Misplaced Pages

#775224

114-675: Alamogordo ( / ˌ æ l ə m ə ˈ ɡ ɔːr d oʊ / ) is the County seat of Otero County , New Mexico , United States. A city in the Tularosa Basin of the Chihuahuan Desert , it is bordered on the east by the Sacramento Mountains and to the west by Holloman Air Force Base . The population was 31,384 as of the 2020 census . Alamogordo is widely known for its connection with the 1945 Trinity test, which

228-531: A Superior Court and Sheriff (as an officer of the court ), both located in a designated "shire town". Bennington County, Vermont has two shire towns; the court for "North Shire" is in the shire town Manchester , and the Sheriff for the county and court for "South Shire" are in the shire town Bennington. In 2024, Connecticut , which had not defined their counties for anything but statistical, historical and weather warning purposes since 1960, along with ending

342-529: A 50% reduction in property taxes from Otero County, and $ 940,000 in plant training funds from the State of New Mexico. A Sunbaked Biscuits cookie factory opened in 2006 and received $ 800,000 in job-training incentives from the state. When the company went out of business in 2007, Marietta Baking took over the cookie factory and received interest-free loans, job-training incentives, and partial forgiveness of indebtedness for job creation. A branch office of PreCheck Inc.,

456-466: A U.S. Forest Service firefighter who (along with his crew) watches over a group of rambunctious children while searching for their parents after rescuing them from a fire in the wilderness during a family vacation. The history of the Forest Service has been fraught with controversy, as various interests and national values have grappled with the appropriate management of the many resources within

570-621: A company performing background checks of health-care workers, opened in 2006. PreCheck received $ 2.4 million in high-wage job creation tax credits, $ 1.5 million in job-training subsidies, $ 1.5 million in capital outlay money for roads and infrastructure, a $ 625,000 allocation from City of Alamogordo for upgrading sewer lines in the area, and 20.8 acres of land from Heritage Group, a developer. The Otero County Film Office, an office of Otero County Economic Development Council, promotes film-making in Otero County by publicizing potential locations in

684-410: A county seat may be an independent city surrounded by, but not part of, the county of which it is the administrative center; for example, Fairfax City is both the county seat of Fairfax County, Virginia and completely surrounded by Fairfax County, but the city is politically independent of the county. When the county seat is in the independent city, government offices such as the courthouse may be in

798-667: A county was the magistrate , who oversaw both the day-to-day operations of the county as well as civil and criminal cases. The current number of counties mostly resembled that of the later years of the Qing dynasty . Changes of location and names of counties in Chinese history have been a major field of research in Chinese historical geography, especially from the 1960s to the 1980s. There are 1,355 counties in Mainland China out of

912-511: A full-sized back-lit photographic transparency of the Shroud of Turin , a religious relic believed by some to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ . They also feature a working VP8 Image Analyzer , the only one in the world where one can walk in and interact with this old analog computer. This town was founded the same year (1898) that Secundo Pia took the first photograph of the Shroud which started

1026-788: A government program created in 1935 in response to the Great Depression, was responsible for the construction of several government buildings in Alamogordo. These include the Otero County Administration Building at 1101 New York Avenue, a Pueblo style building originally constructed as the main U.S. Post Office in 1938. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places . The main entrance portico features frescoes by Peter Hurd , which were completed in 1942. In July 1941,

1140-469: A grove of fat cottonwoods he remembered from the Pecos River area. When Alamogordo was laid out in 1898, the east–west streets were given numerical designations, while north–south streets were named after states. The present-day White Sands Boulevard was then called Pennsylvania Avenue. With the creation of White Sands National Monument in 1934, tourism began. The Works Progress Administration ,

1254-671: A key role in formulating policy and coordinating U.S. support for the protection and sound management of the world's forest resources. It works closely with other agencies such as USAID , the State Department , and the Environmental Protection Agency , as well as with nonprofit development organizations, wildlife organizations, universities, and international assistance organizations. The Forest Service's international work serves to link people and communities striving to protect and manage forests throughout

SECTION 10

#1732790374776

1368-595: A median very close to zero. The most snowfall in one month was 10.0 in (0.25 m) in December 1960. As of the census of 2020, there were 31,384 people. During the 2000 census, there were 13,704 households, and 9,728 families residing in the city. There were 15,920 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 70.4% White ; 5.6% African American , 1.1% Native American , 1.5% Asian , 0.2% Pacific Islander , 12.1% from some other race , and 4.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.0% of

1482-593: A number of annual sports events. The Tommy Padilla Memorial Basketball Tournament is an annual event held in March. It is an adult tournament that raises money for scholarships for Alamogordo High School students. The Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament is a national program that holds a tournament in Alamogordo each year in May. Prior to 2008 it was hosted by the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce, and since then by

1596-517: A primarily service and retail economy, driven by tourism, a large nearby military installation and a concentration of military retirees. In 2006 the per capita income in Otero County was $ 22,377 versus per capita income in New Mexico of $ 29,346. Alamogordo was founded as a company town to support the building of the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad , a portion of the transcontinental railway that

