Patience Runs out for Traffic Scofflaws in U.S. 550 Construction Zone

SANDOVAL PLACITAS PRSRT-STD BERNALILLO U.S. Postage Paid Placitas, NM CORRALES Permit #3 SANDOVAL Postal Customer or COUNTY Current Resident SignPOSt ECRWSS NEW MEXICO A N INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER S INCE 1988 • VOL. 31 / NO .2 • FEBRUARY 2020 • FREE IVEN

Candidates campaign D ILL for Town offices —B

~SIGNPOST STAFF The March 3 municipal election promises at least one new face on the Bernalillo Town Council, following the retirement of Councilor Ronnie Sisneros. “We’ve come a long way in Bernalillo,” Sisneros said of his 18 years on the council. “The biggest thing is the council and mayor working well together.” Since Mayor Jack Torres was elected in 2010, the town cleaned up years-old accounting issues, made improvements to water and sewer systems priorities, and boosted salaries to retain and attract qualified employees. Getting the financial house in order makes the town eligible for state grants, while living within its means freed money for the purchase of the Roosevelt School property behind Town Hall, Sisneros said. The property now known as the Roosevelt Complex has become home to the Martha Liebert Public Library, the nonprofit Rebuilding Together Sandoval County, and a company that provides training for emergency responders. There also It’s the evening commute through the U.S. Highway 550 construction zone, and a is space to train for the town police and fire departments. Bernalillo Police Department officer is stopping an alleged traffic violator. BPD has begun “There are a lot of little things our constituents don’t see us an ongoing enforcement program following a flood of complaints about bad driving. working on,” Sisneros said. “They aren’t big steps but phases, since we can only do so much with the funding we have… We put the people first.” Patience runs out for traffic scofflaws Sisneros retired at the end of 2018 after 28 years with the Sandoval County Assessor’s Office. With his wife also in U.S. 550 construction zone recently retiring, he said, it’s time for them to do other things. He’s glad several people are showing interest in succeeding ~BILL DIVEN him on the council, he added. Two months into the two-year rebuild of U.S. Staff from the town Public Works Depart- The candidates, all Bernalillo natives, running for two posi- Highway 550 through Bernalillo, drivers set- ment also added speed bumps to Old High- tions on the council are: tled into the new routine, and it wasn’t way 44, a narrow residential street lined with • Incumbent Councilor Marian Jaramillo—who also serves pretty. trees and mobile homes. as mayor pro-tem, running council meetings when Torres is While many simply dealt with the realities, In the first eight days, officers wrote more absent. Jaramillo owns Marian’s Child Development Center others let frustration and anger get the best than two hundred citations for moving viola- and is seeking her fifth four-year term on the council. of them and stopped appreciating traffic tions, lack of insurance or vehicle registra- • Alonzo Lucero: Bernalillo’s municipal judge from 2000- laws. Beyond speeding—tough during con- tion, defective equipment, children not in 2007 who also worked for the county assessor, retiring after gested commute hours—running red lights safety seats, and adults not in seatbelts. 28 years. Lucero currently hosts The Bernalillo Show, week- or blocking intersections as signals turned “It runs the gamut, including arrests for day mornings, on KUPR 99.9 FM, where he’s been a volun- red became common. driving on suspended licenses, possession of teer disc jockey since the Placitas station began broadcasting Complaints also flowed into the Bernalillo marijuana or drugs,” Romero said. “We’ve in May, 2015. Police Department about drivers zipping also made some arrests on outstanding war- • Sharon Torres-Quintana is giving up her current position through parking lots to bypass congested rants.” as Bernalillo municipal judge to run for the town council. A intersections. Add a DWI arrest as well. past alternate judge, she was elected to the judgeship in 2008 “We tried to give motorists time to get The next step, the chief said, was to bring and 2018. She is retired from Sandoval County where she used to it and drive courteously and friendly, officers in on overtime using traffic-safety worked with the DWI Prevention program. and that didn’t seem to be working,” BPD grant funds. Beyond that, if things don’t set- • Phillip A. Valverde owned and operated Bernalillo Tire Chief Tom Romero said during the January tle down, other area agencies may be asked for 25 years where he said he earned the confidence of cus- 13 Town Council meeting. “So based on the to help out, he added. tomers in his hometown. Now retired, he’s running for the complaints we’ve been getting and all that’s By Signpost deadline, the number of council to give back to the community, he said. been happening out there, last Monday we citations had grown to 420 with more not Council candidates run at-large, so the two receiving the gave a directive to officers for strict enforce- yet logged into the BPD tracking system. most votes will be elected. Early and absentee voting at the ment.” The number of crashes and complaints about municipal clerk’s office in Town Hall begins on February 4, The directive sent officers when they road rage had decreased, Romero told the with early in-person voting ending at 6:00 p.m. on February weren’t handling calls to the construction Signpost. 29. Voting on Election Day, also, is at Town Hall—829 South zone during high-traffic periods. They also Signs posted in the project warn motorists Camino del Pueblo. checked side streets like Spartan Alley, traffic fines are doubled in construction Bernalillo is also electing a new municipal judge, although Camino Don Tomas, and Old Highway 44, zones. alternate judge Geoffrey Rinaldi is running unopposed for which draw motorists hoping for shortcuts Councilor Tina Dominguez said she saw the position. around construction. the plan in action while in the northbound —continued on page 7 —continued on page 5

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PAGE 2 • FEBRUARY 2020 • SANDOVAL SIGNPOST • SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988 CONTENTS

Up Front—1 Sandoval Arts—20 NEW YEAR’S Business-7 Calendar—22 505-771-3937 SPECIAL!!! Public Safety-10 Night Sky-23 Buy First Pair Around Town-11 Gauntlet-24 of Lenses with Eco-Beat-13 Senior Center—25 Transition 8 & Real People-14 Youth-26 Crizal No Glare. Health-19 Animal News—26 Get a second pair Time Off 19 Classified Ads—28 of Crizal No glare lenses FREE with purchase of MAIL: 2 new frames. Signpost, P. O. Box 889 Expires 3/31/20 Placitas, NM 87043 PHONE: (505) 867-3810 WEBSITE: www.sandovalsignpost.com NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK EMAIL: [email protected] Eye Health Examinations • Eyeglasses • Contact Lenses CALENDAR: [email protected] Prescription Sunglasses • Computer Eyeglasses ADVERTISING: [email protected] Laser Vision Correction DEADLINE: Dr. Deidra Casaus, Board Certified Optometric Physician The 20th of each month, prior to month of interest DROP BOX: 160 Camino Del Pueblo, Bernalillo On the wall inside The Merc, at Homestead Village, Call for an appointment today! 221 Highway 165, Placitas, Two miles east off I-25 Exit 242. www.thevisionstorenewmexico.com SIGNPOST STAFF:

PUBLISHERS: Barb and Ty Belknap

EDITOR / BUSINESS MANAGER: Ty Belknap

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AD SALES: Office Staff

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DISTRIBUTION: Office Staff

Sandoval Signpost is published monthly by dinine in or carry out Belknap Publishing, Inc, P. O. Box 889, Placitas, NM 87043. Bulk postage is paid at Placitas, New Mexico. As a local newspaper of general circulation for Placitas, Bernalillo, Corrales, Rio Rancho and other areas of southeastern Sandoval County, we invite 505.588.2143 readers to submit stories, ideas, articles, letters, poetry, and photographs of artwork for publishing consideration. We welcome advertising of interest to 200 S. CAMINO DEL PUEBLO · BERNALILLO,, NM our readership area. Ad and submission deadline is the twentieth of the month prior to the publication month. FEBRUARRYY 20020 This issue of the Sandoval Signpost has been mailed to every home in Placitas (2,600 direct-mail), LIZARD RODEO LOUUNGE and delivered for free pickup at over forty locations STARTING AROUNND 7 in the Placitas-Bernalillo-Corrales and southeastern AND TO WAWAIT OUT THE TRAFFIC ON 550 Sandoval County area, totalling about 5,600 copies. 1 COWBOY WWAAYAY.Y. ewestern Copyright © 2019-2020, by Belknap Publishing, 6 OPEN JAM.hosted by DeRangers Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permis- 7 STRAAYY DAAWWGS. lub uegrass sion is prohibited. The opinions expressed in articles 8 SILLVVER CROW ASYASYLUM.YLUM.blues/funk appearing in the Sandoval Signpost are those of 13 OPEN JAM.hosted by DeRangers the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect 14 THE CUMBERLANDS.folk r & lovock e songs those of the publishers. The Sandoval Signpost is 15 TOM WILLIAMS.country/honkeytonk printed with soy ink on recycled newsprint. 20 OPEN JAM.hosted by DeRangers 21 THE KIPSIES.folk SUBSCRIPTIONS—--$35/YEAR, 12 ISSUES: 22 WAWATATERMELON MOUNTTAAIN JUGBAND.folk Mail address and check to: Signpost, P. O. Box 889, 27 OPEN JAM.hosted by DeRangers Placitas, NM 87043. Or call the office at 505-867-3810 28 DUKECITY SWWAAMPCOOLERS. luegrb ass to pay over the phone with a credit/debit card or 29 SYD MASTERS. wboco y swing for further information. 925 S. CAMINO DEL PUEBLO · BERNALILLO, NM 505.867.1700 · RANGECAFE.COM TUESDAAYYS IVAVAN RARANE.fingerstyle guitar

Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • FEBRUARY 2020 • Page 3 FILL YOUR CART WITH: Boar’s Head Deli Meats Artisanal Cheeses Over 800+ Fine Wines Cold Beer, Growlers, Spirits Fresh Produce and Fresh Meat Sage Bakery Bread Bakery Desserts and other Groceries

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PAGE 4 • FEBRUARY 2020 • SANDOVAL SIGNPOST • SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988 —B ILL D IVEN

Officers from the Bernalillo Police Department monitor the intersection of U.S. Highway 550 and Camino del Pueblo during the evening commute. BPD wrote more than 400 citations in the first three weeks of their traffic enforcement program. UP SERVICES FOR ALL from page 1———Traffic YOUR WATER AND backup on Camino Don Tomas, which has north-south local FRONT CONSTRUCTION NEEDS become a notorious choke point reduced to one streets. There is no lane since the turn lane to go west on U.S. 550 indication that local was taken away. streets will be get- “And here comes a car on the wrong lane driv- ting their turn lane or turn arrow back anytime ing all the way—’God, I wish there was a cop up soon. ahead’—driving all on the wrong lane to go to Mayor Jack Torres said he’d be calling Santa Fe Speedway,” Dominguez said. “And luckily there yet again. was one of our town of Bernalillo police officers “We’re getting stepped on over and over,” Tor- there. res said. “They act as if they want to work with “Me and my grandson were all, ‘Yay!’ I was so us, and that’s how I feel right now, that they’re DEMOLITION • LOADER • GRADING excited to see you out there, and not just you but acting like it, but it’s clear that they’re not even PAD PREPARATION • BACKHOE / BOBCAT SERVICE even State Police. They had people pulled over.” trying now.” While the Department of Transportation late Earlier complaints by the town did get the sec- last year hired a consultant to monitor and ond left-turn lane on northbound Camino del tweak traffic signals during the day, which has Pueblo restored, although lengthy backups still traffic there haven’t been waiting long to cite red-light improved drive times, the focus, however, has are reported there as drivers line up for a shot at runners or drivers trying to be the last one through been on the east-west commuter flows, not the joining westbound U.S. 550. Officers monitoring instead blocking the intersection.

Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • FEBRUARY 2020 • Page 5 UP FRONT ~CONTINUED

from page 1———Candidates

Corrales, Cuba, and San Ysidro are holding elections on March 3, although only Corrales will see turnover of seats on the village council where the incumbents are not on the ballot. Those candidates are: District 2—Cameron Barnes and William Woldman. District 5—Janet Blair, Zachary Burkett, Jeremy Rush, and Christopher Sandoval. District 6—Edward Cole, Stuart Murray, and Dale Stewart. Corrales municipal Judge Michelle Frechette is running for re-election, opposed by Ashley Cloud. Cuba Trustees Cecilia Delgado and Monica Olivas and San Ysidro Trustees John Urban and Julia Ann Quintana all are running without opposition.

House committee votes to ban gravel mining on Placitas BLM lands Celebrating over 30 Years ~BILL DIVEN Providing Tax & Accounting Services to New Mexicans As a bill to withdraw federal land in Placitas House. The committee approved the Haaland’s from potential gravel mining stood poised to bill 20-13 along party lines after inserting techni- advance in the U.S. House, a congressman from cal amendments to match the Senate version, TERRY PISEL, CPA, LLC Arizona opposing the bill made a surprising advanced by its committee in December. CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT claim. Sen. Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall are car-

“I’d also like to mention mining operations in rying the Senate bill, while Rep. Ben Ray Luján Tax Planning & Preparation their area already are involved in negotiations is co-sponsoring Haaland’s bill. for Individuals & Businesses with other interested local parties including The largest BLM parcel—the 3,139-acre Buf- QuickBooks Consulting county officials and nearby homeowners,” Rep. falo Tract nicknamed for its shape as a buffalo in Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., said. “These on-the-ground profile—is listed for potential mineral develop- discussions are moving toward a fair, thoughtful ment on 1,280 acres in a pending BLM resource In Placitas • 798-1003 plan to take various local interests into plan. It extends about three miles from near account… Unilateral federal action at this time Interstate 25 in northwest Placitas east to near is not only unnecessary but would stymie the the intersection of Camino del las Huertas and progress of continuing talks.” Camino de la Rosa Castilla. The surprise? There are no such ongoing dis- The resource plan covering BLM surface and cussions, at least not yet. mineral holdings in parts of six counties is Representatives of Vulcan expected to be released shortly for final com- Materials Inc. “made the ment and approval. WWW.SODECOWATER.COM rounds on Capitol Hill,” Rep. It’s not clear what led Gosar to use supposed Deb Haaland, D-N.M, said as community-level discussions as one reason for the House Natural Resource rejecting Haaland’s bill. His office did not Committee took up her Buf- respond to a request for clarification from the falo Tract Protection Act. If Signpost. passed by both houses and For its part, Vulcan, which already operates signed into law, the act four quarries north of State Road 165 in western would withdraw from future Placitas, says it did make the rounds of commit- mineral development nearly tee members’ offices visiting with Haaland’s 3,300 acres in four Placitas staff and others. The company expressed its parcels administered by the concerns about the bill but also talked of plans Bureau of Land Manage- to work with the community, according to Tyler ment. Lowe, manager of community and government “They have spoken to relations for Vulcan’s Southwest and Mountain members about doing out- West. reach to the community and “During these visits, we explained our poten- suggesting the issues tial interest in the BLM property and discussed addressed by this bill are our commitment—no matter the outcome of the headed toward a local com- markup—to host future meetings engaging the munity solution,” Haaland, county, the local pueblos, homeowners, and vice chair of the committee, other stakeholders to better understand their said during the January 15 concerns with potential aggregate operations on markup session. “The advo- the Buffalo Tract, as well as Vulcan’s vision for cates and the leaders of the the property,” Lowe said in an email to the Sign- resident associations have post. “We look forward to beginning this out- not yet heard of any efforts reach in the coming days and weeks.” from the mining companies While such outreach might prove useful in the to meet with any of their future, the push to end the threat of additional people or any organization in mining in Placitas remains. Not only hard feel- the entire community with ings but also suspicions linger from dealing the exception of one, only with Lafarge, which operated Placitas quarries one, county commissioner.” before those became Vulcan properties in 2014. A markup session is the “If the company conducts a good-faith out- 3411 Girard NE last stop where committee reach effort and reaches an agreement with the NM Lic. #80039 members can be amended, community, that would be great and this bill table, or vote out a bill for may not need to become law,” Haaland said. “It consideration by the full shouldn’t stop us from voting today to give —continued next page

