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Image Courtesy of Clyde Duplichan
Image Courtesy of Clyde Duplichan
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February 16, 2024
Weekly Weather
In GratitudeThank you Contributors and Paid SubscribersJohn D
Features
Previous Features
The federal Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing aerial pesticide sprays targeting native grasshopper species between April and July 2024 in the Cebolla area of Rio Arriba County, New Mexico.
With your help, we stopped a similar proposal last year. It's time to do it again. This plan poses a significant threat to the delicate balance of the Rio Chama ecosystem and the health of our communities. The indiscriminate use of these chemicals risks irreversible damage to sensitive habitats, harm to wildlife including pollinators, and impacts to public health. Highly toxic and carcinogenic chemicals should not be sprayed on public lands. Express your opposition to the proposed pesticide sprays by submitting a comment on the Environmental Assessment by February 21, 2024. Learn more and send your comment to APHIS today!
ATTENTION Abiquiu Lake Visitors: Beginning the evening of Thursday, February 22nd, the public boat ramp and parking area will be closed due to construction projects. This closure will remain in effect until the evening of Friday, March 1st. All other recreation areas will remain accessible on their normal schedule. Please be advised closure dates are subject to change.
Courtesy of the Los Alamos Reporter
In 2021, Joaquín identified 25 undocumented Ancestral Puebloan sites on Lab property, including this plastered cavate, which he's working to protect under the National Historic Preservation Act. Photo Courtesy LANL
LANL NEWS RELEASE
Every now and again, Los Alamos National Laboratory archaeologist Joaquín Montoya drives along East Jemez Road in Los Alamos, by the entrance to Elk Ridge Mobile Home Park, and sees his great-grandfather's apricot tree still standing. It offers Joaquín a glimpse into his past when his family had a homestead on what's now current-day Lab property. Joaquín's family occupied the homestead seasonally for nearly 10 years, until the winter of 1942 when the U.S. government secured the land for Project Y, a secret effort to design and build the atomic bomb to help end WWII. Joaquín's great-grandparents gathered their belongings and trekked down the hill. Joaquín remembers hearing family stories of summers spent on the homestead grazing sheep and dryland farming crops. It was likely a respite from the warmer summers at their more permanent residence in La Mesilla, just south of Española, where the Montoya family settled after coming north from Zacatecas, Mexico, during the early Spanish Colonial period in 1600. Joaquín's great-grandfather was compensated for his property, but the government later recognized that he and other Hispanic homesteaders received less for their land than other owners did. In 2004, Congress created a $10 million allocation — the Pajarito Plateau Homesteaders Compensation Fund — to account for the disparity. Joaquín's family was a recipient. "The reaction from my family was positive overall, and I got a little contribution to my college fund," Joaquín says. "For the most part, at least in my immediate family, people were accepting of the acknowledgement that there was finally fair compensation, even if it was years later." Fast forward 80 years and the Montoya lineage is contributing to the Lab's national security mission in a different way. Joaquín joined the Lab's Cultural Resources Program in 2019 to protect culturally significant sites and historical structures, which means the Lab remains compliant and maintains positive relationships with neighboring pueblos while conducting mission-critical work. Each time a new construction project or other ground-disturbing work is proposed, it's entered into the Lab's Integrated Review Tool. If certain criteria are met, Joaquín and his team receive an automated notification. This sets off a review to determine whether the project permit can be fully approved without impact to the sites, approved with conditions or not approved. In upholding the Lab's cultural stewardship commitment, which is codified in part by National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) regulations and a DOE directive, projects don't receive approval or may be required to meet specific conditions if they pose risk of serious damage or destruction to a cultural resource. The NHPA requires federal agencies to "take into account the effects of their undertakings" on sites eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and to consult with potentially affected parties such as the surrounding pueblos, if sites might be impacted. A 2022 directive from DOE takes the commitment to cultural preservation a step further, with an order to prioritize avoidance of sites eligible for the National Register. If avoidance isn't possible, the Lab must minimize adverse effects. Excavation is pursued only as a last resort. "The national security mission of the Lab and the nature of the world we live in means DOE ownership of the land isn't likely to change any time soon," Joaquín says. "So, we need to be good environmental stewards while we're here. Cultural resources are finite, so once they're gone, they're