Taos By The Tail

Merilee DannemannThe Author: Merilee Dannemann

A native New Yorker, Merilee Dannemann found her way to Taos by chance, attended a Summer Solstice Party at New Buffalo Commune, and was unable to leave for 14 years. She was hired temporarily at the Taos News when a reporter unexpectedly left town for a short trip. The other reporter forgot to come back and the editor forgot that Merilee was temporary.

Merilee worked at the Taos News for five years, covering virtually every beat and writing “Triple Spaced” when the spirit moved her. She left the newspaper in hopes of writing a novel, but instead learned how to procrastinate and became a pretty good gardener. She wrote freelance for several publications, served as Taos correspondent for the Albuquerque Journal, and created an advertising publication called the Skier Guide, which she operated until leaving Taos in 1986.

She lived in Albuquerque, then Santa Fe, then back to Albuquerque, where from 1991 until 2008 she worked in a New Mexico state regulatory agency where she made the mistake of trying to help people understand regulations. She was married to the late State Senator Ken Kamerman.

As this is being posted, she is still in Albuquerque and reinventing herself yet again.

Caricature of Merilee Dannemann by Chuck Asay

Chuck AsayThe Cartoonist: Chuck Asay

Chuck Asay was born in Alamosa, Co., studied art at Adams State College, and knew from a young age that he wanted to be an editorial cartoonist. He moved to Taos, became ad manager of the Taos News, and for a time gave the newspaper his cartoons for free while developing his skill and reputation.

He moved to Colorado Springs in 1978 and became cartoonist first for the Colorado Springs Gazette and then for the Sun, taking a Christian conservative political point of view while retaining the gentle humor that had made him a favorite in Taos. He worked for almost 30 years until retiring in 2007, but still lives in Colorado Springs and draws cartoons for Creators Syndicate. You can see his recent cartoons on the Web at www.creators.com/editorialcartoons/chuck-asay.html. His cartoons have been widely circulated in conservative publications.

A collection of his cartoons has been published as the book Asay Doodles Goes to Town, and he has contributed to several other books including Taxpayers’ Tea Party, 1994, with a new edition being reissued in 2010.

Sample Cartoon by Chuck Asay