PAGE 6 • FEBRUARY 2020 • SANDOVAL SIGNPOST • SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988 BUSINESS Just Sold from page 6———Gravel peace of mind to the Placitas community and the pueblos in the area. “This community says it has been deceived by mining companies before, and there’s no guarantee that won’t happen again.” Her last remark refers to Lafarge extending its lease on the one-thousand- acre Placitas Pit, the southernmost of its quarries, off the Interstate 25 frontage road, just north of NM 165. Nearby residents thought an earlier agreement with Sandoval County would end the quarry- 7 Chamisa Road ing when the existing lease expired in 2015. 3 Bedrooms 2.5 Bathrooms 2500 Square Feet 2.07 Acres In early 2014, the county sued Lafarge MLS# 952113 Listing Price $498,000 alleging the company was violating its 1988 zoning permit. Several months later, Call Sandi Today for a Free Market Analysis of Your Home Vulcan acquired Lafarge’s aggregate operations as Lafarge shed assets over antitrust concerns during its merger with Sandi is a Proud Placitas Resident for 28 Years another company. The Eastern Sandoval Citizens Associa- tion (ES-CA) and two quarry neighbors Sandi Pressley joined the lawsuit, scuttled an early pro- 8th in the Nation for Coldwell Banker posed settlement—seen as too favorable #1 Top Producing Realtor in to the company—and ultimately won New Mexico for 34 Consecutive Years agreement from Vulcan to end operations Proudly Serving Her Clients For 41 Years at that one quarry and reclaim the land Cell Phone 505.980.2999 Coldwell Banker Legacy by mid-2027. [email protected] 293-3700 www.sandipressley.com —continued next page

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BUSINESS ~CONTINUED Placitas higher-density development from page 7———Gravel faces uphill zoning struggle ES-CA, its affiliated Land Use Protection Trust, and the Las Plac- itas Association (LPA) joined forces early on to fight additional ~BILL DIVEN gravel mining. In support of the Buffalo Tract act, they have The debate over allowing multi-family residential development on land zoned for pressed the data-driven argument that the existing quarries are a commercial and office uses in Placitas has been put off until late this month. hazard to public health, provide little tax revenue to the county, The request by Homestead Village Inc. was to be considered by the Sandoval depress property values, and are restricting residential develop- County Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission on January 21, but due to bad ment, which does more to benefit the county financially. weather, the meeting was canceled and rescheduled for February 25, at 4:30 p.m. “We see no way to compromise on this,” LPA President Sandy Currently, the vacant eight-acre property at the northeast corner of State Road 165 Johnson told the Signpost. “It’s just not acceptable what they’re and Tierra Madre Road has Special Use (SU) zoning that also covers the adjacent proposing.” Homestead Village Shopping Center and the two office buildings east of the center. Sandoval County, the Placitas Chamber of Commerce, and Gov. The zoning included a list of permissible uses, but none are residential. Michelle Lujan Grisham have submitted letters to Congress sup- The application for a zoning amendment filed by Homestead on December 12 porting Haaland’s bill. Both Santa Ana and San Felipe pueblos specifies adding residential uses to the western half of the property, but the P&Z have as well and are seeking full control of the Buffalo Tract, Commission was to consider the change for the entire eight acres, according to docu- which each sees as ancestral homeland where mining would not ments in the agenda packet. be welcomed. In a report prepared for the January 21 meeting, the county planning staff recom- ES-CA and LPA also reject the arguments advanced through mended the P&Z Commission deny the request. Whatever the P&Z Commission Rep. Gosar by the New Mexico Mining Association and a national decides becomes a recommendation to the County Commission, which has the final trade group that contend loss of the Placitas lands would restrict say, subject to court challenges, if any. development in metro Albuquerque and drive up sand-and-gravel A zone change is only the first of the approvals needed to plan and develop a site. costs by as much as ninety percent. The BLM’s resource plan In a letter to the P&Z Commission, Orville McCallister, president of Homestead shows multiple other locations near Albuquerque where sand and Village, Inc., said changes in zoning philosophy support mixing housing types with gravel can be mined farther from residential areas, they say. business uses. Where once planners separated residential spaces from less-desirable They also note that while the BLM’s 1986 resource plan allowed commercial-industrial areas, modern concerns—fuel costs, environmental issues, mining, the 1992 update and currently pending update failed to and physical fitness—generate more support for live-work-play land uses. consider the county zoning law and Placitas Area Plan as required McCallister continued, “This change in sociological attitudes creates the need in by law. The pending update, released in draft form in 2012, drew Sandoval County for mixed-use developments.” fifty thousand comments, 17,000 from the Placitas area. County staff, however, said the request conflicts with the county’s general zoning ES-CA also was involved in the annexation into the town of rules for SU zones and, in particular, the Placitas Area Plan (PAP), adopted by the Bernalillo of the Fisher Sand and Gravel quarry south of NM 165. County Commission in 2009. The PAP established a nonresidential district, covering That contributed to a 2015 agreement that limited quarrying to the Homestead property and a separate transition zone near Interstate 25, that could seven years with two more years to remove remaining stockpiles. include high-density residential development. Developers pursuing condominiums, townhouses, and the like traditionally face a —continued next page

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County enlists Cupid for Valentine’s wedding event from page 8——zoning ~SIGNPOST STAFF tough sell in Placitas. Neighborhood If you want to make your own history by marrying on will need the same documentation. opposition helped torpedo two zoning Valentine’s Day, Sandoval County and one of its judges First, of course, the couples must obtain a wedding amendments in recent years: the Sage have just the venue. Billed as the first-ever Cupid’s Kiss license from any county clerk’s office, typically for co-housing project—a community Pop-Up Wedding Event, the venue is historic El around $25. They’ll need to bring it with them along building and a collection of duplexes Zócalo—the 135-year-old convent turned into an events with current photo IDs for themselves. Witnesses, who and triplexes—on six acres in south- center by the county. The interior grassy courtyard with must be at least 18, also need photo IDs. western Placitas in 2017, and attempts fountains and a sweeping view of the Sandia Moun- Ceremonies conducted by Magistrate Judge Ann ending in 2012 to develop high-density tains is a stunning focal point for any wedding, accord- Maxwell-Chavez are scheduled every twenty minutes. housing on what is known as the ing to the event announcement. A link displayed prominently on the homepage of the Cashwell property between Ranchos “The El Zócalo Event Center has had the honor of county website SandovalCountyNM.gov leads to more de Placitas and Overlook Drive in east- hosting scores of weddings for countless happy cou- information and a registration form. ern Placitas. ples, and we wanted to open our doors and share this Several sponsors are handling decorations, flowers, a P&Z Commission meetings are held stunning historic venue with the public as a show of photo booth, and complimentary cake and sparkling in the County Commission chambers appreciation to the community and beyond,” El Zócalo cider. A food truck will park nearby. at 1500 Idalia Road off State Road 528 manager Belle Allen said. El Zócalo is located at 264 South Camino del in far southwestern Bernalillo. Meet- Cupid’s Kiss is available on February 14, from 11:00 Pueblo—Bernalillo’s main street, 0.2 miles south of U.S. ings are streamed live and archived a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Future spouses will need to do some Highway 550. on the county website: planning and register in advance to secure a ceremony SandovalCountyNM.gov. time. Walk-ins take their chances on available space and

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Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • FEBRUARY 2020 • Page 9 Second phase of railroad fencing on track for Bernalillo

~SIGNPOST STAFF Plans are moving ahead to fence more of the railroad tracks through Bernalillo and add another pedestrian crossing, although an initial cost estimate exceeds the money available. That won’t stop the project but might scale back some design details, according to Jerry Parker of Parametrix, the engineering firm preparing plans for the Rio Metro Regional Transit District. The final design is about sixty percent done, and the target for beginning construction remains late this year, he said during a January 13 public hearing at Bernalillo Town Hall. The work likely will take at least nine months, Parker said. About $1.7 million is available for the project, with the preliminary design estimate $300,000 above that, he added. The first phase of the work, completed in April, 2019, installed decora- tive fencing on both sides of the track from Avenida Bernalillo north, about 2,200 feet, to Calle Presidente and cre- ated a paved pedestrian crossing with gates and warning signals at the down- town Rail Runner Express station. This second phase will extend the existing Prescribed burn planned PUBLIC fences and trails south to Lucero Avenue and north to the Sandoval County/US 550 Rail Runner station. for Sandoval County Short, lighted posts are planned for SAFETY part of the new trails. ~JAMIE GARCIA “When the town put in the trail on Beginning January 24 through April 30, the Bureau of ings that could con- Don Tomas, I was real skeptical,” Land Management’s (BLM) Rio Puerco Field Office tribute to high intensity crown fire under the right Mayor Jack Torres said. “As soon as it will conduct a prescribed burn at the Perea Nature conditions. Historic uses and active fire suppression was built, people were using it… To me Area on approximately twenty acres of salt cedar and have interrupted the natural fire regime in this fire- this is one more amenity for people in Russian olive tree piles. dependent ecosystem. This has resulted in hazardous this area. This is a section of town that The project is located along the Perea Nature Trail, fuel accumulations and increased stand densities, hasn’t gotten a lot of attention.” which is within the Rio Salado Riparian area, approxi- which contribute to the decline of wildlife habitat and A second protected pedestrian cross- mately one mile south of San Ysidro off Highway 550. the potential of catastrophic wildfire. ing is to be installed near where the Prescribed fire signs will be posted along Highway For additional information about this project, con- Bernalillo Acequia flows under the 550 during the day of the burn. The smoke may be tact BLM Rio Puerco Field Office Prescribed Fire Spe- tracks. The acequia ditch road already is visible from Highway 550. cialist Pete Rivera at 761-8943. You can also follow an unofficial trail used especially by stu- The goal of this project is to employ management- implementation of this project on NMFireInfo.com, on dents living east of the tracks and ignited prescribed fire to reduce hazardous fuel load- Twitter @nmfireinfo or on Facebook.com/nmfireinfo. attending Bernalillo High School on the west. A striped and signed crosswalk is planned for Avenida Bernalillo at the tracks, and small ponding areas near Rio Rancho Fire Rescue donates t-shirt sale proceeds the acequia crossing are intended to control some storm runoff in a known ~JESSICA DURON-MARTINEZ, LIEUTENANT, RIO RANCHO FIRE RESCUE trouble spot. During the month of October, firefighters from Rio her treatment of breast cancer. Beth has requested that The ponding areas will require buying Rancho Fire Rescue (RRFR) wore special t-shirts on the funds be donated to the Making Strides Against some private land, Parker said. duty to help raise money and increase awareness for Breast Cancer campaign. Torres noted that the push for safety Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence awareness. The • Stacey Elliott is a nurse who has dedicated her life improvements along the tracks was proceeds of t-shirt sales during the month aimed to to helping others. Stacey is also fighting a brave battle driven by pedestrian fatalities, and state address these issues on a local level. Firefighters against breast cancer. funding was acquired by Rep. Jane donned pink (breast cancer awareness) and purple • Haven House helps families that have been affected Powdrell-Culbert, whose district (domestic violence awareness) as they responded to by domestic violence. The facility provides assistance, includes part of Bernalillo. According to emergency incidents throughout Rio Rancho. They emergency sheltering, advocacy, training, and support Federal Railroad Administration statis- offered information on how the public could purchase for those affected by violence in their home. tics, since 1995 at least 13 people have the shirts. In partnership with the firefighter union and RRFR, the International Association of Firefighters died after being hit by trains in a local vendor, the profits from the t-shirt sales went to Local 4877, and Screen Kings Print Shop presented Bernalillo, although there have been no benefit three recipients. checks to these three recipients on December 16, at the recent fatalities. • Beth Pendergrass, of Rio Rancho Public Schools, for department’s headquarters at 1526 Stephanie Road SE.

PAGE 10 • FEBRUARY 2020 • SANDOVAL SIGNPOST • SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988 AROUND TOWN GARCIA TIRES, LLC “Fastest Tire in the North” 135 Camino Don Tomas Sandoval County picks builder for Bernalillo, New Mexico 87004 505-867-0041 Placitas Community Library additions • Now Offering ~SIGNPOST STAFF SIX MONTHS— Expanding the Placitas SAME AS CASH! Community Library • Interstate Batteries became more than hope ELKNAP • Toyo Tires and fundraising with the B • Brakes & Shocks awarding of a contract to ARB • Oil Changes

add nearly 2,700 square —B feet to the ten-year-old All Major Brands of Tires! structure. ATV Tires • Farm Tires Store Hours At their January 16 Truck Tires • Car Tires Monday thru Friday: meeting, Sandoval Custom Rims 7:30 am to 5:30 pm County commissioners Saturday: accepted the bid of WE CAN GET ANY 7:30 am to 12:00a $877,583, including state TIRE YOU NEED! Locally Owned gross-receipts tax from Anissa Construction Inc. of Albuquerque. The company’s past projects include the four-thousand-square- foot expansion of Santa Fe County’s Vista Grande Placitas Community Library sits ready for new expansion plan. Library in Eldorado, com- relies on fundraising for its operating expenses. pleted in 2014. In other action on January 16, county commis- Anissa was one of five companies to bid on sioners: the project. While one bid came in $23,000 • Accepted recommended salary adjustments lower, that bid overall was deemed not respon- for employees not covered by union contracts Rachael Tingen, DMD sive to the bidding requirements. The other bids whose current pay is below market for similar ranged from $95,000-$245,000 higher than the skills. This follows the first salary survey since Anissa offer. 2012 amid concerns pay disparities are driving At Signpost deadline, details still were being away current employees and complicating the worked out before the actual contract signing. hiring of new ones. Recurring tax revenue from Construction is expected to begin in the next growing property valuation and the new Inter- month or two and take up to eight months. net sales tax are funding the boosts. Community members organized the library in • Endorsed the Legislature repealing the tax 2003, opening early the next year in 1,200 square on Social Security income to benefit lower feet of rented space on Tierra Madre Road. In income residents and help attract retirees to the 2010, a combination of state and federal money state. However, commissioners said the repeal is For the best general dentistry and local fundraising allowed the move into unlikely in the current thirty-day session of the nearly three times as much, newly built, space Legislature and may have to wait until next at 453 Highway 165 adjacent to Sandoval year. County Fire Station 41. • Approved a policy to manage the creation of The expansion, which includes both increas- official county social-media sites and restrict the ing the footprint of the building and enclosing a use of county logos, uniforms, and other images patio and breezeway, will add gallery and meet- on personal sites. ing spaces and children and adult reading areas. • Adopted a policy directing all news-media Two large donations from Placitas residents, 3 Homesteads Rd., Ste. B requests for information and interviews to the Placitas, NM 87043 plus smaller contributions and state capital-pro- county manager, public information officer, ject funding assembled by area legislators are elected officials, or sheriff’s and fire department covering the design and construction costs. media liaisons. During emergency situations the The library, staffed by recently hired librarian manager and PIO would be primary contact Tim Blevins and a small army of volunteers, points.

