Archive for May, 2008
Beware of Unlicensed Contractors – And Let The Unlicensed Contractor Beware
by John Weckerle
In a letter to the Independent on May 13, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department provided information on an unlicensed pavement company that has apparently been working illegally and doing poor quality work, leaving homeowners with a mess afterward. My own recent experience in a dispute (now in its 20th month) with a contractor who turned out to be unlicensed has required me to learn a few things about protecting oneself against predation by contractors who appear legitimate, but who may be something else entirely. NM-Central.com is happy to share some potentially useful information on avoiding and/or rectifying problems with unlicensed contractors.
»» Beware of Unlicensed Contractors – And Let The Unlicensed Contractor Beware
Parker’s Farm Greenhouse
by John Weckerle
For years, Spring and Summer would see a portable sign standing at the corner of NM 344 and Church Road in Edgewood and proclaiming that Parker’s Farm greenhouse was open for the season. The sign is gone now, whether as a result of development or prohibitions against off-premise signs contained in Edgewood’s rather lengthy and complex sign ordinance, but Parker’s remains, selling quality plants every Saturday and Sunday from 9 to 5 during the planting season. »» Parker’s Farm Greenhouse
Racing Commission Approves Albuquerque Downs Move To Moriarty
by John Weckerle
NM-Central.com has just received word that the New Mexico Racing Commission has approved the Albuquerque Downs application to relocate from the New Mexico State Fairgrounds in Albuquerque to Moriarty, New Mexico.
Plans for the facility, as presented by the Downs’ representatives at the recent Moriarty public meeting, include the racetrack, Las Vegas-style slot machine casino, food court, upscale steakhouse, advanced veterinary facility, stables, and other features. Congratulations are in order for the Downs, the governments of Moriarty and Torrance County, the Town of Estancia, which supported the project, and the local and regional organizations such as EVEDA who worked hard to demonstrate the community’s support for the project.
Fighting Poverty by Yanking Rural Services?
Guest Commentary by Flo Maze
Editor’s Note: Ms. Maze asks that anyone wishing to assist with this issue, including but not limited to signing petitions and providing other support, contact her at fmaze21@comcast.net. As stated in the article, a meeting on this issue is scheduled for June 12, 2008 at the Moriarty Civic Center. Members of MRCOG’s Workforce Connection Executive Committee are listed here. The July 2007 roster of the Workforce Connection Board can be found here. We have been advised that Pat Lincoln is no longer on the Board, reportedly having resigned in April. We note that only two of the remaining 35 members are listed with an address in the East Mountains and Estancia Valley, although Moriarty City Councilor Steve Anaya is listed with an Albuquerque business address. We do not currently have any confirmed information on the makeup of a local Board for the Workforce Connection.
On June 30, 2008, the Workforce Connection of Central New Mexico will be closing its doors to the citizens and businesses of Torrance and Southern Santa Fe County and Eastern Bernalillo County permanently. The Executive Board for the Workforce Connection under MRCOG (Mid Region Council of Governments) has made the final decision for this closure. »» Fighting Poverty by Yanking Rural Services?
Look, Up In The Sky
by John Weckerle
As I was hand-watering the trees I bought last year from the Edgewood Soil and Water Conservation District (with harvested rainwater) at around 8 a.m. this morning, I heard a loud, droning sound coming from the East. Curious, I looked out over the land below, and for the life of me, I could not figure out what was making the noise.
Finally, I looked up, and found my explanation. By the time I got the camera, it was fairly far away. It was certainly something to see! I’m not sure if all the residents in the area enjoyed it quite as much – especially those who might still have been trying to sleep. Then again, how many people sleep past 8 on a Sunday?
A Few Questions For Our Readers
In preparation for an upcoming article, we have some questions on regional development. We would like to ask our readers:
What does economic development mean to you?
What does sustainable development mean to you?
Should a regional plan for economic development, infrastructure, wildlife corridors, transportation, resource management, etc. be developed?
What values would you wish to see incorporated into regional development philosophies? Which do you think need more attention?
What role should municipal and county governments, business organizations, etc. play in setting the course for economic and other regional development?
Please feel free to provide us your thoughts as comments. It would be helpful if you include the part of the region in which you live and work, whether you’re a business owner, government employee, commuter, etc., and what type of work you do.
A Lawyer’s Time and Advice Is What?
by Chuck Ring
I guess that law schools must inject some of their graduates with chameleon DNA. How else to explain Edgewood’s very own attorney changing legal color at the drop of a suggestion? I am referring to his inability to support the funding of contracts with Wildlife West Nature Park, the Edgewood Library and the Edgewood Chamber of Commerce as reported in The Independent of May 21, 2008. All three entities have, in the past, contracted with the Town of Edgewood to provide services to the Town of Edgewood. Our attorney, Mr. Marcus Rael, Esq. seems unable to grasp the concept of contractual services, although he previously made no apparent protest regarding agreements with each of the aforementioned organizations. It seems Mr. Rael almost delights in referring to the contract payments as contributions in violation of the State Of New Mexico’s Anti-Donation Clause. »» A Lawyer’s Time and Advice Is What?
