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Last modified: October 1, 2008

Headline News From Oct. 18, 2002 Issue

Lightning blacks out city 

 

  All of Truth or Consequences was temporarily in the dark Tuesday evening when lightning damaged the city’s electrical system.

County’s amended budget okayed 

 

  Sierra County has received approval for its amended Fiscal Year 2002/2003 budget of $7.3 million from the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration.

County adopts forest restoration program  

 

  Sierra County Commissioners on Thursday adopted a National Forest and County Partnership Restoration (CPR) Program.  

Public hearing set on proposed amendments to State Park rules

 

  The New Mexico State Parks Division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department will hold a public hearing at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, in Porter Hall, 1220 S. St. Francis Dr. in Santa Fe.

Candidates debate & forum set Tuesday

 

  A political debate and forum will be held Tuesday, Oct. 22, at the T or C Civic Center, 400 W. 4th St.

The Wildlands Project Comes to Hidalgo County (Part 4) 

 

  The Wildlands Project becomes a little confusing until one realizes there is an organization called the Wildlands Project, with headquarters in Tucson, AZ, and an actual document, also referred to as the Wildlands Project.

Sierra and Socorro counties evaluate
possible changes to current water use & supply
 

 

  Socorro and Sierra County residents will have another opportunity on Thursday, Oct. 24, to consider possible changes in how water is used and supplied in the two-county area.

OBITUARIES

 

  Notices for William "Travis" Hedge, Gerald L. Brisbin, Marvin G. Crawford & Robert Lee Cramer.

…A beautiful serenade

Nelson Martinez gives a personal touch and mixes in the crowd during his farewell performance at the 14th annual Geronimo Days Peace Gathering last Sunday afternoon. Martinez is always a hot number with the ladies. Click on photo for another moment with Nelson and to see other photos of  Geronimo Days and the Sierra County Fair.

DJ Photo by Bill Johnson

…Hey, guys, don’t crowd me out!

The pig in the middle butts heads with his two caged companions to get a better look at the outside world to find the camera’s flash isn’t exactly what he bargained for.

DJ photo by Bill Johnson

Lightning blacks out city

 

By Fred Mramor of the Desert Journal

 

All of Truth or Consequences was temporarily in the dark Tuesday evening when lightning damaged the city’s electrical system.

T or C’s downtown and bathhouse district, as well as the northern part of town along Date Street, experienced more persistent outages Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

The entire city lost electrical power at about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday when lightning tripped the protective breakers at the city’s sub-station at Riverside Drive and Ash Street, City Utilities Director Neil Knott said Wednesday afternoon.

Repair crews attempted to reenergize the system and restore power to the city one section at a time at about 6:45.

But repairmen found that all the breakers would trip off when they tried to reenergize the Cedar Street feeder, Knot said.

City crews then left the Cedar Street feeder - which provides power to much of northern T or C along Date Street - off while isolating the cause of the malfunction.

Workers at 9 or 9:30 found that an underground conduit to the Cedar Street feeder had been damaged. The Cedar Street feeder was then connected to the downtown feeder as a temporary fix with the downtown feeder being shut down for about 15 minutes in the process.

Parts to repair the Cedar Street feeder permanently are on order and expected to arrive in a week or two, Knot said.

Knot said there was a 50/50 chance of connecting the wires from one feeder to another correctly, and no way of knowing which way is correct, until someone tries to operate a device with a three-phase motor.

That someone was IGA Food Basket, who on Wednesday morning found that their meat slicer was running backwards, Knot said.

Now with a 100 percent chance of connecting the wires correctly, city repairman shut down the Cedar Street and downtown feeders for about 15 minutes between 8:30 and 9 Wednesday morning to rewire.

The Utilities Department again shut down the two feeders at about 10 a.m. after police reported that an overhead power line behind the Baptist Church on Broadway was down.

The downed line was charged with 12,470 volts of electricity and would have been extremely dangerous to anyone who got near it, Knot said.

Workers found also that an adjacent wire was nearly burned through and could fall with the next gust of wind or from any kind of stress, Knot said.

Knot said it couldn’t be positively determined if lightning struck the wires Tuesday night or during a previous storm and that no damage was observed when city workers drove around town in the dark.

The lines were repaired by about 11:45 a.m. and all city electricity was again restored.

Knot said electrical department staff will remain alert for any additional damage and will make repairs as quickly as possible.

