Aug/Sep 2009 TheEssence_Vol2_Iss5_Final

the Essence

of Los Alamos and White Rock

The Frolic

A Different Kind of Tuff Rider

by Angie Chipera & Lynn Strauss

Business Essence The Languages of Love at Bilingual Montessori

by Christel Hanson

Essential Person Christina Sierk

by Lynn Strauss

Los Alamos Insight Wildlife

by Mandy Marksteiner

Arts & Culture Find it @ the Library

by Katy Korkos

Community Matters Take the 3/50 Challenge

Calendar Of Events August and September

August/September 2009, Volume 2, Issue 5

Paint Brushes

Pastel Paints for Art Class Renovated classroom at a local school

Now you can support needed schools improvements every time you buy school or Art Supplies, and other educational tools with the Locals Care program. With Locals Care, the non-profit of your choice receives a percentage of your purchase every time you shop at participating local businesses. For more information, visit localscareLA.com.

Participating Merchants Bella Cosa Flowers & Gifts Blue Window Bistro Cook’n In Style Don Taylor’s Photography Home Run Pizza-Los Alamos Los Alamos Chiropractic Los Alamos Home Improvement/Ace Hardware Ruby K’s Bagel Café The CoffeeHouse Cafe (home of The Coffee Booth) The Finishing Touch *Village Arts

LOS ALAMOS

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Essence August/September 2009

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Essence

August/September 2009 6 The Frolic

A Different Kind of Tuff Rider

by Angie Chipera & Lynn Strauss

10 The Business Essence

The Languages of Love at Bilingual Montessori

by Christel Hanson

12 The Essential Person Christina Sierk

by Lynn Strauss

16 Los Alamos Insight Wildlife

by Mandy Marksteiner

18 Arts & Culture Find it @ the Library

by Katy Korkos

20 Community Matters Take the 3/50 Challenge

22 Calendar Of Events August and September

About the cover: Los Alamos from 12,300’ Photo by Richard B. (Mouser) Williams

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Essence August/September 2009

Editor’s Note A popular question is posed at the beginning of each school year. “What did you do this summer?” School children usually pick out the fun and exciting things that they did. I would be interested to compare their parent’s answers. For this we will be running a special feature “What did you do this summer Los Alamos?” in the next issue of The Essence. We invite you to share your stories and pictures with the community. Our middle section will be entirely devoted to these stories from adults, children, and even pets. We are looking for all stories from extravagant vacations to just sitting watching the ducks at Ashley Pond. Stories should be no more than four sentences.

In this issue of The Essence Tuff Riders: they are more than just a mountain biking club. Angie and Lynn explore the trails that the Tuff Riders ride on and fix? Yes, they provide more to the community than just organizing rides. I walk these trails and see the work that is done to maintain them. It is great to see this organization taking on the upkeep of one of our county’s majestic resources.

Christel Hansen attends a day at Bilingual Montessori. Her account of the interactions between students and teachers is truly touching. Having children of my own I nearly shed a tear.

Lynn Strauss sits down with Christina (Chris) Sierk. Chris was instrumental in the development of Little Forest Playschool. Chris explains how she became involved as a parent and eventually became the director. Learning through play is a great concept that is very important in growing up. My daughter was so prepared for school after attending Little Forest Playschool; she treated her first day of school like no big deal. Hopefully it was not too obvious to the teachers that it was harder on her parents.

Libraries are just for reading books. Right? Katy Korkos proves this statement wrong as she navigates to the top floor of the library. She finds art and learns more about other activities put on by the library in the realm of art.

The old adage is true when it comes to the library “Never judge a book by its cover.”

Lions, tigers and bears! Oh my! Living so close to nature we are often visited by wildlife. Whether it is a bird, a bee or a bear, our natural neighbors are closer than you think. Mandy Marksteiner gives us some tips on keeping wildlife (bears in particular) at bay. She also shares the importance of keeping wildlife not dependant on human trash as a source of food.

We look forward to seeing your summer stories. Please email pictures and stories to my email address listed below.

Jeremy Varela, Managing Editor jvarela@losalamos.org Los Alamos Commerce & Development Corp.

Events & Marketing Coordinator LA MainStreet Manager p: 505.661.4844 f: 505.662.8399

Check out what’s happening in Los Alamos!!

LAmainstreet.com fyiLA.com

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Essence Jeremy Varela Managing Editor

Claire Roybal Ads Coordinator

Katy Korkos, Chelo Rojas Writer/Content Editor

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Online relocation guide

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Stay informed about projects around Los Alamos County!

Visit www.losalamosnm.us and click on “Newsletters Subscribe” for updates on projects: Diamond Phase III Judicial-Police/Jail Complex Airport Basin Site Animal Shelter and more!

Questions? Call Los Alamos County Public Works at 662-8150.

