July 2011 - Southwest Properties, Inc.

Fort Stanton Live 2011

Have you ever been on a Lantern Tour of Fort Stanton?

Held in conjunction with Old Lincoln Days, Fort Stanton will hold a very special Lantern Tour on Friday, August 5th, 2011. 150 years ago, Confederate forces occupied Fort Stanton for a short period of time, and to commemorate this historical event, the 2011 Fort Stanton Lantern Tour will bring a portion of this occupation to life during us annual Lantern Tour program. Join us as Confederate forces return from patrols, perform picket duties, plan for the next day’s activities and many other historically appropriate vignettes that will bring the Civil War experience at Fort Stanton to life.

Friday, August 5th–Lantern Tours. Limited to 20 people per tour.

Fort Stanton Museum Hosts Fort Stanton Live, Saturday, August 6th, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm and Sunday, August 7, 8:00 am to 12:00 noon.

Fort Stanton Live Schedule of Events (PDF 126 Kb). Events are subject to change.

If you are looking for action, look no further than Fort Stanton on August 6^th & 7^th when the Fort Stanton Live! comes back to Lincoln County! Fort Stanton Live! brings costumed re-enactors from the Civil War and Indian Wars era to the Fort for demonstrations, presentations, and a candlelight tour on Friday night! Additionally, the event brings presenters, storytellers, and a variety of historical vendors to site to share their crafts and other handiwork. Special tours of the WW II internment camp are also available – so that one can take a peak back at one of the most important chapters in world history. Local food vendors are on hand to provide sustenance for your day at the Fort as well, so bring a healthy appetite for knowledge, food and fun. We are especially pleased to bring back the Flying J Wranglers and the Rich Chorne Band for you entertainment. Drew Gomber and the Mescalero Dancers will be on hand, along with kids games, the tomahawk throw, and authors Don Bullis, Gary Cozzens, and Dr. Walter Pittman signing thee work about local & New Mexico history. In addition, several buildings will be open for visitors to rediscover including the historic stables.

So be sure to go online to buy your tickets for the Lantern Tour or call 575.354.0341 for more information. Tickets for the Lantern Tour and the event are separately $5 each, but people 15 and under are admitted without charge. Event Hours are 6:00 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. on Friday for the Lantern Tour; 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 8:00 a.m. to Noon on Sunday. On Sunday there will be special historic church services delivered at 8:30, 10:00, and 11:30 a.m. Seats are limited so be sure you get out to Fort Stanton next weekend, August 6^th & 7^th for Fort Stanton Live!

Fort Stanton, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to assist in the development and operations of the Fort Stanton State Monument which is owned and operated by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, Monuments Division. From April 1 through November 30, the Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Monday. The Museum will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesdays. There is no fee to visit the Museum, but donations are appreciated.

A Lucky Winner Will Celebrate the 40th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta With a Free Vacation in October

20110728144046ENPRNPRN8-ALB-CONV-AND-VIS-BALLOON-1y-1311864046MR — This and other spectacular views await you at the 40th celebration of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta(R) October 1-9, 2011. One lucky winner will get a $2,650 trip to Albuquerque during this fall's event including admission passes, balloon flights, VIP treatment, hotel, souvenir jackets and more. Enter at www.ItsATrip.org/BalloonContest. This year, "The Greatest Show Off Earth" will capture the imagination of visitors far and wide with nine days of festivities to celebrate 40 years. (PRNewsFoto/Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau)

Have you ever wondered what 500 hot air balloons look like in the sky? Always wanted to fly in a hot air balloon? Well, now is your chance! You could win a trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico this October for the 40th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta celebration.

The 2011 theme, “The Greatest Show Off Earth,” captures the magic of one of the most photographed events in the world. What began as a radio promotion in 1972, with 13 balloons in attendance, has grown to more than 500 balloons each year flying for nine days and takes place October 1-9, 2011.

