Ruidoso Free Press December 18 2012 by Eugene Heathman

POSTAL PATRON U.S. POSTAGE PAID MAILED FROM RUIDOSO, NM 88345 PERMIT NO. 9 PRESORT STANDARD

50 cents

For more photos and the latest stories updated daily, visit

www.ruidosofreepress.com

TUESDAY, DEC . 18, 2012 • W W W . R U I D O S O F R E E P R E S S . C O M • V OL . 4 , N O. 5 0

What’s

happening Christmas Eve community services schedule,

A property of

Powder hounds rejoice as opening weekend blizzard blasts Ski Apache

pg. B7

December 21-23 Ruidoso Dance Ensemble presents ‘The Nutcracker’

Tchaikovsky’s Christmas classic featuring gorgeous sets and costumes with outstanding student and professional dancers in the magical world of dancing nutcrackers, soldiers, sugar plum fairies, candy canes, mice and little girls and boys! Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts, 108 Spencer Rd. Fri. and Sat. 7 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. 888-818-7872, www.spencertheater.com, $28

December 21 Winter Solstice celebration

With the shortest day and longest night of the year, the solstice is recognized as rebirth and celebration. High Mesa Healing Center, 133 Mader Lane, Alto, 3:30 p.m. 575-3367777, www.highmesahealing. com. Free

Sue Hutchison/Ruidoso Free Press

By Eugene Heathman Editor eugene@ruidosofreepress.com Boasting $15 million in improvements for this season, Ski Apache opened Dec. 14 with beginner chairs 3 and 5 in operation. A weekend of wintry weather ushered in opening day and persisted throughout the weekend delivering almost a foot of snow and cold temperatures which made for ideal snowmaking conditions. From now through the Easter holiday, snow lovers can enjoy Ski Apache seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. including the resort’s famed special events including the Torchlight Parade and Dummy Gelunde Dec. 22. Competition for $1,500 in Grand Prize money at the fourth annual, Ski Apache Dummy Gelunde will be fierce. Dummy Gelunde is a sport of sorts, where teams of one to three people construct snow-riding dummies attached to a pair of skis or a See SKI APACHE, pg. A3

Unique gifts, jewelry, chile & fry bread, baked goods & more from over 30 vendors. Perfect for your last minute Christmas gifts! Mescalero Community Center Gym, 575-491-9141.

Knight receives Environmentalist of the Year award

December 22

New Mexico Environment Department

December 22-23

12th Annual Christmas Arts & Crafts Fair

Spectators events at Ski Apache

Dummy Gelunde Competition with snow-riding dummies and contraptions launched over a giant on-snow jump and then judged on distance, air, creativity, takeoﬀ, landing and crowd response. 3-6 p.m. Torchlight Parade beginning with the Native drum at 5 p.m. with Veteran skiers and their lighted torches skiing down the mountain. Fireworks following. Ski Apache Ski Resort, Hwy 532. 575-464-3600. www. skiapache.com

December 24

Christmas Eve in historic Lincoln

Traditional lighting of luminarias along Hwy 380 at dusk. Come look at the pretty “little lights” along the road. Lincoln on Hwy 380.1-877-784-3676

Luminarias in Carrizozo Large and elaborate displays of luminarias throughout the town of Carrizozo. Hwy 54 and Hwy 380. 575-648-2371. www.carrizozochamber.org. Dusk, free.

Letters to Santa, pgs. B8-9

New Mexico Environment Department Health Inspector Eugene Knight recently received the Environmentalist of the Year Award by the New Mexico Health Association for his outstanding service to the environmental health inspection field. “We’d like to extend our congratulations to Eugene Knight on winning this distinguished award,” said New Mexico Environment Department Secretary David Martin. “This is a well-deserved recognition for Eugene’s tireless work on behalf of New Mexico residents.” Knight, who lives in the Ruidoso area, has been a department employee for 10 years and still conducts

many inspections, in addition to his current role as Acting State Pool Program Manager. During his time, Knight has participated in numerous emergency responses in the Lincoln area including the 2008 Dolly flood event and the 2011 Big Freeze event. Knight was also one of the early and longest-serving responders to the Ruidoso community during the recent Little Bear forest fire that destroyed hundreds of homes near Ruidoso this year. “I appreciate receiving this award, but also feel that a lot of other people deserve it as much as I do,” said Eugene Knight. “I just try to keep in mind what any of our NMED health inspectors would do for See KNIGHT, pg. A3

Caroling for the community

Courtesy photo

A local high school ensemble plays Christmas carols at local establishments; Kaylee Aguilar, Rio O’Neal and Miranda Midkiﬀ.

Santa delivers good news to the Sanchez family

Sue Hutchison/Ruidoso Free Press

Marco Sanchez recently received his immigration papers with plans to pursue U.S. citizenship. Marco and Betty Sanchez, along with their children Fabiola and Marquito are seen here with Santa and Mrs. Claus, played by Jerry and Debbie Wright.

Hubbard Foundation awards grants for LC nonprofits The R.D. and Joan Dale Hubbard Foundation has selected the 2012 Southeast New Mexico Grant Program recipients for Lincoln County. Robert Donaldson, executive director of the Hubbard Foundation, announced grants totaling $126,550 to 19 successful applicants in Lincoln County: The Boys and Girls Club of Sierra Blanca, $8,800; Capitan Women’s Club, $4,926; Carrizozo Food Bank, $2,500; Carrizozo Work’s, $3,300; Early Years Childhood Center, $3,500; Hondo FFA, $2,500; Scholarship Sertoma, $20,000; Ski Apache Disable Skiers Program, $7,100; Capitan Public Library, $1,380; Hubbard Museum of the American West, $5,000; Lincoln County Food Bank, $5,000; Lincoln County Santa’s Helpers, $2,000; Ruidoso Downs Race Track

Chaplaincy, $12,000; Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts, $15,000; Southwestern Arts Alliance,$4,000; City of Ruidoso Downs Police Department, $13,600 and South-Central Mountain Adult Basic Education Program, $3,670. Donaldson reports Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard have said many times the grants made through the Southeast New Mexico Grant Program to small local nonprofit groups such as those announced, can make such a positive difference in the lives of people. On a personal side, Donaldson said “It was such an honor and pleasure to be able to meet and speak with so many people who provide so many needed services for the people of New Mexico. It is humbling when you meet real people who labor out of the limeALTO

REAL ESTATE TEAM SDC, REALTORS®

(575) 258-5008

(575) 257-5111 ext. 117 307 Mechem Dr, Ruidoso, NM

light to improve the lives of the citizens in their communities, who don’t just talk about placing others before themselves but live that life every day.” The Hubbard Foundation awarded nearly $262,550 to 49 organizations in the seven county region for the Southeast New Mexico Grant Program this year. They received over 80 requests totaling over $859,000. Since 2001, Hubbard Foundation’s Southeast New Mexico Grant Program has provided more than $23 million to approximately 446 nonprofit organizations in the seven county areas of Southeast New Mexico. The foundation stated that they hoped to offer this program again next year and invited nonprofits to contact the Foundation office early in 2013 for details of the program.

FEATURED PROPERTY

FABULOUS 3 BEDROOM, 2 ½ BATH STUCCO HOME WITH GOLF MEMBERSHIP! This beautiful home is located on the #15 green of ALG&CC. Quality features throughout include solid surface countertops, custom cabinets, stainless steel appliances, wood accents, tile and wood ﬂooring and much more. Great decks for relaxing and entertaining plus a hot tub and ﬁreplace on the back deck. Cool living area with wet bar. Fully furnished too! $498,500. #111778

Find Ruidoso’s #1 REAL ESTATE TEAM at: www.ruidosorealestate.com

Ruidoso Free Press

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Prescribed burning Despite the recent snow, the USDA Forest Service has scheduled prescribed burning on projects around Ruidoso until Dec. 21 during favorable weather conditions. Projects include sites near Ski Run Road, Brady Canyon, Lower Eagle Creek and near the Agua Fria subdivision of Ruidoso Downs. For more information on these prescribed fires, call the district oﬃce at 257-4095 Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

and 30, include meditation and moderate Hatha Yoga postures for all level, Fridays from 5:306:30 p.m. and Sundays from 3-4 p.m. Drop in or sign up online at www. ruidosodayspa.com, or call 575802-3013.

Sanitation meet The January meeting of the Alpine Village Sanitation District will be Jan. 7 at 4 p.m. in the district building at 114 Alpine Meadows Trail. For more information, call 257-7776 or 973-0324.

Poster contest

Birth 2012 As the Mayan calendar draws to a close, supporters of the Birth 2012 movement are organizing small and large birthday celebrations around the globe to rejoice in the birth of a new era on Dec. 22. The purpose of the birthday celebration is not to give in to apocalyptic fears as the Mayan calendar comes to an end, but to promote a collective shift to a new way of thinking. In Lincoln County, there will be free opportunities to gather for this intention including the Winter Solstice celebration at the High Mesa Healing Center from 3:30-4:30 p.m. on Friday at 101 Mader Lane in Alto, as well as a larger birthday celebration held at Smokey’s Garden at the Smokey Bear Ranger Station on Mechem Dr. on Saturday from 5-8 p.m.

Santa Land Come to Cloudcroft’s Zenith Park on Dec. 22 to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, enjoy roasted marshmallows, hot dogs and more. The festivities begin at 4 p.m., and Santa arrives at 5 p.m. For more information, call 575-682-2733 or 1-866-UPHIGH7

Bear raffle The Carrizozo Volunteer Fire Department will be raffling a bear carving during Santa’s Christmas visit to McDonald Park on Dec. 22. Tickets are $2 each or three for $5. Tickets can be purchased from any fire department members at the Lincoln County Assessor’s Office. The carving is two feet tall and was donated by Grizzly’s Bear of Ruidoso. Retail value is $70.

Treecycling This year’s annual Christmas tree recycling program – hosted by Keep Ruidoso Beautiful, Village of Ruidoso and PNM – will be Dec. 26-Jan. 13 at School House Park in Ruidoso. All tree stands, lights, ornaments and other decorations must be removed. Please do not illegally dump Christmas trees at other trash disposal sites or compactor locations. Lincoln County residents with trees cut into pieces four feet or less may also place them in their normal yard waste locations. For more information, call Ruidoso Parks and Recreation at 257-4030 or email gwsa@greentreeswa. org.

Yoga by donation “Practice often, donate as able,” is the motto of the new Yoga by Donation class series, offered by Blue Lotus Healing Arts Center at 2810 Sudderth above Schlotzsky’s. The classes, which start Dec. 28

The Cloudcroft Chamber of Commerce is already looking ahead to Mardis Gras, and invites artists to enter the poster contest for this years’s Mardis Gras in the Clouds celebration. This year’s celebration has the theme “How Sweet It Is,” and entries must be submitted to the chamber oﬃce at P.O. Box 1290, Cloudcroft, NM 88317 no later than Jan. 10 by 5 p.m. Entry size is 16x20, and the materials can be canvas or professional grade paper. The artwork should be signed by the artist and only one entry per artist will be accepted.

Litte Bear meet The next meeting of the Little Bear Forest Reform Coalition will be Jan. 14 in the Ruidoso Village Council chambers at 3 p.m. John Bemis, New Mexico Secretary of Energy, Mineral and Natural Resources, will speak about the feasibility of having a Single Engine Air Tanker stationed in the area. American Legion Post 79 – Jerome D. Klein Post, meets on the third Saturday of each month at the American Legion building located at the southeast corner of Spring Road and Highway 70 at 9 a.m. For more information, or to join, call Vic Currier, Post Adjutant, at 802-5293. The Arid Group of Alcoholics Anonymous meets at 1216 Mechem at 7:30 a.m., noon and 5:15 p.m. daily; Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. There is also a Monday 6:30 p.m. women’s open meeting. The Sunny Spirit Group of Alcoholics Anonymous meets Monday and Thursday at noon and Friday at 5:30 p.m., while the women’s group meets Wednesdays at noon in the parish hall of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Mount at 121 Mescalero Trail. For more information regarding AA meetings in Lincoln and Otero counties, call 430-9502. Al Anon of Ruidoso – for family members of alcoholics – meet at 1216 Mechem Dr. Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. Alcoholics Anonymous of Capitan meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Senior Citizens Center, 115 Tiger Dr., just one block oﬀ of Highway 48. For more information, call Ted at 354-9031. The Democratic Women of the Sacramento Mountain Area meet the third Saturday of each month at 11:30 a.m. For more information, visit www.dwsma.org. Altrusa Club of Ruidoso meets at 5 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month at First Christian Church,

1211 Hull Road. If you think an organization like Altrusa may be a good fit for your volunteer efforts, contact membership chair Barbara Dickinson at 336-7822. The Federated Republican Women of Lincoln County meet the fourth Monday of each month at Cree Meadows Country Club at 11:30 a.m. For more information, call 257-4160 or visit www.frw.rplcnm.org The Federated Woman’s Club of Ruidoso, supporting community service organizations and providing scholarships, meets Mondays at 11 a.m. at 116 S. Evergreen Dr. A pot luck lunch at noon is followed by bridge and other card games. A special program is also presented most months. The group and hosts Yoga Wednesdays. For times or further information, call 257-2309. Firefighters for Christ meet monthly at the Ruidoso Downs Racetrack Chapel at 7 p.m. This service is open to firefighters and their families. For more information, call 258-4682. Inspired Living at Sanctuary on the River is held every week from Tuesday through Thursday with various disciplines oﬀered. For more information, call 630-1111. The Kiwanis Club of Ruidoso meets every Tuesday at noon at K-Bobs. The Lincoln County Garden Club meets on the third Tuesday of each month at the Otero County Electric co-op, on Highway 48 in Alto, at 9:45 a.m. Visitors are welcome. The Garden Club’s purpose is to encourage community beautification and conservation, and to educate members in the arts and sciences of horticulture. For more information, call 973-2890. The Lincoln County fibromyalgia and chronic pain support group meets on the fourth Thursday of each month from noon-2 p.m. in the parlor at First Baptist Church, 270 Country Club Dr. All are welcome and may bring a brown bag lunch. For information, contact Mary Barnett at 257-9810.

December 18, 2012

org or call 575-512-7077. Optimist Club meets at noon every Wednesday at K-Bobs. The Photographic Society of Lincoln County – dedicated to the advancement of digital photography – meets the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Region IX oﬃces at 237 Service Road. Annual dues are $15 per family which includes lectures and field trips. Contact Leland Deford at 257-8662 or Herb Brunnell at 258-4003. Rotary Club of Ruidoso meets at Cree Meadows Country Club noon every Tuesday.

at 321 Mescalero Trail Road. For more information, call 575-9563101 or 575-336-4187. Sacramento Mountain Village is a network of older adults in Ruidoso and surrounding communities who support independent living by oﬀering services and activities that keep seniors healthy and happy in their own homes. Benefits of membership include art and yoga classes, weekly walking and discussion groups, social functions and monthly member breakfasts at Swiss Chalet, on the fourth Sat-

Ruidoso Evening Lions Club meets each Tuesday at 7 p.m. at 106 S. Overlook. Ruidoso Gambling Support meets the first and third Wednesday of every month at 5:45 p.m. in the Lincoln Tower at 1096 Mechem Dr., Suite 212. For more information, call 575-464-7106. Ruidoso Home Care and Hospice oﬀers bereavement and grief support groups for those who have had losses in their lives. Two groups are available – Tuesday from 5-6 p.m. or Friday from noon to 1 p.m. The groups meet at Ruidoso Home Health and Hospice, in the conference room, at 592 Gavilan Canyon Rd. For questions or directions, call Lyn Shuler at 2580028. The Ruidoso Noon Lions meet at 11:30 a.m. each Tuesday at Cree Meadows Country Club. Ruidoso Masonic Lodge No. 73 meets first Monday of each month, 7:30 p.m. If the first Monday is a national holiday, the meeting will be held on the second Monday. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call 575-442-2026.

A L M A N AC

Jane’s Jewelry &Gifts

104 B Lincoln Ave. • Capitan, NM 575-973-3214

Open Tues-Sat, 10 am - 5 pm thru the holidays

One-of-a-kind, custom jewelry

Every woman deserves to look her best. I have custom jewelry in a wide range of prices. Need jewelry for that special garment or occasion? Come by to discuss your needs.

SAA meets every Thursday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Episcopal Church at the Holy Mountain

Bring this ad in for 15% Off Through December 22, 2012

(In store stock only. Not combined with other offers)

The Lincoln County Community Theater meets the fourth Monday of every month at 8:30 a.m. All are welcome to come. Call 808-0051 for the meeting location, or visit www.lcct-nm.com. The Lincoln County Regulators, members of the Single Action Shooters Society, hold matches the second Saturday of every month at the Ruidoso Gun Range located on Hale Lake Road. Registration is at 9 a.m., matches start at 10 a.m. The public is welcome to participate or watch the action. During the shooting matches, all other shooting is suspended. For more information, call Avery (AKA Rowdy Lane) at 937-9297. The Lincoln County Sheriﬀ ’s Posse is part of American Western history that continues today. The Posse meets the first Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. at the headquarters located a mile south of Carrizozo on Highway 54. For more information, visit www.lincolncountysheriﬀsposse.

Sunrise Sunset Avg High Avg Low Avg Precip

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY 42° 44° Windy

38°

TUE 7:01AM 4:58PM 48° 21° 0.01”

RADIO UPDATES ON www.mtdradio.com

WED 7:02AM 4:59PM 48° 21° 0.01”

THU 7:02AM 4:59PM 48° 21° 0.01”

Breezy

36° FRI 7:03AM 4:59PM 48° 21° 0.01”

SAT 7:03AM 5:00PM 48° 21° 0.00”

SUN 7:04AM 5:01PM 48° 21° 0.00”

A L L E RGY

Breezy

Vietnam Veterans of America, Lincoln-Otero Chapter 1062, meets every fourth Wednesday at the American Legion Building, located at the corner of Spring Road and Highway 70 East in Ruidoso Downs. For more information, call President Jerry Ligon at 808-1114 or Vice President Vic Currier at 802-5293.

Maximum strength analgesic creme for temporary relief from: • Joint and Muscle soreness • Arthritis • Back aches

THREE DAY FORECAST TUESDAY 56°

urday of the month at 9:30 a.m. Membership is open to any Lincoln County resident 49 years or older. For more information, call 258-2120 or visit www.sacmtnvillage.org.

Go Painlessly® with THERA-GESIC.

THG-12902

22° MON 7:04AM 5:01PM 48° 21° 0.00”

For complete 7 DAY FORECASTS for NEW MEXICO & TEXAS including Satellite, Zoom Radar, Allergy Alerts, Video Forecast and more, go to www.ronrobertsweather.com

Dec 19

First Quarter

Dec 28

Full Moon

10 8 6 4 2

TUE

Jan 4

Last Quarter

WED

Jan 11

New Moon

Ruidoso Free Press

December 18, 2012

Draft documents are public, court reaﬃrms The only exceptions to disclosure must be spelled out in law. Draft documents are public records and you have a right to see them, the New Mexico Court of Appeals has reaffirmed in an opinion filed Dec. 11. The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government had filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case (Edenburn v. Department of Health), arguing that allowing draft documents to be kept secret was not in keeping with the letter or the spirit of the Inspection of Public Records Act. The court’s opinion was

LCCT donation

a complete victory for NMFOG’s position. In his brief, FOG board member Charles “Kip” Purcell argued that the idea of a draft document is “highly manipulable and hopelessly subjective” and cited many examples of how the draft label had been abused. “This is a powerful reinforcement of New Mexico’s sunshine laws,” said Gwyneth Doland, the executive director of the Foundation for Open Government. “Draft documents-and the view of the process that they provide-are as important as the final actions taken by public officials.”

SKI APACHE, from pg. A1 snowboard and launch the handmade contraptions over a giant on-snow jump. Dummies are then judged on distance, air, creativity, takeoff, landing and crowd response. Dummy Gelunde events are common throughout ski areas such as Vail and are creative, notorious crowd pleasers. Ski Apache director of operations Justin Rowland said, “We will be having this competition every year. The Dummy Gelunde is a great event for skiers and non-skiers alike. We challenge those who enter floats in the annual Festival of Lights and are looking for our local schools and businesses to compete in the Dummy Gelunde. According to Justin Rowland, “the Dummy Gelunde has room for 35 entries, this year we have nine, which was about the same as last year.” The annual Dummy Gelunde is held after semester finals and just before the peak holiday ski weeks. Ski Apache expects its new lifts to

open during the upcoming season, giving the resort the highest lift capacity in the state of New Mexico. When fully open, the resort offers skiers and boarders more than 750 skiable acres, 55 runs, two terrain parks and a vertical drop of 1,900 feet. Ski Apache vacation packages are also available now at www.InnOfTheMountainGods.com and start at just $499 including accommodations, rentals, transportation to and from the mountain, and more. Lift tickets are on sale now and lessons may be reserved by visiting www. SkiApache.com. Ski Apache offers a live webcam, interactive trail map and up-to-the-minute weather conditions online, as well as by RSS feed and text alert. Ski Apache opened Capitan Light Side for skiing Monday morning and reported a 20-inch base of natural and man-made snow.

Courtesy photo

Lincoln County Community Theatre presented Shippen Salas, Ski Apache Disabled Skiers program director with a check for $1,678.56 – the proceeds from LCCT’s recent production of “The Miracle Worker.” Shippen thanked LCCT, cast and crew for their generous gift.

Safe winter driving tips Before driving, ensure the vehicle’s brakes, windshield wipers, defroster, heater and exhaust system are in working properly. Antifreeze should be checked and be ready for colder temperatures. The vehicle tires should be properly inflated and tread should be in good condition. From time to time motorists have been locked out of their vehicles while the vehicle is idling. Should you be

locked out of your vehicle, carrying an extra vehicle key in your pocket could help rectify the problem. While driving, be sure to keep windshield and windows clean and clear. Snow and ice make roadway conditions unsafe. It is recommended stopping distances should be increased. Leave yourself plenty of room to stop. Remember to be especially careful driving across bridges as the bridges are one of the areas to freeze first.

KNIGHT, from pg. A1 their communities in time of need and look beyond our regular duties to help people out.” Environmental Health Bureau Chief Frank Fiore describes Mr. Knight as an extremely dedicated and effective inspector who cares a lot about the public. “Eugene always puts top priority in protecting the health and well-being of NM citizens, as well as the businesses and

communities they depend on,” said Fiore. “Eugene’s philosophy is to regulate using technical assistance, education and friendly persuasion, with enforcement only as a last resort.” The New Mexico Environmental Health Association Environmentalist of the Year Award is an annual award that is given to a person, public or private, that contrib-

along with

Santa’s Helpers

are delivering the joy of Christmas to less fortunate children in our community. Bring new or gently used coats, or a new, unwrapped toy. Our way of saying ‘Thank You’ for your donation.

20 Off

25 Off

Any Service

Set of 4 Tires

Expires 12-31-12 No purchase required for donation Hometown Tire & Auto

utes significantly to the environmental health field in New Mexico. The New Mexico Environmental Health Association Environmentalist of the Year Award was accepted on Knight’s behalf by New Mexico Environment Department District 1 Manager Bill Chavez earlier this fall, as Knight was not able to attend due to his wife’s illness.

