CNJ staff Some more dollars may be flowing toward the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System, with a $1.978 million federal allocation in President Obama’s 2013 budget. That money makes $2.978 million in commitments to the pipeline project, which would deliver water from the Ute Reservoir in Quay County to entities that make up the […]
Rural refinance program to launch
CNJ staff The U.S. Department of Agriculture will launch a single family housing guaranteed rural refinance pilot program in New Mexico to help rural borrowers refinance their mortgages, according to U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M. To be eligible under this pilot, borrowers must have made timely mortgage payments for 12 consecutive months. Rural residents can […]
Udall: USDA Pilot Program to Help Rural N.M. Homeowners
WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will launch a new Single Family Housing Guaranteed Rural Refinance Pilot Program in New Mexico to help rural borrowers refinance their mortgages. Currently, approximately 2,000 New Mexico families are enrolled in the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Program. They are now eligible […]
Udall Protects Rural N.M. Roads in Transportation Markup
WASHINGTON – Today the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously reported the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) transportation bill out of committee including three amendments offered by U.S. Senator Tom Udall to protect rural roads in New Mexico. The bipartisan MAP-21 bill will provide funding for surface transportation programs within […]
Popular vote proposal buries rural America
Freedom New Mexico California Gov. Jerry Brown’s decision to sign legislation promoting a concept known as the National Popular Vote will give impetus to a troubling national movement that seeks to undermine the nation’s Electoral College and replace it with a system at odds with what the founders envisioned. Americans were reminded of the inner […]
Officials to break ground on Ute water project
Kevin Wilson Nearly half a century after the idea was conceived, eastern New Mexico entities have planned a Thursday groundbreaking on the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System — also known as the Ute Water Project. An 11:30 a.m. groundbreaking is set for Ute Reservoir, on N.M. 522 about two-and-a-half miles west of Tucumcari. Many […]
Rural area post offices in danger of closure

Freedom New Mexico: Argen Duncan Due to financial struggles, the U.S. Postal Service has produced a list of about 3,700 post offices it will study for closure nationwide. Argen Duncan Five rural post offices in Roosevelt County, two in De Baca County and one in Parmer County, Texas, are in danger of being closed. Due […]
Not all rural deliveries welcome
Where we lived when I was a kid gave Rural Free Delivery (RFD) a whole new dimension. It was two miles to the mailbox, dirt road of course, and the mailman only drove the 25 miles from town twice a week. My brother and I ordered stuff through the mail. I sent in a boxtop […]
Ag training sessions available
CNJ staff The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development is conducting free training sessions for its Rural Energy for America Program and Value Added Producer Grant program. Eligible applicants for REAP include agricultural producers and rural small businesses. Eligible applicants for VAPG include independent producers, farmers or rancher cooperatives, agricultural producer groups and majority-controlled producer-based […]
In tribute: Pastor remembered for loving nature

Courtesy photo Longtime Texas and New Mexico pastor Roy Roach died Sept., 8 at 85 of congestive heart failure. Kevin Wilson Roy Roach trusted people enough to not need a contract, and he trusted his congregation enough to show up without any outreach beyond his personality and love. They did. The longtime Texas and New […]
Press release: USDA Grants for Rural Community Development Available
SANTA FE – Today, Ben Ray Luj
Press release: Bingaman: Rural New Mexicans now eligible for more affordable prescription medications
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today applauded the Obama administration for implementing provisions he wrote that make prescription medications more affordable for patients served by rural hospitals and other safety-net hospitals. Safety-net providers – health care providers that treat a high percentage of low-income and uninsured patients – and their patients are able to […]
Dumping animals in county can incur citations, fines
By Sharna Johnson: CNJ staff writer Some are dropped off by folks hoping a kind farmer will take them in. Some are strays that have wandered. Others are pets allowed to roam freely. Whatever the reason, animals running at large in rural Curry County are an issue the Curry County Sheriff’s Office deals with on […]
Influence should be cherished, used to nurture
By Judy Brandon: Religion columnist I am ready for some rain now. I would like to hear that thunder, see that lightening am ready for spring. Yet, thunderstorms bring me back to thoughts of tornado country in the rural area in Arkansas where my grandparents lived. When I was a child, I delighted in the […]
Press Release: Foundation for Rural Service Offers $75,000 in College Scholarships
The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) will award 30 – $2,500 scholarships to qualified rural students in May 2010 – one per geographic region of the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA) and one to a student sponsored by an NTCA associate member. The remaining 19 awards will be distributed proportionate to the number of applications […]
Ticket feature: CCC group performing ‘Holy Ghosts’

CNJ staff photo: Liliana Castillo Jennifer Brandon, left, and Caleb Brandon, right, play estranged husband and wife Nancy and Coleman Shedman. Mark Schmidt, who doubles as technical director, plays the lawyer Coleman drags with him on his search for his wife and the possessions she took. By Liliana Castillo: CNJ staff writer As the cast […]
Agriculture secretary Vilsack to hold rural community forum in New Mexico
WASHINGTON, September 23, 2009 – On Wednesday, September 30, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will hold a rural community forum in Las Cruces, N.M., as part of the Obama Administration’s Rural Tour. At the forum, Secretary Vilsack will discuss rural infrastructure and efforts by the Obama Administration to rebuild and revitalize rural America, listen to local […]