gone. Our goal is to preserve the history and archaeological heritage of the pueblo descendent communities that surround the Lab as best as possible, as well as those of the more recent historic past." In that vein, Joaquín has been working since 2021 on recording 25 previously undocumented Ancestral Puebloan sites, with dozens of cavates and a plethora of artifacts that he identified during a survey of land under consideration for Lab-related activity. Upon completion of the report, he'll submit it to New Mexico's state historic preservation officer. Once the state confirms the sites meet eligibility standards, they can be given legal protections under the National Historic Preservation Act. Unfortunately, Joaquín's family's homestead didn't stay intact like the resources he's working to protect today. Built in 1912, the wood cabin eventually collapsed by natural forces and became a "low mound" — likely not visible to the untrained eye, says fellow Lab archaeologist Ali Livesay. "Sometimes the structure's just too far gone to be restored," Joaquín added. In addition, the DOE directive to avoid excavation of cultural sites didn't yet exist. In 1992, the remains of the Montoya cabin and outhouse were excavated for expansion of a nearby utility line. Serendipitously, Joaquín connected with Lab archaeologists completing the Montoya cabin excavation project while he was attending the 2019 Society for American Archaeology Conference in Albuquerque on behalf of his then-employer, a Santa Fe-based archaeology firm. "I didn't know LANL had an archaeology program, but I saw they had a booth at the conference, which made me curious, so I walked over and casually dropped the story that my family had a homestead there," Joaquín says. "Katie Higgins, the group leader for Environmental Stewardship, took a closer look at my name tag and saw my family name was Montoya, and Sandi Copeland, program lead for Cultural Resources, took me over to Ali who was doing a poster presentation there." Later that year, Joaquín and Ali coordinated a gathering at the homestead with more than 40 members of his extended family — many of whom knew a homestead existed but didn't know exactly where. The connection was also a career catalyst for Joaquín, who'd been working in cultural resource management the past three years and was pursuing a master's degree in archaeology from New Mexico Highlands University. He had received a bachelor's degree in anthropology from the University of New Mexico in 2012. After connecting with the Lab's Cultural Resources Program, he applied for an open position and soon after, came onboard. Joaquín's personal connection to the area no doubt serves as a boon to the Lab's cultural preservation efforts, which facilitate regulatory compliance and good relationships, in addition to an appreciation for other cultures' ways of life. "People have been living here for thousands of years, building tight-knit communities with deep, deep roots to the land, and their descendants are just down the road still living here," Joaquín says. "It's important for people to be aware of the deep connections descendent communities have to the land. Even if that land is closed to public access now, the places of importance haven't been forgotten." Joaquín's drive to be a good neighbor doesn't end with cultural resource management. Since 2008, he's been enlisted in the Army National Guard, and in the summer of 2022, he was dispatched during the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon wildfire, the state's largest and most devastating wildfire on record. He prepared radios used by wildland firefighters and helped local law enforcement issue evacuation notices — a difficult job, Joaquín says. In January 2022, he was deployed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to fill the pandemic-era teacher shortage. For two weeks, he worked as a substitute teacher at a Silver City elementary school, and for another two weeks at Pojoaque High School. Last year, Joaquín also won the Powers Prize, given to young archaeologists who present exceptional research each year at the Pecos Conference. Joaquín presented on his New Mexico Highlands University master's program thesis topic, which involved research on an Ancestral Puebloan site near Pecos. "I see my job here as being committed to resource preservation," Joaquín says. "It's not every day, especially in archaeology, that you get the chance to work in your backyard. It's been a huge opportunity to work here, for multiple reasons," he says. Joaquín thinks of others with ties to the mesa as he strives to preserve the past for them and for newcomers. "To be able to drive by the homestead now and still see the apricot tree, it gives me a sense of connection," Joaquín says. Workshop for Contractors and Small Businesses Scheduled
Zach Behrens
