Taos Snippets, Reminders, and Helpful Hints
The Big Gringo
Big News in Town Council Race: DMC Broadcast Entertainer, aka The Legend, has his team in place for a run at the roses: Darren Cordova, Mayor, Rudy Abeyta, Councilor No. 1, and The Big Gringo, Pavel Lukes as Councilor No. 2. The latter, endorsed by The Taos News last time, finished last last time but this time he’s got the blessing of the “Good Old Boys.” Whether he’s a vendido or pendejo remains to be seen. He and Rudy do the deals for condos, keep brother Alex busy, and the cash registers ringing for real estate commissions.
Schoolboard “Silent”?
In its editorial, The Taos News of Jan. 23-29, laments “the silent treatment from the Taos school board.” After the last school board was attacked and bitten by biased reporting for “speaking out” in story after story by bulldog Matt Van Buren, why would a school board speak about their decisions? And what’s the mystery?
El Weston was hired and told to straighten out Special Ed four years ago. He didn’t. He even misrepresented (lied?) to PED and the Board itself. In self-defense, lest they themselves be removed by the Gov. the board let Weston go.
Sure the Board waited until they had la gente on their side. You can’t fire Fasho’s grandson and Fachito’s son, the basketball coach, and expect the board to stand by. Special Ed gave them the will, Fasho and Fachito gave them the way. Note: The Taos News forgot how they helped the former Special Ed Director cover up crimes against disabilities for years.
Here’s a letter I wrote to KVOT AM advertisers on “Breakfast with Nancy.” She’s one of them, like Pavel. It’s all about retaliation by the DMC shock jock against those who run against the mayor, Rudy, and Pavel. We’ve got the tapes to prove it.
1/26/14
Memo: KVOT Advertisers
Subject: KVOT Talk Radio Host: Nancy Stapp
“In New Mexico, we believe in treating everyone as we would like to be treated ourselves. That daily mantra is something our business owners live everyday. They want to be an inviting place of commerce for their customers and begins with treating every employee equally and with respect.” —David Coss, Darren Cordova (The Taos News, My Turn, Jan. 23-29, 2014.)
New Mexico and Taos in particular have, if anything, tolerated eccentricity and vigorous debate regarding politics or even lifestyles. We have all prospered personally in terms of the “live and let live attitude.” Certainly, the state and local culture have accommodated gay rights during this last quarter in a way that is remarkable.
Similarly, public figures, whether elected or appointed, whether politicians or activists, developers or merchants who prosper due to public infrastructure, whether journalists or broadcast personalities are subject to public praise and blame.
Recently, local talk show host at KVOT AM, Nancy Stapp, due to whatever motive, has become a lightning rod, not for vigorous debate, but for personal insult and innuendo, or verbal attack and private slurs that speak less to issues and more to her own lack of knowledge and the traditions of civil discourse.
She has used innuendo to attack an advertiser on her show and has slurred family members, who are longtime supporters of community in general and of local business in particular. She has implied that a candidate should be questioned due to his membership in a local church, a church, incidentally, well known for community service.
Perhaps Nancy does not understand that the contemporary practice of church members often contrasts with historic church doctrine. For example, many Catholics practice birth control contrary to dogma. Nancy’s implied attack on freedom to practice religion is an attack on all religion, at least in America, and in Taos where relatives and family members often attend different church services on Sunday.
In one of her worst excesses, a couple of years ago, and though Jeff Northrup can defend himself, she was heard to say on the air, according to Jeff, that Jeff was a “pedophile” and an “animal abuser.” I dare say it is Nancy, not Jeff , who needs counseling. Perhaps Jeff will check with his own “legal” counsel.
On Saturday I spoke with a longtime community member and advertiser who said he never listened to Nancy. For the last few weeks, several individuals have been taping her shows, consulting with attorneys, or preparing to complain to the FCC, due to slurs and innuendo.
Due to personal attacks, several candidates for public office in the Town and County are boycotting Nancy’s morning show. If callers are a guide, few people listen to Breakfast with Nancy on KVOT AM. Both KVOT AM and DMC’s other radio stations have plenty of time slots. Advertisers might consider giving their sales representatives a nudge. Given the tough business climate, we wouldn’t want a boycott to spread.
Full disclosure: As some of you know I gave Nancy her first job years ago during the KVNM years (KTAO) in the 80s. Both Brad Hockmeyer and I were early supporters. She hasn’t said anything about my own peccadilloes recently that I hadn’t written about earlier in my nostalgia column in Horse Fly. When our old outhouse fell down, she said he had to “pee in the bushes.”
She’s still peeing ladies and gentlemen but on Taos. And she seems to have lost her sense of humor. Pobrecita.
Thanks for considering your options.
Bill Whaley
http://www.taos-friction.com