State Police Launch January DWI Patrols; Local Resources Listed

New Mexico State Police will carry out sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and registration, insurance and driver’s license checkpoints in all counties during January 2026. The increased enforcement is intended to reduce impaired driving and improve road safety, but it will also change travel patterns for local residents and highlight longstanding gaps in rural transportation and access to documentation.

For Valencia County, the patrols mean drivers should plan for possible stops and delays and ensure registration, insurance and licenses are current. The operations have public health implications beyond immediate crash prevention: consistent enforcement can reduce injuries and deaths, yet communities without reliable transportation or with limited access to identification and insurance face disproportionate burdens. Local leaders and service providers say enforcement must be paired with equitable access to alternatives such as safe rides and treatment services to avoid deepening existing disparities.

County officials and nonprofits are offering several community supports and ongoing programs that address safety, connectivity and basic needs. Residents can sign up for AlertSense to receive local emergency notifications by phone, text, email and social media at loslunasnm.gov/VRECC. The free service will be used to notify the public of events that may immediately impact safety.

Basic needs and enrichment programs continue across the county. St. Philip’s Food Pantry at 113 La Luna Place in Rio Communities is open Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; households in need can pick up boxes of groceries and the pantry asks callers to report home-bound seniors without transportation at 505-864-7954. La Merced Moose Lodge at 306 Rio Communities Blvd. offers free after-school tutoring for K-12 students from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on Fridays; certified teachers provide help in math, reading, science and social studies. For information contact Cindi at 505-304-4860 or cyndia@unm.edu.

Library and community center programs provide free digital access and social connection. Belen Public Library, 333 Becker Ave., hosts Lego Club Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. for children accompanied by an adult, and offers free computer assistance Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. by appointment at the circulation desk. The Valencia County chapter of the New Mexico Special Orchestra performs the second Friday of each month from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the library. Bosque Farms Community Center hosts a Valencia County Writers’ Group at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays, 960 N. Bosque Loop, and chair and mat yoga with instructor Rick Gross at 4 p.m. every Tuesday at 950 N. Bosque Loop.

Other opportunities include Textile Thursday at Meadow Lake Community Center from 4 to 8 p.m. weekly; Valencia Community Action Network posts details at valenciacan.org. The Valencia County Amateur Radio Club offers emergency communication training and licensing information at kc5our.com or by calling Ginger at 505-869-8525.

Two major public events in January offer community gathering and remembrance: the 33rd annual candlelight vigil and celebration for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. hosted by the Belen Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Multicultural Commission will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 19, at Belen Public Library, 333 Becker Ave. The Hispano Chamber of Valencia County will hold the World’s Largest Matanza from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, at Eagle Park, 305 Eagle Lane, in Belen, featuring live music, competitions, vendors and a beer garden.

As enforcement increases on county roads this month, residents are encouraged to prepare paperwork, sign up for emergency alerts, and use the county’s network of community programs to reduce harms and improve safety for all.