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TUESDAY, SEPT. 18, 2012 • w w w . r u i d o s o f r e e p r e s s . c o M • VOL. 4, NO. 37
What’s
happening September 20
Free business workshops
11 a.m.: “What Makes a Criminal a Criminal?” Protect your business by better understanding a financial criminal. 12 p.m.: “Where is Your Business Heading?” Bring organizational clarity and productivity to your next team meeting. Lunch provided. View the latest banking technologies, 5 p.m. at the Ruidoso Convention Center, 111 Sierra Blanca Drive, 575-258-2265, www. citybankshowcase.com/Ruidoso. Free.
September 21
International Peace Day celebration
Unite with supporters of peace around the world with Outdoor Morning Meditation at the Ruidoso Library 7:30-8 a.m., a Moment of Silence at 12 p.m., “One Peace at a Time” movie at noon at the Ruidoso Library, 107 Kansas City Rd., plus a CommUNITY Celebration and Potluck at the Ruidoso Senior Center, 501 Sudderth Dr., 6-8:30 p.m. Free.
September 21-22 Used tire amnesty weekend
Bring used tires, old pots and pans and recycle them. Car, light truck, SUV tires (with or without rims). All American Park in Ruidoso Downs and Schoolhouse Park in Ruidoso. Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to noon. Greentree Solid Waste: 575378-4697 or Ruidoso Parks and Rec: 575-257-5030. Free.
The Bennett Trust Benefit Gala
Two evenings of performance art including the premiere of Robert Patrick’s new comedy, “You’re Family,” musical entertainment by local artists, and an eclectic selection of art from Betty Bennett’s private collection, 7 p.m. All proceeds benefit the Bennett Trust ENMU Scholarship Fund. The Old Mill, 641 Sudderth, 575257-7395 or 257-3012. $45.
September 22 Tour de Ruidoso
The Sixth Annual Tour de Ruidoso offers altitude and climbing challenges, historical trails and magnificent views. Start and finish at The Lodge at Sierra Blanca. Benefitting local not-for-profit organizations. 8:10 a.m., Registration required. www.bicycleruidoso. com/#!__tour-de-ruidosocentury-ride.
4th Annual Ruidoso Mountain High Fly-In
Air Force static displays, flyovers throughout the day, new and vintage aircraft and war birds on the air field. Free pancake breakfast and free hamburger and hot dog lunch. Longhorn Dance band performs in the evening. 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sierra Blanca Regional Airport 1000 St. Hwy 220, Alto, 575-336-8111, www. ruidosoflyin.com.
A property of
Village moves to Phase 5 restrictions, water conservation encouraged By Sue Hutchison Reporter suehutch@valornet.com Mother Nature keeps the village on its toes. In the past five years, the Village of Ruidoso has faced freezes, floods, fires, drought and her fury. Adjustments continue to be made to manage the challenges she brings. The village declared a water emergency which requires the village to implement Phase 5 water use restrictions. According to Debi Lee, village manager, this water emergency has developed in the aftermath of the Little Bear Fire. “The damage that was done to our watershed coupled with the ongoing drought conditions in our area has made this move necessary. We are asking all businesses and residents to do everything they can to help conserve water during this critical time.” When Phase 5 water use restrictions are in place, key issues that residents and businesses alike need to pay attention to. The use of sprinkler systems and garden hoses is prohibited, except for watering vegetable gardens and fruit trees. Vegetable gardens, fruit trees, ornamental plants, flowers and tree wells may be watered by the use of hand-held buckets or sprinkler cans that have
been filled from hose bibs or interior faucets. Restaurants and bars are requested to provide water to their patrons only upon request. Shut off nozzles should be used on hoses for hand-watering “The Little Bear Fire destroyed our ability to collect surface water to refill our reservoirs during the monsoons, and the river water has been degraded to the point that it cannot be treated which has forced us to move to the Phase 5 restrictions,” said Randall Camp, direcSue Hutchison/Ruidoso Free Press tor of utilities. Randall Camp, director of utilities, addresses the village The village council Thursday, Sept. 13. met Thursday to amend language allowing the village to rehabilivillage engineers. Although both wells will tate Eagle Creek wells two and four located be rehabilitated, both will not be in use 100 on US Forest Service land to meet ground percent of the time. water demands. With surface water contami“The Mayor needs to be authorized to nated in the aftermath of the Little Bear fire, sign the annual operating plan to bring these ground water is the best viable source for the wells back up to speed,” Camp said. village in the coming months, according to see wAter, pg 3
By Eugene Heathman Editor eugene@ruidosofreepress.com The Wild Earth Guardians have been the subject of increased scrutiny regarding their conservation methods, particularly in the Bonito lake area preceding the Little Bear Fire. Lincoln County commissioners seemed to empathize with local foresters trying to improve conditions for the county watershed as they face objection from a couple of environmental organizations. Smokey Bear District Ranger Dave Warnack told commissioners on Sept. 20 2011 that after a “Finding of No Significant Impact” was published as a result of the environmental assessment for a proposed Bonito Canyon forest thinning project, the study was appealed by WildEarth Guardians and the Center for Biological Diversity. “I feel like these groups are kind of getting out of hand,” said Minter. “They’re obstructionists, the minority going against the majority.” Commissioner Mark Doth told Warnack that he empathized with his situation. “WildEarth Guardians and Center for Bio-