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The Frolic

A Different Kind of Tuff Rider

By Angie Chipera & Lynn Strauss

ith a foot to the pedal, you push off. The loose dirt grabs your bicycle wheels, challenging your sense of daring. Although the trail and you have met before on a hike, it’s a new game. The wind cools and dries your face as you move down the trail. Wildflowers fly by, a smudge of color. Trees and bushes reach out like a relay runner handing off a baton.

Second gear, now third. Soon you’re at full speed and ready for anything. Or are you? Loose soil gives way to sand. Bumps grow into rocks. You and your bicycle are airborne for a moment before being thrown back to the ground near a tuft of native wild grass. Downhill, uphill, across a ditch or small stream of runoff from the earlier rain. Boulders, sharp turns, slippery mud. You gear up or down, maybe even walk your bicycle for awhile. Inch by inch, mile by mile, you conquer the trail. You’re a Tuff Rider.

These sorts of conditions are exactly what members of the Tuff Riders experience, whether they are a novice or an expert, youth or adult. Every time they ride the mountain biking trails in our area, they know it’ll be different from the last. Weather changes everything, except the rider’s desire to travel farther, see over the next rise, or improve their skills. “There is a lot of love of the outdoors here,” says Christina Nelson, president of the Los Alamos Tuff Riders.

“That’s why so many of us love to live here.”

The Tuff Riders became an official entity in 1994.

Gabriela Lopez Escobedo was one of the people that started the club back in 1994. She says, “We started

the club because we wanted to ensure the trails around Los Alamos would stay open to mountain bikes. There was a movement back then to close some of the trails to bikes. We wanted to work with the land management organizations doing trail work, showing them that mountain bikers are responsible users.”

After the Cerro Grande Fire in 2000, the club brought the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) to town to hold a series of trail building workshops, and land management officials and trail users from all of Northern New Mexico participated.

“We started the club to educate mountain bikers about riding etiquette, and to have a way for people new to the sport to learn about riding techniques, the local trails, and bike maintenance and safety,” says Escobedo.

“The Tuff Riders have helped build and maintain miles of single track in the area (mostly in Los Alamos County), given away hundreds of helmets to kids and promoted bicycle safety in our community over the last 15 years,” she says.

“Riding on trails that one has built or maintained gives a different appreciation of their value,” says Escobedo. “And, I’ve met really great people.”

“Our purpose is to have fun and ride, but also to encourage and promote mountain biking as a form of entertainment and fitness,” says Nelson. “We also want to break down the stereotypes of mountain bikers being fast, disrespectful trail users. So we do a lot of member education and coordinate our efforts with other outdoor groups such as IMBA and the Sierra Club.”

Nelson compares the relationship between mountain bikers and hikers to the relationship between snowboarders and skiers. “Like any group there are certain people who are not exemplary, but we haven’t had problems here.”

They chose “Tuff” instead of “Tough” because they’re riding on the Bandelier Tuff, the name given to the volcanic ash that caps the Pajarito Plateau.

Their goal was to sponsor weekly rides on Thursday nights, weather permitting, and to help maintain the existing trails. Now they have scheduled rides on Tuesdays and Thursdays, sometimes Saturdays. Still, they make time to foster proper trail use, trail riding etiquette, trail building and maintenance, and good mountain biking skills.

Tuesday nights anyone can ride, but it’s the starting place for beginners. There are no official teachers; some members are willing to ride at a slower pace and help new riders. More experienced riders share information about biking safety, repair tools, patch kits, and helmets.

The club also hosts one weekend ride each month during the summer, and occasional off-season rides whenever a member wants to host one. For example, a recent ride for beginners and advanced beginners started at Graduation Flats in the Jemez and went up to Obsidian Ridge. Nelson says the ride is on an old dirt road and double track, going east from Ponderosa Pine forest and down to Pinon Juniper forest to a viewpoint over the canyons of Bandelier. (continued on page 8)

©

fyi —there are hundreds of clubs and organizations in Los Alamos County whose members are happy to share their passions with everyone. You can find clubs of quilters, mountaineers, table tennis aficionados, flute players, model airplane enthusiasts, dog trainers or just about anything else you can think of here. Stop by the Chamber of Commerce/Visitor Center to pick up a copy of our “Clubs and Organizations” handout!

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Tuff Riders (continued from page 6)

Occasionally, the Tuff Riders have clinics on bike maintenance and basic riding techniques, where they’ll talk about such topics as adjusting the bike for the best fit, biking attire, how to handle curves in the trail, riding over small logs, navigating rocks, traffic etiquette, and when to leave the trail. Most of the time, though, riders learn by following a more experienced bicyclist and mimicking what they do.

And practicing, practicing, practicing.

Riders slip, riders fall, but riders always wear a helmet. According to Rick Kelley, a former officer, no one is allowed to ride without a helmet because even experienced riders have mishaps. He remembers a time out on a trail when his new bike broke in half.

