Espanola (Santa Fe, Farmington, Deming: high school, law, store)

[Vinegaroon]

For those of you thinking of moving to Espanola, check out the headline in today's newspaper:

"Two Deaths, Four Overdoses, Three Days"

Another caption reads:

"Region III Task Force Ignores Rio Arriba County", and goes on to say the task force has not served a single search warrant this year in Rio Arriba County.

Then:

"Fireman Accused of Threatening Son with Gun"

and the funniest part is that the Rio Grande Sun has a little caption on the front page that says" It can't be too tough finding drug dealers in Espanola"

Yikes...

[Devin Bent]

Originally Posted by Vinegaroon

For those of you thinking of moving to Espanola, check out the headline in today's newspaper:

"Two Deaths, Four Overdoses, Three Days"

Another caption reads:

"Region III Task Force Ignores Rio Arriba County", and goes on to say the task force has not served a single search warrant this year in Rio Arriba County.

Then:

"Fireman Accused of Threatening Son with Gun"

and the funniest part is that the Rio Grande Sun has a little caption on the front page that says" It can't be too tough finding drug dealers in Espanola"

Yikes...

Let's face it -- Espanola and Rio Arriba County have a heroin problem. Whether it is worse than the meth or prescription drug problem in other areas is another question entirely.

The Sun is an excellent newspaper -- it is not the cheering section for the Chamber of Commerce -- it does not sweep problems under the rug.

Most other local newspapers are cheering sections and do a lot of sweeping and very little reporting.

So we have no basis to conclude that Espanola -- whatever its problems -- is significantly worse than many other towns that are lauded on this forum.

[Vinegaroon]

The Sun is a good newspaper..que no? I'm not sure I can agree with you that many other towns in NM have the same drug problems as Espanola. You could be right though, as I have never been to places like Silver City, Deming or Farmington, so I'll defer to your judgment.

[Devin Bent]

Originally Posted by Vinegaroon

The Sun is a good newspaper..que no? I'm not sure I can agree with you that many other towns in NM have the same drug problems as Espanola. You could be right though, as I have never been to places like Silver City, Deming or Farmington, so I'll defer to your judgment.

Thank you. I don't know for sure either. I did see one seemingly reputable study that said that while one set of areas has the heroin problem, that is another set of areas that had the meth problem, and yet another set that has the prescription drug problem.

I don't want to condemn Espanola because it has a newspaper that reports the news. I love reading that paper and wish that others were like it. Frankly I think that the Santa Fe New Mexican does a lot of sweeping -- it is the sort of newspaper that should be given away for free.

[Towanda]

Originally Posted by Devin Bent

Frankly I think that the Santa Fe New Mexican does a lot of sweeping -- it is the sort of newspaper that should be given away for free.

I already get it for free online.

[GregW]

I went through Espanola 30+ years ago. I didn't notice a drug problem, even if my hosts offered me what smelled like very good pot. I don't like what pot does to me so I politely declined and nobody's feelings were hurt. I think they grew their own in the back yard.

[Vinegaroon]

The drug problem in Espanola is not due to the people in particular. I think that the problem is that the economy there is poor, and many young people turn to selling drugs because it pays more than most legitimate jobs.

In addition, once the drug culture is created, young people start doing drugs very early in life. That is a habit we all know is hard to kick.

[TXSweetPea]

I was born and raised in NM. I know for a fact from a Law Enforcement point of view, thay Espanola has a huge drug problem. I would say close to the worst in the state. places like Deming and Chaparrel down south also have problems, but I do think that theirs are more with Meth. As to the people in Espanola, I have to say I have not met a very friendly person from there. I do agree that it is due to the poverty level and crime. People are very defensive and aggresive in their presentation.

[Devin Bent]

Originally Posted by TXSweetPea

I was born and raised in NM. I know for a fact from a Law Enforcement point of view, thay Espanola has a huge drug problem. I would say close to the worst in the state. places like Deming and Chaparrel down south also have problems, but I do think that theirs are more with Meth. As to the people in Espanola, I have to say I have not met a very friendly person from there. I do agree that it is due to the poverty level and crime. People are very defensive and aggresive in their presentation.

I'm sorry to disagree, but I go to Espanola several times a week. Everyone strikes me as friendly.

I have been in New Mexico three years now. In all honesty, I can think of only three people who have seemed aggressive in their presentation and I have been in a variety of locales. One was a Santa Fe County deputy sheriff and another was a drunk outside a liquor store in Pojoaque.

[bradly]

The Rio Grande Sun is the ****tyest New's Paper in all of New Mexico..
All it does is bad mouth and trash Espanola.. I think Espanola is a great town
its beautiful and the people are great and the culture is spectacular! its a nice growing little town of 10,000 people..and that newspaper should print the possitive stuff that goes on in that town! there are many..They deserve a better newspaper than that! as i also read about "the high school problems" espanola valley high school is now a nationally ranked high school and for that i'm proud of them their basketball team did amazing this year as well!, they make it sound like that high school is all ganged out violence and drug problems..and thats not the way it is.