Public meeting held for Southern Boulevard Restoration Project Phase 3

~ANNEMARIE L. GARCÍA, COMMUNICATIONS & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICER, CITY OF RIO RANCHO

The City of Rio Rancho invites citizens to attend a crack seal and patching from 15th Street to Unser imately $2.1 million and is funded by the City of public meeting regarding Phase 3 of Southern Boulevard, a new right turn lane at the intersection Rio Rancho ($1.2 million), New Mexico Department Boulevard construction. The meeting will take place of Baltic Avenue and Southern Boulevard, and new of Transportation ($760,000), and Sandoval County on February 6, at 6:30 p.m., at the Puesta del Sol ADA compliant ramps throughout the project lim- ($100,000). Elementary School cafeteria—450 Southern Boule- its. For more information about Phase 3 of the South- vard SE. This project will improve the safety, accessibility, ern Boulevard Restoration Project, visit Phase 3 of the Southern Boulevard Restoration and overall function of the roadway. The City will www.rrnm.gov/southern. Project stretches from Unser Boulevard to Rainbow begin construction on February 10. The duration of Boulevard. The project includes construction of new the project is approximately four months. The con- roadway from Rainbow Boulevard to 15th Street, struction cost for this portion of roadway is approx-

Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • FEBRUARY 2020 • Page 11 ©JATW2020

JEWELERS & GEMOLOGISTS 892-3841 909 36th Pl. SE Rio Rancho (Across from Turtle Mountain Pub)

OPEN: Monday–Friday 10am-5:30pm Saturday 10am-4pm • harrisjewelersnm.com

PAGE 12 • FEBRUARY 2020 • SANDOVAL SIGNPOST • SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988 Placitas horse council to ECO-BEAT ponder policy statement ~BILL DIVEN An advisory group meeting this month will • Allowing volunteer feeding and watering of consider asking the Sandoval County Commis- horses away from roadways and consideration sion to adopt several policies related to free- of designated feeding sites; roaming horses and their human interactions in • Discouraging close human-horse contact as Placitas. unsafe for both; According to a draft agenda, the Sandoval • Not installing cattle guards due to potential County Free Roaming Horse Advisory Council hazards; also will hear updates on the breeding-control • Continuing strict enforcement of speed lim- program and the working draft of a manage- its and using signage and informational meth- ment plan. The quarterly public meeting is ods to alert and slow down motorists. scheduled for February 25, from 2:00 to 4:00 Mountain Taylor Mustangs (MTM) is sched- p.m., in the county commission chambers off uled to report on its progress in darting mares Idalia Road near State Road 528 in southwest with the contraceptive PZP. The county estab- Bernalillo. lished the advisory council in November, 2018, The final agenda will be posted no later than and contracted with MTM early in 2019 to 72 hours before the meeting, which will be count the horses, administer the PZP program, streamed live and archived on the county web- and work on a management plan. site: SandovalCountyNM.gov. MTM’s last update in October indicated at The position paper under consideration rec- least 140 horses in multiple bands roam Plac- ommends that the county commission continue itas. That compares to roughly ten years ago with fertility controls, support horse adoptions, when a few small bands and create horse sanctuaries or preserves mostly wandered remote appropriate for healthy horses and healthy public lands and IN THE GALLERY —by Rudi Klimpert range. If approved as proposed, the council also avoided residential recommends: areas. —B ARB B ELKNAP ANI T ENNIS —D

Glorious apricot tree in last summer’s healthy greenery. How to choose and care for your trees

The Placitas Community Library College. After retiring from fed- is pleased to announce a tree-care eral service, Tom became a San- seminar on February 29, from doval County Master Gardener, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., in the Collin Rio Rancho Tree Steward, Cor- meeting room. The seminar will rales Tree Preservation chairman, be conducted by Thomas an ABQ BioPark Zoo docent, and Neiman, an International Society a published author. He has been of Arboriculture (ISA) certified Certified Arborist, since 2018, Arborist. Tom will be discussing specializing in teaching and con- Old World medicinal plants for xeric gardens tree selection, how to plant, early sulting. His business, Village care, and pruning. He is a resi- Arborist, can be reached at 681- The Xeric Garden Club of Albuquerque invites you to join Dara Saville for a talk on the dent of Corrales. 4511. best medicinal plants for local cultivation. Her presentation on Saturday, February 8, from 10:00-11:30 a.m., will focus on healing herbs from the Old World including some of the Thomas Neiman was born and The Placitas Community most famous apothecary remedies. She will discuss growing conditions, harvesting, and educated in the Garden State of Library is located at 453 NM medicinal uses. Dara Saville is affiliated with Albuquerque Herbalism and the Yerba Mansa New Jersey, earning a Bachelor’s Highway 165, west of the San- Project. She has a Masters in Landscape Geography and Ecology Resource Management Degree in Economics at Upsala doval County Fire Station 41. and has also done fieldwork with the National Park Service. The talk will be held in the Piñon Room at the Albuquerque Garden Center, 10120 Lomas Blvd NE. Admission is free. For further information, go to xericgardenclub.org.

Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • FEBRUARY 2020 • Page 13 We're celebrating our ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY! We're very appreciative of our ABORATORY

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ILL Bernalillo High School students and faculty pose with Lt. Gov. Howie D

IVEN Morales after the BHS team was named one of the winners in the first New Mexico Science, Technology and Math Challenge. Pictured from left are Haley Mares, co-coach Lorelie Chavez, Izabella Ortiz, Ayanna Nieto, Ruben Gutierrez, Catalina Plancarte, Rinoa Mora, Rezeile Acantilado, Samuel Naranjo and coach Melba Acantilado. Ryan Maes and Ellen Jin- nett were unable to attend the judging.

Bernalillo High academic team scores in state STEM challenge

~SIGNPOST STAFF When Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced a competition for high school students to make New Mexico safer through science, technology, engineering, and math, Bernalillo High School (BHS) took up the challenge. On February 2, Alonzo Lucero celebrates fifty years in broadcast- BHS students took home top honors as one of ten teams whose members ing. He is shown (above) going strong during his three-hour week- earned cash awards and New Mexico Activities Association varsity letters after judging off their work in December. The first New Mexico Science, Technology, day program of Spanish music broadcast from KUPR 99.9 FM, Engineering, and Math Challenge drew 46 teams and about six hundred stu- the low-power Placitas community station. Lucero got his start in dents from public, private, and charter high schools around the state. Albuquerque where he would become program director at KAMX. The Bernalillo Town Council also recognized the BHS students and their fac- He’s worked at other stations, too, and can be heard on KUPR ulty sponsors with certificates during a recent council meeting. radio from 9:00 a.m. to noon; Wednesdays feature the Bernalillo “Bernalillo High School is known for sports,” said Councilor Dale Prairie, a BHS graduate like the mayor and rest of the council. “It’s good to see students Hour, while Fridays focus on corridos—narrative ballads. recognized for academics as well.” If your image is of a school science fair with dry ice creating smoke for a plaster volcano, those times have long passed. The BHS students titled their project: “Insecticidal Effect of Capsicum annum Extract to Manduca quinquemaculata.” A TRIBUTE TO ROY SKEENS Put simply, the students recognized a need of pueblo farmers and applied their STEM skills to develop an organic insecticide from chile peppers that Roy was a veritable gentleman, effectively killed hornworms. Those caterpillars feed incessantly on host plants the Don Quijote and are known in their adult form as a hawk moths or sphinx moths. of our historical society. The BHS team, co-coached by faculty members Melba Acantilado and Lorelie His lance was the pen with which Chavez, consisted of Rezeile Acantilado, Ellen Jinnett, Ruben Gutierrez, Rinoa he adorned all the tidbits Mora, Ayanna Nieto, Samuel Naranjo, Haley Mares, Catalina Plancarte, Ryan of information in El Cronicón. Maes, and Izabella Ortiz. Judges for the competition came from 19 STEM employers in the state, plus Never one to skip a beat educators, volunteers, and government officials, according to a news release with the task at hand Roy Skeens from Los Alamos National Laboratory. The lab coordinated and supported the he could be serious competition through its Community Partnerships Office and the LANL Foun- but down deep in his soul dation. he was a kid at heart. LANL also developed the challenge topic of “Keeping Us Safe” through data He always found levity security, health improvements, environmental conservation, disaster protection, to evoke a laugh or two and safeguarding food, water, and energy. to make your day a joyful one. “New Mexico has absolutely unlimited potential,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan

Grisham in the news release. “And this competition is an incredible showcase I will miss Roy of the ingenuity and passion of so many bright, talented New Mexicans… It’s a for we bacame good friends. Had I been reminder to all: New Mexico’s best and brightest are on the cutting edge of the short and pudgy, science and technology advancements that will define our shared future.” I would have offered The STEM employers provided the cash awards capped at $5,000 per team to be his erstwhile Sancho Panza divided among the students. The award for the Bernalillo team came from Pat- even without a donkey to ride. tern Energy, a developer of wind- and solar-energy projects including the 84- turbine Grady Facility that was recently completed in eastern New Mexico. —NASARIO GARCIA

PAGE 14 • FEBRUARY 2020 • SANDOVAL SIGNPOST • SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988 Placitas inspires a remarkable REAL THINKING OF Happy Valentine’s Day § § § § § § § musical coincidence SELLING? ~TONY HULL PEOPLE Sell your home faster and for more money! Where were you on April 15, 1977? I just dis- covered where I was, and some would call this connection synchronicity! I was just reminded of that night while in my graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, FREE HOME EVALUATION when I attended a concert by MacArthur Fel- lowship winning innovative vocalist and com- poser Meredith Monk, performed at the SandySandy PolingPoling University Museum Auditorium. Associate Broker, Realtor©, ABR I mentioned Meredith’s music to visiting [email protected] musician John Funk, then pulled down the record bought at the concert. John opened the Call(or)Text: (505) 250-0879 record folder and found that I had saved my ticket, the Concert Poster, and a description of the music. He started reading: “Songs from the Hill was composed in 1975 and I was able to meet a “child of Tawapa,” now living in Los Angeles, Phoebe 1976 in Placitas, New Mexico.” Minoa, who runs a marvelous international body jewelry company called Yikes! At that time, I had not been west of Tawapa. Meredith Monk is Phoebe Minoa’s aunt, and the place in Placitas Chicago, and never dreamt I would live in inspiring Songs from the Hill may well be Tawapa. To add to the coincidence, The West, let alone New Mexico. But I was Tawapa looks out on my house and vice versa! impressed enough by Meredith’s concert to save the ticket, poster, and descrip- I have noted coincidences most of my adult life. For example, during four tion. Then 17 years later, I began to be “entrapped by New Mexico” (suspect that years of the period I managed NASA’s JWST program in Northern Califor- has happened to many of us), a consequence of archaeology research trips to nia, I would cross paths with Sarah Creeley almost daily while walking, amazing Chaco Canyon. Somehow, this lead to buying my house in Placitas in only discovering the evening before my drive to Placitas that she was 2005. daughter of Robert Creeley and grew up in the Village of Placitas! And there When I moved to Placitas, I started historic research on the Hippie era here, are more coincidences connecting Placitas to Philadelphia of the 1970s. and expressed what had been shared with me in a series of Placitas Community One day I like to think I will apply scientific research tools (for example Library exhibits. Yes, Placitas of the 1960s and 1970s was notable! Tawapa is one Monte Carlo research design, statistical filtering, large data, and Bayesian occupation of hippie Placitas, and I had hoped to present and preserve its his- mathematics) to this, but let me say, I have experienced an unusually high tory. But that is for the occupants to tell! Now Tawapa is pretty much erased density of coincidences in Placitas! If you have too, please let me know? except in memories and photographs. It was located on the south side of And, of course, if you knew Meredith Monk in Placitas, please let me know! Camino de la Rosa Castilla by the creek. [email protected].

Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • FEBRUARY 2020 • Page 15 PAGE 16 • FEBRUARY 2020 • SANDOVAL SIGNPOST • SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988 Mindy Prokkos Mark Parkkeer Buying, Building or Selling Associate Brrooker ABR® Associate Brrooker 22 YeYear Placitas Resident 111Y Yeear Placitas Resident I’ve got you covered! 505-400-6488 505-554-5966 [email protected] [email protected] .rwww elocate2NM.com .markwww kparkerhomes.com New On Market! – 10 Atole WaWay – $721,000 ThThank k YYoou forf YYoour ContinuedCtidC CConﬁdence Aproximately 4,500 Square Feet – WWee Closed 24 Home Sales iin 2019 1.6 fenced acres 3 Car Garage 4 Bedrooms + separate studio/guest quarters FOR SALE Exceptionally Imaginative home 26 Horseshoe Loop binspir y Natured .e $499,900 Engage creativity in the 800+ sq. Peaceful mountainview ft. Studio/Guest Quarters with a location high quality eNorther xposurn p e that inspirp es. custom build Property includes gated entry & boasts a full size stone installation 31 Apache Mesa mimicking “Stonehenge” accurately aligned with the Solstices & $797,000 – offers brilliant daily sunsets. Must see to Experiennce! 4415 sf, 1 Acre Ultimate in luxury living in this spectacular home next to the National Forest, with amazing mountain views. 3-4 bedrrooms + den/media room. 2nd master/in-law suite. 4-car garage Mindy Prokos Our Listings TTuurn to SOLD Dedicated and Accredited Buyers’ Representative ABR® CONNECT WITH US. TEXT OR CALL WE DO IT ALL! Mobile: 505-400-6488 505 400 6488 www .rrelocateelocate2NM.come2NM com LA PUERRTTTAA REAL ESSTTTAAATTE SERRVVICES, LLLCC • ONE RIDGE COURRTT • PLAACCITTAAS, NM 87043 • 505-867-3388 • WWW.LAPUERRTTTAALLLCC.COM LA PUERTATA REAL ESTATATATE SERVICES, LLC • 505-867-3388 ONE RIDGE COURT • PLACITTAAS, NM 87043

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Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • FEBRUARY 2020 • Page 17 • Women’s Health • Same Day Appointments • Prenatal Services • Family Planning • Comprehensive Family • Behavioral Health Medicine

Steven L. Hartman, MD, Medical Director Rachel Rankin, MD • Rachel Marzec, FNP-PMHNP Felina Ortiz, CNM • Rebecca Casalino, CFNP Brie Anaya, CFNP • Marissa Cortes Mendez, CFNP, CNM Tamara Righettini, CFNP • Stephen V. Roper, CFNP Jennifer Webb, LPCC • Madeleine Stevens, LPCC Sandra Fortier, LCSW

Monday 8 am—5 pm • Tuesday 8 am—5 pm Wednesday 8 am—8 pm • Thursday 8 am—5 pm Friday 8 am—5 pm 121 Calle Del Presidente Bernalillo, New Mexico 87004

REAL PEOPLE ~CONTINUED Chester Nez: World War II Navajo Code Talker’s story retold ~SHEILA WOOD FOARD

“Born to the Navajo Nation, now a Hear how Nez volunteered to go Marine, I’d never seen the ocean to war even though his Navajo before enlisting,” recalled one of the people were not allowed to vote original code talkers, Private First and were punished as children if Class Chester Nez, on a transport they spoke their native language at ship to Guadalcanal, where the school. Japanese enemy waited in 1942. “I Hear how he and twenty-eight reminded myself that my Navajo others, who were articulate in people had always been warriors, Navajo and English, developed the protectors. In that there was honor. famed Navajo code, the only I would concentrate on being a war- unbroken spoken code in modern Private First Class Chester Nez talks with author Judith Schiess Avila rior and on protecting my home- warfare that helped the United land. Within hours, whether in States win the war against the harmony with this world or not, I Japanese. grandson Latham Nez. knew I would join my fellow Hear how the men devised After that belated recognition, Marines in the fight.” Navajo word equivalents for the Chester Nez recalled, “I was in Chester Nez died in 2014 at age English alphabet. They were espe- even greater demand as a speaker. 93. But his firsthand account lives cially pleased after settling on J and I traveled all over for interviews, on in Code Talker, the bestselling Z, the most difficult letters. “Jack- wearing my official code talkers’ memoir with author Judith Schiess ass,” code word tkele-cho-gi and uniform. A red peaked cap repre- Avila, who recorded and tran- “zinc,” code word besh-do-tliz. sented the Marines. A gold shirt, scribed seventy-five hours of tapes Hear how the code talkers were, with a third division patch on the of his spoken words. at long last, honored as heroes in arm, stood for corn pollen. Navajo Come hear how his wartime story 2001 for their WWII efforts. Presi- jewelry showed respect for the was preserved as author Judith dent George W. Bush awarded Con- Navajo people, the Dine´. Light- Avila and Latham Nez, Chester’s gressional Gold Medals to the colored pants recalled the earth grandson, present a New Mexico twenty-nine Navajos and recog- and all of its inhabitants.” Humanities Council Speakers nized some fourhundred other code Join us to hear author Judith Bureau Program “Chester Nez: talkers for “their individual service, Avila retell the heroic story of World War II Navajo Code Talker,” bravely offered and flawlessly per- Chester Nez. at 2:00 p.m. in the Collin Room of formed.” Accompanying Chester Chester Nez as a young man in WWII the Placitas Library on February 22. Nez was his family, including

PAGE 18 • FEBRUARY 2020 • SANDOVAL SIGNPOST • SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988 Preliminary data shows HEALTH MASSAGE THERAPY IN NEW New Mexico’s 2019 pecan PLACITAS STUDIO OPEN: Tuesdays thru Saturdays production reached record high Cate Clark by appointment

~KRISTIE GARCIA, PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR, NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Offering Hot Stones on The Sea of Tranquility, Restorative Integrated Massage Therapy Estimates show that New Mex- Craniosacral • Certified Lymph Drainage Therapist ico’s utilized pecan production in 2019 reached a record high 96.6 Call 505-401-4015 million pounds, up six percent GRICULTURE from the utilized production of A RiverStoneCate.com OF 91.1 million pounds in 2018. The Lic. #MT4607, BCTMB, CMLDT, ABMP preliminary data was included in the January 23 Pecan Production report released by the United EPARTMENT States Department of Agricul- ture-National Agricultural Statis- Free composting events —NM D tics Service. The pecan harvest will not be offered in Albuquerque complete until late February, at which time USDA-NASS will ~WYNETTE RICHARDS collect final crop data. The final Bernalillo County Extension Master Composters are crop production figures are sched- offering three composting events in February. Regis- uled to be released May 5. New Mexico’s utilized pecan production in 2019 reached a record high tration is required for all events. To register, send an New Mexico is ranked as the No. 96.6 million pounds, which was the highest in the nation. The value of email to: [email protected]. Class is open 1 pecan-producing state in the 2019 New Mexico pecan production was $170.02 million dollars. to all ages. United States. The estimated value • February 6: Raised Bed Gardening and Com- of 2019 New Mexico pecan production was According to the preliminary 2019 data, New posting. 10-noon. North Valley Senior Center—3825 $170.02 million dollars. Mexico had the highest utilized production, fol- 4th Street NW. The Land of Enchantment is also home to the lowed by Georgia at 69.0 million pounds. The • February 8: Bucket Composting with the highest pecan-producing county in the nation. report noted that many trees in Georgia were still Bokashi Method. 9-noon. Gutierrez-Hubbell House, According to the 2017 census, Doña Ana County recovering from the effects of last year’s Hurri- 6029 Isleta Boulevard SW. led the nation with 34,319 total acres, of which cane Michael, including broken roots and loss of • February 8: Home Composting Basics. 2-4 p.m. 31,891 were bearing acres. The state as a whole fruiting limbs. Hot dry weather in late August Bachechi Open Space, Education Building, 9521 Rio had 50,722 total acres of pecans, of which 44,434 through October also negatively impacted the Grande Boulevard NW. were bearing acres. Georgia yield.

