Taos has a new theme for 2011 and it all about transformation. Last year the official Town of Taos traveler education theme was " Return to Sacred Places." This idea is taken a step further with "Be Transformed by the Land, Light and Legend of Taos" and merchants, restaurateurs,lodgers, non-profit organizations and event planners are asked to participate.

You can do this by getting your information included in the Town’s promotion and you are also invited to use the new theme in your marketing campaign. Cathy Connelly, public information officer for the Town of Taos, says they'll be actively marketing this content to group tour operators, meeting and retreat planners, individual tourists and more.

Get your listing ready for posting and we’ll have details on where to send them coming up soon.

At this point, Cannon Air Force Base proposes to fly gargantuan C-130 cargo planes and CV-22 Ospreys low to the ground over Taos County. The Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft itself has a controversial history of crashes and fatalities.
But, according to local realtor Albino Martinez, those propeller-driven war machines are just the tip of the spear aimed at Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado.
“Bino” is a retired Air Force Senior Master Sergeant with more than 20 years of service. He says this Low Altitude Tactical Navigation training is likely a Special Ops program. Sound-barrier-breaking jets may not be far behind.

The Penasco Fiestas held late last month were the real thing as they have been for more than 120 years. But, some of the money that changed hands there was not so real. Victor Martinez, owner of Victor’s Drive-In Restaurant, got a twenty-dollar bill he really didn’t need and carnival workers took in more than a few fake twenties.

People’s Bank Assistant Manager Dani Kesson knows a phony when she sees one, but this paper is hard to spot. You better keep your eyes peeled when someone starts peeling off twenties to give you.

If you want to know what real money looks like and how to spot counterfeits, check out the details of real dollars, fives, tens, twenties, fifties, and so on, go to the source. Check out the federal government’s description of various security features found on real money. Go online to: http://www.newmoney.gov

And don’t take any wooden nickels, either.

Even District Judge Sam Sanchez of Taos has admitted he shouldn’t have charged more than 30 Pueblo members with contempt. They objected forcefully to his sentencing decision and he sent them to jail last November. The Supreme Court intervened then and released them.

According to KRQE Channel 13 reporting from Santa Fe, Sanchez was facing suspension without pay, but the Supreme Court needs him on the job. His Taos court is one of the busiest in the State and, if suspended, the wheels of justice in Northern New Mexico would slow down considerably.

Robert Quintana would not have missed this weekend’s Gay Pride Taos events if he could have helped it. He led the effort to bring more acceptance for gay people in Taos and his friends have kept on preparing for the events.

The party starts tonight at 7pm with the Gayla La tonight at the Anglada Building on Kit Carson Road with a Pride coronation and dancing. Cost is $10.

On Saturday, Kit Carson Park goes gay with fashion, food and music from 10am to 5pm. Later Saturday, Taos Plaza lights up with a candlelight vigil at 8pm. After that, an after-party at Café Tazza on Kit Carson Road.

Sunday features an 8am Dyke Hike at Devisadaro Trail in Taos Canyon, a 2pm secret singles event you can find out about on Facebook, and a 7pm drag show and movie at the TCA.

Governor Bill Richardson is all over town today, Wednesday, August 18th. First, he is scheduled for the Taos Plaza at 12:30 to announce stimulus funds for the region. Then, at 2pm, the Governor is expected at the ribbon cutting for the Grand Opening of The Taos Clinic for Children and Youth, next to Holy Cross Hospital.

Although the building was completed in a matter of months, it took $1 million of the Governor’s discretionary funds, $100,000 of Representative Bobby Gonzales’ discretionary funds and a lot of hard work. The Town, the Chamber, the Hospital, local pediatricians, Christopher Madrid, Don Francisco Trujillo and many others pushed for five years to make the clinic a reality. It’s already open and working to serve nearly 20,000 children and youth within its reach.

If you’ve been asking, “Where’s my stimulus money?” Governor Richardson may have an answer for you tomorrow. He’ll be in town tomorrow at the Taos Plaza at 12:30 PM.  He brings some good economic development news for Northern New Mexico from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

And, while he’s in town, you could show him something the community worked hard for and got done. The Governor will be at the 2pm Grand Opening of the Taos Clinic for Children and Youth, right next to Holy Cross Hospital on Weimer Road.

Before buckling down to the realities of UNM-Taos classes starting on August 23rd, the college buckled down to legislative realities this week. Having already suffered cuts due to the State’s budget shortfall, UNM-Taos wants State legislators to understand what the institution means to Northern New Mexico. They went all-out for a three-day visit from members of the Legislative Finance Committee who will have a say in where any future educational cuts will be made.

UNM-Taos Director Dr. Kate O’Neill organized her forces for three days of presentations and discussions with the legislators. Many of them come from distant parts of the State and had rarely visited Taos, let alone the Klauer campus. Last night’s activities included a tour of UNM’s Harwood Museum of Art and a bit of a soiree. Dr. O’Neill reports that her guests are now much more knowledgeable about (and hopefully more financially friendly toward) UNM’s unique Taos branch.

This area’s Senator Cisneros and Representative Bobby Gonzales always fight hard for UNM, but the school wants more lawmakers on their side. One good man to have on your side is Henry Kiki Saavedra who represents Bernalillo and Valencia Counties. Besides serving now on the Legislative Finance Committee, he also chairs the Appropriations and Finance Committee. He’s impressed.

Sometime around 8:30 last night, a small touring plane didn’t quite make it back to the Taos Airport and crash-landed in a brush field just north of the runway. New Mexico State Police and federal agencies are investigating and details are forthcoming.

Your Northern New Mexico Newsroom crew was at the scene and spoke with first-responder Fire Chief Jim Fambro. The Chief found the as-yet-unnamed pilot and three passengers unhurt. The airplane almost made it unhurt, too, but tipped forward after landing and collapsed the front landing gear. All-in-all, the pilot thought it was a pretty good landing. Any landing like that you can walk away from is indeed a pretty good landing.

Listen below to Taos Fire Chief Jim Fambros' account of the events.

The Town of Taos is committed to the promotion of Fairtrade certified goods and they want people to be able to find them. Fair Trade means products that meet certain environmental, labour and developmental standards. Taos, an official Fair Trade Town, has authorized a directory of merchants offering fair trade products. If you’re into fair trade, call Katie Thomas at 575-758-1256, email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit the website: www.taosmoxie.com