Story by El Defensor Chieftain | Jun 30, 2022

FIRST STATE BANK opened 25 years ago on July 1. More than 100 accounts were opened during the first two days of the bank’s existence, indicat­ing the institution will prove even more successful than predicted by the most ardent community sponsors. The first board of direc­tors was thus established. The Socorro Chieftain headlined the event in its July 3, 1947 issue, “1st State Bank Opening is Very Auspicious.” The paper also gives account that “… the rush of busi­ness which kept the entire bank staff occupied throughout the day proved very conclusively that Socorro welcomed this newest addition to its business life…”

ALFREDO JOJOLA, maintenance man at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, was recently honored with a con­gratulatory letter and monetary award for his suggestion concern­ing a waterproof feeder being used in the rare New Mexican duck program at the refuge. The Incentive Awards Committee of the Bureau of Sports Fisheries and Wildlife picked Mr. Jojola as a recipient of the awards and thanked him for his valuable con­tribution relating to the mission of the refuge.

SOCORRO CITY POLICE have installed a vehicle radar on a three-month loan from the New Mexico Traffic Safety Commission. City police officer Ted Murawski Jr. reports that the radar can detect speeders one half-mile away. The need for such a device was due to the fact that motorists have been violating the speed regulations. The speed limit in town is 25 miles per hour unless posted at 30. Drag racing is especially a target police hope to eliminate.

NEW MEXICO STATE POLICE on Friday afternoon nabbed 36 pounds of marijuana being transported through Socorro County on I-25. The controlled substance was found in a quarter panel of a vehicle. The unidenti­fied driver had originally been stopped near the San Antonio exit for speeding. During the stop, a State Police officer noticed the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. No other information was made available as the investi­gation is ongoing.

ENCOURAGING ENTREPRENEURSHIP. Three area students were among those who participated in Business Awareness Week Entre-Camp held at New Mexico State University. They were Lorene Jojola of Socorro High School, Magdalena student Hope Montoya and La Verna Secatero of Alamo School. The camp is designed to introduce high school students to American private enterprise. Students participated in group entrepreneurship, market­ing, financing and economics projects under the direction of faculty from NMSU’s College of Business Administration and Economics.

FEEDING FAMILIES. The Midwest New Mexico Community Action Program is giving goods to local families in Socorro. CAP is a storehouse that buys goods from Roadrunner Food Bank in Albuquerque. They also get donations from Smith’s, Walmart and the Eagle Scouts. CAP gives out food every Wednesday. Families who qualify for assistance receive goods once a month, as well as four emer­gency boxes of food. Families with five members can receive up to two boxes. In order to be quali­fied to receive goods from the storehouse, families need to pro­vide their annual gross income, identification cards for adults and Social Security cards for the whole family.

LEASH LAW. Dogs living in Socorro will no longer be able to roam free, and if they’re caught, their owner will have to pay the price. Socorro city councilors amended the animal control ordi­nance to enact a leash law and a “pooper-scooper” provision for dog owners. In simple terms, whenever a pet is not indoors, it must be behind a fence or wall, in a cage or on a leash. The other part of the amendment makes fail­ing to properly dispose of animal feces a finable offense. All viola­tions of the ordinance are punish­able with a fine up to $300 and up to 90 days in jail.

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