Valles Caldera National Preserve ERVICE S ARK P L acquires property with ’ AT volcanic features N

~KIMBERLY DEVALL COURTESY TIME The National Park Service has completed PHOTOS the purchase of a forty-acre inholding

OFF TORY known as Sulphur Springs within Valles

Caldera National Preserve. The property —S contains volcanic features like sulfuric-acid hot springs, volcanic fumaroles, and steam- ing mud-pots, and supports a range of “extremophile” algae and bacteria living in View looking up Sulphur Canyon toward the high-temperature acidic pool and site from previous mining activ- hot springs and old mining area. stream environments. ity, eliminates safety hazards, and develops Acquiring Sulphur Springs was critical to visitor-related infrastructure. protecting the breadth of geothermal fea- Sulphur Springs was originally patented tures within the preserve, located in the in 1898 as a mining claim by New Mexico center of the Jemez Mountains volcanic businessman and politician, Maríano Otero, field in north-central New Mexico. Many of who mined sulfur at the site from 1902 to the geothermal features on the property are 1904. The Otero family then developed the found nowhere else in New Mexico, and site as a health resort spa, which operated similar sites are very rare in the western through much of the twentieth century United States. The only other places in the until it burned down in the 1970s. The United States that have such systems are property then passed to several private Yellowstone National Park, WY, Long Val- owners. In the late 1980s, Los Alamos ley Caldera, CA, Lassen Volcano, CA, The National Laboratory established an experi- Geysers, CA, and a very small system at mental geothermal well on the site, and a Dixie Valley, NV. small number of residents occupied the Public access and visitation to the site property into the early 2000s. will remain limited while the Park Service For more information, contact Valles Caldera National Preserve at conducts formal surveys of the property’s Dry fumarole mud pot in early summer (575) 829-4100. natural and cultural resources, restores the before the monsoon rains begin.

Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • FEBRUARY 2020 • Page 19 TIME OFF ~CONTINUED Outdoor Recreation Division launches new website

~BRUCE KRASNOW New Mexico Economic Development Department’s (EDD) Outdoor Recre- ation Division (ORD) launched an independent website on December 6, 2019. Come The new ORD site will be a valuable resource for outdoor recreation compa- by! nies looking to expand or relocate, as well as nonprofits and government agencies looking to get involved with the division’s work. Additionally, the website offers information, including a full list of the Bring ORD Advisory Committee as well as opportunities for volunteers. your “The Outdoor Recreation Division’s website and social platforms are intended to serve New Mexicans and out-of-state outdoor companies with Guests! news, up-to-date resources, and radical transparency. We hope these sites become hubs for people to learn about the state’s expanding outdoor recreation economy, as well as how they can get involved,” said ORD Director 40% OFF CLOTHING SALE!!* Axie Navas. (*on clothing not already on sale) If you’re a resident of New Mexico, the ORD invites you to submit your interest in volunteering or lending support to the outdoor recreation econ- 20% OFF THE ALREADY omy. They will connect you with organizations who are doing the “boots-on- MARKED-DOWN CLOTHING PRICES!! the-ground work” in that field. HURRY IN! Sale runs from FEB. 1 to FEB. 29 —W The Galleria Tamaya uniquely New Mexican gallery features

IKIMEDIA handcrafted jewelry, copper-work, alabaster sculpture, Zuni fetish carvings, authentic pueblo pottery, and much more! Find gifts and collectibles—truly special and exclusive to this area. C OMMONS Galleria Tamaya Located at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa 1300 Tuyuna Trail, Santa Ana Pueblo, NM 87004 OPEN: Mon.to Sat. 9:00 am. to 6:00 p.m. • Sun. 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (505) 771-6081 • [email protected]

Placitas Artists Series changes pace

Gypsum plant stands in White Sands National Park, New Mexico with Canada’s Beyond the Pale

~JAY RODMAN Gov. Lujan Grisham, state officials And now for something significantly different: the Placitas Artists Series presents Beyond the Pale, applaud creation of newest New definitely not your traditional chamber music group. The genre-defying Canadian ensemble per- forms acoustic pieces with roots in Klezmer and Mexico national park Balkan musical styles, incorporating elements of folk, jazz, bluegrass, zclassical music. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Tourism Secretary Jen Schroer, and Office of These three-time Canadian Folk Music Award Outdoor Recreation director Axie Navas issued the following statements winners have been playing concerts and perform- upon the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year ing for festivals for 22 years in Canada, the U.S., 2020, designating White Sands National Monument in New Mexico’s Otero Europe, Australia, and Brazil. The group features County a national park: Aleksandar Gajic on violin, Bret Higgins on bass, We Have Nets To Mend, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham: “This is wonderful news for New Mexico, Dejan Badnjar on accordion, Eric Stein on mandolin, by Bunny Bowen especially southern New Mexico. National parks draw tourists, including and Martin Van de Ven on clarinets. international and out-of-state visitors, and the money they spend will be an In a phone interview, Stein emphasized their dynamic approach to the economic boon for area businesses. I want to congratulate the members of the music they play, with tight instrumentation and virtuosic musicianship New Mexico congressional delegation—especially Senator Martin Heinrich spread evenly among the members. and Rep. Xochitl Torres Small—for their hard work to make this happen. The LA Weekly has described their performance as, “A bracingly modern, What an asset they’ve delivered for New Mexico. This is a priceless addition mind-blowing flight into a very new Jewish-Balkan atmosphere.” to our outdoor recreation portfolio.” The concert, which begins at 3:00 p.m., on February 23, is sponsored by Tourism Secretary Jen Schroer: “Last year, over 600,000 people visited Jadvyga Biskis and by Barb Reeback and Del Packwood. White Sands, making it one of our most popular attractions here in New At 2:00 p.m., immediately prior to the concert, a free visual artists reception Mexico. In 2018, New Mexico outperformed the national average for visits to will feature works by Bunny Bowen, wax-resist silk and mixed media; Patri- state and national parks, demonstrating how our National Parks inspire cia Gould, acrylic painting; Karl Hofmann, linocut prints; and Ray Ortiz, oil, travel. With the new designation of White Sands as a National Park, New watercolor, etc. Lee Small will present her artful handmade pillows at the Mexico will be able to take the marketing and promotion of our outdoor reception as the month’s “table display” artist. adventure experiences to new heights.” The concert and visual artist reception take place at Las Placitas Presbyte- Office of Outdoor Recreation director Axie Navas: “You cannot visit White rian Church in the village of Placitas, located six miles east of I-25 on NM 165 Sands and not be blown away by its remarkable beauty. And now, thanks to (Exit 242). The facility is completely accessible. the tireless work of Senator Martin Heinrich, Rep. Xochitl Torres Small, and For ticket information and further details, see page 2 of this Signpost. dozens of other committed New Mexicans, the area will finally get the Placitas Artists Series projects are supported in part by New Mexico Arts, a national park status that it deserves. This designation is one more step elevat- division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endow- ing southern New Mexico among the world’s top outdoor-recreation destina- ment for the Arts. For more information, email [email protected], tions.” call 867-8080, or visit www.placitasartistsseries.org.

PAGE 20 • FEBRUARY 2020 • SANDOVAL SIGNPOST • SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988 SANDOVAL ARTS Signature Series Portfolio ~ A Time in New Mexico

Deadline extended: Call for PAS visual artists (2020-2021)

The deadline for applications to the Placitas Artists Series (PAS) 2020-2021 season has been extended by one month from January 31 to February 29. The January issue of the Signpost contains a description of the program (Go to: sandovalsignpost.com, click on Back Issues, choose January 2020). Please complete the application linked on the PAS website: (www.placitasartistsseries.org/index.htm) and submit three electronic images of the type of work you propose to show by that date. The online application contains all relevant instructions. There is a non-refundable application fee of $15. José Eloy Cabaza | www.josecabaza.com | Placitas, NM Jury selection of artists will be completed by April 30. For additional Fine Art Photography and Note Cards information, contact Steve Palmer, PAS Visual Arts Chair, at 510-684-4447 or [email protected].

Songwriting workshop at PCL

~MARLANE BARTON Anna Rudolph is a Placitas songwriter with lots of street cred for the eight short years that she has been writing, playing, and singing. With over two hundred original songs on her play list, three CDs, several singles and ten nomina- tions in various categories for a New Mexico Music Award (NMMA), Anna has immersed herself in various aspects of writing, singing, and recording. Anna will be offering two songwriting work- shops in February at the Placitas Community Library—453 Highway 165. The classes are on Anna Rudolph February 2 and February 9, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. To sign up, send a request to [email protected]. Class is limited to 12 persons. Classes are open to all levels, and there is a third, optional, performance class. Keyboards and guitars will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring any additional instruments.

“Tokens of Affection: From the Heart,” features jewelry artists Rosemary Breehl and Geri Verble

~JOAN FENICLE Studio-made jewelry is neither precious nor cos- tume jewelry; it is art designed to be worn, a dialogue between the artist, the wearer, and viewers. It is a wearable story—sometimes warm and comfortable, sometimes unpre- dictable and ambiguous. These one-of-a-kind, original pieces are always a personal statement, understood by the artist and the wearer, one that will be treasured and shared for a lifetime, perfect for Valentine’s Day gifting. Rosemary Breehl’s artistic journey has been one of experimentation and wonder. She is best known for her affordable and lightweight ear- Turquoise necklace, rings made from aluminum or silver wire, but she by Geri Verble also creates a variety of pendants and necklaces, often incorporating tiny collages and original watercolor images. Her work has evolved to include mixed metals and more complicated designs that usually start with the Wild Hearts Gallery—221-B, NM-165 in Homestead Village. flat metal sheets which are cut, hammered, In the spirit of Placitas business community support, Blades’ Bistro and soldered, fired, polished, and coaxed into her Wild Hearts Gallery have partnered to bring you a special way to complete vision. your evening on February 7 by offering a free appetizer or free dessert with Geri Verble is renowned for her tribal, and your Gallery purchase. See the gallery or restaurant for details. ethnic, jewelry. She developed her passion for On February 10, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., a jewelry workshop will be collecting ethnic beads and pendants while offered at the gallery. Participants will create a heart and pearl lariat neck- traveling with the Peace Corps, and that pas- lace which will be displayed at the gallery. The cost for the class is $10. Reg- sion has lasted a lifetime. She enjoys sharing Copper Pendant, istration and payment for the class begins on February 1 at the gallery. The these treasures through the design of unique by Rosemary Breehl class is limited to ten participants. pieces of jewelry. Featured this year are hand- Wild Hearts Gallery is an artists’ collective, supported by 15 longtime local crafted Mexican sacred heart pendant necklaces. artists. Wild Hearts Gallery is open Tuesday through Friday, from 11:00 a.m. There will be an artist reception on February 7, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., at to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • FEBRUARY 2020 • Page 21 SIGNPOST COMMUNITY CALENDAR

