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Federal Government

National Park Service

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument

Weekly Ranger-Led Guided Hike — Quarai Unit

Date: Every Friday through October 30, 2026 (upcoming: July 17 and July 24)
Time: 11:00 AM MDT
Location: Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument Quarai Unit, 122 Manzano Quarai Rd, Mountainair, NM 87036
Details: Park rangers lead a free 45-minute guided hike at the Quarai Unit every Friday morning. No reservation is required. Bring water, a snack, sturdy shoes, and weather-appropriate clothing.

Weekly Ranger-Led Guided Hike — Gran Quivira Unit

Date: Every Saturday through October 24, 2026 (upcoming: July 18 and July 25)
Time: 11:00 AM MDT
Location: Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument Gran Quivira Unit, 4030 Quivera Flats Rd, Mountainair, NM 87036
Details: Park rangers lead a free 45-minute guided hike at the Gran Quivira Unit every Saturday morning. No reservation is required. Bring water, a snack, sturdy shoes, and weather-appropriate clothing.

Weekly Ranger-Led Guided Hike — Abó Unit

Date: Every Sunday through October 25, 2026 (upcoming: July 19 and July 26)
Time: 11:00 AM MDT
Location: Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument Abó Unit, 69 Ruins Road, Mountainair, NM 87036
Details: Park rangers lead a free 45-minute guided hike at the Abó Unit every Sunday morning. No reservation is required. Bring water, a snack, sturdy shoes, and weather-appropriate clothing.

BARK in the Park Hike

Date: Saturday, August 1, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM MDT – 12:00 PM MDT (educational presentation to follow)
Location: Quarai Unit, Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, 122 Manzano Quarai Rd
Details: Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument and the Friends of the Mountainair Animal Shelter (FOMAS) invite visitors to bring their dogs for a ranger-led trail hike and earn BARK Ranger status. The program encourages participants to follow the B.A.R.K. principles: Bag waste, Always leash, Respect wildlife, and Know where to go. FOMAS partners will offer educational presentations on dog adoption. Bring lunch to enjoy at the picnic area during the presentation. For more information, contact the Mountainair Headquarters Visitor Center at (505) 847-2585.

Dark Skies, Bright Stars! — 2026 Dark Sky Program

Date: Friday, July 17, 2026
Time: 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM MDT
Location: Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument Abó Unit, 69 Ruins Road, Mountainair, NM 87036
Details: Park rangers and volunteers host a spectacular evening program as part of the 2026 Dark Sky Program series. Activities include ranger-led tours, telescope viewing, a dark sky photography workshop, and guided pueblo and mission programs. The Estancia Valley is one of the darkest sky corridors in New Mexico, making this a standout stargazing opportunity for visitors of all ages. Admission is free.

Sunset Photography Workshop with 2025 Artist-in-Residence Joyce Geier

Date: Friday, July 24, 2026
Time: 6:30 PM MDT
Location: Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument Abó Unit, 69 Ruins Road, Mountainair, NM 87036
Details: Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, in partnership with 2025 Artist-in-Residence Joyce Geier, is hosting a hands-on sunset photography workshop at the Abó Unit. Visitors of all ages are invited to learn sunset photography techniques through a 30-minute lecture by Joyce, followed by a 90-minute guided walk and photo shoot. Participants will have the opportunity to print and take home a favorite photo. Bring a camera, comfortable shoes, water, and snacks. The Artist-in-Residence Program is a partnership between the park and the Friends of Salinas Pueblo Missions.

State Government

Department of Veterans Services

NMDVS Veterans' Benefits Outreach Visit — Socorro

Date: August 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM MDT
Location: Forget Me Not Veteran Center, 705 N. California, Socorro, NM
Details: New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services staff will be on site to help Veterans and eligible dependents file for or inquire about VA disability ratings, VA medical and mental health care, retiree pensions, military burials, and other federal and state Veterans benefits. Bring a copy of your DD-214 or equivalent discharge document, along with photo identification. This outreach visit recurs monthly; the next is September 8, 2026, at the same time and location. (Because this is the only regional homeless service program in the area, it is included in this list even though it is outside the standard "50 miles away" boundary for events.)

