Gorman estate auction in Taos

More than 500 items from Taos artist RC Gorman's art collection of regional and national art as well as household items, furniture, silver and pottery will be auctioned off Aug. 20-21 at the Taos Civic Plaza Convention Center.

The estate includes works by Fritz Scholder, Carl Nelson Gorman, Edward Curtis, Dorothy Brett, Spud Johnson, Michio Takayama and David Alfaro Sequeiros and others.

The silent auction bidding will be from 5 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 20 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 21. The live auction starts at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 21 and continues to completion. Admission is limited to 400 people age 21 and older. The $25 registration fee admits one bidder and one guest; fee is credited to first purchase of $100 or more.

You can view the entire live auction list with photos on the Web by visiting rcgormangallery.com/uploaded/file/RCGorman_liveauction.pdf.

The Silent Auction list is at rcgormangallery.com/uploaded/file/RCGorman_silentauction.pdf.

Governor: State fair, Expo New Mexico stay

ALBUQUERQUE — Gov. Bill Richardson said Expo New Mexico and the state fair on the 70-year-old state fairgrounds in Albuquerque will not move. He told about 250 people meeting Friday to discuss the future of the 237-acre fairgrounds that, "At least as long as I'm governor, the fair will not move."

Richardson's administration became interested in redeveloping the fairgrounds in late May after the state Racing Commission approved moving the Downs at Albuquerque to a proposed $65 million facility in Moriarty. The governor has directed the state Finance Department to solicit ideas and the submission deadline is Friday.

A state request for information listed various possibilities for redeveloping the fairgrounds, including building new retail, residential and commercial space, a theme park, a campus of state offices and an equestrian center.

Local farm asks: Got manure?

The Community Farm at San Ysidro Crossing in Agua Fría Village needs manure. The farm, which raises organic fruits and vegetables for distribution to charitable organizations, is preparing to restore soil on a 2-acre plot along the river.

Carolyn Stephenson says the farm needs at least two semitrailers of manure in time for a community celebration Sept. 27. The celebration will honor the farm's John Stephenson, but volunteers that day also will build an "enchilada" of manure, cardboard and grass clippings on the vegetable plot to prepare it for future planting. Music, food and ice cream for workers will also be offered. The event is from 2 p.m. until dark.

Meanwhile, if you have manure, call Carolyn Stephenson at the Mission Café at 983-3033.

History Museum closer to goal

The 96,000-square-foot New Mexico History Museum moved closer to completing its goal of $6.5 million to build the exhibitions for the new downtown museum, scheduled to open Memorial Day weekend in 2009.

More than 1,200 donors raised $425,000 this spring and $323,000 remains to be raised to meet the terms of a $750,000 challenge grant from The Kresge Foundation.

To learn how to give to the museum, contact development director Colleen Kelly at 982-6366, or colleenk@museumfoundation.org.