575-758-6303 zachary.behrens@usda.gov fs.usda.gov/carson Taos, N.M., Feb. 8, 2024—Carson National Forest staff are partnering with New Mexico Small Business Development Council (SBDC) and New Mexico APEX Accelerator to host a workshop for contractors and small business owners to learn more about how they can work with the USDA Forest Service and compete for government contracts. The event will be on Feb. 24 in Taos. “Achieving the desired pace and scale of land treatments across the Enchanted Circle Landscape and other parts of the forest will require the support everyone, including the private sector,” said Camino Real District Ranger Michael Lujan. “At the same time, the work can create benefits that flow to local communities in the form of jobs and small business development.” The Enchanted Circle Landscape is one of the focuses of the national Wildfire Crisis Strategy to reduce the risk of wildfire to communities, critical infrastructure and natural resources in the highest-risk parts of the country. Private sector capacity is especially needed for the ongoing Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon and Luna Post-Fire Recovery Project, which is within the landscape. Representatives from the SBDC and APEX Accelerator will cover how their organizations can help contractors and small businesses get ready to compete on bids. Speakers from the Forest Service will go over traditional contracts with the Forest Service and Virtual Incident Procurement, also known as VIPR, a system that can be used to contract out work and equipment for wildfires and prescribed fires. People from all types of businesses are welcome to attend to learn more. The most frequent work related to the Wildfire Crisis Strategy is expected to be in fields related to forestry, thinning/fuels reduction, road construction/maintenance, material supply, contracting and fire response/prescribed fire implementation. A list of more potential vendor categories is on the event flyer. The workshop will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, at UNM Bataan Hall at 120 Civic Plaza Dr. Taos, NM 87571. For questions, the public can call Erika Gonzales at 575-587-2255. For the Birds - Great Backyard Bird Count
Spend time in your favorite places watching birds–then tell us about them! In as little as 15 minutes notice the birds around you. Identify them, count them, and submit them to help scientists better understand and protect birds around the world. If you already use eBird or Merlin, your submissions over the 4 days count towards GBBC.
Connect to Birds, to Nature, and with Each OtherBirds are everywhere, all the time, doing fascinating things. Join us, February 16–19, 2024, when the world comes together for the love of birds. How to Participate Be Part of a Global EventWatch observations roll in from around the world. Each submitted checklist becomes a glowing light on our bird sightings map. Results from 2023 are inspiring. Watch the World Map Light-Up Send your local bird sightings. Email
Area FactoidsDid you know that throughout the late 18th and early 19th centuries, private groups of New Mexicans made periodic trip to Sonora, either to trade or to conduct official business at Arizpe?
~SB
Abiquiu Lake: Fishing for all species was slow when using worms. The boat ramp will be closed periodically until April as part of dam maintenance efforts. Contact the Abiquiu Lake Main Office at 505-685-4371 for updated lake conditions and closure information.
Rio Chama: Streamflow below El Vado Lake Monday morning was 98.8 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiu Lake Monday morning was 52.7 cfs. Please remember, from the river-crossing bridge on U.S. Highway 84 at Abiquiu upstream 7 miles to the base of Abiquiu Dam is special trout waters with a bag limit of only two trout. 
Send us your questions and comments Email
Scene Around TownSend us your local images. Send to AbiquiuNewsImages@gmail.com Please send images under 1mb. My inbox will thank you. ~Carol
Image Courtesy of Tricia Noll
Copper Canyon ~ Image Courtesy of Greg Berg
Art, Music and Books
Free Open Studio/Community Make-Space every Monday from 4-6pm at the Ceramics Room at NNMC in El Rito. Park in the back building of the campus where the Mercado takes place. Bring your own materials. All makers and mediums welcome.
*This is self-directed (not a class). Potters will have use of kiln and wheels. Email janeen.singer@gmail.com 
At Abiquiu Inn
The Locals’ Picks Book List
Zach Hively Casa Urraca Press has created a place for locals in our area to recommend books to each other, and a place to find book suggestions with a personal touch.
Have a book to recommend? Send it to Zach at casaurracaltd@gmail.com – title, author, and the reason you suggest it.
The full Locals’ Picks list is available to view here on Bookshop. A purchase from Casa Urraca's link helps support independent bookstores. Abiquiu’s Casa Urraca Press earns a commission from every shopping trip that starts with the above Bookshop link—you can shop the entire Bookshop site in addition to the locals' picks. Plus, a percentage of every book (at least 10%) goes straight to independent bookstores. This is an opportunity to support small businesses with the same convenience as large online retailers. Abiquiu Book Club
EventsPlease remember, events will go in for a maximum of three Fridays before the event. Send text, word or publisher file and a separate image, please keep images below 1 mb and send to info@abiquiunews.com. Vertical PDFs or JPGs will be edited for space. Send by Wednesday Noon for inclusion in that Friday's News.
We are excited to invite you to Espanola Lowrider Bike Club exhibit at the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art! Immerse yourself in the rich history and culture of the Lowrider community, where creativity and craftsmanship meet.
