Transportation from Taos Coming to Angel Fire August 12, 2019! Represents First Service in Colfax County!

Beginning Monday, August 12, the North Central Regional Transit District (NCRTD) will start a contracted bus transit service between the Village of Angel Fire in Colfax County and the Town of Taos. The new service will be financed by the Village of Angel Fire with financial support from Colfax County and federal grants. Fare-free service on the route will begin with three round-trips per day Monday through Friday and shortly after will include weekends and all holidays.

There will be four regular stops along the route:

• Angel Fire Resort
• US-64 & NM-434 in Angel Fire
• Colfax County Airport in Angel Fire
• Taos County Administration Building in Taos

A fifth stop will be provided weekdays at Moreno Valley High School and Holy Cross Hospital in Taos will be served once each day with return connections provided by the RTD 340 Chile Line Red route.

The Taos County Admin building is the location for an NCRTD transit center providing connections throughout the Town of Taos, Taos County, and to Española and Santa Fe. Angel Fire is a resort community that lies 41 miles east of Taos. The governing body of the resort community approached NCRTD with the interest in providing and funding a route to offer residents of Angel Fire access to services in Taos, students in Taos with access to Angel Fire schools and year-round outdoors enthusiasts with winter snow sports, mountain biking and hiking opportunities at Angel Fire Resort.

With the addition of Angel Fire Resort, the NCRTD will be providing service to four top New Mexico ski areas including Taos Ski Valley, Ski Santa Fe and Red River Ski and Summer Area.

Brochures with the routes and schedule are available at the Angel Fire Chamber of Commerce.

By Jo Mixon

It’s not just the right, courteous thing to do, it is the law.

Why is it that when we get behind the wheel of our cars, we become “other creatures”? We think we Rule the Road. All others are merely using our domain as we shout out profanities, cut other vehicles off, have the need for speed, lose all patience, text while driving, and generally act like spoiled brats. And heaven forbid we allow bicycles to take up our road space.

Well I hate to break Your Majesty’s bubble, but cars and R.V.’s are NOT the only legal vehicles on the road and being rude or downright dangerous to cyclists should stop! I remember years ago when motorcyclists had the same issues with us car royals. New Mexico State law treats bicycles the same as motor vehicles. It is legal for bicyclists to ride in the lane, within 3 foot of the white line, unless other wise marked. (That is pretty much the entire lane.)

Robin May, an avid cyclists recently wrote this on his face book page, “Had a side mirror 6 inches from my shoulder today as well as two oncoming vehicle passes ..dodgy cycling, terrible drivers with wider than vehicle trailers over the white line (remember; by law I am a vehicle and to be given sufficient safe space to the left of the white line regardless of the existence of a viable shoulder or not). I usually try to give space by holding my corridor in a predictable way on or slightly right of the white line.” This post alarmed me. Do you really want to harm someone for traveling on, what you perceive to be your road? The road is not yours, it is not mine, it is ours. And smaller vehicles are vulnerable to our much larger faster vehicles. Once again, bicycles are considered a vehicle by law and they have just as much right to travel on the road as your vehicle does! Passing a bicycle should be done with the same courtesy as passing a car. So why do we use our vehicles as intimidation and try to push them onto the shoulder, into the gravel?

He also wrote, “There are areas in the country where the critical mass of cyclists create an arrogance much like the pedestrian version we all know. “I am going to step out right in front of you and dare you to hit me!” Cyclists like that who ride in areas side by side by side in defiance of logic are assholes. Single file athletes who are legally riding within their 3 foot (left of white line) zone are within their rights and deserve the same courtesy as other vehicles. Thank you for all the folks who pass me every day who give me a wide berth when there is no on coming traffic or at a minimum hug the middle line (cause…there is space when you are aware)! BTW…I know the toot of the horn seems like a friendly warning…but it scares the bejeesus out of rider. Thanks!”

Please take this into consideration in your vehicle. Slow down and move over. Let’s play nice!

