2015 Visitors Guide

Valencia County’s premier guide for newcomers & visitors

W E L C O M E T O

VA L E N C I AC O U N T Y

V I S I T O R S G U I D E

2015-2016

News-BulletinVALENCIA COUNTY

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THE

HU

B C I TY

CITY OF BELEN

STATE OF NEW MEXICO

Belen Harvey House Museum

Belen Farmers MarketRio Abajo Days

Miracle on Main Street

Belen Flight, Film & Comic Con

Hispano Matanza

Experience Community

Bugg Lights Display

Embrace Tradition

Explore History

Call (505) 864-8091 or visit us on the web for information about Belen.belenchamber.org | belenmainstreet.com | belen-nm.gov

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Valencia County W E L C O M E T O

VISITORS GUIDE2015-2016

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4C Financial options for every phase of your life

Whether you want to save for the future, secure a personal loan, utilize exclusive online and telephone banking services, or enjoy the convenience of our ATMs and many locations, we are here for you. Call, click, or stop by and talk with a banker.

Belen • 101 S. Main St. • 505-864-5788 Bosque Farms • 970 Bosque Farms Blvd. • 505-869-2316 Los Lunas • 1027 Main St. • 505-248-9560

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TABLE ofCONTENTS

6 Welcome to Valencia County

8 Plenty to do in Valencia County

12 Transportation in Valencia County

14 Los Lunas: Small Community, Big Possibilities

16 Continuing to build new traditions in Belen

18 Bosque Farms makes life look easy

20 Daring to be different in Rio Communities

22 A long history of farming and faith in Peralta

24 Raising families and farms in Valencia County

24 Moving into Valencia County

26 Annual community events

32 Celebrating who we are

34 Bugg Lights in Belen

38 Visiting Valencia County

40 Belen Schools create a path toward success

42 Students achieve success at Los Lunas Schools

44 Students soar at School of Dreams Academy

46 University of New Mexico-Valencia Campus

48 Los Lunas trails

50 Beautiful bosque

52 Farming is a way of life in Valencia County

54 Our language, our life

VP COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS Rockford M. Hayes

EdITOR Clara Garcia

STAFF WRITERSJulia M. Dendinger

Deborah Fox

Kenn Rodriguez

dIRECTOR OF SALES Joe Mickelson

AdVERTISING CONSULTANTS Sandra Nadeau

Bobbi Chandler

COVER & TEMPLATE dESIGN Byron Hughey

COVER PHOTO Clara Garcia

CONTACT US AT1837 Camino del Llano

Belen, NM 87002Telephone: 505.864.4472

Fax: 505.864.3549

[email protected] www.news-bulletin.com

The Valencia County Visitors Guide is a copyrighted publication of Valencia

County News-Bulletin, a part of Number Nine Media, Inc.

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Daring to Dream… Building a Dream… Living the Dream! Daring to Dream… Building a Dream… Living the Dream!

A well-educated work force supports the economic development and quality of life throughout our community.

1800 Main Street , Los Lunas, NM 87031 • www.sodacharter.net • 505-866-7632

Rigorous Academics

Nationally Recognized Dance Curriculum

Nationally Ranked Robotics

Digital Art/Video Production

Science Technology Engineering Arts & Math School

BEMP/Horticulture

Award Winning Writing Program

TuiTioN FREE CHARTER SCHooL EARLy CoLLEgE HigH SCHooL

What is it?Early College is a national high school program that allows students to earn college credits by completing courses while still in high school. School of Dreams Academy has partnered with UNM Valencia campus to bring Early College to Valencia County.

How does it work?High School students enrolled at School of Dreams Academy are encouraged to apply for admission into the Early College Program. Students who qualify for the Early College program will work with advisory personnel to select a sequence of high school and college courses leading to the completion of UNM Valencia requirements for an associate degree or a technical certificate.

Why Early College?Participating students and parents will recognize significant tuition savings and be on the fast track to a career and employment.

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Y ou’ve heard the expression — it’s high praise. Folks use it when they want to say something to epitomize

a concept that it literally defines. We think that way, too.

That’s why when we think of words such as “wonderful,” “heritage,” “artistic,” and, perhaps, most of all, “home,” we say that you could look them up in the dictionary and find a picture of Valencia County.

And what a picture it would be — the lush, green Rio Grande Valley with the purple Manzano Mountains to the east and the sepia tones of the mesas and hills to the west.

We see spectacular sunsets, piñon burning in a kiva fireplace, the gentle curves of adobe homes, churches where centuries of worship-pers have gathered, cottonwood trees, fields of sunflowers and sweet-smelling alfalfa, red chile ristras hanging from houses to dry.

And we see faces. We see people with smiles, welcoming us, too.

We see them at work and at play, learning at school and sharing golden days at senior centers.

We see the growing community of artists whose work range from the traditional carv-ing of saints for worship to the creation of pottery for everyday use.

We see scientists and teachers, priests and police, homemakers and farmers. We see life.

If you visit once, you’ll want to live here forever. Many out-of-staters are surprised to learn that central New Mexico enjoys the same four seasons that other parts of the nation do. And they are particularly beautiful here.

Spring is a magical time in the middle Rio Grande Valley. The trees blossom quickly here, starting with a haze of green that at first seems almost imaginary.

March winds are intense in most parts of the country, but in New Mexico, they can be fierce, blowing dust across the beautiful mesas and desert landscape.

The summer is a wonderful time to be in Valencia County. The alfalfa fields are in full blossom and the cattle and horses are kicking up their heels in the pastures.

Summer days are long enough to give you time to wander around just looking. While

the days are hot, the nights are refreshingly cool, making sleep a pleasant experience by just cracking the window.

The cottonwoods that make up the river bosque — forest in Spanish — turn a bright yellow in the fall that stands out against that special azure sky in a way you just won’t believe. Huge Vs of sandhill cranes and other wintering birds wing through the sky, head-ing south — heading here!

Winter is the time when the snowbirds arrive. They find the weather pleasant — sometimes you can go out without even wearing a coat. Yes, it does snow, but that’s only a matter of an inch or two, likely clear-ing off by the afternoon.

The smell of piñon fires perfume the air as people gather around making their traditional Christmas meals, including biscochitos, tama-les and empanadas.

Come any time. Bienvenidos — wel-come. Nuestra casa es su casa — our house is your house.

In this Visitors Guide, we will try to present the many faces and places of life in our valley.

Welcome to

Valencia county

BIENVENIEdOS

A majestic place to live, play and visit

V i S i t o R S G u i D e

2015-2016

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A majestic place to live, play and visit

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PleNTy To do IN ValeNCIa CouNTy

Calendar of events: From music fests to matanzas

People in Valencia Coun-ty enjoy having a fiesta — and there’s plenty to

do every year, no matter what your interests.

May 2015• A Mother’s Day Arts

and Crafts Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 2, at the Bosque Farms Com-munity Center.

• Route 66 Rodders Swap Meet will be held at the Los Lunas Sports Complex on N.M. 314 Saturday and Sun-day, May 2-3.

• The Tomé Art Gallery will be holding its Jewelry and Personal Adornment show from May 3-31. An opening reception will be held from 2-4 p.m. on May 3.

• The Tim Lardner Memo-rial Scholarship Golf Tourna-ment, presented by the Greater Belen Chamber of Commerce, will be held on Friday, May 8, at Tierra del Sol Golf Club in Rio Communities.

• The Belen Harvey House Museum will be hosting the Belen Art League Sprint Art Exhibit through May 8.

• The Hub City Music Fest and Carnival will be held May 29-31 at the Heart of Belen Plaza.

• The Los Lunas Museum of Heritage and Arts will host-ing the Charles “Bud” Ed-mondson Art Show from May through June.

June 2015• The Belen Harvey House

Museum will be hosting a Histo-ry of Aprons exhibit from June 20 to July 4. A presentation on “A History of Aprons” will be held at 1 p.m., June 20.

• The annual Los Lunas Chamber of Commerce Sum-merfest will be held June 26-28. Activities will include a karaoke contest, two movies — one Fri-day and one Saturday night — live music and entertainment, car show, volleyball tournament, jumpers for the kids, and more

at Heritage Park on Lambros Loop in Los Lunas.

• The Los Lunas American Cancer Society Relay for Life will be held at the Los Lunas High School baseball fields on June 26-27.

• The Valencia County Community Band patriotic per-formance and ice cream social will be held from 1-3 p.m., June 27, at the Bosque Farms Com-munity Center.

July 2015• The annual Fourth of July

parade down Main Street to N.M. 314 in Los Lunas will be held at 9 a.m., Saturday, July 4. There will be entertainment and activities beginning at 4 p.m. at Daniel Fernandez Park and a fireworks display at dusk.

• The Belen All American Independence Day and Music Fest will be held all day on Friday, July 3. The event will feature arts, crafts, vendor booths, balloon bounce, contests and fireworks at dusk, at Eagle

Park in Belen. • The Belen Art League

will hold its ART for Pet’s Sake exhibit and adoption event to benefit homeless pets from July 11-31. The opening reception will be held July 11.

• The Belen Harvey House Museum will be hosting A Montage of Color exhibit by the Valencia Art Center from July 11-25.

• The Tomé Art Gallery will be holding its What I did on my Summer Vacation Show, featuring Valencia County art teachers, July 12-Aug. 9. An opening reception will be held from 2-4 p.m., July 12.

• The Belen Art League will hold its Paint and Sip event from 6-8 p.m., July 18. Come and paint in the gallery’s garden.

• The Bosque Farms Com-munity Fair will be held Friday through Sunday, July 24-26, at the Bosque Farms Rodeo Association Arena. There will be food, games, a parade, a greased-pole climb competition,

VALENCIA COUNTY

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toad racing, indoor exhibits, a rolling-pin throwing contest, a car show and vendors.

• The Los Lunas Museum of Heritage and Arts will hosting a Billy the Kid Exhibit from July through September.

August 2015• A Summer Arts and Crafts Fair will

be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Aug. 1, at the Bosque Farms Community Center.

• The Belen Harvey House Museum will be hosting a Descansos exhibit by John Taylor from Aug. 1 to Sept. 12. The exhibit will feature a photo exhibit of descansos around the county. A presentation and book signing by John Taylor will be held at 2 p.m., Aug. 8.

• The Valencia County Community Expo will be held Saturday, Aug. 1, through Sunday, Aug. 8, at the Valencia “Y” in Los Lunas. The Valencia County Community Expo is an annual event that provides a venue for the youth of Valencia County to exhibit their FFA and 4-H projects.

• A National Night Out will be hosted by the Los Lunas and Belen police depart-ments and the Valencia County Sheriff’s

Office on Tuesday, Aug. 4. The events will include free barbecues, children’s events and a chance to meet and talk with local law enforcement.

• The Belen Art League will hold its Black and White Art Show from Aug. 8-15. A garden reception will be held at 6 p.m., Aug. 8.

• Our Lady of Belen Fiestas, celebrat-ing the 222nd annual fiestas, will be held Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 13-16. There will be a parade down Main Street on Saturday, ending at Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church, followed by entertain-ment, a carnival, food and dancing under the tent at the church.

• Viva La New Mexico Music Fest will be held Aug. 21-23 at the Valencia County Fair Grounds in Belen. There will be 20 live bands, karaoke contest, old west gun fight reenactments, farmers market cowboy competition, kids zone, live chain saw carv-ing and more.

• The annual Valencia County Fair will be held from Saturday, Aug. 22 to Sunday, Aug. 30, at the Valencia County Fairgrounds. The Sheriff’s Posse Rodeo is

on the last weekend of the fair. • The Valencia County Fair Parade will

be held on Saturday, Aug. 29, down Main Street in Belen, ending at the fairgrounds.

September 2015• Viva New Mexico Chile Festival will

be held Sept. 4-6 at Wagner Farms, 1420 Desert Willow Road, in Los Lunas.

• The Belen Art League will hold its Fall Art Show from Sept. 9-27 at the Belen Har-vey House Museum. An opening reception will be held at 12:30 p.m., Sept. 12.

• The annual 9/11 Memorial Cer-emony is held at the 9/11 Memorial Park on Church and Main streets in Belen on Sept. 11.

• The Belen Harvey House Museum will be hosting The Plaza Veija de Belen, Belen’s Colonial History exhibit on Sept. 12. Join Samuel Sisneros at 2 p.m. as he talks about the history of the area.