<<<   >>>

…Adios, mi amigos

Nelson Martinez gives one heck of an energetic farewell performance along with the mariachi band Sunday afternoon during Geronimo Days and takes note of the large crowd despite rain and stormy weather. The celebrity “singing anchor” of Channel 7 News fame is moving to California and leaves some awfully big boots to fill.
DJ Photo by Bill Johnson

County’s amended budget okayed

 

By Fred Mramor of the Desert Journal

 

Sierra County has received approval for its amended Fiscal Year 2002/2003 budget of $7.3 million from the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration.

But in his Sept. 24 letter to the County Commission, DFA Financial Coordinator Francisco Vigil notes that transfers and expenditures to the county’s general fund exceed budgeted revenues by about $278,434

Vigil warned commissioners, "The continual practice of transfers and expenditures exceeding revenues will deplete cash balances unless transfers and expenditures are reduced accordingly."

Sierra County Manager Adam Polley during Thursday’s County Commission meeting said he is concerned about transfers and expenditures exceeding revenues but that the county is moving in the right direction to reduce expenditures.

<<<   >>>

…Okay, who dun it?

In cold blooded style, this gunslinger shoots down the drunken disorderly patrons of the Old West saloon during the Geronimo Days Peace Gathering last Saturday in Armijo Park.

DJ photo by Bill Johnson

County adopts forest restoration program

 

By Fred Mramor of the Desert Journal

 

Sierra County Commissioners on Thursday adopted a National Forest and County Partnership Restoration (CPR) Program.

The CPR Program is designed to restore landscapes and watersheds to more desirable and sustainable conditions on three pilot forests: Arizona’s Apache-Seagraves National Forest, Colorado’s Grand Mead, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, and New Mexico’s Lincoln National Forest.

The CPR Program has been developed in response to the growing interest of local governments to be more meaningfully involved in defining future landscape conditions and appropriate actions to achieve desired outcomes, the CPR overview states.

"The current planning and public involvement approaches are not addressing the complex and dynamic interrelationships between public lands and communities," according to the overview.

Sierra County Manager Adam Polley on Thursday said the CPR was initiated by counties, and not the federal government, but it does have the support of the U.S. Forest Service.

Polley said the CPR Program is being debated in Congress and it is hoped Congress will provide funding for the program.

Expected benefits of the CPR will be the reduction of fire risks, preservation of resources and better watershed management, Polley said.

Interested stakeholders including local, county and tribal representatives, interest groups and the Forest Service will be engaged in the "community-based, collaborative process" that will facilitate dialogue about the interrelationship between public land management and community sustainability, and identify linkages between natural resources and community values, the CPR’s overview states.

<<< >>>

This young lady shows her animal in the sheep show last Saturday during the Sierra County Fair.
DJ Photo by Bill Johnson

Public hearing set on proposed

amendments to State Park rules

 

The New Mexico State Parks Division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department will hold a public hearing at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, in Porter Hall, 1220 S. St. Francis Dr. in Santa Fe.

Entrance is located on the first floor northeast side of the Energy Minerals and Natural Resources Building, (also known as the Pinon Building).

The hearing is to consider proposed rule changes to:

19.5.1 NMAC General Provisions to add new definitions;

19.5.2 NMAC Park Visitor Provisions to update regulation for clarification of language in regulation so that it is clear and consistent with other Division regulations;

19.5.3 NMAC Park Management and Development Plan: to provide clarification of language in Section 8 of the regulation so that it is clear and consistent with other Division regulations;

19.5.4 NMAC Lease Lot and Mooring Site Provisions and to remove all references to mooring sites; and update procedures for compliance and correct minor language so that it is clear and consistent with other Division regulations;

19.5.5 NMAC Concession Activities to update procedures for compliance and correct minor language so that it is clear and consistent with other Division regulations.

The hearing will be conducted in accordance with the Open Meeting Act and the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department Guidelines for Rulemaking (OFS 118).

A copy of proposed regulations is available upon written request to Draft Regulations Section, NM State Parks Division, P.O. Box 1147, Santa Fe, NM 87504-1147, or downloading a copy at www.nmparks.com or calling (505) 476-3355 to request a draft.

Individuals are invited to make oral comments on the proposed regulations at the hearing or by submitting written comment by 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4, to Draft Regulations Section at the same address.

<<<   >>>

This feathered guy could be anybody’s friend but all he wanted was for someone to undo the latch on his cage at the Sierra County Fair last weekend.
DJ Photo by Bill Johnson

Candidates debate & forum set Tuesday

 

A political debate and forum will be held Tuesday, Oct. 22, at the T or C Civic Center, 400 W. 4th St.

The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the program will kick off at 7 p.m. It is scheduled to wrap up at 9 p.m.

At 7 p.m., candidates for State Representative District 38, Gary Whitehead and Dianne Hamilton, will face off with opening statements.

Questions will be taken in written form only and paper and pencil will be available at the door. Or questions may be dropped off at the new office of the T or C/Sierra County Chamber of Commerce at the Civic Center  by 5 p.m. Monday, Oct 21.

The candidates will be given one and a half minutes each to answer questions and each will offer a closing statement.

Public Regulatory Commission candidates also have been invited and they will be given time at 8 p.m. to make a statement and answer a couple of questions. This will immediately be followed by candidates running for local office having the opportunity to speak for three minutes each.

The moderator for this event will be Earl Greer. The event is sponsored by the Truth or Consequences/Sierra County Chamber of Commerce.

<<<   >>>

The discharge of a small caliber dartgun was part of the peace process for this young man enjoying pot shots at the Geronimo Days Peace Gathering last Saturday.

DJ Photo by Bill Johnson

The Wildlands Project Comes

to Hidalgo County (Part 4)

 

The Wildlands Project's Mission - www.wildlandsproject.org

 

A Country Girl's Musin'

By Judy Keeler

 

 

The Wildlands Project becomes a little confusing until one realizes there is an organization called the Wildlands Project, with headquarters in Tucson, AZ, and an actual document, also referred to as the Wildlands Project.

Just as the Sky Island Alliance has a 220-page plan for a 70,000 square mile preserve in New Mexico, Arizona, and Mexico, so the Wildlands Project has an 87-page Master Plan. This Plan, however, is not limited to a specific geographic area, only to ones' imagination.

A copy of the Wildlands Project's Plan laid on my desk for over a year before I finally read it. Published in a special issue of Wild Earth, a quarterly publication of the Cenozoic Society, 75,000 copies were distributed to activists with most mailed to federal and state agencies with oversight responsibilities for wildlife and land-use planning.

The subtitle for the Plan is appropriately entitled, "Plotting a North American Wilderness Recovery Strategy."

After reading the Plan, I concluded it was such a far-fetched concept that no one could take it seriously.

Unfortunately, over the years, I've been proven wrong as more and more federal and state agencies appear to be adopting the conservation principles presented in the Plan.

The actual Master Plan is divided into 18 chapters, including the Project's Mission Statement prepared by Dave Foreman, David Johns, Michael Soule, Reed Noss and John Davis.

I quote, "The mission of The Wildlands Project is to help protect and restore the ecological richness and native biodiversity of North America through the establishment of a connected system of reserves."

The mission continues, "The land has given much to us; now it is time to give something back - to begin to allow nature to come out of hiding and to restore the links that will sustain both wilderness and the spirit of future human generations."

"The idea is simple. To stem the disappearance of wildlife and wilderness we must allow the recovery of whole ecosystems and landscapes in every region of North America. Allowing these systems to recover requires a long-term master plan."

Their vision is also simple, it involves "living for the day when Grizzlies in Chihuahua have an unbroken connection to Grizzlies in Alaska" and gray wolves "are continuous from New Mexico to Greenland."

Vast areas must be set aside so wildlife and plants can "once again thrive and support pre-Columbian species."

Based on the conviction that wildlife and plant species are in extreme peril, the Master Plan alleges, "Existing Wilderness, Parks and Wildlife Refuges are not adequately protecting life in North America."

True to Chicken Little, the sky is falling: "Large predators are imperiled in much of their habitat; songbirds, waterfowl and shorebirds are reaching new lows; native forests have been extensively cleared; and tall and short grass prairies have been almost entirely destroyed or domesticated."

In addition to visioning reserves for wildlife and plants, the Wildlands Project calls for wilderness areas to be home "for unfettered life, free from industrial human intervention."

"Vast landscapes without roads, dams, motorized vehicles, power lines, over flights, or other artifacts of civilization," must be designed to save biodiversity.

Michael Soule, conservation biologist, speaks in the chapter entitled, "A Vision For The Meantime."

Soule, according to his biography, was the founder and first president of the Society for Conservation Biology, is chair of Environmental Studies at the University of California at Santa Cruz, and has acted as a consultant on matters related to biological diversity for many agencies and organizations.

In this chapter, Soule advises Wildlands Project supporters to take their time implementing the Plan.

Why adopt a politics of patience? "The answer is fear, fear on the part of those folks who believe they will lose their jobs as loggers or miners, have to abandon their way of life as ranchers, professional guides or commercial fishermen, and be forced to move from the region where their families have been living for generations."

Soule believes the conservationists' task is to "remove the fear from people who see themselves threatened by attacks on their occupations, their livelihoods, their world view, and their property."

John Davis, editor of the Wild Earth newsletter, in his chapter, "WE Role in the Wildlands: The Role of Wild Earth in the Wildlands Project,” expresses his calling more candidly. Davis claims the Wild Earth is an independent publication serving bio-centric Wildland groups, including The Wildlands Project and the groups involved in the Project.

Via Wild Earth, Davis intends to publish articles "on successful wilderness protection strategies, natural history essays, conservation biology teachings, musings on deep ecology, ideas for reversing the human population explosion, and warnings and threats to wild areas."

Exposing his disdain for humanity, Davis writes, "Wild Earth exists in part to remind conservationists that in the long run all lands and waters should be left to the whims of Nature, not to the selfish desires of one species which chose for itself the misnomer 'Homo sapiens,' humanizing of landscapes must stop now and be reversed."

Summarizing his thoughts on the Plan, Davis concludes, "Does all the foregoing mean that Wild Earth and The Wildlands Project advocate the end of industrial civilization? Most assuredly.

Next week - The Wildlands Project: Conservation Biology.

<<<   >>>

Ristras or strings of bright red chile from the Hatch Valley make their way to the Geronimo Days Peace Gathering for bartering last weekend.
DJ photo by Bill Johnson

Sierra and Socorro counties evaluate

possible changes to current water use & supply

 

Socorro and Sierra County residents will have another opportunity on Thursday, Oct. 24, to consider possible changes in how water is used and supplied in the two-county area.

The regional water planning project is moving forward with the third of four public meetings this year to be held at 6 p.m. at K-Bob’s Restaurant,123 NW Frontage Road in Socorro.

At the previous meeting in June, participants refined a list of potential alternatives designed to meet the future demand for water in the region where, in average years, water supplies barely exceed demands.

Favored alternatives included removing exotic vegetation - salt cedar and Russian olive - along the Bosque, improving the efficiency of the agricultural ditch delivery system, and creating a viable water banking system to make it easier to transfer water within the planning region.

Attendees also proposed criteria for evaluating alternatives, such as how much water would be saved, whether it would impair the public welfare, and whether the method would be physically possible.

On Thursday evening, participants will evaluate the list of more than 45 alternatives by the selected criteria and choose the most viable ones for in-depth study by hydrology consultants Daniel B. Stephens and Associates and Hydrosphere. Aiding them will be estimates from state consultants on how much water each alternative could be expected to save or produce.

Studies produced for the project show that 80 percent of water consumed in the region evaporates from Elephant Butte and other reservoirs or is consumed by plants along the river or in shallow water tables.

The next largest water user is irrigated agriculture, which consumes about 18 percent of the total supply. Domestic use supplied by public and private water systems as well as individual wells, accounts for only 0.6 percent, the same percentage as livestock. The remaining categories of commercial, industrial, mining activities combined use less than 0.5 percent of water in the region.

The Socorro and Sierra Soil and Water Conservation Districts undertook the water planning process with a grant from the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission. The Soil and Water Conservation Districts have contracted with Daniel B. Stephens, a hydrology and engineering firm from Albuquerque, to develop the plan.

Aiding them are Hydrosphere, a policy analysis and engineering firm with an office in Socorro, and Sites Southwest, a planning and landscape design firm from Albuquerque.

Guiding the process is a volunteer Water Plan Steering Committee composed of a range of interested persons in both counties. These include representatives from local government, the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, New Mexico Tech, the mutual domestic water users associations, the Bosque del Apache and Elephant Butte.

The plan, along with water plans from other regions in the state, is anticipated to contribute information to a statewide water plan, which will guide interstate water management decisions.

<<<   >>>

...Is anyone paying attention?

These goats at the Sierra County Fair seem indifferent to an opportunity to tell their stories, except the one with horns on the left.

DJ photo by Bill Johnson

OBITUARIES

 

William "Travis" Hedge, 85, of Truth or Consequences, died Friday, Oct. 11, 2002, at the Sierra Health Care Center. He was born Sept. 21, 1917, in Kilgore, TX, to William Henry Hedge and Vassie Mae (Darnell) Hedge. A retired oil producer, he was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He was also a member of the Baptist Church and the Love Field Masonic Lodge 1274.

Survivors include his son, Mark Brown Hedge of Elephant Butte, and a daughter, Gayle Hedge Lindsey of Austin, TX.

At his request, there will be no local service. Arrangements are by French Mortuary & Cremation Services of T or C; 505-894-2574.

 

Gerald L. Brisbin, 53, died unexpectedly Saturday, Oct. 12, 2002, while visiting at his parent’s home in Elephant Butte. He was born May 3, 1949, in El Paso, TX, to Theodore E. and Rose Marie (Merchant) Brisbin. The U.S. Navy veteran was employed with Verizon Telecommunications as a line technician at the time of his death.

Survivors include his parents, Ted and Rose Brisbin of Elephant Butte; his daughter, Jennifer Brisbin-Gonzales and husband Stephen of Flower Mound, TX; his brother, Terrence Brisbin of Mansfield, TX; his sister, Cheryl Gilliand of El Paso, TX; two grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, at the Flower Mound Cemetery in Texas. Local arrangements are by Sierra Funeral Home, 507 W. McAdoo St. in T or C; 505-894-4428.

 

Marvin G. Crawford, 89, of Truth or Consequences, died Sunday, Oct. 13, 2002.

 

 

He was born Sept. 17, 1913, in Michigan. He married Alberta G. Hall on Dec. 14, 1940, in Michigan. He was a home appliance technician more than 37 years for the Sears & Roebuck Co. He retired in 1976 and moved to T or C. He was a devoted fan of the Chicago "Cubbies." He also enjoyed fishing and deer hunting with his family.

Survivors include his two sons, Marvin E. Crawford of Doyle, TX, and James R. Crawford of Maui, HA; his daughter, Deborah A. Mason and husband Daniel of T or C; eight grandchildren, Kathy, Jenny, Jamie, Tim, Jerry, Cynthia, Julie and Danny; seven great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, all of his brothers, his sister, and his wife in December 1995.

Funeral Services were held Wednesday, Oct. 16, in the Sierra Funeral Home Chapel in T or C with Rev. Sean Wagner officiating. Casket bearers were Marvin E. Crawford, James R. Crawford, Daniel Mason, Danny Mason and Rick Owens. Graveside services were held at Vista Memory Gardens Cemetery in T or C where he was laid to rest beside his wife. A reception after the services was held in the home of Deborah Mason. Arrangements were by Sierra Funeral Home, 507 W. McAdoo St. in T or C; 505-894-4428.

 

Robert Lee Cramer, 80, of Williamsburg, died Saturday, Oct. 12, 2002, at his home.

 

 

He was born Jan. 21, 1922, in Oklahoma City, OK, to Leo Vernon and Edith Moe (Nichols) Cramer. He married Bernice Bryant and together they raised a son. A World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy, he served as a Shipfitter First Class. He retired after 35 years of service with the Frisco Railroad. He greatly enjoyed the great outdoors of New Mexico, helping people, building and listening to music.

He is survived by his wife of more than 57 years, Bernice "Bea" Cramer of the Williamsburg home, and his son, Chris Cramer of Tulsa, OK. His parents and his brother, Dallas W. Cramer, preceded him in death.

A gathering of remembrance and visitation was held Monday, Oct. 14, at Sierra Funeral Home in T or C. Private interment was held Thursday, Oct. 17, in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Tulsa, OK. Arrangements were by Sierra Funeral Home, 507 W. McAdoo St. in T or C; 505-894-4428.

…A lot of horse sense

This reserve grand champion mare smiles for the camera at the Sierra County Fair last Saturday morning.

DJ photo by Bill Johnson

…A lazy day

A lazy day is in store for Bessie the Cow (not real sure she is a Bessie but she sure looks like one) at the Sierra County Fair last weekend.

DJ photo by Bill Johnson

For a small rooster, this black and white one makes a pretty loud wake up call at the Sierra County Fair last Saturday.

DJ photo by Bill Johnson

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