bestelmeyer, the Asombro Institute for Science Education was awarded the New Mexico Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence this year. In addition, two successful events illustrated the diversity of the Institute’s programs. “More than 100 students participated in our fourth Desert Data Jam competition in the spring,” Bestelmeyer said. “This unique project challenges students to improve their data literacy by using existing ecological data sets collected in this area to design creative projects that communicate the trends in the data to nonscientists. Students were amazingly creative; they submitted songs, poems, physical models, games, and infographics to represent data about the desert.”
ASOMBRO
continued on page 21
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Teaching students about the flora and fauna of the desert helps them experience the wonder of this unique ecosystem that we are lucky enough to call home. (Courtesy photo)
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Vibrant flowers blooming on a hedgehog cactus at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park. (Courtesy photo)
DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 21
ASOMBRO
continued from page 20 The Data Jam has been so successful that it is now being duplicated by science educators in New York, Maryland, Florida, Oregon and Puerto Rico. Some of the engaging programs available at the Park are named to encourage curiosity. “Creepy Crawly Critters of the Desert Southwest” appeals to the brave, while the “Desert Scavenger Hunt” is sure to entice the adventuresome. “Growing up Arid” is an introduction to desert plants, and the “Desert Discovery Trail Walk” is just what it sounds like: a hands-on, or should it be feet-on, exploration of the Chihuahuan desert. For 25 years, the 935-acre Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park, located six and a half miles north of Highway 70 (from the intersection at Oñate High School), has hosted learners of all shapes and sizes as they unravel some of the mysteries of the desert. Because the desert is so enigmatic, even natives of southern New Mexico will learn new things while visiting the Park. “We have five staff members who all have a passion for science and science education,” Bestelmeyer said. “We are trained scientists and educators, with a Ph.D., masters degrees, and bachelor’s degrees in wildlife biology, forestry, environmental conservation and education. We all consider ourselves so lucky to have found a way to combine our talents and training to help improve science literacy for students in our region.”
Scientists from New Mexico State University volunteered at Asombro BioBlitz to teach visitors about their research on desert rodents. (Courtesy photo)
Many participants at Asombro’s annual Butterfly Flutterby walked away with butterfly hats, face paint and new facts about butterflies in the Chihuahuan desert. (Courtesy Photo)
One question posed on the Asombro website is, “Does creosote bush smell like rain or is it the other way around?” The staff is more than ready to answer these kinds of questions, as well as pose others you didn’t even know you wanted to ask. “More than 100 people contribute their time and talents to assist us with everything,” Bestelmeyer said. “Our volunteer board of directors plays an active part in setting our annual goals, developing policies and raising funds
Asombro just completed strategic planning for 2016, and is working on a lineup of activities that include some of the most popular programs, such as Desert Stories, Stepping Out for Science Inquiry, the Butterfly Flutterby and the Desert Dash. “We just hosted our third annual Desert Dash 5K, 10K, half marathon and children’s 1-mile trail race last month,” Bestelmeyer said. “We had the largest number of runners ever – more than 300. It was great to see so many people out enjoying the trails at the nature park in such a family-friendly fundraising event. “In addition, we’re excited to develop new activities to help students understand data and to incorporate even more reading and math standards into our pro-
The start of the half marathon kicked off the 2015 Desert Dash Trail Race. (Courtesy Photo)
Soil scientist and Asombro board president, Justin Van Zee, discusses methods in determine soil type. (Courtesy Photo)
to help Asombro succeed. Other volunteers assist us with handson education programs in classrooms and on field trips and public events like the Desert Dash. “Many scientists from the USDA/ARS Jornada Experimental Range and NMSU volunteer their time to help us make sure we bring the most up-to-date science directly to students,” she said. Looking into the future, Bestelmeyer said the Institute’s focus for 2016 is straight forward. “Our primary goal is to make sure that we continue to offer quality science education programs that help people of all ages learn about science and especially about the amazing desert we are lucky enough to call home,” she said.
grams. We’ll also host a new series of public events called Taking Flight this spring to help people of all ages learn about plants, insects, birds and bats of the desert.” Because the institute is a nonprofit educational organization, it relies on grants and donations to survive. Justin Van Zee, president of the Asombro board of directors, writes “In the past, over 90 percent of…contributions have directly supported our educational programs.” So, what’s the answer to the question about that distinctly New Mexican aroma that fills the air after a rain storm? “The characteristic smell that we get after a rain in the desert comes from the creosote bush,” Bestelmeyer said. Now you know. Using authentic research equipment to ask and answer questions about the desert helps students become prepared to be the critically thinking citizens and scientifically trained workforce needed in our area. (Courtesy photo)
22 • JANUARY 2016
www.desertexposure.com
BORDERLANDS • MARJORIE LILLY
Predatory Lending Rampant
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n early December, I walked into three loan stores in Deming. The first lender looked desperate and miserable, as if maybe she hated her job. In the other two stores, the lenders were cheerful and friendly, as they are trained to be. The stores had almost no printed information available, maybe a flyer or two, with few specifics about their rules and regulations. I inquired in one of them what the payment terms are for a $200 loan. The woman said there would be $32 biweekly payments for four months. That adds up to a total payment of about $288. That’s a pretty steep interest rate – 44 percent – but maybe worth it to have a good Christmas. The problem usually comes with larger loans, when the client misses a payment or two. Then things start spiraling out of control. These runaway loans sometimes end with a car or even a house repossessed by the lender, or with a broken family. The loan stores’ interest rates are without any doubt usurious. The average interest rate charged by storefront lenders in New Mexico ends up being 340 percent, after additional fees are paid and the loan is rolled over several times – flipped is the term – according to the New Mexico Fair Lending Coalition. (Statistics are from the Department of Defense, NM Department of Regulation, the Pew Charitable Trust and other sources.) For a standard $1,000 auto title loan, borrowers ended up paying roughly $3,000 in interest, according to Ona Porter, President and CEO of Prosperity Works in Albu-
querque. About 40 percent of the people who get auto title loans wind up getting their cars repossessed,” said Steve Fischmann, former state senator and director of the Fair Lending Coalition in Mesilla Park. “Some people call them ‘auto theft loans.’ I think they’re even worse [than car thieves], because they collect interest on it on top of that.” The store where I enquired about a $200 loan had relatively reasonable rates, apparently. Porter said the payment period required by other loan companies might sometimes last a whole year. I could have been asked to pay $32 biweekly for a year, for a total payment of over $768. “When you want to take a loan out, they really buzz you through the elements of it,” she said. “Most people have no idea of what to ask.” “They (lenders) will say, ‘Do you know you’re eligible for another loan?’” said Porter, to get the clients strung out even further with fees and higher interest rates. “When they have medical expenses and car repairs, the house of cards comes down,” she said. Predatory loans are a major problem for people in New Mexico, with $105 million being paid in interest to these lenders annually. It’s also a major drag on the economy of the state. There are 24 lobbyists for the loan store industry in New Mexico, and they’re the highest paid lobbyists in the state. Typical clients of these loan stores are the working poor – sin-
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gle moms, people of color and veterans. There are more storefront lenders in New Mexico than fast food locations, according to the Fair Lending Coalition. There are 13 loan stores in Deming, 11 in Silver City, 47 in Las Cruces and 17 in Alamogordo, according to www. LoanSharkAttack.com. Eighty percent of the lending comes from loan stores with outof-state headquarters. That means that most of the fee money leaves New Mexico. Despite all the people in New Mexico who are cheated by loan companies, it was hard to find anyone willing to give testimonies about their experiences, even anonymously. “They’re tremendously embarrassed by having to talk about it,” said Porter. A friend of mine was about $100 short on her mortgage payment four or five years ago. The loan company she found online said she had to borrow at least $500. She ended up paying it back in about two weeks, and the interest was close to $100. What bothers her is that she was forced to pay interest on the $500, instead of on the $100 she originally requested. Even this woman, who’s been involved in social services, wouldn’t let me use her name. I told her she should be mad at the loan company, not ashamed. “I’m mad, but I’m ashamed, too,” she said. I interviewed another woman in Deming who is still paying back a $500 loan she got in the late 1990s. The loan is more than 15 years old.
“I needed money and I needed it quick,” she said. “I had no established credit.” She was a single mother with a young son to raise. When the loan was about half paid and she was struggling with payments, she described the loan company as telling her, “Oh, look, you can renew your loan.” She said she thought, “Wow, cool!” A couple of months later she said to herself, “I need to buy this, I need to pay this.” “They make it so easy,” she said. “They keep sucking you in. You keep telling yourself every time, ‘I’m going to be strong. I’m going to pay it.’ They keep at it until your eyes are crossed.” For a few years, she’s been paying $160 a month. She said that’s one-fifth of her taxable income. She hopes to finish off her payments next October. She vows to do so. Here are a few things that you should ask about when you’re getting a loan: Beware of stores that say your credit record does not matter. “You’re cashworthy with us!” one flyer I picked up assured me. Ask about interest rates early on. The Department of Defense took the lead in putting a 36 percent cap on interest rates for their personnel in 2006. Twenty states have followed them in putting 36 percent caps or even lower on rates for all loans. Some lender advocates say you should look for a 3 percent rate or less. Be wary of “adjustable rate loans,” especially if it’s not possible for interest to go lower. The rates often “explode” as payments are made.
Ask if there are any “prepayment penalties.” Some companies actually charge a fee if a borrower pays off early. The creator of that regulation probably got a high-five from his colleagues. Beware of online loan stores that say you can get a loan in “two minutes.” Be suspicious as all get out when lenders repeatedly offer to refinance your loan. If an individual is having problems with predatory loans they can go to Tierra del Sol in Las Cruces for counseling or to Community Action in Las Cruces and other towns. Would-be borrowers can check out a progressive bank called One Source Federal Credit Union in Las Cruces and El Paso, which has reasonable interest rates on loans. To make a difference politically, citizens can call their state senators to push through the bills to put caps on interest rates that are pending in the state senate in January – SB72, HB24, and HB36. There’s little hope for much progress in the short term, but with more publicity and activism things could change. Hordes of New Mexicans are taking stands against predatory lenders, including 280 faith leaders, a few leading newspapers, as well as towns that receive this paper – Las Cruces, Alamogordo, Deming and Silver City. “There’s a class-action suit against Title Max right now, and in Santa Fe there’s another class action suit going on,” Porter said. But more rank-and-file New Mexicans will have to take action. As Porter said, “When they go out of business, we say hooray!”
SANCTUARY • STATIA DOUGHERTY
Big Miracles Come In Tiny Packages
A
Tom and Alicia were busying s we traveled down themselves with visitors from New Mexico State a nearby community center Highway 80, I kept my that addresses the unique deeye on the mile markers. “It’s mands of children with spejust south of Rodeo … mile cial needs. The children are marker 411. It’s coming up! regulars at the mini ranch, Go west!” and only one of the many We turned down the dirt groups who benefit from the road, which at times became therapeutic encounters of the a little rough, but nothing we small equines which are recouldn’t handle. My husband ferred to as “mini-horses.” pointed the truck toward the One child in the group Chiricahua Mountains and, was especially benefiting. after a couple miles, we enHe was born autistic and his tered the first gate. As the father died at a very young ranch came into view, we Tom and Alicia Davidson. age. The death of his father took in the scene of a rustic stone lodge, dwarfed by the majestic sierras. It was not only left the child with one parent to care for him, almost as if we were traveling back in time. We were but altered his daily routine, which can have dire conpioneers, visiting our homesteading neighbors on a sequences on a young person with autism. EventualSunday afternoon. The 320-acre ranch was nestled al- ly, he withdrew almost completely, and ceased most most at the mouth of the Horseshoe Canyon. At the verbal communication until he was introduced to the second gate were signs telling the traveler how many mini-horses. The change came gradually, but it was obvious immiles to Yosemite, Luxenberg, and a few other worldly destinations. One sign instructed visitors to close the mediately that the tiny horses had an impact on the gate behind you, loose livestock. We had arrived at the boy. One horse in particular, a baby, would let nobody near it. Nobody but the boy, that is. The child began Davidson’s Mini Dream Ranch, home to tiny horses. Even before we were greeted by Tom and Alicia to make regular trips to the ranch, and as he slowly Davidson, we stumbled across a red saddlehorse emerged from his shell, the baby horse also began to named Jackpot. Of course at this point, we hadn’t TINY been introduced, so we did not yet know his name. continued on page 23
DESERT EXPOSURE TINY
continued from page 22 lose its inhibitions. The Davidsons’ dream began in 2009 when they acquired four mini horses as pets. Then, a couple of years later, a friend told them about Hearts and Hooves. After looking into the organization, the Davidsons thought it might be something they’d like to do, use their mini-horses as therapy horses. Alicia had two weeks of private training in Texas, and then became an affiliated member of Hearts and Hooves, a national nonprofit organization. Both are retired linguists, both multilingual. Alicia is fluent in Spanish and French taught English as a second language. Tom used his knowledge of Spanish, German, Czechoslovakian, Vietnamese, Korean and some French in his 36-year career as an Army officer. Before relocating to El Paso, the couple lived below Brownsville, Texas and in Mexico, on the Gulf of Mexico. While living in El Paso, Tom worked at Fort Huachuca, Ariz. He traveled home on weekends, a drive of a little more than five hours. When he discovered a route that would keep him out of traffic and off the freeway, he began to drive State Route 80, to New Mexico State Route 9, which then would take him the distance to El Paso. With each trip through the San Simon Valley, flanked by the Peloncillo Mountains to the East, and the Chiricahua Mountains to the West he became enamored with its beauty and seclusion. He decided to take Alicia to see the valley. The scenery and affordable price of land sold them on the area, and Tom began to realize his lifelong dream. Since working as a ranch hand as a young man, Tom had always wanted to own a ranch and, so, he bought 80 acres in the San Simon Valley just south of Rodeo, built a house and barn and Davidsons’ Dream came true. They were just about settled into their new way of life when the devastating Horseshoe Fires arrived and, two years later, destructive floods. The road into Davidsons’ Dream had been all but washed out. The Davidsons did not lose sight of their dreams for retirement,
JANUARY 2016 • 23 though. They rebuilt the road into their ranch, but as nature will have her way, again the road was destroyed by floods. The Davidsons decided not to rebuild the road, but to buy a 350-acre property about a mile from their existing ranch, and went straight to work. The couple took up residence in a trailer on the property they set to renovating, while turning the spacious stone lodge into a guest lodge to help defray their bills. They set up their corrals, bought a small heard of Dexter cattle and expanded their duties as associates of the Hearts and Hooves. Today the little horses are themselves veterans – veterans of healing retired service veterans. Along with the Davidsons, the horses work with three Arizona chapters of the Association of the United States Army, Healing Heroes, the Arizona Soldier’s Home, the VA Hospital in Tucson, and Assisted Living Centers in Douglas, Ariz., and Lordsburg. Working with vets is a labor of love for Tom and Alicia. Tom said after his tour of duty in Vietnam, he came home to a built-in support group. His father and all of his siblings were career military. With the help of his family, Tom was able to work through his difficulties and become a shining example to those who suffer from PTSD today. Many of the soldiers the Davidsons and their mini horses visit and work with are soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. One such soldier had been a captain who served in Afghanistan. She suffered from PTSD and was in the hospital on an in-patient basis. She had a habit of wandering away. She wouldn’t stay put for any length of time, not even a short period, so she was fitted with an ankle device to track her location. When the mini-horse named Cinnamon went to visit her in the hospital, she spent an hour or more with the horse, never leaving her perch. By the end of the visit, the veteran had renamed the horse Marble Cake. Sometime later the captain, well on her way to recovery, spotted the Davidsons and Cinnamon and approached them, still referring to the little mascot as Mable Cake. Another soldier the mini-horses visited in the hospital was a man in lockdown. He was a ha-
bitual screamer, never seeming to tire. When he saw Magic the minihorse, he ceased his screaming and calmed himself for the first time in a long time. His attendants thought it nothing short of a miracle. Still another patient who had been in his room for four months straight, refusing to come out, decided when the mini-horses came to the facility that he wanted to go see them. It had been his first time in months to breathe fresh air and feel the sun on his face. Another patient was visited at the VA Hospice by a mini named Black Pearl. The elderly soldier’s eyes lit up when he saw the little horse gingerly step around and through myriad tubes and machinery to approach the man in his hospital bed. Later, the Davidsons received a letter from the man’s wife. In her letter she told the story of how when they were first married, her husband had bought her a black pearl and a white pearl. At some point she had lost the black pearl and it was never replaced. After the Davidsons had left their patient that day with the horse named Black Pearl, the patient told his wife that he’d finally found the black pearl. Then peacefully, he passed away. Today the Davidsons have about 20 mini-horses and 13 mini Dexter Cattle. The Dexter cattle are originally from Ireland and not in the true form a mini-bovine, but a very small breed. The cattle are used to feed their guests at their Guest Lodge, called DD Gamble Guest Lodge and Ranch. Although Hearts and Hooves is a nonprofit, national organization, most of the costs of caring for the horses and traveling with them are directly out-of-pocket. Small donations trickle in, and the Da-
Tom Davidson addresses his mini-horses at the DD Ranch, home to tiny horses. (Courtesy Photos)
vidsons use their spacious, rustic stone lodge in Horseshoe Canyon as a rental to birders and vacationers to help offset costs. They prepare meals for their guests, and horseback riding and hiking in the canyon are available. The property also boasts a shooting range. The
lodge is child friendly, and a great place to vacation with a pet. For more information on Davidsons’ Mini Dream Horses, visit www.dmdheartsandhooves.org. For DD Gambles Guest Lodge, visit www.ddgambleguestlodge.com or call 520-558-1090.
SNOWDENEXTERMINATING Serving Southwest New Mexico since 1947
PO Box 230, Deming, NM 88031
Deming 575-546-9052 Silver City 575-388-9300 Las Cruces 575-526-9300 FAX 575-546-8307 Toll Free 1-800-471-9052
DEMING ART CENTER 100 South Gold, Deming, NM Open Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 am-4:00 pm
January Exhibit:
“CITY ZEN” Artist: Carmen Ruiz -Printmaker, photographer, digital designer, known for drawings and three-dimensional works Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Exhibit Dates: January 2, 2016 through January 27, 2016 Artist Reception: January 3, 2016 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm - The public is invited to the free reception to meet Carmen and view the exhibit. The DD Guest Lodge and Ranch is nestled in the Chiricahua Mountains where is offers a guest lodge facility and its mini-horses offer healing to many veterans and children’s groups. (Courtesy photo)
This project is supported in part by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs
www.demingarts.org
24 • JANUARY 2016
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THE STARRY DOME • BERT STEVENS
Triangulum, the Triangle
I
f you look just a little south of overhead on these January nights, you will find a triangle of two third- and one fourth-magnitude star. This trio makes up the constellation of Triangulum, the Triangle. This constellation dates back to the Babylonians who called this grouping “The Plough” because it would rise just before the Sun at the end February as the planting season began. The Greeks originally called this grouping Deltoton because the constellation resembled the Greek capital letter Delta. The Romans Latinized the name as Deltotum and attributed the constellation to the triangular-shaped Nile River delta or the island of Sicily, which has the same shape. In Roman mythology, Ceres, the goddess of agriculture, grain crops, fertility, and motherly relationships. She is only one of many Roman agricultural deities. She also was the patron goddess of Sicily and she begged Jupiter, king of the gods, to put the island in the sky. Jupiter agreed and placed Deltotum in the sky to represent Sicily. When astronomers started mapping the sky and defining the constellations, Johann Bayer called this constellation Triplicitas. In 1690, Johannes Hevelius pulled three faint stars out of this constellation to create the new constellation of Triangulum Minus (the Little Triangle) , leaving the remaining stars to be called Triangulum Majus (the Large Triangle). Both represented a drafting triangle. While the Little Triangle was not selected as an official constellation, the Large Triangle was selected, and its name was shortened to just Triangulum. Triangulum is a small constellation, 78th of the 88 official constellations by area. The three main stars that make up the triangle are the white giant star Beta Trianguli (magnitude 3.0), Alpha Trianguli (magnitude 3.4) and Gamma Trianguli (magnitude 4.0). All three of these stars have ceased burning hydrogen in their core and are now burning it in a shell around the core. This makes these stars swell from normal main-sequence stars to subgiant and giant stars. They are all nearby, within 127 lightyears of Earth. Besides these three stars, there are also a number of galaxies in Triangulum. The brightest galaxy is part of our Local Group of galaxies, M33 the Pinwheel Galaxy. This spiral galaxy is three million light-years away from us and it is the smallest spiral galaxy in the Local Group. From measurements of its motion, M33 is believed to be a satellite of the Andromeda Galaxy, which is only fifteen degrees away from it. M33 is magnitude 5.7, so it is visible to the naked eye from a dark location. This galaxy is the most distant object visible to the naked eye.
Triangulum is a small constellation that is almost overhead in our January sky. While it is small, this constellation has the most distant naked-eye object, the Pinwheel Galaxy (M33. You will need to be in a dark site away from urban areas to be able to see it. A brighter and much nearer Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is also shown on this month’s chart.
Calendar of Events – January 2016 (MST) 01 09 09 15 19 23
10:30 p.m. Morning 6:31 p.m. 4:26 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 6:46 p.m.
Last Quarter Moon Saturn near Venus New Moon First Quarter Moon Aldebaran behind the Moon Full Moon
There are other galaxies in Triangulum like NGC 925, a barred spiral galaxy in eastern Triangulum that is magnitude 10.7 and is thirty million light-years away from us. It is a member of the NGC 1023 Group of Galaxies, which is scattered over the constellations in this area. NGC 1023 and NGC 1058 are in Perseus, NGC 891 is in Andromeda, NGC 1239 is in Eridanus NGC 1156 is in Aries while NGC 672 and IC 1727 are back in Triangulum. These galaxies, along with another seven smaller ones are moving along at the same speed and in the same direction. They are about twenty or thirty million light-years away from us and are held together by their mutual gravity. Galaxy groups were thought to be the largest structure in the universe to be held together by gravity until astronomers discovered superclusters in the 1990s. Superclusters are clusters of galaxy groups that are all bound together by their mutual gravity. The largest cluster of galaxies usually forms the core of the supercluster. The NGC 1023 Group and our own local group are both part
of the Virgo Supercluster, which may actually be part of the Laniakea Supercluster, which contains 100,000 galaxies spread over 520 million light-years, centered on the Great Attractor. The Great Attractor is a riddle that has still not been resolved and it is on the cutting edge of astronomical research.
The Planets for January 2016 After having reached its greatest distance from the Sun late last month, Mercury continues in our evening sky for the first week of this month. On January 1, the Messenger of the Gods has a disc that is 44 percent illuminated and it is 7.5 secondsof-arc across. It glows at magnitude -0.2 and it will be just above the west-southwestern horizon. Mercury will travel between the Earth and Sun at midmonth as it moves from Capricornus into Sagittarius. Jupiter will be stationery for the first half of the month on the Leo-Virgo border. It will then start moving slowly westward in Leo. At midmonth, Jupiter’s disc will be 40.8 seconds-of-arc
across and it shines at magnitude -2.3. The King of the Gods rises in the east around 10 p.m. and it will be 45 degrees above the southwestern horizon as night ends. The God of War rises about 1 a.m. in the east-southeast, reaching 45 degrees up in the south as it starts to get light. Mars moves from eastern Virgo into central Libra during the month. Its disc is 90 percent illuminated and is 6.1 seconds-of-arc across. It is still a difficult target for a telescope. Mars shines at magnitude +1.1. Saturn and Venus vie for the next planet to rise in the east. Venus is first until Jan. 9, when Saturn takes over. On that date, Venus will be just 22 seconds-ofarc from Saturn. While they are very close together, there will still be a great difference in their brightness since Venus is so near the Sun and Saturn so far away. So for the last two-thirds of the month Saturn will be next to come up, rising in the east-southeast around 4:00 a.m. and shining at magnitude +0.6. It is moving eastward in southern Ophiuchus. At midmonth, the Rings are 35.0 seconds-of-arc across and are tilted down 26.2 degrees with the northern face showing. Saturn’s disc is 15.4 seconds-of-arc across. The Ringed Planet will be 25 degrees above the southeastern horizon as it gets light. Venus comes up before Saturn for the first third of the month.
By midmonth, the Goddess of Love will have a disc that is 81 percent illuminated and 13.3 seconds-of-arc across. It rises around 4:40 a.m. and it is 20 degrees up in the southeast as night ends. Shining at magnitude -4.0, it moves from the western edge of the northern panhandle of Scorpius, through southern Ophiuchus, and into central Sagittarius. For the last third of the month, Mercury will make an encore appearance in the morning sky. On Jan. 31, it will rise at 5:30 a.m. on the east-southeastern horizon and will be 12 degrees above the horizon as it gets light. The star Aldebaran will disappear behind the southern dark edge of the Moon at 6:24 p.m. on January 19. It will take over an hour for the Moon to move across this star, with the reappearance occurring at 7:27 p.m. on the bright edge of the Moon. The Moon will be 82 percent illuminated, so it will be rather bright. Binoculars or a telescope are recommended. So enjoy this occultation and “keep watching the sky” An amateur astronomer for more than 45 years, Bert Stevens is co-director of Desert Moon Observatory in Las Cruces.
DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 25
NEW NEW NEW NEW
NEW NEW NEW
NEW NEW
CASH & CARRY CARPORTS
Summer camp cadets dissect the mysterious alien lifeform Tortilla Volante at the New Mexico Museum of Space History. (Photo courtesy NMMSH)
SOBORBITAL • CATHY HARPER
Rocketeer Academy Registration Open
Building camps on other worlds, autopsying an alien and hunting intergalactic bugs in Alamogordo
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egistration for the Space History Museum’s Rocketeer Academy Summer Camp 2016 is now open and features new online registration and a budget friendly layaway plan. “We are very pleased to announce our new online registration for summer camp aimed at streamlining the process for families and staff alike,” said museum Education Director Dave Dooling. In addition, the Academy is offering a layaway plan that allows summer camp tuition to be paid in up to four separate payments. “The idea is to make it a little easier on the family budget to send aspiring young astronauts,
scientists, and engineers to camp, especially for families who have more than one child who would like to attend,” Dooling said. Summer Camp 2016 at the New Mexico Museum of Space History begins on Monday, June 6, with a new week of camp starting each Monday through the end of July. A new Comet cadet level has been added for cadets entering kindergarten through 1st grade. The Comet program is a half day camp that includes lunch. Comet and Mercury (entering 2nd – 3rd grade) levels have two camps to choose from: Be a Martian and
ROCKETEER
continued on page 26
SUBORBITAL
New Law Keeps U.S. Competitive in Space
P
resident Obama signed the United States Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act to modernize commercial space regulations and encourage competitiveness in the industry in November, 2015. The new law provides an essential legal framework that will enable New Mexico’s commercial spaceflight industry to grow in the years ahead, according to a release from the offices of senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich. The new law will extend until 2025 a space launch risk-sharing provision crucial to maintaining the global competitiveness of U.S. commercial space companies. It includes measures to foster innovation in the industry while enabling safety advances for participants. These include encouraging the development of industry safety standards and streamlining the Federal Aviation Administration’s
permitting process for launch vehicles designed for multiple trips to space. The law also will extend International Space Station operations through at least 2024, enabling commercial entities to continue leveraging the ISS as a unique asset in low-Earth orbit. “The commercial spaceflight industry creates jobs in New Mexico and strengthens our economy,” Udall who is a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, said. “Today’s companies are early pioneers in a still-developing industry with enormous potential, including in New Mexico. This bill makes essential updates that will modernize and clarify the law to foster innovation and increase competitiveness.” “New Mexico has a unique opportunity to take advantage of the
SPACE
continued on page 27
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RANDOM ACTS OF NONSENSE • JIM DUCHENE
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he prefers to use, had a question. “Are you telling me that when I call Tea Party members Tea-Baggers, I’ll now have to refer to them as the Lipton Tea-Baggers?” he asked. “You bet your Stanley Steamer,” our fearless leader answered. As usual, it was James Frey who was the most practical. “Does this mean we’re getting a lot of free stuff?” he asked. “Of course not,” our publisher chastised, and then gave him a conspiratorial wink. Stephen Glass, on the other hand, wanted to clarify the financial aspect of inserting these stealth commercials. “Is anybody going to want a cut?” he wondered. “Who do you think you’ll be dealing with?” Elva interjected. “Congress?” I stood up, remembering a time, not so long ago, when I broke the Watergate scandal story for the Washington Post, and single-handedly brought down the Nixon administration. The legendary Harry Rosenfeld was my editor back then. With tears in his eyes he told me: “Jim, I hope that in the future you’ll never have to compromise your principles. That would be a sad day, indeed.” So, with his words in mind, I spoke. “I’m sorry, boss,” I said, “but I can’t do that. I won’t compromise the integrity of my news reportage.” I slowly sat back down, and took a defiant bite out of Jayson Blair’s piping hot McRib sandwich from McDonald’s, back for a limited time. When he complained, I reminded him he was a Democrat and should be pro-redistribution of wealth. “I am,” he said. “When it’s somebody else’s.” Our attention was drawn back to Richard, who, as usual, was enjoying an RC Cola. Sometimes, I don’t think I’d recognize him without a bottle of the carbonated beverage in his hand. “Me and my RC,” he was singing to himself, “me and my RC. What’s good enough for other folks, ain’t good enough for me.” When he looked up to find five pairs of eyes staring at him, he quickly recovered with, “What’s also good is our new policy. I understand your concerns, but the reality is this: You’ll do it or you’re fired.” The others showed their solidarity by huddling as far away from me as humanly possible without actually going through the wall into the other room. I could see they had already helped themselves to all of the free donuts supplied to us by the good people at Krispy Kreme. I stood up and slammed the palms of my hands against the top of my editor’s cluttered desk. Then I slowly sat back down. “OK,” I said, folding faster than Superman on laundry day, “but can I have a Coca-Cola first?” “Why?” Elva asked, honestly curious. “Because,” I answered, “things go better with Coke.”
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imes are tough in America these days. Ford tough. There is a bright spot, however. Desert Exposure, the premiere chronicler of art and leisure in the Southwest, is one of the most financially healthy print publications in the known universe, and I’m even including Uranus because I’m not above going for a cheap laugh. That’s why it was such a surprise for us to be called in by our publisher Richard “The Force Awakens” Coltharp and editor Elva “The Energizer Bunny” Osterreich on the first day of 2016 for an important meeting. While the New York Times likes to boast “All The News That’s Fit To Print,” our motto is: “Satisfaction Guaranteed Or DOUBLE Your Money Back.” By us, I mean Jayson Blair, Stephen Glass, James Frey and myself. Brian Williams couldn’t make it because he was busy helping James Bond defeat Spectre. At least, that’s what he told us. As I entered the office, I took a quick look at my watch. I was on time, but barely. You can always count on a Timex. It takes a licking, but keeps on ticking. Like the Hey, Kool-Aid guy riding the water tube ride at Wet & Wild Water Park, the economy is stuck in a tight place. Any business, even if it’s successful, must always be on the lookout for creative ways to bring in additional revenue. Both Richard and Elva were there to tell us they had found such a way. I was cradling the seasonal Pumpkin Spice latte from Starbucks in my hands to help burn off the vodka I celebrated with the night before. I only drink Tito’s, a premium vodka handmade in the Southwest. It goes down smooth, so you don’t have to. I leaned forward and helped myself to the delicious Chick-fil-A breakfast burritos that Rene Hernandez, a local franchise owner, was generous enough to personally drop off. When Elva tried to pay him, Rene magnanimously waved her away. “Pish posh,” he said. “Pish posh.” While the rest of the group was busy googling “pish posh,” I grabbed a few extra burritos and put them in my briefcase for later. “So… where’s the beef?” I asked, getting things started. “Enquiring minds want to know.” It was Richard who answered. He informed us that we were going to take a page from the entertainment industry and incorporate product placement into our columns and news stories, much like when an actor in a movie is seen smoking a particular brand of cigarette or a rapper names a popular variety of pot. We grumbled, of course, because that’s what reporters and columnists do best. The truth is, if I wanted to be told what to do, I’d have stayed with any one of my four ex-wives. “Just do it,” Richard ordered. Immediately realizing what he had just said, he gently stroked the laces of his Converse All Stars. “There, there,” he consoled his high tops. “I didn’t mean it.” Jayson Blair, pointing with the Zebra F-301 pen
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Alien Hunter. In Be a Martian, cadets will learn about the dunes of Mars, build their own Mars base and spacesuits, then hunt for Martians or create their own. In Alien Hunter, cadets learn how strange life can be on Earth, then go on an intergalactic bug hunt and imagine what creatures from space might look like. Cadets in the Gemini program (entering grades 4-6) choose from Mars 2030 or Alien Autopsy. In Mars 2030, cadets design and build “New Jamestown,” a full-scale Mars habitat. Then it’s up to them to make decisions that decide the fate of the Martian outpost – how do they make the water drinkable, where does the food come from,
how do you power the habitat and where do you build it? If CSI-style exploration is more your cadet’s style, send them on an outer space adventure with Alien Autopsy. Using the SeaPerch submersible ROV, cadets discover a mysterious new lifeform under the ice of Jupiter’s moon, Europa. To understand how the alien Tortilla Volante survives, cadets must carefully study it and report their findings. Humans or machines in space? That’s the question Apollo cadets (entering grades 7-9) will try and answer in Space Robots class. We need both, but first cadets need to learn how to design, build, and operate their machine partners.
Wheels, arms, legs, pulleys, gears, motors, electricity – there’s more to R2-D2 than cute. For Apollo cadets who prefer stargazing, Goldilocks Star is the program of choice. They’ll hunt for stars that might support life starting with the one star that we know supports life, our Sun. To aid in their search, cadets build a replica of the first space-borne solar telescope, and learn about riding a jet with an infrared telescope. To register for Summer Camp 2016, visit www.nmspacemuseum.org and click on the summer camp button or call the education department at 575-437-2840 or toll free 1-877-333-6589.
DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 27
SPACE
continued from page 25 emerging commercial spaceflight industry,” Heinrich said. “Our state has long been the frontier of space exploration. Assets such as Spaceport America, our national laboratories, research universities and innovative private companies will put New Mexico in a starring role in the next stage of
commercial space development.” New Mexico is home to Spaceport America, which hosts commercial space activities for Virgin Galactic, SpaceX and UP Aerospace. The state has a rich heritage in space exploration dating back to early rocketry experiments conducted by Robert Goddard.
“We at Spaceport America applaud the passage of CSLCA, which will provide us much-needed policy and safety enhancements to continue to grow our commercial spaceflight tenant base,” Spaceport America CEO Christine Anderson said. “Regulatory reform that
PUBLISHER’S NOTEBOOK • RICHARD COLTHARP
Long Live Music
(Nothing beats live music, but rejoice in the return of vinyl
E
very month in the pages of your Desert Exposure, you’ll find dozens of opportunities to hear live music. You’ll find blues, folk, country, rock, mariachi, jazz, gospel, classical, reggae — you name it. In our corner of the world, we get the opportunity to hear great local bands, such as Rhythm Mystic and Bourbon Legend. We get visits from established artists with independent labels and devoted followings, such as Slaid Cleaves. We also get the chance to see national treasures such as Judy Collins, or full-fledged big-time stadium-filling stars such as Carrie Underwood. We also get the chance to see choirs and orchestras from our universities. And, perhaps most treasured, are the chances to see our children perform in school concerts. Your fifth-grade student may never have the vocal chops of Judy Collins, but your heart will be in your throat for different reasons. No matter what the form, there’s nothing like live music. Even for those who — like me — can’t play a lick, can’t sing a note or can’t understand the concepts of key or pitch or octave, live music can still bring infinite joy. Here’s one of my favorite things to do when I attend a concert: Before the show, when the instruments are resting unattended on the stage, I take a moment to look at each one. There they sit, often works of art themselves. Guitars, drums, trombones, cellos, pianos. Beautiful and intriguing in themselves, yet they can do nothing until talented people put them in their hands. Then the magic happens. There are people in this world who don’t particularly care about music. Not sure I’ll ever understand that. For most of us, music is a part of our earliest memories, and often a critical part of our education. Who didn’t learn the ABC’s from learning that song? Music fans can’t constantly attend concerts, so recorded music fills in the gaps. Over the last 50 years, technology has changed the way we listen to our music. We’ve seen the arc from phonograph records, to (ugh!) 8-track tapes, to cassettes, to CDs, to MP3s. We’ve gone from small transistor AM radios to giant 50-pound boomboxes to iPods smaller than a matchbook holding thousands of songs. One of the most welcome trends in music technology is a throwback: the return of vinyl. The past few years, more and more turntables have become available and more and more LPs are showing up in music stores. Young fans have discovered records again. Older fans, grateful for record players that can download
music from LPs to MP3s, have had fun converting their classics to digital, increasing the portability while re-living great memories. What is your “music moment?” I don’t know if everyone has a such an epiphany, where something clicked and you realized this music thing could awaken something in your soul. For me, the moment remains vibrantly vivid. I was 10, putting together a car model, listening to a Top 40 station on my white Panasonic spherical transistor radio, about the size of one of those Magic 8 Balls. Something came through the radio’s tiny, tinny speaker, a lightning bolt piercing my brain: The opening chords of the Beatles’ “Day Tripper.” The song was already seven or eight years old at that point, but I had never heard it. I stopped what I was doing and didn’t move a muscle until the song ended and the DJ told me who played it. I think I had heard of the Beatles at that point, but did not know their music. I immediately began a quest to change that. A quest I continue today, more than 40 years later. Soon I saved enough money to buy my own record player and was buying records. The first 45 I remember buying was “Stuck in the Middle With You” by Stealers Wheel. The first two LPs I remember buying were Stevie Wonder’s “Talking Book” and “Let It Be” by the Beatles. Many welcomed the crystal clarity of recordings when CDs first came on the scene in the 1980s. However, many are now rediscovering, despite the subtle pop and crackle, the glorious moment of needle touching vinyl. A couple of seconds of hiss and fuzz creates an eternity of anticipation for the first note of that long-loved song or the mystery of one never heard. Long live music. POSOLE UPDATE: Two of my recent columns in Desert Exposure were about posole, so I didn’t want to make it a third. However, this news tidbit was too good to pass up. And, apparently, this posole was too good to pass up, too. In early December, a 23-year-old Albuquerque man loved his mom’s posole so much he broke into her house and stole a big pot of it right out of the refrigerator. Either that man is the ultimate Grinch, or his mom’s creation is the ultimate posole. Maybe both. Richard Coltharp is publisher of Desert Exposure and the Las Cruces Bulletin. He can be reached at richard@ lascrucesbulletin.com.
is good for our customers is good for Spaceport America and New Mexico.” “The U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act addresses many of the major policy hurdles facing our sector since the last update of the CSLA in 2004,” George Whitesides, CEO of
Virgin Galactic, said. “Congress has recognized the importance of pioneering policies that keep up with the rapid innovation of the commercial space industry. We look forward to expanding Earth’s economic sphere outward in a safe, reusable and reliable way.”
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DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 29
GILA CONSERVATION • ALLYSON SIWIK
Making Sense of the Gila River Diversion Project An old story is revived, could be at cost of millions
The proposed Gila River diversion site, located just below the confluence with Turkey Creek, could turn this popular recreation area for hunters, fishermen and river runners into an industrial zone. (Photo courtesy Gila Conservation Coalition)
T
he story of the Gila River diversion project began decades ago, with the dream of generations of southwestern New Mexicans who hoped to tame the Gila’s free flow for flood control and use her waters for irrigation, municipal and industrial use. This dream was an outgrowth of America’s policy of Manifest Destiny that encouraged water development as part of settling the West. Federal agencies like the Bureau of Reclamation were established to construct large dams, diversions and reservoirs that would provide water to fuel the population and agricultural boom of the American frontier. The idea to harness the Gila started as early as 1911 with the Hooker Dam proposal. Since its formation in the 1930s, the Hooker Dam Association, or the “Damsiters” as they called themselves, pushed for “Grant County’s Favorite Dream in Forty Years” as the Silver City Daily Press reported years later. And in the 1970s and 80s, they tried three times to dam or divert the Gila, but were never successful. The first real attempt to dam the Gila came about after passage of the Colorado River Basin Project Act of 1968 that authorized the Central Arizona Project (CAP). The legislation provided New Mexico with the right to use 18,000 acre-feet per year of Gila River water in exchange for water delivered to senior water rights owners in Arizona through the CAP. The Damsiters’ vision of the Hooker Dam included construction of a main-stem dam across the Gila River just below the Turkey Creek confluence that would have provided water for mining, industrial and agricultural use, created a lake for recreation and possibly provided hydroelectric power. However, it would have flooded the Gila Wilderness, America’s first wilderness area, and it created significant environmental issues. National politics ultimately stopped the project as the Hooker Dam appeared on President Jimmy Carter’s infamous “hit list” of Congressional pork barrel projects, and was shelved in 1977. A few years later as federal laws changed requiring assessment of all alternatives to proposed water projects, the Bureau of Reclamation picked up again the evaluation of alternatives to the Hooker Dam
Organized protests by Grant County residents are one way conservationists told the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission to save the Gila River during the lead up to its November 2014 decision to move forward with the Gila River diversion project. (Photo courtesy Audubon New Mexico) through the Upper Gila Water Supply Study. One of those alternatives was the Conner Dam, proposed for a site in the Middle Box on the Gila National Forest. But this second attempt to dam the Gila also failed because the reservoir would have flooded prime agricultural lands from the Middle Box to the Iron Bridge in the Cliff-Gila Valley and negatively impacted the threatened spikedace, a small fish. The third attempt was a diversion and off-stream storage reservoir in Mangas Creek. At the time, this was considered the only Gila River project alternative that could be justified economically. As the story
PROJECT
continued on page 30
(Courtesy US Bureau of Reclamation)
30 • JANUARY 2016
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MANEUVERING ELDERDOM • VIVIAN SAVITT
When Seniors Help Seniors “Old age is a ceremony of losses, which is on the whole preferable to dying at forty-seven or fifty-two. When I lament and darken over my diminishments, I accomplish nothing.” — Donald Hall, Former U.S. poet laureate
A
short walk through town reveals that in spite of our otherwise sunny southwestern locale, we reside in a “Gray Area.” No need to check U.S. Census figures – there are a lot of us: men with white locks and women with silvery, blasé bobs. Some look rumpled and withered, others appear well beyond default mode – walking with brisk determination. Once in a while, you notice someone who’s exceedingly well turned out – a Sam Elliott-type guy wearing pressed cords and a crew sweater. His snow-
white teeth display state-of-the-art dentistry. A sleekly coifed woman-in-black accompanies him. Her aura is underscored by three behemoth sterling cuff bracelets. Bets are on that the pair spent two hours dressing casually to accentuate their tightened jaw lines. And no crow’s feet blemish their eyes – those crows have migrated. This out-of-context couple are not from here, probably Santa Fe.
SENIOR
continued on page 31
Companionship, good nutrition and caring for a pet all increase the quality of senior lifestyles. Jon Dodson, Jim Bradkowski and Bob Pohlman have coffee “and laugh together” almost every morning. (Photo by Vivian Savitt)
PROJECT
continued from page 30 goes, however, after the Bureau of Reclamation spent $6 million in planning and assessment, the mayor of Silver City said “thanks, but no thanks” to the project. Indeed, the Silver City Daily Press reported in June 1988 the Bureau of Reclamation cancelled the Upper Gila Water Supply Study citing high cost and no need for project water. Flash forward to 2015 and southwest New Mexico is discussing the fourth attempt to divert the Gila and yet the story is still the same: The Gila River diversion project is technically and financially infeasible, there is no demonstrated need for Gila River water and the diversion will damage New Mexico’s last free-flowing river. The latest effort to divert the Gila River is the result of passage of the Arizona Water Settlements Act of 2004 (AWSA). The Act settled longstanding Indian water rights claims in Arizona. It also created the formal mechanisms by which the Secretary of Interior may deliver 14,000 acrefeet/year of additional water from the Gila River to New Mexico, originally authorized by the Colorado River Basin Project Act in 1968. The AWSA authorized a diversion of the Gila River, called the “New Mexico Unit of the Central Arizona Project (NM Unit),” if New Mexico agreed to deliver water to downstream users in Arizona to replace what we take out of the river. The AWSA provided to New Mexico $66 million in non-reimbursable funding to meet local water needs in southwestern New Mexico without diverting the Gila River. Additional funding – up to $62 million more – was also made available for construction, but only if certain requirements were met. The Bureau of Reclamation has said that it is highly unlikely that New Mexico will receive all of the additional funding. Adjusting for inflation, New Mexico may have to make do with only $90 million from the Feds for project planning and construction. The AWSA includes the Consumptive Use and Forbearance Agreement (CUFA) that outlines the conditions under which New Mexico can divert Gila River water. Because the CUFA is designed to protect downstream senior water rights holders in Arizona, New Mexico’s ability to divert is highly constrained. Therefore water legally available for diversion is rare. If one applies the CUFA diversion constraints to the period of hydrologic record, water available for diversion occurred less than 10 percent of the time. Moreover, in order to capture wa-
The natural, unimpeded flow of the Gila River supports a healthy riparian ecosystem. A diversion project would negatively impact outdoor recreation activities important to the local economy. (Photo courtesy Gila Conservation Coalition) ter under these highly constrained system for survival. The Gila River Flow Needs Asconditions, New Mexico is forced to construct high capacity and hugely sessment, representing a consensus expensive diversion, conveyance and among 50 scientists from a range of storage infrastructure that will be in- disciplines, concluded that a diverfrequently utilized. Because suitable sion will negatively impact the hydrolreservoir sites do not exist, expensive ogy and ecology of the Gila. Analyses lining of off-channel reservoirs to re- of the CUFA show that 79 percent of duce seepage losses is required for divertible water occurs historically the project to function, but the tech- during the snowmelt runoff season nical feasibility of lining reservoirs is of January through April, a critical unknown. Even if reservoir seepage time for spawning fish. The physical losses could be controlled and if cli- diversion facilities will segment and mate change did not occur, maximum damage habitat for listed species, inyield is a small fraction of New Mex- cluding habitat that has been acquired ico’s AWSA appropriation of 14,000 and protected to mitigate ecological damage for other Colorado River Baacre-feet per year. The recently released Bureau of sin water development. Reclamation Value Study estimates Since the diversion would be conthat construction costs for the diver- structed in the wild Upper Gila Box sion project range from $800 million canyon, within the Gila National Forto over $1 billion. Although the feder- est, an area that has been proposed al AWSA funding will help offset some for Wilderness and Wild and Scenic of the costs of building the diversion designation and is a popular recre– at best $100 million – it’s not enough ation area for hunters, fishermen, to cover the shortfall of a billion dollar campers and river runners, the projproject and will leave taxpayers and ect would have a negative impact on water users picking up the difference, outdoor recreation opportunities. potentially $900 million or more. The bottom line is that a Gila River Given the low yield and high cost diversion project is unnecessary. The of the diversion, project water could large Mimbres Basin aquifer underlycost thousands of dollars per acre- ing the populated areas in southwest foot. It is still unknown the intended New Mexico can meet water supply customers for the water, how much needs far into the future. In fact, in the water will cost water users, and several locations, local wells have stawhether the water is affordable. bilized following past unsustainable Unfortunately, since the Hooker use and recovered due to significant and Conner dam days, the Gila’s na- agricultural conservation measures. tive fish have not fared well. Wide- The proposal to pipe Gila River waspread habitat loss, predation from ter to Deming would have very little non-native fish, and other factors impact on Mimbres Basin water suphave compelled the U.S. Fish and plies. Although imported water may Wildlife Service to up-list the loach decrease groundwater pumping, the minnow and spike-dace from threat- proposed importation is only about ened to endangered under the federal eight percent of the current agriculturEndangered Species Act. A Gila Riv- al pumping, and 4 percent of the curer diversion could make conditions rent Luna County groundwater use. worse for these imperiled fish, as The proposed importation to Deming well as the other threatened and en- of 2,500 acre-feet/year amounts to apdangered species of birds, snakes and proximately 0.008 percent of the volfrogs that depend upon a healthy river ume of good quality groundwater in
storage in the Mimbres Basin. The common-sense approach under the AWSA is to implement non-structural alternatives and non-diversion infrastructure improvements to reliably meet community water supply needs at a small fraction of the cost of the Gila River diversion. This is the same conclusion reached by our forefathers 20 years ago. It’s more cost-effective, easier and faster to sustainably manage our groundwater resources through municipal and agricultural conservation, infrastructure improvements, water reuse and other efficiency improvements. In fact, the town of Silver City has opted out of the Gila diversion project and has pursued its own course to build a secure and cost-effective water future for the water users it services. Silver City will construct the Grant County Regional Water Supply Project that will service 26,000 people in Silver City, local water associations and the Mining District through an intercommunity pipeline and new well field. It is also implementing water conservation projects and already uses reclaimed wastewater to irrigate the golf course. Although the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, the state agency charged with managing the Gila diversion planning process, did allocate less than 10 percent of available AWSA funding to some of the non-diversion alternatives, moving forward with diversion means that AWSA funding that could be used to fully fund these cost-effective water supply alternatives will instead be frittered away on planning for a fatally flawed project. At the end of the day when a diversion project has been defeated, southwestern New Mexico will have no federal funding for critically needed local community water projects, such as the Grant County Regional Water Supply Project or ditch improvements for irrigators.
Next Steps The local NM CAP (Central Arizona Project) Entity is now at the helm of diversion planning efforts, although the ISC still holds the purse strings, keeping control of AWSA funding and budget approvals. This group is comprised of 13 county and municipal government representatives, irrigation ditch associations, and soil and water conservation districts in the four-county area. The NM CAP Entity wants responsibility for the design, construction, oper-
ation and maintenance of the Gila diversion and represents the current board of “Damsiters” hell bent on pushing its dream of a Gila River project regardless of cost or technical and environmental feasibility. Some sense was injected into the process in late November when the Department of Interior signed off on the N.M. Unit Agreement, triggering the next phase of environmental and financial feasibility assessment of the diversion project. Interior insisted on “supplemental terms” being added to the Agreement to clarify for the N.M. CAP Entity what they were getting into by moving forward with a diversion. The supplemental terms will increase accountability and hopefully lead to a robust environmental analysis of the proposed diversion. The important gains include financial feasibility and accountability. Projects must be designed according to federal standards, less money may be available for diversion, and the full range of environmental compliance is necessary. Finally, the Secretary of Interior can make an independent decision that is best for the environment. If the environmental compliance process is honest and rigorous, it’s highly unlikely that a diversion would be built due to huge costs, technical infeasibility and damage to the river and the seven endangered species that depend on it. Unbelievably, after a decade of study and $5 million expended, the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission and the local NM CAP Entity have chosen to move forward with a diversion project even though all indications tell us that this project is doomed to fail. It’s a shame that those responsible for the diversion planning haven’t learned from this project’s long, unsuccessful history. Our best hope is that common sense prevails soon and what’s left of the AWSA funding can secure a reliable water supply for everyone in southwest New Mexico. Allyson Siwik is the Executive Director of the Gila Conservation Coalition, a partnership of three conservation organizations – Gila Resources Information Project, Upper Gila Watershed Alliance, and the Center for Biological Diversity – that work together to protect the free flow of the Gila and San Francisco Rivers and the wilderness characteristics of the Gila and Aldo Leopold Wilderness Areas.
DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 31
SENIOR
continued from page 31 Most of us remember thinking that we would never look nor feel old. But the light above the bathroom lavatory reveals otherwise, wrinkles cannot be ironed. Jowls and tired eyes as well as the aches, pain and fatigue of elderitis are dealt with as best we can, hopefully with humor. Fortunately there are remedies that offer rejuvenation in elderdom. “Keep moving” is an apt mantra. Exercise, especially outdoors, aids body and soul. Brain games like crossword puzzles assist cognition. Hand weights kept near the television set allow muscle-strengthening intervals during commercials. Good reads, both fiction and nonfiction, offer heroes and heroines – “mature” prototypes – who help keep us positive and enlightened. If there is an upside to reading obituaries, it is discovering the longevity of creative people. From artists to architects, photographers to writers, creativity appears to both embellish and prolong life. Those of us who passionately pursue arts and crafts are ahead of the game. Eventually we grasp that aging is far more than a numbers game. It is not how long you live, but how. When seniors assist other seniors On a wintry day, Lordsburg neighborhoods appear colorless, as if unable to absorb the sunlight. Sand amasses around streets where only the sighting of a roadrunner, a comical bird, adds lilt to drabness. In a town with limited amenities, Lordsburg’s Ena Mitchell Senior and Wellness Center is a beacon for seniors looking for a good meal, companionship and a means to get around. Set among the new structures and native
Jessica Sheldon finds Ruidoso a wonderful climate for her beloved Bernese Mountain dogs. (Photo by Vivian Savitt)
Sophia Shunny follows a day of substitute teaching buying groceries at the Silver City Food Coop. (Photo by Vivian Savitt)
landscaping at the Hidalgo Medical Services clinics, the three-year-old senior center boasts plentiful natural lighting, a commodious commercial kitchen and most importantly, a devoted staff of baby boomer-aged caregivers. Leslie Tomerlin, immediately approachable with a warm smile and slouchy cardigan, is a long time resident of Hidalgo County. Like her staff and volunteers, she knows and sincerely cares about the town’s senior population. “This makes our center the best in the state,” Tomerlin said. Tomerlin began her job as center director in time to help guide its architect and contractor. Even now, she continues to extol the building’s bathrooms with their ample dimensions
to accommodate walkers and wheelchairs. She is equally elated about the vans that provide transportation for her luncheon seniors, as well as meal delivery to the county’s more rural residents. In a town with neither pharmacy nor medical specialists, the vans allow access to drugs and out-of-town physicians. Controlled substances, for example, such as pain and psychotropic medications, must be signed for in person by either the patient or his/her representative. Onsite transportation also provides twice-monthly senior day trips to Silver City, Deming and Safford. Working closely with the HMS dietitian and the center’s 70-year-old cook, Tomerlin devel-
ops weekday menus that feature fresh, homemade meals. The majority of the center’s seniors are Hispanic, so dishes, both culturally familiar and healthful, are served regularly and cost $2. Among Tomerlin’s challenges is serving good food in spite of budget constraints. Tomerlin’s fears include what may happen when she and her staff – almost all in their sixties – retire. Dr. Clara Farah, 71, is a clinical psychologist who retired among Ruidoso’s piney woods. Now, led by Farah, the Creative Aging Advisory Committee to Lincoln County meets monthly to help secure transportation and employment skills for the 20 percent of the county’s population aged 60 or older. “Creative aging” emerged while Farah was teaching a class in adult development and aging at Eastern New Mexico University. Soon it became apparent that many elders in the class sought a comfortable environment where topics as varied as incontinence, the dying process and increased spirituality could be discussed. “With increased spirituality,” Farah said, “comes a great sense of purpose that often leads to empowerment and civic engagement.” Eventually, the class decided as a unit to help other seniors secure essential services. Maneuvering Elderdom will explore issues of aging in the months to come. Resources: A course in the Sociology of Aging taught by Dr. Liza Kuecker at WNMU begins Tuesday, Jan. 12. Call 575-538-6011. Creative Aging meets monthly in Ruidoso. Contact: Dr. Clara Farah, 575-973-7835; email clrfarah@gmail.com. Also ENMURuidoso/Community Ed. 575-257- 3012.
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Working with the horse to make a circle
O
ne of the most challenging concepts for any rider, both in terms of understanding and execution, is the movement of horse and rider when traveling on a circle. It is often said a horse is not really “designed” to be ridden, and his natural ways of moving that work well for him on his own do not translate to what has to happen with the weight of a rider. Trainers in all disciplines will tell you learning to ride a correct circle is probably the best example of true harmony between horse and rider, which is why it is so hard for both partners – but why it should be a goal for every rider. Over my years of developing horses and teaching riders, I’ve noticed virtually every horse-human partnership has had some problems with bends, and most riders were either unaware of it or did not care, or simply went to a mechanical “fix” to force things. I’ve become more interested in this issue as I’ve seen more and more one-sided or crooked horses, or horses that travel in a bend all the time with odd stiffness, back pain or even lameness. I’ve found very few discussions on the subject outside the best books on dressage, and even those didn’t always give good descriptions of what was going on with the horse’s body and what the rider had to do to help. As with all things horse-related, improvement requires teaching the horse, but more importantly, the rider, and I believe no rider will improve if they don’t understand the “why” of things. When a horse moves on a circle, his natural way of moving is to position his head, neck and hindquarters away from the circle, with his ribcage and shoulder moved in towards the circle, essentially creating a counter-bend to the direction of the turn. The horse leans his body into a turn, but for balance he makes sure he counters this with the position of his head and hindquarters, very similar to the way a motorcycle rider counterbalances the lean of the bike with the position of his body. This doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with your horse or he needs a visit from the chiropractor. This is just the way he uses his body to stay balanced and to allow his hind legs to do what they need to do when moving on a curve.
Adding a rider to the mix is when things become more complicated. In order to carry the weight of the rider, maintain balance and allow the hind legs to move correctly, the horse should have his body bent in the shape of the turn, that is the front end and hindquarters bent towards the turn with the ribcage rotated to the outside. This is completely different from the way the horse tracks on its own, but this shape is essential for the hind leg movements and for the horse to stay in balanced support for the rider. If the horse doesn’t work in this shape, some subtle things happen to both of you. A horse bent away from a circle in his natural movement will push your weight to your outside seat bone through the rotation in and forward of his ribcage. This make the rider less stable in the saddle and makes things pretty uncomfortable and out of balance for both of you. For the horse, the real problem with working in his natural shape rather than the correct bend happens in his hind legs. Think of what happens when people race on a track. If the race is one lap, they stagger the starting positions because the runner in the inside lane has a shorter distance to run than the runner on the outside. In a turn, the horse’s hind legs work in a similar manner. The outside hind leg has to drive the horse and cover a greater distance than the inside leg. The inside leg drives less and carries more, meaning it compresses and suspends more than he outside leg. He has to be taught and conditioned to do this. If the horse’s natural movement in a turn forces your weight to your outside seat bone, it means you are now essentially sitting on and blocking the leg that has to do the most work and move the farthest. This sets up an uncomfortable conflict for the horse that can eventually manifest itself in the mechanics of his movement in general — shorter strides, less supple muscles and smaller range of motion, all situations that can lead to soreness or injury. Even the horse’s ability to pick up the correct canter lead under saddle is based on his ability to bend, and collection on a turn is impossible without this correct bend because collection comes from the hindquarters and their alignment for the transmission of energy. Ridden properly, on a circle the rider should be weighted on the inside seat bone, with the
inside of the body and the inside leg long to provide a “pole” for the horse to bend around, with the outside leg supporting and influencing the hindquarters to stay in to the curve, with the hands keeping the horse correct in the forequarters. Simply bending the head and neck towards the circle with the reins – the usual technique for most riders – does not put the rest of the horse’s body in the correct position for the horse, it requires softening, flexing and yielding throughout his entire length, with a rider that has the awareness and physical skills to support the horse. How does one improve this for horse and rider? Any good trainer will tell you it starts on the ground with ground work and work in hand that teaches the horse to softly yield to pressure and be flexible and supple throughout his body, all without the weight of the rider. When adding the rider, the initial saddle work should be done on a longe line so the rider is focused only on his seat and the feel of the horse when lengthening a leg or changing the weighting of seat bones. Even when adding the rider’s hands through the reins, I like to keep the horse on the longe line so the rider can master the feel of all the parts working together. Why should any of this matter to the average recreational rider? My answer is simple. The horse works pretty much like we do. He’ll assume a way of movement that compensates for any pain or discomfort, repetitive use or an unbalanced rider, no matter how inefficient that is. If he does that long enough his body will settle into that level of conditioning, meaning his overall athletic ability will be limited by loss of strength or flexibility somewhere in his body. Any movements that require strength, range of motion or flexibility that has been lost can lead to pain or injury and can shorten his useful life. Just as it would for you doing something you hadn’t done in years. On his own, he does just fine. But to carry us, he needs us to understand and help. Scott Thomson lives in Silver City and teaches natural horsemanship and foundation training. You can contact him at hsthomson@msn.com of 575-388-1830.
DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ 33
GRANT COUNTY WEEKLY EVENTS SUNDAYS Archaeology Society â&#x20AC;&#x201D; First Sunday of every month, field trip. 536-3092, whudson43@yahoo.com.
MONDAYS AARP Chapter No. 1496 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Third Monday. 12:30 p.m. Senior Center, 205 W. Victoria. AARP Widowed and Single Persons of Grant County â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Second Monday. 10:30 a.m. Glad Tidings Church. Contact Sally, 537-3643. Al-Anon family group, New Hope â&#x20AC;&#x201D;12:05 p.m. First Presbyterian Church, 1915 Swan, Silver City. Contact: Jerry, 575-534-4866; Matt, 575-313-0330; Diana 575574-2311. Open meeting. Art Class â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 9-10:45 a.m. Silver City Senior Citizen Center. Beginners to advanced. Contact Jean 5192977. Gentle Yoga â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 5:30-6:56 p.m. Lotus Center at 211 W. Broadway, Becky Glenn, 404-234-5331. Mom & Baby Yoga â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 5:30-6:30 p.m. La Clinica Health & Birth Center, 3201 Ridge Loop. 388-4251. Free to patients, $5 for non-patients. Republican Party of Grant County â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Second Monday at 6 p.m. at 3 Rio de Arenas Road (the old Wrangler restaurant). Silver City Squares â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Dancing 7-9 p.m. Presbyterian Church, 1915 N. Swan St. Kay, 3884227, or Linda, 534-4523. Widowed and Single Persons of Grant County â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Second Monday10:30 a.m. at Glad Tidings Church, 11600, Highway 180 E. Info: 537-3643.
TUESDAYS Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s/Dementia Support â&#x20AC;&#x201D; First Tuesday 1:30 p.m. Senior Center. Margaret, 388-4539. Bayard Historic Mine Tour â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Second Tuesday. Meet at Bayard City Hall, 800 Central Ave., by 9:30 a.m. $5 fee covers two-hour bus tour of historic mines plus literature and map; call 537-3327 for reservation. Compassionate Friends â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Fourth Tuesday. 7 p.m. Support for those whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve lost a child. Episcopal Church, Parish Hall, Seventh and Texas St. Mitch Barsh, 534-1134. Figure/Model Drawing â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 4-6 p.m. Contact Sam, 388-5583. Gilawritersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;2-4 p.m. Silver City Public Library. Trish Heck, trish.heck@gmail.com, 534-0207. Multiple Sclerosis Support Group â&#x20AC;&#x201D; First Tuesday. 11:30 a.m. at local restaurant; email for this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s location: huseworld@yahoo.com. PFLAG Silver City â&#x20AC;&#x201D; First Tuesday. 5:30-7 p.m. at the Yankie Creek Coffee House. Confidential support for LGBTQ persons, their families and friends. 575590-8797. Slow Flow Yoga â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Lotus Center at 211 W. Broadway, Becky Glenn, 404-2345331. Southwest New Mexico Quilters Guild â&#x20AC;&#x201C; First Tuesday. 9:30 a.m. at the Grant County Extension Office, 2610 N. Silver Street, North Entrance. Newcomers and visitors are welcome. 575-388-8161. Tai Chi for Better Balance â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 10:45 a.m., Senior Center. Call Lydia Moncada to register, 575-5340059.
WEDNESDAYS Al-Anon family group â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 6 p.m. at Arenas Valley Church of Christ, 5 Race Track Road, Arenas Valley (the old radio station). Contact: Tom, 575-956-8731; Karen 575-313-7094; Dot, 575-654-1643. Open meeting. Archaeology Society â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Third Wednesday of every month. October-November, January-April 7 p.m. Silver City Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club. Summers 6 p.m. location TBA. 536-3092, whudson43@yahoo.com. Back Country Horsemen â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Second Wednesday 6 p.m. Gila Regional Medical Center Conference Room. Subject to change. 574-2888. Bayard Al-Anon â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 6 p.m. Bayard Housing Authority, 100 Runnels Drive 313-7094. A Course in Miracles â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 7:15 p.m., 600 N. Hudson. Information, 534-9172 or 534-1869. Curbside Consulting â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Free for nonprofits. 9 a.m.-noon. Wellness Coalition, 409 N. Bullard, Lisa Jimenez, 534-0665, ext. 232, lisa@wellnesscoalition. org. Gin Rummy â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 1 p.m. Yankie Creek Coffee House. Grant County Democratic Party â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Second
Wednesday potluck at 5:30 p.m., meeting at 6:30 p.m. Sen. Howie Moralesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; building, 3060 E. Hwy. 180. Ladies Golf Association â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 8 a.m. tee time. Silver City Golf Course. Lego Club â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Ages 4-9. 4 p.m. Silver City Public Library, 515 W. College Ave., 538-3672. Prenatal Yoga â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 5:30-6:30 p.m. at La Clinica Health & Birth Center, 3201 Ridge Loop. 388-4251. Free to patients, $5 for non-patients. Prostate Cancer Support Group â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Third Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Gila Regional Medical Center Conference Room. 388-1198 ext. 10. Storytime â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all ages. 10:30 a.m. Silver City Public Library, 515 W. College Ave., 538-3672. Traumatic Brain Injury Support Group â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 3:30-5 p.m. All-purpose room, Billy Casper Wellness Center, Hudson St. &â&#x20AC;&#x2C6;Hwy. 180. James, 537-2429, or Danita, 534-9057.
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THURSDAYS ARTS Anonymous â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 5:30 p.m. Artists Recovering through the 12 Steps. Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 3845 N. Swan St. 534-1329. De-stressing Meditations â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 12-12:45 p.m. New Church of the SW Desert, 1302 Bennett St. 313-4087. Grant County Rolling Stones Gem and Mineral Society â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Second Thursday, 6 p.m. Senior Center, 204 W. Victoria St. Kyle, 538-5706. Group Meditation â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 5:30-6:15 p.m. with Jeff Goin at the Lotus Center. 388-4647. Historic Mining District & Tourism Meeting â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Second Thursday, 10 a.m. Bayard Community Center, 290 Hurley Ave., Bayard. 537-3327. Tai Chi for Better Balance â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 10:45 a.m., Senior Center. Call Lydia Moncada to register, 575-5340059. TOPS â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 5 p.m. First Presbyterian Church, 1915 Swan, 538-9447. Vinyasa Flow Yoga â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 11:30 a.m. Lotus Center at 211 W. Broadway, Becky Glenn, 404-234-5331. Yoga class â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Free class taught by Colleen Stinar. 1-2 p.m. Episcopal Church fellowship hall, Seventh and Texas.
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FRIDAYS Overeaters Anonymous â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 4 p.m. at the Silver City Public Library. 575-654-2067. Silver City Womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Second Friday, 10:30 a.m., lunch 12 p.m. 411 Silver Heights Blvd. 5383452. TaizĂŠ â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Second Friday. Service of prayer, songs, scripture readings and quiet contemplation. 6:30 p.m. Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 538-2015. Woodcarving Club â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Second and Fourth Fridays except holidays. 1 p.m. Senior Center. 313-1518. Youth Space â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 5:30-10 p.m. Loud music, video games, chill out. Satellite/Wellness Coalition.
SATURDAYS Alcoholics Anonymous Beginners â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 6 p.m. Lions Club, Eighth & Bullard (entrance at Big Ditch behind Dominoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s). Newcomers and seasoned members welcome. Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s/Dementia Support â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 10 a.m.-noon. Gila Regional Medical Center Conference Room. Margaret, 388-4539. Blooming Lotus Meditation â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 12:45 p.m. Lotus Center at 211 W. Broadway, 313-7417, geofarm@ pobox.com. Double Feature Blockbuster Mega Hit Movie Night â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 5:30-11 pm. Satellite/Wellness Coalition. Evening Prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Tradition â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 5 p.m. Theotokos Retreat Center, 5202 Hwy. 152, Santa Clara. 537-4839, theotokos@zianet.com. Kids Bike Ride â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 10 a.m., Bikeworks, 815 E. 10th St. Dave Baker, 388-1444. Narcotics Anonymous â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 6 p.m. New 180 Club, 1661 Hwy. 180 E. Spinning Group â&#x20AC;&#x201D; First Saturday 1-3 p.m. Yada Yada Yarn, 614 N. Bullard, 388-3350. Storytime â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all ages. 10:30 a.m. Silver City Public Library, 515 W. College Ave., 538-3672. Vinyasa Flow Yoga â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 10 a.m. All levels. Lotus Center at 211 W. Broadway, Becky Glenn, 404-2345331. All phone numbers are area code 575 except as noted. Send updates to events@desertexposure.com.
creating healthy smiles Jonathan Beck, DDS
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2109 Pinos Altos Road, Silver City, NM 88061 beckfamilydental@gmail.com
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Private soaking included with 24 hour access to the natural flow artesian hot springs found in Truth or Consequences only at La Paloma Hot Springs & Spa and La Paloma Too. Please bring a suit to soak in $175 Sunday thru Thurs the LongHouse or if you prefer a $189 Friday and Saturday private LongHouse soak that may be arranged for an additional fee. for up to 4 adults La Paloma Hot Springs & Spa 311 Marr Street Truth or Consequences, NM 87901
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34 • JANUARY 2016
www.desertexposure.com
CYCLES OF LIFE • FR. GABRIEL ROCHELLE
Silver City First Degree Reiki Class Thursday March 17 6PM - 9PM Friday March 18 6PM -9PM Saturday March 19 9AM - 5PM For more information and registration call
VICKI ALLEN 575-590-2181 VIRGINIA NANEZ 575-590-0726
Matthew Sommerville Yoga Therapist
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A Vow to Ride Seven and a Half Miles Works Commuter biking worth the time
A
number of columns back, I mentioned I was now at a point where I was cycling for all activities – work or play or shopping – up to seven and a half miles. This covers most of the errands I have to run in the Mesilla Valley. There are some outside this range, up to 10 or 12 miles, but I’ve added them into the mix as well. What this has meant is I have added over 1,500 miles on each of my two commuter bikes since the beginning of 2015. This is not about bragging; it’s about riding. Making that vow enabled me to think in advance about commitments made, appointments to be kept, the arrangement of routes and timing in general. When you decide the bicycle is going to be your main means of transportation and not solely a recreational vehicle, you have to reckon on the additional amounts of time needed to carry out your agenda. It takes logistical planning to do this, but it is time well spent because you learn about your personal needs with precision. One problem of driving a car is you always think you are going to be able to get to a place in a certain amount of time, but that’s deceptive and a lot of drivers wind up speeding on city streets because they miscalculated. With a bike, you avoid this problem because you have to calculate well in advance. Often I find myself early for appointments when I’m on the bike. Please understand me: I am not suggesting that bicycle commuting will work for everyone. Lots of people live far enough from their place of work to make such a proposal impossible. Then there are tradespeople and craftsmen – plumbers, electricians and so forth – for whom this would also not be possible because of the need to carry equipment. But for a certain percentage of people – many who work nearby in offices, shops or crafts, those who teach at the university
or the community college or public schools – cycling would make a healthy and useful alternative to the car, even in this period of cheap gas. The Mesilla Valley is a particularly good area for this option for a number of reasons. First, the valley floor is fairly flat and thus easy to negotiate on a bicycle. We need more access routes for bicycles, but they are gradually coming as the city and county officials pay more attention to the concept of bicycle commuting. Second, the climate is so good here you can ride almost 365 days a year. This is a tremendous advantage people may not realize. When you look at cities like Philadelphia, New York and Chicago where there is a lot of commuter cycling, then check the amount of inclement weather for those places, you can see the great advantage of our area by comparison. Third, the number of people who travel by bicycle continues to increase in the valley, as does the consciousness of the community. Sure, there are those who flip you the finger or screech at you to get off the road, but their number is not legion and it diminishes daily as understanding between cyclist and motorist grows. Most people in our area are courteous and willing to share the road. Almost all cyclists use cars or trucks in addition to bikes. Here’s an additional benefit: you think as a cyclist as you drive, and it slows you down and makes you more aware of traffic patterns. Consider the alternative of commuter cycling if you are able to do so. Above all, ride safe out there. Fr. Gabriel Rochelle is pastor of St Anthony of the Desert Orthodox Mission, Las Cruces, an avid cyclist and secretary for the advocacy committee Velo Cruces. Check the Facebook page for Velo Cruces.
ALONG THE WAY • TERRY BRUNNER
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Kristy Ortiz Making a Difference in Bayard
airly or unfairly, government employees often get a bad rap. Complaints about the bureaucracy were likely as common in ancient Rome as they are today. No matter what you believe, most government employees truly care about and are invested in the well-being of their community. One such employee is Kristy Ortiz, the city clerk in Bayard. At first glance you wouldn’t think this unassuming, modest person has the ability to move mountains. However, she has scaled the rugged mountain of issues that besiege this rural mining community as it struggles to build on its economic present to define its economic future. Nestled at the southern edge of the Gila Mountains, Bayard once was a flourishing mining town that supported the area copper mines. The story of that bygone era is punctuated by the old mining cars, machinery and a mural of hardworking miners that can be found around town. Communities surrounding mining areas often have it pretty tough. Mining was back-breaking work. Wages were low and
Kristy Ortiz there wasn’t too much long-term community investment in mining towns. To be sustainable in the 21st century, such communities are often trying to catch up on infrastructure upgrades, housing and community buildings. Many old mining communities don’t survive, but Bayard has managed to stay alive and, some would say, thrive. During the last 20 years, the town has been managed by a series of visionary
mayors and city councillors. Politicians alone don’t get the work done and they come and go. In Bayard the one constant presence during in the past 13 years has been Ortiz, who acts on all the ideas coming from community leaders. In the last six years I’ve known her, Ortiz has teamed up with the United States Department of Agriculture to finance a new library, community center repairs, new police cars and water system improvements. During her tenure, Ortiz pushed through dozens of other projects for her community from various government agencies. She doesn’t command a large staff, so often Ortiz writes the applications and oversees the projects herself. She’s not intimidated at all by federal or state government paperwork or processes. She says she “likes the challenge.” I found Ortiz’s library project to be especially inspiring. With federal stimulus funds, Bayard expanded its old library to include a media room, a children’s room and a public meeting room.
DIFFERENCE
continued on page 35
DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 35
ORGANIC BYTES • STEVE CHIANG
Problems Climbing to the Cloud Internet service may not support growing data needs
T
he cloud phenomenon and high-speed (your mileage may vary) Internet. For those that are equity market observers, you may have noticed the stock price of good old Mr. Softie, also known as Microsoft or Evil Empire, is now flirting with breaking into an all-time high. The last time Mr. Softie’s stock price traded in this range, was, and I think most people have guessed this, during year 2000, at the height of the DOT Com 1.0 bubble. This remarkable performance was due in no small part to Microsoft’s perceived performance in the “Cloud” arena (even though that is still a very small part of their business). Just like ecommerce in DOT Com 1.0, the hype surrounding the “Cloud” business is absolutely deafening. For those that are not familiar with the phenomenon or terminology, the hype is “Cloud” is that mythical place you can store your “stuff,” be it photographs, videos or documents. You can deposit, retrieve as well as share your “stuff” from your smart phone, smart pad, laptop and whatever at whenever and wherever. Provided, here is the catch, you have Internet access. As in a lot of these pie-in-the-sky schemes, the promise is “grand,” but unless you are blessed with having what the FCC defined as high speed Internet (25Mbps download, 3 Mbps upload, for a starter), the reality can be daunting. In these days of high-resolution photographs and videos, a very modest collection of family memory can easily run you 15-20 gigabytes in size. A quick back of the envelope estimate of 15-20 gigabytes works out to be around 150,000-200,000 megabits, considerably higher if one adds transmission protocol overhead. At a typical “high speed” DSL Internet upload speed of 1 Megabit per second here, you do the math on how long it will take to send your modest collection up the “Cloud” (hint: it measures in days not hours). And the “good news” does not stop there. In my experience running a company which provides IT
services to small businesses, we are seeing more and more requirements of counter parties requiring documents be uploaded, be in certain electronic format and the old “just fax it” is no longer an option. If you happened to have one of those “not so high-speed” Internet connections, this can be totally aggravating. Not naming names, but I know for a fact that one of the major Internet service providers in the town of Silver City has really subpar upload speed, if you ever wonder why your uploading is slower than molasses, chances are good that you are served by this unnamed provider. I remember when we first moved here 10 years ago, driving into Silver City on Hwy 180. There was a big window sign proclaiming “DSL is coming.” The little company that posted the sign had since long gone and the coming of DSL took a few years. When we first got DSL in Mimbres not that many years ago, we had one desktop computer hooked up to it. Fast forward to now, we have two desktops, two laptops, two smart phones, two streaming TVs, a VOIP phone and a Kindle, all on the same DSL line. Our experience is probably not that different than a lot of people, except if you have kids, then you will no doubt add one or more Playstation, Xbox or some kind of gaming device to the list. And it isn’t just that there are 10 times more devices connected to one’s DSL line, the bandwidth demand is more than 10 times greater, there wasn’t any movie streaming then, let alone HD or 4K video. A Windows upgrade then was in megabytes and not gigabytes. Yet, my Internet speed is still the same as when DSL first came to this area, even if I want to get higher speed by paying more, that option does not exist. Here is the dilemma, on the one hand, we are being pushed into a cloud based economy, business has to be conducted electronically and in portals. Entertainment is being streamed, for those that have not been watching; Dish Network has lost close to 400,000 satellite
TV subscribers this year, more than twice as many as the previous year and the trend for that business looks dismal. Their streaming business, Sling (not to be confused with their Sling Box business), on the other hand, is doing quite well. This phenomenon is not limited to Dish Network. The world around us is demanding more and more communications bandwidth and yet speed and bandwidth do not come free nor should they. Unlike the old paradigm, when there was never any doubt that air wave belongs to the public. The dominant broadcasting companies such as ABC, NBC and CBS were simply granted the privilege of using airwaves that do not belong to them. In return, the FCC is supposed to be the public’s gate keeper to make sure airwave use serves public interest. In the current paradigm, spectrums are bought and paid for with billions of dollars from companies such as AT&T and Verizon. Big Internet backbones are built with private investment. The public no longer owns any of these all important infrastructures. What is the end game? Should communication infrastructures be regulated as power and the old telephone utilities? My guess is while all these are being sorted out, if you want to be “in the game” and enjoy the conveniences that modern digital communications have to offer, it is going to cost you. The old digital divide between urban and rural areas will only grow wider.
goes wrong. You see Ortiz’ influence reach far beyond her projects. The city staff are a group of refreshingly positive people and there are often smiles on their faces and a decent amount of laughing around city hall. You can tell that, for them, this is more than a job. The other day, when I was passing through Bayard, I noticed that even their police lieutenant had his hand on a speeder’s shoulder and an understanding smile on his face as he kindly explained why the driver had been pulled over. That’s something you don’t see every day.
