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New Mexico Kids ‘Kick Butts’ on March 21

State Leaders Urged to Support Tobacco Prevention Initiatives

Kids in New Mexico will take center stage in the fight against tobacco on March 21 as they join thousands of young people nationwide for the 17th annual Kick Butts Day. More than 1,100 events are planned across the nation (for a list of local events see below).

Organized by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and sponsored by the United Health Foundation, Kick Butts Day is an annual celebration of youth leadership and activism in the fight against tobacco use. On Kick Butts Day, youth will encourage their peers to stay tobacco-free and educate their communities about the dangers of tobacco and the tobacco industry’s harmful marketing practices.

This year, Kick Butts Day comes just after a new report by the U.S. Surgeon General found that while the nation has made tremendous progress in reducing youth smoking, youth tobacco use remains a “pediatric epidemic” that requires urgent action. The Surgeon General’s report reached the following conclusions:

While the high school smoking rate has been cut nearly in half since the mid-1990s, more than 3.6 million middle and high school students still smoke.
In addition to long-term consequence such as cancer and heart disease, tobacco use immediately harms the health of youth and young adults. Smoking quickly causes nicotine addiction, cardiovascular damage, slower lung growth and shortness of breath.
Tobacco marketing causes kids to start and continue using tobacco products. Tobacco companies spend more than $10 billion a year – more than $1 million an hour – to advertise and promote their products.
Science and experience have identified proven strategies to reduce youth tobacco use. These include mass media campaigns, increasing the price of cigarettes through higher tobacco taxes, smoke-free policies and school and community prevention programs.

“Kids are sending two powerful messages on Kick Butts Day: They want the tobacco companies to stop targeting them, and they want elected leaders to protect them from tobacco,” said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “We know how to win the fight against tobacco. Elected officials across the nation should support these proven solutions, including higher tobacco taxes, strong smoke-free laws and well-funded tobacco prevention programs.”

Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, killing more than 400,000 people and costing $96 billion in health care bills each year. Nationally, 19.5 percent of high school students still smoke, and another 1,000 kids become regular smokers every day.

In New Mexico, tobacco use claims 2,100 lives and costs $461 million in health care bills each year. Currently, 24 percent of the state’s high school students smoke.

On Kick Butts Day, kids turn the tables on Big Tobacco with events that range from “They put WHAT in a cigarette?” demonstrations to health fairs to rallies at state capitols. Activities in New Mexico include (all events are on March 21 unless otherwise noted):

Boys & Girls Club members of La Merced Elementary School in Belen will host a “They Put WHAT In a Cigarette!” event to expose the truth about hazardous chemicals in cigarettes. Mayor Rudy Jaramillo will talk with kids about his experience with tobacco. Time: 3:15 p.m. Location: La Merced Elementary School, Belen. Contact: Christina Jaramillo (505) 859-2217.

The Evolvement group in Albuquerque will host an “In the Clear Car Smash” event at Manzano High School. The event will feature students smashing a car in the high school’s common area to highlight the dangers of second hand smoke. Time: 12 p.m. Location: 12200 Lomas Boulevard N.E., Albuquerque. Contact: Vanessa Gutierrez (505) 688-7011.

Students at the Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe will host a daylong event to promote Kick Butts Day by displaying educational posters and information about the dangers of tobacco use. Location: 2100 Yucca Road, Santa Fe. Contact: Laurie Longiaru (505) 467-2400.

For a full list of Kick Butts Day events in New Mexico, visit www.kickbuttsday.org/events. Additional information about tobacco, including state-by-state statistics, can be found at www.tobaccofreekids.org.

About the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is a leading force in the fight to reduce tobacco use and its deadly toll in the United States and around the world. Our vision is a future free of the death and disease caused by tobacco. We work to prevent kids from smoking, help smokers quit and protect everyone from secondhand smoke. For more information, visit www.tobaccofreekids.org.

New water use rules coming

By Dianne Stallings

Stiffer penalties may lie ahead for water users who violate Ruidoso’s drought conservation rules.

