On Friday, April 9 from 1 until 3 p.m., Pie Town gardener Judith Alley will give an adult program entitled ‘Organic Gardening in Catron County’ at Datil’s Baldwin Cabin Public Library. The program will be accompanied by a seed exchange. Don’t forget to bring your seeds to trade with others.
Judith Alley will show techniques learned in 10 years of organic gardening in Catron County, a place where every property has its own microclimate.
“It didn’t take long for me to discover that all the books I read didn’t give me enough information on gardening in our climate and altitude,” Alley says. “Our climate is so extreme I’ve had to come up with ways to fool my plants into thinking the weather is better.”
Baldwin Cabin Public Library is on FR 100 just off U.S. 60 three miles west of downtown Datil.
Everyone is invited.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Gardening Lecture
Catron Easter Egg Hunt Scheduled For Saturday
The Easter Egg Hunt will be held Saturday, April 3, starting at 11 a.m., at the Catron County Fairgrounds in Reserve.
Children will be divided into three different groups. Prizes will be awarded for each age group.
“We had 60 kids last year, and we look forward to having more kids this year,” said Arnold Lopez, a coordinator from the Catron County Chamber of Commerce.
Hot dogs will be served after the egg hunt. There will be an Easter Egg decorating contest. Bring your best decorated egg for judging.
“This is one way the Chamber members give back to the community for their support. We will be sponsoring a Fourth of July celebration in addition to other fun, community events. Special thanks to Debbie Boyer for all her hard work and efforts in putting together this event,” Lopez said.
Get Ready For ‘Eggsibition’ At Mag’s Bear Mountain
By John Larson
MAGDALENA – For the last 12 years around Easter time Magdalena artist Yvonne Magener has been sponsoring an egg show – an “Eggsibition” - presenting works of art on all sizes of eggs.
This weekend is the opening of this year’s show, which is held at Bear Mountain Gallery and Coffee House, 902 First Street in Magdalena, the former site of the West Bar.
Magener has been painting eggs with extravagant designs in polymer clay and resin based relief paint, reminiscent of Fabergé eggs made for Nicholas II of Russia in the 19th century, but without the jewels and precious metals.
The eggs in the Eggsibition range from chicken to goose, and even ostrich. “Each egg has been hollowed out making them very fragile,” Magener said. “They are very precious and delicate works of art.”
Media used is as varied as the artists creating them, including watercolors, acrylics, polymer clay, beaded, collaged, pen and ink, crayons, and even sand painting and weaving. 
“They are all fabulous,” Magener said. “This year we’ll have at least one hundred eggs featuring incredible artwork.
“Up to 50 were created by Alamo students, and some of theirs are very artistic. They like to give them a Cougar theme,” she said.
Most of the artwork can be purchased, Magener said.
A reception will be held from 2 – 4 p.m. Saturday, Apr. 3, at Bear Mountain Gallery, adjacent to the coffee house.
The eggs will be on display through the month of April.
Socorro Students Take Part In Junior Duck Design Contest
Not all New Mexico students are preoccupied with the latest avatar sensation or with Adequate Yearly Progress scores in their school. As proof, consider that 603 students submitted original artworks depicting ducks, geese and swans of North America in the just-completed Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Contest in New Mexico.
The entries came from Kindergarten through 12th Grade students in 28 schools, home school programs and art studio or academy classes located across the state.
The judging was held at Bosque del Apache Tuesday, Mar. 23.
The Best of Show winner in the statewide contest is a colored pencil rendering titled “A Warm Place” of a Mottled Duck with ducklings submitted by Gadsden High School 12th Grade student Lidia Avina.
Among 13 Socorro schools entries, Cottonwood Charter School students Electra Burleigh was awarded a 2nd Place, and Samantha Hurtgen won a 3rd Place; Parkview Elementary student Markeiska Lopez received a 3rd Place award, with the others to receive Honorable Mention ribbons or Certificates of Appreciation. Honorable Mention ribbons or Certificates of Appreciation were awarded to 20 students from Datil Elementary and 13 students from San Antonio Elementary who submitted entries.
The Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Contest is a nationwide art and science-based program for schools developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to teach greater awareness of our nation’s natural resources. The 603 New Mexico entries this year exceeded last year’s by 32 per cent.
“This outpouring of interest in nature’s creatures by New Mexico’s young folks is heartening, and bodes well for the success of future efforts to protect wetland habitats and waterfowl,” USFWS Regional Director Benjamin Tuggle said.
