Now I don’t want to use names, so that if any customer support agents should go missing, I won’t be immediately linked to them. But the issue at hand, the reason I wrote to customer support in the first place, was that I needed to sort out a book problem with my distributor.

A distributor, for those not in the industry, is a company that uses an ineffective, user-unfriendly, poorly designed, and ugly web interface to ruin all the metadata associated with a forthcoming book. And then—and then!—a distributor makes that ruined data impossible to fix because of reasons that do not apply. This corruption of data means the distributor cannot distribute this book to bookstores, which is a relief (for the distributor) because distributing books is outside their terms of service.

That’s more or less what I wrote to the distributor’s customer support team three weeks ago, only I used Fake American Sincerity voice because at that point I had not yet waited three weeks for a response. I even tried to fix the problem myself first! More than one time! And then I opted to let professionals handle it so I didn’t wreck the rest of my week on a Tuesday.

That was my first big mistake, assuming the professionals would handle anything professionally, or at all.

I got my response two days later. The customer support agent also utilized Fake American Sincerity voice. The agent assured me, with text copied straight from some manual or other, of all the ways they had not read any portion of my plea for help.

Because many of you are not book publishers and should not have to suffer through learning distributor lingo, I’ll translate the ensuing exchange into a more familiar context:

Me: I would like some apples, please, because this is a supermarket.

Customer Support Agent: According to this manual, we do not have broccoli.

Me: But I just need apples.

Customer Support Agent: You have allowed your carrots to expire. You may still eat them, but they will have a floppy mouthfeel.

Me: Apples?

Customer Support Agent: Potatoes are indeed delicious. I apologize for the dragonfruit’s inability to banana.

Me: Will you understand “apples” better:

• if I use bullet points?
  

and selectively bolded text?

​
Customer Support Agent: No, but we will elevate your frustration to our advanced grocer team.
​
I wish I were exaggerating. I am not.

Yet the distributor had me bent over a promotional book display. I cannot distribute myself; this is one of those times I’m stuck relying on Other People. Maybe even Other AI Chatbots.

So I figured I’d try being patient for the book distributor’s advanced grocers to get to my support ticket. And I was patient, alright. I was patient for TWO. ENTIRE. WORK. WEEKS

This put me nearly three weeks in, all told. At this juncture, I funneled anything else causing negative emotions in my life into a brand-new second support ticket. I asked the distributor (in transparently thin Fake American Sincerity voice) to give itself a suppository with an Encyclopædia Britannica.

The response I got to that ticket kindly informed me that emails are answered in the order received, except for mine, which would be bumped to the back of the queue each subsequent time I wrote in asking for updates.

Fortunately for the life and longevity of everyone involved, this response was a lie.

(I might lie too, if my job were to answer last week’s support tickets on a Sunday night.)

An advanced support team member informed me that the wrong and unfixable data could be fixed all along, just not by me. The team has also revoked all my data-editing privileges, including changing my own password.

​But this is okay! Because I have found a new career even more pleasing to say than “book publisher.” And I’m certain that grocers never have to deal with food distributors.

ESPANOLA, NM — Española Humane has temporarily closed its indoor dog kennel area to the public after routine testing revealed elevated mold levels in the ceiling. While the rest of the shelter remains fully operational, the dog kennels will remain closed during remediation efforts.

“We’re taking this seriously and moving swiftly to protect the health of our animals, staff, volunteers, and visitors,” said Kate Baldwin, Executive Director of Española Humane. “We’ve already brought in remediation experts, roofing contractors, and toxicologists to guide our response.”

The decision, made out of an abundance of caution, comes after testing conducted on June 20, with findings interpreted on June 30. The shelter’s cat rooms, lobby, office spaces, and on-site clinic remain unaffected and fully operational. All services, including adoptions and veterinary care, will continue with adjusted operations.

Thanks to the shelter’s short average length of stay for dogs, its indoor/outdoor kennel layout, and continuous airflow from fans, there is currently no indication that the mold has impacted the health of animals in care. Additional testing, including air and swab samples, is scheduled for July 9.

Dogs and puppies are being relocated into temporary kennels outdoors as the organization prepares to purchase additional housing systems to maintain comfort and care during the remediation process.

