ANUNCIOS Infant necessities
Tax prep
FOR THE TAX FILING SEASON, AARP/Tax Aide volunteers will again be providing tax preparation assistance. To make an appointment, call 575-741-0274 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays through April 5 or go to the El Pueblito United Methodist Church parking lot between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Tuesdays from Feb. 1 to April 5. During the appointment, tax documents will be scanned and the prepared return will be available for pickup the next week.
DON’T SPEND TONS OF MONEY ON
EXPENSIVE BABY GEAR that you won’t need after a few months or a year. Borrow what you need and loan out what you don’t. Emily King has started a free baby gear lending library so parents can save money, energy and the planet by reusing gently-used infant and toddler essentials like strollers, car seats, high chairs, booster seats, cribs, as well as a selection of toys, bags and accessories. Taos parents who want to donate, lend or borrow items may email babygearlibrary@gmail.com, or call 510-703-9777. For more information, visit taosbabygear.wixsite. com/babygear.
Disaster assistance resources
RECENT HIGH WINDS have impacted many families, homes and businesses in the Enchanted Circle. If you or someone you know needs a place to stay (think local hotel) or has an unmet need requiring assistance, you may contact the Enchanted Circle Community Organizations Active in Disaster (ECCOAD) by emailing them at info@eccoad.org or calling 505-692-3296. Please leave a detailed message if no one answers — the number is not currently staffed 24/7. For more info, visit eccoad.org.
Storm damage repair estimates
HAVE ROOF DAMAGE or need any other type of repair at your home? Call High Mountain Construction at 575-741-6690 for a free estimate and quick service. Members of their team can be on site the same day. They are also willing to repair any type of damage to your house. For more info, email josephmartinez213@icloud.com.
Meetings
ACEQUIA DEL MONTE DEL RIO
CHIQUITO will clean the ditch on March 19 starting at 8:30 a.m. Upper parciantes meet at the division. Lower parciantes meet at Arguello’s. Deposito cleaning March 26, Venita Casias cleaning April 2.
RENEWABLE TAOS meets weekly via zoom to plan and execute projects such as advocating for solar and wind power, improved electric transmission, beneficial electrification of homes and businesses, additional electric car charging stations, and working with schools to introduce climate education in grades K-12. For more info, visit renewabletaos.org, write to info@renewabletaos.org or call 575-770-3267.
VISTA GRANDE HIGH SCHOOL
GOVERNING COUNCIL will hold its regular meeting Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. at VGHS, 213 Paseo del Cañon East. It will be held in person, so the general public and parents may attend the event in person or join via Zoom or call in. Call 699-900-6833 and use meeting ID 416203345#. For questions, call 575-758-5100 ext. 131.
THE DES MONTES DITCH ASSOCIATION will postpone its annual meeting until April 2022, pending improvement in coronavirus infection rates and the weather. The association plans to hold an outdoor meeting for the safety of its parciantes. For more info, call Carlos Miera at 776-8915.
LA MERCED DE CRISTOBAL DE
LA SERNA meetings have been postponed due to the increasing number of cases of COVID-19. Questions may be directed to Beverly Armijo at 575-425-1100 or (575) 224-5315.
TAOS AMATEUR RADIO CLUB Ham radio meetings have started up monthly for the Taos Amateur Radio Club at Taos County Emergency Ops Center, #6 Miranda Canyon Rd, Ranchos de Taos. Free. Call 575-770-1961. See ANUNCIOS, page C4
Education
TAOS CHARTER SCHOOL, a free, public K-8th grade charter school admits students via a lottery process. Lottery applications for the 2022-23 school year are available online at taoscharterschool. org and in our office, 1303 Paseo del Cañon E, Taos, NM 87571. Applications are due no later than Friday, April 8. The lottery will be held Wednesday, April 20 in the TCS cafeteria. For questions, call 575-751-7222 extension 2 or email office@taoscharterschool. org.
ANANSI CHARTER SCHOOL’S lottery opened Tuesday, Feb. 1, and the deadline for applications is Friday, April 15. The lottery drawing will be held via Zoom on Friday, April 22 at 10 a.m. Lottery applications are available online at anansicharterschool.org or pick up an application at Anansi Charter School, 57 State Highway 230 in DesMontes. Anansi Charter School is a free public school serving grades K-8 in the 2022-23 school year. For more info, call 575-776-2256.
ROOTS AND WINGS COMMUNITY
SCHOOL, awarded 2020 Elementary Charter School of the Year, is currently accepting students in the K-2 and 6-8 cohorts. Call 575586-2076 or go to rootsandwingscommunityschool.org for more information.
TAOS PUEBLO HEAD START AND
EARLY HEAD START is now enrolling for 2021-2022. Children enrolled in other Federally Recognized Tribes, and children with disabilities are welcome and encouraged to apply. To schedule availability and intake meeting call 575-758-5819.
TAOS EDUCATION AND CAREER
CENTER AT UNM-TAOS offers free online classes for High School Equivalency (HiSet/GED) preparation, support for college, career development and English-language instruction. Also available for basic computer skills, the center offers free online classes for internet and computer basics. Email tecc@unm.edu or call 575737-3730.