1710-543: A public book burning of books in the Harry Potter series, and several other series, on December 30. As of 2010, Alamogordo had a total area of 19.3 square miles (50.0 km), all land. The city is located on the western flank of the Sacramento Mountains and on the eastern edge of the Tularosa Basin . It lies within the Rio Grande rift and in the northernmost part of the Chihuahuan Desert . Tectonic activity

1824-754: A range of biological, physical, and social science fields to promote sustainable management of United States' diverse forests and rangelands. Research employs about 550 scientists and several hundred technical and support staff, located at 67 sites throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico . Discovery and technology development and transfer is carried out through seven research stations. Research focuses on informing policy and land management decisions and includes addressing invasive insects, degraded river ecosystems , or sustainable ways to harvest forest products. The researchers work independently and with

1938-680: A range of partners (formerly through a National Partnership Office ), including other agencies, academia, nonprofit groups, and industry. The information and technology produced through basic and applied science programs is available to the public for its benefit and use. In addition to the Research Stations, the USFS R&;D branch also leads several National Centers such as the National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation . The Forest Service plays

2052-635: A regular and recurring presence on a vast amount of public lands, roads, and recreation sites. The primary focus of their jobs is the protection of natural resources, protection of Forest Service employees and the protection of visitors. To cover the vast and varied terrain under their jurisdiction, they use modified 4x4 pickup trucks, Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptors , special service SUVs , horses, K-9 units , helicopters, snowmobiles , dirt bikes, and boats. Special Agents are criminal investigators who plan and conduct investigations concerning possible violations of criminal and administrative provisions of

2166-525: A short history of how agency responsibilities have grown and evolved over its 118-year history in accordance with "what the American people desire from their natural resources at any given point in time." In the spring of 2023, the USDA proposed a change to its regulations to allow for the "responsible deployment of" carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration on National Forests lands. Although part of

2280-641: A staff of 10 to 300 people under the direction of a district ranger, a line officer who reports to a forest supervisor. The districts vary in size from 50,000 acres (200 km ) to more than 1 million acres (4,000 km ). Most on-the-ground activities occur on ranger districts, including trail construction and maintenance, operation of campgrounds, oversight of a wide variety of special use permitted activities, and management of vegetation and wildlife habitat. U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement & Investigations (LEI), headquartered in Washington, D.C. ,

2394-581: A total of 2,851 county-level divisions. In Taiwan , the first counties were first established in 1661 by the Kingdom of Tungning . The later ruler Qing empire inherited this type of administrative divisions. With the increase of Han Chinese population in Taiwan, the number of counties also grew by time. By the end of Qing era, there were 11 counties in Taiwan. Protestant missionaries in China first romanized

SECTION 20

#1732790374776

2508-581: A variety of information, videos available for viewing and an exhibit of electronic image analysis of the shroud, among other interesting artifacts. The Alameda Park Zoo, the oldest zoo in the southwestern U.S., is located in the city. Several Union-Apache battles were fought near Oliver Lee Memorial State Park . The Toy Train Depot , New Mexico's first railroad museum and home of America's Park Ride Train Museum. A sculpture called "The World's Largest Pistachio"

2622-589: Is hard : it has very high total dissolved solids concentrations, in excess of 3,000 mg/L. The Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility, a Bureau of Reclamation laboratory doing research and development on desalination of brackish water , is located in Alamogordo. The gypsum crystals of White Sands National Park are formed in Lake Lucero . Water drains from the mountains carrying dissolved gypsum and collects in Lake Lucero. After

2736-493: Is Walk Out West, a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) walk held each October in Alameda Park Zoo . It incorporates a health fair , live music, and events for children. An offshoot of this is Dance Otero, an informal approach to ballroom dancing as a form of physical exercise that meets throughout the year. Both programs are run through Otero PATH, a local nonprofit that encourages preventive measures for good health. There are

2850-724: Is a federal law enforcement agency of the U.S. government. It is responsible for enforcement of federal laws and regulations governing national forest lands and resources. All law enforcement officers and special agents receive their training through Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). Operations are divided into two major functional areas: Uniformed Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) enforce federal laws and regulations governing national forest lands and resources. LEOs also enforce some or all state laws on National Forest Lands. As part of that mission, LEOs carry firearms, defensive equipment, make arrests, execute search warrants , complete reports, and testify in court. They establish

2964-456: Is a mountainous area that starts about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Alamogordo and offers hiking, fishing, and camping. The Sidney Paul Gordon Shooting Range, located about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of town at 19 Rock Cliff Road in La Luz, is a supervised range with rifle, pistol, and archery ranges. Several competitions are held at the range each month. County seat In Canada ,

3078-470: Is a nonprofit organization founded in 1984. Its focus has generally been on job creation and recruiting and expanding businesses in Otero County , including helping them satisfy business regulations in New Mexico and lining up funding. Its role expanded in 2000, when Alamogordo passed an Economic Development Gross Receipts Tax . OCEDC continues to work to attract businesses, but now it also helps develop

