The INSIDE: Legislative Independent Candidates Oct. 23-29, 2020 • Vol. 22, No. 43 50¢ Long lines for early voting Stage 1 fire By Leota Harriman first day of early in-person voting in New Statewide, as of Oct. 22, 228,171 Mexico. Democrats had voted; 149,951 restrictions So far this election cycle, early voter Across the state, 381,430 voters have Republicans; 56,919 DTS, or “declines to turnout is breaking records. Long lines requested absentee ballots. Early voting state” voters, meaning no party affiliation were seen at polling locations in started Oct. 6, with additional early vot- was chosen; along with 2,602 Edgewood, Tijeras and Moriarty on the ing locations open starting Oct. 17. See EARLY VOTING, page 19 back again The Cibola National Forest is imple- menting Stage 1 fire restrictions at 8 a.m. on Oct. 23, on the Mount Taylor, Magdalena, Mountainair and Sandia Ranger Districts, according to a press release. The Carson National Forest and Santa Fe National Forest are also entering Stage 1 restrictions, an indica- tion of the widespread risk of unsea- sonal wildfires across northern New Mexico. While restrictions are in effect, it is prohibited to build, maintain, attend, or use a fire, campfire, or stove fire, except in Forest Service developed camps and picnic grounds where grills and stoves are provided by the Forest See FIRE RESTRICTIONS, page 11 Mars Fire was human caused By Felecia Pohl Avangrid to acquire PNM for 4.3 billion Late afternoon Oct. 18, a fire was reported to dispatch in the Manzanita By Felecia Pohl national regulated utility and renew- “Normally, in these transactions, Mountains, near the intersection of able energy platform with approxi- there’s a certain amount of money that Mars Court and Raven Road, off South Avandgrid is aquiring PNM mately $14 billion of rate base more gets paid to shareholders as kind of a 14, according to a press release from Resources and PNM, according to a than 4 million electric and natural gas premium, but there’s also a certain the Forest Service. joint press release this week. utility customers and more than 7.4 amount of money that is paid to cus- “The fire was human caused, however Avangrid and PNM Resources gigawatts of renewable energy assets,” tomers,” he said. “Basically, that takes is undetermined since the exact cause announced the acquisition, saying that the release said. a while to determine what that is, and cannot be determined,” said Amanda the agreement was unanimously Raymond Sandoval, a representa- it has to go through regulatory Rael, spokesperson for the Forest accepted by both companies’ boards of tive for PNM, said customers will approval and so forth. People should Service. directors. receive a rate credit on their monthly See AVANDGRID, page 13 This will create a “large, diversified PNM bill as a result of the acquisition. See MARS FIRE, page 11 2 • Oct. 23-29, 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 Oct. 31. Use any medium, from crayons to digital! Submit to [email protected]. ACROSS 33. Currently 21. Male animal 24. Russian space station 1. Best Picture Oscar 34. Fleur-de-__ winner (3) 37. College officials 26. “Doe, __ __, a 10. Orwell’s “Animal __” 39. Castle protection female deer. 11. Lavin or Ronstadt 40. 1994 movie starring Ray ...” 12. Annoying insect Tom Hanks 29. Murray or Meara 13. Hot Lips Houlihan’s DOWN 30. Fling 31. Elbow-bumper’s cry rank: abbr. 1. Mistaken 14. Year south of the 34. __ Diamond Phillips 2. Suffix for event or 35. “__ __ Woman”; border intellect 16. Oscar-winning movie Helen Reddy song 3. Endeavor starring Diane Keaton 36. Motor oil additive 4. Yoga mantra 18. Prefix for puncture or 38. Southern state 5. Shepard or Thicke pressure 39. British car 6. South Pacific island 20. Cartoon pooch Prior Week’s Solution 21. Catch a glimpse of nation 22. “__ Gotta Be Me”; 7. Hospital employee Sammy Davis Jr. 8. Neighbor of Montana song 9. Saskatoon native 23. Male turkey 13. Center of the 24. West and others alphabet 25. __ mater 15. Martini garnishes 27. Walk-__; those 16. Summer’s follower: without appointments abbr. 28. Oscar-winning 