Off with M Area Their Heads • Lincoln County Renews Its Annual Battle Remams with the Dreaded, but Pretty, Musk Thistle
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For the third month, Lincoln County She is so dedicated to the .J Commissioners say fire restrictions will Like most newcomers to control of the purple plant remain in effect becaUBe of the continuing Ruidoso, when Carolyn that she is offering a reward high danger of wildfire. Felder saw her first musk to the first 100 people who "We'd need six to seven inches of rain thistle in 1999, she was bring her a 30-gallon bag of before the US. Forest Service would feel delighted with its striking thistle heads. comfortable opening up the (Lincoln purple bloom. On a trip to Costa Rica, National) forest." County Manager Tom "I thought, what a pretty she noticed a girl wearing a u Stewart told commissioners Friday. 'The flower," she said, but now ring created out of a dollar little showers we've received don't she shudders at the damage bill. She learned how to amount to much.n the invasive foreign species make the rings and will The forest closed May 22. Countywide CRuses to natural grasses exchange one of the "rings of restrictions prohibit any open flames, and other more beneficial honor" for each bag of musk including charcoal grilling outside. plants. She can't walk past a thistle hea<Is she receives up Commissioner Rick Simpson said bunch of the wild blooms to the $100 limit. N signs leading into the Ruidoso area, but without stopping to cut off "We have an infestation," still significantly outside the village, used and bag the heads to prevent she said. "I can't do it alone. to AAY the forest is closed, but the village the spread of seeds by the In the summer of 2000, I col lB open. wind. Last week, she was lected 31 30-gallon bags out "'N uw they say no outside smoking," he popping plant heads off on of the meadow in front of our said. "I don't believe that's in our resolu Mechem Drive. houoo. You can fuld them all tion. The signs give the impression there Ideally, the plants should the way up arid dovin Hull is a oountywide restriction. be dug up while in low-lying Drive and Ga:vilan. Road, '"Fm-not a smoker, but I think that'a rosette form during their · along Mechem Driv.e-and.at. miRIPading. In Ruidoso, I gueBS it's po88i first year, or at any subse White Mountain (Uld·H~" .~ ble RDmeone oould be cited while smoking quent time when they are Participants should:_ be in a hot tub. I don't want people to think detected, but many J)OOple sure to wear leather gloves, .~ 1 'we're that picky." are either physically unable she said. They can reach Commissioner William Schwettrnann or don't have the equipment wtder the head of the plant said that's one misimpression with bene or the time, she said. and lift - they will pop off, ficial oorwequences. Felder is asking that peo Felder said. "I think it's a good deterrent," he said. ple throughout the county at Keeping the heads "Believe it or not, smoking is a very seri least carry gloves and plastic bagged is important because ous <fire risk L~ bags so that they can pop off unlike most blooms, they 2 Swwart sa.ict he waH dn\'ing in one of DIANNE STALUNGSJ&TAFF the blooms in a quick and would continue to mature the areas bumed sewrely during a recent Carolp Felder prepares to lop off the purple blooms of invas1ve musk thistle along Mechem Drive. easy procedure by pushing even though no longer con fire and someone in the car in front of him She's wearing one ot the dollar rings of honor she'll be giving to the first 100 people who bring her a up underneath the b1oom. nected to the body of the tossed a cigarette out of the window. bag of the noxious flowers The bags should be sealed See THISTlE, page 2A Sec FIRE. page 3A Downs officer picked to talk about the animals 2 ' lrY MEI.Mif SintER attendance. work for animal protection. Rl UJOY J '1/F\1' q AfF \t1!fll'R "It's a wonderful opportunity. It's great A forensic veterinarian from Virginia. for New Mexico and especially for this Dr. Susan Gardner, will train attendees on A skunk with a yogurt container stuck area,., Wil.l:ia.ms said. laying the groundwork for legal cases. She on its snout thraBhes about, disabling its She brings