3192-598: Is a section of Middle Township , an incorporated municipality. In some states, often those that were among the original Thirteen Colonies , county seats include or formerly included "Court House" as part of their name, such as Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia . Most counties have only one county seat. However, some counties in Alabama , Arkansas , Georgia , Iowa , Kentucky , Massachusetts , Mississippi , Missouri , New Hampshire , New York , and Vermont have two or more county seats, usually located on opposite sides of

3306-463: Is about 10 miles south on U.S. Route 54 , offers camping, hiking, and picnicking. White Sands National Park is located about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Alamogordo along U.S. Route 70 . The area is in the mountain-ringed Tularosa Basin valley area and comprises the southern part of a 275-square-mile (710 km) field of white sand dunes composed of gypsum crystals. The Lincoln National Forest , whose headquarters are in Alamogordo,

3420-472: Is an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands covering 193 million acres (780,000 km ) of land. The major divisions of the agency are the Chief's Office, National Forest System, State and Private Forestry, Business Operations, as well as Research and Development. The agency manages about 25% of federal lands and

3534-629: Is at McGinn's PistachioLand along U.S. 54 . The Lady of the Mountain Run is held in December at the Griggs Sportsplex. The race consists of a half marathon, 10K, 5K, or corporate cup relay, and raises money for the needs-based Lady of the Mountain Scholarship Fund at NMSU-Alamogordo. Fun run/walks are popular in Alamogordo, although most are one-shot affairs put on as part of some larger event. One recurring event

Alamogordo, New Mexico - Misplaced Pages Continue

3648-607: Is held annually at the County Fairgrounds. It features a rodeo, animal judging, food and game booths, and carnival rides. Nonprofit and government agencies set up information booths in the exhibit hall. The Cottonwood Arts and Crafts Festival is put on each Labor Day Weekend in Alameda Park by the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce. It is primarily a showplace for vendors of handmade items, and also features music, entertainment, and food. White Sands Balloon Invitational

3762-599: Is held annually. Hot air balloons launch from the Riner-Steinhoff Soccerplex and from White Sands National Park and float over the Tularosa Basin . New Mexico Museum of Space History is a state museum with the International Space Hall of Fame. Flickinger Center for Performing Arts is a 590-seat theater created in 1988 from a re-purposed movie theater. It hosts concerts and live theatrical performances by touring groups, and

3876-466: Is low in the Tularosa Basin. Plants native to the area are typical of the southern New Mexico foothills and include creosote bush , mesquite , saltbush , cottonwood , desert willow , and many species of cactus and yucca . The Tularosa Basin is an endorheic , or closed, basin; that is, no water flows out of it. Because of this and because of the geology of the region, water in the basin

3990-409: Is still one of the biggest attractions of the city today. During the 1950s–60s, Alamogordo was an unofficial center for research on pilot safety and the developing United States' space program. Alamogordo is a charter city with a council-manager form of government. City government provides a large number of recreational and leisure facilities for its citizens, including a large park in the center of

4104-758: Is that the National Park Service was created in 1916 to manage Yellowstone and several other parks; in 1956, the Fish and Wildlife Service became the manager of lands reserved for wildlife. The Grazing Service and the United States General Land Office were combined to create the Bureau of Land Management in 1946. Also of note was that it was not until 1976 that the Federal Land Policy and Management Act became

4218-571: Is the White Sands Pupfish , a baseball team that played at Jim Griggs Field from 2011 to 2019, in the independent Pecos League , but did not play in a 4 team, abridged 2020 season hosted in Houston due to pandemic concerns. Alamogordo has numerous small parks scattered through the city, and a few larger ones. Some notable parks include: Not inside the city but nearby are several national and state parks. Oliver Lee Memorial State Park

4332-501: Is the sole major national land management agency not part of the U.S. Department of the Interior (which manages the National Park Service , the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management ). The concept of national forests was born from Theodore Roosevelt 's conservation group, Boone and Crockett Club , due to concerns regarding Yellowstone National Park beginning as early as 1875. In 1876, Congress formed

4446-588: Is the venue for the local amateur group Alamogordo Music Theater. Alamogordo Museum of History collects artifacts related to the history of Alamogordo and the Tularosa Basin. It is a private museum, operated by the Tularosa Basin Historical Society . Among notable items in the collection is a 47-star US Flag ; New Mexico was the 47th state admitted to the Union, and US flags were made with 47 stars only for one month, until Arizona

4560-738: The Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range was established. The Post Office moved out in 1961, and the building was used by a succession of Federal agencies and was known as the Federal Building. The last Federal agency to occupy it was the United States Forest Service who used it as the headquarters of the Lincoln National Forest until October 2008, when that agency moved to a newly constructed building. In February 2009, ownership of

4674-607: The Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act , P.L. 95-313; and the Forest and Rangelands Renewable Resources Planning Act , P.L. 95-307. From the early 1900s to the present, there has been a fierce rivalry over control of forests between the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior. Their roles overlap but numerous proposals to combine the two have failed. Most recently, in 2009,

