Pope Francis’s successor will avoid a page out of American politics the new pope will not be the “Trump of the Vatican” – a pope that is a reaction to the policies of his predecessor just like we are seeing with President Donald Trump’s reactionary stance to former President Barack Obama The conclave of cardinals is set to begin their deliberations on May 7 The word conclave is from the Latin meaning “with key,” a descriptor of the group primarily composed of cardinals which must remain barricaded inside the Vatican until they reach a two-thirds majority in voting for the next pontiff They could choose someone who will align with the late Argentinian pope’s open-minded sense of reform Or their choice could be a reaction against the progressive stance of Pope Francis a step back toward the traditionalism exemplified by Pope Benedict XVI Consider what happened in American politics when the emergence of Donald Trump was fueled in part as a counter to the historic election of Barack Obama There is no denying that what had been racial dog whistles during the first Trump administration aren’t hidden at all now Trump displays a vulgar animus to the racial progress the nation made with the election of its first Black president in Obama His presence in the White House did not completely upend inequities and racial hatreds deeply embedded in our society simply observing the Obama family live their lives in the public eye with grace Those who didn’t vote for Obama might have disagreed with some of the administration’s policies even on matters concerning race that might not have been raised by a non-Black president in a write up of the work of Emory political scientist Andra Gillespie and her book “Race And The Obama Administration: Substance Symbols and Hope,” Obama issued more executive orders addressing issues of concern to both African Americans and other racial and ethnic minorities” than did his predecessors “He also nominated – and maintained – a more ethnically diverse group of Cabinet-level candidates and senior-level staff.” The nation is upended by Trump’s obsession with degrading anything that reminds us of our country’s diversity of our deep history of civil rights and of the fact that many immigrants today are brown To label something “woke” is a verbal signal a starting point for screeds against what feels too liberal for conservatives Pope Francis firmly walked a path that caused many conservatives in the church to recoil He offered olive branches where some church authorities preferred to erect barricades extended a level of respect and acceptance — like his much-dissected comment on the LGBTQ community Pope Francis didn’t change church teachings on homosexuality emphasizing every human as a creation of God Pope Francis appointed more women to prominent roles placing them on boards and in senior roles at the Vatican In recognizing and honoring the diversity of the Roman Catholic faith he not only recognized the countries where the Catholic faith is rapidly expanding – Africa and Asia – he ensured that more of the world’s cardinals came from those regions the makeup of the church hierarchy shifted under Francis This move is vital given that Africa makes up 20% of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics North America is home to only 6.6% of the world’s Catholics The conclave that will choose Pope Francis’s successor will be larger and more diverse Eight out of 10 of the cardinals have been elevated to their role by Pope Francis That doesn’t mean that all of them align with his views Some of the African cardinals are traditionalists But the prospect of a Black pope has been raised one or more of the first millennium popes might have been Black The faith’s growing diversity will be only one factor as the cardinals assess what the world needs from the next pope or home nation of their choice will be of lesser concern What would be beneficial is if that person continues an embrace of developing nations To take the opposite stand is to deny the realities of the faith The world would continue to benefit if the open-minded global embrace of Pope Francis isn’t allowed to end with him Mary Sanchez writes for the Tribune Content Agency We are thrilled to announce that we have received an Artemis Moon tree seed part of NASA’s Artemis I mission (November 16 – December 11 This incredible gift commemorates the Apollo 14 mission which carried the first Moon tree seeds into space  The Douglas Fir Tree can be found at Morris field as we embark on this journey of growth and exploration celebrating the connection between education More Information can be found at https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/nasa-stem-artemis-moon-trees/ Artesia softball coach Sandra Pulido is so relaxed that before her Lady Bulldogs take on the Goddard Lady Rockets in a doubleheader softball game she is at home plate handing in the lineup card Pulido has her team in a tie for first place (16-7 overall Many fans missed the significance of a 3-2 victory over rival Lovington on Tuesday The win was Pulido’s 200th as the Artesia coach Pulido said the 200 wins might be under her name “I feel like it is a big deal,” Pulido said I am not going on the field playing the game I would never be as successful as I am without my coaching staff and the girls who put the work in And the support from my people in the district and the community.” Pulido said she overlooked the record because she generally doesn’t pay attention to personal accomplishments The one thing she remembers as a player at New Mexico Highlands is the time she missed hitting for the cycle by not getting a single Pulido has been coaching at Artesia since 2016 She has won three state championships – 2017 The coach has helped players such as pitcher RyLee Crandall prepare for the next level – Crandall moved on to Oklahoma State on a softball scholarship Thursday for a regular season ending doubleheader Jessica Posey (right) was congratulated by mom Darby Vernon after she received Area IV Athlete of the Year Award in Carlsbad Saturday Special Olympics athletes from Artesia stand for the National Anthem during the Area IV Special Olympics Summer Games in Carlsbad Aalise Coddington of Special Olympics Pecos Valley during the softball toss at the Area IV Summer Games in Carlsbad on Saturday Lea County Special Olympian Jami Berry competes in Bocce Ball Artesia Bulldogs’ pitcher Diego Morales celebrates a strikeout against Roswell earlier in the season Morales pitched 6 2/3 innings in the first game of a doubleheader as the Bulldogs defeated Goddard 3-2 and 2-0 to remain unbeaten in district play The Bulldogs end the regular season at 20-6 overall and 9-0 in district play the latest movie from director Ryan Coogler Coogler is best known for the Rocky sequel Some people have described Sinners as a vampire horror flick there are bloodsuckers and copious amounts of the red stuff But saying Sinners is a horror flick is like saying Chinatown is simply a movie about a private eye hired to trail a husband who is believed to be cheating on his wife Inspired by the early 20th century water wars between a growing Los Angeles and the water-rich Owens Valley and corruption — and how the country’s second-largest city came to be Sinners is about many things all at once — not the least of which is American history and the many moral questions we should wrestle with as beneficiaries of this complicated legacy I am open to the suggestion that I am so bewitched by the film that I have lost all perspective histories and cultural studies I’ve read over the years have leapt to mind as I’ve ruminated on Coogler’s film I am thinking of novels such as The Color Purple by Alice Walker and Fledgling by Octavia Butler Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead and American Gods by Neil Gaiman The histories loom just as large: The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill and Can’t Stop Here’s my confession: This column is as much about how reading can enrich one’s appreciation of a particular film scene after scene evoked a period of American history I’d read about uncomfortable questions I’d encountered in essays about the many influences that shape a musical genre a commentary on White supremacy in the United States But it is also about a particular time and place I felt a twinge of homesickness for the heavy humid air of summer and the idioms and cadences with which Southerners often speak to one another (Living around the country has taught me that White and Black Southerners have more in common than many people suspect even if our politics sometimes separates many of us.) It is about race in America as told through the lens of the Great Migration millions of Blacks escaped the harsh conditions of the South — the terror of lynching the backbreaking work and limited economic and educational opportunities — for a better life in the North Midwest and West only to find that the utopia they expected north of the Mason-Dixon did not exist (Two major characters in Sinners set up the story when they return to their hometown of Clarksdale It also is about the tug-of-war between religious faith and the outside world (A major character in Sinners must decide between a peripatetic lifestyle of a blues musician and his father’s wish that he follow in his steps as a preacher As a child of a Presbyterian minister who wondered why her seminary-trained