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Valencia County, New Mexico

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About Valencia, NM

Local News
Comprehensive local news coverage for Valencia County, New Mexico. Stay informed about government decisions, community events, business developments, and civic matters affecting residents of Los Lunas, Belen, Bosque Farms, Peralta, Rio Communities, and surrounding Rio Grande Valley communities.
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Los Lunas, Belen, Bosque Farms, Peralta, Rio Communities and 1,068 square miles in central new mexico

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Newsroom monitoring local Valencia, NM developments. Next update cycle in 36 minutes.

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Record-low snowpack brings early Rio Grande drying to Valencia County
Community

Record-low snowpack brings early Rio Grande drying to Valencia County

Record-low snowpack has already left dry pockets on the Rio Grande in Valencia County, weeks early, and irrigators are bracing for tighter spring water deliveries.

Lisa Park2m read
Valencia County roundup spotlights arts, music and community water talks
Community

Valencia County roundup spotlights arts, music and community water talks

From water scarcity to voter questions, Valencia County's most useful stops are free or low-cost gatherings at familiar community hubs.

Lisa Park5m read
Belen opens registration for family kickball league through May 16
Community

Belen opens registration for family kickball league through May 16

Belen is taking family kickball sign-ups through May 16, with $200 team entry, jerseys included and games set for Eagle Park in June.

Marcus Williams2m read
Valencia County homebuyers can get up to $40,000 in assistance
Business

Valencia County homebuyers can get up to $40,000 in assistance

Valencia County buyers can stack up to $40,000 in aid, but homes must close by June 30, 2026, and eligibility tops out at about $88,399 in household income.

Sarah Chen2m read
Griego withdraws from Valencia County sheriff race, narrowing crowded primary
Government

Griego withdraws from Valencia County sheriff race, narrowing crowded primary

Joe Griego’s exit removes a veteran contender from Valencia County’s sheriff race, leaving five candidates for voters to weigh on public safety and jail operations.

Marcus Williams2m read
Water main break closes Lala in Belen, drivers urged to detour
Government

Water main break closes Lala in Belen, drivers urged to detour

Water service came back overnight in Belen, but Lala stayed closed from Reinken to Chavez and past Walgreens’ south exit as crews finished a water main break repair.

James Thompson2m read
Los Lunas weighs interchange funding, road grants, and staffing hires
Government

Los Lunas weighs interchange funding, road grants, and staffing hires

Los Lunas is moving to finish funding the I-25 interchange and East/West Corridor project, while also weighing road money and new public-safety hires.

Marcus Williams2m read
Route 66 shaped Los Lunas as a migration corridor and main street
Business

Route 66 shaped Los Lunas as a migration corridor and main street

Route 66 once turned Los Lunas into a busy migration corridor. Its 1937 rerouting still explains who prospers, who gets bypassed, and why Main Street matters.

Sarah Chen5m read
Free gardening workshop at Los Lunas Library offers spring planting tips
Community

Free gardening workshop at Los Lunas Library offers spring planting tips

Free at Los Lunas Public Library, the April 25 workshop will teach soil testing and composting, helping gardeners grow more food and waste less water.

Marcus Williams2m read
Lujan Grisham, Salamanca Twins tout Great New Mexico Cleanup in Los Lunas
Community

Lujan Grisham, Salamanca Twins tout Great New Mexico Cleanup in Los Lunas

Litter behind Smith’s and around Heritage Park will be in focus Saturday as Michelle Lujan Grisham joins Los Lunas officials for a cleanup tied to 10.5 million pounds already removed.

Lisa Park2m read
Bosque Farms man pleads guilty to illegal shotgun possession charge
Government

Bosque Farms man pleads guilty to illegal shotgun possession charge

A Bosque Farms resident admitted he kept a shotgun and shells despite prior domestic-violence convictions, a plea that could bring 15 years in federal prison.

James Thompson2m read
Los Lunas couple marks 50 years of marriage, family and community ties
Community

Los Lunas couple marks 50 years of marriage, family and community ties

They wed in Fayetteville, N.Y., in 1976 and built a Los Lunas life that ran from math classrooms to claims work, three children and six grandchildren.

Lisa Park2m read
Brandon Vogt seeks New Mexico GOP chair at Belen meeting
Government

Brandon Vogt seeks New Mexico GOP chair at Belen meeting

Brandon Vogt will ask GOP activists in Belen to back his bid for state chairman, a move that could reshape fundraising and turnout efforts in Valencia County and beyond.

James Thompson2m read
Rio Communities women golfers tee off spring season with April events
Community

Rio Communities women golfers tee off spring season with April events

A March scramble launched Rio Communities women into spring, with April best-ball and pro-am dates still keeping the season lively and social.

Lisa Park2m read
Valencia County's best parks, trails and wildlife spots to visit
Community

Valencia County's best parks, trails and wildlife spots to visit

228 bird species reported at Whitfield, plus stroller-friendly trails and a near-doubled Los Lunas rec center, give Valencia County families low-cost, low-planning weekend options within a short drive.