Alamogordo, New Mexico - Misplaced Pages Continue

4788-776: The Flickinger Center for Performing Arts . The NMSU-A Theatre on the Hill produces an annual spring performance for young audiences at the Rohovec Fine Arts Center on the New Mexico State University at Alamogordo campus, and an annual Fall performance for general audiences. The Earth Day Fair is held annually at Alameda Park Zoo . It features a butterfly release, a science fair, activities for children, and information booths from local health agencies and nonprofits. Otero County Fair

4902-498: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) evaluated whether the Forest Service should be moved from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of the Interior, which already manages some 438 million acres (1,770,000 km ) of public land through the National Park Service , the Fish and Wildlife Service , and the Bureau of Land Management . GAO ultimately did not offer a recommendation upon

5016-752: The People's Republic of China . Xian have existed since the Warring States period and were set up nationwide by the Qin dynasty . The number of counties in China proper gradually increased from dynasty to dynasty. As Qin Shi Huang reorganized the counties after his unification, there were about 1,000. Under the Eastern Han dynasty , the number of counties increased to above 1,000. About 1400 existed when

5130-542: The Sui dynasty abolished the commandery level (郡 jùn), which was the level just above counties, and demoted some commanderies to counties. In Imperial China, the county was a significant administrative unit because it marked the lowest level of the imperial bureaucratic structure; in other words, it was the lowest level that the government reached. Government below the county level was often undertaken through informal non-bureaucratic means, varying between dynasties. The head of

5244-663: The Tongass National Forest in Alaska and ski areas such as Alta, Utah in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest . In addition, the Forest Service is responsible for managing National Grasslands in the midwest. Furthermore, areas designated as wilderness by acts of Congress , prohibit logging, mining, road and building construction and land leases for purposes of farming and or livestock grazing. Since 1978, several Presidents have directed

5358-522: The United States , a county is an administrative or political subdivision of a state that consists of a geographic area with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The city, town, or populated place that houses county government is known as the seat of its county. Generally, the county legislature, county courthouse, sheriff's department headquarters, hall of records, jail and correctional facility are located in

5472-644: The United States Census Bureau 's Population Estimates Program. Previously Alamogordo had a German community due to the presence of the German Air Force at Holloman Air Force Base ; in 1992 that air force made Holloman its main pilot training center in the United States. Holloman was chosen due to its weather conditions. There was a subdivision called "Little Germany" with houses that had German-style electrical outlets. The Deutsche Schule Alamogordo educated German children, as did

5586-411: The provinces of Ontario , Quebec , New Brunswick , Prince Edward Island , and Nova Scotia have counties as an administrative division of government below the provincial level, and thus county seats. In the provinces of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia the term "shire town" is used in place of county seat. County seats in China are the administrative centers of the counties in

5700-399: The 195 million acres (790,000 km ) of public land administered by the Forest Service. Individual sites range from 47 to 22,500 ha in size. Operations of Experimental Forests and Ranges are directed by local research teams for the individual sites, by Research Stations for the regions in which they are located, and at the level of the Forest Service. Major themes in research at

5814-439: The Chief. Research stations include Northern, Pacific Northwest, Pacific Southwest, Rocky Mountain , and Southern . There are 92 research work units located at 67 sites throughout the United States. there are 80 Experimental Forests and Ranges that have been established progressively since 1908; many sites are more than 50 years old. The system provides places for long-term science and management studies in major vegetation types of

SECTION 50

#1732790374776

5928-610: The City of Alamogordo. The city receives 72% of the entry fees and 5% of the gross proceeds taken in by vendors. The event is held annually at Washington Park in conjunction with Saturday in the Park and Armed Forces Day. In 2009 more than 233 teams participated in the tournament. Several golf tournaments are held each year at Desert Lakes Golf Course, including the Robert W. Hamilton Charity Golf Classic. Alamogordo's sole professional sports team

6042-478: The Department of Agriculture, the Forest Service receives its budget through the Subcommittee on Appropriations—Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. The Forest Service achieved widespread awareness during the 1960s, as it became the setting for the long running classic TV show Lassie , with storylines focusing on Lassie's adventures with various forest rangers. The iconic collie's association with

6156-486: The Experimental Forests and Ranges includes: develop of systems for managing and restoring forests, range lands, and watersheds; investigate the workings of forest and stream ecosystems; characterize plant and animal communities; observe and interpret long-term environmental change and many other themes. There are nine regions in the Forest Service; numbered 1 through 10 (Region 7 was eliminated in 1965 when

6270-536: The FY 2019 Annualized Continuing Resolution includes $ 500 million above the base as bridge to the first year of the fire fix. The Forest Service, headquartered in Washington, D.C., has 27,062 permanent, full-time employees as of Sept. 20, 2018, including 541 in the headquarters office and 26,521 in regional and field office. The USDA Forest Service's mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of

6384-820: The Federal government has been a strong presence in Alamogordo ever since. Education has also been an important part of the local economy. In addition to the local school system , Alamogordo is home to the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired , founded in 1903, and a branch of New Mexico State University founded in 1958. The largest non-government employer in the city is the Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center with 650 employees in 2008. Holloman Air Force Base , located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) west of