He wasn’t critically injured but he was hurt in the fall.

Stitches, sprains, and bruises are common but it’s not unheard of to break a rib.

Was riding the trails still worth it for Rick after that bad fall? Absolutely. Riders are also encouraged to stay with the group. If you have an equipment failure or mishap, someone in the group always has a tool kit or spare parts. Or a first aid kit. Club rules are strict for a reason: they don’t want to be looking for lost people after dark. Lots of friendships are formed in the club as riders support each other in getting out riding, encouraging each other to keep going when it gets tough, and just having fun together, according to Nelson. “It helps improve your biking skills by riding

with someone with a more advanced skill level, just like in skiing.”

The Tuff Riders do not compete as a group, although some of their members enter events such as the Pajarito Punishment. All Tuff Riders bike at their own pace and level of ability. They meet at Sullivan Field, ready to ride, and break into three groups, beginner, intermediate, and advanced, each with a separate trail to follow that evening. Rides can be tough if the rider decides to challenge himself.

Usually though, riders are encouraged to stay within their skill level or athletic ability, because the more difficult rides can be rocky and steep, with drop-offs, sharp turns, and many logs to ride over.

From the beginning, the Tuff Riders have been devoted to serving the community. They’ve worked with the Forest Service, Los Alamos County and Bandelier to build and maintain existing trails as well as develop new ones. When they receive a report of deterioration on a trail they often hike in on a Saturday, carrying their Pulaski, McLeod and other trail grooming tools, and go to work. “Our biggest contribution to the community is the trail maintenance work we do once a month during the summer,” says Nelson. The group works under the supervisions of Los Alamos County Open Space and Trail Specialist Craig Martin and the Sierra Club volunteers join in to work on larger sections of trail.

They also work with The National Forest Service to help with trails outside the county.

“What I like about the Tuff Riders is that they

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Essence August/September 2009

show an interest in doing the job right,” says Martin.

“They are very eager to help create sustainable trails – ones that shed water, don’t create erosion problems, and are suitable for hikers, runners, and equestrians.”

They’ve also been working with the Ski Club to further develop a network of the trails on Pajarito Mountain and put up directional signs that are as clear about the level of difficulty for bicyclists as they are for skiers.

In addition, for the past 10 years the group has been helping fit bike helmets for children at the Heart Council’s annual Health Fair. They have also volunteered with the Pajarito Punishment, a local mountain bike race hosted by the Ski Hill that is part of the national racing circuit.

Founder Escobedo says, “For me, it’s been lots of fun teaching new riders about mountain biking, and I have learned a lot about new trails and riding.”

At year’s end, they have a winter party where they give out comic awards, such as worst crash, best road rash, most improved or worst equipment failure. Last year’s winners give up their award to this year’s winner. Rick Kelley says, “If you don’t have enough bruises you’re not trying hard enough. “

For a nominal fee, you can join the Tuff Riders, a great group of people on a great ride, with a mission to serve earth, man, and community while having fun. For other information, check their website at http://tuffriders.losalamos.com

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Bilingual Montessori School

We have been selected by Los Alamos Small Business Development Center "The 2008 Success Client"

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Ages: 6 weeks—6 years

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The Business Essence The Languages of Love at Bilingual Montessori

By Christel Hanson

sshhh, Abuelita’s here!” Fifteen children, aged three to six years, find their places around a blue rug and prepare to listen to stories within Bilingual Montessori School.

Martha Tibboel, a volunteer who connected with Bilingual Montessori via the Senior Center, doesn’t speak Spanish. None of her grandchildren live in New Mexico. But she is known as abuelita (“little grandmother”) to the children of Bilingual Montessori where she reads once a week.

“Many of these kids don’t have grandparents nearby; some of them have never seen a grandparent.

They love her,” says Odalys González Fernández, the owner of (and a teacher at) Bilingual Montessori.

The fifteen children pay close attention to Abuelita as she reads to them from “the God Book,” a picture Bible for toddlers.

“If I don’t bring this,” she says, “they ask me where it is.” Besides hearing the Bible stories, they listen to a story about a mouse that gets into the people’s crackers, spills their milk, and gets into …

“Trouble!” pipes one little voice.

Afterwards, the children say, “Gracias, Abuelita!” in unison, and she bids them “adios,” telling them, “I love you!”

Next, Abuelita walks through a nursery of quiet babies and into the room beyond, where she is greeted by tiny twin girls wearing matching “I love Elmo” t-shirts. There she reads to the toddler class, who remain remarkably still despite the fact that they are all under the age of three.

Currently, Bilingual Montessori offers three classes—the aforementioned two and a nursery.

However, although they’ve been open little more than a year, they are already expanding to five classes, starting in the fall. Those classes, which will be divided by age range starting from six-week old babies to 6 year-olds, are already full. Attendance is increasing from 36 to approximately 56 children; they also have 11 staff members.

