The INSIDE: Weather Info Independent Movies (in Exile) Nov. 13-19, 2020 • Vol. 22, No. 46 50¢ Mobile unit means interaction between emergency responders By Felecia Pohl personnel,” he said. “It makes the event go smoother because we have a guided Torrance County got a mobile com- direction, you know, not one decision mand unit that will allow it to interact coming from one vehicle, and not one with other agencies in the event of an decision coming from another vehicle, all emergency—and they got it for a steal. the information is unified and sent out as Emergency Manager and acting Fire one message. I think that’s going to be Chief Matt Propp said the most impor- really big for our agencies as far as coop- tant aspect of buying the mobile com- eration.” mand unit is the ability to have “interop- Propp said the vehicle has radios with erability” with other agencies. multiple channels, allowing him to com- “To be able to unify a command into municate with Santa Fe and Bernalillo one area that we can all work together, counties, State Police, and other agencies that we can make decisions together, it makes the incident safer for all of our See MOBILE UNIT, page 11 Bassett and Rael not held in contempt Default judgment remains in effect, judge says By Leota Harriman Rothstein Donatelli Law Firm. Lowry had entered a motion seeking A flurry of actions and a hearing in to have Sanchez-Gagne disqualified “so a which lawyers had high-powered neutral and impartial judge can review lawyers were part of the latest in the the matter.” legal battle over the governance of Sanchez-Gagne said he hadn't shown Edgewood. that the Court had “exercised bias A hearing was held Nov. 10 by District toward your client,” adding that “the Judge Maria Sanchez-Gagne, in which proper remedy has been taken,” refer- she denied a motion to hold Edgewood ring to two petitions to the state Mayor John Bassett and the town's Supreme Court—one by Bassett and attorney Marcus Rael in contempt of another by the town of Edgewood—ask- court. ing that body to review the case. Sanchez-Gagne also denied Rael's Sanchez-Gagne said the case had motion to overturn a default judgment been contentious, and said while the and summary judgment against Bassett, issues involved had not been tried on which says Bassett “was removed from their merits, the default and summary the office of Mayor for the Town of judgments are still decisions of the Edgewood” which she issued Oct. 14. Court. Rael was represented in the hearing Attorney Adrian Terry, on behalf of by attorney Paul Kennedy, who served plaintiffs Tom McGill, Jerry Powers and two terms on the state's Supreme Court. the late Howard Calkins, argued that Meanwhile, Bassett had a new attor- ney on hand, Marc Lowry of the See BASSETT, page 8 2 • Nov. 13-19, 2020 THE INDEPENDENT’S JUST FOR FUNZIES PAGE Online at edgewood.news THIS PAGE BROUGHT TO YOU BY Tag It! 1943 Route 66, Ste. D, Edgewood facebook/tagitmotorvehicleservices 505-926-9015, fax 505-926-9016 Bethel Community Storehouse On 41, 1 mile S of Rt. 66, Moriarty bethelstorehouse.org 505-832-6642 Your Business Name Premium placement for a bargain basement price! 505-286-9202 & 505-832-5458 Mountainair Meds & More 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 111 W. Broadway, Mountainair 505-847-0242 or 505-847-2923 East Mountain Medical Family Practice in Edgewood 104 Quail Trail, Unit B 505-208-0204 Mail & Copy 2 Marietta Ct, Ste. A, Edgewood Biz cards, bulk mailing, copies M-F 5-9, Sat 9-2 505-281-2400 Your Ad Here Did you read this? Find out how to place your ad here for only $25! Contact us today at 286-1212 or [email protected] Coloring Contest! Want to win art supplies? The Independent is holding a coloring contest every month! Contests are in two age divisions, under 14 and 14+. Contact 286-1212 for details. Watch this page for new artwork! Submit any comic from the month of October and submit by Nov. 30. Use any medium, from crayons to digital! Submit to [email protected]. ACROSS 42. Picnic spoiler 29. “Throw __ From the Train”; ’87 Danny De- 1. Military conflict 43. 12/24, for one Vito film 4. Leave suddenly 44. Soothing drink 31. Inquired 8. Shoot carefully 45. Veal or venison 33. Semester or quarter 11. Large antelope 46. 