Village councilors Tuesday set Feb. 28, as the date for a public hearing to look at changes in the village ordinance governing water conservation that would simplify the phases, define penalties, impose a surcharge on high water use, enforce a requirement to install water shutoff valves on the customer side of water meters and establish specific criteria for restoring service after a customer-requested shutoff.

Ruidoso sees rebound in building values

By Dianne Stallings dstallings@ruidosonews.com

Building values in December for the village of Ruidoso hit more than $2 million, rebounding nicely from a sluggish November.

Although fewer permits were issued, just 65 compared to 106 the previous month, the value of the construction more than doubled from $996,347 to $2,069.394. Fees collected also increased from $15,987 to $17,839.

Permits for six single-family dwellings helped pump up the value, accounting for $1,567,478. Two were more than $350,000 each, Building Official Shawn Fort reported.

Six different contractors are handling the home building projects. They are LLB Construction, Dig It Construction, Ratliff Custom Homes, Sun Valley Home, Roper Construction and Tower Construction.

BLM sites could see bump in admission fees

In an effort to maintain and improve facilities and services at three popular fee sites in the Las Cruces District, officials with the Bureau of Land Management are proposing to increase visitor fees in 2012, including at Three Rivers Petroglyph Site between Carrizozo and Tularosa.

It would be the first increase at the sites since 1996, when fees first were established. The other sites being considered are the Dripping Springs Natural Area and Aguirre Spring Campground in the Organ Mountains near Las Cruces. The deadline to submit comments is Jan. 23. Read more at RuidosoNews.com…

New Mexico Turns 100 – The ‘Land of Enchantment’ Honored on Commemorative Forever Stamp

U.S. POSTAL SERVICE NEW MEXICO STATEHOOD STAMP — U.S. Postal Service Salutes New Mexico Statehood on new Forever Stamp. (PRNewsFoto/U.S. Postal Service)

SANTA FE, N.M. — The United States Postal Service today delivered one of the nation’s highest honors to New Mexico with the issuance of a commemorative Forever Stamp recognizing the state’s 100th anniversary.

“Known for its rich history, vibrant cultures and stunning geographic diversity, New Mexico is the ‘Land of Enchantment,'” said Mickey Barnett, vice chairman, Board of Governors. “Today, the Postal Service is proud and honored to create this lasting tribute to New Mexico through the issuance of this commemorative stamp.”

Barnett dedicated the stamp today at the New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe.

Joining Barnett were: Susana Martinez, governor, State of New Mexico; David Coss, mayor of Santa Fe; Edward Romero, former United States Ambassador, Spain and Andorra; Veronica Gonzales, secretary of Cultural Affairs, state of New Mexico; Marie Therese Dominguez, vice president, Government Relations and Public Policy, U.S. Postal Service; and Richard Sheaff, art director.

The stamp art shows a landscape in northern New Mexico, about 65 miles northwest of Albuquerque. In this sweeping view of the high desert, junipers and pinon pines grow in the foreground. In the middle distance, the Rio Puerco courses through an arroyo, while in the background, two peaks known as Cerro de Santa Clara and Cerro de Guadalupe are silhouetted against a vast sky.

When Spanish missionaries arrived in present-day New Mexico in the 1500s, they found a region already settled by Pueblo and Navajo people. The flags of both Spain and Mexico flew over the land before it became American soil. Northern New Mexico was ceded to the U.S. in 1848 at the end of the U.S.-Mexican War. Two years later, Congress established the New Mexico Territory. English-speaking cattle ranchers, cowboys, and miners mingled with the earlier Native American and Hispanic residents to create the unique cultural diversity that characterizes New Mexico today. Even after it became a state in 1912, New Mexico retained much of its frontier and Old Mexico flavor, and Spanish and English are both widely spoken.

A resident of New Mexico for more than 35 years, artist Doug West is best known for his southwestern landscapes and skies. Art director Richard Sheaff selected one of West’s existing oil paintings for the stamp art.

New Mexico Statehood is being issued as a Forever stamp. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate.

The stamps go on sale today at Post Offices nationwide, online at usps.com and by phone at 800-782-6724.