Those numbers don’t include all those who come to Bilingual Montessori to give presentations to the children. Presenters have included a local veterinarian who brought his dogs; Dr. Storkan, a local chiropractor; recycling center personnel; and firemen who taught the children to stop, drop, and roll … and were spotted playing on the school’s playground after their presentation.

One of their most recent visitors was “Zoo to You,” a program of the Rio Grande Zoo that’s manned by volunteers. “It was fantastic,” says Ingeborg McDaniel, the school’s Office Administrator.

The large number of presentations is part of the hands-on philosophy of Montessori schools, which is complemented at Bilingual Montessori by numerous field trips.

“We want to take advantage of all the community has to offer,” says Fernández. The school has visited the Bradbury Science Museum, toured the Monitor, made their own pizzas, and attended the Farmer’s Market where, “We get honey sticks!” one toothless grinner exclaims.

“We try to help local businesses here,” says Fernández of their philosophy of introducing the children to places around town. They often use the bus system and eat at local restaurants. They use Los Alamos Public School buses for longer field trips, with the children buckled into special car seats. In keeping with their community-minded spirit, they often share buses, trips, and teacher training with Sage Montessori.

Bilingual Montessori is one of at least six Montessori schools in the Los Alamos/White Rock community, but it is the only one in Northern New Mexico that offers a bilingual education: the school is conducted in both English and Spanish. There is always at least one Spanish-speaking instructor per class, and hands-on activities in the room facilitate learning in both Spanish and English.

“I love it and it meets a need in the community,” says Fernández of why she started this business.

According to Fernández, Spanish is overwhelmingly the second language spoken in the United States.

Surprisingly, most of her students don’t come from Spanish/English bilingual families. Some do, but many are children of parents who only speak English or who are bilingual in another language entirely and want to expose their children to a third language.

“We have parents from Germany, Spain, Puerto Rico, and Romania,” Fernández and McDaniel tell me.

They also have teachers from a variety of Spanishspeaking countries, including Spain, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Argentina, and they’re sensitive to the fact that the Spanish language varies somewhat from country to country. They commission teachers or parents who visit their native countries to bring back educational materials for children so that they can accommodate differences within the Spanish language.

This attention to detail shows in every aspect of Bilingual Montessori’s method: tuition includes gymnastics, yoga, and infant massages during the school year. The children have Backwards Day and Pajama Day and go the pool every other week.

Fernández is actively trying to recruit volunteers to teach music and carpentry, “anything the children haven’t experienced,” she says.

The students studied Spain in June and then performed a flamenco dance for parents. During July they are learning about Mexico, and in August they will take on Argentina.

Although much of the students’ learning is hands-on and largely self-directed, “I am strict,” says Fernández.

“I don’t have a lot of rules, but the ones I have—” she makes a motion indicating that those few rules are firm. “Grace and courtesy are big here, and make it fun. The kids like it and they feel safe,” she says.

The school takes almost as much care of the parents as they do of the children. They take pictures of the children and send them to the parents each day. At the end of the child’s tenure at the school, the

fyi —Montessori education is highly valued by the Los Alamos community, which consistently tops national lists for “The Best Educated Community”. Check out all the Montessori schools in town for the perfect fit for your child.

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pictures are compiled and given to the parents on CD as a parting gift.

“We always encourage the parents to come in,” says Fernández. Mothers are welcomed to come and breast-feed infants and some parents eat lunch with their child. For those that can’t stop by during the day, Fernández and McDaniel are looking into the possibility of putting secure cameras in each room so that parents could log in with a password and see their child.

“Sometimes they leave and their child is crying; they don’t know that a few minutes later their child is happy and playing,” says Fernández, her face concerned.

It isn’t hard to see why Bilingual Montessori was selected by the Los Alamos Small Business Development Center as a “2008 Success Client.” In addition, the school has earned a rigorous three-star rating from the state’s licensing entity.

“Our goal is for five,” Fernández tells me. McDaniel explains that the regulations take time to comply with, and due to the specialized nature of the regulators’ inspections, “the State is very slow.”

But a three star rating and huge student demand aren’t the most impressive things about Bilingual Montessori.

Most compelling is the way that Fernández sweeps through the nursery, holding a baby and exclaiming over how much she’s grown, with mingled delight and grief over the swift flight of youth. It’s the fact that Fernández, who’s been teaching for 23 years, now instructs the children of former students. It’s the numerous hugs and kisses bestowed on little heads by the teachers. It’s the happy faces of children as they eat grapes for snack.

It’s the “I love you,” Abuelita bestows on each class as she quietly gives up her time to model what Bilingual Montessori is about: that love looks the same in any language.