• The Tomé Art Gallery will be holding its Y’Art Sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sun-day, Sept. 13. There will be supplies, books,

CONTINUEd ON PAGE 10

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all things art and art swap meet. • The city of Rio Com-

munities will hold its second annual Pioneer Days Parade, to celebrate those who helped form the city, on Saturday, Sept. 19, from the Tierra del Sol Golf Club to Rio Communities Bou-levard to the Valley Plaza.

• The Rio Abajo Becker Street Festival will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26, in Belen. The event this year will include a new children’s carnival, arm wrestling tournament, a tough-man contest, hot air balloon glow, six live bands, green chile cook-off, car show, poker bike run, blacksmithing contest, food, crafts and community vendors all day long.

• The Belen Harvey House Museum will be host-ing Women Marked for His-tory on Sept. 26. At 1 p.m., authors Phil Archuleta and Rosanne Roberts-Archuleta will present their book, which celebrates New Mexico’s history-making women.

• The 36th annual New Mexico Council of Car Clubs Swap Meet will be held Sept. 25-27 in Los Lunas

October 2015• A Fun Run and Walk will

be held at Eagle Park in Belen.• The Los Lunas Museum

of Heritage and Arts will host-ing the Camino Real 8 Art Exhibit.

• The annual Capt. Tamara Long-Archuleta Memorial Open Karate Championships will be held Oct. 17 at Belen High School gymnasium.

• The Valencia County Cooperative Extension Office will hold its annual Fall Fest at the New Mexico State

University Science Center in Los Lunas. The event includes a huge pumpkin patch, pumpkin decorating, hay rides, horse rides, milk cow demonstrations, games, activities and much more.

• The Fiesta Cluster Dog Show will be held at Heritage Park in Los Lunas.

• La Vida Felicidad Dash on the Ditch will be held at Heri-tage Park in Los Lunas.

• The Tomé Art Gallery will be holding its Day of the Dead Show from Oct. 18 to Nov. 8. The opening reception will be held from noon to 3 p.m. A costume contest will be held at 2:30 p.m.

• St. Mary’s Catholic School in Belen will be holding its an-nual Fall Festival on Oct. 24.

• The Belen Harvey House Museum will be hosting “Ernie Pyle” by local historian B.G. Burr at 2 p.m., Oct. 26.

• The Valencia County Community Band Fall Dance

will be held from 7 - 9 p.m., Oct. 17, at the Bosque Farms Community Center.

• The Belen Harvey House Museum will be hosting the Harvey House Paranormal Investigation Tour with Path of Souls Paranormal on Oct. 30.

• A Halloween Extrava-ganza, including a haunted house, will be held from 5 - 8 p.m., Oct. 29-30, and from 5 - 10 p.m., Oct. 31, at the Daniel Fernandez Recreation Center in Los Lunas.

November 2015• The Los Lunas Museum

of Heritage and Arts will host its annual Adult Juried Art Show from November to Dec. 3.

• The Belen Art League will hold its Veterans Photo Show on Nov. 7.

• Our Lady of Belen Catholic Daughters of the Americas annual bazaar, “Ber-lie’s Christmas Bazaar,” will be held Nov. 13-14.

• The annual Fishing Derby will be held from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Nov. 21, at the Los Lunas River Park.

• A Christmas Arts and Crafts Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 21, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Nov. 22, at the Bosque Farms Com-munity Center.

• The Belen annual Christ-mas Festival will be held Satur-day, Nov. 28. Arts and crafts, food, Snow Queen contest, light display, the Miracle on Main Street Electric Light Parade and a hot air balloon glow will be held. All the events will take place in the Heart of Belen.

• The Belen Harvey House Museum will be hosting the Bugg Lights in Belen from Nov. 28 to Dec. 31, with more than 300,000 lights, vintage and homemade Christmas decorations, 50 Christmas trees and more.

• The Tomé Art Gallery will be holding its Shop Local event from Nov. 28 to Dec. 31. An open house will be held from 2-4 p.m., Nov. 28.

• The Belen Art League will hold its Holiday Open House in conjunction with the city of Belen’s Electric Light Parade and opening of the Bugg Lights in Belen display.

December 2015• The annual Winter Ball,

sponsored by the Los Lunas Police Department’s Cops and Kids Program will be held at 6 p.m., Friday, Dec. 4, at Daniel Fernandez Rec-reation Center in Los Lunas.

• The Los Lunas Christmas Electric Light Parade will be held at 6:30 p.m., Saturday,

VALENCIA COUNTY


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Dec. 5, down Main Street. • The annual Santa in the Park will

be held at 6 p.m, Saturday, Dec. 12, at Daniel Fernandez Park in Los Lunas.

• Follow the Star, a procession following the days leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ, will be held at Eagle Park in Belen, beginning at 4:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 12.

• A community Christmas party will be held from 2 - 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Bosque Farms Community Center.

• New Year’s Eve with Plumb Ade-quate Band will be held from 7 - 9:30 p.m., Dec. 31, at the Bosque Farms Community Center.

January 2016• The 21st annual Dr. Martin Luther

King Candlelight Vigil will be held on Mon-day, Jan. 19, at the Heart of Belen Plaza.

• The 16th annual Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce Matanza will be held on Saturday, Jan. 30, at Eagle Park in Belen. The day-long event includes a matanza competition, tortilla, biscochitos and red chile contest, chil-

dren’s activities, an art center and live bands throughout the day.

• The Los Lunas Museum of Heritage and Arts will hosting its Dust, Drought and Dreams Gone Dry exhibit from January through February.

February 2016• Tomé Art Gallery’s annual Soup-R-

Bowl event will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 7, to benefit scholar-ships at UNM-VC. Buy a bowl and fill it with soup, breads and dessert, all for $10. The event will be held at the University of New Mexico-Valencia Campus.

• Belen Art League’s annual Valentine Tea will be held at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 7. This annual event is a fundraiser for scholarships given to a deserving Belen area high school senior, including home-school students. Sand-wiches, desserts and tea of course will be served. The cost is $8.

March 2016• The 32nd annual St. Patrick’s Day

Balloon Rallye will be held on Friday

through Sunday, March 13-15, at Eagle Park in Belen. The annual rally features dozens of hot air balloons taking off at dawn to fly the county skies. There will also be the annual Film Festival at the Belen Public Library and Comic Con at the Belen Community Center.

• The Los Lunas Museum of Heritage and Arts will host its annual Student Art show from March through May.

• The Valencia County Community Band Spring Dance will be held from 7 - 9 p.m., Saturday, March 19.

• The annual Good Friday pilgrimage to Tomé Hill will be held on Friday, March 25. The traditional walk begins at sunrise and continues throughout the day to the three crosses placed on the sacred hill by the late Edwin Berry.

April 2016• The village of Los Lunas will sponsor

Easter egg hunts for area children. The events usually happen at local parks.

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Lower Tuition — Higher Education

280 LA ENTRADA RD. LOS LUNAS, N.M. 87031 FACEBOOK.COM/UNMVCVC.UNM.EDU 505.925.8560

TrainsBelen is a longtime major hub in the

BNSF Railroad system. While it’s mainly a fueling facility, Belen serves as the operating division headquarters for the railroad in New Mexico and Arizona.

More than 150 trains run through Belen each day, providing an occupation that employs about 1,500 people statewide.

Amtrak passenger service is available in Albuquerque. The Albuquerque station is located at 320 First St. SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, 505-842-9650. Information at www.amtrak.com.

Rail Runner ExpressThe New Mexico Rail Runner Express

commuter train was introduced in 2006 and has recently expanded its service as far north as Santa Fe.

The commuter train carried its 2 mil-lionth rider in 2012.

The Belen station is located at Reinken

Avenue and Wisconsin Street. The Los Lunas station is located at

751 Juan Perea Road, next to the Los Lunas Transportation Center and adja-cent to N.M. 314.

There are 11 other stations along the route to Santa Fe, most with commuter bus connections, and the train offers free WiFi. Details at www.nmrailrunner.com.

Belen Municipal AirportThe Belen Alexander Municipal Air-

port, FAA Identifier E80, is on the mesa west of Belen, about 30 miles from Albu-querque and two miles from Interstate 25. The airport was named for former Belen mayor Neil Alexander.

In addition to the current runway, a new one-mile crosswind runway is expected to be completed within the next few years, and construction is planned to begin this year.

The airport is home to more than 50 aircraft, a skydive club, a propeller overhaul facility, aerial photographer and other small

aviation businesses. A new privately-owned hangar was added in the last few years.

Fixed-base operator is Alexander Aero, 505-864-4500. Full-service fuel and repair services, hangars and tie-downs available. Airport manager, 505-966-2650. For information, go to www.belen-nm.gov/departments/alex_mun_airport/alexMunicip-alAirport.htm

Mid Valley AirparkMid Valley Airpark, FAA Identifier E98,

is a resident-owned airport located about three miles south of Los Lunas.

The 4,340-foot asphalt runway is open to the public. There is no fixed-base opera-tor, but there is a full-time manager.

The airpark offers self-service fuel, some repair services, and tie-downs. No transpor-tation is available from the airport.

Details are available at www.airnav.com. For information, call 505-610-3676.

TRANSPORTATION in Valencia county


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The Town Of Peralta “Preserving the past for future generations.”

Town Hall 505-869-2050 www.townofperalta.org Peralta Court 505-869-2205 Town Hall Hours of Operation:

Monday—Friday: 8 AM—5 PM

Council Meetings:

2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month at 6 PM at the Town Hall

Court Hours of Operation:

Monday and Wednesday 9 AM—11 AM

Tuesday and Thursday 3 PM—5 PM

Closed Wednesday.

Court is Tuesday &Thursday 3 PM—5 PM

Rio MetroThe Rio Metro Regional Transit District

is an agency that provides economical trans-portation alternatives for the residents of the Albuquerque Metro Area, which includes Belen and Los Lunas.

Route 206, a fixed route in Belen, takes passengers from the Belen Rail Runner station to stops along Reinken Avenue, 10th Street, Ross Avenue, 11th Street, West Aragon, Mesa Road and Camino del Llano.

Route 207, a fixed route in Los Lunas, takes passengers from the Los Lunas Rail Runner station to stops along N.M. 314, Main Street, Canal Boulevard, Crestview Drive, Camelot Boulevard, Huning Ranch Loop and Lonestar Street.

Full, one-way fare for Route 206 and 207 is $1. One-way reduced fares are 50 cents for youth ages 10-17, students with a valid I.D., seniors age 62 and over and people with disabilities with certain cards or letters of notification. For the full list, go to www.riometro.org.

Rail Runner Express riders can also ride

any Rio Metro bus for free by showing a valid printed or mobile ticket.

A Dial-A-Ride program is also available in Los Lunas and Belen each weekday. The services is a curb-to-curb transportation ser-vices available to anyone traveling in Belen or Los Lunas for $1 each way. Rides must be reserved 24-hours in advance. To make reservations, call 505-352-3595.

Information on routes, rates, etc. is avail-able at riometro.org.

Albuquerque SunportAlbuquerque’s international airport is

an easy connection to get anywhere around the world. About 20 miles north of Valencia County just off Interstate 25, the airport is served by nine carriers: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Boutique Air, Delta Air Lines JetBlue Airways, New Mexico Air-lines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways.

Freight service is provided by DHL Express, Federal Express and United Parcel Service.

General aviation services also available. The

Sunport information line is 505-244-7700.For information, such as real time

flight info, arrivals and departures, go to www.abqsunport.com.

FreewaysBelen has three convenient freeway

entrances onto Interstate 25, the major north-south route in the state, and is an easy 30 miles south of Interstate 40, the major east-west roadway in New Mexico.

The northern exit leads to N.M. 314 and Main Street, going past the city’s Walmart Supercenter and the Valencia County Fairgrounds.

The middle exit leads motorists onto historic Camino del Llano past the Valencia County News-Bulletin and onto Main Street.

The southern exit leads motorists direct-ly onto Main Street and to the businesses on the city’s south side.

There is one Los Lunas exit, onto Main Street in the village.

There are two exits to Isleta Pueblo, one on the west side of the Rio Grande and the other east of the river.


