Opening up in April

 
Virus and vaccines
As the number of new daily cases of Covid plummet across the state, vaccination distribution continues to expand. New Mexico still lead the nation in the percentage of population vaccinated, with at least half of its those over 16 having received at least one shot.
As of this Monday, anyone over the age of 16 is now eligible to register for the (go to the New Mexico Department of Health vaccine website to register). And despite concerns about the threat posed by the more contagious and less well understood variants, the numbers of which have expanded in some parts of the nation, according to CDC variant tracking by state, New Mexico has reported relatively few cases of variants so far. Amidst this wave of welcome news, San Miguel county has moved from the yellow to the “green” level, enabling more businesses to operate at increased capacity or with fewer restrictions. Read the full guidelines for each of the “red to green” levels.

Schools, Families, and Students
This is also the week in which many schools are opening for in person learning for the first time in over a year. With most teachers now fully vaccinated, campuses saw many of their students and staff return to classrooms on Monday, though some families chose to complete the school year in remote learning mode only. The Villanueva library will be joining students at Valley Middle and Elementary school in Ribera every Friday beginning this week to read books, tell stories, and engage students with the many resources libraries offer.
For those parents with young children not yet in school, the New Mexico Public Education Department is hosting an event focusing on supporting young parents and their children.  The event will include presentation, workshops and small discussion groups on topics that include parenting practices, health and wellness, and positive relationship building.  Designed like a local Town Hall meeting, this virtual event will take place April 28, 2021, 12:00 pm – 4:30 pm and May 5, 2021,  12:00 pm – 4:00 pm.  You can view the event flier here.  For more information, please contact Elizabeth Ratzlaff at ekratzlaff@gmail.com.
And for the many El Valle seniors who have struggled through an unusually challenging senior year and are planning to attend college next fall, the El Valle Community Center is again offering the Barbara Hall Scholarship to eligible graduating students within the Center's service area. For questions about eligibility or application requirements, or volunteer hours, call 575-421-0808 or email elvallecenter@gmail.com.

Businesses and job seekers
For the many businesses that have struggled to stay afloat during the past year, new assistance is available from micro grants made available by the Regional Development Corporation. Information about the grants, which range from $500-$2000, will be provided in a Zoom webinar scheduled for April 20th, from 10-11 a.m. The webinar will also provide information about other federal and state assistance opportunities, including loans to help cover the costs of payroll and other costs incurred by COVID. View the flier, register, or call Danny at 505-690-0988 for more information.
For the many who lost jobs during the pandemic and are now seeking employment in the re-opening economy, the thought of interviewing after a year of isolation may create significant anxiety.  To address these and other interview issues,  the El Valle Community Center and Villanueva Library, in partnership with Brainfuse JobNow, are offering a free live interview workshop on Wednesday, April 28 at 3 PM MST. During the workshop, you will learn strategies for acing your interview including tips about networking, attire, researching, answering questions, and interview follow-up. The workshop is hosted by Ashley Watkins, a Job Search Coach, Nationally Certified Résumé Writer (NCRW), and Nationally Certified Online Profile Expert (NCOPE) with Write Step Résumés.
This workshop is FREE but Registration is required.
You can register here.