son never followed her into the pulpit also about Christianity’s destruction of and intermittent integration of Indigenous belief systems into its cosmology over the past 20 centuries as it spread across the globe (This is represented in Sinners both by a female root doctor a traditional healer in the rural Black South and a 1,000-year-old vampire who remembers Christian priests taking his father’s land as they destroyed the pre-Christian culture made up of a mixture of pagan and Celtic influences.) And it is also about music and its transcendent power to transport us to another plane of existence it is about who has the power to commodify this potent human creation I apologize if my musings give the impression that Sinners was dull an exposition of complicated historical and sociological ideas I was shocked to learn its running time is longer than two hours when a movie chock full of this many ideas feels this tight Trip Jennings started his career in Georgia at his hometown newspaper before working at newspapers in California Trip has covered politics and state government for the Albuquerque Journal The New Mexico Independent and the Santa Fe New Mexican He holds a Master’s of Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur msmith@currentargus.com Shots from a 21-gun salute at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center led to a short lockdown at two Artesia schools Thursday according to an Artesia Police Department spokesperson The salute was part of the 33rd annual Indian Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial Ceremony “Children and teachers (at Yucca Elementary School) heard shots,” he said a teacher pushed the panic button which sends us a message We treated it as if it was a real emergency.” Quinones said officers arrived at the school at 900 N He said the scene was cleared 30 minutes after the call was received Artesia Public Schools superintendent Darian Jaramillo said Yucca and Park Junior High School at 1508 W She praised law enforcement for its rapid response and school staff for taking action “The staff did exactly what they’re supposed to do,” Jaramillo said Follow Mike Smith on X @mikesmithartesianm See photo gallery in 5-8-2025 Artesia Daily Press edition Adrian HeddenArtesia Daily Pressachedden@currentargus.com Artesia voters will decide starting next week if a mill levy will continue to fund up to $7 million in operations at Artesia General Hospital via mail-in ballots that are available for about a month The mill levy was first established in 1979 when the Artesia Special Hospital District was established and renewed by voters every four years since Mail in ballots will go out to voters for the latest renewal May 6 The levy is collected by the hospital district which functions as a government agency similar to a school district and as such is allowed to place the levy on the ballot for voters The funds are used to support operational costs at the hospital which serves patients throughout Eddy County and in Chaves County Here’s what to know about the Artesia General Hospital mill levy A vote for the mill levy this year will not raise taxes but maintain the levy in place since 1979 of $2.70 per every $1,000 of a property owner’s net taxable property value for those within the district The district is defined in state statute as “the Artesia public” which is most land within the city of Artesia chair of the Artesia Special Hospital District said revenue from the levy mostly comes from commercial property owners – mainly large oil and gas corporations he estimated account for 80% to 90% of the funds Oil and gas property values can also fluctuate drastically meaning the levy provided between $4 million and $7 million annually to the district over the past four to eight years Voting down the mill levy could cause residential property tax rates to decline “slightly,” but not enough for residents to “feel it,” Moreau said “The much meatier chunk of this is the property taxes that are paid by the large corporations,” Thoreau said “It does have some property tax in there on the residential side but a much smaller piece including salaries for medical personnel and recruiting of specialists Having those expenses largely covered by the mill levy allows the hospital to focus more of its revenue on infrastructure and capital investments “The mill levy from the district to the hospital provides for our operations It allows us to recruit staff and physicians,” she said “It allows us to recruit specialties we might not be able to otherwise for a rural community.” Ballots are being mailed to the homes of registered voters within the hospital district Ballots include instructions for mailing them back or they can be turned in directly to the Eddy County Clerk’s sub-office in Artesia at 602 S or at the main County Clerk’s Office at 325 S Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516 or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X energy drinks and water were distributed April 26 to families in Artesia as part of a Pop Up Food Distribution by the Roadrunner Food Bank An estimated 500 families received the free food distributed at the Bulldog Bowl Parking Lot food distribution manager of Roadrunner Food Bank A news release from Roadrunner Food Bank indicated more than 615,000 pounds of food was distributed to 11,400 people in New Mexico since January of this year from pop up food distributions Mike Smith Artesia Daily Pressmsmith@currentargus.com A Texas-based iced tea and drink chain has opened a store in Artesia HTeaO’s Artesia location is the fifth in New Mexico along with Carlsbad “We’re excited to officially open HTeaO in the heart of Artesia,” Elrod-Hobbs said in a news release “With a prime location right along Main Street we’re hoping to become a part of the daily rhythm of the community from a morning pick-me-up to an afternoon treat.” it’s always nice to have more options,” Burns said new businesses bring new job opportunities for our city We want all of our companies to succeed and show everyone that Artesia is a great place to do business.” including Root Beer Tea – a beverage that contains cinnamon bark your cup of tea you might enjoy one or more of the 13 hot coffee items on the menu which combines Free Rein Homestead Espresso with hazelnut and Irish cream with creamy steamed milk and vanilla for a warm comforting drink with a Texas twist,” says the website HTeaO also has 13 iced coffee combinations and two lemonade selections along with 11 “secret” offerings that are special flavors offered monthly Artesia’s Kayden Apodaca throws a pitch against the Goddard Rockets earlier in the season Apodaca hit a three-run homer to help the Lady ‘Dogs win 7-1 against Lovington and take sole possession of first place in District 4-4A JT Keith Artesia Daily Press jtkeith@elrtiomedia.com  To avenge its loss in last year’s district season the Artesia Lady ‘Dogs softball team needs to knock off rival Lovington before moving on to the state tournament This year’s regular season district championship will be decided in their next meeting 5 p.m Artesia lost the District 4-4A championship to the Wildcats but ended up playing against Gallup in the state championship game in a losing effort They faced off again as both teams circled April 17 on their calendars in what has become a contested rivalry Nothing was settled as both teams traded victories in the early-season doubleheader in Lovington that would have determined who was in first place with Lovington taking the first game 6-4 and The Lady Dogs taking the second game 3-2 in eight innings Here’s how the two teams fared in the doubleheader on April 17 Artesia pitcher Katrin Marquez went 5.2 innings but two of the six hits were home runs to Lovington’s Zabri Rodriguez and Zemarie Ellis The Wildcats did their damage in the fourth and fifth innings Lovington’s Sabre Sanchez threw up zeros in a pitching duel until the fourth inning when The Lady ‘Dogs’ Kayden Apodaca homered to center field Marquez homered to left field in the sixth inning as Artesia trailed 6-2 Sanchez gave up a two-run homer to Artesia’s Janae Molina but that was not enough as Artesia fell 6-4 A pitcher’s duel ensued in the second game as both teams were scoreless for five innings until Artesia broke through as Jenessa Rodriguez reached first base on Lovington’s third baseman Arianna Garcia’s error and Rodriguez moved to third base with two outs tripled to right field to score both Jenessa Rodriguez and Apodaca to give the Lady Dogs a 2-0 lead Lovington’s Zabri Rodriguez doubled to centerfield and scored on an error to close the Lady Dogs lead to 2-1 Wildcats’ Jocelynn Holguin scored on a sacrifice bunt from Sanchez to tie the game at 2-2 and force extra innings Lovington gave up a run when Artesia’s Kambry Collins scored on a double by teammate Brooklyn Fuentes to give the Lady Dogs a 3-2 win tied for first place with Lovington and Goddard in District 4-4A The Lady Dogs begin a four-game home stand with Portales coming to the Mack Chase Complex on Tuesday at 5 p.m There are no guarantees in sports or life but with the defending District 4-4A champion Lovington Wildcats coming into the Mack Chase Sports Complex at 5 p.m this year’s district title could be at stake.  Lovington and Artesia were tied for first place in the district The winner of this game will probably win the district championship and have a better seeding position for state playoff selections.  