T he village of Los Lunas is the second fastest growing city in the state of New Mexico, yet it retains its pastoral grace

and offers residents a slower pace. Commercial and residential growth have

begun to pick up again, and it is guided by the village comprehensive plan to preserve the rural charm.

“It’s a difficult balance protecting the agricultural character while also permit-ting growth,” said Christina Ainsworth, community development director. “We’re managing that by designating areas where density is appropriate.”

With a population of 14,835 people,

Los Lunas is a unique combination of city and solitude.

It is buffered from Albuquerque’s urban sprawl by Isleta Indian Reservation to the north, yet also has plenty of room to grow on the west side of Interstate 25. To the south of the village lay small, bucolic towns, and to the east rise the Manzano Mountains.

Residents can venture about 20 minutes north to New Mexico’s largest city and enjoy the many shops, restaurants and businesses Albuquerque offers, or continue driving for another hour to Santa Fe, the state capital and a city rich in culture and art.

Many villagers take advantage of commut-

ing by train to work or to play in the cities to the north, on the Rail Runner Express located on N.M. 314 and Courthouse Road.

What began as a small rural farming and ranching community has blossomed into a busy village amid small farms and scenic open spaces. The village is a place where people share friendly neighborhood values.

Los Lunas, which translates to “where the Lunas live,” was named after the prominent and politically influential Luna family.

The first Luna to set foot in Valencia County was Domingo de Luna, from Spain, in 1692.

The beautiful and historical Luna Man-

The village of Los Lunas: Where the Lunas live

Small communitybiG poSSibilitieS

Los LunasMayor: Charles GriegoCouncil: Paulette Montoya-Sanchez, Amanda Perea, Gino Romero and Gerard SaizJudge: Avilio ChavezAdministrator: Gregory MartinPolice Chief: Naithan GuruleFire Chief: John Gabaldon

Los Lunas Administration 660 Main St.Los Lunas, N.M., 87002505-839-3840www.loslunasnm.gov

L I F E A N D L E I S U R E

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LOS LUNAS

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sion, built in 1880, still stands today and is listed on the New Mexico Historical roster.

The Luna Mansion is archi-tecturally unique because it is designed in a southern colonial style typically unseen in New Mexico. However, its basic construction material is adobe, a traditional material used for making houses in the state.

“Los Lunas is great place to live because it has a wide variety of amenities for all its residents, including recreation, shopping, housing and job opportunities,” said Mayor Charles Griego. “In addition, there are beautiful vistas, continuing rural traditions, modern conveniences, and friendly, helpful people. Visi-tors are always welcome.”

The village of Los Lunas is the seat of Valencia County and lies primarily on the west

bank of the Rio Grande. The land was originally

part of the San Clemente Land Grant, granted to Don Felix Candelaria in 1716. Historically, this area had been a small farming com-munity, but since the 1960s, the village has become a growing business center.

Los Lunas has annexed land on the east side of the Rio Grande, but most of the growth has been in the western direction.

Interstate 25 passes along the west side of the village and provides excellent north and south access to the state.

The Los Lunas area began growing rapidly in the 1980s with the expansion of the Al-buquerque metropolitan area and the arrival of the Walmart Distribution Center.

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16

Nestled on the western bank of the Rio Grande, the city of Belen is rich in history and culture, and although

progressing, the city strives to maintain its charm and celebrate the traditions on which it was established.

Founded in 1740 by Don Diego Torres and Antonio Salazar, the quiet community was named using the Spanish word for Beth-lehem, and today still holds tight to traditions from hundreds of years ago.

The small community of about 40 families first worked the land, but by the 19th century, the ever-growing community expanded into sheepherding.

First known as Nuesta Señora de Belen (Our Lady of Bethlehem), Belen continues to celebrate its bond to the Christ child’s birthplace and the deeply religious tradi-tions that the city was based on. As part of its devotion, the city annually presents “Los Pastores” — the shepherds — a Christmas pageant in folk song whose origins are lost to the ages.

Belen was incorporated in 1918 and passed the first village ordinance on July 1, 1919. That was the foundation for implementing fire and police protection as well as official government positions and taxes. Belen officially became a town in

1940 and a city in 1966.Located near the center of the state,

Belen was nicknamed the Hub City, partly because it was the hub of the old Santa Fe Railway system that arrived in 1880. Today, about 170 trains a day pass through the city since the addition of a double track through Abo Canyon that was part of a BNSF track expansion of a five-mile stretch through the area.

With the increase in activity on the rail-road, a Harvey House was opened in 1910, and for 29 years it bustled with business from railroaders. Although it was reopened for a short time during World War II,

The Hub City celebrates culture and charm

continuinG to builD new tRaDitionS in belen

City of BelenMayor: Jerah CordovaCouncil: Darleen Aragon, David Carter, Wayne Gallegos and Frank OrtegaJudge: Kathy SavillaCity Manager: Jay RuybalidPolice Chief: Dan RobbFire Chief: Manny Garcia

Belen City Hall100 S. Main St. Belen, N.M., 87002505-966-2730www.belen-nm.gov

BELEN

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Think no one is lending?THINK AGAIN.

today the Belen Harvey House Museum stands as it was, filled with Harvey Girls and railroad memorabilia that tells the story of days gone by.

Becker Avenue, named after the legendary John Becker, who arrived in Belen during the second half of the 19th century, runs through the heart of Belen, and its renovation is near completion. The avenue has a quiet charm to it where pedestrians can stroll, and diagonal parking, that signature of the old days, makes it easy to get in and out.

The old-town feel that Belen exu-berates has caught the attention of movie makers and been captured in a number of movies and television series, including “The Last Stand,” a modern-day Western, starring former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Other films and television series shot in the Hub City include “Transcendence,” “In Plain Sight,” “As Cool As I

Am,” “Swing Vote,” “Living Hell,” “West Texas Children’s Story” and “Gas-s-s-s.”

A large arch, with an iron nativi-ty scene in front of it, is the gateway to this quaint part of town. Summer and fall festivals are held beneath the pavilion, with the streets closed off for the community to celebrate, dance and enjoy live entertainment.

Further down Becker Avenue, residents and visitors alike can visit the Belen Art League Gallery, which is filled with creations by local artists.

Next along the street is world-renowned artist Judy Chicago, who has renovated the old Belen Hotel as her home and studio.

While the traditions and small town feel remains, the progressive works of the city council and cham-ber of commerce are moving the city forward and readying it for the growth that’s coming.


The village of Bosque Farms is the northernmost municipality in Valencia County. Nestled on the

east bank of the Rio Grande, Bosque Farms is a well-known dairy and farm-ing community.

The first known inhabitants of the area were the sedentary Tiwa Indians, who lived in small pueblos along the Rio Grande from Taos Pueblo to Mexico. Following a period of Span-ish exploration and settlement, the Bosque Farms area later became part of a land grant.

The Depression years saw much of the grant land repossessed and administered through the federal government. The drains, canals and levees were constructed to improve soils and irrigation for agriculture, and also to help prevent flooding from the river. This land was divided into 44 farms by the federal govern-ment, ranging in size from 40 to 80 acres each and farmers were moved onto the land.

It wasn’t until the 1960s that developers began to subdivide the land

in Bosque Farms into lots of one acre or less. Residents were able to enjoy a rural atmosphere, and keep horses and other livestock on their property.

In the early ’70s, several residents began to complain about the lack of law enforcement in the village. As a response to their dilemma, a citizens’ patrol was formed. Night after night, the Eastern Valencia County Citizens Patrol patrolled the roads and ditches looking for suspicious activity.

From the citizens’ patrol evolved the idea that Bosque Farms really

Beautiful and bright in Bosque Farms

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Bosque FarmsMayor: Bob KnowltonCouncil: Wayne Ake, Bill Ken-nedy, Russ Walkup and Dolly WallaceJudge: R. Lar ThomasClerk: Gayle JonesPolice Chief: Greg JonesFire Chief: Spencer Wood

Bosque Farms Village Hall1455 W. Bosque LoopBosque Farms, N.M., 87068505-869-2357www.bosquefarmsnm.gov


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needed its own police officers and was in need of becoming its own town. Instead of counting on the county for all its support, residents started circulat-ing petitions calling for a special election to become an incorporated village.

Residents realized the advantages of incor-poration, of course, were the collection of the gross receipts taxes from the businesses along N.M. 47 to purchase their own police cars instead of depending on others. Another reason for incorporation was zoning.

“People were starting to come to Valencia County in droves from the city. The zoning, or the lack of it, in Valencia County wasn’t good, and people who owned land in Bosque Farms didn’t want it to look like that,” said former mayor Sharon Eastman. “We thought if we incorporated and had proper zoning, we could protect our property values and guide development.”

The village of Bosque Farms was finally incorporated on Saturday, June 1, 1974. The incorporation was ratified by 75 percent of the voters in a special election.

An unexpectedly high 86 percent of the 752 eligible voters living in the village turned out to vote in the single-issue election.


The big blue skies, an abundant amount of sun-shine and a clear view of

both the Manzano Mountains and West Mesa present plenty of opportunities to explore the splendor that is the city of Rio Communities.

Its golf course is open year round and allows duffers to tee off against spectacular backdrops of desert grandeur, the lush river valley and spec-tacular mountain peaks.

Rio Communities might be the newest municipality in Va-lencia County but its history of looking toward the future is what makes this city unique.

Rio Communities, once known as Rio Grande Estates, was established in the early 1960s by Horizon Land Corporation, a develop-ment company that tempted those fed up with congested freeways, crowded cities and light-polluted skies into buying the dream — the wide open expanses of the American Southwest.

A vision of tract homes under clear blue skies was that of Horizon’s chairman of the

board, Joseph Timan; comple-tion of that vision involved taking a vast land mass and thoroughly planning its use — everything from single-family homes and multi-family dwell-ings to schools, parks and even hospitals. It was all there, laid out on paper.

Residents and investors alike began to wonder, in time, if all the promises Horizon

made were ever going to come to fruition. Multiple lawsuits were filed, claiming the company’s representatives exaggerated the potential and omitted material facts.

In the end, the Federal Trade Commission ordered Horizon to spend $45 million on promised improvements, return $14.5 million to investors and allow others a

“cooling-off period,” during which they could back out of deals with the company. In the early 1980s, that Valley Improvement Association was formed to try and bring some kind of order to what Horizon had left behind.

Many who bought into that initial dream and built their homes and lives in Rio Communities are still there —

Rio Communities residents have desire to shape

their own destiny

DaRinG to be DiFFeRentin Rio communitieS

RIO COMMUNITIES


20

Rio CommunitiesMayor: Mark GwinnCouncil: Frank Stasi, Mary Lee Serna, Peggy Gutjahr and Robert ChavezJudge: Heather BenavidezCity Manager: Bob SkerryActing clerk: Marilyn WintersFire Chief: Jason Gonzales

Rio Communities City Hall373 Rio Communities Blvd.Rio Communities, N.M., 87002505-864-6803www.riocommunities.net

21



still hoping and fighting for that vision to become a reality.

Mark Gwinn and his family were one of the first eight to move to the area. His parents, who built their home on Estrella when he was in the sixth grade, were in the market for more land and more space to raise their children and to garden.

“I thought it was the best place in the world,” said Gwinn, who was elected as the city’s first mayor in 2013. “I could go hiking, biking and fishing anytime I wanted. I could run all over the place.”

Gwinn remembers the days when he would work washing out the soda bottles for the local butcher or washing the golf balls for the golf pro for a few extra bucks. He recalls the days when the “Rainbow Bus” would pick up the local children and drive them across the river for school.

It was a time, Gwinn says, when the area was bustling with new people and new opportunities. Along with a new golf course and country club, economic devel-opment in Rio Communities was soaring. There was a new plaza with businesses

from a pizza parlor to boutiques. After Horizon left and VIA took

over, the amenities and services in the area began to dwindle by the late 1980s. Residents thought about asking nearby Belen to annex the unincorporated area, but Gwinn said that notion “just didn’t seem right.”

By the 1990s, residents became more and more unhappy with the lack of services and attention the county was pro-viding the area, such as police protection.

In an effort to take destiny into their own hands, a group of residents decided they would research what it would take to incorporate Rio Communities. Four different times over a period of about 10 years, residents voted down the idea.