Ortiz understands there are challenges in a small town like Bayard: Substance abuse, lack of economic opportunity, people leaving town and never coming back, not enough things for kids to do, are just a few. But rather than dwell on these issues, Ortiz just keeps moving. She’s already thinking about the next project and the next challenge to overcome for her town. This is one government employee that’s moving mountains and it’s wonderful to watch.
copper wires now go into what’s called a DSL Access Multiplexer, or DSLAM in short. Part of the magic of DSL is there is a hard-distance limit between the DSL modem in your home and the DSLAM. That distance being 18,000 feet or about 3.4 miles. If you call your phone company/provider, give them your address and they come back and say, sorry, we do not have DSL service in your area. That usually means you are more than 3.4 miles from the closest DSLAM. On top of that, it turns out performance of DSL is distance-sensitive. In other words, the further the DSL modem is from DSLAM, the worse the performance. DSL providers advertise the “optimal” speed with fine print disclaimer such as “your speed may vary.” If you are three miles from your DSLAM, you WILL NOT get anywhere near the optimal speed, simple technology limitation, there is nothing “vary” about it.
The mystery of DSL speed Unlike cable, DSL works over your existing telephone copper wire, but the similarity between DSL and POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service, in industry jargon) stops right there. On the one end, in your home, the copper wires either go into your DSL modem or into your phone. For the phone, you now have to put what’s call a micro filter between the phone and the wall phone jack for your phone to work properly. On the phone company side, the
DIFFERENCE
continued from page 34 The library provides so much for a small town where there isn’t much to do. It’s a community meeting space, an Internet access point and a place for kids to go when maybe going home isn’t always the best option. Ortiz’s determination to get things “working right” as she puts it isn’t the only thing that makes her successful. She’s infectiously positive, and as one of her co-workers puts it, “She’ll do anything for you.” Other than Eddie Sedillos, the maintenance director who fixes the water leaks and keeps up the parks in town, Ortiz is the go-to person when anything
Terry Brunner is the USDA Rural Development Director for New Mexico.
Pastoral Counseling Available.
For those that are curious, you can log into your DSL modem, pull the numbers for Line Attenuation and Signal to Noise (this can be expressed as a ratio, SNR, or a margin), then Google DSL distance calculator. Plug your numbers into the calculator, you will get a pretty good ballpark figure on what kind of speed you can expect from your DSL line. Meanwhile, last but certainly not least, Happy New Years to all, until next time. Steve Chiang and wife, Martha, both high technology veterans, live in Mimbres. They are owners of techserviceondemand, mimbresdesign.com and the free community forum http:// mimbres.freeforums.net. They can be contacted at steve@ techserviceondemand.com.
36 • JANUARY 2016
www.desertexposure.com
GETTING NUTTY • SUSIE OUDERKIRK
What’s your o-piñon about New Mexico’s dandy little snack?
I
t’s about the size of a breath mint. It’s creamy white and soft to chew. The taste has been described as “slightly metallic,” “somewhere between nutty and seedy,” “mildly antiseptic,” “woodsy” and “a little oily.” Whatever your opinion (oh-piñon?), these New Mexican favorites are crowd pleasers. According to www.pinenut. com, “pine nuts are a gourmet, non-timber forest product with a $100 million U.S. market. Native to 58,000,000 acres of land in the United States, pine nuts are known throughout the world as a nutritious healthy snack (raw or roasted) and are an essential ingredient in many gourmet food dishes.” Pine nuts are not really nuts at all, but rather the seeds of the pine tree Pinus pinea, which belongs to the Pinaceae family. This seed is so ancient that its provenance is de-
bated by historians. According to professors Patricia Casas-Agustencha, Albert Salas-Huetosa and Jordi Salas-Salvadó, some authors maintain that the species is native to the entire Mediterranean basin, whereas others limit its natural range exclusively to the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor. Remains of pine nuts from the Mesolithic period have been found in various caves, such as those in Nerja (Ma´laga) and lattes in southern France, which show the presence of the pine tree and the use of pine nuts, as well as other nuts, in the diet of humans. An article in the journal “Public Health Nutrition” from December 2011, mentions the Hebrew prophet Hosea (ca. 734–732 b.c.e.), who lived in the Northern Kingdom (ancient Israel), referred to pine nuts in the Old Testament (14:8). The ancient Greeks and Romans ap-
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preciated the taste of pine nuts. Archaeologists have found pine nuts among household foodstuffs in the ruins of Pompeii (79 c.e.). The Roman legions carried pine nuts among their provisions, and pinenut shells have been uncovered in refuse dumps of Roman encampments in Britain from the middle of the first century. The current world leader in pine nut production is Spain but New Mexicans like to lay claim to this quirky little nut, which goes by a much more alluring name in the land of Enchantment: piñon. That sexy little tilde gives the unremarkable white nut some Southwestern cache. It’s also an exciting little protein hot shot, packed with all 20 amino acid and very high in concentration in eight of the nine amino acids necessary for growth. Pine nuts were used for medical purposes in the Egyptian culture. In the book “The Physicians of Pharaonic Egypt,” pine nuts are mentioned as one of the products that the ancient Egyptians used to cure illnesses by counteracting cough and chest pain. In his book “De Materia Me´di ca,” an ancient Roman physician, says that pine nuts are astringent, have some energetic value and relieve cough and chest infections, either on their own or after being
p
315 N Texas St @ Market St 1 Block West of Bullard St In the Historic Elks Lodge Reservations:575-388-5430
mixed with honey. (Yum). Abu Al –Husayn ibn Sina, a doctor, philosopher, mathematician and astronomer born in Persia (980–1037 c.e.), wrote in his most famous work the “Canon of Medicine:” “Pine nuts are useful against rotten fluid in the lungs, bleeding and chronic cough, particularly with boiled fresh grape juice.” He goes on to mention that when boiled in sweet wine, piñon has a number of sexual advantages as well as cleansing properties. In America, the pine nut was a life-link food with gatherings and celebrations — the Washo, the Shoshone, Paiutes, Hopi and their ancestors ate piñon nuts as a storable, multi-faceted food. During lean times many Native Americans harvested and sold these nuts as part of their livelihood. Blight and drought severely impacted the availability of Indian piñon making them unavailable in major markets during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Pinenut.com shares an interesting sociological note: While pine nuts are harvested in many regions of the world, their commercial value has been underestimated here in the U.S. As a result, more than 99 percent of pine nuts consumed in the U.S. are imported. Natural stands of pine nut producing piñon pines in the U.S. are not specifically
managed for pine nut production. Millions of acres of land producing pinon pine trees have been cleared by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to create grazing land for cattle and sheep. The past 10 years have been bleak for piñon farmers. According to the New Mexico Piñon Nut Company website, “Piñon nuts take time to form and many things can happen in the time between cone formation and harvest. The cones themselves take two years to mature. There is a saying in New Mexico: ‘once every seven years a good crop comes along.’ The ol’ timers were not kidding.” After an extended drought about eight years ago, there was a 20 percent die off of piñon trees in some areas, resulting in very small crops in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012. There were no crops harvested at all in 2010 and 2013. The past two years have shown a brave rally, but only time will tell. I’m calling you out, New Mexicans! Let’s take a few moments to celebrate piñon nuts, and take a pledge to support the native growers right here in our state. Check out New Mexico Piñon Nut Company at pinonnut@gmail.com and New Mexico Piñon Nuts at 505228-1537.
PARTNERSHIPS
Western, Detention Center Join for Programs
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Every Tuesday
$3.99 From left to right are Khari Bailey, WNMU student; Brandon Chelette, WNMU student; Mike Carillo, Grant County Detention Center Administrator; Dylan Contreras, WNMU students; Sage Mays, WNMU student. (Courtesy Photo)
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All College Students 10% Off after 9PM. Reserve your Special Events Room for up to 35 people IHOP 3330 1413 S. White Sands Alamogordo, NM 88310 575-443-1260
IHOP 3470 IHOP 3454 1580 Main St NW 813 E. Pine St. Los Lunas, NM 87031 Deming, NM 88030 505-866-9280 575-544-9903
estern New Mexico University has partnered with the Grant County Detention Center, initiating several programs beginning with a Christmas gift project for the children of those incarcerated. WNMU’s Office of Communications and Mustang Entertainment, a university student pro-
gramming group, reached out to Mike Carillo, Grant County Detention Center Administrator, to develop programming for students to participate in the community. “There are segments of our community population that often get forgotten, and those include the families of those in jail,” said Khari Bailey, WNMU
student and chair of Mustang Entertainment. “So we thought a good first step was to bring some cheer to the kids of the incarcerated.” WNMU purchased and wrapped more than 70 gifts with the help of Carillo who provid-
PROGRAMS
continued on page 38
DESERT EXPOSURE
R
ed or Green? is Desert Exposure’s guide to dining in southwest New Mexico. The listings here—a sampling of our complete and recently completely updated guide online at www.desertexposure.com—include some of our favorites and restaurants we’ve recently reviewed. We emphasize non-national-chain restaurants with sit-down, table service . With each listing, we include a brief categorization of the type of cuisine plus what meals are served: B=Breakfast; L=Lunch; D=Dinner. Unless otherwise noted, restaurants are open seven days a week. Call for exact hours, which change frequently. All phone numbers are area code 575 except as specified. We also note with a star (*) restaurants where you can pick up copies of Desert Exposure. If we’ve recently reviewed a restaurant, you’ll find a brief capsule of our re-
GRANT COUNTY Silver City
ADOBE SPRINGS CAFÉ, 1617 Silver Heights Blvd., 5383665. Breakfast items, burgers, sandwiches: Sunday B L, all week B L D.* CAFÉ OSO AZUL AT BEAR MOUNTAIN LODGE, 60 Bear Mountain Ranch Road, 538-2538. B L, special D by reservation only.* CHINESE PALACE, 1010 Highway 180E, 538-9300. “All the food is cooked to order. This means that not only does every dish arrive at the table freshly cooked and steaming, but also that you can tailor any dish to suit your taste.” (October 2012) Chinese: Monday to Friday L D. COURTYARD CAFÉ, Gila Regional Medical Center, 5384094. American: B L, with special brunch Sundays.* CURIOUS KUMQUAT, 111 E. College Ave., 534-0337. Contemporary: Monday L, Tuesday to Saturday L D.* DIANE’S RESTAURANT, 510 N. Bullard St., 538-8722. “Always evolving, always interesting, Diane’s has it all.” (Sept. 2013) Fine dining (D), steaks, seafood, pasta, sandwiches (L), salads: Tuesday to Saturday L D, Sunday D only (family-style), weekend brunch. DIANE’S BAKERY & DELI, The Hub, Suite A, Bullard St., 534-9229. “Always evolving, always interesting, Diane’s has it all.” (Sept. 2013) Artisan breads, pastries, sandwiches, deli: Monday to Saturday B L early D, Sunday L.* DON JUAN’S BURRITOS, 418 Silver Heights Blvd., 538-5440. Mexican: B L. DRIFTER PANCAKE HOUSE, 711 Silver Heights Blvd., 538-2916. Breakfast, American: B L, breakfast served throughout. EL GALLO PINTO, 901 N. Hudson St., 597-4559. “Breakfast dishes are served all day, along with all the other traditional Mexican favorites like burritos (with a long list of filling options)… plus a vertical grill cooks sizzling chicken and carne al pastor.” (October 2013) Mexican: Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday B L Thursday to Saturday B L D. FORREST’S PIZZA, 601 N. Bullard St. Unit J. 388-1225. Tuesday to Friday L D, Slices only at lunch time. FRY HOUSE, 601 N. Bullard St. Suite C. 388-1964. GIL-A BEANS, 1304 N. Bennett St. Coffeeshop.* GOLDEN STAR, 1602 Silver Heights Blvd., 388-2323. Chinese: L D. GRANDMA’S CAFÉ, 900 Silver
JANUARY 2016 • 37
Red or Green Southwest New Mexico’s best restaurant guide. view and a notation of which issue it originally appeared in. Stories from all back issues of Desert Exposure from January 2005 on are available on our website. Though every effort has been made to
make these listings complete and up-todate, errors and omissions are inevitable and restaurants may make changes after this issue goes to press. That’s why we urge you to help us make Red or Green?
even better. Drop a note to Red or Green? c/o Desert Exposure, 840 N. Telshor Blvd., Ste. E, Las Cruces NM 88001, or email editor@desertexposure.com. Remember, these print listings repre-
sent only highlights. You can always find the complete, updated Red or Green? guide online at www.desertexposure. com. Bon appétit!
Heights Blvd., 388-2627. American, Mexican: B L.* TOPAS TREE, 601 N. Bullard St. in The Hub, Wednesday to Sunday L, Fridays L D. GRINDER MILL, 403 W. College Ave., 538-3366. Mexican: B L D.* HEALTHY EATS, 303 E. 13th St., 534-9404. Sandwiches, burritos, salads, smoothies: L. JALISCO CAFÉ, 100 S. Bullard St., 388-2060. “Four generations of the Mesa family who have been involved in a restaurant that remains family-friendly.” (June 2014) Mexican: Monday to Saturday L D. JAVALINA COFFEE HOUSE, 117 Market St., 388-1350. Coffeehouse.* JUMPING CACTUS, 503 N. Bullard St. Coffeeshop, baked goods, sandwiches, wraps: B L.* KOUNTRY KITCHEN, 1700 Mountain View Road, 388-4512. “Since 1978, Kountry Kitchen has been serving up Mexican food that is considered to be some of the best that can be found in the area. All the dishes are tasty, unpretentious, attractively presented and reasonably priced.” (February 2013) Mexican: Tuesday to Saturday B L D.* LA COCINA RESTAURANT, 201 W. College Ave., 388-8687. Mexican: L D. LA FAMILIA, 503 N. Hudson St., 388-4600. Mexican: Tuesday to Sunday B L D.* LA MEXICANA, Hwy. 180E and Memory Lane, 534-0142. “Carrying on the legacy of unpretentious but tasty and authentic Mexican food established many years ago at the family’s restaurant in Chihuahua.” (April 2013) Mexican and American: B L. LION’S DEN, 208 W. Yankie, 654-0353. Coffee shop. LITTLE TOAD CREEK BREWERY & DISTILLERY, 200 N. Bullard St., 956-6144. “The menu offers what they call ‘pub food’— but always with a bit of a twist.” (March 2014) Burgers, wings, salads, fish, pasta, craft beers and cocktails: Wednesday to Monday L D. * MEXICO VIEJO, Hwy. 90 and Broadway. “A remarkably extensive menu for a small roadside food vending stand, and the dishes are not what one normally finds in other Mexican restaurants.” (July 2013) Mexican food stand: Monday to Saturday B L early D. MI CASITA, 2340 Bosworth Dr., 538-5533. New Mexican cuisine: Monday to Thursday L, Friday L D. MILLIE’S BAKE HOUSE, 602 N. Bullard St., 597-2253. “The food is oven-fresh and innovative.”
(November 2012) Soup, salads, sandwiches, baked goods: Tuesday to Saturday. * NANCY’S SILVER CAFÉ, 514 N. Bullard St., 388-3480. Mexican: Monday to Saturday B L D. THE PARLOR AT DIANE’S, 510 N. Bullard St., 538-8722. “Always evolving, always interesting, Diane’s has it all.” (Sept. 2013) Burgers, sandwiches, homemade pizzas, paninis: Tuesday to Sunday L D. PRETTY SWEET EMPORIUM, 312 N. Bullard St., 388-8600. Dessert, ice cream: Monday to Saturday.* Q’S SOUTHERN BISTRO AND BREWERY, 101 E. College Ave., 534-4401. “Q’s Southern Bistro has found its niche and honed its ‘elevated pub’ menu to excellence to serve its fun-loving, casual dining crowd.” (October 2010) American, steaks, barbecue, brewpub: Monday to Saturday L D. SILVER BOWLING CENTER CAFÉ, 2020 Memory Lane, 538-3612. American, Mexican, hamburgers: L D.* SUNRISE ESPRESSO, 1530 N. Hudson, 388-2027. Coffee shop: Monday to Saturday B L, early D. SUNRISE ESPRESSO, 1212 E. 32nd St., 534-9565. Coffee shop, bakery: Monday to Friday B L, early D, Saturday B L only.* TERRY’S ORIGINAL BARBEQUE, Hwy. 180 and Ranch Club Road. Barbeque to go: L D. TRE ROSAT CAFÉ, 304 N. Bullard St., 654-4919. “The menu ranges from humbler (but not humdrum) fare like burgers, pizzas (at lunch and happy hour) and pastas to seasonal specials like duck confit, rabbit blanquette and Elk osso buco.” (August 2012) International eclectic: Monday to Saturday L, D.* VICKI’S EATERY, 315 N. Texas, 388-5430. American: Monday to Friday L, Saturday B L, Sunday B L (to 2 p.m.). * WRANGLER’S BAR & GRILL, 2005 Hwy. 180E, 538-4387. Steak, burgers, appetizers, salads: L D.* YANKIE CREEK COFFEE HOUSE, 112 W. Yankie St. Coffee shop, coffee, home-made pastries and ice cream, fresh fruit smoothies.*
M & A BAYARD CAFÉ, 1101 N. Central Ave., 537-2251. “A downto-earth, friendly, unpretentious place—kind of a cross between a Mexican cantina and a 1950s home-style diner, serving tasty, nofrills Mexican and American food at reasonable prices.” (October 2011) Mexican and American: Monday to Friday B L D. SPANISH CAFÉ, 106 Central Ave., 537-2640. Mexican, tamales and menudo (takeout only): B. SUGAR SHACK, 1102 Tom Foy Blvd., 537-0500. Mexican: Sunday to Friday B L.
early D. 3 QUESTIONS COFFEE HOUSE, Hwy. 35, 536-3267. “Consistently good food based on the success of the family’s Living Harvest Bakery.” (December 2013) Buffet: Tuesday to Saturday B.
Bayard FIDENCIO’S TACO SHOP, 1108 Tom Foy Blvd. Mexican: B L D. LITTLE NISHA’S, 1101 Tom Foy Blvd., 537-3526. Mexican: Wednesday to Sunday B L D. LOS COMPAS, 1203 Tom Foy Blvd, 654-4109. Sonoranstyle Mexican, hot dogs, portas, menudo: L D.
Cliff D’S CAFÉ, 8409 Hwy 180. Breakfast dishes, burritos, burgers, weekend smoked meats and ribs: Thursday to Sunday B L. PARKEY’S, 8414 Hwy. 180W, 535-4000. Coffee shop: Monday to Saturday.
Lake Roberts LITTLE TOAD CREEK INN & TAVERN, 1122 Hwy. 35, 536-9649. “‘Rustic gourmet’… designed to appeal to the eyes as well as the taste buds. And this is true of the items on the brunch menu, as well as those on the very different dinner menu.” (June 2012). Steaks, sandwiches, American: Thursday to Friday D, Saturday and Sunday brunch and D. Tavern with soups, sandwiches, Scotch eggs: Daily L D. SPIRIT CANYON LODGE & CAFÉ, 684 Hwy. 35, 536-9459. “For the German sampler, café customers can choose two meat options from a revolving selection that may include on any given day three or four of the following: bratwurst, roast pork, schnitzel (a thin breaded and fried pork chop), sauerbraten (marinated roast of beef), stuffed cabbage leaves, or roladen (rolled beef with a sausage and onion filling).” (July 2011) German specialties, American lunch and dinner entrées: Saturday D.
Mimbres ELK X-ING CAFÉ, (352) 212-0448. Home-style meals, sandwiches and desserts: B L. MIMBRES VALLEY CAFÉ, 2964 Hwy. 35, 536-2857. Mexican, American, burgers: Monday and Tuesday B L, Wednesday to Sunday B L D, with Japanese tempura Wednesday D. RESTAURANT DEL SOL, 2676 Hwy. 35, San Lorenzo. “Popular and unpretentious food, powered by a huge solar system.” (April 2014) Breakfasts, burgers, sandwiches, Mexican: Daily B L
Pinos Altos BUCKHORN SALOON AND OPERA HOUSE, Main Street, 5389911. Steakhouse, pasta, burgers: Monday to Saturday D.
DOÑA ANA COUNTY Las Cruces & Mesilla
ABRAHAM’S BANK TOWER RESTAURANT, 500 S. Main St. #434, 523-5911. Sometimes they even have RC Cola! American: Monday to Friday B L. A DONG, 504 E. Amador Ave., 527-9248. Vietnamese: L D. ANDELE’S DOG HOUSE, 2184 Avenida de Mesilla, 526-1271. Mexican plus hot dogs, burgers, quesadillas: B L D. ANDELE RESTAURANTE, 1950 Calle del Norte, 526-9631. Mexican: Monday B L, Tuesday to Sunday B L D. ANTONIO’S RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA, 5195 Bataan Memorial West, 373-0222. Pizza, Italian, Mexican: Tuesday to Sunday L D. AQUA REEF, 900-B S. Telshor, 522-7333. Asian, sushi: D. THE BEAN, 2011 Avenida de Mesilla, 523-0560. Coffeehouse. A BITE OF BELGIUM, 741 N. Alameda St., 527-2483. Belgian food: Monday to Friday B L. BOBA CAFÉ, 1900 S. Espina, Ste. 8, 647-5900. Sandwiches, salads, casual fare, espresso: Monday to Saturday L D.* BRAVO’S CAFÉ, 3205 S. Main St., 526-8604. Mexican: Tuesday to Sunday B L. BURGER NOOK, 1204 E. Madrid Ave., 523-9806. Outstanding greenchile cheeseburgers. Note: Good food takes time: Tuesday to Saturday L D. BURRITOS VICTORIA, 1295 El Paseo Road, 541-5534. Burritos: B L D. Now serving beer. Café Agogo, 1120 Commerce Dr., Suite A, 636-4580. Asian, American, sandwich, salad, rice bowl: Monday to Saturday L D. CAFÉ DE MESILLA EN LA PLAZA, 2051 Calle de Santiago, 652-3019. Coffeehouse, deli, pastries, soups, sandwiches: B L early D. CARILLO’S CAFÉ, 330 S. Church, 523-9913. Don’t miss the chicken taco special on Thursday. Mexican, American: Monday to Saturday L D. CATTLEMAN’S STEAKHOUSE,
38 • JANUARY 2016
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PROGRAMS
continued from page 36 ed a list of children and their ages. “The reaction was overwhelming,” said Carillo about the moment he asked the inmates to provide the names of their children. “They didn’t believe me at first, but once they knew it was happening it was very emotional.” Carillo knows family members of the incarcerated are often forgotten while at the same time are greatly impacted by their loved one’s incarceration. “The programs we offer remind our inmates that they have a life outside of jail,” Carillo said. “They will one day be returning to their communities and start a new beginning, so they need to be equipped for their return.” Beginning in January, the WNMU Expressive Arts Department will provide onsite art instruction for inmates and later in the spring semester, an art exhibition is planned for
the Miller Library. “Our inmates have great talent and a point of view,” Carillo said. “I have seen them make artwork out of ketchup from small packets, and items such as tin foil from the commissary.” Students in the expressive arts program will provide art instruction once a week at the detention center. The current inmate population includes more than 50 inmates, a majority of them being Hispanic males between the ages 18 and 35 years old. “I come from a community in California where I personally know many who are behind bars,” Bailey said. “I want to give back as much as I can and I’m happy that Western has the opportunity to be involved with this important project.” During the spring semester, students will be writing letters of encouragement for every inmate.