To submit a listing, send it to: [email protected]. Deadline for submission First Wednesdays: Free civil legal clinic offered. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Held in the third-floor is the twentieth of the month prior to publication. The calendar is a free community conference room of the Second District Courthouse, at the southwest corner of Lomas Saturdays: Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque Growers’ Market. Free. Sep.-Nov. 8 service provided by the Signpost to nonprofits and for cultural events of interest to res- and Fourth, NW. Free legal advice on a number of civil legal issues. No family law serv- a.m.-noon. Fresh vegetable, fruits, herbs flowers, jams, cheeses, arts and crafts. Live idents of Sandoval County. ices will be offered. Attendance is limited to the first 25 persons who qualify for low- music. Voted “Best In City.” Accepts WIC/Senior. At Village of Los Ranchos tennis court Example: “First Monday” means the first Monday of each month. income assistance. Interpreters and bilingual attorneys will be on hand. Attendees parking lot. losranchosgrowersmarket.com. should bring all of their paperwork. Expect about a thirty-minute, free legal consulta- Daily: The Mayor Hull Show. Go to rrnm.gov/mayorhullshow. Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg tion. 797-6077. Second Saturdays: Friends of the Library Rio Rancho Monthly Book Sale. 10 a.m.-2 Hull talks about issues facing Rio Rancho. p.m. Held at the Loma Colorado Main Library auditorium—755 Loma Colorado Dr. Second Wednesdays: Rio Rancho Art Association (RRAA) monthly membership meet- NE, in Rio Rancho. Come early for the best selection. Admission and parking are free. Daily: Free hikes at Valles Caldera National Preserve—from Magma to Magpie. For a ing. 6:30-8:30 p.m. RRAA is a non-juried/all mediums regional art association. You Info: folrr.org. complete list of activities at the National Preserve, go to need not be a resident of Rio Rancho to join. Held in Don Chalmer’s Ford Community https://www.nps.gov/vall/index.htm. Room, 2500 Rio Rancho Boulevard, Rio Rancho. www.rraausa.org, www.rioranchoar- Second and fourth Saturdays: Placitas Community Flea Market. 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Held at tassociation.blogspot.com or 301-2009. Homestead Village on Highway 165 in beautiful Placitas. Vendor spaces are $10 for each Monthly: Various community events at Rio Rancho Libraries. Rio Rancho libraries— 10x15 space. Spaces are on a first come basis. We cannot sell food, beverages, or Esther Bone and Loma Colorado—will be hosting a variety of events all month long Second and fourth Wednesdays: Sandoval County Civitans. 6:00 p.m. Held at Fair firearms. Vendor set up time is from 5:30 a.m. Bring your own table, chairs and tents, ranging from book signings, to poetry readings, lectures, concerts, arts and crafts, meet Winds, 920 Riverview Drive SE, Rio Rancho. 898-6884. which must be weighted down in case the winds pick up. All vendor fees go to a and greets, etc. For more information about the library or each month’s activities, visit selected charitable organizations. For additional information, contact Nancy Holley at www.riorancholibraries.org. Third Wednesdays: Meeting of the Coronado Optimist Club. 6-7 p.m. Held at the Range 515-4323. Cafe in Bernalillo. Monthly: Urban Horticulture Classes. Sponsored by the SandovalMasterGardeners.org. Third Saturdays: Rio Rancho Northwest Mesa NAACP meets. 11 a.m. Held at Don New- Free. Open to public. Registration preferred. Sandovalmastergardeners.org/public- Third Wednesdays (except December): Las Placitas Association Board meeting. 6:30 ton Community Center. Public is invited. www.rrnwmnaacp.org. class-registration. p.m. Held at the Placitas Community Center. lasplacitas.org. Sundays: Corrales Growers’ Market. 9-noon. Located at Corrales and Jones Road. 259- Mondays: Bernalillo/Placitas open Al-Anon meeting for families and friends of alco- Thursdays: Using Microsoft Word at the Martha Liebert Public Library. 10 a.m. Regis- 0203. holics/problem drinkers. 7:30-8:30. Held at the Bernalillo United Methodist Church, tration a must. 867-1440. 136 Calle Don Andres (behind Abuelitas), Bernalillo, 262-2177. January 31: Rio Rancho Astronomical Society monthly meeting. 7:30 p.m. Special guest Thursdays: El Club del Libro—Our monthly Spanish Book Club. 6-7 p.m. Recurring. speaker Dr. Diana Dragomir will give a talk on, “The Mysteries of Super-Earth Exoplan- Second and fourth Mondays: Bernalillo Town Council meeting. 6:30 p.m. Held at Held at Loma Colorado Main Library Rio Rancho History Room. Join us in reading a ets.” Held at Rainbow Park Observatory—301 Southern Boulevard in Rio Rancho. Bernalillo Town Hall. Info: call 867-3311, townofbernalillo.org. book in Spanish, improving conversation skills, and meeting interesting friends who www.rrastro.org. wouldn’t have the opportunity to cross paths without “El Club del Libro.” This month, Second and fourth Fridays: Westside Neuro Choir—A chorus for adults living with in coordination with PBS’s The Great American Read program, we will discuss Ben- February 1: Valentines and mini-Sestina making. 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Held at Jules’ Poetry brain challenges & caregivers. Includes ALS, brain injury, MS, Parkinson’s, strokes, and diceme, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya. No registration required. Walk-ins welcome! Please Playhouse in Placitas. Leave this fun class with a hand-made valentine or two and a others. 1-2:30 p.m. Held at Grace Outreach Church, 2900 Southern Boulevard, in Rio note new day and time. start on or finish a short poem. Taught by Jules Nyquist. $20, all materials included. Rancho. Use entrance on the south side of the of the building. For more info, contact Pre-register at www.poetryplayhouse.com (click on classes/retreats tab) or walk-ins Sheri Armendariz at 917 7981 or [email protected]. Thursdays: Sandoval County Historical Society archives and library are open to mem- welcome. [email protected]. bers and the public for family research, 9 a.m.-Noon. Bernalillo. Info: 867-2755. Mondays through Fridays: Placitas Mothers’ Day Out childcare. A caring, cooperative, February 5: Jardineros de Placitas monthly meeting. 9:30 a.m. Held at Las Placitas community childcare program since 1989. Hours: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. daily, $23. Info: Ms. First Thursdays: Sandoval County veteran’s outreach and business counseling. 1-4 p.m. Presbyterian Church. This month features speakers from ten charitable organizations Debbie Steuber, 867-3371. Held at the Sandoval County Administrative Building, 1500 Idalia Road in Bernalillo. in the Placitas area in the “Benevolence Fair Table Talks.” Speakers will explain their All honorably-discharged veterans may be entitled to VA benefits and state Veteran programs and illustrate their community work. Jardineros de Placitas is a social, Tuesdays: Teen Hang Out at the Martha Liebert Public Library. 4 p.m. 867-1440. benefits. Come learn about your potential benefits. Bring your DD-214. 383-2414. benevolent, and charitable community-based organization for residents of Placitas. In Tuesdays: Yoga with Patricia, 1-2 p.m., at the Town of Bernalillo Martha Liebert Public addition to monthly meetings, members support local community organizations and Library, 124 Calle Melinche, Bernalillo, NM 87004, (505) 867-1440. First Thursdays: Art and Music at the Loma Colorado Main Library Auditorium, Rio participate in community service projects and twenty varied interest groups. www.jar- Rancho. Info: riorancholibraries.org, 505-891-5013. dinerosdeplacitas.org; Karen Cox at 867-2399. Tuesdays and Thursdays: Pickleball at the Bernalillo Community Center. 1-4 p.m. Pick- leball is a game played on a court with paddles and a whiffle ball. The court is smaller First and third Thursdays: Sandoval County Commission meeting. 6 p.m. Unless other- February 7: Artist reception for jewelry artists Rosemary Breehl and Geri Verble at than a tennis court and allows people to play who no longer want to run and jump as wise noted, all meetings will be held in the Sandoval Administration Building, 1500 Wild Hearts Gallery. 4-7 p.m. Found at 221-B, NM-165 in Homestead Village. Get a free they did in their younger years. Anyone can play, even if they have never played tennis. Idalia Road Building D, Bernalillo. Info or meeting agenda: www.sandovalcounty.com, appetizer or free dessert at Blade’s Bistro afterwards with any Gallery purchase. 934-2649. 867-7500. February 8: Xeric Club presents Old World Medicinal Plants for Albuquerque Gardens. First Tuesdays: Albuquerque Newcomers’ Club Welcome Coffee. 10 a.m. Held at Sandia Second Thursday: The New Mexico Parkinson’s Coalition (NMPC) meets. 1:30-3 p.m. 10-11:30 a.m. The Xeric Garden Club of Albuquerque invites you to join Dara Saville Presbyterian Church (not affiliated with church)—10704 Paseo del Norte. Membership Held at Grace Outreach at 2900 Southern Boulevard SE in Rio Rancho. The NMPC for a talk on the best medicinal plants for local cultivation. Her presentation will focus is open to residents who have lived in the Albuquerque area (including Sandoval works to enhance the quality of life for individuals with Parkinson’s through education, on healing herbs from the Old World including some of the most famous apothecary County) for five years or less, or who are having major changes in their lives. Make new awareness and support for those with the disease. For more information, call 219-5065 remedies. She will discuss growing conditions, harvesting, and medicinal uses. Dara friends and increase your social life. Sign up for monthly luncheons and speakers, din- or visit the website: nmparkinson.org. Saville is affiliated with Albuquerque Herbalism and the Yerba Mansa Project. She has a ing out, visits to area attractions, book and movie groups, bridge, bunco, mah jongg, Masters in Landscape Geography and Ecology Resource Management and has also walking, wine tastings, etc. Singles’ and men’s groups. Second Thursdays: Visionary Arts & Crafts Guild (VACG). 6-8 p.m. VACG is a group of done fieldwork with the National Park Service. Piñon room at the Albuquerque Garden [email protected]. 321-6970. juried artists whose mission is to develop a fellowship among craftspeople and facili- Center, 10120 Lomas Blvd NE. Free. Info: www.xericgardenclub.org. tate a market for crafts. The VACG supports the “Art of Craft” through exhibitions, edu- First Tuesdays: Coronado Kennel Club Meeting. 7:30 p.m. All-breed kennel club. Sched- cation and public awareness to promote the development and appreciation of February 8: Music in Corrales Event. 7:30-9:00 p.m. Held at the Old San Ysidro ule changes in August and December. Call 867-4510 for meeting location. craftspeople and their work. Baptist Church of Rio Rancho Adult Education Center, Church—966 Old Church Road—in Corrales. Advance tickets are no longer available. 1909 Grande Avenue, Rio Rancho. [email protected], 948-3132. A limited number of tickets are frequently available at the door. Third Tuesdays: Monthly meeting of the Republican Party of Sandoval County (RPSC). www.musicincorrales.org. 7 p.m. Held at the Gospel Light Baptist Church, 1500 Southern Boulevard in Rio Ran- Third Thursdays: Placitas Community Library Board of Directors Meetings. At the cho. www.SandovalGOP.com. Placitas Community Library, 453 Hwy 165. 6:30 p.m. Open to the public. Meeting agen- February 10: ESCA Board Meeting. 4-5:30 p.m. Held at the Placitas Community das are posted at the library and Placitas Post Office. Library, NM Highway 165. Open to the public. Third Tuesdays: Sandia Vista Amateur Radio Club. 7 p.m. Help provide emergency communications in Placitas. Become a “HAM” radio operator. We will help you get your Fourth Thursdays: Sandoval County Development Planning & Zoning Commission. 6 February 14: Night Sky Charlie Christmann presents live at the Placitas Community FCC license. Visitors welcome. Held at the Placitas Fire Station No. 41, Hwy 165, near p.m. Held at the Sandoval County Administration Building, 1500 Idalia Road., Bldg. D, Library. 2 p.m. Charlie will discuss what’s happening currently in our skies and what the Library. Info: sandiavista.net.. Bernalillo. we, as individuals and a community, can do to protect this our dark skies from light pollution. Fourth Tuesdays: Pathways: Wildlife Corridors of NM monthly meeting. 6:30 p.m. Held Last Thursdays: Sandoval County veteran’s outreach and business counseling. 11 a.m.- at Placitas Community Center. Open to the public. pathwayswc.wordpress.com. Election 2 p.m. Held at 433 Meadowlark SE in Rio Rancho. All honorably-discharged veterans February 14: Cupid’s Kiss pop-up wedding event—come get married for free. 11 a.m.-4 of Board officers will be held on January 28. may be entitled to VA benefits and state Veteran benefits. Come learn about your p.m. Register in advanced at SandovalCountyNM.gov. Couples must obtain a wedding potential benefits. Bring your DD-214. 383-2414. license, bring current IDs, and a witness with a current ID. Ceremonies conducted Fourth Tuesdays: Eastern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority (ESCAFCA) every twenty minutes. Held at El Zócalo in Bernalillo—264 South Camino del Pueblo. meeting. 6 p.m. Held in the Town of Bernalillo Council Chambers. Persons wishing to Fridays: Bernalillo Farmers Market. 4-7 pm. through October. Offering be on the agenda or persons with disabilities who need accommodations should call fresh fruits, produce, herbs, and more. Under pavilion at Rotary Park. SNAP EBT dol- February 22: “Chester Nez: World War II Navajo Code Talker” at Placitas Community 771-7110 by the first Tuesday. Board meeting agenda is posted on the ESCAFCA web- lars are doubled. Vendors welcome. 228-5801. Library. 2 p.m. Join us to hear author Judith Avila retell the heroic story of Chester Nez. site (escafca.com) and at the front desk of the Town Hall by Friday preceding the meeting. Fridays: Toddler Time—music, stories, and crafts. 10 a.m. Held at the Town of February 22: Poetry class with Santa Fe poet John Macker, “Roaring Stillness Across Bernalillo-Martha Liebert Public Library from November 8-December 20. Closed on Open Ground.” 11 a.m.-2 p.m. This three-hour writing intensive, held at Jules’ Poetry Thanksgiving. 867-1440. Playhouse in Placitas, will propose several strategies for approaching the poem/prose. Fourth Tuesdays: Placitas Democrats and Friends. 6-7:30 p.m. Held at Placitas Commu- $60. Pre-registration required. www.poetryplayhouse.com (click on classes/retreats nity Library. Meetings are open to the public and feature candidates for local, state, Fridays: Sandoval County Stroke Support Group. 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Provides weekly tab). Questions/info: [email protected]. national offices. www.sandovaldemocrats.org, 259-5860. support to survivors of stroke, their caregivers, adult family members, and health care providers. Water and light snacks provided. No charge for meetings. Social outings February 23: CHS Speaker Series. 2 p.m. Docent Marty Henderson will present, “Fred Tuesdays: Haven House Domestic Violence Support Group for women whose lives have arranged six times a year. Geri: 620-8802. Harvey and the Harvey House Museum in Belen.” Old San Ysidro Church, 966 Old been touched by domestic violence. 6:30-8:00 p.m. Topics include: Dynamics of Church Road, Corrales. Info: Denise, 433-4102 or www.corraleshistory.org. Free. Domestic Violence, Safety Plans, Developing Healthy Relationships, and information Fridays: Celebrate Recovery—12 steps to finding freedom from hurts, hang-ups, and about available services. All sessions are confidential and free of charge. Held at Rio habits. 6:30 p.m. Held at the First Assembly Church, 274 Camino Don Tomas, February 23: Placitas Artist Series. Artist at 2 p.m.; concert at 3 p.m. Featuring visual Rancho First Baptist Church, corner of Route 528 and 19th Avenue. 896-4869 or 1-800- Bernalillo. 867-7226. artists Bunny Bowen, Patricia Gould, Carl Hoffman, Ray Ortiz, and Lee small and musi- 526-7157. cal guest Beyond the Pale, from Canada. The concert and visual artist reception take First Fridays: Monthly luncheon of the Democratic Party of Sandoval County. 11:30 place at Las Placitas Presbyterian Church in the village of Placitas, located six miles Wednesdays: Seniors (62+) ride free on the Rail Runner. Bring valid photo ID (with a.m.-1 p.m. Range Cafe in Bernalillo, 925 Camino del Pueblo. Sandoval Democrats east of I-25 on NM 165 (Exit 242). The facility is completely accessible. For ticket infor- birthdate). gather once a month (most months) to welcome speakers, candidates, and government mation and further details, see page 2 of this Signpost. representatives. You pay for your lunch from the menu, or come for just the meeting. Wednesdays: Thinking Straight open meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous. 6-7 p.m. Have www.sandovaldemocrats.org. February 23: CHS Speaker Series. Docent Marty Henderson will present, “Fred Harvey a Desire to Stop Drinking? Celebrate Sobriety with us and learn how to stay sober. Held and the Harvey House Museum in Belen.” 2 p.m. Held at the Old San Ysidro Church, at the First Assembly Church, 274 Camino Don Tomas (Room 8), Just south of Highway Second Fridays: Monthly luncheon of the San-Bern Federated Republican Women. 966 Old Church Road, Corrales. Info: Denise, 433-4102 or www.corraleshistory.org. 550 in Bernalillo. 266-1900. 11:30 a.m. Held at El Pinto restaurant—10500 Fourth St NW. The group offers meet- Free. and-greet luncheons to discuss business and politics for both Sandoval and Bernalillo Wednesdays: Cub Scout meetings. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Held at the LDS Church Center in County Republican interests. Aim is to promote an informed public through political February 25: Kaktus Brewing Series, poetry open mic with featured poets Nate Maxson Bernalillo, west of I-25’s Exit 240. New members are always welcome. 867-4689, 867- education and activity. All Republican women and men invited to attend. Contact Julie and Lauren Camp. 6:30 p.m. open mic sign up; 7 p.m. start. Kaktus Brewery—471 2047. Wright at 720-4883 or go to www.sanbernfrw.org. South Hill Road—in Bernalillo. This is a monthly series. Free. www.poetryplayhouse.com. Wednesdays: Rotary Club of Rio Rancho Sunrise. 7 a.m. For breakfast, fellowship, a Saturdays: Wildflower walks on the Sandia Ranger District. Starting at 9 a.m. There will great speaker, and a chance to get involved in local and worldwide service projects. At be an amenity fee of three dollars. Be sure to bring a hat, water, and sunscreen. Sandia February 29: Tree-care seminar: How to choose and care for your trees. 2-4 p.m. Held Club Rio Rancho (used to be Chamisa Hills CC), 500 Country Club Drive, Rio Rancho. Ranger District: 281-3305. in the Collin meeting room at Placitas Community Library—453 NM Highway 165. Info: Mac McKinney, 892-4313. Free. The seminar will be conducted by Thomas Neiman, an International Society of Saturdays: Casa Rosa Food Bank. Open 9-11 a.m. Held in the pink house east of Las Arboriculture (ISA) certified Arborist. Wednesdays: Urban Horticulture Class Continuing Series. 1-3 p.m. Sponsored by the Placitas Presbyterian Church at 640 Highway 165, six miles east of I-25. Community SandovalMasterGardeners.org. Free and open to the public. Registration preferred. outreach program provides nonperishable food items as well as dairy, frozen meats, March 28: Corrales Senior Center Spring Craft Fair. 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.. At Corrales SandovalMasterGardeners.org. Sandoval County Ext. Office, Bernalillo. 929-0414. and fresh produce as available for Placitas residents in need. Donations, volunteers wel- Senior Center. Shop for Easter, Mother’s Day, and more! come.

PAGE 22 • FEBRUARY 2020 • SANDOVAL SIGNPOST • SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988 ENJOY THE STARRY NIGHT SKY • REDUCE NIGHTTIME GLARE FEBRUARY 2020 NIGHT SKY CALENDAR TURN OFF OR SHIELD YOUR OUTSIDE LIGHTS DOWNWARD

February 2020 Night Sky

~CHARLIE CHRISTMANN

Join me! I will be doing a “Keep the Skies Dark” talk at the Placitas Community Library on February 15, at 2:00 p.m.