Entries were judged at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge by Jim Wolfe of the Ducks Unlimited National Conservation Program Committee and past New Mexico State Chairman of Ducks Unlimited; Skeeter Leard, award-winning artist and partner in Fullingim, Isenhouer, Leard Studios in Socorro; John Vradenburg, Senior Biologist at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge; Ken Garrahan, Chief of Visitor Services and Robert Murphy, biologist in the Migratory Birds Division at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Office in Albuquerque.
The 2010 Junior Duck competition in New Mexico was sponsored by Friends of the Bosque del Apache NWR, which contributed prize money for the Best of Show and 1st Place winners.
All 1st, 2nd, 3rd Place and Honorable Mention winners will be formally recognized during a special New Mexico Junior Duck Stamp Contest Awards Ceremony at the Macey Conference Center in Socorro on May 1.
Pictured: Judges for the Junior Duck Stamp Design contest (from left): Robert Murphy, Jim Wolfe, John Vradenburg; Skeeter Leard, and Ken Garrahan, Photo by John Larson
County Adopts Internal Control Policy
Here are the highlights from the Socorro County Commission meeting held at the County Annex Building last week.
• The commission passed an internal control policy. Manager Delilah Walsh said the county has been lacking such a policy. “After we pass this, we will have each of our departments to adopt this and come up with their own policies,” Walsh said. “This also resolves one of our audit issues.”
• The commission adopted a resolution that said the county would oppose a proposed emissions cap. The New Energy Economy has filed a petition with the New Mexico Environment Improvement Board calling for regulations that would require regulated entinties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 25 percent below 1990 levels by the year 2020. The NEE has since modified its petition to make it a more gradual approach for entities to get to that point. The EIB likely will not rule for another couple of months and there also has been lawsuits filed.
• The commission passed a resolution to approve the 2010 annual certified county maintenance roads.
Wagner Gets Tri-State Clarification
SOCORRO -- Charlie Wagner contacted Tri State on his own and that did not sit well with the Socorro Electric Cooperative board members at its meeting Thursday night.
“You have to act as a member of the board,” attorney Dennis Francish said. “You don’t go to Tri-State and ask them if we did the right thing and air our dirty laundry. You got voted down and you have to live with it.”
“We are individuals outside of here but inside we are members of the board and it is important how we present ourselves outside the board,” trustee Donald Wolberg said.
Wagner was seeking clarification from Tri-State, regarding Leroy Anaya acting as the SEC representative and delegate to Tri-State. Wagner said there could be a possible conflict of interest regarding Anaya, who has a duty of loyalty to Tri State and serving its interest, above that of SEC’s when acting as a member of the board. Tri-State Ken Reif told Wagner in an email, “I am aware of no legal restriction on Tri-State Board members also serving as delegates to the annual meeting. Duties of loyalty can be different when individuals are serving as a Tri-State Board member as opposed to serving as a delegate to the Membership meeting. However, that kind of thing happens regularly.”
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Locals Finish Memorial Death March
By John Larson
SOCORRO - The 22nd Annual Bataan Memorial Death March Sunday, Mar. 21, at White Sands Missile Range saw two local law enforcement officers taking part - Socorro County Chief Deputy Shorty Vaiza and Magdalena Marshal Larry Cearley.
Vaiza, along with Team "NM Justice" ran the marathon through the desert terrain, up hills, around mountains and through a “seemingly endless sandpit” for 26.2 miles.
Team "NM Justice" crossed the finish line with an overall time of 7:23:38 and in seventh place in their division.
“We started this together, we finished this together.” Vaiza said. “Not only was our participation self-fulfilling, but we paid homage to the heroic soldiers that were responsible for the defense of the Islands of Luzon, Corregidor, and the harbor defense forts of the Philippines.”
Cearley participated with his family, who walked the 26 miles.
“We’ve been going for the last six years,” Cearley said. “Sarah’s family, the Berg family, too. We all go down and walk the whole 26 miles each year, all to support, and show our respect for those who fought for our country and sacrificed so much.”
He said 5,704 people participated in the memorial, and a total of 15,000 were at the gathering.
“They come from as far away as Brazil, Canada, Chile, all over,” Cearley said.
Other local participants included cadets from Socorro’s Civil Air Patrol, who helped direct traffic and parking.
