Public Service Announcement: Estancia Basin Water Planning Committee Canceled
The meeting of the Estancia Basin Water Planning Committee scheduled for Thursday, April 15, 2010 has been canceled. The next meeting is scheduled for May 20, 2010 and will be held in Moriarty at the Magnum Steel Buildings conference room.
Public Service Announcement: East Mountain Fire Prevention Meeting
Editor’s note: We just received the following press release from Larry Gallegos at the Bernalillo County Public Information Office.
COMMISSIONER MICHAEL BRASHER INVITES ALL EAST MOUNTAIN RESIDENTS TO THE FIRST
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FIRE PREVENTION MEETING OF 2010
Bernalillo County Commissioner Michael Brasher is calling on all East Mountain residents to attend the first Emergency Management Fire Prevention Meeting of the 2010 fire season. Representatives from the Bernalillo County Fire Department & Fire Marshall’s Office, the Office of Emergency Management, U.S Forest Service and others will be on hand. Topics will include: preparing for a fire, evacuation plans for humans and animals, weather patterns and fire behavior expected this year and how residents can get ready for the upcoming fire season. There will be a question and answer period after the presentations with all the panelists.
“I hope that East Mountain residents take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about preparing themselves for fire dangers and to see what Bernalillo County is proactively doing to help them in case of a fire,” said Commissioner Brasher.
The meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 21st, from 6:30pm-8:00pm at Los Vecinos Community Center, 478 1/2 Old Hwy. 66, in Tijeras.
Public Service Announcement – Mountainair School Health Advisory Committee Meeting
Checking in on our friends at Mountainair Announcements, we find that the local School Health Advisory Committee will meet on Wednesday, April 21 at 1:30 p.m. For more information, see the Mountainair Announcements article.
Senator Visits Estancia Valley, Discusses Jobs, Health Care Reform
by John Weckerle
New Mexico Senator Jeff Bingaman and Local Elected Officials
Last Wednesday, New Mexico’s senior Senator, Jeff Bingaman, addressed the Estancia Valley Economic Development Association (EVEDA) and local officials from the Valley’s communities. Mr. Bingaman discussed two high-priority issues, job creation and health care reform.
On job creation, Senator Bingaman discussed two bills already passed: the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the recently passed jobs bill, commonly known as the HIRE Act. According to Mr. Bingaman, the State of New Mexico recently estimated that it has been awarded $4.3 billion in ARRA funds. According to the map application at the Recovery.gov site, some of that, perhaps $3 million or more, has made it into the NM-Central.com coverage area. Mr. Bingaman highlighted the HIRE act as well, noting its provision for a payroll tax exemption for employers hiring new employees who have been out of work more than 60 days. The HIRE Act also purportedly increases the amount of equipment small businesses can write off in a single year (as opposed to depreciating it over multiple years) from $125,000 to $250,000. Mr. Bingaman expressed a hope of passing a new bill for clean energy projects. He also made mention of the new solar equipment manufacturing plant to be built in Rio Rancho, which may employ as many as 1,500 people by 2014. »» Senator Visits Estancia Valley, Discusses Jobs, Health Care Reform
Evil Spotted In Edgewood Again This Afternoon
by John Weckerle
The forces of evil were encountered again today in Edgewood – not far from the intersection of NM-344 and Old Route 66. That’s right, the Security Tool malware program cropped up on yet another Edgewood computer. This makes two this year of which your editor is aware, and I’m sure the other nerds like myself computer enthusiasts in the area have been running into it as well. We’ll refer our readers to our previous story on the issue, and suggest that everybody download a copy of the removal software and the directions. This is one sneaky, stubborn piece of malice, and you’re looking at a couple of hours minimum to remove it. Be extra careful with those e-mail attachments, folks!
John Weckerle: Racist? Race-Baiter? Racist-Baiter? False Accuser? Who Is This Guy?
by John Weckerle
It can be amazing how the same thing can mean different things to different people, and how easy it can be to get drawn into discussions of issues that one considers perhaps less than earth-shaking. Your editor has recently been in a discussion at Gadabout-Blogalot.com (thread here) regarding certain aspects of incidents in front of the Capitol Building leading up to the passage of the health care reform bill. The conversation begins with discussion of whether or not racial epithets are hurled, and sort of takes off from there. Unfortunately, there appears to be some disagreement as to the meaning of your editor’s writings, and Gadabout-Blogalot.com editor Chuck Ring has taken the position that it was my intent to “paint” him as a racist despite statements to the contrary. Mr. Ring declares himself the final authority on the meaning of my words in this regard – an assertion with which I might be expected to disagree. »» John Weckerle: Racist? Race-Baiter? Racist-Baiter? False Accuser? Who Is This Guy?
Public Service Announcment: Wildlife West Invitation to Green Energy Vendors
Editor’s note: The press release below is an invitation to vendors to participate in the annual Wind Festival and Green Energy Fair at Wildlife West Nature Park next month. The invitation would appear to include exhibitors as well as vendors.
Invitation to participate in our free wind festival and green energy fair at Wildlife West Nature Park in Edgewood, NM. Any vendor that has anything to do with green energy or the wind should consider coming to our 9th annual festival on May 1,2 from 10-6 daily. Our e-mail is info@wildlifewest.org if you would like to join us. There is no fee for any vendor qualified by doing any education or having products or services relating to our theme of green energy and or wind gadgets or kites. Please join us for the fun and opportunity to meet and greet our visitors.
