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Full-time college students study approximately 15 hours a week, but engineering students are the most studious compared to their peers in business and the social sciences, according to the 2011 National Survey of Student Engagement.

Regardless of how much students study during the year, many cram before finals week. (Photo by Gabriella Ferrari)

The breakdown 

Engineering students spend, on average, 19 hours per week studying, while those in business and social sciences studied five hours less per week at 14. The undergrads in the physical sciences said they studied 18 hours per week, while those in the biological sciences and arts and humanities both reported 17 hours of study time. Education majors studied slightly more than their peers in the social sciences and business fields at 15 hours.

“Some of the upper-division math courses tend to take more time just to understand the theory, and a lot of the concepts aren’t easy to comprehend at first,” said mathematics major Luis Mora, who studies 20 hours per week.

But are they prepared?

Interestingly, the survey found that students who devoted at least 20 hours per week to studying did not always attend class fully prepared.

Journalism major Cody Johnson prepares for his finals last semester in the library. (Photo by Gabriella Ferrari)

“Upper level courses are hard, even if you study,” said business management major Trey Lengsdorf. But overall, faculty expectations for study time closely corresponded to what students reported. The social sciences faulty, however, expected four more hours per week than what the students said they studied.

“One question I think this raises that’s sort of ripe for some faculty discussion is, ‘How much should we be expecting of our students?’” said Alexander C. McCormick, NSSE director and associate professor of education at Indiana University at Bloomington. “The time is right, really, to start asking questions about whether we are asking enough of our students, whether we’re setting enough expectations.”

Student response

At New Mexico State University, even during the stress of finals week, many students said they felt prepared for class.

Zuhl library at NMSU offers various spaces for students to study individually or meet with groups. (Photo by Gabriella Ferrari)

“Usually for tests, I up my studying, but I never feel like I haven’t studied enough” Charles Sandford, wildlife sciences major, said. Mora said his studying, especially before his finals, definitely made a difference.

Keyanna Carson, early-childhood education major, said going into finals, she feels prepared “just as much as anyone else, I guess.”

The National Survey of Student Engagement is an annual survey. This year, 416,000 first-year students and seniors attending nearly 700 universities and colleges in the United States participated.

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Students work toward getting Judy Shepard to Las Cruces

The Sexual and Gender Diversity Resource Center located at New Mexico State University finalized its contract with keynote speaker Judy Shepard, whose son was killed by homophobic criminals, after some debate with ASNMSU Council; she is now set to speak at the Las Cruces Convention Center from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Apr. 17, 2012.

The Sexual and Gender Diversity Resource Center members Ryan Garcia and Sharna Horn set up a booth at The Rocky Horror Picture Show held last semester. (Photo by Cynthia Palomares)

Sharna Horn, Coordinator of the Sexual and Gender Diversity Resource Center, along with NMSU students worked hard to create a bill to bring Judy Shepard to the NMSU campus, but James Graham, ASNMSU President, was forced to veto the bill due to procedural issues.

Student uproar

“I knew the consequences of my actions, but took an oath to protect students fees – in the end there is a very definite line between what is allowed and what is not,” Graham said.

He said his decision to veto the bill came from his concern with students’ fees and how those who paid for this year would have potentially not seen the benefit of their investment.

Adrian Trujillo, senior, was one of many students upset at the council’s decision to veto the bill.

“My initial reaction was that the President of ASNMSU possibly had some personal issues with the GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual and Transgender) community,” Trujillo said.

The decision was overturned midway through the fall semester,  and the ASNMSU council adjusted the dates as to when Shepard would speak.

The backlash was heavy at first,” Graham said. “I weighed the good, bad and the ugly in the end but I am pleased with the outcome.”

“I think this is awesome because the voice of the senate really came into power here,” Trujillo pointed out.

Learning from Mathew’s story

Judy Shepard has honored the memory of her son by supporting the GLBTQ community by becoming an activist for the group after her son Mathew, 21, was brutally beaten and killed. Horn is familiar with Mathew’s story and has seen Shepard speak before. She believed it would be a great opportunity to have her speak to students and the Las Cruces community.