How the community can help:
• Foster a dog – even short-term fostering helps
• Adopt – lobby, cat, off-site, and outdoor adoptions continue as normal
• Donate – help us build and outfit new kennel setups

“We’re no strangers to tough situations—and every time, our community rises to meet the challenge,” Baldwin added. “Our mission goes on, and we’ll continue showing up for animals who need us. With your support, we’ll come out stronger.” Española

​Humane will reopen for public adoptions on Wednesday, with adoptions taking place in the lobby or outdoors.
​
To foster, adopt, or donate, visit www.espanolahumane.org or stop by the shelter during business hours.

###

Española Humane’s mission is to end animal suffering in underserved communities. We offer free spay/neuter, vaccinations, and work to build trusting relationships. To learn more about how you can help, visit espanolahumane.org.

By Helen Byers
helenbyers.com
helizabyers@gmail.com
​
It was a spring afternoon in Medanales, and a gentle breeze was wafting through the screen door. I had just settled down at my drafting table when I heard it.
    Someone in the neighborhood was calling out.
    "Help!...Help!...Help!"
    It sounded deep, like a man's voice—but hoarse, a bit muffled. Then it came again, more urgently.
    "Help!...Help!...Help!"
    I rushed through the screen door, crossing the garden to the edge of the arroyo. There was no sign of anyone down there. Then where? On the other side of the arroyo?     

    My mind flashed back to an early spring morning years ago, when I lived in a quiet town near Boston. I heard a man's voice calling for help, over and over, just like this. I rushed out, calling back, "Where are you?", and he could only respond, "Here! Over here!"
    I ran through a neighbor's yard to the next block up, and found the man in agony, sprawled on the frozen lawn of his wood-framed house, with a broken femur. He had been fixing a gutter on the roof, when the ladder slipped.
    ("What an idiot," he moaned. "I'll never do that again!")

    But what could be happening here, in Medanales? Various scenarios occurred to me:  a guy pinned by a fallen tree, or a piece of machinery, or a farm animal? The possibilities were endless, maybe.
    I rushed back to the house and woke Ed up from his nap.
    "I think someone's hurt or in trouble! I think he's across the arroyo."
    Ed was up in a flash, and we were off down 142 in his car.

    We stopped first at Djann and Lisa's. Lisa was outdoors with a helper, working on a project of some kind. Had they heard someone calling for help just now? No, they had not, they said, looking concerned. Had we asked the Vigils, next door?
    We stopped there next. Three men stood outside. Had they heard anyone calling "Help! Help! Help!" a few minutes ago?  They exchanged puzzled glances. No, but they would keep an ear out. Maybe farther down the road, or in the neighbor's field...?
    At the next stop, a woman was outdoors just beyond the gate. While Ed stepped out to ask her, I stayed in the car. Sitting there, I could just gaze off into the pasture beyond the fence, where there were cattle.
    It was there that I heard that call again, though this time louder. The same exclamation—urgent, hoarse, repeated three times—but not in human language. Then I realized: It came from no fellow. It was a cow's bellow.

Courtesy of LANL Foundation

16 Regional Organizations to Receive Over $1.4 Million to Support Career Development for Underserved Young People

June 23, 2025

ESPAÑOLA NM – The Northern New Mexico Pathways to Opportunity Strategy Table proudly announces the inaugural round of Youth Fund grant recipients, awarding over $1.4 million to 16 regional organizations committed to expanding career pathways for underserved young people.

The Northern New Mexico Youth Fund, launched earlier this year, is the first pooled fund of its kind in the region, combining philanthropic, tribal, state, and federal resources to support equity-driven Career Technical Education (CTE) and Work-Based Learning (WBL) programs for young people ages 13 to 29. These programs are designed to help underserved young people – especially Opportunity Youth, Native American youth, young parents, and others facing systemic barriers – gain the skills, confidence, and opportunities they need to succeed.

The Youth Fund is a collaborative effort spearheaded by the Northern New Mexico Pathways to Opportunity Strategy Table, a coalition of 17 local, regional, and national partners coordinated by the LANL Foundation. Contributions from 12 funding partners now total $1.6 million, including approximately $1.1 million in philanthropic investments and $500,000 from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, which are administered by the New Mexico Community Trust. 

Through a participatory grantmaking process that engaged underserved youth, funders, and community leaders, the Youth Fund selected 15 CTE/WBL projects and one regional resource hub from a highly competitive pool of 35 proposals submitted by nonprofits, schools, tribal entities, and youth-serving organizations from across Northern New Mexico.

