Area Briefs | Tse Bit’Ai Mid wins audience choice award at student film fest

SANTA FE

The Audience Choice Award for best short film in the middle school division at New Mexico’s inaugural student film festival is “Life in the Rez,” by Tse Bit’Ai Middle School in Shiprock.

The Public Education Department congratulated students from Deming High who took home the top prize and hundreds of other students statewide who participated in the film festival.

Deming High won the Judges’ Choice Award for Best Short Film for the 10-minute documentary “Estela En El Mar,” which they wrote, directed, filmed and edited.

Another Deming High film, “Deuce,” won the Audience Choice Award in the same category.

The festival, held Saturday and Sunday in Española, featured 62 films from 38 schools in 16 New Mexico counties. More than 500 students participated over the past school year.

Winners by category

Winners in the high school category are:
• Audience Choice Award for Best Short Film: “Deuce” from Deming High.
• Judges’ Choice Award for Best Short Film: “Estela En El Mar” from Deming High.
• Best Comedy: “What’s the Name of the Game?” from New Mexico School for the Arts.
• Best Drama: “I Really Like You Too” from MASTERs Program, Santa Fe Community College.
• Best Sci-Fi/Thriller: “House Sitting” from Capital High.
• Best Documentary/PSA: “Estela En El Mar” from Deming High.
In the middle school division:
• Audience Choice Award for Best Short Film: “Life in the Rez” from Tse Bit’Ai Middle.
• Judges’ Choice Award for Best Short Film: “EARTH” from homeschooled.
• Best Comedy: “Bobo Jones” from Cottonwood Valley Charter.
• Best Drama: “Eggshell” from YMCA Los Alamos Teen Center.
• Best Sci-Fi/Thriller: “Camp Sunshine” from Roots and Wings Community.
• Best Stop Motion/Animation: “EARTH” from homeschooled.
• Best Documentary/PSA: “Pinwel Tah” from Pictures Pueblo Education Department.

NM reports road construction projects

MILAN, N.M. – The New Mexico Department of Transportation issued a traffic report through May 6 and asked all motorists to obey traffic signs, use caution, and watch for heavy equipment and construction personnel in all work zones.

Interstate

• I-40, mile marker 111 to 117, west of Laguna to Mesita. The contractor will resume roadway reconstruction, ramp rehabilitation, and bridge rehabilitation work. The contractor will work at night on the median concrete wall barrier.

Westbound traffic will be reduced to one lane from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

In early May, daytime work will resume placing open-graded friction course, seeding, permanent signing, and striping.

Speed reduced to 55 mph through the work zone. Drivers can expect single-lane closures until all work is complete.

• I-40, mile marker 44, Coolidge Interchange. The contractor continues to work on drainage structures. There are no impacts on I-40.

U.S. roadways

• U.S. 491/Carbon Coal Road Intersection, city of Gallup. The contractor continues roadway reconstruction, rehabilitation, lighting, and signalization work. Work continues between South Chino Loop and Mentmore Road, and the trailhead will remain closed.

South Chino Loop will be closed to traffic. Follow detour signs to County Road 7 for business access and Gamerco. Ninth Street will also be closed east of the U.S. 491 intersection. Follow detour signs to Coal Basin Road for business access. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

State roadways

• N.M. 53, mile marker 82 to 85.9, Exit 85 at Grants. The contractor has resumed bridge and roadway rehabilitation work. N.M. 53 is reduced to one lane in each direction while the contractor completes bridge overlay work.

Speed reduced to 35 mph through the work zone. The contractor’s work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

• N.M. 53, mile marker 85 to 85.9, BNSF bridge at Exit 85 Grants. The contractor will begin bridge and roadway rehabilitation work in early May. N.M. 53 will be reduced to one lane in each direction. Speed reduced to 35 mph. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

• N.M. 53, mile marker 15.5 to 19.5, east of Zuni Pueblo. The contractor continues roadway reconstruction and drainage structure improvement work.
N.M. 53 will be reduced to one lane in each direction via a traffic signal, and only one direction of traffic will be allowed through the construction zone.

Do not run red lights and be patient for traffic signals to turn green to avoid collisions. Speed reduced to 35 mph. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

Information: www.nmroads.com

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