THE TORRANCE COUNTY 4-H COUNCIL would like to thank the following people for their donations of their July 17th fundraising event: Albert and Clarabelle Chavez-Casa Blanca, LeRoy Candelaria, Taul Family, Morrow Hall, Heath White, Metzger Family, Gustin Hardware, Wilbanks Family, Butch McGee, Bob Maldonado, Corliss Show Lambs, Betty Cabber, Simmons Family, Aday Family, Christie Bruce, Warren Metzger, Linda Warren, Philip Hendren, Art and Dixie Swenka, Lawrence Villanueva, Chavez Chivos and Rhonda King.

Donations totaled $2,630. We appreciate your support of our kids.

WARREN METZGER

Program Director/4-H Agent.

Volunteers Thank Greenside Cafe

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE GREENSIDE CAFE for its ongoing generous support of the Milne-Gutierrez and Golden Open Space volunteer trail crews.

The excellent lunch the cafe provides for the crew is a most welcome treat after a hard morning's work.

MIKE AND PATRICIA MADDEN

Trail Volunteers

Compromise Good For Both Parties

THE RANCHES HAVE A DREAM to build in Cedar Grove and create a Utopia for kids. Nothing wrong with that. The residents of Cedar Grove also have a dream to live in a rural area away from traffic and commercial entities whether they be nonprofit or for profit. Both sides of this controversy are living a nightmare right now. There are ways that dreams could come true for both.

Given the economic times we are all struggling through, the Ranches may or may not be able to fulfill its dreams. The kids who come to this facility should be the highest priority. These kids and the foster parents deserve new housing in a place that affords them space in an environment that can accommodate nurturing activities like farming/ranching.

The Cedar Grove community's biggest concerns are the size of the build, traffic, rezoning implications and environmental/archaeological.

Why can't the Ranches build the housing units along with barns and the equestrian facility for the kids and foster parents and have the kids attend local schools and retain office space in the Edgewood commercial district for the foster and adoptive services functions? This would alleviate the need for the rezone application and alleviate the traffic concerns of this community. Edgewood would also benefit with more student enrollment and a nonprofit business to bolster it's commercial district. After talking to more than 30 residents this past weekend, most would love nothing more than for this scenario to take place.

More importantly, this scenario would create a more normal life for the kids and foster parents to attend school away from home and become a part of the overall community out here. When I visited the Belen operation and met some of the kids, I was truly astonished that they really are not any different than most kids their age, except for their circumstances which landed them there. Integrating with the local populations would be healthy I believe.

I can't think of a better way that would address this controversial issue and be a win win for all.

CATHY MCMANUS

Cedar Grove

Residents OK With Assessments

GREAT IDEA COMMISSIONER ANAYA! The residents of Cedar Grove would love to have you and Santa Fe County involved with archaeological evaluations of our properties here. The residents — especially long-term residents — have wanted and asked for this to be done for years. …

We value the archaeological resources up here and think such evaluations would be fair. We would gladly open up our gates — and thank you and Santa Fe County for considering the funding of these assessments.

CAROL MCMANUS

Cedar Grove