Bees with the Masters

Join Sandoval County’s Gard-ening with the Masters series as Sandoval County Veteran Master Gardener Chris Behl leads a discussion on bees, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., on Tuesday, at the Meadowlark Senior Center, 4130 Meadowlark Lane, SE, in Rio Rancho. The event is free.

If you are an individual with a disability who is in need of an auxiliary aid or service to participate in the meeting, contact Rudy Benavidez at 867-2582 by Monday. Applications sought for sign ordinance task force

The city of Rio Rancho is seeking applications from those interested in serving on a Sign Ordinance Advisory Task Force.

The task force will review the city’s current sign ordinance and submit recommendations to the city council for consideration. The task force will meet for no longer than one year, with the goal of submitting suggestions to the council by Dec. 31.

Representation on the task force will consist of seven Rio Rancho residents selected by the mayor and approved by the city council. Task force membership will include: A representative with personal experience or knowledge related to small business; a representative with personal experience of knowledge related to large business; a representative with personal experience of knowledge related to economic development; a representative with personal experience of knowledge related to development; a representative currently serving on the city’s Aesthetic Quality of Life Task Force or who has served on the city’s Visual Arts and Cultural Enrichment Task Force; and two municipal residents at-large.

Those interested in serving must submit an application and résumé to the Office of the City Clerk by 5 p.m. on Friday.

Applications can be obtained from the clerk’s office located on the first floor of City Hall or online at ci.rio-rancho.nm.us/signordiance. For information, call the clerk’s office at 891-5004.

Rummage for troops

The Rio Rancho chapter of Blue Star Mothers, a national organization that supports men and women serving in the armed services and their families, will host a rummage sale from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, at Southern Lutheran Outreach, at Southern Boulevard and Golf Course Drive.

For information, visit rioranchobluestarmothers.org or contact Julie Roberts by e-mail at alive94@cableone.net.

Create at the library

Kids on summer vacation can read for fun with the 2009 Summer Reading Program at the Rio Rancho Public Libraries. “Be Creative” is for kids going into kindergarten through sixth grade; books and crafts, games and magazines, play-a-ways and movies. Fill in the puzzle-piece reading logs and get a special prize.

Sign-ups have just begun and will continue at all three library sites through mid-July. Check out the library Web site for the whole scoop at ci.rio-rancho.nm.us/library or call 891-5013, ext 3032.

Women voters meeting

All are welcome to attend the luncheon meeting of the League of Women Voters of Central New Mexico at 11:45 a.m., on Thursday, June 11, at the Albuquerque Grand Airport Hotel, 2910 Yale SE.

The speaker will be Dr. Michale Olivas of the University of Houston Law Center discussing “State and Local Ordinances, — Why they are a Bad Idea and Why we need Comprehensive Immigration Reform.” Cost is $17 and the reservation deadline is on Monday, June 8 at 10 a.m., by calling 884-8441.

Rio Ranchoan helps

get archery in schools

Rio Rancho resident Brian Guzman, program coordinator the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, recently helped coordinate New Mexico’s first National Archery in the Schools State Tournament.

The agency brought an archery program to 15 high schools and middle schools in January, 2008, providing training for coaches and splitting equipment costs with schools. There is currently a waiting list of at least 12 schools wanting to set up similar programs.

This year’s tournament was conducted as a virtual tournament in which the actual competition was conducted at the individual schools, and scores were submitted to coordinators. Guzman said he hopes next year’s tournament will be a live event with schools competing in one location.

This year’s tournament was won by South Valley Academy, whose archers finished first through sixth in the competition.

The Department of Game and Fish spent approximately $20,000 on equipment to get the National Archery in the Schools program off the ground in New Mexico. It costs about $3,000 to outfit a school or organization with bows, targets, backstops and other equipment to get a program started.

Schools or organizations interested in participating in the program can find more information at wildlife.state.nm.us, or by contacting Guzman at 231-4375, or e-mailing him at brian.guzman@state.nm.us.

Democratic women to meet

Democratic Women of Sandoval County will meet on at 7 p.m., on Wednesday, June 17, at the Corrales Senior Center, 4324 Corrales Rd.

There will be a meet and greet at 6:30 p.m., prior to the meeting. Light refreshments will be served. The public is encouraged to attend and guests are welcome. For information, call President Patty Cervantes at 710-8539 or e-mail jnjsaxton@msn.com.

Nonprofit changes locations

People Helping People, a nonprofit organization that provides food and clothes to people in need, has moved to a new location at River’s Edge Mini Storage, on Industrial Park Loop, in Rio Rancho

The Rio Rancho location will accept donations on the last Saturday of every month, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

There will also be a senior program at River’s Edge Mini Storage on the last Saturday of every month at the same time.

