I'd Rather be in Philadelphia

I recently acquired some propaganda -- I mean brochures -- for Las Cruces, to entice tourists or retirees. It’s quite interesting to learn little things about the town where I have lived for most of 15 years (including college).

For example, we’re being touted as "The Crossroads" of the Southwest. The most frequently cited history of our town used to say it was the place where three people were buried, hence why the city symbol is three crosses. Recently, though, people have gotten up in arms about the symbol, and even the town’s name, alleging that they are expressions of religion and in violation of the First Amendment. We can’t help what our predecessors did. If the people had been Jewish, our town’s symbol could have been a Magen David. Does it really matter?

Perhaps we should entertain the idea of changing the name of the town. After all, Hot Springs, just about an hour north of here, became Truth or Consequences. Why shouldn’t we choose a game show, as well? Given that so many people are moving here because it’s cheaper than where they currently live, why not The Price is Right, NM?

The Convention & Visitors Bureau brochure has a section called "Area Facts". First, they state that we are in the "Time Zone: Mountain standard". Gee, I hate to quibble (not really), but I thought we were in Daylight Savings Time at the moment. On the next page, they show average temperatures by season then by month. It claims the average winter temperature is 65 degrees (Fahrenheit). Then, in the table, it shows 63 degrees for February (the highest temp. listed for a winter month). Which is correct, if either? (For the record, in NM Agricultural Experiment Station Research Report 682, "Climatic Guide, Las Cruces, 1892-1991, 100 Years of Weather Records", a university publication containing hard data, the official February high temp. average is 62.5 degrees.)

Continuing on, I learned that alcohol can not be served on Election Day. They didn’t mention the blue law that you can’t buy it between 12:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Sundays. (No law against drinking it on either of those days, though.)

"...the Emergency Farm Labor Program... brought more than 900 German and Italian POW’s to New Mexico to help farmers battle the labor shortage." I think they all returned home after the war, though. Just try finding a decent Italian restaurant in this town!

We have several musea in town (yes, that’s the correct plural in Latin; look it up). I’m always tickled by the location of the Museum of Natural History: inside the mall. I guess it helps them attract more visitors than if they were in a free-standing building.

One of the golf courses allegedly has "fairways and greens that blend seamlessly with the desert landscape". Wanna bet?

There are seven art galleries listed at the Downtown Mall alone. That is where I walk for exercise each weekend, and I sure don’t see them. In fact, the city is trying to revitalize the Downtown Mall because there are barely seven stores there!

I wonder how many other towns print visitor information like this, and if those brochures aren’t quite accurate, as well.