Adopt a Furry, Loving Hiking Friend

You will really want to read this event announcement.

Click on image to enlarge.

Another Great Pumpkin Patch!

This year NPNA sponsored another very successful pumpkin patch. Board Treasurer and event organizer, Robert Taylor, reported that approximately 80 pumpkins were purchased with donations. 

A new addition to this year’s pumpkin patch was entertainment by a mariachi band.  The Mariachi Femenil Flores Mexicanas, an all-female band, delighted Newmanistas and their friends who also shared a dessert potluck. “I have to say that the Mariachis were some of the best I have ever heard as far as both the music and the voices,” Robert stated.

Newman Park Scarecrow Fundraiser Again This Year

The Newman Park Neighborhood Association will once again have its annual Halloween event at Newman Park on Saturday October 20th from 2 to 4 p.m. followed by Mariachi music by the Mariachi Femenil Flores Mexicanas and a dessert potluck from 5 to 6 p.m. 

A pumpkin for carving is just a $3 donation to the Association. For a donation of $20 you can take home a handsome scarecrow like one of these:

Pumpkin Carving and Mariachi Music

 Click on image to enlarge.

Click on image to enlarge.

New Slide Completes Work on Playground Repairs

Newman Park now has a new slide. You may remember that two of the slides had to be removed because of damage. (A third one was subsequently removed and replaced along with one other almost immediately after the damage was discovered.) Finding a replacement for the spiral slide was not easy.

This particular playground system, the spiral slide and associated parts are no longer made because of its age. The The City's General Services Department had to find an alternative. (Machining a new part was not an option because of safety standards.)

Thanks to General Services Director, Stuart Ed, an acceptable slide and associated parts were located as well as a Certified Playground Installer since the usual contractor would not have been available until November.

Mom, Cindy Montes-Bustamante, was thrilled when she heard about the installation. "Wait until my daughter sees it this afternoon!" she exclaimed. Cindy and her daughter were instrumental in requesting that the installation of a new slide be expedited.

Lion Star Blogger Tells City to Fix Parks & Rec PR Issue

Today there has been a strong reaction from the blogosphere (the digital media) to Wayne Thornton's slander of elpasonaturally:

"The Lion Star Blog by Jaime Abeytia: Dear City Officials - Fix Parks & Rec PR Issue: Whenever I feel strongly about an issue having to do with the city, I usually pick of the phone and call the offices of almost every city re..."

Thank you, Brother Jaime! I particularly liked this comment of yours: "I don't know about other bloggers in town because I haven't aske, but Iam onmost media lists in town despite the fact that I am not a journalist. They understand the interface we have with the community." [Emphasis is mine.]

I also loved this comment: "Sorry Wayne, you don't get to decide who is and who isn't media. Your title as I understand it is Public Relations Director. It's not Director of Communications with Whoever-The Hell-You-Arbitrarily-Decide-is-Media." I love to give 'em hell - but I can't give it like this.

A hat tip also to David K. over at Refuse the Juice who posted this on 9/21: http://refusethejuice.typepad.com/thinkaboutit/2012/09/a-blog-post-you-should-read-react-to.html

Mr. Thornton did deign to put me on his official "press" list for press releases. He joins others at City Hall who had never had such problems with the "interface [that I have] with the community": Neighborhood Services, Economic Development, Planning, several City Representatives. What is disgusting is that he had to be forced to do so. 

Parks and Recreation Department Disdains Freedom of the Press

I routinely get press releases from several City of El Paso Departments - both for my newman park blog and my elpasonaturally blog. Associated with both blogs are two e-letters that people subscribe to: elpasonaturally and Hola Vecinos, the Newman Park Association and friends letter. Today, Mr. Wayne Thornton, Public Relations Director for the City's Parks and Recreation Department, refused to put me on his press release distribution list because I'm "not media"/"not press". I wouldn't have thought to have asked him about it except that a reader of my neighborhood association letter asked why I had not included the Arts in the Park event this weekend sponsored by the Parks Department. I didn't because I hadn't heard about it. I certainly would have promoted this event at Memorial Park, if I had known. Apparently, I won't know about future parks and recreation events because I'm "not media"/"not press" according to Mr. Wayne Thornton, who by the way writes a delightful column for the El Paso Times and who, therefore, should have a stronger value of freedom of the press.

I not only think that the Parks and Recreation Department's refusal is wrong - it is wrong on so many levels. First, I'm a member (appointed by City Council) of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. For no other reason, you think that I would receive the courtesy. Next, other City Departments have no problem including me. Third, as a citizen (and, yes, as someone who publishes and distributes to subscribers, i.e., PRESS), my civil rights have been violated not to mention the slander involved. Finally, if this matter isn't resolved to my satisfaction, I believe that the Open Records laws of the State of Texas have been violated and that the Attorney General of this State should become involved.

To think - all I wanted to do was to promote a Parks event and help get the word out to a wider audience. Silly me.

Jim Tolbert
www.elpasonaturally.blogspot.com
www.newmanpark.blogspot.com
Publisher of elpasonaturally and Hola Vecinos