Aztec - TALON

A C O M M U N I T Y - I N P U T N E W S PA P E R
December 1 - 15 • 2009
AZTEC
•
BLANCO
•
BLOOMFIELD
•
CEDAR HILL
•
CENTER POINT
•
FLORA VISTA
S I N C E 19 93
• NAVA JO DAM • LA PLATA
Vol. 17 No. 23
TALON
PO BOX 275 • AZTEC, NEW MEXICO 87410 • 505-334-1039
505-334-1039 (main) • 334-1551 (fax/phone) • e-mail: aztecnews@sisna.com • www.aztecnews.com
2009
BULK RATE
US POSTAGE
PAID
AZTEC, NM
PERMIT #106
FREE
twice
a month
In this issue
• Letters: 2,3 • Aztec City: 6,7,8 • Warrants: 8 • Crossword: 13
• Bird Talk: 14 • Obits: 16 • Book Nook: 17
• Classifieds, Advertisers: 18 • Events: 19
Terra DiGiacomo, Ian Hensler, Thomas Brewer, Austin
Polkinghorne, and Jamie Gust getting in touch with
their O. Henry character.
AHS Playmakers Presents
An O. Henry Christmas
AHS Playmakers will be performing Howard
Burman’s “An O. Henry Christmas” on December 8, 10,
11, and 12 at 7:00 p.m. in the AHS Multi-purpose building, 500 East Chaco.
This Christmas, journey back to an abandoned spur of
the railroad in 1938 to join eight hobos on Christmas
Eve. You will experience their hunger and their sorrow.
But in spite of the misery, the ex-convict and masterful
storyteller, O.P., is determined to bring some Christmas
cheer. Armed with nothing but his insightful stories, he
and his newfound companions will reenact several heartwarming tales. Among the “actors” are the pick-pocket
Fran, former doctor Grover, caring and motherly Agnes,
artist Dinty, the ill and dying Marguerite, and the sly
Hal. These seemingly unimportant characters will show
us just what it means to truly give.
“An O. Henry Christmas” is produced by special
arrangement with Baker’s Plays. Admission will be
$5.00, or, you may help our community by bringing
$3.00 and 2 cans of food. If you would like to purchase
tickets in advance, call Sidley Harrison at 334-9414
extension 1327 or email at ahharrsi@aztec.k12.nm.us.
CAST
Hal - Thomas Brewer
Fran - Jamie Gust
OP - Ian Hensler
Agnes - Breeana Bell
Dinty - Terra DIGiacomo
Guido - Malachi Brezina
Marguerite - Sherly Jones
Grover - Austin Polikinghorne
CREW
Assistant Director: Cady Kilpatrick
Stage Manager: Pam Gallegos
ASM: Yolanda Wilson & Davina Randlemon
Promotion: Kimmy Blake
Poster Design: Dayton Howell
Costume Design: Sarah McGaha
Hair/Makeup: Kimmy Blake
Sound: Dayton Howell
Lighting: Kim Doan and Kalina Sikora
Set Crew Chief: Scarlett Joseph
Props: Kaitlyn Kuschnereit
Crew: Daniel Scully
Koogler Middle School 8th Grade Tigers are 2009 San Juan Basin Champs!
This team finished the season with a record of 7-0!! Talent wins games; but, teamwork and intelligence wins
championships. They are: Antonio Aragon, Braddin Bell, RD Bixler, Keith Blackwell, Brett Donaldson, Dylan
Doom, Yonathen Garcia, Braden Goimarac, Michael Green, Jasper Greenleaf, Josh Hathcock, Nico Hensley, Jason
Hollar, Tyrell Johnson, Colton Kelly, Ethan Kelly, Terence Mateo, Avery Mobley, Junior Monroy, Robbie Mumm,
Juan Paredes, Austin Paris, Greg Passarelli, Tim Pittman, Vantz Potts, Riley Quigley, Adrian Rascon, John
Rodriguez, Dal Spain, Matt Stalcup, Dylan Stinson, Salvador Trejo, Isaiah Valdez, Colton Weaver, Royal Yazzie, and
(not pictured) David Jackson, Elisha Journey, and Vincent Molina. Coaches: Head Coach Eric Stovall; assistant
coaches Keith Hamilton, Garrett Higgins, Derrick Bailey and Mike Raney. Managers: Desiree Brown, Makayla
Hamilton, Breanna Higgins and Bryanna Reiff. Champions do not become champions when they win the game, but
in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the
demonstration of their championship character. This team worked hard and deserves our CONGRATULATIONS!!
We are proud of you!!! KMS 8TH GRADE TIGERS 2009 SAN JUAN BASIN CHAMPIONS!!!
It’s Here!
31 Nights of Fantasy of Lights
From December 1 through
New Year’s Eve, December 31
Gather family and friends for a drive
through Riverside Park in Aztec to
oooh and ahhh over the growing
collection of lighted displays.
Carriage rides available!
Sunday through Thursday, 6:00 to 9:00
Friday and Saturday, 6:00 to 10:00.
Dec. 25 and 26, 6:00 to 9:00.
Suggested donation - $5.00 per vehicle
Fantasy of Lights is a non-profit organization dedicated to
improving public parks and providing service and
support to the youth of our community.
Itinerary for Aztec City Manager candidates
Tuesday, December 1, 2009 – City Manager candidates will spend the day meeting with individual City
Department Heads where they will be briefed on current issues facing the City; programs, projects and initiatives
underway; and future directions and planning.
From 6:00 – 8:00 pm that evening the public is invited to a Reception for City Manager Candidates at Mayor
Pro-Tem Jim Crowley’s home located at 506 N. Oliver (parking available at the Church across the street). This is an
opportunity for all community leaders and the general public to meet and greet the candidates in an informal setting.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009 – City Manager candidates will be interviewed individually by the City
Commission in the Commission Meeting room at City Hall. Interviews are in no particular order and will proceed
in the following manner:
08:45 am – Joshua Ray, Whiteville, NC
10:00 am – Mark Johnson, Atoka, TN
11:15 am – Pete Maldonado, San Antonio, TX
12:30 pm – Lunch Break
1:45 pm – Jerry Reed, Grandview, TX
3:00 pm – Stephani Johnson, Los Alamos, NM
5:30 pm – City Commission Deliberations begin in Closed Session. Commission may then go into open session if
necessary.
CITY of AZTEC
PUBLIC
NOTICE
A regular municipal election for the election of City
Commissioners will be held Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at
Aztec City Hall, 201 W. Chaco. Polls will be open
from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. At this election, persons will be
elected to fill three Commissioner Positions (currently
held by Sally Burbridge, Jim Crowley and Gene
Current).
Candidate Filing Day
Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010
From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Aztec City Clerk's Office
201 W. Chaco St. • Aztec, NM
Bring with you:
1. A declaration of candidacy (pick up prior to or on
January 5th from the Municipal Clerk, Rebecca L.
Howard.)
2. A copy of your current affidavit of voter registration on file with the San Juan County Clerk that has
been certified by the county clerk no earlier than
November 24, 2009. These affidavits must show your
address as a street address or rural route number, not a
post office box.
You must:
• Reside within the Aztec City Limits
• Be a registered voter
• Affirm you have not been convicted of a felony, or
if you have, that your elective franchise has been
restored.
• Bring your candidacy forms personally or through
an authorized representative to the Clerk's office at the
Aztec City Hall, Jan. 5th from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (If
an interested candidate can not personally appear on
January 5th , please contact the City Clerk’s office for
the appropriate paperwork.)
PAGE 2
DECEMBER 1 - 15 • 2009
THE MAIL (AND E-MAIL) ROOM
TALON notes
• TALON is community-input,
thanks to everyone who contributes!
• Thanks to those who donated to
TALON via www.aztecnews.com. I
appreciate it!
Questions? Answers?
Contact Candy, 334-1039
aztecnews@sisna.com
Local meetings
• Sustainable San Juan will meet
Monday, December 7th, at 6:30 at the
Aztec Library. Local builder, Adam Fries,
will be giving a presentation on the different green homes he has built. 3341840.
• Aztec Mercantile Coop has no
December meeting planned.
• Aztec Trails & Open Space will
have their monthly meeting Tuesday,
December 15th at Aztec City Hall at 6
pm. Everyone is invited! For information
call Kelly at 334-9551 or www.aztectrails.com.
Angela Watkins to speak
at Kiwanis meeting
Angela Watkins, Aztec Public Library,
will speak to the Aztec Kiwanis Club on
Thursday, December 3, on the various
programs at the library. The meeting will
be held at 6:30 pm at Oliver's Restaurant,
1901 W. Aztec Blvd., and the public is
invited. Join us for dinner and an interesting program.
Chief Deputy
Assessor to speak
to Seniors
Clyde A. Ward, Chief Deputy Assessor,
San Juan County will present the available property tax exemptions and benefits
for property owners in San Juan County.
The talk will mainly focus on a special
valuation method for owners over 65 or
100% disabled, regardless of age, with an
annual income under $32,000. With the
current economic climate, everyone
should take advantage of all their authorized tax savings.
Clyde will be presenting this information at 11:30 am on Tuesday, December
8th at the Aztec Senior-Community
Center, 101 S. Park Avenue, Aztec. He
will be available for questions after the
presentation.
Pam Davis, Director Aztec Senior Civic Center
Aztec Senior Center TV stolen
I’m sad to say that recently the Aztec Senior Center’s 27” TV was stolen. It was
used for instructional videos for the classes and activities that take place at the Senior
Center. With many households switching to the new flat screen TV’s, perhaps there is
someone out there who has an older 19” or larger TV that they need to find a home
for. An analog, 19” or larger, would be fine as we use it for videos, not to watch TV. If
so, please contact the Aztec Senior Center – we may be able to take it off your hands!
Pam Davis, Director, Aztec Senior - Civic Center, 334-7617
The bridge over the gap continues
When it seems that every new day
brings another crisis in our world, God
sends something special to bless our lives
and renew our hope for our country’s
future. That blessing for us seniors comes
in the form of the young people of
Aztec’s Vista Nueva High School. They
kept their promise to return to us after
their summer vacation (except the graduates, who promised to drop in occasionally). Their coming strengthens the bonding they initiated in the spring of 2009.
Along with their outreaching friendliness they also added interesting and
informative centerpieces that attractively
graced our tables. We read facts about
products of the past which most of us
have used. Candies we have eaten and
the history of their creation and success.
Then there was all those nice little bugs
(ugh! spiders! ugh!) and some info I’d
rather not know about but that is
nonetheless true.
They give us service at the Aztec
Senior Center with a smile and sprinkled
with loving patience and caring. They are
such smiling and respectful young friends
and it is a joy just to see them and talk to
them. Some of them I remember from
last season, and some I look forward to
getting to know more about. We love
them and hope they keep coming.
At this time I would sincerely like to
congratulate the teaching staff at Vista
Nueva. Their devotion to their vocation is
obvious in the dividends that have resulted from their eager efforts. They are
reaping a very promising harvest. We
salute you and thank you.
Anne Cottrell
December celebrations! Interim Director
Happy December birthday to Happy
birthday to Orien Israel, Ryan Kimbrel,
Seth Wells, A.J. Cloudt, Blane Giles,
David Lawson, Linda Lawson, Candy
Frizzell, Jesse Hathcock, Shelby Trout,
Joyce Jones, Rose Olson, Nicole Olson25, Kat McDonald, Michael Perry, Elena
Trujillo-30, Robert Parker, and Chris
Buchanan.
Happy Anniversary to Brandon & April
Lawson and David & Elaine Lawson (40
years!).
leaves Aztec Chamber
Interim Director Sandi Harber, who has
ably managed the Aztec Chamber of
Commerce for the past four months, has
decided to resign her position to pursue
other interests. President of the Board of
Directors Kelly Townsend says that the
Board is currently examining the needs
of the Chamber's members. Based upon
its findings, the Board plans to hire a new
director within the next two months.
Your Friend
Always!
Kaylee Ahlgrim
In loving memory of the
Innocent Victims of the
November 14, 2005
Aztec Goat Massacre
Happy 29th Birthday
to my Hunny Bunny Jeremy Cain on
November 23rd!! I love you so much!
Love, Oriel
Dearest Talon Readers:
Call me and I’ll help you get the right life insurance
for you and your family.
Ron Goimarac, Agent
1524 W Aztec Blvd
Aztec, NM 87410
Bus: 505-334-9427
ron.goimarac.b7jj@statefarm.com
statefarm.com®
State Farm Life Insurance Company (Not licensed in MA, NY or WI), State Farm Life and Accident Assurance Company
P062046 12/06
(Licensed in NY and WI) - Bloomington, IL
Susan Barnes, Natural Health
327-1914
Bert Bennett, Fire Department
334-9271
Jim Dahlberg, Cedar Hill
947-1355
Ramona Durham, Let’s Talk Herbs 334-0344
Mike Heal, Chief’s Corner
334-7620
Gary Lepire
634-2040
Book Nook, Library Staff
334-7658
Marti Kirchmer, SJCE
334-3831x200
John Rees, Bird Talk
632-8335
Christine Ragsdale
215-8733
Bruce Salisbury
334-2398
Pam Davis, Senior Center
334-2881
Nick Garcia, The Big C
334-2434
Sustainable Living, Elisa Bird
334-1840
These folks share their time on a regular basis
to write in their field of interest. If you have subjects and tidbits they might be interested in, give
them a call. If you would like to try your hand at
writing, give us a call at 334-1039. Many others
have submitted stories, poems and information on
an occasional or one-time basis. Thanks to everyone, it sure makes for good reading.
Don’t Be Left Out
Next Deadline is December 9th
You are encouraged to be early, but
send items in even if it’s past deadline - if there’s space, there’s a way!
505-334-1039
TALON, PO Box 275, Aztec 87410
aztecnews@sisna.com
Dropbox at Zip & Ship
SINCE
1993
TA L O N
The Aztec Local News
PO Box 275 • Aztec,
NM 87410
• 505-334-1039 •
fax/voice 334-1551
aztecnews@sisna.com
web page:
www.aztecnews.com
The Aztec Local News (TALON) is published semimonthly, on the 1st and middle of
each month. As a community-input newspaper, serving the Aztec, Bloomfield, Cedar
Hill, Center Point, Flora Vista, La Plata,
Navajo Dam, and Blanco areas, we welcome
stories, news, events, poetry, photos, etc.
from area residents.
6500-7000 copies of The Aztec Local
News are delivered to over 150 locations in
the area for free pickup and mailed to those
who prefer the convenience of a subscription.
Happy 13th
Birthday to my
Best Friend
Courtney Spear
on November
8th!
For life insurance,
call a good neighbor.
• T h e TA LO N R e g u l a r s •
This is in regards to Darlene Phillip's letter to the editor
through the Daily Times seeking to find a support system.
She is a survivor of homicide which took her daughter's life.
What Darlene Phillips has had to go through has been very
hard to endure throughout the years.
I am so very sorry for her loss, pain and sufferings. Her
daughter meant everything to her. When her daughter was
brutally murdered, a huge part of Darlene Phillips died with
her.
You see I know this because my one and only son was violently obliterated, murdered as well. Total overkill subjected
towards his body. His murder was on 11-29-96 along with his
friend, Joseph Aaron Fleming. The case was dubbed the
Eclectic Double Homicide which deliberately, maliciously,
unforgivably on purpose went unsolved for four grueling
years too long.
Darlene Phillips, if you read this I would like to support
you and help you and me heal. I too have been looking for
you. I would also like others who have lost a loved one due
to murder to contact me through The Talon newspaper. We all
who have lost a loved one due to murder are Survivors of
Homicide. We are left victimized. It's time now to stop feeling like the victim. Let's turn it around and become victors in
our plight so we can live with some peace and harmony.
What the devil meant for evil God can turn things around and
make it good.
Darlene Phillips, they took your daughter and my son's
body but they didn't take their souls. They soar in heaven.
Our angel's watching over us. Please conract me through The
Talon newspaper. We have a lot of things in common. We can
help one another heal.
Sincerely Yours, Christine Trecker
Editor & Publisher: Candy Frizzell, 334-1039
Reporter: Katee McClure,330-4616,
Ad Rep: Debbie Koster, 970-764-8108
horseloverdebbie@hotmail.com
Distribution: Della Rodriquez,
Stephanie Sandoval, Melody Ahlgrim
Proofreaders: Gina Martinez, Linda Lawson,
Debbie Israel
© Copyright 1993-2009 by The Aztec Local News.
All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced without the written
permission of the editor. Printed by The
Gallup Independent.
The Aztec Local News is a compilation of
articles, poems, stories, opinions, etc. written by area
residents. The opinions expressed in these articles
are those of the individual authors, and do not
necessarily reflect those of The Aztec Local News.
If information is presented as fact and it is relevant
to you, verify it. Although we strive for correctness and
honesty, this community paper does not have the
resources to check all incoming info. Be aware also
that what’s in TALON, ends up on the internet.
Subscribe to TALON
Make it easy on yourself and get The Aztec
Local News delivered to your house or
business, relative or friend.
Name: __________________________
Address: ____________________
City, State, Zip: ____________
Send a check for $16 / year (24 issues) to:
TALON, PO Box 275, Aztec, NM 87410
City of Aztec
Pot Hole Hotline
334-7660
THE AZTEC LOCAL NEWS
PAGE 3
Supreme Court appoints new local Adjudication Judge
Effective November 16, 2009, the new local
Adjudication Court Judge is James J. Wechsler, currently a New Mexico Appeals Court Judge in Santa Fe. It is
not known by this writer if he will keep both jobs. He
will be over the State Water Adjudication in District
Judicial Courts 1, 5, 11, and 13. The local court adjudication hearing held November 17, 2009 by the Special
Master, Stephen Snyder, was very interesting. Special
Master Snyder asked numerous questions to the settling
parties, which are the Navajo Nation, State of New
Mexico, and the Federal Government. The questions
concentrated on the brief filed by the combined settling
party which proposed a notice to be given each water
user and published in the newspaper. He asked the
Navajo Nation lawyer the most questions and honed in
on the hydrographic survey that was supposed to have
been provided to show the historic and beneficial uses of
all Navajo water use. The Special Master indicated he
definitely wanted to go forward quickly with the expedited inter se hearing on the Navajo water settlement. He
did question whether the deadline dates in the settlement
could be extended if necessary. Their answer was it was
possible between the signatories but whether it had to be
approved by Congress was the problem.
Mr. Horner, the Bloomfield Irrigation and personal
lawyer, was not agreeable to try to modify the notice but
all other objectors to the settling party’s motion with the
court on procedural issues and language in the notice
were. They will exchange e-mails and decide by the end
of the year if they can agree to a change. The court may
not decide now who will bear the burden to convince the
court the agreement is fair and was negotiated at arm’s
length by the State. The Special Master asked that the
settling parties provide more information to be put in the
notice on what the current amount of water used now is
and how much of the Navajo settlement water is for
future use. I almost fell out of my seat when the Navajo
lawyer Stanley Pollack was explaining what water was
for future use. He failed to list that the Fruitland and
Hogback diversions would increase almost 150 CFS of
direct flow water with an 1868 priority date. The existing and future CFS on these two Indian ditches of 325
CFS will take all the water in the San Juan and Animas
River in August, September, and October of most years.