6498-425: The Forest Service adapt current policies and develop new policies and actions to conserve and manage the national forests and grasslands for climate resilience, so that the Agency can provide for ecological integrity and support social and economic sustainability over time?" Ancillary questions pertained to both "adaptation planning" and "adaptation practices". The background section of the proposed rulemaking includes

6612-700: The Forest Service and other statutes under the United States Code . Special agents are normally plainclothes officers who carry concealed firearms, and other defensive equipment, make arrests, carry out complex criminal investigations, present cases for prosecution to U.S. Attorneys , and prepare investigative reports. All field agents are required to travel a great deal and usually maintain a case load of ten to fifteen ongoing criminal investigations at one time. Criminal investigators occasionally conduct internal and civil claim investigations. The 193 million acres (780,000 km ) of public land that are managed as national forests and grasslands are collectively known as

6726-446: The Forest Service balances resource extraction, resource protection, and providing recreation. The work includes managing 193 million acres (780,000 km ) of national forest and grasslands, including 59 million acres (240,000 km ) of roadless areas ; 14,077 recreation sites; 143,346 miles (230,693 km) of trails; 374,883 miles (603,316 km) of roads; and the harvesting of 1.5 billion trees per year. Further,

6840-425: The Forest Service fought fires on 2.996 million acres (12,120 km ) of land in 2007. The Forest Service organization includes ranger districts, national forests, regions, research stations and research work units and the Northeastern Area Office for State and Private Forestry. Each level has responsibility for a variety of functions. The Chief of the Forest Service is a career federal employee who oversees

6954-401: The Forest Service led to Lassie receiving numerous awards and citations from the U.S. Senate and the Department of Agriculture, and was partly responsible for a bill regarding soil and water pollution that was signed into law in early 1968 by President Lyndon Johnson , which was dubbed by some as "The Lassie Program". In the 2019 family comedy movie Playing With Fire , John Cena plays

SECTION 60

#1732790374776

7068-459: The German Air Force left in 2019. They relocated their pilot training to Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. Future Combat Systems is a wide-ranging modernization project of the US Army . Much of the work will be done at Fort Bliss , with some at White Sands Missile Range and some at Holloman Air Force Base . Alamogordo is expected to get some economic benefit due to its proximity to these three bases. Otero County Economic Development Council

7182-407: The German Air Force left, Oktoberfest was celebrated annually in late September, hosted by the German Air Force at Holloman Air Force Base . The public was invited, and shuttle buses ran between Alamogordo and the base. Alamogordo is the economic center of Otero County, with nearly half the Otero County population living within the city limits. Alamogordo today has very little manufacturing and has

7296-454: The Interior . In 1901, the Division of Forestry was renamed the Bureau of Forestry . The Transfer Act of 1905 transferred the management of forest reserves from the United States General Land Office of the Interior Department to the Bureau of Forestry, henceforth known as the United States Forest Service . Gifford Pinchot was the first United States Chief Forester in the Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt . A historical note to include

7410-468: The Nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. Its motto is "Caring for the land and serving people." As the lead federal agency in natural resource conservation, the Forest Service provides leadership in the protection, management, and use of the nation's forest, rangeland, and aquatic ecosystems. The agency's ecosystem approach to management integrates ecological, economic, and social factors to maintain and enhance

7524-444: The National Forest System. These lands are located in 44 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands and comprise about 9% of the total land area in the United States. The lands are organized into 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The mission of the National Forest System is to protect and manage the forest lands so they best demonstrate the sustainable multiple-use management concept, using an ecological approach, to meet

7638-433: The USFS to administer National Monuments inside of preexisting National Forests. The Forest Service also manages Grey Towers National Historic Site in Milford, Pennsylvania , the home and estate of its first Chief, Gifford Pinchot . By 1935, the U.S. Forest Service's fire management policy stipulated that all wildfires were to be suppressed by 10 am the morning after they were first spotted. In August 1944, to reduce

7752-426: The agency would have to put $ 400 to $ 500 million in wildfire prevention projects on hold because funding for firefighting was running low as the fiscal year ended. The decision was meant to preserve resources for fighting active fires burning in California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Politicians of both parties indicated they believed the then-current funding structure was broken, but did not agree on steps to fix

7866-407: The agency. The Chief reports to the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an appointee of the President confirmed by the Senate. The Chief's staff provides broad policy and direction for the agency, works with the Administration to develop a budget to submit to Congress, provides information to Congress on accomplishments, and monitors activities of

7980-428: The agency. There are five deputy chiefs for the following areas: National Forest System, State and Private Forestry, Research and Development, Business Operations, and Finance. The Forest Service Research and Development deputy area includes five research stations, the Forest Products Laboratory , and the International Institute of Tropical Forestry , in Puerto Rico. Station directors, like regional foresters, report to

