EDITORIAL: Dear Santa (a Rio Rancho wish list)

Rio Rancho has been a good city this year. In fact, we’ve been so good that I’ve heard adults saying it’s one of the top 100 places to live in America and in the top 10 places to live in the Southwest.

But I’ve heard some of the adults saying there’s still things they want to see, so I thought I’d write you a letter asking for them.

I keep hearing something about Trader Joe’s. I don’t know who Joe is, or what he trades, but he seems pretty popular. Do you think you could get this Joe to move here?

Some people have said something about bringing a golf course back. If you do, can you make it one of the golf courses with clowns and windmills? Those are fun!\

There’s also a lot of talk about roads and making them better. I’m not old enough to drive yet, so I don’t know anything, but maybe you can ask my mommy and daddy for more details. I do like to watch the big work trucks, though!

I’ve also heard some of the grown-ups talking about healthier food options when they go out to eat. If it means more salad, I’m out. But I know we’re always looking for a good place to eat that the whole family can enjoy (without mommy and daddy complaining every time the waiter delivers a slip of paper at the end). Maybe you can bring some of those places to Rio Rancho? Pizza is my favorite, but I know people like other kinds of food, too!

It might be fun to have more to do, too. When my friends and I ask our parents to take us somewhere fun, we run out of ideas fast. We like to go to shows, play games and run around a lot. I’ve even heard something about escape rooms, batting cages, places for plays and concerts, a place to skate and bike, more places for soccer and baseball and so much more. Mom and dad don’t like to drive us to Albuquerque to go to these places, so I’d love something closer.

Can we get a grocery store closer to home? Mom always complains about how far away it is every week. Maybe we could get some scattered around the city so nobody has to drive very far to get their food.

I hear a lot of grown-ups saying they wish there were more businesses and jobs here, but when I ride around with my parents, it seems like there’s plenty of businesses here. Do you think they mean something different or bigger? Can you help with that?

I know one thing some of the grown-ups don’t want is more chicken, coffee and car washes. I don’t know why people wouldn’t want more chicken — I love my nuggies — but I can see why they don’t want coffee. Even though it smells good when mom and dad make it in the mornings, it tastes yucky. Maybe you can bring it to the people on your naughty list.

I know there’s more the people in Rio Rancho want, but my hand is tired right now. Maybe we’ll get to those next year.