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The national New Partners for Smart Growth conference, hosted by the Local Government Commission, opens in Albuquerque January 22. Now in its 8th year, the conference will gather hundreds of planners, developers, community leaders and other smart-growth practitioners at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

According to Judy Corbett, Executive Director of the Local Government Commission, “People from multiple disciplines are now talking about Smart Growth; and if they aren’t doing it, they are talking about the need to do it. This conference will again bring together interested people from ever-expanding disciplines to learn everything from the basics to the cutting edge of implementation.”

Among the presentations will be the latest research, cutting-edge implementation tools and techniques, best practices, model projects, policies and codes, coordinated networking activities, interactive learning experiences, and new partners in Smart Growth. It’s an opportunity to network and coordinate with your peers as well as practitioners from many different disciplines.

Who Will Benefit

The conference will draw a multidisciplinary audience of local elected officials, city and county staff, landscape architects, developers and builders, planners, transportation professionals and traffic engineers, public health professionals, architects, bankers, realtors, urban designers, parks and recreation professionals,school superintendents and board members and facilities staff, environmentalists,crime prevention professionals, advocates for older adults and youth, bicycle and pedestrian advocates, advocates for social equity and affordable housing, labor representatives, and all others committed to building safer, healthier, and more livable communities everywhere.

Sitting at the intersection of Interstates 25 and 40, Albuquerque and the surrounding areas stand on the verge of rapid growth, with new “green-tech” and film industries emerging in the local economy to compliment the legacy of high-tech capital flowing from the Sandia National Laboratory and Intel in nearby Rio Rancho. The conference will have more than 300 speakers, 100 sessions and 11 tours of local projects.

The Red River Ski and Ride Area is having a Fiftieth Anniversary Gala on January 30, 2009. There will be live entertainment, night skiing, dinner, and a fantastic fireworks display! Also in conjunction with the 50th anniversary, there are planned weekly events like vintage ski races and fashion shows. Call for more information or details! (575) 754-1708 or visit www.RedRiver.org.

KOAT TV-7 in cooperation with Ski New Mexico and nine (9) of its resorts ( Angel Fire Resort, Pajarito Mt.., Red River Ski Areas, Ski Santa Fe, Sandia Peak, Ski Apache, Sipapu Ski Resort, Taos Ski Valley, and Nordic areas-  Enchanted Forest ) are pleased to join the nationwide  efforts of “Learn a winter sports month” this  January 2009 . The KOAT Kids Learn to ski & ride program is now entering its second year. This January the program will be expanded to include a limited number of reservations during the week, which will add more opportunities to the previous weekend only program. Both KOAT TV-7 and Ski New Mexico are committed to provide an affordable opportunity for the youth of New Mexico to learn a great winter outdoors sport.

For a price of $30.00 per day a youth 6-12 may contact any one of our eight alpine ski resorts and make a reservation for the program.  The program starts on Jan.5, 2009 and runs through Jan. 31, 2009.

The program is space available and is by reservation only.

For reservations - Alpine
Angel Fire Resort 575-377- 4383
Pajarito Mt..  505-662-5725
Red River Ski Area: 575-754-2223
Sandia Peak: 505-242-9052
Sipapu Ski Resort: 800-587-2240 or 505-414-1550
Ski Apache: -575-464-3600
Ski Santa Fe: 505-992-5084
Taos Ski Valley: 575-776-2291

For reservations- Nordic:
Enchanted Forest: 800-966-9381

New Mexico’s Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport has installed a solar energy array that is designed to feed energy back to the state power grid.

The Alamogordo Daily News reports the new 8 kW grid-tie array will be connected to the PNM’s energy system, with expected savings of up to $500 a month. The project was financed with a $100,000 grant from the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, and the Albuquerque-based company Sacred Power installed the system.

The installation is the first of its kind for a New Mexico airport.

By Tom Schneider for the Current-Argus

CARLSBAD — The National Cave and Karst Research Institute made a big step forward in its second full year as an independent, nonprofit institute with a ceremony Monday breaking ground at the site of its headquarters building at the Cascades.The building will house a visitor’s center, a library and other research and educational facilities dedicated to cave conservation, utilization and management.

“Understanding how to manage these landscapes is essential,” said institute Executive Director George Veni. “We have people from around the country and around the world waiting to work in partnership with this institute.”

“Partnership” is a key word with respect to the institute. Its existence is the result of numerous partnerships on several levels, beginning at the highest levels of government and working down.

“When you think of this institute, you have to think of that full range of partnerships,” said Carol McCoy of the National Parks Service. “From Congress, through the National Parks and down to the city of Carlsbad, there has been a commitment to achieving a common goal for the common good.”

That goal, she said, was to enhance the understanding of cave resources.

U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., introduced legislation in Congress to establish the institute in 1997, and plans to back legislation scheduled for the next Congress, said Lynn Ditto, a Bingaman aide.

“Cave and Karst science is extremely important,” she said, noting that research, education and management programs “provide necessary tools to discover the wealth of knowledge in caves.”

State Rep. John Heaton, D-Carlsbad, is a longtime supporter of the institute.