The importance of the event

Stonewall QSA, student organization on NMSU, held a coming out day, during which students were allowed to write on a door and walk through it, hense coming out. (Photo by Cynthia Palomares)

“Issues like these allow us to come together as a community and they help us fight some of the ignorance out there,” Horn said. “Hate’s not just targeted toward one group; it’s targeted toward many groups.”

Bringing Shepard to our community will impact how people think about the GLBTQ community. Due to her unfortunate story, Trujillo believes we will benefit from it because it has the power to impact the lives of others.

“It is so incredibly devastating that someone would be filled with so much hate that they would then take that hate and inflict such physical and emotional pain on someone because of their sexual orientation,” he said.

“Bullying someone due to their race, religion, country of origin, or sexual orientation is completely unacceptable,” Graham said.

“We can educate students to think about what they say before they hurt someone is one of the best possible solutions to begin making a change in our society,” he added.

Safe places at NMSU

The Mathew Shepard Foundation has a vision to replace hate with understanding, compassion and acceptance and also encourage respect for human dignity by raising awareness, opening dialogues and promoting change.

The Sexual and Gender Diversity Resource Center's work area is open to all NMSU students. Photo by Cynthia Palomares

To be attacked because you are different is unacceptable, but it occurs on campus and in our community. The Sexual and Gender Diversity Resource Center, the counseling centers and WAVE are safe places to turn to on the NMSU campus.

“I believe that we’re working on the community and making (NMSU) a safer place. Would I say it’s 100 percent safe? No. Would I say were safer than other campuses – yes, but it’s a work in progress,” said Horn.

The event will be free of charge for students who have already paid, but it will also be open to the public. Graham is expecting a high turnout from both students and the Las Cruces community.

“I hope the community can be supportive of (Judy’s) presence,” said Graham.

Judy Shepard will speak at the Las Cruces Convention Center from 7 – 9 p.m. A book signing will take place from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., and her book will also be sold before and after the event for $20.

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Many prospective journalists dream of working in the spotlight, interviewing key officials and politicians, traveling and having name recognition. However, some students may not realize that this dream starts in the college setting.

Media experience, some of which can be obtained at the student’s university, is an essential part of a prospective journalist’s educational experience, said Roger Mellen, New Mexico State University journalism professor.  Mellen said students learn the basics of journalism in the classroom, and working for on-campus media gives them a chance to practice what they have learned in class.

News-22 anchor and co-producer Brandi Parrell tries to track down a source while Zach Rael, anchor and reporter, prepares for the 6:30 p.m. newscast. (Photo by Kristina Medley)

“Working in the field is crucial,” Mellen said. “Students can’t just learn in the classroom. They have to practice it somewhere.”

On-campus opportunities

On-campus media organizations, including KRUX FM, The Round Up, KRWG and News-22 are entirely student-produced. Nick Miller, News-22 director, said he runs News-22 like a real, commercial newsroom, where the students work on a deadline and actually produce the entire newscast from reporting and anchoring to filming and editing.

“Working at News-22 is arming me with hands-on experience and is preparing me for the real world,” said Zach Rael, anchor and reporter for News-22. “It’s the best thing a journalism major like myself could do.”

Amberly Sisneros, design specialist, works on the layout while Nathan Kramer, executive news producer, edits the news page of The Round Up during a Wednesday "crunch night." (Photo by Kristina Medley)

Cassandra Romero, 2011 editor-in-chief of The Round Up and journalism major at NMSU, said the hands-on experience she has gained at The Round Up has really increased her knowledge and skill level in the field.

“At The Round Up, you’re actually on a deadline. You have a boss and you’re getting a paycheck,” Romero said. “You’re … putting together a paper and doing what you’re actually going to be doing when you graduate from college, and you have to work hard.”

UCOMM

University Communications also hires student writers to produce news releases for the News Center and campus and local media as well as work on video, take photos and complete various other projects. Student writers also alternate writing Eye on Research pieces, which are featured in the Monday edition of the Las Cruces Sun-News.