This is why this Navajo water settlement must be
stopped and changed so that harm to non-Indian water
users is reduced. I can provide data on water flows
available in the dry months and previous years that will
back up what I am saying. The State Engineer, John
D’Antonio, will tell you the settlement is fair to nonIndian water users in this basin. His main argument is it
will provide certainty to all users. That argument means
little to all non Indian users if they are curtailed to no
use in August, September, and October. The meeting of
the San Juan Agricultural Water Users held on Veteran’s
Day, November 11, 2009, was not attended by many
irrigators but those there were adamant they should not
withdraw from the battle now and that the $3/acre
assessment to fund their attorney should continue. Some
ditches attended said they already had collected, but had
not turned it in yet. One ditch with only seven users
pledged $1000. With new judges and the cities and La
Plata lawyers now joining in the legal battle to modify
the way the Settling parties are trying to push the
Navajo settlement thru the court, it would be a mistake
on the irrigator’s part to quit now. Irrigators must
organize and attend the water meetings especially
now. I will be available to any ditch, city, and domestic
water association that wants me to attend their meetings
and explain the Navajo water settlement and its harm.
Robert E. Oxford, Aztec
330-2284
Everybody loves a happy ending....
Louie, my 28-year-old stallion, has a wonderful
new home, companions, and the very best of love
and care. This new home is way beyond my
wildest dreams for him. Best of all, I can visit him
from time to time! I would like to thank your
newspaper and staff for allowing me to tell
Louie's story. I would also like to thank all the
folks who were sending prayers for a wonderful,
new home for Louie... never, ever under estimate
the power of prayer.
Deborah Ann Koster
“Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus, just believe.”
Louie, the horse...
Happy 1st Birthday
Gavin & Ayden
Both of you are
such a gift and joy
to our lives.
We love you so very
much!
Dad, Mom, Sister,
Papa and Grandma
HOLIDAY HAM DINNER
With Yams,
Buttered Asparagus,
Roll and,
Pineapple Upside-down Cake
Tuesday, December 22nd
Noon to 1:00
AZTEC SENIOR CENTER
101 S. Park Avenue • 334-2881
Seniors, age 60+ Suggested donation of $2
Below age 60 – price is $5
Everyone is welcome to come.
Don’t get left in the cold!
We repair all
makes and models
of heaters,
residential and
commercial
Home Plumbing,
Heating & AC
2305 W. Aztec Blvd. • Aztec
• 334-9353 •
NM Animal Cruelty
Taskforce Hotline:
888-260-2178
PAGE 4
DECEMBER 1 - 15 • 2009
Luck had nothing to do with it!
Submitted by Savannah Williams
Hard work, and plenty of it, paid off for the Country Rebels 4-H Club on what
many consider to be an unlucky day. The San Juan County 4-H Club Awards
Banquet was held on Friday, the 13th of November and everyone had a great
time. There was a potluck dinner to enjoy and awards for the Country Rebels 4H club and its members as far as the eye could see. The Country Rebels won top
honors for the second year in a row by winning the Banner Club of the Year
Award. The club also received the Gold Hands to Larger Service Award for their
dedication to community service, Attendance Award, and the County Contest
Participation Award. Last, but certainly not least, the club also won the
Recordbook Participation Award.
Individual members receiving awards for outstanding project recordbooks
were Jenavieve Jobe, Ace Eavenson, Rashel Korte, Karissa Rosenberger, Kaleb
Meador, William Rosenberger, Matthew McGlasson, Holly McGlasson, Rory
Eavenson, Raven McCluhan, Savannah Williams, Sean Jobe, Sarah Jobe and
Racine Eavenson.
If you would like to join this award winning club, please contact Sheri Korte
at 334-1157.
Country Rebels 4-H Club
Call
334-1039 to
get your
stories, ads,
events, etc. in
104 S. Main • Aztec, NM 87410
• Specials Daily •
Open Mon to Thurs: 11 am - 9 pm
Fri & Sat: 11 am - 10 pm
Take Out Orders:
334-1234
TALON
Catch the Christmas Spirit at
Hoodies
ain Street
Main
M
Paw print bags
Sport Blankets
Wrestling hoodies
& hats
Spirit
206 S. Main
Aztec, NM
334-8646
Support
“Jenna”
t-shirts & bags
Football & Basketball
Shirts
Specialized clothing
Lay away now for Christmas
Bloomfield, come check out our Blue & Gold section
A new arrival by Anne Cottrell
Hi! I would like you to
meet the newest addition
to my little adobe home.
She is like no other pet
that ever came to live
with me.
She was born on Oct.
10, 2009 at the Fall
Festival at the Aztec
Senior Center, sometime
in the early afternoon.
She was brought into this
world by a highly-skilled
medical team - members
of the 4-H Club who
attended the festivities.
Arabella
I brought her home
with me and then
watched over her, day by day, as she grew and blossomed into the beauty
she is today. She is very neat and fastidious and very easy to care for. All
she requires is a little water each day and some sunshine. She responds most
readily to a little love and tender care.
Her “crowning glory” is her hair which used to stand straight up.
However, one day I neglected to feed her and the crown slipped a little. I
think her new swept-back hair do is much more flattering and feminine. I
put a little bow in it.
I love her eyes. She is always bright-eyed and happy-looking. We converse daily. She even listens attentively when I sing around the house. She
makes no loud noises and no messes. She just sits there, in her place in the
sun and radiates peace and contentment.
Her name is Arabella and I hope she stays a long, long time - at least for
the short short daylight hours of our winters.
FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER EDUCATION CLASS
Dec. 7-8
(Must attend both
evenings for credit)
6-9 pm
San Juan
College East
Room 118
(Aztec)
313 S. Ash
Street
To register call:
ECHO HOPE
505-325-7466
Still renting? Think you can’t afford a home? Join us and
find out about special programs that enable individuals and
families with low to moderate income to own their own home.
Credit Counseling can be scheduled as needed.
Programs currently available will be presented.
Applications provided.
Certificate of Completion offered
Register early!
Seating is limited.
ECHO is an equal opportunity housing provider
The class is free
ECHO HOPE HOUSING PROGRAM
304 S. Lake Street Suite D
Farmington, NM 87401
And 322 N. Main Street
Aztec, NM 87410
Phone: 505-327-9508
Fax: 505-326-5025
Email: rosalynfry@ddbroadband.net
Old-Fashioned
Barn Dance
• When: Every Thursday evening from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00
p.m., except major holidays.
• Where: Main room at the Bloomfield Multicultural Center, off
S. 1st between W. Maple St. and Ash Ave.—From
Farmington, pass first traffic light by Farmers Market going
east, turn right on S. 1st at second light and go 2-1/2 blocks
south. The Complex is on the right, and is also the location
of the library, gymnasium and weight room.
• Information: Good, old-fashioned Live Classic Country music
with a light sprinkle of Classic Pop and Rock for 4 solid hours
of great listening and dance music.
• Award-Winning green chili cheeseburgers, hamburgers,
hotdogs, grilled chicken sandwiches, chips and drinks, by
Ron McDonald and crew, so bring your appetite. All ages
welcome, with an atmosphere and attitude reminiscent of the
old barn dances where the whole family could come and
dance and enjoy visiting with friends and neighbors, or meet
some new friends. There will be no alcohol or smoking--just
great fun with friends and family. There will be a $5 cover
charge per person at the door to take care of the building
costs, musicians and cleanup.
• December 3, Forever Young
For more information, Call:
505-632-9033 or 505-402-8296
THE AZTEC LOCAL NEWS
PAGE 5
Green Living in San Juan County
Oliver’s December
Coupon Specials!
10% Off
Entire
Ticket!
Including drinks
and desserts.
(No alcohol
discounts.)
Note: Must have this
coupon. One
coupon per table.
Adam Fries, Green Builder to Talk on Green Buildings
Sustainable San Juan has a new Website
Good for
December 2009
Green Building Talk:
HALF OFF CINNAMON ROLL
OR STICKIE BUN
Local builder, Adam Fries, will be giving a presentation on the different green homes he has built, Monday
December 7, Aztec Library, Sustainable San Juan’s
December meeting. All are welcomed.
With Purchase of Breakfast,
Lunch, or Dinner
Sustainable San Juan has a new Website
Note: Must have coupon,
one coupon per table. Good for Dec. 2009
Green Living Website:
Sustainable San Juan has just completed its new website, www.SustainableSanJuan.com.
Check it out for local services, businesses, resource
lists on solar, green building, increasing local food production, water, recycling, green transportation.
OLIVER’S RESTAURANT
1901 W. Aztec Blvd., Aztec. 334-7480
Now Open at 5 a.m.!
Green Christmas Tip: Shop Locally
To give the gift that keeps on giving – shop locally,
keeping your holiday dollars in our region, not only supports our local people, but keeps money longer in San
Juan County. Increasing economy.
Green Christmas Tip: Charitable gift giving
that makes a difference.
Help others this holiday season by making a donation
in your loved ones name to a charity or meaningful
organization. An example, Heifer International helps
children and families around the world to receive training and animal gifts: heifer, sheep, goats, water buffalo,
rabbits, lamas, chickens - that help them become selfreliant. To contact HEIFER INTERNATIONAL
http://www.heifer.org
Sustainable San Juan is a local group dedicated to
assisting green living practice through education and
Nancy Hamilton practices green living with her
egg laying chickens, pictured here with their
companion roosters.
resource. All are welcomed to our monthly meetings.
Please bring your green living project ideas to any of
our meetings for encouragement and information. For
more info: 334-1840, SustainableSanJuan.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sustainable_San_Juan_
Living
Sustainable San Juan – Your Local Resource
for Green Living in San Juan County
www.sustainablesanjuan.com • 334-1840
A little bit more
MJM Jewelers
by Cheryl Trujillo
With jobs vanishing and companies asking those who
are still employed to make sacrifices by doing "a little
more," the holiday season may not be as jolly as it has
been in the past. We all hear the spew about how the
holidays aren't about presents and gifts, but for some,
just getting enough to pay a utility bill may be asking
for too much. But all is not lost when you start to think
of some of the positive things that the recent economic
downturn has brought about.
Christmas gifts used to be dependent upon "wish
lists" where you would simply ask what someone wanted and then pulled out a little card and purchased it.
With rising interest costs, fewer people are depending on
credit cards and, due to high demand, some of the bigger
"box" stores are even bringing back the lay-a-way
option. More people are being more creative as they are
forced to think about what they want to give as a gift
and in turn, the gift means so much more.
When I was small, I couldn't understand the big fuss
over people complaining that Christmas was becoming
too commercialized. Maybe it was because my family
didn't put a lot of emphasis on gifts; it was about the
season. Come Thanksgiving, we couldn't wait to pull out
the old tarnished glittered decorations as we decked the
walls with Christmas cheer. We would play (and replay)
the old Bing Crosby records and sing "White Christmas"
until our throats were sore. We would sit together at
night as we strung popcorn chains and made newspaper
We welcome our new stylist
Katie (Sipe) Kerschion!
Check us out...
We are done
remodeling!
Holiday Gift Certificates
• “Enjoy” Hair Care
products.
All About Style, LLC
220 N. Main, Aztec
Walk ins Welcome • Men & Children, too
Call to make an appointment at 334-7214
Tuesday - Friday, 8 - 5:30 • Saturday, 8 - 2:30
Announces Our After Thanksgiving Holiday Sale
20%
Storewide Clearance on Fine Gold Jewelry
Special Orders Excluded
10-15% off All Sterling Silver,
Turquoise, and Gemstone Jewelry
With every purchase of $200 or more, receive
a Free Set of 14k Gold & Pearl Stud Earrings!
Enter into our Christmas Drawing for a $300
Graduated Strand of Pearls to be
Drawn on December 23rd!
115 W. Aztec Blvd., Ste 201 • Aztec • 334-1733
My siblings, my mother and I, Christmas 1963.
wreaths as we reminisced about the
"good ole days." We didn't worry
about the latest toy that everyone
wanted. We didn't "mark our calendars" to be the first in line at the
stores for Black Friday. For gifts, we
gave each other something that we
thought the other person would
enjoy. It could be something new, or
something we made or something we
had that the other person wanted.
There were no price limits or worrying over "who got what from whom";
giving was a simple act of generosity
from one person to another.
Perhaps, in our quest for the perfect holiday, we made things way too
complicated and in doing so, have
cheated ourselves out of an opportunity to enjoy the holidays in a more
meaningful way. We just need to be
open enough to be able to accept
some unconventional options to celebrating. Or in the words of the
immortal Grinch:
"Maybe Christmas," he thought,
"doesn't come from a store. Maybe
Christmas... perhaps... means a little
bit more." ~ Dr. Seuss
Join us for
Christmas at Sutherland Farms
Hours 10-5 • Friday-Sundays
through
December 20th
Smoked Hams & Turkeys
Custom made gift baskets with
Sutherland Farms items, craft vendors for
Christmas gifts, and refreshments.
Begin the holiday season with a visit to the farm!
#745 CR 2900 (Ruins Rd.) 7 1⁄2 miles north of Aztec
334-3578 • 320-6843
website at www.sutherlandfarms.net
PAGE 6
DECEMBER 1 - 15 • 2009
Alway s Inline
Chir opractic
201 S. Main Ave. • Aztec
(next to Citizens Bank)
Affordable Prices with
• New Patient Specials
• Insurances Accepted
including Medicare
• Physical Exams
With 15+ years of hands-on
experience, Dr. Marquez specializes in
a wholistic approach to health to help
with fatigue, migraines, & back pain.
• 334-5000 •
Mon • Wed • Thurs: 10-12 & 3-6
Saturday: 9-11
What the Blazes! by Bert Bennett
With Christmas fast approaching let me take this
opportunity to explain how our Aztec School District
Fire Department’s Christmas Program works. Each
year, for the past 28 years or so, the departments in the
Aztec School District collects food and toys for those
who need a little help during the Christmas season. Our
primary collectors are the schools. We put dumpsters out
at all the schools and the students fill them with food.
New toys are collected for the children ranging in ages
from new born through 15 years of age. Once we get the
food and toys together we have family names collected
by the schools, churches and call or write-ins to the city.
The departments call or visit these families to be sure, or
as sure as we can, they could use a little help with the
holidays. Once we have a confirmed list of families the
toys are wrapped and the food is sorted and boxed. Then
on Christmas Eve, with the help of Santa, all the toys
and food is delivered to the families. It is our policy that
we deliver only to families with children and only on
Christmas Eve with Santa. Last year we delivered to
about 100 families with about 300 children.
The program is a lot of hard work and long hours, but
the looks in the children’s eyes and on the faces of the
parents make the effort well worth it.
We voted to discontinue the program because the program gets bigger every year and we don’t. The costs
continue to rise and it gets harder and harder to meet
expenses. Even with all the wonderful donations of toys
and food we spend 5,000 to 7,000 dollars a year. Also it
gets harder for us to get all the work accomplished with
the number of people we have, and most of us are working during the day so this makes it even harder.
After we made our decision we sat around and talked
Aztec Police Dept.
Give a personalized
Christmas Gift!
Picture Frames • Vinyl Graphics • License Plates
Gift Certificates Available!
Chief’s Corner By Chief Mike Heal
Hello Friends:
This is the time of year that we need
to remember what we have to be
thankful for and to reach out to others
to help in any way we can. Many of us
have been blessed with much and I
would hope we would be willing to
help those in need.
I had the opportunity last month to
make a presentation to the commission about the Police
Department. I was able to present our 5 years statistics,
what crime was happening and where. I told them what
it takes in man hours to do the job being done by our
officers. I was able to present the amount of free time
our officers do not have right now and gave them
response time of all calls for service this year. I presented to them the timeline of the two new officers we just
hired.
Just for your information we are authorized 16 certified police officer positions. We presently have 13 certified officers, 1 vacancy, and 2 positions that have just
been hired that will not be finished with training and out
on their own until October 2010.
I have extra copies of the presentation if any of you
would like one. Just contact my administrative assistant,
Sherri Gurule, who can make you a copy of the report
that I presented to the City Commission. This report is
very informative as to what is happening in your Police
Department.
The Chief’s Coffee meetings are going well and at our
November meeting we took a tour of the San Juan
County Communication Center. Our next Chief’s Coffee
meeting is January 19, 2010 at 6:00 pm sharp at the
Aztec Police Department. If you plan to attend please
call Sherri at 334-7620 and let her know. If you cannot
Stop by our
Aztec location
104 W. Aztec Blvd.
Aztec Fire Dept.
about programs past and then voted to not give up so
Christmas is on again, BUT WE DO NEED HELP.
We will need some major outside commitment and support if the program is to continue. By helping others
have a better Christmas ours is also better. WE NEED
YOUR HELP!!!
With this edition needing to be in before
Thanksgiving, I hope everyone had a happy and safe
holiday.
Like the families involved serious accidents or fires
take their toll in pain and suffering on the fire and medical personnel who respond to them, as well.
ALL VOLUNTEER • Since 1925 • ALL THE TIME
Your neighbors need your help. If you are interested in
helping your community and are 18 or over, join the
Fire Department now! To join come by the Main Station
at 200 North Ash, Behind Blake’s any Wednesday night
at 7 PM. The members will be more than happy to tell
you all about your Volunteer Fire Department.
Please think about this. Your help is needed and
you can make a difference!!
or do not want to attend but have an issue for the Aztec
Police Department please call or email and let us know
and we will address it. We will not have a meeting in
December.
Our prayers go out to Bob Hanson who has been coming to the Chief’s Coffee since the beginning. He has
been very ill and missed our last meeting. (Bob I will
take you for a personal tour of the Communication
Center as soon as you are better.) We wish him a speedy
recovery!
I hope you have seen our message board out around
town. If you have a location where you would like to see
it put or a message you want placed on it, you can contact Sergeant Charles who is taking care of the board.
Please be careful out there and let’s all help watch out
for each other and drive safe.
As always, if I can help you in any way or answer any
questions, please call me Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm, at 3347620, or e-mail me at mheal@aztecnm.gov or send your
thoughts to 201 West Chaco, Aztec, NM, 87410.
Until next time, stay safe & God bless you and God
bless America!
A mother's work is never done
by G.N. Lepire
Moms are unique and every mom knows the pressures
of that job description. It has never been about appearances and it has never been about the toil that comes
with the job. Moms are unique because they are motivated by the bond established with their children through
childbirth. It seems to be a universal standard that such
relationships remain, unaltered and unbreakable.