Lovington is 16-6 overall and 4-1 in district play.   Artesia will close the regular season Friday with a doubleheader at Portales Lovington will play two at Goddard on Friday and make up a rainout at Portales to wrap up district competition on Saturday.  Here are three keys to Artesia securing the District 4-4A crown.  Artesia must continue to play the way it has all season long The Lady Bulldogs have mostly played the short game But they have been able to hit the long ball when needed.  Teams cannot pitch around Artesia’s power hitter Kayden Apodaca Teammate Jenna Whitmire has seven homers and Katrin Marquez has five The Lady ‘Dogs have 30 home runs as a team.  Artesia wants revenge but must guard against being too excited about beating the Wildcats It’s a Lovington team that won the district championship last year Even though this game is for the potential district championship the Lady Dogs must stay relaxed and play their game.  “This game means a lot,” Artesia coach Sandra Pulido said and that (game) will be the tiebreaker for determining who will win our district this season.”  Don’t think ahead and do the small things that lead to winning Coach Pulido said she would tell her players to take it one pitch at a time and to win each inning.  “When we play games against teams like Silver and Lovington and other excellent schools it brings out that rivalry and extra competition that we have,” Pulido said “We tend to move away from the small things we must do We try to get to the big picture right away We must slow it down in those games and do our job.”  JTKeith can be reached at 575-420-0061 or on X@JTKEITH1  A new style of barrier will be used by the Artesia Police Department after city councilors approved a donation of about $546,000 for the project Police Chief Kirk Roberts said was needed as local events get bigger and require improved traffic and crowd control Councilors voted at their April 22 meeting to accept the donation from the Greater Artesia Foundation for a modular vehicle barrier system and trailer for police to use for safety during events The system will take the place of current fencing used by the city The new barriers can link together quickly and pivot out of the way easily “We can open them where we want traffic to flow out and can move them very rapidly.” Mayor Jon Henry said the improved barrier system will benefit residents attending events in the city improving safety and the adaptability of stationed security “It’s a testament to our city that we have foundations that care about the safety of our citizens We take it seriously and I know the commander worked hard on figuring this out,” Henry said “It’s awesome that Artesia is that much further ahead than so many towns our size.” Roberts also reported the police department was in the process of acquiring new vehicle cameras He said police vehicles will be outfitted with new cameras that include automatic license plate readers to compare plates of stolen vehicles and give police an alert if a theft is suspected or if a plate is associated with a missing person report “You guys stepped up and are putting us at the forefront of the application of technology,” Roberts said He said the new body cameras will be able to translate between English and Spanish in real time while automatically transcribing recorded interviews Training was underway for drone piloting and virtual reality components “It’s getting more and more complex to bring a case in front of a jury,” Roberts said Now you can hardly get a case heard unless you have a body cam video they’re not even going to hear your case.” Community Development/Infrastructure Director Byron Landfair reported the city’s annexation has been officially filed and the city now has new official city limits In response to concerns about speeding at Jaycee Park Landfair reported city staff are adding pedestrian crossings said the city received conditional approval for a splash pad and anticipates opening it soon after fixing a small issue with a concrete slab Crews added a fence in the middle of Jaycee Park in all directions updated the lighting so all are working now and installed a new flagpole at the Senior Center – making that seven flag poles maintained throughout the city New lighting was installed at every intersection on 26th Street from Ray Avenue through Centre Avenue gifted education teacher at Artesia Intermediate School appeared with four 7th grade students who presented their passion projects: • Conner Summers – Aeronautical engineering • Brooks Sexton – Pros/cons of electric vs During the Government Committee report Councilor Wade Nelson reported Artesia Clean and Beautiful is asking permission for a mural on three sections of cinder block fence at the Dr The Artesia Library will have several flight-focused events and programs leading up to the National Championship Air Races planned this summer in Roswell STEM labs on airplanes and rockets and a birthday party for Edgar Mitchell the sixth man on the moon will be held at the library The Artesia Historical Museum & Art Center is considering hosting an exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution for two years The committee also discussed adding murals at the Artesia Airport that depict air races and the Artesia Senior Center is making flight-themed quilts The Senior Center is planning to repair the parking lot and dance floor with capital outlay money that New Mexico State Sen Owners and staff of HTeO celebrated Saturday with a ribbon cutting and free tea More details coming in Thursday’s Artesia Daily Press JT Keith Artesia Daily Press jtkeith@elritomedia.com  For Artesia first-year baseball coach Jackson Bickel the road to the district championship goes through Mack Chase Complex The team struggled last season with 17-14 overall record and a 7-2 second-place finish in districts in 2023-2024 The Bulldogs fired shots in District 4-4A play over the weekend In the opening series of district play against the Portales Rams on Friday and Saturday the three-game set went like this: Artesia 24-1 Artesia scored 50 runs to five against Portales and played neck-and-neck with 5A powerhouse Carlsbad as pitcher Daelon Pacheco threw a six-hitter and gave up two runs on April 11 Bickel talked about what the Bulldogs need to win the district and have a shot at winning the state title “To succeed in the district play and beyond we need to focus on the fundamentals,” Bickel said The Bulldogs face the Lovington Wildcats at Mack Chase Complex at 5 p.m Thursday with six games to play in the regular season With a challenging non-conference schedule Bickel said he did that intentionally to prepare his team for district play the Bulldogs are ranked No.1 in the New Mexico Coaches Poll which Bickel said is a testament to the team’s hard work One of the things that has been an adjustment for Bickel going from assistant coach to head coach has been learning how to administer the team beyond its performance on the field “I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for the broader responsibilities involved,” Bickel said “From administrative tasks to being the primary decision-maker during games It has challenged me to grow as a leader and to develop a more comprehensive perspective on team management.” With just six games left in the regular season look for the Bulldogs to continue to explode at the plate and play shutout defense “We must continue to support each other as a team staying mentally tough through the ups and downs of the game.” A man and woman were shot in the early morning hours of Thursday and Artesia police are looking for suspects suffering from gunshot wounds at about 4:39 a.m at their residence at the corner of West Clayton and South 11th streets according to a new release from the Artesia Police Department Pete Quinones said the department was not releasing the names of the injured people as they were protected in cases of aggravated battery – the crime he said was committed – under New Mexico law The same statute applies to other “high-end” crimes such as arson and aggravated assault The woman was treated at Artesia General Hospital with “superficial wounds,” read the news release while the man was flown to an area hospital for treatment of his injuries Quinones said police were on scene Thursday investigating the incident which he said occurred at a home where the man and woman lived He said the shooting was “definitely not” the result of domestic violence nor was there any evidence of a robbery or theft Police did not have any suspects as of Thursday afternoon He said shootings were “rare” in the neighborhood “We’re barely in the beginning stages,” Quinones said “They’re still gathering all the information.” Anyone with information on the matter was asked to call the Artesia Police Department at 575-746-5000 Developer G3 Urban has hit reset on plans for a new townhome community in Artesia tapping the Builder’s Remedy for a project located just east of Pioneer Boulevard upsizes that vision to include a total of 120 homes in a collection of 22 buildings Absent from the revised project are the commercial uses from the original plan As is required by the Builder's Remedy, G3 Urban will be required to set aside a portion of the new housing for lower-income buyers or renters. In the case of Artesia Place, this will mean 24 low-income