Pictured: Team "NM Justice" (from left): Daniel Henry, Juvenile Probation Parole Officer; Cesar Polanco, Supervisor, US Federal Probation Office; Shorty Vaiza, Chief Deputy, Socorro County Sheriff's Department; Zachary Gerleve, Adult Probation Parole Officer; and, Hilario J. Bernal, Juvenile Probation Parole Officer. Photo courtesy of Shorty Vaiza
OBITUARY: Bobby Lee Lesperance
Bobby Lee Lesperance
Jan. 1, 1954-March 17, 2010
Bobby Lee Lesperance, 56, passed away on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 in Socorro surrounded by his loving family. He was born January 1, 1954 to Albino and Macedonia (Otero) Lesperance in Albuquerque. He is preceded in death by his father; and his brother, Albino Jr.. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Long Lesperance of the family home in Socorro; his daughters: Bobbi Jo Lesperance and life partner, Sherry Lesperance; Jacalyn Jean Lesperance; and Andrea Jessica Lesperance; all of Socorro; his mother, Macedonia Lesperance of Alamillo, NM; brothers: Charles and Luciano, both of Alamillo; Daniel of Alaska; and Harold of Socorro; sisters: Rosalie Anaya and Carmen Trujillo, both of Socorro; step-grandchildren: Fabian Pacheco, Catrina Melendrez, Mercedes Melendrez and Candice Melendrez. Cremation has taken place and services will be held at a later date. Cremation arrangements are under the care of Steadman-Hall Funeral Home, 309 Garfield, Socorro, NM. 87801. (575)835-1530.
OBITUARY: Josephine M. Apache
Josephine M. Apache
April 19, 1920-March 20, 2010
Josephine M. Apache, 89, passed on Saturday, March 20, 2010 at her home in Alamo. She was born April 19, 1920 in Datil to Jose and Marie Monte. She worked as a Nurse's Aide at Socorro General Hospital until retiring. She is preceded in death by her husband, Jim Apache Sr.; her two sons: Albert D. Apache and Jimmy Apache Jr.; and brother, Elijah T. Apache. She is survived by her son, Dick Apache and wife, Jackey of Indiana; daughters: Nan Geiselhofer and husband, Steve; Emily Apache; Margie Apache and husband, Bob; and Ollie Robles and husband, Raynaldo, all of Albuquerque; and Brett Smithwich of Alamo; sister, Frances Apache of Socorro; 19 grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren and 3 great great grandchildren. Services were held on Wednesday at the Alamo Baptist Church with Jonathan Vicente officiating. Burial was at the UFO Cemetery. Pallbearers were Albert T. Apache, Steven Geiselhofer, Stephen Geiselhofer, Raynaldo Robles, Junior Cleveland and Jim Willis. Honorary Pallbearers were Gary Geiselhofer and Samuel Stentshaw. Arrangements were under the care of Steadman-Hall Funeral Home, 309 Garfield, Socorro, NM. 87801. (575)835-1530.
OBITUARY: Angela Montoya Paul
Angela Montoya Paul
Feb. 21, 1929-March 20, 2010
Angela Montoya Paul, 81, passed away on Saturday, March 20, 2010 in Socorro, NM. She was born February 21, 1929 in Polvadera, NM to Matias and Julianita (Chavez) Montoya. She graduated from Socorro High School in 1948 and was a lifetime member of San Miguel Catholic Church. Angela was a local artist and was a member of the Socorro Art League during the 1960's. She is survived by her sons: Christopher Paul and wife, Angela of Riverside, CA; Michael Paul and wife, Christine of Albuquerque; Charles Paul and wife, Debbie of Belen, NM; and Homer Paul and wife, Bridget of Little Rock, AR; daughter, Flora Fenchel and husband, Bruce of Herndon, VA; brother, Ruben Montoya and wife, Corina of Albuquerque; sisters: Sally Shoemaker of Socorro; Marcella Putman of Seattle, WA; and Lilly Morgan and husband, James of San Diego, CA; grandchildren: Tom Fenchel and wife, Kris; Dave Fenchel and wife, Emily; Stephen and Aaron Fenchel; Jillian, Jonathan, Alicia and Matias Paul; Anna Berg and husband, Matthew; Jacob, Brooke and Anna Paul; great grandchildren: Tommy and Cathrine Fenchel; and Kierstin and Aydan Berg. A Rosary will be recited on Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at the San Lorenzo Catholic Church in Polvadera with the Mass of Resurrection immediately following. Father Andy Pavlak as Celebrant. Internment will be in the Polvadera Cemetery. Cremation arrangements are under the care of Steadman-Hall Funeral Home, 309 Garfield, Socorro, NM. 87801. (575) 835-1530.
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