“We’ve been working on this since 1992, which is not unusual for Carlsbad,” he said, noting other long-term projects that have brought lasting benefits to the region such as Guadalupe National Park, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant and Brantley Dam.

“This brings another dimension of science to our community,” he said.

Builders estimate construction of the facility will take about one year, Veni said, with a realistic move-in date possibly 18 months to two years away. In the meantime, he said, the institute is continuing fundraising efforts to equip its laboratories, library and other needed facilities.

“We are about to have a beautiful building, but we do not have the contents for the building,” said Dr. Penelope Boston, associate director of academics for the institute and a professor in the Cave and Karst Program at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, which operates the institute as a nonprofit corporation.

The institute has a complete fundraising contribution menu, she said, allowing individuals, organizations and corporate sponsors to contribute toward everything from its significant exhibits to its laboratory equipment.

Donations could go toward sponsoring a single bat in the bat roost or purchasing equipment for an entire laboratory, she said.

The New Mexico Ski Season opened on the 15th at the Sipapu Resort, and we’ve got more openings scheduled for this weekend!

Red River will open Nov. 26 and Taos Ski Valley and Ski Apache will open Thanksgiving Day. This will be the first full ski season for snowboarders at Taos, which only opened its runs to snowboarders at the very end of last season. Angel Fire will open Dec. 19 and has already announced season pass discounts, packages and early booking incentives to interest families who might be rethinking vacations during the recession.

Pajarito Mountain Ski Area will open Dec. 12 and Sandia Peak will open Dec. 19.

Ski Santa Fe officials said they will delay the opening of the 2008-09 ski season, originally scheduled for Thanksgiving Day. The ski area will open as soon as weather and snowfall permit, they said. A storm system is forecast to move into New Mexico by Wednesday night, possibly bringing snow to higher elevations. The staff at Ski Santa Fe has also been making snow.

George Brooks, with Ski New Mexico, said none of the other ski areas or resorts in the state have plans to delay their scheduled openings and all are ahead of schedule with their snow-making operations.

Ski Apache, one of the premier ski and snowboarding resorts in the Southwest, opens for the 2008-2009 winter season on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 27. Ski Apache is the perfect retreat for all snow-lovers, offering a variety of trails for skiers and snowboarders – and even a tubing hill for younger guests and those young at heart. With snowfall already being reported on the mountain, Ski Apache officials are optimistic for an on-time opening.

“With so many new amenities debuting at Ski Apache, we are extremely excited for this year’s season,” said Justin Rowland, director of operations for Ski Apache.

“The ski resort offers something for everyone – people of all skill levels are encouraged to come up and enjoy the runs, new tubing hill and great snow conditions.”

Sitting atop the peak of Sierra Blanca, Ski Apache offers 55 trails for skiers and snowboarders to explore, with a top elevation of 11,500 feet.

As the southern-most major ski location in the United States, the resort has a dry, arid climate that makes for optimal snow conditions, typically producing more than 15 feet annually.

Additionally, should the weather not cooperate throughout the season, Ski Apache boasts a state-of-the art snow-making system. The ski resort has the ability to create enough snow to cover more than 35 percent of the entire mountain – even when the temperature rises above 32 degrees.

In celebration of opening day, Ski Apache and Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino are offering a special ski and stay package. The first 50 guests who book by November 27 will receive one free lift ticket per room when they stay Sunday through Thursday.

The offer runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 18 and provides guests the opportunity to play from day to night.

“Enjoying the nightlife at the resort is the perfect ending to a day on the slopes,” said Douglas Lentz, COO of Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino.

“Having the opportunity to take in a show, play in the casino and order a gourmet meal – on top of the outstanding Ski Apache accommodations – allows guests to achieve the complete getaway vacation experience.”

One Ski Apache amenity that is offered exclusively to guests of Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino is the new Ski Valet service.

Through Ski Valet, hotel guests can pre-order their ski rental equipment prior to heading up to the mountain.

Upon arriving at Ski Apache, patrons will find all of their customized orders waiting, allowing them to avoid lines and get on the slopes faster.

Ski Valet is free for all Inn of the Mountain Gods guests, who can request the service when booking their room reservations.

“Our goal at Ski Apache is to make everything as easy and accessible for our guests as possible,” Rowland said.

“We want them to start having fun the moment they walk onto the property and be able to take advantage of all of the great experiences the resort has to offer.”

Ski Apache is also a great place for beginners to get their first taste of skiing and snowboarding.

The resort’s Snow Sports Learning Center offers several daily instructional programs where qualified instructors provide training on techniques and safety of the sports.

However, for those not yet ready to don the ski gear, there is a newly opened tubing hill and the recently renovated Elk Lodge restaurant to enjoy.

“We see so many people return year after year to Ski Apache,” Rowland said. “Many of them learned how to ski here themselves, and now they bring their children to share in the experience.

“The mountain is a special place – one we strive to keep on the cutting edge of ski technology, but also always retain the charm that keeps people coming back.”

For more information on pricing, hours and weather conditions, please call 464-3600 or visit www.skiapache.com.

Information on room rates and ski packages at Inn of the Mountain Gods can be found at www.innofthemountaingods.com or by calling toll-free (888) 262-0478.