units. Plans show a mix of three-story structures and four-bedroom homes ranging from 923 to 1,852 square feet in size That total also includes eight street-fronting live-work units Angeleno Associates is designing the townhomes according to plans included a draft environmental study compiled for Artesia Place The study projects a construction period of 24 months The proposed development is one of several housing developments along the Pioneer Boulevard corridor in Artesia, including another townhome complex taking shape on the north side of the SR-91 Freeway. G3 Urban has recently developed a slew of for-sale housing in the Gardena area and advertises future developments in Compton Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn / Threads / Instagram / Bluesky 2025) – Community members who need help with food are invited to a FREE pop-up food distribution on Saturday The distribution will start at 10 am at 301 Bulldog Ave in Artesia  Community members seeking to receive food assistance do not need to register in advance or bring any paperwork with them those seeking help should watch for directional signs and volunteers providing instructions on where to go The format of the food distribution is drive through the pop up distributions have provided more than 615,000 pounds of food (primarily produce) to 11,400 people of which nearly 6,200 are children and seniors (54 percent of all people served) For those that have questions about the food distribution, please contact the food bank’s food assistance line at 505.349.5340 or email foodassistance@rrfb.org. Additional food distributions being held by the food bank or partner agencies of the food bank across the state can be found at www.rrfb.org/find-food Please contact any site prior to visiting for additional information New Mexico is ranked as one of the most food-insecure and most poverty-stricken states in the nation is the largest non-profit dedicated to providing access to food and meals in New Mexico The food bank serves as a distribution hub and works through hundreds of affiliated partners around the state including food pantries and other nonprofit organizations to provide food to people experiencing hunger Roadrunner also distributes food through its own specialized programs helping children healthcare locations and tribal communities the food bank distributed more than 46 million pounds of food reaching tens of thousands of people every week of the year  JT Keith Artesia Daily Press jtkeith@elritomedia.com  The Lady ‘Dogs tennis team proved a success throughout the season posting a winning record as the playoffs loom The team is 9-2 overall and 4-0 in district play after dispatching Portales 9-0 Thursday at the Mack Chase Complex The victory clinches first place in the regular season district standings coaches both the boys’ and girls’ tennis teams Trentham is in his 12th year as head coach and 19th overall after spending seven years as an assistant coach has a relaxed attitude and is known as a player’s coach As the regular season nears the end and district play begins Trentham said he hopes to get his teams to the state playoffs The Artesia Lady Dogs girls’ tennis team returned eight players from last season’s team Artesia is led by a its No.1 player junior Kirklyn Miller The girls’ doubles teams are led by the Millers’ ‘Sister Act,” with a 12-3 record The Lady Dogs clinched first place in the district with the win over Portales on Thursday The victory gives them a bye to the district finals “Winning district is a guaranteed ticket to state,” Trentham said we have a district individual tournament where players can qualify for state as an individual or team.”  Trentham said the tournaments in the district qualify players for the individual tournament because the state is divided into two parts The individual tournament is on Wednesday and Thursday and the state tournament is on Friday and Saturday The girls are trying to avenge an upset loss to Lovington in the district championship last year The Bulldog boys have seven players and played tougher competition in facing District 5A schools: Hobbs Artesia’s overall record is 4-7 and 2-2 in district play with a 9-0 victory over Portales on Thursday The win has the boys in third place in the district standings The boy’s No.1 player is Cutter Summers The Bulldogs’ No.1 doubles team of Summers and Lopez has a record of 5-8 2 doubles team is Jackson Hollinger and Paul Miller 3 doubles team of Adan Alva and Joshua Vazquez Martinez has a record of 5-5 The boys are sitting in the same position they were in last year They defeated NMMI in districts only to lose to Lovington in the district finals where we will take on NMMI or Lovington.”  Trentham said he has a terrific group of kids to work with this season and is looking forward to the postseason with his players The postseason begins May 7-8 for the individual tournament “we had both the girls and the boys as a team go to state The Lady Dogs had three girls qualify: Kirklyn Miller I am hoping to have similar results for individual qualifiers this year.”  jtkeith can be reached at 575-420-0061or on X@JTKEITH1 Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Sondra Lynn Stockton left to soar with the angels at a beautiful sunset on March 16,2025 She was welcomed to heaven by her late soul mate Sidney Stockton and resided in Ute Park for much of her childhood She moved to Albuquerque as a young adult where she graduated High School She loved and adored the Sangre De Cristo Mountains where she always felt it was in her words "A piece of heaven on earth" She made a life for herself in the Cimarron Ute Park region of Northern NM in her early years where she gave birth to her three Sons At her time in Cimarron she made many wonderful lifelong friends a member of the civic Woman's group Beta Sigma Phi She made lasting impressions on the Northern New Mexico Region and will forever be remembered and cherished She later went on to find a home in Albuquerque where she resided for many years and began her career with State Farm establishing the goal of becoming an Agent She achieved that goal in 2008 when she opened her own Agency in Artesia NM As her life began in Artesia she made many wonderful friends and gained her "Artesia Family" and gave back to her community in many ways and later the President of Altrusa International Chapter Ten she was a member of the First Christian Church of Artesia and served in many community events in the time she lived there She made an everlasting impact on the community of Artesia through her efforts to serve them as their State Farm Agent In her eyes her biggest accomplishment and joy was the family she created She has left on Earth to carry on her love her sister Cindy and husband Gary Smith She had thirteen Grandchildren whom she loved and adored Adam Jr She also had the honor to welcome two Great Grandchildren into the world Alejandro whom even in her final days brought such joy to her Sondie will always be remembered for the remarkable acts of kindness she instilled in everyone she interacted with If you knew Sondie then you at some point felt special She had a remarkable gift to make every single person that crossed her path feel special She took on many people into her home in times of need and helped them get on the path God intended She strived to help others and always stood by her beliefs Luke 6:31 "And as you wish that others would do to you do so to them" was a true testament and embodied her purpose here on earth Spread your Wings and fly with the Angels once and for all from 12:30 pm -1:30 pm at French Funerals and Cremations - Westside Chapel  A funeral service will take place at 1:30 pm at French - Westside Chapel.  Interment will be at 3:00 pm at Sunset Memorial Park.   We will have a gathering afterwards back at the French Mortuary from 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm We are working on setting up a live stream of Her service for those who may not be able to attend We will provide a link once we have that available Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors A $172 million settlement was reached by the operators of the Navajo Refinery in Artesia the federal government and New Mexico state officials to resolve multiple air pollution violations the agencies reported at the facility Air pollution emitted by the refinery led to a $35 million civil penalty to be paid in equal shares to the U.S and the state of New Mexico by refinery owner HF Sinclair Navajo The company was also tasked with taking steps valued at an estimated cost of $137 million to comply with federal and state air quality rules “HF Sinclair is committed to safe and compliant operations of the Artesia New Mexico refinery and being a valued member of the community,” read a statement from the company including investing in capital projects and implementing enhanced monitoring and will continue to do so to meet our compliance obligations The company said it intended to run the refinery in compliance with federal and state law “We have additionally worked diligently and cooperatively with the government over the past few years and are pleased to have resolved this matter,” the statement read “We look forward to the facility playing a key role in refining Permian Basin crude and serving the New Mexico and West Texas region for many years to come.” The emissions were discovered