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Thursday, October 13, 2005

News Briefs

Telegraph Staff Reports
    Ed Secretary To
    Hold Discussion
    New Mexico Education Secretary Veronica Garcia will host a "Community Conversation on Education" in the Moriarty Municipal Schools District on Oct. 26.
    The conversation will begin at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria at Edgewood Middle School, located on Venus Road off N.M. 344.
    "I believe in the power of conversation and the ability of the community to find lasting solutions," Garcia said in a news release. "Closing the achievement gap and raising expectations for New Mexico's students is vital to growing an educated workforce, capable of competing in the global market. We are creating a partnership of parents, children and schools to make schools work."
    Deputy Secretary Catherine Cross Maple and Assistant Secretary James Ball are scheduled to join Garcia for the community conversation.
    Parents, teachers, students and members of the Moriarty and Edgewood communities are invited to attend and participate in the discussion.
    Due to limited space, those interested in participating should contact Cecilia at 832-5802 to RSVP.
    For more information on the Community Conversations, call the New Mexico Public Education Department at 222-4752 or 476-0393.
    Meeting To Focus
    On Area Plan
    A community meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 20 at Los Vecinos Community Center in Tijeras to consider changes to the draft East Mountain Area Plan 2005.
    The changes were discussed at an Aug. 31 Bernalillo County Planning Commission hearing, when the commission voted to continue the hearing of the draft plan for six months to allow staff to address changes suggested by the community.
    Residents can view a copy of the draft plan at the East Mountain Library in Tijeras or via the Internet at www.bernco.gov.
    Limited copies are available at Bernalillo County Planning on a first-come, first-served basis by calling Miriam Aguilar at 314-0369.
    Written comments may be mailed to be received by Monday so they can be added to the list of suggestions at the meeting. Mail comments to Mari Simbaña, Bernalillo County Planning, 111 Union Square St. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87102.
    After the community meeting, Bernalillo County staff will move forward with a final edit of the draft plan. The revised EMAP 2005 will be available for public review. The document will then be submitted to the CPC for continuance of the hearing.
    For more information, call Simbaña at 314-0350.
    Insurance Rates
    May Now Drop
    A change in insurance industry ratings could mean lower homeowner's insurance rates for residents of the Stanley fire district.
    The district's rating by the Insurance Service Organization improved from a 9/10 rating to a 6-8b rating, Santa Fe County Fire Department Chief Stan Holden announced in a news release.
    The change should result in a reduction in insurance rates, Holden said.
    He credited District Chief Herman Sena and Stanley fire district volunteers for upgrading fire apparatus and equipment and conducting all the necessary training to get the better rating.
    Holden also noted that Entranosa Water & Wastewater Association extended water lines along N.M. 472 and installed hydrants.
    "Cooperation between the fire department and the local water utility makes a huge difference for the community," Holden said in the release.
    The ISO evaluates every component of a fire department's response to a fire, from the moment someone picks up a phone to call 911, through the fire department's arrival and work to extinguish the fire, to salvage and cleanup operations, Holden said. The age, condition and maintenance of fire engines and water tankers, as well as firefighter equipment and training and the availability of water, are evaluated.
    "This is a huge accomplishment for a very rural, volunteer fire district like Stanley to achieve a 6 rating from ISO," Holden said. "I'm very proud of what they've accomplished."
    Legal Workshop
    For Elderly Free
    The Lawyer Referral for the Elderly Program will offer a free legal workshop and clinic at the Moriarty Senior Center on Wednesday.
    The workshop begins at 10 a.m. and will feature a group presentation covering legal issues of particular importance to seniors. A free legal clinic also will be available for seniors to meet one-on-one with an attorney to discuss individual legal issues.
    To schedule a clinic appointment, call Geri Salazar at the Moriarty Senior Center at 832-4425.