BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

When Thursday’s edition of the Rio Grande SUN, the newspaper that has served the Espanola Valley since 1956, hit the streets Wednesday afternoon, there was a surprise announcement that the publication has been purchased by the El Rito Media, LLC, a group of investors that includes several familiar names.

The list includes former State Rep. Joseph Sanchez of Alcalde who is currently seeking election to the DIstrict 40 seat he held before he unsuccessfully ran against Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez for the Congressional District 3. Although the SUN’s headline states that a “local investment group” bought the newspaper, the new owners are listed as: Ryan Cangiolosi of Albuquerque, Los Mocositos LLC of Santa Fe, Jalapeno Corporation of Albuquerque, Francisco Romero of Albuquerque, Tom Wright of Santa Fe, Harvey Yates of Albuquerque and Peyton Yates of Artesia. The new publisher is long-time journalist Richard L. Connor.