As our children and grandchildren struggle against our
enemies at war overseas, it is loving mothers such as that
of the BSM who continue to steadfastly keep this bond
alive. Our local chapter of the Blue Star Moms is a great
example of the dedication to that bond. Every month
their singular purpose is to reinforce that bond and maintain hope that their unity of spirit will prevail and return
our loved ones to us. What follows is the BSM itinerary
for December, 2009. Join them in their efforts!
Dec. 2 - 5 - Festival of Trees at the Civic Center
December 3 - Christmas Parade "The Gift of
Freedom." Lineup at 5 pm by KFC & Zia Sporting Goods
December 4 - Serve for PNM Christmas Party at the
Elk's Lodge from 5 - 9pm
December 5 - Miracle on 25th Street, 5pm till 8:00pm
at Gibson's Resident 2409 Nathan Ave, Farmington, NM
87401 home #325-3834. Please come and support Jessie
Tucker on her high school project.
December 6 - Load at the Storage unit for care packaging. Turn right on Oliver Street and it is almost all the
way to the end, take a left into the storage units. 1:00pm
December 7 - Meeting at the Civic Center for Care
Packaging. Sorting at 6 pm and packing boxes at 7 pm
December 11 - Blue to Gold Ceremony for the Tom
Family at Noon at Beclabito Chapter House.
December 15 - Election of Officers (Meeting) and
Potluck Dinner at the VFW #2182 at 6 pm
December 18, 2009 - Service for the City of
Farmington Christmas Party at the Elk's Lodge 5- 9 pm
Auxiliary membership in BSM is embraced and
encouraged and you are encouraged to attend the various
scheduled BSM events. FMI, call our local BSM
President, Rita Gibson at (505) 325-3834. These women
will embrace and appreciate community support since “A
Woman's Work is Never Done.”
THE AZTEC LOCAL NEWS
PAGE 7
Aztec Senior Center news by Pam Davis, Director, Aztec Senior - Civic Center
Menu for December 2009
Tuesday – December 1 – Tater Tot Casserole
Wednesday – December 2 – Chicken & dumplings
Thursday – December 3 – Chicken Fried Steak
Friday – December 4 – Baked Fish
Monday – December 7 – Baked Pork Chop
Tuesday – December 8 – Corned Beef and Cabbage
Wednesday – December 9 – Chicken ‘n rice
Thursday – December 10 – BBQ Beef
Friday – December 11 – Chicken Pot Pie
Monday – December 14 – Hamburger Stroganoff
Tuesday – December 15 – BBQ Chicken Thighs
Wednesday – December 16 – Sloppy Joe
Thursday – December 17 – Chicken Strips
Friday – December 18 – Pizza and Marinara Pasta
Monday – December 21 – Taco
Tuesday – December 22 – HOLIDAY HAM
DINNER
Wednesday – December 23 – Grilled Turkey Sandwich
Thursday – December 24 – Center closed
Friday – December 25 – Center closed –
Happy Holidays
Monday – December 28 – Hamburger Mac
Tuesday – December 29 – Pork Stir Fry
Wednesday – December 30 – Baked Chicken
Thursday – December 31- Beef Fajita
Happenings at the Center:
Lunch is served from 12:00 to 1:00. Seniors 60 and
over we ask a donation of $2 for the meal. Those under
60, the price for the meal is $5.
Mon - Fri • 8 am to 3 pm • 101 S. Park
334-2881 • Menu line, 334-7618
www.aztecnm.com
Aztec Boys & Girls Club
Early Bird Drawing winner
Congratulations to the winner of our Early Bird
Drawing, Steve Schwartz of Pagosa Springs, CO. Steve
is the winner of a beautiful 2010 Dyna-Wide Glide.
Steve’s winning ticket and the other 999 tickets that
were in the Early Bird Drawing will all go back into the
tumbler with all of the other tickets sold on March 20,
2010 for six more Harley-Davidson motorcycles. If you
haven’t gotten your ticket yet please be sure to buy one
or two or three! All profits from our Harley Raffles go
directly to the Aztec Boys & Girls Club. Visit our website at www.aztecbg-club.com to see a short video clip of
the Early Bird Drawing and to learn more about our raffle and our organization. Tickets may also be purchased
by calling 800-461-1238 or locally at Four Corners
Harley-Davidson and Rig Equipment in Farmington or
in Aztec at the Aztec Boys & Girls Club and Main
Street Music.
Thanks to all of you who so generously support the
Aztec Boys & Girls Club and have a Happy Holiday, we
couldn’t do it without you!
Aztec has been seen quite a lot of
change lately, not only in our administrative departments, but also in our local
Chamber of Commerce. Right now Aztec
has no Chamber Director or Assistant
Chamber Director. The members of the
Board of Directors (all volunteer positions) are taking turns keeping the
Chamber going until a new Director is
hired.
So what is it about this job that is so
challenging that we have trouble keeping
a Director?
I have, in the last three months, called
both prior Chamber Directors to get their
story about why they left. Neither one of
them called me back. So I decided to call
past Director Annette Tidwell-Abend to
see what it takes to run a successful
chamber of commerce.
Annette was Aztec's Chamber Director
from the end of 2001 through 2003 and
Interim Director from the beginning of
2005 through the middle of 2006.
During this time the Chamber flourished. I personally had occasion to work
with Annette on a couple of Chamber
ventures and her overwhelming enthusiasm for projects, and the Chamber in
general, was infectious. It was during her
tenure that I joined the Chamber.
Annette had a unique quality of being
both left brained (organizational) and
right brained (artistic and creative). That
combination made for a well-run and yet
fun chamber.
The Aztec Chamber Director has a
whole host of duties to attend to.
Finance, membership relations, event
planner, grant-writer, newsletter writer
and editor and business manager. These
duties are just the very basic qualities
needed. According to Annette the most
important part of a Chamber is its members. Without them there is no viable
Chamber. Annette told me, "This job has
to be about more than your salary - you
have to be passionate about the job."
That passion, according to Annette,
includes membership relations, promoting of businesses, networking with businesses and getting people together to
help one another. Most important is
keeping members informed about what is
going on in the city via a newsletter and
keeping in contact with members to see
how the Chamber can help them.
Fostering relationships with fellow
businesses via the Chamber many times
leads to long standing business connections which is always helpful. Annette
noted that "the Chamber is incredibly
powerful when it is working right."
How true!
The Aztec Chamber Board of Directors
are working hard right now to set up a
comprehensive job description for the
position before the hiring process begins.
Hopefully, somewhere in that description, it will say "Successful candidate
must have PASSION!"
Hidden Valley Golf Club offers specials
Hidden Valley Golf Club, just outside of Aztec off Southside River
Road, is open for play daily until such time as weather would prohibit
play. Our twilight special begins at 12:30 pm, where you can play for
$15.00 with a cart.
Every Wednesday we are hosting a Military Day to honor all those
who have served our country. The day will provide 18 holes of golf for
$18.00 with a cart.
Call the proshop for other specials at 334-3248.
By Mark Everson
Mosaic Academy Public Charter
School in Aztec will be getting a
new source of power this winter.
A small array of solar panels
(photovoltaic) will soon be pumping electrons into the school’s
power meter. The panels will help
to offset the school’s electrical
costs. With recent state budget cuts coming to all public
schools in New Mexico, this is one way that Mosaic
Academy is helping to save money.
The array was initially funded through a small grant
from BP Amoco through their A+ for Energy Program.
Local businesses such as Jantz Electric, the San Juan
College RESPECT club (a student group focused on
supporting alternative energy), and a number of individuals have made significant donations of time, expertise,
and money to help see this project completed.
The purpose for installing solar panels at school is primarily for the educational benefit for students. Students
can witness first hand how photons from the sun can
make electricity for people to use. Generating electrical
power to save the school money is another important
reason for this project. Another reason is to offer an
example for the Aztec community of how alternative
power sources can help us live more sustainably in our
world. Please come by for a visit later this winter to see
the solar array in action.
Getting behind
on home repairs?
Need more room?
Want to remodel?
Wildwood Trim & Remodel
ADDITIONS • REMODELING • REPAIRS
General Contractor • lic 16778
30+ years experience
It takes passion and chutzpa
to run a Chamber of Commerce
By Katee McClure
Sun Power coming to
Mosaic Academy
505-330-2960
O P E N I N G N OV E M B E R 3 .
The new Mercy Regional Breast Care Center.
Comprehensive care, close to home.
At your Mercy.
Our new $3.4 million breast care center
.org
urango
offers diagnostic tools and personalized care.
mercyd
Built by the community, for the community,
Mercy Regional Breast Care Center has the latest diagnostic technologies, including
digital mammography, breast MRI and breast ultrasound. These advancements
mean comprehensive diagnostic care is closer to you – and test results are available
more quickly. Offering convenient, state-of-the-art breast care is one more way we
serve the region. That’s your Mercy.
1010 Three Springs Blvd., Durango, CO 81301 | (970) 764-2500 | appointments (970) 764-2525
Breast MRI | Digital mammography | Breast ultrasound | On-site radiologists
PAGE 8
DECEMBER 1 - 15 • 2009
Aztec City Commission workshop/meeting wrap-up, Nov. 10, 2009
chased two parcels of property, located at the corner of
S. Ash and W. Zia. The property is currently zoned as
MH and Southside Mutual Domestic Water Association
has asked for the zoning to be changed to O-1 so that
two businesses can be operated from the property. The
Planning and Zoning Board heard the case at their regular meeting on Nov. 3, and voted unanimously in favor
of the zone change. Commissioners voted 4-0 to approve
the change of zoning.
The meeting wrapped up with reports by City
Managers, Commissioners, City Attorney and department heads, and adjourned at 7:50 pm.
Authority (NMFA) which was the last of the required
documentation for Water Trust Board Funding. The city
was also provided with draft documents for review.
Changes to the draft documents include a provision for
the City to be reimbursed for costs incurred since March
2009 and the elimination of the requirement for Release
of Liens to be completed prior to disbursement of funds
to the City. During November, the grant resolution and
agreement needs to be approved by commission.
All documents related to the grant will be executed by
Mayor, City Attorney and City Clerk and submitted to
Disclaimer: This Commission wrap-up is not an official
NMFA for final approval. The City should have fully
record of the Aztec City Commission meeting. It is a
executed grant agreement by mid December 2009 which
synopsis of the proceedings. Official transcripts are
will allow the City to submit for reimbursement of costs
available through the City Clerk’s office, 334-7600.
incurred up to the $1 million. It is anticipated that this
may be completed in one request. Commissioners voted
Note: Commission meetings are held the second
4-0 to approve Resolution 2009-815.
and
fourth Tuesdays at 6:00 pm. The next general
Next item of business was RFP 2010-216, City of
meetings are Tuesday, December 8th and
Aztec Police Performance Assessment, requested by
Tuesday, December 22nd.
Purchasing/Administration. Commission approved in the
A final agenda is posted 24 hours prior to the
FY10 budget for a performance assessment to be conmeeting.
Copies may be obtained from City Hall, 201
ducted on the Aztec Police Department. The Interim
W. Chaco, Aztec 87410. Those needing auxiliary aid
City Managers met with the Purchasing Department to
or service may contact the City Clerk’s Office, 334create the Request for Proposal Document. Five firms
submitted proposals. The evaluation committee scored
7600, prior to the meeting.
the firms based on the criteria outlined in the RFP document. Matrix Consulting Group was the top firm, and
the purchasing department has negotiated a fee and contract not to exceed $25,000.00.
The firm has indicated that they can start the assessment process within 2 weeks of approval. In order to
approve the contract a contingency transfer will need to
be authorized in the amount of $2,000.00.
Commissioners voted 4-0 to approve RFP 2010-216.
Next item of business was the Approval of Change
Order #2 for RFP # 2008-211 Reservoir/Pond #3
Engineering Services Agreement, requested by the
By: Stacy Sutherlin.
Purchasing Department. Reservoir #3 has been an ongoing project since 2008. The original RFP was rejected
and sent out for rebid. With that, additional bidding and
Wind blows, grass sways,
design fees were incurred from Souder Miller and
Ducks dive for corn thrown from the bridge,
Associates. Change Order #2 covers those additional
The long brown bridge that stretches across the
charges, including:
Animas River.
Item #1 – Additional Meetings - $3,749.00
The river’s current is constant,
Item #2 – Raw Water Pump Design - $13,337.00
Item #3 – Separate Bidding Documents for Phase 1
Ducks float down,
and Phase 2 - $10,361.40
One speed only.
Item #4 – Redesign of Retaining Wall - $9,067.00
Rocks are smooth from water over them
Total for Change Order #2 Many years now,
$36,514.40 plus 7% tax $2,556.01 Total
Big rocks make the icy water jump and tumble,
- $39,070.41.
NMED
has
reviewed
the
change
order
Pulls leaves of different kinds with it.
Here is a list of warrants issued between10-16-09 to 11-15-09 by the Aztec
Municipal Court. If your name appears on the list, please contact the court at:
and has approved to be added as an
I listen to the river of letters tell me stories,
(505) 334-7640 to clear up the warrant. 8 to 4:30 M-F.
amendment to the original Reservoir #3
Like a book.
NAME
LAST KNOWN ADDRESS
D of B
professional services agreement.
Acosta, Greg
504B Orchard St Aztec, NM 87410 12/10/1987
Will this story end happily?
Commissioners voted 4-0 to approve.
Bahe, Burton, D
620 NE Aztec Blvd #19 Aztec
6/27/1971
Story after story this river keeps flowing,
The meeting moved into a QUASI
Barber, Amanda
110 Creekside Village Aztec
3/31/1987
Trickling, going
JUDICIAL HEARING to discuss an
Bell, Tiffany
2100 E Blanco Blvd #105 Bloomfield 5/19/1987
application for a zone change from MH
Benoit, Joshua
16290 A Hwy 550 Aztec, NM 87410 2/17/1975
FOREVER
Beyale, Leonard
506 W Maple Farmington, NM 87401 8/16/1950
to O-1 for property located at 300 S. Ash
Blasingame, Cary, S 14 CR 3029 Aztec, NM 87410
8/29/1972
Ave. The action was requested by
Stacy is a fifth grader in Mr. Everson’s class at
Booker, Matthew, D 1280 S Main Aztec, NM 87410
9/27/1967
Southside Mutual Domestic Water
Mosaic
Academy. They took a field trip to the Nature
Bonefield, Samantha 305 N Light Plant Rd #12 Aztec
2/4/1980
Association. The Association has purCenter and wrote poetry.
Brizeno, Mike, A
502 Concho Farmington, NM 87401 3/12/1964
Bruton, Aaron, P
345 CR 4990 Bloomfield, NM 87413 9/21/1986
Buchanan, Adam, C 353 CR 2900 Aztec, NM 87410
8/13/1985
Cayatineto, Tracy 1206 Florida Rd Apt A201 Durango 6/20/1986
Cheney, Mark
7A CR 3547 Flora Vista, NM 87415 8/8/1960
Conley, Kimberly
47 RD 3285 Aztec, NM 87410
7/24/1967
Thai Basil in Aztec is authentic Thai food cooked to order with all fresh ingredients. They have
Cox, Coleman
#39 CR 3581 Flora Vista, NM 87415 11/5/1989
daily specials like succulent lamb curry. PAD THAI noodles are also on the menu, along with a large
Domingo, Jerricah PO Box 77 Nageezi, NM 87037
11/6/1988
Evans, Jason
50 Rd 3450 Flora Vista, NM 87415 3/30/1985
variety of Thai food. Every customer can specify mild or fiery hot. There’s also homemade coconut
Garcia, Francisco, Antonio 6 CR 3184 Aztec, NM 87410 3/5/1973
ice cream or coconut shrimp. The Four Corners area will agree - it is the “Best in the West!”
Gaudern, Tabetha, D 80 CR 2595 Aztec, NM 87410
5/28/1982
Thai Basil, 104 S. Main Ave., is open Monday through Saturday. Phone 334-1234 to order take-out.
Gomez, Luz
213 Fahrion St Bloomfield, 87413 8/14/1979
Gurule, Brandi, S
1112 Graceland, Dr Aztec, NM 87410 6/12/1975
Harris, Gary
#13 CR 2470 Aztec, NM 87410
12/15/1987
Henderson, Ronnie 2011 Troy King Rd #378 Farmington 4/21/1986
Hewitt, Christopher, L 15 CR 3264 Aztec, NM 87410
12/3/1976
on herbicides for noxious weeds with landownby Emma Lee Deyo, San Juan Soil and Water Conservation District
Hill, Jennilynn
PO Box 6795 Farmington, NM 87499 5/25/1981
ers, and irrigation improvements.
We
are
finally
going
to
get
to
WHAT
WE
Hopkins, Eric
42 CR 3180 Aztec, NM 87410
4/14/1986
The District has a Rolling Rivers Trailer (a
DO at the San Juan Soil and Water
Lee, Lionel
125 Utah St Bloomfield, NM 87413 2/21/1985
Model
Watershed) that is used to educate the
Conservation
District.
Lostak, Ryan
1209 N Tucker Farmington,
1/11/1988
MacKinnon, Roch 1295 Sycamore Farmington
1/3/1989
young on watershed management practices. It
The District works with private landowners,
Mendoza, Joseph
650 N Rio Grande Aztec, NM 87410 9/9/1990
is used several times a year at San Juan
public entities, and government subdivisions to
Moore, Joshua
2324 E 17th St Farmington
8/12/1980
College’s Earth Day, the Farmington Water Fair
implement plans and projects for the wise use of
Moore, Misty
308 Western Ave Farmington
1/4/1989
and is available to any school at no cost. Kids
the
natural
resources
of
the
community.
San
Juan
Moses, Alan, R
5406 Marcella Dr Farmington
7/23/1957
really enjoy it and it is an excellent teaching
Soil
and
Water
is
partnered
with
San
Juan
Munoz Jr, Romualdo, M 601 South Ivie Ave Farmington 4/14/1981
tool.
County, The Natural Resource Conservation
Nelson, Henerietta PO Box 1089 Shiprock, NM 87420 11/25/1980
The District has a 4th Grade Foresters
Norberto, Keeford PO Box 63 Nageezi, NM 87037
5/28/1988
Service, the New Mexico Department of
Pruz, Felipe
7 CR 3183 Aztec, NM 87410
2/27/1947
Program where fourth graders from one school
Agriculture, and the Bureau of Land
Rogers, David, B
2209 E 17th St Farmington
9/27/1962
in the area are given trees to plant each year.
Management just to name a few.