during a 2019 joint investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency and New Mexico Environment Department and reported to the U.S Department of Justice as violations of the Clean Air Act The settlement agreement was submitted to U.S District Court for the District of New Mexico for approval following a 30-day comment period the justice department had yet to schedule as of Tuesday The agencies estimated that if implemented the actions in the settlement would curb 180 tons per year of air pollutants such as benzene along with 2,716 tons per year of volatile organic compounds which form ground-level ozone – or smog – when combined with sunlight Another 51 tons per year of nitrous oxide and 31 tons per year of sulfur dioxide would be cut from the refinery’s emissions under the settlement The Environmental Protection Agency estimated the reductions to be the equivalent of 97,551 tons per year of carbon dioxide emissions HF Sinclair was also required to install and maintain 10 real-time air pollution monitors along the refinery’s fence line and six others to be placed around Artesia to measure emissions from the facility and make the results available online to the public The total cost of the monitors was $1.8 million “Today’s action not only obtains civil penalties — it forces the Artesia Refinery to invest in a number of projects to benefit our state including improving controls for cancer-causing benzene emissions and other pollutants that infringe on New Mexicans’ right to breathe clean air,” said James Kenney New Mexico Environment Department cabinet secretary Other violations of state regulations governing refinery equipment and operations were found at the site including flaring – the burning of excess natural gas – wastewater The company will also install a flare gas recovery system upgrade its wastewater system to reduce benzene in wastewater install geodesic domes to serve as storage vessels to capture emissions and increase monitoring for leaks and their repairs “The fence line community in Artesia has lived with the burden of benzene and VOC emissions for many years,” said Earthea Nance regional administrator at the Environmental Protection Agency “This settlement is an overdue step in bringing them some relief from the potential health effects of these pollutants.” Patricia Monk is a senior entomology research assistant at New Mexico State University's Agricultural Science Center at Artesia who has co-authored more than 25 research publications and 200 presentations on insect pest management with a focus on biological control in major crops in New Mexico Monk’s current research projects include looking into resistance to Bt protein and insecticides in New Mexico pests She has been with NMSU for 25 years after moving to the area from Rhode Island with her husband Besides working on impactful entomology research, Monk spends her spare time as treasurer for the Yucca CowBelles and Woolgrowers. Five years ago, she started the Zia Dairy Clinic and Show to help youth in New Mexico who are interested in showing dairy cattle. She also runs a small business, Made to Lather which sells handmade bath and body products developed to treat dry skin a common problem in the dry southeastern New Mexico climate on April 5 to add photos and a gallery and later updated to correct the spelling of Rontravious Perry's name ARTESIA — New Mexico State took its party to the southeast part of the state The Aggies held their 2025 spring game at the Bulldog Bowl on Saturday morning NM State didn't play a traditional game between two teams; instead it set their offense at various parts of the field to start drives The first drive started at the 25-yard line with 75 yards to go while the last started at the other 25-yard line Temperatures were below 40°F throughout the contest with strong winds and precipitation Aggies coach Tony Sanchez thought his team fared well "(We got to see) who's tough and who's not," Sanchez said that doesn't really bother me that it was bad weather conditions because we've already had four weeks of great weather and good conditions and good practices you probably learn a whole lot more about yourself in a situation like this than you would on a normal Here are five observations from NM State's spring game: More: What Tony Sanchez thinks about New Mexico State football ahead of 2025 spring game He thought Montana transfer Logan Fife had a solid spring game completing his first few passes before the weather resulted in balls slipping out of his hands He started the game and led the offense's lone touchdown drive Sanchez commended Fife's play throughout spring football and says he's seen enough to make him the starter "He's done a great job throughout the course of the spring a couple of balls slipped out of his hands and things like that I don't know if we'll see quite that weather again He did a good job throughout the course of the spring 14 touchdowns and two interceptions for Montana last season Read more about Fife: Montana transfer ready to be 'the guy' who fixes New Mexico State's quarterback problems Rudison scores only touchdownNM State's offense only scored one touchdown a one-yard rush from running back Isaiah Rudison on the game's third drive saw more snaps than usual due to Sanchez's decision to hold starting running back Seth McGowan out of the spring game He rushed for 20 yards on three carries during the drive Rudison says he contributed to a good team performance "I think we all played good as a team," Rudison said We all were just trying to be physical during the weather so I think we played good during the circumstances Most of the Aggies' offensive production came through runs "It was really difficult to throw the ball today," Sanchez said "It's really slick and windy out there and it just creates a difficult situation to throw the ball." Defense earns several red zone stopsAs the offense started drives closer to the end zone NM State's defense made three consecutive stops in the red zone The defense forced a fumble on the final drive which was recovered by defensive end Reeves Baller Linebacker Tyler Martinez said red-zone stops are part of the defense's "big four" principles which include holding teams to field goals or less "Defense doesn't get to choose where we start," Martinez said then we still got to find a way to stop them and we did a really good job of that today." Baller's fumble recovery wasn't the Aggies' only one Cornerback Zedekiah Rodriguez-Brown earned one after quarterback Parker Awad dropped a snap on the game's second drive Linebacker Rontravious Perry received mostly second-team snaps Perry earned numerous quarterback pressures including one that forced Awad to scramble several yards outside of the pocket He also earned what likely would've been a sack in a normal game as defenders weren’t allowed to make serious contact with quarterbacks who seeks a larger role after recording only eight total tackles last season especially my teammates in the environment (Linebackers coach Jared Hensley) kept saying Saturday provided a homecoming for defensive tackle and Artesia native Matthew Saiz Saiz was part of Artesia High School's 5A state championship team in 2023 and played at the varsity level from 2021-23 Teammates chastised Saiz about his hometown due to the weather but playing college football in his hometown is something he won't forget "I know that the fans couldn't really show out because of the weather but it was pretty cool to come back and see that I get really emotional thinking about it." 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The My Ashleah Foundation in partnership with the Artesia Downtown Lions Club is thrilled to announce the 1st Annual My Ashleah Foundation Banquet Dinner & 3-Man Golf Scramble This exciting three-day outreach event will directly benefit the missions of the My Ashleah Foundation and the Jesus is Enough (JIE) media outreach—all dedicated to reaching thousands with messages of hope My Ashleah Foundation 1st Annual Golf Tournament and Banquet with Kevin Sorbo Diamond-level partners will receive exclusive access to a private Meet & Greet with Kevin & Sam Sorbo at 5:00 PM on April 4th The My Ashleah Foundation was born from a place of unimaginable loss—the tragic passing of Mark and Lorraine Richards' daughter the foundation now stands as a beacon of hope reaching out to those walking through grief The foundation’s mission is simple yet profound: to bring people together and create lasting change in the community "This event is more than just golf and dinner—it’s about uniting our community in hope "Lorraine and I are beyond grateful for the outpouring of support from our local community and we believe God has orchestrated this weekend for something bigger than we can imagine." The My Ashleah Foundation extends a warm invitation to media outlets for interviews and coverage of this impactful event Organizations interested in interviewing the My Ashleah Foundation team or learning more about the mission behind this outreach are encouraged to reach out to: Mark@MyAshleah.org575-243-8858 Lorraine@MyAshleah.org575-243-8858 The organization welcomes opportunities to share its mission and the direct benefits this event will provide to the community the My Ashleah Foundation has been a beacon of hope for those navigating grief the foundation has reached thousands with a message of compassion