The Round Up, formerly a twice-weekly print newspaper, transitioned to a daily online publication in fall 2010 to suit the needs of a technology-oriented campus. (Photo by Kristina Medley)

“For students like me, working is a necessity, not an option,” said Melisa P. Danho, University Communications journalism aide and journalism and food science major at NMSU. “Balancing school and work is never easy, but without the opportunity to work on campus, I’d have to make some really difficult decisions. Working at UCOMM allows me to get journalism experience while earning the money I need to study and live in Las Cruces.”

Media convergence

Convergence has become widespread in the field of journalism over the past decade. It is becoming increasingly important for students to get experience in multiple areas in addition to their chosen focus, Mellen said.

“I think this whole idea of ‘backpack journalism’ has become a lot more widespread in the past few years,” Romero said. “In this field, we’re seeing more and more the necessity of being able to do the interview, write the story, take the photo, shoot and edit the video.”

Miller said multimedia experience is vital for the prospective journalist seeking a job in broadcast, or any area of journalism, in today’s fast-paced and technology-oriented world.

Camera Hogs LLC logo

An up-and-coming local video production company has begun to provide creative services to  Las Cruces and surrounding areas, catering to people looking to promote their business, special event or movie production.

The Camera Hogs LLC Production Company, is a group of individuals providing photography, film, scriptwriting, movie and commercial making, post production and coverage of special events.

Shooting with high-definition cameras, the Canon EOS 5D Mark ii cameras in particular, and using a light system consisting of two 600W and 1000W lights, this new production company is already working on ads and promotional videos in the region.

The Camera Hogs family

Executive Director of Camera Hogs Marilyn Brindis has worked as a director, camera operator and camera assistant for previous production companies, along with other volunteer work that raised her level of experience, and with her experienced coworkers, they created this new and exciting opportunity for themselves.

Photography of executive producer of Camera Hogs, Marilyn Brindis

Camera Hogs got its motivation after a moment of triumph after essentially “saving” several production agencies when on the brink of failure because of “rookie mistakes” that occurred during filming, Brindis said.

Her confidence in Camera Hogs reflects the talent of her crew, which include the current owners of Camera Hogs LLC, Carlos Rubio, director of photography, and Jason Turner, director of creative media.

Brindis believes “videos are a great opportunity for local businesses, artists and individuals to promote, educate and capture precious moments.”

She adds, “We work with as many talented individuals as we can, some of which become part of the Camera Hogs family.”

Photography of director of photography of Camera Hogs LLC, Carlos Rubio

Levi Hart, editor for Camera Hogs, and Melissa Aragon, the script supervisor and production assistant, have added their talents to help make this production company well rounded.

As the Camera Hogs family continues to grow, so does the buisiness, which recently included a commercial shoot for Dr. Green Hydroponics, and is currently wrapping up a promotional video for an event done at a local club thrown by Las Cruces Light and Sound. Brindis adds, “We are always looking for something to shoot!”

Recent Commercial Shoot

Another local company that recently opened, Dr. Green Hydroponics, also utilized the talents of this mobile production company.

The Camera Hogs are a friendly bunch and allowed photography to be taken during the Dr. Green shoot; the video that follows is an example of what they can do.

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In times of sadness, picking a dandelion allows for a wish. With a puff of air, the dandelion seeds scatter in the wind spreading color and joy. (Photo by Amanda Orozco)

Story and video by Amanda Orozco

Stuck temporarily in a place of dark feelings and harmful thoughts, college students struggle to overcome their depression on top of maintaining their GPA. The ideal of higher education is filled with new beginnings.

In movies and on television, college life is depicted as strenuous, but rewarding.The students we see manage to attend classes, make a lot of friends, party every night and still have time for romance.

The reality of depression

It almost seems like depression would have no place in a university setting, yet, according to a 2008 study by the American College Health Association (ACHA), 25.6 percent of male college students and 31.7 percent of female students reported that on at least one occasion in the last year they had felt so depressed it was difficult to function.

NMSU students travel through these doors to speak with someone about life as a college student. (Photo by Amanda Orozco)

The New Mexico State University Counseling Center has seen a 60 percent increase of patients since 2009.  Psychologist Chaunce Windle says depression is consistently their No. 1 concern on campus.

