ABOUT US

As a long-time Raton resident, and community activist, I try to promote Raton in everything I do. I created The Ratonian because I often learned about an activity or event in Raton after it had occurred. The Ratonian provides a “one-stop shop” of information about our community that is “free press” to anyone with internet access. There are no subscription costs to the public.

Born and raised in Hawaii, Deb made Raton her last “home” in 2018 after 10 years in Colorado Springs. She has a medical background (the last job in that field being as a circulating nurse for a plastic surgeon in the late 90s), and became interested in herbalism about a decade ago. She is an Herbalist now and the former owner of Namaste Wellness Center in Raton. Also a self-described closet computer geek, she spent several years as the copy editor for the Hawaii Rifle Association’s monthly newsletter and is excited to use that experience to assist with The Ratonian. Deb and her son Bryan live in the most beautiful area imaginable near Sugarite State Park and love the close-knit, kind and caring community of Raton which welcomed them so graciously and continues to be exactly the type of community they are proud to call home.

Connie Martinez is a native Ratonian and a 1978 graduate of Raton High School.  Connie has extensive experience in selling broadcast advertising for both radio and TV stations, plus digital and print advertising.  Since her fulltime return to Raton in 2020, Connie has worked promoting Raton tourism and local businesses with City of Raton and Colfax County Lodger’s Tax Boards and provided media buying services for the 2023 Raton Supercross.  Connie’s other interests include home renovation, design and construction, jewelry making and gardening.  Contact Connie at advertising@theratonian.com if you’re interested in promoting your local business and services through The Ratonian. 

Frank Mahannah is a life-long resident of Raton, New Mexico and is best known as the community photographer. He has worked at the Arthur Johnson Memorial Library since his teen years, and recently celebrated 50 years as a City of Raton employee.

He has been a member of the Raton Lions Club where has served as the President and has represented the Lions Club at many conferences throughout the United States and other countries. Frank has also been a life-time member of the Raton Ambassadors, serving as their official photographer. He has been a member of the First Baptist Church and has served as a Sunday School teacher for many years.

I am originally from SE Colorado but I have lived in several states and I worked six years in England. I have a BA in History and Economics and quickly found out that there were no History/Social Studies teaching jobs available to people who could not coach something, I returned to university and earned a MA in Special Education.
My first job at the age of 4,was as a magician’s assistant for the famous Ken Griffin Magic Show. His wife, Roberta, was my kindergarten teacher and lived two houses away.
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My first real job was working the front desk of The Lamar Daily News in Colorado. I worked the classifieds, managed the morgue and ran the cash register. The front office was one big room with the news staff and the advertising staff together which allowed me to get an understanding of not only the ‘nuts and bolts’ of the business but also that a paper meets a very important need in communities. I still have the letter of recommendation that Fred Betz, Jr. wrote for me.
Fast forward to the present
After years of farming, cattle, construction and teaching, my current job is covering the county commission meeting for the Ratonian. I began covering this group several years ago and that background helps in understanding it better now.
I hope that the community as a whole takes an interest in local government and especially the county commission. I also hope that local businesses understand that public awareness is vital to a functioning town.

Mary Elder is a retired federal communicator and Navy Veteran who is excited to help tell the stories of the people and businesses that make Raton a wonderful place to live, work and play. Born and raised in St. Louis, she remains a diehard fan of Cardinals baseball and Blues ice hockey. 

Sally has many years of experience in laboratory science and medical research in infectious disease and anti-infective agents. She currently is an adjunct professor for three colleges and universities. She holds degrees in Microbiology, Biomedical Science, and a doctorate degree in Public Health Policy. She and her husband, AJ, reside in Raton and enjoy community activities, hiking and camping.

My name is Madi and I am 12 years old. I love to cook and bake! I take online cooking classes with Cultured Kids Cuisine and frequently prepare the CKC recipes for family dinners—especially potato latkes and lavash bread! My baking has won ribbons at the County Fair through 4H, and I have also placed third at the Trinidad, CO Green Chili Competition. I am a Skateguard at SkateLand in Trinidad, and have held fundraising bake sales for Southern Colorado Kids Clubhouse, who they sponsor. I also love to knit and create my own patterns, in addition to my own recipes. 

My name is Pat Walsh, but you may remember me as “Ranger Pat.” I’m lucky to have worked for New Mexico State Parks for 17 years before retiring in 2022. And I’m lucky to live here in Raton, where I moved in 2005. These days, I enjoy almost daily trail hikes with my guy and our two dogs, while the cats guard the house. I’m also working (voluntarily) to promote communication about the earth, including solutions to current challenges. We’ll celebrate successful local solutions to some of those challenges on the Earth Corner page

Jari Thymian is a comic artist, writer, poet, and avid nature journaler. She grew up on a Minnesota dairy farm near the South Dakota border and attended a country school for six years. Jari and her husband Greg lived and traveled in a 5^th wheel RV for 10 years while they volunteered in 13 different national parks, national forests, etc. in the western US. (In NM, their favorites were Gila Cliff Dwellings and Mora National Fish Hatchery.) They had visited and enjoyed Raton many times in their RV before deciding to settle here where there are friendly people, interesting history, entrepreneurial spirit, great hiking trails, and the mountains.

Jari got hooked on comics briefly in the 1960s then again a few years ago while reading a science comic book called Two Heads: A Graphic Exploration of How Our Brains Work with Other Brains by Frith, Frith, et al. A couple months later, she jumped into the comics community and took a year-long intensive course. Now everything, even her poetry, comes out in comic form. 

• My favorite musician is Michael Jackson, while my favorite band is Imagine Dragons.
• My favorite color is blue.
• My favorite movie is Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.
• My idols include Michael Jackson, Mark Hamill, Carrie Underwood, Bon Jovi, and more.
• My favorite song is either “Thriller” or “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson, but I also love a lot of one-hit wonders, such as “One Night in Bangkok” by Murray Head and “Twilight Zone” by Golden Earring.
• I am currently writing a series called “War of the Phoenix”, which is something I love with all my heart.

Bryan moved to Raton in 2019, having spent half of his life in Hawaii and the other half in Colorado previously. He has been attached to a computer since the day he mastered using a mouse (around 15 months of age) and truly enjoys helping his fellow Ratonian’s solve their technical issues. In his free time, he enjoys online gaming, his pet chihuahua Tito as well as helping rescue, foster and care for cats, including helping bottle feed abandoned newborn kittens.