Opinion

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Disrespect for human life

To the Editor: The United States is still reeling from last Friday’s horrible massacre of helpless, defenseless children in the Sandy Hook school in Connecticut. The insanity of Adam Lanza is difficult to explain. Perhaps, he was mentally handicapped and something caused him to snap. I was a teacher and coach in Austin’s Lanier High School when the tower shooter at the University of Texas killed and wounded many. He killed his wife, Kathy, and his mother before he climbed the tower and killed others. Kathy was a teacher at Lanier and she and Charles had been to faculty socials. He was a veteran of the Marine Corps and an architecture student at UT. He seemed to be very normal. Now, we are going through a period of national grief at the death of 20 children and seven adults, as well as the shooter’s suicide. More and more, we have these tragedies occurring in our nation. From Colorado to Virginia to Texas, we experience these terrible actions. I have grandchildren and great grandchildren in the ages of the children who were killed. So, it is easy to transpose myself into the situation and sense of loss. The respect for human life has been lost in our nation. I am not sure when or where this disrespect began, But, it began somewhere. Perhaps, the most powerful display of disrespect for human life occurred with the approval of abortion on demand. Some of you will say that there is no connection with the Sandy Hook situation and abortion. However, let me make some comparisons. The killer broke into the locked and, supposedly secure school, and began to kill children and adults, who were unprotected. The children and adults were screaming and trying to protect themselves. In abortion, the physician breaks into the suppos-

Ruidoso Free Press

edly secure womb and, with instruments, takes the life of the helpless and unprotected fetus. There is no one there to hear the screams and see the struggle of the fetus to get away from the efforts to kill it. I am amazed at the similarity of the situations. The first causes an outcry at the senseless death of precious children and adults. The latter is tolerated and encouraged because society says that in the case of abortion there is no person or life. In my opinion, both are wrong. What are your thoughts? Charles Clary Ruidoso

The Messiah is coming

“Indeed, the Messiah is coming, and very soon.” That was my mantra in Walk through Bethlehem. I played the part of Anna, the elderly woman who prayed in the Jerusalem synagogue day and night, for the coming of the Messiah. What a blessing it was for me to be a part of that awesome group of people who brought to life the Good News story. In spite of the devastation of Little Bear Fire, which included the loss of seven families who were instrumental in making Walk Through Bethlehem a success in the past, Angus Nazarene Church, once again, stepped up to the plate to bring the story of Christ’s birth to residents of and visitors to Lincoln County and the surrounding area. The construction of Bethlehem in the Capitan Fairgrounds building and the six performances took more than 4,000 man hours, not including those who transported livestock to the fairgrounds, the many phone hours, calling for volunteers to assist in the effort, nor does it include the prayer warriors many hours of prayer that God would bless the work that emphasized the real meaning and significance of Christmas, bringing the lost to the saving knowledge of Christ. Walk through Bethlehem offered three

May this wonderful community come together with our great nation to comfort those in need and offer peace for the families and those who are suffering from the recent tragic event in Connecticut this holiday season. We want your letters

Ruidoso Free Press welcomes your Letters to the Editor on topics of concern to you and the community. Details: Letters, which should be no longer than 300 words, must include the name, address and telephone number of the author for veriﬁcation. Deadline: The deadline is 3 p.m. the Thursday before publication, but letters may be held until the following week upon the editor’s discretion. Disclaimer: The editorial board or editor of Ruidoso Free Press

reserves the right to edit or withhold from publication any letter for any reason whatsoever. Once received, all letters become the possession of Ruidoso Free Press. Letters reﬂect the opinion of the author, not necessarily that of Ruidoso Free Press or its staff. Email your letters to: eugene@ruidosofreepress.com, or write: Letter to the Editor, Ruidoso Free Press, 1086 Mechem, Ruidoso, NM 88345

1 0 8 6 M E C H E M • R U I D O S O, N M 8 8 3 4 5 575-258-9922 LO V I N G TO N O F F I C E : 575 - 396 - 0499

W W W. R U I D O S O F R E E P R E S S . C O M W W W. M T D R A D I O . C O M

New Mexico Press Association’s 2012 number one award-winning newspaper in Lincoln County

A property of

Published every Tuesday by the Ruidoso Free Press, 1086 Mechem, Ruidoso, New Mexico 88345. The circulation of the Ruidoso Free Press exceeds 7,000 printed copies weekly, with almost 6,000 papers delivered via direct mail to homes and post oﬃce boxes located exclusively within Lincoln County. Over 1,000 papers are available for purchase at newsstands, stores and hotels throughout Lincoln County. First class subscriptions to the Ruidoso Free Press are available for $80 by calling 575-258-9922. Classifieds, legals, obituaries, wedding announcements, birth announcements and thank-you ads are available by calling the classified department at 575-258-9922. For all advertising opportunities, call 575-258-9922. For submission of all editorial copy, press releases or letters to the editor, please email eugene@ruidosofreepress.com, or call 575-258-9922.

Sandi Aguilar, General Manager • sandi@ruidosofreepress.com Will Rooney, Director of Radio Operations

will@mtdradio.com • 575-937-4413 Eugene Heathman, Managing Editor eugene@ruidosofreepress.com • 575-973-7227 Todd Fuqua, Sports Editor todd@ruidosofreepress.com • 575-973-0917 Sue Hutchison, Reporter suehutch@valornet.com • 575-973-8244 Beth MacLaurin, Radio Coordinator beth@mtdradio.com Penny Heggestad, Newspaper Coordinator penny@ruidosofreepress.com

Marianne Mohr, Advertising Director marianne@ruidosofreepress.com • 575-937-4015 CA Bradley, Business Consultant ca@mtdradio.com • 575-973-3899 Molly Sheahan, Business Consultant molly@mtdradio.com • 575-937-3472 Lori Estrada, Business Consultant lori@mtdradio.com • 575-390-3569 Tina Eves, Advertising Coordinator tina@ruidosofreepress.com Kathy Kiefer, Graphic Artist kathy@ruidosofreepress.com

Advertising space and copy deadline: Wednesday 3 p.m. prior to publication date. Member New Mexico Press Association • Member New Mexico Broadcasters Association All advertising copy and artwork, news stories and photographs appearing in the Ruidoso Free Press are copyrighted and may not be reproduced or reprinted without permission of the general manager or editor. Management reserves the right to reject advertising or news copy considered objectionable. Liability for any error in advertising is limited to the value of the actual space in which the error occurs and will be satisfied by correction in the next issue. Errors of fact or erroneous reflection upon the character, standing or reputation of any individual, firm or corporation appearing in this newspaper will be corrected upon being brought to the attention of the general manager or editor.

magical hours per performance that put the visitor, some having come from as far away as Fredericksburg, Texas, back in time 2000+ years in a setting where the presence of the Holy Spirit was so pervasive that even the animals and the live Baby Jesus were affected. Walk Through Bethlehem is a true labor of love. The participants in the blacksmith shop, the market place, the manger, the synagogue, the dancers, every soul involved in the performance, including the visitor when he gets past the tax collector and steps through the double doors into Bethlehem, is transformed by the grace of God. And, neither the actors nor the visitors will ever be quite the same. The thought of abandoning Walk Through Bethlehem is simply not acceptable. But it is also not possible for Angus Nazarene Church to continue being the lone sponsor of such a magnanimous effort. Therefore, I am proposing that the larger churches in the Greater Ruidoso Area agree to sponsor Walk Through Bethlehem on a rotation basis. The smaller churches joining forces to take a year of joint sponsorship. Ideally, a different church each year will be the sponsor of Walk Through Bethlehem, but members from every church will participate in the construction of Bethlehem, in the presentation of the birth of Christ, in the tear-down and storage of materials, and in the many blessings that are derived from the effort. My costume will be laundered and ready for next year because the ministers and other clergy, deacons and parishioners of our local churches will see that abandoning Walk through Bethlehem is simply not an option. I look forward to sharing my vision with you in person and to working with you to make Walk through Bethlehem 2013 everything our Lord in Heaven would want it to be. Millie Woods Alto

December 18, 2012

Not happy with health care

To the Editor: Dec. 11, I went to the new Capitan Clinic about 8:30 a.m. There was no one in the waiting room, one lady at the counter ahead of me. When she sat down, I went up to the counter, gave all my pertinent information. I was told that their policy is that anyone over age 65 would be put on a waiting list, and could she call me later today or tomorrow. I said no that I was leaving town and I needed to get in to see someone. She repeated the question, did I want her to call me later today or tomorrow. I was furious. As I was leaving, I realized the lady that had been in front of me had been told the same thing they told me. I only heard her side of the conversation which was “No that is totally unacceptable. I nearly fell in the bathtub this morning because I was so dizzy. I need to see someone!” They’d given her paperwork to fill out. They were going to see her. I have told this story to numerous people in Capitan, before leaving town. The question was “put on a waiting list… for what?” I heard all kinds of other bad things about this clinic and their operations, which I will not repeat as that is hearsay. My husband called Lincoln County Medical Center and spoke to a lady; she was to call me back in an hour or so, due to a meeting. A man called me, I did not get his name or title, I told him what happened. He tried to tell me that I misunderstood the situation that they were probably screening patients to evaluate their needs. Sounded like total CYA to me. They did not ask what my symptoms were or what my problem was at all. If a person walks in to a medical clinic, they need to be seen, not given a run-around. Our taxpayer dollars pay all those employees there and built that very nice building. We have our rights. Phyllis Macaw Capitan

Solution on pg. B10

December 18, 2012

Ruidoso Free Press

Greentree Solid Waste Authority

PO Box 2405 • Ruidoso Downs, NM 88346 • (575) 378-4697 • 1-877-548-8772 Fax (575) 378-4896 • gswa@greentreeswa.org December 11, 2012 Board of Commissioners County of Lincoln P.O. Box 711 Carrizozo, NM 88301 Re: Alto Lakes Water and Sanitation District ‘The Rest of the Story” Dear Chairwoman Powell and Commissioners, GSWA is following up with this letter to clarify some issues and remarks that have been made by District representatives related to the services and the offer of services to the District from the Authority. Specifically, we are responding to a letter from the District Chairman, Mr. Earl Adamy, to you, the Board of Commissioners and to the public. In those letters, there are many incomplete statements pertaining to the negotiations between GSWA and the District. LETTER FROM MR. ADAMY TO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS dated Oct. 18, 2012. At the start of the letter it comments “….detailed the difficulties we had experienced in obtaining an answer to repeated inquiries regarding extension or renewal of Greentree’s operating lease…” This is an interesting statement considering there was only one written inquiry from the District dated Aug. 15, 2012. And this inquiry was sent after the District Manager attended the July 25, 2012 meeting. At that meeting, the GSWA Board instructed the District Manager that GSWA needed a letter from the District Board requesting and describing terms of services to be provided to the District. Prior to this there were some verbal discussions, but nothing clearly stating the needs of the District. There were requests from the District for items such as GSWA commercial rates and loan ordinances/ and documents. All these items were provided, by GSWA to the District. The District then published a Request for Proposals for solid waste services. Mr. Adamy states that “The District did receive a response, but not from Greentree.” This statement is true, but fails to explain why. GSWA does not bid on these larger contracts through this process due to the concern for bidding against private enterprise. This concern arises from utilizing the benefits of governmental services versus private enterprises. One example: Government agencies are not required to pay as many taxes that private enterprise pays, such as State Highway Use Tax. With this in mind, GSWA did offer to negotiate with the District, as allowed, under the Procurement Code exemption allowing government to government negotiations. GSWA did provide various proposals and scenarios for services to the District. (See attached summary letter dated Sept. 25, 2012 from GSWA to the District with those proposals.) The statement is then made by the District that, “…costs are too high to have fallen on deaf ears…” This is an interesting statement from Mr. Adamy, because we did provide in our proposals our itemized expenses related to each type of service to be provided. In other words, GSWA not only provided the rates to be charged to the District, but a detailed breakdown of the expenses such as security, landfill fees, utility costs, insurance, labor, etc. This expense breakdown was based upon a 3 year history of actual costs by GSWA to provide the requested services, not an estimate. Mr. Adamy did not comment on those expenses. In fact, when the District Manger calculated the estimated budget for the District to provide the services, GSWA was within a few thousand dollars annually. The only difference was the debt service, accounts receivable collection and illegal dumping enforcement. GSWA will entertain any suggestions from anyone on how to reduce costs to provide the required services to the public. That is why government budgets are open to the public and that detail was provided to the District. Mr. Adamy has not to date provided any suggestions on where we can reduce costs without cutting service levels. He has only provided incomplete information to the public. Probably the most misleading statement in Mr. Adamy’s Oct. 25, 2012 letter is: “The fact that a private contractor can provide all services (household, recycle, bulk and green waste) from operation through hauling at Non-member landfill rates for 46 percent less than Greentree sends a very clear message regarding the cost structure and management of the Authority.” He states that the GSWA highest option is $310,000 and Sierra Contracting lowest option is $167,000. This is true, but he is not comparing all aspects of the costs and services to be provided. This is not comparing apples to apples. It is more like comparing a watermelon to a grape. GSWA did provide various options that did reduce the costs but Mr. Adamy did not mention these in his letters. Here are some of the differences in the GSWA highest option and the Sierra Contracting lowest option: 1. GSWA would continue to provide all billing services for the collection of the revenues directly to the customers, to include the invoicing, handling of funds, collection of bad debt (including filing liens and taking legal action to collect) and any loss due to failure to collect those revenues. Sierra Contracting does not provide this service. The District will assume these duties, but did not factor that cost into the lowest option stated in the letter. 2. GSWA would continue to enforce and take action on illegal dumpers in the area, to include the investigation and assist with prosecution of those violators to protect the public’s property.

Sierra Contacting does not provide that service. The District will assume these duties, but did not factor that cost into the lowest option stated in the letter.

3. GSWA would continue to allow the District customers to utilize other GSWA outside facilities for disposal and recycling, so customers would not be inconvenienced in having only the one location to dispose of their waste and recycle. Sierra Contracting does not provide that service. In fact, Sierra Contracting’s proposal only factors in the cost of the tonnage from the Alto Collection Center, not the additional tonnage from the other outside facilities. There are estimates of a few hundred customers within the District currently utilizing these facilities. 4. GSWA would continue to provide management oversight of the facility. The services are in two main categories, hauling and operating the Collection Center. In the Sierra Contracting lowest option proposal, this service would be provided for $60,000 annually. Per a District representative, this option with the contractor was rejected because his proposal was extremely low. It was so low that there was concern about the service and the contractor’s understanding of the operation. So the District will now provide that service at a higher cost than the

Contractor. In fact the District’s estimates again are within a few dollars of the GSWA proposals. 5. GSWA would provide all equipment, personnel and support necessary to provide the services. Sierra Contracting Contractor is not providing all items. Since the District is now operating the Center, they have to make some additional purchases that were not factored into their budget estimates they used to compare GSWA and the Contractor, to include a $40,000 skid loader and attendant building. With the purchase of the skid loader, the District personnel will be loading the yard/forest waste containers for Sierra Contracting. The District will be paying the costs of fuel/oil, insurance maintenance and repair of the loader. GSWA provided for all loading. Also, the District does not have any experience in the solid waste services, so they have hired an outside engineering firm to provide that service. That cost was not factored into the comparisons. GSWA would provide all these services. 6. GSWA would provide for debt service for necessary support service facilities such as administration, equipment maintenance, container maintenance and recycling processing. Sierra Contracting does not contribute towards those facilities and now neither does the District. (An annual cost of $38,500) 7. GSWA provides for the costs required in the post closure care of the closed Capitan Landfill. Under NMED- Solid Waste Rules a closed landfill must monitored and maintained for a minimum of thirty years after closure. Even though this landfill is named the Capitan landfill, it was not owned and utilized only by the Village of Capitan. The Authority and its members took responsibility and utilized this landfill up to its final closure date. All members through their fees help pay for this cost. Sierra Contracting proposal does not cover this cost. With the withdrawal of the District, they will no longer be contributing towards this cost. The District offered and then withdrew any offer to contribute towards this long term debt even though solid waste (mostly construction debris) from the District was deposited in that landfill during that time. 8. GSWA provided the funding through a lease agreement with the District to finance the construction of the Alto Collection Center. In other words, GSWA paid $53,000 annually for the last 3.5 years from the fees to pay the District loan. ($4,425 per month for 42 months) This $53,000 was included in the $310,000 GSWA calculations Mr. Adamy quotes in his letters. Sierra Contracting proposal does not cover this cost, because GSWA paid the District’s debt off as of November 2012. This issue is discussed in further detail later in the letter. There are many other minor items that are also included in the GSWA offers that are not in the Proposal from the Contractor. So this is clearly not a complete evaluation of the GSWA proposals. Mr. Adamy states that the Contractor is providing the services at a 46 percent less than GSWA, but the District only reduced the rate to the customer by 6 percent. This must be due to Mr. Adamy’s statement made at the first meeting with GSWA representatives that the District needs $70,000 in revenues to finance a new loan to repair the water system, problems with lines and fire hydrants. The last offer from the District to GSWA was “if we could provide the same services for $14.95 per customer, we had the job.” GSWA rejected this offer and explained to Mr. Adamy that this was $2 per customer below the actual cost to provide those services. This would require that other County residents outside the District would have to pay that cost for the District customers and GSWA refused to pass that cost onto them. GSWA has made the necessary cuts and adjustments to the operations to cover the operations and overhead that was needed to provide the services to the District customers. The only area of concern was the cost for the debt service incurred to provide the services and support. This amount was calculated to spread that cost fairly and evenly among all members. At the time, all members committed to this debt and the need to construct the necessary facilities to provide the environmental services needed to protect the public and their property. The District has chosen not to be a part of this group effort any longer. With their withdrawal, this requires this cost to be spread among the remaining customers or reduce services to those customers. This concern was addressed in the letter to the Commissioners dated Nov. 6, 2012 (see attached). GSWA has reviewed the proposal documents from the Request for Proposals. The original proposal from Sierra Contracting had a quote of $970 per pull on the solid waste compactors. During the time that the District was negotiating with GSWA this amount was reduced by the Contractor from $970 to $750 and then the final contract amount was $600 per pull. It appears that the District was utilizing the GSWA proposals to negotiate the Contactor’s rate down. Does this mean that the GSWA proposal was good enough to convince the Contractor to reduce his rates? This will be investigated further, because we definitely would like to know “the rest of the story” on this issue. LETTER FROM MR. ADAMY TO DISTRICT CUSTOMERS – dated Nov. 16, 2012 A letter was sent to District customers form Mr. Adamy providing additional comments on this issue. Even though he quotes Mr. Paul Harvey “the rest of the story,” we would like help fill in the missing portions of Mr. Adamy’s story. Financing of the Alto Collection Center It is true that the District and GSWA entered into a lease agreement for the construction of the collection center. Both the District and GSWA realized the need for an improved facility at this location due to large volumes of waste and recyclables from this area. The District agreed to enter into a loan agreement with the New Mexico Rural Infrastructure Loan (RIP) for the construction of this facility. GSWA agreed to enter into a “lease” agreement for the facility with the District for exact amount necessary to make the debt payment. During this time period, GSWA operated the facility in the red, using other GSWA revenues to cover all costs for the facility. No other entity members subsidized the Alto Collection Center. The other GSWA revenues were from roll-off, commercial and recycling revenues. We repeat, no other members’ residential revenues were used to subsidize the District services. These revenues have historically been utilized for various projects for all members, especially during the upgrading of services such as this project. Additional details are provided in the attached budget comparisons. So with this part of the “story” clarified, it is interesting what Mr. Adamy’s letter states: “The $53,000 has been an integral part of the district’s operating budget and debt service coverage.”

As already stated, the $53,000 in revenue was specifically for the debt service on the NMED-RIP loan to construct the collection center. This debt is now paid in full. So how can this be an “integral part,” unless these revenues are to be used for other issues, such as water lines and fire hydrant problems? So was GSWA to continue subsidizing the District, simply so they can deal with other issues? The members of GSWA (Carrizozo, Capitan, Corona, Ruidoso Downs and Lincoln County) did pay for the construction and operation of this collection center for the District from GSWA General Funds. So did District customers through their solid waste fees paid to GSWA. This joint effort working together did accomplish this endeavor, not the District by itself. GSWA vs. contractor proposal Mr. Adamy states: “…a proposal from locally owned Sierra Contracting to duplicate GSWA’s services for a reduction in cost of roughly 46 percent....”.Again, this statement is not accurate as addressed earlier in this letter, it is not apples to apples, it is comparing a watermelon to a grape. One additional comment on this statement--during the Little Bear Fire GSWA and Sierra Contracting were providing roll-off services to haul away the debris. The owner of Sierra Contracting and other haulers were concerned that GSWA rates were too low and that GSWA needed to raise their rates to customers to be more competitive. Interesting that GSWA needed to raise rates, so private enterprise could get more business, but per Mr. Adamy, they are 46 percent cheaper. In the attached budget comparisons, this clearly shows Sierra Contracting is not duplicating GSWA services and rates. Mr. Adamy states in his letter to the customers: “As explained above, the District needed at least $53,000 annually to avoid raising rates.” If the debt is paid in full and Sierra Contracting can provide the services for 46 percent less than GSWA, then why would there be any need to raise the rates to the District customers for solid waste? Or is he referencing the water and sewer rates? Ruidoso’s leaving GSWA Mr. Adamy references that Ruidoso was the first local government to leave the Authority and that this is the same situation as what has occurred with the District. We will give Mr. Adamy the benefit of the doubt that he was not here at the time or simply not aware of how that occurred with Ruidoso. The Village worked with GSWA throughout to insure all issues was resolved satisfactory for both parties, not only the legal issues, but also the moral issues. Every issue during the process was addressed for both parties to include service, equipment, debt service, environmental, customer relations, employees and many other minor issues. The moral issue we mentioned was the employees, some long term, which were released due to this action. In the Ruidoso process, the Village and GSWA attempted to not cause any financial hardship on those employees; most were transferred along with the benefits that they had earned. Alto-county relationship Even though there have been many written and verbal comments made by Mr. Adamy, one really concerns us. In the Nov. 16, 2012 letter he states “(the District)…contributes a great deal more to the County than it receives.” It appears Mr. Adamy feels that the citizens of Lincoln County should be showing their appreciation because Alto exists. We believe this to be Mr. Adamy’s personal opinion, because the vast majority of the Alto people do appreciate Lincoln County and their neighbors. The Greentree (formerly Lincoln County) Solid Waste Authority was formed by all the communities within the County for the benefit of all County residents during the crisis of the expensive new solid waste regulations passed in 1990. By working together, it would benefit all, not just a select few. We also know that the Alto folks appreciate the County government and all citizens (including Alto residents) that successfully stopped the Little Bear Fire that threatened their community. Next steps GSWA staff has been instructed to provide copies of any documents to any individual or group wishing to study the facts on this matter. There are many questions concerning the legality of this action taken by the District. We want the attorneys to work through this process, so we are not providing any comments at this time on this matter. GSWA has responded and provided quality services to the District. GSWA is willing now and in the future to provide any services needed or requested by the District. Our door is still open to the District customers. Hopefully, this information has helped clarify the activities over the last few months related to the solid waste services to the Alto Lakes Water and Sanitation District. Staff has been instructed to provide any information request by County Staff concerning this matter. GSWA would also recommend a joint GSWA/County Commission work session with the public in attendance to get their questions answered and come to a final resolution of this matter. Sincerely, Sam Hammons GSWA Chairman Mayor, Village of Capitan

Sherrill D. Bradford Kathryn Minter GSWA Vice Chair GSWA Sec/Treasurer Village of Corona County of Lincoln

Ray Dean GSWA Director Town of Carrizozo

Gary Williams GSWA Director Mayor, Village of Ruidoso Downs

Rifle Salas GSWA Director Village of Ruidoso

Cc: Alto District Board Of Directors Nita Taylor, County Manager Lincoln County News Ruidoso Free Press Ruidoso News Attachments: Proposals GSWA to ALW&SD – dated Sept. 25, 2012 ALW&SD to County Commissioners – dated Oct. 18, 2012 GSWA to County Commissioners – dated Nov. 6, 2012 ALW&SW to District Customers – dated Nov. 16, 2012

For more on this story, scan this code with your smart phone www.ruidosofreepress.com

Business

Ruidoso Free Press

December 18, 2012

We are Santa’s Helpers By Sandi Aguilar Approximately 1,100 children in Lincoln County will receive new clothes, toys and Christmas dinner courtesy of Santa’s Helpers. Started in 2000, replacing Santa’s Cops, the program is run entirely by volunteers with all items donated. “We could not do it if we didn’t have a nice community that donates their time and money,” says board member Jordan Miller. The extra room at the First Christian Church is filled wall-to-wall with boxes, toys, clothing, wrapping paper and volunteers. Miller says there are a handful of individual volunteers that come in almost every day, with civic and community groups coming in weekly. SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) came in, Rotary is coming in next week and filling in periodically is event co-sponsor Lincoln County/Ruidoso Board of Realtors. The workshop is open from late November through Dec. 20, Monday through Saturday with volunteers receiving, cataloging, sorting and wrapping items for the 400 family boxes. “We can always use more help,” encourages Miller. For the past couple of years, Toys for Tots has been a major contributor which helps supplement the Joy for Kids Toy Run, the traditional start of the giving. The community donates the remaining toys and money. Extra toys, clothes and food are purchased within Lincoln County.

The workshop is open until Dec. 19 and delivery of the 400 boxes is done on Dec. 20. Anyone interested in helping deliver is invited to arrive at the First Christian Church at 1211 Hull at 8 a.m. with a vehicle that can carry large boxes. Many volunteers find this day most rewarding as they are able to see the immense gratitude and relief from the parents and children receiving a complete Christmas. Applications for Lincoln County families and seniors were available until Dec. 10. The applications required clothing sizes for the children with birth certificates for verification and families are required to be at their residence on the 20th. Boxes will not be left at the doorstep and boxes cannot be picked up at the workshop. For more information, please call 575-258-2446.

Photos courtesy of Sandi Aguilar

Hundreds of boxes at First Christian Church are loaded with a Christmas meal, clothing and toys for Lincoln County families. At left, the Lincoln County/Ruidoso Board of Realtors sorts and wraps gifts.

From a grownup: Dear Santa, I’m writing to update you on my deportment this year. I know, I know, like I really have to with all that ‘seeing me when I’m sleeping’ stuff. And by the way, Santa, that’s considered voyeurism these days and it’s a little bit creepy, but we can talk about that more some other time. OK back to me. I truly have been a nice Realtor this year. I really have. I’ve dutifully informed sellers as to the prospect activity on their listings even when the answer was embarrassingly none; I left no buyers unattended even when all they wanted was a $1,500 subdivision lot; and, heck, I was even cordial to my fellow brokers in our Ruidoso Lincoln County Association of Realtors this year. So Mr. Jelly Belly, after getting stiffed last Christmas, I’m thinking it’s payback time. Yeah I know, I know, you were right about last year. I was pretty naughty all in all. I mean remember when I … well let’s move on; it’s almost Christmas for goodness sake. I’m going big with some of this stuff, but let’s see what you can do with it Big Man. First, I’d like you to deliver some of those old fashioned plastic litter bags, you know the ones, we used to hang them from any knob we could find on our dashboards, to all the ‘Litter Pigs’ who live here and visit Ruidoso. Santa is it just me or are folks really getting sloppy around here? Seems like everywhere you look there’s trash along our roadsides and in our forests. Heck, as Realtors, we just don’t sell homes and stuff, we sell the town too and all the garbage strewn around here

just makes it unappealing. Okay Mr. Santa Pants, this one should be a bit more fun for you. You know those planning and zoning guys who’ve seemed to have quadrupled in numbers around Lincoln County over the last decade? Yeah you know them. Let’s lump ‘em up with coal in their stockings this year. Those folks are downright naughty, Santa. I’m guessing things are little looser up at the Pole with just you, Mama Claus and the elves callin’ the shots, but around here, it’s becoming increasingly difficult and costly to get anything done with more and more obstacles, hurdles, fees, inspections, permits, presentations, variances, meetings and a seemingly endless continuum of rules and regulations. Well, who knows maybe a big chunk of the dark stuff will get them to ease up a bit in the new year. Some rules are good for real estate values; too much though, causes folks to flee. Now get ’er done Fat Man or we’re all headin’ north! Now I know that sleigh of yours runs on nuke power with the reindeer just for show, but down here nuclear still makes some folks a bit nervous, something to do with meltdowns I guess. So to quote Jed Clampett, my next door neighbor up in Alto, we’re still runnin’ on good old “Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea.” So Kringle, I’m asking for nice, stable $100 West Texas Crude barrel prices over the next year. You know, I start to meltdown myself a bit when prices head lower as our Texas friends become a little less inclined to head New Mexico way

B U S I N E S S buzz Ruidoso/Lincoln County Association of REALTORS® announces 2012 REALTOR® of the Year: Rhonda K. Albers, Coldwell Banker SDC Albers earns GRI title

Realtors Association of New Mexico

Rhonda Albers was recently awarded the Graduate REALTOR® Institute (GRI) designation by the REALTORS® Association of New Mexico (RANM). Albers is a member of RANM and the Ruidoso / Lincoln County Association of REALTORS® Albers was awarded the designation Rhonda K Albers

after completing at least 90 hours of classroom instruction, covering subjects such as Contract Law, Professional Standards, Sales and Marketing, Finance and Risk Reduction. Courses are taught by leading real estate instructors from around the state. Individuals completing the program learn the fundamentals of brokerage and other areas of real estate specialization, allowing them to better serve prospective clients and customers. REALTOR® Albers joins a select group of residential specialists in New Mexico who have earned the designation. The institute is designed to educate practitioners about local, state and national real estate practices that affect REALTORS®, their clients and customers. The designation indicates to the public that the individual has obtained a professional educational foundation on which to base the services they provide. Only members of the REALTOR® organization may earn the GRI designation. The REALTOR® Institute is more than 25 years old and has graduated

HARVEYS FEED & SUPPLY, INC.

Feed  Alfalfa  Grass  Hay  Straw Vet Supplies  Ropes  Tack

204 Sudderth Dr. • 575-257-1400

www.cofex.us

Lenovo Authorized Partner

P.S. Sorry for calling you all those names. You can stiff me again next year.

thousands of REALTORS nationally.

Ruidoso/Lincoln County Association of REALTORS® installs 2013 Board of Directors

Sean Simpson, director; Keli Cox, director; James Russ II, president elect; Annie Snow, president; Jerry Ballard, secretary/treasurer; James Paxton, immediate past president; Gary Caughron, director; were installed by Cathy Colvin, 2013 REALTORS® Association of NM president. Not shown is Don Harmon, broker/owner director.

PNM customers set CFL bulb purchasing record

PNM customers set record purchasing five million CFL bulbs, shining light on energy efficiency milestone in energy efficiency equals enough energy saved to power almost 42,000 homes for a year – a potential customer savings of more than $33.2 million, PNM says. PNM customers reached a huge energy efficiency milestone of five million compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) purchased through PNM’s energy efficiency residential program. Customers saved a combined $33.7 million. Five million CFL bulbs are enough to cover nine football fields. The PNM discounted Continued on next page

Swiss bar & grill LOCATED INSIDE THE

SWISS CHALET INN

NOW OPEN 6 DAYS A WEEK! 575-258-3333

For Dining or Hotel Reservations THE SWISS BAR & GRILL’S HAPPY NEW YEAR’S EVE BASH! HOUR

Full sales and service Virus and Spyware Removal Business Networking

Fully stocked with Laptops for Christmas!

for visits and vacation home purchases. Lastly, now here’s the big one Nick. I’m sure you’ve heard of the guy in D.C who’s been trying to steal your gig for the last four years. You know, the one they call Saint Obama or Anointed Bob Moroney One or Savior or bob@buyruidoso.com something like that. The same one all the naughty kids just voted back in for another four years. I mean seriously Kris, this guy really thinks he’s Santa with all the giveaways and the everyday is Christmas thing. I’m not sure how you’re going to do it but you’re going to have to move him out. We’re never going to have a robust real estate recovery in Ruidoso with that Santa Impersonator running the show. You’re Father Christmas after all – you can do this Nick! So that’s it Santa, it’s time to deliver the goods for a very, very nice Realtor this year! Sincerely, ‘lil Robby Realtor

Mon - Sat 4 - 6 p.m.

~·~ BREAKFAST

Grain-Free Pet Foods  Quality Wildlife Feed Jeff Harvey / Owner

(575) 378-8750

26551 E. Hwy 70 Ruidoso Downs, NM 88346

Fri - Sun 7 - 11 a.m.

Dec. 31 • 8:30 p.m. Featuring Live Music by

Mark Remington & Friends Champagne Toast at 12 & Party Favors! Purchase tickets at the Swiss

Chalet Inn and Swiss Bar & Grill ~·~ Monday Football BAR & GRILL Drink Specials Mon - Sat 4 p.m. - Close & Football Menu!

www.sciruidoso.com

Ruidoso Free Press

December 18, 2012

Obsession with sales can blind a business By Lou Wolter, PhD Vickers & Wolter Integrated Thinking An observer can always tell a sales-driven business by what its owner thinks and talks about the most. If his chief concerns are cost, price and profit, his is a sales-driven business, not a market-driven one. Not that cost, price and profit aren’t important to a market-driven business, but they’re not the sole basis for the business decisions of a market-driven venture. It boils down to the term “driven.” To the degree that an entrepreneur is too focused on how much she makes and what it costs her, her thinking will be too limited to consider all the important things that really determine costs and profits – and the more limited her choice of alternatives and actions when the inevitable challenges arise. To the degree an entrepreneur is limited in her business thinking, she’s being driven by the business rather than leading it.

The driver’s seat

A market-driven business orients all its energies and resources toward satisfying consumer needs and desires over the long term – not just for today. When the market is the driver, methodology matters. Rather than hustling a product into stores to make a quick buck, a market-driven company wants sustainability in its customer base, and it invests the energy and planning into designing products and services that achieve that. A successful market-driven strategy yields long-term profitability. When sales dominate an entrepreneur’s perspective,

short-term gains are the goal. The business invests all its resources in advertising its products and boosting sales so it can make the most amount of money in the shortest time. Long-term success is tougher for a sales-driven company because its vision is myopic.

Ecoservants receive donation

Matter of survival

To make sound business decisions that help it survive over the long term, a business needs to understand what it wants to become and how it plans to get there. Vision and mission statements can clarify the focus, but that’s just the beginning. Besides mission statements, market-driven companies have strategic plans that help them anticipate events rather than just react to whatever life throws at them. An analysis that considers the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats a business faces – the so-called SWOT analysis º empowers the business with knowledge and control. A strategic plan should try to visualize the company three years down the road and draft a map for how to reach that destination. Entrepreneurs who make decisions based on a farsighted plan are leading rather than reacting; those who make decisions without a plan might not have a business in three years. Finance New Mexico is a public service initiative to assist individuals and businesses with obtaining skills and funding resources for their business or idea. To learn more, go to www.FinanceNewMexico.org.

Courtesy photo

Frederic Moras, Ruidoso Sprint & Kids Triathlons race director, on behalf of Bicycle Ruidoso donates a check of $1,000 to Crystal McClellan, volunteer operations director with Ecoservants. “Bicycle Ruidoso cannot express enough gratitude to Ecoservants for helping us in 2012 with the Ruidoso Sprint & Kids Triathlons & the Tour of Ruidoso,” Moras said. “We are looking forward to renew our partnership in 2013.” Bicycle Ruidoso, a non-profit organization, rewards financially local non-profit organizations that help the club with events like Ruidoso Sprint Triathlon, June 8, 2013, or the Tour of Ruidoso, Sept. 21, 2013. Contact Bicycleruidoso.com or call 575937-7106 for more information.

VILLAGE OF RUIDOSO briefs By Sue Hutchison Reporter suehutch@valornet.com

Zia Natural Gas presents plan

Mercedes Fernandez-Wells presented Zia Natural Gas Company’s plan to integrate the most cost-effective portfolio of resources in an effort to provide for the needs of customers. Fernandez-Wells, manager of regulatory affairs for Zia presented information at the village council meeting due to lack of public attendance at previous hearings. “Our prices went down this year. We think we’re in good shape,” she said. The plan reports 12,823 customers with no substantial growth expected. With eight inch transmission pipelines, the company says it can deliver daily and peak requirement needs. With 70 percent of the base load of natural gas at a fixed contract price, the rest is charged at market index prices, according to documentation. “During the freeze we didn’t lose any of our customers,” reported Fernandez-Wells. The plan states that the only option to obtain additional gas supplies is to interconnect with Transwestern Interstate Pipeline, but it’s not necessary given Zia’s current ability to meet all their supply needs. Encouraging efficient use of energy includes weatherization of homes and switching of appliances to natural gas, according to information presented. The report stated gas is the most reliable and economical of BUSINESS BUZZ from pg. A6 CFLs have already saved 302 million kWh in just over five years, which is enough energy to power almost 42,000 New Mexico homes for a year. But the savings don’t stop there; those five million bulbs will save another 395 million kWh over their lifetime. “This is a great example of how the little energy efficiency changes add up,” said Emma van Moorsel, PNM energy efficiency program developer “While CFLs are an easy and low cost way to save energy, when used by many they are responsible for a large amount of energy savings.” Because it is important for every residential customer to have access to these energy saving bulbs, PNM partnered with nearly 160 stores statewide. PNM residential customers automatically receive a discount on CFLs purchased at participating retailers. To find out more about PNM’s energy efficiency rebates, please visit PNM.com/ cfl or PNM.com/rebates.

Ferguson supply announced as chamber business of the month Ferguson Supply was selected as the

Sue Hutchison/Ruidoso Free Press

At left, Ray Alborn presents FEMA worker John Gray a certificate of appreciation for the months of dedication to mitigate Lincoln County’s natural disaster diﬃculties. At right, FEMA worker John Gray presents Mayor Alborn with a gift of appreciation from the FEMA team for the spirit of cooperation between the two entities. Art from local Mescalero artist Melvin Hererra was included, with the mayor declaring the gift would be hung in village hall for all to enjoy. currently available energy sources. Fernandez-Wells invited responses and dialogue by interested citizens phoning 575-78-GASS (4277).

FEMA representatives honored

Six Federal Emergency Management Association workers who have been integral in providing aid to the village in obtaining federal assistance and funding for natural disaster mitigation were recognized. John Gray, Greg Kellen, Wes Kulinski, Larry

Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce Member of the Month for November 2012. They were nominated by two different members of the community for their outstanding customer service. One nomination said, “They are consistently going above and beyond the call of duty. They are always available to help find solutions and not excuses when it comes to a situation.” Another nomination said, “Without any hesitation they have always gone beyond expectations to meet my requirements as their customer.” And, “The attitude of Patrick and his team is very service oriented and pleasant to work with.” We applaud Ferguson and their commitment to customer service. Stop by and see Patrick Seaman and his crew for all of your plumbing needs. Congratulations to Ferguson. As the Member of the Month for November, Ferguson will be on the ballot for the Member of the Year which will be given at our Annual Banquet in June. If there is a business in the community that you would like to nominate for Business of the Month, contact

Akers, Chuck McCabe and Ed Hardie were presented certificates of appreciation by G. Ray Alborn, mayor of Ruidoso. FEMA has been part of Lincoln County’s landscape due to several natural disasters back to back. With the flood in 2008, Swallow, Donaldson, White and Little Bear fires, and the freeze in 2010, FEMA agents have been a constant presence assisting in mitigation and repairs, finding funding sources for infrastructure replacement or repair. “These guys have been very instru-

Becky Brooks or Deborah Douds at the Chamber of Commerce, 575-257-7395 or stop by and pick up a nomination form. At each monthly Board meeting, the Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce board of directors will vote on the nominees for that month. So make sure you get your nominations in so we can recognize Ruidoso’s outstanding businesses.

mental in the village’s recovery, even to the point of asking, ‘Have you considered this or that?’” said the mayor. Alborn also complimented the FEMA team for their ‘above and beyond’ record keeping. In response to the recognition, the FEMA team presented the village with art by local Mescalero artist Melvin Hererra. John Gray stated FEMA appreciated the cooperation they have received from village officials, and presented the art to Alborn who said he would see that it was hung at village hall for all to enjoy.

Village sewer line relocation nearing implementation

Bobbye Rose, village community development director asked council to authorize staff to submit a capital outlay request to facilitate repair on the village’s sewer line. Damaged by flooding in July, 2008, the See VILLAGE BRIEFS, pg. A9

Courtesy photo

Fillmore Eye Clinic, Inc. Parley D. Fillmore, M.D., PhD Stewart Hazel, M.D. Ophthalmology

Medicine and Surgery of the Eye Alamogordo

Ruidoso

1124 Tenth Street (575) 434-1200

Green Fee w/cart and a small bucket of range balls for

700 Mechem (575) 257-9300

Plus tax. Expires 12-31-12. Must present coupon for discounted rate.

800.854.6571

www.thelinksatsierrablanca.com 105 Sierra Blanca Drive Ruidoso, NM 88345 • 575.258.5330

Ruidoso Free Press

How we possibly lived through childhood is miraculous – Or, don’t try this at home Southern Californian kids are born with a desire to skim surfaces with speed. It’s just a DNA thing. Regardless of age we have been unexplainably drawn to boards of all sorts and sizes, abandoning ourselves in the pursuit of speed and freedom. As kids, being restrained by any means was a slap in our collective adventurous face among my friends. Some don’t like to be told no. Those of us born and reared in LA’s suburbs were well acquainted with surf, skim and skate boards. The concrete sidewalk in front of the little tract home of my youth was a skateboarder’s nightmare. Our crepe myrtle tree’s roots raised one section to the point that, without a trick move, any boarder would end up face planted. Those in my ‘hood knew and respected the gap, and it was always morbidly amusing to watch newcomers learn. We didn’t wear kneepads. I didn’t own a helmet, shin guards, elbow pads, or safety glasses. We found anything with wheels attached, searched for a downhill slope and laughed at bloody knees. They were badges of honor. Before X Games were thought of, we were airborne of our own accord. Either ignorant or insolent, we played hard and without restraint. Later in my adult life, I fell in love with mountain biking. Downhill sections simply thrilled me. It was at that point I was introduced to the concept of a helmet. I resisted, complained and whined. Those who rode with me insisted I wear one to the point of refusing to allow me in the gang unless I did so. I reluctantly purchased a spiffy little black thing, thinking if I was going to be forced to comply, at least I’d look sharp. The moment my head banged into a rock at the side of the single track trail I was riding I became grateful my helmet was firmly strapped on my head. Although I was advised of the one-crash-rule and to purchase a new one, I wore the original for quite some time pointing to the divot with pride. Doctors have since told me my two previous concussions could make one more head-jarring the over-the-edge event of my lifetime. I’ve been banned for life from mountain biking by my caring husband. So when I read that one of the recent consent agenda items for consideration of Ruidoso’s village

council involved a grant to more aggressively pursue those who can’t stand to buckle up while driving, I sympathized with the rebels. I agree seat belt usage is pretty much a no-brainer, and car seats are a must for children or infants. The Buckle-Down and Operation DWI programs, funded by a NM DOT grant, authorize funds for Ruidoso’s Finest to earn overtime in the pursuit of making sure we’re all properly restrained and sober while on public roads. Not bad pursuits, either. But there are multiplied thousands of us who were reared in the era when seat belts were a suggestion, and we lived to tell about it. Back in the day the lap belt was nothing like the current shoulder harness. I know of those who purposely placed their small children on the ledge between the rear window and back seat to nap while traveling. It was flat and warmed by the sun. I married one of those surviving kids. I also understand many of those children became missiles inside cars when brakes were hastily applied. How did we possibly survive childhood without padding or restraint? Times have changed, people. I appropriated our first car seat the moment our firstborn left the hospital. She rode in it religiously until she was big enough for a seatbelt. So did our son. Mothers worldwide can assume amazing positions while managing restrained children in travelling cars. The kids both owned and used bike helmets. While neither of them participated in padding-required-sports, I would have invested in the best if they would have shown an interest. When it’s about someone you love, you’ll go all-out. Consider yourselves loved, Lincoln County. Especially during the holiday season, buckle up before you turn your key. If you’re going to imbibe, make sure someone else who loves you is available to take you home or phone Dollar Cab at 575 937-6803 for a ride. Designate a driver who will remain sober and give that person your car keys while you still remember where they are. If you’re going to party at Ranchers, Quarters or Win, Place and Show, owner Dean Fowler and manager Dallas

Like what you see here? Like us on Facebook: ruidoso freepress

December 18, 2012

Draper have you covered. They’ll provide nonalcoholic drinks free of charge for designated drivers. It’s their policy to allow their servers to determine if a customer’s had one too many and they Sue Hutchison support responsible drinking suehutch@valornet.com policies, even to the extent of saying no to inebriated customers’ requests for “one more.” They are committed to your safety and will even spring for your transportation home if you’ve topped your tank too many times and don’t have the cash to get there. Check with other taverns and bars for their policies. We’re all in this together. Chief McGill and our Folks In Blue will be out at all hours trying to keep us safe this season. Because sometimes, no is just what all of us need to hear. Remembering back bench seats fondly, Sue Hutchison can be reached at suehutch@valornet.com.

