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December 1, 2023
Weekly WeatherIn GratitudeAbiquiu NewsDuring this month-long effort, news organizations across New Mexico are running fundraising campaigns that will help them continue the invaluable work they do, like keeping tabs on local government, informing residents about daily happenings and helping to serve their communities. They include independent nonprofit newsrooms, for-profit newsrooms, newspapers, community radio stations, public media, alt-weeklies and online-only news outlets participating, from Abiquiu to Silver City.
Every dollar raised today through December 31 by participating news organizations will be matched (up to $5,000) by the New Mexico Local News Fund. Last year, we helped 16 newsrooms raise more than $225,000, and this year we expect to blast past that total. Today we’re kicking off our year-end campaign, and we couldn’t be more excited to share how your support made a big impact in 2023, plus, give a glimpse into the exciting plans we have for 2024. As a reader of Abiquiu News, you know you can depend on us. Your support has allowed us to provide relevant feature articles as well as hire some help to keep all the wheels turning. We plan on expanding what we are doing in 2024 to provide more original content. Won't you please help us by taking out a paid subscription or making a one time donation. Click on the buttons below or mail a check to Abiquiu News, PO Box 1052, Abiquiu NM 87510. Have an idea, we'd love to hear from you.
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NewsNew CEO brings 20 years experience in international nonprofit leadership and development to Ghost RanchThis leadership transition ushers in a bright new chapter of impact for the 21,000-acre world-renowned education and retreat center in New Mexico.
BY THE PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK PUBLISHED: NOVEMBER 29, 2023 |UPDATED: NOVEMBER 30, 2023 Abiquiu, NM, November 27, 2023 — Ghost Ranch Education & Retreat Center, related to the Presbyterian Church (USA), has announced the appointment of David Evans as Chief Executive Officer beginning January 15, 2024. A seasoned nonprofit leader, Evans brings over 20 years of experience in international nonprofit leadership and development to the role. His career is marked by social and environmental justice, humanitarian aid, and community empowerment around the globe including the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the American Northwest.
“Ghost Ranch is on the threshold of a new era, following a year of transition,” shared The Rev. Dr. Tim Hart-Andersen, President of the National Ghost Ranch Foundation (NGRF) Board. “David Evans will bring to the Ranch unique leadership savvy and experience to take us into that new chapter. The future of Ghost Ranch looks bright!” Evans said, “Ghost Ranch is not just a place; it’s where my passion for exploration and community was kindled. As a child, the Chimney Rock trail was a tough challenge that helped me learn so much about myself. Now, as CEO, my aspiration is for every visitor to Ghost Ranch to discover their own spark of curiosity, embrace difficulties, and experience rejuvenation.” Evans’ experience includes executive leadership in complex situations and multicultural organizations, managing teams, and working to maximize nonprofit budgets. He began his career in fund development at Mercy Corps and has since served as director, head of office, regional director, and country director for various initiatives. Most recently, Evans served as the Mekong Regional Director at EarthRights International and Country Director at Muslim Aid in Myanmar, two roles which required passionate advocacy, steady leadership, and creative problem-solving to address human rights crises. “David combines deep experience with leading large and small teams in complex international contexts with a passion for conservation, humanitarian aid, and the arts,” said Chris Kempes, board member and search chair. “I couldn’t be more excited for David to lead Ghost Ranch into its next phase.” In partnership with other senior staff members, Evans will develop a strategic vision for the long-term financial and environmental sustainability of Ghost Ranch. “What impressed me the most is David’s passion for social justice, the environment, and desire to build relationships with people in Rio Arriba County and beyond, all of which aligns with our mission and values,” said The Rev. Byron Wade, General Presbyter-Presbytery of Western North Carolina and member of the NGRF Search Committee. “I am looking forward to his leadership!” As a child, Evans visited Ghost Ranch with his family, who were active in the Presbyterian Church (USA). At the Ranch, Evans’ mother taught workshops, his father participated in seminars, his sister joined the summer college staff, and he himself developed a love for exploration and community. This connection strengthens Evans’ leadership expertise with a deep love of the Ranch. The NGRF Board is enthusiastic and unanimous in their appointment of Evans and looks forward to emerging from a year of transition to become stronger than ever and well-positioned for future years of service. About Ghost Ranch: Ghost Ranch Education & Retreat Center encompasses 21,000 acres in northern New Mexico. At the ranch, guests experience quiet contemplation, music and art, spiritual centering, fascinating museums, natural beauty, and physical activity. Ghost Ranch was a home and studio of Georgia O’Keeffe, as well as the subject of many of her paintings. Ghost Ranch is operated by The National Ghost Ranch Foundation and owned by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Learn more at ghostranch.org. The Rio Chama is 120 miles long, making it the third largest tributary of the Rio Grande. Beginning in the southern San Juan Mountains of south-central Colorado, it joins the Rio Grande near Espanola, New Mexico. In 1978, Congress recognized the canyons as a special place of beauty and ecological importance by designating the river as a State Scenic and Pastoral River and portions of the Santa Fe National Forest as the Chama Canyons Wilderness Area. Thirty-one miles of the river were protected as a Federal Wild and Scenic River in 1988. The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) primary objective is to ensure that wilderness resources and experience are protected.