“Eighty-five percent of students who sought services here report some level of depression and that’s anywhere from mild depression to severe depression,” Windle reports.

Another 23 percent of students reported having thoughts of suicide at some level or at some point.

Two New Mexico State University students were willing to come forward with their own personal experiences with depression.  Both wished to remain anonymous, so for the sake of this article, their names have been changed.

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A long sentence in a dark place

When she was five Jamie had her first brush with depression.

After her parents’ divorce, her grades began slipping, and she was taken to see a counselor.

“He really really wouldn’t talk to me very much; he wouldn’t listen very much,” Jamie says. “He just kept talking about how I should just be happier.”

The school continued to try to find ways to help Jamie, but nothing seemed to work, especially when a part of her problem was the other kids.

“It was really hard because they didn’t know I was going through depression.  They didn’t know I was going through so much, and they would make fun of me.  That’s the worst part,” Jamie says.  “It’s that when you’re little and you’re going through something you really can’t control and everyone is making fun of you.”

Jamie continued to struggle with depression throughout elementary school and into middle school.  This is when the problems at home were at their worst.  Her mother would disappear for days at a time, her brothers were in another city, and her sister, who was in high school, was out with her friends smoking weed and drinking alcohol.

Isolation during a difficult time

Jamie was left alone.  In her solitude, she began to contemplate suicide.

“I felt like no one cared, and I just felt like no one would notice if I was gone—no one would care, no one would even know, no one’s here.  I felt like there was no other hope for me.  I felt that I wasn’t good enough for anything in the world,” she admitted. In the end, it was her phobia of death that saved her life and prevented her from making this mistake.

Having someone to talk to and lean on can help in the fight against depression. (Photo by Amanda Orozco)

Jamie has been attending New Mexico State University since 2008.  She loves the new friends she’s made and enjoys most of her classes, but campus life has also brought her depression back into the limelight.

“I’ve caught myself falling into deep depression a lot more in college than I did in high school,” Jamie shared.  “There are all these obstacles pushing against me because not only am I depressed in general, but I have all these forces and stress that just triggers more.”

Although she managed to dig herself out of that depression episode, the fight isn’t over.

“Sometimes, I’ll have days where I don’t want to get up and face life – I just want to sleep,” Jamie says about her college life.  “There’s days where I just feel like ‘what’s the point,’ ‘why am I living,’ or ‘why am I here?’ It’s a really dark place.”

A sudden onset

Sam sits on a bench as she recounts her experiences with depression. (Photo by Amanda Orozco)

The birth of a brother is supposed to be a joyous occasion filled with cooing and giggles, but for Sam it became a struggle for her mother’s life.

Sam’s mother suffered from postpartum depression after the birth of her fourth child.

At first Sam didn’t understand how her mother could be depressed with such a good life. “I would get frustrated like ‘why are you so sad,’” Sam confessed. “Your family’s good, you have good kids, we’re all going to school, you have a good husband.  I’m like ‘why are you sad’ and she’s like ‘I don’t know.’”

While taking medication, her mother was getting better until she accidentally became pregnant again.   The pregnancy pushed her to the edge, and Sam’s mother became suicidal.

Fearing for both their lives, the family took her to a treatment center in Chicago, where she stayed until she gave birth to another son.  She returned home a completely different person, someone Sam doesn’t recognize.

“The depression ate her,” Sam says. “It took over her happiness.  She would always joke around.  She would call me names to be funny.  She was always joking.  She was energetic.  She was really involved in our lives. And now she really doesn’t care.”

Almost a month ago, her mother tried to commit suicide. Sam’s father found her in the bathtub with her wrists slit. She went to Albuquerque to undergo Electric Convulsive Therapy, one of the last options open to the family.

“It’s really hard to say.  We’ve been battling with her depression for such a long time. The doctors are telling us to still be hopeful because depression is such a long process,” said Sam about her hopes for the treatment.

