Senator Pete Visits Paradise

Letter Writers Plead

Today's Valle Vidal Visitor

October 13, 2005

Dear Senator Domenici,

When you come to visit the Valle Vidal to assess its value to our Northern New Mexico communities, we wish to invite you to meet with us and other local community members. We look forward to the opportunity to express why the Valle Vidal is so important to our local communities and why we need your help to protect it.

The Valle Vidal is a beloved and vital portion of the heritage and lifestyle of Northern New Mexico. Our values and our local economies depend on places like the Valle Vidal-where local residents and thousands of visitors go to experience what America was. The Valle Vidal is considered by many to be the top elk hunt in the country, and is the only once-in-a-lifetime elk hunt in New Mexico. The Valle Vidal's fishing for native Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout is unparalleled. Local cattle producers depend on the Valle Vidal for their livelihood and great care is taken to protect and manage the grassland resource-a resource that is shared and managed for wildlife. Thousands of Boy Scouts each year depend on the Valle Vidal for backcountry adventures, and these young men leave with a character-building experience that will serve them for life. The Valle Vidal is universally recognized as one of the best areas in the nation for equestrian trail riders, and attracts horseback riders from across the country.

The Valle Vidal currently generates $3 to $5 million every year for local businesses, a renewable income source that will grow in the years ahead as places like the Valle Vidal become less common. Finally, the amount of methane underneath the Valle Vidal is trivial, amounting to less than one percent of the methane available in the Raton Basin and less than two days worth of gas for the nation. We've seen coal-bed methane drilling in other portions of the Raton Basin-including coal-bed methane drilling that is often cited as having done more than anywhere else in the country to minimize damage to the land.

We know what resources are at stake.

For these reasons, we are firmly opposed to leasing the Valle Vidal for coal-bed methane development. The first rule of responsible drilling is that there are some places we don't drill. There are many places that should be developed for oil & gas, but the Valle Vidal is not one of them. Drilling for coal-bed methane in the Valle Vidal would be like tearing up the floorboards in your living room to retrieve a dime. Our communities are best served by keeping the Valle Vidal as it is.

Senator, we hope that we can count on you to meet with our local residents and provide help in this matter of the utmost importance to our communities.

We the undersigned citizens of Northern New Mexico respectfully request that when you come to the Valle Vidal for yourself, you will also set aside the time to meet with us and other local citizens who are concerned about the future of the Valle Vidal and all who depend on it.


Respectfully,

Ed Olona, Catholic Deacon and Avid Sportsman, Springer New Mexico
Tracy Boyce, owner, Blue Moon Eclectics, Cimarron
Jared Chatterly, owner, American Outback Adventures, Cimarron
Danny Cruz, Mayor, Springer
Neva Hascall, Mayor, Eagle Nest
Alan Lackey, rancher and Vermejo Park Hunting Guide, Springer
Joan MacNeish, owner, The COOP, Raton
James Marchetti, Colfax County Board of Commissioners
Diana Rael-Apodaca, Questa Chamber of Commerce
Susan Strebe, owner, Strebe Real Estate, Guadalupita
Craig Swaggerty, Mayor, Red River
Don Francisco Trujillo II, Chair, Intergovernmental Council of the Enchanted Circle and Vice-Chair, Taos County Board of Commissioners
Mary Ann Walz, owner, MW Bar Ranch, Amalia

Love Letters to Horse Fly
From: Jane Doe
Date: October 4, 2005 10:46:20 AM MDT
To: bwhaley@newmex.com
Subject: Ronnie Lee Wins Wise Reprieve

Me again, I would like to say instead of staff reports could you put the people that wrote the reports name so that I may bitch them out for their shitty reporting? But for now, I will just voice to you. I was reading the report on “Town Blows Appeal” and the statement “More than 20 employees have lost their jobs because of the council’s reactionary ruling.” GET OVER IT!! IT’S THE LAW!!! THE PEOPLE OF THE CHURCH ACROSS THE STREET DON’T WANT IT!!! OPEN YOUR EARS AND LISTEN!! And who says that they missed their appeal? They missed the appeal that they wanted them to file so they can cry cry all they want but the town has not given up yet. Besides, his business was never going to make it and still won’t. His statement of saying that he sends away people everyday saying he does not sell beer and wine: give me a break. We both know that is not true. Or maybe it is. We all are all a nation of alcoholics that we walk to restaurants just drink [sic]. Forget the good five-star food, all we want to do is drink. YEAH RIGHT!


Second, you always take it back to the pool. Why don’t you just tell the town and its people that you did not want the pool and that it was a joke from the beginning, as Gene Sanchez put it? So that they can see you for who you are. And hate you just like I do.
Third, GET OVER BUSH!! you may have not voted for him or did I [sic] but the people wanted him, so once again: GET OVER IT!!!!!

From: Jane Doe

To: bwhaley@newmex.com

Me again, JERK,

So I was reading your crappy online news [www.horseflyonline.com] and the same statement, “The plot may thicken before this controversy is over in what has become a symbol of the council’s confusion and the mayor’s lack of leadership.” THE MAYOR IS MORE OF A LEADER THAN YOU OR ANYONE YOU KNOW WILL EVER BE. That’s your only defense is lack of leadership. Why do we have democracy if you want him to “tell the council” what to do?

[Ed. Note: Despite the depth of her ardor, Jane Doe has been too shy to reveal her real name. Who are you, my little passion flower?]



Chamber of Commerce NOTES & REMINDERS:

 

TAOS TOURISM SUMMIT II: CHARTING THE COURSE OF TAOS TOURISM:  Destination Taos and the Taos Chamber will host Taos Tourism Summit II on Thursday, October 13th from 6:30 to 9pm, in Rio Grande Hall on Civic Plaza Drive. There will be reports on the tourism survey recently taken by Lauren Schlau Consulting, plus committee reports on nightlife, lodger’s tax and visions for Taos. To review the highlights of the first Tourism Summit go to www.taoschamber.com on the Community Profile page or click here http://www.taoschamber.com/files/Taos%20Tourism%20Summit%202005.doc. Please attend and provide your input and experiences to help strengthen our tourism economy. For more information call Gayle Martinez at 737-2930 or gmart@taoschamber.com.

 

TAOS AS A RETAIL SHOPPING DESTINATION: Over the years we have had some very productive First Friday Forum sessions. Last Friday’s was especially fruitful as a group of business leaders, many from the Taos Historic District gathered to discuss promoting Taos as a Unique Shopping Experience. We invite any interested parties (chamber member & non-members) to help us continue the momentum when the Taos Retail Promotion Task Force meets this Friday, October 14th at 8am in the Taos Visitor Center. The task force will meet for a limited time to strategize how to promote Shopping Home for the Holidays to locals and non-locals. If you have questions please contact Steve at 737-2929 or steve@taoschamber.com.

 

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY DINNER & AUCTION: Habitat for Humanity will be holding their annual dinner & silent auction on November 13th at the Trading Post Café. The are looking for donations of fine art, crafts, quality merchandise, gift certificates, personal or professional services, get-aways, etc. for the auction. Bring donations to the Habitat Office at 114 E. Alexander between 9am & 4pm Monday through Thursday or call 758-7827 for more information.