Lisa Park6m read
Valencia High state champion Alexis Avis-Labus headed to Blackburn College
Education

Valencia High state champion Alexis Avis-Labus headed to Blackburn College

Valencia High’s 105-pound state champ is headed to Blackburn College, marking a rare college wrestling path for a Valencia County girl.

Sarah Chen2m read
Belen track meet returns, Los Lunas sweeps county titles amid state qualifiers
Education

Belen track meet returns, Los Lunas sweeps county titles amid state qualifiers

Alyssa Trujillo, Emmanuel Valdez and Chalito Cano gave Belen a strong start, but Los Lunas still swept the county titles as windy marks piled up at Eagles Stadium.

Sarah Chen2m read
New Dennis Chavez Elementary Construction Advances Toward 2026 Completion
Education

New Dennis Chavez Elementary Construction Advances Toward 2026 Completion

Groundbreaking for the rebuilt Dennis Chavez Elementary in Los Chavez took place in February 2025, initiating construction of a roughly 45,245 square-foot elementary designed to replace aging facilities and improve security, accessibility, and learning spaces. The project, led by Jaynes Corporation with Huitt-Zollars as architect, aims to open for the 2026–2027 school year and will affect traffic patterns, campus operations, and long-term district facility needs in Valencia County.

Marcus Williams2m read
Valencia County firefighter resigns after child sex crime charges
Government

Valencia County firefighter resigns after child sex crime charges

A Valencia County firefighter resigned after child sex crime charges involving a child under 13. County leaders learned of the arrest only after he had already been booked and later placed on GPS monitoring.

James Thompson2m read
Candidate Filed as Democrat for Sheriff After Switching to Republican
Government

Candidate Filed as Democrat for Sheriff After Switching to Republican

Gabriel Trujillo registered Republican in February but will still appear on Valencia County's Democratic sheriff ballot on June 2.

Marcus Williams2m read
Whitfield Wildlife Area offers education, restoration and community access
Education

Whitfield Wildlife Area offers education, restoration and community access

Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area in Belen offers trails, education and habitat restoration; managed by Valencia SWCD, it serves local schools and visitors.

Marcus Williams2m read
Los Lunas Police Seek Armed Suspect After Road-Rage Shooting at Valencia Y
Government

Los Lunas Police Seek Armed Suspect After Road-Rage Shooting at Valencia Y

A gunman who shot someone at the Valencia Y remains at large; Nicholas Gurule, 25, is 6'4", 265 lbs and considered armed and dangerous.

James Thompson2m read
Valencia County Commissioners Tour Nearly Complete Los Lunas Hospital
Healthcare

Valencia County Commissioners Tour Nearly Complete Los Lunas Hospital

Bradbury Stamm president Dennis Towne told commissioners the 40,000-sq-ft Los Lunas hospital could be done by August, with Gov. Lujan Grisham signing health bills at the site.

Lisa Park3m read
Dennis Chavez Elementary Earns National ESEA Recognition for Student Improvement
Education

Dennis Chavez Elementary Earns National ESEA Recognition for Student Improvement

Dennis Chavez Elementary in Belen earned national ESEA recognition for measurable student improvement, the News-Bulletin reported Feb. 26, 2026.

Lisa Park1m read
Bosque Farms mails required notice after water arsenic exceeds federal limit
Government

Bosque Farms mails required notice after water arsenic exceeds federal limit

Bosque Farms mailed a required notice after tests found arsenic at 0.011 mg/L in village drinking water, prompting guidance and ongoing blending to reduce levels.

James Thompson3m read
Belen's Restored Harvey House Museum Is New Mexico's Official Railroad Museum
Community

Belen's Restored Harvey House Museum Is New Mexico's Official Railroad Museum

Belen's restored Harvey House at 104 North First Street serves as New Mexico's official railroad museum, anchoring downtown heritage, education, and tourism.

Sarah Chen2m read
Valencia County cookbook preserves recipes and strengthens community ties
Community

Valencia County cookbook preserves recipes and strengthens community ties

A community cookbook collects generational recipes, photos and stories to celebrate local food traditions and support library and museum programming.

Sarah Chen2m read
Developers Propose $40 Million Senior Campus Next To Jubilee
Business

Developers Propose $40 Million Senior Campus Next To Jubilee

Developers unveiled plans on December 23 for the Village of Jubilee, a proposed $40 million, nine acre senior living campus adjacent to the Jubilee Los Lunas development. The project would create a continuum of care for residents 55 and older, and could reshape local housing options, construction activity, and health services demand in Valencia County.

Sarah Chen2m read
Whitfield Wildlife Area Rebounds, Becomes Vital Local Education and Recreation Site
Community

Whitfield Wildlife Area Rebounds, Becomes Vital Local Education and Recreation Site

The Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area in Belen has recovered from a 2022 bosque fire and now offers restored trails, native plantings, and expanded educational programming for Valencia County families and schools. The site highlights community driven conservation, while raising questions about long term funding and institutional capacity to sustain wildfire resilience and public access.

Marcus Williams2m read