OPINION: I’m Sorry; What Was the Question?

Magdalena Potluck
By Don Wiltshire

My head is so full of sound bites and PhotoShop creations that I just can’t seem to think a complete thought any more. I do seem to have an impressive gallery of glossy photos of the Good Diane and the Evil Diane; the Good Susanna and the Evil Susanna not to mention the Good and Evil Steve, Harry, Ben and Tom. Just think of the forests that have been cut down to provide us with all of these images! At least they make good kindling for my wood stove. This is what happens when we slam the doors wide open to Corporate Political Contributions. Sound bites designed for short attention spans seem to actually foster short attention spans!
The sum-total effect of this barrage of empty slogans and name calling is one of revulsion and disgust. What once was a privilege and honor to vote, has turned into a dreary selection of the least of two evils. The candidates seem to be little more than hand puppets used by Corporations in our winner-take-all elections.
Nevertheless, there IS a good reason to go to the polls next Tuesday. There are four Bond Issues that need your nod of approval. The one of greatest interest for me is Bond Issue B. It would provide much needed acquisition funds for academic, public school, tribal and public libraries, including the Magdalena Public Library and the Socorro Public Library. Please Vote “Yes.”
You can vote on the other three Bond Issues as you see fit: Bond Issue A would provide funds for senior centers, Bond Issue C would provide funds for pre-kindergarten classrooms and Bond Issue D would provide funds for higher educational and special schools capital improvements. You can find more information on these Bond Issues from a link at the Socorro Public Library’s most excellent web site at www.adobelibrary.org.
I expect to see all of you at the State Engineer’s Preliminary Hearing on the “Water Grab” on Tuesday, November 9th at 1:30 p.m. at the Macey Center. We need to show our serious concern over this matter. NO rowdiness! We need to be on our best behavior in order to lull the State Engineer into holding the Formal Hearings in our “neck of the woods.”
There will be free flu shots available on Friday, October 29 at the Magdalena Public Library during our normal hours of 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Come pick out a book, a movie and get a free flu shot. Does it get any better than that? Yes it does! On Saturday, October 30, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., there will be an Appreciation Potluck for Lucy Pino, our former Library Director who did so much to build the Magdalena Public Library into the facility that it is today. Bring your favorite dish, share stories and add a note of thanks to Lucy’s scrapbook. The weather forecast looks good and we should have a grand time out on the deck; perhaps the last before we all hibernate for the winter.
I’m starting to miss our Wednesday evening Water Meetings. The last one will take place on November 17 at 7 p.m. at the Magdalena Library at 7 p.m. Frank Titus will discuss the hydrology of the San Agustin Plains and the effect that this insane water mining project would have on our community.
Read Magdalena! There is a way that we can bring up the reading levels in Magdalena and our surrounding area. The Adult Summer Reading Program will be having a meeting on Wednesday, November 3 at 7 p.m. at the Magdalena Public Library. We will discuss literacy in Magdalena and how a Village can make a difference. Everyone interested in improving literacy levels in Magdalena, please come. Teens are very welcome. There is no reason that we, as a community cannot augment and supplement the Magdalena community with efforts to teach and improve reading skills for everyone.
What a great gift this would be for the children and adults of this community and how rewarding it would be for those of us willing to spend a few hours a week, sharing the skills that many of us now take for granted.
The Adult Reading Program has been concerned with “Water” as a subject and will continue to do so as the State Engineer’s Hearings get under way. Other subjects of interest will come up . If you have a suggestion, please come and share. Together we can do so much.

If you have any comments, problems, solutions, upcoming events or Empty Milk Jugs, contact Don Wiltshire at mtn_don@yahoo.com.

OPINION: I’m Sorry; What Was the Question?