The last effort began in 2012 when another group, headed by Gwinn, decided enough was enough and started the pro-cess all over again. A special election was called for January 2013. Of the 1,063 ballots cast, voters opted to incorporate with 672 in favor and 391 against — an overwhelming majority.

“We were ecstatic,” Gwinn said of the election. “It was something that we had worked on for a long time and we finally were able to take hold of our community.”

The first municipal election was held in June 2013.

“It’s been a challenge,” Gwinn admits of running a new municipality. “It’s new for all of us and we’re working hard. Every one of us are volunteers — we’re not doing this for the money, we’re doing this for our community.”

The city’s immediate priorities are economic development, building its own police department, establishing its planning and zoning and moving the community forward. The city is currently renovating a 20,000-square-foot building, once owned by VIA, to transform into a city hall and multi-purpose center.

“This is a great place to live and visit,” Gwinn said. “We have great sunrises, great golf and great people. We have the best people in the world.”

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Peralta was only incorpo-rated as a town in 2007, but its history stretches

back hundreds of years. The town was named for

Andres and Manuel de Peralta sometime before 1680, says Mayor Bryan Olguin.

“It’s much older than that, but that is the first records they had,” Olguin said.

He said El Camino Real runs right through the area. El Camino Real, Spanish for “The Royal Road,” is the historic trade route running from Mexico City all the way to Santa Fe.

According to historian Robert Julyan, the town is also named for Pedro de Per-alta, a native of Valladolid in New Spain, who was among those returning to New Mexico after the reconquest in 1692. His descendants still live in the area.

Locally, the community has been known as Los Pla-ceres, “the placers,” for reasons unknown.

“All of Peralta was basically the Lo de Padilla land grant,” Olguin said. “Many of the heirs

El Camino Rael runs through

historic farming community

a lonG hiStoRy oF FaRminGanD Faith in peRalta

PERALTA

PeraltaMayor: Bryan OlguinCouncil: Tracy Aragon, Michael Leon Otero, Joseph Romero and Kori TaylorJudge: David YoungAdministrator: Julie PluemerPolice Chief: Greg JonesFire Chief: John Dear

Peralta Town Hall90-A Molina RoadPeralta, N.M., 87042505-869-2050www.townofperalta.org


22

of the Spanish land grant own-ers still live here.”

Julyan wrote that in 1862, Confederate and Union troops battled near the town. A battle with similar charac-teristics is featured in the Ser-gio Leone film “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.”

It ended in a Union victory and the Confederate army retreated through Los Lunas.

“The Confederates basically got spanked here and driven back to Texas,” Olguin said.

In 1863, Col. Kit Carson mobilized his forces in Peralta prior to the campaign against the Navajos, accord-

ing to Julyan. Olguin said the first post

office was established in 1861. Julyan writes that in 1865, the post office’s name was changed to Los Pinos, “the pines,” or perhaps a family name, but in 1866 it reverted to Peralta.

He said Peralta is the site of an early Methodist church, and a Catholic church. It is also home of the historic church, Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is more than 150 years old. It recently went through a major renovation and stands on the corner of N.M. 47 and Gurule Road. The town is full of historical buildings.

Olguin said the town was largely agricultural, the major industry being sheep shearing.

“There are still some farm-ers around here,” he said.

N.M. 47, the main street running through the center of Peralta, has been expanded from a dirt road to a two-lane highway. This year, the state Department of Transporta-tion will rebuild it and in tandem, the town is installing the major trunk line of a new waste water system.

The town has been through four city councils and two mayors since its incorporation in 2007.

23




V alencia County is part of the Rio Abajo, an area of the Middle Rio Grande Valley of

New Mexico that stretches from the Española Valley in northern New Mexico, to Sabinal in the south.

The Spaniards settled this area as early as 1598 after the first colony was founded by Gov. Juan De Oñate in the Native American village of Ohke on the upper East Bank of the Rio Grande.

The Española Valley was called the Río Arriba — the Upper River — while the area just below La Bajada Hill was

called the Río Abajo — the Lower River — valley.

New settlements were always found near Indian Pueblos. The Pueblo people were friendly and insisted that the new colonists build their homes near the Rio Grande.

The river had a lot to offer to both the indigenous peoples and the colonists in the way of sustenance to both man and beasts.

The county comprises 1,458 square miles in central New Mexico, bordering Socorro County directly to the south, Cibola County to the west, Berna-

lillo County to the north and Torrance County to the east.

The county seat is in the village of Los Lunas, 20 miles south of the state’s largest city, Albuquerque.

The quality of life in the county can be characterized by a strong sense of commu-nity that is enhanced by a rural lifestyle.

Residents of the area have identified peace and quiet, friendliness of the people, and terrific weather as benefits that make this rural setting a wonderful place to visit and live.

Valencia County continues to treasure its heritage and history

RaiSinG FamilieS anD FaRmSin Valencia county

VALENCIA COUNTY

Valencia CountyCounty Commission: Alicia Aguilar, Jhonathan Aragon, Charles Eaton and David HyderManager: Jeff CondreySheriff: Louis BurkhardClerk: Peggy CarabajalTreasurer: Dorothy LovatoAssessor: Michelle Garcia

Administrative offices444 Luna Ave. Los Lunas, N.M., 87031505-866-2014www.co.valencia.nm.us


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MOVING INTO Valencia countyElectricityPublic Service Co. of New Mexico (PNM) Customer Service: 888-342-5766

Nearest office: 414 Silver Ave. SW, Albuquerque (best time to call: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday.)

Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday-Friday

Website: www.pnm.com

Natural GasNew Mexico Gas Co.

Customer Service: 888-664-2726; 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday-Friday; or [email protected]

Emergencies: 888-664-2726Los Lunas office: 2431

Main St. SE Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30

p.m., Monday-FridayWebsite: nmgco.com

Telephone ServiceCenturyLink

New service: 866-642-0444Billing and general customer

service: 800-491-0118 Tech support: 877-348-9007

Website: www.centurylink.com

Water and SewerBelen: City Hall, 100 S. Main, 505-966-2730

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Website: www.belen-nm.govBosque Farms: Village Hall,

1455 West Bosque Loop, 505-869-2357

Hours: 8 p.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Website: www.bosquefarmsnm.gov Los Lunas: Village Hall, 660 Main St. SW, 839-3841

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Rio Communities, Meadow Lake, Pasitos del Cielo, Las Maravillas, Cypress Gardens: New Mexico Water Service, 401 Horner, Rio Communities, 505-864-2218 (after hours, 505-864-2218)

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From fairs, festivals and fiestas to art shows, car shows and dog shows and

from museums and galleries to hiking trails and historic loca-tions, Valencia County is full of attractions and events that lure tourists to the area.

From January to Decem-ber, there is a plethora of locally-organized events that brings thousands of visitors to the Middle Rio Grande Valley to not only enjoy the festivities, but the culture we’re proud to share.

Some of the most long trea-sured events bring thousands of people to Valencia County, not only enjoy the festivities, but to dine at our local eater-ies, shop at our stores and visit other local attractions.

Our Lady of Belen FiestasFor more than 220 years,

Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church has celebrated its faith with an annual fiesta, which brings thousands from around the state to the Hub City.

The Fiestas is Valencia Coun-ty’s oldest and could be the most anticipated event of the year. The three-day celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary brings not only Catholics together, but the community at large. People

also come from other areas from around the state and beyond to attend the largest church fiesta in the state.

Bryan Mascarena, who has volunteered on the Fiesta com-mittee for 20 years, says on a good year, nearly 30,000 people will attend the Fiestas, but on average, the crowds will reach between 15,000 to 20,000.

The Fiestas at Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church began 221 years ago and is held on the weekend of Aug. 15. The eve-ning before the first day of the Fiestas, the church celebrates vespers, a service traditionally held at sunset.

The Feast Day celebration in-cludes a secular element as well, a carnival that begins on Friday night and lasts into Sunday on the church grounds. Bands from around the state provide the musical entertainment, and the many visitors have ample opportunity to enjoy the famous green chile cheeseburgers (Fi-esta burgers), funnel cakes and roasted corn.

By all accounts, the Fiestas are a joyous celebration, and is one of many Catholic traditions that over the centuries have been passed down from Spain through Mexico to believers in New Mexico and Valencia

County. In the early 20th Century, the entire city of Belen was involved in the Fiestas, with many of the festivities taking place up and down Main Street. But as the years went by, the an-nual event has become smaller and is now only held on the church grounds.

While most of the attendees are from Valencia County, Mascarena says a lot of people from out of town make their way to Belen specifically to attend the Fiestas.

“There are a lot of former Belenites who remember the Fiestas growing up and they have family here, too,”

Mascarena says. “They will plan their vacation around the Fiestas because they know what kind of event it is.”

One of the big draws to the Fiestas is the musical entertain-ment, said Mascarena, who is in charge of booking the bands who perform. He said in the past, he would book one big-name band and the others would be less popular.

BF Community FairIt’s been 76 years of awesome

and the good times keep on coming at the annual Bosque Farms Community Fair. Held in

Continued on page 30

Festivities of all types bring locals and visitors alike to Valencia County

annual community eVentS bRinG county cloSeR toGetheR

VALENCIA COUNTY


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late July this year, fairgoers can experience everything under the sun that says “good-ol’ fashioned fun” at the longest running commu-nity fair in the nation.

There’s the rolling pin toss, a greased-pole climb, the horse-shoe pitching contest, a cake walk, pet parade and the annual “Just for Fun” car show.

One fair highlight is the toad races which are open to anyone wishing to enter thanks to “loaner toads” available for those without an amphibian. There’s the traditional parade first thing Saturday morning, complete with kids on bikes, pets, horses and tractors.

After the parade, visitors can stop by the car show, dig around in the money pit or chuck a rolling pin while you wait for the live auction.

The “Just For Fun” annual car show is always free and al-ways fun — from slicked up hot rods to tricked out tractors, this show has is all and then some.

Mary Ann Keller, who organizes the show with her husband, Ron, said one of the best categories is the People’s Choice Awards.

“It’s the people’s favorite, not necessarily the best,” Mary Ann said. “There are a lot of trophy cars that don’t win at our show.”

Ron said the car owners enjoy the camaraderie of the show, talking camshafts and gear boxes out on the field.

The Bosque Farms Rodeo Association usually hosts barrel racing and other rodeo events on the closing day of the fair.

Just about everything at the fair is free, said board secretary Cathy Sifford, and in some cases, the fair will pay you. A bit of exploring in the money pit or a successful climb up the

greased pole can net a lucky someone some cash.

“You can do the fair without any money,” Sifford said.

Fair board member Amy Thoms said the fair is a comfort-able family environment.

“You can bring grandma and the littlest kids without worry-ing about something untoward,” Thoms said.

Balloon RallyeFor more than 30 years, the

bright and beautiful colors of hot air balloons have filled the skies over Valencia County every March with the annual St. Patrick’s Day Balloon Rallye.

The rally, which is purpose-fully spelled wrong, has enticed thousands of tourists to both

Los Lunas and Belen in the three decades since the event’s inception.

Grant Crawford, president of the Valencia Flying and Retrieval Society, the group in charge of the event, says because New Mexico is the hot air balloon capitol of the world, the local balloon rally benefits from that recognition.

“Not only do we bring in about 300 people with the pilots, their crews and the spon-sors, but we bring in at least 1,500 to 2,000 people from the outlying communities and across the state,” Crawford said. “They are not only local people who come to the rally, but we have people from Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Los Lunas.”

The city of Belen added a film festival and Comic Con, which were huge draws to visitors, this past year to coincide with the St. Patrick’s Day Balloon Rallye

Valencia County MatanzaTouted as the largest one-day

event in Valencia County, the Hispano Chamber of Valencia County Matanza brings in thousands of both local and out-of-town visitors to the annual event held in January.

The day-long festivity cel-ebrating central New Mexico’s traditions brings young and old together to celebrate the culture and to give back to the commu-nity at the same time.

For more than 15 years, teams of friends, families and coworkers compete to cook the best pigs in what’s said to be the world’s largest matanza (a patent is pending on the official name). The matanza is a centuries-old tradition brought to the New World by the Span-ish conquistadors in the 16th Century and is possibly the oldest European tradition still practiced in the Americas.

While local families have been holding matanzas on their farms and in their backyards for generations, the chamber re-introduces the tradition to com-munity members each year as a way of recognizing and honoring this Hispanic tradition.