Rosenthal, Chris, A 1749 Mountain View Circle Bloomfield 6/6/1972
There is a poster contest for 5th graders that
The
invasive
weed
infestation
has
been
deterRussell, Rudy
405 Blanco St Aztec, NM 87410
3/7/1942
have cash prizes for the top three posters. The
mined to be the greatest threat to the long term
South, Daniel
2613 Mesa Dr Farmington, 87401 12/23/1983
District gives two Carl Chamblee Scholarships
stability
and
wise
use
of
natural
resources
in
this
Tafoya, Reanna, L 204 1/2 Willow Lane Aztec
12/23/1989
Toney, Christopher #24 CR 3959 Farmington, NM 87401 9/30/1980
area. Loss of water quantity and quality with the for first year college students interested in the
Vigil, Eva
5130 Bellflower Circle Farmington 11/8/1963
agricultural field who maintain a B grade avergrowth of Russian Olive and Salt Cedar in the
Vitez, Michael
22B CR 2960 Aztec, NM 87410
6/16/1990
age. And the District sponsors two students for
area has been a major focus of the funds and
Werito, Matthew
74 CR 5005 Bloomfield, NM 87413 12/3/1981
forestry camp in Cuba each year.
resources
of
the
District
for
several
years.
The
Willhight, Andrew 717 Ruth Lane Apt 304 Bloomfield 4/7/1989
That is not all that is done but it gives you
District
has
administered
and
is
now
administerWinters, Keri
400 Lightplant Rd #94 Aztec
7/26/1981
the highlights. Our next meeting will be at the
ing a cost share program with private landownYoung, Robert J
PO Box 87 Flora Vista, NM 87415 9/29/1970
Masonic Lodge in Aztec 1020 NE Aztec Blvd;
ers, and irrigation ditch companies that are fightIf you clear up your warrant from this ad you will receive $20 OFF
6:00pm. January 5, 2010. Everyone is weling these invasive species. The District has a
the BENCH WARRANT FEE! You must tell us you got the
come!!
crew and a mulching machine that works on
information from TALON in order to take advantage of this offer!
Russian Olive and Salt Cedar. We also cost share
reported by Christine Ragsdale
Note: Aztec City Commissioners held a SPECIAL
COMMISSION MEETING (closed session) on Nov.
9 to discuss matters regarding the City Manager position, including the hiring process.
The regular scheduled City Commission workshop
and meeting were held on Nov. 10.
Items on the workshop agenda included State and
Federal Funding requests.
Alcalde and Fay, the City’s federal lobbyists, have
notified staff that Mr. Udall’s office has requested all
2011 Appropriation Requests be submitted by November
30th, 2009. City staff has discussed the potential of all
projects on the City’s ICIP and the following projects
were determined:
Aztec Solar Farm Project – Request amount still being
discussed – Project Amount $30,000,000.00.
Aztec Sewer Outfall Line Project - $2,000,000.00
Treated Water Storage Tank Project - $2,500,000.00
City staff asked for Commission’s recommendation
for the 2011 Federal Requests and if these or other projects are agreed on, the projects will be submitted on the
next Commission agenda November 24th, 2009 for resolution of support and the final applications turned into
Alcalde and Faye by November 30th, 2009 deadline.
The regular commission meeting began immediately
following the workshop.
First items on the agenda were the call to order, invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, roll call (Commissioner
Sipe was absent) and approval of items on the consent
agenda. Those items included: Special Commission
Workshop minutes from October 26; Commission
Workshop minutes and commission meeting minutes
from October 27; travel request; Resolution 2009-816,
surplus; Bid # 2009-335, Reservoir #3 Phase II –
Change Order #4; EPA Amended Consent Agreement
and Final Order; Red Apple Transit Agreement; and
Youth Conservation Corps Grant Funding Acceptance.
Business items began with Resolution 2009-815,
Water Project Fund Grant and Agreement, requested by
the Finance Department. The project began in 2003,
when City Commission authorized staff to submit an
application to the Water Trust Board for funding assistance for Raw Water Reservoir #3. In 2009, the City
received approval from NM Office of the State Engineer
for storage of water in raw water reservoir #3 and provided a copy of the permit to New Mexico Finance
The Aztec Local News is a
community-input
newspaper.
Thanks to everyone!!
505-334-1039
Forever
Aztec City Warrants
Thai food at its best - right here in Aztec!
What DO you DO at the Aztec USDA Center? Part 4
THE AZTEC LOCAL NEWS
PAGE 9
$5 Daily
Specials
Marvelous Mondays
Enchilada & taco,
beans & rice
$2 Budweiser/Bud Light Draft
fine mexican dining
Book your Holiday
Parties NOW!!
•
Gift Certificates
Available
Open
Vandalism at Aztec Reservoir's new site
Reservoir almost finished before adding precious H2O
Mon-Thurs: 11 - 9
Fri-Sat: 11 - 10
Sat: 9 am - 10 pm
Open early on
Saturdays for Brunch
Taco Tuesdays
Two tacos, beans & rice
$2 Hefeweizen Draft
Guiltless Wednesdays
No shell taco salads!
$2 Michelob Ultra Draft
Pizza Thursdays
Taco pizza
$20 Michelob Ultra and
Budlight Golden Wheat
Burger Fridays
1/3 lb. Burger and Fries
$2 Landshark Draft
By Katee McClure
equipment. So, say you had a spare key for a Caterpillar
116 S. Main • Aztec
Saturdays only
Excavator that you used in Illinois, that same key would
On November 4, 2009 a call came into the Aztec
All you can eat wings, 50¢
334-0599
work
for
the
Caterpillar
located
here
in
Aztec.
He
also
Police Department reporting vandalism at the job site on
42 oz. Margarita, $10
Kim & Randy Hodge
Navajo Dam Road where the new reservoir is being con- said that his company took all the keys out of the
machinery at the end of every workday, so whoever did
structed.
the damage most likely had an ignition
According to Captain Morris vandals shot up the
key.
reservoir liner with multiple gunshots from multiple
According to Williams Construction,
guns. The vandals also started up a large piece of equiptotal amount of damages to the job site and
ment called a Caterpillar Excavator and started digging
the equipment totaled about $30,000.00.
holes all along the perimeter of the reservoir.
• Cannot start a fire!
According to a spokesperson from Williams
• Safe for children and pets
Construction the vandals barely missed digging up a high-pressure gas line during their
• 3 year bumper-to-bumper warranty
escapade.
• Heats up to 1,000 sq.ft.
The fun seemed to stop when the vandals
• Lifetime air filter
smashed the bucket portion of the Caterpillar
Mdl #
SH1500 • Quality wood cabinet (not plastic)
into a storage trailer on the job site and the
equipment got stuck.
• 4 easy roll casters
Morris stated that this is an ongoing invesSpecial Sale on Now
tigation so he wasn't at liberty to say much.
$399
But he did say that the police department
Paul D. Hallock
had a number of suspects in mind and that
Sunheat is the
Authorized
Sunheat Dealer
several of them have been questioned.
“best” and most
The spokesperson from Williams
2 1/2 miles north of Aztec
effective zone
Construction Company from Colorado told
505-334-2997
heater on the
me that starting up the big equipment isn't all
Cell: 970-749-1120
market
today.
that complicated. He said that the Caterpillar
Do not try this at home! This maneuver can only be
company doesn't re-key the ignitions on their
accomplished by unskilled vandals!
Save Your Money - Invest in a
Safe Infrared Heating System
The Hogan Thrift Store
PAGE 10
DECEMBER 1 - 15 • 2009
Riverreach Foundation
Annual Riverglo
Luminarias at Berg Park
Friday, December 4th • 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Berg Park (Corner of San Juan Blvd. & Scott Ave.)
• Luminaria lined paths along the river
• Live Nativity - Sunrise Christian Church
• Bonfires
• Santa Claus
• Hot Chocolate and Cider
Archway Court: Presbyterian Bell Choir 6-7 pm
1st Methodist Church Christmas Choir 7-8
Little Pavillion: 1st Baptist Church Choir 6-8
Marriott Terrace: SJ College Concert Group 6-7 pm
Kiss My Brass 7-8 pm
An Aztec Country Christmas
Join the Aztec Community on
Friday, December 11, 2009, as
we celebrate this Holiday Season!
Aztec businesses will be offering
specials during the day and the
evening events are all geared for
family entertainment and fun. We
hope you join us for an inexpensive evening of Holiday Cheer with “An Aztec Country
Christmas”!
Schedule of Events:
• All Day - Pickup an Aztec Chamber of Commerce
Buy Local Card at any participating Aztec Chamber
member business, at the Chamber Office, 101 N Ash
Ave., or at Aztec City Hall and visit eight or more Aztec
businesses on that day, have them sign your card and
drop it in the box at the Aztec Chamber Office until 5
pm or at the Aztec Library that evening and be entered
into a drawing for a free prize.
• 4:30-6:00 pm -Aztec Museum opens @ 125 N
Main Ave. with free admission. We will be accepting
donations of non-perishable food items. The grounds
and buildings will be aglow and carolers will be in the
Pioneer Village buildings to greet you. Chili and hot
cider will be available!
• Dusk - City of Aztec Farolito Display – Farolitos
will line Park Ave. from Main Ave (at Minium Park)
through the City Complex, continue down Ash Ave. to
the Aztec Library. Walk through the display with your
family for a quiet evening of old time enjoyment.
• 6:00 pm - An Aztec Country Christmas Light
Parade. Join the community of Aztec as we celebrate
“An Aztec Country Christmas” with our annual Light
Parade down Main Ave. Don’t miss Santa, the Fire
trucks and the Coca-Cola Polar Bear. Parade entries are
available at the Aztec Chamber of Commerce. Advance
entries are recommended.
• 6:30 pm– After the parade, Santa will be at the
Aztec Library at 319 S Ash Ave. Be sure to stop by and
let him know how good you have been all year and tell
him what you want for Christmas! There will be cocoa,
cookies and craft activities for the little ones as they
wait their turn to talk to the Big Guy! Be sure to get
your picture sitting on Santa’s lap! Santa will be passing
out books and candy for all the little ones. The Aztec
Police Department will have child fingerprinting cards
available during the evening and be sure to enter the free
drawing so the Coca-Cola Polar Bear can draw your
name for a new bike. Also at the Library there will be
the drawings for a free prize with the Aztec Chamber of
Commerce Buy Local Cards filled out earlier that day,
and the Aztec Trails & Open Space (ATOS) drawing
for 1st - new adult bike, 2nd - a backpack with four outdoor guide books and 3rd - a set of Travelite binoculars.
(Tickets for the ATOS Drawing must be purchased in
advance and are available at Cottonwood Cycles or the
Aztec Chamber of Commerce.)
• 7:00-8:00 pm: High Desert Bluegrass Band will
be performing in the Atrium of San Juan College
East/Vista Nueva High School. The doors between the
Aztec Library and the Atrium will be open and folks can
flow between the sounds of Bluegrass at Christmas and
Santa and the kiddos! This will be a pass-the-hat-fordonations performance.
For additional information, please contact the Aztec
Chamber of Commerce at 334-9551 or email
clerk@aztecchamber.com.
The Aztec Boys & Girls
Club Christmas Carnival
Beautiful for the Holidays
Let The Maiden & The Crone make your holiday wishes come true. We have everything under the sun and
over the moon - from paintings, gazing balls and opera
coats, to gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Let us help make your holiday a special one.
112 N. Main Ave. • Aztec • 334-8030
The Aztec Boys & Girls Club will host
their 4th Annual Christmas Carnival on
Friday, December 11, 2009 from
3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. as part of the
community Christmas Festival. The
Carnival will be held at the Main Club
located at 311 S. Ash Ave. in Aztec.
There will be FREE activities, games
& prizes for all ages and even a visit from Santa.
There is no membership requirement and all are
invited to come out and join us for a jolly good time!
Red Cross Fund Raiser
Buy Local
First!
Main Street Spirit: Come check out our
50% off sale rack.
Cottonwood Cycles: Bikes! TREK, Gary
Fisher, Pivot, Mirraco (BMX)
Miracle Ear - small free hearing aid product
with visit
Most businesses in our local area are owned by
people who live in our community. They are less likely to
leave and are more invested in our community’s future.
Check out local businesses in Aztec, Bloomfield, and
Farmington for great holiday gifts.
Please contact the office at 505-325-9605 to purchase
tickets for the drawing or bid on an auction item. More
information to follow.
Drawing Tickets $3.00 each - or 2 for $5.00
1 st: Youth 20” Mongoose BMX Bike
2nd: Nextar Satellite Navigation System
3rd: Floral Painting
4th: Red Cross First Aid Family Pack
Drawing will be held 12/18/09 6:00 PM Red Cross
Holiday Potluck Dinner- RSVP
You do not need to be present to win- 325-9605
Some of the items for the Auction:
• 1 night stay ABQ Golf B&B - Paradise
• Copies of "Fire House Cook Book - Farmington
Favorites"
• 3 month membership to Contours Express
• Christmas wrapping basket
• Kitchenware • Dinner for 2 - Zebras Sports Grill
• Fish the Quality Waters • Hand Crafted Jewelry
• Wine basket • Dinner at Zebediah's
• Ski Lift Tickets
• Gift Cards to Golf Pro Shop at Country Club
The communities of Aztec, Bloomfield, Farmington and surrounding
areas are cordially invited to a free presentation of;
JOY TO THE WORLD - A CELEBRATION OF JESUS CHRIST
A Celebration of Jesus Christ is a beautiful collection of nativity scenes, pictures,
scriptures and music that testify of the birth, life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
Come, join us, bring your family& friends and let the spirit of Christmas fill
your hearts as you remember the reason for the season.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the
government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall
be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The
everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (Luke 2:15).
When: December 22 & 23
from 10:00am – 8:00pm
Kelly Eaves, Agent
Home - Auto - Life - Business
1308 W. Aztec Blvd. • Aztec
505-334-2539
keaves@farmersagent.com
• For all your insurance needs •
Where: The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints
902 W Blanco Blvd
BLOOMFIELD , NM 87413
~Refreshment will be served~
THE AZTEC LOCAL NEWS
PAGE 11
Presbyterian Ladies hold
2nd annual Cookie Walk
We repair all
makes and
models
Need cookies for the holidays? Don't have time to
bake? The first time was so successful that the
Homesteaders and Deacons of Aztec
Presbyterian Church are holding this year's
Cookie Walk on Saturday, December 12 from
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.Our location is 205
North Church Ave. Cookies are $6 a pound
and are sure to be delicious.
Questions? Call the church office, 334-2816,
Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Miracle-Ear Hearing Aid Center
817 W. Broadway Ste. A
Farmington, NM 87401
(505) 333-4387
YOUR MIRACLE STARTS TODAY
Tony and Jaime Burke, Owners
Cookie Walk
Saturday, December 12
9 am - noon
Aztec Presbyterian Church
205 N. Church • Aztec • 334-2816
$6.00 per pound
Don’t eat alone on Christmas!
Have dinner with the community
Empty nester? Family lives elsewhere? Single
mom or dad with kids? We have the perfect
event: the 3rd Annual Community Christmas
Dinner, to be held on Christmas Day, December
25 from 11 am to 2 pm, at the Aztec Senior
Center! Delivery service to people who are shutins, elderly or have disabilities is once again
being offered. Please call the number below to
request your Christmas meal.
The dinner is also a wonderful opportunity to
share the holiday spirit with others!
Susan Rarick and Cindy Koelle have been
busy offering local businesses the opportunity to
participate in this community-wide event. These
lovely ladies are visiting local restaurants and
stores to round up both cash donations and food
and supply contributions so that a Christmas
feast may be enjoyed by all!
Although we have gathered food and supplies
for 300 dinners, we now need YOUR help to
put it all together! If you would like to help
cook, set up, serve, clean up or deliver meals,
call Susan Rarick, 334-5512, for day contact, and
Cindy Koelle, 334-0280, for evenings.
3 year Warranty or Special Financing
Discounts available
T-shirts
• Fatigue Green
• Denim Blue
• Charcoal Heather
• Lavender
• Texas Orange
Adult sizes: Med - 2XL
$16.00
334-1039
112 West Chaco • Aztec, NM • 505-334-9407
Mon-Fri: 7:30 - 5:30 • Sat: 8 - 6
www.dusenberys.com
•Bloomfield Events•
December 7th
Bloomfield’s Lighted Christmas Parade
Parade starts at 6:30 pm
Entry forms can be picked up at the
Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce
224 W. Broadway, Bloomfield • 632-0880
The Celebration of Lights official lighting will occur
immediately following the parade at Salmon Park
Saturday, December 5, 2009
McGee Park, Farmington
9am-5pm
Hand Made Jewelry • Artwork
Pottery • Dolls • Candies•
Candles • • • And Much More!
December 15th
See Santa Claus! Win Door Prizes!
Bloomfield’s Santa in the Park • 4-7 pm
Come to the Bloomfield Multicultural
Center to visit Santa.
Free coloring books, pictures with Santa,
hot chocolate, and a free hot air balloon tether
(weather permitting)
Admission—$1.00
Kids under 12— FREE!
PAGE 12
DECEMBER 1 - 15 • 2009
It’s All About Living!
By Deb Jacupke, Marketing and Resource Development Director,
Good Samaritan Society – Four Corners Village
Even for the BIRDS …
Aztec Recycle Center
& Convenience Center
303 South Ash Street (behind the metal building)
Wednesday
& Saturday:
9 am to noon
•
Thursdays 1-5
•
Wednesday & Friday:
3 to 5 pm
Recycle your newspaper, corrugated cardboard,
brown paper bags, white office paper, clear,
brown and green glass, #1 and #2 plastics,
aluminum cans and foil, tin, & steel cans
It’s funny how good things get started
sometimes.
The Target store in Farmington employs a
wonderful woman named Michelle Albright.
Michelle has the enormous title of “Human
Relations Executive Team Leader” – which
means that she’s in charge of Target’s volunteers, among other less enjoyable duties.
Some time ago one of Michelle’s team
members (someone familiar with the
Village) mentioned that the facility might
appreciate the Target volunteer team helping
with a project for the residents. So, Michelle
called Cindy Iacovetto, the Activities
Director for the Village and asked if there
was something they could do. (If you know
Cindy, she has ALWAYS got a project on the drawing
board! She’s one of the most creative people I’ve ever
met - and has one of the biggest hearts, too.)
Cindy has a great eye for decorating and making any
space “visually appealing” and she had been eyeing the
view from the Village Memory Care unit for some time.
It wasn’t an awful view, it just wasn’t interesting enough
and didn’t have ‘energy’, according to Cindy.
She knew that the Village residents enjoyed the indoor
bird habitat and was certain that an outdoor habitat
would be the best way to bring life to the otherwise dull
view. Cindy quickly got the material together and the
two of them got underway.
Michelle committed to bringing TWO shifts of volunteers to do the labor. Meanwhile, Cindy rallied the
Village staff and residents. The Target crew erected the
backdrop and the Village staff painted it. The residents
made and painted birdhouses, and both staff and residents painted the stems and grass for the bottom.
Outside supporters of the Village donated the other
items needed including Lillywhite Stone (flagstone) and
Fernando Pena (pipe and welding). And Target donated
a bird bath.
