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Mondragon and Bickel to remain in district in new roles

JT Keith
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Mondragon and Bickel to remain in district in new roles

JT Keith

ARTESIA — There was a double surprise Thursday in the Artesia athletic department as two longtime coaches prepared for transitions that will keep them within the school district.

Artesia boys’ basketball coach Michael Mondragon and baseball coach Jackson Bickel will not return to their coaching roles next season after both accepted administrative positions.

Mondragon will become the principal at Roselawn Elementary School, while Bickel is set to become the assistant principal at Artesia High School.

“All that stuff comes in July,” Bickel said. “The next six weeks are our focus on winning a state championship.”

Artesia Athletic Director Jeremy Maupin said both coaches are stepping into leadership roles that will benefit the district while allowing them to remain part of the Artesia community.

“I am really excited for them,” Maupin said. “It is going to be really good for our district in those roles. We already have basketball open, and we will wait to open baseball at the end of the season. We want them focused on that right now.”

Maupin said the district prefers to look internally when filling coaching positions. The boys’ basketball opening has already been posted, while the baseball position will be posted after the season concludes.

“We always like to look at who we have here first,” Maupin said. “I think we do a good job of developing coaches, so we will look first and then see how it goes from there.”

Maupin said state law requires positions to remain posted for five days. The basketball job was posted on Wednesday and will close at midnight Sunday.

He said the district will evaluate applications on Monday and, if multiple candidates apply, conduct interviews on Tuesday.

JT Keith | Artesia Daily Press

Artesia boys’ basketball coach Michael Mondrgon with senior Clay Kincaid at the basketball banquet.

“If it is an in-house candidate,” Maupin said. “I would like to make an announcement on Tuesday afternoon.”

Mondragon said the decision came after careful reflection.

After much prayer and consideration, Mondragon said he felt it was time to move on from coaching. He said his focus will shift to leading the staff at Roselawn Elementary and making a positive impact on students.

Maupin praised Mondragon’s body of work and his influence on the program.

“Mike was an assistant here and worked his way up,” Maupin said. “He took over Moriarty and had some success there and was able to come back here to Artesia. He took the program in a really good direction, and he played in three state title games, winning the title last year. He was a consistent force in the playoffs. He always had really, really solid teams. He advocated for kids, and we will miss what he brought to the program.”

Maupin said the Artesia program remains kids-first and that the next coach must understand the community, continue its traditions, and support student-athletes.

Mondragon finishes his coaching career with a 209-124 overall record, including a 58-21 mark in district play. His teams won seven consecutive district titles, reached the quarterfinals nine times in 12 seasons, advanced to three state championship games, and claimed the 2025 state title.

“It was a tough decision,” Mondragon said. “My kids are getting older and see all their stuff. I had a good run, and I don’t feel like I have anything to prove. I felt like it was the right time.”

Missi Currier: Proud to Be Here, Ready to Be Seen for oil and gas work

Michael Smith
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Missi Currier: Proud to Be Here, Ready to Be Seen for oil and gas work

Missi Currier

I grew up in Carlsbad, New Mexico. I went away for college, but I came back as quickly as I could. Coming home was always the goal, and I’m proud to be back. I love this state. I love its people, its landscape, and its stubborn independence. The oil and gas industry I represent is made up of people just like me: New Mexicans who were born here, who raised families here, who chose to build their lives and their livelihoods here.

So, I’ll confess that reading about Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows entertaining the idea of expanding Texas by annexing some New Mexico counties contiguous with the states’ border was surprising. On one hand, I’ll take the compliment. When the Speaker of the Texas House looks at southeastern New Mexico counties and says he’d “gladly welcome” them, what he’s really saying is that what we have here is extraordinary. The Permian Basin is one of the most productive energy regions on the planet. Not to mention the rich agricultural land, dairies, and military bases in the region. The work being done in southeastern New Mexico — by New Mexicans, on New Mexican land, under New Mexican regulations — matters enormously, not just for our state but for our nation’s energy independence and beyond. So, thank you, Speaker Burrows, for recognizing the people, strength, and potential of rural New Mexico.