People Helping People works with schools, domestic violent shelters, social workers and anyone else who knows anyone that needs our help. School supplies and uniforms are available through the year and at Christmas, the organization works with local businesses to adopt families in need. Donations may be sent to People Helping People, Linda Stevenson, P.O. Box 45716, Rio Rancho, N.M. 87174.

Camp for kids and dogs

The registration deadline for the first week of the Enchantment Pet Resort & Spa’s Kids & K-9 Camp is June 1.

The camp will be a one-week, half-day camp from 8 a.m. to noon on June 15 through 19 and July 20 through 24, for children and teenagers ages 8 to 15 and their dogs. Youngsters will learn lifelong skills in pet ownership through obedience, trick and agility training. Camp curriculum also includes lessons in health, nutrition and general care of dogs. Dogs must be at least six months old and have required vaccines.

To register, call 891-4100. Cost for the camp is $195. Registration for the July camp will be due by July 10. Camp iis limited to 15 students.

New episode of mayor’s talk show

The latest episode of Rio Rancho Mayor Tom Swisstack’s talk show has begun airing on the city’s public, education and government cable channels.

In this installment, Mayor Swisstack interviews Convention and Visitors Bureau Division Manager Matt Geisel and Santa Ana Star Center General Manager Gunnar Fox.

Conversations with Mayor Swisstack can be seen on RioVision cable channels 15 and 22 for those Rio Rancho residents who are Cable One subscribers. The mayor’s talk show airs each day on channel 15 at 6, 7:30 and 11:30 a.m., and at 5 and 8 p.m. Channel 22 shows this program daily at 8 and 11 a.m., and at 6 p.m.

Approximately every four weeks, a new episode airs on both cable channels in their regular time slots. In addition, episodes are posted to the city’s Web site ci.rio-rancho.nm.us/mayorswisstack shortly after a new episode debuts on RioVision.

Host family needed

The Rio Rancho Rotary Club is urgently seeking host families for exchange students. The inbound student will live in the host’s home from four to six months of the total year and share in the experiences of a family’s life.

Close contact with the local Rotary Club is provided as support for the student and host family. Contact Jennie Baca at 975-0928 or LaVaughn Landry at 818-9550 for more information about this rewarding and life-changing opportunity.

Parade registration time

Those wishing to participate in the city of Rio Rancho’s annual Fourth of July parade can register online via the city’s Web site at ci.rio-rancho.nm.us/parades.

The parade is scheduled for Saturday, July 4. The lineup location will be Country Club Drive beginning at 9 a.m. The parades will kick off at 10 a.m. and travel east down Southern Boulevard. The parade will end at the Veterans Monument Park located on Pinetree Road.

The deadline to register is Friday, June 26. There is no fee to participate.

Paper copies of the parade registration form can be obtained at the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department offices at Rio Rancho City Hall, 3200 Civic Center Circle NE, and the Sabana Grande Recreation Center located at 4110 Sabana Grande Blvd.

For more information, call 891-6196.

New episode of ‘Cop Talk’

A new episode of “Cop Talk” is now airing on RioVision, the city of Rio Rancho’s public, education, and government cable channels.

In this latest installment, host Officer John Francis focuses on crime victims and crime victim resources by interviewing several guests including 13th Judicial District Attorney Lemuel Martinez, Mary Ebinger from the Rio Rancho Police Department Crime Victim Assistance Unit (CVAU), and Marty Senna, program administrator of the Grant to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program (GTEAP).

“Cop Talk” episodes air daily on RioVision which is available to Cable One Subscribers — on cable channel 15 at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., and on cable channel 22 at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

The intent of “Cop Talk” is to educate the residents of Rio Rancho about the different divisions of the Police Department as well as items of interest to all.

Edit House Productions, LLC is the contracted service provider for the city’s RioVision cable channels. Episodes of “Cop Talk” are directed and edited by RioVision staff.

Community garden help

The Rio Rancho Parks & Recreation Commission is in the beginning stages of planning a community vegetable garden for Rio Rancho. The commission is looking for residents to join in to help with the planning. Interested parties should e-mail Sharyl Kuehnert at sksharylk@msn.com.

Toastmasters

Rio Rancho will have another Toastmasters club that will meet every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at The Destiny Center, 4401 Northern Blvd. All are welcome.

Toastmasters is a nonprofit learning organization dedicated not only to public speaking but leadership, controlling fears, gaining more self confidence, communicating more effectively, learning how to critique without offending, handling confrontation effectively, speaking on your feet and improving your human relations skills.

For more information, call Dan Stouffer at 771-0691.