Food Shots
Table Talk • Elva K. Österreich
Red Barn Closed
The Red Barn Steakhouse as it has stood for 37 years at 108 Silver Heights Blvd. in Silver City. (Courtesy photo)
A
Lucy Whitmarsh takes “a relaxing Saturday Morning Champaign Brunch with Eggs Benedict done to perfection,” breakfast at Diane’s Restaurant, 510 N. Bullard Street, in Silver City, with her plate of Eggs Benedict, $9.50.
Sunrise Espresso Wishes One And All A Very Happy New Year Thanks to all our customers for a great 2015 and we’re looking forward to serving you in 2016!!
SUNRISE ESPRESSO 1513 N. Hudson
Sunrise Espresso II 1212 East 32nd St. Now offering Smoothies
Now with two convenient locations to serve you!
Our premier drive-thru location at 1530 N. Hudson, between Billy Casper Medical Center and Harvest Fellowship, and our second location at 1212 E. 32nd, at the corner of Lesley and 32nd which features a comfortable walk-in environment and an express drive-thru window. In addition to our great espresso drinks, we are now offering real fruit smoothies, savory pastries, homemade biscotti, fresh baked muffins and scones to our menu.
Silver City’s PREMIER Drive-Thru Espresso Bar!
1530 N. Hudson • Silver City, NM • 575-388-2027 Mon. - Fri. 6am to 5pm • Sat. 7am to 2pm New Second Location: 1212 E. 32nd St. • Silver City, NM Mon. - Fri. 5:30am to 5pm • FREE WiFi
fter 37 years on the most-traveled corner of Silver City, the Red Barn restaurant and Watering Hole lounge closed its doors on Dec. 14, 2015. Denise Yeilding’s aunt, Patricia May, had her heart set on having a red barn for a restaurant back in the 1970s and the family made that dream a reality with a groundbreaking in October of 1978 and opening the doors on June 9, 1979. When the steak house opened, and for all its years, it served nothing but Angus beef, maintaining the quality of food and service through the years. According to the restaurant’s website, the Mays, Pat and her husband Hays, added on The Watering Hole in 1984, “for customers who found themselves in need of something to wash away the trail dust.” Since Pat died a couple of years ago, the family has kept the facility open, Yeilding said. But the family is scattered and time has come to close the restaurant. “You really have to be an onhand owner,” she said. But the Red Barn leaves a big legacy in the lore of Grant County. “With this town of 10,000 people almost everyone had a job there at some time,” Yeilding said. “It was once really a big deal, serving lobster and steak. We’ve always stayed true to quality of the steak.” She added there have been many celebrities who have eaten there over the years, Will Ferrell for just one. When the high school football team took the state championship, the team awarded the winning football to the restaurant where it has held an honored position ever since. Moving forward Yeilding managed a sale of the contents of the
In recent days the Red Barn Steakhouse provided many groups and organizations with facilities for meeting and dining. (Courtesy photo)
Hays and Patricia May are celebrated in the news as they set out on their steakhouse business adventure. (Courtesy photo) restaurant on Dec. 16 and will be donating some of the most historical items – including original menus and a photo of her aunt cutting the ribbon on opening day – to a local museum or the university archives. The Mays were also art collectors and Yeilding said the artworks of 35 artists are represented in the collection of things left to be sold or given away. Yeilding said she tried to make
sure most of the employees who are out of a job there have been placed in other restaurants around town. “We feel very strongly that a lot of the employees who have given so much of their effort, deserve to be taken care of,” she said. Yeilding said the property and building have been put up for sale and she is not sure what will happen with it yet.
DESERT EXPOSURE 2375 Bataan Memorial Hwy., 3829051. Steakhouse: D. CHA CHI’S RESTAURANT, 2460 S. Locust St #A, 522-7322. Mexican: B L D. CHILITOS, 2405 S. Valley Dr., 526-4184. Mexican: Monday to Saturday B L D. CHILITOS, 3850 Foothills Rd. Ste. 10, 532-0141. Mexican: B L D. CHINA EXPRESS, 2443 N. Main St., 525-9411. Chinese, Vietnamese: L D. GIROS MEXICAN RESTAURANT, 160 W. Picacho Ave., 541-0341. Mexican: B L D. CRAVINGS CAFÉ, 3115 N. Main St., 323-3353. Burgers, sandwiches, wraps, egg dishes, salads: B L. DAY’S HAMBURGERS, Water & Las Cruces St., 523-8665. Burgers: Monday to Saturday L D. PECAN GRILL & BREWERY, 500 S. Telshor Blvd., 521-1099. “The restaurant uses local produce whenever possible, including the pecan wood pellets used in the smoking and grilling. A lot of the foods and drinks are infused with pecans, and also with green chiles from Hatch, processed on site. They even serve green chile vodka and green chile beer.” (February 2010) Pecan-smoked meats, sandwiches, steaks, seafood, craft beers: L D. DELICIAS DEL MAR, 1401 El Paseo, 524-2396. Mexican, seafood: B L D. DG’S UNIVERSITY DELI, 1305 E. University Ave., 522-8409. Deli: B L D. DICK’S CAFÉ, 2305 S. Valley Dr., 524-1360. Mexican, burgers: Sunday B L, Monday to Saturday B L D. DION’S PIZZA, 3950 E. Lohman, 521-3434. Pizza: L D. DOUBLE EAGLE, 2355 Calle De Guadalupe, 523-6700. “All the steaks are aged on the premises in the restaurant’s own dedicated beef aging room … An array of award-winning margaritas and deliciously decadent desserts.” (March 2012) Southwestern, steaks, seafood: L D, Sun. champagne brunch buffet. * DUBLIN STREET PUB, 1745 E. University Ave., 522-0932. Irish, American: L D. EL PATRON CAFÉ, 1103 S. Solano Dr. Mexican: Tuesday and Thursday, Sunday B L, Friday and Saturday B L early D. EL SOMBRERO PATIO CAFÉ, 363 S. Espina St., 524-9911. Mexican: L D. EMILIA’S, 2290 Calle de Parian, 652-3007. Burgers, Mexican, soup, sandwiches, pastry, juices, smoothies: L D. ENRIQUE’S, 830 W. Picacho, 647-0240. Mexican: B L D. FARLEY’S, 3499 Foothills Rd., 522-0466. Pizza, burgers, American, Mexican: L D. FIDENCIO’S, 800 S. Telshor, 532-5624. Mexican: B L D. FOOD FOR THOUGHT, 920 N. Alameda Ave., 635-7857. Health food, soup, sandwiches, juices, smoothies: Monday to Friday B L, early D. Saturday B L. FORK IN THE ROAD, 202 N. Motel Blvd., 527-7400. Buffet: B L D 24 hrs. THE GAME BAR & GRILL, 2605 S. Espina, 524-GAME. Sports bar and grill: L D. GARDUÑO’S, 705 S. Telshor (Hotel Encanto), 522-4300. Mexican: B L D. GO BURGER DRIVE-IN, 1008 E. Lohman, 524-9251. Burgers, Mexican: Monday to Friday B L. GOLDEN STAR CHINESE FAST FOOD, 1420 El Paseo, 5232828. Chinese: L D.
JANUARY 2016 • 39 GRANDY’S COUNTRY COOKING, 1345 El Paseo Rd., 526-4803. American: B L D. HABANERO’S 600 E. Amador Ave., 524-1829. Fresh Mexican, Because good food shouldn’t be bad for you: B L D. HIGH DESERT BREWING COMPANY, 1201 W. Hadley Ave., 525-6752. Life-changing nachos and more. Brew pub: L D.* INTERNATIONAL DELIGHTS, 1245 El Paseo Rd., 647-5956. Greek and International: B L D. J.C. TORTAS, 1196 W. Picacho Ave., 647-1408. Mexican: L D. JOSE MURPHY’S, 1201 E. Amador (inside Ten Pin Alley), 5414064. Mexican, American: L D. JOSEFINA’S OLD GATE CAFÉ, 2261 Calle de Guadalupe, 5252620. Pastries, soups, salads, sandwiches: Monday to Thursday L, Friday to Sunday B L. KATANA TEPPANYAKI GRILL, 1001 E. University Ave., 522-0526. Meals created before your very eyes. Japanese: Monday to Friday L D, Saturday D. KEVA JUICE, 1001 E. University, 522-4133. Smoothies, frozen yogurt: B L D. LA COCINA, 204 E. Conway Ave., 524-3909. Mexican: Monday to Saturday B L. LA GUADALUPANA, 930 El Paseo Road. 523-5954. Mexican: Tuesday to Saturday B L D. Sunday B L. LA MEXICANA TORTILLERIA, 1300 N. Solano Dr, 541-9617. Mexican: L D. LA NUEVA CASITA CAFÉ, 195 N. Mesquite, 523-5434. The Tacos Estrella are the bomb. Mexican and American: B L. LA POSTA RESTAURANT DE MESILLA, 2410 Calle De San Albino, 524-3524. “A restaurant with history hard-wired into the fiber of its being. Through building, menu and ownership, its roots extend all the way back to the 1840s.” (September 2011) Mexican, steakhouse: L D, Saturday, Sunday and holidays also B. LAS TRANCAS, 1008 S. Solano Dr., 524-1430. Mexican, steaks, burgers, fried chicken: L D, Saturday and Sunday also B. LE RENDEZ-VOUS CAFÉ, 2701 W. Picacho Ave. #1, 527-0098. French pastry, deli, sandwiches: Monday to Saturday B L. LET THEM EAT CAKE, 141 N. Roadrunner Parkway, 649-8965. Cupcakes: Tuesday to Saturday LORENZO’S PAN AM, 1753 E. University Ave., 521-3505. Italian, pizza: L D. LOS COMPAS CAFÉ, 6335 Bataan Memorial W., 382-2025. Mexican: B L D. LOS COMPAS CAFÉ, 603 S. Nevarez St., 523-1778. Mexican: B L D. LOS COMPAS, 1120 Commerce Dr., 521-6228. Mexican: B L D.* LOS MARIACHIS, 754 N. Motel Blvd., 523-7058. Mexican: B L D. MESILLA VALLEY KITCHEN, 2001 E. Lohman Ave. #103, 5239311. American, Mexican: B L.* MESON DE MESILLA, 1803 Avenida de Mesilla, 652-4953. Steaks, barbecue, seafood, sandwiches, salads, pasta: L D. METROPOLITAN DELI, 1001 University Ave., 522-3354. Sandwiches: L D. MIGUEL’S, 1140 E. Amador Ave., 647-4262. Mexican: B L D. MI PUEBLITO, 1355 E. Idaho Ave., 524-3009. Some of the hottest salsa in town. Mexican: Monday to Friday B L D, Saturday and Sunday B L. MILAGRO COFFEE Y
ESPRESSO, 1733 E. University Ave., 532-1042. Go for the Kenya coffee, stay for the green chile bagels. Coffeehouse: B L D.* MIX PACIFIC RIM CUISINE AND MIX EXPRESS, 1001 E. University Ave. #D4, 532-2042. Asian, Pacific: Monday to Saturday L D. MOONGATE CAFÉ, 9395 Bataan Memorial, 382-5744. Can you say delicious fried egg sandwich? Coffee shop, Mexican, American: B L. MOUNTAIN VIEW MARKET KITCHEN, 1300 El Paseo Road, 523-0436. Sandwiches, bagels, wraps, salads and other healthy fare: Monday to Saturday: B L early D. * MY BROTHER’S PLACE, 334 S. Main St., 523-7681. Mexican: Monday to Saturday L D. NELLIE’S CAFÉ, 1226 W. Hadley Ave., 524-9982. Mexican: Tuesday to Saturday B L. NOPALITO RESTAURANT, 2605 Missouri Ave., 522-0440. Mexican: L D. NOPALITO RESTAURANT, 310 S. Mesquite St., 524-0003. Mexican: Sunday to Tuesday, Thursday to Saturday. L D.* OLD TOWN RESTAURANT, 1155 S. Valley Dr., 523-4586. Mexican, American: B L.* ORIENTAL PALACE, 225 E. Idaho, 526-4864. Chinese: L D. PAISANO CAFÉ, 1740 Calle de Mercado, 524-0211. Mexican: B L D.* PANCAKE ALLEY DINER, 2146 W. Picacho Ave., 647-4836. American: B L, early D. PEPE’S, 1405 W. Picacho, 5410277. Mexican: B L D. PEPPERS CAFÉ ON THE PLAZA (in the Double Eagle Restaurant), 2355 Calle De Guadalupe, 523-6700. “Creative handling of traditional Southwestern dishes…. [plus] such non-Mexican entrées as Salmon Crepes and Beer Braised Beef Carbonnade.” (March 2012). Southwestern: L D. * PHO SAIGON, 1160 El Paseo Road, 652-4326. Vietnamese: L D. PICACHO PEAK BREWING CO., 3900 W. Picacho, 575-6806394. PLAYER’S GRILL, 3000 Champions Dr. (NMSU golf course clubhouse), 646-2457. American: B L D. PULLARO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT, 901 W. Picacho Ave., 523-6801. Italian: L D. RANCHWAY BARBECUE, 604 N. Valley Dr., 523-7361. Barbecue, Mexican: Monday to Friday B L D, Saturday D. RASCO’S BBQ, 125 S. Campo St., 526-7926. Barbecued brisket, pulled pork, smoked sausage, ribs. RED BRICK PIZZA, 2808 N. Telshor Blvd., 521-7300. Pizzas, sandwiches, salads: L D. RENOO’S THAI RESTAURANT, 1445 W. Picacho Ave., 373-3000. Thai: Monday to Friday L D, Saturday D. ROBERTO’S MEXICAN FOOD, 908 E. Amador Ave., 523-1851. Mexican: B L D.* ROSIE’S CAFÉ DE MESILLA, 300 N. Main St., 526-1256. Breakfast, Mexican, burgers: Saturday to Thursday B L, Friday B L D. SAENZ GORDITAS, 1700 N. Solano Dr., 527-4212. Excellent, gorditas, of course, but also amazing chicken tacos. Mexican: Monday to Saturday L D. SANTORINI’S, 1001 E. University Ave., 521-9270. “An eclectic blend of Greek and Mediterranean dishes—gyros with different meats, such as lamb or
chicken, hummus with pita, Greek salads—plus sampler plates and less-familiar items such as keftedes and pork shawarma. Vegetarian options are numerous.” (July 2010) Greek, Mediterranean: Monday to Saturday L D. SAVOY DE MESILLA, 1800-B Avenida de Mesilla, 527-2869. “If you are adventurous with food and enjoy a fine-dining experience that is genuinely sophisticated, without pretension or snobbishness, you definitely need to check out Savoy de Mesilla. The added attraction is that you can do this without spending a week’s salary on any of the meals—all of which are entertainingly and delectably upscale.” (March 2013) American, Continental: B L D. THE SHED, 810 S. Valley Dr., 525-2636. American, pizza, Mexican, desserts: Wednesday to Sunday B L.* SI ITALIAN BISTRO, 523 E. Idaho, 523-1572. “The restaurant radiates homespun charm and the kind of quality that is neither snobbish nor flamboyant. The menu ranges from classic Italian entrées like Chicken Piccatta, Chicken Marsala, Frutti de Mare alla Provençal, and Chicken or Melanzane Parmesan to burgers, salads, sandwiches, pizzas and pastas—all tweaked creatively in subtle and satisfying ways. Dessert offers an amazing variety of cakes, pies, cream puffs, brownies and cheesecakes.” (October 2014) Italian: Monday L, Tuesday to Saturday L D. SIMPLY TOASTED CAFÉ, 1702 El Paseo Road, 526-1920. Sandwiches, soups, salads: B L. SI SEÑOR, 1551 E. Amador Ave., 527-0817. Mexican: L D. SPANISH KITCHEN, 2960 N. Main St., 526-4275. Mexican: Monday to Saturday B L D. SPIRIT WINDS COFFEE BAR, 2260 S. Locust St., 521-1222. Sandwiches, coffee, bakery: B L D.* ST. CLAIR WINERY & BISTRO, 1720 Avenida de Mesilla, 5240390. “A showcase for St. Clair wines… rooted in the same attention to detail, insistence on quality and customer-friendly attitude as the winery.” (July 2012) Wine tasting, bistro: L D. SUNSET GRILL, 1274 Golf Club Road (Sonoma Ranch Golf Course clubhouse), 521-1826. American, Southwest, steak, burgers, seafood, pasta: B L D. TERIYAKI CHICKEN HOUSE, 805 El Paseo Rd., 541-1696. Japanese: Monday to Friday L D. THAI DELIGHT DE MESILLA, 2184 Avenida de Mesilla, 5251900. “For the adventurous, there are traditional Thai curries, soups and appetizers to choose from, all of which can be ordered in the degree of heat that suits you.… The restaurant is clean, comfortable, casual in a classy sort of way, and totally unpretentious.” (January 2011) Thai, salads, sandwiches, seafood, steaks, German: L D.* TIFFANY’S PIZZA & GREEK AMERICAN CUISINE, 755 S. Telshor Blvd #G1, 532-5002. Pizza, Greek, deli: Tuesday to Saturday B L D.* VINTAGE WINES, 2461 Calle de Principal, 523-WINE. Wine and cigar bar, tapas: L D. WOK-N-WORLD, 5192 E. Boutz, 526-0010. Chinese: Monday to Saturday L D. ZEFFIRO PIZZERIA NAPOLETANA, 136 N. Water St., 525-6757. Pizza, pasta, also sandwiches at adjoining Popular Artisan Bakery: Monday to Saturday L D.
ZEFFIRO NEW YORK PIZZERIA, 101 E. University Ave., 525-6770. Pizza: L D.
Anthony ERNESTO’S MEXICAN FOOD, 200 Anthony Dr., 882-3641. Mexican: B L. LA COCINITA, 908 W. Main Dr., 589-1468. Mexican: L.
Chapparal EL BAYO STEAK HOUSE, 417 Chaparral Dr., 824-4749. Steakhouse: Tuesday to Sunday B L D. TORTILLERIA SUSY, 661 Paloma Blanca Dr., 824-9377. Mexican: Monday to Saturday B L D, Sunday B L.
Doña Ana BIG MIKE’S CAFÉ, Thorpe Road. Mexican, breakfasts, burgers: B L D.
Radium Springs COUNTRY CUPBOARD, 827 Fort Selden Rd., 527-4732. American: B L D.
Santa Teresa BILLY CREWS, 1200 Country Club Road, 589-2071. Steak, seafood: L D.
LUNA COUNTY Deming
ADOBE DELI, 3970 Lewis Flats Road SE, 546-0361. “The lunch menu features traditional deli-style sandwiches... The dinner menu is much grander, though some sandwiches are available then, too. Dinner options include filet mignon, flat iron steak, T-bone, ribeye, New York strip, Porterhouse, barbequed pork ribs, Duck L’Orange, Alaska King Crab legs, broiled salmon steak, shrimp scampi, pork chops, osso buco, beef kabobs.” (March 2010) Bar, deli, steaks: L D.* BALBOA MOTEL & RESTAURANT, 708 W. Pine St., 546-6473. Mexican, American: Sunday to Friday L D. BELSHORE RESTAURANT, 1030 E. Pine St., 546-6289. Mexican, American: Tuesday to Sunday B L. CAMPOS RESTAURANT, 105 S. Silver, 546-0095. Mexican, American, Southwestern: L D.* CHINA RESTAURANT, 110 E. Pine St., 546-4146. “Refreshingly different from most of the Chinese restaurants you find these days in this country. Chef William Chu, who owns the restaurant and does the cooking, is committed to offering what he calls the ‘fresh and authentic flavors of Chinese food.’” (August 2014) Chinese: Tuesday to Sunday L D. EL CAMINO REAL, 900 W. Pine St., 546-7421. Mexican, American: B L D. ELISA’S HOUSE OF PIES AND RESTAURANT, 208 1/2 S. Silver Alley, 494-4639. “The southernstyle fare is a savory prelude to 35 flavors of pie.” (April 2012) American, barbecue, sandwiches, pies: Monday to Saturday L D. * EL MIRADOR, 510 E. Pine St., 544-7340. Mexican: Monday to Saturday B L D. “FORGHEDABOUDIT” PIZZA & WINGS, 115 N. Silver Ave., 275-3881. “Direct from New York City, Bob Yacone and his wife, Kim Duncan, have recreated an authentic-style New York pizza parlor.” (June 2013) Italian, pizza, wings: Monday to Saturday L D, Sunday D. GRAND MOTOR INN & LOUNGE, 1721 E. Pine, 546-2632. Mexican, steak, seafood: B L D.
40 • JANUARY 2016
Food Shots Nopalito’s, in Las Cruces, is one of the favorite places of Dale and Barbara Becker of El Paso to eat. “The food is very good,” Barbara said. Nopalito’s has two Las Cruces location for convenience, at 310 S. Mesquite St and 2605 Missouri Ave.
Wishing all of our Customers a Very Happy and Healthy New Year! Look forward to seeing you in 2016! HAPPY NEW YEAR! The Owners and Staff at High Desert Brewing Co.
Bear Mountain Lodge
Café Oso Azul
Open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner Reservations: a must. Check the website for the menus.
www.desertexposure.com IRMA’S, 123 S. Silver Ave., 5444580. Mexican, American, seafood: B L D. LA FONDA, 601 E. Pine St., 546-0465. Mexican: B L D.* LAS CAZUELAS, 108 N. Platinum Ave. (inside El Rey meat market), 544-8432. Steaks, seafood, Mexican: Tuesday to Saturday L D.* MANGO MADDIE’S, 722 E. Florida St., 546-3345. Salads, sandwiches, juice bar, coffee drinks. MANOLO’S CAFÉ, 120 N. Granite St., 546-0405. “The menu offers breakfast, lunch and dinner choices, and it’s difficult to convey the immense range of food options available. In every section of the menu, there’s a mixture of American-style ‘comfort’ food items and Southwest-style Mexican dishes which no doubt qualify as Hispanic ‘comfort’ food. There’s nothing particularly fancy about the food, but it’s fresh and tasty. And the prices are reasonable.” (February 2012) Mexican, American: Monday to Saturday B L D, Sunday B L. PATIO CAFÉ, 1521 Columbus Road, 546-5990. Burgers, American: Monday to Saturday L D.* PRIME RIB GRILL (inside Holiday Inn), I-10 exit 85, 5462661. Steak, seafood, Mexican: B D. RANCHER’S GRILL, 316 E. Cedar St., 546-8883. Steakhouse, burgers: L D.* SI SEÑOR, 200 E. Pine St., 546-3938. Mexican: Monday to Saturday B L D, Sunday B L. SUNRISE KITCHEN, 1409 S. Columbus Road, 544-7795. “Goodquality comfort food. There’s nothing on the menu that is really exotic. But all the familiar dishes, both American and Mexican, are done well, and it’s that care in preparation that lifts the food above the ordinary. This is not a freezer-to-fryer type of restaurant.” (September 2012) American, Mexican, breakfasts: Monday to Thursday B L, Friday B L D. TACOS MIRASOL, 323 E. Pine St., 544-0646. Mexican: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday B L D, Tuesday B L. TOCAYO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT, 1601 E. Pine St., 567-1963. Mexican, dine in or take out: Monday to Saturday B L D, Sunday B L.
Akela APACHE HOMELANDS RESTAURANT, I-10. Burgers, ribs, “casino-style” food: B L D.*
Columbus IRMA’S KITCHEN, B L D, Highway 11, 575-694-4026, Mexican food. LA CASITA, 309 Taft, 575-5312371. B L D, Mexican food. PATIO CAFÉ, 23 Broadway, 531-2495. Burgers, American: B L.*
HIDALGO COUNTY Lordsburg
PLEASE RESERVE AT 575-538-2538/ 60 BEAR MOUNTAIN RANCH RD
60 Bear Mountain Ranch Road
575-538-2538 • www.bearmountainlodge.com
EL CHARRO RESTAURANT, 209 S. P Blvd., 542-3400. Mexican: B L D. FIDENCIO’S, 604 E. Motel Dr., 542-8989. Mexican: B L early D. KRANBERRY’S FAMILY RESTAURANT, 1405 Main St., 5429400. Mexican, American: B L D. MAMA ROSA’S PIZZA, 1312 Main St., 542-8400. Pizza, subs, calzones, salads, chicken wings, cheeseburgers, shrimp baskets: L D. RAMONA’S CAFÉ, 904 E. Motel Dr., 542-3030. “Lordsburg’s quit Mexican food treasure offers some unusual takes on traditional
recipes.” (December 2012) Mexican, American: Tuesday to Friday B L D, Sunday B mid-day D.
Animas PANTHER TRACKS CAFÉ, Hwy. 338, 548-2444. Burgers, Mexican, American: Monday to Friday B L D
Rodeo RODEO STORE AND CAFÉ. 195 Hwy. 80, 557-2295. Coffee shop food: Monday to Saturday B L. RODEO TAVERN, 557-2229. Shrimp, fried chicken, steaks, burgers, seafood: Wednesday to Saturday D.
CATRON COUNTY Reserve
ADOBE CAFÉ, Hwy. 12 & Hwy. 180, 533-6146. Deli, American, Mon. pizza, Sunday BBQ ribs: Sun.-Mon. B L D, Wed.-Fri. B L. BLACK GOLD, 98 Main St., 533-6538. Coffeehouse, pastries. CARMEN’S, 101 Main St., 5336990. Mexican, American: B L D. ELLA’S CAFÉ, 533-6111. American: B L D. UNCLE BILL’S BAR, 230 N. Main St., 533-6369. Pizza: Monday to Saturday L D.
