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Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Michael Smith
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Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Debbie Nix

The month of June has long been know as wedding month. I have always wondered how this particular month became know for love and romance and it turns out, it wasn’t just the wedding industry trying to sell us on summer weddings. June is known as the wedding month because it was named after the Roman goddess Juno, who is the goddess of marriage and a divine protectress of women. She is also associated with fertility and love.

During my time in the wedding business, June in our inviting mountain town was already a pretty full month with the racetrack opening, our Texas friends arriving, spring winds were finally dying down, and it’s warm enough that vegetation is greening up. If we are lucky, maybe an early summer rain has even washed the dust off of everything.

With the blessing of this welcome bit of moisture comes a sense of optimism for a summer filled with possibilities. It happens every year for me. I actually get a big jolt of excitement in the pit of my stomach for the coming summer season filled with activities and people I haven’t seen in a long while.

Speaking of excitement, wedding season is exciting and when I was researching summer recipes on Pinterest, up pops this Marry Me Chicken Pasta, not just one recipe option but a dozen or more variations. Mmmmm, could there be some truth to the old saying, the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach? I’m all about equality and this phrase could just as easily apply to women too. What I know for sure is that you can never go wrong with a great meal cooked with love as its main ingredient, whomever is doing the cooking.

At this juncture of life I’m not looking to influence my partner into marrying me but I do need some help cleaning out the garage and building some shelves. Wonder if the magic of this dish will work for that? I think I’ll give it a go. I’ll let you know.

Marry Me Chicken Pasta

2 T. olive oil

3 chicken breasts thinly sliced into bite sized pieces

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. each of

black pepper

garlic powder

onion powder

paprika

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp red pepper flakes

8 oz. dried penne pasta, or any pasta of your choice

Fresh basil, chopped for garnish

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.

Mix salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika.

Season chicken pieces with seasoning mixture.

Add chicken to skillet and cook till golden brown, 5-7 minutes.

Remove chicken and set aside.

In the same skillet, sauté minced garlic just till soft, add chicken broth, heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes and garlic.

Stir and bring to a simmer, continue to simmer while pasta cooks.

Cook pasta according to directions, drain and set aside.

Return chicken to same skillet, simmer five minutes until sauce thickens.

Add cooked pasta to skillet, toss to coat with sauce.

Garnish with fresh basil

Hope this helps with those wedding proposals and honey do projects.

Debbie Nix, longtime Ruidoso resident,

Lifecoach, foodie and romantic

Lifecoach@zianet.com

To commemorate the death of George Floyd, the DOJ shut down police reform

Michael Smith
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To commemorate the death of George Floyd, the DOJ shut down police reform

Mary Sanchez

Here’s how the federal government honored the fifth anniversary of the tortured death of George Floyd: It stomped on his memory by gutting the very programs that could help police departments avoid such brutal and racially polarizing deaths.

The Department of Justice announced on May 21 that it would cancel consent decrees with multiple policing agencies across the nation. These are court-monitored plans whereby departments agree to work on specific steps to improve on patterns and practices of discriminatory behavior, based on evidence of police misconduct that far exceeds the actions of one officer.

Consent decrees attempt to rectify problems that are ingrained, like attitudes and policies.

One of the canceled programs was between the DOJ and the Minneapolis Police Department after the investigation that followed Floyd’s death.

The other was with the Louisville Police Department, prompted by the death of Breonna Taylor who was shot and killed in 2020 during a drug raid where police broke her door down, looking for another target.

The government will also be halting many on-going, deep-dive investigations, the sort of efforts that have helped untold numbers of law enforcement through increased training, funding and building stronger relationships with the community.

In total, nearly two dozen cities have lost these crucial efforts of government help and oversight, managed through the DOJ’s Civil Rights division.

Understandably, few, if any, police departments welcome consent decrees. No one likes the government looking under the hood, overseeing and advising.

Police unions in particular have praised the move by Trump’s DOJ to reign in the investigations.

