{"id":192773,"date":"2016-10-04T18:17:44","date_gmt":"2016-10-05T00:17:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/?p=192773"},"modified":"2016-10-05T10:01:06","modified_gmt":"2016-10-05T16:01:06","slug":"the-brilliant-beautiful-and-ugly-faces-of-october-in-new-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2016\/10\/the-brilliant-beautiful-and-ugly-faces-of-october-in-new-mexico\/","title":{"rendered":"The brilliant, beautiful and ugly faces of October in New Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Albuquerque\"<\/a>

Will Keightley \/ Creative Commons<\/p>

Crime is on the rise across the borderlands, but perhaps most notably in Albuquerque. (Photo cc info<\/a>)<\/p><\/div>\n

Another glorious New Mexico autumn is upon us. Along the Rio Grande, the changing color of the bosque canopy harkens the coming of the crows. In the Hatch Valley, reddening chiles, blossoming white cotton balls and towering, shadowy stands of corn paint a brilliant mosaic. In the skies of Albuquerque, hot-air balloons puff away as the seasonal scent of roasting green chile rises from below. On Nob Hill, street musicians serenade the night.<\/p>\n

Most of all, fall in New Mexico is the big and joyous time of the year for community festivals and concerts, family get-togethers, football showdowns between the Lobos and the Aggies, and baseball playoffs on the big screen.<\/p>\n

But the land projects a dual face — partially glimpsed in the contrasting messages of the state\u00a0Department of Tourism\u2019s New Mexico True blitz of \u201cAdventure that Feeds the Soul,\u201d and New Mexico Truth, a media initiative launched by CHI St. Joseph\u2019s Children that pointedly reminds the public how one-third of the state\u2019s children live in poverty and the Land of Enchantment is rated 49th nationally for child well-being.<\/p>\n