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Speaker Javier Martinez both acknowledged the importance of southeast New Mexico by summarily dismissing Speaker Burrows’ idea. I also appreciate their acknowledgements of the importance of rural New Mexico. The truth is southeast New Mexico not a consolation prize — it is an extraordinary asset, and it belongs to all New Mexicans.

But here’s what I can’t stop thinking about: why does it take a Texas politician to make a grab for our region to generate this kind of acknowledgment?

The communities of southeastern New Mexico have been sounding this alarm for years — not because they want to leave New Mexico, but because they feel unseen by many in Santa Fe. For years, southeast New Mexico legislators have filed a similar bill calling for succession. The bills have not moved in the Roundhouse, but they still make a point that acknowledgment and even appreciation would be welcomed and deserved. Lea and Eddy counties generate more than half of New Mexico’s general fund revenues, and they receive very little recognition for it. When those communities feel that frustration, we should listen — not dismiss it as partisan posturing.

The oil and gas industry is proud to be here. So are the thousands of New Mexicans who live and work in those counties. Because the industry is here, New Mexico does remarkable things.

This industry funds 49% of state revenue — including $2.4 billion a year for our public schools. Oil and gas production has allowed for billions in long-term investments, funds college and career technical institutions and scholarships, and universal childcare – programs that will change the lives of working families across New Mexico for generations. The industry supports infrastructure improvements, keeps hospitals and schools staffed, and allows for state services running in communities throughout the state that often feel left behind. Oil and gas companies are cutting methane emissions in the Permian Basin while continuing to produce the energy the state and the nation depend on – balancing the economy and the environment

What we are asking for is something simpler than a change to our statehood: a policy environment that reflects that we are valued partners in New Mexico’s future, not an industry to be managed into obsolescence.

Because here’s the thing about other states noticing what we have: they’re not just noticing energy dominance and economic potential. They’re noticing the regulatory uncertainty. When regulations shift unpredictably, when permits get tied up indefinitely, when the message from policymakers is ambivalent at best, other states are watching and even welcoming.

We don’t want to be in that conversation. We want to be in New Mexico, producing energy responsibly, funding our schools and so much more, employing our neighbors, and supporting additional energy systems. That’s the future we’re investing in. That’s the New Mexico we believe in.

I am proud to be a New Mexican, and I know many from southeastern New Mexico who feel the same. The oil and gas industry is proud to operate here. The rest of the country is taking notice of what this region contributes.

We hope New Mexico will do the same.

Missi Currier is president and CEO of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association

Earthquake jolts Eddy County Monday with epicenter near Atoka

Michael Smith
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Earthquake jolts Eddy County Monday with epicenter near Atoka

Adrian Hedden
Artesia Daily Press
achedden@currentargus.com

No property damage of injuries were reported by officials in the earthquake that shook Carlsbad and Artesia this week, but it rattled area residents who felt it.

Reports began pouring into the U.S. Geological Survey’s website within minutes after the quake, which occurred about 2 p.m. Monday in northern Eddy County. The Survey logged 135 responses from as far east as Eunice and as far west as Cloudcroft.

The epicenter, or focus point, of the magnitude 4.3 tremblor, the Geological Survey reported, was about 9 miles south of Atoka, a rural community of 1,200 residents 30 miles north of Carlsbad and 5 miles south of Artesia along U.S. Highway 285.

Magnitude 4.3 seismic events are considered moderate earthquakes, often felt at the earth’s surface and known to cause minor damage, according to a report from Michigan Technological University. There are about 500,000 quakes ranging in magnitude from 2.5 to 5.4 in the U.S. each year, the report read, with quakes in the lower range rarely felt at the surface while those of magnitude 5.5 or higher can cause serious structural damage and pose danger of injury to people in the affected area.

No reports of injuries or damage were received by Eddy County Emergency Management following Monday’s earthquake.

Damage or not, the quake was the largest of the 158 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or higher reported in the Permian Basin so far this year, according to the Geological Survey, and those who felt it quickly spread the word on social media.

“Just felt another earthquake over in the Hidalgo area. This shook my house and furniture,” wrote Facebook user Tracey Barwick in the page Neighborhood Watch And 411 Of Eddy County And Surrounding Areas.

“That was a big one,” commented user Gregg Davidson on the page What’s the 411 Carlsbad.

