NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Check out community events happening Feb. 26 – Mar. 4 around New Mexico.


Albuquerque


Events

February 25-26Sagebrush Blood Drive – Sagebrush Church is hosting a blood drive on February 25th and 26th at the Riverside Campus. For every person who donates blood, the blood bank will also perform a COVID-19 antibody test free of charge. Register for a time to donate here: https://sagebrush.church/blood/.

February 25-26 – The Croods 2 – The Drive-in at Balloon Fiesta Park will show The Croods 2. Purchase tickets at www.balloonparkdrive.in/shows.

February 26Adult Clay Night – Join Creativity Warehouse for their monthly Adult Clay Night. They will show you how to make a coil pot, pinch pot, and using the wheel. $35/person and you must register ahead of time to help them comply with the current COVID-19 restrictions. Don’t forget your mask.

February 26Hispano Chamber Community Day – The Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce invites small businesses to their first “Community Day”. They will be distributing 1000 tote bags containing masks, gloves, sanitizer, thermometer, and many more local products for small business owners (less than 50 employees) that need assistance. Visit the chamber for drive-thru-style pickup.

February 26-27The Annual Council Rummage Sale – Council of Albuquerque Garden Clubs, Inc is a non-profit organization that’s raising money for the Albuquerque Garden Club. Stop by to shop electronics, clothing, furniture, jewelry, appliances, books, artwork, kitchen stuff and collectibles.

February 27Neighborhood Clean Up – Clean up Kit Carson Park, Saturday, February 27. Check-in is at 8 a.m. at the playground. Supplies provided by the City of Albuquerque.

February 28Michelle Otero, Bosque Poems – A virtual event partnership with the University of New Mexico Press and the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Michelle Otero will read and be in conversation with Valerie Martinez, Director of History and Literary Arts at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.

February 10 – March 31Playing Together Online with JamKazam for Youth – This class will focus on completing three tunes and will post at least one on the Outpost website. They’ll discuss song structure, roles in a band, rhythm section support, as well as perform a standard, rock or funk-it-out.  You’ll need a device that supports JamKazam.  This class is geared towards youth ages 12 -18, but adults just getting their feet wet are welcome as well. Ability level: intermediate: familiarity with scales and some playability is needed.

March 2Tour Tuesdays: HERitage, Foundational Matriarchs – This month’s video will continue a view into our HERitage exhibit with Curator Rachel Moore (Hopi). Hear personal insights and stories learned from the families of the three foundational matriarchs featured in this exhibit: Esther Martinez (Ohkay Owingeh), Agnes Naranjo Lee (Santa Clara), and Carol Jean Vigil (Tesuque/Isleta).

March 2Writing Our Authentic Self – This workshop from El Chante: Casa de Cultura LLC will be about looking at who we are and where we come from. Participants will write from a place of authenticity to create a personal narrative and heal through genuine self-expression.

March 6 Volunteer Cemetery Clean Up – Want to volunteer your time to make a difference in your community? Historic Fairview Cemetery, established in Albuquerque, NM in 1881, is maintained by a local nonprofit organization. On Saturday morning, March 6, starting at 10 a.m., volunteers will help clean up a section of the cemetery by weeding and picking up trash.

Notices

🔶 Bernalillo County offers Covid relief program – Bernalillo County is offering a new COVID relief program that will give approved participants monetary assistance. Commissioners identified $1.4 million from the county’s general fund for emergency relief to qualifying residents within Bernalillo County, including those within the city limits of Albuquerque. The measure, sponsored by Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada, will offer one-time payments of $500 to qualifying households that did not receive federal stimulus relief payments and do not qualify for unemployment benefits. Applications will be taken online through the Family Independence Initiative’s application portal at https://www.bernco.gov/economic-development/covid-relief-.aspx.  Applications will be available in both English and Spanish. The program will remain open until the funds are exhausted.

🔶 City Helping Seniors Register for COVID-19 Vaccine – The City of Albuquerque Department of Senior Affairs, in partnership with the State of New Mexico and 311, is helping register Albuquerque metro area seniors 60 and up in the New Mexico Department of Health’s (NMDOH) vaccination database. All New Mexicans can also still register via vaccinenm.org. Seniors who live in the Albuquerque metro area and would like to register over the phone can call 311.

🔶 Get Wild With the ABQ BioPark This Spring Break – Registration for spring break camps, which take place March 22-26, is now live. This year, the ABQ BioPark is offering both in-person and virtual classes on Zoom. 

🔶 The City of Albuquerque Seeks Virtual Visionaries – In a continued effort to support the creative economy, the City of Albuquerque is looking for Virtual Visionaries to create content for Public Access Channels. The City of Albuquerque’s Cultural Services Department invites creative professionals to submit pitches for engaging, original, and creative video content that is ready-to-air and stream on the City’s Public Access channels, social media, and other digital platforms. The requested categories are Storytelling and Educational content.

🔶 ECHO, Inc. supplies qualifying seniors with free supplemental food boxes – ECHO, Inc. is looking out for seniors 60 and older in the Albuquerque and Rio Rancho area by supplying free food. The food boxes are issued once a month and provides about a week’s worth of food. Items included in the food boxes include products like juice, cheese, milk, cereal, and protein. To qualify for the food box, seniors are asked to provide an ID, address, and proof of income. This can come in the form of your Social Security Awards letter or from your employment. Due to the pandemic, ECHO is not dealing with paperwork. Seniors who go to receive the food boxes will be asked to read off their information in order to register for the food boxes.

🔶 Senior Dance Classes – Bernalillo County and Keshet Dance have teamed up to offer online group dance classes for Bernalillo County seniors. Classes are one hour in length and held via Zoom. Interested persons can view the class schedule and register.

🔶 Gale OneFile Culinary Arts Offers A Wide Variety of International Recipes and Cooking Lessons With Your Library Card – The necessity of staying home, and the desire to cook something for those we love, what better time to pull out a giant virtual cookbook? The ABC Library’s Gale OneFile Culinary Arts database offers numerous cooking classes, methods, recipes from around the world, and much more. Visit: www.abqlibrary.org and get cooking today.

🔶 Keep Burque Clean – You can schedule a free community clean up two times per calendar year. Simply organize people in your community to participate and our department will provide gloves and trash bags for your clean-up as well as collect the waste at your designated collection point. Call 505-761-8100 or 311 to schedule your community clean up today.

🔶 Free Firewood for Seniors – The City of Albuquerque has announced that free firewood will be available to seniors in need to keep their homes warm this winter. The Department of Senior Affairs and Parks and Recreation has partnered to offer firewood to seniors 60 and older in Bernalillo County. The firewood will be delivered by a team from the Department of Senior Affairs to the homes of eligible seniors while supplies last. To sign up for the firewood while supplies last, call 505-764-6400.

🔶 Blue Star Mothers looking for donations – The Albuquerque chapter of Blue Star Mothers is once again looking for donations to include in care packages sent to troops. The organization is still holding donation drives and is asking for single-size servings of food and drink mixes such as Vienna Sausage-pop top cans, jerky, protein bars/granola bars, coffee, and hot chocolate. For non-food items, they’re asking for things like hand sanitizer, hand and foot warmers, and dental floss. For more information on how to donate, visit Rio Grande Valley Blue Star Mothers website.

🔶 The Rio Grande Food Project is conducting two outdoor drive-thru food distributions per week. RGFP Executive Director Ari Herring discusses these distributions and how you can receive assistance or help out. RGFP will be conducting two outdoor drive-thru food distributions per week on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. or until food runs out. Families and individuals who are struggling to make ends meet are encouraged to visit the drive-thru at 600 Coors Blvd. NW which is on Coors just south of the freeway and behind the Rio Grande Presbyterian Church.

🔶 Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico – Special distribution in Bernalillo County starting at 9 a.m. Tuesday mornings at UNM South Parking Lot. Register in advance.

🔶 Bingo with Brenda – Bernalillo County’s Office of Senior and Social Services launched Bingo with Brenda, a virtual activity that takes place every week. Brenda Cisneros-Fernandez is the Public Health Specialist with the department and will be the one facilitating virtual Bingo every Thursday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. To register for Bingo with Brenda, visit their website at bernco.gov.


Around New Mexico


Events

February 1-28 The ABQ Winter Jewish Film Fest goes virtual – Tickets are now on sale for the ABQ Winter Virtual Jewish Film Fest, hosted by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque. It features eight acclaimed, contemporary films to be screened throughout the month of February. Phyllis Wolf, Director, Arts, Culture & Education, gave more details into the event.

February 27Socorro Sessions Social Distance Music Fest: Mardi Gras – Free DRIVE-IN & Live-Stream Concert featuring Socorro’s own Blue Monday & Tom Fenton’s Rio Grand Voodoo Band, great R&B, Funk, Zydeco, Dixieland & more. Cubish Food Truck will be onsite, including their famous Jambalaya and Red Beans & Rice, and food delivered right to your parking space. Decorate your car for a chance to be dubbed Krewe of PAS Royalty. Masks required, COVID-19 safety guidelines must be followed

March 3-7 Las Cruces International Film Festival – The virtual festival will screen 102 films instead of the usual 80 shown at previous festivals. The festival also has added a Native Cinema program this year to honor Native American films and filmmakers.

March 5WomenFest – Inspired by Women’s History Month, NMT PAS presents two days of performances by women artists from around New Mexico and Socorro in what we hope will become a new tradition in central NM. Headlining the event is Lara Manzanares on Saturday at 7 p.m., and Chloe Nixon on Friday at 7p.m. Performers on Friday are Gaby Vocello Benalil (2:15), Colleen Gino (3:15), Bethany Lumos (4:15), Melissa Rios (5:30), Chloe Nixon (7); and on Saturday: Terri Sunflower (2:15), Val & Ben (3:15), Kacey & Jenna (4:15), Tori Murillo (5:30), Lara Manzanares (7). More info at nmt.edu/pas.

March 6Old Postcards from Belen – Discover Belen’s rich history as Jim Sloan presents Old Postcards of Belen online at harveyhousemuseum.org.

March 4, 7, 11Taos Onstage Playwriting Contest – Taos Onstage, a nonprofit community theatre group, is offering a $5,000 award for a Playwriting Contest for the Taos community. The contest is open to any resident in the Taos, NM region, which includes the counties of Colfax, Mora, Rio Arriba, and Taos.

March 6, 7, 15Santa Fe Virtual Game Night: Trivia, Charades, and Drawing over Video – Play fun online games, answer trivia, laugh ‘til it hurts, and connect with friends near and far.

March 11Annual Growers Workshop – On March 11 & 12 from 9 a.m.–12 p.m., tune in with Shengrui Yao (Extension Fruit Specialist at SASC Alcalde), Dr. Ge Zhang (NMSU Los Lunas Center), Dr. Sam Smallidge (NMSU Wildlife Specialist), and Dr. Lee Kalcsits (Associate Professor, Washington State University Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center) for the 2021 Annual Fruit Grower Workshop.

March 19Taos Shortz Film Festival Kickoff – This year’s virtual festival will feature films selected for 2021 as well as their 2020 selections. This will be 22 day festival. Tickets will be available soon. You can choose to view either just one or both years selections of films.

April 3, 7, 10Rio Rancho Tree Steward Training – The city of Rio Rancho’s Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department and its Keep Rio Rancho Beautiful Division are seeking volunteers interested in serving as a Tree Steward in the community. Volunteer Tree Stewards individually or as a team receive tools, training, and ongoing support to help the city care for trees in local parks. Tree stewards visit their chosen park and report tree and park concerns; assist with planting and pruning of young, newly established trees; maintain site conditions; report vandalism; report water system problems.

Notices

🔶 Emergency Financial Assistance Available for Natives living in SF County – To qualify for Emergency Financial Assistance, you must be Native and live in Santa Fe County, submit a copy of a photo I.D., fill out an application and submit required documentation, the application name must match the name on the invoice or bill, the Emergency Financial Assistance application is available online or you can call us to pick up an application by appointment at 505-660-4210.

🔶 Due to an increase in recent sightings of coyotes by hikers along the bosque in the Albuquerque metro area, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish reminds everyone to be mindful and prepared for potential encounters with wild animals.

If you enjoy recreating along the Bosque, remember:

  • Never approach a wild animal. If you see wildlife, snap a picture while keeping a safe distance.
  • Avoid outdoor activities such as running or hiking at, or around, dawn and dusk, when predators are most active.
  • Supervise children when they are outdoors and keep them close when hiking.
  • A leash will help protect your pet and usually is required by law.

🔶 State Parks to reopen for all visitors – Day-use will reopen for all visitors immediately. Camping will reopen to all visitors by reservation only beginning February 27th. Several state parks are currently managing for seasonal closures and it is important for visitors to continue to check for details on specific park hours of operation and additional information before visiting. Check the State Parks website and know before you go.

🔶 New Fuelwood Area Open Between Ruidoso Downs and Glencoe –  A new fuelwood area is now open on the Lincoln National Forest, Smokey Bear Ranger District in Allison Canyon. The fuelwood area is located on the north side of Highway 70 between Ruidoso Downs and Glencoe off Forest Service Road 120B. This is a dead-and-down fuelwood area, meaning you can collect dead logs and branches. Do not cut green-standing trees. A fuelwood permit is required to collect fuelwood on the forest.

🔶 East Mountain Broadband FAQ and Email Service – Bernalillo County staff prepared the East Mountain Broadband FAQ to inform constituents of the various challenges and opportunities for improved service. Contemporaneous with the launch of the FAQ, Commissioner Pyskoty has facilitated an email service for East Mountain residents interested in the expansion of broadband services and other local issues. It’s part of Bernalillo County’s subscription-based information system called govDelivery. Residents who sign-up for the District 5 list will receive occasional updates on the East Mountain broadband project and other local issues by email.

🔶Gila National Forest Issues Closure Order for Forest Road 4031C – The Gila National Forest, Reserve Ranger District has issued a closure order for Forest Road 4031C, also known as McCarty Flat Road, west of the San Francisco River from the intersection of Higgins Flat Road. Forest Order 03-06-06-21-006, which is in effect from January 13, 2021, through December 31, 2022, or until rescinded, whichever comes first. The purpose of this order is to prevent further resource damage due to user-created roads being established from illegal woodcutting within the San Francisco Roadless area. This will give the forest the opportunity to assess and repair the damages.

🔶 Farmer’s Market at Ardovino’s Desert Crossing – The annual market now runs Saturdays year-round at Ardovino’s Desert Crossing, This “producers only” market features quality farmers, backyard gardeners, and artisans. Well-behaved pets on leash welcome.

🔶 One Team Scavenger Hunt Santa Fe – Puzzling Adventure is a cross between a scavenger hunt, an adventure race, and an informative self-guided tour. Each adventure consists of a series of locations that you are guided to where you are required to answer questions or solve puzzles to receive your next instruction. All you need is your own mobile device and an Internet connection. Register now at puzzlingadventures.com.

🔶 DiverseIT offers free digital literacy classes – The program helps people with disabilities, people of color, and women to start careers in IT with hands-on training. DiverseIT also provides computers to people with disabilities and local nonprofits. DiverseIT’s new Digital Literacy: The computer classes can help to get you comfortable with your computer and allow you to use it with confidence. The classes also help you avoid scams, search the internet safely, and keep learning online. DiverseIT offers sessions in English and Spanish which are available remotely. To sign up, call 505-881-TECH. For more information on DiverseIT computer services and training, visit goadelante.org/diversit/.

🔶 New Mexico State Parks will remain closed to out of state visitors through January – The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department’s (EMNRD) State Parks Division announced Thursday that New Mexico State Parks will remain closed to out-of-state visitors through January. 32 State Parks will remain open for day-use only to New Mexico residents only. All camping reservations will be refunded through Jan. 29.