Her mother’s depression began during Sam’s second year at college, and she’s noticed a difference.  “As time progresses, I feel like I’m getting depressed too,” Sam admitted “I can’t focus a lot in school.  I have isolated myself a little bit.”

The situation has become so dire that Sam has decided to take a break from school to help support her family.

Seeking help/ refusing treatment

Whether you go to the NMSU Counseling Center or talk to a friend, it's important to find a safe zone. (Photo by Amanda Orozco)

Seeking help can be the hardest part during the battle with depression.

“There is still a stigma on receiving mental health services, so I think that there are a lot of people out there that think ‘gosh if I go to counsel, that means I’m crazy or that means something is seriously wrong with me,’” Windle said.

Although exercise helps with depression, having someone to talk to is one of the best remedies.  Windle says the first step to helping a friend is “making yourself available to listen to that person that’s often the biggest thing. A lot of times people just feel alone and don’t have anyone that they feel like they can talk to. And so the first thing you can do is just be a helpful ear.”

College students don’t always feel protected enough to confide their deepest, darkest secrets to their new roommate, but there are confidential services offered by the University.  The first option is seeking help at the NMSU Counseling Center.

“It’s basically a place where it’s safe, it’s confidential, it’s mainly just a place where you can talk about what’s going on without being judged or without fearing it’s going to get out and get to this friend or this family member,” Windle explained.

Sam is not ashamed to admit that she seeks help regularly and feels other students should as well. “I do go see a counselor, and it does help me a lot just to vent and tell her how I feel about everything and it helps me out,” she said.

Because of her past experience, Jamie would not seek help from a professional until it was her last option.

“A counselor doesn’t know anything about you, hasn’t grown up with you or been with you as a friend,” Jamie insists. “A friend would understand more where you’re coming from and can understand you much better than a stranger would.”

Although professional help never helped Jamie, she does advocate talking to someone.

“Once you start drowning yourself and don’t talk, you just let it sit in your head.  That’s when it gets to you, and that’s when you’re at your most vulnerable, and that’s when you have those close encounters with yourself,” Jamie said. “I think having at least one person to talk to, whether it be professional or not, does a lot.”

Another option is the CALL, a confidential warm line run by the Wellness Alcohol Violence and Education program (WAVE).

Started in 2008, the Crisis Assistance Listening Line (CALL) is a telephone service for any type of situation.  WAVE Educational Assistant Montevis Price says, “We’re really there to help guide people through their own feelings and help them come to solutions to their own problems.

The NMSU Counseling Center can be reached at (575) 646-2731 and is open from 8 to 5 and always able to talk people in crisis. More information on the center can be found at http://www.nmsu.edu/~counsel/cc/index.html

CALL can be reached at (575) 646-2255 or toll free at 1-866-314-6841.

Tanner Cooper (left) and Nicholas DiCamillo (right) pose with their bass after the team club qualifier at Elephant Butte Lake.

Story and video by Zane Klemo

University life can be full of negative experiences, but some athletic clubs at New Mexico State University provide an opportunity to enjoy different recreational activities.

The NMSU bass fishing team, started in the fall 2011 by sophomore mechanical engineering major Tanner Cooper, is one of those clubs offered at NMSU.

Cooper, the president of the team, started the club because of his love for the sport.

“I started it because I though there would be some interest in (bass fishing),” Cooper said.  “I also thought the club could help out the community, and I wanted to share my passion for bass fishing with others.”
                                                                                             For the love of fishing

A part of club teams’ requirements to be sanctioned at NMSU are community and on-campus service.  The NMSU Bass Fishing team got together to clean up the area around the Duck Pond where they practice as part of their campus service.

“Every other week we have meeting, and right after, we go out to the Duck Pond and practice and apply the techniques we learned in the meeting,” Cooper said.

Like other athletic club teams at NMSU, the bass fishing team competes against other schools in several competitions.

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“During the fall, we compete within our club,” Cooper said.  “In the spring, we compete at the West Texas Divisional for a chance to go to regionals.”

The only requirements to be on the team are a $20 annual membership fee and have full-time-student status at the main campus.

Other sports opportunities on campus

Along with the NMSU Bass Fishing team, other clubs do exist for students.