“Did everyone felt that earthquake?” Edgar Pinky Ray asked in the Facebook group Everything Artesia, prompting 15 comments in 52 minutes with commenters noting the shaking could be felt in Roswell.

Earthquakes in the Permian Basin region of New Mexico have declined the past few years following a significant increase in 2022 that geologists attributed to activities associated with oil and gas production, specifically the disposal of oilfield wastewater via injection wells.

The Permian Basin reached an all-time high of 5.51 million barrels of oil production per day in 2022, according to the Energy Information Administration, and 2,436 earthquakes of M 2 or higher were recorded by the Geological Survey that year between New Mexico and West Texas, which share the Permian Basin – the nation’s busiest oilfield.

That’s compared to 1,805 quakes M 2 or higher quakes the year before in the same region, and 2,348 events in 2023, 1,860 in 2024 and 1,608 in 2025.

The gradual decline in quakes followed the enactment of a series of state regulations by New Mexico’s Oil Conservation Division in 2021, calling for curtailing wastewater injection based on the proximity to and magnitude of a seismic event.

Whenever two M 2.5 quakes occur within 30 days, the OCD required weekly reporting of injection volumes at sites within 10 miles of the events.

After an M 3 event, injection rates must reduce by 50% within 0 to 3 miles of the epicenter, and by 25% within 3 to 6 miles.

If an M 3.5 event occurs, wells up to 3 miles away are shut down, and volumes are curbed by 50% within 3 to 6 miles and 25% percent within 6 to 10 miles from the epicenter.

Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

Artesia boys’ basketball celebrates season at banquet

JT Keith
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Artesia boys’ basketball celebrates season at banquet

JT Keith

There was little mystery surrounding whether Artesia boys’ basketball coach Michael Mondragon would cry while celebrating his team and saying goodbye.

He did — then stopped — then cried again, weaving stories, laughs, and hugs throughout the program.

Mondragon noted the Class of 2026 finished with the most wins in a single season in program history, going 25-0. Artesia opened the season as runner-up at the City of Champions Tournament, placed third at the Hobbs Holiday Tournament, and captured the Hope Christian Tournament title for the second straight year.

The Bulldogs also claimed their seventh consecutive District 4A-4 championship and became the first team in school history to reach back-to-back state championship games.

Mondragon highlighted several individual accomplishments, including Braylon Vega breaking the school record for 3-pointers in a game with nine against Gallup.

“He probably would have had 12 or 13 if I had kept him in,” Mondragon said. “I took him out at the end of the third quarter. I didn’t realize 43 points was the school record, and he had 40, so I probably should have left him in a little longer.”

Charlie Campbell IV set a school record with 396 career assists.

Mondragon said following the state championship game, he challenged his players not to define themselves by a single moment.

“Go do great and amazing things,” Mondragon said, “like you’ve done for this community for the last 18 years.”

Mondragon said the group was unique because the coaching staff had the opportunity to get to know most of the players as they began their sophomore seasons.

Artesia basketball players Braylon Vega and Charlie Campbell IV scored 1,000 points this season and was voted first-team All-State.

The team’s theme this year was a tenacious mindset and live in the moment. Artesia returned 11 of 12 players from the previous season and remained focused on daily improvement, the process, and being committed to one another.

“I’m really proud of these guys,” Mondragon said. “They did it in a way that’s never been done in Artesia. We didn’t get the outcome we wanted, but one snippet doesn’t define who they are. They’ve done so much for our community, our school district, and our families.”

Mondragon said the team ranks among the best he has coached, a claim supported by the record book.

Artesia award winners were:
Offensive Player of the Year: Charlie Campbell IV and Braylon Vega
Defensive Player of the Year: Clay Kincaid
Most Improved Player: Cael Houghtaling and Tootie McNeil
Sixth Man of the Year: Jack Byers
Leadership Award: Clay Kincaid
Most Valuable Player: Charlie Campbell IV
All-District Team: Cael Houghtaling, Braylon Vega, Clay Kincaid, Trent Egeland, and Charlie Campbell IV
District MVP: Charlie Campbell IV
All-State: Trent Egeland, Clay Kincaid, Braylon Vega, and Charlie Campbell IV

Sherry Robinson: Lawmaker wants his secession threat to open dialogue with Austin and Santa Fe

Michael Smith
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Sherry Robinson: Lawmaker wants his secession threat to open dialogue with Austin and Santa Fe

Sherry Robinson
All She Wrote

Texas has always wanted more of New Mexico.