1 of the 12 Tribes of 34. Breath freshener 12. Producer Norman Israel 35. Tap lovingly 13. Fish eggs DOWN 36. Suffix for depart or 14. Patty holder (2) moist 17. Unrefined mineral 1. Harding’s monogram 2. Santa __, CA 37. “Norma __”; Sally Field 18. Door opener movie 3. Bit of gossip 19. Delhi dress 38. Long or Peeples 4. Depressed 21. Attention-getting 39. Perón or Longoria sound 5. Above, to a poet 40. Actor Cariou 24. Nimoy’s initials 6. Fail to keep up 25. Suffix for absent or 7. Long journey Prior Week’s Solution adopt 8. Fast-food sandwich 26. Inernational alliance shop 27. Community college 9. Debtor’s note degree 10. Fellows 28. Rubies & sapphires 15. Mentions (2) 30. Tall and too thin 32. Umpire’s cry 16. 16th word in the 34. Prefix for print or “Pledge of Allegiance” place 19. Punch 35. Deli loaf 20. Bancroft or Heche 41. Word attached to 22. Lennon or Astin chair or pit 23. Good wood for boats Online at edgewood.news Nov. 13-19, 2020 • 3 Wild Things: Mountain Lion (Puma concolor) By James Taulman The mountain lion, also known as puma or cougar, is a native to North and South America and has the most exten- sive range of any large land mammal in the continent. While it formerly occurred across the entire U.S., popula- tions have been extirpated from the east and Great Plains and its range now is limited to the Rocky Mountain states and farther west. It is also found in west- ern Canada and throughout South America. An exception to the absence of cougars in eastern states is a small pop- ulation of Florida panthers hanging on in the swamps and pine forestlands in south Florida. Mountain lions may measure 3 feet tall at the shoulders and span some 8 feet in length from nose to tail. Weight is up to 220 pounds in males and 150 pounds in females. The mountain lion is a reclusive pred- ator, active primarily at night, when it hunts a variety of prey, including deer and other large and smaller mammals, even taking insects and other inverte- brates. Being what's termed an “obligate carnivore,” mountain lions need to have meat in the diet to remain healthy. In addition to the many other mammals mountain lions prey upon, lions are Screenshot captured from game camera footage Sept. 1, 2020 on South Mountain north of Edgewood, NM. almost alone in having developed a tactic for killing armadillos. They flip the well- two years of age or even earlier for male dence of fatal vehicle encounters as the The mountain lion is a natural mem- armored armadillo onto its back and offspring. Life span in the wild is about lions travel through their large home ber of New Mexico's wildlife community attack it on the soft underbelly. 10 years, though in captivity individuals ranges. Nevertheless, the International and provides a benefit by controlling Mountain lions inhabit brushy and have lived as long as 20 years. Union for the Conservation of Nature wild ungulate population numbers as rocky landscapes where they may As is the case with all large predators, has given the mountain lion a conserva- well as other smaller wildlife species. We observe or seek out prey for ambush. human interactions with mountain lions tion status of “least concern.” can live sustainably with a wild cougar The male lion may travel over a home do not yield favorable results for the wild Danger to humans from cougars is population, but their natural range and range of from 10 to several hundred cat. With expansion of human popula- minimal as the species will avoid contact habitat requirements need to be consid- square miles, with female ranges being tions into more remote habitats and for- with humans if possible. Where cougars ered in our decisions to relocate into pre- half as large or less. Females tend to stay merly wild lands, encounters with have lost their innate fear of human viously wild landscapes. closer to their natal area, a common mountain lions are inevitably increasing. presence, they can be unpredictable and behavior in most wildlife. I have had Cougars are actively pursued and hunted dangerous. If encountering an adult James Taulman is a retired wildlife camera traps set up on South Mountain by state wildlife officers in South Dakota, mountain lion it is best to face it and ecologist who enjoys exploring New for several years and have only gotten as I observed when I lived in the south- shout or wave the arms to appear as Mexico's natural areas and observing video of a mountain lion this year on two ern Black Hills, where they are a per- large as possible. Running away only the state's diverse wildlife. His research occasions, the last week of August and ceived threat to domesticated sheep and elicits a chasing instinct in the wild cats. publications can be accessed at the first week of September. The individ- goat herds.