Rugby, a sport that is not so well-known in this area, has made its way to NMSU in the form of a women’s rugby team that is always looking for new members.

“We have about 15 – 20 members,” Lindsey Englehart, president of the NMSU Lady Chile Rugby team, said.  “We do seem to be growing.”

Members of the NMSU Lady Chile Rugby team take part in the scrum during a game. (Photo courtesy of Derek Lucero)

Like the bass fishing team, the lady’s rugby team travels to competitions through fundraising.  The team practices two – three times a week and plays around two games a month.

“It’s really fun, and it is a good way to stay active and fit,” Englehart said.  “We are always looking for new girls – we recruit all year long.”

Billiards taken seriously

For students looking an indoor activity, the NMSU Billiards Club is a lesser-known club that has taken hits from the university lately.

“We seem to get a lot of interested people, but no one showing up to meetings because we don’t have tables anymore,” said President of the Billiards Club Mitchell Goss.

With the construction of the 24-hour fitness gym that took the place of Pete’s Place, the Billiards Club has had to move its play to other sites.

“We play in Garcia a lot,” Goss said, “especially after meetings.”

Photo Illustration courtesy of Google Images.

In a struggling national economy, it could be hard for club teams at NMSU to find funding, but Goss believes the future be promising.

“We feel we will offer a lot eventually, given that we find funding and good direction,” Goss said.

The only requirement Goss said for the Billiards club is to simply “like pool.”

Other than the bass, rugby and billiards teams, NMSU offers clubs in areas like badminton, bicycle racing, judo, mixed martial arts, men’s rugby, polo, race and tennis.

For more information on joining any one of the athletic club teams at NMSU, visit the student organization list and look under the “Sports” section of the Web page.

Native American ritual is displayed in the University Museum gallery (Photo by Dominic Nicholas)

Story and video by by Dominic Nicholas

Entering the gate of Kent Hall and walking across the completely silent building lobby to the University Museum on a winter afternoon has a “beginning of a scary movie” feel to it at first.

But when someone opens the door to the University Museum, the mood changes because of the warm personalities of the people working there.  The staff of the museum is a very helpful, attentive bunch.  Even with the slightly dim rooms, bright staffers welcome all visitors with at greeting and give the proper assistance immediately.  Treated with familiarity, that feeling carries over to the material within the museum.

What’s inside

Visitors are introduced to artifacts that depict general knowledge of the Southwest, such as pots, sculptures and photographs.  The Director of the University Museum, Monte L. McCrossin, works very closely with the material and staff at the museum.

McCrossin says he enjoys every aspect of the museum, but is in the process of making big changes that he feels will catch the eye of a lot of people: he plans to bring in new artifacts that “more accurately tell the history of New Mexico.” But, he adds, ”The new material may be a little more controversial.”  Attempting to create a valid presentation of the history of New Mexico that will attract attention within the community has not been easy for the University Museum, McCrossin maintains.

50 years plus

Southwestern pots are part of the permanent display at the museum. (Photo by Dominic Nicholas)

Established in 1959, the New Mexico State University Museum has been a part of the Las Cruces community for more than 50 years.

Although one would believe a half a century of existence would be enough time to create a steady stream of visitors interested in what the Museum has to offer, that is not necessarily the case.  Besides the few scheduled elementary class field trips to the the University Museum, not very many people stop to see what’s inside.  In fact, the museum at NMSU is not visited by students very often, staff members share.

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More than a few students pass by the building located on University Avenue everyday and may never stop and take a look inside. Those who do venture into the University Museum often leave with a little more knowledge of the intriguing culture and history.

An amazing view looks west from the Bar Canyon Trail. (Photo by M. Nesbitt )

There is a lot to do in the great outdoors for NMSU students, and another great day hike lies just 12 miles from the campus. The Soledad Canyon Day-Use area is a really close place to get out and go hiking, biking or horseback riding.

The area has a scenic trail loop called the Bar Canyon Trail, and it is fairly easy and very well marked so everyone can do it. The trail does have some elevation change in it, but at a total of four miles round trip, it’s pretty painless.