🔶 The Santa Fe City and County are Seeking Public Input to Inform Long-Range Water Resources Plans – City of Santa Fe Water (City) and Santa Fe County Utilities (County) are initiating a collaborative, science-based, 5-year planning cycle to develop long-range water resource management plans and are seeking public input to inform this important process. Residents of the City or County are invited to fill out an online survey to help the City and County better understand the public’s perspectives, values, and priorities with respect to water. 

🔶 CONNECT Fund launches to Help City Residents Impacted by COVID-19 – In response to economic hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Santa Fe—with local partners Somos un Pueblo Unido, Chainbreaker Collective, and national non-profit Family Independence Initiative (FII)—has launched emergency disaster relief funds open to eligible City of Santa Fe residents. These relief funds will afford one-time cash assistance to help supplement lost wages and prevent eviction. Referrals will be made via CONNECT to fund partners Somos un Pueblo Unido and Chainbreaker Collective, who will take the lead on providing community-wide education regarding the programs and assisting eligible individuals. Apply online at https://www.santafenm.gov/connect or call Somos un Pueblo Unido at 844-365-6635 or Chainbreaker at 505-577-5481. 

🔶 Santa Fe is seeking residents to sit on the Planning Commission and Board of Adjustments Planning Commission. The City is seeking letters of interest from City residents with professional experience in law, real estate, construction, or design. If you are interested in sitting on the Planning Commission or the Board of Adjustments please send a resume and letter of interest to City Clerk Yolanda Vigil at yyvigil@santafenm.gov.

🔶 Ignited Minds is now offering free online tutoring for any student in need of extra help. Tutors teach students time and organization management skills, tips, and tricks and also provide regular tutoring appointments that allow students to build a trusted working relationship with their tutor. Currently, Ignited Minds is also in need of more quality tutors. For more information on services, volunteering, board development, and more, visit ignitedmindsnonprofit.org.

🔶 Fuelwood Permits are available for purchase at most ranger districts. Permit sales vary by location. For additional information in regard to the 2020-2021 season, collection dates, and application process, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/coronado/passes-permits/forestproducts.

🔶 The New Mexico Human Services Department announced that New Mexico households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will once again receive the maximum amount for their household size for the month of January. Individuals seeking to apply for SNAP benefits may apply online through yes.state.nm.us or by phone at 1-800-283-4465. Newly approved SNAP recipients will be eligible for the supplemental benefit.

🔶 MVD now offers online license renewal for drivers 79 and older – For the first time, drivers 79 years of age and older have the option of renewing their driver’s licenses online. Drivers 79 and older previously had to renew their licenses in person every year. Anyone in that category now will be able to renew online 60 days or less before their current license expires. Going forward, drivers 79 and older who need an eye exam or medical report to renew their licenses will be able to conduct their annual renewal online in a two-step process. First, the driver will submit their eye exam or medical report online at mvdonline.com. Once the report has been accepted by MVD staff, the driver will go to mvdonline.com to renew their license.

🔶 Dept. of Public Safety needs transportation inspectors – The Department of Public Safety has immediate openings for transportation inspectors in San Jon as well as in other locations throughout New Mexico. While mechanical knowledge is helpful, it is not required and on-the-job training will be provided. Candidates must have a high school diploma and one year of general work experience.

🔶 Hotline Announced for Pandemic EBT Recipients – The New Mexico Human Services Department announced a new Pandemic-EBT hotline for parents who have questions regarding eligibility or want more information on the benefits. The hotline will be manned from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you need assistance in activating or replacing an EBT card, you can contact the card vendor, FIS Global at 1-800-843-8303.

🔶 Carlsbad Caverns National Park– E-bikes are allowed on park roads and parking areas that are currently open to motor vehicles and traditional bicycles. E-bikes and other vehicles are not permitted on park trails or in any wilderness areas. 

🔶 Canyon Bakehouse bread recall – lowers Foods Inc. is voluntarily recalling select gluten-free Canyon Bakehouse Mountain White Bread and Canyon Bakehouse Everything Bagels for the “potential presence of gluten.” The Georgia-based company said in the recall notice posted on the Food and Drug Administration website that the recalled products were distributed in 14 states including New Mexico.