17. Marvin & Meriwether movie starring 18. __ Theater; Harlem Russell Crowe music hall 32. Very late bedtime 19. Military raider Online at edgewood.news Oct. 23-29, 2020 • 3 Wild Things: Jewel spider or Cat-faced spider (Araneus gemmoides) By James Taulman This spider is generally tan and has a large abdomen. The body and legs are cov- ered with bristles. Identifying characteris- tics are the two hornlike protrusions on the top of the abdomen and a variable pattern of colors or dimples. These spiders are orb weavers and build webs outdoors under overhangs of buildings, under logs or wood piles, or even in burrows of mammals. They feed on insects and help to control insect pest populations around dwellings. This species ranges primarily throughout central and western U.S. and southwestern Canada. Females produce an egg sac in fall after mating, resulting in an enlarged abdomen. The female will lay an egg sac containing hundreds of eggs. She usually produces only one egg sac and she dies shortly there- after. The egg sac will overwinter and in the spring the hatchlings will attack and con- sume their siblings. The survivors create silky strands by which they will be trans- ported on warm air currents to other loca- tions where they will settle and build a web. These dispersals can carry the young spi- ders miles from their place of birth. Cat-faced spiders are preyed upon by a variety of other spiders, wasps, other insects, and birds. Nevertheless, the species is common and abundant. They are virtual- ly harmless to humans, normally not able to penetrate the skin even if handled and forced to inflict a defensive bite. The venom also does not produce serious side effects. The individual pictured here was discov- ered by Linda Clayton of Moriarty, who notified The Independent of the unusual spider under her front porch ceiling. I sub- sequently visited and collected some photos of the interesting arachnid. James Taulman is a retired wildlife ecol- ogist who enjoys exploring New Mexico's natural areas and observing the state's diverse wildlife. His research publications can be accessed at researchgate.net, searching for James F. Taulman; and wildlife videos are on YouTube, under James Taulman. 4 • Oct. 23-29, 2020 Online at edgewood.news 2020 General Election VOTE EARLY n response to the ongoing CO-9 pulic health crisis, the Santa Fe County Clerk encourages all voters to vote y asentee allot an avoi in-person voting for the 2020 eneral lection. et, there are options on how to vote in Santa Fe County. oter egistration: By Mail or Online uesay, Octoer 6, 2020. ONLY In-Person Same Day Voter Registration at the County Clerk’s Office egan Octoer , 2020 an S Saturay, Octoer , 2020 hoto euire. sentee oting: ast ay to pply for ote-y-ail is Octoer 20, 2020. ou can apply for an asentee allot now or any time until uesay, Octoer 20, 2020. e encourage voters not to wait until the last minute. e egan mailing sentee allots Octoer 6, 2020 an will continue through Octoer 20, 2020. he last ay to mail out sentee allots is uesay, Octoer 20, 2020. f you receive your asentee allot via .S. ostal Service, you may walk-in your fille out asentee allot to: . the County Clerk’s Office at 00 Catron Street uring regular usiness hours, onay through Friay 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 2. place your asentee allot in the Clerk’s Office rop o outsie the main entrance to the County’s ministration Comple at 00 Catron Street on or efore lection ay or . you may walk-in your asentee allot efore lection ay to any arly oting CC site, or on lection ay, ovemer , 2020 to any lection ay CC site on or efore :00 p.m. or . you may walk-in your asentee allot to the Clerks Office on or efore :00p.m. on lection ay, ovemer , 2020. o apply for an sentee allot, you can go on-line to electronically reuest an sentee allot pplication euest at: https:// portal.sos.state.nm.us/O/eages/senteepplication.asptype you may also go to: https:// www.santafecountynm.gov/meia/files/sentee20pplication.pf to print an application, or call the County Clerk’s Office at 505-986-6280 to request an application.