The 22 miles of the river from Cooper’s El Vado Ranch to Chavez Canyon flows through a BLM Wilderness Study Area and the designated Chama Canyons Wilderness Area. This ‘wilderness section’ contains Class II-III rapids. A Permit through recreation.gov is required between El Vado Ranch and Chavez Canyon from April 15 to September 15. Between September 16 and April 14, boaters must self permit on-site prior to launching. All private launches outside of the permit season are required to follow all regulations. Rio Chama flows are not guaranteed and are highly variable - based on water availability, irrigation demand, and precipitation - and may change with little notice. Please read the Cancellation Policy. Early season (April 15 to July 15) flows often coincide with inflow to reservoirs above El Vado Dam, but may be adjusted due to water storage operations. Release season (July 16 to September 15) flows are augmented for weekends (Friday to Sunday) for boater needs. Check flows: USGS flow information (Rio Chama below El Vado). A lottery system is used for Friday and Saturday launches. Permits for all other days are available on Recreation.gov first-come, first-served beginning April 1, at 8 AM. On the Rio Chama Wilderness section, because of release schedules, the term 'Weekend' is used for Friday and Saturday launches. Sunday through Thursday launches are termed 'Weekday'. Water is released from El Vado Reservoir between 10:00 am and Noon on Friday and reduced between 10:00 am and Noon on Sunday. The water takes about 12 hours to either reach, or recede at, Chavez Canyon access site. Downstream from the Chavez Canyon access, nine miles of additional class II-III rapids flows along Forest Road 151 to Big Eddy access. This ‘Day’ section is popular for day trips and has car camping opportunities. A permit is not required between the Chavez and Big Eddy boat ramps. If you are in a canoe or kayak, you can have a good run from El Vado to Chavez Canyon at flows as low as 200 cfs or to Big Eddy, at flows of 300 cfs. For small rafts, minimum recommended flows are 300 to 400 cfs. For large rafts (14’ or bigger) minimum flows of 500 cfs are recommended. Extremely low flow (ELF) runs are possible. Please call for more information about ELF trips. Taos BLM: (505) 484-8673 Apply for your permit online Numerous Pile Burning Projects Planned TAOS, N.M., Nov. 27, 2023—With the arrival of winter weather, Carson National Forest fire crews are preparing to continue prescribed fire activities, this time in the form of pile burning. The exact timing of each project will depend on weather, site conditions and available personnel.
Piles were created from thinning projects in nearly a dozen locations, including near Canjilon, El Rito (Rio Arriba County), Hopewell Lake, Las Trampas, Ojo Sarco, Red River, San Cristobal, Taos Ski Valley and Tres Piedras. A list and map of potential projects are attached. Fire managers are monitoring weather and conditions for opportunities to implement each pile burn project during the winter weather season. As potential opportunities arise, public information officers will make notifications. What is Pile Burning? Prescribed fires are planned operations that can either be understory burns or pile burns. Crews this fall implemented what are called understory burns in Valle Vidal, Canjilon and next to Vallecitos (Rio Arriba County). Prescribed fire was used to treat fallen pine needles, logs, small brush and other surface fuels under the forest canopy. The fire burns through a predetermined area, often in a mosaic pattern, leaving islands of untreated fuel. The end result resembles the effects a lightning-caused wildfire would have in a healthy, resilient forest. Pile burning, on the other hand, treats slash, like thin branches, piled by thinning crews. This work is often complemented by members of the public who obtain permits to gather fuelwood in recently thinned areas. Thinning is applied for different reasons in different areas:
It is ideal to pile burn after winter weather conditions have set in. The dampened or snow-covered forest floor reduces the chances a fire creeps away from the pile. In some locations, like in ponderosa stands, pile burning is followed by an understory treatment at a later time. The Big Picture Thinning and prescribed fire are two of the most important tools of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy to promote healthier forests and reduce the risks of wildfire. Planned pile burning in the Carson National Forest this winter will contribute to major landscape projects across the forest. Project work on the forest’s east side is within the Enchanted Circle Landscape, which covers 1.5 million acres in and around the Camino Real and Questa ranger districts. It is one of the most at-risk landscapes in the country and a priority of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy. Work on the forest’s west side is within the Rio Chama Collaborative Forest Restoration Landscape Project, which covers the Canjilon, El Rito and Tres Piedras ranger districts and areas outside the forest in Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. It aims to protect communities while improving forest health in the Rio Chama and Rio Grande watersheds that are inextricably linked to the water needs of downstream cities, including in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Get Notified The public can get pile burning notices through a variety of means:
Neighbors Helping NeighborsAre you aware that there are some in our community who cannot afford to buy a Holiday dinner for their families? The St Vincent de Paul Society (SVdP) puts together boxes of staples for a nice dinner that includes a ham or a turkey.