Contact:Mark RichardsCo-Founder, My Ashleah FoundationMark@MyAshleah.org575-243-8858 www.MyAshleah.org Attendees are invited to experience a memorable weekend of fellowship all while contributing to a meaningful impact on the community #MyAshleahFoundation #KevinSorbo #SamSorbo #MichaelJoiner #LionsClub #GolfForACause #HopeInAction #ArtesiaNM The My Ashleah Foundation is dedicated to responding with compassion and grace to those in need Inspired by the enduring love that emerged from the loss of Ashleah in a tragic drunk driving accident the foundation remains committed to extending that same compassion and grace to a hurting world My Ashleah Foundationhttps://myashleah.orgMark Richardsmark@myashleah.org575-243-8858120 S Roselawn AvenueArtesia An image accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f7b82d35-043a-40f3-b0af-94dd288f64ec A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4e725d0a-03d4-40ea-840e-7d389f82a337 Artesia Bulldogs pitcher Jack Byers threw darts in his bullpen session while warming up for his April 8 start against the Roswell Coyotes on the road The bullpen session was merely a prelude to what Roswell’s batters would encounter Byers struck out the side in the first inning and racked up 16 strikeouts in all while hurling a six-inning no-hitter that ended on the 10-run rule as the Bulldogs coasted to a 14-0 victory The win improved Artesia’s season record to 11-6 I knew it was going to be a good outing because I struck out my first three guys,” Byers said “My curveball and fastball were my strengths in the game Byers faced only 21 Roswell batters and threw just 87 pitches Artesia coach Jackson Bickel said he originally planned on limiting Byers to 40 pitches but decided to let him go as far as he could after Byers said he felt great following a morning weight-lifting session “My arm had a week to rest so I knew it was at its best potential.” The 6-foot-3 junior is a three-sport athlete who plays wide receiver on the football team and guard/forward in basketball He helped lead the Bulldogs to this year’s 4A state basketball championship said watching their son throw a no-hitter made for a fun time They said they avoided talking about or even thinking about what was happening until the game was over because they didn’t want to jinx the no-hitter Roswell coach Ernie Lujan was impressed by Byers’ performance “He had us on our heels the whole night and was able to command his pitches in crucial counts He is a kid with a bright future on the mound.” Artesia boys’ basketball coach Michael Mondragon is about as relaxed as a souped-up race car idling before the start of a race The No.2-seeded Bulldogs took their cue from Mondragon and with energy to spare dismantled third-seeded Espanola Valley 72-51 in Thursday’s semifinals of the 4A state tournament at The Pit in Albuquerque Artesia (20-9) will face the No.8 seed Highland Hornets (18-14) in the state championship game at 4 p.m which happens to be the 28th anniversary of the Bulldogs’ second of two state championships The game will mark the second time Mondragon’s team will play for the championship in his 11-year coaching career at Artesia The Bulldogs also reached the title game during the 2020-21 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic The matchup with Highland will be a who-wants-it-more game It will be two dogs chasing one bone — and who will fight harder for the prize Here are Artesia’s three keys to New Mexico 4A supremacy Artesia’s 6-foot-8 junior center Clay Kincaid will face another talented 6-foot-8 big man in Highland’s Jerry Moody scored 14 points in the Hornets’ 66-37 semifinal victory over Albuquerque Academy Kincaid must stay out of foul trouble in this game He picked up three fouls and had to sit against Espanola Valley Kincaid’s value beyond scoring is his ability to block shots inside and limit opponents to one shot He blocked four shots against the Sundevils and altered several others Artesia will have to match the athleticism of Highland He can beat teams off the dribble and pull up from 3-point land In the Hornets’ quarterfinal game against St Albuquerque Academy double-teamed him in the semifinal game and held him to eight points Look for Juan Limas to get it going from the 3-point line Artesia will need the length and athleticism of Charlie Campbell Jack Byers and Corbyn Dominguez to shut down the Highland players then all the Bulldogs have to do is want to win more than Highland does Keith can be reached at jtkeith@elritomedia.com Rural healthcare has long faced challenges but Artesia General Hospital (AGH) has expanded is offerings to serve the growing needs of southeast New Mexico Roswell and the surrounding communities with a increased technologies and healthcare offerings AGH is investing in medical advancements to help patients get the care they need without long travel times the hospital and the Artesia Special Hospital District committed millions of dollars to upgrades and expansions One major development is a state-of-the-art MRI suite the suite will house a next-generation scanner further enhancing AGH’s diagnostic capabilities This addition joins a recently installed CT scanner and expanded radiology services making AGH the only facility in southeast New Mexico accredited in all five imaging modalities: CT AGH introduced robotic-assisted surgery for orthopedics enabling precise joint replacements and faster patient recovery modern operating rooms continue to support these advanced procedures and help attract high-level specialists to the community expanding access to specialty care for local residents Telemedicine has also become a permanent feature of AGH’s services Initially scaled during the COVID-19 pandemic virtual care is now widely available through AGH clinics Whether it’s a routine check-up or a specialist consultation patients across rural areas can connect with healthcare providers from their own homes—bridging the gap in a region where long drives often stand between patients and the care they need The hospital recently established a non-emergency transportation program The service offers wheelchair-accessible rides for patients who otherwise lack reliable transportation to medical appointments With weekday availability and trained drivers providing door-to-door service the initiative has already improved access to essential care for many residents AGH is also a significant economic force in the county employing hundreds and actively supporting local businesses the hospital hired more than 100 new employees and spent millions of dollars locally on supplies and services Expansion projects frequently use local contractors and vendors reinforcing AGH’s commitment to boosting the regional economy AGH and the hospital district are planning a “healthcare village” on a 250-acre site at the north end of town The development will include a new medical complex surrounded by walking trails affordable housing and community-focused amenities Patient satisfaction surveys place the hospital among the top performers nationwide Over 75% of surveyed patients gave AGH the highest possible rating and 100% of recent inpatients reported being treated with courtesy and respect Patients consistently praise the professionalism and warmth of the staff AGH offers a secure online Patient Portal where individuals can view their medical records Even the hospital cafeteria has been re-imagined is open to the public and known for its home-style New Mexico fare the café serves up local favorites like green chile-smothered burritos and hearty daily specials AGH is planning a 157,000-square-foot facility that will triple the hospital’s size dramatically increasing emergency and surgical capacity and boosting inpatient beds The project is expected to break ground by late 2027 and is designed to meet the growing healthcare needs of a rapidly expanding population plans are in motion to expand AGH’s reach through a second major facility the new center would ease the burden on Carlsbad residents who currently travel to Artesia for care A 42,000-square-foot medical center is in development and will offer urgent and primary care in Carlsbad in the coming years Local officials have applauded these projects With about 20% of AGH’s current patients coming from Carlsbad the expansion was intended to bring essential care closer to where people live Adrian HeddenCarlsbad Current-Argusachedden@currentargus.com the man accused of killing 36-year-old Artesia resident Tyler Grantham Grantham was found shot in the face at his Artesia home on Nov He could face up to 18 years in prison if convicted on the murder charge and five more years if convicted on an additional charge of tampering with evidence Garrison’s trial at the Eddy County Courthouse in Carlsbad will begin with jury selection before Fifth Judicial District Judge Jane Schuler Gray the case will proceed with opening arguments from prosecutor Ariane Gonzales and defense attorney Gary Mitchell representing the Fifth District Attorney’s Office will then present evidence and call witnesses to support the prosecution’s case against Garrison Mitchell will present the case for a not guilty verdict Here’s what to know about the case ahead of Garrison’s trial Following is a summary of events leading up to charges being filed as described in the official criminal complaint: Grantham was found by detectives with