So, You Want To Be In Pictures?
by John Weckerle
A background casting call for “Did You Hear About The Morgans?” starring Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Sam Elliot will be held in Santa Fe this Sunday at The Lodge at Santa Fe from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Shooting will be from May 5 to June 5, in Santa Fe, Galisteo, Los Alamos, and Roy, NM. Pay is $9.50, with overtime after 8 hours. The producers are looking for Western/cowboy/cowgirl/rural/rodeo types, and I imagine that a good bunch of our local folks fall into at least one of those categories. They’re also looking for pictures of pickup trucks and horse trailers for potential participation in the film. For more information, see the announcement.
Grow Your Own – Happy Earth Day!
by John Weckerle
As a sort of celebration of earth day this morning, I took some time to spend with the plants, trees, shrubs, etc. Things are looking excellent! The Tartarian honeysuckle is about to burst into bloom, and the chokecherries are showing flower buds. The Nanking cherries are also putting out leaves, and the lilacs have already done so. All the strawberries – even those not protected from the rabbits – appear to have survived the winter and are flourishing. The butterfly bushes are looking good, as well. The “mini-greenhouse” experiment has shown great promise, and it looks as if I’ll be able to start putting vegetables into it within a week. We’ll start with cool weather vegetables there – kale, chard, lettuce, snow peas, etc. We’ll need to make another cover for the north bed, so that tomatoes, etc. – already flowering – can get settled in and ready to add zest to my salads and sandwiches.
As part of the celebration, I watered everything – including the approximately two dozen red hot poker “splits” I planted Sunday – with water from the rain harvesting system which, while not entirely full after the winter, still holds a good bit of water. The red hot pokers are great for the hummingbirds and, as a special Earth Day treat, I saw my first hummingbird of the season this morning, taking a bath in the fountain.
Sometime in the next couple of weeks, we’ll be building the third bed – and going through it step by step here in case any of our readers are interested. This is a surprisingly easy task, and well worth the effort. Happy Earth Day!
Up To The Minute Reporting With NM-Central’s Eyewitness Weather…
by John Weckerle
…in which, “eye” go outside and witness the weather (a free case of notoriety to the first person who correctly identifies the reference, which is deliberately altered in the hope that we can get an honest answer with no Googling). Snow has continued to fall – and pile up – and we may be looking at the beginning of a short but sorely needed Mud Season. It is letting up now – but we’re not seeing any stars, either. Depending on where we stick the ruler, we measure 3.5 to 5.5 inches, with 4.5 being a reasonably common measurement. We will bring you more information if and when the situation warrants additional reporting.
Let It WHAT??
by John Weckerle
Breaking news – it’s mid-April, and it’s snowing like the Dickens (incredibly weak pun intended) here at New Mexico Central headquarters. For our international readers, this is a little unusual – though not unheard-of – in our area. We have broken out the Dean Martin, Gene Autry, Manheim Steamroller, and other Christmas musical favorites. Well, at least until the other residents of the compound mutiny. Merry – er…Friday.
When A Barking Dog Really Bites
by John Weckerle
This has been one of those weeks – one minor catastrophe after another, each lending a unique flavor to the next. We’ll spare the details on most, but by way of warning our readers and possibly protecting them from physical harm, we’ll share a cautionary tale.
As my wife pulled into the Presbyterian Urgent Care lot last Tuesday, the brakes on her van made a terrible noise. As it turned out, she ended up riding shotgun on a transport to Presbyterian Hospital, so we had to pick the car up Wednesday. Not wanting to drive it far without knowing what was wrong, we took it to Brake Masters on San Mateo Blvd. in Albuquerque and, given that it was going to take a little time, we popped over to Jackalope to look around. We were, as always, very aware of how the Jackalope franchise has risen above its humble beginnings, but it’s always disappointing to see a source of reasonably-priced merchandise become gentrified. »» When A Barking Dog Really Bites
Coincidence? We Think Not.
by John Weckerle
Update: I met with Wally Gordon after this article was written, and Mr. Gordon explained that the appearance of the subject material was inadvertent. The Independent printed a clarification of the source in their next edition.
