image courtesy of Iren Schio
Connecting People to Build a Stronger Community
2022 January 21
The Abiquiu News is brought to you by Carol and Brian Bondy
Image by Iren Schio
Subscribe
Subscribe to this free weekly newsletter and stay on top of area news and alerts.
Like us on Facebook
Having trouble subscribing? Email us
Email us with your news, or for criteria for submissions.
Deadline for submissions to the Abiquiu News is Wednesday Noon
Image by Iren Schio
Subscribe
Subscribe to this free weekly newsletter and stay on top of area news and alerts.
Like us on Facebook
Having trouble subscribing? Email us
Email us with your news, or for criteria for submissions.
Deadline for submissions to the Abiquiu News is Wednesday Noon
Weekly Weather
With GratitudeThank You Donors and Subscribers to the Abiquiu News.
Kat S
Cody H John F Nadina B Laurie M Lynn W 
Covid News Vaccines and Boosters AvailableGetting the vaccine and a booster vaccine remains your best protection.
For vaccines you should register at https://cvvaccine.nmhealth.org/my-registration.html. People can get vaccinated at the public health office, their local provider, and students can go to school-based clinics. Ages 5-17 need a parental permission slip. CVS and Walgreens are also providing vaccines and boosters. Testing
Planning a trip? Get vaccinated and get tested before you leave. If you aren't feeling well or have been exposed to someone not feeling well, get tested and wait for your results. Testing is available at El Centro Family Health for patients only - Free by appointment Espanola/505-753-7395 Taos/575-758-3601 Las Clinicas Del Norte - Free by appointment Abiquiu Clinic location 505-685-4479 Drive thru testing is also available at participating Walgreens for ages 3+. Go online to book. Drive thru testing is also available at participating CVS Go online to book PCR testing is available through Curative. Go online to find a location and book Free home test kits are available through the state. Click These are saliva tests and will involve a short wait as they need to be mailed back. Test results take about 48 hours. 
It’s official: Get free COVID test kits at COVIDtests.gov
There’s a new federal resource to get free FDA-authorized coronavirus test kits. At COVIDtests.gov, you’ll find information about testing and a link to the U.S. Postal Service – special.usps.com/testkits – where you can order up to four rapid tests to be sent to your home address. Your kits will be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service within 7 to 12 days. The tests are completely free. There are no shipping costs, and you don’t have to give a credit card or bank account number. You only need to give a name and address. You also can order for other people who may not have online access. Once you place an order, you’ll get an order confirmation number. If you give your email address, you’ll also get an order confirmation email and delivery updates. Anyone who asks for more information than that is a scammer. So, remember: Go to COVIDtests.gov to order your free COVID test kits from the federal government. If you click to order, you’ll be redirected to special.usps.com/testkits. Or, if you follow a link from a news story, double-check the URL that shows in your browser’s address bar. No one will call, text, or email you from the federal government to ask for your information to “help” you order free kits. Only a scammer will contact you, asking for information like your credit card, bank account, or Social Security number. Do not respond. Instead, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Right now, there’s no phone number to call to order your tests. That might change soon, and we’ll update you as soon as it’s live. Until then, the only way to order is online.
Sometimes COVID misinformation can come from what is left out rather that than the information itself. One example of that flying around the internet has to do with the COVID death count and the effectiveness of the vaccine. Read more from Snopes.
Claim: Some 75% of all COVID-19 deaths involve people with at least four comorbidities FALSE Context: A recent study found that 75% of all COVID-19 deaths among FULLY VACCINATED individuals involved at least four comorbidities. When CDC Director Rochelle Walensky talked about this study during an appearance on "Good Morning America," a brief clip that was missing important context went viral and was shared with the false claim that Walensky was talking about ALL COVID-19 deaths. In January 2022, a number of conservative commentators started posting messages falsely claiming that 75% of all COVID-19 deaths involved people with at least four comorbidities. This was evidence, they claimed, that the COVID-19 pandemic was overblown and that the disease (which has resulted in more than 830,000 deaths in the United States alone) was not as dangerous as the government was saying. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did not say that all COVID-19 deaths involved people with four comorbidities. The CDC said that a new study found that 75% of such deaths among fully vaccinated individuals involved people with four comorbidities. Contrary to the posts above, this study supports the idea that vaccinations are quite effective against COVID-19. The claim stems from remarks made by CDC Director Rochelle Walensky about a recent COVID-19 study during an appearance on the television show “Good Morning America.” Walensky was responding to a question about some “encouraging headlines” regarding a new study talking about “how well vaccines are working to prevent severe illness.” Walensky briefly summarized the study on 1.2 million vaccinated individuals and then said: “The overwhelming number of deaths, over 75%, occurred in people who had at least four comorbidities. So really these are people who were unwell to begin with.” It is this last sentence that went viral on social media. In the clip’s full context, however, it’s clear that Walensky wasn’t talking about all COVID-19 deaths, but COVID-19 deaths among fully vaccinated individuals. Get it? Getting vaccinated and boosted remains your best protection against hospitalization and death. 