A fair criticism is that consent decrees can drag on for years and they are expensive. But the department is not doing law enforcement any favors by this move. Admittedly, it might seem counter-intuitive to make that point.

Politicians and plenty of headline-seeking media personalities preach of a vast gulf between those who chant Black Lives Matter and those who sing the praises of Blue Lives.

Lost is the truth that Black and Latino communities, especially low-income people, depend on police for safety as much, if not often more, than wealthier neighborhoods where crime is less prevalent.

People in low-income communities just want to be treated fairly, and with respect.

Here’s another overlooked factor: Good, conscientious people exist in every policing system that has drawn the DOJ’s oversight.

A great example is Ferguson, MO. Michael Brown’s shooting death in 2014 at the hands of a now former Ferguson officer ignited mass protests.

The reasons were far more complicated than Brown’s death, or even the fact that his body remained in the street for hours after the shooting, a huge sign of disrespect for his community.

A DOJ report released a year later noted that the “investigation has shown that distrust of the Ferguson Police Department is longstanding and largely attributable to Ferguson’s approach to law enforcement.”

The report drilled into the practice of using police to drive revenue for the city through fines.

There was a relentless push for officers to bring in revenue. There were even competitions among them to see who could write the most citations.

The need for probable cause was often ignored in traffic stops and officers developed creatively unconstitutional methods to get around the need for warrants signed by a judge.

But the report took pains to note those who tried to rectify this unfair treatment – like a city council member who argued for a community service option for those who couldn’t pay their fines: “In August 2013, for example, one City Councilmember wrote to the City Manager, the Mayor, and other City officials lamenting the lack of a community service option and noted the benefits of such a program, including that it would “keep those people that simply don’t have the money to pay their fines from constantly being arrested and going to jail, only to be released and do it all over again.”

Solutions-minded officers were also cited. Some argued that it would be far more productive to let citizens use meager funds to fix a broken taillight, rather than fine them for it. Others tried to press commanders, the chief of police, and the mayor, to acknowledge when directives drove unfair practices or neglected underlying causes for crime.

The report chronicled how those voices were silenced.

The saying is that culture eats, like a snack, people who try to function as agents of change in rigid systems. Numerous DOJ reports echo the adage, citing instance after instance.

Ingrained attitudes and processes are difficult to shake, even when people agree on the negative outcomes of those processes. In short, change is hard.

Which is one reason that consent decrees have long been a tool, not a perfect one, but one way to help police organizations shift.

The Trump DOJ, in what it paints as a benevolent act to policing, is running from that responsibility.

The department is failing the communities that law enforcement is sworn to protect, along with the many change-minded officers who could use some backup.

(Readers can reach Mary Sanchez at msanchezcolumn@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @msanchezcolumn.)

Eddy County works on opioid addiction

Michael Smith
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Eddy County works on opioid addiction

Adrian Hedden
Artesia Daily Press
achedden@currentargus.com

Eddy County officials were looking for a solution to widespread opioid addiction throughout New Mexico so the county teamed up with a local nonprofit treatment center to get addicts the help they need.

About 3.9% of New Mexicans, or 82,840 people, suffered from opioid use disorder in 2024, according to a report from the New Mexico Department of Justice, and 2,100 deaths were attributed to the drug’s use between 2017 and 2021.

The county agreed to partner with Carlsbad Lifehouse to address the problem. The drug rehab and mental health facility received $653,500 from the county last year for treatment of nonfatal overdoses and counseling through multiple programs.

The dollars were allocated in response to a request for proposal (RFP) application Eddy County awarded to Lifehouse on April 2, 2024, requiring the organization give annual updates to county officials on its progress.

The program was funded by Eddy County’s share of multiple settlements between the state of New Mexico and major pharmaceutical companies such as Johnson & Johnson and Cardinal Health and pharmacies CVS and Walgreens, among others.