Before New Mexico could join the United States as a territory, Congress had to settle a boundary dispute. Texas claimed all of New Mexico east of the Rio Grande, even though it had never fought for or held any of it. In the historic Compromise of 1850, Congress placed the New Mexico-Texas boundary along the 103rd meridian and agreed to pay Texas $10 million for its “loss.”

Then in 1859 a surveying mistake gave Texas a 310-mile strip, 601,152, acres, that belonged to New Mexico. When the mistake came to light, New Mexico accepted it under duress. “It was the first of many times that Texas blackjacked us,” said Sen. John Morrow, a Capulin rancher, in 1991.

There was ample historic precedent when Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows recently added taking a chunk of New Mexico to his list of priorities for 2027. Burrows ordered a study of the constitutional, statutory, fiscal and economic implications of adding such contiguous counties as Roosevelt and Lea to Texas.

I doubt this is a serious proposal, but just in case, here’s something to think about: Do you want to be one of 33 counties in New Mexico or one of 254-plus counties in Texas?

Burrows took his cue from New Mexico’s House Joint Resolution 10, introduced in the recent legislative session by Republican Reps. Randall Pettigrew of Lovington and Jimmy Mason of Artesia. It would have amended the state Constitution to allow three or more contiguous counties to secede if two-thirds of voters and their county commissions agree and if Congress and the president approve.

Pettigrew, who was born and raised in New Mexico, said he wanted to stimulate a conversation about the cultural and financial divides between southeastern New Mexico and the rest of the state.

“We have no seat at the table when it comes to policy,” he told the Albuquerque Journal. Leaders need to see that “the frustration from southeast New Mexico is real, and our voice needs to be heard.”

Pettigrew was miffed that his bill wasn’t heard, but he should know by now that a great many bills go unheard during the state’s 30-day session.

Still, he’s not wrong about the need for conversation. The oil patch underwrites a significant piece of the state budget – this year it made the governor’s universal child care bill possible – and yet Santa Fe takes the industry for granted. It wouldn’t kill Roundhouse Democrats to publicly acknowledge the oil-producing counties; they waste plenty of time on less important pomp and ceremony.

But if we’re going to converse, let’s expand the topic. I invite Pettigrew and Mason to leave their comfort zone and spend time in the rest of the state. Go to southwestern New Mexico, with its mix of mining, ranching and tourism. Go to the reservations. Go to the tourist towns. Go to the peanut- and onion-producing East Side and the pecan- and chile-producing southern counties. Go to the northern mountains. Go to the cities.

They would find that New Mexico is home to a great many cultures and economies and that each place is quite different from its neighbor. Think of Española and Santa Fe, for example, or Clovis and Portales, or Angel Fire and Eagle Nest. Many of them feel that Santa Fe doesn’t understand them. I’ve heard it myself in covering every corner of the state for 50 years.

I think a lot of this comes from having a small population spread over a very large state. Legislative budgeters are challenged to stretch limited money across many disparate needs. And yet, the process is slow, designed to give everyone a fair hearing and accommodate differences.

In the current political climate, Republicans don’t feel heard in the Legislature, and they probably aren’t. It’s an experience they share with Democrats in Congress. Both bodies once had norms and courtesies that gave the minority party a voice. Pettigrew’s conversation could include the role of the party out of power.

Let’s remember John Morrow’s words of 1991 and not be naïve about Texans’ intentions. Burrows is an opportunist. He talks a good line about “culture, opportunity, and the right to choose a path that reflects the shared values of the Permian and Delaware basins,” but he knows nothing about New Mexico or New Mexicans. As I keep saying, we’re different here.

If Texas wants more of New Mexico, let them be good capitalists and invest in our companies.

Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

With a doubleheader sweep, Artesia softball is back on track

JT Keith
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With a doubleheader sweep, Artesia softball is back on track

JT Keith

There was no doubt in the minds of the Artesia softball coaches that their team would be ready when district play arrived. That belief was tested 10 days ago during the Artesia softball tournament, when the Lady ’Dogs dropped three straight home games to Cobre, Los Lunas and Alamogordo in a rough stretch that included more frustration than just the final scores.

