Raton PD Police Blotter for February 9th
ARRESTS Arthur Armijo (61-Raton) Trafficking x3 counts, Possession of controlled substance Gary Sanchez (30-Cimarron) Arrest warrant Burglary of a vehicle […]
News
Raton High School Senior 2026 Spotlight – Juliani Adamari Plazola
Juliani Adamari Plazola, daughter of Tanisha Oldham What do you think you want to be when you grow up? I
City Offers Free Leadership, Managerial, and Professional Business Support as of March 3rd
Local side-hustlers, entrepreneurs, and small-to-midsized business owners are invited to take advantage of a new opportunity offered by the City
Young Artists Competition Drop-Off Deadline is February 13th
Hello, teachers, educators, and community leaders! We’re opening the doors at the Meditating Monkey Art Emporium to the next generation
Raton PD Police Blotter for February 6th
ARRESTS Mateo Tapia (21-Raton) Bench warrant breaking and entering, interference with communications, criminal damage to property, aggravated battery & failure
Raton PD Police Blotter for February 5th
ARRESTS Mateo Tapia (21-Raton) Bench warrant breaking and entering, interference with communications, criminal damage to property, aggravated battery & failure
In New Mexico, Grandparents Caring for Grandkids Can Also Get Free Child Care Now
New Mexico’s new universal child care program includes a new provision that exempts grandparents with legal custody or kinship guardianship
NM Creative Industries Grant Opportunities
OTHER FUNDING AND RESOURCES For Creative Industries Publications & Data check out the 2024 CID Study ‘Present Needs’ sections for information on
Call For Projects: For Projects and Programs Supporting the Growth of Creative Industries in New Mexico – Grants Applications Starting in March
The New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Creative Industries Division is issuing a Call for Projects to fund local government programs
Intro To Mastering AI Visuals – Only 10 Free Spots Left
Only 10 free spots left for New Mexico creatives ready to explore AI powered visual storytelling. Intro to Mastering AI
Raton PD Police Blotter for February 4th
ARRESTS Angela M. Goss (56-Raton) Bench warrant disorderly conduct, resisting, evading or obstructing an officer, violation of restraining order prohibiting
Raton to Host a Full-Day NM CreativeCon Event at the Shuler Theater on March 28th
State launches NM CreativeCon series to boost creative economy — Raton will host a full-day NM CreativeCon event at the
Purchase Your Ad in the Raton Visitors Guide for 2026
The Raton Visitors Guide is the main resource for more than 15,000 visitors to the Raton Visitor Information Center (VIC)
Colfax County Health Council Meeting for February Cancelled
To avoid any conflict with the Behavioral Health Reform Act listening session on February 11, 2025 (see separate article just
Behavioral Health Reform Act Community Listening Session on February 11th
The Behavioral Health Reform Act requires that individuals in each Region (Colfax County is in Region 8) be given the
Raton High School Senior 2026 Spotlight – Elijah Antonio Sanchez
Elijah Antonio Sanchez, grandson of Joe and Debra Sanchez What do you think you want to be when you grow
Raton PD Police Blotter for February 3rd
ARRESTS Patricia Casaus (50-Raton) Criminal trespass Manuel Trujillo (78- Logan) DWI 2nd offense Brandi Zografos (53- Raton) Breaking and Entering,
Not Just an Art Gallery — A Gathering
**Meditating Monkey Art Emporium: Where Weird, Good Things Happen After Dark**
A sky-blue building full of eccentric artists, thrift-store charm, and at least one allegedly cursed painting. The Monkey blends boutique-quality art supplies, regional souvenirs, and local vendor marketplaces with live programming that keeps downtown Raton buzzing after hours. Open mic nights, D&D campaigns, youth art competitions, masquerade balls, and collaborations with Trinidad artists—all designed to build a creative corridor that refuses to pretend small towns can’t have nightlife. Co-owner Gary Rife’s mission? “World domination.” Translation: make Raton the place where participation matters more than prestige, and showing up beats gatekeeping every time.
**Meditating Monkey Art Emporium**
136 N. 1st St., Raton, NM
575-707-8865 | meditatingmonkey1984@gmail.com
—
Or if you want something even shorter:
—
Sky-blue building. Eccentric artists. Allegedly cursed painting. The Meditating Monkey Art Emporium is Raton’s new creative chaos engine—part art supply shop, part gallery, part auditorium for open mics, D&D nights, and masquerade balls. Co-owner Gary Rife wants “world domination.” We say: start with the county. Bring your weird, your art, and your appetite for small miracles.
**136 N. 1st St., Raton, NM | 575-707-8865 | meditatingmonkey1984@gmail.com**
Fifty People as a Signpost: Youth Art, Early Recognition, and Community Retention in Small-Town New Mexico
On a snowy Saturday in Raton, a youth art show quietly demonstrated how scale works differently in rural towns. While First Street sat nearly empty, nearly a hundred people filled Old Pass Gallery for Shades of the Southwest, turning less than one percent of the local population into a meaningful civic force. This piece examines how recurring youth art exhibitions function as cultural infrastructure in economically contracted communities—offering visibility, validation, and altered futures for young people—and why, in places like Raton, fifty people in a room is not symbolic, but structural.
2026 Legislative Session: Funding for Sexual Assault Services in New Mexico
2026 Legislative Session: Funding for Sexual Assault Services in New Mexico Authors: Sonya Romero and Abbey Boynton- Co-directors of the
NM Creative Industries Workshop in Raton on March 28th
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 1, 2026 Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham Cabinet Secretary Rob Black Deputy Cabinet Secretary Isaac Romero Creative
Volunteer Driver Program: Driving Change, One Ride at a Time
Raton, NM — Our Volunteer Driver Program is looking for compassionate individuals to help seniors get to their medical appointments.
Raton PD Police Blotter for January 30th
ARRESTS Juan Estrada (47) Clayton -Bench Warrant Probation violation on charges for Fraud NON-TRAFFIC VIOLATION Ramon Dosher (Raton) Stalking TRAFFIC