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Fire restrictions remaining in place until rescinded include prohibition of:

 

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.

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.

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.

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.

 

 

JULY 2011

 

Friday July 1 & Saturday July 2 – FOURTH OF JULY “After the Fire” BARN SALE – Hwy 12, Mile Marker 16.7, Cruzville, NM – Covered spaces $10, outside spaces $5.  New artists, truckload of new tools, antiques and collectibles, mexican pottery, plus 2 truckloads of furniture and household items.  Food and Ice Cream available!  Come and see if you can find a treasure!  Contact Doug/Karen 575-533-6799 or Bill 575-533-6396

Friday July 1st FOOD FAIR AND COMMODITIES  Everyone must sign up again in July to receive food.  FOR participants who receive FOOD FAIR ONLY, bring your photo ID that indicates you live in CatronCounty or Fence Lake. To register for COMMODITIES, in addition to your photo ID, we need to see either your paperwork for WIC, Food Stamps, or free or reduced school lunches.  If you don’t have one of those, then we need to see your total household income.
Sign in times:  DATIL 9:30 am to 11:00 am; HORSE MOUNTAIN 10:30 am to Noon; PIE TOWN 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm, QUEMADO 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm

Saturday, July 2 – Quemado Independence Day Celebration.  Parade 11 a.m.
BBQ after parade.  Vendors/flea market.  More info at http://www.catroncounty.net/quemado/july4.htm.  NO fireworks this year due to new state & federal regulations.

Sunday July 10 – Datil Christian Cowboy Church – 1 Year Celebration!- The public is invited!  9am Worship service
Food & Fellowship at Noon – Catfish fry and barbecue.  At Bull Run Ranch, Hwy 12, Datil. For information please call John Sirman 575-772-2929 or Melynda Walraven 575-772-5553.

Tuesday July 26th- through Sunday July 31st – 71st annual Montosa Camp Meeting-  A non-denomonational Cowboy Church.  First meal served Wednesday July 27th at 6pm  Three  Chuckwagon style meals served daily. All camping, services and meals supported by donations only.  Preachers; Joseph Bunce and Harry Chapman.   3 miles east of Datil just west of NM 81. Turn south & go about 4 miles. Look for signs and flags.  A Christian experience for the whole family.   Further information call Lonnie Guin 575-835-8173 or Marilyn Stokes 505-228-0578

The Film Festival runs from June 29 to July 2, 2011 and will showcase the latest and greatest Sci-Fi films with movies under the stars, filmmakers forums and luncheon, a Red Carpet Gala,  parties, and showings of new independent Sci-Fi films.

The Roswell International Sci-Fi Film Festival is the only filmmaking festival of its kind dedicated to bringing artist’s visions from “script to screen” in one week and captures the essence of filmmaking, highlighting cutting-edge digital media, which is revolutionizing the film industry. The RISF provides a venue for independent SCIFI/FANTASY filmmakers to get their films made and was spearheaded by Alan Trever.  Trever has been actively involved in photography, advertising, film and television in New Mexico for over ten years and established a film program in Roswell that serves as a training ground for future members of IATSE.

Trever has worked in various capacities to a number of companies, such as Lion’s Gate™, Paramount, ABC Family, Discovery Channel and NBC and produced numerous projects for various companies such as ESPN, Discovery, the State of New Mexico and the History Channel.  He has also produced several independent features filmed in Southern New Mexico, such as Ilegales, Last Stop (starring Mena Suvari and Brian Austin Green) and Coyote County Loser, which won “Best Comedy” at the Telluride Film Festival. Currently, he is involved in producing a new film called, Roswell FM, which is scheduled to shoot in Roswell this summer.

Roswell Mayor Del Jurney stated, “Roswell is enthusiastic about developing our film industry and network; and we congratulate the Roswell International Sci-Fi Film Festival for creating this mechanism to celebrate our local media arts, students and professionals”.

To add to the allure of the event, the Roswell International Sci-Fi Film Festival is pleased to announce its partnership with Famous Monsters of Filmland and creator, Philip Kim.  Famous Monsters of Filmland is the most well-known magazine devoted to fan-oriented coverage of horror, fantasy and science fiction and features a range from previews of upcoming films, to respectful looks back at film history, interviews with the principal personalities in genre, and in-depth behind-the-scenes discussions of specialized aspects of film production, including visual and makeup effects. FAMOUS MONSTERS is recognized throughout fandom for its friendly, light-hearted and enthusiastic approach.

The following is a summary of the exciting events being held during the Roswell International Sci-Fi Film Festival:

**For more information, visit www.FilmRoswell.com .  You can also follow the festival on Facebook (Amazing Roswell UFO Festival).

They don’t come any better than this: Anastasia Alfaro, a 6-year-old girl from Albuquerque, recently caught a 40.5 inch, 17.5 lb Tiger Muskie with a little princess rod, 6 lb test with no steel wire leader.

Say what?

Apparently, she caught a trout first, then the muskie decided to munch on an easy meal, keeping hold of it until til was too late. Anastasia’s grandfather helped her pull it out some 10 feet from the shore.

We don’t have a pic of the happy girl and her giant fish, but here’s a snapshot of what one of those Tiger Muskies looks like:

Head out to Quemado Lake (just minutes from Spring Canyon Ranch) and throw out a few lines of your own—you might get lucky. While you’re there, sample a steak dinner at Snuffy’s (where you can stock up on anything and everything you might possibly need; it’s also your boat rental headquarters).

We tooled around the net and found a local outfit that can give you more info on the New Mexico Tiger Muskie Catch and Release program. They have scheduled events, fundraisers etc. Check ’em out out at http://www.newmexicomuskiesinc.org/

July

*07/12/11: Fuddruckers/NMMI fundraiser all day! Board Meeting at Fuddruckers on 4855 Pan American West Fwy NE, Albuquerque at 6:00PM. 15-20% of total sales “referred” by New Mexico Muskies Inc will go back to the Chapter. This is an ALL DAY fundraiser, you can go in several times that day and as long as you mention New Mexico Muskies Inc at the register every visit, the purchase will go towards our grand total. So make copies of the flyer, encourage friends, family, and co-workers to eat at Fuddruckers on July 12^th but DON’T FORGET to mention New Mexico Muskies Inc. As always, Members and general public are welcome to attend our Board Meeting that night at 6:00PM. NMMI/Fuddruckers Flyer

*07/23-24/11: Camping trip at Quemado Lake/Pick 3 Outing.  This year the 2^nd Annual Pick 3 Outing will be operated with a very similar format as last year. The prize will be different though-The winning team will receive one of the 40” stained muskie carving with their names engraved on a tab with the year of their win. The winning team will get to keep the trophy for that year with the bragging rights that come along with “2011 Pick 3 Champions”! The following year the trophy must be passed down to the new Pick 3 Champions… that is of course, IF you aren’t successful defending your title! More details to be announced. See 2010 Pick 3 Rules and Regulations to get an idea how the event will be operated. Members only outing!

 

Source: Ruidoso News

by Adriana M. Chávez El Paso Times

Nature at its worst can sometimes bring out Nature at its best. The fiery fury that has overtaken thousands of acres of wilderness in Arizona has brought about some amazing sunsets, courtesy of the soot and smoke. Hitching Post Land Company’s Kelly Gatlin—a very talented photographer as well as one of our Ranch Representatives—took this shot of a recent sunset.

Our thanks go out to the fearless firefighters who are battling the blaze and to everyone who is lending their support in these difficult times…

 

Photo courtesy of Kelly Gatlin, La Luz Photography.