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I’m sitting in the studio at my house watching the rain clouds build up for an afternoon shower. Treasuring the little things in life is something I am extremely aware of after a year of getting over a near death experience. Another thing I got out of that experience is the clarity to see that doing this local paper for our community is really an important thing to me. Nutrioso is my home. And one of the things I see happening is that the town is turning into an “us versus them” atmosphere when there is no reason for this to happen. We are a really small, rural community that is comprised of a mix of folks that tend to blend about as good as oil and water. But, I honestly believe that 99.5% of us are here because we love it. The climate, the surrounding beauty, the fishing & hunting, hiking, plus room for horses, mules, alpaca and more. The thought of our area changing into a destination, a resort, a truck stop, gated community, or a series of subdivisions is a real nightmare. We didn’t leave those kind of things behind just to see them regurgitated into this location. And that is part of the reason we need a news source on our side of the mountain. Nutrioso, Alpine, Blue, and Luna are all vulnerable to sudden, uncontrolled development which would result in the destruction of the lifestyle we love. The streams flowing through the meadows can be permanently damaged and the wildlife driven away with just one day of bulldozing. I have seen it happen in small towns around Arizona and New Mexico. I will print information that I get concerning changes in our area. Whenever possible I will have the research to verify what I print. Sometimes I will print what I hear folks talking about, and, hopefully, get responses to explain all sides of the situation so that the community is not busily expanding local myth when there are real issues to be looked at. I am offering to be a venue for communication. I want to hear what is the topic of discussion, as well as the response from all sides. I will not print random name calling and will plainly state right here that it will never be about whether I like or dislike a particular person. The fair hand of journalism is an important part of any publication that wants the respect of its readers. This is a labor of love. Love for my community, love for honesty, love for freedom of the press, and love for all sides of the story. Thanks to a few generous donors I can honestly say that The Occasional Gazette will be produced on a fairly regular basis. I am hoping that it will at least be monthly, but if something important comes up a broadsheet will be printed and distributed as fast as is reasonably possible. This is a labor of love and it is important that it fulfills the needs of our little communities. You might have noticed the $1 Donation Cheerfully Accepted on the cover. This will help cover the cost of paper and maintaining the big copier that does the hard work. That basically covers the cost of producing a copy now that I’m going back to the multiple page format. But I hope this can grow into a publication that everyone looks forward to reading. If you make a large donation please let me know if you don’t want your name published. I am considering this to be Underwriter Support and may be from individuals or businesses. A listing of Underwriters will appear in each issue and a listing will continue for six months from the time we recieve your contribution. As soon as Escudilla Arts & Cultural Association obtains its 501-C-3 designation your donations will be tax deductible. Right now they are not tax deductible and you just have the satisfaction of knowing that your dollar will be put to work. SoftPress Systems, the makers of Freeway Pro, software for developing and maintaining professional websites, donated a copy of their software so that I can put our little paper online. This was a wonderful surprise and an important donation. But they recognize the importance of having a journalistic watchdog in every size of town and community. Thanks a million! Freeway Pro for Mac RULES! Incredibly good software! The Occasional Gazette is an informal newspaper. The main purpose is to stimulate conversation, bring forth topics that seem to be lost in the daily shuffle, and, hopefully, drag the truth, kicking and screaming, into the sunshine. Since it is produced by just one person, there will not be any ad sales person knocking at your door. If you would like an ad please contact me at 339-1118 or via email schmitt@escudilla.com and I’ll talk to you about it. I reserve the right to turn away ads that I question for any purpose. The Online Occasional Gazette is located at www.escudilla.com and is not the print publication in it’s entirety. It may also include articles not available in print due to their impromptu nature. The Occasional Gazette is the product of Escudilla Publishing, and is associated with Escudilla Arts & Cultural Association, a non-profit, privately owned, association. All memberships in EACA include a subscription to The Occasional Gazette. Sincerely, Anne C. Schmitt |
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"Without a free press how will you |
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