‘A nightmare out here’: East Doña Ana County residents losing mail and patience

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - Residents of an east Doña Ana County neighborhood blame a paved road for an increase of mail thefts, litterbugs and speeding cars.

"Leave it the hell alone!" said Dale Hopkins, a rancher who has lived in the area for at least sixty years. He said he lost 8 to 10 heads of cattle in 2020.

Back in 2017, Doña Ana County paved Baylor Canyon Road, which connects U.S. 70 with Dripping Springs Road.

"This has become a south bypass," Hopkins said. "It wasn't intended to be a south bypass."

"When you improve a roadway, it often increases traffic," admitted Sheriff Kim Stewart.

In a two-week period last fall, she said deputies issued 227 citations in that area. Of those, 118 were for speeding.

"There are two different problems here," said Doña Ana County Commissioner Shannon Reynolds, who represents the neighborhood. 'What do we do with the road?' and 'what do we do about the mail problem?'

When the county paved the road, residents say it led to an influx of traffic. At points along the road, there are more than a dozen mailboxes placed right next to each other.

"These mailboxes are really dangerous the way they're put up here on the road," said Alan Robinson.

"My husband alone has lost five checks in the last three months," said Tanna Miller.

Miller even found "a pile" of mail dumped in the desert in December. It included include bills, court orders and holiday cards.

"Our mail is regularly stolen," said Ginny Miller.

A U.S. Postal Service spokesman recommended that the neighbors invest in a secure bank of mailboxes, but it's pricey. This cluster unit is almost $1,500.

That spokesman also said residents must contact the postmaster if they want their mailboxes moved closer to their homes.

"We've reached out to the postal inspectors and they have not returned our anything," Miller said.

Her neighbors showed ABC-7 multiple case numbers with the post office from all their stolen mail.

"Mailboxes are easy prey in that area," Commissioner Reynolds admitted.

The commissioner said there are no immediate plans to improve or tear up the road, but that he would alert residents about any upcoming meetings.

He also said he has a set of mailboxes in storage from another property that he will try to install in the neighborhood.

"I certainly want to make sure the residents are safe first and want to make sure they have access to what they need, but I certainly think we have to get serious about managing the excess traffic and the speeds," Commissioner Reynolds said.

"We got a nightmare out here," Hopkins said. "The county don't do a damn thing to help us."