We would like to point out to our readers the striking similarities between the story titled “Free concerts in Mountainair” on page 10 of the April 15, 2009 edition of The Independent and our article, “Spring Must Be Here…,” published a week earlier. We’d like to point out specifically that the similarities are very striking – as striking as striking can be. Apart from deletion of a couple of phrases and insertion of the word “concert” which was inadvertently omitted from one of our sentences, one might be tempted to think that The Independent’s article was simply lifted from NM-Central.com – without permission.
There is an old saying: “Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.” In the case of published material, however, that particular brand of flattery is illegal. We’ve sent a “cease and desist” message via e-mail to The Independent’s editor, Wally Gordon, demanding payment and an apology. We will keep our readers posted (pun intended) regarding The Independent’s response. We’re not sure whether they’re reading their e-mail today, but we think it’s a pretty good bet that they’re reading this. We’d like to suggest that The Independent be a little more careful in this regard in the future – or similarities may not be the only things striking.
What’s In A Name?
by John Weckerle
Today, we received the following response from Tom Sievert to Chuck Ring’s December 22, 2009 article about naming the Edgewood public library (we subsequently endorsed Mr. Ring’s position that the library should be named for Mark Jensen and his mother, Alta Mae Jensen in our January 6 article):
“Alta Mae was My mom’s baby sister. Mark was my cousin. Both deserve and should be honored. Please, though, don’t tag my beloved Altamamma with the moniker Ms. She was devoted to her husband Maurice. If you knew Maurydad, you know the nut that was Mark did not fall far from the tree. I do believe Alta Mae would want to be remembered as Mrs. Alta Mae Jensen. Missing Mark, Altamama and Maureydad.
Tom.”
We will postpone discussion of the distinction between the honorifics “Ms” and “Mrs” for the time being, although we understand Mr. Siefert’s point and intend to discuss it further in a future article. We would prefer to address the issue of naming the library, for now. We understand that the Edgewood Town Council has, in the past, wrestled with the issues surrounding naming of public assets, and that there are issues to be resolved on that front.
In this particular situation, however, we think the Town Council can act without risking impropriety. We call on the Town once again to name the library after Mark Jensen and his mother, Alta Mae.
Grow Your Own – Go Ahead, Snow All You Want
by John Weckerle
We’ll take all the moisture we can get.
As Winter wraps her lovely white arms around us once again, we take some time to enjoy the indoor gardening as well as preparation for the upcoming transfer of plants to the southernmost of the two beds we installed last year.
It’s harvest time here, with plenty of lettuce available for salads and sandwiches. Two pots full of mixed lettuces should hold us for the time being, and the arugula is similarly ready for use. The hanging tomatoes have adapted well to their suspended existence, and both the hanging and traditional cherry tomatoes have flower buds. One of the kale plants is now in a larger pot, as well, although it’s just a bit early to start harvesting it. The cilantro is ready for a bigger pot, as well, and the basil – while small – now looks as if it will survive and grow nicely. Petunias, zinnias, and some of the impatiens have been removed from the starter trays, and we hope to see some real growth on these soon. »» Grow Your Own – Go Ahead, Snow All You Want
The Soul Of A Dog?
by John Weckerle
In a letter to the editor in April 8 edition of The Independent, area resident Jean Pucket states: “And no, animals are not people. They do not possess a soul.”
By coincidence, I recently received an e-mail message from a theologically minded friend that demonstrates the ongoing nature of the debate over whether animals have souls. As the information below indicates, Catholic and Presbyterian authorities remain sharply divided on the issue, and it does not appear that a conclusive end to the debate is coming any time soon. »» The Soul Of A Dog?
Meetings, meetings everywhere…
by John Weckerle
In June 2008, the Office of the State Engineer (OSE), Interstate Stream Commission (ISC) published its first review and recommended update of the New Mexico State Water Plan. Published in December 2003, the Water Plan established priorities, developed strategies, and identified issues and solutions associated with water planning and policy throughout the State. Our region – Region #13, Estancia Basin – was the first of the State’s 16 water planning regions to complete its regional water plan, which was prepared and has since been updated by the Estancia Basin Water Planning Committee.