These boxes make a huge difference and are so gratefully received. A donation of $20 will give a family a fine Holiday dinner, and is so appreciated. You can make your check out to SVdP - Santo Tomas Conference and mail to Erma Crim, PO Box 1009, Abiquiu, NM 87510 In Memory - Nora SlomanA special thanks to Legacy and Ambercare for providing such good care to Nora in her final days.
Services are pending at this time. You may visit DeVargas Funeral Home website where services will be posted as soon as they are available. The family of Nora Sloman has entrusted the care of their loved one to DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the beautiful Espanola Valley. www.devargasfuneral.com 505-747-7477 Shop LocalSome Literary GiftsGenerative writing workshop with Abiquiú-area poet Zach Hively
A great experiential gift for the creative people in your life: a spark for their writing. In this Misfit Poetry workshop, capped at 8 people to keep it intimate, we’ll learn to find the threads that connect unrelated ideas to mine new depths in our poems (and other kinds of writing). This generative workshop, our most popular offering to date, requires no experience writing poetry and strengthens writers of all genres. Sign up for a friend or for yourself! Zach Hively's poetry book Desert Apocrypha (which includes a poem originating in the first Misfit Poetry workshop!) earned the Reading the West Book Award for Poetry. He holds a master’s degree in creative writing from Trinity College Dublin. He is also the author of Owl Poems and Wild Expectations, both from Casa Urraca Press. Casa Urraca Press: 20% discount on all books for Abiquiú News readers Now through December 10! Use code ABIQUIUNEWS20 for 20% off all books and ebooks in the Casa Urraca Press bookstore. Poetry, creative nonfiction, photography, essays -- all of it by authors in New Mexico and the Southwest. These make elegant gifts for readers & book-lovers. Now Available!
Newly published book, "Discover Abiquiú from A to Z", takes its readers on an alphabetical journey through Abiquiú and its surrounding areas. With each turn of a page, readers will find alphabetical highlights with both informative text and original, breathtaking illustrations. Discover the unique places, people and history as you explore its nooks and crannies. From Abiquiú to Zozobra, the book allows the reader to discover Abiquiu’s heart and soul. Order Direct online or available locally at Abiquiu Inn, Cafe Sierra Negra and Nest Barb Clark Fine ArtCHRISTMAS SPECIAL! “Chama Drama” by Barb Clark
Giclee Print 7 x 14 $100.00 USD Collection: Prints on Canvas Order by December 4th for delivery by Christmas Click to order Also View Barb's work at Cafe Abiquiu at Abiquiu Inn Star York Studio*Leather Tassel Key Chains w/ bronze or sterling Rock Art Mares.
* Sterling Silver Rock Art Mare or Raven key chains *Various Bronze miniatures: Fairy w/ a book, Snooze (cougar cub sleeping) Rock Art Mares, Bluebirds and Owl Studio Open by Appointment www.staryorksculpture.com Order via email or call to set up an appointment 505 685-4628 Lori Faye Bock Christmas CardsLori Faye Bock Christmas Cards available as 12 Card Portfolios and Abiquiu 6 Packs at The Abiquiu Inn, Bodes & Ghost Ranch. Made in America ... naturally.
