Now You Know, Sept. 4, 2026

The Gila comes to the Rio Grande

Thursday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m. at the Rio Grande Theater

The Gila river meets the Rio Grande this month in downtown Las Cruces, in a one-night only film screening of “Journey Down the Gila” on.  

Four years and multiple river trips in the making, this full-length documentary is a lush, cinematic journey down America’s first wilderness river.

After the film, stay for a legislative update on the current Gila Wild & Scenic bill now in Congress with New Mexico Wild’s Gila Grassroots Organizer, Luke Koenig and a Q & A with film co-producer and Heart of the Gila Director, Patrice Mutchnick, who says of the film, “This documentary is a love letter to the Gila and a rallying call to protect it.”

Discounted tickets are available online now for $10 general admission and $7 for students and seniors. Admission is $15 at the door. Tickets available at the Rio Grande Theater website riograndetheater.org and here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/journey-down-the-gila-wild-and-scenic-river-film-event.

All proceeds from the event go towards protecting the Gila river.

MUDD volleyball stays

After Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Mexico canceled its annual MUDD volleyball tournament fundraiser for this year, Blue Moon Bar & Grill, which was once again prepared to host the event announced that it would move forward with the tournament. Blue Moon released the following statement:

“For a few years now, we have hosted a fundraiser that we have come to fall in love with, and right now, our community needs togetherness more than ever. Due to circumstances out of their control, our amazing partners with MUDD Volleyball have had to make the very difficult decision to cancel their involvement with it.

We are beyond grateful for our years together. We value that commitment and partnership, we have learned so much from them. We look forward to working with them in the future.

With announcements you will be seeing soon, we feel the need to share some facts and be very transparent about how the process works with MUDD Volleyball in our backlot. We have historically only used a few thousand gallons of water. Luckily, with our location next to the river in the beautiful community of Radium Springs, we’re lucky: the backlot is only four feet over the water table. When we use the water for this fundraiser and the teams leave at the end of the day, the water slowly goes directly back into the water table, giving it back to our community.

That said, we have decided to carry this tradition on. No, you won’t see anything different with it. There’s still going to be the MUDD everyone loves to come compete in; we’ll still have food trucks and vendors!

The only small change you’ll see is that it will now be the Blue Moon Bar & Grill putting it on and hosting it for our community. MUDD Volleyball at the Moon will forever remain a fundraiser within our community, for our community.”

Blue Moon Bar & Grill announced Thursday that The Down Syndrome Foundation SENM will be the new non-profit partner for the event. While details on how revenues will be split are still undetermined due to the short lead time for putting the event back together, Blue Moon and the Foundation have decided to “jump in and make this a success.”

Bowling

The Las Cruces United States Bowling Congress (LCUSBC) is excited to host Youth Bowling and Scholarship Program for the 2026/2027 season.

This program is open to youth ages 4 through 18, and offers a fun, supportive environment to learn and enjoy the sport of bowling. Youth bowling is the only

sport where participants can earn scholarship money that can be used for college or trade school for up to eight years after high school graduation and is

transferable to a sibling if unused.

The 2026/2027 season is held at:

• Roadrunner Lanes (White Sands Missile Range). Every Sunday at 1:30pm, except for holidays and schedule functions. The season starts September 13,

2026, and ends May 2, 2027. Point of contact is Ms. Linda Goff, (575) 642-6054 or lindaleelu@aol.com.

• Starmax Lanes (Deming). Every Tuesday at 5:00pm, except for holidays and scheduled functions. The season starts October 13, 2026, and ends March 23,

2027. Point of contact is Ms. Jacki Huff, (406) 459-3207 or jackihuff@aol.com.

Whether your child is a first-time bowler or looking to improve their skills, this program offers instruction focused on fun, teamwork, and personal growth.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

On Saturday, Sept. 12, Lowe’s and Sleep in Heavenly Peace will bring volunteers together at Lowe’s in El Paso and Las Cruces to build beds for local children in need as part of the organization’s annual Bunks Across America initiative, the largest single bed build in the nation. This year the goal is bigger than ever, 12,000 beds!

Volunteers will build more than 200 beds for children in El Paso and Las Cruces, creating a safe and comfortable place for them to sleep. The hands-on event will offer strong visuals and interview opportunities with volunteers, Lowe’s associates, local Sleep in Heavenly Peace representatives and Lowe’s store management.

Volunteers can sign up by visiting SHPBeds.org and finding your local SHP chapter.

 Those who wish to help the cause in a different way can take part in the bedding donation drive. A bed isn't complete without the basic comforts!

Local event details:

Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
Time: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Locations: Lowe’s of Las Cruces, 3200 North Main Street, Las Cruces, NM 88001

Mesilla Valley Chorale

The Mesilla Valley Chorale will begin rehearsals on Monday, Sept. 14 for its holiday concert, “A Treasured Past, A New Beginning,” scheduled for Sunday, Dec.13 at the Rio Grande Theatre. The first rehearsal will begin in the choir room of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church at 6:30 p.m., for registration and music distribution. All following rehearsals will be on Monday evenings from 7-9 p.m. The Chorale is under the direction of Diane Schutz.

The Chorale is a mixed-voice, eight-part (SS/AA/TT/BB) diverse group of singers who share a passion for performing choral music. St. Paul’s choir room is located at the southeast corner of Alameda and Griggs. Enter via the choir room door on Alameda. Interested singers wishing to join should visit the Chorale’s website for more information at mesillavalleychorale.org .

District 3 meet and greet 
Residents of Las Cruces City Council District 3 are invited to join Councilor Michael Harris for a community meet and greet from 6-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at Conlee Elementary School Cafeteria, 1701 Boston Drive.

This informal tabling event offers an opportunity to speak directly with City departments, ask questions, and share feedback on issues affecting your neighborhood.

City departments in attendance will include:

Community Development

Economic Development

Financial Services

Fire

Parks and Recreation

Police

Public Works

Quality of Life

Transit

Utilities

For information, contact Catrina Godinez, Community Engagement Manager at 575/528-3003 or by email at cgodinez@lascruces.gov.

10th anniversary of Ronald McDonald Family Room

Memorial Medical Center, the Memorial Medical Center Auxiliary and Ronald McDonald House Charities of El Paso came together to celebrate a momentous milestone on Aug. 26 as the partners marked the 10th anniversary of the hospital’s Ronald McDonald Family Room – the only such room in Southern New Mexico.

Ronald McDonald Family Room programs provide accommodations within the hospital setting, giving families the support they need to recharge, connect with others, and focus on what matters most: the health of their child.

The room features a coffee maker, microwave, TV, computer stations, comfortable seating, free beverages and snacks, and activities. From cozy seating and snacks to supportive volunteers, this special space brings a sense of home and hope during challenging times.