Shireen McDonald, presi-dent of the Hispano Chamber of Commerce, said even though it costs the chamber hundreds of thousands of dol-lars to put on the Matanza, all the proceeds raised each year provide college scholarships to Valencia County students.

“We give all the money away in the form of scholar-ships,” McDonald says. “I think that’s a big reason

Continued from page 26

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that the Matanza is a such a success every year, because people know what we’re doing and they want to sup-port our cause.”

While a lot of people attend the Matanza to help give back to the community, McDonald knows the lure of all-you-can eat pork and other traditional foods for $10 is another rea-son why thousands show up each year.

With a steady stream of 15,000 people attending the event each year, McDonald says most of the event’s adver-tisement comes from word of mouth.

“I think it’s still a local favorite, but the word has gotten out,” she says. “It’s all about the traditions of Valen-cia County’s culture. People come who are intrigued, in some way or form, and they want to see what our culture is about and maybe how it compares to their (culture).”

As a tourist attraction, Mc-Donald says the Matanza is an event that brings all cultures together to celebrate the tradi-tion. In fact, other chambers of commerce from around the state have contacted them about how to go about holding their own matanza.

Becker Street FestivalOne of the larger festivals in

Valencia County might have downsized from a three-day event several years ago to only one day, but the Rio Abajo Becker Street Festival, held the last weekend in September, brings in thousands of people to the Hub City every year.

Rhona Baca Espinoza, the executive director of the Greater Belen Cham-ber of Commerce, says the

diversity of activities of-fered is what draws tourists to the annual event.

For the past 11 years, the Rio Abajo Becker Street Festival, which was initially named Rio Abajo Days, is a celebration of the people, culture and traditions of the Rio Abajo area.

Baca Espinoza says while a lot of locals do come to the festival each year, she’s seeing more and more visitors from out of the county coming to enjoy the festivities.

“We get a lot of people,” she said. “Our events are diverse and unique, which draws people from all over the state.”

The chamber has reinvented the event, making it a true street festival, and the whole energy that comes from that.

The crowds that attend to the Rio Abajo Becker Street Festival come for a variety of reasons, whether it be just to enjoy the day and the entertainment or to participate in the car show, the poker bike run or in the arm wrestling tournament.

Baca Espinoza said the arm wrestling tournament alone brought in more than 100 people, from participants to referees from at least five dif-ferent states.

“Not only do we have a lot of events within the one event, they’re all different, all unique,” she said. “Our car show had people competing from Clovis, Gallup, Socorro, Mountainair and Farmington. There’s a lot of car shows around the state, but ours is standing out and we have a lot of offerings.”


While it can be said that the power of tradition can never be under-estimated, it is also equally true

that the only constant in life is change. Local organizations and cities are look-

ing for ways to not only make traditional and beloved events bigger and better, but they are also trying out some new things.

The hope is, these changes and additions will bring more visitors to the area.

A Belen nonprofit, Celebrate Belen, is working to revitalize the city’s economy by making it a destination, said the organiza-tion’s treasurer Jan Johnson.

“We want to bring back what is here, not replace it, and we will approach that any way we can,” Johnson said.

Since it is a private organization , Cel-

ebrate Belen can partner and work with many different types of groups — from the city to local churches, Johnson said.

“We are kind of an umbrella organiza-tion to help promote already established events and bring in new things,” she said.

New events can be hard to get off the ground, a lesson the organization learned last year with the Country Americana Music Festival.

“It was a great event, except for the attendance. We did not get as many people as we hoped; we weren’t able to promote it as much as we wanted,” she said.

One idea the Celebrate Belen board has kicked around is the possibility of starting a Christian and Gospel Music Festival, Johnson said, mentioning that there used

to be one in Albuquerque.“I think that would be a big event that

would bring people here and could really build on the character of Belen,” she said.

One new event that has been suc-cessful is Follow the Star to Bethlehem, which drew in nearly 1,500 people the first year and about 1,000 last year. Visi-tors walked along Becker Street, from Main Street east to First Street, while members of local churches presented the story of the birth of Jesus Christ with live characters and music.

The event conveniently ties into the 67-foot-high, 35-foot-wide star erected in 2008 on the city’s water tower, high-lighting the fact that Belen is Spanish for Bethlehem.

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Johnson said that while people came and spent money in local stores and restaurants during Follow the Star, it isn’t a com-mercial venture geared to make money so much as an opportunity to expose people to the charm of Belen, to change the outside perception of Belen.

“Belen has deep roots, strong culture that people can build on. Twenty years ago, I fell in love with Belen, the people of Belen,” Johnson said. “They are warm, friendly, amazing people.”

In Los Lunas, Library Director Cynthia Shetter is working to use local history to bring in visitors and showcasing an old tra-dition that is making a comeback. She feels the valley’s plethora of historic churches will draw in people.

With more than a half dozen in a five to 10 mile radius, Shetter has set up two church tours this year, called the Saints and Sinners Tour, that showcases three local historic churches and ends at a local winery, the Camino Real Winery in Tomé.

The tours filled up quickly this year, and Shetter said even though the October tour

is already full, if she gets enough interest, she will try to schedule a third tour.

“There’s just so much here,” Shetter said. “The history, the art — it’s all around us.”

While the churches are old and the winery is new, the art of making wine is an old one. In the last few years, it has started making a come back in the area.

The history of wine making in the Central Rio Grande Valley is long, beginning with the Franciscans and Juan de Oñate in 1598.

The history of wine in the Tomé area is said to have begun with vines imported by Father Jean Baptiste Ralliere in 1858 when he arrived in Tomé from France. And, according to Henry K. Street, author of “The History of Wine in New Mexico: 400 Years of Struggle,” vineyards in the Rio Grande Valley were exporting 908,000 gallons of wine by 1880.

Nearly two years ago, wine maker and owner Jonathan Chavez opened Valencia County’s only wine tasting room at the Camino Rael Winery. In that time, he has

gotten visitors from Canada, Kentucky, Florida and Hawaii.

“A lot of it is people visiting relatives and they will bring them by. This is some-thing different,” Chavez said.

He also gets visitors who come south from Albuquerque looking for something to do and see in October, after the early morning events of the Balloon Fiesta are done. Chavez said he has also gets frequent business travelers from Texas and Nevada, who will make the winery a regular stop, often buying a case of wine to be shipped home.

Chavez said he would like to try something new beyond the tasting room at the winery and try an enterprise in Valencia County similar to one he just launched in Albuquerque called Painting Party Plus. The plus is the wine. The idea is to allow people to paint and create while sampling wines.

“We had a great location in Los Lunas, but it was too close to a school,” he said. “There was just no way, but we’re still looking.”


A fter more than 40 years, the Bugg Lights display continue to

attract thousands and thousands of holiday revelers throughout New Mexico — now in Belen.

This festive display of light represents myriad memories for multiple generations, but most of all, it is a much-anticipated Christmas tradition.

The Bugg Lights took center stage in a month-long exhibit at the Belen Harvey House Museum for the first time last year after being on display at the home of Norman and Joyce Bugg in Albuquerque for many years and several other locations.

The display features 33 nights of sparkling holiday wonderland; with 200,000 individual lights, 50 Christmas trees, a 35-foot Christmas tree, a Butterfly Emporium, an Alien Noel and several Nativity scenes.

The enormity of the Bugg Lights transforms a typical holiday display into a dazzling exhibit with dozens of perky penguins, plump polar bears, carefree carousels, Santa’s sleigh and all the holiday cheer imaginable.

Ronnie Torres, the mu-seum’s technician, was elated when he was asked if the

city would be interested in the display.

“I couldn’t believe it when they actually called,” Torres said. “I told them, ‘I’d love to!’”

Torres, who had started the city’s Miracle on Main Street Electric Light Parade nearly three decades ago and the Fes-tival of Trees six years ago, says the display is a great addition to the city’s holiday celebration. More than 10,000 people visited the display in 2014.

Volunteers painted the penguins and put on new eyes. Several volunteers also cro-cheted new, colorful scarfs and hats for the arctic birds. Torres will be the first to tell you that he couldn’t have done this by himself. He, along with at least 35 volunteers, have worked

tirelessly in making sure every-thing is just right.

“A lot of them came over and over again, some coming several times a week,” Torres said of the many volunteers. “They all wanted to be part of it, they wanted to help, they wanted to do what they could do. It’s great that the commu-nity is donating any talent they have to make sure this exhibit is the best it can be.”

Norman and Joyce Bugg are delighted to see the display at the Belen Harvey House Museum.

“I am so impressed with what they’ve done here,” said Norman Bugg of the exhibit. “I thought (the display) was ready for the trash can. We didn’t expect what we’ve seen today.

It takes a lot of work keeping this stuff going. They’ve done a wonderful job cleaning it up.”

“It’s beautiful — every-thing looks new,” Joyce Bugg said. “The penguins all look great, and it’s wonderful to see how everything has come back to life.”

Now that it’s in Belen, the practice of giving back to the community continues with sev-eral local charities and organiza-tions raising money on different nights of the display.

Along with the Bugg Lights exhibit, the Belen Harvey House Museum displays pictorial history as well as a 10-minute video that runs continuously in the media room about the historic Christmas tradition.

Holiday magic at Belen Harvey House Museum

buGG liGhtS in belen

BELEN


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Tourists come from all over the world to visit Valencia County for its rich cultural

heritage and bucolic charm. People have come from

Russia, Switzerland, Japan, France, Germany, England and Canada. Many others come from neighboring states, but also from as far north as Minnesota and Montana, as well as Alaska, and as far west as Oregon and Washington and as far east from New York and Pennsylvania.

The county offers some of the finest art galleries, museums and historic sites, such as Tomé Hill and the Luna Mansion. There are signature events that bring guests year after year and the rich countryside offers scenic splendor.

Harvey House MuseumOne of the biggest draws to

Valencia County is the original Harvey House in Belen built in 1910. It is one of the only Harvey Houses left in existence that is open to the public and pulls in upwards of 500 visitors each month.

Annually, the museum receives about 8,000 to 9,000

visitors. People come from Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Puerto Rico — from most continents and almost every state in the union.

Visitors come to the Belen Harvey House Museum because they had a family member who was once a Harvey Girl, a chef or in other positions in the Fred Harvey Industry, said museum tech Ronnie Torres.

The museum has files in their archives on people who once worked for the railroad restaurant and motel. They add information as staff are informed by visiting family members.

“We tell them their his-tory will live on here,” Torres said. “We try to keep track of everybody that we know that

has worked in the Harvey system because there’s not a true record. We can’t find one anywhere that we know of ... so we’re starting our own here.”

This past year, the Belen Harvey House Museum had a month-long exhibit of the Bugg Lights in Belen Christmas-time display, which attracted more than 10,000 people.

There are more than 300,000 lights, plus the museum is adding their own Christmas lights and among the displays are an Alien Noel and an Under the Sea exhibit.

Every year, the Harvey House hosts several annual events, such as the matanza exhibit in January, Postcards of the Southwest, fiber arts exhibit

and sale, Paws and Stripes Pilot Club fundraiser, historic family-owned business artifacts and photo exhibit, a veterans memo-rial tribute, paranormal tours and the Belen Art League spring and fall art shows and others.

“One of the events we find to be the most popular is La Familia exhibit about the people of Belen,” Torres said.

The modern railroad also does an annual exhibit and railroad history is popular among tourists.

The Belen Harvey House Museum, 104 N. First St., is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Tuesday, and from 12:30 to 4 p.m., Wednesday through

Continued on page 38

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Saturday, and is closed Sundays and Mondays. The museum can be reached at 505- 861-0581, or visit www.belen-nm.gov/Community/HarveyHouse-Belen.htm.

Belen Art League Gallery Not far from the Belen Har-

vey House Museum is the Belen Art League Gallery on historic Becker Avenue. This quaint little gallery has an enormous collection of artwork, jewelry, fiber art, photography, 3-D art, a children’s arts and crafts program and art classes.

Christmas and summer are the busiest times of year. People come from northern New Mexico by the Rail Runner to see the southern reaches of the commuter rail service, and oth-ers come while visiting relatives. The majority come for the art shows and special events, said artist Cecilia “CeCe” Aragon, a member of the league.