Boots to Business — Albuquerque

Date: August 13, 2026, and August 14, 2026
Time: The Department of Veterans Services describes sessions as "typically" 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM but does not confirm exact hours, so "semper gumby," as they say.
Location: Kirtland Air Force Base Consolidated Support Building, Albuquerque, NM
Details: A free, two-day entrepreneurship course offered through the New Mexico Veterans Business Outreach Center for transitioning service members, Veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses interested in starting or growing a small business. Base access is required. For more information or to register, contact VBOC Advisor Christina Stover at christina.stover@dvs.nm.gov or (505) 469-8501.

Girls in the Game: New Mexico United Fundraiser for Women Veterans

Date: August 1, 2026
Time: 7:15 PM
Location: Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park, 1601 Avenida Cesar Chavez SE, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
Details: New Mexico United is fundraising for the Women Veterans of New Mexico. Five dollars from every ticket sold through the team's designated link will be donated to the organization.

18th Annual Military Honors Fall Training Conference and Competition

Date: August 28, 2026
Time: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM MDT
Location: New Mexico Veterans Memorial, 1100 Louisiana Boulevard SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108 (approximately 45 miles from Estancia)
Details: Hosted by the New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services, AARP, and the New Mexico National Guard.

4th Annual Veterans Meditation Retreat

Date: September 25, 2026, through September 28, 2026
Time: Contact organizers for details (see below)
Location: The Clyde Hotel, 330 Tijeras Ave NW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Details: A free, fully funded retreat introducing meditation techniques for Veterans, open to every Veteran regardless of discharge status, gender, race, or LGBTQI+/Two-Spirited identity. A support partner must accompany each attendee. Lodging, meals, and transportation to and from the retreat are covered by grants, sponsors, and individual donors. To apply, call (505) 982-4183, email info@lifetransition.com, or visit lifetransition.com/vmr.

NMDVS Field Office Closures

Date: August 3, 2026, through August 7, 2026
Time: Regular office hours affected; both Albuquerque and Santa Fe offices closed all day on August 5, 2026
Location: All 16 New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services field offices statewide will close for Veteran Service Officer training. Limited services remain available in Albuquerque (4801 Indian School Road NE) and Santa Fe (Bataan Memorial Building, 407 Galisteo Street).
Details: All offices reopen and resume regular business hours on Monday, August 10, 2026. For immediate assistance during the closure, call 1-866-433-8387 or visit DVS.NM.GOV.

Torrance County

Ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Torrance County Fair building

Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM MDT
Location: Torrance County Fairgrounds, 701 10th Street, Estancia, New Mexico
Details: (May create quorum for Torrance County Commissioners)

Torrance County Board of County Commissioners Regular Meeting

Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM MDT
Location: Torrance County Administrative Offices, 205 South 9th Street, Estancia, NM 87016
Details: Regularly scheduled administrative meeting of the Torrance County Board of County Commissioners. The commission meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month. For questions, contact the County Manager's Office at (505) 544-4700.

Torrance County LEPC Meeting

Date: Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM MDT
Location: Via Zoom
Details: The Torrance County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) meets monthly to coordinate emergency preparedness planning across the county. The public is welcome to attend. To join, use the link, Meeting ID, and passcode below.

Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 827 0183 2333
Passcode: 334791

To join by phone, dial +1 (719) 359-4580 or +1 (253) 205-0468 and enter the Meeting ID and passcode when prompted.

Encino

Encino Village Council Monthly Meeting

Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM MDT
Location: Encino Government Offices, 527 North Main St., Encino, NM 88321
Details: The council meets on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. For more information on Encino events, contact the Village Hall at (575) 584-2980.

Estancia

Board of Trustees Meeting

Date: July 20, 2026
Time: 6:15 PM MDT
Location: Town Hall, Estancia, NM
Details: Regular meeting of the Town of Estancia Board of Trustees to review town operations, budgets, and community updates.