NEW MEXICO UFO? I received a couple of emails about something in the western sky on January 19, around 7:00 p.m. I, too, saw something bright hovering above the horizon and shimmering with blues, reds, yellows, and greens. It was truly a wonderful sight. With the Navy’s recent reveal that videos from its F18 fighters of a “TicTac,” and other objects of unknown origins flying off the coast of California, are gen- uine, UFOs are a hot topic. But I can burst all of the conspiracy bubbles on this sighting. What you were seeing was really the planet Venus (no I’m not doing a government cover up on this one). At 7:00 p.m., Venus was about twenty degrees above the horizon, shining at a very bright magnitude of -4.1 with about 77 per- Key: r = rise, s = set, a = am, p = pm, Qtr = quarter, Mag = magnitude (negative values are brighter than positive values), deg = degrees, N = north, E = east, S = south,W = west, Ill = Illumi- cent of its disk illuminated by the sun; the only thing brighter would have been nation. *next day, **previous day. Three middle fingers together at arm’s length span 5 degrees; the width of your little finger at arm’s length is about 1 degree. the Moon and sun, had they been up. From my home in Placitas, I could look out over the city of Bernalillo’s lights and see them twinkling and shimmering, too. The same effect caused Venus to here, the supergiant will begin to create heavier and heavier ele- look like it was changing colors. This effect is called refraction and works just like ments in its nuclear fusion furnace, including carbon, neon, oxygen, a glass prism. The atmospheric conditions were just perfect that evening to split and finally iron, to continue to shine. Iron is poison for a star—at the planet’s light into colors and splay them out in a rainbow of color, creating a this point making heavier elements no longer releases energy and tantalizingly, and mysterious-looking, display. the fusion process stops. With an iron core, the star quickly cools, collapses, and crushes the iron core, then explodes as a super nova. ALPHA ORIONIS: This will likely leave behind a neutron star with a colorful nebula Prominent in our night sky in winter is the constellation of Orion. It is likely the surrounding it. The nebula will be a wondrous sight with a tele- most recognizable grouping of stars. Four stars form the body: from top left clock- scope, and being so close, perhaps even binoculars would allow a wise, the stars are Betelgeuse, Bellatrix, Rigel and Saiph. The three belt stars are, peek. from left to right: Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka. If you look under relative dark Recently, Betelgeuse has dimmed significantly. It is now fainter skies, the sword is composed of Sigma Orionis nearest the belt, and four star clus- than it has been in more than one hundred years. Edward Guinan, ters below: NGC1981, NGC1977, M43, and NGC1980. using his backyard telescope, has watched Betelgeuse brighten and While Betelgeuse (traditionally magnitude +1.0) is considered the alpha, or dim over the past 25 years. In December, he watched as the star brightest, star in the formation, in reality Rigel (magnitude +0.05 to +0.18), the dimmed beyond its historical values, then keep on dimming. By beta star, outshines it. Rigel is a giant blue-white variable star 870 light-years mid-December, 2019, the star was only the 21st brightest star in the away and about 47,000 times brighter than the sun. Like most giant stars Rigel’s sky. brightness varies over time, but is not really noticeable without professional We know Betelgeuse is due to go nova; perhaps it already equipment. While it is only about eight million years old, its mass has caused it to exploded and the light has not yet reached us. The recent dimming have already exhausted its supply of hydrogen. In a few million years, it will has some astronomers speculating that the star is about to explode. become a super nova. Others believe this is just a longer cycle of dimming, and Betelgeuse Contrast Rigel’s bluish color with Betelgeuse’s rusty color. It too is a super- will come back to full brightness. Only time will tell if we get to wit- giant, but much redder in color. If Betelgeuse were to replace our sun, it is so ness a spectacular super nova in our stellar backyard, or if the star is large, that it would reach out to the orbit of Jupiter and maybe beyond. Like just taunting us. Rigel, it too is a variable; however, its brightness varies much more dramatically. When it does explode, it will be a wondrous sight, being only 640 Over the course of about four hundred days, it can vary between a magnitude of light-years away. But do not worry, that is far enough away to be +0.2 to +1.2. On average, it is the tenth brightest star in our night sky but can safe. The explosion will be so big and bright that will likely be visi- become number seven at times. ble even during the day for a few months. At night it could outshine At the age of around nine to ten million years, Betelgeuse is already nearing the the moon before slowly fading away over a year’s time. When it end of its existence. It has exhausted its hydrogen and most of its helium. From does explode, Orion’s outline will be forever changed.

Rio Rancho Astronomical The dark sky———a New Mexico natural treasure

~JUDY GAJKOWSKI Society meets The Rio Rancho Astronomical Society Did you know there is a Night Sky Protection Act in New On February 14, at 2:00 p.m., the Placitas Community will host its monthly public meeting Mexico? That there are 37 Night Sky Parks in the United Library will present a program on the dark sky by Charlie on January 31, at 7:30 p.m. The meet- States? That there are Night Sky Preserves? Or that Placitas Christmann, Placitas resident and former Sandoval County ing will be held at Rainbow Park sponsors night sky parties? Probate Judge. Charlie is best known for his monthly Sign- Observatory, located behind the Rain- New Mexico residents are blessed with dark skies filled post column on solar cycles, moon phases, and all things bow Pool—301 Southern Boulevard in with amazing displays of planets, stars, and comets, often “sky” worthy. He will update us on what's happening cur- Rio Rancho. More information can be visible to the naked eye and providing a perfect setting for rently in our skies, including our dark skies, and what we, found on our website at www.rras- night sky parties. as individuals and a community, can do to protect this sce- tro.org. Special guest speaker Dr. Diana To ensure that we preserve our dark skies, Sandoval nic resource from light pollution. You don't have to be a Dragomir will give a talk on, “The County has put regulations in place to ensure minimal scientist to help. In this presentation, Charlie will share Mysteries of Super-Earth Exoplanets.” light pollution, reduce glare, increase energy conservation, many common-sense, easy ways to protect this important The meeting is free and open to the and reduce lighting that affects astronomical observation. resource for future generations and also give information public, and telescopes will be set up Many local homeowners' associations restrict outdoor on dark sky adventures beyond our community. for observing after the meeting, lighting fixtures to those that are down-facing, shielded, Join us on Saturday, February 14, at 2:00 p.m., at the weather permitting. For more infor- and use the minimum amount of light needed. Placitas Community Library. mation, call RRAS Vice President Melanie Templet at 220-5355.

Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • FEBRUARY 2020 • Page 23 Eastern Sandoval Citizens Association (ESCA) GAUNTLET ~GEORGE FRANZEN, PRESIDENT, ESCA On January 15, the House Natural Resources Underscoring the community opposition to min- LETTERS • OPINIONS • LOCAL ISSUES Committee chaired by Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) ing, Rep. Haaland thanked him for trying “…to passed H.R. 2640—the Buffalo Tract Protection Act protect us from ourselves,” explaining that more The Signpost welcomes letters of opinion. Letters are subject to sponsored by Rep. Debra Haaland—out of Com- mining will actually inhibit in-migration and pop- mittee on a 20-13 recorded vote during a full Com- ulation growth, adversely impacting local and editing for length, clarity, libel, and other considerations. mittee markup. The bill is now eligible for floor state economic development. She cited BLM’s Send to: Signpost, P. O. Box 889, Placitas, NM, 87043 action by the House of Representatives. The Sen- Mineral Resources Potential and Foreseeable Develop- or [email protected] ate Energy and Natural Resources Committee had ment, which identifies plentiful gravel resources passed the bill out of committee on December 12, outside Placitas but within the market area that 2019, so S. 526 is eligible for floor action on the can satisfy demand for many decades. She also Senate side, also. cited the history of the existing Vulcan mine and re: 550 overhaul In presenting the bill for Committee approval, the community’s experience of “deceit” with own- Dear Signpost Editor: Rep. Haaland emphasized that the legislation ers and prior operators. This letter is in reference to your article on the US resulted from unified community support to pre- Other bill opponents present at the House Com- 550 overhaul, and we as residents of Bernalillo and vent more gravel mining in Placitas. She summa- mittee markup included: National Stone, Sand, business owners have several issues that we feel rized the history of the County’s opposition to and Gravel Association (NSSGA) and Vulcan, strongly need to be addressed. gravel mining, which dates to adoption of the which has current and future interests in Placitas This project is slated to take two years and is 1989 Sandoval County zoning ordinance. She also gravel mining. Vulcan recently completed having a major impact on traffic. Why is the plan- explained the failure of the 1992 BLM consistency exploratory testing on the Buffalo Tract and is ning so bad that everyone has to endure major has- review of the outdated 1986 Rio Puerco Resource eager to explain to the community why it wants to sles, often taking one hour to travel the short span Management Plan (RMP) to consider the local reg- initiate mining on this site. Sandoval County and from SR 313 to SR 528? If you have a long-enough ulatory framework, as required by law. That out- Placitas have always been good listeners. memory, you may remember that the Big I re-con- dated RMP is still in effect, leaving the Buffalo In Rep. Haaland’s words, “Passage of the Buf- figuration was done with minimal impact to traffic. Tract open to mining. For 20+ years, the commu- falo Tract Bill in committee brings us one step Has traffic planning deteriorated so much in the nity has worked toward an RMP revision. Unfor- closer to passing this community-driven effort to intervening period? Part of the issue is that this tunately, though the revised final RMP circulated protect public health, water, and cultural resources project is only being worked on Monday-Friday, for comment by BLM in 2012 has not yet been in Sandoval County.” Local community organiza- 7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., with no work on holidays or released, it is believed to allow mining on the Buf- tions understand that continued vigilance and a weekends. It looks like this project was based on falo Tract. strong community push are needed to get this leg- an early survey that showed 35,000 vehicles per Rep. Gosar (R-AZ), Ranking Member House islation over the finish line. Community solidarity day flow. If the later survey showed fifty thousand Subcommittee on Energy and Minerals, forcefully is absolutely essential to this process. vehicles per day, it does not seem that was taken opposed H.R. 2640 during the Committee markup, The next ESCA Board Meeting, which is open to into account. If the later figure was used, why is as he had at the Subcommittee hearing, on the public, will be held on February 10, from 4:00 the flow so horrendous? The only solution pro- grounds that the region will need Placitas gravel to 5:30 p.m., at the Placitas Community Library, posed by NMDOT has been: “Avoid Bernalillo” for public works projects and future growth. NM Highway 165. and “Have patience and understanding.” The arrogance of NMDOT and its secretary in the treatment of this project needs to be addressed on every level. How can we be patient and understanding when this is a major US Highway and re: Traffic affecting my business ought to have crews working 24/7, hopefully cutting the construction time in half. This update has Dear Signpost, been in the planning process for at least a couple of I regret to inform you that I have decided not to advertise the services of Animal People LLC in the years, so a statement or suggestion to just “Avoid Signpost while the Highway 550 construction project continues. Bernalillo” is, at the least, pathetic. It also totally The reconstruction of US Highway 550 has had a detrimental effect on my pet-sitting and dog-walk- ignores the plight of residents and businesses who ing business. have no options but to endure this travesty. Some of my Placitas clients require two-to-three pet visits daily (two-to-three round-trips through the Also, the whole issue of the “continuous flow construction area), and I cannot rely on traveling through that construction zone in a timely manner to intersection” at SR 529 and US 550 needs to be service these Placitas clients with my pet-sitting services. examined by someone with at least a modicum of Returning back across the river is also often fraught with traffic delays hampering my efforts to serv- common sense and practicality. We all have to deal ice my clients in my other service areas: Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, and Corrales. Sometimes I zip through with the atrocious traffic configuration at the I 25- the construction area in ten minutes. Other times it takes 35-45 minutes to get through the congestion. It US 550 interchange—now another chaotic inter- has become too difficult to plan on several daily pet visits to any client in Placitas and still ensure that I change a little further West on US 550? can service my other areas west of the Rio Grande. We have been asked to be patient by the The Highway 550 construction area has become dangerous, because of angry drivers who cut through NMDOT as they are doing everything they can to traffic and business parking lots. While I was stopped at the traffic light at Camino Don Tomas, I improve the situation. Well, it has been over a counted six drivers who, rather than wait to reach the intersection, pulled out of traffic to drive through month since your report and not only has there the corner gas station property to turn onto Camino Don Tomas. Being honked at because I won’t block been no improvement, it actually appears to have an intersection should a traffic light change only adds stress to an already aggravating situation. become worse. An alternate route doesn’t work for me either—I have tried that and it takes me 23 miles out of my I ask that the people who are most impacted by way in each direction! this project write to their state representatives, Thank you for all your help with advertising in the past years. I hope I will be advertising with you reminding them that this is an election year. again, when the construction is complete. Signed, —JANICE GLOWSKI, OWNER, ANIMAL PEOPLE, LLC —JANICE GORMAN AND ANIL POOVADAN, CC: COMMISSIONER DAVID HEIL Bernalillo CC: COMMISSIONER KATHERINE BRUCH

re: Dan Arreola re: Pathways works for wildlife CORRECTION: In the January issue of the Signpost, Pathways continues to work on preserving the wildlife corridor on the northern end of the Sandias, both a profile of author and cultural geographer through legislation to stop any gravel mining, along with other Placitas conservation groups, and with Daniel “Dan” Arreola erroneously called him our “Comments to Senator Udall” campaign. Please send your comments and photos of wildlife to: Don in the main text. His name was correct in Senator Tom Udall, C/O Pathways, at PO Box 305, Placitas, NM 87043. the photo caption. —PATHWAYS: WILDLIFE CORRIDORS OF NM, HTTPS://PATHWAYSWC.WORDPRESS.COM —”Gauntlet,” continued next page

