GRANTS, NM – Dungarvin clients and their caregivers appeared at the Cibola Arts Council on Friday, July 26, to share in making their bi-weekly arts and crafts project. Damage from Thursday evening’s storm wasn’t apparent.
The thunder and lightning was a signal that the Grants area was due for more rain, and possible flooding. When he realized the situation, Ian Smith, the acting director, made a latenight run to the Gallery to move artwork off the floor.
The Arts Council and Double Six Gallery are city entities, so the city is responsible for repairs. In the Arts Council the damage was in the bathroom and also the door on Santa Fe Avenue.
New tiles had been recently installed in the bathroom ceiling, but the leaking is due to roof damage. Rainwater had seeped under the door and left its evidence in the floor’s welts.
Businesses on First Street
Fred Rodarte, owner of the property located on First Street between Monroe and Adams and Grants city councilor, made himself available to answer a few questions about the flood damage to his building. Each of the stores in the building, Glamour Girl, Eileen’s Hair Studio, Esparza Enterprises, and J5’s Jiu Jitsu/MMA sustained damages from the forces of the muddy currents.
Rodarte was asked about his intentions to help his tenants with repairs to their stores’ damage from the flood. He responded that they are still discussing options. “It isn’t specific at this point. There is still work to be done.” Rodarte shared that he has owned this particular property for a long time.
“We’re looking at insurance policies. Each renter [must] have their own insurance. I’m working with my tenants to help as best as I can.”
When asked if he had ever experienced a rainstorm like this before he said, “It did before the city [finished] First Street. The city manager called it the 100-year flood. I’ve never seen it rain that bad.”
“No one expected this,” he continued. “What the city has done on the streets should take care of it. The drainage is good, but the water this time overwhelmed the pumps. I don’t think it will happen again in my lifetime.”
The Thursday, July 25 rain brought more challenges to store owners.
Glamour Girl owner, Beny Guzman, returned to her store to discover that a good Samaritan had fortified her store’s front with sandbags. She was unable to discover the identity of her guardian angel, but she expressed gratitude saying, “I am very, very grateful to whomever did this for me. Thank you very much.”
One of Guzman’s neighbors in the same strip mall, a new boutique, Fashion Vault, also experienced floor damage because of the recent July 25 storm. Rodarte lent a helping hand to clean the floor, but it is visibly puckering from the soaking it received.
The rainy season isn’t over, and it seems to be a mixed blessing.