As a result of this well-oiled collaboration - the entire
project was completed in one day! Then a short time
later Target hosted a barbeque for the staff and residents
Target volunteer team shown with the outdoor bird
habitat they constructed at Good Samaritan Society Four Corners Village in Aztec
and everyone enjoyed the cook out and admired their
work.
Later, some folks waited for the birds to move in.
They didn’t.
Cindy was aware that all the bird “courting” and pairing off had already occurred for the season and had
already made plans to provide nesting materials and bird
seed for next nesting season in the spring. That will be
as good as posting a “Vacancy” sign to the feather
friends according to a local bird enthusiast.
Michelle and Cindy aren’t finished either. They have
plans to include a “Therapeutic Path” on the grounds of
the Village next year. The path will offer visitors, residents and staff an activity filled stroll around the
grounds of the Village.
Michelle says that the Farmington store employs
about 125 people and often she has at least 60 of them
show up for a volunteer effort. It makes you wonder
what the world would be like if major corporation in the
world had that kind of employee volunteerism?
For now, there are some very happy residents at the
Village and next spring there will be some very happy
birds, too.
Itinerary for Aztec City Manager candidates
When you or someone
you know needs help
with...
Tuesday, December 1, 2009 – City Manager candidates will spend the day meeting with individual City
Department Heads where they will be briefed on current issues facing the City; programs, projects and initiatives
underway; and future directions and planning.
From 6:00 – 8:00 pm that evening the public is invited to a Reception for City Manager Candidates at Mayor
Pro-Tem Jim Crowley’s home located at 506 N. Oliver (parking available at the Church across the street). This is
an opportunity for all community leaders and the general public to meet and greet the candidates in an informal
setting.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009 – City Manager candidates will be interviewed individually by the City
Commission in the Commission Meeting room at City Hall. Interviews are in no particular order and will proceed
in the following manner:
08:45 am – Joshua Ray, Whiteville, NC
10:00 am – Mark Johnson, Atoka, TN
11:15 am – Pete Maldonado, San Antonio, TX
12:30 pm – Lunch Break
1:45 pm – Jerry Reed, Grandview, TX
3:00 pm – Stephani Johnson, Los Alamos, NM
5:30 pm – City Commission Deliberations begin in Closed Session. Commission may then go into open session
if necessary.
• Family Problems • Financial Assistance •
Health Care & Rehabilitation • Child Care •
Alcohol & Drug Abuse • Other
Helpline
326-HELP (4357)
Need someone to take
care of your rentals
& property?
Call Shelley - She’s been
managing property for
14+ years!
Atwood Assisted Living Apartments has an
apartment coming available later this month. We
want to make sure that our community seniors
know of this opportunity to make Atwood their home.
Atwood Apartments amenities include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Private apartments with patios
3 meals a day
Apartment cleaned each week
Laundry service
Medication monitoring
Nurse on site 5 days a week
… and MORE!
For more information, please contact Deb Jacupke –
970-946-7870
T
here should be more to life
than maintenance-free living.
To learn more about senior retirement living at
Four Corners Village, call (505) 334-9445.
“In Christ’s Love, Everyone is Someone”
100 N. Main • Aztec • 334-6187
All faiths and beliefs welcome. 08-G0165
THE AZTEC LOCAL NEWS
PAGE 13
Faith that lives and works
from the Aztec Ministerial Alliance
December has begun and Christmas will soon be here.
Actually, it has already arrived in the stores and shopping centers. Many are worried this year as Christmas is
approaching. The Salvation Army, ECHO, and many
congregations in the Four Corners will be putting
together food baskets and boxes and/or presents for children and families that will have very little else under the
Christmas tree. I hope all of us with the resources to do
so will give what we are able to help out in this season.
Christmas for those of us in the Church is much more
than Christmas trees, lights, presents, pageants, and a
large dinner. This time of year really isn’t as important
as Easter. We know Jesus wasn’t even born this time of
year because there were shepherds in the fields and by
now shepherds are out of the fields in the Middle East.
No, Christmas is about much, much more.
I was reading in a forum the other day, and a skeptic
complained that all this stuff about God becoming
human and the cross and the suffering and the resurrection was just ridiculous. If God wanted to “save”
humanity, then God could have done it without all this
other stuff. And I agree. He is right. God could have.
God can do whatever God chooses to do. But God didn’t. Why? This is a big question that gets at the heart of
Christmas. It is my personal opinion and I think
Art & gifts at San Juan College
December is an ideal time to enjoy an art show or find
the perfect holiday gift at San Juan College.
Plan to attend the Fall, 2009 Art Student Exhibit. The
opening reception is scheduled for Monday, December
7, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., in the Henderson Fine Arts
Center Gallery. The exhibit, which runs December 7 –
l1, will display an array of artwork created by SJC students.
Find a unique holiday gift at the annual San Juan
College Charity Bowl Sale, while helping to provide for
those in need of hospice care. This year’s event will be
held Thursday, December 10, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and
Friday, December 11, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the 9000
rooms of the Henderson Fine Arts Center.
San Juan College art students and faculty, along with
community members create a variety of handmade
ceramic bowls, platters, vases and a variety of other
wares for the annual sale. Each of the soup bowls are
sold for $10 each and come with a free bowl of soup.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Northwest New
Mexico Hospice (NWNMH).
Along with the ceramic creations, SJC Art department
students and faculty also will have booths set up with a
various artwork for sale. They, along with ceramic students and faculty, serve soup and assist with the event.
They also donate a portion of their proceeds to
NWNMH.
Northwest New Mexico Hospice is a nonprofit organization that provides help to families caring for their terminally ill loved ones.
For further information, contact Cindy McNealy at
505-566-3464 or mcnealyc@sanjuancollege.edu.
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Scripture points toward an understanding that God chose
to join us in and through Jesus of Nazareth, a real person
of historical authenticity, to teach, be crucified on a
cross, and then to be resurrected, because God believed
that is the only way to get us to understand how seriously God takes the present situation for us. As happy and
light as we keep Christmas, Christmas is really a very
deep and difficult and dark experience.
First, incarnation or God taking upon God’s self
humanity is difficult to understand but easy to learn
from. Jesus was born as we were all born into a family
that was of the peasant class of that day. Joseph was a
maker of furniture. Jesus followed him into that field,
until he was about 30 years old when he left behind that
work to begin teaching and preaching. Yet Jesus was
like none of us. In an unexplainable way, God was present in the life of Jesus from the time he was born. The
Nicene and Chalcedonian Creeds try to get at what it
means for God to be with us in a human life. That gets
complex. The one thing I get from this reality is that
now everything in life has become sacred to a certain
degree. The mundane and daily has been touched by
God.
Second, God has visited us not as a demigod or as
God in disguise, but enters into the world as a helpless
and vulnerable child. That is so counter cultural in the
Western world. We buy into the power, money, and prestige thing. But God came into our world with the cross
before him as a child in need of constant care just like
any child. The dark experience in Christmas is the
slaughter of children and the reality that this child was
born to die for us.
Third, God could have done all this differently, but to
let us know how much God loved us and was concerned
for our welfare, God chose to come to us in this way and
allow the course of history to play out as would be
expected if we are truly sinful and in need of redemption.
I am glad that God chose to come to us in this way. I
am sorry that we are so dense that Jesus had to die as he
did, but I am ecstatic that God affirmed Jesus’ life and
ministry through Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.
Enjoy the season, but remember who the season is
named for and why there is a Christmas.
If any other clergy would like to join us by writing a
column feel free to contact myself, Dwain De Pew at the
Aztec Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Jeff Symonds at the
Aztec Methodist Church, the Rev. Bob Schlauger at the
Bethel Baptist Church, Joel Steen at the First Assembly
of God, or the Rev. Fr. Thomas Pudota at the St. Joseph
Roman Catholic Church. We will see you next month.
Dwain De Pew, pastor, Aztec Presbyterian Church
community-input
newspaper.
Independently
owned since 1993.
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Walk-ins
Welcome
or call
334-9445 ext. 115
for an appointment
500 Care Lane • Aztec
Cindy Iacovetto, owner (801-0373)
Tamera Howell (716-6560)
Turn at Oliver’s
Restaurant, you’ll find
us at the top of the
hill at Good Sams.
Harley’s Humor
Two men were walking their dogs together. The
first guy had a Chocolate lab and the second a
Chihuahua
The first guy says, "Hey, you want to get something to eat?"
The second guy replies, "Yeah, but they all have
signs that say 'No Dogs Allowed'."
The first guy with the lab puts sunglasses on and
hands the other guy a pair. "Follow my lead," he
says.
As he walks into the restaurant a waiter stops him
and says, "Sir, no dogs allowed."
The man replies, "It's O.K., this is my seeing eye
dog." The waiter apologizes and leads the man to a
table as the second man enters.
The same waiter stops him but the guy says, "This
is my seeing eye dog. I'm with the other guy."
The waiter replies, "Sir, you can't fool me, you
have a Chihuahua."
The man freaks out and says, "A Chihuahua? They
gave me a Chihuahua?!"
A CELEBRATION OF JESUS CHRIST
THANKS to
Everyone!
Expert color, cut, style,
perm, or manicures.
Make your appointments with Tamera,
Inez, and Leslie.
Joy to the World
TALON is a
Ready for the
Holidays?
Take some time
for yourself!!
answer on page 19
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Find relief for the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season by remembering the “Reason for the Season. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
day-Saints is inviting Farmington, Bloomfield, Aztec, and surrounding areas
to join in a Celebration called, “JOY TO THE WORLD, A CELEBRATION
OF JESUS CHRIST.” The celebration will be filled with Christmas music,
over two hundred nativities that represent different cultures, and art depicting the birth, life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
“Christmas is more than trees and twinkling lights, more than toys and
gifts and trinkets of a hundred varieties. It is love. It is the love of the Son
of God for all mankind. It reaches out beyond our power to comprehend. It
is magnificent and beautiful. It is peace. It is the peace which comforts,
which sustains, which blesses all who accept it. It is faith. It is faith in God
and His Eternal Son. It is faith in His wondrous ways and message. It is
faith in Him as our Redeemer and our Lord. We testify of His living reality.
We testify of the divinity of His nature. In our times of grateful meditation,
we acknowledge His priceless gift to us and pledge our love and faith. This
is what Christmas is really about. To each of you we extend our love and
blessing. May you, wherever you may be across the world, have a wonderful Christmas. May there be peace and love and kindness in your homes.
May you husbands smile with love upon your wives. May you wives know
the sweet joy of being loved and honored and respected and looked up to.
May your children be happy and filled with that indescribable magic which
is the spirit of Christmas. May those of you who are single find sweet companionship in the knowledge that you are not alone, that Jesus stands as
your friend. He came “to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the
shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79). To
each of you we extend our love and blessing. May it be a happy and wonderful season. We leave a blessing upon you, a blessing of Christmas, that
you may be happy. May even those whose hearts are heavy rise with the
healing which comes alone from Him who comforts and reassures. “Let not
your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1).
So said He in His hour of great tribulation: “Peace I leave with you, my
peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your
heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). In the spirit of that
great promise and gift, may we all rejoice this blessed Christmas season.”
Gordon B. Hinckley
Please join us for this Celebration of the birth and life of Jesus Christ on
December 22 & 23 from 10:00am – 8:00pm at The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, 902 W Blanco Blvd., Bloomfield. Refreshments will
be served.
For around-the-clock nursing advice
(877) 725-2552
Nurse Advice New Mexico is available seven days a week
in English and Spanish.
PAGE 14
DECEMBER 1 - 15 • 2009
DSL is now
available in Aztec!
Call for information
Specializing in Spyware
and Virus Removal
•
Computer House •
• New systems • Repair & Service
• Printer ink supplies • Refurbished laptops
408 S. Main • Aztec • 334-8951
Hours: Mon. - Fri., 9 am - 5 pm
computerhouse@sisna.com
First Baptist Church
of
Aztec
•Sunday Services•
8:00 AM - Sunday School -9:30 AM - Worship
9:30 AM - Sunday School -11:00 AM - Worship
Evening Worship - 5:30 PM
Nursery Provided
700 Navajo Street • 334-6833
You are cordially welcome
110th Christmas Bird Count by John & Jan Rees
The 110th Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is set for
Monday, December 14, 2009, through January 5, 2010.
Counts coordinated by count compilers will be conducted in established circles on one of these days. If readers
are interested in participating in the Farmington count
scheduled for December 19th, please call us at 632-8335
so we can give you contact information. People with all
levels of birding abilities participate; beginners may
benefit by working with experienced birdwatchers. If
you feed birds within count circle boundaries, these
birds may be reported as well.
The hard copy of American Birds with the summary
of the 109th CBC arrived late October but is still not
available online as of this writing. In his overview,
Geoffrey LeBaron, Director of the CBC, discusses
weather and climate events that impacted the 109th
count. Hurricane Ike in 2008 devastated the same southwestern coastal areas of Louisiana where Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita wreaked havoc just three years earlier.
South Texas and California were suffering droughts. In
other areas winter storms, some with record snowfalls,
caused count delays and, in some cases, cancellations.
Pacific storms hit the Northwest from British Columbia
to northern California. In spite of all this, the 109th
CBC set a record for highest number of counts—2124
total. The country of Colombia hosted thirteen new
counts, and Antarctica saw its first ever CBC at Cape
Crozier. Three researchers studying Adélie Penguins
recorded 270,885 Adélie Penguins, 2 Emperor Penguins,
plus small numbers of three additional bird species.
LeBaron reports a "major irruption" of Pine Siskins to
most of the Lower 48 east of the states on the Pacific
Coast with near record or record high numbers. (An
irruption is an irregular movement of northern breeding
species to areas south of their normal wintering ranges,
a movement that does not occur every year.) Farmington
Count Circle with a total of 125 individuals for the
109th count might have been one of the destinations for
the irruptive siskins. This was the first time that
Farmington siskin numbers reached the triple digits; the
previous high was 82. Numbers from Cornell and
Audubon's Great Backyard Bird Count held February
16th through 19th also support the irruption theory:
279,469 Pine Siskins on 18,528 checklists, compared to
the previous high of 38,977 birds on 4,069 checklists in
2005.
Evening Grosbeak declines continue to be a concern;
this species either was not found on the 109th CBC or
was seen only in low numbers according to LeBaron.
He states the species is "declining dramatically" almost
Planetarium holds
Luminarias Star Gaze
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The San Juan College Planetarium will hold
AstroSaturday on December 5, altering from
its usual AstroFriday shows. In conjunction
with the annual Luminarias display, the
Planetarium will hold a three-hour outdoor
stargaze from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the courtyard between the Planetarium and the Little
Theatre. With all the lights off across campus,
viewing should be especially good, weather
permitting.
Parking will be available in the Quality
Center for Business or Child and Family
Development Center lots, which are accessible
by traveling south on College Boulevard
from Piñon Hills Boulevard.
This year the giant planets Jupiter, Uranus,
and Neptune will dominate our sky and
Jupiter will be the popular planetary target
for the evening. It may also be possible to
spot brighter deep-sky objects, such as the
Andromeda Galaxy; the “E.T. Cluster” (it
really looks like a stick figure of E.T.); the
Great Nebula in Orion; the Double Cluster
in Perseus; the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters;
and the double star systems, Gamma
Andromedae and Albireo.
If the weather looks questionable, call
David Mayeux at 505-566-3361. The
Planetarium show schedule and other info is
available on at www.sanjuancollege.edu/
Planetarium/index.htm.
Need a ride?
The Farmington Red Apple Transit has
bus service to Aztec, Bloomfield, Flora
Vista, Kirtland, McGee Park, the
Farmington airport, and Animas Park.
Red Apple Transit
Dispatch:
325-3409
everywhere. Audubon's Common
Birds in Decline published in
2007 ranks this grosbeak second
among declining common birds with a rate of 78 % in
40 years. A check of Farmington Count Circle data starting with 1971 when this species first appeared on the
count and ending with the 109th count shows years with
no grosbeaks and years with low numbers scattered
throughout. There are 8 years with numbers in the triple
digits ranging from 123 to a high of 556 individuals for
the 97th count—surely a large irruption year. Since then,
there have been 7 years with no grosbeaks, 3 years with
numbers in the single digits, and 2 years with 51 and 33
birds. Farmington had no grosbeaks from the 109th
CBC.
Daniel Niven et al. used the last 40 years of Christmas
count data in a study examining bird population shifts to
the north. These scientists compiled CBC data for 305
North American bird species which were grouped into
guilds of coastal, water, and land birds. Land birds were
sub-grouped into grassland, shrubland, and woodland
birds. Species were also classified according to
feeder/non-feeder use. The study showed a strong average shift in center of abundance to the north for 208 of
the 305 species in the study. The technical report is
available under Audubon's CBC press room site online.
In the study discussion Niven et al. report "strong evidence" that the northward movement ties to warmer
temperatures. Results of this study in American Birds
"Northward Shifts in Early Winter Abundance" show
average January temperatures in the lower 48 grew
more than 4.5 degrees F over the 40 years covered by
the study. January is the month with the greatest
increase in annual temperature change over this time
period.
In New Mexico's summary, John Shipman reports
Eurasian Collared-doves have now been seen in all but
two count circles. Western Scrub-jay, Black-billed
Magpie, and Mountain Chickadee numbers were low,
and Bald Eagle numbers were down.
CBC is a good opportunity to contribute to our growing body of knowledge about birds.
An Absence of Love
by G.N. Lepire
There is little else more lonely, more disconnecting, or
more depressing than to find yourself away from everyone and everything that you love. Compound that with
the very real possibility that you could be dead by
tomorrow. Take it a step further; see yourself as fortunate enough to live through a life-threatening situation
only to find yourself severely handicapped and/or even
deformed for life.
As we decorate our trees, hang our wreaths & garland,
as we “Deck the Halls” and wrap our presents this
month we should try to remember that we have people
in uniform overseas who will not experience those joys.
As we enjoy everything that the holidays offer I can
promise you that someone, serving overseas will feel the
pain I've described instead of being with loved ones at
this special time of year.
Ironically, the joys we experience are being paid for
by the people who should be first and foremost on our
minds. I want to urge all of our readers “Do” something
special for them: take time to write an anonymous
Christmas card, obtain some simple canned goods and
even gather up your leftover Halloween candy because it
can all make a big difference for our people “OnWatch.”
This time of year seems to take a toll on us all in spite
of the joy it provides. Holiday hustle & bustle can
obscure the fact that our children and grandchildren are
dealing with an enemy and face the prospects of serious
bodily injury and even death each day. If you have the
time to read this article then how hard can it be to make
the time to do something for someone in uniform overseas?
The Blue Star Moms (BSM), established in WWII,
have faithfully provided their sons and daughters overseas with a taste of home and a little love when needed
most through every conflict since. For anyone moved
enough by this article, you are urged to contact local
BSM President, Rita Gibson at (505)325-3834.