By Jo Mixon

Angel Fire Resort

• Monte Verde Lake – Fishing, stand-up paddle boarding and/or pedal-boating on the lake and Euro-bungy & Climbing Wall on the shore. Have a picnic lunch and stroll the easy walking path around the Lake.
• Angel Fire Bike Park – Offers downhill Mountain Biking at the largest Bike Park in the Rocky Mountains. If you have never ridden a Bike Park or are a beginner to downhill riding, take a lesson or a guided ride. Riders will be introduced to elements of bike control through body positioning, braking and cornering on a gentle slope under the guidance of an instructor.
• Angel Fire Resort Mountain Area – Scenic chairlift rides take you to the summit of our mountain at 10,677 feet. Explore one of the hiking trails, play disc golf or pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the valley views. When you are ready to head back, you have the option of either hiking down or riding the chairlift back to the base area.
• Zipline Adventure Tours – You must weigh at least 90 pounds to enjoy the full Adventure Tour, but this summer the resort is offering the Family Flyer – two shorter ziplines for those who weigh 50 pounds or more. For info and pricing click here.
• Angel Fire Tennis Center has six hard courts, including two Pickle Ball courts for use by Resort members, guests and visitors to the Moreno Valley.
• Angel Fire Resort Golf Course -call 575-377-4488 for tee times. Golf Information
• Free Friday Night Concerts in the Park, Beginning June 14, 2019, every Friday night thru August 30th, 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm
• Angel Fire Art + Farmers’ Market – Beginning June 16,every Sunday, thru September 1st, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Around Angel Fire

• Angel Fire Greenbelt Trails: Hiking or biking on one of the Greenbelt trails in the Village of Angel Fire is a free-access system of trails that can be used for cross-country mountain biking, running or even hiking and there are several bike rental shops.
• Eagle Nest Lake State Park is open for shore and boat fishing with events this summer that include Dam tours, music, kite flying, a canoe, kayak and stand-up paddle board races, annual fish-fest, family activities, and more.
• Ongoing and Seasonal Activities/Events in Eagle Nest
• July 4th Annual Activities
• Farmer’s Market – Fridays thru the 1st Friday in September. 575-377-6188

We love our visitors and we truly want you to have a wonderful vacation experience. Please obey the rules to help us to preserve the natural beauty that brings you back year after year to share it with us!

WHERE’S THE CHAMBER CHAIR?

June 3, 2019, the Adventures Begins!

How to Enter to Win the Summer Adventures of the Traveling Chamber Chair Grand Prize of $500.00

Here is all you have to do: SEARCH, SIT, SELFIE, SHARE! It’s That Easy! Anyone over the age of 18 can enter Residents and Visitors! It’s FREE. Enter to win $500.00 Cash Prize

SEARCH – First find the chair at a Chamber Member Business

SIT- Once you find it, Sit in the Chair

SELFIE- Take a photo of yourself in the chair or have someone else take it

SHARE- Upload your photo to the Summer Adventures of the Traveling Chamber Chair Facebook Page with at least one positive sentence about the business who is hosting that week. Tell us what you like!

(Please DO NOT include the name of the business as others are still searching for the chair. Your comments will be a hint. Without the positive statement, your photo will be removed and disqualified)

Link to Upload to Facebook

All summer, you may enter one time per business location. The chair will be traveling to 12 locations throughout the summer.

All photos and positive comments will go into the drawing.

The drawing will be held live, on Facebook, on August 23, 2019.

Who is eligible to enter? Everyone over the age of 18 yrs old. Residents and visitors!

You do not have to be a Chamber member to participate. Group photos are welcome. Be sure to designate the person or group the photo belongs to for an entry into the drawing that week. There may be children under the age of 18 in your photos, but they are not eligible for the grand prize.

Questions? Call 575-377-6353. Happy Hunting!

Did you know as a small business owner you may qualify for Job Training Grant Money to add and train employees to help grow your business?