As summer comes to a close, now is the time to plan a fall getaway to the awe-inspiring Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta®. Better yet, enter to win a trip for two October 5-8, 2011. The getaway is valued at more than $2,650 including:

Three nights at Albuquerque Sheraton Uptown
Hot air balloon rides with Rainbow Ryders Hot Air Balloon Company on October 6, 2011
Three days admission to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® with Gondola Club Hospitality Suite VIP access
Admission to the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum
Two official Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® jackets
$200 Visa Card to be used toward airfare, gas or shopping

Visit www.ItsATrip.org/ballooncontest to enter the sweepstakes by August 25th.

For nine days each October, the skies above Albuquerque are filled with color as 500+ balloons float over the city’s high desert landscape. Besides enjoying the spectacle of Mass Ascensions, Balloon Glows, Special Shapes, and exciting hot air and gas balloon competitions, hundreds of booths offer a taste of local cuisine, arts and crafts from across the country. The event is action-packed and so is the city. Festivities and special events take place throughout Albuquerque, so plan extra time to take it all in.

Learn more about Visiting Albuquerque on Facebook (www.facebook.com/visitAlbuquerque) or Twitter: @see_albuquerque or @balloonfiesta.

The mission of the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau is to stimulate economic growth by marketing Albuquerque as a visitor and convention destination. For information, call 505.842.9918, visit www.ItsATrip.org , Facebook http://www.facebook.com/visitAlbuquerque or Twitter http://twitter.com/see_albuquerque .

Ruidoso Art Festival July

The Hubbard Museum of the American West in Ruidoso Downs is hosting “Arte en la Charrería: The Artisanship of Mexican Equestrian Culture,” through September 23, 2011.

The very essence of the Mexican experience is exemplified by the culture of the charro, or Mexican cowboy. It is a rich legacy of tradition and valor, of honor and custom, of war and peace. To be a charro means to identify with a nearly 500-year-old heritage dating back to the introduction of horses and cattle to the New World.

The Hubbard Museum of the American West is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults, and reduced admission is available for senior citizens, military personnel, and youth.

Lincoln National Forest to reopen, with restrictions

Recent precipitation along with higher humidity and increased fuel moisture have lowered the fire danger and allowed Robert Trujillo, Lincoln National Forest Supervisor, to reopen the Smokey Bear and Sacramento Ranger Districts for public access and use effective Thursday, July 21.

“The Guadalupe Ranger District will remain closed to public access and use as part of the Stage III Fire Restriction Closure Order until the District receives sufficient moisture to decrease the fire danger,” he said in announcing the change for the other two districts Friday. The partial closure does not affect federal, state, or county highways that lead into the mountain community of Queen, in southeastern New Mexico. Property owners and their guests will continue to have access to private lands within the Guadalupe Ranger District.

Fire restrictions remaining in place until rescinded include prohibition of:

Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire or stove fire, including charcoal fires.

Smoking is limited to an enclosed vehicle or a smoking approved building.

Welding, or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame.

Operating or using any internal or external combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained, and in effective working order meeting either the Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Standard or Appropriate Society of Automotive Engineers.

Chainsaw use will not be allowed between the hours of 10 a.m. through midnight.People are allowed to use pressurized liquid or gas stoves, lanterns, or space-heating devices provided such devices meet the Underwriters Laboratory specifications for safety on the Smokey Bear and Sacramento Ranger Districts.As always, fireworks are prohibited on all National Forest System lands.

Forest Service officials reminded visitors that while the fire danger has decreased, it is not completely gone as rain showers have been scattered throughout the Forest. Public safety tops the Forest Service’s priority list.

“We believe the elevated fire restrictions and partial closure of the Forest reduces the risk of human-caused fires,” Trujillo said.

For more information about the Fire Closure Order or fire restrictions on the Lincoln National Forest, contact the Supervisor’s Office at 575-434-7200, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or call the Smokey Bear Ranger District at 575-257-4095 on Cedar Creek Road off Mechem Drive.

Visit the Lincoln National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/lincoln, for the most current information and follow on Twitter at lincolnsmokey@twitter.com. For more information on current fire restrictions on public lands in the Southwest, call 1-877-864-6985, a toll-free hotline sponsored by natural resource agencies in the Southwest.

Vera Cruz Mountain Ranch borders the Lincoln National Forest with remarkable views of the Sierra Blanca Peak and is located just 22 miles north of Ruidoso, New Mexico.