logical Diversity are obstructionists, plain and simple and if you don’t believe me, you can look at how many lawyers are on their payroll,” Doth added. During a recent interview with the Ruidoso Free Press; Brian Bird, wild places program director for WildEarth Guardians, proclaims the group’s efforts are an example of a healthy and fundamental democratic process available for citizens to monitor and hold accountable the federal government for their management of public lands. “Citizens residing in wildland urban interface areas should not be left with the government calling the shots. We present collaborative solutions of give and take, as with the Bonito lake project. In this instance, the forest service was unwilling to compromise. Collaboration is a two-way street. We once had an MOU (memorandum of understanding) with the local forest service district regarding forest management but that has since been trashed” Bird said. Bird contends the WildEarth Guardians is proud of its position on forest restoration and wildfire hazard management. In con-
Good intentions misunderstood, WildEarth Guardians
trast to some preconceptions, Guardians has supported numerous thinning projects in the Lincoln National Forest and supports local community input. “WildEarth Guardians is working conscientiously in collaboration with the private sector, local, state and federal governments on solutions. WildEarth Guardians has filed just one lawsuit in the last decade affecting a logging project on the Lincoln National Forest,” Bird said. The organization believes it is possible to find common ground that serves both communities in the wildland urban interface (WUI) and natural systems. “I do admit that my organization can do a better job educating the public of our initiatives. It seems like only what are perceived as bad things we do make headlines. Overall, the Village of Ruidoso and your District Ranger (Dave Warnack) in comparison to other communities are doing a stellar job with fireplain management and thinning projects within the village and its buffer zones. The Wild Earth Guardians have their work cut out for them in the eyes of the pubsee wiLdeArtH, pg 3
Recall-free RMS Board gets back to business By Eugene Heathman Editor eugene@ruidosofreepress.com Today will be the first Ruidoso Municipal School District Board meeting since a 3-2 Supreme Court ruling in Santa Fe Sept. 11 vindicated RMS school board members Devin Marshall and Curt Temple of corruption charges, halting a scheduled recall election. The decision overturns District Judge Jerry Ritters ruling which allowed a recall election to move forward on Sept. 18. Marshall and Temple have emphatically proclaimed their innocence of the charges behind the recall, contend they followed procedures and refuted conspiracy allegations when placing RMS Superintendent Beatta Harris on paid administrative leave May 29 during a special meeting. Marshall, Temple and board member Cecil Davis cast votes in favor of
standards,” MarHarris’s removal. shall said. Kerry Gladden Chief Justice and Rhonda VinPetra Jimenez Maes cent voted against announced the the action. ruling following “The exjust 15 minutes of tremely difficult deliberation. decision was RMS Board made as a result President Devin of 15 months of Marshall told the strained interacRuidoso Free Press, tions, and numerDevin Marshall “I am very thankful ous attempts to to have this final develop a workjudgment detering relationship mined by the state’s as a team of six. highest court. The We have held Supreme Court several team found no evidence building sesof malfeasance. sions, written out This has been a very specific expectadifficult yet necestions, and asked sary process.” many difficult Marshall looks questions of our forward to refocussuperintendent to Curt Temple ing her efforts on encourage more the students and reaccountability, mains positive that the student’s and to foster higher academic ! IEWS SB V
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teachers and staff will raise the bar to a higher level. “This work is about the most important asset of our community, it’s all about the kids. I believe we have a very talented staff and excellent teachers in order to get the job done for the betterment of our youth and the community,” Marshall said. On the agenda will be discussion and possible action pertaining to the estimated election costs to Automated Election Services estimated at $3,800, legal notice fees of approximately $1,131 and more than $11,000 in legal defense fees for Marshall and Temple. It is not yet determined whether Marshall and Temple, or the school district, will pay the fees incurred to defend themselves. The Ruidoso Municipal School Board meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at 200 Horton Circle.
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