HURRICANE HELP:
New Mexico donations for victims of Hurricane Katrina are already coming into local Red Cross chapters, and more are needed, according to Edwina Larner, director of emergency services and public relations for the Mid Rio Grande Chapter of the national organization.
"It's the largest relief operation we've ever encountered," Larner says. "And it's going to be very expensive. Donations are needed desperately."
Donations can be made to the local Santa Fe chapter, located at 1213 Mercantile, Suite B (424-1611) or sent to the Mid Rio Grande office in Albuquerque, 142 Monroe Street NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108 (505-265-8514). Donors can designate "Hurricane Katrina" on their check to ensure their contributions are used for the relief effort. (Nathan Dinsdale)
BLUE 'HAWK DOWN?
Entering the Tony Anaya Building on the morning of Aug. 30 around 9 am, you were likely to see something unusual in the hallowed bureaucratic halls where the wheels of state government turn.
A mohawk.
A blue mohawk, to be exact, along with hair of other varying bright colors, attached to the heads of several teenagers and young adults prowling the halls.
The kids were there to testify at a New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department public hearing. So what's gotten the teenagers' hair standing on end (besides Manic Panic hair product?): the current proposal to ban alcohol sales at all-ages events-mainly concerts and music shows-in the state.
The most passionate pleas to defeat the proposal came from folks who fear the regulation, if passed, would effectively kill the New Mexico music scene. "They're saying alcohol is what draws people to these shows," said 15-year-old Seam Williams, a W21 promoter. "It's not-it's the music."
The proposal's supporters say that is not the goal. "The bottom line is we're not trying to eliminate the music scene," Albuquerque Police Deputy Chief Paul Chavez said. "We're just trying to eliminate sale of alcohol at these events."
Chavez also cited incidents in which bar owners have used pepper spray to empty their clubs at 2 am as an example of the dangers teens face when attending shows.
Proponents in Chavez' camp-including Gov. Bill Richardson-believe the proposal will help reduce underage DWI incidents and crime in general.
Opponents, such as concertgoers, teens, New Mexico's bar and club owners, music promoters and youth advocates, claim the proposal unfairly targets smaller, privately owned bars and clubs, which will suffer due to revenue loss from the diminished cover charges while leaving large venues such as Isotopes Park, Albuquerque Journal Pavilion and the Albuquerque Zoo untouched. "I've never heard of people getting maced," Williams said. "They act like we're getting hosed down by club owners."
The Santa Fe hearing was the last of three. Written comments will be accepted by the Department until Sept. 30 (send to Alcohol and Gaming Division, PO Box 25101, Santa Fe, NM 87504, or e-mail
). The NMRLD will rule on the proposal by early November.
"FanMan won't be affected really at all," Jamie Lenfesty, head of Santa Fe's FanMan Productions, said after the hearing. "But what's bad for the music scene is bad for me." (Jonanna Widner)
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