Longtime GCAS member and supporter, John Fitch, passed away in Las Cruces, New Mexico, on Monday, August 21, 2023. John grew up in El Paso, Texas, graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso, and worked for 30 years with the Federal Government in the Washington, DC, area before returning to the Southwest in 1995. An enthusiastic avocational archaeologist, he assisted for many years with the Cañada Alamosa and other archaeological projects on behalf of Karl and Toni Laubach and Human Systems Research in Las Cruces as well as with the Black Mountain and Woodrow Ruin projects for Colorado University. Memorial and funeral arrangements are still pending as of the date of this publication.

The GCAS misses you, John.

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Gila National Forest Supervisor, Camille Howes, reports that her agency is working to find and hire additional staff. She explains,

The National Forests are suffering from the same ‘great resignation’ as other local businesses and government agencies over the past several years. We are looking to fill vacancies with local talent. If you or someone you know is looking for work and loves public land, reach out to learn about opportunities to make a difference in your community and enjoy a lifelong career with the Gila National Forest.

If you or someone you know loves our outdoors and wants to preserve and protect them, please contact the Gila National Forest. Start by calling or visiting the Silver City Ranger District at 575-388-8201, located at 3005 Camino del Bosque in Silver City, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information contact Maribeth Pecotte at 575-388-8211 or via email; or go directly to the Forest Service's Careers web page.

Our public lands need you!

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People, archaeologically-flavored events are being scheduled all over the place. In our corner of the Southwest, the action is ramping up during September and gets fast and furious during October. Set aside the following dates and check back to our Events page and to this here blog for details as they develop:

Wednesday, August 16, 2023, VIA ZOOM: The GCAS will begin at 5:30PM Mountain Daylight (New Mexico) Time/4:30PM Mountain Standard (Arizona) Time with a very short business meeting. At or shortly before 5:45PM New Mexico/4:45PM Arizona time, we will welcome our Featured Speaker, archaeologist Allen Dart of Old Pueblo Archaeology Center, who will describe The Antiquity of Irrigation in the Southwest: