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Welcome to Desert Journal Online, established in May 2001 in New Mexico. Our website
offers our true crime book,
Satan's Den Exposed - The David
Parker Ray Story, and poetry and photo collections,
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2012 began in 1999
by Peter Appleseed
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Book about true revolution, civilogy and creating positive alternatives. |
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Satan's Den Exposed
The David Parker Ray Story
True crime book about a
criminal sexual sadist and cohorts busted in kidnap, rape and sexual
torture cases in New Mexico
By the Desert Journal's award winning investigative reporting team of Bill
Johnson, Fred Mramor & David Pierre
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Desert Journal Online
Contact Information
Bill Johnson
Editor, Publisher & Webmaster
Vic Arvizu
Honorary Web Guru
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Electronic mail
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desertjournal@hotmail.com
desertjournalonline@yahoo.com
poet@leodailey.com
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Location
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We are an electronic
submissions only website located in Albuquerque, NM, and have no
physical business address.
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Copyright ©
2001-2008 Desert Journal Online
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Last modified:
October 1, 2008
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| 12-9-03
- 1-9-04 News |
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*
Ret.
Congressman Joe Skeen dies Sunday - 12-9-03
*
DJ
Online ready for business
- 12-12-03
*National
Geographic named title sponsor of 2004 Tour of the Gila -
1-5-04
*
Earthjustice sues BLM over illegal meetings in NM -
1-5-04
*
AG Madrid clarifies legal responsibility for NM Democratic
Caucus -
1-9-04
*
Main
Street 1927 - Click on photo to enlarge and to see today's shot
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…A
wild ride on the slide
Vuki
gets a wild ride with big sister Paris on the spiral slide at the Winding
Roads Playground at Elephant Butte Lake State Park, but not without hanging
on for dear life. In next photo Vuki lives to tell about it.
DJ photos by Bill
Johnson
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Ret.
Congressman Joe Skeen dies Sunday
Desert
Journal Staff Report
Southern New Mexico’s celebrated politician
for more than two decades, Joe Skeen, died Sunday at a Roswell, NM hospital
as the result of complications from Parkinson’s disease.
His condition had been listed as
serious and his death was mistakenly announced a week prior to his actual
death but with an immediate retraction.
Skeen, 76, served his southern New
Mexico constituents of the 2nd Congressional District as their
representative in the U.S. Congress a total of 11 consecutive terms or 22
years. He was first elected to
the House in 1980 as a write-in Republican candidate and he continued to
serve until 2002 although he struggled with Parkinson’s his last few years
in office.
The sheep rancher from Picacho, NM, is
a champion among the ranch and farm community that benefited from his many
years in office. He also was a
key player in Congress in bringing the WIPP project to the Carlsbad area.
His peers of New Mexico’s
congressional delegation mourn his passing away with special tributes.
Steve Pearce, who took command of
Skeen’s long-held seat in Congress at the start of 2003, said Monday,
"I am deeply saddened by the death of Joe Skeen.”
“Joe Skeen was a man of deep
convictions, a true statesman and a dedicated public servant to his state
and his country. While
traveling throughout the state, I have seen first hand the tremendous love
he had for his constituents, and the admiration the people of Southern New
Mexico had for him. He will
always be remembered as an honorable and loyal man.
My prayers and heart-felt sympathy goes to the entire Skeen family
during this very difficult time," Congressman Pearce said of his
predecessor.
U.S. Senator Pete Domenici, said Monday
he mourns the loss of his long-time friend and colleague.
"Joe's passing is very hard to
accept even though he's been ill for so long.
We've lost a great friend to New Mexico,” Domenici said.
“Joe fit his district like a hand in
a glove, and that fact will define his legacy as a public servant and a man
of the people. My heart goes
out to Mary and the Skeen family. In
visiting with them, I know their sadness and sense of loss is severe,”
Domenici said.
"I've missed working with Joe
since he left office. We have
been partners in so many projects for more than three decades.
He was always a good, solid and dependable man, and always a champion
for his district. He certainly
left huge shoes for those who follow him,” he said.
"Tonight, Nancy and I mourn.
Joe is at rest, and our prayers are now with Mary, who has been such
a force behind Joe and all his work," Domenici said.
U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman said Monday,
"Joe Skeen's death is a great loss to New Mexico and to the many New
Mexicans who called him a friend.”
"I first came to know Joe when he
was serving in the New Mexico Legislature.
Following distinguished service in Santa Fe, Joe went on to even
greater accomplishments in his 22 years in Congress,” Bingaman said.