Old Timers' Day

Date: July 25, 2026
Time: Parade Line-up at 9:00 AM; Parade starts at 10:00 AM
Location: Arthur Park, 814 W Highland Ave, Estancia, NM 87016
Details: Music by the Jonathon Chavez Band, along with a car show, vendors, food trucks, and a horseshoe tournament.

Moriarty

Summer Lunch Program

Date: Ongoing (Monday – Friday)
Time: Moriarty Middle School: Breakfast 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM, Lunch 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM; Echo Ridge Water Tower: Lunch 11:00 AM – 11:20 AM; Depot Apartments: Lunch 11:30 AM – 11:50 AM; Moriarty City Park: Lunch 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
Location: Various locations across Moriarty, NM
Details: Free summer lunch and breakfast program providing healthy meals to kids and teens ages 1–18. For additional details or questions, call 505-832-5838.

Dig Into Summer Reading

Date: Ongoing through August 31, 2026
Time: 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM MDT
Location: Moriarty Community Library, 202 Broadway Street South, Moriarty, NM 87035
Details: The community library's annual summer reading program. Participants who complete and turn in their reading logs earn two free scoops of ice cream courtesy of local sponsor Da' People's Choice.

Wonder on Wheels

Date: July 15, 2026
Time: 10:30 AM MDT
Location: Moriarty Community Library, 202 Broadway Street South, Moriarty, NM 87035
Details: The New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs mobile museum initiative, "Wonder on Wheels! Museum on the Move," stops in Moriarty to offer an interactive exhibition for local youth and families.

Mountainair

Town Council Meeting

Date: July 21, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM MDT
Location: Mountainair Town Council Building, 107 1/2 North Roosevelt Avenue, Mountainair, NM 87036
Details: Regular bi-weekly meeting of the Mountainair Town Council. Phone call-in details remain the same as previous sessions.

Mountainair Firecracker Jubilee Parade (Rescheduled)

Date: July 25, 2026
Time: Roughly between sunset (8:12 PM) and the conclusion of civil twilight (8:42 PM)
Location: Mountainair, NM
Details: The town's annual Jubilee Parade, traditionally held over the 4th of July weekend, has been officially rescheduled and moved to this date.

2026 Mountainair Sunflower Festival

Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM MDT
Location: Manzano Mountain Arts Council, 101 East Broadway, Mountainair, NM 87036 (corner of US Highway 60 and NM Highway 55) and throughout Monte Alto Plaza, 122 W Main St, Mountainair, NM 87036
Details: A free, family-friendly arts festival featuring more than 50 fine artists, 20-plus local vendors, live music, a beer and wine garden, a children's activities area, a sunflower hat and costume contest, a treasure sale, and an art raffle and silent auction. More information will be available as the date approaches.

Willard

Willard Village Council Monthly Meeting

Date: Monday, August 10, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM MDT
Location: Willard Village Hall, 720 Dunlavy Ave, Willard, NM 87063
Details: The council meets on the 2nd Monday of each month. For more information on Willard events, contact the Village Hall at (505) 384-2874.

Soil and Water Conservation Districts

Central Tri-County Soil and Water Conservation District Board Meeting

Date: Thursday, August 6, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM MDT
Location: 2506 NM-333, Moriarty, NM 87035 (also known as 2506 Old Route 66)
Details: Regular monthly meeting of the Central Tri-County SWCD board, held on the 1st Thursday of each month.

Claunch-Pinto Soil and Water Conservation District Regular Board Meeting

Date: Friday, August 7, 2026
Time: 8:00 AM MDT
Location: Claunch-Pinto SWCD Conservation Center, 1206 NM-55, Mountainair, NM 87036
Details: Monthly meeting held on the 1st Friday of the month. Meetings are open to the public and currently available via Zoom. For Zoom access information, visit http://www.claunchpinto.org.

East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation District Board Meeting

Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Time: 8:30 AM MDT
Location: 715 S 5th St, Estancia, NM 87016
Details: Regular monthly meeting of the board of supervisors. The board meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month.