Summit Dental Dr. John Bennett, family and staff, want to thank all patients and friends for their prayers and concern after the auto accident. Patients will be seen by

Dr. Vince Straley and

Dr. Mark Carey

during my recovery. Looking forward to being back to work soon. 200 Sudderth, Suite C • Ruidoso • 575-257-5179

Ruidoso Free Press

December 18, 2012

A tumbleweed Christmas By Bradley White

For most people around the world Christmas is a time of joy, family gatherings, giving, receiving and enjoying food that is generally too rich and served in great quantities. There will be hectic shopping sprees and “to do” lists a mile long. Some will spend enormous amounts of time, money and effort as they scrounge through dark, dusty attics and garages searching for carefully packed decorations that they have accumulated over the years. I have spent many an hour performing the same routine each year. For me, however, this year will be very different. In the last year or so I have suffered the loss of my aunt, grandmother, uncle and my mother just a few weeks ago. You see, this will be the first Christmas in 48 years I will be spending without my mother. I could simply not celebrate. In fact, until this morning that was exactly what I intended to do. However, for some reason, I thought about tumbleweeds. My mind was changed and I started decorating today. I guess, someway or somehow, my Mother dropped a memory in my heart and mind. It is suddenly 1968 and I am 4 years old again. I am transported back to Monahans, Texas where my mother worked as a legal secretary and my father owned his own business. He was a Master Electrician. I remember that year our family was broke. Dad was struggling in his business and my parents explained that our Christmas was going to be extremely lean. I was only 4 but I will never forget the night Dad said,

“You all pop some popcorn. I’ll be back in a little bit.” We, with Mom’s help, popped popcorn and in about an hour Dad came home. In his hand was a sack from the local market. He handed the bag to Mom and asked my brother and me to help him get something out of the car. In the trunk of the car were three tumbleweeds. One was large, another a little smaller and the third smaller still. We dutifully carried them into the den of our home. You may have guessed the rest of the story. While Dad was assembling the weeds, Mom opened the bag revealing six or seven cans of artificial, spray-on snow. We all took turns transforming the dead weeds into a beautiful, snow covered tree. My sister and Mom began stringing popcorn while being careful to instruct my brother and me on ways to place ornaments. As always, Dad enjoyed the honor of placing the angel at the top of the tree. We were broke, we did not receive many gifts but Mom and Dad found a way to make that Christmas my favorite. I will never forget our Tumbleweed Christmas! My father died of a heart attack in 1978. I was 13 and he was just 43 years old. After 34 years, Mom and Dad will enjoy another Christmas together. If there are tumbleweeds in Heaven, I think Dad will build a tumbleweed Christmas tree for Mom. Only this time, they are not broke and they will feast and look down and enjoy their kids, grand-kids and great grand-kids. Here’s to all! Wishing you a very Tumbleweed Christmas.

VILLAGE BRIEFS from pg. A7 trunk line from the Upper Canyon area to the Regional Waste Water Treatment Plant in the Downs needs repair. Funding is required to complete the process of relocation and replacement of portions of the existing line for safety and sanitation purposes. “I’ve been in contact with Hubert Quintana (executive director of Southeastern New Mexico Economic Development District) and he suggested additional language be added to submit to all our legislators,” said Rose. Rifle Salas, village councilor asked if a resolution was needed to be accurate in the request. Debi Lee, village manager stated no resolution is needed for legislative appropriations requests. Already completed actions include kickoff meetings, team charting, drafts and plans of public outreach efforts, website creation and various meetings with state entities. Council members and public officials were invited to walk the proposed sewer line relocation pathway, involving a distance of miles earlier in the fall. Jim Stoddard, village councilor was concerned about cost sharing. “With our cost of the project being $1.75 million, there are possibly two or three municipalities who own land on this project. Are those entities going to pay a proportionate share or will we get stuck with it?” he asked. Lee mentioned the next scheduled village council meeting on Dec. 18 would provide answers to his question. “You’ll see individual entities with benefits for this project and the plan is for them to pay,” she answered, and mentioned Gross Receipt Taxes municipalities will receive during the construction phase of the project. “It will be equal or more than they need to pay,” said Lee. The request passed with a unanimous vote.

Attorney Griffin voices violation concerns

With an unusual grant of 10 minutes, village council allowed William Griffin, attorney, to present his concerns regarding ordinances and regulations for public input within village council meetings. Prior to the public input section of the agenda, Alborn is accustomed to presenting parameters for those who wish to address the council. Alborn reminded speakers the information presented should be truthful, factual, without innuendo, insult or misinformation. He added the council is a policymaking body. “I’m the official timekeeper (for the public input section) and I did want Mr. Griffin to be scheduled on closed session because he wanted dialogue.” Alborn agreed but both indicated that under legal advice granted an

For more on this story, scan this code with your smart phone www.ruidosofreepress.com extension of five extra minutes to Griffin. Griffin stated he’d prepared a PowerPoint presentation and had asked for 25 minutes of agenda time. “I find fault with the provision because I might be getting preferential treatment. I can’t accept the gift of five (additional) minutes,” and he said he’d try to stick with the usual five minute limit. He ended after seven. “I’m going to be an activist. I have a new calling,” said Griffin and disparaged the idea he couldn’t speak freely mentioning names of village employees during public council meetings. “If I mention names of people of the village I may be in breach of the ordinance,” he said and mentioned he felt he’d been threatened with a defamation lawsuit if he continued with comments against a specific village employee. Alborn responded. “We have a village manager and an attorney you can discuss personnel (issues) with,” he said and asked if Griffin had met with Lee. Griffin indicated he had received correspondence from Lee but did not confirm he had met with her. Dan Bryant, village attorney responded. “You as the governing body are in a delicate position. You don’t take complaints from citizens and create the paperwork for a personnel check to occur. When you took office you swore to uphold the constitution, laws and our ordinances. Mr. Griffin is not being asked to not discuss or warned not to discuss (issues). If you (Griffin) have a complaint, bring it to the proper place,” and indicated he had sent invitations to Griffin to follow the established protocol. “Let her do her job as she’s charged under the law. Progressive discipline applies in this village all the way up,” said Bryant. “Ever since the 1984 ruling of Loudermill vs. (Cleveland) school district you don’t have the right to walk up and damage the reputation of employees,” he continued. “We have to delicately balance, in the best way possible. The policy isn’t telling our citizens they can’t criticize a public employee. We’ve appointed Ms. Lee as the person to receive and investigate those reports. Everybody has a boss and there’s always a place to go,” he said. Griffin responded from the floor he’d never received the invitations Bryant indicated. Bryant later listed the dates of each letter previously sent to Griffin: 12-28-2011, 01-20-2012, 10-08-2012 and 12-5-2012.

MEDICALLY SUPERVISED

WEIGHT LOSS 100 SAVINGS

Must present coupon. Expires 1/31/2013

R·S·V·P

575.257.4772

Ruidoso Free Press

A10

December 18, 2012

Christmas at grandpa’s house on Christmas Eve was Santa Claus in a fight to the finish with old Hank! Wait a minute. Is Santa using his bag of toys to fend off Hank’s “I wish we could put advances? My heart sank as some of the Christmas spirit I realized my toys are in that in jars and open a jar of it bag!! Needless to say, after every month.” much wrangling, scratching — Better Home and Gardens and clawing Santa was able magazine to get back through the gate and down the street away I’ll never forget the sound from Hank’s snare (albeit James D. Martin of my great grandpa’s old w/o his right black boot). bloodhound ‘Hank’ howlAnd for the rest of the night I worried that ing. We were all laying on the floor in my grandparents house watching “The Wizard the end of Christmas was near. After a restless night of fitful sleep, I of Oz” on Christmas Eve. This was a kinda was awakened to the sounds of laughter forced tradition in our family as there and surprise. The Christmas tree was all lit was only one TV channel and “Oz” was an annual event on television. The house up and great grandpa was sitting in his old was packed with kids and adults (acting rocking chair with Hank at his feet. With a like kids) and we were all suffering from great big smile on his battle weary face he an overabundance of holiday ‘cheer’ (i.e. handed me my new BB gun, looked at me food, annoying cousins, bad jokes and a and said, “Merry Christmas young fella!” lack of adequate oxygen). I honestly can’t tell you what happened Old bloodhound Hank’s howls became to that BB gun (or Santa’s boot), but this incessant and louder. This was a major Christmas memory is the gift that keeps on event, because Hank was more like a big, giving. wrinkly rug always at grandpa’s feet that never moved except to yawn on special James D. Martin is the program manager occasions. The reaction was instantaneous. of the Heritage Program for Senior Adults We all jumped to our feet and ran to the at the Lincoln County Medical Center. window to see what all the fuss was about. Heritage is a program designed to imMuch to our surprise and dismay there was prove the quality of life for the older adult. Santa Claus with his big red bag of toys, Conﬁdential screenings are available by desperately trying to make Hank heel. appointment. If interested please call 575The last thing I ever expected to see 257-6283.

12-12-12 baby

“God bless us, every one.” — Tiny Tim, from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

Courtesy photo

Lincoln County Medical center announced a Dec. 12, 2012 childbirth. The baby, Caleb Joseph Andrews, was born at 12:37, was 19 1/2” long and weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces. His parents are Anna and Timothy Andrews from Alamogordo. Timothy is in the Air Force and Anna is an elementary music assistant at both Sacramento and North Elementary Schools. This is their second child.

We really get into helping you hear! In Ruidoso

NOW HERE ON WEDNESDAY: DEC. 19 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

State Police announce holiday campaign: Sober Days for the Holidays The New Mexico State Police support sober drivers on our highways this holiday season; we appreciate the public’s Sober Days for the Holidays while driving to ensure all New Mexicans make it to and from their travel destination to spend time with family and friends. As a reminder to all drivers who choose to drink and drive; officers throughout the state will be out in force

on our roadways looking for and arresting intoxicated drivers. The New Mexico State Police will be conducting 57 saturation patrols and 15 sobriety checkpoints statewide from now through Jan. 1, 2013. Don’t be a negative statistic this holiday season; support designated drivers and support Sober Days for the Holidays.

Ruidoso Senior Center 501 A Sudderth Dr.

FREE HEARiNg TEST AvAilAblE.

Call today for an appointment

1-800-675-7657

AllMAN HEARiNg HEAlTH CARE 214 W. First St. • Roswell, NM Serving SE New Mexico since 1955

Locally owned and operated and serving Lincoln County for over 18 years!

~ CLOSE OUT SALE ~

20-50% OFF ThrOughOuT sTOre

Discount Prices

25% hats, Belts, Boots 25% Carhartt 20% Cinch Pants shirts & Tops - Buy One, get 2nd 50% Off 50% handbags, Wallets, Cell holders 25% All Buckles Men’s already low-priced Wranglers 10% Off

1308 sudderth

575.257.9797 OPEN: Mon-Sat, 10a - 6p • Sun, 12 - 4p

horseshoe@valornet.com

Ruidoso Free Press

December 18, 2012

A11

The Cancer Chronicles:

Assessment day nears By Perry and Carrol Champion

According to Perry:

According to Carrol:

Last week, I talked about my feelings of exhaustion. I feel quite a bit more rested this day as I write this and yes, Perry is still here. Perry and I have had a few good days in a row. I define a good day as one in which we both get 6-8 hours total of sleep in a night, Perry’s pain level primarily stays at a 2 (on a 1 to 10 scale with 10 being unbearable), only a few break through pain episodes in

Perry Champion, Dec. 18.

Courtesy photo

which the pain spikes above a 3 or 4, we are able to get out of the house and go for a drive together, we have a lucid conversation or two, a friend drops by to visit, and Perry eats at least one good meal. A really good day is when he has a BM. I know and with the help of Hospice am learning more about what the future holds in the death and dying process. This helps me cherish the simple moments of a good day and prepare for the future. Each week I would like to share with you a few items from the Caregiver Bill of Rights which the Hospice Bereavement & Volunteer Coordinator Lyn Schuler gave me. I sincerely hope that this information will be valuable to all of the caregivers in our community whether they are a parent with children at home, an adult child caring for an elderly parent, or a person caring for a sick or dying individual. - I will be compassionate with myself. - I will make time every day for myself and will not feel guilty. - I will provide the best care possible for my loved one and not judge my decisions. I will work on these three items this next week and update you on how I did. I can tell you the item I struggle with the most is “not judging my decisions.” Many times in this cancer journey, I have felt inadequate. A close friend once told me, “There are no right or wrong decisions, we make a choice and then accept the outcome.” I am grateful to have the professionals with Hospice, Perry’s family, and our local friends here to support us with those difficult decisions and processes.

Christmas in the library

Courtesy photo

Be sure to visit the Children’s Department at the Ruidoso Public Library to see their wonderful woodland decorations for the holidays. The library is located at 107 Kansas City Road, 575-258-3704.

Weekly Featured Adoptable Pets

Persia is a very friendly pit bull mix about 1 year old. She gets along great with every dog she meets and loves to play fetch. Persia is spayed and current on all vaccinations.

‘Tis the season to be jolly! The staff at Fusion Medical Spa is merry and bright and excited to offer the 12 Days of Christmas special! Each day, a specific treatment or product will be available for a 15% discount! Call today to schedule an appointment!

Sedona is a very gentle maine coon mix about 3 years old. She is friendly with other cats and enjoys being with people. Sedona is spayed and current on all vaccinations.

To adopt one of these featured pets, contact the Humane Society of Lincoln County. Hours of operation: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 11-5 and Saturday 11-2. Location: 422 Gavilan Canyon, Ruidoso. 575-257-9841. Website: adoptnmpet.com.

15% off the daily special!

Dec. 10: Latisse Dec. 11: Juvederm Dec. 12: Microdermabrasion Dec. 13: Photofacials/Laser Skin Resurfacing Dec. 14: Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup SATURDAY Dec. 15: Fusion Lips Dec. 17: Teeth Whitening Dec. 18: Radiesse Dec. 19: Chemical Peels Dec. 20: Unsightly Vein Therapy Dec. 21: Laser Hair Removal SATURDAY Dec. 22: ALL INJECTABLES!/

Obagi Skin Care

Our Saturday hours are from 10am to 3pm.

This Christmas, give the gift that gives back Re-think the season of giving. For the month of December, if you buy a gift certificate of $50.00 or more, you will receive a FREE Obagi Blue Radiance Peel for yourself. The Obagi Blue Radiance Peel offers a unique blend of acids to provide a gentle but effective peel. The results are tighter, smoother, brighterlooking skin immediately after one treatment!

S AV E $ 1 0 0

In the beginning of this journey, also known as life with terminal pancreatic cancer, upon learning my diagnosis and prognosis of 90 days, I chose day 60 as Assessment Day. On Dec. 20, I will look at my overall quality of life, my pain level and how the systems of my body are functioning. Oh what a difference in one’s life 60 days of pancreatic cancer can make. I am currently exploring my options with Hospice. There will be more on my decisions at a later date. My life now revolves around my medication schedule. There is a different prescription for sleep, anxiety, thinning my blood, softening stool and an arsenal of pain medicines. The pain medicines, all opiated, cause constipation and a variety of other side effects such as feeling and acting stoned, and falling asleep whether I am eating dinner or even walking. By the way, I now require a cane or walker to safely move about. I love to go for drives with Carrol or other friends who take time out of their days to spend time with me. I love the change of scenery and the crisp mountain air in my face when I ride with the heater on full blast and the window down. These drives or rather rides do a lot for my spirits and the anxiety of feeling trapped. I feel trapped in my own body and mind. My mind and wit are as sharp as they ever were... yes, some may say that wasn’t much. The problem with my mind being sharp is that mountains of thoughts are trapped in my head and I have trouble vocalizing or expressing them. The problem with being trapped in my body is that I still want my independence and I am stubborn. This stubbornness drives Carrol crazy as she tries to help me and keep me safe. Just ask my family; stubbornness and independence are family traits.

Start the New Year Off with a NEW YOU!

At Fusion Medical Spa, Save $100 on the HCG WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM from December 27th until January 31st. Plan on scheduling a consultation for the HCG Weight Loss Program starting the middle of December to get your Lab Work completed. After the consultation and Lab Work are completed, you can do your HCG Intake and start shedding unwanted pounds with the New Year! Offer Expires: JANUARY 31, 2013. Must present coupon.

Merry Christmas from

575.257.4SPA (4772) • Toll free 1.855.257.4SPA 1900 Sudderth at River Crossing

www.FusionMedicalSpa.net

A12

Ruidoso Free Press

December 18, 2012

“Never Settle for Less” 1404 Sudderth • Ruidoso, NM

575.257.4223

Sports on the Radio

Dec. 19

College basketball UNM at NMSU, 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 22

Pro football Atlanta at Detroit, 6 p.m. College basketball South Dakota State at UNM

Dec. 23

Pro football San Diego at New York Jets, 5:30 p.m.

Sports Results

Dec. 10

Boys basketball Artesia JV 49, Mescalero 35

Dec. 11

Boys basketball Ruidoso 60, Artesia 56 Carrizozo 69, Corona 47 NMMI 53, Capitan 39 Girls basketball Carrizozo 55, Corona 48 Tularosa 57, Mescalero 56

Dec. 13

Boys basketball Sundevil Invitational at Albuquerque Ruidoso 64, Pojoaque 58 Mountain Top Tournament at Cloudcroft Capitan 61, Animas 24 Mescalero 57, Cloudcroft 41 Lake Arthur Tournament Hondo 64, Artesia sophomores 35 Corona 54, Lake Arthur 18 Girls basketball City of Champions Tournament at Artesia Artesia 55, Ruidoso 39 Mountain Top tournament at Cloudcroft Mescalero 67, Lordsburg 66 Cliﬀ 58, Capitan 21 Lake Arthur Tournament Loving 55, Hondo 48 Lake Arthur 57, Corona 39

Dec. 14

Boys basketball Sundevil Invitational at Albuquerque Bosque Prep 50, Ruidoso 42 Mountain Top Tournament at Cloudcroft Capitan vs. Cliﬀ, cancelled, snow Mescalero vs. Animas, cancelled, snow Lake Arthur Tournament Hondo 69, Lake Arthur 25 Artesia sophomores 56, Corona 35 Girls basketball City of Champions Tournament at Artesia Ruidoso 49, Aztec 38 Lake Arthur Tournament Hondo 49, Gateway Christian 30 Corona 60, Jal 51

Dec. 15

Boys basketball Mountain Top Tournament at Cloudcroft Capitan 57, Immanuel Christian 37 Cliﬀ 80, Mescalero 47 Lake Arthur Tournament Championship Hondo 56, Artesia JV 41 7th place Loving 65, Corona 17 Girls basketball City of Champions Tournament at Artesia 5th place Ruidoso 32, Santa Teresa 24 Mountain Top tournament at Cloudcroft Tularosa 64, Mescalero 48 Lordsburg 68, Capitan 50 Lake Arthur Tournament Championship Corona 48, Loving 38 5th place Artesia JV 50, Hondo 28

Sports Upcoming

Dec. 17

Boys basketball Gateway Christian at Capitan, late Girls basketball Gateway Christian at Capitan, late

Dec. 18

Boys basketball NMMI at Hondo, 7 p.m. Girls basketball NMMI at Hondo, 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 20

Boys basketball Mescalero tournament Hondo vs. Alamogordo frosh, 3:30 p.m. Capitan vs. Immanuel Christian JV, 6:30 p.m. Mescalero vs. Carrizozo, 6:30 p.m. Girls basketball Mescalero tournament Capitan vs. Immanuel Christian, 5 p.m. Mescalero vs. Zuni, 5 p.m. Hondo vs. Alamogordo freshmen, 2 p.m. Carrizozo vs. Cloudcroft, 2 p.m.

Dec. 21

Boys basketball Ruidoso at Artesia, 7 p.m. Hondo, Capitan, Carrizozo, Mescalero in Mescalero tournament, TBA Girls basketball Chaparal at Ruidoso, 6:30 p.m. Hondo, Capitan, Carrizozo, Mescalero in Mescalero tournament, TBA

Dec. 22

Boys basketball Hondo, Capitan, Carrizozo, Mescalero in Mescalero tournament, TBA Girls basketball Hondo, Capitan, Carrizozo, Mescalero in Mescalero tournament, TBA Wrestling Ruidoso at Tucumcari Invite, TBA

THIS WEEK’S SPECIAL: STK # 33049

Sports

ENMU-R 2013 Spring Schedule online at www.ruidosofreepress.com B1

T UESDAY, DEC . 18, 2012 • V OL . 4, N O. 5 0

Good week for Ruidoso basketball By Todd Fuqua Sports Editor todd@ruidosofreepress.com This last week was a successful one for the Ruidoso Warriors with a pair of wins over some very strong teams, but coach Dennis Davis believes they could have had at least one more. The Warriors started the week with a 6056 upset of Artesia on Tuesday, then opened the Sandia Prep Tournament with a 64-58 victory over Pojoaque. The week ended with a 50-42 loss to Bosque Prep in the second round, but a thirdplace game against Las Vegas Robertson never happened due to snow. “Yeah, we’re disappointed, because we were hoping to get to play,” Davis said of the cancellation. “We also would have really liked to play Sandia Prep.” The Sundevils ended up winning their own tournament with a 73-61 victory over Bosque in the championship, but Davis feels it should have been his team on the floor in that contest. The Warriors (4-3) had leads throughout their game with Bosque, but could never pull away. Things really went bad when they scored only five points in the final quarter. Ismail LaPaz led the team with 16 points, while Adam Ramos added 11 in the lowscoring game. LaPaz and Jordan Padilla were named to the all-tournament team.

Davis said his team’s performance against the Elks was similar to the Warriors’ win over Artesia on Tuesday. One difference from the Artesia victory was the Warriors’ reliance on one player for most of their scoring. “That wasn’t by design, a lot of it was the flow of the game,” Davis said of LaPaz’s performance. “He was getting to the basket well and making the shots.” Adam Ramos and Joe Marquez each had eight points to compliment LaPaz.

Shots fall

Todd Fuqua/Ruidoso Free Press

Ruidoso guard Ismail LaPaz leaps for a layup during his team’s win over Artesia on Tuesday. LaPaz was a leading scorer for his squad during the Sandia Prep Toutnament over the weekend, and was named to the all-tournament team with fellow Warrior Jordan Padilla. Ruidoso got a monster night from LaPaz in the first game of the Sandia Prep Tournament on Thursday, as the senior guard poured in 35 points to lead his team to a 64-58 victory over Pojoaque.

With just one true day of practice in the wake of a disappointing loss before Tuesday’s game, the expectations for Ruidoso against Artesia may not have been all that high. But the Warriors came out determined to show they were a better team than what they showed against Hot Springs over the previous weekend, raining in three-pointers – including a trio by Ramos – and getting key rebounds to earn the win. “We knew we should have beat Hot Springs, so we worked hard in practice this week,” Ramos said. “We felt we had to win this game to make us look better.” Ramos finished with 15 points for Ruidoso, while Luis Marquez had 16 to lead the Warriors. LaPaz added 10. Deion Wesson was the top bulldog with 15 points, while Denzyl Garcia added 10.

Lady Warriors win two at Artesia

By Todd Fuqua Sports Editor todd@ruidosofreepress.com ARTESIA – Every time the Ruidoso Lady Warriors make the trip to Artesia for the City of Champions Tournament, it ends up well for them, as they always seem to go 2-1. Many times, however, that loss comes in the first round, meaning they’re playing the consolation bracket the rest of the way. That’s just what happened at this year’s tournament over the weekend, as the Lady Warriors fell to Artesia 55-39 in the first round on Thursday, then rallied for a 49-38 victory over Aztec and defeated Santa Teresa 32-24 to claim fifth place. “Neither team really played a good game,” said Ruidoso coach Dean Hood of the Santa Teresa contest. “But a lot of it was playing two games in two days. We all had some tired legs.” Hood said the Lady Warriors (3-3) played 3½ good quarters, remaining in control, but actually slowing things down too much in the final period. “There were shots they didn’t

take, but after a time out, we picked up the points we lost and took control,” Hood said. “I was quite pleased, especially with the communication on defense.” Madigan Gonzales led the team with 16 points – half of her team’s entire output. Friday’s game against Aztec saw Ruidoso in the lead for good after a three-pointer by Lyndsey Saenz midway through the first quarter, but the Lady Tigers began a comeback in the fourth and the Lady Warriors started to panic. “We weren’t taking care of the ball,” Hood said. “We forced some passes. It’s one of those things we’ve got to learn.” Saenz led the team with 14 points, while Darian Magooshboy added 11. Against Artesia in the first round, the Lady Warriors actually had a 14-8 lead in the first quarter before allowing the Lady Bulldogs to tie it at 15-all by the end of the period. Artesia pulled away steadily, but things really went south in the fourth, when the Lady Warriors were held scoreless. Daisy Cuevas was the only Ruidoso player in double figures with 10 points.