"Joe was serving in Congress when
I first came to the Senate, and during these last two decades we became good
friends,” Bingaman said.
"One great virtue of Joe's was his
willingness to state his unvarnished views on all issues.
He was extremely well liked in Washington, as well as in New Mexico,
and he will be greatly missed. I
send my condolences to his wife, Mary, and to all Joe's family and
friends," Bingaman said.
Skeen was a champion of his
constituents because he stayed close to them and listened.
He often visited the communities throughout his district in southern
New Mexico. He was always
personable and friendly.
He also was a peacemaker, defending the
USA’s membership and role in the United Nations as an alternative to
nuclear proliferation and global unrest.
“Joe Skeen was a New Mexican who
believed in New Mexicans, despite their political affiliation.
The Republican often reminded Democrats that he was their
representative too. I remember
a scheduled visit and when he came through our office doors several years
ago, he said, ‘Well, here I am, at the newspaper they said wouldn’t last
more than a week’,” said Desert Journal Editor Bill Johnson.
“I was thrilled to death at my
opportunity to grill our Representative in Congress with a million and one
questions. He returned for
another visit at my office while we still existed as a weekly newspaper and
he often visited our small community for town hall meetings to see what
people’s legislative wants and needs were,” Johnson said. “He was
truly a faithful public servant of the people.”
“I suppose everyone who knew Joe is
mourning his death because I don’t know that he had one single enemy,”
Johnson said, “except for maybe the U.S. Postal Service and the IRS who he
often made fun of during his local speeches for their long lines, lack of
compassion and piles of red tape.”
<<< >>>
(posted
12-9-03)
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DJ
Online ready for business
Merchant
features added;
Want
ads for donations offered
Staff Report
Desert Journal Online has become
more merchant friendly with the addition of online purchasing power for its
internet customers, buyers and sellers alike.
“We’re more ready for business than we have ever
been with the completion this week of many new features,” said Bill
Johnson, editor and publisher of Desert Journal Online.
For the first time ever, the Desert Journal is taking
orders for classified ads (buy, sell, trade, help wanted, real estate,
mobile homes and autos for sale, etc.) on a donation basis.
And with the addition of PayPal’s donation buttons, people may make
their fair or generous donations online.
“We have some rate guidelines for our classified
advertising, but the donor can chose whatever amount they believe is fair or
generous,” Johnson said.
And today the Desert Journal just completed
improvements on its display advertising rate page utilizing PayPal’s
Shopping Cart so that purchases of low-cost display ads can be made online
with relative ease and speed, according to Johnson.
“We take our display ad customers through four or
five easy steps before they complete their transaction with PayPal.
Of course, those who prefer mail order have that option too,”
Johnson said.
And now the Desert Journal is ready to sell most
anything on the face of the earth on a commission or consignment basis at a
20 percent return, again using PayPal’s Shopping Cart for those sellers
and buyers who demand speedy service but don’t want the traditional
classified or display advertising.
“We’ll be starting up our online shopper page soon
and hope to attract all kinds of buyers and sellers,” Johnson said.
“We’ll even offer to process the payment transaction online and
turn over the amount due to our sellers upon successful PayPal transactions
or upon receiving mail orders, Johnson added.
“We’re just beginning to learn our merchandizing
tools of the trade. But if
you’re a frequent visitor of Desert Journal Online who neither buys any
bill of goods nor sells online our website, you can always make a
subscription donation for our hard work and efforts,” Johnson said.
“We need to pay our bills like everyone else.”
“Or maybe our online visitors will consider
purchasing our electronic book, Satan’s Den Exposed – The David
Parker Ray Story now that it’s listed under a holiday offer with up to
$6.00 off its $12.95 retail tag,” Johnson said.
Another new feature on the website - unrelated to any
merchandizing effort - is the poverty press training center, created and
sponsored by DJ Online. “We
now have a call for mentors and aspiring journalists and publishers,” said
Johnson, an award winning photojournalist, editor and publisher.
Another new development is the return of Moti and her
“Celestial Cycles” column.
“Motivenda Melchizedek of Silver City had started her
‘Readings by Moti’ column in the Desert Journal newspaper when she was
still in Truth or Consequences a few years ago and her column continued up
until our demise last May. We've
never had her on our website, so her column will be a great
new addition for our viewers’ entertainment and enjoyment,” Johnson
said.