Thank you, Roger Alink 263-9453
Ah, Spring… You @^(&#!!
by John Weckerle
Many of us here in central New Mexico looked forward to sunny weather this Spring – finally, a chance to go outdoors without having five pounds of mud clinging to each foot as soon as we stepped out the door. Well, the mud is mostly gone, but our other great friend, pollen, has stepped up to the plate just in time to make the outdoors a no-man’s land for many allergy sufferers. With a nice, wet El Nino winter behind us – and, according to the National Weather Service, an El Nino Spring ahead of us – trees are spewing forth pollen in a reproductive frenzy. The pollen indices (from pollen.com) for Edgewood for today through Monday are 10.8, 10.6, 11.4, and 11.4 (out of 12). Combined with the recent high winds, this has wrought havoc with the noses of New Mexico, and with very little precipitation and plenty of wind predicted for the next week or so, the immediate future is looking a little bleak for those who suffer from exposure to tree pollen.
It has to blow itself out eventually. In the meantime, there’s a silver lining; this must be a windfall (pun intended) for the pharmaceutical companies.
Public Service Announcement: Edgewood Mobile Pantry and Civitan Clothing Exchange
The Edgewood Mobile Pantry and Civitan Clothing Exchange will be conducting distribution tomorrow, March 25. For more information, see the article at Gadabout-Blogalot.com.
A Clarification
by John Weckerle
Photo that was attached to the e-mail message
New Mexico Central doesn’t typically get too wrapped up in national affairs; however, once in a while we find a need to address a situation. In this case, we find that an e-mail response sent by your editor was tampered with, and now is out there on the Internet with his name still on it. Accordingly, this article clarifies the situation.
This morning, I received an e-mail message from a Valley resident with the picture shown here and the following text:
Let’s take the bugger down through the Internet… Seems the majority of
the press are worshiping at his feet….Someone could put this on facebook..
If each person sends this to a minimum of twenty people on their address list, in three days, all people inThe United States of America would have the message. I believe this is one proposal that really should be passed around.THIS WILL CURDLE YOUR BLOOD AND CURL YOUR HAIR
The name of the book Obama is reading is called:
“The Post-American World,” and it was written by a fellow Muslim.
“Post” America means the world After America! Please forward this picture to everyone you know, conservative or liberal. We must expose Obama’s radical ideas and his intent to bring down our beloved America!
Your editor is known to have a bit of a pet peeve where inaccuracy and misleading information in widely circulated e-mails is concerned. I replied: »» A Clarification
Edgewood And The Chamber Of Not Exactly Secrets
by John Weckerle
We take it as a compliment that our readers are willing to send us information on which to report.
We received a forwarded e-mail today that apparently originated with the Edgewood Chamber of Commerce. The message reads as follows:
There is going to be a workshop titled “Making of America in the History of our Constitution”
The workshop will be on May 1, 2010 from 9:00 Am – 4:30 PM and will be held at Valley View Christian Church in Edgewood, NM
The cost is $15/adults and $12/students – includes workbook, lunch and refreshmentsI have registration forms at the Edgewood Chamber office if you are interested.
We thought it was worth looking into. »» Edgewood And The Chamber Of Not Exactly Secrets
The Final – Well, You Know…
by John Weckerle
The last couple of nights have brought us some wonderful starscapes in the New Mexico Central area. Such skies are for watching, and if you’re watching, you may want to do so at 8:30 this evening. That’s right: the International Space Station will be gracing our skies over the next few nights. For viewing times, see the schedule, which gives both the time and the direction in which to look. Enjoy it while you can, folks; there’s another storm on the way.
What’s A Chamber For?
by John Weckerle
One of our readers sent us an e-mail message from Debbie Ortiz, executive director of the Moriarty Chamber of Commerce, sent out this past Monday, March 15. The message, with the title “FWD: transformation in the marketplace,” reads as follows:
Dear Chamber Members,
Please open the attachment. Leanne the Chairman of the Chamber requested
this be sent out. Please join her at Shorty’s on March 17, at 5:30 for her
presentation on “Transformation in the Marketplace”.Thanks – Stay warm and have a wonderful rest of the day!
The attachment, which we will absolutely not post here, promotes an event called “Transformation in the Marketplace” – which, as it turns out, was a dinnertime prayer meeting held yesterday at a restaurant reputedly owned by Santos and Leanne Tapia (the Leanne referenced in the e-mail).
Where do we start? »» What’s A Chamber For?
New Orleans Woman Wins NM HGTV Dream Home
by John Weckerle
A former science teacher and Peace Corps volunteer from New Orleans, whose home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, has won the HGTV Dream Home located at San Pedro Overlook near Cedar Crest. The winner, Myra Lewis, won a $2 million package which included the fully furnished home, a 2010 GMC Terrain, and $500,000.
Information from the press release includes: »» New Orleans Woman Wins NM HGTV Dream Home
El Nino Rides Again
by John Weckerle
Winter Sunrise - Southern Santa Fe County
Sunday’s snowstorm brought about a foot of snow to New Mexico Central headquarters. Fortunately for us, the snow melted sufficiently to allow us to make our appointments in Albuquerque yesterday afternoon. First thing in the morning, though, the snow was fresh and deep, allowing your editor and Senior Snowpack Analyst Wilson to set out just before sunrise and survey the situation. We were not disappointed, and we’re looking forward to the April (and thereafter) flowers that will likely benefit from the recent weather.