For more information on Bilingual Montessori School or to volunteer, the school has an extensive website at: http://www.bilingualmontessorischool.com

The Chamber Golf Tournament

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Essence August/September 2009

11

The Essential Person

Christina Sierk

By Lynn Strauss

hris Sierk was 8 months pregnant with her first child when her husband Arnold started a post-doc position at the Lab and they moved to Los Alamos. It was 1972. As they settled in and grew their family over the next several years, Chris became very involved in the community.

“Family has always been central to my life, everything revolved around that,” she says. “A lot of my work in the community evolved from there.”

It started when her children were little. Chris had put her teaching career on hold. She says, “In 1977, when Mike 4 years old and Brian 2, friends said ‘you have to take your kids to the AAUW playschool!”

Playschool was later renamed Little Forest Playschool, but at the time, it was operated by the American Association of University Women (AAUW). Chris was a member and soon began to get involved in the activities and fundraisers, eventually serving on the board as the liaison between AAUW and LFP. Her youngest child, Kim, finished LFP in 1984 and Chris continued to help LFP as the two organizations agreed to separate so that LFP could be an independent nonprofit organization. In 1987 Chris served on the committee that helped write the bylaws and policies and procedures for the new organization.

Slowly Chris returned to work part time, first doing in-home childcare, then working for a children’s book distributor, then as a bookkeeper for an accountant. She had training in early childhood education and before coming to Los Alamos had taught pre-kindergarten and second and third grade. She also had experience doing budgets, facilities management, and payroll. So in 1990 when the Business Manager position opened up at the Playschool, Chris applied. But instead of being offered the job, she was offered the directorship.

“Everything came together,” she says. “All my life I’ve been passionate about how we raise children in this country to make them happy, productive adults.

I had all the right qualifications and experience to meet the requirements for the job.”

As soon she looked at the books and found that funds were low and savings had dwindled, she focused on the budget.

“I was really lucky that we had a strong core group of teachers,” Chris recalls. “That fall I told them, either we can buy supplies or you can get paid, but not both. A lot had fallen through the cracks, and been overlooked. Slowly, with the help of the staff we got back on track.”

12

She saw the job as part of her lifetime passion for child advocacy, and her volunteer work took child advocacy work to the school district level when she began volunteering on the Los Alamos School Board, in addition to volunteering in her children’s classrooms.

Chris’ community work continued as her children went through school. “I was always volunteering in the schools, in the classroom, the PTO, on committees, and the School board,” she says.

“The School Board was an interesting experience and a lot of work. They say you can’t please all the people

“It’s important that the schools are there to support parents,” she says. “A lot of our job as educators is to provide the opportunity for parent education.” Parent support at Little Forest included two parent programs a year and a parent library.

“There were lots of things to like about the job at Little Forest,” Chris says. “I loved spending time with preschool children, they’re fun and interesting.

And I was lucky to work with dedicated people, and I enjoyed the parents. I really valued building that relationship of trust with parents.”

By 2004 when Chris retired from Little Forest to help care for her aging father, Little Forest enrollment was at capacity, there was a big surplus in the bank, two of the four classrooms had been renovated and the $250,000 loan for the renovation was paid off.

“I never could have done all the things that I did if not for having an amazingly supportive husband,” she says. “He always believed I should be doing whatever I wanted, and he was always there to take care of the kids when I had evening meetings.”

Over the years of her career and community life in Los Alamos, Chris says she most enjoyed the people she got to know. “The board members, the State School Board Association, and learning about the issues and problems in other districts,” she says.

“Getting to know the teachers—they’re so dedicated to teaching and education—that was the best.”

all the time. The key was to keep in mind what is the best interest of the students, and that’s not always straightforward.”

During Chris’ tenure at Little Forest, the school made a lot of changes in the facility but the core philosophy was always the same, learning through play. Enrollment grew, and Little Forest had waiting lists for every age group. Parents respected and admired Chris’ management style, and came to her with complaints, concerns and problems.

Chris says the most important thing she did was raise her three kids with her husband. Now Arnie and Chris have been married 41 years. Their children are grown, and they have four grandchildren. Her challenges now are more personal than professional.

Her father passed away in April, after a long illness, and her son Brian is awaiting a kidney transplant.

Chris continues to be dedicated to being there for her family, and Los Alamos continues to benefit from her many contributions.

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Essence August/September 2009

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the Essence

of Los Alamos and White Rock

COMING SOON!

“What did you do this summer?”

Next issues special feature. Please submit brief stories and pictures to jvarela@losalamos.org.

Read editor’s note for more information.

Skip Wecksung

Photo credit: Skip Wecksung

14

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Essence August/September 2009

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Skip Wecksung

Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday celebrated all over the world that resulted from the labour union movement, to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers.