Many visit from Chicago, Washington, D.C., Vermont, all over New Mexico and many countries in Europe.

“When they’re here, they’re impressed that we have a nice place to show artwork, whether it be photography or the flat art or pottery, the 3-Ds,” Aragon said.

The backyard of the gal-lery building is a garden and patio, where special art shows, poetry readings and live music is performed. One of the gal-lery’s signature events is its Valentines Tea. Last year, they added a fashion show to the event, and it’s a nice event to dress up to attend.

“We have a Best Hat Contest, so you see some really amazing hats that are probably vintage,” Aragon said.

The Belen Art Gallery, 509 Becker Ave., is open noon to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, The gallery can be reached at 505-861-0217, or visit www.belen-artleaguegalleryandgifts.com.

Tomé Art GalleryThe galleries of Valencia

County support each other and each offers incredibly unique gifts and collectables well worth the extra distance.

The Tomé Art Gallery is on N.M. 47, about 12 miles north of Belen. It is along the Trails and Rails tour through lush countryside and winding roads.

The gallery gains most of its popularity through word-of-mouth because one visit creates a lasting impression. About 4,000 visitors come annually, and the gallery’s Facebook page receives an average of 500 hits a month.

The busiest time of year is Christmas, but business starts to increase starting in October.

Locals and visitors buy many

of their Christmas presents from the gallery’s wide variety of fine art, fiber art, wood art, sculp-tures, pottery, beeswax candles, hand-spun yarn, greeting cards and jewelry.

“We have a core group who shop here regularly for their gifts,” said potter Jan Pacifico. “They come here for birthday gifts, wedding gifts.”

Annual events include a Day of the Dead exhibit, a Santero show, a jewelry show, kitchen show, demonstration shows and the popular Soup-R-Bowl, which offers more than 60 dif-ferent soups and stews served in bowls made by gallery artists.

“We always have good food and favors,” said Pacifico.

Tomé Art Gallery has a large assortment of pottery made from highly skilled pot-ters in fantastic designs and colors. The potters offer classes and the gallery has classes in basket making, punched tin, fused glass, Shrinky-Dink jew-elry, outdoor flower-watering ollas and others.

Tomé Art Gallery, 2930 N.M. 47, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., every day. You can reach the gallery by calling 505-565-0556, or visit www.tomegallery.net.

The Luna MansionIn the village of Los Lunas,

two historic restaurants, Teo-filo’s Restaurante and the Luna Mansion Landmark Steakhouse, offer some of the best fine din-ing in the county.

The dining establishments are owned by the Torres family, sons and daughters and grand-children of the late Pete and Eligia Torres, founders of Pete’s Cafe in Belen.

The two restaurants sit across from each other on op-posite sides of Main Street, just west of N.M. 314. Both are historic buildings.

Teofilo’s is in the house built for Dr. Earl Wittwer in 1913 on land purchased from the Solo-mon Luna estate, and the Luna Mansion was built in 1881.

There is drama and a rich

Continued from page 36

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history encased in the old Victorian style mansion. Maximilliano Luna was a cap-tain in Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Rid-ers, and Roosevelt was also the godfather of his namesake, Ted Otero.

Notable visitors who have dined at the mansion include former Gov. Bill Rich-ardson, Gov. Susana Martinez, and actors, Harrison Ford and Keifer Sutherland.

The restaurant easily sees 100 diners each day and has special events, including dinner theater with the Mansion Players, a community theater group.

The elegant old mansion is decorated in historic style and many of the paint-ings are original oils by Josefita “Pepe” Manderfield Otero, who gave the mansion a Southern plantation style by adding the front portico and iron fence.

There is a history of benevolent ghosts and the place has an ambiance of a living museum. It is designated a cultural trea-sure by the state, and is one of the oldest family-owned restaurants in New Mexico.

Both restaurants are known for their excellent chile, rellenos, carne adovada and home-made natillas, a

traditional New Mexican layer cake.The Luna Mansion, 110 W. Main

St., Los Lunas, is open from 4 to 9 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. To reach the Luna Mansion, call 865-7333, or visit lunamansion.com.

Teofilo’s Restaurante, 144 Main St, Los Lunas, is open from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. They can be reached at 865-5522, or visit teofilos.com.

LL Museum of Heritage and ArtsNot far east of the two restaurants on

Main Street is the Los Lunas Museum of Heritage and Arts. It has an extensive archive of the rich history of the old Luna and Otero families as well as other families with historic significance. The museum also has a database of Valencia County Historical Society photographs.

There are changing exhibits through-out the year, and some of the most popular are the Civil War, Route 66, train exhibits and the Mystery Stone, an ancient stone

with Hebrew inscriptions. There are many educational presen-

tations, book-signing events, a book and gift store and extensive genealogy materials including military records and immigrant history.

“We started with local records and have been expanding out because of the reach of the families,” said Cynthia Shet-ter, the director of the Los Lunas Library and museum.

Many people come to the museum for the genealogy workshop and to undertake research.

More out-of-state people come in the winter months,” said Andrea Chavez, museum specialist. “Snow birds and holidays. Others come to the museum to retrace their roots and find old relatives, or re-trace the Confederate route.”

The Los Lunas Museum of Heri-tage and Arts, 251 Main St. SE, Los Lunas, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and closed on Sunday and Monday. The museum can be reacted at 505-352-7720, or visit www.loslunasnm.


The Belen Consolidated School District is des-tined to continue the

path toward academic success with its driven students and innovative programs.

About 4,113 students at-tend Belen’s seven elementary schools, middle school, high school and alternative high school in a district that is striv-ing to excel.

The Belen district uses pro-grams, such as the Belen High School’s Career Academy, as a benchmark to encourage stu-dents to be the best they can be.

BHS has made several ad-ditions to its Career Academy, including a pre-engineering pro-gram and a health-technology-based program. The academy includes nursing and emergency medical technician training. The academy also has career pathways in agriculture, digital media, family and consumer sci-ence, business and culinary arts.

There are many courses in the program that have dual credit with the University of New Mexico-Valencia Campus and Central New Mexico Com-munity College in Albuquerque.

The district, the 16th largest in the state, has about 700 em-ployees and 30 administrators and has implemented programs from bilingual education to computer-aided drafting.

Voters approved a $23.75 million bond issue in 2011 that

will bring additional classroom space and a new indoor commu-nity pool to Belen High School, and a new building for Belen’s Family School.

The majority of the bond money will go to new build-ings for a district that needs additional wings at several of its sites due to expanding class sizes and a need to improve older structures.

Projects, such as Infinity High School and the football and baseball field houses, have kept Belen up to par with the

other school districts in the state. The district also recently completed a state-of-the-art ten-nis complex with eight courts.

Belen Schools also puts a premium on technology.

The district has installed microwave towers at each of its schools to improve bandwidth speeds for students and teachers to effortlessly stream content via the Internet.

In 2010, solar panels were installed at the high school’s career academy as part of a state-wide $4.5 million grant. The

50-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system will help offset energy costs and provide students with learning opportunities.

High Schools

Belen High School1619 West Delgado Ave.Belen, N.M., 87002Phone: 505-966-1300Principal: Rodney Wright

Assistant Principals: Joanne Silva, Jamie JonesStudents: 1,047

belen SchoolS cReate a pathtowaRD SucceSS

BELEN

Belen SchoolsBoard of Education: Max Cordova, Larry Garley, Larry Lindberg, Dolores Lola Quintana ant Tom WisneskiActing Superintendent: Jennifer Brown

Administrative Offices520 N. Main St. Belen, N.M., 87002505-966-1000www.beleneagles.org


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Infinity High School221 S. Fourth St.Belen, N.M., 87002Phone: 505-966-1500Dean of Students: Mary BatistaStudents: 80

Middle School

Belen Middle School314 South Fourth St.Belen, N.M., 87002Phone: 505-966-1600Principal: Kim OrtizAssistant principal: Richard TafoyaStudents: 589

Elementary Schools

Belen Family School221 S. Fourth St.Belen, N.M., 87002Phone: 505-966-2270Dean of Students: Mary BatistaStudents: 116

Central Elementary 600 Picard Ave.Belen, N.M., 87002Phone: 505-966-1200Principal: Emily Sisk-LaymanStudents: 211

Dennis Chavez Elementary 19670 N.M. 314Los Chavez, N.M., 87002Phone: 505-966-1800Principal: Kelli Williams-Page Students: 370

Gil Sanchez Elementary362 Jarales RoadJarales, N.M., 87023Phone: 505-966-1900Principal: E. Renee SanchezStudents: 266

H.T. Jaramillo Community School900 Esperanza DriveBelen, N.M., 87002Phone: 505-966-2000

Principal: Katherine TrujilloStudents: 387

La Merced Elementary 301 Alame LoopRio Communities, N.M., 87002Phone: 505-966-2100Principal: Valeryia GauthierAssistant principal: Denise GutierrezStudents: 506

La Promesa Elementary 898 N.M. 304Las Nutrias, N.M., 87062Phone: 505-966-2400Principal: Sheila D. ArmijoStudents: 213

Rio Grande Elementary15 East Side School RoadBelen, N.M., 87002Phone: 505-966-2200Principal: Margaret ManningStudents: 301


From pre-kinder all the way through upper-classman, Los Lunas

Schools consistently pro-vides students with quality education, an enthusiasm for knowledge and a drive to succeed.

Los Lunas Schools is one of 63 school districts out of 27,000 nationwide that was accredited by the North Central Association Com-mission on Accreditation and School Improvement and achieved the distin-guished classification of district accreditation.

The district is comprised of roughly 8,500 students in 16 schools, including 10 elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools and one alternative high school.

Every school in the district is enhanced by the Jostens Renaissance program, the only na-tional program created to recognize and reward the academic achievements of students from elementary school through college. The goals are to increase student performance and teacher enthusiasm, and enhance school commu-nity participation.

The old and the new mix together with Bosque Farms Elementary as one of the

district’s oldest schools, built in 1936, and Sundance El-ementary, the newest school, completed in January 2009.

This year, the reconstruc-tion of Los Lunas High School is completed and landscaping will be done this summer. The new school fa-cility is designed around the concept of Smaller Learning Communities, and reflect state-of-the-art technology.

The high school also has a 50 kW photovoltaic solar power system and students monitor the system to evaluate daily

energy production, giving them hands on technical experience using math, engineering and the computerized monitoring software.

It was the school’s Project Lead the Way pre-engineer-ing students who a few years ago, brainstormed the initial architectural design and optimal location site for the solar energy system.

The students were also instrumental in winning a $600,000 solar energy grant for the project.

Project Lead the Way

is a four-year sequence of courses that introduces students to the scope, rigor and discipline of engineer-ing prior to entering college. Courses offered include digital electronics and aero-space engineering.

Regardless of which elementary, middle or high school any given student attends, the curriculum stan-dard to which they perform and academic expectations remain the same.

All of the high schools are equipped with com-puterized E2020 courses

StuDent achieVement, SucceSS at loS lunaS SchoolS

LOS LUNAS

Los Lunas SchoolsBoard of Education: Georgia Otero-Kirkham, Sonya C’Moya, Bryan Smith, Robert Archuletta and Frank OteroSuperintendent: Dana Sanders

Los Lunas Central Office119 Luna Ave.Los Lunas, N.M., 87031505-865-9636www.llschools.net


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and offer dual-enrollment classes so students can ad-vance at their own speed.

Between curriculum, in-novative programs and a rich history, Los Lunas students are reaping the benefits of a multidimensional school dis-trict that prepares them for tomorrow, while instilling a sense of community.

