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.

By EMIL WHITIS
Daily Press Staff Writer
Thursday morning, school buses navigated narrow rally-race style roads, ushering Artesia students to Sitting Bull Falls in the Lincoln National Forest. The sun was shining brightly over fifth grade students from Yeso, Yucca and Roselawn elementary schools as they found themselves surrounded by canyon walls and waterfalls in a wonderfully strange classroom.
The past week was National Environmental Education Week. In observance of the theme, Michael Salmon Jr. of the USDA Forest Service organized the 14th Annual Environmental Education Event.

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Rick Richardson, owner of Planter Box Tree Nursery, assists third grade Super Kids at Hermosa Elementary School as they plant a cedar elm tree Thursday on the playground.  “If you plant just one tree it will absorb the amount of carbon dioxide one person emits during his or her lifetime,” said Richardson.  He said during the first few years of a tree’s life it is extremely important to water it thoroughly. “If you give it the water it needs and don’t run over it with your bike or a lawnmower, it will grow,” said Richardson. Each student pitched in 50 cents to purchase the tree.

Pictured are members of the Kairos Prison Ministries (back from left) Larry Wood, Kaylan Wood, Rob Goodloe, Dustin Stock, Luis Valdez, Royce Pearson, (front) Lynette Wood, Bobbie Goodloe, Wandean Stock, Jerlisah DeLaRosa, Aluena Peña, Robbie Pearson and Ginny Bush of the Chase Foundation. The Chase Foundation donated $2,500 to the organization in January. The donation will support Kairos Prison ministry Kairos or weekend-long retreats which give selected inmates the opportunity to reconnect with God. According to wikipedia.com, the word Kairos is Greek in origin and literally means “a right, opportune or supreme moment.” The word was adapted by apostles in the New Testament to mean “the appointed time in the purpose of God.” Kairos Prison Ministries simply defines Kairos as “God’s special time.” Royce Pearson said the goal of Kairos is to build a Christian community in the prison environment by having monthly reunions with the Kairos alumni who have attended a weekend. “We want to thank the Chase Foundation for all its support. It has been a very generous donor to our cause,” said Pearson.

Headstart student Jeremiah Martinez and his teacher Ashley Langston pick up trash today at Guadalupe Park. Approximately 20 students from Headstart’s classroom five, along with teachers, parents and Linda Stevens of Artesia Clean and Beautiful, took part in the clean up.  As a reward for their hard work, Stevens gave each child a hybrid cottonwood tree and a goody bag filled with pencils, environmental brochures and an environmentally-conscious activity book. “A lot of people litter … from now on, I hope you will remember this day and not be one of those people,” Stevens told the children.

The Land of the Sun movie theater installed five new heating and cooling units on top of the theater today. The installation crew blocked off a portion of Main Street in order to position a large crane and hoist the 500 pound units up three stories and onto the roof. According to theater complex manager Maria Escamilla, the old units were inadequate and often required maintenance. “It’s (the theater is) hard to heat and cool because it’s so big,” said Escamilla. “They (the new units) should cool it down a lot.” Escamilla said she believes the new units will be operational for the opening of The Losers on Friday.

Principal of Yeso Elementary School Danny Parker shows off his authorial debut, Hello, T-Bird!, a book which chronicles a day in the life of a Thunderbird Thursday in his office. Parker said he wrote the book in the fall of last year so students, past, present and future, would have a way of remembering their time at Yeso.  “I thought it would be neat to write something that would generally document the student experience here at Yeso,” said Parker. The 25 page book includes illustrations unique to Yeso School. Parker said to assist illustrators he submitted various pictures taken around the school and at school activities, along with the script, to the publisher, Mascot Books. Parker said he believes other than serving as a keepsake, the book holds value for soon-to-be Thunderbirds in that it provides them a glimpse of what to expect. “I just had a new kid come into town last week who hardly knew any English. The first thing I did when he came in was read the book to him. It really calmed his fears,” said Parker. Hello, T-Bird! can be purchased for $15 at the Yeso School office, Ruby Parker C.P.A. or the Artesia Credit Union. For more information contact Danny Parker at 748-2755.

ARTESIA — The Chase Foundation will announce the winners of the 2010 Chase Foundation Scholarships at 6 p.m. tonight in the red brick gym at Artesia High School.
According to a press release, the scholarships are available to graduating seniors of Artesia High School, and the 2010 graduating class will be the fourth class to receive the Chase Scholarships for the purpose of realizing educational goals and dreams as these seniors become future leaders in building stronger families and communities….