The celebration of Labour Day has its origins in the Eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.

www.losalamoschamber.com

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Essence August/September 2009

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Los Alamos Insight

Wildlife

ast week, when I was reading late at night by lamplight, I thought I saw something go by my window. Something huge. I wanted to turn on the outside light to see what it was, but I was too afraid to get that close to the window. So instead I spent the next hour convincing myself that it was just my imagination. But it was so real.

Later, in bed, we heard more noises. There was a bear outside!

Our garbage can was on its side, and the bear had left. We could hear, one by one, every dog on our street start to bark until, we figured, the bear was all the way to Diamond Drive.

Hours later and they were back. This time we watched the bear with thick brown fur and huge shoulders eat the huge smelly can of Ranch Beans that we had thrown away the day before and a little dog was chasing another bear who was walking down the middle of the street.

My neighbors didn’t see the bears, but they knew they were there. Garbage cans were knocked down, someone found bear poop in their window well, and a cat refused to come down from the roof.

The next night I heard the barking dogs down the road, and soon could feel the presence of the bear. I heard the wind pushing in and out of her snout, the crunch of rocks under her paws, and the garbage can smacking onto its side.

It was the day before garbage day, and I had just cleaned Goldfish, and a half-eaten bag of kettle corn off the floor underneath the car seat. The bear crouched in the shadow of the can, munching, and looked up as if to say, “Very tasty.”

Then she walked down the street, lazy and unconcerned with whether anyone saw her, and disappeared into the tall grass. I waited by the window, staring at the amber half moon sitting low in the sky. I could hear so many other sounds, woodpeckers, crickets, dogs and cars, but my ears were locked on the snuffling sound of the bear.

The next day I called a local game and fish officer who told me that they’ve caught five bears in the past two or three weeks and brought them into the Jemez and there are at least two bears left. So far no people or bears have been hurt.

The bears that come into town are usually young, 2–3 years old, and trying to establish their own territories; they are attracted by people and their trash.

The problem is that if they get used to having people around they become “trash bears” and may not be able to survive in the wild.

People in Los Alamos tend to disagree about how to deal with them. Some think that they should be removed immediately, and others think that people should take better care of their yards so that the bears don’t come in the first place.

by Mandy Marksteiner

The idea is to not let the bear get comfortable.

Generally, if there is nothing to eat, the bear won’t stay. Their sense of smell and hearing is so much better than ours that if it’s annoying to us it will be annoying to them too. If you have bears in your yard here are some ways to deter them:

y

• Bang pots and pans

• Use bear spray so that the bear won’t come back.

• If you cook or bake, close the window afterwards.

• If you have fruit trees pick the

fruit early and get it out of the yard.

• Bears are attracted to suet bars and

sweet water hummingbird feeders.

Don’t leave these things out at night.

If you have a bear in your yard, call animal control at 662-8222.

fyi—

the Pajarito Environmental Education Center is a great place to turn when you’re looking for advice about luring desirable wildlife in and keeping undesirable wildlife out. Pet Pangaea can help with wild bird feeding, and Metzger’s Hardware has all kinds of supplies for hanging birdfeeders.

16

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Essence August/September 2009

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Essence August/September 2009

17

Arts & Culture Find it @ the Library

by Katy Korkos

he best of a book is not the thought which it contains, but the thought which it suggests; just as the charm of music dwells not in the tones but in the echoes of our hearts.”

—Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Libraries have the same appeal for the book loverthey’re evocative, reverent spaces, where the thrill of discovery awaits. Mesa Public Library in Los Alamos, designed by internationally acclaimed architect Antoine Predock, is just such a place, but so is the little White Rock Branch because it offers the same thrill.

What do you think of when you think “library?”

Do you conceive of a building, a place with a lot of bookshelves? That is only a small part of what today’s library has to offer, and the Los Alamos County Library system is top of the line, state of the art. The two branches hold not just books, audio books, videos, music CDs, magazines, newspapers, artwork to check out and even more books, but they also serve as the link to all of the millions of bits of information to be found on the web.

With Charlie Kalogeros-Chattan at the helm, and with the support of a dedicated Library Board and the Friends of the Library, Los Alamos County’s library system is one of the top ones in the state. The used bookstore at the entrance to the Los Alamos branch, operated by the Friends of the Library, generates tens of thousands of dollars each year to enhance programs and acquisitions. The library’s free Film Series and the Authors Speak series, as well as the revolving shows in the Upstairs Art Gallery are all supported by revenue from the bookstore.

The Upstairs Art Gallery has hosted an amazing array of art shows and traveling exhibits throughout the years. You never know what you might find when you climb the stairs (or take the elevator) to the gallery– it could be a collection of handmade lace, a twenty-foot tall tree or a show of artwork by talented county employees. The shows change monthly, so it is worthwhile to stop by frequently.