High Schools

Los Lunas High School1776 Emilio Lopez Rd.Los Lunas, N.M., 87031Phone: 865-4646 Principal: Dan PadillaStaff: 116, Certified 69Students: 1,202

Valencia High School310 Bonita Vista Blvd.Los Lunas, N.M., 87031Phone: 565-8755Principal: Darian JaramilloStaff: 98, Certified 63Students: 1,030

Century High School 320 Bonita Vista Blvd.Los Lunas, N.M., 87031Phone: 866-2153Principal: Eliseo AguirreStaff: 15, Certified 9Students: 135

Middle Schools

Los Lunas Middle School220 Luna Ave.Los Lunas, N.M., 87031Phone: 865-7273Principal: Susana StanojevicStaff: 68 Certified 40Students: 680

Valencia Middle School22 Marlink RoadLos Lunas, N.M., 87031Phone: 865-1750Principal: Yvonne TabetStaff: 51, Certified 33Students 545

Elementary Schools

Los Lunas Family School32 Sun Valley Rd.Los Lunas, N.M., 87031Phone: 865-6223Principal: Victoria BacaStudents: 34

Desert View Elementary49 Camino La CanadaLos Lunas, N.M., 87031Phone: 866-2488Principal: Diedra MartinezStaff: 80, Certified 25Students: 460

Raymond Gabaldon 454 CoronadoLos Lunas, N.M., 87031Phone: 866-0456Principal: Barbara CarrilloStaff: 57, Certified 28Students: 450

Ann Parish Elementary112 Meadow LakeLos Lunas, N.M., 87031Phone: 865-9652Principal: Mary McGowan Staff: 55, Certified 24Students: 445

Bosque Farms1390 W. Bosque LoopBosque Farms, N.M., 87066Phone: 869-2646Principal: Cindy PhilipsStaff: 69, Certified 37Students: 551

Katherine Gallegos236 Don Pasqual RoadLos Lunas, N.M., 87031Phone: 865-6223Principal: Victoria BacaStaff: 61, Certified 44Students: 559

Los Lunas Elementary800 Coronado RoadLos Lunas, N.M., 87031Phone: 865-9313Principal: Denise CannonStaff: 75, Certified 35Students: 550

Peralta Elementary3645 N.M. 47Peralta, N.M., 87042Phone: 869-2679Principal: Monica ArguelloStaff: 60, Certified 22Students: 345

Tomé Elementary46 Chacon RoadTome, N.M., 87066Phone: 865-1102Principal: Casey AhnerStaff: 74, Certified 48Students: 503

Valencia Elementary111 Monica RoadLos Lunas, N.M., 87031Phone: 865-3017Principal: Julie CrumStaff: 61, Certified 40Students: 452

Sundance Elementary3701 Sundance RoadLos Lunas, NM 87031Phone: 866-0185Principal: Mildred M. ChavezStaff: 68, Certified 36Students: 600

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The School of Dreams Academy, the only public charter school in Valencia

County, offers an alternative to the traditional education format by specializing in digital arts, performing arts, engineering and robotics. The academy’s central focus is an integration of STEAM; Science Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math.

It is a national and interna-tional accredited charter school through AdvancED.

There are four core areas of curriculum: math, social studies, science and language arts that are taught online. Students wear headphones to listen to instruc-tion in E2020 computer classes, yet also have on hand assistance from their classroom teacher.

A community service component helps students develop into well-rounded individuals and citizens. They receive hands-on ecological education through environ-mental community service, and develop projects to engage with senior citizens. There are other interactive community activities, and the robotics department won a $41,000 award last year, to mentor elementary school robotics teams from other schools.

SODA opened its doors in August 2009 with grades seven through nine, adding a grade level each year. This year, the school has its third graduating

class and several of the students have been awarded scholarships through recognition for their outstanding performance in robotics and dance.

Students are encouraged to learn at their own pace, and some students graduate early because the school offers dual and concurrent college enrollment, which is a rapidly expanding program.

Classes are available on the SODA campus and at the University of New Mexico-Valencia Campus.

“We’ve been doing really good in our dual-enrollment

numbers the last couple of years, but for some of our older kids this could begin to look more like a community college setting,” said Princi-pal Mike Ogas.

This year, the school partnered with UNM-VC in an Early College High School program, which will enable dual credit students to earn their as-sociate degrees by the time they graduate from high school.

The ECHS program offers students a path to associate de-grees and job-ready certification.

The School of Dreams Edu-cation Foundation, a separate

entity, is in the process of secur-ing a loan to purchase land and build a new school to accom-modate the school’s growth.

The students have attracted a lot of attention, which has brought them opportunities for internships and scholarships.

Last summer, a team won a chance to compete in the MIT 2013-14 Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams competition. The SODA team was selected from 30 national applicants, and won an $8,600 grant to build a prototype of their invention; a remote sensing protection device for stationary police vehicles.

StuDentS SoaR at School oF DReamS acaDemy

LOS LUNAS

School of Dreams Academy

Governing Council: Kathy Chavez, Juanita Sena, Dr. David Schneider, Kenneth Griego, Gene Carabajal and Teresa A. OgasPrincipal: Mike Ogas

SODA offices1800 Main St., SE, Los Lunas, N.M., 87031505-866-7632www.sodacharter.orgStudents: 376


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WednesdayMidweek service 6pm

Children and Youth activities 6pm

First Baptist Church of

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505.869.2759Sunday

Bible Study 9:15Worship Service 10:30

Nursery is available for all services

1635 Bosque Farms Blvd.Bosque Farms, NM

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Wednesday 6:30 am Bible Study

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www.bfcofc.org505-869-3588

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Church of Christ

75 Manzano Expressway • Rio Communities864-6095 • www.firstumcbelen.org

First United Methodist Church“A place to belong”

Home of Watch Me Grow Preschool9am Contemporary Worship • 11am Traditional Worship

9am Children’s Church6pm Wednesday Fellowship Dinner

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WednesdayMidweek service 6pm

Children and Youth activities 6pm

First Baptist Church of

Bosque Farmswww.fbcbf.com

505.869.2759Sunday

Bible Study 9:15Worship Service 10:30

Nursery is available for all services

1635 Bosque Farms Blvd.Bosque Farms, NM

Sunday 9:30 am Bible Study 10:30 am Worship11:45-12:30pm Lunch Served 12:45-1:30pm Early Afternoon Worship

Wednesday 6:30 am Bible Study

“...a place to grow, to serve and get connected with Jesus!”

www.bfcofc.org505-869-3588

Bosque Farms

Church of Christ

75 Manzano Expressway • Rio Communities864-6095 • www.firstumcbelen.org

First United Methodist Church“A place to belong”

Home of Watch Me Grow Preschool9am Contemporary Worship • 11am Traditional Worship

9am Children’s Church6pm Wednesday Fellowship Dinner


L ike the fountain in the center of campus, students spring forth from aca-demic buildings across the University of

New Mexico-Valencia Campus, hurrying on their way to their next learning experience.

For more than three decades, the UNM branch campus, nestled in Tomé, has been the home of higher education in Valencia County.

The University of New Mexico began serving the educational needs of Valencia County when the Eastern Valencia County Satellite Center opened its doors at the Val-ley Community Center in Rio Communi-ties. A total of $93,000 in seed money was

raised to help open the facility.A formal proposal to establish the branch

was accepted by UNM in March 1981, and classes began in August of that year. Techni-cal certificates and associate degrees could now be completed locally for the first time in Valencia County’s history.

Continued growth in enrollment and program offerings soon created a need for additional space and new facilities. A new campus at the present 150-acre site was built in response to this need.

The four-building campus, consisting of an administration building, two classroom halls and a cafeteria-student center, opened

its doors in the summer of 1986. The cam-pus currently utilizes just under 26 acres, so there is plenty of room for expansion.

During the years, additional classrooms and space for services have been added, including a library and learning resource center in 1994, student-community center, wellness center and bookstore in 2000 and health science building in 2004.

The health science building consists of a cadaver lab, science labs, classrooms and offices.

In the fall of 2005, the Vocational/Career Technical Center was built, con-taining classrooms, computer labs, and the

Local community college bursting with opportunities

leGacy oF eDucation anD excellence at unm-Valencia campuS

TOMÉ

UNM-VCAdvisory Board: Russell Griego, Paul Luna, Belinda Martinez and Eloisa TabetExecutive director: Dr. Alice Letteny

UNM-VC Administration280 La Entrada Road Los Lunas, N.M., 87031505-925-8500www.vc.unm.edu


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Adult & Senior Mobile HoMe CoMMunity

TRiO program offices, computer lab and conference rooms.

The Health Sciences building also houses UNM-VC’s nursing program. In 2009, the school received a $1.38 million Department of Labor grant to establish the two-year associate’s degree program.

The vision of the program is to de-velop professional nurses with abilities to promote, restore and maintain health for individuals, families and groups within our rural community.

Each course is designed to prepare stu-dents for state or national certification.

Dr. Alice Letteney, the campus’s executive director since 1995, said when the campus opened in 1981, UNM-VC had a head count of 320 students. This spring, it boasted a head count of more than 2,400, a number that includes the 700-plus students enrolled in dual credit courses through the campus.

Since the driving goal of the campus has been to bring higher education to the community, UNM-VC has always been an

active partner with local high schools, offer-ing dual credit opportunities.

Recently, the campus has joined the county’s only charter school, the School of Dreams Academy, in offering an Early College High School program, which will enable dual credit students to earn their associate degrees by the time they graduate from high school.

The ECHS program will offer SODA students a path to associate degrees and job-ready certification in auto mechanics, business administration, computer-aided drafting, digital media arts, game design and simulation, information technology, office and business technology, studio art, sustain-able building, construction technology, liberal arts, emergency medicine, general science, health education, nursing and pre-engineering.

The campus’s own dual credit program is booming, and has increased enrollment every semester for the last three years.

In her years as executive director of the campus, Letteney said many programs

have been implemented that have furthered educational opportunities.

Letteney said interest in STEM — sci-ence, technology, engineering and math — programs have exploded. The school continues to offer new programs, such as its video game design and simulation program, 3-D printing and new courses in chemistry and engineering.

As the campus approaches its 40th anniversary in 2018, there is also the understanding that keeping students physi-cally comfortable helps them achieve their educational goals — improvements such as this year’s upgrades to the school’s heating and cooling system are done regularly.

The University of New Mexico-Valencia Campus is located in Tomé, half-way between the city of Belen and village of Los Lunas, the two main population centers of Valencia County. The campus occupies 150 acres of rural land overlook-ing the Rio Grande Valley, the Manzano Mountains and Tomé Hill.


For many in Los Lunas and Valencia County, the hiking trails within the village of Los Lunas are

a largely unknown gem in the middle of central New Mexico.

The six total miles of bosque trails to the north and south of Riverside Park along the Rio Grande are well known among area residents, and well used, according to Michael Jaramillo, com-munity services director for the village of Los Lunas.

The village also recently opened the trails at the El Cerro de Los lunas Preserve to the public. The three main

trails at the El Cerro Preserve, which was developed five years before the grand opening of the space in October 2013, total about 18 miles all told. The Overlook Trail, Bowl Trail and Trailhead are what Jaramillo calls “goat trails,” narrow and somewhat rugged.

“Basically, the trails in Los Lunas are two types of ecological environ-ments,” Jaramillo said. “The bosque is a very beautiful cottonwood forest (and) people who walk there sometimes can’t believe they’re in an arid desert area. They feel like they’re in a forest.”

Jaramillo said the wider, open val-ley trails of the bosque are popular among walkers and runners, as well as those with horses.

“There are a lot of horse groups that are riding the bosque trails, as well as the trails at El Cerro,” he said. “The bosque trails are getting a lot more usage and we’re seeing a lot of positive use.

The bosque trails in the center of Los Lunas hosted a high school cross country meet and fun run in the fall and are likely to host similar events in the future.

Los Lunas has miles of trails to walk, run and hike

loS lunaS tRailS aRe Fun FoR the entiRe Family

LOS LUNAS


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“Right now, what people are looking for are recre-ational opportunities like hik-ing, walking and jogging, for the health aspects,” Jaramillo said. “The trails offer that and it’s an affordable way to stay healthy.”

Mountain bikers are also a group that use the bosque trails. Unfortunately, the trails at El Cerro are off limits to pedal bikes for now, though that could change in the future. Jaramillo said in their current configuration, the trails at El Cerro are probably a little to rugged for any but the most experienced and adventurous mountain bikers.

Other restrictions on the El Cerro Preserve include all motorized vehicles and motorized off-road terrain vehicles.

Jaramillo said the El Cerro Preserve has proven popular since the opening , getting high marks from both locals and visitors alike. The village recently hosted its first large-scale event, the “King of the Hill” 5K race on the trails with plans for similar events in the future.

“We’ve seen a lot of foot traffic on the trails and received numerous compli-ments from people who have come to visit,” he said. “A lot of folks have said it’s exciting to have trails like these in their backyard.”