Desert Journal Online - the winner of the New Mexico
Press Association’s 2002 and 2003 Website Contests – has catapulted its
online news and information service into the World Wide Web where it now
reaches visitors from more than 500 domains and more than 90 countries
around the globe. The website
has gained more than 2.2 million hits since its establishment in May 2001.
“Visitors are viewing more pages and making more hits
on Desert Journal Online since I revamped a number of key pages by improving
links and providing for quicker download time,” Johnson said. “I expect
a full and speedy recovery by the end of next year with our continued plans
for progress and business success,” he added.
Johnson said it’s his hope to regain at least some of
the staff he lost when his weekly newspaper folded in May this year due to
both financial and health reasons. “The
economy caved in on us but we will start bouncing back up using the
springboard of the almighty Internet,” he said.
“It certainly has been a labor of love and we will one day reap our
hard-earned rewards.”
<<< >>>
(posted
12-12-03)
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State
Tourism helps land National Geographic
as
title sponsor for 2004 Tour of the Gila Bike Race
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Due to the efforts of the New Mexico
Tourism Department (NMTD), National Geographic Adventure Magazine has signed
on as the title sponsor for this year's Tour of the Gila, New Mexico's
premier bike stage race, April 28 - May 3, 2004.
Race director Jack Brennan said the
addition of National Geographic Traveler Magazine to the more than 80
traditional sponsors (mostly local) of the event means the Tour of the Gila
can offer a prize list comparable to other major professional bike races,
such as the Redlands and the Seat Otter Classics, the other major races in
the west. Last year's prizes
and awards at the Tour of the Gila totaled $27,000.
Brennan gives credit to Mike Trumbull
and Cissy McAndrew of the Silver City/Grant County Chamber of Commerce, who,
in turn, acknowledged the efforts of the NMTD.
The increased sponsorship "is due
to the hard work and contacts of NMTD Marketing Director Jon Hendry,"
Trumbull said. "During the
Governor's Conference on Tourism in Las Cruces in October, we told Jon how
valuable the economic impact of the Tour of the Gila had become to the
Silver City area and the need for corporate sponsorship to help the event
grow. Jon put us in contact with the National Geographic Society."
Hendry said the fiscal involvement of
National Geographic Adventure magazine "is a major step in Governor
Bill Richardson's initiative of bringing world-class sporting events to New
Mexico. The USA Snowboard
Association National Championships at Angel Fire Resort in March is another
example. It is the world's
largest snowboard competition, and the first time New Mexico has hosted a
snowboarding event of this size."
"Events like these help put New
Mexico on the sports enthusiast's map," Richardson said.
"New Mexico is the perfect place
for fitness - with our many recreation areas and opportunities for cycling,
skiing, snowboarding, hiking, running and swimming,” the governor said.
“The Land of Enchantment is a perfect
venue for national and international sporting events, from bike to auto
racing, from boxing to skiing. The
continued success and expansion of the Tour of the Gila is an important step
in the process of proving the economic viability of New Mexico in the
sporting world," Richardson said.
National Geographic Adventure Magazine
Publisher Francis X. Farrell said the magazine chose to become involved in
the Tour of the Gila because, "New Mexico is a favorite adventure state
among our readers and the Tour of the Gila really showcases its status as a
natural wonder and outdoor playground."
The magazine, launched in 1999, targets
active and adventurous readers.
Chamber director Cissy McAndrew said
that the Chamber is "delighted to have been able to help.
We don't have the staff to put on special events ourselves, but we
want to partner with other organizations and act as facilitators to support
those who are doing them."
Stage One of the Tour of the Gila April
28 follows a 15.7-mile course along State Road 90 near Tyrone.
Stage Two April 29 is a 92-mile road
race from Silver City to Mogollon.
Stage Three April 30 follows a 73-mile
loop, beginning and ending at Fort Bayard.
Stage Four is the downtown Silver City
Criterium.
Stage Five is the 100-mile Gila Monster
Road Race, starting in Silver City and finishing in Pinos Altos.
There will also be children's races,
and citizen's criteriums and road races.
For more information, contact Tim
Matthes of Tour of the Gila Inc., 505-534-0840.
<<< >>>
(posted
1-5-04)
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A bicyclist on the Tour of the
Gila a couple of years ago. Photo
by David Pierre
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Earthjustice
sues BLM over illegal meetings
with
industry representatives in New Mexico
Federal
law requires public participation in advisory committees
SANTA FE, NM – Earthjustice filed a
lawsuit in New Mexico federal court on Jan. 2 challenging a secret meeting
of an advisory committee to the Bureau of Land Management made up of gas and
oil industry representatives scheduled for Jan. 8, 2004.