SANTA FE, Texas, Nov. 20 (UPI) — The state of New Mexico should soon have its very own cowboy song as a commission attempts to choose the very best song it can find, an expert says.Music commissioner Rick Huff said after carefully listening to 26 musical entries for a state song contest, the New Mexico Music Commission has tabbed “Under New Mexico Skies,” by Edgewood resident Syd Masters as its winner, the Albuquerque Journal said Thursday.

Huff was careful to say that Wednesday’s decision in Santa Fe, N.M., did not represent a new Western song for the state.

A Western song and a cowboy song are close,” the Western Music Association official said. “A Western song can incorporate more of locale. But a cowboy song covers life, loves, lore, locale and legacy of the North American cowboy.”

Before “Skies” can officially become the state’s cowboy song, it must be approved by the Legislature during its 2009 session, the Journal reported.

ROCKET RACING INC., ARMADILLO AEROSPACE AND NEW MEXICO CREATE JOINT VENTURE TO LAUNCH PRIVATE SUBORBITAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION BUSINESS

New York, NY—Space took a giant leap closer to earth today, following the launch of a new joint venture between Rocket Racing, Inc. (RRI), Armadillo Aerospace and the government of New Mexico.  With a goal of sending adventurers into suborbital space with a target price of $100,000 per ticket or less, the three companies unveiled plans to field a fleet of reusable Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) vehicles (RLV) that will take flight from Spaceport America near Las Cruces, New Mexico.  Each ship is slated to provide a cabin where passengers can float weightless with a 360-degree view of space. To date, other companies in the commercial space industry have promised rides to similar altitudes featuring small porthole-sized views for more than $200,000.

“I am honored that Rocket Racing, Inc. and Armadillo Aerospace have chosen New Mexico to set up shop,” said Governor Bill Richardson. “Spaceport America and the State of New Mexico are proud partners and together we are writing the next chapter of space transportation.”

Under the terms of the partnership, Armadillo Aerospace will develop the reusable launch vehicles and provide ground support and equipment.  The State of New Mexico will supply launch facility infrastructure and resources.  Rocket Racing Technology Development, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rocket Racing Inc., will provide financing for, and business and operational management of, the partnership.  Reservations, experience marketing, customer training and the coordination of the passengers’ overall experience will be managed exclusively by a third partner company that will be announced when marketing efforts begin.

“The price of space is coming down to earth,” said Granger Whitelaw, Chief Executive Officer of Rocket Racing, Inc. “And thanks to Armadillo’s ships and New Mexico’s spaceport, human beings will be treated to the most stellar views in the galaxy.”

While the venture owes its wings to technologies that have spent decades in development, its launch is made possible only through their recent combination.  Armadillo’s eight years of research and development on a dozen different flying vehicles is contributing engines, software, and operational capabilities. Meanwhile, the company’s ground and flight test programs for the Rocket Racing League over the past year has resulted in flight research data that will be applied to allow for superior vehicle tracking and passenger safety.

Beyond suborbital space tourism, Rocket Racing Inc. also plans to deploy its vehicles to serve in a variety of payload transport initiatives.  Target missions include micro-gravity experiments, astrophysics observations, reconnaissance and high-altitude scientific and meteorological measurements.

The companies plan to fly evolutions of existing vehicles to space and fabricate an initial manned vehicle prototype in 2009 and perform initial manned flights to space in 2010.

For more information or to find a schedule of future Rocket Racing League events, visit www.RocketRacingLeague.com.

About The Rocket Racing Leagueâ
Founded in 2005 by two-time Indianapolis 500 winning team partner Granger Whitelaw and X PRIZE Chairman and CEO Peter H. Diamandis, MD, the Rocket Racing Leagueâ (RRLä) is a new entertainment sports league that combines the exhilaration of racing with the power of rocket engines. To be held at venues across the country, the Rocket Racing League will feature multiple races pitting up to 10 Rocket Racers going head to head in a 4-lap, multiple elimination heat format on a 5-mile “Formula One”-like closed circuit raceway in the sky. For more information on the Rocket Racing League, please visit www.rocketracingleague.com.

About Armadillo Aerospace
Founded in 2000 by video game pioneer John Carmack, Armadillo Aerospace has been working to bring the dynamism of software development to aerospace projects. With over a hundred VTVL flights across many different vehicle architectures, and more FAA licensed experimental permit flights than the rest of the industry combined, the Armadillo team has amassed a unique body of experience on their path towards manned spaceflight.

The quesadillas in Quemado now have something to aspire to: Kim, owner of El Serape Café, has raised the humble concoction of tortillas, cheese and chicken to new heights. Hungry yet? You’ll want to try the new menu at El Serape Café (575-773-4620). Kim has also done a fantastic job of redecorating the restaurant with a warm, down-home touch. The breakfast, lunch and dinner menu is more than finger lickin’ good—it’s great! So go ahead and do your taste buds a favor and try her giant quesadilla. Don’t forget to leave some room for a slice of pie…

NOTE: El Serape Café will be closed for the winter months. We will let you know when Kim puts the coffee back on!