News Staff

-- Artesia Clean & Beautiful is sponsoring its Yard of the Week contest now through September. Colorful, attractive, well-groomed lawns with curb appeal meet the qualifications. To nominate a yard worthy of the title, contact Linda at 575513-0143 or the AC&B office at 575-748-3192. ----------------- HEAD START ENROLLMENT -- Head Start is currently enrolling 3- and 4-year-olds for its 2024-25 program year. Children must turn 3 by Sept. 1. To schedule an enrollment appointment, call 575-748-1141. Parents or guardians will be asked to bring the child’s birth certificate and immunization records, verification of income (2023 tax return or SNAP), and a Medicaid or private insurance card. ----------------- OUR LADY OF GRACE RAFFLE -- Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church is holding a Christmas in July raffle. A total of 10 prizes are available, each valued at $1,000. Tickets are $10 each. Prizes will begin to be drawn July 1. To purchase tickets, call the church office at 575-748-1356. ----------------- SUMMER EBT PROGRAM -- The Student Success and Wellness Bureau has announced the release of Summer EBT applications. For more information and to apply, visit summerebtnm.org. For more information, call the Public Education Department’s hotline at 505-695-8454. A link to apply may also be accessed through the Artesia Public Schools website, www.bulldogs.org.

‘Swimming Pretty: The Untold Story of Women in Water’ by Vicki Valosik Come on in, the water’s perfect. It feels refreshing, just like you want it to be on a day like today.

School is out, the children’s brains have begun to gleefully rot and summer vacations are upon us. As I write to you, I am preparing for a glorious two weeks away, heading to Southern California for a classic Griswold family vacation.

Today is Sunday, June 23, the 175th day of 2024. There are 191 days left in the year.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Devon Energy and the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation hosted more than 80 educators recently at a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Summit in Oklahoma City, Okla.

ARTESIA -- An Artesia woman was arrested last weekend after fleeing from police following a domestic incident. Around 3 a.m.

ARTESIA -- An Artesia woman who was awaiting trial on multiple charges relating to a series of October 2023 auto burglaries on the campus of Artesia High School (AHS) has died. Duvan Gerardo, 28, was arrested Oct.

ROSWELL -- A Roswell man was arrested on charges of murder Friday following a shooting at an apartment complex in the southwest part of the city. Paul Ybarra-Romero, 40, stands charged with first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, aggravated assault upon a household member, and three counts of child abuse in connection with the shooting death of 26-year-old Christopher Bargas. Roswell Police Department (RPD) officers were dispatched around 11:30 p.m. Friday to the Valle Encantada Apartments in the 2000 block of South Sunset Avenue in response to the shooting. There, they found Bargas unresponsive inside an apartment with a gunshot wound to his chest. He was transported by EMS to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later.

SANTA FE – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) New Mexico State Office recently held a competitive oil and gas lease sale, offering 19 parcels covering 3,128 acres in New Mexico and Kansas. In total, 451 bids were received, with 14 parcels covering 2,768 acres leased, roughly 88.5% of the total acreage available.

ARTESIA POLICE DEPARTMENT June 21 DOMESTIC 2:58 a.m. - Officer dispatched to the 600 block of North 14th Street in reference to a verbal domestic dispute.

ARTESIA -- The Artesia City Council will hold a regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday. No public hearings are on the agenda.

The Artesia Arts & Cultural District recently finished the 11th mural in our Downtown Mural Program! “Dancing Downtown” is also the third mural in our Student Mural Program and was designed by recent Artesia High School graduate Savana Watts. Project leaders/art instructors/ artists Brandi Cox and Juli Newton worked with art students Watts, Andrea Alvarado and Alison Greene to install the mural on the west wall of The Derrick Floor sculpture park's pump house.