8094-412: The area such as the Clovis culture , the Folsom culture , the peoples of the Archaic period , and the Formative stage . The Mescalero Apache were already living in the Tularosa Basin when the Spanish came in 1534, and Mescalero oral history says they have always lived there. In 1719, the Spanish built a chapel at La Luz (about 5 miles (8.0 km) from the future site of Alamogordo), although La Luz

8208-402: The average family size was 3.07. In the city the population was spread out, with 28.7% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males. In 1999, the median income for a household in

8322-529: The building was transferred to Otero County government and many government offices were moved from the Courthouse to its new Administration Building . In 1983, Atari, Inc. buried more than 700,000 Atari 2600 video game cartridges, most notably E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , in Alamogordo's landfill. Alamogordo briefly made international news in late 2001 when Christ Community Church held

8436-452: The city limits, is the largest employer of Alamogordo residents, and has a major effect on the local economy. According to some estimates, Holloman accounts for half of the Alamogordo economy. According to the 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs office, as of January 2008 Holloman directly employs 6,111 personnel with a gross payroll of $ 266 million. It indirectly creates another 2,047 jobs with a payroll of $ 77 million. The estimated amount spent in

8550-447: The city was $ 30,928, and the median income for a family was $ 35,673. Males had a median income of $ 28,163 versus $ 18,860 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 14,662. About 13.2% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over. Alamogordo's and Otero County's July 1, 2008, population were estimated at 35,757 and 62,776 respectively by

8664-433: The city, many smaller parks scattered through the city, a golf course, Alameda Park Zoo , a network of walking paths, Alamogordo Public Library , and a senior citizens' center. Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center is a nonprofit shared military/civilian facility that is also the hospital for Holloman Air Force Base. Tularosa Basin has been inhabited for at least 11,000 years. There are signs of previous inhabitants in

8778-422: The community, including payroll, construction projects, supplies, services, health care, and education, is $ 482 million. An estimated 6,700 military retirees live in the area. Counting both USAF and German Air Force personnel there are 1,383 active military and 1,641 military dependents living on base and 2,765 active military and 2,942 military dependents living off base. After 27 years of training at Holloman,

8892-437: The conclusion of its performance audit . The Forest Service remains a part of the USDA. As of 2019, FY 2020 Forest Service total budget authority is $ 5.14 billion, a decrease of $ 815 million from 2019. The budget includes $ 2.4 billion for Wildland Fire Management, a decrease of $ 530 million from the 2019 Annualized Continuing Resolution because the "fire fix" cap adjustment becomes available in FY 2020, while

9006-551: The county and New Mexico 's film financial incentive programs and by recruiting extras for film productions. It sponsors the Desert Light Film Competition for middle and high school students to encourage learning about the film industry. The 2007 film Transformers spent $ 5.5 million in New Mexico and $ 1 million in Alamogordo. There are two amateur theatrical groups in Alamogordo. Alamogordo Music Theatre produces two musical productions annually at

9120-432: The county seat is the entire county. Ellicott City , the county seat of Howard County, Maryland , is the largest unincorporated county seat in the United States, followed by Towson , the county seat of Baltimore County, Maryland . Likewise, some county seats may not be incorporated in their own right, but are located within incorporated municipalities. For example, Cape May Court House, New Jersey , though unincorporated,

9234-491: The county seat, though some functions (such as highway maintenance, which usually requires a large garage for vehicles, along with asphalt and salt storage facilities) may also be located or conducted in other parts of the county, especially if it is geographically large. A county seat is usually an incorporated municipality . The exceptions include the county seats of counties that have no incorporated municipalities within their borders, such as Arlington County, Virginia , where

9348-420: The county. Examples include Harrison County, Mississippi , which has both Biloxi and Gulfport as county seats, and Hinds County, Mississippi , which has both Raymond and the state capital of Jackson . The practice of multiple county seat towns dates from the days when travel was difficult. There have been few efforts to eliminate the two-seat arrangement, since a county seat is a source of civic pride for

9462-633: The current Eastern Region was created from the former Eastern and North Central regions. ). Each encompasses a broad geographic area and is headed by a regional forester who reports directly to the Chief. The regional forester has broad responsibility for coordinating activities among the various forests within the region, for providing overall leadership for regional natural resource and social programs, and for coordinated regional land use planning. The Forest Service oversees 155 national forests, 20 grasslands, and one tall-grass prairie. Each administrative unit typically comprises several ranger districts, under

9576-439: The diverse needs of people. The goal of the State and Private Forestry program is to assist with financial and technical assistance to private landowners, state agencies, tribes, and community resource managers. It provides assistance by helping sustain the United States' urban and rural forests and their associated communities from wildland fires, insects, disease, and invasive organisms. Approximately 537 staff are employed in

9690-506: The driest 1952 with 4.85 in (123.2 mm), while the wettest month on record has been September 1941 when 6.94 in (176.3 mm) fell. September 1941 also saw the largest daily rainfall at Alamogordo with 2.60 in (66.0 mm) falling on the 22nd of that month. Temperatures outside of monsoonal storms are very hot during the summer: 89.1 days exceed 90 °F (32.2 °C) and temperatures as high as 110 °F (43.3 °C) occurred on June 22, 1981, and July 8, 1951. During