The library’s 60th Anniversary film series has spent the county’s anniversary year focusing on films made in New Mexico. The series is funded by the Friends of Mesa Public Library, and offers a free film each month on a Thursday evening in the upstairs meeting rooms at the main branch. The films are chosen by Thad Hahn and Phil Klingner. Previous series have been organized around the genres of film noir, independent films and books-to-movies.

The former editor of the Los Alamos Monitor and long-time film buff Kelly Dolejsi reviews each movie for the newspaper prior to its showing.

“The two guys who choose the films are experts in filmography,” Dolejsi says. “Their choices are always artistic and thoughtful.”

The September 3 screening will feature a selection of award-winning short films made in New Mexico.

The Authors Speak Series in the upstairs rotunda of Mesa Public Library offers the public the privilege of hearing writers talk about their work.

Authors Speak is a monthly event featuring mostly New Mexican authors speaking about their writing on a variety of subjects such as local and state history, travel, poetry, outdoor activities, New Mexico fiction and Native American history and culture. One of the original authors in the series was Arthur Sze, the first poet laureate of Santa Fe. The August Author is Lee K. Abbott, who has written six collections of short fiction. His latest collection of stories, All Things, All at Once was published by Norton in 2006.

“I just love his work,” Carol Meine says. “His short stories are fantastic, and he’s funny, too.”

Meine is the program support specialist at the

library, who has the privilege of organizing and publicizing these series.

On September 24 the Authors Speak Series will feature Steven Kotler, a prolific freelance writer who works in many different genres, from fantasy to nonfiction. An additional literary program hosted by the library is the monthly Poetry Gathering, which takes place on the second Thursday of each month in the Upstairs Rotunda at Mesa Public Library starting at 6:30 p.m.

The White Rock branch is a beloved place, with a huge number of books packed into a very tight space. And like the main branch, there is something for every age group at the White Rock location.

White Rock kids begin coming to the library for story time as soon as they are able to toddle, and the branch’s proximity to the Senior Center means that many seniors find it ultra-convenient to stop by. The “M & M” program is characterized as a lively and noisy half hour of songs, fingerplays, instruments, parachutes and fun for children 0-5, and is held both in White Rock and on the hill.

The White Rock Family Film Series reflects White Rock’s family orientation with weekly showings during the summer of movies that appeal to kids and adults alike. They are held in the White Rock Town Hall, in the same complex as the branch on Longview Drive.

“In a way, this is a librarian’s dream job,” Kalogeros-Chattan says. “They (Los Alamos residents) have very high expectations of their library, and they really appreciate what they have here.”

She said that she believes the high level of education in the community means that people are aware of what resources exist in the wider world, and demand those resources here.

The libraries are open seven days a week, and the online library is available 24/7 at www. losalamosnm.us/library. For information on absolutely any topic under the sun, call 662-8253.

fyi—Otowi Station Bookstore works closely with library staff to support the Authors Speak series by bringing in books by the featured

authors and facilitating book-signings. Peggy and Michelle can bring in any book that is available, even those that are hard to find, and generally can do it much more quickly than online services, so give them a call at 662-9589 or visit their website at www.otowistation.com

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Essence August/September 2009

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When I walk through the doors of the library I feel the

same way I do when I look at the ocean or at the mountain views of northern New Mexico– I get such a feeling of freedom and expansiveness, even a feeling of power– I can go anywhere I want, meet people, explore new places. I especially love mysteries and contemporary fiction, but I can be lured away into biography and history with really good writing.

Some of you reading this may think I’m a little bit over the top, but I’ll bet a lot of you really identify with me. I love travel, and I love virtual travel every bit as much as actual travel. I’ve walked through the Hindu Kush with Eric Newby, and journeyed down the Amazon with Tobias Schneebaum (where I was a cannibal for a few minutes). I’ve been to Patagonia with Bruce Chatwin and to Africa with VS Naipaul and Joseph Conrad. I’ve taken Goethe’s Italian Journey and have also been to Italy in real life. Most of what I know about Australia comes from Bill Bryson’s In a Sunburnt Country, and I’ve also taken A Walk in the Woods with Bryson.

Many of us love touching, handling and holding the traditional book, but today’s library is not just about the books. This story is about all of the great activities that aren’t just checking out a book and taking it home to read.

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Take the 3/50 Challenge he Los Alamos Chamber’s CommunityMatters initiative has aimed to support creating and enhancing the connections between our members and their customers and constituents (i.e. the community). The publication you are reading, the Essence of Los Alamos and White Rock is but one feature of our initiative.

This month, we are introducing a new

feature to the CommunityMatters initiative that we hope will inspire you to take action. The “3/50 Project” is a national, grass roots initiative that originated in Minnesota that invites participants to support their local economies “three stores at a time.” Of course, many readers already do this in the natural course of their month, and for those people, we invite your to add three businesses to those you already frequent.

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Simple and easy … right? Please take the 3/50 project challenge … because CommunityMatters.

