Preserving the Trans Mountain Scenic Corridor and redesigning theWestside Master Plan under Smart Codes

Update: January 19, 2012
Below, view the embedded (hosted on Scribd) and linked document forward by Charlie that was originally sent by:

Shamori Rose Whitt, CNU-A (email)
Smart Growth Planner
Planning and Economic Development
City of El Paso
(915) 541-4477

Charlie Wakeem, President of the Coronado Neighborhood Association and Jim Tolbert (producer of the wonderful blog, elpasonaturally©), are great sources of information concerning El Paso and land development, especially about sustainable living with sensitivity to the environment and open spaces remaining near Transmountain and the Frankin Mountains State Park. Whether through a neighborhood association update, or social media,  each man communicates information. Recently, Charlie sent out an email promoting a new round of charrettes, which seek to gather citizen feedback on the proposed TxDoT Transmountain Scenic Corridor project. Charlie writes:

Preserving the Trans Mountain Scenic Corridor and redesigning the Westside Master Plan under Smart Codes.


Please commit to attending and participating in one or both of the Public Meetings. You may also personally interact with the Dover Kohl and City staff teams at the Design Studio.

Get the word out to anyone you know! Please ask them to commit to participating personally as well.

Northwest Masterplan Charrette:

1. Hands-On Session:
Tuesday, January 24, 2012, 5PM to 9PM,

Canutillo HS Auditorium;
6675 S. Desert Boulevard, 79932

2. Northwest Masterplan Work in Progress:


Saturday, January 28, 2012, 9AM to Noon,

Canutillo HS Auditorium;
6675 S. Desert Boulevard, 79932

3. Design Studio: (Open to the Public)

Monday, January 23 to Friday, January 27, 2012

Canutillo Independent School District--Board Room
7965 Artcraft Road, 79932

Hours of Design Studio:
Monday-Friday, 9AM to 7PM
El Paso Plan: Northwest Date Card

New Tumblr website: ¡fuckyeahguadalupe!

Canutillo:: Laundry with Nachos and Guadalupe on the Side

For a while now, I've been experimenting (OK, using to a greater extent) the Tumblr web ap. My first site is here, with a new one here. The later is solely devoted to all things Guadalupe because it seems El Paso contains a large collection of urban art, etc., about whom Wikipedia explains is the Queen of Mexico, Empress of the Americas and Patroness of the Americas.

What I enjoy about posting to this new Tumblr is how I can publish new images about Guadalupe (and other topics) in a more timely manner than I've previously be able to do with Blogger. However, I don't see me abandoning this site anytime soon; this site should be about general El Paso images and the occasional (!) picture of our cats. But back to the Guadalupe.

I've located many instances of beautiful urban art that transcend the original meaning of rascuache--the common, the wretched, the poor--in El Chuco and elsewhere. This is all quite intriguing as she embodies so much about mestizo identity and the affect colonization has had on out indigenous psyches. Above all else, people seem to have an inordinate need to capture her, which in turn, makes others happy--all this wellspring of creativity brings out the best and most artistic in those who try to create her image.

While I have not forgotten this blog (as seen by the many spontaneous posted images from my camera phone), a lot of my online writing and research is now divided between three blog sites and my twitter account. And if that isn't the way to push out web content I don't know what is. Cheers!