Todd Fuqua/Ruidoso Free Press

Ruidoso’s TyLynn Smith, right, tries to tip a rebound away from Aztec’s Morgan Smith, Friday, during the City of Champions Tournament at Artesia.

Warriors get valuable experience By Todd Fuqua Sports Editor todd@ruidosofreepress.com It wasn’t the most successful tournament for the Ruidoso wrestling team, but then, the Las Cruces Invitational never really is when it comes to actual results. But coach David Shriver said the experience his squad received is beyond valuable. “I was a little disappointed in the results, but the boys gave a heck of

an effort,” Shriver said. “They wrestled hard against some very good competition.” There were 32 teams at this year’s invitational, and the Warriors were one of only three Class 3A teams there. All nine Ruidoso wrestlers lost their first round matches, meaning they all had to work their way through the consolation bracket in the doubleelimination tournament. Of those nine four –

Dillon Marshall at 113, Ty Marshall at 126, Cody Berry at 132 and Joey Marshall at 145 – made it through to the tournament’s second day. Cody ended up in the consolation semifinals before falling. “There are six different rounds, so that’s a lot of wrestling,” Shriver said. “This was good quality time against good quality opponents. We got lots of good experience.”

Brought to you by

Jake Lamay Capitan boys basketball Lamay averaged 27 points in two games during the Mountain Top Tournament at Cloudcroft, including a 31-point eﬀort Friday in which the big center sunk a 3-pointer.

We Make It Simple. NEW!

2013 CADILLAC ATS

White Diamond • 4 yr/50k warr. 2 yr maint.

$50,050

300 HWY 70 • Ruidoso, NM • 575.257.4081

Sierra blancA

m o t o r s

1.800.626.6867 • sierrablancamotors.com

CHEVROLET · BUICK · CADILLAC · DODGE · CHRYSLER · JEEP • NEW & USED CARS, TRUCKS, VANS and SUVs

Ruidoso Free Press

Eagles win bruising contest for title By Karen Boehler For the Ruidoso Free Press LAKE ARTHUR – They should have been playing “Let’s Get Physical” in the background of the Panther Prowl Invitational boys championship game Saturday in Lake Arthur. The way the bodies were flying, crashing and rolling around on the floor, it was hard to tell if Hondo and the Artesia junior varsity were playing football, basketball or wrestling. But once the hard-fought – in more ways than one – match finally ended, the Eagles had repeated as tourney champ with a 5641 victory over the Bulldogs. “Very physical,” laughed Hondo coach Brad Holland. “You dang sure could tell they’ve (Artesia) been in the weight room and they’ve got a good football program, because they’re physical and that’s a good basketball team. That was a good test for us.” It actually started out as a runaway. Artesia coach Marcos Morrillon said he left his starters on the bench to open the game. “We wanted to let the first group look,” he said. “See what they’re doing. Find out who their players are. How do they react? How do they handle the ball? What do they do? Who’s their go-to guy? And you know, we did that, but it bit us.” It bit them big time, as the Eagles jumped out to a 17-0 lead before Bulldog

Photo by Karen Boehler

Hondo earned its second Panther Prowl championship in two years Saturday with a close 54-42 victory over a tough Artesia junior varsity squad. James Lawson put in the first – and only – field goal of the quarter for Artesia at 2:32. Billy Candelaria nailed three 3s and two 2s in the stanza, Roberto Nores had three buckets and Jordan Brady and Lalo Lerma added a basket apiece, and by the time the buzzer sounded, Hondo (4-0) led 21-3. That torrid Eagle shooting slowed down in the second quarter as Artesia outscored Hondo 12-9 for a 30-15 halftime edge. And in the third quarter, where, Holland said, “(We) turned the ball over entirely too much,” Artesia kept chipping away, cutting the Eagle lead to 37-27. And in the fourth, the Bulldogs poured it on. “They wanted to win just as bad as us,” Holland said. “They picked up the intensity. It got more physical and we made some poor decisions and they went on

a little run on us. But the last couple of minutes we hit our free throws and we held on, and you’ve got to win the close ones. I was proud of them.” Artesia slowly cut the lead to 42-36 and then 50-47 on a 3-pointer by Lawson with 27 seconds remaining. With both teams in either the double bonus, Hondo put most of its points on the board at the charity stripe, going 8-for10 in the final two minutes. After the trey, Morillon called a time out but those were the last points the ‘Dogs could get. Candelaria hit the final two shots from the stripe with 26 seconds showing, then Brady nailed a final field goal and the Eagles wore down the clock, getting their second straight Lake Arthur title. “That’s a good club we played against,” Holland said. “They had no quit in them. They kept

Capitan’s teamwork keeps improving By Todd Fuqua Sports Editor todd@ruidosofreepress.com CLOUDCROFT – With time running out in the third quarter, the Capitan Tigers had the ball and tried to run a set play that would end in a three-pointer. What the Tigers didn’t count on was their star center Jake Lamay taking the shot. No matter, Lamay drained the three. It was that kind of a game for Capitan, as they took a 57-37 victory over Immanuel Christian of El Paso in the final day of the Mountain Top Tournament at Cloudcroft. “Whenever we try to kill the clock, it’s just a play that we set up,” Lamay said. “Tory just happened to pass me the ball, and no one stepped out on me. It felt good as soon as the ball left my hand.” Lamay finished the day with a gamehigh 31 point total, as he was able to dominate the board and floor space inside to lead his team to victory. The game ended a week in which Capitan started with a 53-39 loss to New Mexico Military Institute on Tuesday. The Tigers rebounded to win their tournament opener against Animas, 61-24 While Lamay and the Tigers (2-2) ended up with a good day on the basketball court Saturday, it certainly didn’t start out that way. Things turned around quickly for the Tigers in the second half, as Lamay asserted himself in the paint and scored six of the Tigers’ first eight points in the third quarter. Capitan went on a 9-1 run

and pretty much controlled the game from there. While Lamay was the leading scorer by far, he wasn’t the only Tiger who was effective. Tracker Bowen and Cory Everett proved deadly from the three-point line, and Wyatt Berryill complimented Lamay well inside with 10 points. “Their scoring helped out a bunch,” Lamay said. “I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Ball control The Capitan girls took on Lordsburg on the final day, in what was a matchup of winless teams. The Lady Tigers had some success against their former district opponents, but an inability to hold on to the ball and make effective passes eventually led to a 68-50 loss. This followed a 58-21 loss to Cliff in the tournament’s first game on Thursday. Capitan and Lordsburg played on equal footing until a jump shot by Selina Munoz kick-started an 8-2 run that put the Lady Mavericks up by four at the end of the first quarter. That lead increased to as much as 10 points in the second period, but then Capitan (0-3) got a run of their own. Kymbra Mendoza sunk a jump shot with 6:40 left, and the Lady Tigers scored nine points in a row to get back to within one. But Lordsburg again took a big lead thanks to a pair of three-pointers by Lola Martinez, and the game wasn’t close from then on.

The LOBO report

Lobos race past Aggies

ALBUQUERQUE – Kendall Williams nearly posted a triple-double with 15 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, leading four Lobos in double-figures as the No. 17 New Mexico Lobos raced past the New Mexico State Aggies 73-58, pushing New Mexico to 11-0 on the season. The 11-0 start is the second such start in Steve Alford’s four seasons, and the win gave UNM a commanding 13.5-3 lead in the Rio Grande Rivalry, which UNM has won in each of the first five years of its existence. UNM is now one of nine teams still undefeated. The Lobos trailed just once in the game, 2-0, as UNM raced out to a 14-6 lead and really never looked back. The Lobos blocked 11 shots, tying for the fifth-most in school history. Alex Kirk and Hugh Greenwood each had careerhighs in blocks with five and four respectively.

coming and they turned it up a notch second half and we were able to hit a couple of free throws down the stretch to hold on to the lead that we did build. We’re going to have to win close ones every now and then. I was proud of the boys the last couple of minutes.” Morrillon was equally complimentary. “I tell you what, it was a great game,” he said. “Hondo we knew was tough. They returned their team from last year’s state tournament. They lost at the state championship game so they had a very seasoned and veteran group and they played that way. They played with the poise, where our guys didn’t have the poise.” Candelaria led all scorers with 19 points. Nores added 14 for Hondo and Brady 12. Lawson was the only Bulldog in double figures with 16.

December 18, 2012

Hondo girls finish LA tourney with loss By Karen Boehler For the Ruidoso Free Press LAKE ARTHUR – While the Hondo boys closed the Panther Invitational with a victory over the Artesia junior varsity, the Lady Eagles (2-2) opened the day against the Lady Bulldogs. And that opening match wasn’t as positive for Hondo. The Lady Eagles fell 50-28, playing close with Artesia in only the second quarter, where they trailed by a slim 14-13 margin. But Artesia jumped out big in the first quarter, leading 15-5 with the only Hondo points coming on a 3-pointer by Valeria Lerma and layup by Destiny Lackey. The Lady Eagles trailed 29-13 at the half and 4522 after the third, which did see another Hondo trey, by Montana Prudencio. “We played hard for the most part, said Hondo coach Brad Holland. “We were a little short handed; we were missing a couple (of players). But no credit away from Artesia. They handled us fine. And we had some kids play who aren’t very experienced and got some experience tonight and that’ll help them down the road, I hope.” Lerma was the top scorer for the Lady Eagles, with five of the nine-person team putting points on the board. The Lady ‘Dogs got scoring from nine players, led by Tiffany Cano with 17.

Ruidoso Free Press

December 18, 2012

Another tourney title for Corona girls about every time they shot they were getting to the line and it was what? A 10-point difference?” Eleven, actually, and Corona (7-1) did spend a lot more time at the charity stripe, going 18-for39 (.461) while the Lady Falcons were 7-for-20 (.350). But Lady Cardinal coach Nickey Huey had other ideas about what gave his team the victory. “I think the big difference in the game was we got some leadership out there that stepped up when they needed to,” he said. “That’s the difference with this ball club this year. In the past, I’ve had teams, when they get in that position, instead of wanting to go ahead and just make sure they win the ballgame, want to win by 20 and Photo by Karen Boehler end up losing the The Corona Lady Cardinals earned their second tournament championship this game. So I think season on Saturday with a close 48-38 victory over Class 1A Loving in the Lake that was the big Arthur Panther Prowl Invitational. difference. The By Karen Boehler For the Ruidoso Free Press LAKE ARTHUR – The Lady Cardinals earned their second tournament title this young basketball season with a 48-38 victory over Class 1A Loving (3-2) at the Panther Prowl Invitational in Lake Arthur Saturday. The game seemed to last forever, as the two squads played close most of the way, but com-

mitted a combined 47 fouls, giving each team numerous timeeating chances at the free-throw line. Loving coach Guy Rivers said that was the difference in the outcome. “Free throws was the difference,” he said. “I don’t know how many they made right now, but they didn’t miss very many. They hit a lot of free throws. Just

Photo by Karen Boehler

Corona forward Kelly Gensler, center stretches for two of the 12 points she scored in Saturday’s championship game at the Panther Prowl in Lake Arthur. Attempting to guard Gensler are Loving’s Bianca Soliz, left, and Natasha Navarrete. leadership kind of took over.” Allysanne Huey, one of those leaders, also led in points with 17. Kelly Gensler had 12 and Shelly Gensler 11. Loving had no one in double figures, but got balanced scoring from eight players. Rivers like what he saw on both ends of the court. “They played hard, and this is by far the best team we’ve played this year, I do believe,” he said. “They’ve got a lot of height. Got a lot of heart and that’s a good

team. That Corona team’s good.” That assessment sounded good to coach Huey. “That feels real good,” he said. “That’s what I just got done telling the girls in the locker room. We beat two Class 1A teams this weekend. Loving’s very scrappy. I don’t think they’re nearly the basketball team that Jal was, but they posed some problems, because I think when you get a team you think might not be as good, you don’t work as hard.”

Chiefs outmatched Lady Chiefs outdone by Tularosa once more in the end by Cliﬀ By Todd Fuqua Sports Editor todd@ruidosofreepress.com CLOUDCROFT – Cliff may have come into the Mountain Top Tournament as the team favored to win its championship, and they may have beaten Mescalero by a handy margin Saturday. But for the first half, the Chiefs proved they weren’t scared, going into the locker room down by only six points and never giving up in spite of an 80-47 final score. “You can see how far we’ve come,” said Mescalero coach Mike Torres. “That first half was good basketball.” The loss came after the Chiefs put together a 57-41 victory over tournament host Cloudcroft. They started the week with a 49-35 loss to the Artesia junior varsity. Mescalero (1-3) was supposed to play Animas in the second game of the tournament on Friday, but was unable to make it to Cloudcroft in the wake of a snowstorm. That same storm kept a number of games from being played, which essentially reduced Saturday to just a group of games played on the same court with no trophies awarded. Not that Mescalero didn’t feel like it was playing for a title on Saturday. The Chiefs knew this game would be a test of their mettle, and for two quarters, they passed that test.

By Todd Fuqua Sports Editor todd@ruidosofreepress.com CLOUDCROFT – Less than a week after the Mescalero Lady Chiefs lost a one-point nail-biter to Highway 70 rival Tularosa, the teams met up again in the final day of the Mountain Top Tournament on Saturday. Unfortunately for the Lady Chiefs, the outcome was the same, only this time Tularosa’s margin of victory was much wider in a 64-48 final. Mescalero coach Nate Raynor said the biggest problem has been getting his team to listen to his directions. “That’s what we talked about at halftime. We tell them to go out there and play A, B and C, and they get on the floor and run X, Y and Z,” said Mescalero coach Nate Raynor. “Also, we missed something like 10 layups in the first half, and that’s 20 points right there.” The game came after the Lady Chiefs got their first win of the season on Thursday, a 67-66 decision against Lordsburg. Saturday’s contest

Cardinal boys drop three at Lake Arthur By Karen Boehler For the Ruidoso Free Press LAKE ARTHUR – Despite falling 5635 to the Artesia sophomores at the Panther Invitational Friday, Corona boys coach Ronnie Dunsworth was happy with what he saw on the court. “They played hard. They play hard,” he said. “They hustle. They get down the court. We compete, that’s the main thing. We compete. They play as hard as they can. I’m proud of their effort. I’m always proud. My kids always play hard. They give everything they have, so I appreciate that.” It was the second of three losses for Corona on the weekend, as they started the tourament with a 57-39 loss to Corona on Thursday and wrapped things up with a 65-17 loss to Loving on Saturday. The Artesia sophs jumped ahead big in the first quarter on Friday, leading 13-2 with the only Cardinal points coming from Cutler Cox. Corona (1-7) began hitting better in the second, putting 10 points on the board on baskets from Cox and senior Ethan Johnson, but the Bulldogs still led 31-12 at the half. Thanks to Johnson, it was an almost even second half, as the he poured in 12 of Corona’s 14 third-quarter points, and all nine in the fourth. The Cardinal defense held Artesia to only 15 third-quarter points and 10 in the fourth, despite no one getting any time to rest. “We’re in pretty good game shape,” Dunsworth said. “The fourth quarter they wear down. Of course, you just kind of struggle the fourth quarter. So they play hard.”

One thing the Cardinals did better than the day before was cut down on the fouls. With only five players, they can’t afford to lose anyone, meaning they have to play conservative if anyone gets in foul trouble. Friday, the Cards only tallied two goals each half. “We did better,” Dunsworth said. “I changed my defense around a little. I tried to protect my No. 11, my senior. Changed things around. If I put him down low, he tends to get in foul trouble because he’s such a competitor. He wants to score and gets in foul trouble pretty easily. So I kind of changed my defense around.” Johnson ended the day with 27 points to lead Corona. He was the team leader in each game over the weekend, scoring 16 points against Lake Arthur and getting 12 against Loving.

Lincoln County’s

BEST SPORTS WRITING

“Inspired Osos roar to 7-0 win” 2012 New Mexico Press Association 2nd Place Award

TODD FUQUA

against Tularosa started out much the same as the first meeting ended, with the teams fighting tooth and nail for each slim lead throughout the first quarter. The biggest advantage for either team was a 14-9 lead held by the Lady Wildcats with 1:30 left, but the Lady Chiefs (1-4) scored five of the final seven points in the period to remain close. It was in the second quarter that Tularosa started to pull away, thanks to some fancy ball work by guard Kyanne Kowatch. Kowatch ended the game with only

nine points, but she had several more assists to help her teammates find the open basket. Among those teammates was Aviana Garcia, who led all scorers with 13 points, and Kim Turner with 12. Morgan Lee and Ardis Holder each had 11 points to lead the Lady Chiefs.

Win at the buzzer Against Lordsburg, it was Holder that had the magic touch. She had 15 points, including a rebound and putback at the very end that secured her team the victory.

Ruidoso Free Press

Cowboys rescue the reindeer By Jack Schuster

It was a chilly but sunny Saturday morning Dec. 8, when seventeen gunfighters from all over Lincoln County and beyond rode into Ruidoso Downs to rescue the reindeer. It was the monthly shooting competition of the Lincoln County Regulators, the Cowboy Action Shooting arm of the Ruidoso Gun Club and an affiliate of the Single Action Shooting Society. Members of the Lincoln County Regulators dress Western, shoot Western and never use their real names. Armed with firearms of the cowboy era, such as single action sixguns, lever rifles and stage coach shotguns, wearing the duds of the same era, and going by aliases that reflect characters of the Old West, Lincoln County Regulators compete on a course of different shooting stages in a unique, Old West style. At the December match, it turned out that Renfrew Grunewald, one of Santa’s elves, turned bad. He and a bunch of other elves become Reindeer Rustlers. On the First Stage, the Reindeer Rustlers hid the reindeer in the town of Lincoln. Unfortunately, the elves were armed and a shootout ensued. Shooting low because they’re only three feet tall, Capitan Regulator shot clean, no misses, and scored first place with with Dirty Earl in second place and Sundance Kid coming in third, with less than a second difference. Carlos Pelota and Kiowa Mike also shot a clean stage. The Reindeer Rustlers managed to get the reindeer herd heading west to Capitan on Stage Two and the Regulators were forced to engage

the elves in gunplay. The Sundance Kid took first place on Stage Two with Capitan Regulator and Gunsmoke Cowboy scoring second and third with less than a second apart. Clean stages with no misses were shot by Etta, Carlos Pelota, Lefty Sixkills and Kiowa Mike. On Stage Three, the Reindeer Rustlers moved Santa’s animals to the mining town of White Oaks for a gunfight at the saloon. With no misses on Stage Three, Capitan Regulator came in first place with Sundance Kid in second and J. Frank Norfleet coming in third. Carlos Pelota and Doc Lecter also shot clean on Stage Three. The last chance to get those reindeer back to Santa before Christmas. Capitan Regulator secured first place on Stage Four with Gunsmoke Cowboy scoring second and Louisiana Slim, shooting a clean stage, tak-

ing third place. Rabid Rob, Doc Lecter and Mesa Rose also shot clean on Stage Four. Top Gun overall for the Rescuing the Reindeer match was Capitan Regulator J. Frank Norfleet and Sundance Kid placed second and third overall, with just over three minutes separation. In the just-for-fun side matches, Doc Lecter won the 100-yard Long Range competition in a tie-breaking shoot-off and Carlos Pelota was the victor on the 200-yard challenge with eight hits out of ten shots! The Winner of the Bowling Pin side match was Duane with a time of 2.26 seconds to knock three bowling pins off the table with a handgun. The next match of the Lincoln County Regulators will be on January 12 when the cowboys and cowgirls will recreate some of the classic gunfights of New Mexico in six stages, including the shootout at Blazer’s Mill, the battle at the McSween house in the Lincoln County War and the Las Vegas (NM) Saloon Shootout of 1880. The public is invited to attend. Eye protection is required and hearing protection is suggested. Eye and ear protection will be available. The match will begin at 9 a.m. at the “Old Lincoln” Cowboy Action Shooting area, located at the Ruidoso Gun Club range, a halfmile off Highway 70 in Ruidoso Downs. For more information, call Gunsmoke Cowboy at 575-8080459.

December 18, 2012

’Zozo girls prove themselves against Corona in victory By Todd Fuqua Sports Editor todd@ruidosofreepress.com Corona’s girls came into Tuesday’s Lincoln County showdown at Carrizozo on a tear, having won four games in a row and listed by sportswriters and coaches as the No. 2 team in Class B. The Carrizozo Lady Grizzlies were out to show they were worthy of some consideration too, and used a press and stifling defense to turn in a 55-48 victory over the Lady Cardinals. “We played straight up defense this time, instead of hacking and trying to steal the ball all the time,” said Carrizozo coach George Vega. “Our press worked well against them.” Carrizozo (3-3) had a 16-7 lead by the end of the first quarter and kept it up throughout the first half. The Lady Cardinals were unable to counter mainly because they had so many girls in foul trouble early on. “Carrizozo is pretty physical, and they made a lot of shots at the right time,” said Corona coach Nickey Huey. “We had some girls on the bench early, and that hurt us. We could have played a little better, but the other team usually has something to do with that.” Shelley Gensler, Corey Eagan and Christy Huey all fouled out of the game by the

end, while Allysanne Huey had four fouls. Corona made a slight run at it in the second half, but it just wasn’t enough in the end. Saige Bell poured in 21 points for the Lady Cardinals, while Allysanne Huey had 11. Andrea Vigil was the top Carrizozo player with 19 points, followed by Shayna Gallacher with 14, Victoria Ventura with 12 and Kaitlyn Pierson with 10. This game marked the first in a while for Ventura, who was back from an injury. Vega said having her inside really made a difference in rebounds. Corona coach Huey said the loss wasn’t fun, but at least it gives his team something to improve on. “Nobody likes a loss, but this was a good physical game that will be a good learning experience for us this season,” Huey said. “If you never get beat on some things, you won’t know what you need to work on.” The Lady Cardinals are back on the court today at the Lake Arthur Tournament, but Carrizozo doesn’t play again until next weekend at the Mescalero tourney. Vega said the long layoff after a win like this is actually good for his team. “We need to work more on the fundamentals,” Vega said. “This will give us the time to do that.”

Sports brief Co-ed volleyball There is an open gym and mandatory coaches meeting on Jan. 7 or 9 for the upcoming Ruidoso Parks and Recreation co-ed volleyball league. League games start Jan. 14, and roster forms, rules and waivers can be picked up at the Parks office, 535 Resort Drive, or at the meeting. A maximum of ten teams will play in the league, with a double elimination tournament at the end. Cost is $250 per team, plus an official’s fee for each match. All matches will be played at the Boys and Girls Club. Call 257-5030 for more information.