“The launch of the Northern New Mexico Youth Fund is the realization of a dream many years in the making.

It’s incredible to see so many like-minded partners come together to align not just funding, but a shared vision for investing in our region’s most valuable resource – our young people – and the organizations that support them. This is more than a grant cycle; it’s the beginning of long-term, transformational work. We are excited to see the impact these grantees will have and to continue building the momentum to grow both the number of partners and the financial support for the Youth Fund in the years to come.”
– Alvin Warren, Vice President of Policy and Impact for the LANL Foundation

“At NMCT, we believe that when philanthropy centers equity and collaboration, transformative change becomes possible. The Youth Fund represents a powerful example of what it looks like when communities, funders, and young people co-create solutions. We’re proud to be part of this growing movement to invest in youth potential, cultural strengths, and long-term opportunity across Northern New Mexico.”
– Marissa Magallanez, COO New Mexico Community Trust

In addition to the programmatic grants, United Way of Northern New Mexico has been selected to serve as the sole regional resource hub, receiving a $100,000 grant to provide technical assistance, organize shared learning opportunities, and deliver capacity-building support for all grantees. The hub will help organizations implement programs effectively, strengthen collaboration, and secure additional public funding.

​“We’re beyond thrilled to receive this award—and even more energized about what’s ahead! As the Northern New Mexico Youth Fund Resource Hub, United Way of Northern New Mexico is honored to uplift and empower our incredible grantees who are leading the way in work-based learning and career technical education. Together, we’re building a movement rooted in collaboration, equity, and real opportunities for youth and young adults across our region,” said Cindy Padilla, CEO.

2024 Northern New Mexico Youth Fund Grant Recipients

• Assistance Dogs of the West – $81,660 for an expanded student trainer work-based learning program.

• College and Career Plaza – $75,000 to connect high school students to paid, hands-on learning experiences.

• Forest Stewards Guild – $60,000 for the Forest Stewards Youth Corps wildland fire and forestry career program.

• Global Center for Cultural Entrepreneurship – $100,000 for the New Mexico Climate Justice Leadership Development Program focused on Indigenous youth.

• Moving Arts Española – $100,000 to expand Bowie’s Backstage, a career launchpad in culinary arts, agriculture, and digital media.

• Northern Youth Project – $100,000 for peer mentorship and hands-on internships rooted in traditional agriculture and community leadership.

• Peñasco Independent Schools – $81,600 to develop a new on-site work-based learning program.

• Pojoaque Valley School District – $75,000 to expand CTE offerings in the construction trades.

• Pueblo of Santa Ana Tamaya Wellness Center – $100,000 for the Tamaya Elite Sports, Education, and Leadership Program focused on esports, digital media production, coding, and personal development.

• River Source – $90,000 to provide green career training focused on watershed restoration and climate resilience.

• Rocky Mountain Youth Corps – $100,000 for an individual placement program connecting youth to careers in land management and public service.

• Santa Fe Dreamers Project – $60,000 for a paralegal internship program that expands immigration legal services.

• Santo Domingo Pueblo – $100,000 for the Skills for Success program, focused on culturally relevant vocational training in traditional arts.

• Trees, Water & People – $85,000 to enhance land management employment skills for Native American youth.

• YouthWorks – $100,000 for paid, hands-on job training in construction, culinary, and other fields focused on Opportunity Youth.

The Northern New Mexico Youth Fund is supported by a diverse group of contributors, including the Anchorum Health Foundation, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions, The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, The Davis New Mexico Scholarship, The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, The LANL Foundation, The Taos Community Foundation, The Thornburg Foundation, TRIAD National Security, United Way of North Central New Mexico, and The W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Learn More about the Youth Fund

Learn More about the Strategy Table

About the Northern New Mexico Strategy Table

The Northern New Mexico Pathways to Opportunity Strategy Table is a collaborative of 16 national and regional philanthropic organizations committed to creating brighter futures for all young people in Northern New Mexico. Formed in 2021, the Strategy Table works to ensure that underserved youth ages 13-29 have access to the skills, experiences, and connections they need to thrive. Our investments in education, pathways, and economic opportunities help young people facing barriers build confidence, secure meaningful employment, and create lasting change in their communities. Through collaboration, equity-driven investments, and a shared commitment to youth success, the Strategy Table hopes to build a future where every young person in Northern New Mexico has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

About New Mexico Community Trust

New Mexico Community Trust (NMCT) is a tax-exempt public charity created to work in areas not serviced by existing community foundations. NMCT provides financial, investment, donor, and grant management services for communities across the state along with back-office support for multiple community foundations in the state. For more information, visit nmctrust.org.

