Please be safe and enjoy the holiday season with your family and friends. Be aware of your surroundings and the environment if you are traveling.
Many people will be out shopping the Black Friday Deals this week, but make sure to shop local for Small Business Saturday on November 25th. It’s a NM Tax Holiday and a great way to support local business. Businesses throughout Corrales will be participating in Corrales MainStreet’s Small Business Saturday events. Make sure to bring your receipts to the Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Village Administration Complex, 4324 Corrales Road, at 5:30 pm Saturday night to be entered to win some great prizes (you must be present at the time of the drawing to win). The Village’s Public Works and Fire Department staff were hard at work this week hanging lights for this event (see the photo above)! Continue to celebrate with MainStreet next Saturday, December 2nd, for the Starlight Parade along Corrales Road. If you would like to enter a float, sign up at www.visitcorrales.com. End the parade at St. Nick night at the Rec Center featuring homemade cookies and cider and radio-controlled hot air balloons. Warm up by the Corrales Fire Department’s annual bonfire and eat green chile stew. If you have questions regarding either the Tree Lighting or Starlight Parade call Sandy Rasmussen at 505-480-1960.
There’s always something great happening at the Corrales Library. Go to their Newsletter link and see what Marian Frear, our Director, and her staff have planned for the upcoming months.
Just because the regular season is over doesn’t mean the Growers’ Markets are over! The Winter Market schedule runs the first Sunday of every month, 11AM-1PM. They also have one more holiday market on Sunday Dec 17, 11AM-1PM. Non-service animals are not permitted at the Market.
Arts in the Village is happening every first Sunday of the month, 10AM-4PM! See the flyer in Corrales MainStreet gallery for more info, or email Angela with Corrales MainStreet. visitcorrales [at] gmail.com.
In last week’s message, we talked about the MRGCD (Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District) and how they manage the irrigation ditches and water delivery for irrigation in the Village. Please remember the primary use of these ditches is for irrigation, and unauthorized vehicles should not be using the ditch for recreational purposes. The MRGCD answered some questions regarding irrigation for us which we posted to the agriculture page on the Village website. You can read that here. You can also visit the MRGCD’s website to learn more about what they do, www.mrgcd.com. Please remember Siphon beach is closed through December for work to repair the riverbank. Signs will be posted and we have a banner on the Village website that will stay up until the area reopens.
The Corrales Historical Society is in need of a scheduler for events held at the Historic Old San Ysidro Church. This person will maintain a master calendar of activities held in the Old Church and the Annex, manage rental contracts for events, and assure this historic building is available, useful, and enjoyable to renters and other users. The scheduler will receive $350 per month as an independent contractor. To apply, send a letter of interest to the CHS Nominating Committee and Membership Chair, Marg Elliston at chsmembership [at] corraleshistory.org by December 10, 2023. Will position will begin on February 1, 2024.
CRIME AND SAFETY UPDATE
A Village resident reported losing her purse and contents at an unknown location in the Metro area on or around 11/05/23. The citizen wasn’t aware of her credit card or ID having been used for fraudulent purposes as of the time the report was filed. Remember to safeguard your personal and financial information both on paper and online, monitor your accounts, consider placing a freeze on your credit and take a few minutes to review the Identity Theft information at this link:
https://consumer.ftc.gov/identity-theft-and-online-security/identity-theft
Please be careful on the roads this holiday weekend (and all the time) and:
--Make sure that your vehicle is in safe operating condition and check your tires, brakes, lights and wipers often.
--Leave early and give yourself plenty of time to get where you’re going.
--Make sure everyone in your vehicle is properly buckled up.
--Don't text or otherwise drive distracted.
–-Watch your speed and following distance.
--Don't let an aggressive driver bait you into a road rage incident.
--Don't drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs or let someone you care about do so.
--Motorists: Look out for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians.
--Pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians: Watch out for vehicles.
SEE IT, HEAR IT, REPORT IT!
HEALTH AND SAFETY UPDATE
COVID test kits will be available at Village Hall in the foyer throughout the Thanksgiving Holiday. Testing before visiting at-risk friends and family can help reduce the risk of spreading COVID. This is not 100% effective but is safer than not testing.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Village offices are closed for the Thanksgiving holiday beginning at noon on Wednesday, November 22nd through end of the day Friday, November 24th. Normal business hours resume at 8 AM Monday, November 27th.
SATURDAY – Shop local businesses in Corrales for Small Business Saturday, then join Corrales MainStreet at the administration complex 4324 Corrales Rd. at 5:30 PM for the first-ever Tree Lighting Ceremony.
December 1, 2, 3 10 AM – 4 PM Winter Craft Show at the Old San Ysidro Church.
December 7 10 AM – Next meeting of the Multi-Use Facility Committee. If you would like more information on the project, please visit the website.
The Village Administration is looking forward to next year when we anticipate a number of projects will be completed. When the legislative session begins in January, we will focus on requesting funding for the fire suppression plans and completion of some overdue road construction. We are anticipating the completion of the Comprehensive Plan in about March of ’24. Hopefully, the Animal Services Building will be available for use about that time. The Village purchased a number of properties this past year that will require some development and planning for the use of the citizenry. Should be an active year in the Village.
Remember to drive safely, watch for bicyclists, pedestrians, and equestrians, and follow the posted speed limit. Don’t forget to leash your dogs when out walking and SCOOP THE POOP! We are all neighbors and should show each other respect and respect our spaces. We live in a nice place. Let’s keep it that way. SCOOP THE POOP!
Jim Fahey
Mayor of Corrales