Due to “Operational Security” in war time, no
addresses of units or individuals can be published or
otherwise made public, hence no unit addresses will
appear here. The solution can be found through the
BSM. If you're willing to contact them with whatever
you have, they will get it into the hands of someone
serving overseas and protecting our rights to enjoy this
holiday season; someone who needs a taste of home.
In every time & space during times of conflict and in
every clime & place, men and and women who've rose
to the call in service to our great nation find themselves
missing home, and especially this time of year. A letter
from home (even an anonymous Christmas card) can
make all the difference in the world. In a situation like
that, please try to bear in mind that there is nothing
worse than to feel “An Absence of Love.”
THE AZTEC LOCAL NEWS
PAGE 15
Come on in and
shop for the
holidays
• Gift Certificates •
Aztec Gold Award (left to right): Robert Gorrell (PSFA
Director), Charles Lee and Supt. Kirk Carpenter from
Aztec Municipal Schools, and Rep. Rick Miera at the
2009 Ben Lujan Awards
Friendly Personal
Service
"Taste of the Wild"
dog food for Fido
No grains, No fillers,
High quality
Bloomfield Silver Award) (left to right): Robert Gorrell
(PSFA Director), Lang Slayton from Bloomfield Schools,
and Rep. Rick Miera at the 2009 Ben Lujan Awards
Aztec Feed & Supply
216 S. Main • Aztec • 334-8911
School Districts receive State Ben Lujan Maintenance Awards
Albuquerque, NM November, 19 2009 — 28 school
districts and maintenance personnel from 13 districts
received 2009 Ben Lujan Maintenance Achievement
Awards.
The District Awards included:
• Gold Level: Aztec, Central, Gadsden, Hobbs,
Roswell, and Silver.
• Silver Level: Albuquerque, Bloomfield, Clovis,
Deming, Farmington, Hagerman, Jemez Valley, Las
Cruces, Los Alamos, Moriarty-Edgewood, Penasco,
Ruidoso, Texico, Tucumcari, and Wagon Mound.
• Bronze Level: Carlsbad, Clayton, Eunice, Los
Lunas, Loving, San Jon, and West Las Vegas.
The award is named in honor of Speaker of the House
Ben Lujan for his many years of support to New Mexico
schools, and presented annually by the New Mexico
Public School Facilities Authority (PSFA). This year,
State Representative Rick Miera, co-chair of the Public
School Capital Outlay Oversight Task Force, presented
the awards.
Local businesses
host Toys for Tots
Tips for Holiday Shopping
On Saturday, December 5,
Alltel Communications and
Star Collision will be hosting
a toy drive to collect toys for
the local Toys for Tots.
The toy drive will be held at Star Collision from 9 am
- 1 pm, and all donations will be distributed locally to
help children have a better Christmas. Star and Alltel
will also be hosting Radio Station KOOL 104.5, some
members of the Marine Corps will be there, several bikers from FRMF Choppers plan to make an appearance.
T-shirts will be given to the first 300 people who donate
a new toy.
Star Collision is located at 3834 E. Main, Farmington
(behind the E. Main Sonic). If you would like to make a
donation, but that time isn’t good for you, Star Collision
has a donation box set up now where toys can be
dropped off during business hours. More information on
the toy drive is available by calling Alicia at 325-7827,
or Debbie at 320-4005.
On Dec. 13, FRMF Choppers will be hitting the
streets again to help out the kids by hosting a motorcycle toy run. All 2-wheelers are invited to this worthy
event. Bring a new unwrapped toy and join in the fun
that starts at noon at FRMF Choppers, 1601 W. Murray
Dr., Farmington. Knowing times are hard for a lot of riders, we invite all motorcyclists to join in the ride, even if
you can’t spring for a new gift. Come ride anyway, and
enjoy a good hot meal with us.
For more information on the toy run, or if you would
like to be a business sponsor, please call FRMF
Choppers at 325-3585.
Toys for Tots began in 1947, when Major Bill
Hendricks, USCR, and a group of Marine Reservists in
Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to
needy children. The idea came from Bill’s wife, Diane.
In the fall of 1947, Diane crafted a homemade doll
and asked Bill to deliver the doll to an organization
which would give it to a needy child at Christmas. When
Bill determined that no agency existed, Diane told him
that he should start one - and he did. The 1947 pilot
project was so successful that the Marine Corps adopted
Toys for Tots in 1948 and expanded it into a nationwide
campaign (from toysfortots.org).
Please help us make Christmas memorable for the
children in our community.
When You Need A Plumber...
Service & Repairs
New Construction
Remodeling
Rising Sun Plumbing
Residential
Commercial
“We’re here to help!”
NM License #91085
505-333-2550
Call 505-334-1039 to get your
stories, ads, events, etc.
in T A L O N
Attorney General Gary K. King's Consumer Protection
Division offers New Mexicans tips for holiday shopping
beginning with Black Friday through Cyber Monday.
1. Do your homework. Be clear on what you are purchasing.
2. Check the return policy at stores you shop.
3. Get a gift receipt.
4. Take ads with you and read the small print in
the advertisements.
5. Compare prices in advance.
6. Check online for coupons.
7. When using your credit card on the Internet,
use a business you know and trust.
The AG's Consumer Protection Division reminds
you to carefully guard your personal and private
information including credit card, Social Security
and driver's license numbers. To learn how to protect yourself from scammers and identity thieves,
visit the AG's Web site at www.nmag.gov/publications for down-loadable booklets and pamphlets on
Scams, Identity Theft, Counterfeit Checks, and
more.
Arts & Crafts Show
Piedra Vista High School
Saturday, December 12th
Shop at our annual Arts and Crafts Show at
Piedra Vista High School, 5700 College Blvd.,
Farmington, from 9 am to 3 pm.
Contact Danielle Crabtree at 505-320-8762
Pioneer Heights
North on Light Plant Road to McWilliams Dr.
(505) 320-1515
View Residential • Town Houses • Lots
Quality yet Affordable Neighborhood
100% Financing
for Qualified Buyers
No Down Payment or Mortgage Insurance
Competitive Interest Rates
Health Center
Family Clinic
1601 E. 20th • Farmington
Open Afternoons and Evenings
By Appointment ONLY: 564-3628
Urgent Pager: 505-716-0102
AliceMarie
Slaven-Emond
RN, MSN, FNP-C
Uninsured Patients
Welcome
•
Discounts for
CASH Payments
INSURANCES
ACCEPTED including
Medicare and Medicaid
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Your 4 Corners Family Bicycle Center
“We Sell Fun”
Think Early Aztec
Christmas Shopping!
• All 2009 Bikes on Sale!!
• Healthy Alternative Ideas
and Gift Certificates
• 90 day layaway plans
Best Brands on the Market!
• TREK • Gary Fisher
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505-334-2703
4370 E. Main Ave. • Farmington
505-326-0429
PAGE 16
Obituaries
Farley
Leontine Farley, 77, our loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and great-grandmother, passed away
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009, at her home in Aztec. She was
born July 11, 1932, in Petersburg, Texas, to Marvin and
Grace Martin.
Leontine met and married Glen Farley in 1952 in
Clovis. They moved to Aztec in 1960, where they raised
their family and remained for the next 49 years.
Her hobbies included quilting, painting, writing,
genealogy and traveling. She especially enjoyed her trip
to Washington, D.C., where she visited the White House
with her entire family. Her achievements are too many
to count.
Leontine is survived by Glen, her husband of 57
years; three daughters, Glena Poucher (Pooch), Vicky
North and Angela Sterling (Eddie); two sons, Randall
Farley (Patty), and Marvin Farley (Anita); her brother,
Lindall Martin (Emma); sister, Araminta Dunavant
(Ted); 12 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren,
each of whom she loved greatly. She was their joy forever!
A graveside service was held Nov. 16, at the Aztec
Community Cemetery, conducted by Pastor Brent
Heddin. Arrangements were with Alternative Choice
Cremation and Funeral Services.
Gonzales
Virgil P. Gonzales, 73, of Bloomfield, passed away
Nov. 13, 2009, at San Juan Regional Medical Center in
Farmington. He was born Feb. 26, 1936, in Bloomfield,
to Jose Inez Gonzales and Rosa Anna Gonzales.
His hobbies were hunting, fishing, camping and gardening. He also enjoyed visiting with his family, his
farm animals and listening to country and ranchero
music. Virgil's special friend for many years was his
dog, "Puddles."
He was preceded in death by his parents; three children, Irene Gonzales, Jimmy Gonzales and Virgil
Gonzales Jr.; his brothers, Felix Gonzales of Aztec and
Steve Gonzales of Bloomfield; and a grandchild,
Monica V. Gonzales.
Survivors include his loving wife of 55 years, Celia
Gonzales of Bloomfield; and six children, Gloria Welch
of Farmington, Mr. and Mrs. Luis Gonzales of
Bloomfield, Mary Brooks of Aztec, Joe Gonzales of
Durango, Texas, Denise Martinez and husband,
Presiliano, of Mesa, Ariz., and Darlene Jones and husband, Harold, of Bloomfield; sisters, Lydia Babos of
Spencerville, Louise Reis of Modesto, Calif., and
Frances Nickerson of Everett, Wash. He is also survived
by 16 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Cremation has taken place.
A memorial Mass was celebrated Nov. 19, at St.
Mary's Catholic Church in Bloomfield, with Father Bob
Mathieu as celebrant.
Arrangements were with Brewer, Lee & Larkin
Funeral Home, Farmington.
Quality Center for
Business Open House
Farmington, NM – The San Juan College Quality
Center for Business, 5101 College Boulevard, will celebrate its 10th anniversary with an open house and rededication to the business community from 4 to 6 p.m.,
Monday, December 7. The public is invited to tour the
facility and talk with program directors and tenants.
Speakers will be Dr. Carol J. Spencer, San Juan
College president; Dr. James C. Henderson, chairman of
the San Juan County Commission and past College president; and New Mexico Representative Thomas C.
Taylor.
The entities housed in the center – SJC Center for
Workforce Training, SJC Enterprise Center, SJC Small
Business Development Center, San Juan Economic
Development Services, and Northwest New Mexico
Council of Governments – welcome the community to
see how things have changed and to celebrate the many
accomplishments over the years.
Refreshments will be served and tours of the building
will be offered.
DECEMBER 1 - 15 • 2009
Martinez
Adonaldo "Donald" John Martinez, 73, of Aztec,
passed away Nov. 14, 2009, at his home in Aztec.
Donald was born Jan. 29, 1936, in Los Martinez.
He attended Navajo Dam School and graduated from
Aztec High School. He was in the Army for three and a
half years, in the Armored Division.
Donald was employed by Thriftway Fuels for three
and a half years and with Havens Trucking for 35 years.
He resided 59 years in Aztec. He received outstanding
safety awards and loved to drive trucks. He also enjoyed
reading.
Survivors include his sons, Donald D. Martinez and
wife, Jennifer and Mitchell M. Martinez and wife, Vicki;
two brothers; five sisters; three grandchildren; and four
great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Nov. 20, at United
Pentecostal Church in Farmington, with Pastor Steve
Carrington officiating.
Pallbearers were Onesimo Martinez, Alfonso
Velasquez, Martin Martinez, Gabe Velasquez, Leonard
Trujillo and Pat Duran. Honorary pallbearers were Jose
E. Martinez and Wayne Wit.
Interment was at Los Martinez Cemetery at Navajo
Dam. Arrangements were with Cope Memorial Chapel
of Farmington.
In memory
In memory of my special friend, April Lobato, who
passed away on November 17 as the result of a terrible
accident. This is also for Paul Smith (who died the
same day as April) and his little girl, Desirea Marriah
Smith who died on November 18.
Such a awful accident claimed you
In such an tragic way
I was writing you a Christmas card
The day you passed away
It breaks my heart in pieces
More than my words can say
Although I know you're in heaven
And in each prayer that I pray
Even though I know it's wrong
I can't believe you're gone
There were so many who
loved each one of you
That your memory will live on
and on
and on...
With my love,
Sarah Trujillo
Phelps
Lola Mae Phelps, 90, of Farmington, loving wife,
mother, grandmother, sister, and great-grandmother
"Oma," passed away Nov. 16, 2009.
She was born April 16, 1919, on a homestead southeast of Tucumcari in Quay, in a sod house in the evening
shadow of the Tucumcari Mountain, the fifth child of
seven born to John Lorn and Ida Mae Reagan.
Lola's parents came from Missouri by the way of
Oklahoma (Coweta) Indian Territory, traveling by a
wagon and building dugouts and sod houses for their
families.
The family moved to Quitaque, Texas, where Lola
went to school and met Namon P. Phelps. They were
married Oct. 15, 1938, in Silverton Brisco, Texas. They
lived in Amarillo, Texas, before moving to Aztec in
1953.
Lola was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, of 71 years, Namon P. Phelps who passed away
Oct. 20, 2009; five brothers including Ely Reagan, who
had the auto store in downtown Aztec in the 1950s; one
sister, Melba Wooten; one half-brother, Albert Reagan;
and a granddaughter, Sonia Salisbury.
Survivors include her daughter, Bettie Fisher
(Charlie); sons, Jimmy Phelps (Eunice), Jerry Phelps
(Cheryl); grandchildren, Georgia Forsberg, Duane
Salisbury, Jim Phelps, Deborah Barth, Donna Struthers,
Shawntel Lynch, Paul Carlisle Phelps; 11 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.
Thanks to Cedar Ridge Inn, Basin Home Health, and
Dr. Kompare for their care.
Funeral services were held Nov. 21, at Cope Memorial
Chapel in Farmington, with Lee Fiske officiating.
Interment was at Memory Gardens in Farmington.
Pallbearers were Duane Salisbury, Paul Carlisle, Jim
Phelps, C.J. Salisbury, David Salisbury, Bill Salisbury,
Josh Morison, Jordon Morrison and Jeffery Barth.
Arrangements were with Cope Memorial Chapel in
Farmington.
Smith
Desirea Marriah Smith, 9, of Farmington, passed into
eternal life on Nov. 18, 2009, in an Albuquerque hospital, the result of a tragic house fire on Tuesday, Nov. 17,
that also claimed the life of her father, Paul Smith.
Desirea will be remembered as a "tough little kid"
who stood up for herself, built tumbleweed forts, was a
good fisherman, loved her cat named Christina (named
after her aunt) and was a happy little girl who made
other people smile.
She attended McCormick Elementary School and was
in the 4th grade. Her classmates and friends from school
were invited to bring their favorite sticker to attach to
Desirea's casket or a stuffed toy as a remembrance of
Desirea.
Desirea is survived by her loving and devoted mother,
Belle Coleman of Navajo Dam; sister, Sarriah; brother,
Iann; maternal grandmother Brenda Coleman; paternal
grandparents, David and Linda Smith; and numerous
aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends and loved ones.
Funeral services were held Nov.
23, at First Baptist Church of
Aztec, with the Rev. Steve
Carrington and the Rev. Kevin
Parker officiating.
Committal services followed in
the Aztec Cemetery.
Arrangements were with Cope
Memorial Chapel of Farmington.
Smith
Paul E. Smith, 29, of Aztec,
passed into his eternal life on Nov.
17, 2009, in a tragic house fire that
also took the life of his daughter,
Desirea. Paul was born in Utah but
had grown up in Aztec, attending
Aztec High School.
He is survived by his parents,
David and Linda Smith of Aztec; daughter, Sareya as
well as two sisters and one brother, many aunts, uncles,
cousins and friends.
He will be remembered as a man who enjoyed the outdoors, worked hard and adored his children.
Funeral services were held along with his daughter's
Nov. 23, at the First Baptist Church of Aztec, with the
Rev. Steve Carrington officiating.
Interment followed in the Aztec Cemetery.
Arrangements were with Cope Memorial Chapel,
Farmington.
Terrill
Ruth M. Lind Terrill, 87, of Aztec, passed away
peacefully Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009, after a brief stay at
Good Samaritan Village in Aztec.
She was born Sept. 16, 1922, in Cumberland, Wis.
She grew up in International Falls and Duluth, Minn.
She moved to New Mexico in 1956.
Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, Nels and
Louise Ogren of Ogren's Trading Post in Fruitland;
daughters, Tami (Dale) Sanders of Fort Smith, Ark. and
Teri (Gerry) Keith, of Aztec; sons-in-law, Garry Keith of
Ruidoso and Charles (Linda) Davis of Aztec; sisters,
Edna (Bill) Roggow of Storm Lake, La., and lone
Shepreaux of Albuquerque; brothers, Forrest Ogren of
Denver, Colo., and Lester Ogren of Farmington; and
brother-in-law, William Roggow of Storm Lake.
Survivors include her daughters, Linda Lind Davis of
Aztec and Carmen Lind (Tom) Mcgregor of Two
Harbors, Minn.; sons, Bruce (Peggy) Lind of Two
Harbors and Ben (Felicity) Terrill of Ogden, Utah;
brothers, Norman (Helen) Ogren of Duluth and Ferde
(Betty) Ogren of Farmington.
She also is survived by 18 grandchildren, 17 greatgrandchildren, four great-great-grandchildren and several special nieces and nephews.
Ruth was a free spirit who lived her life to the fullest
and "did it her way"! She loved her family, animals,
rock hunting, canning food and country living. She will
be sadly missed by all who knew and loved her.
Graveside services will be held at a later date, for the
family.
Arrangements were with Alternative Choice
Cremation and Funeral Services, Farmington.
Relay Rumble
Pictured attending the recent Regional Relay Summit
in Durango are 2010 Relay for Life of Aztec committee
members (left to right): Shannon Lynch (Team
Development); Mariel Lynch (Event Chair); Annette
Tidwell Abend (Publicity); Debbie Klein (Logistics);
Chelle Maurer (Sponsorship); Natalie Marx
(Registration & Accounting); Kathy Nash (Luminaria);
Pam Reid (Mission Delivery); and Ken Stanley
(Advocacy). Not pictured are Fran Dobey (Survivorship)
and Patty Carpenter (Entertainment & Activities).
Hosted by the American Cancer Society, the summit
(nicknamed Relay Rumble) provided a fun environment
of training, support, and networking for event chairs and
committee members from across the region.
THE AZTEC LOCAL NEWS
PAGE 17
When it matters the most, we're there for one another
Three years ago, Community Officer Andrea Kay had
a vision that was well received and embraced by the
Bloomfield Police Department and community at large.
Although she has since moved out of town it is clear
that her vision was not wasted. Although she's no longer
here to witness her vision, her big heart still remains.
“The Home-Town-Helpers” program was established to
meet the needs of fellow residents in want when they
were unable to meet common necessities at
Christmastime. Today our small community has risen to
meet that end and made significant donations to the
Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce who heads the “Feed
the Families” program that targets those in need at
Thanksgiving.