9804-544: The funding allocation. During the 2019–2020 bushfires in Australia, the US Forest Services sent a contingent of firefighters. They worked alongside firefighters from other American fire departments. In April 2023, the U.S. Forest Service published a proposed rulemaking in response to climate change on the topic of improving climate resilience on the public lands that it manages. The agency introduced

9918-825: The future. The report is entitled "Managing the Impacts of Wildfire on Communities and the Environment: A Report to the President In Response to the Wildfires of 2000"—The National Fire Plan for short. The National Fire Plan continues to be an integral part of the Forest Service today. The following are important operational features of the National Fire Plan: In August 2014, Tom Vilsack, the Secretary of Agriculture, announced that

10032-455: The incentive packages that will be paid by the new tax, and a portion of the tax receipts go to fund OCEDC's operating expenses. Formal economic development plans have been adopted by Alamogordo and by Otero County. OCEDC has recruited several new employers by using financial incentives. A 1-800-Flowers call center opened in November 2001 and received $ 1.25 million in city rent abatements,

10146-625: The independent city under an agreement, such as in Albemarle , or may in be enclaves of the county surrounded by the independent city, such as in Fairfax . Others, such as Prince William , have the courthouse in an enclave surrounded by the independent city and have the county government, the Board of Supervisors, in a different part of the county, far from the county seat. The following counties have their county seat in an independent city: Bedford

10260-517: The local schools. Additionally area supermarkets had German cuisine . By 1999, there were about 1,110 German dependents and 900 German military personnel in Alamogordo. By 2003 there were about 2,000 Germans in Alamogordo. That year there were tensions between Americans and Germans since Germany chose not to join the U.S. in the Iraq War . In 2019, the German military withdrew from the base. Until

10374-594: The modern investigation into the Shroud. This is highlighted in the museum. In 1977 in Albuquerque, they held the conference that resulted in the 1978 study of the Shroud with more scientists from New Mexico than any other state. The displayed photograph was created from the 1978 photographs made by Barrie M. Schwortz as part of the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP). The displays include historical background materials, scientific information, kiosks with

10488-616: The most widely recognized slogans in the United States. According to the Advertising Council , Smokey Bear is the most recognized icons in advertising history and has appeared almost everywhere via Public Service Announcements in print, radio, television. Smokey Bear, an icon protected by law, is jointly owned by the Forest Service, the Ad Council and the National Association of State Foresters . In 1965, at

10602-835: The national policy for retaining public land for federal ownership. Significant federal legislation affecting the Forest Service includes the Weeks Act of 1911, the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 , P.L. 73-482; the Multiple Use – Sustained Yield Act of 1960 , P.L. 86-517; the Wilderness Act , P.L. 88-577; the National Forest Management Act , P.L. 94-588; the National Environmental Policy Act , P.L. 91–190;

10716-614: The need for such rulemaking as: Climate change and related stressors, such as wildfire, drought, insects and disease, extreme weather events, and chronic stress on ecosystems are resulting in increasing impacts with rapid and variable rates of change on national forests and grasslands. These impacts can be compounded by fire suppression, development in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), and non-climate informed timber harvest and reforestation practices. The foundational question pertained to climate adaptation : "How should

10830-543: The number of forest fires , the Forest Service and the Wartime Advertising Council began distributing fire education posters featuring a black bear . The poster campaign was a success; the black bear would later be named Smokey Bear , and would, for decades, be the "spokesbear" for the Forest Service. Smokey Bear has appeared in innumerable TV commercials; his popular catch phrase, "Only YOU can prevent forest fires"—later changed to wildfires—is one of

10944-458: The office of Special Agent in the Department of Agriculture to assess the quality and conditions of forests in the United States. Franklin B. Hough was appointed the head of the office. In 1881, the office was expanded into the newly formed Division of Forestry . The Forest Reserve Act of 1891 authorized withdrawing land from the public domain as forest reserves managed by the Department of

11058-426: The overall direction of a forest supervisor. Within the supervisor's office, the staff coordinates activities among districts, allocates the budget, and provides technical support to each district. Forest supervisors are line officers and report to regional foresters. The administration of individual National Forests is subdivided into Ranger Districts. The Forest Service has over 600 ranger districts. Each district has

11172-407: The population. There were 13,704 households, out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and

11286-473: The program and is administered through National Forest System regions and the Northeastern Area of the United States. The research and development (R&D) arm of the Forest Service works to improve the health and use of the United States' forests and grasslands . Research has been part of the Forest Service mission since the agency's inception in 1905. Today, Forest Service researchers work in

11400-418: The quality of the environment to meet current and future needs. Through implementation of land and resource management plans, the agency ensures sustainable ecosystems by restoring and maintaining species diversity and ecological productivity that helps provide recreation, water, timber, minerals, fish, wildlife, wilderness, and aesthetic values for current and future generations of people. The everyday work of