New Mexico Governor Places Bounty on ‘Billy The Kid’

Launches ‘Catch The Kid’ Summer Scavenger Hunt

SANTA FE, N.M. — New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez is offering a reward of $10,000 on the head of William H. Bonney, a.k.a. “Billy the Kid”, and called for citizens to travel the state of New Mexico to find him. Starting today through September 2011, families can track down this iconic U.S. outlaw and claim the reward as part of the New Mexico Tourism Department’s (NMTD) “Catch the Kid” summer travel promotion. Families in honorary sheriff ‘posses’ will have access to exclusive New Mexico travel deals and weekly vacation giveaways throughout the summer. To participate, families should register online at www.CatchTheKid.com.

“‘Billy the Kid’ remains one of New Mexico’s most iconic and infamous characters,” said Monique Jacobson, New Mexico Tourism Cabinet Secretary. “We are offering a $10,000 reward for his capture, which is equivalent, with inflation, to the $500 reward offered by Governor Lew Wallace in 1881.

“I encourage everyone to take this opportunity to visit the ‘Land of Enchantment’ throughout the next 10 weeks for a chance to catch ‘The Kid’ and to take advantage of amazing deals, discounts and one of a kind giveaways that only New Mexico can offer.”

To participate, people can log onto www.CatchTheKid.com to create a posse profile. If they have a smartphone then they can download the “Catch the Kid” smartphone app. If not, they can play along by taking pictures next to clue posters located throughout the state and upload them to their profile page. Designated locations around New Mexico will unlock clues that lead to Billy’s New Mexico hideout. The more clues they collect, the more information they will have about where, when and how to capture “the Kid”. The first posse to present “The Kid” with an arrest warrant will win the $10,000 reward.

Players can unlock additional New Mexico travel deals and win prizes along the journey if they use the smartphone app developed specifically for this game. The app allows players to find Billy’s loot which is virtually placed and hidden all over New Mexico in every county. Players can collect his money bag loot and use it to buy vacations, deals or even meals online in the general store section of the “Catch the Kid” website.

“The coolest thing about this promotion is that we are turning the whole state into a real life video game. People can collect loot, get clues and win prizes and deals just by traveling to see all the amazing treasures New Mexico has to offer. Where else this summer can you experience all of that while taking your family on a trip they’ll never forget?” said Secretary Jacobson.

For a list of travel deals, discounts and vacations that can be purchased with Billy’s loot, log on to www.CatchTheKid.com.

Quemado Lake Fishin’ Report

Trout fishing is reported as fair to good. Anglers are having success using Power Bait, worms and spinners. The tiger muskies are reported as fair when using rooster tails and Z-rays.

For more details, visit http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/recreation/fishing/documents/fishing_report.htm

Beautiful Spring Canyon Ranch is less than 30 minutes from Quemado Lake and its 800-acre recreation area, which includes the 131-acre man-made trout lake with two fishing piers, two boat ramps, seven developed campgrounds, one primitive campground, and links to more than seven miles of hiking trails. The lake is nestled amongst piñon-juniper woodlands and pine forests at an elevation of 7,860 feet. Stocked with rainbow trout in fall, winter and spring months, the lake offers year-round fishing, including warm water fishing for channel catfish and small mouth bass during the summer months. Quemado Lake Overlook Trail: The trail leads through stands of ponderosa pines. The trail dead-ends at a rock outcrop overlooking the lake. A bench along the trail is available for resting and lake viewing. From the overlook, panoramic views of El Caso Peak, Castle Rock, and Quemado Lake provide excellent photographic opportunities. The trail connects to two additional trails that access El Caso Lookout and Sawmill Canyon for extended hiking. Many birds inhabit the area. More information on land for sale in Quemado.

CenturyLink Completes $258 Million New Mexico Broadband and Network Investment

Exceeds New Mexico Public Regulatory Commission Commitment by $3 Million – Completed Early

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M —-CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL), which acquired Qwest Communications on April 1, today announced that it completed ahead of schedule a $258 million capital investment within specific categories ordered by the New Mexico Public Regulatory Commission (PRC) under the 2007 Second Amended Settlement Agreement (SASA), and added $3 million above t

he $255 million required investment per the SASA.