During that tournament, gnats plagued both the field and the players, adding to the challenges Artesia faced throughout the week. After a 10-day layoff that allowed the team to reset, the Lady ’Dogs showed Thursday night that they had moved past that stretch with a convincing doubleheader sweep of visiting 5A Roswell.

Artesia earned a pair of mercy-rule victories, shutting out Roswell 10-0 in the opener before closing the night with a 12-2 win. The performance helped the Lady ’Dogs steady themselves as district play approaches.

The No. 1 team in District 4A-4 spent the layoff reviewing game situations, reinforcing fundamentals, and increasing conditioning, Head Coach Sandra Pulido said.

“We had the last 10 days off,” Pulido said. “We picked some things apart and worked on a lot of stuff over those 10 days. It was really good to see them put all of that together.”

The work showed up at the plate, as Artesia batted around multiple times and kept pressure on Roswell throughout the lineup. Katrin Marquez provided home run power, while Danyela Munoz delivered quality at-bats to help extend innings. Still, the player who set the tone for the Lady ’Dogs was BYU commit Kayden Apodaca.

Apodaca delivered in every phase, launching a towering home run that looked as though it might never come down and finishing the day with three home runs against Roswell. She was just as dominant in the circle, striking out 10 hitters in each game.

JT Keith | Artesia Daily Press
Artesia softball coach Sandra Pulido talks about the off week and beating Roswell in a doubleheader.

Pulido said she started Apodaca in the opener despite her ace typically pitching the second game of a doubleheader. After the first win, Pulido sent her back out again to see how long Artesia could ride her arm.

“That’s part of making sure she has the endurance we’ll need at the state tournament,” Pulido said. “We need to know she can throw back-to-back games, and she was on fire.”

Pulido was also pleased with how her team responded after falling behind 1-0 in the first inning of the second game. Artesia improved to 10-4 and travels to Hobbs for a 5 p.m. district game Friday, looking to carry renewed momentum into the game.

NM House District 66 candidates make their cases to voters ahead of June Primary

Michael Smith
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NM House District 66 candidates make their cases to voters ahead of June Primary

Photos and story by Moriah Lovato
For the Artesia Daily Press

Fiscal responsibility, education and public involvement could provide a path to better representation for southeast New Mexico in Santa Fe, said three Republican candidates for New Mexico House District 66.

LeAnne Gandy, Dan Lewis and Trinidad Malone each seek to fill the District 66 New Mexico House seat set to be vacated by Rep. Jimmy Mason who opted not to seek another term.

Mason’s current term ends on Jan. 1, 2027, and his replacement will be chose in this year’s June 2 Republican Primary Election.

No Democrat announced a bid for the seat. District 66 represents portions of Eddy, Lea and Chaves counties, including the northern part of Eddy County at the city of Artesia.

The three candidates took part in a public forum hosted Thursday, April 2 at the Artesia Chamber of Commerce to discuss how they would serve the seat if elected.

‘Better outcomes’

Each candidate said they approached the dilemma of representing constituents as the minority party using tools built from backgrounds in education, accounting, and military service, respectively.

Gandy, first to the podium, called education her “life’s work.” Through 36 years of experience to date in roles ranging from an entry- level secretary position to an 11-year stint as superintendent, Gandy said she built a well-rounded understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of education in New Mexico as well as a planned path to solving the state’s chronically poor nationwide ranking.

In her current capacity as Leadership Director for Cooperative Educational Services, Gandy has presented to various state committees advocating for “days not hours” of teacher collaboration and development.

“You want better outcomes for kids, lets help our teachers understand more effective methods,” she said.

She added that she “believes Southeastern New Mexico needs a strong voice in Santa Fe and I believe I am that voice. I’m made from tough stuff and I can do hard things. I will not be the loudest voice but I will be the most persuasive and strategic.”

Economics of governing

Lewis highlighted his ability to stand for fiscal responsibility as a career accountant in the oil and gas and agricultural industries, reaching a CFO position for Yates Petroleum and navigating deals as large as the merger of the Artesia-based company with national corporation EOG.

