By EMIL WHITIS
Daily Press Staff Writer
When the final bell of the 2009-2010 school year rings on May 28, five teachers from Yeso Elementary School will walk out of the building and into a brand new phase in their lives — retirement.
Whether the soundtrack to the event is Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out” or something more heart-wrenching like Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice,” the fact remains Yeso Elementary will lose a combined 150 years of teaching experience. Kathy Taylor, Linda Jones, Emily Curry, Jackie Jones and Elaine Adamson have made the decision to leave their beloved professions in pursuit of bittersweet change.
“It’s difficult … I love teaching so much but I have to give it up,” said Taylor, who has taught for 29.75 years, beginning at Abo Elementary and then moving to Yeso with the rest of the school in 1996. “It was a very emotional decision.”

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By EMIL WHITIS
Daily Press Staff Writer
The 2010 Artesia Relay for Life will be held June 11 through 12 at Jaycee Park. Registration will begin at 5 p.m. Friday and the event will end at 10 a.m. the following morning.
“Cancer doesn’t sleep, so we walk through the night to show how the fight against the disease never ceases,” said Ginger Scott, publicity chairperson for the event.
Relay for Life is an event which takes place each year in towns and cities across America. During the event,  participants walk all night to honor cancer survivors, memorialize those who lost their battle with the disease and raise funds to support research for a cure. At least one member from each team must be walking at all times.
Event Chair Jeanette Esquibel said approximately 25 teams have registered, but more are needed to render the event a success.

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The Wellhead goes from vision in garage to reality

By JESSICA CARNER
Daily Press Editor
The Wellhead Restaurant and Brewpub in downtown Artesia is celebrating 10 years in business this year.
Owner Frank Yates sat down with the Daily Press last week during an anniversary celebration held on the patio of the Wellhead to talk about the way his establishment came to exist, how the business has evolved during the first 10 years of operation, as well as what the future holds for one of Artesia’s favorite watering holes.
Yates said the idea formed to open a local brewery in the late 1990s when his brother Mike Stegall, who later became the Wellhead’s first brewmaster, began experimenting with making beer in his garage using a “little brew system” purchased for Stegall by his wife.
“(Stegall) started brewing beer in his garage,” said Yates, as he smiled, “I helped him a little.”
He joked, “We may have drunk a little too much of the product and got the wild idea to open a brewpub in Artesia.”

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By TYLER GREEN
Daily Press Staff Writer
An accident involving local teens that occurred Thursday afternoon has left a 16-year-old female critically injured after being struck by a vehicle.
According to a press release from the Artesia Police Department, two vehicles (referred to as vehicle one and vehicle two, respectively) were stopped for a red light in the left hand turning lane of eastbound Main Street, at Seventh Street, waiting to turn northbound onto Seventh Street.
Vehicle one was directly in front of vehicle two in the left hand turning lane when the driver of vehicle two exited the vehicle and approached the passenger side of vehicle one.
Vehicle one then turned northbound onto Seventh Street while the driver of vehicle two was maintaining pace with vehicle one at which time the driver of vehicle two, who has been identified as Branda Bartlett, was struck by the tire of vehicle one.
Bartlett was injured and transported to Artesia General Hospital and later transported to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas, for treatment of her injuries.

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Pictured is original artwork of Juli Thurman currently on display at the Artesia museum’s art annex building. Original paintings, drawings and photographs from local artists Juli Thurman, JR Thurman, Mathew Sherman and Tyler Green will be on display at the Artesia Historical Museum and Art Center through June. An opening reception featuring an acoustic rock performance by SHILO will be held from 5-7:30 p.m. today at the museum. For more information, contact the art center by calling 748-2390.

Apparently, when it comes to wind, mother nature pays no mind to “reduced speed ahead” signs. In a photo taken this morning west of Artesia on U.S. 82, a sign warning motorists to slow down bends toward the ground as winds blow into town at a high rate of speed. The high winds, with gusts up to 70 mph, are expected to continue throughout this evening and into Friday.

Kenneth Randall, CEO of Artesia General Hospital, speaks to a gathering of Artesians Tuesday at a lunch meeting held at the First Baptist Total Life Center on how the recent federal reformation of the U.S. health care system will affect their lives. The Chamber of Commerce partnered with AGH to present several speakers at Tuesday’s luncheon.

Joe DeHoyos registers his daughter Angelina for kindergarten with assistance from Ida Pérez today at Grand Heights Early Childhood Center. Registration will be held again tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Grand Heights cafeteria. For more information, contact the school at 746-6282.

By EMIL WHITIS
Daily Press Staff Writer
Indigenous Artesia artists J.R. Thurman, Juli Thurman, Tyler Green and Matthew Sherman will present a combined collection of their work this week at the Artesia Historical Museum and Art Center. An opening reception, which is open to the public, will be held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. April 29, and the art will remain on display through the month of June.

The 2010 Artesia High School prom was held Saturday evening at the school. Around 9 p.m., family members and friends of prom-goers gathered to see the young men and women dressed in their best. Above, students Micah Hammond and Alyssa Rivera arrive at prom.