Blue Star Mothers

The Rio Rancho chapter of Blue Star Mothers, a national organization that supports men and women serving in the armed services and their families, holds meetings on the first and third Thursdays of each month, from 7 to 9 p.m., at 3906 19th St., in Rio Rancho.

Donate to Goodwill

Goodwill is asking the community to be generous this spring as they clean out their closets and storage areas. Since March of 2008, Goodwill has seen a 40 percent increase in the number of persons approaching Goodwill for assistance in finding a job.

Donations to Goodwill Industries of New Mexico of gently-used clothing and household goods have been consistently off by 10 percent in the fifteen months since the recession began.

The Rio Rancho Goodwill is located at 2003 Southern Blvd., ste 113A. Hours are Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Call 892-0215 for more information.

Report waste and fraud

State Transportation Secretary-Designate Gary Girón announced the establishment of a new hotline to take reports of fraud, waste, abuse or misconduct within the New Mexico Department of Transportation.

The hotline, 800-671-STOP (7867), will be operated by the Office of the Inspector General in the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s Investigations and Special Inquiries Bureau.

Members of the general public as well as employees are invited to call the number to report any type of fraud, waste, abuse or misconduct they see. Callers can remain anonymous and may also e-mail, fax or mail concerns to the department. The hotline will be answered by an attendant during normal business hours on work days and callers could leave their messages after hours and on weekends.

E-mails can be sent to nmdot.oig@state.nm.us; fax to (505) 476-0923; or mail to Office of Inspector General, NMDOT — Investigations & Special Inquiries Bureau, 1570 Pacheco Street, Suite B-1, Santa Fe, NM 87505.

Women’s support group

Women On The Rise is a Networking and Referral group formed in Rio Rancho. During these hard times, small business needs all the help they can get.

If you would like to join the hardworking progressive women’s group, call Dee Ahlin at 610-8193 or Carol Brown at 980-4482.

Caring 4 kids

Caring 4 Kids is a new ministry open to everyone.

It provides warmth and comfort for children in need by making blankets. No experience is necessary, just come to the meetings on the first and third Wednesdays of the month between 9:30 a.m. and noon in the St. Lucy Room by the main office at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, 1594 Sara Rd., Rio Rancho. Snacks, refreshments and material to make your blanket will be provided.

For more information, call 999-6132 or Victoria at 261-1488.

Sunday is Funday

Preparations are underway for the fourth annual mayor’s picnic — Sunday is Funday — which will take place on August 16, from noon until 4:30 p.m., at the Loma Colorado Park located at 755 Loma Colorado Drive.

This year’s event will again feature inexpensive food — fifty cent hot dogs, hamburgers, water, and soda — along with other family entertainment, vendor booths, and a pentathlon competition which will be expanded to include games for businesses, kids, and seniors.

Parking for this event will cost $2 per vehicle and will be located at Rio Rancho High School which is adjacent to the park.

Individual and business sponsors are needed to continue to make this event a success. The fee to have a booth space at the event is $50 and sponsorships are $100 and up. Sponsors will be recognized at the event and in local print advertisements.

The Pentathlon Challenge will be a five-event relay of fun athletic events. Sponsoring your own team or the team of a nonprofit organization helps to fund Sunday is Funday. The fee to participate in the pentathlon is $200 and up and includes sponsorship for the event and booth or banner space. Trophies will be provided to the winning teams.

For more information, to secure a booth, or to register a pentathlon team, please contact Dave Heil at 228-7189 or daveheil16@msn.com, or Tony Popper at 892-0325 or tpopper@qwest.net. You can also visit the city’s Web site at ci.rio-rancho.nm.us/SundayisFunday for more information. Booth and sponsor fees should be mailed to Rio Rancho Kiwanis, 160 Itasca Rd., Rio Rancho, NM 87124.

This event is sponsored and coordinated by the city of Rio Rancho Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, Rio Rancho Kiwanis, the Rio Rancho Civitan Club, and Elks Lodge #2500. 

Any resulting proceeds, after paying expenses, will benefit youth programs in Rio Rancho including: scholarships for the city’s parks and recreation programs, the Rio Rancho Boys and Girls Club, the Sandoval County Juvenile Justice Program, the Sandoval County YMCA, and the Elks Lodge Boy Scouts.

Motorcycle ride for kids

A motorcycle ride to help kids with ADD/ADHD and dyslexia takes place on Sunday, June 14.

The ride will begin at 10:30 a.m., at Crossroads Cycles, 300-A Frontage Rd. NE, in Rio Rancho. Registration begins at 9 a.m.

All proceeds go to Get Kids through the Bit program. Registration is $30; for more information to to help out, call Star Ridsdale at 239-9644.