ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) - Officials in a drought-stricken southern New Mexico county object to the U.S. Forest Service putting up fences and locking gates that keep ranchers cattle away from water in a mountain riparian area of the Lincoln National Forest.

The Otero County Commission voted Monday to seek a court order for the county sheriff to unlock four gates on Forest Service fences near the Agua Chiquita riparian area, the Alamogordo Daily News (http://bit.ly/1fMiDCD ) reported.

The county commission in April sent the Forest Service a letter ordering to halt fencing work in the area.

Commissioner Tommie Harrell asked Forest Service Supervisor Travis Moseley during the meeting to unlock a few gates to allow cattle easier access to water, but Moseley declined.

Mosely also told the commission that the fencing work is legal and necessary to allow multiple uses of forest land and to protect endangered species.

Blair Dunn, an attorney for the county, said the Forest Service doesnt have the right to appropriate water for wildlife.

They have no lawful right to the stream, Dunn said. So to pen something off for wildlife to go drink and to appropriate that water for wildlife when they dont have the necessary legal permits or rights to do so amounts to an illegal diversion of water.

Rancher Judyann Holcomb Medeiros said fencing cattle away from water puts them at risk. During the drought, our cattle have to walk extended lengths to reach water, she said.

The fencing, she said, also causes the cattle to use the heavily used county road, and we have had cattle hit and killed or severely crippled or damaged by the impacts.

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New Mexico county panel objects to forest fences

By Janessa Maxilom

jmaxilom@alamogordonews.com @janessa_speaks on Twitter

John BearDaily News Otero County Cattleman's Association President Gary Stone takes a question during a presentation about fencing in the Lincoln National Forest on Monday at a meeting of the Otero County Commission. Behind him is a photograph of disputed fencing in the forest.

Otero County Commissioners instructed the county sheriff to unlock U.S. Forest Service fences in the mountains on Monday.

During a commission meeting to discuss the Forest Service's alleged illegal fencing activities within the county the commission and ranchers decided the USFS should unlock some of its fence gates to allow cattle easier access to water in the region.

District 1 Commissioner Tommie Harrell asked Forest Service Supervisor, Travis Moseley, to unlock a few gates to allow cattle easier access to water. Moseley replied with a simple no to Herrell's request.

"Now the procurement is since they won't, then we've instructed Sheriff Benny House to unlock those fences," Herrell said. "And we'll do this by court order."

According to Herrell, House is being ordered to unlock four gates to two enclosed areas near the Agua Chiquita riparian area. The order was issued on the heels of the commission's recent request for the USFS to halt fencing projects in April.

In April, the commission issued a cease and desist illegal fencing activities letter to the U.S. Forest Service.

During Monday's meeting, Moseley replied to the commission's letter with his own letter.

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Otero County Commissioners instruct sheriff to unlock U.S. Forest Service gates

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A standoff between Otero County and the U.S. Forest Service has begun after the federal agency put up fences that have kept cattle away from a water source, angering ranchers.

The Forest Service denied a County Commission request that several gates be unlocked to let cattle through, according to the Alamogordo Daily News.

The local forest supervisor, Travis Moseley, told the commission the service is on sound legal footing and within our jurisdiction to put up the fences, which protect a river area known as Agua Chiquita.

The commissioners on Monday instructed the Otero County sheriff to unlock the gates and said they would pursue a court order, according to the Daily News.

U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., has staff on site, monitoring the situation, according to a spokeswoman for the congressman.

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Feds block cattle from water source

Foothills MD councillors voted last week to fence off soccer fields near Heritage Pointe and look at options for other fields to prevent people from being able to drive on them.

On April 23 MD council approved putting up a fence around the soccer fields at the Lake at Heritage Pointe.

The move comes after recent where people driving trucks and ATV damaged soccer fields and baseball diamonds in a number of areas in the MD, including Cayley and Heritage Pointe and Blackie.

Jeff Porter, MD agricultural fieldman, said the fence is necessary to protect the Heritage Pointe field from further damage.

We cant allow that kind of damage to be happening to that facility, he said. It hasnt really been open for use yet and already theres damage occurring.

Porter estimated the fence will cost about $17,000 to put up and said construction on the fences will be done in about three weeks.

An access road to the site already has a fence on it, but the field is not fenced.

Soon after receiving a report about the Cayley incident, Porter saw the suspect driving his truck down Cayley Road and was able to pull the driver over.

Porter estimated the damage at Cayley to be around $1,500.

The MD has referred the incident at the Cayley field to the RCMP for investigation and it is seeking charges in the matter.

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Mud boggers force MD to build fences

High School Adds Fences Ahead of Morgan Hill Cinco De Mayo Protest
Protesters waving America flags are expected to demonstrate at Live Oak High School on Cinco De Mayo.

By: KSBW Action News 8

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High School Adds Fences Ahead of Morgan Hill Cinco De Mayo Protest - Video

By Janessa Maxilom

jmaxilom@alamogordonews.com @janessa_speaks on Twitter

John BearDaily News Otero County Cattleman's Association President Gary Stone takes a question during a presentation about fencing in the Lincoln National Forest on Monday at a meeting of the Otero County Commission. Behind him is a photograph of disputed fencing in the forest.

