Congratulations, Johnnie. Well Deserved

Volume 64, Number 16 Española, New Mexico 87532 Thursday, January 21, 2021 20 pages, 2 sections 75 cents Council Community Volunteer Honored New Rep. By Ari Levin Approves SUN Sports Writer Jumps Johnnie de Schweinitz, a com- munity organizer and volunteer, $650K was awarded the Northern New Into First Mexico College Black and Afri- can American Student Organiza- tion’s Drum Major Award recog- Session Structure nizing her work in the commu- nity. By William Coburn By Cole Rehbein The Drum Major Award is SUN Staff Writer SUN Staff Writer presented to a community mem- Incoming New Mexico House ber who embodies the spirit of The Española City Council at of Representatives member Rog- King. The winner of the award its Jan. 12 meeting approved a er Montoya has a battery of bills holds the trophy for a year, and $687,491.07 capital outlay ex- he wants to bring to the floor in then determines the successor. pense to add an additional 1,600 the congressional session that Last January, the College square feet of climate-controlled started Tuesday. hosted its first “King Feast” storage to the fire station at 405 In a Jan. 16 phone interview breakfast in honor of Martin Lu- N. Paseo de Oñate. The storage is Montoya said the centerpiece of ther King Jr. with over 200 par- necessary to protect the depart- his legislation was the Rural Op- ticipants, and had speakers from ment’s ladder truck , which is portunities Act. around the country. currently left outside, from theft “It addresses the severe dis- Northern President Rick Bai- and the elements. Disagreement parity between rural and urban ley said the award was created by about the cost and procurement communities in New Mexico,” Willie Williams, who is the com- methods led to a heated discus- Montoya said. “This legislation munity mentor for the College’s sion and a split council, with would authorize the creation of a Black and African American Stu- three councilors voting against rural opportunity committee dent Organization. the expense. tasked with developing potable The Feast was supposed to be City Grants Administrator Di- water, wastewater, broadband an annual tradition, but it could ahann Jacquez presented the pro- and Internet. The goal is to pro- not be held this year due to pub- (SUNfoto by Robert Eckert) posal. vide measurable and quantifiable Johnnie de Schweinitz stands in the San Martin de Porres kitchen in June 2019 just before de- livering her first Friday Night Dining experience to a group of hungry diners. See 'Councilors' on page A2 See 'Community' on page A4 See 'Rep. Will' on page A2 Distance Learning Challenges Special EductionTeachers By Jacob Mulliken the student body consisting of special been vital to bridge the internet and Public Schools, Pojoaque Valley School “We have and will continue to hold Special to the SUN education students. Hence the charter technology gap in terms of the school District and Mesa Vista Consolidated all IE services in high regard,” she said. school’s immediate move to provide not only providing them with resources Schools, especially in meeting the needs “IEP services are being conducted re- In the face of COVID-19, area special Google Chromebooks to every student to either acquire or access the internet laid out in each district’s special educa- motely and each one looks a little bit education programs have had to be more in the school, should the family require but to learn and be able to help their tion students’ Individual Education different.” innovative than ever before. it, was a move adopted by school dis- students navigate the new online ap- Plans (IEPs). Of Española’s 3,516 students, 546 of In an aspect of education that is heav- tricts nationwide. proach to learning, Miller said. Through a Plan, students receive those are special education, including ily reliant on interpersonal relationships That universal accessibility to tech- “We immediately notified families myriad support services ranging from the district’s gifted students, and while and in-person one-on-one instruction, nology is one practice that needs to be this summer and encouraged them to get physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychological, speech and social work the chasm created by the COVID-in- commonplace as education eventually the internet to prepare for the school speech therapy, social work, transition services lended themselves easily to a spired classroom model has been diffi- shifts back to an in-person classroom year,” she said. “Not only did we pro- services, psychology as well as recre- remote model, providing occupational, cult to bridge, said McCurdy Charter model, said April Miller, McCurdy spe- vide them with Chromebooks and re- ational therapy. physical and recreational therapy to School Director Sarah Tario. cial education coordinator. sources to get internet access in their The challenge in the in-home COV- those students that require one or all of “It has definitely been a challenge to “We will be staying virtual for the homes, but we were able to provide ID-inspired classroom