Glenwood ALMA GRILL, Hwy. 180, 5392233. Breakfast, sandwiches, burgers, Mexican: Sunday to Wednesday, Friday to Saturday B L. GOLDEN GIRLS CAFÉ, Hwy. 180, 539-2457. Breakfast: B. MARIO’S PIZZA, Hwy. 180, 539-2316. Italian: Monday to Saturday D.
Other Catron County SNUFFY’S STEAKHOUSE AND SALOON, Quemado Lake, 7734672. Steakhouse: D
SIERRA COUNTY Arrey
ARREY CAFÉ, Hwy 187 Arrey, 575-267-4436, Mexican, American, Vegetarian, B L D.
Chloride CHLORIDE BANK CAFÉ, 300, Wall Street, 575-743-0414, American, Thursday-Saturday L D, Sunday L.
Elephant Butte BIG FOOD EXPRESS, 212 Warm Springs Blvd., 575-7444896, American, Asian, Seafood, B L. CASA TACO, 704, Hwy 195, 575-744-4859, American, Mexican, Vegetarian, L D. HODGES CORNER, 915 NM 195, American, Mexican, B L. IVORY TUSK TAVERN & RESTAURANT, 401 Hwy 195, 575-744-5431, American, Mexican, Vegetarian, Seafood, Daily L D, Sunday Buffet. THE CLUB RESTAURANT, 101 Club House Drive, 575-744-7100, American, Seafood, L D.
Hatch B & E BURRITOS, 303 Franklin, 575-267-5191, Mexican, B L. PEPPER POT, 207 W Hall, 575267-3822, Mexican, B L. SPARKY’S, 115 Franklin, 575267-4222, American, Mexican, Thursday-Sunday L D. VALLEY CAFÉ, 335 W. Hall St. 575-267-4798, Mexican, American, B L.
Hillsboro HILLSBORO GENERAL STORE, 10697 Hwy 152,
American, Southwestern, Vegetarian, Friday-Wednesday B L. BARBER SHOP CAFÉ, Main Street, 575-895-5283, American, Mediterranean, sandwiches, Monday-Saturday L.
Truth or Consequences A & B DRIVE-IN, 211 Broadway, 575-894-9294, Mexican, American, Vegetarian, B L D. BAR-B-QUE ON BROADWAY, 308 Broadway, 575-894-7047, American, Mexican, B L. BRAZEN FOX, 313 North Broadway, 575-297-0070, Mexican, Vegetarian, WednesdaySunday, L D. CAFÉ BELLA LUCA, 301 S. Jones, 575-894-9866, Italian, American, Vegetarian, Seafood, D. CARMEN’S KITCHEN, 1806 S. Broadway, 575-894-0006, American, Mexican, Vegetarian, Monday-Friday B L D, Saturday, B L. EL FARO, 315 N. Broadway, 575-894-2886, American, Mexican, Vegetarian, Monday-Friday B L D, Saturday, B L. GRAPEVINE BISTRO, 413 Broadway, 575-894-0404, American, Vegetarian, B L. JOHNNY B’S, 2260 N. Date Street, (575-894-0147, American, Mexican, B L D. LA COCINA/HOT STUFF, 1 Lakeway Drive, 575-894-6499, American, Mexican, Vegetarian, L D. LATITUDE 33, 304 S. Pershing, 575-740-7804, American, Vegetarian, Asian, L D. LOS ARCOS STEAK & LOBSTER, 1400 N. Date Street, 575-894-6200, American, Seafood, D. LOS FIDENCIOS, 1615 S. Broadway, 575-894-3737, Mexican, Monday-Saturday B L D, Sunday, B L. MARIAS, 1990 S. Broadway, 575-894-9047, American, Mexican, Vegetarian, Monday-Saturday B L D. PACIFIC GRILL, 800 N. Date St., 575-894-7687, Italian, American, Vegetarian, Asian, Seafood, Tuesday-Thursday-Friday L D, Saturday D, Sunday L. PASSION PIE CAFÉ, 406 Main, 575-894-0008, American, Vegetarian, B L. R & C SUMTHINS, 902 Date St. 575-894-1040, American, TuesdaySunday L . STONE AGE CAFÉ & POINT BLANC WINERY, 165 E. Ninth St., (575)894-2582, American, L D. SUNSET GRILL, 1301 N. Date, 575-894-8904, American, Mexican, Thursday-Monday B L D. THE RESTAURANT AT SIERRA GRANDE LODGE, 501 McAdoo, 575-894-6976, American, Seafood, B L D. TURTLEBACK OASIS MARKETPLACE, 520 Broadway, 575-894-0179, American, Vegetarian, Monday-Saturday B L. YOUR PLACE, 400 Date St., 575-740-1544, American, MondaySaturday L D, Sunday L.
Williamsburg MEXICAN GRILL, Shell Gas Station 719 S. Broadway, 575-8940713, Mexican, Monday-Saturday B L. Note—Restaurant hours and meals served vary by day of the week and change frequently; call ahead to make sure. Key to abbreviations: B=Breakfast; L=Lunch; D=Dinner.*=Find copies of Desert Exposure here. Send updates, additions and corrections to: editor@ desertexposure.com.
DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 41
IN THE GILA
Heartfelt thanks to everyone who made Tamal Fiesta 2015 a fantastic celebration of community & heritage!
Southwest Firefighter Training Time
T
Orientation scheduled for January
he Gila National Forest will be conducting an orientation and training session for the Gila Southwest Firefighter (SWFF) recruitment program for the 2016 wildland fire season. To be accepted into the program, candidates must meet all of the attendance requirements, successfully complete a 40hour training course and pass a work capacity test. The SWFF program has a long and distinguished history in the southwest. SWFF crews are mobilized to wildland fires on the Gila National Forest and across the nation. Individuals from SWFF also fill temporary positions on engines and suppression crews for local ranger districts. A strong work ethic and pride in a job well done keep SWFF crews in use each fire season. Crew members can expect to be called to duty frequently. To qualify for the SWFF recruitment program, candidates must attend the introductory session on Tuesday, Jan. 5 or Wednesday, Jan. 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bataan Memorial Park in Santa Clara located on Ft. Bayard Road between Terrazas Funeral Chapels and Ft. Bayard Medical Center. Candidates must also attend all of the 40-hour class Feb. 22 – 26 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, also at the Bataan Memorial Park. A refresher class for returning firefighters will be held Feb. 22. Candidates must take the following documents to the introductory
meeting to be accepted into the training session: two forms of personal identification, one of which must have a picture. Personal identification can be current state issued driver’s license, current passport or social security card. Additionally, candidates must take their bank account routing information for direct deposit purposes. Direct deposit routing numbers can be found at the bottom of a check or on a bank statement. Application packets are available at the Gila National Forest Supervisors’ Office in Silver City Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is strongly advised to have applications completed prior to the introductory meeting. Background checks and drug testing may be required.. Candidates must also pass a work capacity test. Good physical fitness is a critical factor in passing this test and it is advised that individuals begin a fitness regimen immediately to prepare for the appropriate fitness test. The test will be administered at Fox Field, Feb. 13 at 9 a.m. for all Southwest Firefighter candidates. Health screening questionnaires must be completed and returned no later than Jan. 13 to participate in the work capacity test. For further information, contact Gabe Holguin, Gila National Forest fire staff officer, at 575-388-8233, or Leroy Holguin, forest fire planner at 575-388-8450.
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE: Guadalupe Cano, Patricia Cano, Rita Herbst, Virginia Holguin, Ora Rede, Vanessa Stroman, Raul Turrieta, Abe Villareal, Cissy McAndrew, Adrienne Booth
Consuelo & Tom Hester Dolores Cisneros & Deming Intermediate School “Cielitos” Bob Gomez & Mariachi Diamantes Bryant Chaffino, Michael Acosta, & WNMU Mariachi Plata Atziry Apodaca & WNMU Art Club Geli & the Heartbreakers featuring Angelica Padilla Jessica Juarez Mondello family & Morning Star Craig Wentz & Gayle Simmons Kurt & Julianna Albershardt Lynda Aiman-Smith Gila Regional Medical Center Market Cafe Town of Silver City Silver City Main Street Daniel Arrey Terry Timme, Denise Smith, & Mike Sauber Community Youth Building Program & Gary Stailey Albertsonʼs - Silver City classic cars - Danny Vasquez, Eddie Madrid, Mike Madrid Grant Co. Sheriff / D.A.R.E. Silver City Food MorningStar Co-op The Volunteer Center Nuevos Comienzos SOUTHWEST NEW MEXICO
Grant Co. Sheriff / D.A.R.E.
GREEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Locally Owned & Operated • We Want Your Business! HOME FURNITURE APPLIANCES & CARPETING HOTEL MURRAY La Bonita Bakery - Sandra Calderon St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church - Helen Luna, Rita Arellano, Dee Torres, Virginia Bustillos & many others The Grinder Mill - Lilia Madrid & Shiomara Felix TGI Frybread - Paulo & Adelina Veltri Brewer Hill Missionary Baptist Church - Debra Winborn El Gallo Pinto - Simon Ortiz The Lunch Bag - Julie Kincheloe Linda Salaiz Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society - Cecilia Bell Rocky Stitches & Wild Heart Co. Rachel Bertrand Charms-n-Things - Veronica Sowell Marioʼs Curios - Mario Portillo Pleasanton Valley Originals Anna W. Simpson Borricua Farm Distributors Hector Sosa y
SOUTHWEST NEW MEXICO GREEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Volunteer Center
Nuevos Comienzos Locally Owned & Operated • We Want Your Business!
HOME FURNITURE APPLIANCES & CARPETING
Single Socks NM Solar Energy Association Gila Mimbres Community Radio Walk for the Heroes - Liz Lopez R Spot - Audrie & Avel Rios American Legion Auxillary Silver City Farmers Market Burro Mountain Arts - Kim Muller Puppy Dog Ranch - Laurie West Grant Co. Food Policy Council Grant Co. Democratic Party WNMU Music Dept. Jamberry - Christine Arvizu & Rudy Bencomo Yvonne Nunez Harolene Pitts Guadalupe Montessori School - Martha Egnal The Jewelry Lady - Therese Higgins Yesterdayz Toys - Terry Ploeckelmann Earth-Friendly Creations Luanne Brooten NM Wilderness Alliance Elisa / Earthlink The Corn Angels crew
MorningStar
Silver City Food Co-op
MURRAY HOTEL
The $1.98 Show 2016 is coming. to a live theater near you. february 2016.
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42 • JANUARY 2016
www.desertexposure.com
SOAKING IN HISTORY • JOAN E. PRICE
Tularosa Basin History Preserved Cultural landscape of Southern New Mexico Shines reflected at new museum
W
ith the grand opening of the shining white Tularosa Basin Historical Museum this month at the entrance into the historic district of Alamogordo, a passionate local community of history activists has initiated a strong new course for the small city hoping to attract people to its warm winters and scenic attractions. The building, recently known as the Plaza Pub building, was built in 1938. Now, on the State Register of Cultural Properties, the museum stands finished with some 80 displays, a gift shop, research library, a small theater and classroom space and storage and work space. The stabilized thick adobe walls, massive old refinished doors and unique twisted ironwork, newly finished wooden floors and white finish stucco testify to its vital part of the history of southern New Mexico and the Tularosa Basin — the “The Land of Enchantment,” the state slogan that was first coined by cowboy writer Eugene Manlove Rhodes. A visit into the new museum begins in the vast environment of the basin and the prehistoric landscape. In a series of photo murals, the supernatural power of nature is depicted in ancient petroglyphs of the region setting the stage for a major cultural revolution as mobile hunter-gatherers invented more effective weapons to follow game migrations. Another transformative shift came as basket weaving evolved to clay bowls just around the turn of the first century. Human experience and organization was measurably changed for centuries by these and their associated tools and techniques of usage. Following those came complex organizations of water management, irrigation, corn agriculture and religious ceremonies. One then enters a narrow passage to contemplate the contemporary military presence. Here, like nowhere else in the world, is some of the history only now being fully understood, of the first use of the atomic bomb ushering in the computer age and weapons of mass destruction initiated in the Tularosa Basin. Moving farther into the museum, one encounters the regional railroad system that united the continent in a revolution of mechanical time. According to historians, it was then that the country synchronized timepieces to invent the first cross-country effort to be at the station “on time” to efficiently transport people and goods. Next viewers walk into displays of manufactured goods, their social impacts and the now-antique business machines and the telephone booth. Here, current generations can see the revolution in society between those who remember how to use the hand-driven manual calculators, typewriters, money order machines, film-projectors and the early telephones – few of which are recognized by the children of
A crumbling Southwest Style old adobe is opening this month renovated as a new history museum in Alamogordo thanks to capital outlay funds from the state of New Mexico. (Photo by Joan E. Price)
Jeff Bacon, director of STEM at New Mexico State University-Alamogordo, volunteered to assist Abel Campo, artisan in renovation for the new museum, to teach high school students how to make adobe bricks while Campo, in background, checks their bricks as they are released from wooden forms. (Photo by Joan E. Price) the current digital age and individual computerized devices. Curator Jean Killer-Dann, with experience from the transfer of some 800,000 books to a new University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, to the restoration of a WPA building, sorting through a long closed warehouse and reorganization of the Tularosa Village History Museum, has a lot on her hands. She deals with all-important documentation for the many donations of historic items stored for up to 50 years in vaults out of public view now being incorporated for display for the wall space in the new museum. “As curator, I receive lots of materials – photos, documents, manuscripts, furniture and clothing, paintings and artifacts from various residents,” Killer-Dann said. “Our acquisition policy or collection policy direction is that it must come from the Tularosa Basin. “We have to receive some kind of documented information with donations and if they don’t have anything demonstrating origina-
tion in the basin, we don’t accept it. Our standard of provenance has to reflect involvement of basin cultural resources because that is the way the museum was established and organized.” The museum also houses a special collections library for research in terms of historic scholarship and interest set up along the lines of the national Smithsonian standards, she said. Killer-Dann said TBHM has a significant collection of archaic artifacts donated by Mark Sales, an archeologist who went to Alamogordo High School, and very rare prehistoric painted pottery bowls from the Three Rivers prehistoric sites excavated under various research institutions. Other artifacts offer an overview of the mobile archaic hunter-gathers and ancestral Puebloan communities that were drawn to the water, abundant bird, wildlife and plant resources of the basin and surrounding mountain environment in the distant past.
One of Killer-Dann’s many responsibilities has been the Katherine Davalos Ortega donation. Ortega, born into one of the founding families of Tularosa, was dismayed by repeated instances of discrimination and opened a small accounting firm in Alamogordo after graduating from Eastern New Mexico University. She went on to build an impressive national career in banking. She became politically active, a gifted orator and public servant, and rose to become one of the highest ranking Hispanic officials in the federal government. By 1983, Ortega was the head of the United States Treasury, for which she worked for six years. Another acquisition Killer-Dann is excited about is the donation from Dr. David Townsend of the entire personal library and elegant library furniture of Albert B. Fall, notorious New Mexico Senator who rose to Secretary of the United State Department of the Interior. While nationally well known for his involvement in the Tea Pot Dome scandal, research will now be possible regarding a bitter and unclear turbulent history with rancher Oliver Lee and lawyer Albert Fountain, his support for the anti-Indian Bursum Bill which served to mobilize Native American support movement in New Mexico with its ensuing national federal protections, and his large land acquisitions such as the Three Rivers Ranch. Townsend came from west Texas to Alamogordo for a teaching job at Alamogordo High School. He went on to become history professor and chief executive officer at New Mexico State University-Alamogordo for 35 years, gaining such regard that the university library was named after him some 20 years ago. Townsend has given back vital volumes to the public library as well as the museum – and he has more personal collections
still to be placed. “The job of a museum is to preserve and to educate,” Townsend said. After 40 years in the classroom, Townsend believes the first step is a good research and reference center. He sees a strong sense of community and the indispensable volunteers in Alamogordo but “the area has a military population, tourists, scholars and others who are transient so we need to be attractive and dynamic to get their interest in the brief time they are here,” he said. “We are always quick to finance infrastructure like roads, water and sewers, but the people who live there also need to support a cultural infrastructure over time – books, libraries, museums and schools that don’t belong to a single owner – a good museum can demonstrate that,” he said. The new museum stands as the central gateway to numerous other buildings including the historic Flickinger Center and adjoining gallery space across from a Southwest Revival style federal building housing a fine large mural, a WPA project, by renowned western painter Peter Hurd. Equally close is historic downtown and a number of historic houses listed on the State and National Registers, a lively zoo featuring regional wildlife and environmental information — and plenty of free parking to walk for hours or days. Restaurants range from the gourmet to the café inside Lowes Market three short blocks away with its own impressive photo mural exhibit of historical sites, life in Alamogordo and the region curated by Sarah and Pete Eidenbach, long time educators of the vital undercurrents of the hundreds of years of human cultural legacy that will be seen here. For more information call the museum at 575-434-4438.
DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 43
40 DAYS & 40 NIGHTS
What’s Going On in January
Video Stop 15,000 Movies
Rent or Buy
01/12 facebook.com/videostopnm 2320 Hwy 180E • Silver City, NM • 575-538-5644 01/12
A hike for the first day of the year is on Jan. 1 at Leasburg State Park as part of the First Day Hike program.
FRIDAY, JAN. 1
Silver City/Grant County Blues Brunch at the Little Toad Creek Brewery and Distillery — all day at 200 N. Bullard Ave. Music and food specials all day. Info: 575-9566144. Popcorn Fridays — all day at 614 N. Bullard St. Free popcorn and food samples. Info: 575-388-2343. Las Cruces/Mesilla First Day Hike at Leasburg State Park — 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Leasburg Dam, 15 miles north of Las Cruces, exit 19 (Radium Springs.) Join a park ranger on a moderate walking tour of the Mogollon trail and visit geothermal springs along the riverbed at Leasburg Dam. Info: 575524-4068. The Beggars of Venice Exhibition — 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Branigan Cultural Center, 501 N. Main St. The suite of drawings entitled “The Beggars of Venice” echos the tragedy of the homeless, and sets the tone for ones who have, in some sense, been residents of the beautiful city of Venice from the very beginning. Info: 575-541-2154. Outerbridge Exhibition — 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Branigan Cultural Center, 501 N. Main St. As one of America’s earliest masters of color photography, Paul Outerbridge established his reputation by making virtuoso carbro-color prints of nudes and still-lives in the 1930s. Info: 575541-2154. The Gallery at Big Picture presents Faces, etc… — 5-7 p.m. at 311 N. Main Street. Fine artist Carmen Navar communicates her art language through the movement of powerful brushstrokes and mark-making
bordering on the realm of emotion, abstraction and figuration. Artist reception is New Year’s Day at the Downtown Ramble and continues through the month of January. Info: 575-647-0508. Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Suffragette” — 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. The film recalls the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal state. Directed by Sarah Gavron, this film is in English and runs 106 minutes. Cost: $7; MVFS Members $5; Seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-5248287. El Paso Electric Gallery Exhibit — 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at 211 N. Main St. Professional photographer Michael Stephens will continue as the featured artist for the month of January, presenting dynamic digital photographs originally taken at Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, then subjected to a technique known as light painting. Info: www. RioGrandeTheatre.com or contact the Doña Ana Arts Council, 575-5236403. The Mesilla Valley Fine Arts Gallery January artists — 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.- Sun. at 2470-A Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla, across from the Fountain Theatre. January artists are Bonnie MacQuarrie, wall tilest and Kay Susin, pastel and oil enthusiast. Info: 575-522-2933 or visit www. mesillavalleyfinearts.com. Ruidoso/Lincoln County Open mic with Tradd Tidwell —
New Mexico Old Time Fiddlers have a Saturday Night Dance every Saturday at 7 p.m. at the New Mexico Old Time Fiddlers Playhouse, 710 Elm St. in Truth or Consequences.
6:30-10 p.m. at Sacred Gounds Coffee and Tea House, 2704 Sudderth Drive. This event takes place every Friday night. Info: 575257-2273.
Book&&Gift GiftStore Store Book 312 W. Broadway Silver City, NM 88061 www.silvercitymuseum.org
Interpreting the history of the SW through the area’s finest selection of regional books and gifts 575-538-5921
Tues—Fri 9am—4:30pm Sat—Sun 10am—4pm
SATURDAY, JAN. 2
Silver City/Grant County Roots & Branches radio show—810 a.m. every Saturday on gmcr.org or KURU 89.1 FM. Info: 575-5340298. JB and the Jackrabbits at the Little Toad Creek Brewery and Distillery —8 p.m. at 200 N. Bullard Ave. Local rock band – and we mean ROCK! Info: 575-956-6144. Las Cruces/Mesilla Family Science Saturday: following in the footsteps — 10 a.m. at 411 North Main St. “Family Science Saturday” follows the lives of some famous scientists and attempt to recreate one of their experiment. Topic for Jan. 2 is Introduction of Geological Concepts. Classes are held every Saturday. All ages are welcome. No registration required and admission is free. Info: http:// las-cruces.org/museums or call 575522-3120. SNAP!: The Science, Nature, and Art Program — 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Las Cruces Museum of Art and the Museum of Nature and Science, 411 N. Main St. Children and their families are invited to join us each Saturday in January. The program encourages visitors to embrace their artistic creativity while engaging in educational STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities. Jan. 2 topic New Beginnings. Info: http:// las-cruces.org/museums or call 575541-3120. January Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Suffragette” — 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. The film recalls the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal state. Directed by Sarah Gavron, this film is in English and runs 106 minutes. Cost: $7; Matinee $6; MVFS Members $5; Seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-5248287. TorC/Sierra County New Mexico Old Time Fiddlers Saturday Night Dance — 7 p.m. at the New Mexico Old Time Fiddlers Playhouse, 710 Elm St. Live music provided by NMOTFA Fiddlers and Friends. Toe-tapping
CALENDAR OF EVENTS December 2015 Brown Bag Lunch: Apache Voices with Sherry Robinson Monday, December 7th, 10:30-11:30 am in the Silver City Museum Annex An overview of Chiricahua and Warm Springs Apache history, culture and values, followed by several stories, told in their own words. Both groups lived, hunted and raided in southwestern New Mexico. Seating is limited and available on a first come, first serve basis. This presentation is part of the Chautauqua Series and is sponsored by the New Mexico Humanities Council, the Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Silver City Museum Society. 31st Annual Victorian Christmas Celebration Thursday, December 10th, 5:30-8:00 pm at the Silver City Museum With a special children’s hour from 4:30-5:30 pm Join us for a beautiful evening of holiday cheer, with music, cookies, crafts, and fun! This event is sponsored by First American Bank and the Silver City Museum Society. Current Exhibits at the Museum: Built to Change: The Evolving History of the Historic Ailman House FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE MUSEUM’S WEBSITE AT WWW.SILVERCITYMUSEUM.ORG OR CONTACT THE MUSEUM AT (575) 538-5921, INFO@SILVERCITYMUSEUM.ORG.
44 • JANUARY 2016
www.desertexposure.com minutes. Cost: $7; MVFS Members $5; Seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-5248287. Ruidoso/Lincoln County Open mic with Tradd Tidwell — 6:30-10 p.m. at Sacred Gounds Coffee and Tea House, 2704 Sudderth Dr. This event takes place every Friday night. Info: 575-2572273.
Twisted Hams appears as part of the Las Cruces Every Other Tuesday program at the Rio Grande Theatre, 211 N. Main Street. fun, refreshments and a door prize weekly at this family friendly event. No alcohol or smoking are allowed in the building. All are invited to come and dance or just listen to the music. Cost: $4 Info: 575-744-9137.
SUNDAY, JAN. 3
Las Cruces/Mesilla Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Suffragette” — 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. Cost: $7; Matinee $6; MVFS Members $5; Seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-524-8287.
MONDAY, JAN. 4
Las Cruces/Mesilla Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Suffragette” — 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. Directed by Sarah Gavron, this film is in English and runs 106 minutes. Cost: $7; MVFS Members $5; Seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-524-8287.
TUESDAY, JAN. 5
Las Cruces/Mesilla Doña Ana Photography Club presents 30 Minutes with Duane Michals by Jim Rodgers — 7 p.m. at SW Environmental Center, 275 N. Main St. Michals is a great photographic innovator, widely known for his work with series, multiple exposures and text. Also: How to Submit Images to Monthly Themes by Lisa Mandelkern and Debbie Hands. Monthly themes are designed to cultivate regular photographing habits and encourage participation in the monthly event. Free. Info: www.daphotoclub.org. Every Other Tuesday: Twisted Hams — 6:30 pm at the Historic Rio Grande Theatre, 211 N. Main Street. A uniquely synergistic musical group from El Paso, Twisted Hams brings together five diversely talented musicians and blends them into an unlikely quintet that incorporates blues, rock and indie rock. The event is free and open to the public. Info: www.RioGrandeTheatre.com or call 575- 523-6403. Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Suffragette” — 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla Cost: $7; MVFS Members $5; seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-524-8287.
THURSDAY, JAN. 7
Las Cruces/Mesilla Grandma Mona’s Science Story Time — 9 a.m. at the Las Cruces Museum of Nature and Science at 411 N. Main Street. For children 3 to 5 on the first Thursday of each month, Grandma Mona comes to the museum to read a story relating to one of the many exhibits in our museum, followed by a topic-related activity. No registration required and the event is free. Info: http:// las-cruces.org/museums or call 575522-3120. Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Suffragette” — 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. Cost: $7; MVFS Members $5; Seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-524-8287.
SATURDAY, JAN. 9
Silver City/Grant County Roots & Branches radio show — 8-10 a.m. every Saturday on gmcr. org or KURU 89.1 FM. Info: 575-5340298.