the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office at about 2:30 a.m at his house in the 100 block of East Cottonwood Street in Artesia after police received a report of a man suffering from a gunshot wound Detectives found Grantham slumped against a wall Grantham had been shot in the left side of his face He succumbed to his injuries despite medical personnel attempting to resuscitate him at the scene were taken to the sheriff’s office location in Artesia location for questioning Pitman and Cheatham said they had been living with Grantham on the day of the shooting they went with Grantham to a drug rehab meeting hosted by Celebrate Recovery at a church near the Artesia Walmart a friend of the group who also attended the meeting noticed $400 in cash was missing from her vehicle Wallace questioned everyone about the money Conflict arose about the missing money and continued as the group went to the home on Cottonwood Street Wallace accused Bernal of stealing the money Wallace later called Garrison and asked him if he stole the money was brandishing a firearm at the house and demanding to know where the money was Garrison told police he left after denying stealing the money but returned to the home with a shotgun to scare Fernandez into letting everyone go Garrison told police he fired once into the backdoor of the house – a shot that investigators said hit and killed Grantham Garrison admitted to police that he argued with Grantham over the stolen money Garrison was arrested the day of the shooting near a home where he was staying in the 3500 block of Quay Avenue in Artesia He was subsequently charged and pleaded not guilty were listed as witnesses by the prosecution Arresting officer Cayden Bird with the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office was also listed as a potential witness along with detectives from the sheriff’s office and the Artesia Police Department field investigator with the Office of the Medical Investigator along with firearm ballistics expert Sean Daniel and DNA expert Jennifer Otto with the New Mexico Department of Public Safety A list of potential witnesses submitted by the defense included many of the same law enforcement officials experts and other witnesses listed by the prosecution but also included Randy Fernandez and members of Garrison’s family The Land of the Sun Theater could be one step closer to revival after the Artesia City Council voted to pursue capital funding to purchase or renovate the long-closed movie house often referred to as the Landsun or Land Sun discussed possible renovation during the council’s Feb “I talked with the director of New Mexico MainStreet at a recent conference,” Fox said “They receive capital outlay funding from the New Mexico Legislature ‘Let’s grant the city of Artesia monies to purchase the Landsun.’ So we could either purchase the Landsun or if that’s not required They have awarded $1.1 million over the last 10 years for theater renovations across New Mexico Lovington received $400,000 and Carlsbad received $350,000.” Fox also spoke to the New Mexico Environmental Department about the theater “They applied for a $2 million federal grant in hopes that the city would buy the Landsun and they could help with some remediation if necessary,” Fox said “They have funding available for the first step which is an environmental assessment … required before an acquisition.” New Mexico MainStreet would require project completion in two years and ownership by the city for a minimum of 10 years ‘I think it’s exciting,” Fox said “We do have an opportunity to reengage with Russell Allen who owns Allen Theatres and maybe entice him back into participating in our community and that would be really excellent.” “I’m all for it,” said councilor Jarrod Moreau “We’ve already earmarked $1 million for renovations we need to massage all that to make it work.” • Police Chief Kirk Roberts told the council there were eight auto burglaries in the city last month He said the most common areas for auto burglaries are the south side of town and the Richey and 20th Street area Roberts said many of the car burglaries in the city are committed by repeat offenders “We have some new auto burglars but there are … generations of the same family doing the same thing,” he said Roberts also discussed an increase in “porch pirates” and recommended getting a delivery box that can be locked “We have identified a few of these people but there are others,” Roberts said “A lot of them will follow the delivery trucks around.” • Community Development/Infrastructure Director Byron Landfair reported that bids have come in much higher than expected for a planned 1800-square-foot building to house portions of the planning and infrastructure department “We may look at some portables to go in out there for now,” he said “There’s not good news on the contracting cost front • The council approved a $190,000 adjustment to the 2024-2025 parks department budget that included $100,000 to improve softball and baseball fields the council voted to make a big change to our youth recreation football league our 5th and 6th graders will be playing flag football starting next year The council’s vote on the matter was unanimous The suggestion to change to flag football was made by the Recreation Department based on feedback they received at the end of the season and coaches all weighed in on the pros and cons of a potential change the move to flag football was approved unanimously by both the Event Board and the Recreation Advisory Board The move will allow kids to focus on the basics of the game before being taught proper tackling technique by a professional coaching staff later on While big hits can make the highlight reels in the NFL having youngsters do their best Kam Chancellor impressions before learning proper technique opens everyone up to serious injury risks Consideration for player safety was one of the biggest motivating factors in the move to flag football We understand that injuries are always a part of playing sports and no change is ever going to completely take away that risk while cuts and bruises can build character for kids By reducing serious injuries at an early age it means less risk for those injuries to be reaggravated and made worse as the kids continue to play at higher levels The change to flag football also helps our Recreation Department eliminate a big source of contention that has come up recently and with that we’ve seen issues over the large size discrepancies between players Changing to flag football will eliminate the need for weigh-ins and controversies over who can be a ball-carrier The change also helps level the playing field for kids who may be late bloomers by not making them try to tackle someone who’s twice their size The council considered the mission of the Recreation Department in making the decision The Recreation Department seeks to provide opportunities for as many kids as possible to be active and involved in sports we are making the game less of an injury risk it will draw in more kids who want to try out football and see if they like it It’s important to note that this is not a blanket ban on youth tackle football in Artesia This is just a change in direction that our Recreation Department is making with this specific program We are proud that Artesia is a football powerhouse our hope is that the change to flag football can help expand the game we want to set kids up for success as they grow and write the next chapter of Artesia’s story as the City of Champions Luke Burns is the Communications Coordinator in the Finance and Administration Department for the City of Artesia Michael Jimenez wiped tears from his eyes as a jury acquitted him of first-degree murder after a six-day trial ended Monday in Carlsbad The jury had the option of convicting Jimenez on a lesser charge of second-degree murder but voted 11-1 in favor of acquittal Jimenez could face a future trial for second-degree murder but was released from custody after being imprisoned for four years awaiting trial in Fifth Judicial District Court of Artesia was first charged eight years ago with killing Danny Mendes in a remote area of Eddy County near Four Dinkus and Haystack roads was found beaten to death in the roadway in March 2017 first accused Jimenez of beating Mendes to death during a fight near the scene of the murder but Morgan later recanted and said he committed the homicide A single count of first-degree murder against Jimenez was dropped about a month after the incident Jimenez was rearrested in May 2021 after a former girlfriend told police he confessed to her that Morgan struck Mendes first in the head with a hammer and Jimenez finished him off with the same weapon Morgan was charged with first-degree murder but accepted a plea deal for second-degree murder and was sentenced to 16 years in prison the 12-person jury unanimously found him not guilty of first-degree murder but was hung on a charge of second-degree murder Instructions for both charges were provided to jurors who voted 11-1 in favor of finding him not guilty of the lesser charge District Judge David Finger declared a mistrial and prosecutor Ariane Gonzalez said the state would retry Jimenez for second-degree murder who served four years in pretrial incarceration was released from the Eddy County Detention Center while he awaits future proceedings Defense Attorney Todd Holmes said his strategy