Bowling RUIDOSO BOWLING CENTER Tuesday Seniors team standings, week 14 of 32 Name Won Lost Smokey Bear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 22 Just Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33½ 22½ Ageless Wonders . . . . . . . . . . . . 32½ 23½ Spud & the Tater Tots . . . . . . . . . 32 24 The Who? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 26 Last week’s high scores Handicap series – Just Us 2,586, The Who? 2,439, Spud & the Tater Tots 2,345 Handicap game – Ageless Wonders 945, Smokey Bear 831 Men’s handicap series – Tom Douglas 746, Bob McCann 685, Hubert Lee 637 Men’s handicap game – Jim Clements 294, Gene Nitz 245, Harry Allwein, Spud Mitchum 217 Women’s handicap series – Rose Bivens 666, Linda Mitchum 641, Myrna Douglas 620 Women’s handicap game – Lucy Servies 252, Linda Clements 221, Martha Chavez 210 ––– Tuesday Mixed team standings, week 14 of 16 Name Won Lost Homies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 4 Rhino Rose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 9 No Pin Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 13 Ebowla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 15 Living On a Spare. . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 15 Ruidoso Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 17 The Outlaws. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 19 Energy 2 Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 20 Last week’s high scores Scratch series – Ruidoso Bowl 2,029, The Outlaws 1,574 Scratch game – Homies 686, Energy 2 Spare 507 Handicap series – Rhino Rose 2,570, Living On A Spare 2,416 Handicap game – No Pin Zone 870, Ebowla 823 Men’s scratch series – Mike Kim 663, Ronnie Wright 540, Max Cimarron 531 Men’s scratch game – Tom Rheingans 242, Don J 193, Joe Terrell 182 Men’s handicap series – Tom Douglas 708, Alan Kirgen 678, Rocky Solis 647 Men’s handicap game – JR Mitchell 275, Curtis Williamson 244, Etienne Turner 226 Women’s scratch series – Pam Bernard 465, Diane Killingsworth 402, Rachel Weber 283 Women’s scratch game – Millie Cimarron 169, Sherrie 134, Sam McAlister 100 Women’s handicap series – Ginger Williamson 644, Diana Prouse 599, Dena Mitchell 540 Women’s handicap game – Mary Gillett 233, Gracie Rheingans 210 –––

Wednesday Mixed team standings, week 13 of 32 Name Won Lost Western Auto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 8 Team 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 10 Ruidoso U-Haul. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13½ 10½ Team 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 12 No Doubt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11½ 12½ Team 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 13 Living Energies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 13 Ruidoso Bowl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 17 Last week’s high scores Scratch series – Ruidoso Bowl 2,340, Ruidoso U-Haul 1,760 Scratch game – Western Auto 838, Team 7 629 Handicap series – No Doubt 2,731, Team 6 2,555 Handicap game – Team 8 927, Living Energies 852 Men’s scratch series – Jim McGarvey 712, Tom Douglas 645, Joe Shafer 558 Men’s scratch game – Weldon Ganaway 263, Virgil Reynolds 234, Keith Brewer 197 Men’s handicap series – Ronnie Wright 713, Phil Fanning 706, Sid Thomas 670 Men’s handicap game – AJ Seidel 255, Gene Nitz 238, Bob Layher 223 Women’s scratch series – Sandi Meek 522, Lucy Servies 430, Sharla Ganaway 417 Women’s scratch game – Pam Bernard 194, Linda Sinclair 156, Trina Thomas 143 Women’s handicap series – Vivian Mowdy 711, Laura Flynn 680, Gail Bailey 647 Women’s handicap game – Shelley McGarvey 267, Sonia Younis 258, Nancy Seidel 232 ––– Thursday Men’s team standings, week 13 of 32 Name Won Lost Good Ole Boys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 9 Down’s U-Haul. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 10 Western Auto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 10 GSV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 10 Ruidoso Bowl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 11 Buckner Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 15 Insidhers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 15 Ruidoso Septic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 16 Last week’s high scores Scratch series – Western Auto 3,217, GSV 2,570 Scratch game – Down’s U-Haul 973, Buckner Electric 891 Handicap series – Insidhers 3,372, Ruidoso Bowl 3,201 Handicap game – Ruidoso Septic 1,174, Good Ole Boys 1,075 Scratch series – Jim McGarvey 745, Terry Bernard 710, Hans Dubay 614 Scratch game – Richard Guevara 300, Billy Weddige 265, Weldon Ganaway 247 Handicap series – John Cardone 778, Jimmy Mauritsen 703, Jim Clements 676 Handicap game – Ryan Cannon 323, John Divine 267, Fred Vega 257

Ruidoso Free Press

December 18, 2012

ictorian V hristmas C

The Fort Stanton Museum weekend hours coincided with the public Living History interpretations of the Fort Stanton Garrison that featured Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery Detachments that exemplified the pre-Civil War military era of Fort Stanton. The Garrison set up camp at Fort Stanton on Dec. 14 and 15. The group presented living history interpretations throughout the day reminiscent of a Victorian Christmas celebrated during the time Fort Stanton was in its full glory. Visitors enjoyed the regular morning drill exercises of Company K, 8th U.S. Infantry (1858) followed by a Victorian family Christmas celebration in the afternoon. The soldier’s wives and children, as well as guests, took pleasure in making Victorian tree-trimming ornaments and listening to the music of the era. Sue Hutchison/Ruidoso Free Press

At left, Jack and Regina Schuster have been involved with the historical and restoration of Fort Stanton for years. Jack is a chaplain, who also is a deacon at the Mescalero Catholic Church. Both Fort Stanton docents, they are often seen in period costume during public events at the fort. Jack reports the museum is open throughout the winter months. Above, Wayne Yost, 11, is a drummer for the garrison. He says, “I’m a drummer right now because I’m not old enough to use guns yet.” At the age of 16 he plans to join the garrison as an infantry member. Until now, he keeps the unit in rhythm. At left, several young people helped make and decorate the Fort Stanton tree. Pictured are Bailey Taylor, Emily Pope, Cassidy and Aubrey Yost. The fire warmed the room while both young and young at heart helped make the tree festive.

ENTERTAINMENT CALEN DAR

TUESDAY DECEMBER 18 Live Music at WPS in Midtown Ruidoso from 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 19 Farmer’s Market at SBS Wood Shavings in Glencoe from 9 to 11 a.m. Crystal Skulls Activation, High Mesa Healing Center, 11:30 am. All invited. 575-3367777. The Sterilizers perform at Casa Blanca Restaurant on Mechem Drive from 6 to 9 p.m. Live Music at WPS in Midtown Ruidoso from 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

dren 7-12. Children 6 and under are free. Things to do every day Smokey Bear Historical Park is operated Ruidoso Winter Park Tubing Area, by EMNRD-Forestry Division. a quarter of a mile west of Hwy 48 on Hubbard Museum of the American lower Ski Run Road in Alto. Open from 10 West, Ruidoso Downs, just east of the a.m. - 5 p.m. and until 9 p.m. on designated racetrack. The �irst New Mexico museum nights. The tubing experience offers twists, to be granted “af�iliate” status with the turns, bumps, jumps and bobsled curves. Smithsonian Institution. Open seven days Featuring exclusively designed tubes for a week, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission $6 3-6 riders and super size tubes for 3-10 for adults with discounts available for senriders plus a Kidz Korral for the smaller iors, military and youth. Visit www.hubguests. Full snack bar. 575-336-7079; bardmuseum.org or call 575-378-4142. www.ruidosowinterpark.com. Kids thru 7 Annual Fall American Photography years of age $9; juniors 8-17 $17 reg. rates Competition & Exhibition, Hubbard Muand $20 holiday; adults 18 and up $20 reg. seum, 26301 Hwy 70, Ruidoso Downs, runs rates and $25 holiday. All tickets good for through March 17, 2013. The Hubbard 3 hours or until end of the day whichever Museum of the American West and the is shorter. Snow clothing available for Photographic Society of Lincoln County rent. are proud to present the 21st Annual Fall Ruidoso River Museum - Open at 101 American Photography Competition and Mechem Drive. Hours: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Exhibition. The Hubbard Museum will be Thurs. - Mon. Admission is $5 for adults closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas and $2 for children. Day. 575-378-4142; www.hubbardmuSimulcast Horse Racing at Billy the seum.org. Kid’s Race Book at Ruidoso Downs Race “A Land So Strange” exhibit, Hubbard Track & Casino. Simulcast races are shown Museum, 26301 Hwy 70, Ruidoso Downs, live from across the country and betting runs through Feb. 8, 2013. An educational windows are open to place your wager. journey of nearly 400 years of New Mexico Billy’s Race Book also serves delicious food history. Hundreds of artifacts and images and has a full bar. If you love horse racing, from the 16th to the 20th century tell the it is the place to go. story of the Native Americans, the Spanish, Smokey Bear Park is open in Capitan, and the Euro-Americans who created the located on Hwy 380. Open every day of the New Mexico we experience today. Visit year except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and www.hubbardmuseum.org. Free with New Year’s day. $2 for adults, $1 for chiladmission to the museum.

THURSDAY DECEMBER 20 Mark Kashmar, country blues, Café Rio, 5:30 - 7:30. Karaoke with DJ Pete Cree Meadows Lounge, 6 - 11 p.m., every Thursday, evening. Allyou-can-eat taco bar from 6 - 9 p.m. Open to the public. Mark Remington performs at the Swiss Chalet Inn, Mechem Dr., 6 p.m. Susan Kolb, local favorite, performs at Grace O’Malley’s, 7:30 p.m. Live music at WPS in Midtown Ruidoso from 8:30 p.m. to vsky’s Christmas classic, featur1:30 a.m. ing gorgeous sets and costumes as well as outstanding student FRIDAY and professional dancers – a deDECEMBER 21 lightful trip into a magical world Winter Solstice Celebration, of dancing nutcrackers, soldiers, High Mesa Healing Center, 133 sugar plum fairies, candy canes, Mader Lane, Alto, 3:30 - 4:30 mice and little girls and boys. p.m. 575-336-7777; www.highThe sets come to life: the Christmesahealing.com mas tree grows to 40 feet before Susan Kolb performs at Tina’s your eyes, the cannon shoots Cafe, dinner reservations recsmoke rings above patrons’ ommended. 257-8930. Mike Sanjku performs in heads, and a swirling grandfaWendell’s Restaurant at the Inn ther clock spins and flaps wings of the Mountain Gods Resort & like a great hooting owl. 888818-7872; www.spencertheater. Casino, 5 - 10 p.m. Doug Fuqua performs in com. Tickets are $28. Michael Beyer performs Wendell’s Lounge at the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Ca- older songs and jazz at Kokopeli Country Club in Alto from 7 to sino, 5 to 11 p.m. Terry Bullard Band performs 10 p.m. Karaoke at The Elks Lodge on at Cree Meadows Country Club, 5:30 - 8 p.m. Friday night fish fry. Highway 70, next to the RuidoMark Remington performs so Emporium, at 7 p.m. Aaron Lacombe Band – Put at the Swiss Chalet Inn, Mechem on your dancing shoes for this Dr., 6 p.m. The Eliminators perform local country favorite, Club 49 at Casa Blanca Restaurant, at Inn of the Mountain Gods, 8 p.m. Mechem Dr., 6 p.m. Live music at WPS in MidOpen Mic Night, Sacred Grounds, 2825 Sudderth in town Ruidoso from 8:30 p.m. to the Boulder Plaza, 6:30 - 8 p.m. 1:30 a.m. Hosted by Tradd Tidwell. 575SATURDAY 257-2273; www.sacredgroundDECEMBER 22 scoﬀee.net. Free. 12th Annual Christmas Arts “The Nutcracker,” Spencer Theater, 108 Spencer Rd., Alto, 7 & Crafts Fair, Mescalero Comp.m. Ruidoso Dance Ensemble’s munity Center Gym. Come & original adaptation of Tchaiko- shop for unique gifts, jewelry,

chile & fry bread, baked goods and more. More than 30 vendors will be there. Florence Melandrez, 575-491-9141 or Alma Morgan, 575-937-6322. Steve Waldorf performs at Grace O’Malley’s, 12 - 3 p.m. Dummy Gelunde Competition, Ski Apache, Hwy 532 (Ski Run Rd.), 3 - 6 p.m. Dummy Gelunde is a sport of sorts, where teams of one to three people construct snow-riding dummies attached to a pair of skis or a snowboard and launch the handmade contraptions over a giant on-snow jump. Dummies are then judged on distance, air, creativity, takeoﬀ, landing and crowd response. 575-464-3600; www.skiapache.com. Entry cost is $50 per team. Susan Kolb performs at Tina’s Cafe, dinner reservations recommended. 257-8930. Mike Sanjku performs in Wendell’s Restaurant at the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino, 5 to 10 p.m. Mark Remington performs at the Swiss Chalet Inn, Mechem Dr., 6 p.m. Free movie, “Joyeux Noel,“ Sacred Grounds, 2825 Sudderth Dr., 6:30 - 9 p.m. “Joyeux Noel” captures a rare moment of grace from World War I. On Christmas Eve, 1914, as German, French and Scottish regiments

• 12-18 thru 12-24

Pillow’s Funtrackers - Open weekends and most holidays throughout the year. 101 Carrizo Canyon Road just off Sudderth. Three go-kart tracks, miniature golf, arcade, Mountain Maze, and seasonal attractions such as Bumper Boats, Panning for Gemstones, Rock Climbing Wall, Extreme Air and Kiddie Bounce House. Blue Lotus Healing Arts Yoga Center – Fun that’s good for you and the family. Daily mind-body activities ranging from meditation and relaxation classes to athletic, energizing classes and Hot Yoga are scheduled throughout the day at the Yoga Center. Classes are available for all levels from beginner to advanced. Located at 2810 Sudderth Suite 207, above Schlotzsky’s. Drop-in or purchase a package of classes with tuition ranging from $13 per class for drop-in to $108 for 20 classes in one month. For more information, go to www.ruidosodayspa.com or call 575-202-8010 or 802-3013. Christmas tree permits available through Dec. 21. The Lincoln National Forest has Christmas tree permits available for $5 each, one per household, at the Lincoln National Forest Ranger Stations in Carlsbad, Cloudcroft, and Ruidoso or the Supervisor’s of�ice in Alamogordo. For more info: Smokey Bear Ranger District of�ice at 575-257-4095 or Sacramento Ranger District of�ice at 575-682-2551; www.fs.usda.gov/detail/lincoln/ home/?cid=stelprdb5336243.

face each other from their respective trenches, a musical call-and-response turns into an impromptu cease-fire, trading chocolates and champagne, playing soccer, and comparing pictures of their wives. But when Christmas ends, the war returns. 575-257-2273; www. sacredgroundscoﬀee.net. Free. Torch Light Parade at Ski Apache, Ski Run Rd., 6:30 - 8 p.m. A native drum will begin playing at 5 p.m., Parade is at 6:30. Veteran skiers and their lighted torches will ski down the mountain. There will also be a fireworks show. Assorted snacks and refreshments will be available. Spectators are encouraged to be there by 5:45. 575-464-3600; www.skiapache.

p.m. to close. No cover Michael Beyer performs older songs and jazz at Kokopeli Country Club in Alto from 7 to 10 p.m. Aaron Lacombe Band – Put on your dancing shoes for this local country favorite, Club 49 at Inn of the Mountain Gods, 8 p.m. Live music at WPS in Midtown Ruidoso from 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 23 12th Annual Christmas Arts & Crafts Fair, Mescalero Community Center Gym. Come & shop for unique gifts, jewelry, chile & fry bread, baked goods and more. More than 30 vendors will be there. Florence Melandrez, 575-491-9141 or Alma Morgan, 575-937-6322. “The Nutcracker,” Spencer Theater, 108 Spencer Rd., Alto, 2 p.m. Ruidoso Dance Ensemble’s original adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s Christmas classic, featuring gorgeous sets and costumes as well as outstanding student and professional dancers – a delightful trip into a magical world of dancing nutcrackers, soldiers, sugar plum fairies, candy canes, mice and little girls and boys. 888-818-7872; www.spencertheater.com. Tickets are $28. com. Free. Live music at WPS in Mid“The Nutcracker,” Spencer town Ruidoso from 8:30 p.m. to Theater, 108 Spencer Rd., Alto, 7 1:30 a.m. p.m. Ruidoso Dance Ensemble’s original adaptation of TchaikoMONDAY vsky’s Christmas classic, featurDECEMBER 24 ing gorgeous sets and costumes Christmas Eve in Historic as well as outstanding student Lincoln, Hwy 380, 6 - 10 p.m. and professional dancers – a de- This is the traditional lighting lightful trip into a magical world of luminarias along Hwy 380 at of dancing nutcrackers, sol- dusk. 1-877-784-3676; www.ruidiers, sugar plum fairies, candy dosonow.com/festival-of-lights. canes, mice and little girls and Free. boys. 888-818-7872; www.spenLuminarias in Carrizozo, 6 certheater.com. Tickets are $28. - 10 p.m. The town of Carrizozo The Eliminators perform puts out its annual luminaria at Casa Blanca Restaurant and display along Hwy 54 and Hwy Cantina, Mechem Drive, 7 - 9 380. 575-648-2371; www.carrp.m. izozochamber.org. Free. Live music at WPS in MidNational Cat County Band will perform at No Scum Al- town Ruidoso from 8:30 p.m. to lowed Saloon in White Oaks, 7 1:30 a.m.

The air in the mountains is thin – your chainsaw needs AmericAn Oxygen

575.378.4752

Education

Ruidoso Free Press

By Corey Bard

“The Hermit and the Well” by Thich Nhat Hanh is a children’s book about a child who climbs a mountain with his fellow students to visit a hermit who lives on the mountain. They are in such a hurry to reach the hut where the hermit lives that they do not stop to appreciate the trees, flowers and blue sky surrounding them as they make their ascent. They reach the hermit’s home and he is not there. The boy sets out on his own in search of the hermit. He ran out of water during his climb. He discovers a tree with a long branch sticking out and beneath the tree is a well. The boy drinks from the well and believes he has tasted the best water. He rests beneath the tree taking a nap. When he awakes he is momentarily lost, then gathers himself realizing where he is, and sets out to rejoin is classmates. He has changed on his journey. He has found peace. Rejoining his students, he sits quietly eating. The food never tasted so good. The boy had never known such comfort, peace and understanding before. The boy has discovered the hermit is within himself. Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, poet, scholar and human rights activist. In 1967, Thich Nhat Hahn was nominated by Martin Luther King Jr. for the Nobel Peace Prize. His books include “Being Peace,” “Teachings on Love” and “Peace is Every Step.” He lives in a meditation center in France, travels the world and leads retreats on mindful living. “The World of Pooh: The Complete Winnie-the-Pooh and The House At

Pooh Corner” by A.A. Milne is a classic that introduces us to Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, Kanga, Roo and Christopher Robin. Through his trials and tribulations, Winnie-the-Pooh finds wisdom in his life’s lessons. Who can forget Pooh stuck in the entrance to Rabbit’s home? Pooh enters Rabbit’s home with ease, but after a hearty meal with lots of honey, he cannot fit through the hole. For a week, the good friend Christopher Robin reads to Pooh until he slims down. Christopher Robin and Rabbit and all his friends finally can pull Pooh free of Rabbit’s home. A.A. Milne having the boy, Christopher Robin read to Pooh is no joke. Brothers and sisters should be encouraged to read to their siblings and parents to their children. Tigger went to live with Kanga and Roo after discovering Extract of Malt was what he really liked for breakfast, lunch and tea. He was not afraid to change his diet, try other foods to discover what he really liked best. Not honey from Pooh, haycorns from Piglet, or thistles from Eeyore. After a day with Tigger, Pooh thought of the following poem. “What shall we do about poor little Tigger? If he never eats nothing he’ll never get bigger. He doesn’t like honey, and haycorns and thistles Because of the taste and because of the bristles. And all the good things which an animal likes Have the wrong sort of swallow or too many spikes. Whatever his weight in pounds, shillings and ounces, He seems bigger because of his bounces.”

Nob HillBuzzy Bees, December 2012

Courtesy photo

Back row, left to right: Ondreya Cuevas, Luis Macias, Hailee Alaniz, Adrian Orozco, Shaylah Silva, Nathaniel Cano, Jade Artiaga; middle row, left to right: Julio Mendoza, Bayler Pritchett, Jacob Jensen, Gracie Born, Shaundin Wilson, Gabriel Sanchez, Memphis Cardonel; front row, left to right: Ingrid Del Muro-Herrera, Orlando Ruiz-Tena, Lillian Goza-Lewis, John Banks, Isabelle Kring, Jaya Trujillo.

Capitan music program receives community foundation grant By Marti Santos Community Foundation of Lincoln County The Community Foundation of Lincoln County (CFLC) supports and promotes charitable giving in order to improve the quality of life within our communities. The CFLC board has chosen to make 3 awards in 2012 to Lincoln County nonprofit organizations. The CFLC believes music is an important component in a well-rounded education, having been documented to increase test scores, especially in math. The grant of $500 to the Capitan Municipal K-12 PTA will specifically go towards purchasing musical instruments, cases, stands, harnesses, and other accessories for both the marching and concert band in support of their music program. The Capitan School budget for the music program is small, as it is for other extracurricular activities. Several years of shrinking educational budgets, cuts and concessions had to be made. Instruments for band students are available either through a rental program through an outside vendor, or parents may choose to purchase instruments. The Capitan band program also has a few instruments that may be loaned to students free of charge, which

is especially helpful to low-income and families with more than one student in the music program. The Capitan PTA would like to purchase instruments to increase the number of students able to participate in the music program. By helping fund this program, the CFLC believes it is investing in the future of our County as it recognizes the service the Capitan music program provides to students from kindergarten through high school. Courtesy photo

Sunny Hirschfeld and Betty Ann Bell of the Community Foundation of Lincoln County award a check for $500 to the Capitan PTA, received by Capitan PTA president, Gayla Skeen. Also pictured are band students Kylie Pruitt; Victoria Tycz; Alizabeth Autey; Corey Everett; Annalyn Skeen (not pictured: Israel Salcido).