Other Organizations

Mountainair Rotary Club Weekly Lunch Meeting

Date: Every Thursday
Time: 12:00 PM MDT
Location: Claunch-Pinto SWCD Conservation Center, 1206 NM-55, Mountainair, NM 87036
Details: Weekly meeting for community service planning and networking. Visitors are welcome and should bring their own lunch.

Lujan Racing Free Appreciation Dance

Date: Saturday, July 18, 2026
Time: 8:00 PM MDT – 12:00 AM MDT
Location: Torreon Community Center, 18 Torreon Heights Rd, Torreon, NM 87061
Details: Lujan Racing invites the community to a free appreciation dance in honor of everyone who has supported the team. Music will be provided by the Brahma Band. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, follow Lujan Drag on Facebook.

Corona Days Kids Rodeo

Date: Friday, July 24, 2026
Time: 8:30 AM MDT
Location: Corona Roping Arena, Corona, NM 88318
Details: The Corona Days Kids Rodeo is a free event open to children ages 0–18, with four age divisions: 0–6, 7–10, 11–14, and 15–18. Events include leadline, barrel racing, flag racing, pole bending, boot scramble, three-legged race, coke chug, and more. Prizes will be awarded to event winners, and saddle drawings will be held. Entries must be submitted before midnight on Thursday, July 23, 2026, via Facebook or text message. A $10 Breakaway Jackpot Roping with 100% payout will follow the Kids Rodeo. For more information, contact Kaci Paintin at (575) 749-0760 or Kyle Paintin at (719) 339-6104, or follow the event on Facebook for updates.

Moriarty Mini Comic Con — Vol. 8: Vendor Applications Sought

Date: Saturday, August 8, 2026
Time: To Be Provided
Location: Moriarty Civic Center, 202 Broadway Street South, Moriarty, NM 87035
Details: The Friends of the Moriarty Community Library present the eighth annual Moriarty Mini Comic Con, a community celebration of comics, art, gaming, and pop culture. Vendor applications are currently being accepted. For more information, contact the Friends of the Moriarty Community Library.

Forest Stewards Youth Corps — Fall Fire and Fuels Program (Now Recruiting)

Date: Recruitment ongoing; the program dates are August 19, 2026, through Friday, November 13, 2026
Time: Full-time (40 hours per week)
Location: Mountainair, NM (also Pueblo of Jemez and Santa Fe)
Details: The Forest Stewards Youth Corps (FSYC), in partnership with the New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps and the US Forest Service, is now recruiting crew members and crew leaders ages 18 to 25 for its 13-week Fall Fire and Fuels Program. Positions pay $18 to $20 per hour with overtime pay eligibility. The program is based in Mountainair, among other locations. To apply as a crew member or crew leader, visit foreststewardsguild.org/fsyc. For more information, contact Andrew Pearson at apearson@forestguild.org or (505) 795-2551.

Astronomy and Nature

The Estancia Valley offers some of the darkest skies in New Mexico, making this area an excellent base for stargazing. Readers who want real-time sky guidance can use NASA's Skywatching. The Estancia Valley is also part of a remarkable ecosystem with a wide variety of migratory and year-round bird species that can be viewed throughout the valley.

Look Up: What Is Happening in the Sky Through Mid-August

The moon moves through its regular cycle of phases this month, and each phase changes how well you can see fainter objects in the night sky. A new moon means the sky stays dark all night, which is the best time to spot faint things like comets and the Milky Way. A full moon means the sky stays bright most of the night, which washes out fainter objects.

Here is what is coming up:

• July 14: New moon. This is the darkest night of the month and the best chance to see Comet 10P/Tempel 2, a small comet that swings past Earth roughly every five and a half years. Point binoculars or a telescope toward the constellation Capricornus and look for a small fuzzy smudge of light. This same dark night is also the best time this month to see the Milky Way, which looks like a pale, cloudy band stretching across the sky, low in the south near the star patterns Scorpius and Sagittarius. Find a spot away from city lights, let your eyes adjust for a few minutes, and skip checking your phone, since the bright screen resets your night vision.
• July 21: First quarter moon.
• July 29: Full moon.
• July 30-31: Two minor meteor showers, the Southern Delta Aquariids and the Alpha Capricornids, peak on the same night. Normally, this would be a nice double show, but the moon will be about 98 percent full that night, so its glare will wash out all but the brightest meteors.
• August 12-13 (just inside this 30-day window): The Perseid meteor shower, the best and most reliable shower of the year, reaches its peak late on August 12 into the early morning hours of August 13. This year, a new moon falls on the same night, meaning no moonlight will interfere. Under Torrance County's dark rural skies, away from porch lights, skywatchers could see 60 or more meteors an hour. Mark your calendar.