“We are proud that these particular investments are complete, were done early and that we invested an additional $3 million. As a result, our network is more reliable, we have more connected cities with greater redundancy and improved access to higher broadband speeds,” said Valerie Dodd vice president and general manager for CenturyLink in New Mexico. “We look forward to continued investment in bringing innovative products and services to this marketplace.”

In February 2007, CenturyLink (at that time Qwest) committed to the PRC to invest $255 million throughout New Mexico in five specific categories, including broadband expansion. That effort focused on increasing availability by interconnecting each of its central offices in New Mexico. The goal was to expand broadband to 83 percent of New Mexico’s residents, and the company has reached 85 percent. In addition, CenturyLink’s broadband service now reaches an average of 75 percent of customers in rural areas.

The second category, central office redundancy and diversity, involved building fiber routes and creating a secondary backbone to enhance network reliability. The third category, cable rehabilitation, focused on replacing more than 150 miles of aging cable throughout New Mexico. The fourth and fifth categories were for network and advanced telecommunications technology, in which investments for network improvement and capacity augmentation were made.

About CenturyLink

CenturyLink is the third largest telecommunications company in the United States. The company provides broadband, voice and wireless services to consumers and businesses across the country. It also offers advanced entertainment services under the CenturyLink™ Prism™ TV and DIRECTV brands. In addition, the company provides data, voice and managed services to business, government and wholesale customers in local, national and select international markets through its high-quality advanced fiber optic network and multiple data centers. CenturyLink is recognized as a leader in the network services market by key technology industry analyst firms. CenturyLink customers range from Fortune 500 companies in some of the country’s largest cities to families living in rural America. Headquartered in Monroe, La., CenturyLink is an S&P 500 company and is included among the Fortune 500 list of America’s largest corporations. For more information, visit www.CenturyLink.com.

Get Your Summer On: Summerfest on Route 66

ACVB Image — Celebrate good times, c'mon!

ALBUQUERQUE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

Celebrate the historic route with music, food, shopping, a race and more

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.,– Arts, live music, family-friendly entertainment and food come together in the 2nd annual Route 66 Summerfest presented as a partnership between the City of Albuquerque, Nob Hill Main Street, and New Mexico Jazz Festival. Festivities take place on Saturday, July 23rd in Albuquerque’s Nob Hill district.

The festival will kick off with a 5k run at 8:00a.m. Throughout the event, local musicians, artisans, classic cars, and culinary specialists will entertain visitors of all ages throughout the walkable Nob Hill neighborhood along Central Avenue (Historic Route 66). The festival wraps up with internationally renowned jazz musician Maceo Parker through a partnership with New Mexico Jazz Festival.

Route 66 Cork & Tap

This is the inaugural year for the Route 66 Cork and Tap, a showcase of local brewers and vintners. All of Nob Hill’s 30+ diverse restaurants will be serving during the festival, which is a perfect opportunity to sample cuisine from various local chefs.

Classic Cars

A Classic Car Show, presented by New Mexico Route 66 Association, will be held on Central Avenue, including the greaser round up – a showcase for rat rods, hot rods, and all things Rock-a-Billy. The Route 66-themed events culminate with the 10th Annual New Mexico Motor Tour & Neon Cruise at dusk, featuring classic vehicles departing from Nob Hill.

Art Showcase

An Arts and Artisans Markets will feature some of the region’s best talent. Vendors will sell their wares on the sidewalks amongst roving musicians. Walking tours of the area will illuminate the colorful history of the old Route 66.

Family Activities

Family activities include face painting, engaging creative arts programs, athletic challenges and more.

Musical Centerpiece

Route 66 Summerfest is a partnership with the New Mexico Jazz Festival. The Nob Hill event kicks off the festival with local and national acts performing on multiple stages. The headliner is Maceo Parker, who is best known as James Brown’s band leader. New Mexico Jazz Festival is one of the state’s premier musical events and is a collaboration of the Outpost Performing Arts Space and the Lensic, Santa Fe Performing Arts Center.

Visit http://rt66central.com/rt66summerfest.html for complete details on the Route 66 Summerfest.