— 1 p.m.-5 p.m. at the Southern Area Health Education Center, 4003 Geothermal Dr. “Cuidando con Respeto” is a free course presented in Spanish for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. It is a two day course in two, 4-hour sessions. Tuesday, Jan. 12 and 19, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. To register or for information, call 575646-3061 or algross@nmsu.edu. Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Brooklyn” — 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. Cost: $7; Matinee $6; MVFS Members $5; seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-524-8287.
WEDNESDAY, JAN 13
Las Cruces/Mesilla Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Brooklyn” — 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. Cost: $7; Matinee $6; MVFS Members $5; Seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-524-8287. Rio Grande Theatre presents Back to Bach — 7:30 p.m. at 211 N. Main St. El Paso Pro Musica
FRIDAY, JAN. 8
Silver City/Grant County Popcorn Fridays — all day at 614 N. Bullard St. Free popcorn and food samples. Info: 575-388-2343. Las Cruces/Mesilla Picacho Peak Brewing Co. presents Sage Gentlewing — 7-9 p.m. at 3900 W Picacho Ave. Info: 575- 680-6394. Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Brooklyn”—7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. An Irish immigrant lands in 1950s Brooklyn, where she quickly falls into a new romance. When her past catches up with her, however, she must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within. Directed by John Crowley the film runs 111
Southern New Mexico N Scalers Model Railroad Club meets Jan. 16 in Las Cruces. Silver City Food Co-op Artisan Market — 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 614 N. Bullard St. Info: 575-388-2343. Annual “Breaking Up Christmas” 12th night Dance — 7-10 p.m. at the Old Elks Club at 315 Texas St., features Big Ditch Crickets and the Fiddling Friends. Suggested donation $5 - $10 at the door and children are free. Proceeds to benefit KURU/ GMCR.org Radio. Info: 575-5340298 or 575-388-1727. TorC/Sierra County New Mexico Old Time Fiddlers Saturday Night Dance — 7 p.m. at the New Mexico Old Time Fiddlers Playhouse, 710 Elm St. Live music provided by NMOTFA Fiddlers and Friends. No alcohol or smoking are allowed in the building. All are invited to come and dance or just listen to the music. Cost: $4 Info: 575-7449137. Second Saturday Art Hop — 6-9 p.m. Downtown Truth or Consequences. Info: promotions@ torcmainstreet.org.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 6
Las Cruces/Mesilla Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Suffragette” — 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. Cost: $7; MVFS Members $5; Seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-524-8287.
El Paso Continuing education for older adults at UTEP registration — at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Texas-El Paso. These adult education courses for seniors ages 50 and up start on February 8. Registration runs Jan. 8 - 29. Find program details at www.olliatutep.org. Info: 915-7476280 or 915-747-8848 Mon. – Fri., 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. for info and to register.
registration required and admission is free. Info: http://las-cruces.org/ museums or call 575-522-3120. SNAP!: The Science, Nature, and Art Program — 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Las Cruces Museum of Art and the Museum of Nature and Science, 411 N. Main St. Children and their families are invited each Saturday in January.The program encourages visitors to embrace their artistic creativity while engaging in educational STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities. Jan. 9 topic Houseplants. Info: http://las-cruces. org/museums or call 575-541-3120. Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Brooklyn” — 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. An Irish immigrant lands in 1950s Brooklyn, where she quickly falls into a new romance. When her past catches up with her, however, she must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within. Directed by John Crowley the film runs 111 minutes. Cost: $7; Matinee $6; MVFS Members $5; Seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-524-8287. No Strings Theatre Company
Room, a film about a boy and his mother who find freedom after being locked in a room for years, plays at the Fountain Theatre in Las Cruces begins on Friday, Jan. 15.
Las Cruces/Mesilla Family Science Saturday: following in the footsteps — 10 a.m. at 411 North Main St. Join us for a special series of “Family Science Saturday” as we learn about the lives of some famous scientists and attempt to recreate one of their experiment. Topic for Jan. 9 is Structure of the Earth. Classes are held every Saturday. All ages are welcome. No
presents ’33 (a kabarett) — 8 p.m. at the Black Box Theatre, 430 N. Downtown Mall. 0At times hilariously funny and bawdy, and at times tragic and bittersweet, ’33 (a kabarett) is performed with breathtaking exuberance and energy by Bremner Duthie with new arrangements from his jazz quartet. Tickets are $12 regular admission and $10 for students and seniors over 6. Reservations: 575- 523-1223. Info: www.33kabarett.com.
SUNDAY, JAN. 10
Las Cruces/Mesilla Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Brooklyn” — 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. Cost: $7; Matinee $6; MVFS Members $5; seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-524-8287.
MONDAY, JAN 11
Las Cruces/Mesilla Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Brooklyn” — 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. Cost: $7; Matinee $6; MVFS Members $5; seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-524-8287.
TUESDAY, JAN. 12
Las Cruces/Mesilla Free Alzheimer’s Course in Spanish for Families & Caregivers
presents world-renowned cellist Zuill Bailey and the Tempest Trio. Cellist Ralph Kirschbaum, called “an upper echelon cellist” who performs with the world’s leading orchestras, is also on the bill. Pre-concert talk begins at 7 p.m.; followed by the performance at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for Adults, $20 for senior and military, $5 for student with valid ID. Info: 915-833-9400 or www.eppm.org. NMSU special chorus auditions — TBD at the Music Building on the NMSU Horseshoe. Come and join a most unique chorus which includes NMSU students and Community members. Auditions will be held between Wednesday Jan. 13 and Friday Jan. 15. Please contact Dr. John Flanery to set up an audition time. Info: 575-646-1306 or 601-4341977.
THURSDAY, JAN. 14
Silver City/Grant County Silver City Food Co-op Community Forum: Gardening at 5,800 feet — noon to 1 p.m. at 614 N. Bullard St. Join Kristin Lundgren for gardening advice. Info: 575-388-2343. WILL Spring Semester Social — 5 p.m. at the WNMU Global Resource Center, 12th and Kentucky. The public is invited free of charge to Western Institute for Lifelong Learning’s (WILL) Spring Semester Social at Become a WILL member, meet course facilitators, and sign up for courses. Preview the spring
DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 45
course schedule and the benefits of membership on the WILL website. Info: 575 538-6835 or www. will-learning.com. Mimbres Region Arts Council lecture Playful Intent — 6:30 p.m. at WNMU’s Parotti Hall. Reception and opening immediately following at the McCray Gallery. Found Object Jewelry by Karen Lauseng. Info: 575538-2505 or visit us online at www. mimbresarts.org. Las Cruces/Mesilla Planateers at the Museum of Nature and Science — 9 a.m. at 411 N. Main St. On Jan. 14 we will be exploring the Solar System. Registration is not required. Info: 575-522-3120 or visit the website http://museums.las-cruces.org/. Free Alzheimer’s Course in Spanish for Families & Caregivers — 1 p.m.-5 p.m. at the Southern Area Health Education Center, 4003 Geothermal Dr. “Cuidando con Respeto” is a free course presented in Spanish for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. It is a two day course in two, 4-hour sessions. Thursday, Jan. 14 and 21, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. To register or for information, call 575646-3061 or algross@nmsu.edu. Tombaugh Elementary Open House — 5:30-7 p.m. at 226 Carver Rd. Celebrate the school’s 25th anniversary: walk through the school, view displays of the past and present, time capsule items, student displays, and pictures and videos of the past 25 years. Special presentation and introduction of special guests at 6 p.m. Info: 575527-9575. Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Brooklyn” — 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre,
2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. Cost: $7; Matinee $6; MVFS Members $5; seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575524-8287.
FRIDAY, JAN. 15
Silver City/Grant County Popcorn Fridays — all day at 614 N. Bullard St. Free popcorn and food samples. Info: 575-388-2343. Las Cruces/Mesilla Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Room” — 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. After five-yearold Jack and his mother escape from the enclosed surroundings that Jack has known his entire life, the boy makes a thrilling discovery: the outside world. Directed by Lenny Abrahamson this film runs 118 minutes. Cost: $7; MVFS Members $5; Seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-5248287. Picacho Peak Brewing Co. presents Steve Shelby — 7-9 p.m. at 3900 W Picacho Ave. Info: 575680-6394. Contra dance —8-10:30 p.m. at Mesilla Community Center. 7:30 pm beginner lessons, 8-10:30 pm contra dance to live, old-time music by The Muletones with caller Lonnie Ludeman. And refreshments. $6 for adults/$4 youth. Info: www.snmmds. org or 575-522-1691. “Shooting Star” at No Strings Theatre Company — 8 p.m. at 430 N. Downtown Mall. NSTC presents “Shooting Star” written by Steven Dietz and directed by Ceil Herman. Alan and Karen Caroe star in this entertaining and engaging play. Tickets are $12.00 regular admission, $10.00 students and Seniors over 65
and all seats on Thursday are $8.00. Reservations and info: 575- 5231223. Alamogordo/Otero County Creative Designs Custom Framing & Gallery artist reception — 6-8 p.m. at 917 New York Ave. Artist of the month for January is Larry LaRocque. The show is called: The Show That Never Ends. Info: 575434-4420.
SATURDAY, JAN. 16
Silver City/Grant County Roots & Branches radio show — 8-10 a.m. every Saturday on gmcr. org or KURU 89.1 FM. Info: 575-5340298. Copper Quail Gallery reception for George Witzke — 1-4 p.m. at 211-A N. Texas St. Artist and blacksmith Witzke joined the gallery in midNovember. At the reception, he will unveil a new series of works titled “A Study of Texture,” which express hints of steampunk styling. Please join us for this exciting show. Light refreshments will be served. Info: 575-388-2646.
FAMILY REUNIONS • CHURCHES • BUSINESS MEETINGS SCHOOLS • CLUBS • HUNTERS • RV GROUPS
Experiences in God’s great outdoors for everyone!
Open ALL year for ALL groups.
Located on the Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway 3951 Hwy 35N, 2.5 miles north of the Wilderness Ranger Station 575-536-9560 Since 1948 campthunderbirdnm@gmail.com www.campthunderbirdnm.org
TorC/Sierra County New Mexico Old Time Fiddlers Saturday Night Dance — 7 p.m. at the New Mexico Old Time Fiddlers Playhouse, 710 Elm St. Live music provided by NMOTFA Fiddlers and Friends. No alcohol or smoking are allowed in the building. All are invited to come and dance or just listen to the music. Cost: $4 Info: 575-7449137. Las Cruces/Mesilla Family Science Saturday: following in the footsteps — 10 a.m. at 411 North Main St. Join us for a special series of “Family Science Saturday”
www.mountainvalleylodgesite.com
5th Annual
GILA CONSERVATION COALITION presents
WHERE ACTIVISM GETS INSPIRED
Saturday, January 9th ~ 6:00 pm WNMU Light Hall, Silver City
An incredible selection of short environmental films featuring the best in filmmaking, cinematography, and storytelling, including Delta Dawn, Thirsty for Justice, and Spine of the Continent. With a special presentation of “Everywhere is a Gila” and other short films Great door prizes from local and national sponsors Raffle of Tom Holt Gila River painting THANKS TO OUR LOCAL SPONSORS:
HOSTED BY AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF www.gilaconservation.org
WNMU • Gila Resources Information Project Upper Gila Watershed Alliance Southwestern New Mexico Audubon Society Western Institute for Lifelong Learning
12 at the door / GCC members $10
$
Admission + GCC membership $20 ~ Students FREE
46 • JANUARY 2016 is about the lives of some famous scientists and attempt to recreate one of their experiment. Topic for Jan. 16 is Rocks & Minerals. Classes are held every Saturday. All ages are welcome. No registration required and admission is free. Info: http:// las-cruces.org/museums or call 575522-3120. Southern New Mexico N Scalers Model Railroad Club monthly meeting — 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Quonset hut at Southern New Mexico Fair Grounds. Model railroad will be running. Enter from the far west gate. Info: 575-526-8834. SNAP!: The Science, Nature, and Art Program — 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Las Cruces Museum of Art and the Museum of Nature and Science, 411 N. Main St. Children and their families are invited to join us each Saturday in January. The program encourages visitors to embrace their artistic creativity while engaging in educational STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities. Jan. 16 topic is Photography. Info: http:// las-cruces.org/museums or call 575541-3120. Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Room” — 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. After five-year-old Jack and his mother escape from the enclosed surroundings that Jack has known his entire life, the boy makes a thrilling discovery: the outside world. Directed by Lenny Abrahamson this film runs 118 minutes. Cost: $7; Matinee $6; MVFS Members $5; seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-5248287. Rio Grande Theatre presents Robert Mirabal — 7:30 p.m. at 211 N. Main St. Continuation of the 2015/2016 New Mexico Heritage Series is a return engagement by two-time Grammy Award-winner Robert Mirabal, with his new show “River.” The Native American flute player will bring with his unique brand of world music merging indigenous American sounds with those of Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Doors open at 7 p.m., show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $32 for Main Floor reserved seats; $22 for Balcony reserved seats (all fees included). $10 Student rush tickets (with valid Student ID) will be available 10 minutes before show time. Info: 575- 523-6403 or visit www.RioGrandeTheatre.com. “Shooting Star” at No Strings Theatre Company — 8 p.m. at 430 N. Downtown Mall. NSTC presents “Shooting Star” written by Steven Dietz and directed by Ceil Herman. Alan and Karen Caroe star in this entertaining and engaging play. Tickets are $12 regular admission,
www.desertexposure.com Jack has known his entire life, the boy makes a thrilling discovery: the outside world. Directed by Lenny Abrahamson this film runs 118 minutes. Cost: $7; MVFS Members $5; seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-5248287.
THURSDAY, JAN. 21
Country music superstar Clay Walker is in concert at the Inn of the Mountain Gods Jan. 16. $10 students and seniors over 65 and all seats on Thursday are $8. Reservations and info: 575- 5231223. Ruidoso/Lincoln County Clay Walker in concert — 8 p.m. at Inn of the Mountain Gods, 287 Carrizozo Canyon Rd, Mescalero. Platinum-selling country artist, Clay Walker, one of the most successful country acts of the past decade, delivers an unforgettable, boottapping performance. Don’t miss his greatest hits including, “She Won’t Be Lonely Long,” “Fall” and “This Woman and This Man.” Tickets start at $25. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. Info: 800-545-9011.
SUNDAY, JAN. 17
Las Cruces/Mesilla “Shooting Star” at No Strings Theatre Company — 2:30 p.m. at 430 N. Downtown Mall. NSTC presents “Shooting Star” written by Steven Dietz and directed by Ceil Herman. Alan and Karen Caroe star. Tickets are $12 regular admission, $10 students and Seniors over 65 and all seats on Thursday are $8.00. Reservations and info: 575- 5231223. Valinor Quartet — 3-5 p.m. at the Rio Grande Theatre, 211 N. Main St. Valinor Quartet performs jazz, klezmer, tango, the Beatles and a unique hybrid of jazz and classical. Worldwide musical influences, and global performance credentials. International cross-over ensemble turns their razor-sharp virtuosity loose on a wild array of songs from around the world. Single tickets $25 plus applicable fee at www. lascrucescca.org or $25 at the door. Students admitted free with current student ID. Info: 575-405-7429.
An Evening of Jazz with Noteworks — 7 p.m. at First Christian Church, 1809 El Paseo (across from L.C.H.S). The jazz band performs at the Mesilla Valley Jazz & Blues Society monthly concert. Cost is $5 members, $8 non-members and $1 for students with ID. Dessert social at 6:30 p.m. Info: http://mvjazzblues.net/. Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Room” — 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. After five-year-old Jack and his mother escape from the enclosed surroundings that Jack has known his entire life, the boy makes a thrilling discovery: the outside world. Directed by Lenny Abrahamson this film runs 118 minutes. Cost: $7; Matinee $6; MVFS Members $5; Seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-5248287.
MONDAY, JAN. 18
Las Cruces/Mesilla Annual Membership Meeting for the Asombro Institute for Science Education — 1 p.m. at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park. Join the Board of Directors and staff of the Asombro Institute for Science Education to hear about the accomplishments from 2015 and the exciting plans for 2016. Awards will be presented for several large honors given to the Asombro Institute and individual staff members in 2015. Everyone is welcome to this free, informative event. Info: 575-6490676. Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Room” — 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. After five-yearold Jack and his mother escape from the enclosed surroundings that Jack has known his entire life, the boy makes a thrilling discovery: the outside world. Directed by Lenny Abrahamson this film runs 118 minutes. Cost: $7; MVFS Members $5; seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-5248287.
TUESDAY, JAN. 19
Western New Mexico University’s Institute for Lifelong Learning lunch and learn offers a program called “Slow Down, You Move Too Fast: or What You Can See When You Hike if You Slow Down,” on Jan. 20.
Doña Ana Photography Club presents Photos from the Field Trip to Bosque del Apache by Anne Chase — 7 p.m. at SW Environmental Center, 275 N. Main St. Chase and members present their photos on the monthly theme “wildlife.” Free. Info: www.daphotoclub.org. Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Room” — 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. After five-yearold Jack and his mother escape from the enclosed surroundings that Jack has known his entire life, the boy makes a thrilling discovery: the outside world. Directed by Lenny Abrahamson this film runs 118 minutes. Cost: $7; MVFS Members $5; seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-5248287.
Las Cruces/Mesilla Dinosaur Train at the Museum of Nature and Science — 9 a.m. at 411 N. Main St. This month, we’ll be focusing on the platy, herbivorous dinosaur – the Stegosaur. The Railroad Museum will also be providing model trains for our preschoolers to play with. Registration is not required. Info: 575-522-3120 or visit the website http://museums.las-cruces.org/. University Art Gallery exhibition opening reception — 5-7 p.m. at the University Art Gallery (UAG) on the NMSU campus presents Water! What is it good for? Marking three months of post-drought and healthy rainfall in Las Cruces, this show will feature works by Florida-based artist Bethany Taylor and Texas-based artist Brenda Perry. Taylor and Perry will present a panel discussion focused on environmental issues on Saturday, Jan. 23 from noon to 2 p.m. at the UAG. Both events are free and open to the public. Water! What is it Good for? will be on exhibit from Jan. 21, through Feb. 27. Info: 575-646-2545. Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Room” — 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. Directed by Lenny Abrahamson this film runs 118 minutes. Cost: $7; MVFS Members $5; seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-5248287.
Las Cruces/Mesilla Rio Grande Theatre Every Other Tuesday: Flat Blak — 6:30 p.m. at 211 N. Main St. Las Cruces favorite power rock trio – consisting of Travis Manning on guitar and lead vocals, Rob Allen on drums and vocals and Leslie Skaggs on bass. The event is free and open to the public. Info: www.RioGrandeTheatre.com or call 575- 523-6403.
The Asombro Institute for Science Education – Desert Nature Park annual director’s meeting is on Jan. 18.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20
Silver City/Grant County WILL Lunch and Learn — noon at WNMU Global Resource Center ABC Room, 12th and Kentucky. Western Institute for Lifelong Learning’s (WILL) noon lecture series is free to non-members as well as members. The spring season begins with, “Slow Down, You Move Too Fast: or What You Can See When You Hike if You Slow Down,” featuring local hikers Karen Beckenbach, Donna Stevens, and Carol & Richard Martin. Bring a sack lunch or just bring yourself. Info: 575 538-6835 or www.will-learning.com. Las Cruces/Mesilla Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Room” — 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. After five-yearold Jack and his mother escape from the enclosed surroundings that
FRIDAY, JAN. 22
Silver City/Grant County Popcorn Fridays — all day at 614 N. Bullard St. Free popcorn and food samples. Info: 575-388-2343. Las Cruces/Mesilla 2016 Las Cruces Chamber Awards & Gala — 6-9 p.m. at the Las Cruces Convention Center, 680 E. University Ave. Join the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce to welcome the incoming board, hear about the exciting things in store for 2016 and recognize outstanding businesses and citizens from the community. Register today. Fees/Admission: $75 for Members; $150 for NonMembers. Info: 575-524-1968. Picacho Peak Brewing Co. presents Alison Reynolds —7-9 p.m. at 3900 W Picacho Ave. Info: 575- 680-6394. Mesilla Valley Film Society
DESERT EXPOSURE presents “Theeb” — 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. In the Ottoman province of Hijaz during World War I, a young Bedouin boy experiences a greatly hastened coming of age as he embarks on a perilous desert journey to guide a British officer to his secret destination. Directed by Naji Abu Nowar, this film runs 100 minutes. Cost: $7; MVFS Members $5; Seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-5248287. “Shooting Star” at No Strings Theatre Company — 8 p.m. at 430 N. Downtown Mall. NSTC presents “Shooting Star” written by Steven Dietz and directed by Ceil Herman. Alan and Karen Caroe star in this entertaining and engaging play. Tickets are $12.00 regular admission, $10.00 students and Seniors over 65 and all seats on Thursday are $8.00. Reservations and info: 575- 5231223.
SATURDAY, JAN. 23
Silver City/Grant County Roots & Branches radio show — 8-10 a.m. every Saturday on gmcr. org or KURU 89.1 FM. Info: 575-5340298. Silver City Food Co-op Community Flea Market — 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 614 N. Bullard St. Info: 575-388-2343. Deming/Luna County The Southwest Bassoon Quartet — 2-4 p.m. at Historic Morgan Hall, 109 E. Pine St. The Las Cruces based ensemble is dedicated to the promotion of literature written and arranged for this seldom-heard instrument. General admission is $12; DPAT members are $8. Info: 575-545-8872. TorC/Sierra County New Year’s Yoga and Hot Springs Retreat — 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at La Paloma Hot Springs & Spa, 311 Marr St. Truth or Consequences. Info: 505-506-0136. New Mexico Old Time Fiddlers Saturday Night Dance — 7 p.m. at the New Mexico Old Time Fiddlers Playhouse, 710 Elm St. Live music provided by NMOTFA Fiddlers and Friends. No alcohol or smoking are allowed in the building. All are invited to come and dance or just listen to the music. Cost: $4 Info: 575-7449137.
JANUARY 2016 • 47
Las Cruces/Mesilla Family Science Saturday: following in the footsteps — 10 a.m. at 411 North Main St. Join us for a special series of “Family Science Saturday” as we learn about the lives of some famous scientists and attempt to recreate one of their experiments. Topic for Jan. 23 is Geological Maps. Classes are held every Saturday. All ages are welcome. No registration required and admission is free. Info: http://las-cruces.org/museums or call 575-522-3120. SNAP!: The Science, Nature, and Art Program — 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Las Cruces Museum of Art and the Museum of Nature and Science, 411 N. Main St. The program encourages visitors to embrace their artistic creativity while engaging in educational STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities. Jan. 30 topic Winter Weather. Info: http:// las-cruces.org/museums or call 575541-3120. Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Theeb” — 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. In the Ottoman province of Hijaz during World War I, a young Bedouin boy experiences a greatly hastened coming of age as he embarks on a perilous desert journey to guide a British officer to his secret destination. Directed by Naji Abu Nowar, this film runs 100 minutes. Cost: $7; Matinee $6; MVFS Members $5; Seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-524-8287. Rio Grande Theatre presents Play Me 75th Birthday Celebration — 7 p.m. at 211 N. Main St. Chris Waggoner – backed by a sevenpiece band and the “Diamondettes” – brings his high-powered tribute to Neil Diamond back to the Rio Grande Theatre stage in celebration of the iconic singer’s 75th birthday. Tickets are $32 premium reserved seating (main floor, first 8 rows); $22 regular reserved seating (main floor, back rows and all balcony seats); all fees included in the price. Info: www. RioGrandeTheatre.com or call 575523-6403. Shooting Star” at No Strings Theatre Company — 8 p.m. at 430 N. Downtown Mall. NSTC presents “Shooting Star” written by Steven
Dietz and directed by Ceil Herman. Alan and Karen Caroe star in this entertaining and engaging play. Tickets are $12.00 regular admission, $10.00 students and Seniors over 65 and all seats on Thursday are $8. Reservations and info: 575- 5231223.
SUNDAY, JAN. 24
TorC/Sierra County New Year’s Yoga and Hot Springs Retreat — 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at La Paloma Hot Springs & Spa, 311 Marr St. Truth or Consequences. Info: 505-506-0136. Las Cruces/Mesilla Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Theeb”— 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. Cost: $7; Matinee $6; MVFS Members $5; Seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-5248287. “Shooting Star” at No Strings Theatre Company — 2:30 p.m. at 430 N. Downtown Mall. NSTC presents “Shooting Star” written by Steven Dietz and directed by Ceil Herman. Alan and Karen Caroe star in this entertaining and engaging play. Tickets are $12.00 regular admission, $10.00 students and Seniors over 65 and all seats on Thursday are $8.00. Reservations and info: 575- 523-1223.
MONDAY, JAN. 25
Las Cruces/Mesilla Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Theeb” — 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. Cost: $7; Matinee $6; MVFS Members $5; Seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-5248287.
TUESDAY, JAN. 26
Las Cruces/Mesilla Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Theeb” — 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. Cost: $7; Matinee $6; MVFS Members $5; Seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-5248287.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27
Las Cruces/Mesilla Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Theeb” — 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. Cost: $7; Matinee $6; MVFS Members $5; seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-5248287.
THURSDAY, JAN. 28
Country legend Merle Haggard plays the Inn of the Mountain Gods on Jan. 30.
Las Cruces/Mesilla Nature Kids at the Museum of Nature and Science — 9 a.m. at 411 N. Main St. On Thursday, January 28, we will learn about shells and marine life. Nature Kids is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. Info: 575-522-3120 or visit the website http://museums. las-cruces.org/. Mesilla Valley Film Society presents “Theeb” — 1:30 p.m. at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla. Cost: $7; Matinee $6; MVFS Members $5; seniors over 60, Military and Students with ID $6. Info: 575-5248287. “Shooting Star” at No Strings Theatre Company — 7 p.m. at 430 N. Downtown Mall. NSTC presents “Shooting Star” written by Steven
Dietz and directed by Ceil Herman. Alan and Karen Caroe star in this entertaining and engaging play. Tickets are $12.00 regular admission, $10.00 students and Seniors over 65 and all seats on Thursday are $8.00. Reservations and info: 575- 5231223.