Join us this Friday at the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art for an open reception showcasing the beautiful artistry and craftsmanship of the Lowrider Bike Club. Don't miss out on this opportunity to appreciate the beauty and significance of cultural expression. Visit the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art and experience the power of embracing culture as a protective factor firsthand. 📍 Museum of the Spanish Colonial Art, 750 Camino Lejo, Santa Fe, NM 87505, February 16 - April 27 
Moving Arts Theater Española
At the corner of NM-68 and Eagle Dr., just north of the Ohkay Owingeh Casino Gas Station POSOLE MIO! Is a fundraiser for the Española Valley Opera Guild that features homemade posole and desserts and a wine and cider cash bar by Black Mesa Winery. Guests will also be able to enter a fun raffle and bid on silent auction items which will include original art and gift certificates to area restaurants and resorts. Entertainment will include live mariachi music by the local band Mariachi Euforia during the food and drink service from 1-2 pm. At 2 pm, guests will move into the theater (no food or drink allowed there) for vocal performances by Baritone Carlos Archuleta, Soprano Christina Martos and their daughter Marina Archuleta, a student at Los Alamos High School, all accompanied by Nathan Salazar. The Pojoaque Valley High School’s girls’ choir, Bella Voce, will then perform under the direction of Devin DeVargas. These vocal performances will be followed by the Moving Art Espanola Folkorico Dancers. The final performance will be 10-year-old soloist, Alani Rae Unzueta who will sing one song accompanied by her father on the piano. The Raffle and Silent Auction winners will then be awarded following the performance. Adults $20 | Children age 12 and under $10 | Free Parking Please pay by cash at the door 
Board members of nonprofits serving Los Alamos and Rio Arriba Counties are encouraged to attend one of three brief and engaging workshops on Purpose Driven Board Leadership. Co-sponsored by the Los Alamos Community Foundation and United Way of Northern New Mexico, the sessions will be repeated in Espanola, Los Alamos and online during the last part of February. Advance registration is required. Lunch will be provided at the in-person sessions.
Led by Board Source Certified Governance Consultant Linley Daly, participants will learn the Four Principles of Purpose-Driven Board Leadership, the duties of the collective board, and the responsibilities of board members. We’ll play a game called “Yours. Mine. Ours” where participants test their knowledge of the board’s responsibilities, staff responsibilities and shared responsibilities. We’ll also digest the importance of fundraising, member expectations forms, and board evaluations. Q&A will follow. Dates, times and registration. Board members are welcome to attend whichever session meets their schedule. The Feb. 22 and 28 workshops are in-person only and the Feb. 27 workshop is online only. There are no hybrid sessions. • February 22, 11:30 am – 1 pm (check-in begins at 11:15) LANL Foundation Offices, 1112 Plaza del Norte, Española • February 27, 4:00 – 5:30 pm Virtual session via Zoom • February 28, 11:30 am – 1 pm (check-in begins at 11:15) SALA Event Center, 2551 Central Ave, Los Alamos To register, go to losalamoscf.org/ticket and select the session you wish to attend. To encourage in-person participation and networking, travel will be reimbursed for those traveling more than 10 miles. Though geared to board members, nonprofit staff and volunteers are welcome to participate. Questions or trouble registering? Email info@losalamoscf.org
Lenten Schedule
Vierrnes de Dolores – Friday, March 22, 2024 Friday 10 AM – Abiquiu – Mass 3 PM - Gallina – Mass 3 PM every Friday of Lent Palm Sunday – Regular Schedule (with Procession where possible) March 24, 2024 8 AM Mass – Abiquiu 10 AM Mass – Youngsville 11:45 AM Mass – Gallina Holy Week Tuesday March 26 12 noon Mass – Abiquiu Wednesday March 27 7:30 AM Mass – Medanales The Sacred Paschal Triduum Thursday March 28 7 PM – Last Supper Mass (washing of the feet) – Abiquiu Followed by Adoration of Blessed Sacrament until Midnight Good Friday March 29 3 PM – The Stations of the Cross – Abiquiu 3:30 PM – Good Friday Service (Passion of the Lord, Veneration of the Cross, Holy Communion) Holy Saturday, March 30 9 PM – Easter Vigil Mass – Abiquiu Easter Sunday March 31 8 AM – Mass -Medanales 10 AM – Mass - Canones 12 noon – Mass - Gallina Announcements and Classes
Our workshops and retreats often go beyond traditional classroom style teaching by creating a space where participants explore in a non-competitive, supportive, and hands-on learning environment.