When you look at the breakdown above keep in mind that the unvaccinated represent the majority of the cases, and so is disproportionately much larger than the total population compared to vaccinated. Even more striking are the proportions of hospitalizations and deaths. Booster shots are the best protection against omicron,
According to this mornings New York Times: "Unvaccinated Americans ages 50 and older are significantly more likely to be hospitalized with Covid-19 than those who are fully vaccinated and receive a booster shot, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday. That booster shots keep people from becoming infected, at least for a while, has not been in dispute. But the new finding largely supports conclusions from Israel and other countries showing that boosters also are effective at preventing severe illness and hospitalization, especially in older adults. And the C.D.C.’s figures represent the first real-world data showing the effects of extra shots of a Covid vaccine in the United States." Covid Numbers
News
Presbyterian Espanola Hospital Becomes the Ninth Hospital in State to Activate Crisis Standard of Care
Presbyterian Española Hospital, like all hospitals in our system and across New Mexico, continues to face challenges managing the impact of COVID-19. We are seeing high volumes of patients with COVID or other serious illnesses. With omicron, case counts are rising quickly. At the same time, we are facing a significantly worsening staff shortage as well as a limited supply of effective monoclonal antibody treatments to help patients with COVID avoid hospitalization. That is why, effective today, January 11, PEH will be activating Crisis Standards of Care (CSC) under the state’s Public Health Order. Activating CSC allows us to continue to care for our patients as safely and effectively as possible while acknowledging the current reality. We must also take measures to protect our clinicians and staff so that they can continue to care for our community. PEH is addressing the current challenges by adding travelers and requesting additional emergency staff from the state, transferring patients to facilities that have more bed availability and postponing non-medically necessary surgeries that require an inpatient stay, among other steps. Thank you for your support as we navigate these challenges together. Area Broadband Update
La Puente Broadband, led by Kit Carson Internet, has decided to apply for the US Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect-3 grant, due by Feb 22, 2022. This Reconnect-3 grant is to receive a multi-million dollar, 100% grant to build a Broadband Network in our area. The application will cover a service area of Hernandez, Chamita, Ojo Caliente - southern part, El Rito - southern part, Medanales, Tierra Azul, Abiquiu - including Pueblo and Land Grant, Barranco, Abiquiu Lake Areas, Canones and Coyote. To be eligible for the 100% grant, Kit Carson/La Puente (KC/LP) must offer 100 mbps down and up to all residences and premises. KC/LP must intend to own all the broadband infrastructure and facilities, plan that construction start within 180 days of funds becoming available, and the network be complete within 5 years. The Survey that was supposed to be here is not yet ready. That will be ready soon, and will be a critical part of the grant application. La Puente is building a team of volunteer Moderators in every neighborhood in the communities in the Service Area to assist each household and business with responding to the Survey. The Moderators will phone each premise to assist with completing the Survey and make sure that every member’s needs are in the Survey response. Here are a few example neighborhoods - Abiquiu Pueblo/Merced, Coyote, Hernandez, Lake Area. Each Moderator will try to ensure every premise completes the survey. La Puente is planning to schedule public meetings with moderators in each community’s library. Notice of these meetings will shortly be posted in the Libraries, Post Offices, Stores, and Churches. 
Governor Asks Legislature To End Tax On Social Security Benefit
by Los Alamos Reporter FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday announced the introduction of Senate Bill 108, legislation sponsored by Sen. Michael Padilla that would exempt Social Security benefits from the state’s personal income tax. “New Mexico is one of only a few states that taxes Social Security,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham. “Ending this tax lifts one more burden from the shoulders of New Mexico seniors living on fixed incomes.” Currently, Social Security benefits that are subject to federal taxation are also subject to New Mexico income tax. New Mexico is one of just 13 states that tax the benefit. “We have never had a better opportunity to eliminate income taxes on social security than we do right now,” said Sen. Padilla. “Record revenues make it possible to help hundreds of thousands of retired New Mexicans enjoy greater financial peace of mind.” 
Trapping on Public Lands
Last week a dog walking with its owner was caught in both a snare and leg hold trap off of FS-137 outside of El Rito. These illegally set traps on National Forest land were subsequently removed by New Mexico Game and Fish. The road the traps were close to is frequently used by dog walkers. Needless to say, it was a frightening and unexpected experience for the dog owner who had no experience releasing traps. The dog was calm and after some (very) anxious time, the owner first freed the dog’s paw, then after realizing the dog had a snare around its neck, figured out how to release that too. We hope that if you walk dogs or ride horses you will take a few minutes to watch these videos detailing how to remove snares and traps. Understanding the mechanics of how they work might save your dog’s life and will certainly make removing the traps easier. Trapping on public lands in New Mexico will be illegal April 1st. Until then, trappers MUST HAVE a permit to place traps on public land. 