The ISC is currently working to update the Water Plan, and is holding a series of public meetings (schedule) to gather input on such issues as population growth/water demand,conservation, climate variability, and water projects needed in each of the regions. The meeting for the Estancia Basin will be held at the Moriarty Civic Center, 202 Broadway, on Thursday, April 23 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. We encourage those interested in water resources and associated State policies to attend the meeting and let their voices be heard. For more information, contact the ISS at (505) 764-3864.
Hawkishness
by John Weckerle
We were delighted by a rare treat this morning when we looked out and saw this hawk stopped for a drink from our backyard fountain, one of the three to four water sources we maintain for local wildlife: this fountain, a trough out front with rocks and a pump, a shallow birdbath and, during the warmer months, a small fountain on the front porch. The backyard fountain is a general bird magnet, with all types visiting. The trough is a favorite of the deer, and all the birds seem to love bathing in it. The shallow birdbath is new, and near the backyard fountain, so it’s hard to know who’s showing up for it, and the front porch fountain is a big hit with the lesser goldfinches, house finches, nuthatches, and other small birds.
The first reader to identify this hawk will receive a free case of notoriety.
Spring Must Be Here…
by John Weckerle
The weather is warming up, and so are the musicians! For three consecutive Fridays starting April 17, the Mountainair 2009 Spring Concert Series will be presenting concerts at the Brazil Auditorium on Limit Street and Highway 60. The April 17 will feature Holy Water & Whiskey, with traditional, folk, bluegrass, gospel, Western, and other tunes. The New Mexico Marimba Band will present pop, jazz, and authentic Mexican marimba music on April 24. The Watermelon Mountain Jug Band will serve up a heaping helping of ragtime, country, bluegrass, some rock and roll, and a Spanish ranchera added for spice on May 1. All concerts start at 7 p.m. and involve one of our favorite four-letter words – free. For more information, see the Manzano Mountain Arts Council web site.
Also, don’t forget the Kite Fair and Green Energy Festival at Wildlife West Nature Park in Edgewood. There will be kites, kites, more kites, and vendors/demonstrators representing a wide variety of green energy and sustainable technologies and services – and much more. It’s a great outing and an opportunity to learn a thing or two! For more information, see the Wildlife West Kite Fair and Green Energy Festival page.
I-40 Closures
by John Weckerle
Beginning tomorrow morning at 6:30 and continuing through noon Wednesday, 1-40 eastbound will be reduced to one lane for just over a mile east of Tijeras. Tuesday night from 9:30 p.m. through 5:30 a.m., I-40 westbound will be closed. NMDOT’s detour instructions are to exit at Zuzax and take Route 66 to I-40 at Carnuel.
Small Business Economic Stimulus Workshop
by John Weckerle
The NM Economic Development Department, the Estancia Valley Economic Development Association, and the Edgewood Chamber of Commerce are co-sponsoring a Business Finance & Labor Workshop at the Edgewood Middle School this Thursday, April 9, from 4:00 to 7:30 p.m. State elected officials and other guests will speak early in the program, and then representatives of the NMEDD and other State programs, U.S. Small Business Administration, and regional microlenders will provide information on their programs. The presenters will be available for one-on-one meetings with business owners and other individuals interested in obtaining more information and/or applying for the benefits of their various programs. This will be an excellent opportunity to learn more about available funding and obtain some information on the effect of economic stimulus provisions on loan programs.
EVEDA has also provided us with a copy of the New Mexico Congressional delegation’s Resource Guide to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. We’ve reduced the file size so that you can download the file and look it over. This is a 45-page document providing a comprehensive look at the provisions of the Act. If you are interested in the stimulus package and/or the opportunities it may afford, we recommend giving it a look over and attending Thursday’s meeting.
Town Hall Meeting With Congressman Martin Heinrich Tomorrow
by John Weckerle
The Estancia Valley Economic Development Association has informed us that Congressman Martin Heinrich will hold a town hall meeting tomorrow – Tuesday, April 9, 2009 – at the Moriarty Civic Center from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Mr. Heinrich will report on his first 100 days in Congress and hear the public’s ideas on hoow more can be accomplished. Those who wish to RSVP or require any other information or assistance from the Congressman can contact his office at (505) 346-6781.