By Peter Nagle 6/30/2025

This is the July newsletter. We took June off to travel to the Northeast for my wife Joy’s daughter’s wedding. What a wonderful day! While there we visited with other family and friends in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Mass, including the Cape. it was a very fun trip!

So, how have things gone in the markets? Quite well actually. Equity markets are at historical highs. Bonds have held steady. Interest rates are largely unchanged. It sure seems time for the Fed to lower rates. The fear that Chmn. Powell has had is that the tariffs Pres. Trump introduced will re-accelerate inflation. There is a danger that could happen, and it’s too early to tell whether they will, but so far they have not. It’s less that 6 months though so vigilance is still the word around here. 

There are reasonable arguments both ways on this, and I won’t bore you with the details but it appears so far that the tariffs have not led to the end of the world as some of us feared. This is likely because the President wisely pulled well back from the extreme approach he initially took. If he had tried to force those extremely high tariffs on other countries, I think the markets would have gone in the opposite direction than they have. I think he figured that out and rapidly changed course. 

Looking forward, markets never go straight up so it seems reasonable that we’ll see a decent size correction sometime in the next 3-4 months. 10 - 15% is my guess. And they are scary when they happen. But this could actually present a good buying opportunity if it happens. So I would keep some powder dry for that probability. 

As I’ve said before, a balanced approach generally works best. I like annuities for a part of your portfolio - they’re guaranteed not to lose money, and they can either pay you for life, or build up in value. And they’re tax deferred! They have a lot of advantages for the right situation, which is what I help people figure out. Where they fit, they’re unbeatable. 

There’s a place for all kinds of investments in your portfolio. Diversification is a sound investing principle. But as we get older, investing conservatively becomes more and more important. Especially in these unprecedented times. 

****************************************************************************

I provide financial advice to individuals in our Abiquiu community at no charge as a way of giving back. If you have questions in that area feel free to contact me. I’ll do the best I can to help you sort through the issues. 

Peter J Nagle
Thoughtful Income Advisory
Abiquiu, NM
505-423-5378 (mobile)
Thoughtfulincome@gmail.com

As I got to know Abiquiu better, I learned about the village and the Pueblo, which I had no idea was as rich, dense, and layered with a story that was formed before this country even became America as we know it. This story is layered with Spanish colonists and Indigenous Tribes, both local and migrating, and part of the vast undertaking that formed New Spain, then New Mexico, a history not to be covered here. I now know that this complicated narrative is a huge part of my family, my story, and the creation of my DNA.

​On a trip to Abiquiu, I learned about the Pueblo de Abiquiu Library and Cultural Center, and I began in-depth research with the extensive records collection there. In time, I got my mom to submit her DNA for analysis, which showed an unsurprising combination of about two-thirds Spanish and one-third Native American. One Abiquiu visit coincided with talks being given on New Mexico genealogy and a specific DNA study of Abiquiu residents, for which I was able to submit my Mom’s DNA. The studies indicate that her mtDNA comes from the Pueblo people, meaning that her earliest known female ancestor on this continent was likely of Pueblo descent.

As it turns out, my family line, originating with the Spanish colonists, spent over 150 years in Abiquiu and surrounding areas in Rio Arriba County. I learned the term Genízaro, as well as how to pronounce it—heˈni zaɾo. Abiquiu is defined as a Genízaro village. Genízaros include individuals from many Native American Tribes enslaved by Spanish colonists or by other Tribes during raids and skirmishes.

​“They are living heirs to Native American slaves. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Native American women and children captured in warfare were bought, converted to Catholicism, taught Spanish and held in servitude by New Mexican families. Ultimately, these nontribal, Hispanicized Indians assimilated into New Mexican society.” (All Things Considered, NPR, 12/29/2016)

The village of Abiquiu is located in Rio Arriba County. In every direction, there is evidence of human habitation and remnants of Indigenous and Pueblo peoples layered and dispersed in the cliffs, the hillsides, and even the village—both ancient and with some modern additions, such as Bode’s General Store and gas station. The ancient pieces of human history constitute an incredible timeline of continuous habitation for unknown millennia, from mesa top agriculture, cliffside pit houses, old Pueblo dwellings, and defensive natural fortress areas used by strong Native warriors to protect themselves from marauding Tribes and later, the Spanish settlers. My ancestors were probably on both sides of these conflicts.