PAGE 24 • FEBRUARY 2020 • SANDOVAL SIGNPOST • SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988 re: education and schooling Bernalillo Senior Center activities COMMUNITY The reform of our public education system is, once February 3: 10:00 a.m. coffee social, 10:00 a.m. painting, 12:30 p.m. bingo, 12:30 p.m. billiards CENTERS again, one of the most important and urgent priorities. February 4: 9:00 a.m. local shopping and line dancing, 12:30 p.m. As usual, such priority is both politically and economi- senior advisory meeting, 1:00 p.m. Spanish class, 1:30 p.m. painting a.m. line dancing, 1:00 p.m. Spanish class, 1:30 p.m. painting cally motivated. February 5: 8:00 a.m. Roadrunner mobile food pantry, 10:00 a.m. February 19: 9:00 a.m. Echo commodities, 10:00 a.m. line dancing, Albuquerque Museum If there is any truth in the fact that language is a vehi- 12:30 p.m. bingo February 6: 10:00 a.m. painting, 10:00 a.m. yoga, 12:30 p.m. Mexi- cle of the culture, and if the ancient Greeks were correct February 20: 10:00 a.m. painting, 10:30 a.m. yoga, 12:30 p.m. Mexi- can train dominoes, 12:30 p.m. crochet with Liz, 1:00 p.m. Town of can train dominoes, 12:30 p.m. crochet with Liz in their dictum, “The name of the thing is in the thing,” Bernalillo Museum Oral History presentation February 21: 10:30 a.m. Furr’s cafeteria, Albuquerque Garden Cen- then we have to take a close look at the etymology of February 7: 8:00 a.m. Walmart, 12:30 p.m. popcorn and fun ter with shopping February 10: 10:00 a.m. genealogy class at library, 10:00 a.m. coffee the word education. February 24: 9:00 a.m. fishing club, 10:00 a.m. coffee social, 10:00 social, 10:00 a.m. painting, 12:30 p.m. bingo, 12:30 p.m. billiards Education comes from the Latin educare, connected a.m. painting, 12:30 p.m. bingo, 12:30 p.m. billiards February 11: 10:00 a.m. line dancing, 1:00 p.m. Spanish class, 1:30 February 25: 10:00 a.m. line dancing, 1:00 p.m. Spanish class, 1:30 with ducere (to lead to), and educere (to take out of, to p.m. painting p.m. painting bring up, to raise). We observe that the Webster’s Dic- February 12: 10:00 a.m. line dancing, 10:00 a.m. Denny’s, movies, February 26: 10:00 a.m. line dancing, 10:00 a.m. train to Santa Fe tionary describes education as the process of training and Village Inn for lunch February 13: 10:00 a.m. painting, 10:30 a.m. yoga, 12:30 p.m. Mexi- and developing the knowledge, mind, character, etc., by February 27: 8:00 a.m. Walmart, 10:00 a.m. painting, 10:30 a.m. can train dominoes, 12:30 p.m. crochet with Liz formal schooling; but it leaves out the act of upbring- yoga, 12:30 p.m. Mexican train dominoes, 12:30 p.m. crochet with February 14: 10:30 a.m. billiards day, 1:00 p.m. snack potluck and Liz ing… and upbringing is the product of family life and Valentines Dance February 28: 10:30 a.m. Aging and Long-Term Services Depart- cultural tradition. February 17: 9:00 a.m. fishing club, 10:00 a.m. coffee social, 10:00 ment, 10:30 a.m. billiards game day, 11:00 a.m. Assessor’s Office, a.m. painting, 12:30 p.m. bingo, 12:30 p.m. billiards Education is an education, and eduction is the art of 12:30 p.m. birthday social, 1:00 p.m. birthday bingo educting or bringing out what is latent in an individual. February 18: 10:00 a.m. El Super Market in Albuquerque, 10:00 “Education is not the piling on of learning, information, data, facts, skills, or abilities” —Thomas Moore’s The CORRALES SENIOR CENTER SPRING CRAFT FAIR Education of the Heart). One of the big problems of our Corrales Senior Center activities Saturday, March 28th The show runs from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm time is that many are schooled, but few are educated. AGE REQUIREMENTS: 60+ years Shop for Easter, Mother’s Day, and more! It looks like sometimes things are not what they seem, OPERATION TIME: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. not what we expect, and more importantly, not what we LOCATION: 4324-A Corrales Road, Corrales have been led to believe. Mark Twain said, “I have ONGOING: Activities vary month to month. The Center also celebrates special never let my schooling interfere with my education,” Mondays: 8:15 a.m. Yoga, 9:30 a.m. Yoga, 3:30 p.m. Tai Chi events, and holds holiday parties, birthday socials, dances, and and George Bernard Shaw publically declared that, “The Tuesdays: 8:30 a.m. Zumba, 10:00 a.m. conversational Spanish, 2:00 informal presentations. Open gym equipment, pool table available p.m. Ukulele Jam (except second Tuesdays) only time my education was interrupted was when I daily. Wednesdays: 8:15 a.m. Yoga, 9:30 a.m. Yoga, 12:30 p.m. two-hour was in school.” Bingo, 3:15 p.m. Tai Chi But Gilbert Keith Chesterton goes to the core of the Call the Center for the full Activities Schedule at Thursdays: 8:30 a.m. Zumba, 10:00 a.m. Linus Project, 2:00 p.m. (505) 897-3818, or stop by to pick one up. matter when he affirms. “There is no such thing as edu- PWR! Group (first and third Thursdays) Fridays: 8:30 a.m. Beginning Line Dance, 9:30 a.m. Line Dance, cation. The thing is merely a loose phrase for the pass- 2:00 p.m. Chair Tai Chi ing on to others of whatever truth or virtue we happen to have ourselves. It is typical of our time that the more doubtful we are about the value of philosophy, the more certain we are about the value of education. That is to Placitas Community Center activities say, the more doubtful we are about whether we have WEEKLY PROGRAMS: 3:00 p.m. any truth, the more certain we are (apparently) that we Monday: Yoga 9:30 a.m., enhanced fitness 11:15 a.m., genealogy February 14: Santa Fe Senior Day at the State Capital can teach it to our children” (Illustrated London News, 2:00 p.m. February 17: Event planning committee 1/12/1907). Tuesday: Pilates class 8:15 a.m., Zumba 9:30 a.m., painting class February 18: Haircuts by appointment 10:00 a.m., massages with 9:30 a.m., bingo 1:00 p.m., billiards 12:00 p.m. Dhara 1:00-4:00 p.m. His mention of philosophy within the framework of Wednesday: Project Linus blanket making 9:30 a.m., cards 1:00 February 19: Shopping trip antiquing 11:00 a.m. Bernalillo area. education is crucial. Let’s remember that all philosophy p.m. billiards 9-3:15 p.m., chair yoga 2:00 p.m., tai chi 3:30 p.m. February 24: Card-making class 12:30 p.m. deals—in essence—with three major questions: What is Thursday: Pilates 8:15 a.m., yoga 9:30-11:00 a.m., enhanced fitness February 25: Fused-glass open workshop/ Stained glass demo 1:00- real? (ontology); What is true? (epistemology); and 11:15 a.m., beading class 1:00 p.m., billiards 2:15 p.m. 4:30 p.m., Trip to Meadow Lark Senior Center for food preparation Friday: Zumba 8:00 a.m., having fun with clay 9:30 a.m., painting demo 11:00 a.m. What is good? (axiology). Anyone who pretends to class 9:30 a.m., enhanced fitness 12:00-1:00 p.m., Bingo 1:00 p.m., February 26: Birthday social 11:30 a.m. think intelligently about educational philosophy and billiards 1:30 p.m., beyond the brush mixed media 1:30 p.m. February 27: Advisory Board Meeting 10:00 a.m. practice should possess a working knowledge of these three important questions. SPECIAL CLASSES/EVENTS: Light breakfast now being served for seniors from 8:30-10:30 a.m. The great Socrates taught us the fine art of asking February 4: Haircuts by appointment 10:00 a.m. daily. Come by and join us for breakfast and also lunch from 11:30 February 5: Food pantry 7:30 a.m., billiards game day 9:30 a.m. a.m.-12:30 p.m. daily with a serve-yourself salad bar. questions, and in Plato’s Apology he declares that, “The February 6: Shopping trip Albertsons/Walmart 1:00 p.m. unexamined life is not worth living,” based on the February 10: Movie day Century Rio 24 10:00 a.m. For further information on all events contact the Placitas Commu- ancient dictum “know thyself” that inevitably will lead February 11: Fused-glass open workshop woven dish 2:30-4:00 nity Center at 867-1396 and pick up the complete newsletter at site us to his “To learn is to remember,” which is the corner- p.m. located at 41 Camino De Las Huertas. February 12: Sweet heart bingo and ice cream Social 11:30 a.m.- stone of the Socratic method, and one of the pillars of good and proper pedagogy. Unfortunately, neither critical thinking nor relativism will help us much in addressing and confronting those vital questions. Sandoval County Senior Centers’ lunch menu In his book Orthodoxy (1908), Chesterton declares that February: Breaded chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomato, February 17: Green chile chicken stew, brussels sprouts, garden “Reason is itself a matter of faith (because) it is an act of baked beans, steamed mixed veggies, garden salad, fresh orange salad, flour tortilla, baked apples faith to assert that our thoughts have any relation to February 4: Breakfast for lunch, bacon, egg, and cheese burrito, February 18: Chef’s salad with turkey, ham, tomato, cheese and reality at all,” which leads him to affirm that: green chile gravy, breakfast potatoes, grilled peppers/onions, egg, crouton, club crackers, chilled pears, pudding “All education is religious education—and never more chilled peaches February 19: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, steamed than when it is irreligious education. It either teaches a February 5: Beef stew with potatoes and veggies, steamed broc- broccoli, garden salad with dressing, biscuit with margarine, definite doctrine about this universe, which is theology; coli, garden salad, cornbread, fresh banana fresh banana or else it takes one for granted, which is mysticism. If it February 6: Four-cheese lasagna, steamed Italian vegetables, February 20: BBQ chicken breast, baked beans, steamed corn, cucumber, tomato and onion salad, breadstick, fresh pineapple whole wheat roll, garden salad, pears does not do that it does nothing at all, and means noth- spear February 21: Waldorf chicken salad wrap with cranberries, ing at all, for everything must depend upon some first February 7: BBQ Rib sandwich, butter corn, roasted red pota- apple and nuts, pasta salad, coleslaw, peaches principles and refer to some causes, expressed or unex- toes, garden salad, fresh apple, oatmeal raisin cookie February 24: Pork chops with gravy, baked potato with sour pressed” (Illustrated London News, 7/26/1924). February 10: Country fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, cream, steamed green beans, garden salad, biscuit, mandarin Time and space are running out, and we should be steamed mixed veggies, garden salad, biscuit, applesauce oranges engaged—as soon as possible—in a serious and mean- February 11: Sloppy Joe sandwich, baked potato with sour February 25: Shepherd’s pie, steamed cabbage, garden salad, cream, steamed carrots, coleslaw, and grapes whole wheat roll, fresh apples ingful state and national debate on education and February 12: Frito pie, steamed zucchini and onions, shredded February 26: Fettucine alfredo, steamed lima beans, three-bean schooling, at all human levels: physical, intellectual, lettuce, tomato, onion, flour tortilla, banana salad, breadstick, peaches emotional, and spiritual. At the same time, we should February 13: Savory chicken, scalloped potatoes, steamed car- February 27: Red chile beef and cheese burrito, pinto beans, avoid our natural tendency to stop thinking and reflect- rots and peas, garden salad, soda bread, fruited Jell-O with top- steamed zucchini and onions, garden salad, fruit cobbler ing about these important aspects once we have found ping February 28: Baked salmon, rice pilaf, steamed peas, coleslaw, our own little “-ism.” February 14: Spaghetti with meat sauce, steamed Italian green whole wheat roll, fruit cocktail beans, caesar salad, breadstick, peaches —ANTONIO PLANELLS, Rio Rancho

Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • FEBRUARY 2020 • Page 25 ANIMAL NEWS

Game Commission adds trapping restrictions but

not outright ban ~BILL DIVEN

Wildlife advocates are urging legislative action after the New Mexico State Game Commission allowed continued trapping practices that maim and kill animals, including endangered wolves. This comes after the New Mexico State Game Com- mission, meeting in Las Cruces on January 17, added new requirements for the trapping of furbearing animals like foxes and bobcats. Unheeded were public comments Scouts Pack 708 have fun at their Pinewood Derby. calling for an outright ban on trapping on public lands. While the sixty-day session of the Legislature last year passed and the governor signed a bill to ban coyote- Scout report YOUTH killing contests, separate legislation to outlaw trapping on public lands failed. Placitas residents walking on ~DAVID GARDNER One of our great Cub Scout den leaders, Mal- to come see what we are doing now. public land have reported traps snaring dogs—at least lory Herrera, was recognized at the recent Rio In January, the big event is the Pinewood one on an illegal trap. Grande District awards banquet for her out- Derby, with winners invited to compete in the “Endangered Mexican wolves are repeatedly losing standing service as a scouting leader. At the District-level Derby in March. February will limbs and sometimes their lives in leghold traps, but the banquet, she was awarded the Volcano be our annual Blue and Gold Banquet, and we state shrugged that off,” said Michael Robinson of the Award. We have had many great leaders in invite those interested in scouting to get in Center for Biological Diversity said in a news release. Pack 708 over the many years the Pack has touch with us for more information. “Other species contribute to ecological health too and been serving the youth of our local communi- Troop 708 is growing and the boys are in shouldn’t be killed in such a cruel fashion for the sale of ties, all of whom have renewed their biennial the process of electing new officers and are their pelts.” Youth Protection Training, passed Scouting’s planning a full schedule for the coming year. Leg traps and neck snares caught at least five wolves national background checks, and taken spe- Four or more of the boys plan to complete the last year, but despite the wolves’ endangered status, the cial training for their leadership positions. requirements for the Eagle Scout award by trapping was legal because the trappers intended to Often we encounter men and women in our the middle of the year. catch something else, according to the release. activities who have proud memories of their For more information, or to join, contact The game commission did approve a requirement for time in Scouting as youth, leaders, or both. Amanda at 507-1305 or David at 867-4689. mandatory education for trappers to receive a trapping We enjoy visiting with them and invite them license. Also approved was a ban on trapping in the U.S. Forest Service Sandia Ranger District adjacent to Placitas and in the eastern section of the Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument near Las Cruces. Spurlock earns Boys & Girls Also now prohibited is trapping within 0.5 miles of designated trailheads, State Road 150, the highway to Club of Central New Mexico’s the Taos Ski Valley in the Carson National Forest, and State Road 475, the route to the Santa Fe Ski area in the Santa Fe National Forest. top honor At Signpost deadline, no trapping-related bills were ~CHRISTIAN NAEA pending in the current thirty-day session, which is dedicated to budget and financial matters and limited other On January 11, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cen- graduates issues. tral New Mexico named their 2020 Youth of high the Year, and it is once again Lilainea (Laine) school, she Spurlock. Judges Danette Townsend, Execu- plans on tive Director for ABC Community School attending Lilainea (Laine) Spurlock Rattlesnake avoidance clinic Partnerships, Rodney Prunty, President & college to CEO for the United Way of Central New Mex- become a ~TOM MAUTER ico, David Heil, County Commissioner for forensic scientist. Laine will now head to The Central New Mexico Brittany Club (CNMBC) wants Sandoval County, and Charles Petit, Vice Alamogordo, on March 14, to compete in the to keep your dog and your family members safe. Chair of the BGCCNM Board of Directors and New Mexico State Youth of the Year Competi- CNMBC is hosting our annual rattlesnake avoidance Senior Enterprise Manager for Comcast, chose tion. clinics for dogs in Eldorado on March 21 and in Rio Ran- Laine out of seven other candidates. Other candidates that competed include cho on March 22. Youth of the Year is the premier recognition Genesis Gallegos, a Sophomore attending Teaching the family dog to be wary of and avoid rat- program of Boys & Girls Clubs across the Albuquerque High School, Gavin Foreman, a tlers will alert you and family members to the presence country, celebrating the extraordinary Junior attending Del Norte High School, of these critters. With heightened senses of smell, vision, achievements of Club teens. Candidates nom- Lucas Vail, a Sophomore attending Del Norte and hearing, dogs can detect trouble humans do not. inated for the Youth of the Year competition High School, Santos Torres-Rico, an eighth The clinic’s goal is to keep your dog from wanting any- embody the values of leadership service, aca- grader attending McKinley Middle School , thing to do with a rattler, avoid them, and alert others. demic excellence, and healthy lifestyle. They and Jayden Johns, a Freshmen attending Del The clinics have attracted more than one hundred exemplify the critical impact that Boys & Girls Norte High School. All of these candidates are dogs annually. The effectiveness of this training is con- Clubs have on the lives of young people. from the Seligman Clubhouse, located in firmed by first-hand testimonies from our participants Our 2020 winner, Laine, has been a member Albuquerque. We also had two candidates about their dogs avoiding rattlers on hikes, walks, or of the Boys & Girls Club of Central New Mex- from the Schumann Clubhouse, located in Rio just hanging out in their courtyards. ico for the past twelve years. She is currently Rancho, and they are Anjelica Velarde, a With your $65 registration fee per dog, you are entitled a senior at Rio Rancho High School. At the Sophomore attending Rio Rancho High to a one-time free follow-up in a clinic conducted a year Club, Laine serves as a staff member and as School, and Ramona Stockton, a Junior or so later. To register visit: the Keystone Club President, which is a club attending Rio Rancho High School. centralnewmexicobrittanyclub.com/CNMBC_Hosted_ dedicated to community service. When she Rattlesnake_Avoidance_Clinics.html#Registration.

PAGE 26 • FEBRUARY 2020 • SANDOVAL SIGNPOST • SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988 LALO’S PET PRINTS

Email your animal photos to “Lalo” at: [email protected] Excellent care for your family pet Coronado Pet Hospital is a state-of-the-art, clean, and comfortable veterinary clinic with a wide variety of veterinary services for total pet care.

Coronado's compassionate and experienced staff is fully equipped to treat dogs, cats, and many exotic species with general and emergency veterinary services, surgery, dental care, and prescription pet foods. Stop by to meet our staff or call for an appointment today.

Hi Lalo, Here are some wintering Mountain Blue Birds coming in for a drink. —NANCY BENNETT Conveniently located at 4192 Hwy 528 (just South of 550) Rio Rancho, NM 87144 Call 505-771-3311

Open: Mon-Fri 8am-6pm • Saturdays 8am-4pm Closed Sundays and major holidays

THE ANIMAL HOTLINE A service of the Signpost to help reunite lost/found pets with their people.

(above and to right) Two kitties need a home: Lalo—Here are some This beautiful pair of Mountain Bluebirds and Tuxedo twins are in need Western Bluebirds drinking at of a home. Their former owner has recently died. the birdbath. I enjoy looking at They are two years old, your wildlife and pet photos! have all their shots, and —MALINDA MARKER are neutered. Call Sue at 620-9955.

Loving young dog ready for adoption—eager to please: “Billy” is one good boy! He’s an Australian Cattle Dog-mix being held by Desert Haven Animal Refuge in T or C. Approximately 1-1/2 years old and eager to please. Walks on a leash, sits, comes when called—very trainable. Neutered and vaccinations are up-to-date. Call 575-894-1694.

Hi Lalo, I took this photo of a wild and wet horse at some Placitas mailboxes on a rainy January day. —PAUL SEALEY, PLACITAS

Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • FEBRUARY 2020 • Page 27 SANDOVAL CLASSIFIEDS To place a classified ad, email your ad or questions to: [email protected] (Includes a free posting on the Signpost website.) SignPOSt For further information, visit: www.sandovalsignpost.com A N INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER or call the Signpost office at 505-867-3810.

ANIMALS ANNOUNCEMENTS CLASSES

SEEKING FELLOW PLACITAS MASSAGE THERAPY Paws N’ Claws Pet Care PROFESSIONALS, ENERGY AND BODYWORKERS, Chris Livingston, Master Music Instructor In-Home Pet Care serving: MOVEMENT AND SOMATIC THERAPISTS—for peer Want to learn Piano, Guitar, Bass, Ukulele or Theory? Placitas, Corrales & Rio Rancho support, networking, referrals, events, and collaborations. Like Jazz, Rock, Classical, Funk? What’s your Style? Overnight Pet Care provided in Placitas Message [email protected] or call 505-401-4015 Call Chris for LESSONS in his home or yours! Pet Sitting • Pet Waste Removal Cate Clark. B.A. in Music • 20 yrs. Instructor & Performer Certified in Early Childhood Teaching {505} 440-0875 Reasonable rates • Gentle approach to teaching/learning LOOKING FOR A SPRINKLER-WATERED FIELD TO 505-980-4322 • [email protected] Insured/Bonded GROW IN ALGODONES/PLACITAS AREA AT NO Deb Stichmann COST?—Contact Steven Barshop, 323-939-9251. [email protected] ART / MUSIC

OFFERING PIANO AND VOICE LESSONS IN PLAC- ITAS—Experience. References. Call or text: Cia Khakaura 505-629-8923.

CLEANINg bernalillopetcarecenter.com

RESPONSIBLE HOUSE-SITTER AVAILABLE—Respon- DESERT FLOWER CARPET & STEAM CLEANING FOR SALE: CARPET AND FURNITURE SPECIALISTS sible, mature woman seeks house-sitting position. Pets We steam clean wool and silk area rugs, too, and barn animals lovingly cared for. Short- and long-term plus your tile, grout and stone HOMES / LAND situations. References. Please call Lois at 575-519-8498. 867-4493 • www.desertflowercleancarpets.com

HOUND DAWG Call for Free Estimate Insured • References House & Pet Sitters • In-Home & Overnight Pet Care • Dog Walking Services • Experienced Horse People • 25 Years Experience in Adopting, Rescuing and Caring CALL Servicing: Placitas, Bernalillo, for Horses, Cats & Dogs Los Ranchos, and Corrales, NM • Retired Couple 505-264-2886 • Longtime Placitas Residents Bonded & Insured (505) 818-4348 • [email protected]

Now Open in Placitas Bridget Cobb—Proprietor PLACITAS HOUSEKEEPING ONE/TWO MORE! GREAT DEAL Camp Pa sitive ON BEAUTIFUL VIEW PROPERTY Where your dog can come stay and play Build your dream home on a rare 5+-acre parcel in Placitas that allows freedom to breathe, garden, Offering day camp and overnights at our home. keep horses, have a guesthouse, and relax. Wired for 150 Camino de la Rosa Castilla Local resident • 25 years experience Cable TV & Internet. Subdivided—two 2.5+-acre lots. Phone: 867-4408 References provided • Placitas area Enjoy gorgeous 60-mile mountain and mesa views.

A moss rock arroyo provides your own private park. Make a reservation for your pup to come play with us. Lesia Graham — 448-1152 / 415-2680 Recreate on 560-acre Placitas Open Space next door. Take a drive • Have a look! • At intersection of NON-LETHAL SNAKE REMOVAL Arco Iris, Sacred Path & Hohokam Road ~ ~ ~ Any kind of snake ~ ~ ~ ROSA’S HOUSECLEANING SERVICE, LLC Donations accepted for payment. ~ Family Business in Bernalillo ~ CALL DAVE HARPER, PLACITAS REALTY Call Moises—321-3600 263-2266 OR 867-8000 Licensed • Free Estimates References Provided WILDLIFE RESCUE—Call 505-344-2500. An all-volunteer wildlife rescue program to assist injured 505-379-8652 • 505-990-2053 —“FOR SALE: HOMES / LAND,” continued next page or orphaned wildlife. A service of the Rio Grande Nature Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

PAGE 28 • FEBRUARY 2020 • SANDOVAL SIGNPOST • SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988 FOR SALE: FOR SALE GROUND WORK HOMES / LAND MISCELLANEOUS LANDSCAPING ~CONTINUED~ ~CONTINUED~

Rebuilding Together Sandoval County LYNN KOCH, CRS, 3+ DECADES IN REAL ESTATE CHARITY SALE—854 Camino Don Tomas, Bernalillo Realty One of New Mexico • Call (m) 505-379-2289, DALE’S TREE SERVICE—Pruning, removals, stumps, Store hours: Every Friday & Saturday 10 AM to 2 PM hauling and mowing. 28 years experience. Dale Roberts, or (o) 883-9400 [email protected] Open for business and to accept donations every 505-473-4129 or 505-977-1981. VISIT www.PlacitasRealEstate.com Friday and Saturday. New items arriving weekly. YOUR “GO–TO” SITE FOR PLACITAS INFORMATION! Deliver donations to facility during store hours on Friday or Saturday, or contact Janice at 867-1139 COMING SOON—UNIQUE Placitas property including or [email protected]. a main house—3 BR, 2 BA adobe/frame passive solar Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. We will provide you with a tax receipt. construction, a casita including 2 BRs, 1 BA on a view property in a great location. Both homes have been renovated with new appliances, granite in kitchens and baths, new baths, some new tile, some new windows, freshly painted interiors, no carpet, newer septic. You INCREDIBLE 2-DAY have the benefit of Old World Southwest charm with new ANTIQUE and COLLECTIBLE features in both ONE LEVEL homes. 2-car garage plus a 30’ RV garage. For further information, please contact me. NEW YORK ESTATE AUCTION!!!

SAT & SUN, FEB 22 & 23 AT 10 AM

AN ULTIMATE CUSTOM HOME IN HOMESTEADS— PREVIEW—Fri. Feb. 21 from 10-6, Sat. from 8 AM On a cul-de-sac, perched over an arroyo, offering great views and privacy. Top-of-the-line finishes and recently (Location in ABQ to be announced on website) refurbished. 2964SF, 3BR, 2BA, 2-Car on 2.3 acres. $565,000. Porter 263-3662. La Puerta Real Estate Services, One of the largest and most unusually LLC, 867-3388. diverse auctions we have ever had!! Antique Furniture from Primitives to Oriental, Fine Ceramics, ARTWORK, VALLEY AND MOUNTAIN FEEL IN WILD CHERRY Collectibles & Museum Pieces! FOREVERBLOOM—A HORTICULTURE AND FARMS—In the village. 5 lots with underground shared ARBORICULTURE BUSINESS. Services include: well, power and natural gas. Mountain/valley views Consulting, landscape design, plant care, pre-purchase tucked in among the fruit and cottonwood trees. $79,000 Watch our website for inspection and selection. Disease and pest infestation per lot. Porter 263-3662, La Puerta Real Estate Services, Photos and Listing! control. Tree appraisals and landscape restoration. LLC -867-3388. 30 yrs. exp. Please give me a call—Virginia Escamilla at TERMS: CASH, DEBIT OR CREDIT 505-379-8890. SPECTRUM AUCTION LLC DESERT MOUNTAIN VIEW LOT IN A CUL-DE-SAC— Away from the highway. All underground utilities to the 505-228-9600 lot and a driveway cut to the building area. Complete www.spectrumauctionllc.com Sandia and sunset/city light views. Only $125,000. Call Porter 263-3662. La Puerta Real Estate Services, LLC 867- WHELCHEL 3388. Landscaping and Construction Co. AFFORDABLE HOME IN PLACITAS $199,000—Open gROUND WORK floor plan, 1,359 sq. ft. home with beautiful wood floors! SAVE 10% off our already competitive prices Convenient location! Dave Harper 263-2266, Placitas / LANDSCAPING Realty 867-8000. when you MENTION this SIGNPOST AD! NOW is a great time to SAVE MONEY 2 ACRES IN PLACITAS $34,000—View lot with water & on Landscaping, Concrete Work, Paved Patios, electric, located just 1/4 mile from thousands of acres of Patio Covers, Gravel Work & more! Public Land! Views of Mesas, Cabezon and the Sandias. BLOOMING NATIVE GARDENS We’re specialists in Landscaping & Outdoor Living Reasonable covenants. Placitas Realty 867-8000, Dave PROFESSIONAL XERISCAPE DESIGN, If you can imagine it, we can create it. Harper 263-2266. INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE BASED IN PLACITAS Sprinkler & Drip Systems NOW SCHEDULING WINTER CLEANUP!! Concrete, Flagstone & Brick Work 6 ACRES $98,000—One of the highest lots available in Block Walls & Stucco Work • Additions & Remodels • Xeriscape design, installation & maintenance Placitas! Includes community water and underground Kiva Fireplaces, Banco Seating, Outdoor Kitchens • Installation & repair of irrigation & water features utilities! Nearly 360 degree views! Call Dave at Placitas Portals, Patio Covers, Decks, Retaining Walls • Over 30 yrs experience in native/non-native plants Realty 867-8000 or 263-2266. Terracing , Sod, Gravel & Planting • Offering maintenance schedule to fit your needs • 10% off for new Placitas customers Call 221-8052 for free estimate • Installation from sod & plants to flagstone patios NEARLY NEW HOME-PLACITAS $430,000—Hilltop References/Pictures on Request • www.nmlandscaping.com home, big views of Sandias, Cabezon & sunsets! 4 bdrms, & block walls Licensed/Bonded/Insured/Lic. #60178 2.5 baths, 2,453 sq. ft. + 2 cg, over 3 acres with an addi- 505-440-0875 A-Rating - Angie’s List • AAA - Better Business Bureau tional 4-acre lot available! Dave Harper 263-2266, Placitas [email protected] Realty 867-8000. Recommended by Angie’s List • References furnished • Lic/Ins

3 LOTS ONLY $57,000—Over 3 acres in Placitas that are already platted as 3 one-acre lots. Owner financing avail- THANK YOU able! No restrictions! Sandia views! Very easy access, too! Tom Mankowsky Lic.#29769 Placitas Realty 867-8000 Dave Harper 263-2266. LAWN SPRINKLERS for your support Repairs / Installation • 892-7215 or 250-0301 2.5 ACRES-OFF THE GRID! $40,000—Ridgetop lot with of Signpost advertisers. panoramic views. Secluded Placitas property! Call Dave @ Placitas Realty 867-8000 or 263-2266.

—“GROUND WORK / LANDSCAPING,” continued next column

Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • FEBRUARY 2020 • Page 29 HEALTH / SPIRIT / BEAUTY CLASSIFIEDS ~CONTINUED~

~ CAREGIVER AVAILABLE ~ WITH 10 YEARS EXPERIENCE HELP WANTED SERVICES Woman, with excellent references. Speaks Spanish; 2nd English—speaks fairly well. Good reliable vehicle. Has residency license. Hours/schedules very negotiable. MATURE PERSON NEEDED AS PART-TIME HOMEOWNERS’ HANDYMAN SERVICES—Carpentry, Hourly rates vary from $12 up. RECEPTIONIST—For statewide nonprofit located in decks, doors, landscaping, painting, tile, windows. Free Bernalillo. $15-$20K/yr. Email resume to [email protected] For an interview, please call 505-660-7006. estimates. Call 505-313-1929. before February 18, 2020.

MASSAGE THERAPY by Cate Clark NEED AFTER-SCHOOL CHILDCARE—Looking for Tues.-Sat. by Appointment • 19 Placitas West Rd after-school care for 7-yr-old boy—a first-grader at Call 505-401-4015 Placitas Elementary School. Please call 377-7488. or email: riverstonecate.com • #MT4607

PLACITAS CHIROPRACTIC RENT / LEASE 505-620-3312 Dr. Mary Lou Skelton

2,100 SQ. FT. HOUSE FOR RENT IN ALGODONES— 3 BR, hardwood floors, new xeriscaping, carport. $1,200/mo. Call 505-340-5901.

Happy Valentine’s Day! RV SPACE FOR RENT IN BERNALILLO—Quiet, gated, Because of you, we are still here, and graveled, with city water, septic, and electricity. gratefully enjoying your business! —Dell Martinez $375/mo. plus utilities. 505-900-2184.

RENTAL WANTED

~ WANTED—HOME RENTAL ~ Semi-retired businessman needs to Rent/Lease a nice home or guest house! Minimum 2 BR, 2 BA & garage. Prefer newly renovated. Location can be Placitas, NE Albq, Santa Fe or ?

Tibetan Cranial Sessions by appt. Please call 505-660-7006 —“SERVICES,” continued next page Tibetan Cranial info, visit: www.atmabodhyoga.com

CESAR BALDACCINI DOES NEW

MEXICO

RUDI KLIMPERT

PAGE 30 • FEBRUARY 2020 • SANDOVAL SIGNPOST • SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988 SERVICES ~CONTINUED~

• • • DESERT SERVICE SPRING • • • DUMP RUNS, EARLY SPRING CLEANING, HOUSE PAINTING—42 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE Garage Door Service YARD CLEAN UP (NO WEED PULLING), SHED Hello, I’m Steve Russo. I live in Placitas and specialize in residen- Broken Spring & Operator Repair CLEAN OUTS—Pick up or delivery as needed. tial interior and small exterior painting. I’m neat, reliable, and 505-252-9722 • WEEKENDS—No Extra Charge Greg #505-269-0842, [email protected]. Senior will give you a free written estimate. Fully insured 908-278-8785 discount. Price negotiable.

Residential & Commercial GB 98 / Lic. #393473 Building Relationships One Roof At A Time Michael Alderete Consultant (505) 295-9006

DAVE’S BOBCAT SERVICE Painting by Dirt Removal Trash Haul • Grading United Services Tree/Brush Removal Residential • Commercial

Gravel • Driveways All Paints & Refinishes • Int./Ext. Snow Removal • Backhoe General Maintenance Handyman • Stucco Repairs Call 505-264-1062 505.250.6646 Licensed & Insured Licensed, Insured & Bonded “Serving Sandoval County since 1996” Adobe Handyman Services I do it all! N

AN A Tile Framing Drywall

THANK YOU MA M Stucco Plaster Painting YM Y Windows Doors Roofs DY D Stonework Adobe Landscaping for your support N

Read Signpost back issues at AN A No job too small

HA H No job too smallllamsootbojo ! of Signpost advertisers. FREE EEERF ESTIMATES!STST MI ATAT SE !S www.sandovalsignpost.com Call ScottocSllaC tttt 600-2394625-043 96

“H + EAR” —A stereogram by Gary Priester

TO VIEW THE STEREOGRAM: Hold the image close to your wide open eyes and look “through” the image, not focusing on it, then slowly move the image away maintaining the blurred focus. Let your brain work to see the hidden image in 3D. Visit: facebook.com/Eyetricks3DStereograms to see images that change each week or visit: eyetricks-3d-stereograms.com.

Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • FEBRUARY 2020 • Page 31 REPLACE YOUR ROOF NOW!

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PAGE 32 • FEBRUARY 2020 • SANDOVAL SIGNPOST • SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988