Saturn is also worth a look through a telescope this month. Its rings are tilted at an unusually shallow angle from Earth's point of view right now, making them look thinner than usual. The rings are not disappearing; it is simply a matter of Saturn's 29-year orbit periodically lining its rings up edge-on with Earth.

Flora and Fauna: The Quiet Start of Fall Migration

It might not feel like it in the middle of summer, but southbound bird migration has already begun. Some birds, such as the Cordilleran flycatcher and the yellow-billed cuckoo, are still feeding chicks that hatched this summer. At the same time, the first shorebirds that nested in the Arctic tundra, species such as the solitary sandpiper and stilt sandpiper, are already passing back through New Mexico's river valleys. By the second week of July, rufous and calliope hummingbirds, both small and fast, are moving through in good numbers statewide, which is a good reason to keep hummingbird feeders filled through August. Fall migration moves much more slowly than spring migration does, so expect this gradual trickle of birds heading south to continue through the rest of the summer, picking up again in early September when songbird numbers peak.

The Moon and Venus — A Close Pair (July 17)

On the evening of Friday, July 17, look toward the western sky after sunset for a crescent Moon hanging less than 2° away from dazzling Venus in Leo. That is close enough to cover with your outstretched pinky finger. Even with the naked eye, it is a beautiful sight. Binoculars make it even better.

Thursday Birders: Sulphur Canyon, Sandia Mountains

Date: Thursday, July 30, 2026
Time: 7:30 AM to 11:00 AM MDT
Location: Meet to carpool at Four Hills Shopping Village, in front of Sprouts Grocery, at Central Avenue and Tramway Boulevard, Albuquerque (map). Birders may instead meet the group directly at the lower parking lot of Sulphur Canyon Picnic Area (map).
Details: Hosted by the Bird Alliance of Central New Mexico. The outing covers about one and a half miles on a paved road and trail, with a parallel dirt-trail option, including a partly steep incline on the way in and a downhill return. Pit toilets are available on site. A $5 per-vehicle fee or National Interagency park pass is required. The route is wheelchair accessible. There is no attendance limit. The trip is led by Russ Dawson. Relevant eBird hotspot: Cibola NF–Sulphur Canyon Picnic Area.

Torrance County Birding: Hot Spots and Notable Finds

Local birdwatchers have been busy. According to eBird, an online database many birdwatchers use to log and share their sightings, Torrance County birders have recorded 66 species so far this July.

Hot Spots

The most active birding locations in the county this month, ranked by number of species reported:

• Manzano Mountains State Park — 18 species
• Mountainair Sewage Ponds — 15 species
• Estancia (the town, including Arthur Park) — 11 species
• Encino Catholic Cemetery — 10 species
• Clines Corners — 6 species

Notable Finds

• July 12: A Black Phoebe, a Red-winged Blackbird, and a Blue Grosbeak were all spotted at the Mountainair Sewage Ponds.
• July 9: A Mallard and a Eurasian Collared-Dove turned up in Estancia town, near Arthur Park.

Birders should also keep an eye out for a handful of species that are typical for Torrance County this time of year but have not yet been reported in 2026: Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Western Wood-Pewee, Lesser Goldfinch, Common Nighthawk, and Rufous Hummingbird. Anyone who spots one can log it on eBird to help build the county's running record.

The Mountainair Dispatch covers public affairs, community life, and local news across Torrance County, New Mexico. To submit an event for a future post, email todd@mountainairdispatch.com. There is no charge to list events.