1) Sign Up to be in the “Buy Fair, Buy Local” Directory: Fill out and return the attached questionnaire to this office or the Taos County Chamber of Commerce to become part of the new Taos ‘Buy Fair, Buy Local’ Directory.  This is a new listing that is supporting both Fair Trade and Taos ‘Buy Local’ purchasing practices.  If you support Fair Trade and buying local in any way, or would like to, this is your opportunity to participate.  The Directory itself will be online and in print form for locals and area visitors to use to find Fair Trade and locally produced Taos items, in addition to supporting organizations that endorse these market approaches.  Attached is also a recent news release and briefing document about the Town of Taos ‘Buy Fair, Buy Local’ campaign.  These documents provide information about Fair Trade and the approach that it is in line with ‘buy local’.  Questions?  Email Rocky Shuster, St. James Episcopal Church, stjamestaos@qwest.net, vice chair of the Town of Taos Fair Trade Steering Committee.

2) Fiestas de Taos, a long and beloved Taos tradition, will be held on the Taos Plaza and surrounding area this weekend, July 18-20.  Event details and organizer contact information can be found at http://www.fiestasdetaos.com/.  In anticipation of this event, and Taos’ overall ‘summer season’, the Town of Taos has completed much infrastructure, safety and beautification preparation – including accommodation for thousands of visitors over this three day period.  A short list of some relevant highlights —

Chile Line Public Transportation – some delays will occur due to the influx of traffic.  A ‘loop route’ in the downtown area is planned to accommodate the closure of the Taos Plaza through traffic.  See attached schedule/routes.  Rates stay the same, see http://www.taosgov.com and click on Transportation at the top for details.

Public Parking – Please remind visitors that free all day parking is located at Town Hall/Taos Public Library, the lot behind Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, and the lot on Kit Carson at Quesnel.  Some parking is also still open at the TCA and Kit Carson Park.  Taos Fiestas vendors are being required to park their all day and/or overnight trailers/vehicles at the Town of Taos/Taos Public Library parking area so that other street and metered parking will be open to visitors. Reminder:  Two hour free parking continues to be in effect at all historic district metered parking locations.

Town of Taos Mobile Command Center: For security, safety and as a headquarters for lost children and other Fiesta concerns, the Town of Taos Police and Fire Mobile Command Center will be parked in the World Cup parking lot.  Chief Syling and an expanded number of officers from throughout the area will be on foot, on bicycles, motorcycles and patrol vehicles helping all to have a fun and safe time while in Taos.

Code Compliance: Rachel Romero, effective today, is the new Town of Taos Code Enforcement Officer (congratulations to Ms. Romero who has worked with the Town for the last few years in Buildings/Planning & Zoning).  She, and members of the Town’s Public Works Department, will be out in force this weekend, making sure all are abiding by Town codes – and in general keeping areas in an appropriate fashion.  You’ll hear more about, and from, Rachel as she moves forward in this important Town position.

Public Restrooms: Abundant portable toilets will be available for visitors near First Community Bank in the Taos Plaza area, and the new Town of Taos public restrooms behind the Old County Courthouse/beside the Alley Cantina are planned to be operational and substantially complete.

Trash collection and cleaning is heightened during the Taos Fiesta.  Waste Management will be picking up trash from the Fiestas on Saturday and Sunday at 6 a.m., and on Monday at 5 a.m.  There will be 16 big black trash containers and 25, 95-gallon roll away containers delivered on Thursday afternoon to the Taos Plaza area in preparation for Fiesta.  These receptacles will be removed from the Plaza area by non on Monday.

Other set up and cleaning schedules surrounding Fiesta: This is from the Town’s Department of Public Works, Parks Division:

Wednesday, July 16

? Reposition flower planters to secure area

Thursday, July 17

? Clean center of plaza

? Place orange fencing around roses

? Place electrical poles along sidewalks 09:00

? Tent placement 10:00

? Close plaza 17:00

? Run power over head 17:00 to 20:00

? Trash containers delivered through the day

? Place water for vendors

Friday, July 18

? 06:00 Wash down the plaza

? 07:00 allow vendors into the plaza

? 12:00 vending can begin

Saturday, July 19

? 05:00 to 10:00 Clean the plaza

Sunday, July 20

? 05:00 to 10:00 clean the plaza

Monday, July 21

? 05:00 to 12:00 clean the plaza

3)  Attached is the agenda for an Interstate Stream Commission meeting in Taos, July 16^th.

4) Note from George Jaramillo, Director, Town of Taos Public Library:  “Annette Montoya, Children’s Librarian, has been recognized as a Citizen of the Week on LUNA 103.7.  This award recognizes outstanding service to the community.  Annette is being featured on radio spots highlighting her work with children at the library and the impact she makes on the community.  Annette has continued to focus on increasing literacy among children and has expanded her Summer Children’s program to focus on this.”  Congratulations to Annette and all who benefit through her commitment at the Town of Taos Public Library.

5) Today’s featured Taos news clips –

Liz Painter weaves earthy themes in songs Arizona Daily Sun – 07/11/2008, 08:32 am Words matched: Taos, N.M, N.M. Liz Painter says the biggest influence on her songwriting career was the time she spent in Tucson at the University of Arizona. Painter, who was born in New York and currently resides in Taos, N. …Arizona. Painter, who was born in New York and currently resides in Taos, N.M., credits her collaboration with other musicians and playing at…

1.

Albuquerque Journal Circ./Aud.: 57,433 Albuquerque, New Mexico 07/11/2008 “Taos Mountain goes green for summer”

view clip view text

Taos Ski Valley Summer Mancation (click to see complete story with photos)  Unless you are stuck in Lapland, Northern Canada or Siberia, you probably don’t think of visiting a ski resort as a great summertime destination for your next mancation. However, these winter playgrounds can also be fantastic year-round mancation destinations offering hiking, biking, art, music, spas, and tons of other great things to do for a mancation. One of these areas that looks like a great destination for guys is the Taos Ski Valley, in Taos, New Mexico. (click headline link to get entire story)…

Eco towns worldwide <http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/13/greenbuilding.housing>

guardian.co.uk – UK The more radical fringe of eco-communities is represented by a collection of so-called earthships 12 miles northwest of the town of Taos in New Mexico. …

Cathy Connelly, Public Relations Coordinator

Town of Taos

400 Camino de la Placita

Taos, NM 87571

http://www.taosgov.com

cconnelly@taosgov.com

505-751-2001 office

Fax 575-751-2026

505-779-1013 cell

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