ESPAÑOLA — As he painted a mural Thursday showcasing this storied city's multiculturalism and agricultural roots, Fredi Gutierrez expressed pride in his hometown.

"We have such beauty to offer," he said, his hands covered in a paint as he colored a tuft of sunflowers on a building along North Riverside Drive, the city's main thoroughfare.

"There's the land, the culture, the food, the people," Gutierrez said. "I'm very proud of being from here."

Residents' pride will be on full display this weekend as Española celebrates its centennial with an array of festivities, including dancing, Spanish music and a car show.

The celebration, though, comes amid turmoil, which is also part of this Northern New Mexico city's DNA.

Long a Democratic stronghold and the center of Rio Arriba County politi

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