December 18, 2012

Student education debt: it’s personal Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series on debt issues facing today’s college graduates By Sue Hutchison Reporter suehutch@valornet.com Although it’s her first year at Capitan High, Counselor Rebekah Stephens is no new-comer to assisting students. She was a staff member with Camp Sierra Blanca and now she’s Capitan’s new counselor with the responsibility, among others, to deliver advice about college choices. “I hate to tell kids what to do or not to do, but I try to help them think ahead. In four years, what are you going to be looking at?” Stephens knows about college debt. She’s still paying her own bills from her post high school education, having earned degrees from WNMU in Silver City and her masters of science in counseling and psychology at Troy University. She’s already planning financially for the post high school education of her children, now ages 4 and 7. Amy and Allen, age 25, twins who recently graduated from college with a combined student debt of $150,000 struggle with the thought they’ll be paying for their education for decades. With spring semester around the corner, colleges and universities across the nation are hoping for bumper crop enrollments. While fall is typically the time students consider higher education choices, a fresh calendar offers many the opportunities for self-improvement. Continually on the list is affordability. With student debt at an all-time high across the country, many have no choice but to defer or ignore their career choices. “The amount of student debt is spinning out of control. Their entire lives they’ve been told, ‘Get an education. This is the path to success.’ And they sign, not knowing what they’re getting into,” said Sen. Dick Durbin, (D-Ill.) who commented while participating in a congressional field forum focused on student loans. Warren Buffet, erroneously reported in part one of this series as an alum, has been a trustee at Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa. Grinnell’s healthy endowment provides support for students to attend the college with financial assistance. According to Stacey Schmeidel, media relations director for Grinnell, it’s is one of the few colleges or universities in the U.S. that remain fully need-blind. “We evaluate our applicants solely on their ability, not on their ability to pay; and we pledge to cover 100 percent of every admitted student’s demonstrated financial need. Students who graduate from Grinnell receive one of the best educations in the country—and they graduate with one of the lowest debt loads in the nation. If you apply and are admitted to Grinnell, we’ll make sure that you can afford to come here.” Need-blind selection takes into account the value of the student, regardless of that student’s ability to pay. According to typical admissions standards it’s usually positive and means that anyone can get academic scholarships based solely on student merit. According to their records, Grinnell annually writes off more than 60 percent of its tuition, more than any other school with the exception of Harvard University. Stephens at Capitan High says several of the students she’s assisting already know where they want to go to college. “I try to help them make their own choices,” she says. With most planning to attend in-state or Texas schools, area scholarships are where Stephens begins, and scours any available sources. “I look at their college choices, try to find scholarships available to the student, and help them prepare for admissions essays. Sometimes it’s too early to complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), but we work to set up a financial plan so they can see what’s ahead,” she says. Yet as costs increase at universities nationwide, many times students must absorb the rate increases if they choose to attend college. Kingston, in a November interview focusing on college fiscal issues said, “We don’t get in a room and say, ‘OK, do we give more aid here or do we give a raise to a professor over here?’ It’s never that stark, but behind the curtain, what’s happening is this trade-off,” says Kingston. “So, OK, we cut landscaping this year. What do we cut next year? OK, let’s stop cleaning the windows. OK, what do we do next year? Well, pretty soon you go from cutting fat to cutting meat and bone,” Kingston says. Because of the shortfall, the college is turning some of its student grants into loans. MIT is following suit but Eric Grimson, MIT chancellor and Kingston

Sue Hutchison/Ruidoso Free Press

Rebekah Stephens, Capitan counselor. both say they’ll still admit students on a needblind basis. Kingston agrees there’s a large gap between money coming in and financial aid going out. ENMU-Ruidoso’s price per educational unit is $34.65. Clayton Alred, PhD and president of the university says his school is among the lowest in price statewide. ENMU-R makes sure students who begin with them will have transferable units to any New Mexico university, ensuring students won’t need to repeat work for graduation credits. “Students are finding it’s an affordable alternative to live at home and begin their college education here,” says Alred, who insists on beginning financial counseling for students by searching for scholarships and grants. Student loans are a last resort. Intangible college benefits factor in. A student who may desire opportunities for distinctive social interaction may consider one university over another because of the extra-curricular options it offers. Some who opt for faith-based higher education weigh the value of planned ministry trips for students along with campus atmosphere. Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, CA plans dozens of ministry opportunities for students annually. Both local and international, all details are arranged, leaving students the task of merely applying, qualifying and paying. Many local opportunities are free and give students a chance to participate in life-changing events. With missions trips to Haiti, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Ecuador and an eight week immersion trip to Asia to name a few, Point Loma students are offered a plethora of choices. Point Loma’s academic standards are wellknown in the southern CA region. Their nursing program typically sees more than 90 percent placement in career positions post-graduation. Their grads are sought after by California medical establishments due to their preparedness and excellence, so the university says with statistics to back. But eight weeks of Asian immersion with a Point Loma group costs more than $3,700. At what price does a student’s wallet implode? Can parents begin saving early enough in their children’s lives to cover what is predicted to be well more than $40,000 an academic year for private higher education? What will the price be when junior turns 18? Samantha Steele, admissions counselor at Point Loma focuses her attention on potential students from Arizona and New Mexico. She makes recruitment trips throughout the region regularly to put a face to her name and university. “We bend over backward to give students the best support possible,” says Steele. “It’s a complicated process and I walk with potential students all the way. It’s in their best interest and also ours. I’m available by phone, email or a personal visit.” With specialized scholarships and grants, Steele encourages students to retake admissions tests in achieving the highest scores possible. “We will wait until as late as August to factor in their latest test scores. With scholarships and grants based on a wide variety of backgrounds, I’ll search until I find as much help as possible.” Potential students are paired with a financial adviser in addition to Steele making a team of two consistent people for the admissions process. Choices abound. When students determine they’ll progress to higher education, cost, atmosphere, opportunities, distance and careersupport factor in the decisions they make. Allen says he’s happy he chose the university he attended, regardless of his looming debt. Amy recently sold her car to pay down part of her outstanding school loans. She tried to change and attend another lower priced university but found several of her classes wouldn’t transfer. One thing is certain. Regardless of the choice, students like Amy and Allen are destined to live with their decisions for decades.

Ruidoso Free Press

December 18, 2012

Christmas plans: Christmas Eve Mass at St. Eleanor’s:

tradition and beauty By Sue Hutchison Reporter suehutch@valornet.com Enjoying the use of their new sanctuary, Father Al Galvan of St. Eleanor’s Catholic Church of Ruidoso is delighted to announce Christmas Eve Vigil Mass at 7 p.m. and Christmas Day Mass at 10 a.m. The Catholic tradition of Christmas is one of liturgy. Throughout the month of December the church observes Advent, which is the remembrance of the coming of Jesus Christ to our world. “We sing Advent hymns, such as O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” says Father Al. The parish enters into a season of fasting and special prayer. “We use the color purple which signifies penance,” he says and leads his congregation in a month-long time

of reflection. Advent is void of décor as anticipation grows for the approaching holiday. Christmas decorations are unfurled and make their appearance after the last Sunday’s observance of Advent, Dec. 23. The sanctuary will be adorned by parish volunteers during the afternoon in preparation for their Christmas Eve Vigil Mass the following evening. Dec. 24 at 7 p.m. will find Father Al and the Knights of Columbus in a processional at St. Eleanor’s to begin the special Mass. “The choir wears their robes, and the Knights of Columbus will give a hat salute in consecration,” says Father Al who says that the Christmas Eve Vigil will be the time the parish will shift from Advent See ST. ELEANOR’S, pg. B10

Christmas Eve and Christmas community services By Penny Heggestad and Sue Hutchison

The public is invited to attend the Christmas Eve services of their choice. Listed are churches who responded to requests for information. Contact information and location is listed with each entry. Caanan Trail Baptist Pastor Rowland Burnett: Christmas Eve service at 6 p.m. 105 Caanan Trail at mm 14 on Highway 48: 575-336-1979 Mescalero Baptist Mission Pastor Zach Malott: Christmas service at 11 a.m. 1016 Old Road in Mescalero: 575-973-0560 Ruidoso Downs First Baptist Pastor Randy Widener: Christmas Eve candlelight service at 6 p.m. 361 E Highway 70 in Ruidoso Downs: 575378-4611 Ruidoso First Presbyterian Pastor Tony Chambless: Christmas Eve candlelight service at 7 p.m. 101 Sutton

Dr. 575-257-2220 Mescalero Reformed Pastor Bob Schut: Christmas Eve Annual Children’s program 6 p.m. Christmas Day 10 a.m. with refreshments following service. Highway 70 in Mescalero: 575-464-4471 Ruidoso Downs 7th Day Adventist Pastor Andrew Spooner: December 22 Sabbath Christmas Service 9 a.m. 207 Parkway, Agua Fria, Ruidoso Downs: 575-378-4161 Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Pastor Thomas Schoech: Christmas Eve service 7 p.m. Christmas Day 10 a.m. 1120 Hull Road: 575-258-4191 J Bar J Country Church Pastor Charles Clary: Baptism and Lord’s Supper Christmas Eve 6 p.m. 40 Highway 70 West: 575-257-6899 First Christian Church Pastor Ryan Arnold: Christmas Eve candlelight service 6 p.m. 1121 Hull Road

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church Midweek Advent Worship In preparation for Christmas, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church is holding a series of special Advent services on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. The overall theme of the services is “The Songs of Advent.” Pastor Schoech’s sermon theme for Wednesday, Dec. 19 will be “Simeon’s

Song: Amazing Peace,” based on Luke 2:25-35. A soup supper will precede the service at 5:30 p.m. The public is invited. Shepherd of the Hills is located at 1120 Hull Road. For more information call the church office at 258-4191 weekdays 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

This church feature is sponsored by these civicminded businesses and individuals. ERIC N. THOMPSON OWNER

PENNY PINCHERS COIN SHOP

Buy · Sell · Trade · Rare Coins Bullion Silver & Gold · Free Appraisals 127 Rio (Eagle at Rio) • P.O. Box 1242 800-628-3269 • 575-257-7597 email: ericet@zianet.com

341 Sudderth Drive 575.257.7303

www.lagroneruidoso.com

BOOTS & JEANS 134 SUDDERTH • RUIDOSO 575-630-8034

2850 N. WHITE SANDS BLVD. ALAMOGORDO 575-437-4721

Yesterday An Antiques & Collectibles Mall

1001 Mechem • Ruidoso 575-937-2839 • 575-258-3250 ~ OPEN DAILY ~ www.yesterdayantiques.com

First Christian Church Child Development Center 1211 Hull

575-258-1490

Hands-On Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum • A 4-Star Facility

Accepting 8 Weeks to 12 Years OPEN: Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

ANGLICAN Mescalero Family Worship Center Gary Dorsey, Pastor; 464-4741 ASSEMBLY OF GOD Carrizozo Community Church (AlG) Barbara Bradley, Pastor. Corner of C Ave. & Thirteenth One Church Pastor Todd Carter. 139 El Paso Road, Ruidoso. 257-2324. wwwonechurchnm.com BAPTIST Canaan Trail Baptist Roland Burnett, Pastor; Located just past milepost 14 on Hwy. 48, between Angus & Capitan. 336-1979 First Baptist Church - Carrizozo; 314 Tenth Ave., Carrizozo. 648-2968; Hayden Smith, Pastor First Baptist Church - Ruidoso; 270 Country Club Drive, Ruidoso,NM 88345. 257-2081; Dr. Allen Stoddard, Pastor First Baptist Church - Ruidoso Downs 361 E. Hwy 70, 378-4611, Randy Widener, Pastor First Baptist Church - Tinnie Bill Jones, Pastor Mescalero Baptist Mission 1016 Old Road Box 9, Mescalero, NM 88340, 973-0560, Pastor Zach Malott Mountain Baptist Church Independent-Fundamental KJV. 145 E. Grandview Capitan. 937-4019 Ruidoso Baptist Church Wayne Joyce, Pastor; 126 Church Drive, Palmer Gateway. 378-4174 Trinity Southern Baptist Church (south on Highway 48) 700 Mt. Capitan Rd. 354-2044. Mel Gnatkowski, Pastor 808-0607 BAHA’I FAITH Baha’i Faith 257-8857 or 258-5595 BUDDHIST Buddhism of the Lotus Sutra George Brown; 257-1569 CATHOLIC Saint Eleanor Catholic Church 120 Junction Road, Ruidoso, 257-

Thought for the week... Charles Clary It seems as though everything is going up… unemployment is up, welfare needs are up, prices for food are up, taxes are going up, and many other things are up. Unfortunately, some things are going down… income is down; available jobs are down, the value of the dollar is down, and many other things are down. What about your spirits? Are they up or down? We have just finished Thanksgiving and we are looking forward to Christmas. We may have a tough time with our spirits at this point in time. If we look at our finances, we will get down. If we look at peoples’ needs, we will get down. If we think that the world owes us a living, we will get down, because the world doesn’t owe us a living. Personally, I keep looking up, because my help comes from the Lord. Psalm 121:12. Institutions and men may fail us, but the Lord never fails. He will meet all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus, Phil. 4:19. By the way, He didn’t say that He would meet all our wants, just all our needs. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy all the material blessings that I receive. But, life is not based on the material things. Real life is based in the things of eternal and spiritual value. Just remember this… the things that matter are the spiritual things of life. You can’t take the material things with you. But the things of God are eternal. Paul states, in his letters to the New Testament churches that faith, hope and love are the eternal and spiritual things in our earthly life. So, in this holiday season, we need to trust God in Jesus Christ for life and its physical things. We need to have our spirits lifted by having hope for the days ahead. And, we need to love God because He first loved us. And, we need to love ourselves, because He first loved us, And, then we are empowered to love others.

CHURCH SERVICES

WayneJoyce.com Listen or Download FREE

9:45 AM 10:45 AM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM

RUIDOSO BAPTIST CHURCH

Teaching you Chapter by Chapter & Verse by Verse. 126 Church Drive • Ruidoso, NM • 575-378-4174 Next to Family Vision Center on Mescalero Drive Plenty of Parking!

Worship Services

2330. Reverend AI Galvan Saint Theresa Catholic Church Corona. Sunday Mass: 6 p.m. Saint Joseph’s Apache Mission Mescalero. Father Paul Botenhagen, OFM Our Lady of Guadalupe Bent. Father Larry Gosselin Sacred Heart Catholic Church 299 3rd St, Capitan, 354-9102 Santa Rita Catholic Church 243 Birch, Carrizozo. 648-2853. Father Franklin Eichhorst CHRISTIAN First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Rev. Ryan Arnold; 1211 Hull at Gavilan Canyon Road, 258-4250 Carrizo Christian Fellowship Leonard Kanesewah Ill, Pastor. 56 White Mt. Dr., 3 mi. W of Inn of the Mountain Gods Mescalero. 464-4656 CHURCH OF CHRIST Gateway Church of Christ 415 Sudderth, Ruidoso, 257-4381. John Duncan, Minister Church of Christ - Capitan Highway 48. Joshua Watkins, Minister CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST LDS Church of Jesus Christ LDS Ruidoso Ward, 1091 Mechem Bishop Melvin Jenson, 258-1253 Church of Jesus Christ LDS Mescalero Branch, Mormon Missionaries 317-2375 EPISCOPAL Episcopal Church of the Holy Mount 121 Mescalero Trail, Ruidoso. Rev. Judith Burgess Rector 257-2356. Website: www.eclc.us St. Anne’s Episcopal Chapel in Glencoe Episcopal Chapel of San Juan in Lincoln St. Matthias Episcopal Chapel Carrizozo, 6th & E Street EVANGELICAL The Lighthouse Christian Fellowship Church 1035 Mechem Dr. 802-5242

Sunday School Morning Worship Sunday Night Wednesday Night

Free home Bible studies PRESBYTERIAN First Presbyterian Church 101 Sutton Drive (Nob Hill), Ruidoso, 257-2220. Tony Chambless, Pastor Ancho Community Presbyterian Church; Pastor Terry Aiello, CLP Corona United Presbyterian Church Pastor Terry Aiello, CLP Nogal Presbyterian Church Reverend E.W. “Bo” Lewis REFORMED CHURCH Mescalero Reformed Mescalero. Bob Schut, Pastor SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST Ruidoso Seventh Day Adventist 207 Parkway, Agua Fria, Ruidoso Downs, 378-4161. Pastor Andrew Spooner 437-8916; 1st Elder Manuel Maya 937-4487 SPANISH SERVICES Iglesia del Nazareno Angus Church, 12 mi north of Ruidoso on Hwy 48. Marcho Sanchez, Pastor. 336-8032 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FULL GOSPEL congregation of Capitan United FELLOWSHIP Mission Fountain of Living Water Methodist. White Oaks and Third in Sacramento Mountains Capitan. 354-2288 San Patricio Unitarian Universalist Trinity United Methodist Church JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES Fellowship 1000 D. Ave. 648-2893/648-2846. Call 336-2170 or 257-8912 for Jehovah’s Witness - Ruidoso Car rizozo. Jean Riley, Pastor location Kingdom Hall 1102 Gavilan Canyon NAZARENE Rd., 336-4147, 257-7714 NON-DENOMINATIONAL Angus Church of the Nazarene Congregacion Hispana de los American Missionary Fellowship Angus, 12 miles north of Ruidoso on Rick Smith, 682-2999. E-mail: Testigos de Jehova 1102 Gavilan Canyon Rd., 336-4147, Hwy. 48, 336-8032. Rick Hutchison, RickS@americanmissionary.org Pastor 378-7095 Calvary Chapel; 127 Vision, next QUAKER LUTHERAN to Cable Co., 257-5915. Pastor John Quaker Worship Group Marshall Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Unprogrammed meeting at the Church Centro Familiar Destino Anderson-Freeman Visitor’s Center in 304 Sudderth Dr., Ruidoso, NM 258-4191; 1120 Hull Road. Pastor Thomas Schoech. www.shlcruidoso. Lincoln. For details, contact Sandra 88345, 257-0447. Services are Smith at 653-4951 org bilingual PENTECOSTAL Christ Church in the Downs METHODIST Apostolic Pentecostal Assembly Ruidoso Downs, 378-8464. AI and Community United Methodist Marty Lane, Pastors Retired Pastor and author Harry Church A. Peyton Christ Community Fellowship Junction Road, behind Wells Fargo Capitan, Highway 380 West, 354Bank. 257-4170 Abundant Life United 2458. Ed Vinson, Pastor Pentecostal Church of Ruidoso Capitan United Methodist 613 Sudderth Dr. Unit D. Pastor, Art Church Out of Church; Meeting at Church Dunn, Youth Pastor, Nathaniel Dunn. the Flying J Ranch, 1028 Hwy. 48, Pastor Jean Riley and the

To place a sponsorship ad on this church directory page, please call 258-9922 Alto. Pastors: Tim & Julie Gilliland. Mailing Address: 1009 Mechem #11 Ruidoso 88345. 258-1388. www. churchoutofchurch.com. Keepin’ it simple ... Keepin’ it real! Cornerstone Church Cornerstone Square, 613 Sudderth Drive, 257-9265. John & Joy Wyatt, Pastors Foot of the Cross Christian Ministries 2812 Sudderth (Pine Tree Shopping Center) Pastor, Phil Appel. For more info please call 937-8677 or visit our website at www.thefootofthecross.org Grace Harvest Church 1108 Gavilan Canyon Rd, 336-4213 Iglesia Bautista “Vida Eterna” Pastor Rev, Ramon Robledo. 207 East Circle, Ruidoso Downs, NM 88346, 361 E. Hwy. 70, 378-8108. Email: revrobledo@lycos.com J Bar J Church; 40 Hwy 70W, 2576899 Pastor Charles W. Clary. E-mail: jbarjcountrychurcb@ruidoso.net Miracle Life Ministry Center Ron Rice & Catherine Callahan, Ministers Available 24 hours for healing, prayer. 354-0255; e-mail miraclelife@ruidoso-online.com Open Circle - High Mesa Healing Center, Sundays, 10-11 a.m. Call 575336-7777 for information Pacto Viviente, 25974 Highway 70, la iglesia “J Bar J” en la granja roja. Domingos 12:30 p.m., Jueves 7 p.m. 937-6664. Es un lugar de familia, amistades y de crecimiento spiritual. Racetrack Chapel; Horseman’s Entrance, Hwy 70, 378-7264. Chaplain Darrell Winter NON-SECTARIAN Spiritual Awareness Study Group Minister: George N. Brown, PhD. ULC. 257-1569 Men’s Bible Study, Band Of Brothers Call 937-0071 for times and location The 1st Iglesia Apostollca de la Fe en Cristo Jesus Located at: 613 Sudderth Dr. Suite D, Ruidoso. 937-7957 · 973-5413

1509 Sudderth Drive

575-257-2057

www.goldenyarnflooring.com

MOTEL 6

of Ruidoso

412 US Hwy 70 West

575-630-1166 1-800-4MOTEL6

www.motel6.com

Xeriscaping • Landscaping • Pavers • Natural Stone & Patios • Lawn Design & Maintenance Kyle Lagasse, President • 575-937-8186 www.CopperLeafRuidoso.com

From Your First To Your Finest!

888-336-7711

931 State Hwy 48 • Alto • 575-336-7711

www.altorealestate.com

708 Mechem, Suite A

575-257-5900 800-257-5925 NMLS# 189685

Ruidoso Free Press

etters L to anta S Letters have been reproduced whenever possible as written children from Sierra Vista Primary, 1st and 2nd grades.

Dear Santa claus I want a hores for chrismis I really want that strae dog that i fond in the snow. Dear Santa How do you leave in the north pole it is so colde up there. How do you diliver 120 in one night. have I been good. I would love to be a elf and make toys whith you How do you go thro aferica whith out geting eatin by lions. How do you get down the chim. How do you eat all those trets. Love, Brooklyn Iv been nise all year Dear santa I want a 3dSx1 and a mini gun and a bukket of bullets. and I been pretty good but some times I been notty. how many Elves do you have? I like to play football. my dad wants a horse tool box. my sister wants a laptop, and a Iphone2. and how many raindears do you have. Is Rudalph the first raindear in the reindeer line. I am Reid guadaelupas enjady I am from Sierra Vista Primary shcool and I live in mescelaro new mexico and I want a extra large PSP and a large screen tv. Whan do you live in the north Pole. When is your Birthday? from Reid Dear Santa claus do any reindeer talk? My favrit haliday is chrismas. I want a guppy for chismas and my sister wants a dsl

chrismas. and my dad wants a brocos hat for chrismas and my mom wants eerings for chrismas. Madison

Dear Santa claus I wish I cuald live at the north Pole He still gives me presents even He does’nt know what i want MoMy RyaN Dear hau Do you gis smort? Do you Play with Your elfs I bin god I wat for christmas a PSP and a Cluphose and a drt Bik FranKlin Dear Santa Hou Do you go doun the chrimne? I a good at School I want for christmas I want to go visit my family for christmas. Journie Dear Santa, Do the elves sharpen their ears? I Have Been good! Cum visit me! I Want a drod Kit and accow Boy hat and beit Weth gun. I Wall bee Get Cuces Wall bee get You! dousLove, Brooke Dear Santa How many elfs do you have. I relly like you Santa. I wont a haleo Lago. A very cool looking bike. I wont a new football I also want a new tool box. My cosen wonts a Lodey doll. My cosen wwants a Monster truks. RPH Dear Santa Santa how do you keep your beard so

clean? I like puppies. I want a doll house, and furniture to go with it. Love Analise

for

Dear Santa. How do you make all the Toys? I wont a real rainder that can fly pless. I want you to taste my cookies Pless. I like your slay how do you Make your rainder fly? I want a Puppy Pless I want a big Piece of Carn Pless. I want a big Skull My Mom. I Love You Shenae Dear Santa how do you go to all the childen in one night. Do you have a list of noty and nice. oh yah I forgot to tell you My name My name is Glynnith I have a brother a sistre and a Mother and My brothers name is cross and My sisters name is Luci and My Mothers name is Margret. and I want a ipod a orbee kit a stuff monky a winy the pooh toy. Glynnith Dear Santa How did Rudolph get his red nose. I have good I want a pug and a D.S Maddie Dear, Santa I Im good. I Im nice. how do you come heaer Wheth raindeer. I want a DS. Zander Dear Santa, Do You have any baby reindeer? I have been very good. I want a Cottoncade and a Slushy maker. And a bike. love Andya Dear Santa, Can I Be your head elf? I have Been very good. I want a Shogun and a jor of bebeS and a ipod and a Cotton maker. love Darius Dear, Santa, Are You going to fix the Slay if it is broken? I can’t wait till you come! I want a D.C hat, and a Ipod, Dallas CowboyS hat and a dirt biKe. And a Shotgun. love Solomon

for

December 18, 2012

Dear santa claus, Will you live for ever? I am vary good at Assassidn2. I want a PS3 and Call Of Duty black Ops 3 and Mad a War fare3. Your friend, James Dear Santa How do You and the elves and Mrs. Claus live at the North Pole? I am good at games. I want