Make-It Kits for Youth
Valentine’s Day is a perfect opportunity for encouraging children to write their own cards to people they love. A Valentine activity packet will be available February 8 for pick-up at El Rito Library with instructions and materials to make a family-sized Valentine card pocket for safekeeping those precious words. Call to order your kit: 575-581-4608. 6X6 Art Project at El Rito Public Library
The library will hold a show of original 6X6 inch art pieces submitted by our community. We’ll supply the boards. You can work in any media of your choosing. Each work should be given a title and signed only on the back to make the presentations anonymous. You may choose to sell or not sell the work. The library asks only 20% of your take to help defray our costs to hang the show. Deadline for submission is March 1st before 3 pm. The library will host an opening Saturday March 5 at 1 pm. Try it! 
We Get LettersCarol & Brian,
Sometimes I think of myself as another meddlesome tourist. Others as a lover of Abiquiu who will ever always resist change. But when I read all the valuable info you’ve collected & distributed to keep people safe. Well all I can say is thank you. Cannot think of a more valuable service Barbara Thank you Barbara! Op-Ed
I choose Hope
Brian Bondy I was getting gas recently when someone walked out of the store with a face shield, a mask, and a carved wooden club wrapped in barbed wire. Sort of like the mean guy in season 6 of The Walking Dead. That’s when I stopped watching that show. Turns out he knew me and said ‘Hi Brian’. He told me who he was and we chatted a bit. I asked about the club. Our discussion was short, but interesting. If nothing else, the man is interesting. We touched on the situation of the world. I was ‘fer’ and he was ‘agin’. Not exactly, but his feelings were more that the situation was dire, and the end was coming. If not in Covid directly, then global warming, crappy world politics, and ‘people are no damn good’. He didn’t say that, but his feelings were clear. I tried to explain mine. My point, ultimately, was that the world has been coming to an end since the beginning of time. Someday that may be true, but not today. We can help, or we can hurt. If there’s a collapse, I’m not going to hurt anyone with a club wrapped in barbed wire. I’m willing to help, in fact. I’ll share what I have. The end comes for everyone, I don’t want to hasten that for anybody. And there lies the difference. The news is terrible, but nobody reports on all the great things that are going on. People help other every single day, and way more than they hurt others. That’s not really news though. Walking Dead was a great show, but it’s not really a good teaching show about helping. It’s the opposite lesson and one I realize may be a more interesting drama, but it shouldn’t be reality and I don’t think it is. I wonder if the Kyle R*houses of the world learned their life lessons from video games and TV. It certainly wasn’t what my parents taught me. If the end of the world comes, then you’re all invited to a party at my house. No weapons allowed but bring your favorite tunes and something to drink. I’d rather go out with a friend. Scene Around Town
We love all the beautiful, fun, interesting images we get. We keep the top image for Abiquiu Area landscapes in a horizontal orientation but will share additional ones in "Scene About Town".
Image Courtesy of Laura Cockerfille Giannini
Art, Music and Books
The Locals’ Picks Book List 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. This week, Carl recommends Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories, by Jean Shepherd: "I watch A Christmas Story every year. For years I keep meaning to buy the book that they made the movie from. It was sold out so I got this one instead. A lot of pieces of the movie are here too. Jean Shepherd is a funny writer. All the stories are about his childhood and I can really relate. I also never laughed so hard at a book before. So I recommend this book of disasters." 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. Abiquiu Book Club
The Abiquiu Book Club will be reading The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy for the 25 January meeting. The group will meet Tuesday, January 25, 5pm at Elena Garcia’s home in Abiquiu. The group meets the last Tuesday of each month. Books are recommended by the members. All are welcome to join. Please call Analinda 685-4048 if you have questions. 
NYP Update Hello Community & Friends!
We are slowly coming off of break & gearing up for 2022! Keep an eye out for a link to our Annual Newsletter on January 28th which will include an update on the new additions & role changes for our crew, special mentions of our dedicated supporters, a message from the Board of Directors & more! As the season continues to shift, please take care of yourself, your family, & your loved ones. If anyone would like some FREE locally harvested Immune Defense Tea, feel free to contact our partners at The Healing Arts Center (next to Mamacita's Pizzeria), thesedoorsopen@gmail.com or call/text 505-929-5389. 
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.