11514-751: The request of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , the Forest Service was commissioned by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) to research the use of forest fire as a military weapon. A report was published in June 1970 and declassified in May 1983. In September 2000, the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior developed a plan to respond to the fires of 2000, to reduce the impacts of these wildland fires on rural communities, and to ensure sufficient firefighting resources in

11628-777: The state's area, has no borough government or borough seat. One borough, the Lake and Peninsula Borough , has its borough seat located in another borough, namely King Salmon in Bristol Bay Borough . In Louisiana , which is divided into parishes rather than counties, county seats are referred to as "parish seats". In New England , counties have served mainly as dividing lines for the states' judicial systems. Rhode Island has no county level of government and thus no county seats, and Massachusetts has dissolved many but not all of its county governments. In Vermont , Massachusetts , and Maine county government consists only of

11742-517: The streets, built the first houses and commercial buildings, donated land for a college, and placed a restrictive covenant on each deed prohibiting the manufacture, distribution, or sale of intoxicating liquor. Tourism became an important part of the local economy from the creation of White Sands National Monument in 1934. Construction began on the Alamogordo Army Air Field (the present-day Holloman Air Force Base ) in 1942, and

11856-580: The term as hien . When Taiwan became a Japanese colony in 1895, the hierarchy of divisions also incorporated into the Japanese system in the period when Taiwan was under Japanese rule. By September 1945, Taiwan was divided into 8 prefectures ( 州 and 廳 ), which remained after the Republic of China took over. There are 13 county seats in Taiwan, which function as county-administered cities , urban townships , or rural townships . In most of

11970-416: The towns involved, along with providing employment opportunities. There are 33 counties with multiple county seats in 11 states: Alaska is divided into boroughs rather than counties; the county seat in these case is referred to as the "borough seat"; this includes six consolidated city-borough governments (one of which is styled as a "municipality"). The Unorganized Borough, Alaska , which covers 49% of

12084-544: The use of county seats in particular, will fully transition with the permission of the United States Census Bureau to a system of councils of government for the purposes of boundary definition and as county equivalents. Two counties in South Dakota , Oglala Lakota and Todd , have their county seat and government services centered in a neighboring county. Their county-level services are provided by Fall River County and Tripp County , respectively. In Virginia ,

12198-481: The water dries, the winds pick up the gypsum crystals and distribute them over the basin. Alamogordo has a cool arid climate ( Köppen BWk ) with hot summers and mild winters. Rainfall is low and usually confined to the monsoon from July to September, when half a typical year's rainfall of 10.63 in (270.0 mm) will occur – although December 1991 did see 5.45 in (138.4 mm). The wettest calendar year has been 1941 with 21.87 in (555.5 mm) and

12312-433: The winter, days are very mild and sunny, but nights are cold, with 32 °F (0 °C) reached on 55.1 mornings during an average winter, although only ten mornings have ever fallen to or below 0 °F (−17.8 °C), with the coldest temperature recorded at Alamogordo being −13 °F (−25.0 °C) during a major cold wave on February 3, 2011. Snow is very rare, with a mean of no more than 4.1 in (0.10 m) and

12426-399: The world. The program also promotes sustainable land management overseas and brings important technologies and innovations back to the United States. The program focuses on conserving key natural resource in cooperation with countries across the world. Although a large volume of timber is logged every year, not all National Forests are entirely forested. There are tidewater glaciers in

12540-513: Was admitted. The Museum shop has a large collection of local history books. The Historical Society also publishes its own series of monographs on local history, Pioneer . American Armed Forces Museum is a museum on U.S. Route 82 near Florida Avenue that opened in 2011. It collects and displays all kinds of military memorabilia from all wars and military engagements. The Shroud Exhibit And Museum, located in White Sands Mall, showcases

12654-403: Was an independent city from 1968 to 2013, while also being the county seat of Bedford County . Bedford reverted to an incorporated town, and remains the county seat, though is now part of the county. The state with the most counties is Texas, with 254, and the state with the fewest counties is Delaware, with 3. United States Forest Service The United States Forest Service ( USFS )

12768-498: Was being constructed in the late 19th century. Initially its main industry was timbering for railroad ties. The railroad founders were also eager to found a major town that would persist after the railroad was completed; they formed the Alamogordo Improvement Company to develop the area, making Alamogordo an early example of a planned community . The Alamogordo Improvement Company owned all the land, platted

12882-484: Was not settled until about 1860. The city of Alamogordo was founded in June 1898, when the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad , headed by Charles Bishop Eddy, extended the railway to the town. Eddy influenced the design of the community, which included large, wide thoroughfares and tree-lined irrigation canals. Charles Eddy's brother, John Arthur Eddy, named the new city Alamogordo ("large/fat cottonwood" in Spanish) after

12996-438: Was the first ever explosion of an atomic bomb . Humans have lived in the Alamogordo area for at least 11,000 years. The present settlement, established in 1898 to support the construction of the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad , is an early example of a planned community . The city was incorporated in 1912. Tourism became an important economic factor with the creation of White Sands National Monument in 1933, which

#775224