Customers may view the New Mexico Statehood Forever Stamp as well as many of this year’s other stamps on Facebook at facebook.com/USPSStamps , through Twitter @USPSstamps or on the website Beyond the Perf at beyondtheperf.com/2012-preview. Beyond the Perf is the Postal Service’s online site for background on upcoming stamp subjects, first-day-of-issue events and other philatelic news.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark, New Mexico Statehood Forever Stamp
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at a local Post Office, at The Postal Store website at usps.com/shop or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others) and place them in larger envelopes addressed to:

New Mexico Statehood Forever Stamp
Postmaster
120 South Federal Place
Santa Fe, NM 87501-9999

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes by mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by March 6, 2012.

How to Order First-Day Covers
The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly “USA Philatelic” catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-STAMP-24 or writing to:

Information Fulfillment
Dept. 6270
U.S. Postal Service
P.O. Box 219014
Kansas City, MO 64121-9014

Philatelic Products
There are four philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

468161, First-Day Cover, $.88.
468165, Digital Color Postmark, $1.60.
468191, Ceremony Program, $6.95.
468199, Cancellation Keepsake (Digital Color Postmark w/Pane), $10.95.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 151 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With 32,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $65 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 35th in the 2011 Fortune 500. Black Enterprise and Hispanic Business magazines ranked the Postal Service as a leader in workforce diversity. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency for six years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.

Follow USPS on Twitter @USPS_PR and at Facebook.com/usps.

Governor Susana Martinez Unveils New Funding Formula For New Mexico’s Colleges And Universities

Institutions will be rewarded for graduating more students, as opposed to constructing buildings

SANTA FE – Governor Susana Martinez recently met with a large group of regents, governing board members and post-secondary institution presidents in Socorro to discuss the state’s new higher education funding formula.

The new formula will reward New Mexico’s higher learning institutions based on outcome measures that reflect student achievement and preparedness for New Mexico’s workforce, as opposed to basing the allocation of funding on measurements like the size (square footage) of each institution. In addition, while the current formula funds colleges and universities based on courses and degree programs started, the new formula would be based on courses and degree
programs completed.

“The central goal of New Mexico’s higher education institutions should be to graduate the students New Mexico’s economy will depend on for decades,” said Governor Martinez. “In an increasingly competitive global economy, this formula will help us deliver the graduates we need for the jobs of tomorrow, and it serves to intently focus our attention on the achievement of our students.”

Under the formula, institutions would receive funding for graduating students in so called “STEHM” (Science, Technology, Engineering, Health Care and Mathematics) fields. A recent study disclosed that New Mexico’s economy will require nearly 50,000 employees with STEHM degrees by 2018 and nearly 95% of those jobs will require post-secondary education and training.

“For the first time in the history of New Mexico, the younger generation is less educated than the generations before,” said Higher Education Secretary Jose Garcia. “This new formula is our opportunity to make sure today’s students are tomorrow’s successful employees.” For decades, the New Mexico higher education funding formula rewarded measure such as student enrollment and square footage. This created a system where New Mexico taxpayers paid over $53,000 per completed degree, compared to neighboring Arizona, which pays $39,000.

Last year, in an event that was also held at New Mexico Tech, the Martinez administration announced that an agreement had been struck with the state’s colleges and universities to impose a two-year moratorium on the construction of new buildings, in an effort to curb the proliferation of new construction that had been occurring, at least in part, due to the incentive for increasing square footage that was built into the state’s current higher education funding formula.

NM Centennial Foundation to provide grants to support school and community garden projects in NM in 2012

New Mexico Centennial Garden Program

Applications due January 13, 2012

The New Mexico Centennial Garden Program is an initiative of the New Mexico Centennial Foundation, working in partnership with state agencies and private partners. Thanks to the generosity of the Coca Cola Foundation, the NM Centennial Foundation is able to provide grants to support school and community garden projects in New Mexico in 2012. Grants will be available at levels of $2,500, $5,000 and $10,000.

To be eligible for a Centennial Garden grant, applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or nonprofit K-12 school that is developing or currently maintaining a garden project that will help communities engage with fresh fruits and vegetables. Garden projects may be at any stage of development; planning, construction or operation. In selecting grant recipients, priority will be given to both limited-resource communities and to projects that demonstrate strong collaborations and community support. Relationships with food banks or other outlets to distribute food to New Mexicans in need are a plus.