Lewis said he works with a variety of people at his job “from investment bankers to ranch hands,” and said he is skilled in ensuring all parties receive the tools and resources necessary while following a responsible budget.

Lewis passionately thanked experience as a football referee for bolstering his ability to “make good decisions and remain calm when others are amped up” sharing anecdotes from officiating high-stakes Division 1 college football games.

He said “he can explain economic benefits and detriments” to Santa Fe lawmakers and effectively stand up for the needs of District 66 constituents with respect for positive economic outcomes across the state.

‘Willing to step up’

Trinidad Malone spoke of campaigning as an opportunity to lead his generation by example, stating “if we want to be effective and have our voices heard we need to be willing to step up.”

Malone said he was shaped by his years as a veteran who deployed to Afghanistan, and a national guardsman volunteer appointed to hurricane relief work.

He’s also been a businessman with 14 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, and said he is “striving to do something great” in his run for office.

Malone currently serves on the Artesia Planning and Zoning Committee and is involved with two non-profit organizations, including the Pena Project, a “New Mexico based, non-profit dedicated to helping families ease the burden of unforeseen end-of-life expenses.”

Mason said all three candidates were worthy successors.

“I am proud to have three citizens of this district willing to step up to the plate,” Mason said. “When you get elected you are no longer a Republican candidate, but a representative of all constituents of the district.”

He advised candidates to “stand firm at the beginning. On most issues- you pick your battles. On moral issues, you stand your ground.”

New Artesia Mayor, city council sworn in during ceremony at senior center

Michael Smith
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New Artesia Mayor, city council sworn in during ceremony at senior center

Moriah Lovato
For the Artesia Daily Press

Jeff Youtsey said he planned to keep Artesia “moving forward” as its new mayor.

Youtsey was elected to post in the March 3 election, defeating Terry Todd in a slim 798-778 margin.

He and the elected city councilors were sworn into office in a ceremony on April 1 at the Artesia Senior Center.

At the event, Youtsey and the councilors swore to uphold the constitution before Artesia Municipal Judge Sarah Gallegos.

Youtsey solemnly repeated the pledge with his left hand placed on a Bible held by his daughter, Chelsea Bilberry.

Directly following the ceremony, Youtsey thanked those in attendance and conveyed a hope that under his guidance the City of Artesia might flourish. Youtsey said the campaign process was “an arduous means to an end, after which the real work can now begin.”

In reflecting on his family’s long history in Artesia, Youtsey said said his great grandpa came to Artesia on horseback in 1913.

“My family in one way or another truly has helped lay the foundation for this town from a very early time. Not just the bricks and mortar but the morals that we have, the traditions that we share,” Youtsey said. “A lot of you could say the same about your families. There’s value in that. This mayor and this council will work to preserve those traditions, keep Artesia moving forward in a way that makes us all proud.”

Youtsey ask the crowd of local residents to keep him and his councilmen accountable stating his goal is to “look back in four years and the things I told you I was gonna do – I wanna say that I did those things.”

Also sworn in were Also sworn in were returning District 1 City Councilor Raul Rodriguez and District 4 Councilor Michael Blunt, who both ran unopposed.

Joseph Wright was also sworn in as District 2 City Councilor to replace George Mullen, who opted not to run for reelection. Wright defeated Nathan Ryno, 144 to 50 votes.

District 3 City Councilor Allen Kent Bratcher, 68, retook his seat after being reelected over write-in candidate Matteo Doporto, 372 to 99.

Family pride on the water as Artesia native sees nephew in first competitive fishing tournament

Michael Smith
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Family pride on the water as Artesia native sees nephew in first competitive fishing tournament

Mike Smith
Carlsbad Current-Argus
msmith@elritomedia.com

Nephew competes in NM Bass Nation Kayak event

Anthony Barrera had a proud family moment as the New Mexico Bass Nation (NMBN) Kayak Series opened a new season March 21 at Conchas Lake.

Barrera, an Artesia native and an avid kayak fisherman, watched his 17-year-old nephew Jonathan Chavez hit the water in a kayak for the first time at the San Miguel County lake.

The Artesia High School junior finished 19th out of 31 anglers and was the top youth scorer.

Chavez was discouraged when “he missed some early bites and lost a couple of fish,” Barrera said, but perked up when he caught a fish that measured 16 inches in length.