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
Cabinet Secretary
Alicia J. Keyes
Deputy Secretary Jon Clark
State awards job training grants to 12 companies for 150 jobs

SANTA FE, N.M.- May 23, 2019- The New Mexico Economic Development Department has awarded $1.7 million to assist with job training for 150 workers at 12 companies statewide.

The awards under the Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP) were made at the May 10 meeting of the JTIP Board in Santa Fe. The businesses receiving grants are in Albuquerque, Questa, Red River, Loving, Santa Teresa and Berino. The new jobs are in the areas of manufacturing, engineering, solar installation, claims adjustment, financial oversight, project management, forklift and construction operations. The work of electricians, technicians and interns will also be supported.

The wages for the jobs under the JTIP training grants range from $14 to $40 an hour with a statewide average of $21.70.

JTIP is one of the most generous training incentive programs in the country, reimbursing 50 percent to 75 percent of employee wages for classroom and on-the-job training in new jobs for up to 6 months.

“New Mexico’s job training program remains a powerful tool for businesses that want to grow and expand,” said Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes of the Economic Development Department. “We are grateful to the Legislature for supporting this program and hope to use this money to diversify our economy and create jobs in all corners of the state.”

Four of the companies that qualified for assistance were from the alternative energy sector. Those awards were made to:

Affordable Solar Inc. of Albuquerque, a company that has installed over 2,500 projects in the state, was awarded $218,420 for 22 new trainee positions from engineers to electricians and installers at a wage of $18 to $33 an hour.

Solar Works Energy LLC of Albuquerque, a solar installation company, was awarded almost $80,000 for seven jobs including a PV installer, project manager and electrician at an average wage of $25.27.

NM Solar Group LLC, of Berino, which serves the residential solar market, was awarded $25,000 for one trainee position with a wage of $30 an hour.

KiloNewton LLC of Albuquerque, a technical and engineering analysis firm for the renewable energy industry, was approved for three employees at an average wage of $34.86 and one intern, at $17.50 an hour. The total award was $66,000.

The other companies receiving job training awards are:

Taos Mountain Energy Foods, now headquartered in Questa, N.M. manufactures and sells six flavors of Taos Mountain Energy Bars, was awarded $285,000 for 35 trainees including 10 production workers, at an average wage of $15.40.

3D Glass Solutions Inc. of Albuquerque, a manufacturer focused on photo-definable glass ceramics. The company was approved for $151,000 to train nine employees with an average wage of $33.50.

Banyan Botanicals, an Albuquerque manufacturer with a catalog and online business for the Ayurveda lifestyle, was approved for $71,000 and five trainees at an average wage of $29.45 an hour. The positions include a director of operations, shipping specialist, and a research and development director.

Century Automotive Service Corp., a third-party administrator for fleet vehicles, insurers and dealerships was approved for $117,803 for eight jobs with an average hourly wage of $27.67, including program managers and claims adjusters.

Indica Labs Inc. of Corrales, a digital pathology company was approved for $168,735 for eight jobs and $13,000 for two interns. The average wage for the employees, which includes software engineers, is $35.60, while the intern wage is $20.19.

Red River Brewing Co., was awarded $21,160 for two new trainees with an average wage of $14. The company is the only full-service brewery in Red River.

Sendero Midstream Partners of Loving, which builds natural gas infrastructure in the Loving, N.M. area, was approved for $187,490 for six new job trainees with an average wage of $40.20.

One company Universal Sheets LLC, a manufacturer of corrugated sheets in Santa Teresa, N.M. received $308,000 for 41 new jobs. This was a reauthorization of previously approved funds for jobs that were not created within the approved hiring period due to shipment delays of production equipment.

JTIP dollars are reimbursed to businesses after employee training is completed and reporting requirements are certified by the Economic Development Department.

The Legislature created JTIP, formerly known as the Industrial Development Training Program, or “in plant training,” in 1972. Since then, JTIP has supported the creation of more than 46,000 jobs for New Mexicans in nearly 1,500 businesses across the state.

