It’s time for end-of-month clearance. All impressions must go. There will be no refunds or exchanges. All puns are final.
Thumbs up: The constant efforts of Councilman Louie Trujillo (no relation) to beautify the city. Each time I see him I fully expect him to be carrying a bottle of Windex and a roll of paper towels.
Thumbs down: Scofflaws who transport their elderly grandmother to the polls once a year and believe their handicapped placard justifies them to use it for their own convenience. I was stranded for more than an hour in front of a Walgreens store in Santa Fe last week and counted 17 cases of clearly able and physically fit drivers parking in the handicapped zone. Some had placards, some didn’t. It’s amazing how many young people using the placards are able to sprint in and out of the store. Yeah, I know that not all handicaps necessitate crutches, but many of us would love to be in the apparent condition of many of those who used the handicapped zone.
Thumbs up: Highlands football coverage with Paul Ware and Art Abreu. This combines a seasoned broadcaster with a knowledgeable coach. They provide great insights into the game and keep things moving with a lively dialogue.
Thumbs down: Those VHS jackets that have a missing bottom make it easy for the cassette to slip out and break. I wonder if they were invented by the same genius who came up with the backless hospital gown.
Thumbs up and down to the arrival of autumn. How can you tell autumn has arrived in northern New Mexico recreation areas such as El Porvenir? You can tell because the license plates have changed from white to yellow.
Thumbs down: That test-pattern on cable channel 24, which reads “Bonneville Satellite” and emits the Taos Hum. To get any action out of it, do we need to adjust our set? If it’s intended to telecast Highlands courses, it should be operational or else taken off the air.
Thumbs up: Finally getting back into the black for Highlands University. It was a long time coming, and unfortunately the new President Sharon Caballero inherited a mountain of debts along with a tarnished reputation for what used to be considered The Fine Small University of the Southwest. It would be great to see bumper stickers that read: “Highlands: The Harvard of the Southwest.” But even greater would be for people along the eastern seaboard to carry bumper stickers that read: “Harvard: The Highlands of the East.
Thumbs down: The all-too-frequent 30-second commercials during local high school football game broadcasts that last a full minute, just enough time for the other team to intercept and score.
Thumbs up: The great use to which the new Bank of Las Vegas information board is put. It’s helpful, especially for pedestrian traffic.
Thumbs down: The old time and temp sign at the Bank of Las Vegas, which should be turned off but instead is left to flicker, like a dying Bug Zapper.
Thumbs up: The hiring of Barbara Perea-Casey as associate superintendent of East Las Vegas Schools.
Thumbs down: The hazardous condition at the Memorial Middle School basketball courts. The north side of the courts contain a four-foot dropoff, which presumably allows water to drain through it. There is no restraining wall or even a rail, nothing but space. An active kid, going in for a fast-break, or someone being out-muscled for a rebound, could end up seriously hurt. One wonders why the condition has existed for years without any outcry from students, staff, administration, parents or the state.
Thumbs up: Efforts of the Northeastern Regional Hospital staff to determine the wishes of the community. A questionnaire seeking input was included in last week’s Optic. A sure way of letting your comments be known is to return the filled-out form to the hospital.
Thumbs down: People who regard the covered archway at NERH as a private parking space. It’s a designated fire lane, not a carport. Can you imagine the damage if a fire broke out and fire fighters were unable to gain access to the hydrant?
Thumbs up: The speed at which several road projects are being completed.
Thumbs down: The Denver judge who declared that implementation of the do-not-call registry would be an infringement on people’s First Amendment rights. We should all call him to express out displeasure. But better yet, make your call during the judge’s dinner, and make sure the call is blocked.
Thumbs up: The smell of green chile being roasted in front of supermarkets. My son Ben worked one summer for Lowe’s on Seventh and loved roasting bags of chile for the customers. He said that just the smell of it would put people in a good mood, and whether he used the motorized roaster or the one he had to crank by hand, people tipped generously. Roasted green chile is nature’s best form of aromatherapy. And is there any problem whose solution can’t be reached upon finishing a bowl of green chile stew?