throughout the trial was based on raising doubt with jurors about Morgan’s version of events as he testified on the witness stand to Jimenez’s involvement in the murder he (Morgan) was just trying to save his own criminal liability,” Holmes said He was asked why (the murder) was weighing on his mind Jimenez’s family members extended their fists in victory relieved he was being released after almost half a decade behind bars Gonzalez asked Finger to require a $20,000 secured bond for Jimenez’s release which Holmes argued was tantamount to no bond after the defendant was incarcerated and unable to generate any income to pay the bond Finger granted Jimenez a $100,000 unsecured bond meaning he does not have to put up the money but will be liable for it if he misses any future court dates Finger questioned whether the state had a strong case for second-degree murder as only one juror voted in favor of conviction “The court does find that there has been a significant change in circumstances,” Finger said “The split indicates the case might not be as strong.” Gonzalez argued that based on Jimenez’s criminal history – a 2018 probation violation in an unrelated case and another unrelated embezzlement conviction in 2019 – the defendant was still “a danger to the community.” Jimenez is still a danger to the community The state feels there is still a need for pretrial detention.” Las Cruces and Mayfield were eliminated in the semifinals of its respective state tournaments on Saturday with the Bulldawgs (9-4) losing to La Cueva (12-0) 47-19 at home and the Trojans (6-7) falling 50-14 to Artesia (9-3) on the road 1-seeded Bears in the 6A semifinals at the Field of Dreams The Bulldawgs trailed 21-6 after the first quarter 21-13 game at halftime after quarterback Gunnar Guardiola found wide receiver Francisco Winnikoff for a three-yard touchdown pass with 4:37 in the second quarter Las Cruces had more first downs and passing yards than La Cueva heading into the third quarter The Bears outscored the Bulldawgs 26-6 in the second half including 19 unanswered points to finish the game Guardiola scored a rushing touchdown for Las Cruces but four La Cueva touchdowns put the game out of reach Bears quarterback and Arizona State commit Cam Dyer threw for two touchdowns and linebacker Brody Clark returned a Guardiola interception 55 yards for a touchdown to cap off the scoring Las Cruces has now lost to La Cueva in the semifinals in consecutive seasons The Bulldogs led 29-0 at halftime thanks to three rushing touchdowns A 13-yard passing score to wide receiver Ethan Conn extended Artesia's lead before halftime More: Centennial football can't slow down Cleveland, Hawks' season ends in 6A semifinals The Trojans recovered an onside kick to start the second half and paid it off with an eight-yard rush from running back Anthony Nevarez Artesia scored 31 unanswered points to end the game including three more passing touchdowns from quarterback Izac Cazares His last one was a 92-yard catch-and-run to wide receiver Bryce Parra with 11:44 left to play Centennial fell to Cleveland 56-20 on Friday night marking the end of the football season for all four local Las Cruces high schools High winds and blowing dust led to the temporary closure Tuesday of several Eddy County roads where low visibility was reported the Eddy County Office of Emergency Management closed a portion of U.S meaning traffic was unable to use the main highway between the two cities for about two hours on Tuesday afternoon The Office also said northbound lanes of 26th Street at U.S Highway 285 in Artesia were closed as well as both directions on a section of U.S along with State Road 2 and 285 heading to Chaves County Artesia Daily Press Publisher Dave Shabaz was driving from Artesia to Carlsbad where he also runs the Carlsbad Current-Argus He was forced to pull over on the side of U.S 285 for several minutes while he waited for the dust to subside and visibility to return “I’ve lived all over the country and this was my first dust storm it was an experience,” Shabaz said after making it back to Carlsbad “I’m thankful it happened during the day because I can’t imagine what it would be like at night.” Eddy County Emergency Manager Jennifer Armendariz said Tuesday there were at least three car accidents she said were caused by the weather all in the northern part of Eddy County near Artesia She was unsure of the exact locations of the wrecks but said the accidents all occurred on rural rounds surrounding the city No severe injuries were reported as of Tuesday afternoon Armendariz said the decisions to close the roads were made after first responders reported “zero to low visibility” on northern Eddy County roads She was unsure when the roads would reopen “It’s for the safety of the people traveling on those roadways,” Armendariz said “Our intent is not to close the roads all day long Hopefully when it dies down a little we’ll be able to open the roads again The National Weather Service issued three separate warnings as of Tuesday afternoon for high winds blowing dust and a red flag warning as the winds could stoke wildfires Spring months in southern New Mexico are known for increased wind and hotter temperatures conditions could bring wildfires to the area The warnings were in effect through Tuesday night with a fire weather watch enacted for Wednesday wind gusts could climb up to 70 miles per hour throughout southeast New Mexico impacting visibility and making travel dangerous and possibly “life threatening,” read the blowing dust warning especially for high profile vehicles like campers which also suggested securing outside objects and being aware of winds potentially blowing over trees High winds also led to Xcel Energy announcing potential power shutoffs in the West Texas Plains and eastern New Mexico to prevent current from running through power lines in the event they are blown down Active power lines can ignite brush when blown over and high winds can stoke the blazes into wildfires The region’s main utility provider said it expected to shut off power to about 1,100 customers in New Mexico and Texas on Tuesday A map of the areas for the potential shutoffs included several portions of the Amarillo along the New Mexico State Line and around Tucumcari Eddy County was not included in the map as of Tuesday afternoon The outages were expected to begin at about noon with restoration beginning when wildfire risks subside “While we expect some customers may have power restored overnight outages in some areas will last until tomorrow and possibly longer if wind damage is significant,” read the release the Roswell Lady Coyotes softball team hosted the Artesia Lady Bulldogs in a doubleheader The Lady Bulldogs would end up sweeping both games winning 14-1 in the first game and 3-0 in the second game Yadira Aragon (12) led the Lady Coyotes in the first game with two hits while five Lady Coyotes would all have one hit each in the second game Bella Ornelas (5) makes a catch in the outfield during the first game in the doubleheader Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Artesia players celebrates after beating Highland in the Class 4A boys state championship game on Saturday in the Pit Artesia’s Charlie Campbell goes up for a shot while defended by Highland’s Juan Limas during the 4A boys state championship on Saturday in the Pit the blue trophy is going back right where it belongs Artesia knocked off defending champion Highland 55-48 in the boys 4A final Saturday at the Pit winning the program’s first state title since 1997 Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content Artesia’s Brayon Vega celebrates a play against Highland boys Class 4A championships at The Pit in Albuquerque on Saturday Highland’s Juan Limas attempts a shot while defended by Artesia’s Clay Kincaid during the boys Class 4A championships at The Pit in Albuquerque on Saturday Artesia’s Trent Egeland and Highland’s Juan Limas fight for position for a rebound during the boys Class 4A championships at The Pit in Albuquerque on Saturday Artesia bench celebrates a play during the boys Class 4A championship game against Highland at The Pit in Albuquerque on Saturday Highland’s Jesus Licon attempts to take the ball from Artesia’s Charlie Campbell during the boys Class 4A championships at The Pit in Albuquerque on Saturday Highland’s DJ Spruell talks to his team during the boys Class 4A championship game against Artesia at The Pit in Albuquerque on Saturday Sean Reider covers college football and other sports for the Journal. You can reach him at sreider@abqjournal.com or via X at @lenaweereider Account processing issue - the email address may already exist it provides narrative coverage of local trends going beyond the headlines to keep you informed Stay informed with the latest top headlines from your trusted local source the Albuquerque Journal—delivered to your inbox every day Stay in the loop with the top stories of the week delivered straight to your inbox every Saturday Sign up to see what’s trending and get the latest on the stories that matter most to our readers Get breaking news and important alerts sent straight to your inbox as they happen Stay up-to-date with the latest sports headlines and highlights from the Albuquerque Journal Get the latest on local happenings delivered straight to your inbox Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account