Eligibility for JTIP funds depends on the company’s business, the role of the new jobs in that business, and the trainees themselves. JTIP eligibility guidelines can be found on the EDD website.

The Economic Development Department has $10 million in JTIP to award for fiscal year 2020.

The JTIP Board meets monthly to consider proposals & amendments from companies. To learn more about JTIP and other EDD programs, visit http://gonm.biz.

Village Council Approval of Fuel Modification Ordinance Amending Title 9, Chapter 7 of the Village code.

At the Village of Angel Fire Council Meeting on May 14, 2019, the village governing body passed, approved, and adopted this amendment with a vote of 3 to 1. (Yay votes: Mayor Pro-Tem Howe, Councilman Larson and Councilman Humbert; Nay vote: Councilman Lanon)

For the full Fuel Modification amended Ordinance click here Agenda Center, download the agenda for May 14, 2019 and scroll to pages 71 thru 80.

There will also be a Wildfire Protection Committee Meeting, Weds. May 22, 1:15 pm – 3:00pm at Village Hall, 3388 Mountain View Blvd. Angel Fire, NM.

The FedEx Express driver has let us know that the supervisor in this area will no longer allow the FedEx driver to pickup your express packages at the Chamber of Commerce. The new driver informed us that his boss said it is not cost efficient to stop by our office every day to check on the pick-up because we do not have an envelope going out everyday.

We at the Chamber are very sorry this is happening again. We have offered this service to the residents of Angel Fire for many years, but without the cooperation of FedEx Express, there is nothing we can do.

Please note this is only FedEx Express. FedEx Ground and UPS Ground are still picking up at the Chamber on a daily basis. Please feel free to drop them off in our foyer.

The Angel Fire Chamber of Commerce will be renting the space next door to the Chamber this summer as a pop-up venue. We have named it Angel Fire Pop-Up Venue.

Do you have Arts, Crafts, or other merchandise you want to sell? Do you want a space to Teach a Workshop, teach a Painting Class or have a Wine Tasting? Maybe you’d like to have a Tea Party or Training on Essentials Oils. Whatever it is you need space for a short time, we can work with you.

Beginning in May the space will be available for 4-day rentals. You may rent it Thursday thru Sunday or Friday thru Monday. Your cost is only $50.00. We will have a calendar, so just come signup. It will be on a first come first serve basis.

What you provide:

1. The product or expertise
2. All of the appropriate certifications and licenses to do business in Angel Fire
3. The manpower
4. Your own advertising

What the Chamber provides:

1. The pop-up secured space for your sale, class, etc.
2. Electricity and internet
3. A calendar of who and what is in the POP Up space in the weekly eBlast, on our Facebook page and on the Calendar of Events page of our website.

Stop by the Chamber to signup!

By Jo Mixon

Activities slow down a little in the Moreno Valley during April and early May. Tourists are not as visible, many locals head for the beach to get a little rest from the seasonal pace we keep, some businesses close to take a breather, do heavy cleaning and regroup for the next season. Now is the time behind the scenes when all of the preparation for what is to come in late spring and summer is at full speed. The weather either cooperates or doesn’t, we don’t mind at all. And although we know there is always a chance of spring snow to come, today the sun is shining.

To kick off the 2019 season, the Angel Fire Golf Course will open on May 15th. Two days later the mountain will resume full service with the opening of the Angel Fire Bike Park, the Chile Express scenic chairlift rides, Zipline Tours, 18-hole Disc Golf on the summit of the mountain, Monte Verde Lake activities and the Olympic Park Tennis and Pickleball Courts. For more information and a complete calendar of activities and chairlift calendar, visit this link, Angel Fire Resort, and then click the Summer tab at the top.

May 4, the National Veterans Wellness and Healing Center begins their monthly Veterans lunches. They are held on the first Saturday of the month welcoming all Veterans to enjoy a free catered lunch.