to the conference 20 years of will guide students through a case, from 0 senses of smell, hearing and sight. Animal experience, nine of those years working in gathering forensic evidence to a mock triaL Control Officer Peggy Williams assesses the southeast New Mexico, and enthusiasm for Attendees will discuss pit bull fighting, danger the skunk poses and decides that it her work. which is illegal in the state, but still goes on, iB more likely to suffocate itself than to "I love my job. I wouldn't do anything · Williams said. spray or bite a human. else,"W»Jiams said. And she will brini, &gp;k fighting, a - · The job requires a lot of common sense, While she loves people, b. J says, tliey spOrt that rellUlins le;J m only .three Williams says. She must now detennine are the ones whO cause problems; animals states, She said. 0 what to do with the skunk: Leave it, shoot operate out of il\stinct and leamed bebav- "That's not anything to be happy about, · it.: or capture it. ior, not malice. that your state is one of those three," _· In its disorientation, Williams concludes "In all my years, 1\ie never come aqoss a WUiiams said. that the skunk will not pay much attention . bad animal," Williams said- · Another important issue for the state is to. her. She works with people about 60 .percent preparlng for natural disasters. ~ . She wraps the animal in a blanket, ofthe time and tinimAls the rest of the time. Williams maintains that her office and -2 plUcks off the plastic container and retreats. Williams is on caJI24 hours a day, medi- others in "few Mexico should work with the · · The skunk is saved and Williams is ating disputes between neighbors over Departlnent of Game and Fish to create unscathed. roaming pets or animals tearing up trash. contingency plans for dealing with di.s The incident stands out DB one of the Slre educates citizens on st:aying away from placed pets aiid wildlife in the case of forest ~st unusual Williams has experienced in wildlife and caring for their pE!t.S. fires or other natural disasters. her two years os animal control offioor at While better education mayhelp prevent The conference offers animal. control pro- Ruidoso Downs and illustrates a decision animal neglect, preventing cruelty requires f~nals a chanoo to share experienoes, making p~ acquired through continued stricter Jaws. Williams said. said Andrew Jsramilla, president of the ~ in procedures, on-the-job practice She expects ·to discuss issues Hke these New Mexico AniiJi01 COntrol Association, and networking With.ooneagues. at the ~00, alrinj with a 1999 New which eomprises about 50 members. This ~ Williams .will represent the Mexico law·that~ ~m.e animal em· '%a networking is great,. because one New Mexico·~ Qontrol ~n, . elt.v a fourth'1f:egr,& telol'ly on - first .· ·~tion can borrow ideas and policies for which she·~;-~~hpro tem. '6ffebse. · · · · · .. , :,';\ · · Withoutreinveiltingthe wheel," he said. /Owf. .....D<tJati • ·Om~~·. n Tbe buY \vari• amended in .2001 and •is J;'o~ of the 33 counties in New ~~~ce,' ' . '. ·. ''.'"' "''. l ...~~" .. ' , . ~~.: =···..... ,,.: .--f ··..-- .... , "' currentlY belOg-~by dctual cases -M~co re~ animal control officers, MEIRIIE SA~AFF · '!%estate~" · , · ~·its to trial, aw,~.ammal oon.trot officers J~ said- ,.lik:.~.III~IS explains the equipment she carries a's animal control offi i'e~tative, ·· ·. and looking for insight ·Qb trow. to~ See OFFICER, page 3A 'ornul<omio Downs: mace, cell phone, radio. leash, gloves and bite stick. ~ . ··-"· Asix-man football Local woman learns dange,.-s · defensive struggle o,f gel can<:Des the hard ~ Nonh .wins, 6(K1J8A -\ ., .• . l .• ~ PAGE 2A • RUIDOSO NEWS LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY, jUNE 12, 2002 THISTLE: Flowers look nice, but harmful to surrounding~. FROM PACE !A Rafael "Rifle" Salas, head of the declared a noxious plant in the working toward, Felder plant and the seed pods could village's ·Parks and Recreation United States in Davidson County. said. spread. One head can · produce as Department, said the city sprays all Tenn., in 1942. It grows from sea "But we have to start many as 1,200 seeds - a single park areas with a non-selective her level to about 8,000 feet in elevation somewhere.