Otero County Commissioners instructed the county sheriff to unlock U.S. Forest Service fences in the mountains on Monday.

During a commission meeting to discuss the Forest Service's alleged illegal fencing activities within the county the commission and ranchers decided the USFS should unlock some of its fence gates to allow cattle easier access to water in the region.

District 1 Commissioner Tommie Harrell asked Forest Service Supervisor, Travis Moseley, to unlock a few gates to allow cattle easier access to water. Moseley replied with a simple no to Herrell's request.

"Now the procurement is since they won't, then we've instructed Sheriff Benny House to unlock those fences," Herrell said. "And we'll do this by court order."

According to Herrell, House is being ordered to unlock four gates to two enclosed areas near the Agua Chiquita riparian area. The order was issued on the heels of the commission's recent request for the USFS to halt fencing projects in April.

In April, the commission issued a cease and desist illegal fencing activities letter to the U.S. Forest Service.

During Monday's meeting, Moseley replied to the commission's letter with his own letter.

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Commissioners instruct sheriff to unlock forest gates

Tall Victorian houses make long shadows. Lower ranch houses make shade with broad eaves. Awkwardly big modern homes shade more of their disproportionately small gardens than the others, especially since they have such tall fences to compensate for their minimal proximity to other homes. Even the sunniest of home gardens have some sort of shade.

Like various architecture, various shade trees make different flavors of shade. Silk tree, honeylocust and silver maple make broad shadows of relatively light shade. Because they are deciduous, they allow most sunlight through while bare in winter. Southern magnolia, Canary Island pine and Canary Island date palm make darker shade. Because they are evergreen, they are always shady.

Spots that are shaded only by the west side of a fence get warmer afternoon sun exposure than spots that get eastern exposure in the morning. Plants that are only shaded in the morning therefore need to tolerate both warm afternoon exposure and partial shade. Eastern exposures are easier to work with, since most plants that tolerate a bit of shade also like to be sheltered from harsh afternoon exposure.

Because fences lack eaves, southern

exposures lack shade, and may enhance exposure by reflecting glare and heat. Southern exposure against houses and garages is determined by the height and width of the eaves. Light colors reflect more than darker colors. Northern exposures are of course the shadiest.

Shade can change as the environment changes. Sun exposure increases if a tree or building gets removed. Remodels or newer and higher fences can increase shade. Even without such obvious modifications, large shrubbery and trees make more shade as they grow. Pruning allows more sunlight through, but only until they grow more.

Shade involves more than just sunlight. Some plants, such as Irish moss, pansies and other cool season annuals, are sensitive to the heat of full exposure. Others, like bougainvillea, flame vine and all sorts of cacti, crave heat. Lilacs like both the summer heat and winter cold of more exposed spots. Clematis are even more discriminating, wanting a cool spot for their roots, while they climb up and into the sunlight.

Whether for shade or sunny exposure, plants need to be selected accordingly. Bougainvillea, ceanothus and other plants that like good warm exposure with plenty of sunlight will not do much if shaded. Kaffir lily, hosta, rhododendron and various ferns that prefer partial shade can get roasted if too exposed when the weather gets warm and dry (with minimal humidity).

Eastern redbud, sweet bay, Oregon grape, Heavenly bamboo (nandina), various hollies, various podocarpus and both English and Algerian ivies are some of the few plants that are not too discriminating about their exposure, and will be just as happy with partial shade as with full exposure. Hydrangea, camellia, fuchsia and aucuba are nearly as agreeable, but will get roasted by harsh exposure enhanced by reflected glare from walls or pavement. All palms tolerate shade while young, but adapt to full exposure as they grow above what shades them.

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Shade is not always cool

State fences off Kauai forest reserve from feral animals
Work began Thursday to build a 3.3-mile fence in the Hono O Na Pali Natural Area Reserve on Kauai.

By: KHON2 News

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State fences off Kauai forest reserve from feral animals - Video

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RESIDENTS are calling for fences around a sports centre pitch to be doubled in size to stop footballs landing in their gardens.

Families living near South Moorlands Leisure Centre, in Cheadle, have held talks over 10-metre (32ft) high fences being installed around the artificial pitch after complaining about the flying balls and being verbally abused.

In one incident, a ball almost landed inside a child's pram and another time footballers started throwing bottles over a fence after a resident refused to return their ball.

Centre operator Parkwood Leisure submitted a planning application for the 10-metre high fence after receiving the complaints.

But members of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council's planning committee have rejected the application after branding the new fence an 'eyesore'.

Councillor Mike Worthington said: "This will double the height of the fence. I think this will be an eyesore. It is a very difficult situation and we need to find a solution."

Councillor Stephen Ellis added: "People will feel like they are living in a cage. If you buy a house next to a football pitch then it is expected that balls will go over."

But residents in Cecilly Grove say their lives have been blighted by abusive footballers for the past 12 months.

Jenna Vickers, aged 32, said: "It is not good. A taller fence would have been better than what we've got now.

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Residents living near a Cheadle sports pitch call for bigger...

Beyond the Fences with Fatehsher Ali of Softballers

By: SouthAsianSports

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Beyond the Fences with Fatehsher Ali of Softballers - Video