The Summer Adventures of the Traveling Chamber Chair will take place June 3 to August 23. Someone will win a cash prize of over $250.00. Each week the chair will find it’s way to a different business. It is like a scavenger hunt. To be eligible to win you must find the chair, sit in it, take a selfie and upload it to the Chair’s Facebook page. Then without giving away its location, say something positive about the business.

Balloons Over Angel Fire will take flight on Father’s Day Weekend, June 14 to 17, at the Angel Fire Airport. This year over 40 hot air balloons will take part in the mass ascensions at 7:00 am each morning. Be there early to walk among the balloons as they prepare for take off, visit the vendors on site for coffee, food and merchandise or sign up to crew on a balloon.

Missoula Children’s Theater is back and auditions will be on June 10, followed by a week of rehearsals. Their performance of the Snow Queen will be held on June 15, at Moreno Valley High School. All children are welcome to participate in this annual event, whether a resident or visitor!

Local favorite, Ry Taylor is the opening act for Cool Summer Concerts in the Park on June 14th. Located in Frontier Park, the heart of Angel Fire, the series will be every Friday night from June 14 thru Aug 30. Enjoy live music, Enchanted Circle Brewing Company beer, food vendors and children’s area. Bring your own lawn chairs and blankets to this free family event. (Scroll down for full entertainment line-up.)

The Sunday morning Art + Farmers Market resumes on June 16 and will take place every Sunday morning thru September 1st. (If you would like to participate as a vendor, scroll down for information.)

This year the Annual AAFPO Weekend has moved from the first part of June to June 28 & 29. If you are an Angel Fire homeowner, plan to attend. The AAFPO annual meeting will be on Saturday 29th at the Angel Fire Resort.

Plus, there are so many reasons other than the above events to plan a trip to Angel Fire this summer. Horseback riding with Nancy Burch and Roadrunner Tours is a year-round favorite, attend the interactive Cowboy Evenings Chuckwagon dinners or go on an ATV tour at Bobcat Pass Wilderness Adventures, ride the rapids of the Rio Grande with Far Flung Adventures and New Mexico River Adventures, purchase or rent bikes from the Trailhead Ski & Bike Shop, get all your summer hiking and fishing gear from Mountain Sports of Angel Fire. In July don’t miss Nashville to New Mexico in Eagle Nest, and many more events. In August, Festival Eclectica and Music From Angel Fire Concerts as well as Wine & Wagyu Weekend. All the way into September with the Angel Fire Homebuilders Association Parade of Homes and the Angel Fire Studio Art Tour.

There is something for everyone with plenty of other activities and events filling the summer roster, check it out at Calendar of Events (Events are updated as soon as we are notified) so do not hesitate to make your reservations now. We invite you to come on up for fresh air and fun!

This time of the year in the mountains, it is always fun trying to guess the weather and plan how to dress accordingly. So this morning we checked three different weather websites. It only confounded our confusion and we still do not know what to wear!

We could get rain and/or snow. Both are in the forecast. We could get an inch of snow, we could get 4 to 8 inches of snow, or get your skis back out…we could get 8 to 12 inches of snow. I kid you not! I am sharing all of the forecasts below. Each are reputable weather stations and all disagree greatly about what will happen in Angel Fire tonight. So your guess is as good as mine. And all three could change their mind by the time this is published!

Weather Channel Forecast – For Angel Fire NM April 22, 2019
100% chance of rain/snow: Rain and snow this evening turning to all snow overnight. Low 33.
Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation. 100% Snow accumulating 8 to 12 inches.

National Weather Service – For Angel Fire NM April 22, 2019
Rain showers before midnight, then rain and snow showers likely between midnight and 3:00 am then snow showers likely after 3:00 am. Low around 30.
NE winds 5 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation 80%.
New snow accumulation of around an inch.

AccuWeather – For Angel Fire, NM April 22, 2019
Tonight: Intermittent snow accumulating 4 to 8 inches with a Flash Flood Watch in effect until Tuesday April 23, at 6:00 am

I just put my hummingbird feeders out yesterday. But I don’t think I will put my snow boots away until June! Springtime in the Rockies, got a love it!