​The Rio Chama runs through the entire area of Abiquiu, alongside US 84, and crosses under it through Barranca. Whenever I have seen the Chama, I have felt a definite yet indefinable emotion. It made more sense when, in the course of my research, I came across a record of a petition for land along the Chama by my great grandfather in the early 1800s. Although I could not find any records of an outcome to the petition, I can only imagine the dire importance of this water to my ancestors and all peoples who lived in these areas since the beginning of human habitation.

Each of us that comes to the Feast Day for our Ancestors is here to learn, accept, forgive, and care for what was important to them. We come to recollect the beauty, understand the loss and sorrow, and protect the land. We come to soothe their collective pain, losing tribe, identity, and children, and fighting in so many wars. Now we are fighting to reclaim our understanding and our identity and to give honor, recognition, and life to those that gave us ours.

Acknowledgments
My inspiration for this work comes from my mom, Estella. My research has greatly benefitted from the scholarly efforts of several individuals who have been pursuing Genízaro history for many years, including Moises Gonzales, Bill Piatt, and Gary Medina Cook, among others. The recent book Slavery in the Southwest: Genizaro Identity, Dignity and the Law by Piatt and Gonzales has been most helpful. Gary Medina Cook’s recent film The Genízaro Experience is a wonderful exploration of Genízaro history and social identity. I also want to thank the Trujillo family and many other folks in Abiquiu for welcoming me. I was blessed to be welcomed to the Santo Tomas feast day by many residents of the Pueblo de Abiquiu. Sharon Garcia, librarian at the El Pueblo de Abiquiu Library & Cultural Center helped me in many ways with my research. Thanks to Paul Reed. Lastly, I want to thank Carmen López, Mayordomo of the St. Thomas Parish, for her permission, compassion, and embrace in reverence for our mutual Ancestors on sacred land in Abiquiu during the feast day ceremonies.

Link to Istara's book on Amazon.

Couresty of NM Fire Info
By SFNFPAO

The 176-acre wildfire is in the Coyote Ranger District

Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) fire managers are planning to actively manage the lightning caused Laguna Fire located in the Coyote Ranger District, 8 miles north of New Mexico State Road 96 and west of the Chama River Canyon Wilderness. Currently, 80 personnel are on the Laguna Wildfire.

The wildfire was first reported Wednesday June 25, 2025, and is burning in an area that has undergone the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process and previously been thinned and treated with prescribed fire. The objectives for the Laguna Wildfire prioritize the safety of firefighters and the public while protecting water quality in watersheds, water systems, and springs by minimizing fire intensity and uncharacteristic severe fire effects.

Fire managers will start firing operations as early as this week with the aim of restoring the ecological process of fire across approximately 13,000 acres of forest land. To conduct a firing operation, firefighters cut away vegetation to make a line of bare soil ahead of a fire and then using aerial and hand ignitions burn the vegetation between that line and the actively burning fire front. “We manage fire-adapted landscapes, and the Laguna Wildfire is an opportunity to create a resilient ecosystem that reduces the future risk of catastrophic severe wildfire to communities,” stated Anthony Madrid, SFNF Deputy Forest Supervisor.

Fire managers evaluate various strategies for managing wildfires caused by lightning. These strategies can range from full suppression to actively managing the wildfire to restore its natural role in the landscape. Decisions regarding wildfire management are influenced by several factors, including firefighter safety, availability of resources, terrain, weather forecast, previous prescribed burns, vegetation management projects in the area, and potential threats to public safety and property.

SFNF leadership is collaborating with local communities, Tribes, and federal, state, and local agencies to reduce wildfire risk for private landowners in the area. There are currently no risks to nearby communities, and no evacuations will be necessary. A closure order for the area surrounding the Laguna Wildfire is expected to be issued for the safety of the public and firefighters.

When firing operations begin, smoke may be visible and impact communities on NM State Road 96 including Gallina and Coyote, and the towns of Abiquiu, Llaves, and Cuba. Motorists are advised to slow down and proceed with caution.
Laguna Wildfire updates will be provided on Inciweb, NM Fire Information, Santa Fe National Forest website, and social media (Facebook and X).

About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.

###

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.