The map kiosk at the Soledad Canyon day-use area provides information about trails. (Photo by M. Nesbitt)

Scenery galore

Along the trail you’ll come across the ruins of an old house constructed of rock. Time has taken its toll on the building, but the walls are still standing, and it is a popular place for a picture.

When you continue along the trail you walk through a very narrow canyon, with some dense vegetation. The walls of the little canyon are quite sheer and rocky, the trail winds tightly around trees and rock outcroppings. At the end of the canyon you are greeted by a small natural waterfall that runs during the wetter months.

The views from this trail are amazing; the trail is mostly enclosed by the surrounding mountains, towards the west you can get a good look at Tortugas Mountain and the Mesilla Valley. Soledad Canyon is a day-use area only; it is open to visitors every day from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.  There is no camping, hunting or campfires allowed at the area, and you must keep your pets on a leash.

Sierra Vista Trail

Just a couple hundred yards down the road from the Soledad Canyon Day-use area, is the Sierra Vista Trail. The Sierra Vista Trail has been popular for years with local hikers and mountain bikers – and is infamously long. If you wanted to, you could follow the trail south all the way into Texas and the Franklin Mountain State Park.

BLM Park Ranger Anna Echter speaks to volunteers at the opening of the new norther extension to the Sierra Vista Trail. (Photo by M. Nesbitt)

New to the Sierra Vista trail is the 2.5 mile northern extension which goes from the old trailhead at Soledad Canyon Road, north to Dripping Springs Road. The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for the new section of trail and the trail is designed strictly for non-motorized use.

The trail was built by Boy Scout Troop 68, the Backcountry Horsemen, and local Geocachers along with other volunteers. A trail opening event was sponsored by the BLM in November. Even blowing winds and cold temperatures couldn’t keep attendees and volunteers from making it out to the grand opening. BLM Park Ranger Anna Echter addressed the crowd, and then everyone pitched in and helped out with some trash removal. After the clean-up was done, most of the volunteers rewarded themselves with a hike down the new trail.

“The trail connecting Soledad Canyon road and Dripping springs road is a brilliant idea. What makes it good for bikes is that it is rideable in both directions,” said Pablo Lopez of Outdoor Adventures Bike Shop.

The new trail is of moderate difficulty, and it travels up and down over ridges and through washes. Some parts of the trail were a little sandy for mountain bikes, but as the ground hardens up and the trail gets worked in, conditions should improve.

Getting there:  From NMSU campus take University Avenue/Dripping Springs Road east for about 4.5 miles, then turn south on the Soledad Canyon Road. That road will turn east in a mile; follow it all the way to the end.

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A house in Las Cruces is lit up with Christmas lights and decorations. (Photo by Ruth Smith)

The city of Las Cruces officially began the Christmas season with a series of festivities known as Winterfest the first weekend in December, when the Las Cruces Railroad Museum welcomed Santa Clause and provided an array of old-fashioned holiday displays and crafts for the kids.

People enjoy Christmas carols sung by the Las Cruces High School Swing Choir Ensemble in Johnson Park . (photo by Ruth Smith)

Cold, rainy and festive

Johnson Park was the scene for the annual tree-lighting ceremony. A large crowd braved the cold and rain to hear special music from the Las Cruces High School Choir Swing Ensemble and enjoyed free hot chocolate and cookies.

Also participating in the ceremony were the members of the Occupy Las Crucesmovement, who have taken up residence in Johnson Park. The Occupy members provided free apple cider and cookies.

Just a few blocks away from Johnson Park, the Holiday Downtown Ramble included venders, museum and gallery openings and colorful holiday window displays.

NMSU held its annual Night of Lights the following Sunday. Five thousand luminarias lit up the campus, and visitors were treated to horse-drawn carriage rides, refreshments and a special performance by NMSU’s DanceSport Team.

The Rio Grande Theatre in downtown Las Cruces welcomes visitors with holiday decorations. (photo by Ruth Smith)

More festivities 

For those wanting to join in the Las Cruces holiday spirit, there were many more events offered throughout the region – and more to come.