Full guidelines and application are available here: NM Centennial Garden Application

New Mexico Voters Strongly Support Creation of Tax-credit Scholarships for Students

Survey results show large majorities in favor of creating programs that would allow children to attend schools of their parents’ choice

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — New Mexico voters strongly support tax-credit scholarships for students to attend the school of their choice, including private schools, parochial schools, and public schools, according to a survey sponsored by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice and conducted by Braun Research, Inc.

The American Federation for Children—the nation’s voice for school choice—praised the survey, in which registered voters were asked about a legislative proposal to allow individuals and corporations to receive tax credits for donating to scholarship funds for New Mexico students. The scholarship funds would then create scholarships for students who want to go to schools better suited to their needs.

Supporters of the tax-credit scholarship bills have advocated on behalf of special needs students and low income students, in the hope that the scholarships will help them find schools better suited to their individual challenges. Last year, over 120,000 students were enrolled in nine different scholarship tax credit programs nationwide.

“These programs help reduce the dropout rate by getting kids out of failing situations and into schools that can help them succeed and, ultimately, graduate in higher numbers,” said Malcom Glenn, the National Communications Director at the American Federation for Children. “The voters of New Mexico have made clear that they’re staunchly behind creating a scholarship tax credit program to give children the opportunities they deserve.”

In addition, special needs students could use the scholarships to attend schools that better suit their needs. A total of 77 percent of New Mexico voters support a tax-credit scholarship system for special needs students (48 percent strongly favorable, 29 percent somewhat favorable). One such program has existed in Arizona since 2009.

On the question of creating a scholarship fund using tax credits for low- and middle-income students, 62 percent of registered voters either strongly favor (23 percent) or somewhat favor (39 percent) a tax-credit scholarship program for New Mexico students.

Two scholarship tax credit bills were introduced in the Senate last session. Both the Equal Opportunity Scholarship Act and the Special Needs Student Scholarship Act failed to emerge from the Senate and House Education Committee. Similar bills will be presented in early 2012 at the start of the next session.

The poll, conducted September 12-18, 2011, surveyed 808 registered voters via telephone.

SOURCE American Federation for Children

Web Site: http://www.FederationForChildren.org

Aviat Networks Helps WNM Communications Bring Faster, More Reliable Broadband and Phone Service to Rural New Mexico

SANTA CLARA, Calif., PRNewswire — Aviat Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVNW), a leading expert in wireless transmission solutions, today announced that it helped WNM Communications (WNMC) provide its rural New Mexico customers with additional redundancy for lifeline services and further capacity for faster, more reliable Internet access and phone service. WNMC provides telecommunications services to more than 6,000 business and residential customers across 15,000 square miles in southwestern New Mexico.

Upgrading WNMC’s existing infrastructure and expanding the capacity of its backbone posed a number of challenges. First, the changes could not disrupt current customers’ services—even for a few hours. Second, WNMC’s extensive network of buried cable, fiber optic trunks and microwave crisscrossed thousands of square miles of very rugged and sparsely populated territory. Finally, WNMC was on a tight timeline, as it sought to complete the network upgrade before the company’s fiscal year-end.

“We needed more than just an equipment vendor,” said Steve George, Director of Operations, WNM Communications. “We needed a solutions provider that would sit down with us and co-develop the best network design. We also needed them to meet our traditional telecommunications requirements, as well as support our Ethernet migration plans, including expanding Internet access to new customers in remote areas, and enabling Voice over Internet (VoIP) capabilities. And, they had to deliver quickly and provide ongoing tech support. The Aviat Networks team met all of our requirements and more.”

To address all the complexities of the project, Aviat Networks proposed a phased approach to upgrading WNMC’s backbone network. The first phase included the installation of Aviat Networks’ Eclipse microwave platform with indoor IRU600 RF unit to expand the capacity of the backbone and support advanced Ethernet functionality. A key benefit of the IRU600 radio is that it supports WNMC’s legacy DS1/DS3 network as well as Ethernet on the same telecommunications link. That means WNMC can continue to leverage its existing network while transitioning to IP backhaul at a pace that makes sense.