“(He) went on another dry spell until the last 30 minutes and caught three good fish back-to-back,” Barrera said. “He was disappointed he didn’t get his fifth fish. I reminded him this was his first event, and he did great.”

Chavez said he had limited experience in a kayak and had never cast a fishing line from a canoe.

“Conchas Lake was a fun place to be and spend time with my uncle for my first-ever kayak tournament,” he said in a text message to the Current-Argus. “Fishing with my uncle makes fishing so much more fun to me. He teaches me a lot and can always guide me, give me advice and he’s always very positive.”

Barrera, 45, took up kayak fishing six years ago but he’s been a fisherman for 31 years. He said Chavez is growing as an angler.

“He has been fishing a lot near Brantley (Lake) and the surrounding areas,” said Barrera, who now lives in Albuquerque. “His skills are developing, and I could see that during the tournament. We have always been close and to be able to share this and see the tradition passed down is heartwarming.”

Chavez said fishing from a kayak was a different experience than fishing from a bank.

“It’s a lot more fun and challenging,” he said. “You can get to new places and explore more.”

Chavez is looking forward to competing in the next NMBN Kayak Series tournament April 11 at Brantley Lake.

“I’ve enjoyed getting to experience new things and meet all sorts of new people,” he said. “I just look at it as a way to enjoy what I love doing and also getting to meet new people along the way.”

Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 extension-2361.

Accused stalker released in Roswell after agreeing to house arrest

Michael Smith
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Accused stalker released in Roswell after agreeing to house arrest


Wheeler Cowperthwaite
Special to the Artesia Daily Press

A convicted murderer, accused of stalking his soon-to-be ex-wife, was released on house arrest in Roswell, after he agreed to waive a preliminary hearing.

Prosecutor Kent Wahlquist withdrew his motion on March 24, to have Javier Alonzo, 46, of Santa Cruz, held without bail pending trial after Alonso waived a preliminary hearing in exchange for prosecutors agreeing to house arrest.

Alonzo agreed to the deal the same day the case was set for a pre-trial detention and preliminary hearing on charges of aggravated stalking, battery, felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Those are slightly different charges than those that New Mexico State Police Officer Noberto Medrano-Tapia sought an arrest warrant for on Feb. 5. That arrest warrant charged Alonzo with aggravated assault, felon in possession of a firearm, violation of a protection order and harassment. He arrested Alonzo on Feb. 11, six days later.

Wahlquist initially sought to have Alonzo held without bail on Feb. 12, citing a previous murder conviction.

Alonzo allegedly repeatedly violated a no contact order by contacting his wife, who filed for divorce in October 2025. He allegedly emailed her, sent her communications through CashApp, tried to get her phone number from her landlord, called her children’s phones and had his mother go to her house, Medrano-Tapia wrote.

The woman told police that Alonzo brandished a gun inside a car, cocked it, placed it to her head and threatened to kill her. Police cruisers were nearby so he threatened to kill her before she could reach safety, he wrote.

In another incident in a Walmart parking lot, Alonzo allegedly punched out a vehicle windshield and restrained her while she tried to call for police. Bystanders intervened, Medrano-Tapia wrote.

She provided videos to the officer, showing Alonzo holding a gun and threatening her, he wrote.

Murder Conviction

Court dockets show Alonzo pleaded guilty to second degree murder in 2004 for an incident in Roswell, and received the maximum sentence, 15 years, followed by two years of probation.

His ex-wife told State Police officers that he killed a man while in prison, Medrano-Tapia wrote.

While Alonzo is not on probation in New Mexico, he is being supervised following his release in a federal case where he pleaded guilty to “violent crimes in aid of racketeering (murder).” He was sentenced to four years and three months, starting on Sept. 30, 2022, followed by supervised release for five years.

When federal prosecutors charged him in late 2015, the United States Attorney’s Office in New Mexico wrote in a press release, that he was one of 25 alleged gang members charged in connection with four killings under an initiative to prosecute the “worst of the worst,” who are members of the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico, a New Mexican prison gang. The charge he pleaded guilty to was for his involvement in the killing of a person in 2007, “in aid of the Gang’s racketeering affairs,” according to 2015 the press release.

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