The annual Living Tree Christmas Concert took place Dec. 10-13 at First Baptist Church.

Historic Old Mesillawill hold its annual Christmas Eve event at dusk. A choir will lead visitors in singing Christmas carols, and the plaza and surrounding streets will be lit up with thousands of luminarias.

For a complete listing of Christmas events in Las Cruces, visit the Las Cruces Visitor and Convention Bureau website.

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Casa de Peregrinos welcomes the region's hungry – and volunteers. (Photo by Zane Klemo)

Empty bellies. Cold fingers.  Stress.  Many people around Las Cruces worry about where their next meal or night’s rest might come from.

Local food bank Casa de Peregrinos is one of many non-profit, human aid organizations committed to helping the less fortunate in a time of need.

Executive Director of Casa de Peregrinos Lorenzo Alba Jr. has been serving the people of Las Cruces for a long time.

“We have been serving Las Cruces for 30 years, which is the longest in the county,” Alba said.  “We have eight pantries in the Dona Ana County.”

Helping the entire region

The eight pantries span from Rincon, Radium Springs, Dona Ana and Organ to Del Cerro, Anthony and Chaparral.  Sunland Park was also an affiliate of Casa de Peregrinos, but they became self-sustainable because they had such a large clientele.

Peregrinos receives food from statewide distributor Roadrunner Food Bank, but they also run off of donations from the community.

“It varies, but our food is somewhere around 19 cents per pound,” Alba said.  “Produce is a little scarce this time of year.  Realistically, $3 buys 35 to 50 pounds of food.”

While money is always welcome and necessary to run the food bank, volunteers are always needed to keep the operation at Casa de Peregrinos going.

Peggy Keep, who helps out at the pantry, said she volunteers once a week.

Shelves of staple foods in the store room are used year-round at Casa de Peregrinos. (Photo by Zane Klemo.)

“I volunteer because there’s a need and because I can,” Keep said.  “(We need to) keep raising awareness after the holidays, though.”

Keep said people always become aware during the holidays, but food bank service is a year long process.

Casa de Peregrinos served many people throughout the month of November, which was one of their biggest months Alba said.

“We served 1100 families in November.  We were able to give out 450 Thanksgiving meals, which included turkeys along with the rest of the meal,” Alba said.  “We have almost 20,000 pounds of food donated.  The donations come from people doing food drives for us among other things.  It was incredible.”

Thousands fed each month

Last year, Casa de Peregrinos served 825 to 850 families per month and this year; they are serving around 2,000 families per month on average.

“We are just doing a better job of letting people know what’s going on here at Casa de Peregrinos,”  Alba said.  “We are here to serve people.  We aren’t here to compete.  We want people to know we are here for them.”

Volunteers welcome

If someone wants to volunteer, Alba said volunteer hours are Monday through Wednesday from 9 a.m to 5 p.m.

Keep described what volunteering at Peregrinos is like.

Casa de Peregrinos volunteer packs groceries in the store room. (Photo by Zane Klemo.)

“We pack groceries.  We’re given information about the size of the family and then we pack the groceries based on the guidelines,” Keep said.  “We always need volunteers and food.”

While volunteers are necessary to run the pantry, that is not all that is needed.

“If somebody need to write a check instead of coming in to help, they can do that also.  It takes a lot of money to fill those bags on the shelves,” Keep said.

Staples at the pantry consist of rice, beans and cheese, said volunteer Beth Bannister.

“Also, we love to have tuna fish, cereal and peanut butter on our shelves,” Bannister said.  “Also, big jars of sauce are great.”

The volunteers said everyone gets the staples and then everyone shares other, more specific food on the other shelves.

During the holiday times and even after, Alba said he always welcomes people to help.

“There’s always something to do.  You can’t ever have enough volunteers,” Alba said. “We’re not ever going to turn people away.”

The back of Alba’s business card states three ways to get involved:  First, be a donor by mailing in monetary donations, stop by there location to submit directly or go to the website to donate there; second, volunteer by going into the facility;  third, put on a benefit food drive.

For more information on Casa de Peregrinos, visit its website.

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one,” Mother Teresa once said.