FRIDAY, JAN. 29
Silver City/Grant County Popcorn Fridays — all day at 614 N. Bullard St. Free popcorn and food samples. Info: 575-388-2343. Las Cruces/Mesilla 2016 Chaos Collaboration artist reception and poetry slam — 6-8 p.m. at the Frank O’Brien Papen Community Center, 304 W. Bell St. Public viewing will be February 1-4.
The exhibition will feature original artwork and poetry by Las Cruces teens grades 6 through 12. “Chaos Collaboration” art show and poetry slam is free. Info: 575-541-2455. The TTY number is 575-541-2772. Rio Grande Theatre presents Mark Nizer — 7:30 p.m. at 211 N. Main St. The Doña Ana Arts Council continues its 2015/2016 Variety Series with world-renowned entertainer Mark Nizer, bringing his unique brand of original comedy, world-class juggling, movement, music and 3-D technology. Doors open at 7 p.m., show time is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $37.50 for Main Floor reserved seats; $27 for Balcony reserved seats; (includes all fees and a pair of 3-D glasses). Info: 575-523-6403 or visit www.RioGrandeTheatre.com.
505-469-7505 sivaraven@gmail.com
Fountain Theatre
Featuring the best independent, foreign and documentary �ilms in the southwest!
January 2016
Like
u January 1-7: Suffragette Fac s on ebo ok! January 8-14: TBA January 15-21: Room January 22- 28: Theeb In Arabic w English subtitles
**Thurs Jan 28 No evening screening; 1:30 matinee instead.
Nightly at 7:30 • Saturday matinee at 1:30 • Sunday matinee at 2:30 2469 Calle de Guadalupe, Mesilla • www.mesillavalleyfilm.org • (575) 524-8287
Visit Old Mesilla, NM • Antiques • Banks & ATMs • Books • Candy, Coffee & Snacks • Clothing & Apparel • Galleries & Fine Art • Gifts, Curios Crafts • Furniture & Decor • Health & Personal Care • Jewelry • Museums • Pottery • Real Estate • Wineries
Mesilla Book Center
Olive Oils Vinegars Gourmet Foods
• Books about the West, Mexico, horses, cowboys, Native Americans & More • Children’s books & Toys • Gifts & more
‘Some of the best books never make the bestseller lists’
On the Plaza • (575) 526-6220 Tue-Sat 11 am-5:30 pm Sun 1 pm-5 pm, Closed Mon
2411 Calle de San Albino (575) 525-3100
www.therusticolivedemesilla.com
Want your business to be seen here? Call Claire at 575.680.1844 • claire@lascrucesbulletin.com
BRIDGE COMMUNITY EARLY SUNDAY EA ARLY SUN NDA AY SUPPER SU UPP PE “Spanning Life’s Transi�ons”
January 17, 2016 at 4 p.m. Pork Tenderloin, Salad, Bread, Dessert and Beverage Entertainment by The Silver Stompers First United Methodist Church 300 W. College Ave. $10 dona�on For more info call 597-0065 or 538-5754 Bridge Community is a 501c(3) organization working to build a continuum of care senior living facility in Silver City.
48 • JANUARY 2016
www.desertexposure.com Picacho Peak Brewing Co. presents Ray Orta — 9-10 p.m. at 3900 W Picacho Ave. Info: 575- 6806394. “Shooting Star” at No Strings Theatre Company — 8 p.m. at 430 N. Downtown Mall. NSTC presents “Shooting Star” written by Steven Dietz and directed by Ceil Herman. Alan and Karen Caroe star in this entertaining and engaging play. Tickets are $12.00 regular admission, $10.00 students and Seniors over 65 and all seats on Thursday are $8.00. Reservations and info: 575- 5231223.
SATURDAY, JAN. 30
Silver City/Grant County Roots & Branches radio show — 8-10 a.m. every Saturday on gmcr. org or KURU 89.1 FM. Info: 575-5340298. Silver City Food Co-op Bisby Soap and Sundry demonstration—11 a.m.-2 p.m. at 614 N. Bullard St. Free. Info: 575-388-2343. Deming/Luna County Way Out West — 2 p.m. at Historic Morgan Hall, 109 E. Pine St. This musical event will take you out and to the West with classic songs of cowboys and a mix of cowboy and Western tunes played with a bordergrass sound. General Admission: $10; DPAT Members: $8. Info: 575-545-8872. TorC/Sierra County New Mexico Old Time Fiddlers Saturday Night Dance — 7 p.m. at the New Mexico Old Time Fiddlers Playhouse, 710 Elm St. Live music provided by NMOTFA Fiddlers and Friends. No alcohol or smoking are allowed in the building. All are invited to come and dance or just listen to the music. Cost: $4 Info: 575-7449137. Las Cruces/Mesilla Family Science Saturday: following in the footsteps — 10 a.m. at 411 North Main St. Join us for a special series of “Family Science Saturday” as we learn about the lives of some famous scientists and attempt to recreate one of their experiment. Topic for Jan. 30 is Geology of Southern New Mexico. Classes are held every Saturday. All ages are welcome. No registration required and admission is free. Info: http://
las-cruces.org/museums or call 575522-3120. Doña Ana County Historical Society Annual Awards Luncheon — noon at Double Eagle Restaurant, 2355 Calle de Guadalupe on the Mesilla Plaza. Seating for the luncheon begins at noon with the buffet lunch to be served at 12:30 p.m. The cost is $25.00 per person payable in advance or at the door. Info: 19dachs63@gmail.com. “Shooting Star” at No Strings Theatre Company — 8 p.m. at 430 N. Downtown Mall. NSTC presents “Shooting Star” written by Steven Dietz and directed by Ceil Herman. Alan and Karen Caroe star in this entertaining and engaging play. Tickets are $12 regular admission, $10 students and Seniors over 65 and all seats on Thursday are $8.00. Reservations and info: 575- 523-1223. Ruidoso/Lincoln County Merle Haggard in concert — 8 p.m. at Inn of the Mountain Gods, 287 Carrizo Canyon Road., Mescalero. With more than 30 No. 1 hits and countless awards and accolades including an induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Haggard is the very definition of a country legend. Owner of three Grammy awards and nearly 20 Academy of Country Music awards, Haggard has served as inspiration for a myriad of country stars. Don’t miss your chance to witness a piece of country music history. Tickets start at $40. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. Info: 800545-9011.
SUNDAY, JAN. 31
Las Cruces/Mesilla “Shooting Star” at No Strings Theatre Company — 2:30 p.m. at 430 N. Downtown Mall. NSTC presents “Shooting Star” written by Steven Dietz and directed by Ceil Herman. Alan and Karen Caroe star in this entertaining and engaging play. Tickets are $12 regular admission, $10 students and Seniors over 65 and all seats on Thursday are $8.00. Reservations and info: 575- 523-1223.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3
Silver City/Grant Count WILL Lunch and Learn — noon at WNMU Global Resource Center
ABC Room, 12th & Kentucky. Western Institute for Lifelong Learning’s (WILL) noon lecture series is free to non-members as well as members. This session features “Don’t Be Humpty Dumpty: Learn to Fall Safely and with Grace,” brought by certified Hapkido master instructor Hiram Lewis, along with James Fitzgerald, who is a 1st degree black belt. They encourage safe, healthy, non-competitive practice. Bring a sack lunch or just bring yourself. Info: 575 538-6835 or www.will-learning.com.
FRIDAY, FEB. 5
Silver City/Grant County Popcorn Fridays — all day at 614 N. Bullard St. Free popcorn and food samples. Info: 575-388-2343.
SATURDAY, FEB. 6
Silver City/Grant County Roots & Branches radio show — 8-10 a.m. every Saturday on gmcr. org or KURU 89.1 FM. Info: 575-5340298. 17th Annual Chocolate Fantasia — 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Mimbres Region Arts Council. Enjoy 20 unique, locally made, handcrafted chocolates as you stroll delightful historic downtown Silver City. This event supports MRAC programming. Info: 575-538-2505. TorC/Sierra County New Mexico Old Time Fiddlers Saturday Night Dance — 7 p.m. at the New Mexico Old Time Fiddlers Playhouse, 710 Elm St. Live music provided by NMOTFA Fiddlers and Friends. No alcohol or smoking are allowed in the building. All are invited to come and dance or just listen to the music. Cost: $4 Info: 575-7449137.
MONDAY, FEB. 8
El Paso Continuing education for older adults at UTEP — at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Texas - El Paso. These adult education courses for seniors ages 50 and up start on Feb. 8. Registration runs January 8 - 29. Find program details at www.olliatutep. org. Info: 915-747-6280 or 915-7478848 Mon. – Fri., 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. for info and to register.
Western Institute for Lifelong Learning
www.will-learning.com JANUARY 2016 NEW WILL COURSE LINEUP Over 60 courses to choose from in the Arts, Literature, Film, History and Current Affairs, Science, Nature, Self-improvement, and Community Issues
WILL’s Spring Signup Social Thursday, January 14, 2016 5:00 pm WNMU’s Global Resource Center At 12th and Kentucky WILL members may sign up for spring courses Open to the public, so bring a friend and enjoy an evening of fun. Join WILL for an annual WILL membership fee of $75 Visit will-learning.com for the complete list of Spring Courses and full information on WILL Membership.
WILL Lunch & Learn
Free and Open to the Public Wednesdays, Noon-1:00pm Room ABC in the WNMU Global Resource Center at 12th St & Kentucky
WILL Office
Room 108, Juan Chacon Bldg WNMU Campus Silver City, New Mexico
Jan 20 - Slow Down, You Move Too Fast: or, What You Can See When You Hike if You Slow Down and Look! with: Karen Beckenbach, Donna Stevens, Richard Martin Jan 27 - Mexican Borderlands Imagined and Sustained by the Stories with: Michael Berman Feb 3 - Don’t be Humpty Dumpty: Learn to Fall Safely and with Grace with: Hiram Lewis
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DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 49
LOOKING FOR LAUGHTER • SUSIE OUDERKIRK
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Fountain … Talking to Los Angeles actor and comedian Classy Lauren B about the brand-spankin’ new comedy invasion in Las Cruces
L
auren Brenner is not your typical Hollywood transplant. The Las Cruces native was never the stereotypical naïf stepping off the bus in Los Angeles with a battered suitcase and stars in her eyes, although her path took her in that direction. In 2009, the New Mexico college drop-out (she told me it was OK to call her that because she did, indeed, fail to graduate from both New Mexico state schools and, for good measure, New Mexico Military Institute, too) headed west to make her fortune in the entertainment industry. For most young wannabes, this story heads in a dark and pornographic direction, but not for “Classy Lauren B.” (Although she won’t rule out the leaking of an unfortunate sex tape. However, the tape hasn’t actually been made yet. Volunteers?) She’s actually making a name for herself in the comedy business with recurring performances in a number of comedy shows in and around Los Angeles and the production of a television pilot called “Trying Yoga.” And now, lucky for us, she’s bringing a little piece of her LA comedy experience back home to Las Cruces. “A Laugh at the Fountain” is Brenner’s newest endeavor, which came about with the help of Tom and Jerean Hutchinson, owners of La Posta Restaurant, because she wanted to “give everyone more to do during the week.” The comedy shows are held on a certain Thursday night (usually the fourth) at the Fountain Theater, which can be accessed through La Posta. The next show is scheduled for the end of February. I met Lauren Brenner 10 years ago through her mother, Maureen. At the time, I was casting a production of “Frankenstein” for a fundraising performance at the Rio Grande Theater just prior to its huge renovation in 2005. I was tasked with doing some kind of activity in the empty, gutted theater, and wanted to produce a scary play that worked in the environment, hence “Frankenstein.” I cast high school sophomore Brenner in the role of Justine, the Frankenstein family’s nanny and caretaker of young Willa, played by my five-year-old daughter, Lanie. I was blessed to have Las Cruces-favorite Bob Diven playing the monster, with cameos by writer Sunny Conley and the beloved late Joe Denk. Brenner’s mother helped backstage, which at that time was the alley behind the theater. The play was a hit, and now Lauren is a rising star. Coincidence? I don’t think so! Over lunch in October, “Classy Lauren B” answered questions and described a typical day in her life. I was expecting a lot of activities centered on cutting-edge comedy and the LA lifestyle (red carpet events, high-powered meetings with surly entertainment execs, sushi and cocktails at extravagant restaurants) but she’s just a regular girl. She starts her day with a
Lauren Brenner (Courtesy Photos) pot of coffee (yes, the whole pot), writes and edits for a few hours in the morning, teaches yoga at 2 p.m. and then heads out for “research” at a comedy club, either performing or watching other comedians do their thing. She’s currently finishing up a pilot for a comedy show called “Trying Yoga,” and will be shopping it to channels such as HBO in the near future. “We’re working on the ‘sizzle reel,’” she explained, which is a trailer in different lengths to show to different people at different companies. If all goes well, “Trying Yoga” may be a real thing in the fall of 2016. So how did she get the nickname, “Classy Lauren B?” As with a lot of things in her life, Brenner admits it was something sarcastic. In high school, she’d pair up a nice outfit with her trademark potty mouth, so her compatriots got to calling her “classy” in jest. But looking at her now, the classy adjective fits. She’s tall and lean with beautiful hair and minimal makeup. Her humor is gen-
“Laughter is important,” she said. “It makes everything better. It’s something we could all use more of.” But bringing that laughter to Las Cruces has had its own challenges. The city’s location—essentially between Tucson and Albuquerque— gives it great potential as part of a comedian’s tour, but because it isn’t already part of a known comedy circuit, there’s a lot of leg work and organization that’s necessary. The Fountain Theatre itself is a great venue with its proximity to La Posta and its alcohol-friendly policy, which, Brenner explains, should keep comedians coming in. Once Las Cruces establishes itself as a viable stop on a comedy tour, “a known ‘room,’” Brenner said, it should become a favorite. The inaugural Fountain Theater comedy show was Aug. 27, and promptly sold out both performances. Brenner opened the show with a stand-up set that defined her current career path and how she was shaped by life in Las Cruces. After a too-short set, she turned the stage over to her comedy friends Allen Strickland Williams and Dinah Leffert. The performers took a few minutes each to warm up themselves and the crowd, testing out which direction they would go with their humor. Strickland Williams broke the ice by getting after the crowd for talking during his set and then riffed on Billy the Kid to make a connection with the audience. Leffert had a tougher time finding her groove (big-city drug and crime references didn’t garner much laughter in Las Cruces), but she started swinging for the fences with jokes about relationships and sex, and the audience came around. The humor from all three of these talents was smart and timely, something that Las Cruces audiences need. Sometimes I feel Las Crucens drift comfortably in a southern New Mexican safety net just out of touch with important intellectual topics that we should know a little more about. Smart, funny commentators
“Laughter is important. It makes everything better. It’s something we could all use more of.” — Lauren Brenner, Comedian tle and slow-paced, and leaves an audience wanting more. Her suggestion for a headline for this article: “Former Las Cruces train wreck limps home for comedy show.” I’d never been aware of comedy being regularly available in Las Cruces, so I asked Brenner why here, why now? Because she’s from here, of course, and her parents live here. (Her younger sister, Kelly, is a pilot in Salina, Kansas). But more importantly, she wants to give Las Cruces something healthy and good: laughter.
from outside our bubble can help us keep up with what’s relevant. Comedians for the Sept. 24 show were Paul Danke and Jay Weingarten – both veterans of the LA comedy scene. Brenner was master of ceremonies and performed as well, bringing laughs and applause with her self-deprecating take on casual marijuana use and yoga. As Brenner gets a few of the monthly shows under her belt, she’ll have a better idea about what kind of humor works in Las Cruces, and can choose comedians accordingly, or at least guide them in the right direction when they get here. “I just tell them ‘you’re not in LA anymore, Toto,’” Brenner said. Jay Weingarten, a self-proclaimed “thought alchemist” did a set that connected to an incongruous PowerPoint presentation and even received a quick rub down from a surprised audience volunteer. Danke’s rapid fire comedy was more universal and touched on many everyday things that we all encounter and must learn to laugh about. His jokes about chewing gum to relieve stress (with a demonstration) and how poorly duvet covers do their jobs kept the audience chuckling nonstop. Watching him pantomime eating a delicious pretzel bun was genuinely funny. “Comedy is good!” Brenner said. “Everyone gets to choose if their life is a tragedy or a comedy. A roomful of people laughing is more powerful than anything negative that happens.” The October show featured former pastor Steve Hernandez, local magician Jamie O’Hara and Brenner. Hernandez hit the nail on the head with his riffs on dating, sex and growing up in California. O’Hara made balloon animals (some not for the kiddies), did a few tricks and energized the audience with over-thetop talk about wives and families. For 2016, Brenner is producing a festival in Detroit, for which she’s writing all the sketches. She’s still waiting to confirm the name of the show, but, she writes, it will be something like, “Life is rainbows and unicorns,” which promises to be delightfully churlish. Because the pilot season starts at the end of January and goes to
mid-February, Brenner and her comedy partners, Stewart Richlin (writer and co-producer), Miranda King (director) and Scott Pourroy (line producer) will be “pitching our butts off” to find a taker for “Trying Yoga,” which Brenner describes as “a mix of satire and absurdist comedy. It’s also a stoner comedy,” she said, winking conspiratorially. So what are the odds that this Las Cruces jackie-of-all-trades will make it big in Tinsel town? Statistically, it’s a pretty slim chance. But success and fame can be attributed to good. Old-fashioned hard work and perseverance, and time will tell if Brenner has the where-with-all to make it happen. She certainly has the brains and the ability, so why not her? In the meantime, check out the comedy coming to southern New Mexico by way of La Posta Restaurant. Buying a ticket to a comedy show with performers you don’t know is risky. What if it’s not funny? What if it’s offensive? But how will you know if you don’t try it? Part of having fun is taking the initiative to come out and listen; it’s not as easy as sitting on your couch watching Comedy Central, but it’ll be much more interactive and you might just learn something or find yourself laughing out loud. “A Laugh at the Fountain” usually has two shows from which to choose: 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. (The later performance is a more “adult” show, i.e., more bad words.) Both shows are for ages 21+. Ticket sales and community input may necessitate changes, so keep an eye out for information in late January or early February. Tickets are $25 which includes a beer or margarita you can take into the theater with you and a 10 percent discount on a meal at La Posta. The community benefits from the monthly shows if for no other reason than they bring like-minded Las Crucens together to laugh at each other, ourselves and this crazy world in which we live. Thanks, Classy Lauren B, for the effort, time and energy it takes to make us laugh. The Fountain Theatre is located at 2469 Calle de Guadalupe in Mesilla. Call La Posta for reservations at 575-915-1753.
50 • JANUARY 2016
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DESERT EXPOSURE
JANUARY 2016 • 51
LIVING ON WHEELS • SHIELA SOWDER
Hints to get Started with RV Life Full-timing on the road calls for a realistic plan
Starting out small, the Sowders lived happily with the tiny living room in their old 1990 Starcraft motorhome. (Courtesy photo)
“W
hen I retire, I’m going to buy an RV and travel around the country.” How many times have you heard friends and co-workers utter those words? How many times have you said them yourself? When your boss is pressuring you for a report and your youngest kid is sick and college tuition is due for your oldest and there’s a funny noise in your old Toyota, oh yes, driving off into the sunset in an RV sounds heavenly. No kids, no boss, no mortgage. Just you, your spouse and the open highway. More than a million people have made that dream a reality, and we’re not talking about all those families that park a little travel trailer or truck camper in their backyard for the occasional weekend getaway. We’re talking full-timing, no fixed address, don’tlike-the-neighbors-then-let’s-vamoose, follow the sun and skip the snow. Life on wheels, baby, the wind in your hair and the sun at your back. And while it might be just a dream for you right now, with a little planning you can someday make it come true. My husband and I did just that eight years ago; we’re still loving it, and you can too. Hint #1: Why are most full-timers older than 60? Because it’s important to have an income, money coming in regularly and dependably without having to go to a job every day. Even if you choose to work part of the year while on the road, minimum wage is all you’ll earn and it doesn’t go a whole lot further in an RV than anywhere else. So, realistically, we’re talking retirees with their Social Security, pensions, IRA distributions, maybe even some stocks or savings. Fulltime RVers are a diverse crowd. I’ve met retired truck drivers and farmers and insurance salesmen and teachers and editors and factory workers and career military and park rangers, an international security contractor and a custom furniture designer, an airline pilot and a professional astrologer, all retired and living full-time in
Sheila and Jimmy Sowder enjoy the good life during the summer at a Maine campground. (Courtesy photo) their RVs. Along with the retirees, there’s another category of people who have chosen RV living, full-time workers that are either required to switch locations periodically, such as mine workers or temporary medical workers, or just prefer an RV for economic reasons. For this article, however, I’m concentrating on retirees, the backbone of the full-timers. Once the kids have moved out and that big birthday is looming, you start to panic because all you have is a dream. The challenge is to turn that dream into a reality. Hint #2: Make a plan. We started a full year before that first retirement check rolled in by asking ourselves some important questions, such as: Do we keep the house and come back to it for part of the year, or rent it out, or sell it? How much of our “stuff” are we willing to get rid of, and what options are there for the stuff we keep? Will we be constantly on the move or just changing locations with the seasons? Make your list. Do your research. Check out the many RV lifestyle websites, including rvliving.net and rv-adventuring. com. Get the stories and advice from people that have actually done it. We put our house on the market after the first of the year and at almost the same time, bought a used motor home.
Hint #3: Spend at least a year going to RV shows and RV lots, checking the various features of both new and used rigs. Imagine traveling and living in each one. Familiarize yourself with the comparative prices. Learn to say “no” to any salesman pressuring you to take advantage of a “really great offer” before you’re ready. If possible, rent an RV similar to what you think would work for you and do a week of “test-living.” Word of warning: DO NOT PURCHASE A USED RV WITHOUT HAVING A THOROUGH INSPECTION BY SOMEONE WITH EXPERTISE IN RV MECHANICS AND BODYWORK, NO MATTER HOW GOOD A DEAL IT SEEMS. We had barely signed the paperwork when we got an offer on the house, with the stipulation that we move out in six weeks. We were still six months away from my husband’s retirement, but decided moving into the RV would give us a test period, time to make sure we could actually live full-time in it before we hit the road. We had decided to try workamping – working seasonally while living in an RV – for part of the year and applied at a resort in Death Valley for the following winter/spring season. Packing an entire household while separating out the keepers, the give-aways, and the throw-aways didn’t leave me much time to work my way through my lists,
Today Sheila and Jimmy Sowder have invested in a new Gateway fifth wheel RV, the living room allows for a bit more relaxation space than in their old Starcraft. (Courtesy photo) but with hours to spare, the house was emptied, and we became fulltime RVers. Then, six months later we headed west. Hint #4: Join one of the national RV associations. It will provide you with a good RV parks directory; discounts on site rental; supplies, and services; online travel assistance; insurance; and social networking. There are several, but the Good Sam Club is one of the largest and cheapest, has an informative website, offers RV loans, and has one of the best and least expensive mail forwarding houses in the country. A word about mail forwarding: do it. Don’t rely on friends or relatives to receive and forward your mail. It’s a hassle for them and impossible for you to complain when an important letter gets delayed because it got lost in their own pile on the kitchen counter. In the past eight years, we’ve worked two winter seasons at the resort in Death Valley, one summer at a family campground in Maine, two holiday seasons at an Amazon.com distribution facility in Kentucky, and I’m still workamping at our permanent RV park here in Silver City. We’ve done a variety of jobs between us: housekeeping, security, reservations and registration, store clerk, maintenance. It hasn’t all been fun and games, the work has often been hard, but we’ve met fantastic people and developed a true appreciation for the effort and dedication that goes into performing minimum-wage service jobs well. Hint #5: If you’re considering workamping at least part of the year, subscribe to the publication Workamper News. Not only are all kinds of jobs listed state by state, but their website offers invaluable information and the opportunity to post your resume for employers to read. We not only found jobs through the publication’s ads, but also got calls offering jobs because of our resume. We’re now on our second RV, having traded in the old motor home for a brand-new 41-foot fifth wheel last year.
We went from 180 to 350 square feet of living space, and feel as though we are living in a mansion. Not only do I have a real kitchen, but we also have a comfortable extra room in the back that serves as a guest room and TV/computer room. The only complaint we’ve had is with the many repairs that have been needed from the moment we set it on our site, from small ones such as loose doorknobs to a fairly major plumbing repair that required the removal of the bottom panels of the rig. Hint #6: Even new RVs generally require some repairs. I attribute this, with absolutely no statistics to back me up, to the pay system of RV assemblers, which is based on pay-per-piece rather than an hourly wage. Life will be easier for if either you or your RV buddy is handy with repairs and familiar with rudimentary mechanics. Otherwise, you’ll spend a lot of time searching for competent RV repair shops, which aren’t everywhere but are always expensive. And just like a house or an automobile, RVs need timely upkeep to perform well on the road and provide you with a cozy and secure home. So are you still eager to pursue that dream? Because with good planning, preparations and realistic expectations, one day you too could be driving down that road less traveled, with everything you need for an adventurous yet comfortable lifestyle following right behind you. And while it’s not all good and it’s not all bad, it is never, ever boring. Sheila and husband Jimmy Sowder have lived at Rose Valley RV Ranch in Silver City for four years following four years of wandering the United States from Maine to California. She can be contacted at sksowder@aol.com.
52 • JANUARY 2016
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