The advisory committee was explicitly
asked to provide advice to the BLM by the New Mexico State Director.
The committee has not made these meetings open to public
participation as required by Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA),
according to Earthjustice.
Earthjustice will ask for a temporary
restraining order to halt this meeting until the makeup of the advisory
committee can be reconstituted in a more democratic fashion and the meeting
is open to full public participation.
The case was filed on behalf of the New
Mexico Wilderness Alliance, the Southwest Environmental Center, and
REP-America (Republicans for Environmental Protection) New Mexico Chapter.
The lawsuit claims the New Mexico BLM
field office is in violation of FACA, a federal law that requires that
membership of federal advisory committees be balanced and that meetings be
open to the public.
"This meeting between government
officials and industry representatives is illegal under federal law,"
said Mike Harris, an attorney for Earthjustice.
"The public was not given notice of these meetings and they
appear to be closed to the public."
Conservation groups are concerned that
the scheduled meeting is taking place to provide recommendations to BLM on
the implementation of natural gas development at Otero Mesa under a Resource
Management Plan amendment that is still at least 60 days from becoming
final.
"This meeting represents a
concerted, and illegal, effort to cut the public out of the process,"
said Harris.
"Any family that likes to hike has
the same ownership rights to public lands in New Mexico as do special
interests who seek to profit from its exploitation. In America, we make decisions about public lands through a
democratic process, not behind closed doors in private meetings between
government and industry," Harris said.
In a November 2003 meeting, BLM State
Director Linda Rundell asked that the New Mexico Resource Advisory Council
take on the responsibility of holding "public" meetings to advise
BLM on its implementation under the amended RMP.
To date, none of these meetings have
been noticed in the federal register and there is no other indication that
these meetings are open to public participation.
"Implementing the yet to be
approved RMP amendment must be done among a balanced group of
representatives, at a public forum, and in compliance with federal
law," said Harris.
<<< >>>
(posted
1-5-04)
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AG
Madrid clarifies legal responsibility
for
upcoming Democratic Caucus in NM
Attorney General Patricia Madrid on
Thursday provided guidance to New Mexico Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron
on the State's legal responsibility for next month's Democratic Presidential
Caucus.
"February's Democratic
Presidential Caucus will be governed by the rules established by the
Democratic Party. The bill
creating the caucus gave the party permission to opt-out of the presidential
primary election as specified by the State Election Code," Madrid said.
"I have therefore advised
Secretary of State Vigil-Giron that the State does not have a role in the
caucus process and as a result will not be exposed to potential liability
arising from the conduct of the caucus,” Madrid said.
“Issues such as campaign signs will
fall to local municipalities, rather than the State, to interpret the
conduct of this election under their applicable local laws, but it is my
legal opinion that political signs for the caucus vote should be allowed,
consistent with fundamental First Amendment rights and other established
constitutional principles," she said.
"This election will have some
unique aspects in comparison to other elections governed by the State
Election Code,” Madrid added.
“For one, employers will not be
required to grant employees two hours of leave for voting.
That provision is part of the Election Code, but since the caucus is
not governed by the Election Code, the required leave time for voting will
not apply to the upcoming caucus,” she said.
“I urge voters and employers to be
cognizant of this and make any necessary adjustments they deem appropriate
for this important caucus election process," Madrid said.
<<< >>>
(posted
1-9-04)
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…A
shot from the past
The
photo of Main Street (looking east) in Truth or Consequences, NM, was taken about 76 years
ago and has been in the family of Randy Rasmussen for many years.
Rasmussen said he wondered how much the landscape has changed over
the years. “I would like
sometime to stand in the same spot and look back through time to a place
that some of my father’s relatives visited in approximately 1927 unless
someone else has a better proximity of the era this photo was taken.
Maybe you couldn’t even find the spot now where the landscape has
been altered to make room for the buildings?"
he asks If anyone has any information regarding this photo, please email
Randy Rasmussen at DCAG@FMCTC.COM or
write to him at 2026 Hwy. 44, Harlan, IA
51537.
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...We
came close
"X"
marks the spot. Today (Monday, Dec. 22, 2003) the Desert Journal found
the general location where the 1927 photo (at top) must have been
taken. Most likely a closer position would be just short of the red
building (Filosa & Filosa Law Office at Main & Foch Streets). Notice
the old rusty sign post that appears to come from an era long ago.
DJ photo by Bill Johnson
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