In the second phase, Aviat Networks engineers conducted site surveys to ensure the network design was optimal. Next, spurs were extended and expanded off the network backbone to provide enhanced service to WNMC customers in underserved and remote areas. Accomplishing this required the installation of more than a dozen microwave hops, each of which provided mixed mode (TDM and Ethernet) capability. To ensure WNMC’s network experienced no disruptions, Aviat Networks engineers were onsite during each of the site cutovers.

The network was also designed to accommodate future growth. For instance, when additional Ethernet capacity is required, WNMC can allocate bandwidth directly from their operations offices using Aviat Networks’ ProVision™ remote provisioning software.

“Helping WNM Communications upgrade its broadband network was a true partnership,” said Travis Mitchell, Carrier Sales Manager, Aviat Networks. “We and WNMC thought out the upgrade complexities, resulting in the perfect solution for reliable lifeline services and enhanced capacity for faster and more reliable Internet access. With this upgrade, WNMC will be able to provide customers with the latest communications products and services for years to come.”

About Aviat Networks

Aviat Networks, Inc. is a leader in wireless transmission solutions. We apply innovation and IP networking expertise toward building a carrier class foundation for future mobile and fixed broadband networks. With more than 750,000 systems installed around the world, Aviat Networks has built a reputation as a leader in offering best-of-breed solutions including LTE-ready microwave backhaul and a complete portfolio of service and support options to public and private telecommunications operators worldwide. With a global reach and local presence in more than 46 countries, Aviat Networks works by the side of its customers allowing them to quickly and cost effectively seize new market and service opportunities. Aviat Networks, formerly Harris Stratex Networks Inc., is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and is listed on NASDAQ (AVNW). For more information, please visit www.aviatnetworks.com or join the dialogue at www.twitter.com/aviatnetworks.

About WNM Communications

WNM Communications (WNMC) is telecommunications company providing telephone service and high-speed Internet access to customers in rural southwestern New Mexico. Originally known as the Mogollon Mountain Telephone Company, WNMC has grown from less than 600 customers in 1974 to more than 6,000 businesses and residents, and its service area now covers more than 15,000 square miles. WNM Communications is headquartered in Silver City, NM. For more information, please visit: http://wnmc.com/

Mary Mac’s: IT’S BACK!

Good news for those who loved Mary Mac’s in Datil and were very sad to see it go… Here’s a “welcome back” letter from Ann and Parker:

I have been looking for a place to relocate Mary Mac’s Cafe since we closed in April. And because “Good things come to those who wait….” – we have a new location for the restaurant!

As of November 1st – Mary Mac’s Cafe will be at the High Country Lodge in Magdalena. We will offer a similar menu (almost the same) as our original menu and will include the best selling Parker omelet, quiche of the day, soup of the day, green chile philly sandwich, gluten free items, and CARAMEL BREAD PUDDING – our specialty!

New additions will include french fries, whole pizzas (we have a full size double pizza oven), steaks, prime rib, and DINNER specials. Hours of operation will be 7am-7pm daily except Sunday which will be 9am-5pm. (Restaurant will be open at 8:30 am for coffee on Sunday and start serving at 9am)

We will continue to serve breakfast all day. We will have awesome baked goods – muffins, pies and cakes.

We will add specials and try items requested by faithful customers and new Magdalena area customers, adding to the menu items that are popular with our new customer base.

Dinner will be served 5pm-7pm. Last order taken at 7pm.

A seven day a week venture with the long hours of operation will be quite a challenge but easier than we had to deal with in our previous location. The casual dining room is larger, the kitchen is large and efficient and there is a very large dining room/meeting/banquet room with a fireplace and stage. Dinner will be served in this room.

At this time I have a few openings for positions at the restaurant. If you know of anyone interested in cook or wait staff positions, please forward this email to them and have them email me a brief couple of paragraphs listing their qualifications and hours available to work.

More information coming. Events calendar will include information on our “soft opening”. If you are passing through Magdalena hope to see you!

Ann and Parker

MaryMac'sCafeCaramelBreadPudding-Wide — Need we say more?

All pics courtesy of Kelly Gatlin, La Luz Photography – thanks, Kelly!!