Since Andrea's resignation, Bloomfield PD and our
local government has teamed up with our local Chamber
of Commerce in an attempt to reach out to our residents
so as to make Christmastime something special for us
all. It seems that kindness is almost an American tradition, since we have made an attempt to help all others in
time of need. In our own small community of
Bloomfield we can also take pride in that self-same
American tradition.
So far this holiday season, 22 turkeys and hundreds of
canned goods, along with the Chamber's $1,100 donation for numerous other consumables, have been collected. Bloomfield schools have provided the leads to find
23 local families who will benefit from the “Feed the
Families” program and enjoy a better Thanksgiving but
through “Home-Town Helpers” can also look forward to
enjoying a better Christmas. Your generosity has made
an enormous difference in the lives of our fellow friends
and neighbors.
Bernadette Smith and Connie Luna of our local
Chamber of Commerce now take the reins from Andrea
Kay regarding the “Home-Town Helpers” program in
addition to the chamber's “Feed the Families” program.
This consolidation provides a more intensive distribution
of goods to our brothers and sisters in need through both
Thanksgiving as well as Christmas. Like Andrea's
vision, our own Chamber can share and participate in
the same humane activity that provides our community
with a means of provision for those in want. Our local
police department similarly shares that same compassion; a BPD representative could well knock on your
door during this season to give you something that may
Acetaminophen linked to
asthma in children and adults
by S. L. Baker, features writer
Generous donations will help feed local families
brighten your holidays.
Connie Luna re-quoted a
lady donor who aptly
summed-up the rigors of the
holidays in saying: “No
matter how bad-off you may
be, somebody else certainly
has it worse.” Bernadette
Smith had nothing but accolades for our donors and
made it clear in saying, “We
have people of meager
means themselves who come Connie and Bernadette
Bloomfield Chamber
in to donate something and
apologetically indicate that they feel inadequate about
their donations.” I think that this speaks highly of our
community and the compassion we all feel for our
neighbors and friends.
For anyone interested in involving themselves in
either the “Feed the Families” or “Home-Town Helpers”
programs, you are urged to contact the Bloomfield
Chamber of Commerce at (505) 632-0880. Whether
financial, time, or efforts, you'll be well received by
either Bernadette or Connie. In truth, you'll speak with
very nice individuals who share in Andrea's vision; one
that helps neighbors and friends when they need it the
most. I think you'll find Bernadette and Connie quite
like most of us “Because when it matters the most, we're
there for one another.”
The Book Nook
Your local Aztec library news!
by Aztec Library staff
e-mail: aztecpl@aztecnm.com • webpage: www.azteclibrary.org
Aztec Public Library
319 S. Ash • 334-7658
Mon - Fri: 9 am - 6 pm
Sat: 9am - 5 pm
Closed Sunday
Food for Fines
The Aztec Public Library is offering a great way to get rid of all those fines that are adding up on your card. We
would ask you to bring in one non-perishable food item equaling $1.00 off on your fines. Please make sure that the
food is within the expiration date on the package. You may bring in as many food items as will help you with your
fines. The food collected will benefit the Echo Food Bank. If you don't have fines, but would like to contribute to
this charitable undertaking you can also bring items to the library for donation, and we will make
sure they are taken to the Echo Food Bank.
Some suggested items needed by the Food Bank are: canned meats, fruits and vegetables, macaroni & cheese, soups, pastas and pasta sauces, peanut butter, cereal, beans, chili beans, juices, baby
food and powdered, canned or boxed milk.
"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." - Aesop
(NaturalNews.com) Acetaminophen, the pain reliever
and fever reducer found in Tylenol and many other overthe-counter as well as prescription drugs (such as
Lortab), is often hyped for its supposed safety - specifically because it doesn't cause stomach upset as often as
aspirin. However, in recent years, it has become clear
that acetaminophen can cause liver damage and, when
combined with alcohol, stomach bleeding. Now comes
another warning: researchers have linked the drug's use
to an increase in asthma and wheezing in both children
and adults.
According to the National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases (NIAID), asthma affects 16 million
adults and nearly 7 million children in the US. It is, in
fact, the most common serious chronic disease of childhood. A respiratory disease of the lungs, it is marked by
episodes of inflammation and narrowing of the lower
airways in response to asthma triggers which include
infectious agents, stress, cigarette smoke, air pollution,
dust mites and pollen. A new study just published in the
November issue of Chest, the peer-reviewed journal of
the American College of Chest Physicians, suggests
acetaminophen can also be an important asthma trigger.
Canadian researchers at the University of British
Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia, conducted a
detailed analysis of 19 clinical studies which contained
information linking asthma and/or wheezing to taking
acetaminophen. In all, a huge number of research subjects - 425,140-- were included in these studies.
The results of the investigation showed the odds of
having asthma were significantly raised among people
who took the pain reliever. The analysis specifically
showed a worrisome risk of asthma in children who had
been given acetaminophen in the year prior to their asthma diagnosis or in the first year of life. And the findings
raised another red flag concerning the use of acetaminophen by pregnant women. The study results showed an
increase in the risk of asthma and wheezing in children
if their mothers had taken the drug prenatally.
Writing in Chest, the researchers called for future
studies to further confirm their analysis. They concluded: "The results of our review are consistent with an
increase in the risk of asthma and wheezing in both children and adults exposed to acetaminophen."
In addition to skipping acetaminophen, if you or your
child suffer from asthma you could benefit from taking
probiotics. As Mike Adams recently reported in
NaturalNews
(http://www.naturalnews.com/027273_asthma_probiotics.html), the anti-inflammatory and immune regulating properties of "good" intestinal bacteria can be beneficial for those with asthma.
For more information: http://chestjournal.chestpubs.
org/content/136/5/1316.abstract
Santa will be @ the library!
Santa will once again be making an appearance at the Aztec Public Library on Friday, December
11 to give away presents, candy canes and good cheer! Be sure to stop by and let him know how
good you have been all year and tell him what you want for Christmas! There will be cocoa, cookies and craft activities for the little ones as they wait their turn to talk to the Big Guy! Be sure to get
your picture sitting on Santa's lap!
The Aztec Police Department will have child fingerprinting cards available during the evening
and be sure to enter the free drawing so the Coca-Cola Polar Bear can draw your name for a new
bike. Also at the Library there will be the drawings for a free prize with the Aztec Chamber Buy
Local Cards filled out earlier that day, and the Aztec Trails & Open Space (ATOS) drawing for 1st
- new adult bike, 2nd-a backpack with 4 outdoor guide books and 3rd-a set of Travelite binoculars
(Tickets for the ATOS Drawing must be purchased in advance and are available at Cottonwood
Cycles or the Aztec Chamber.) FMI, Aztec Chamber, 334-9551 or email clerk@aztecchamber.com.
Holiday Hours
The library will be closed for the holidays on December 24-26 for Christmas and January 1, 2010
New Years Day. The book drop, behind the library, will be available for book returns. The library
always sets the date for return to the last full day of open business when emptying the book drop.
Storytime @ Your Library
The Aztec Public Library offers preschool story time on Thursdays from 9:30-10:30. Join us for
stories, crafts, snacks and good fun @ your library. It's a good chance for children and mothers to
socialize and get to know one another.
Dec. 3rd: Christmas stories and a handy wreath craft!
Dec. 10th: The Bear, the Bat and the Dove. Tales from Aesop with a drawing craft.
Dec. 17th: Winter stories and a snowman craft.
Dec. 24th: Closed for the Christmas Holiday.
Dec. 31st: Star stories and a glittery galaxy.
December 2009 Free Computer Class Schedule
TUESDAYS: 6pm-7pm
• Getting started with the Internet. Get an email address and learn how to attach files to email;
learn about internet browsers, search engines, URLs, and links.
December 1
• Social networking on the Internet. Learn about MySpace, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, and
the special language of textese.
December 8
• On-Line Job Search and Resume Writing. Learn some basic job search techniques and resume
writing skills.
December 15
• Digital Photography. Learn some basics to help you to purchase a digital camera or know more
about the one you already have.
December 22
allstate
PAGE 18
TALON classifieds
No charge - No frills 15 word personal classified.
$5 ad - 20 words, $1 each additional 10 words.
$10 ad - 3.25 X .75, single line frame
$15 ad - 3.25 X 1, deco type, single line frame
$20 ad - 3.25 X 1.5 - deco type, single line frame
$30 ad - 3.25 X 2 - deco type, frame, graphic
Send your ad with payment to The Aztec Local News,
PO Box 275, Aztec, NM 87410 or use the drop box at
Zip and Ship. 334-1039.
Hot Nails! by Amy
@ The Trendy
Hair Spa
Hutton Plaza,
2501 E. 20th #8
Farmington
793-6245 Cell
Aztec Cottonwood Storage
• Good Rates • Different sizes
• RV and Open Space available
Limited hours: 2- 6 pm, Call 334-6111
or 334-7175, leave message
S UPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS !
W ITHOUT THEM THERE IS NO TALON!
AliceMarie Slaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
All About Style, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Allstate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Always Inline Chiropractic . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Aztec Feed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Aztec Recycling Center . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Aztec Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Bloomfield Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Bloomfield Irrigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Celebrating Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Celestial Serenity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Computer House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Cottonwood Cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Cottonwood Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Directory Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Dusenberys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Fantasy of Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Farmers Insurance, Eaves . . . . . . . . 10
Finish Line Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
First Baptist Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Five Star Mechanical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Good Samaritan Society . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Healing Haven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Hogan Trading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Home Plumbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Hot Nails by Amy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Local Computer Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Main Street Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
McDonalds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Mercy Medical Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Miracle-Ear Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
MJM Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Most of Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Olivers Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Pioneer Heights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Priscella Shannon, Atty . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Ramsey Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Reliance Medical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Rising Sun Plumbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Rubio’s Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Salmon Ruins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
San Juan College East . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
State Farm Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Style Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Sutherland Farms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Thai Basil Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
The Shoppe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Vanilla Moose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Wildwood Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Winter-Sage Construction . . . . . . . . . . 14
Zip and Ship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Wanted: 8 inch irrigation pipe. 330-2960
Firewood for sale: $200 a mixed cord. Call 801-6223.
Firewood for sale, cedar, pine, or mixed; 793-4344
For sale: 1982 Toyota 4X4, rear locker, custom built
roll cage, 4 pt. harnesses, runs good, street legal; 505793-4344 or 505-330-2888
For sale: 1987 4X4 Jeep J10 pickup, 10,000 miles on
rebuilt 360 engine, $4000 OBO; 505-793-4344 or 505330-2888
For sale: 1993 Crown Vic. Runs good. 716-2086
For sale: Four Ford 20” wheels and tires. 275 x 65 x
20. $1200. 334-1647.
I do housekeeping, errands, etc. for seniors.
References available. Call Gayla 860-7220
For sale: box spring and mattress, asking $130 for set.
801-6135.
Large wood burning fireplace insert, $450. 334-6020
For sale: 4 custom Mag 16” low profile rims with
locks and keys, $100. 716-5797
BABY FURNITURE 4 Sale!! $450.00 OBO. 4 piece
set, Convertible Crib, Crib mattress, Changing Table, &
Dresser. Carmel colored wood finish. Excellent
Condition!! 4 years old. Call Aubrey @ 860-1614 or
email @ beezee101@msn.com
Need some help this holiday season? Relatives coming? I will clean your house. Call Kathy 787-7518.
References available.
For sale: Homelite XL chainsaw, $100. 334-1647
For sale: Large dog house, $30. 334-1647
FRONT PORCH MOVING SALE in Aztec! 312
Frederick Ave., Sat., Dec. 5, 8-1: Sealy Posturpedic
queen bed w/ only 6 mos use $290; 4 drawer dresser
$40; 5 drawer dresser $50; white side table $35; Cooper
Zeon ZPT 205/50R16 M&S tire $20; TVGuardian foul
language filter; Microsoft ergo wireless mouse/keyboard; and many other items!
I clean houses. Kayla Montoya, 334-1493
Private guitar and bass lessons now available through
Main Street Music or in your home. 860-4741.
For sale: Freestanding natural gas log heater & pipe
$75; Comfy blue rocker recliner $10. 334-6534
Aztec rental: one bedroom rustic cabin. $350 a
month plus utilities and deposit. Call 334-0170 before 7
pm.
Room for rent: No drinking, drugs or partying. Quiet
country home. Bloomfield area. 505-947-3340.
Help wanted: Medical Transcriptionist needed for
busy physical therapy office in Aztec. Fax resume to
334-7343.
For sale: Large corner computer desk in good condition with 2 matching file cabinets. Features include
overhead storage & shelving, CD racks, multi-level
work space, sliding keyboard shelf, and ample work surface. Approx. dimensions: 60"L (each side) X 54"H X
24"D (on sides) 34"D in corner. Asking $150. 486-1235.
Flora Vista Mutual Domestic Water Assoc.
will have its regular monthly Board of Directors
Meeting on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at
5:30 pm. 334-6045.
Public Notice
Bloomfield Irrigation District
BOARD MEMBER ELECTION Division #3
Candidates:
Carroll Crawford (I)
Voting will be: Tuesday, December 8, 2009 from 8:00
a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the following locations:
Division 1 - Blanco Senior Citizens Center
Division 2 - Victory in the Word Church, 700 E.
Broadway Ave.
Division 3 - Bloomfield Irrigation District Office, 522
1/2 West Broadway.
Voters eligible to vote are property owners within the
District boundaries. Property owners do not have to
own or have water rights. Voters must show picture ID.
Those voters unable to vote on December 8th can vote
absentee or by early voting. Absentee voting will be
from November 22nd - December 7th, 2009. Absentee
ballot applications are available by calling the B.I.D.
office or may be picked up. Early voting will be conducted from December 1st through December 7th,
2009 at the B.I.D. office.
Absentee and Early Voting will be limited to office
hours only.
For more information call 632-2800
DECEMBER 1 - 15 • 2009
JOB VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
PART-TIME ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT II
The Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments
invites applications for the part-time position of
Administrative Assistant II, working in Farmington at
the Council’s satellite office. Salary range begins at
$11.00 per hour; actual hourly wage to depend on education, training and experience. Position is year-round
at up to 19 hours per week.
The position requires a well-organized office professional with mature work experience, strong and up-todate office skills, excellent people skills, and proactive
problem-solving ability. Ability to write and self-edit
correspondence and reports is strongly preferred.
As a general office assistant to the Council’s
Associate Planner in the Farmington office, the
Administrative Assistant provides a comprehensive
range of office services, logistical planning support for
meetings throughout San Juan County and management
of an extensive contact database.
Candidates possessing or working towards certification or degree in the office occupations or related fields
are encouraged to apply. Candidates should reside within easy commuting distance of the Council’s satellite
office located on the San Juan College campus at 5101
College Boulevard in Farmington, and should be capable and qualified to independently operate a vehicle.
Interested parties may contact Associate Planner
Roshana Moojen at the Farmington office at (505)
566-5672.
Letter of interest, résumé, and three professional references should be forwarded by 5:00 pm on Friday,
December 11, 2009 to:
Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments
Attn: Theresa Lee, Finance Manager/HR
409 South 2nd Street
Gallup, NM 87301
Phone: 505-722-4327; Fax: 505-722-9211
Email: tlee@nwnmcog.com
Sewers and Drains $75
7 am - 7 pm, no OT charges
Monday - Saturday • 334-9353 (reference #3)
San Juan Chapter urges you to
“PLEDGE TO PREPARE”
December 2009 EVENTS
American Red Cross
2100 Cortland Dr., Farmington, NM 87401
Judy Hepner, H & SS Admin. • (505) 325-9605
Wednesday, December 2,
Standard First Aid: 6:00 pm-9:45 pm/$35.00
Thursday, December 3,
Farmington Christmas Parade: 5:45 pm
Saturday, December 5
Luminaria Tour at San Juan College: 4:30 pm
Wednesday, December 9
Adult CPR: 6:00 pm-9:45 pm/$35.00
Saturday, December 12
Ad/Ch/Inf CPR, Standard First Aid: 9:00am-5:00
pm/$50.00
Sunday, December 13
“Get To Know Us Before You Need Us” briefing
and social meeting for the families of National Guard,
Reservists, Retirees, Veterans and Active Duty military
personnel 2:00 pm-3:30 pm. If you plan to attend, please
contact Kay at 325-9605 or 1-888-272-3525
Tuesday, December 15
Bloomfield Santa in the Park, Salmon Park: 4:00 pm
Wednesday, December 16
Infant/Child CPR: 6:00 pm-9:45 pm/$35.00
Thursday, December 17
Warm Up America! 10:00 am
Friday, December 18
Chapter Holiday Party: 5:30 pm. R.S.V.P. to Kay at
325-9605
Saturday, December 19
Adult & Child CPR, Ad/Ch AED, Standard First
Aid: 9:00 am-5:00 pm/$55.00
Thursday, December 24
Christmas Eve: office closes at noon
Friday, December 25 Christmas Day: office closed .
Saturday, December 26 Disaster Training
Thursday, December 31 New Year’s Eve
Note: phone office and pre-register for all
classes and orientations as space is limited.
ON-LINE CLASSES ARE NOW AVAILABLE
VIA OUR WEB-SITE http://sanjuan.redcross.org
When you help the American Red Cross, you help America!
THE AZTEC LOCAL NEWS
PAGE 19
R CLUBS & MEETINGS
UPCOMING E•V•E•N•T•S I P
Aztec & Bloomfield area
December 1 – December 31: 11th Annual Festival Of
Lights Holiday Show — Lighted sculptures featuring a winter wonderland of gingerbread children, holiday ice skaters
and the Grinch hauling away gifts throughout Riverside Park
in Aztec. Opens at 6 p.m. nightly. (505) 330-5230, (505) 3349551 or 888-838-9551. www.aztecfantasyoflights.com
December 7, Lighted Christmas Parade — in Bloomfield,
6:30 pm. FMI, Bloomfield Chamber, 632-0880.
December 11, Aztec Country Christmas
December 12-13, Wines of the San Juan Open House,
Santa, carolers, horse and carriage rides. www.winesofthesanjuan.com
December 15, Bloomfield’s Santa in the Park, 4-7 pm,
Multicultural Center
Farmington area
December 2 – 5, Festival of Trees — presented by
Presbyterian Medical Services. Enjoy the Teddy Bear Tea,
the Fashions at the Festival Luncheon, Family Night, Coffee
Break with the Christmas Trees and or the Senior Social
Time - all leading up to the tree raffle and finale December 5.
Info, dates and times: Kim Welch 505-566-0421
December 3, The Farmington Christmas Parade — This
lighted Christmas parade starts at 5:45pm. Parade route runs
through Historic Downtown Farmington, along Main St. FMI
call the Farmington Chamber of Commerce at 505-325-0279.
December 3, San Juan College Jazz Band Concert —
7:30 p.m. in the San Juan College Performance Hall. $8
adults, $5 students and seniors. Information: 505-566-3430.