In addition to the trail head, which is situated off N.M. 6, a second trail head is slated to be built on the east side of El Cerro near the Huning Ranch subdivision. The village is currently put-

ting together the funding for that phase two project.

As for the bosque trails, Jaramillo said the Open Space Division would be spending time this summer making improvements to the north bosque trails as well as their usual upkeep of that trail and the Riverside Park trails.

He also said that if and when a second river crossing is established, that the village plans to build a trail head next to that, though that is several years in the future.

“That’s something the vil-lage is prepared for,” Jaramillo said. “For now, we’re looking to keep the existing trails well maintained so people can continue to use them and enjoy them as much as they are now.”


In the midst of the lazy, winding waterway of the Rio Grande lies an ecological system that a lot of people have come to

know as a place for a peaceful stroll or a quiet horseback ride.

But the Rio Grande bosque, which runs through the heart of Valencia County, holds much more importance than that.

The bosque is defined as the forested area from the river’s edge to the ditchbanks. At points, it can be a quarter-mile wide. At other points, it is only a few hundred yards.

The bosque is the largest such ecosystem in the world, stretching 200 miles from Cochiti Lake to the northern edge of the Bosque Del Apache Wildlife Refuge near Socorro. The bosque has international

recognition as the longest continuous cot-tonwood forest in the world.

The vast ecosystem that contains two endangered species, large wildlife habitats and recreational opportunities for visitors, the management of the bosque comes under the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District in whole or in conjunction with several other agencies.

Endangered speciesThe most famous endangered species in

the Rio Grande system, the silvery minnow, is responding to conservation efforts to restore its habitat.

The recovery of the minnow is going well. The bosque is noted as a natural flyway for

migratory birds that range from sandhill cranes to various hawks and vultures.

Carved out of the bosque are vari-ous refuge areas, including Whitfield’s Wildlife Conservation Area north of Rio Communities.

The Southwest willow flycatcher, a small insect-eating bird that is olive-gray in color, has been on the endangered species list since 1995.

Restoring habitatAn old dairy, donated by the Whitfield

family, now serves as a habitat for birds and native wildlife of all types that is home to more than 200 species of birds, or about half of the known species in New Mexico.

Middle Rio Grande Valley alive with life and nature

quality oF liFe incluDeS ouR beautiFul boSque

VALENCIA COUNTY


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Although mostly sawgrass meadow, the wildlife area is attached to the bosque and its boundaries even extend to the river. Wildlife that needs wooded areas are seen at the Whitfield Wildlife Conserva-tion Area often, such as the Swainson’s hawk that nests in the trees of the bosque and feed in the sawgrass. Fire danger

For the past several years, wild fires have damaged and destroyed hundreds of acres of bosque. The dry and sometimes dangerous brush is a hazard that has ignited flames and fear in the area.

With the introduction of the levee system to the Rio Grande in the mid-1930s, any drought becomes dangerous for potential fires.

One of the most important issues facing the bosque man-agement is fire prevention and controlling the fuel that not only burns very hot and fast, but limits access for fire teams to battle the blazes.

The MRGCD accepts input from the towns, counties and cities as to how wooded they want their area of bosque. He also said area fire departments are the ones that fight blazes within the bosque.

As part of that effort, the Los Lunas Open Space Division reported that fire has been a significant issue in that part of the bosque in the past several years.

While some small fires have been quickly extin-guished by local firefighters, evidence of bonfires and campfires has been found in the Los Lunas area.

Recreation in the bosque

The bosque provides an oasis for an otherwise arid region. The protection that it gives for wildlife makes it a natural habi-tat for hunting and fishing.

But the sensitive ecosystem is guarded by some restrictions of activity that can happen within the bosque.

The enjoyment of the bosque can be experienced by hiking, biking and horseback riding. Most of the trails are along the ditchbanks within the bosque.

No motorized vehicles, including four-wheelers and off-road vehicles are allowed in the bosque.

Several walking trail has been added at the Los Lunas River Park.

It takes everyoneAccording to officials at

MRGCD, more than 150 agencies and governments have a stake in the wooded river-fed ecology.

From national agencies to the New Mexico Game and Fish Department to villages, towns and cities, the bosque is

a playground and a refuge that is worth preserving.

Special interest groups, such as the Friends of the Bosque and the Ditch Bank Bandits, provide invaluable help in maintaining the bosque.

The Ditch Bank Bandits regularly have cleanups in the bosque to keep the natural re-source alive for future genera-tions, as well as fishing derbies to show residents and visitors the uniqueness of the bosque.

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T ractors rattle down main streets and country roads, verdant fields glow in the pale morning light and fat bellied

goats bleat cheerfully.Signs that Valencia County is a commu-

nity rooted deeply in agriculture are evident at every turn. From the alfalfa, chile and pecan farmers to the ranchers, bee keepers and master gardeners, the valley is a vibrant greenbelt, teeming with life.

This rural setting is a prized and fragile commodity, performing a delicate balanc-ing act between conserving its agricul-tural resources and the inevitable need to

grow commercially and residentially.“I think you have so many demands

on our agricultural land today,” says farmer and land developer Mike Mech-enbier. “It really needs to become a more concerted effort to preserve it. You’ve got demands on the water; every municipal-ity wants this water that we’re using. You’ve got urban demands, people come in and see the pretty green and they want to chop it up and live on it.

“It’s a resource that we don’t put enough value on, this greenbelt, and there needs to be an emphasis to preserve it.

Because once it’s gone, it’s gone forever, it’s never going to go back to agriculture at a later date.”

On a sunny autumn morning on Mech-enbier’s pecan farm south of Belen, light filters through the leaves of the young trees and bounces off the dew collected on the grass and rogue corn plants carpeting the orchard floor.

To the east lays the lush Rio Grande Valley. Beyond that, the majestic Man-zano Mountains reach skyward, and to the west the comparatively barren mesa lays in stark contrast, dotted with

Our greenbelt makes life worth living

FaRminG iS a way oF liFe in Valencia county

VALENCIA COUNTY


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prickly pear and rabbit brush.Mechenbier waves his hand westward,

“Look at all this land that isn’t farmland,” he says. “You move that development out of the valley, keep it off the agricultural land.

“Once you build a house on a piece of this agricultural land, you’ll change the nature of it in perpetuity. It’s never coming back. It’s never agricultural land again.”

The average age of farmers in the county, he says, is “pushing 60,” and their land is their retirement, which is one reason many farms are being sold and subdivided. In many instances, subdividing is their most economical decision.

“They don’t have enough money for retirement and so they have to look at their land and say this is my only asset and how do I maximize the value of this asset, and it’s subdividing it,” said Harvey Crowley, farm manager at Mechenbier’s farm.

Both men agree the solution lays in farm-ers finding new ways to utilize their land by moving toward more high value crops, such as raspberries, chile, wine grapes and pecans.

“I think the only way you’ll preserve

the greenbelt here in Valencia County, or anywhere on this river bottom, is agriculture needs to change,” says Mechenbier. “It needs to become economical and sustainable. You’re seeing higher dollar crops go in ... Agriculture needs to economically compete against other development uses for this land for it to survive.”

Another side effect of subdivision, said Crowley, is the loss of water rights. If you have a 10-acre farm and sell one acre, that’s an acre of water you can’t get back, as an individual, but sometimes also as a community.

“If we don’t use (that water) here, it goes to Texas,” he said.

Valencia County Planning and Zoning Community Services Director Jacobo Martinez agrees with the need for agricul-ture to diversify in order to survive in the county, citing wine making as a product that has a history in the valley and is now making a “resurgence” as a high value crop and product.

“I think there’s a definite culture that’s built around agriculture in Valencia

County,” says Martinez. “It’s been here for generations — it’s been here for years and people feel it in their hearts. We’re an agricultural community. We hold that type of country value in a lot of ways and it’s kind of ingrained in the DNA, it’s ingrained in the built environment with the acequia system and it’s ingrained with the type of flood irrigation that we do for alfalfa.”

All over the county, Martinez says indi-viduals and communities are finding creative ways to prevent further subdivision and preserve existing agricultural lands.

He gives the example of the community association of San Clemente, which is work-ing to establish the San Clemente Rangeland Trust, a conservation trust that would legally protect the designated rangeland from subdivision forever.

“They’re actually working on creating an agricultural land trust where they want to make a greenbelt easement for cattle and cattle grazing, and using that cattle for local markets and trying to get local restaurants to buy into the local market of cattle,” says Martinez.


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Here are some basic Span-ish terms that might come in handy when

you’re talking to folks in Valen-cia County:

• Acequias: Irrigation ditches.

• Biscochitos: A traditional sugar cookie baked with anise, most often served at Christmas time. If you don’t think New Mexicans take food seriously, then remember that the State Legislature debated the word’s spelling for hours when making it the official state cookie.

• Bosque: Forest. It’s most often used to describe the cot-tonwood stand along the Rio Grande. (Pronounced: bos-kay.)

• Bueno: Good.• Cerro: Hill. We have El

Cerro de Tomé — Tomé Hill; El Cerro de Los Lunas and a community named El Cerro.

• Chicharrones: Fried pork skin. Southerners called them chitlins. They’re cooked fresh at a matanza.

• Chile: This is the correct Spanish spelling of the state’s official fruit. Chili comes from Texas or out of a can con carne.

• El Camino Real: The royal road that stretched from Mexico City all the way to Santa Fe through the heart of Valencia County. It was the main route along which trade was moved in colonial days.

• El Rio Abajo: The lower river, the area surrounding the Rio Grande down to the Las Cruces area.

• Fiesta: A party; more

commonly used to designate the days-long celebrations held by Catholic churches in New Mexico to mark their saint days.

• Frijoles: Pinto beans, the state’s official vegetable.

• La Llarona: The Weeping Woman. A classic Southwestern and Mexican ghost story about a woman who murdered her chil-dren. She’s also called the Ditch Witch and is used to frighten children (and make them stay away from the fast-running irrigation water.)

• Luminarias: A Christmas decoration created by placing a candle in sand at the bottom of a small paper bag. They’re set along sidewalks and the roofs of houses. In northern New Mexico, they’re called farolitos; luminarias there are small bon-fires. It’s all very confusing. Just go with the flow and enjoy.

• Manzano: The mountains at the eastern edge of the county, named for the apples whose rosy color they glow with at some times of the day.

• Matanza: A barbecue at which a pig or goat is butch-ered and prepared outside. Very good eating.

• Mesa: The flat-topped hills seen throughout the Southwest. A perfect example can be seen at the western edge of Belen.

• Mijito or mijita: The shortened version of Mi hijito (little son) or Mi hijita (little daughter); usually used fondly by a parent when addressing or talking about their child.

• Piñon: Pine nut

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For more information, call 505-966-1000 or visit us at http://beleneagles.orgbelen consolidated schools

EDUCATIONStriving for Excellence in

What We Offer:Highly competitive salariesExcellent benefitsGreat small town valuesFamily-friendly workplaceProfessional development training

What We Do:Provide outstanding instructional leadershipImplement Common Core State StandardsEncourage excellence in educationOffer a safe learning environmentFoster academic, social & emotional growth

What We Have:Outstanding academic programsState-of-the art technologySchool Reach Communication System Truancy prevention strategiesAnti-Bullying ProgramInformative web siteExtra-curricular activities9th Grade Academy & Career AcademyTeacher Resource CenterAlternative learning environments

District Mission StatementTo help students acquire the knowledge, skills and character to become productive adults, deal effectivelywith change, and have a positive impact on their community.

55



For more information, call 505-966-1000 or visit us at http://beleneagles.orgbelen consolidated schools

EDUCATIONStriving for Excellence in

What We Offer:Highly competitive salariesExcellent benefitsGreat small town valuesFamily-friendly workplaceProfessional development training

What We Do:Provide outstanding instructional leadershipImplement Common Core State StandardsEncourage excellence in educationOffer a safe learning environmentFoster academic, social & emotional growth

What We Have:Outstanding academic programsState-of-the art technologySchool Reach Communication System Truancy prevention strategiesAnti-Bullying ProgramInformative web siteExtra-curricular activities9th Grade Academy & Career AcademyTeacher Resource CenterAlternative learning environments

District Mission StatementTo help students acquire the knowledge, skills and character to become productive adults, deal effectivelywith change, and have a positive impact on their community.

56


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Documents

2015 Visitors Guide