Christmas a Legodox. love Jonathan Dear Santa, I just Want my family to be so happy to me How are your reideer doing I am so good. So how are you doing Santa. Love, April Love you to Dear Santa, How are the reindeer? How are you doing? Is rulddolph real? How do you send all of the presents in one night? I have been realy good this year. I want a monkey stuffed animal, ipod, and Clawdeen love Kaya Deer Santa, What I want for cristmas is a ramot control shark, Lego Ninjogo, Lego Ninjogo game, Avengers and Avengers that ar not Legos, and Halo Legos and I wont Heerolego Factree, and the RC shark. How is it at the North Pole? How Small are the elfs? How big are the rane Deer Love, Gadriel Dere Santa, How are you? I head Thhat the nooth pool is coold. I do not think that I was a good girl this yere. But if you think that I was a good girl. Oh I rily won’t a monster high dod. Love Emberlyn Dear Santa, How are you, I he it is cold raindear waring swaters I want for Christmas is Lollypop Chainsaw for the Xbox 360 and the chet book. I also want the Walking Dead seasen 1 & 2 and the dead island Reptil for the XboX 360. Dead Space 1 & 2 for the XboX 360 i want a Ipod and a wiiu with Zombu Love, Garrett Are your reidear ok? I want an ipod. Is it cold where you liv? Love Khyrue

Dear Santa, Hawh are you doing? I wand a ntron 3-Ds Mare Krismus. Love Airanna Dear Santa, How are you doing? I heard that the northpole is realy cold and you can handle it. How do you? Can you try to make it the best Christmas ever, please. I hope your raindeer are ok. Are there alot of trees? Ths is what I want. lalaloopsy it can be any size. Jolly old o Santa. Love, Elizabeth Zo Clu Dear Santa, How are you doing? I want an iphone and a wiiu for my dad’s house. Tell roodof I said hi and tell dancer he knows some good daceing. My brouther want a big raindeer stuff animal and I do to Love, Ilyanna Dear Santa How are you I hope none of the raindeer are sick because it’s cold. I would like a pacK of legos and a pach Kid doll. I Would liKe an amicin doll micina. I will buy her all of her exeserys I wold also liKe a LoLoLopsy doll pleae please pleas I Love you Love Abby French Dear Santa, How are you this year? I am really feeling good this year, so I’m really hoping I get these things. Air Hogs RC remote control hover assault, a sony Computer, and an android touch screen phone. I also would like super Mario Donkey

Ruidoso Free Press

December 18, 2012

Letters to Santa, 2012

Kong with a standard motor-cycle. I like the super Mario Diddy Kong with bicycle Sincerely, Love Ethan Gerthe Dear Santa, I wonder how your raindeer fly? I hope Mrs. Clause is feeling good. Is your slay is in perfect shape. I Think I’ve been good so can I also have a real camping set with 7 walky talkys. Love, Joshua Dear Santa What are you doing? This week are the elfs all workeing? what I want for Chrimias is a 3-Ds Hope you are good Love Andrea Dear Santa, how are you doing? I will cook you a fresh batch of cookies. I hope you are doing good so you can diliver presents. Is the sleigh cool? Are the reindear doing good. I want an indvisabilty coat. If they aren’t real I want the lego star wars destar. I have been good but not that good if you think just give me bubble gum charcle. love, Damien Dear Santa Hawh are you dwhing? I hend Kresmism is Kuming a Hawmane I want a Jramunne I Will liKe a Woketoke. Love me Cadence Dear Sant, How are you, your elff, and your reindeer? I love your elffs because they hely you. I want an I Pod touch with a case. I heard that it’s geting could over there. Try to keep warm. I want a Will u. Love, Gabby

Dear Santa, How are you? I hear its cold where you live. Do the rein dear where kottse? Is it fogy when you go to give presents? Is it dark out? I want 2 waky-talkys. I would also like a Xbox 360. Love Paul Derh Santa, I hrd that it is Cold in the North pol. Can I have a molken trol dot. and I won’t a molken trol truk with a Speedof train with it gleS Santu. Kole

Dear Santa, for Christmas I Want a Old fashion army doll and Skylinders Video game for the pS3 With Skyliders for Christmas love, Sofia

Dear Santa How is it at the north Pol? Santa I Have Been Kind oF good. Maybe you miet Bring me a presint. Dear Santa the toy that I want is a cudol upit Blackit. Love Izabella

Dear Santa, I have been really good this year!! I want a monster HigH HigH School, Monster HigH Icoffin, Monster HigH dolls, DS games. Love Tyler

Dear Santa I want two whokee tokees and two Narh guns How era youor ranedeeer? love Reef

Dear Santa, I have been really good this year! I want a IPod and a Monster HigH maker, Monster HigH blank. Love, Passion

Dear Santa I have been really good this year. I Want a Angry birds star wars toys. and a footbol and saveekings Drey Dear Santa, I have been rally good this year! I want a 3DS, XBox, WiiU for Chistmas. I promise I will take care of it. Robert McCarty Dear Santa, i have bee really good this year! i Want call for Duty black opsl and Call for Duty2 and a toy Robot ninjus wun. frume William

Dear Santa, I have been really good this year! So can you get me a phone, a Monster high make up set, I Pod, I pad, and a small stuffed animal horse Love, Paris Dear Santa, I have ben good I wont a per of Jet Shoes and if yo cant git me That I Wont a elec heri dert bic. Love Jacoby

Ruidoso Free Press

B10

December 18, 2012

Obituary

Can’t wait for Christmas

ST. ELEANOR’S from pg. B7 hymns to Christmas Carols. With Easter being the highest celebration because of its significance of Jesus’ resurrection, Father Al says Christmas celebration is a close second. “Our liturgy of the Eucharist remains the same for our services,” he says, “but the distinctive readings of Christmas will be added to make the evening special.” And near the end, a special guest arrives. “Santa Claus walks in quietly, approaches the crèche, kneels and prays in worship and leaves. It’s a thrill for our children to see, and they realize that even Santa worships the baby,” Father Al says. With retirement on his horizon, Father Al is winding down decades of active service to the Catholic Church and St. Eleanor’s. The new sanctuary culminated more than 11 years of planning and construction and was built to house more than one congregation if necessary, due to an anticipated future shortage of qualified priests to lead singular parishes. It was dedicated in January 2012. Father Al’s community and parish contributions will be felt for years to come. Significant celebrations at St. Eleanor’s give him and his congregation time to appreciate their years together. Father Al will also lead the Christmas Eve Vigil Mass at St. Jude’s Catholic Church east of San Patricio on Highway 70. The service at that location begins at 5 p.m. and will contain the holy Eucharist with significant Christmas readings added for distinction. With standing room only anticipated, the public is invited to join either location for services. St. Eleanor’s is located at 120 Junction Road east of Lincoln County Medical Center. For more information, phone 575-257-2330.

Rosa R. Chavez

On Nov. 19, heaven gained an angel, when Rosa R. Chavez of Carrizozo, passed away at 101 years old. Rosa was born on Feb. 25, 1911 in White Oaks to Cassandro Ramirez and Delfina Medina. Rosa led an amazing life here in New Mexico. She worked for Governor William McDonald, the first governor of the state of New Mexico. She later acquired a nursing degree and worked as a nurse at the Lincoln County Medical Center which, at the time, was located in Carrizozo. However, Rosa’s greatest accomplishment is being a loving mother

to her six children; Felipa (deceased), Joe (deceased), Cecilia (deceased), Gene (deceased), Edward and Lorena. Rosa’s memory is survived by her son, Edward Chavez of Austin and her daughter, Lorena LaMay of Capitan, as well as many other family members, friends and loved ones. A rosary and vigil will be held in Rosa’s honor on Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. at Saint Rita’s Catholic Church in Carrizozo. Funeral services will be held on Dec. 22 at Saint Rita’s Catholic Church in Carrizozo followed by graveside services at Evergreen Cemetery in Carrizzozo.

Sue Hutchison/Ruidoso Free Press

Tripp Bryan, son of Bonita Park’s activites director, Connor Bryan, spies gifts under the camp’s tree. Annually, the camp gathers gifts to benefit those less fortunate.

Church News

If your church has a special service or any upcoming event and you would like to notify the public, please call our offices at 575-258-9922. You can also email your events to eugene@ruidosofreepress.com.

Sue Hutchison/Ruidoso Free Press

Father Al inside the new sanctuary at St. Eleanor’s Catholic Church.

Resources

LOCAL

HANDYMAN SERVICE

LANDSCAPE SERVICES

A Division of Stagner Enterprises, LLP

Ofﬁce: 336-2321 Cell: 937-0106

www.stagnerlandscape.com

• Tree Thinning + Needle Removal • Firewood • Drainage Solutions • Hazard Tree Removal • Maintenance • Gravel Driveways • Landscaping

$ 10 Years Local

We’ll Save You Money! ~ FREE ~ Stainless Steel Sink with Kitchen Countertop Order Ask for List of References

575.336.1911

Creator Stitches Clothing Alterations, Machine Embroidery and Monogramming Decorative Items for your Home Custom-Made Clothes

Allison Alexander Thorne Over 40 years experience in sewing creatorstitches@live.com

575-336-1437

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

GRANITE • MARBLE • QUARTZ

Best Prices Quality Installation

SEWING / ALTERATIONS

LINCOLN COUNTY TRANSIT

NEEIDDE? AR

CARPET SERVICE

r Good fo

E E R F E ONRIDE $ Call 575-378-1177 Expires Jan. 31, 2013

CREDIT SERVICES

APPLYING FOR CREDIT ?

Eagle Services

2 Rooms Cleaned $40 Pet Odor Removal

Carpet Repairs & Restretching Water Damage Restoration Steam-Cleaned Sofa: $69.95 Love Seat: $49.95 • Chairs $29.95 Dry Cleaning Available

575-336-2052 WESTERN SPECIALTY SHOP Vintage & Handmade Boots Designer Apparel

Start saving today!

Credit Wright, LLC Analysis | Repair | Maintenance

575.973.7097

HAND MADE PIZZA AND MORE

Pizza, Calzones, Pastas, Desserts 575-257-4657

1501 Sudderth Drive • Ruidoso Hours: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. (Closed Wednesdays)

Cash & Check only Accepted • Dine-In or Take Out Mention this ad for an order of free bread sticks!

Ranch Décor

25% Off our Entire Store!

Antiques & More!

407 Central Ave • Carrizozo

Thurs-Sat, 10a - 5 p By appointment: 575-648-5419

for the month of December

575-648-3243

soulofthewest.com

TO PLACE YOUR AD HERE, CALL

575-258-9922 WE WANT YOUR BUSINESS!

Ruidoso Free Press

December 18, 2012

B11

Carrizozo and Upper Hondo’s joint annual awards banquet By Eugene Heathman Editor eugene@ruidosofreepress.com George Duda, a retired NM State Forestry employee, presented an overview during the Carrizozo and Upper Hondo soil and water conservation district awards banquet – a century’s worth of forest management and why local forests are burning up leaving serious scars over the landscapes. Dudas’ emphasis was on unhealthy forest densities and the higher temperatures of the fires we suffer now as opposed to those 30-50 years ago. Duda states the main problem is due to insignificant thinning, logging and low intensity fire management leaving our nation’s forests ‘like mice infested homes.’ Carrizozo SWCD award: Conservationist of the Year: NRCS (natural resources conservation service) range management specialist employee, Shawna Allen. Upper Hondo SWCD awards: Conservationist of the Year: NRCS employee, District ConservationistJohn Hartung. Public Service award: recently retired Lincoln County extension agent, Pete Gnatkowski. Public Servant award: Pete and Cheryl Blanchard (owners of Alto Café) did tremendous work on their own time and contributed many hours in coordinating help for fire victims after the Little Bear Fire. Land Steward award: Dorothy Lacy, Lincoln County rancher and longtime cooperator with upper Hondo SWCD.

Employees of Upper Hondo SWCD who organized the event: Rebekah Toler (program coordinator), Stephanie Bason (project coordinator), Julia Bertrand (administrative assistant). Employees of Carrizozo SWCD who organized event: Barbie Roper (program director). Employee of NRCS who helped at event: Brenda Monrreal.

Eugene Heathman/ Ruidoso Free Press

At left, Pete and Cheryl Blanchard, with their Public Servant award; top center, George Duda presenting an overview of forest management; above, Pete Gnatkowski with his Public Service award and at far right, Dorothy Lacy who received the Land Steward award.

Once upon a Christmas Eve, while loading presents for the night’s delivery, Santa found that no matter how hard he tried, he could not make everything fit into his big red bag and sleigh. Over and over again, he stacked and loaded, loaded and stacked, but try as he might, there were simply too many Barbies, bikes and Xboxes to be delivered in one trip. Frustrated, he called an emergency meeting with all of his reindeer:

“Gentlemen, we have a Christmas crisis situation! Taking into consideration all the good little boys and girls, (and all the things that they asked for, on all of their Christmas lists) there are just too many presents to fit on the sleigh. “So the bottom line is that we are going to have make two trips around the world tonight – are there any questions?” “Yeah, Santa, I have a question,” stated one of the reindeer, “and I think that I speak for all of us when I say that if we have

Jay McKittrick

jaymckittrick@gmail.com

to make two deliveries tonight, well... I think that we deserve double pay!” “Double pay? ... What are you, union?” “No,” said the reindeer, “I’m Vixen!”

Classifieds

Call 258-9922 or stop by 1086 Mechem (MTD Media) to place your classified ad. Deadline for Legal Notices and Classified Display is Wed. at 5 p.m.; Deadline for Classified Liners is Thurs. at 5 p.m.

120 LEGAL NOTICES REGION IX EDUCATION COOPERATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL MEETING - Thursday, December 20, 2012, 9:00 a.m. – REC IX Executive Director’s Office. The meeting is open to the public. Agenda items include budget adjustments/submissions, fiscal, program updates, and employment recommendations/ resignations. In accordance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, community members are requested to contact Cathy Jones at (575) 2572368, if public accommodations are needed. /s/ Cathy Jones, Executive Director TWELFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT COUNTY OF LINCOLN STATE OF NEW MEXICO IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF DOUGLAS CLAUDE HAYNES, Deceased PB 2012-00029 Div. III NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed personal representative of this estate. All persons having claims against this estate are required to present their claims within two months after the date of the first publication of this Notice or the claims will be forever barred. Claims must be presented either to the undersigned personal representative at 1221 Mechem, Suite 2, Ruidoso, NM 88345, or filed with the District Court of Lincoln County. by /Richard A. Hawthorne Devene Brister Haynes RICHARD A. HAWTHORNE, P.A. Richard A. Hawthorne 1221 Mechem Drive, Suite 2 Ruidoso, NM 88345 (575) 258-3483

130 EMPLOYMENT HOSPITALITY BUSINESS looking for a professional person to help manage a small restaurant. Professional appearance and attitude a must. Call for an appointment. 575802-2222 RAMADA INN is looking for front desk and housekeeping personnel. Apply in person 2191 Hwy 70 West MOTEL 6 is now hiring full and part time Front Desk Clerk. Experience preferred but will train. Apply in person at 412 US HWY 70W. No phone calls please.

140 GENERAL HELP WANTED

130 EMPLOYMENT

190 REAL ESTATE

Seeking dedicated participants to help further develop one of the fastest growing restaurants in Ruidoso. Only looking for the best! Please apply if you demonstrate great character, loyalty, maturity, experience, positivity and the ability to work quickly under pressure. This is NOT AN EASY BUSINESS! If you do not do well with policy and procedures, or you do not take well to constructive criticisms, this is not the job for you. The following positions could be available: Cook, Baker, Server, Manager and Hostess. I am seeking full time employees who wish to avoid hopping from job to job. Great dividends can be had for GREAT employees. The pay is very competitive and the hours are unbeatable. Come join our family today. Apply in person at Cornerstone Bakery Café, 359 Sudderth Drive, Ruidoso, NM.

616 Mechem • Ruidoso, NM • (575) 257-4011 • 800-530-4597

We look forward to meeting you! is now accepting applications for a friendly, outgoing, professional Sales Rep. Sales experience a plus. Will train. Please inquire in person at 26126 US Hwy 70, Ruidoso, NM. AIRLINES ARE HIRING - Train for hands on Aviation Career. FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualified - Job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 888-206-4704

150 HEALTHCARE ATTENTION SLEEP APNEA SUFFERERS with Medicare. Get FREE CPAP Replacement Supplies at NO COST, plus FREE home delivery! Best of all, prevent red skin sores and bacterial infection! Call 866-938-5101 ATTENTION DIABETICS with Medicare. Get a FREE talking meter and diabetic testing supplies at NO COST, plus FREE home delivery! Best of all, this meter eliminates painful finger pricking! Call 866-406-2158 MEDICAL ALERT FOR SENIORS 24/7 monitoring. FREE Equipment. FREE Shipping. Nationwide Service. $29.95/Month CALL Medical Guardian Today 888-416-2099

190 REAL ESTATE

All American Realty

HEALTH CARE NAVY RESERVE. Serve part-time. Elite training. Great pay & benefits. Sign-on bonus up to $20K. $ for education. Call Mon-Fri (800) 354-9627

Homes for Rent

RELIABLE PART TIME HOUSEKEEPER NEEDED. Starting at $10 per hour. Apply in person at Mountain Air Cabins. 1129 Main Rd. 2575600

RV Spaces Available Call Pat at

I’D GO WIRELESS, Your local Verizon Wireless Retailer in Ruidoso,

130 EMPLOYMENT

RENTALS

257-8444

190 REAL ESTATE

© 2012 BRER Affiliates Inc. An independently owned and operated broker member of BRER Affiliates, Inc. Prudential, the Prudential logo and the rock symbol are registered service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Used under license with no other affiliation with Prudential. Equal Housing Opportunity.

190 REAL ESTATE

RENTALS HOUSES

323 HEATH DRIVE – FURN 3 BDR, 2 (3/4) BA (showers only) with knotty pine walls & wood floors. Approx. 1337 sq.ft. $975/Mo + utilities. 116 JUNIPER – UNF 4 BDR, 2 1/2 BA with 2 car garage. Approx 1296 sq.ft. $1000/Mo + utilities.

CONDOS

WHISPERING BLUFF #207 – FURN 2 BDR, 2 1/2 BA. Approx. 1152 sq.ft. $750/Mo + utilities, water included. (Available January 15) 406 SUNNY SLOPE #3 – FURN 2 BDR, 1 1/2 BA. $1100/Mo includes utilities. (Available January 4) 1230 MECHEM DRIVE #15 – UNF 3 BDR, 3 BA with appliances. Approx 1533 sq.ft. $1100/Mo includes utilities.

MANUFACTURED HOMES

481 PARADISE CANYON – FURN 3 BDR, 2 BA with log siding & a great deck. Approx. 1760 sq.ft. $1600/Mo includes utilities.

COMMERCIAL

2900 SUDDERTH DRIVE – Large building at the corner of Sudderth & Mechem with many potential uses. Come take a look. 419 MECHEM DRIVE – Approx. 1100 sq.ft. Come take a look. $650/Mo + utilities. 2213 SUDDERTH DRIVE – Large retail space in the heart of Midtown with additional parking! Could also be used as residential or office space as well as retail space. Possible tenant improvements. So many options. Approx. 2018 sq ft. $1800/Mo + utilities.

575-257-4011 • 800-530-4597 View these rentals at: www.ruidosorelo.com

20 ACRES FREE! Buy 40-Get 60 Acres. $0-Down $168/mo. Money Back Guarantee, NO CREDIT CHECKS Beautiful Views, West Texas 1-800343-9444

200 RENTAL SERVICES ADVERTISE YOUR VACATION PROPERTY, to more than 284,000 New Mexico newspaper readers. Your 25-word classified ad will appear in 32 newspapers around the state for only $100. Call this newspaper for more details or visit www. nmpress.org for more details.

220 MOBILE HOMES FOR SALE $19,900 BRAND NEW Mobile Homes with Warranty! Wholesale

Division. Open To The Public. Floorplans, Pictures, and Prices: www. TheHomeOutletAZ.com or Call for FREE Brochure: 1-800-887-9359

230 HOMES FOR SALE: FURNISHED / UNFURNISHED 3/2 HOUSE in Upper Canyon with new upgrades. Must See! 575-9737777

235 HOMES FOR RENT: FURNISHED / UNFURNISHED 2 BEDROOM 2 BATH mobile home on large private lot $575 plus deposit. Large 1 bedroom apartment with sunporch $500 plus deposit. 575-378-4661

SOUTHWEST MOUNTAIN STYLE HOME IN ALTO LAKES GOLF & CC

Gorgeous 4 bdrm, 3 ba home on nearly 2 acres w/cedar & stone exterior, 3 decks, engineered hickory floors, Brazilian granite & stainless appliances. Large ponderosa pines, attached 2 car garage, zoned refrigerated air, extra 700+ sq ft of unfinished storage, & fenced yard. Full golf membership. Priced to sell! $470,000 MLS #111415

ALTO VILLAGE – 2 GOLF COURSES

This home has been professionally remodeled, has a large floor-to-ceiling rock fireplace, cathedral ceilings, tile countertops, tile flooring and carpet. This is a dream home - you gotta get in it! Paved drive and even has golf cart storage. $339,500 MLS #104516

TWO ADJACENT ALTO ALPS UNITS – OFFERED TOGETHER Each unit has 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, full living area and kitchen, outside covered decks and fireplaces, on-demand hot water, and AC units. Recent upgrades. One unit is on ground level, and one is upper level. Seller will consider financing with 20% down and qualified buyer. $175,000 MLS #110642

Looking for a career in Real Estate? Call us! For additional listings & other valuable information:

www.PrudentialLynchRealty.com

260 APARTMENT RENTALS: FURN / UNFURN

SECTION 8 VOUCHERS WELCOME

Inspiration Heights Apartment Homes 1, 2, and 3 bedrooms. Nestled in the pines of Ruidoso Downs 301 Sierra Lane

378-4236

Under New Ownership This institution is an Equal Opportunity Provider. TTY Relay - 711

1 AND 2 BEDROOM APARTMENTS for rent. 575-258-3111.

To Place Your Classified Ad, Call 258-9922 We Want YOUR Business!

El Capitan Apartments Large 1 & 2 bedroom apartments, long or short term lease. $ 450-$550/ month. Convenient Village location, School System walking distance. 354-0967 310 MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE Full voting chair of stock. Cree Meadows Country Club $1500. 575-491-4778 DIRECTV for $29.99/mo for 24 months. Over 140 channels. FREE HD-DVR Upgrade! FREE NFL Sunday Ticket w/CHOICE Package! Call TODAY for details 888-719-9465 PROFLOWERS. Send Flowers for Every Occasion! Anniversary, Birthday, Just Because. Starting at just $19.99. Go to www.proflowers. com/save to receive an extra 20 percent off any order over $29.99 or Call

1-877-837-1671 GET FREE OF CREDIT CARD DEBT NOW! Cut payments by up to half. Stop creditors from calling. 877639-3441

340 FUEL JUNIPER, PIÑON, AND PINE cords and 1/2 cords. Call Robert 575-9730739

DISH NETWORK. Starting at $19.99/month PLUS 30 Premium Movie Channels FREE for 3 Months! SAVE! & Ask About SAME DAY Installation! CALL - 877-867-1441 KOKOPELLI FULL GOLF MEMBERSHIP for sale. 512-401-9601

Check out

www.ruidosofreepress.com

Post Your Classified Ad

~ FREE ~ Really.

B12

Ruidoso Free Press

December 18, 2012