December 4, "The Best of Broadway" — An evening of
music, at the Brooks/Isham Performing Arts Center. Includes
music from around the world in a celebration of Christmas,
Hanukkah, and Kwanza. Tickets & info:505-598-4560
December 4, Riverglo — Berg Park 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Luminarias light up the river and the evening sky. Celebrate
with a stroll along the river’s edge with carolers and bell
choirs, hot chocolate and food. Information: 505-326-7602
December 5, San Juan College Luminarias — the
largest luminaria display of a non-profit entity in New Mexico.
San Juan College campus in Farmington. Info: 566-3403
December 5, Salmon Ruins Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair
— Artisans from throughout the Four Corners display and
sell their wares at McGee Park. (505) 632-2013.
December 10-11, Hospice Charity Bowl Sale — Buy a
bowl for $10, comes with a free fill-up of soup. Henderson
Fine Arts Building. Proceeds to Northwest New Mexico
Hospice. SJ College students and faculty selling pottery and
artwork for holiday shopping. December 10 from 9am-6pm
and December 11 from 9am-4pm. FMI, call 505-566-3464.
December 11, San Juan Band Concert — 7:30 pm at the
San Juan College Little Theatre. Tickets: $8 adults, $5 students and seniors. Information: 505-566-3430.
December 11, Crownpoint Rug Auction (505) 786-5302,
(505) 786-7386. www.crownpointrugauction.com
December 12, Farmington Indian Organization Christmas
Arts & Crafts Show — 8:00am - 4:00pm, Farmington InterTribal Center. Information: 327-6296
December 22, Navajo Nativity — 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Annual
living nativity with native Navajo costumes and live animals.
Presented by children at the Four Corners Home for
Children. 2102 W. Main, Farmington. (888) 325-0255.
Durango area
December 2, Golden Dragon Acrobats – 7 p.m.,
Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College.
December 7, Durango Youth Symphony’s Christmas
Concert, 7 pm, Community Concert Hall, Fort Lewis College
E-mail events to aztecnews@sisna.com. Things happen,
events are cancelled, etc., be sure to confirm date, time &
place of events you plan to attend.
Free IRA/401(k) Rollover
Workshop in Bloomfield
A FREE IRA/401(k) Rollover Workshop, hosted by
New Mexico’s IRA Rollover Expert, Ralph Hicks LLC,
is coming to Bloomfield December 7th and 8th.
Attendees will learn the essential IRA/401(k) rollover
rules everyone must know, how to stretch retirement for
generations, how to legally avoid the 20% IRA withholding taxes and more. Workshop dates are December
7th and 8th at the Best Western Hotel Boardroom in
Bloomfield. There are four IRA/401(k) Rollover
Workshop times each day - 10 am, 1pm, 4pm & 6pm.
Individual appointments also accepted. FMI and RSVP,
call 505.717.6120 or visit www.RalphHicksLLC.com.
Priscilla A. Shannon
Attorney at Law
Divorce, Kinship,
Guardianships,
and Wills
• 333-2055 •
105 East Chaco • Aztec
Northstar Water Users Association, 334-9375
Board meeting 3rd Thursday, 9:00 am, 511 Aztec Blvd. NE
Blue Star Mothers
Southside Mutual Domestic Water Association
Military Gift Pack
Donation Day
Meets regularly on the second Thursday of every month,
7 pm, 306 N. Main, Aztec.
Lower Animas Community Ditch meetings
San Juan Masonic Lodge
5:00 pm on the 2nd Tuesday at the LACD office, 505 NE
Aztec Blvd., Aztec. Agendas may be picked up by calling 3332555 and will also be posted at the meeting location.
1020 N. Aztec Blvd (Hwy 550) • Aztec
Dec. 10th, 2009 • 9 am - 5 pm
Navajo Dam Water Users Association
Please take any items appropriate for the military gift
packs to the San Juan Masonic Lodge #25 in Aztec.
The Blue Star Mothers will then pack them up and
have them delivered to service persons stationed in
Afghanistan and Iraq. This monthly program coincides
with the United Services Blood drive at the
Masonic Lodge, also on Dec. 10th. FMI, 334-9713.
If you have questions about Blue Star Mothers or
about donations, call Rita at 325-3834 or Jackie at 8602898; 327-3012.
Board meetings on the 2nd Tuesday, Navajo Dam fire
house at 7 pm. All members welcome. Linda Clark, 632-2150.
Aztec Lions Club
Meets the first & third Monday of each month at the Lions
Hall, 219 S. Park Ave. at 7 pm. We want your used eyeglasses.
AL-ANON United Methodist Church, 123 E. Chaco, Aztec
Mondays, 7 pm. Book Study • Thursdays, 7 pm.
FMI, call Gloria, 360-0117, 334-1383.
Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings, Aztec Group
Held at First United Methodist Church, 123 E. Chaco, Aztec
(enter Educational Bldg on Church St.) FMI, contact 327-0731
Tuesday at noon • Tuesday, 7 pm, open 12X12
Friday, 7 pm, open.candlelight
Saturday, 7 pm, open, big book
Sunday, 7 pm, open discussion
Family Crisis Center: Farmington
505-325-3549
Nat’l Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-7233
Domestic Violence Legal Hotline
1-877-974-3400
The San Juan Masonic Lodge #25
2nd & 4th Tuesday, 7:30 pm, Lodge Bldg, 1020 N. Aztec Blvd.
Aztec Kiwanis Club
Robotics Exhibit
coming to Farmington!
Meets every Thursday. 1st Thursday is 6:30 dinner at
Olivers. Remaining Thursdays 7 am at Oliver’s Restaurant.
Overcoming Life’s Dominating Problems, 334-2807
Monday nights, 7 pm, Bethel Baptist Church, 201 Heiland,
Aztec. Biblical self-confrontation from God’s Holy Word, open
to all who know there is more to this life than drugs, alcohol
and all things keeping you separated from the Lord.
The E3 Children’s Museum & Science Center welcomes Robotics, a Carnegie Science Center traveling
exhibit, from Saturday, December 12, 2009 through
Saturday, March 27, 2010.
You won’t want to miss the grand opening on
Saturday, December 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A full
day of robot-oriented events will be scheduled for the
Robotics exhibition. Enjoy special demos by “Woody,”
the City of Farmington Police Department Bomb Squad
Robot, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Make your own “tin” robot,
watch vintage cartoons, movies, and more!
This exceptional exhibit includes a variety of handson educational interactives. Engage in sensing, thinking,
and acting activities where visitors can fool the motion
detector, participate in simple programming, compare
human and robotic actions, and even race a robot. Play
with DynaVox, where you can type words or select icons
to make this voice synthesizer speak for you. Get
involved and learn by doing - why a robot can’t tie a
shoe and other tasks.
Visit a special Kids’ Zone where children can participate in many activities: remotely manipulate robot hands
to do different tasks, create simple programs to maneuver a robot around obstacles, and use their imaginations
to build and operate a motorized robot using construction sets from ROBOTIX.
Robot-related art and science educational programming is planned throughout the Robotics exhibition.
Hours at the Children’s Museum will be 10 p.m. to 5
p.m. Tuesday through Saturday each week.
While visiting the Children’s Museum during this special exhibition, Tot’s Turf and regular programming
remain free of charge, entrance to the Robotics exhibit
will require a small admission fee: Adults $5, Seniors
$4, Children 12 & Under $3, Children 2 & Under Free,
Museum Foundation Members Free.
Due to the Robotics Exhibit installation, E3 Children’s
Museum & Science Center will be closed from Tuesday,
December 1st through Friday, December 11th, all day.
The E3 Children’s Museum & Science Center is located at 302 N Orchard Ave in Farmington.
FMI on the Robotics exhibit, call (505) 599-1425.
San Juan Soil and Water Conservation District
Board Meetings 2nd Monday, 7:00 pm, at the Soil and
Water Conservation District office, 1427 W. Aztec Blvd., Suite
1, Aztec. 334-3090 x 101.
Four Corners Blue Star Mothers
Support group for families of those stationed overseas and
for veterans, meets 1st Monday, 7 P.M., Farmington Civic
Center and 3rd Tuesday, 7 P.M. at VFW Post 2182, 5513 Hwy
64. Parents, spouses, and siblings encouraged to attend.
Laurel Thorne, 334-2066, Jackie Archuleta 327-3012 for info.
Better Breathers Meeting, 334-1811
No Better Breathers meeting in December - see you in
January 2010! FMI, call Annie Cottrell, president, 334-1811.
Narcotics Anonymous Meetings
For current information on local NA meetings, call the hotline
(505-324-1807) or online www.riograndena.org.
Sexual Assault Services
of Northwest New Mexico
Hotline: (505) 326-4700 or 1-866-908-4700
Office: (505) 325-2805
812 W. Maple (look for the Circular Rose Garden),
Farmington, NM 87401
Services provided: 24-hr Hotline, SANE (Sexual Assault
Nurse Examiners), Rape Crisis Advocacy,
Community Education, Referrals
Mystical Interpretation of
the Christmas Story
Come Join the Freedom Rally
Tuesdays from 12-1 P.M.
Think our nation is heading towards Socialism?
Come join us at the Freedom Rally on Tuesdays from
12:00-1:00 at Orchard Park, which is at Orchard and
Main St. right in front of Senator Bingaman's
Farmington office. Call Anne
Frost at 327-3967 if you need $ 6 3
& 5 6
more information.
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San Juan County 9-12 has
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meetings on the 2nd and 4th
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Tuesday's each month at the
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Civic Center in Farmington at
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7:00 P.M. There are guest
6 $ &
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speakers who talk about
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where our country is headed
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and give some news on San
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www.sjc912.org for more
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information.
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Center of Light presents Mystical Interpretation of the
Christmas Story, One Day Seminar, on Saturday,
December 5th, 10 AM-12PM at the Durango Library,
Conference Room #3, 1900 E 3rd Ave, Durango. Free
with suggested donation: $25
If you desire a more meaningful Christmas this year,
join us and start the season with an in-depth look at the
inner meaning of Christmas and how you can experience
a truly spiritual holy season. Mystics interpret all the
occurrences of Jesus and Mary's lives not only as literal
events but as symbolic steps along the spiritual path. In
the Christmas story, Jesus and Mary represent specific
aspects of us, as do Joseph, the wise men, the shepherds,
the star, the stable animals and the stable itself. Join us
for this mystical interpretation of the Christmas story
and deepen your appreciation for the
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greatest gift ever given to humanity.
$ 9 $ 6 7
For more details and to RSVP please
5 $ & ( 6
call Rev. Ruth Gould at 970.882.2123 or
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e mail RevRuth@CentersOfLight.org.
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Get educated
on local gangs
www.streetgangoutreach.com
PAGE 20
DECEMBER 1 - 15 • 2009
"Hanging Tree" Story is Made Up
From “The Bowra Legacy”, A Journalistic
History of Aztec & San Juan County, New
Mexico.
During the next 10 years, 1910-1920,
progress was to continue and such work as
excavation of the Aztec Ruins, starting in
1916 by the American Museum of Natural
History with Earl Morris in charge, contributed to the economy by giving employment to many local citizens.
During these years many young people
were making up a large part of the population
and employment became a must if the young
people were to remain in the old home town.
However, those who wanted to work could
find jobs on farms, hay fields in season, ditch
work, road work, janitors, railroad workers
(section gang) and other occupations.
Automobiles were now becoming numerous
and that called for better roads, adding to the
job openings.
By 1917 many of the young men had gone into the
service and the efforts around town were exerted to raising food, preserving foods, and economizing to help the
war effort. With the war over, the twenties were prosperous years, and the town continued to make progress and
installed a water works with the construction work of
laying the main lines and lines to the homes furnishing
lots of employment, making the year 1922 a prosperous
year.
And speaking of 1922, a paragraph that has nothing to
do with the town's economy, which this story is about,
should be added here to correct a rumor that is often
passed around indicating that Aztec was at one time a
"tough" place. Nothing is further from the truth, for
Aztec was built by a citizenry of intellectual interests
and tastes and was always a town of law and order. The
rumor is about Aztec's "Hanging Tree," a dreamed-up
story by some would-be "toughy" trying to give the
town a "past."
The story undoubtedly started from the legal hanging
of a man convicted of murder (the story has often been
told) in Aztec in 1922. The law at the time was that a
death sentence was to be carried out in the county where
the conviction was obtained. Why Aztec was selected as
the site of the hanging was never explained.
However, Aztec citizens opposed the hanging within
their city and a petition with 300 names was sent to the
governor asking that the sentence not be carried out. The
man was hanged, not from a tree but on a scaffold with
13 steps. The scaffold was erected under a tree near, or
just northeast, of the highway near the river bridge.
Aztec never had a "Hanging Tree."
The prosperous years of the twenties brought many
new business firms to Aztec, among them being a place
called the "Yellow Jacket" cafe, a place where women,
wine and gambling were available. The place did a
flourishing business for the short time it was in business.
But the town held to its reputation of being a clean town
of law and order and soon had the place closed down.
By 1920 Aztec had replaced all the wooden sidewalks
with concrete walks and had cut down many of the
heavy cotton-bearing trees, making it possible to keep
the street clean and eliminating fire danger from the cotton, which would blow into corners and would burn like
powder if ignited.
The town had no administrative budget, as it had no
paid employees or board members, the board members
taking care of the bookkeeping. After the water works
was installed a bookkeeper and billing clerk were
employed. The streets were kept clean (they were
unpaved) by a man and his team who was paid $3 for an
8-hour day. A marshal was paid $30 per month, the
water superintendent was paid $60 a month. The town
budget would not exceed $1000 a month.
And so the prosperous twenties, like the night traveler,
silently slipped away and was replaced by what was and
is called "the depression years."
The big public project during the twenties was the
construction of a large two-story high school building in
1922, and the Aztec Theater in 1929. The Aztec State
Bank opened and closed during those years, the closing
coming as the result of the death of the organizer.
However, regardless of what you have heard about the
depression of 50 years ago, it was not as bad in Aztec as
it was in some parts of the nation. Only a few can say
that they suffered by the depression, for most of the people in this territory had never lived any other way - not
having everything they wanted. The local bank did not
close, no depositor lost any money, stores were able to
carry the credit accounts of which most were paid in due
time, employment was more difficult for the common
laborer, but the majority of the citizens were able to live
off the soil by growing big gardens and for the most part
everyone was happy.
Employment was given a boost in 1931 when a government-financed (WPA) sewer system was constructed,
and under the New Deal with its public works projects a
city hall and sidewalks projects were built. This was a
notable year for Aztec, for this was the year that
"Rugged Individualism" began to disappear with the
changing times. Since Aztec was built by individualism,
Last in a series of 4
On Aztec's Main Ave., 1915
making their homes in Aztec with mobile home parks
growing on vacant lands where the tumbleweeds used to
grow.
By 1955 the population was estimated by
the "boosters" at 7,000. New buildings were
built on North Main and filled with good
merchandise as many new business houses
opened for business. The central block was
filled to capacity, and the adjoining south
block began filling up with new buildings
and new business. Excitement and promotion ran high with the clamor to get rich
quick.
During the hey-days of the "Fifty Boom"
a new courthouse was built and a new post
office, streets were paved, water lines were
extended, parking meters were installed on
Main Street, a new city hall, zoning regulations were made (with many restrictions),
many new houses were built and the carrousel played the tune "There is a hot time
in the old town tonight." Then, something
happened; the best laid plans of wise men
often go astray and the "boosters," some of whom were
running city government, began to migrate, and business
houses were going out of business, trailer courts were
being emptied and finally the powers that be announced
the population to be "four thousand people with six old
soreheads."
Aztec held its own for the next few years and then by
the mid-sixties another boom, not local, showed up with
development of power plants, increased oil activities in
drilling and plants, increased mining of coal and uranium, all in the vast territory west and south of Aztec.
Jobs became plentiful and workers again were coming
in, and the population was greatly increasing, trailer
parks were filling up, and times were again prosperous
and a building boom hit Aztec with scores of new houses being built and every available house and apartment
being occupied.
On the other side of the coin, however, the new boom
did not bring more business houses although the opportunity for good business in Aztec lingers on, and once
the opportunity is grabbed and needed new business
houses are opened, then Aztec will come unto its own
recognition that it is a potential market for merchandisers.
The population is now estimated at 7,000 to 8,000, a
potential market, but at present shopping centers 15
miles away seem to attract the buyers simply because
Aztec is not supplying the demand. The City Dads, bless
their efforts, refer to their town as a "bedroom town." It
would be much better to refer to the town as the place of
opportunity and when this opportunity is accepted as it
will be one of the days to come Aztec will find that it
will not be necessary to get federal funds to keep the old
ship afloat.
George B. Bowra
Column: Aztec then and now...
Farmington Daily Times, February ?, 1980
“The Bowra Legacy” a compilation of articles written
by George B. Bowra and Willa Bowra Hampton, is
available for purchase at the Aztec Museum.
the changing times were most noticeable.
Public welfare, badly needed in some parts of the
country but not an emergency in Aztec, came into the
government program, and there were people quick to
take advantage of it, and they quit raising gardens and
tilling the soil and went on welfare.
Welfare, along with the tight money situation during
the thirties, slowed progress, and the construction of a
library building and a classroom at the schools were
included in the WPA program.
Little development in community projects came with
the thirties; the status quo remained about the same, the
depression lingered on and the government created jobs
with public works projects, but these projects could not
be considered assets to the town for they added little in
value except employment for those who needed a job.
Business, however, with the retail trade remained stable.
In 1931 the two newspapers consolidated. The Aztec
Independent, established as the Index in 1880, and the
San Juan Review, established in 1921, now became the
Aztec Independent-Review,
Aztec, more or less, drifted through the forties, for
they were war years and the community was drained of
its young people. Those who had not joined the service
and gone to work in defense plants, the old folks at
home, were back to raising gardens to help the war
efforts by raising much of their food. Aztec came
through, as it always does in such emergencies, and
exhibited its patriotism. The decade of the forties closed
with things getting back to normal.
The new year of 1950 was ushered in when in
February the Federal Power Commission issued a temporary permit to El Paso Natural Gas Co. to lay a transmission line from the San Juan Basin to California. That
action changed Aztec drastically, and it would never be
the same again.
It changed Aztec because oil men began coming here,
some making homes in Aztec, and opening offices for
the purpose of obtaining
leases. Many Aztec citizens
owned patented lands and
were getting lease money or
drilling contracts that would
bring royalty later. The
over-all situation was the
economy being boosted by
oil money and there was a
boom in the making.
Drilling activities throughout the basin were increasing making employment and
bringing in oil field workONLY $15
ers, many of whom were
Just in time for Christmas!
This beautiful 2010 calendar
features 13 horses from FCER
Available at:
Four Corners Equine Rescue
Animal Haven Clinic, Farmington
Aztec Feed, Aztec
Zebadiahs Restaurant Farmington
Or call 334-7220