Mindfulness Based Ethical Living with Dave Smith | February 22-25 Prayerfulness and the Creative Mind with Phoenix Savage | February 22-25 Creating from Body and Soul: The Art of Ensoulment with Cynthia Winton-Henry & Marla Durden | March 18-23 Pysanky: The Art of Ukrainian Egg Decorating with Elizabeth Mesh | March 21-24 Pysanky: The Art of Ukrainian Egg Decorating in One Day with Elizabeth Mesh | March 24 Beginning Southwest Silversmithing/Mementos with Jamie Halpern and Katrina Jameson | March 24-30 Peace by Piece Mosaics with Kathy Thaden | March 24-30 Exploring and Writing Ecopoetry in the Environment with Carrie Nassif | March 24-30 Watercolor Landscapes with Patsy Welch | March 24-30 Meditation in Motion - Mindful Hiking and Movement with Laurie Magoon | March 24-30 Ritual Ceramic Vessels with Barbara Campbell | March 24-30 Hoo Are You? With Raymond VanBuskirk | April 19-21 Soul Journal: Art, Poetry, Prayer, and Prose with Dr. Rosemary Kaszans | April 21-26 The Zen of Stone Carving with Robin Keck | April 21-26 Wilderness First Aid Training with Darien Fernandez | April 22-23 Wilderness First Aid Training with Darien Fernandez | April 24-25 Adobe on the Ranch with Wayne Williams | April 21-26 Birding at Ghost Ranch with Raymond VanBuskirk | May 7-12 Ghost Ranch Bluegrass Camp with Bluegrass Camps West | May 8-12 Bolos and Bluegrass with Jamie Halpern | May 8-12 Hiking the Harmonies with Connie Burkhart | May 8-12 Geology of NM Landscape: Rocks Tell Many Tales with Albert Shultz and Peter Barkmann | May 8-12 Stillpoint: The Spiritual Journey with Stillpoint Staff | May 13-19 Chaco World Excursion with Dr. Martha Yates | June 2-6 Good Courage: Preparing for the End of Life with Annalouiza Armendariz | June 2-6 Sabbath as Life Abundant with Rev. Anita Amstutz | June 24-29 Church Youth Week with Zehnder Bros. | June 23-28 Family Week with Various Instructors | June 30 - July 5 
Join Us for Free Classes. If you have pre-diabetes, diabetes or are a caregiver of someone who is diabetic, join us to learn how to manage diabetes through knowledge and nutrition.
What is Kitchen Creations? A series of four classes on nutrition and cooking for adults with diabetes. What would I learn? How to plan and prepare meals that manage carbs and promote heart health. What would I need to bring? Yourself! We provide a workbook, diabetes cookbooks, and other resources to help you succeed in the classes and at home. If you are participating from a computer, other electronic device, or phone, we will mail your books to you. How much does it cost? It is free to participants through funding from the New Mexico Department of Health, Public Health Division, Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, the American Diabetes Association, and the New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service. Many organizations throughout New Mexico also sponsor Kitchen Creations cooking schools in their communities. |
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Café Abiquiú Specials
Feb 9th-10th Steamed Prince Edward Island Black Mussels in Sofrito White Wine Butter Sauce, Alliums, Herbs, Parmesan and Gilled Toast Points Feb 16th - 17th All February Specials 
Lost and found pets. Pets available for adoption are now listed on our Classifieds page.
Canelo
Canelo is a red-headed cinnamon stick of snaggletooth sweetness. This reverse-vampire is 11lbs, a year old, and he goes home neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and with six months of free heartworm prevention! Walk-in adopters are welcome Monday-Friday 11am-4:30pm. We are open to walk-in adopters 11am-4:30pm: www.espanolahumane.org 505-753-8662 
Majestic
Majestic lives up to his name. This Lion King arrived after his owner passed away and a Good Samaritan cared for him and brought him to us. After some TLC spa treatments to remove fur matting, a pedicure, and to treat an abscess in his eye, Majestic is ready to be your majesty and make your home his throne. Majestic is 12lbs, 4 years old, neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and an absolute purring love muffin of lap cat. We will continue to treat his eye at no cost to his adopters, and a full recovery is expected. We are open to walk-in adopters Monday-Saturday 11am-4:30pm! www.espanolahumane.org 505-753-8662 |
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