Grants, NM - Help need info before we go (Albuquerque: rental, hotel)

[*kristen*]

My husband is interviewing for a position in Grants, NM at the end of the month. I am interested in knowing more about the community and how we would fit as a younger white family with children? I have read good, bad, and either/or things on this site and am concerned. Is it true there are numerous prisons? How are the school systems? Are there any pre-schools? It is hard to find anything on the internet about it. Also, rental properties? We currently own 2 homes, and so we aren't in a position to purchase a 3rd and would need to rent. Thanks so much in advance.

[mtncat]

Spent about 12 years in Grants. It is one of the places that I would consider going back to if I were to leave my mountain.
Younger white family with children is not a problem. The diversity in Grants is just about like any other small community.
While I did not have any children when I lived there I never saw a problem with the schools.
Yes, there are alot of prisons, I believe it is what is running the economy now.
Rental property is not a problem I don't believe. Houses are rather cheap.
Here is a link to the local paper.
Should give you some ideas. This paper only comes out a couple of times a week.
Cibola County Beacon - Front
What type of job is he looking at, if you don't mind saying.
Good luck to you. There are ALOT of good people up there.

[*kristen*]

Thanks for the information. When you say the prisons are "running the town", do you mean the prisoners families or the people who work for the prison system.

He is interviewing for the CEO position at the hospital in town.

Thanks!

[mtncat]

Originally Posted by *kristen*

Thanks for the information. When you say the prisons are "running the town", do you mean the prisoners families or the people who work for the prison system.

He is interviewing for the CEO position at the hospital in town.

Thanks!

No, LOL what I meant is that the economy is run by the income provided by the corrections system.
Sorry about that.
Lot's of folks work in the corrections field. It use to be the uranium mines. I do believe that there are some mines starting to open back up but I'mnot sure if they are uranium or not.
Best of luck to you. The hospital up there use to be pretty good.

[mortimer]

mtncat reminisces:

> Spent about 12 years in Grants. It is one of the places that
> I would consider going back to if I were to leave my mountain.

Don't you also have a mountain in Grants?
October 13 Mount Taylor

I've hiked it many times, but if I *lived* there, I'd be all over it and the extensive 9000+ ft plateau to the NE.

Grants is fine if you don't need varied opportunities to eat out at restaurants. If you aren't a big shopper, you'll be OK. If you like the out-of-doors, you'll thrive.

Making the drive to Albuquerque for shopping and dining would become tedious really fast if you felt that you *had* to do it. Making things worse, you have to go way into Albuquerque to get to the shopping and dining that you crave.

You really really need to go there to Grants and spend a few nights in a hotel and explore the place to see if you will like it. My guess is that most people moving there - already committed to a job - who have never seen it will likely fall into a state of depression and won't ever fully recover.

My other guess is that most of the people on this forum already know if they would be happy there or not. Many would be just fine there.

[*kristen*]

We will be there for 4 days and 3 nights. My husband will be interviewing one day, but the other 3 will be for exploring, going to the church, and what not.

[mtncat]

Originally Posted by mortimer

mtncat reminisces:

> Spent about 12 years in Grants. It is one of the places that
> I would consider going back to if I were to leave my mountain.

Don't you also have a mountain in Grants?
October 13 Mount Taylor

I've hiked it many times, but if I *lived* there, I'd be all over it and the extensive 9000+ ft plateau to the NE.

Grants is fine if you don't need varied opportunities to eat out at restaurants. If you aren't a big shopper, you'll be OK. If you like the out-of-doors, you'll thrive.

Making the drive to Albuquerque for shopping and dining would become tedious really fast if you felt that you *had* to do it. Making things worse, you have to go way into Albuquerque to get to the shopping and dining that you crave.

You really really need to go there to Grants and spend a few nights in a hotel and explore the place to see if you will like it. My guess is that most people moving there - already committed to a job - who have never seen it will likely fall into a state of depression and won't ever fully recover.

My other guess is that most of the people on this forum already know if they would be happy there or not. Many would be just fine there.

Yes, Mt Taylor is pretty neat. So are the Zuni Mountains. But here I have the entire Sacarmento MOuntains to play in LOL
I really do like the Grants area, over all I would have to say that my best friends are still there.

[ddmorri1]

i was born an raised in grants it is an awesome place i dont live there anymore moved away a couple of years ago to answer your question about the school system there as a former student an as a mother of children who attend the schools now i dont think very highly of it

[ddmorri1]

There are very good points to the place however. As mentioned in earlier msgs the mountains are awesome. I spent most of my teenage years exploring the zuni mountains and still return there every summer to camp. The prison system is probably something I should not speak about since I know all too well what goes on in them. My ex husband is assistant warden at one of them and a couple of my best friends work at the others. But all in all I think I will always consider Grants my home.