Help wanted
WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS WANTED. Writers on the Range seeks writers of color, women and fresh voices; topics on intermountain territory; authentic, unique perspectives on Western public lands, water, natural resources, agriculture or economic institutions; word-count 750. See writersontherange.org, or email betsym@writersontherange.org.
Transportation
DUE TO A STAFFING SHORTAGE, THE RTD BLUE BUS TSV GREEN ROUTE between the Town of Taos and Taos Ski Valley will not operate this season. NCRTD continues to offer other fare-free transit services between Taos and Santa Fe and throughout Taos County. Info can be found at ridethebluebus.com or call Jim Nagle, public information officer at 505-629-4707.
General
TALPA COMMUNITY CENTER
LIBRARY is open Mondays through Thursdays, 9:45 a.m. - 4 p.m. Services include 10 computers, affordable copies and faxing. Masks are required. Call 575-7511014. Register for a free library card.
TALPA MUTUAL DOMESTIC WATER
ASSOCIATION members can now view the annual Consumer Confidence Report. For copies call Raul E. Vigil at 575-751-4373 or see the copies at Talpa Community Center off State Road 518.
TAOS PUBLIC LIBRARY is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 575-737-2590 or email librarian@taosgov.com.
TAOS MOUNTAIN SANGHA offers a weekly meditation sit and Dharma talk every Wednesday evening, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Visit taosmountainsangha. org for details and email tmsanga@gmail.com with questions.
MINDFUL FREE MEDITATION
COURSE: “Exploring Mindful Meditation: Basics.” Online course offered free to the public by Mindful Frontiers, a local meditation community. Must register, at mindfulfrontiers.thinkific.com.
Food assistance
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
OF TAOS. Bring canned goods or nonperishable gifts Sundays, 10-11 a.m., 215 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, for parking lot drive-thru and drop-off of packaged foods and/or monetary donations to Shared Table, as well as foods or monetary donations for the Taos Men’s Shelter. Foods must be unopened and within their expiration date. Checks should be made payable to either Shared Table or Taos Coalition to End Homelessness.
NORTH CENTRAL FOOD PANTRY OF
QUESTA food distribution days are second and fourth Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon. For updates, call Questa village office at 575586-0694 or see Facebook. For an emergency food box, call Jeannie Masters, 575-779-9194 or Nancy
Parker, 505-699-7563. To donate, visit ncfpquesta.com or mail checks to North Central Food Pantry, P.O. Box 1076 Questa, New Mexico 87556.
SHARED TABLE distributes food commodities and basic health care items on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, 11 a.m.-noon in El Prado at El Pueblito Methodist Church, 1309 Paseo del Pueblo Norte; and from 2-3 p.m. at Talpa Community Center, State Road 518, Ranchos de Taos. Call Pastor Cheri Lyon at 505-440-6849.
ST. JAMES FOOD PANTRY offers supplemental groceries to all, Thursdays, 12:30-3:45 p.m. drive-thru at St. James Episcopal Church, 208 Camino de Santiago (off Gusdorf Road behind the Quality Inn), Taos.
Pets
PAYS TO HELP STRAYS. Taos Feral Feline Friends, the all-volunteer animal charity, wants to help you adopt a stray cat. Pays To Help Strays is a free adoption service helping stray cats of Taos County and the Enchanted Circle. Qualified applicants receive these veterinary benefits: Spay/neuter surgery; all vet-recommended testing; vaccinations for rabies, and deadly viral diseases FVRCP and FELV. To be eligible, the adopter must contact TFFF within 60 days, or in advance, of the adoption. Cats from shelters, pet stores or breeders are ineligible for this program. Call TFFF at 575-7583519 for more information.
CAT AND DOG SPAY/NEUTER, VACCINE PROGRAM for the town of Taos, Taos County and Taos Pueblo pet owners. Lower-income pet owners and all feral/outdoor/ barn cat owners also eligible for free vaccine services, at Española
Valley Humane Society, 505-7530228. Dogs and cats must be between 8 weeks and 8 years of age.
CAT SPAYING/NEUTERING. Free pet cat spaying/neutering in Taos available with a Zimmer Feline Foundation voucher. Town of Taos, Taos County and Taos Pueblo cats eligible. Call 505-466-1676.
Free COVID-19 testing
FREE DRIVE-THRU ORAL SWAB
COVID TESTING. Wednesdays and Fridays, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Taos Youth and Family Center, 407 Paseo del Cañon East. Register at cvtestreg.nmhealth.org; also see curative.com or cur.tv/taos. Painless, self-administered oral swab test. Results delivered electronically within 48 hours of receipt at the lab.
NO-COST AT-HOME COVID TESTING for all New Mexicans. New Mexico and Vault Medical Services offer at-home COVID-19 saliva testing for any person who believes they need to be tested, with or without symptoms, at no cost. Order a test online at cvvaccine.nmhealth.org.
COVID-19 VACCINE DASHBOARD Stay up-to-date about the state’s vaccination effort, including the number of vaccines administered: cvvaccine.nmhealth.org/ public-dashboard.html.
BEWARE VACCINE SCAMS: MEDICARE COVERS COVID-19 VACCINE at no cost to seniors. If asked to share your Medicare number or pay for vaccine access, it’s a scam. Don’t share any personal or financial information if someone calls, texts or emails promising vaccine access for a fee.