Archive for January, 2009

DATE: January 13, 2009                                        file: Wild About Plants 

CONTACT: Mike Walczak, Museum Manager          Phone: 575/522-3120

Come And Get Wild About Plants

Come join the Las Cruces Museum of Natural History for its newest traveling exhibit, Wild About Plants, from January 16th to May 3rd. There will be an opening reception on Friday, January 16th from 6:00-8:00pm with food, drinks and hands-on activities for the kids.

Wild About Plants is a botanical adventure that engages families in an exploration of plants that are a part of everyday life! Touch, smell, magnify, build, watch & listen to plants – uncovering what they do for people and what people can do for them.

In addition to the exhibition, the Museum of Natural History will be running several plant experiments exhibiting various plant traits and we will also include information about the plants that are unique to the Chihuahuan Desert. Come and learn what makes our desert home the unique and wonderful place that it is! Wild About Plants was developed by the Brooklyn Children’s Museum with major funding from the National Science Foundation.

For more program information contact the Museum of Natural History at 575/522-3120. The TTY number is 575/541-2161.

Las Cruces is using Twitter.  Just click on the following link and you can follow the most up-to-date information about Las Cruces events and attractions. 

http://twitter.com/LasCruces

If you are a member of Twitter, sign up to follow Las Cruces’ updates so you can know right away about the latest event.  Join us tonight as the NMSU Aggies take on Nevada in men’s basketball at 7 pm at the Pan American Center. 

See you on Twitter and at the game.

By: Jessica Borchert

LAS CRUCES, NM –

Las Cruces was once again chosen as one of the best places to retire. 

The website, bestboomertowns.com said 20 towns were chosen as Best Boomer Towns because they have excellent health care, a university, airport access, fine dining, low crime, cultural activities, beautiful weather, active lifestyle, low average cost of living and a range of home sizes and prices.  The website names the towns, 2009 Best Places to Thrive. 

Las Cruces is listed with other larger towns such as Austin, Tx and Tucson, Az and is the only

New Mexico city on the list.  

The website said

Las Cruces’ “vibrant culture scene” and “mountain vistas” are a reason to retire here. 

“For the new wave of boomers who mix retirement relocation with second or continuing careers, Las Cruces continues to surpass job growth for any other metro area in the state outside of

Albuquerque,” the website said.   

In previous years,

Las Cruces has been awarded five similar awards including Inc. magazine’s 2007 Boomtowns, AARP’s 2006 “Dream Towns” to retire and twice named a top place to retire by Money magazine. 

Free Concert Every Other Tuesday at the Rio Grande Theatre

By: Jessica Borchert

Every other Tuesday the Dona Ana Arts Council hosts a free concert at the Rio Grande Theatre on the downtown mall.  This concert season has an exciting and diverse group of musicians playing everything from Cowboy Songs to classical.

The historic Rio Grande Theatre was originally built in 1926 and was remodeled to the beautiful theatre it is today in 1997.  The renovation took eight years and cost $2.2 million.  The theatre seats over 400 patrons and is home to various concerts, movies and theatre productions throughout the year.

Below is a schedule of the Rio Grande Theatre Events

Free Concert Every Other Tuesday

January 13

Diffusion Saxophone Quartet

January 27

Larry Stocker & Kent Lauterback

February 10

Eddie Harrison—Cowboy Songs

February 24

Las Cruces Flute Orchestra

March 10

Eugene Hayth—Bluegrass, Country & Blues

*All Concerts at 5:30 pm

Rio Grande Theatre Special Events

El Paso Pro-Musica

January 16- 7:30 pm

Biava String Quartet

January 30- 7:30 pm

Tenth Anniversary

Perlman-Schmidt-Baily

George Winston

January 27- 7:30 pm

Sourdough Slim

Cowboy Singer, Yodeler, Accordionist

February 8- 7:00 pm

Please contact the Dona Arts Council at (575) 523-6403 or infodaac@daarts.org with any questions.

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MEDIA ADVISORY January 7, 2009 

Contact:       Jodi Delaney505-827-7405Jodi.Delaney@state.nm.us  Happy Birthday New

Mexico!

Official

State Centennial Logo will be unveiled During celebration in Capitol Rotunda February 19th  SANTA FE—As New Mexicans observed the 97^th anniversary of their statehood January 6, 2009, plans are moving forward for the state’s official centennial celebration, which will take place January 6, 2012. The Centennial of Statehood Steering Committee, a statewide collaborative group led by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Centennial Task Force, appointed by the Governor and House and Senate leadership, selected a logo from among many designs submitted by students at the Design College of Albuquerque to represent official statewide activities that will commemorate

New Mexico’s entry into the union as the 47th state.

 The logo design, created by Ryan Rodriguez, a graduate student at the College, will be unveiled at a press conference during “Culture Day” at the New Mexico Legislature on Thursday, February 19 at the Rotunda of the State Capitol in

Santa Fe.  

 Cultural Affairs Secretary Stuart Ashman said that projects for the statehood centennial celebration will include a wide range of activities focusing on

New Mexico’s rich history, its culture and its future.   “This is an important opportunity to celebrate

New Mexico’s vibrant past while looking ahead to the next hundred years,” he said.  “We look forward to working with communities statewide to commemorate this significant milestone.”   Community planning is already underway, with activities and educational projects commemorating New Mexico’s path to statehood, and exploring the first 100 years of statehood, including

New Mexico’s storied traditions in art, culture, music, food and more. 

 The Centennial Task Force was created by executive order in April 2008, consisting of state leaders including Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish, two members each from the Mew Mexico State Senate and House of Representatives, and ten additional members of the Governor’s Cabinet.  The task force is chaired by the Secretary of Cultural Affairs.    The Steering Committee, which has held more than 30 meetings throughout the state over the past three years, includes representatives of New Mexico State University, the New Mexico Humanities Council, the University of New Mexico Valencia Branch, the New Mexico Tourism Department, the Office of the State Historian, the State Librarian, State Folklorist, State Historic Preservation Officer and the Director of the New Mexico History Museum and a representative of the Lt. Governor’s office.   For 25 years, The Art Center Design College – with campuses in Albuquerque and Tucson, Arizona – has continued to meet the higher education needs of students in the Southwest who are seeking entrance in the most exciting and rapidly growing industries, such as graphic design, interior design, animation, illustration, landscape architecture, advertising and marketing, photography and fine arts. A regionally accredited college, it offers students programs that combine forward-thinking instruction in communication and problem-solving skills necessary for success in today’s workplace alongside instruction in the most up-to-date methods and technologies used in visual and creative fields. For more information contact Jodi Delaney, Director of Statewide Initiatives, at505-827-7405, 505-827-7308 (fax) or jodi.delaney1@state.nm.us, or visit www.newmexicoculture.org