Happy Holidays For the Birds - Fun Kid’s Activity: Winter Pinecone Bird FeederSouthwest Audabon
As winter nears, days get shorter and food becomes more difficult to find, many birds migrate south in search of a place where more food is available. Some birds migrate to New Mexico for the winter, there are also many that live here year-round. For these birds, it can sometimes be challenging to find food sources during these cold, dark months, especially when the ground in covered with snow. Here is a way that you and your family can help your feathery friends during the cold winter. Things you will need:
Source: The Curious Naturalist, National Audubon Society, 1977 Area FactoidsDid you know that before 1935 up to 50% of the Abiquiu men left in the spring to work in beet and potato fields, and in the mines of Colorado, Utah, or Nevada, returning home in the late fall months?
Have you heard through the community grapevine that in 2024 our recycling will be done with punch cards? And that those punch cards will allow us four -- 4 -- recycling drops A YEAR?!!!
~ Reader We reached out to NCSWA and they said they were not providing punch cards for recycling. Bills will go out next week. Punch cards will be available the beginning of January for pick up at the office. A few weeks ago Katy B asked about the river and lake levels. River up, Lake down. We reached out to John Mueller, Operations Manager at the dam. John responded: We have dropped releases to the more typical winter release and should be in this reduced release for the winter. We have evacuated a large amount of water this fall in order to accommodate reduced storage levels for a maintenance contract we will be working on throughout the winter until February. Scene Around TownSend us your local images. Send to AbiquiuNewsImages@gmail.com Please send images under 1mb. My inbox will thank you. ~Carol
Art, Music and BooksThe Locals’ Picks Book List
Zach Hively Casa Urraca Press has created a place for locals in our area to recommend books to each other, and a place to find book suggestions with a personal touch.
Have a book to recommend? Send it to Zach at casaurracaltd@gmail.com – title, author, and the reason you suggest it.
The full Locals’ Picks list is available to view here on Bookshop. A purchase from Casa Urraca's link helps support independent bookstores. Abiquiu’s Casa Urraca Press earns a commission from every shopping trip that starts with the above Bookshop link—you can shop the entire Bookshop site in addition to the locals' picks. Plus, a percentage of every book (at least 10%) goes straight to independent bookstores. This is an opportunity to support small businesses with the same convenience as large online retailers. The Home Remedies Handbook
How to Cook Everything Stories behind Everyday Things To purchase a book the Library asks for a contribution to the Library. The purchase may be paid for and picked up at the Library during the Library hours The Abiquiu Library & Cultural Center has received a large quantity of Audio Books. Please come in to the Library and take a look!” Abiquiu Book Club
EventsPlease remember, events will go in for a maximum of three Fridays before the event. Send text, word or publisher file and a separate image, please keep images below 1 mb and send to info@abiquiunews.com. Vertical PDFs or JPGs will be edited for space. Send by Wednesday Noon for inclusion in that Friday's News.
Community Jam Session at El Rito Library
The El Rito Library will be holding a community Holiday Party on Saturday, Dec. 2. The free family event will include a jam session of holiday music beginning at noon. We are looking for musicians who would like to help us celebrate the holiday by joining the jam session. The library will have a sound system set up for anyone who would like to be part of this community holiday musical session. If you are interested, please call Dave at 505-901-9274, and thank you for your interest in helping us celebrate the season with the entire community. Announcements and ClassesLas Clinicas in El Rito is open for medical services.
The new days/hours for Las Clinicas Del Norte El Rito (all medical services) are Tuesday-Friday 7:00 a.m.-5:00 pm Patients are advised to make an appointment in advance if they need to see a provider during those hours. |
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News 11/17/2023 News 11/10/2023 News 11/03/2023 In the header there are more issues available by clicking on Home. Click on any of our sponsors below for more information.
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Lost and found pets. Pets available for adoption are now listed on our Classifieds page.
Ty
Look at this little loaf of love! Ty is a terrific tabby, and he’s ready to curl up under your tree just like this. Ty is two years old, 8lbs, neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped! We are open to walk-in adopters Monday - Saturday 11am-4:30pm Monday-Saturday 11am-4:30pm. www.espanolahumane.org 505-753-8662 Moses
Moses is a handsome boy with the best ears in the biz. He can be a little shy and unsure at first, but he'll still follow you around and come in for pets. All this fun-sized 2yo 46lb kelpie mix needs is a boost of confidence, a little training, and endless love. This bat-eared boy is great with other dogs and happy to go on lots of walks - Moses will make a great hiking buddy and forever friend! Moses goes home neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and with six months of heartworm prevention. www.espanolahumane.org 505-753-8662 |
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