was providing the aforementioned services presented a support the unique learning needs of rest of the year,” she said. “The pan- hotspots for lower income and our more these traditionally in person services unique challenge, she said. some of our students without being there demic has shown how inequitable edu- rural students. Our technology depart- virtually. A practice that McCurdy had “Occupational and physical therapy with them,” she said. “Adapting to the cation can be and I love that every stu- ment has also extended outside of pro- already had in place for years prior to were challenging because they are so at-home model has been difficult for all dent has a Chromebook, but we can still viding support for school staff and is COVID-19, said Miller. hands on,” Montoya said. “Our occupa- of our students but having a learning dif- see that inequity, especially in terms of now aiding families in addressing issues For others, ensuring Plans were met tional and physical therapists are leading ficulty compounds that obstacle. Like internet access for lower income and that they may face.” became a top priority that required edu- exercises over Google Meet and our teachers, students didn’t have time to rural students. We have students that are cators, therapists as well as families to physical therapists are also delivering prepare for a completely new system working from their parent’s workplace come together, said Deirdra Montoya, specialized equipment that is tradition- that happened overnight.” or have to travel to use the internet.” Modified plans student services and wellness executive McCurdy’s total student population is Bridging the technology gap was on- Communication with parents has director for EPS. roughly 526 students with 15 percent of ly the beginning for McCurdy, Española See 'Teachers' on page A3 Acequia Project Focuses on Drought, Community By William Coburn major research project to bring hands-on approach to sharing SUN Staff Writer multiple types of researchers in and allocating water as a cultural contact with the communities and social institution, the ace- Over 120 people connected and manage and run the ace- quias are linked to the way the Jan. 14 over Zoom, the internet quias. river is being used in any given teleconferencing service that’s “It’s a really significant study year” Garcia said. “The acequias taken off in popularity since the for us,” Garcia said. “It’s done by have customs to account for how pandemic started, to discuss the a set of researchers at New Mex- much water there is, when there’s future of the southwest’s ico State University that spent a less water they’re able to shrink 400-year-old acequia system. lot of time listening to acequia their collective footprint and The meeting, Acequias and irrigators about our observations when there’s water they’re able Science: A Community Conver- and what we thought was hap- to increase their footprint.” sation was hosted by the New pening. (It) was important that Mexico Acequia Association to there was a relationship there and get community members in con- an appreciation of the traditional Drought concerns tact with scientists behind the The length of the ongoing knowledge.” recently published Acequias of drought has acequia irrigators Garcia said the research team the Southwestern United States: worried about how the system placed a high value of that tradi- Elements of Resilience in a Cou- which was designed in part to tional knowledge, and seeing as pled Natural and Human System. help with water scarcity, but the it was a diverse body of research The meeting also provided now years long drought is un- that looked at acequias as cul- community members the time to precedented. tural and social institutions tied brainstorm with the hydrologists, “We don’t really know how with local hydrology. livestock researchers and anthro- we’re going to adapt or endure “There’s an important link be- pologists about the next research through what climate change tween the earth and acequia and questions they need to ask, such could bring,” Garcia said. “From the shallow aquifer,” Garcia said. as what sort of plants near the listening to people the drought “A lot of the water is returned to acequia can prevent water loss we’re in now is worse then peo- the same aquifer that adjoins the due to evaporation or what hap- ple have experienced in their river. That’s very good for the pens to land that was once irri- lifetimes. It’s starting to really habitat and the river.” gated by an acequia when they’re sink in that this drought is worse The study was also looking at removed. the acequia’s role as a social in- (SUN Filefoto) Paula Garcia the director of See ‘Climate’ on page A4 stitution. Acequia defenders and supporters held a rally in February 2020 at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe dur- the New Mexico Acequia Asso- “The other takeaway of the ing the legislative session. The group seeks dynamic ways to preserve and maintain acequias for their ciation said this was the first pure function and the community and relationship building that