Wall Rescue in Buena Vista
In August we responded to a “church emergency.” A section of a large wall holding up the Santo Nino del Atocha Mission Church in Buena Vista, New Mexico, was in danger of collapsing! A bulge on the interior side of the wall was cause for concern. Crack gauges set on the bulging section indicated over several weeks that the wall was moving. Constructed from dry laid stone, the wall area in jeopardy measures about 24-foot-wide, 13-foot-high, 48-inch-thick, and could weigh up to 85 tons.
The Mayordoma was notified of the discovery made by the Cornerstones team members on site who have been restoring windows. Cornerstones quickly responded by bracing the interior ceiling and roof. Together, Cornerstones and the parish are taking emergency action to set up exterior and interior shoring braces to prevent wall collapse. Our team is investigating the causes and will develop a recommended plan.
Mora County is home to 16 historic mission churches. Cornerstones has worked on most of these sites since its founding over 30 years ago. The close partnership with Mora communities is ongoing.
Left: Santo Nino del Atocha Mission Church. Right: Our Alexandra Ward Fellows Issac Logsdon and Stephen Calles bracing the wall. Photos by Cornerstones Community Partnerships Staff.
A Life-Changing Project in Pueblo of Jemez
In June of 2020, the Pueblo of Jemez Tribal Council approved funding “for establishing and operating Public Telemedicine capabilities and for establishing technology capacity to facilitate Distance Learning.” That act led to the design, construction, and deployment of the Jemez Pueblo Tribal Network (JPTN). Drawing from a variety of state and federal funding resources, the Pueblo of Jemez approved a $3.5 million investment to create broadband connectivity to all Tribal Government Departments, Programs & Enterprises, and to 500 homes. Additional funds subsequently augmented the project.
The JPTN was officially brought online in March of 2021. After much celebration, some minor issues were identified, and refinements made to the system. A few homes were not in the direct line of sight to current radio towers. Some were situated amid two-story homes and, in other cases, natural obstacles such as hills, arroyos, and dense tree lines obscured connectivity. Three additional connection points were needed to support better access for all areas throughout the Pueblo village.
The Solar Initiative granted funds to support an important component of the additional connection points by providing for the purchase of solar equipment and its installation to immediately power the three new connection points.
The JPTN project employs Tribal members wherever appropriate and is planning to develop a training and certification program for students at two local high schools. An additional goal is to become an internet provider and telecommunications carrier for surrounding communities.
The Solar Initiative is a collaboration between Cornerstones Community Partnerships and Remy’s Good Day Fund.
Photos by Pueblo of Jemez.
Did you see us in the Santa Fe New Mexican?
Dotted with humble homes and trailer houses, the village of Agua Fría hides a rich past.
A new feature along the community’s main road honors the town’s extensive history. The 12-foot-high stone structure on Agua Fría Street near its intersection with Skeeter Lane represents a torreón, a tower Spanish colonists and Native Americans used most likely for crop storage and as lookout posts throughout the Southwest.
Journalist Rick Ruggles joined our Program Director, Jake Barrow, in Agua Fría. Read the full article here.