Be Ready
by John Weckerle
The Trigo fire that devastated over 13,000 acres in the Manzanos and destroyed dozens of homes is a grim reminder that fire wildfire is an ever-present threat in our part of the world. A dry Winter followed by a dry Spring makes it that much important that residents in the area be prepared for whatever may come their way. »» Be Ready
Grow Your Own
by John Weckerle
As gas prices continue to rise and our economy softens, more and more people are looking for ways to cut down on driving and save money on essentials. Anyone who has bought fresh vegetables recently knows that vegetable prices have been climbing, and it’s likely to get worse based on fuel price increases and other factors. It takes gas (and money) to get food to the grocery store, as well as from the grocery store, so it seems that it may be time for us all to think about returning to something that has perhaps faded in popularity: the home vegetable garden. »» Grow Your Own
A Small Diversion
by John Weckerle
One of my favorite hobbies, albeit one I do not have time to indulge in all that often, is what I call “zootography.” I’ve visited a number of zoos – for example, Wildlife West, Albuquerque Biopark, Bronx Zoo, Houston Zoo, Palm Beach Zoo, Cameron Park Zoo (Waco, TX), Lowry Park Zoo (Tampa), Los Angeles Zoo, Boston Aquarium, and the Aquarium of the Pacific – and have always had a great time. This past Wednesday was my birthday, and I have a zoo just minutes from the house, so I decided to take a little time off and stroll around Wildlife West with the camera. Today, I’ll share a few of the photos with our readers. Have a great Sunday!
A Town Is More Than Pavement and Pipes
by John Weckerle
In recent letters to The Independent (May 14; letter not available online) and the Mountain View Telegraph (May 15), Janelle Turner and Kathryn Cleaver make the case that municipalities should wait until all infrastructure projects are completed, police forces are fully staffed, and libraries are in their final stage of completion before providing funding for other things like Town events and other community initiatives. I respectfully disagree. »» A Town Is More Than Pavement and Pipes
Let’s all pay more for less
by John Weckerle
This evening, NBC Nightly News reported that Kroger Foods, the owners of Smith’s in Edgewood, is experimenting with with 3-quart milk containers as a replacement for gallon containers – supposedly, according to anchor Brian Williams, as a means of reducing “sticker shock” and essentially making us not notice that we are paying more for less.
This is a trend that I’ve found offensive for years. Rather than raise the price up front, the strategy is to shrink the container, wait a bit, and then raise the price. Food companies seem to think that the American people are perhaps not bright enough to realize that the packages are getting smaller, and the prices are going up. Food costs what it costs, and families need as much food as they need. As prices go up, and container sizes go do down, we’re paying for more packaging and more transportation per unit of food contained therein.
Thanks a lot, Kroger, and thanks to any others who are, in fact, making it that much more difficult for people to feed their families for the simple goal of hiding from us the fact that we’re paying more for less – no doubt, with no corresponding adjustment to profit margins. Just understand: we’re smarter than you think.
Q’mon, Qwest…
by John Weckerle
I occasionally help people out with network issues. For most complicated things, we have more accomplished individuals, but if it’s simple, I try to handle it. Hooking your existing router up to your new Qwest DSL modem should be easy, right? Well…
Yesterday afternoon, I spent what felt like 3 days trying to work this one out. The issue? In hooking a router up to a gateway (in this case, the Qwest DSL modem), you need to change the IP settings (IP is short for Internet Protocol; IP addresses tell the router where to look for the modem, your computer, and the computers that tell your computer where the web sites you want to view are located) in your router from those relevant to your old internet service provider to those associated with the new one. This is a relatively simple task for anyone who knows how to access the administration panel for the router, which should be covered in the router’s user guides. »» Q’mon, Qwest…
Will the Grinches steal Edgewood’s music festival?
Note: Portions of this article were submitted as a letter to the editor of The Independent, who has indicated it will appear in the May 14, 2008 edition. Thanks, Independent!
by John Weckerle
There appears to be an effort underway on the part of some Edgewood politicians to cut the funding for the Town’s annual celebration and the Wildlife West annual summer music festival. With less than three months before the event is scheduled to occur, this will place a severe hardship upon Wildlife West. The rationalizations provided for this puzzling behavior simply do not appear to hold water.
In this May 8, 2008 letter to the editor of the Mountain View Telegraph, Town Councilor Glenn Felton’s response to letters regarding the Wildlife West Nature Park’s events raises concerns regarding funding and the provision of complimentary tickets to vendors, volunteers and sponsors. Many of Mr. Felton’s criticisms, and those of other opponents of the Park, are inappropriate and potentially misleading. »» Will the Grinches steal Edgewood’s music festival?
NM-Central.com – From New Mexico’s True Heartland!
Welcome to NM-Central.com, providing perspectives from New Mexico’s real central valley. That’s right – the Estancia Valley, and not the Rio Grande Valley, contains the actual geographic center of the state, about 12 miles south-southwest of the town of Willard in Torrance County. This may come as a surprise to some, especially those who think they live in the East Mountains – since said mountains are not “East” at all. They are West. Period.
We invite you to join with us in discussion ranging from statewide to local issues – all, of course, from a true central perspective.