stems from them. research, because of the really A4 Rio Grande SUN, Thursday, January 21, 2021 Community Organizer Climate Change on Parciantes' Minds Continued from A1 Ochoa called a delayed flow things people are going to think Now the mayordomos are because it’s exasperated by which is what leads to better about doing, and be forced to making decisions with weather Honored with Award higher temperatures. What the regulation of water downstream. do.” satellites, and tracking snowpack Continued from A1 scientists have predicted we’re Ochoa’s work also involved Aside from scaling down agri- instantly with National Science “We have to share already seeing.” looking at different types of ace- cultural industry, Rodríguez said Foundation and National Weath- lic health precautions, though Garcia said one of first chang- quias, and what changes to them she thinks there will need to be er Service data to know how Williams said they were hoping our cultural differ- es they’ve noticed was the snow- can cause. more of a focus on matching ag- much snowpack there is instead to expand it even further. The rences.” pack, which is both thinner and “Lined acequia are pretty riculture to the local environ- of hiking expeditions. event last year also included a they lose more to evaporation good at moving way from point ment. The resiliency also comes voter registration table and other every year due to the increased a to point b but it loses that ben- “Scaling down, decentraliz- from the community minded community tables, and a musical temperatures. This has shifted efit but there are some situations ing, spreading out concentrations mutualism Rivera said pointing presentation from as many cul- some of the older acequia tradi- where it’s needed,” Ochoa said. of population; It may be that dif- out that in many parts of rural tures as they could find. Willie Williams tions to compensate. ferent parts of the world need New Mexico the acequia is the Instead, this year, they only “We do cleanings in fall,” different patterns,” Rodríguez only form of government under did a socially distanced passing Award creator Societal collapse said. “One size does not fit all. the county level and the annual Garcia said. “In anticipation that Sylvia Rodríguez, one of the of the award. Our ways of inhabiting the envi- cleaning of the acequias works water is going to be dried up by anthropologists who participated Williams said she wanted to ronment need to be acclimated to as a tradition that brings commu- May.” in the study said that she was have something to commemorate where they are. nity members together. Crop yields have fluctuated concerned that an environmental the event and carry it forward, “The knowledge about the so- “Mutualism, the ability of wildly since the drought began collapse could lead to a societal and to have something tangible lutions exist, how they get put people to respond and help each for Garcia as well, she said she collapse. associated with it, which is why volunteers, from waiters to bath- together and by whom remains other out has been part of the had 10 percent of their usual al- “I think the commodification she came up with the traveling room attendants, with communi- to be seen. We have very little culture too, these villages have falfa yield in 2020. of water is a catastrophic factor trophy award. ty chefs preparing food, and live time left, what we’re doing now been able to survive because of “At a certain point there just here,” Rodríguez said. “Given “We have to share our cultural music entertainment. is just making it worse.” mutualism.” Rivera said. “As wasn’t anymore water to share,” climate change and the desertifi- differences, we have to share our De Schweinitz grew up in Bal- Garcia said. “Rivers are drying long as people are willing to put educational differences,” she timore, Md. and attended Coppin cation of the borderlands, I’m in the labor, you can always find to the point where there isn’t not sure how people are going to said. “We have to share with one State University. She moved to enough water to go around. The Resilience somebody that can buy alfalfa another and learn from each oth- Northern New Mexico in 1998. deal with it. One of the great Jose Rivera, the research bales. Same thing for livestock, future looks very uncertain for tragedies of our era is the com- scholar for the University of er. And, diversity is so beautiful. She worked at the Department of us.” you can always find somebody And I love celebrating our Afri- Vocational Rehabilitation until modification of basically every- New Mexico’s Center for Re- that’s willing to buy.” can-American heritage.” her retirement in 2015, working thing, and I think that’s one of gional Studies said that studies Andre Cibils, a professor of Patricia Trujillo, then the Col- with people with mental and River return the causes of what happened last like the ones done here are de- range science at NMSU, said lege’s Director of Equity and physical disabilities and special Sam Fernald, one of the re- week at the capitol.” signed to understand why the surveys of acequia