“If one were to do ‘something’ to shut up continuous barking dogs that cause us to not be able to enjoy our porch or work in the office, we would be charged with animal cruelty. However, the dogs, for the last one and a half hours have been barking and I can only try to go from room to room to not hear them and not even think about going outdoors. We have no recourse or rights. We, as well as our neighbors, have been complaining for 10 years and they are still barking. We are not anti-dog, we have a wonderful dog that goes outside and he just listens and then wants in the house. Even dogs get tired of hearing barking. We just want to have a little peace and quiet on the weekend, is that too much to ask Rio Rancho?”

“I live in the Cabezon area and was surprised the other morning while walking, when two mid-sized dogs ran up to me and my wife. Just behind them was a man running with a head light so we couldn’t see his face at all. I asked if the dogs were his and he said yes. I nicely told him that they should be on a leash. He proceeded to inform me that he didn’t ‘believe’ in that. I told him I didn’t either but we are all obligated to follow the law, whether it’s an ordinance or not. He is just one of the many people we have seen that doesn’t leash their dogs or even pick up their waste. Cabezon Blvd. and Western Hills Road is full of dog waste. It would be great if the city would enforce this ordinance.”

“On Friday April 24, I was at the Presbyterian on High Resort Boulevard. I was there with my son who is being treated for pneumonia. Between 10 and 11 a.m., someone from the Chamisa Hills Golf Course hit a golf ball into my back windshield, shattering it. I went to the golf club; the employees found the group that was golfing at the time but none of them would admit to accidentally hitting the ball out of bounds. I do not have a lot of money, my husband has been in and out of the hospital for the last year and my son is now sick. I just paid for my nephew to come visit for four days before he left for Iraq with the military. Will the golfers please go halfers with me? I cannot afford this on my own. Insurance won’t replace it. Please, reconsider!” “Hey, what’s this North-South stuff about our sports program? If the district sports director is so biased for ‘the south,’ then why isn’t he struggling to keep our impaired football Coach Worley, who is from Portales and coached in Artesia?”

“How dare anyone suggest that a coach who is arrested with a .16 blood alcohol level at 6 p.m., who claimed he hadn’t had a drink ‘since this morning’ should keep his job. A .16 is a clear sign of a serious drinking problem; lying to police officers is a crime; deciding to drink and drive several tons of metal after drinking that much is wanton, reckless behavior. That is why it’s an aggravate DUI. Coach Worley needs to get help for his drinking problem and let someone with more character and integrity lead our children.”