New Moon Ceremony • Throwing of the Bones
Online Gathering, January 30, 1pm (MST) Register: www.joannedodgson.com/events We are gathering on the cusp of New Moon, that dynamic space between endings and beginnings, between what has been and what is being envisioned and birthed. Our ceremony is taking place during Imbolc, a marker of time midway between Solstice and Equinox. How do we navigate the In-Betweens? How can we tend to our own and others’ well-being when we feel lost, confused, or disoriented? Explore the gifts the In-Betweens hold. Join us for Throwing of the Bones Ceremony to receive healing and guidance. The doctoring from the spirits begins before we meet and continues to touch your life after you receive the ceremony. If you are unable to attend the ceremony live, a recording of the ceremony will be provided to all registrants. For more information, email: hello@joannedodgson.com and visit: www.joannedodgson.com 
Dancing with Heaven & Earth - new series: The Spark!
Connect with your inner wellspring of joy, power, and spirit In Dancing with Heaven & Earth online sessions, you’ll be gently guided to stretch, to breathe, and to engage in expressive, joyful movement and dance,...and to rest. We will use time-tested methods to bring fluid movement to the body and to help heal the nervous system - needed in these challenging times! I’ll offer a few tasty astrological tid-bits at the start of each class so that our medicinal movement exploration is informed by the Moon’s phases and the natural world around us. At this time of year - midway between winter solstice and spring equinox - it’s time to tune into the spark of our imagination and the nascent new beginnings deep in our hearts. This new series, "The Spark" will start on Thursday, February 3 - auspiciously timed with several holidays...Chinese New Year, Imbolc / Candlemas, and Groundhog Day! Participants are encouraged to make the practice their own on the other side of the zoom screen. All bodies welcome. Each session is part of a whole, yet each one is self-contained. Attend all sessions or some. Dropping in mid-stream is okay! Join me for Dancing with Heaven & Earth - The SPARK - online sessions: Dates & Times: THURSDAY EVENING, Feb 3, 6:00 - 7:15pm MT THURSDAY EVENING, Feb 10, 6:00 - 7:15pm MT THURSDAY EVENING, Feb 17, 6:00 - 7:15pm MT SUNDAY MORNING, Feb 20, 10:00am - Noon MT
2nd Annual Poetry Reading at El Rito Library
We encourage you to join us by Zoom on Sunday, February 20 at 2 pm for our Second Annual Poetry Karaoke Extravaganza. It was pointed out last time that Karaoke usually involves singing, so you can sing your poem if you wish. Adults, students of all ages – everyone is welcome. Poems need to be no more than 5 minutes long. Rev up those creative juices! Call the library 575-581-4608 or email elritopubliclibrary@yahoo.com to get on our Zoom invite list. Announcements & Classes
Spring is almost here, which means it will soon be our favorite time of year: starting the veggie garden!
If you're itching to get started, join us for our free beginner vegetable gardening six class series! This class is open to anyone who lives in New Mexico and will teach you the basics of growing your own vegetables. Topics covered include: planning, soil, planting, care and harvest. Class will be held via Zoom. Friday mornings February 4th - March 11 10:00-11:30 AM MST Wednesday afternoons Sign up at: https://ican.nmsu.edu/seedtosupper 
Rocky Mountain Youth Corps New Mexico is hiring for 2022!
Applications are open for a variety of positions to begin in January and March. See a full list of Crew Member, Crew Leader, and Assistant Crew Leader positions. CREW MEMBER POSITIONS (Must be 17-25 years old), All Rocky Mountain Youth Corps members and staff are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The National Young Farmers Coalition
Young Farmer Grants are designed to be FLEXIBLE to meet the needs of #youngfarmers. The grant can be used to cover a variety of costs: from purchasing equipment and building new infrastructure, to covering personal finances that stand in the way of farm success, including but not limited to childcare, housing, or student loan payments.
Applications are due by January 28th. Learn more and apply now! youngfarmers.org/youngfarmergrants |
Make a one time donation to support the Abiquiu News.
Abiquiu News is free but if you'd like to support us, consider taking a paid subscription. For more information click or email us.
Single contributions are also welcome. Abiquiu News
PO Box 1052 Abiquiu NM 87510 Click on any of our sponsors below for more information.
Supporter
Harley
Harley is a perfectly pint-sized mix of fun and love! This 27lb 4-year-old cattle dog mix is smart, friendly, wiggly, and cuddly; she’s an easy dog to love and she will return that love exponentially. Bring her home and be her person forever! Online (505)753-8662 
Señor Kitty
Señor Kitty came to Española Humane as a stray streetcat, but he quickly warmed up to staff and let us know he would be much happier as a housecat! This one-year-old 8lb orange tabby is ready to lounge in a patch of sunshine, purr on your lap, and play with catnip toys. Señor Kitty is the perfect catch! Apply online or call 505-753-8662 
Free to Kind Homes
Hardworking Cat Affectionate Toby excels at looking handsome, is indoor/outdoor, and uses a litter box (included)around 4 years old, healthy, neutered, vaccinated, and get along with easy-going dogs. Will deliver. 505-583-0002 |
copyright © 2022