irrigators acequia Diversity, helped purchase needs students. searchers and the Director of Rodríguez worries that with system has been able to found that just over 50 percent of survive for 400 years in New through the College a statue of She also started a walking New Mexico Water Resources increasing demand for water in respondents said that livestock Mexico. One of the reason Ri- King to use as the trophy. group for seniors to try to get Research said that despite the the state and elsewhere the ace- was a better source of supple- vera cites for their robustness in The award was first presented people active during the pan- problems with water levels up- quia system may be at risk. mentary income than crops. On- arid environments is the fact that last year to Edith Brown for her demic. stream the acequia system works “Everyone at the capitol as- ly 3 percent of irrigators Cibils they are decentralized compared work with her late mother-in-law De Schweinitz said she was to regulate water levels by re- sumes the acequias are a neces- found would be willing to sell to larger irrigation plans. on creating community events. shocked and excited to receive turning unused irrigation water sary sacrifice, and that forgets their land, and of those they were “Their resilience, in my view This year, Brown chose to the award, and was happy that to the groundwater helping to that the acequias show us how to respondents that found their one of the major reasons is the present the trophy to de Sch- the community recognized her reduce variability from climate share water,” Rodríguez said. herds to livestock waning due to autonomy,” Rivera said. “When- weinitz because of her commu- work. change downstream. Because the parciantes, the drought. ever there is a drought like we nity work. The College posted a video to “We had the good will of the individual irrigators on an ace- The mutualism starting in the social media in honor of Martin community,” Fernald said. “They quia, are small scale individual have now they’re able to make acequia Rivera said expresses De Schweinitz said she knew decisions quickly, they don’t Brown through various events in Luther King Day that included didn’t know if the science was irrigators, Rodríguez says she itself in broader culture of New remarks from Rep. Roger Mon- going to support the method of doesn’t think there’s much mon- have to check with the state engi- Mexico leading to parallel orga- the community, and Brown told neers for regular operations.” toya, Rep. Susan Herrera, Bailey, the acequia, but in all cases so ey to be made in selling their nizations and brotherhoods like her last week that she wanted to Despite being centuries-old de Schweinitz and Williams. far the acequia has been sup- water rights. the Sociedad Proteccion Mutua give her the award. She said she infrastructure, with even older “Dr. King once said, ‘The arc ported.” “They operate on a much de Trabajadores Unidos to show attended the Feast last year, but designs that still work, there are of the moral universe is long, but Carlos Ochoa, an associate smaller scale, instead of trying to up in New Mexico’s history. got there late because she was uses for modern technology that it bends toward justice,’” Bailey professor at Oregon State Uni- make everything at a massive “People are starting to get teaching a yoga class. Rivera observed. said in the video. “In my opinion, versity and one of the research- scale,” Rodríguez said. “It’s back to their roots,” Rivera said. De Schweinitz has been in- “There’s a lot of complexity those are the most profound ers who worked on multiple pa- pretty clear that industrial farm- “We’ve seen it through this pan- strumental in creating the Friday to understanding that snow- words ever spoken in human his- pers in the project said they ing and the growing of meat is demic with these food banks, Night Dining program. The pro- pack,” Rivera said. “There’s gram provides a restaurant-like tory.” found that only about 7 percent one of the largest environmental with people donating food and of the water in an acequia is used problems. We have embarked anecdotal stories. If there’s a their time to rebuild, and asking experience to low-income se- De Schweinitz said she has certain cabin, and you can’t see niors with a sit-down dinner and been inspired by a quote from for irrigation and the other 93 globally, and locally on climate what it is that holds a community percent returns to the river. catastrophe, parts of the world, the top of the cabin they know together and it’s people helping decorated tables, though they Norman MacEwan. that’s a good year. That’s just have not offered a dinner since “We make a living by what we The water leaving the river, including the southwest will be- each other out. We’re going to entering the groundwater and re- come uninhabitable. Scaling anecdotal, one of the stories they see a new mutualism, and ace- last March. get, but we make a life by what told me.” Friday Night Dining has 19 we give.” turning the river creates what down is probably one of the quias are well into it.”