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Essence April/May 2009

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Kommunity Matters

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Los Alamos Heart Council We teach you how to "Love Your Heart" for information on our programs visit: www.losalamos.com/heartcouncil or e-mail us at laheartcouncil@yahoo.com

Laboratory Retiree Group PO Box 546 Los Alamos, New Mexico Need Board Members Need Retirees to help with reunion Call Dale Thompson for details 505-660-2144 after 6 pm Dues: $12.00 per household/ per year

Reminder: Los Alamos Homecoming June 12,13,14, 2009

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21

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

August 2009

All August and September

15 Saturday

Wildlife Tours, Hikes and Fishing on the Caldera vallescaldera.org for details

McGladrey Team Golf Tournament

Outdoor Farmers’ Market The bounty of northern New Mexico farmlands for you to see, appreciate and buy!

Bike and Hike Days at Pajarito Ski Area

Every Thursday

7 Friday–9 sunday

Los Alamos County Festival, Fair and Rodeo See fyila.com for details

Los Alamos Triathlon

Turkey Feather Bandelier Demonstration Caroline Lovato, Santa Domingo Pueblo, demonstrates the making of turkey feather blankets.

16 Sunday

16th Annual Kids Triathlon A fun, non-continuous event for kids of many ages and abilities

8 Saturday

Los Alamos County Festival, Fair and Rodeo parade

21 Friday

2009 LA County Fair Concert – Julie Stewart Free blues/rock concert

2009 Summer LA Summer Concert The Derailers

22 Saturday–23 Sunday

2009 LA County Fair Concert LA Big Band. Free big band dance music

Mountain Biking Trail Rides Imagine a day on your bike on one of New Mexico’s most scenic and historic ranches

2009 LA County Fair Concert South by Southwest. Free country dance music.

28 Friday

Longview Self Storage Arts & Crafts & Market Every second Saturday of the month to gather the White Rock Community

2009 LA Summer Concert Band of Heathens. Rock, roots-rock.

29 Saturday

Bike and Hike Days at Pajarito Ski Area

32nd Summer Arts and Crafts Fair Held outside on the lawn of the historical Fuller Lodge. The fair is held in conjunction with Los Alamos County’s Festival, Fair and Rodeo.

Pottery Bandelier Cultural Demonstration Josephine Toya, Jemez Pueblo, demonstrates pottery making at Bandelier National Monument

11 Tuesday

fyiLA.com

Community calendar, searchable business directory, full event details, more events, and contact information at fyiLA.com

Historical Society Lecture New Mexico’s New Deal: A 75th Anniversary Perspective. This lecture will be given by David Kammer

14 Friday

22

Richard B. (Mouser) Williams

2009 LA Summer Concert Devon Allman’s Honey Tribe. Free rock and roll.

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Essence August/September 2009

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September 2009 1 Tuesday

19 Saturday

Historical Exhibit Petroglyphs For Today: White Rock’s Rock

60th Anniversary Historical Hikes The Grant Road and Roybal Hikes.

2 Wednesday

Brown Bag Performance Albuquerque & Four Corners Pipes and Drums

5 Saturday

Slugfest Golf Tournament

8 Tuesday 60th Anniversary Lecture Series Panel Discussion, The History of White Rock

12th Annual Los Alamos Sportsmen’s Club Gun Show Mountain Biking Trail Rides Imagine a day on your bike on one of New Mexico’s most scenic and historic ranches.

Ruby K’s Yum Run A fun run to benefit LA Cares.

11 Friday

Little Theatre Performance A Fool For Love

Opening Art Reception Still Life

20 Sunday

Little Theater Performance A Fool For Love

12 Saturday Bike and Hike Days at Pajarito Ski Area 2009 OCB Southern Rockies Men’s and Women’s Bodybuilding Women’s Figure; Female Fitness Model.

Alzheimer’s Memory Walk 5 K Run

Little Theatre Performance A Fool For Love Mountain Biking Trail Rides Imagine a day on your bike on one of New Mexico’s most scenic and historic ranches.

25 Friday

Little Theatre Performance A Fool For Love

26 Saturday Ullr Fall Ski Festival at Pajarito Ski Area

Longview Self Storage Arts & Crafts & Market Bike and Hike Days at Pajarito Ski Area Little Theater Performance A Fool For Love

13 Sunday

Little Theatre Performance A Fool For Love

2009 LA Summer Concert The Laminators. Los Alamos 60th Anniversary Party.

Rock, blues, jazz.

14 Monday

LAWGA September Classic Golf Tournament

18 Friday Little Theater Performance A Fool For Love Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament To benefit the United Way of Northern New Mexico

www.losalamoschamber.com

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Lorraine@hartwaycpa.com Small Business Center 190 Central Park Sq. Suite 101 • Los Alamos, NM 87544 Phone: 505-662-3122 • Fax: 505-662-0094