In 2023, the New Mexico Legislature created the Opioid Settlement Restricted Fund to hold the settlement money, which is distributed by the Opioid Crisis Recovery Fund with 55% allocated to local entities and 45% to the state.

Eddy County received about $1.2 million from the state’s settlement funds, while the cities of Carlsbad and Artesia were paid $798,319 and $537,540, respectively. The cities and county agreed to pool their funding into the RFP.

Philip Huston, executive director of Lifehouse, presented the organization’s progress during the Eddy County Commission’s May 20 meeting in Carlsbad.

He said Lifehouse sees on average 500 clients a month at its facilities.

“Our mission is to change health care outcomes for people in Eddy County,” Huston said. “There’s a lot of opportunity for us to work together and continue to meet the needs around addiction treatment and mental health.”

Funds paid to Lifehouse through the RFP included $238,500 to develop an overdose response program, which is made up of nurses, emergency personnel and counselors who can respond to non-fatal overdoses anywhere in the county.

Those who have suffered a non-fatal overdose can also be referred to the program for addiction treatment, but Huston said only one referral was made so far, and that Lifehouse was working to better publicize the service.

Another $250,000 was provided to design a facility at Lifehouse’s main location at 1900 Westridge to serve as a drop-off for those encountered by law enforcement who would be better served, Huston said, by mental health treatment instead of incarceration. The remodel was planned for next month.

Lifehouse also received $115,000 for community education, allowing the facility to hire a full-time staff member to lead educational programs throughout the county on the dangers of drug addiction and mental health treatment. Huston said Lifehouse has so far hosted seven such classes.

“That’s something we’ll continue to do,” he said.

Lifehouse also received $50,000 through the RFP to train its staff specifically on opioid addiction.

Aside from the settlement money, another $165,000 was recently awarded to Lifehouse via a New Mexico Behavioral Health Collaboration program called RISE (Rise, Intervene, Support and Engage).

The money will help Lifehouse continue its counseling programs at the Eddy County Detention Center.

“Good things are happening over there, and we’re just happy to hear about all the work that is moving forward,” said Commission Chair Sarah Cordova.

Other business

Eddy County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a liquor license for Nurvis Purvis Brewing Company. The brewery was being built in Eddy County at 1602 N. Canal St., just north of the Carlsbad city limits.

The county also agreed to spend $85,000 on added fencing at Sandpoint Landfill. The money was left over from construction of the sixth cell where trash is emplaced at the landfill, and was reallocated for the fence to prevent litter from blowing off the property.

A $10,000 grant from ConocoPhillips was approved by county commissioners to be used for Eddy County Fire and Rescue to purchase laryngoscopes used to view patient airways on video during cardiac events.

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

The Artesia boys and girls track teams have success at the state meet 

JT Keith
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The Artesia boys and girls track teams have success at the state meet 

JT Keith 
Artesia Daily Press
jtkeith@elritomedia.com

The Artesia boys and girls track teams went to the 2025 track and field state championships in Albuquerque on Friday and Saturday looking to make the podium individually and as team medalists. 

The boys finished second to Albuquerque Academy in the state and the girls missed making the team podium by just three points. 

Both teams had individual state champions, and both teams succeeded with several athletes making the top six in the state and standing on the podium. 

Champions 

Artesia’s Brooklynne Ivans earned the state championship in shot put while Hattie Harrison won the 100 meter hurdles. Harrison also ran a time of 14.57 in the 100-meter hurdles preliminaries to break the state record as well as her own school record. 

Artesia’s Marco Soto, who defended his 2024 shot-put championship, is a two-time state champion. 

Bryce Parra won the long jump and was the anchor of the boys’ 4×200 championship relay team. The 4x200m relay team, consisting of Luis Torres, Haden Harcrow, Crecencio Cuellar and Bryce Parra, held off Los Alamos and won the state championship. 

Boys 

Artesia boys’ coach Adrian Olivas said Parra was the high-point athlete for the boys. 

Parra won the long jump and anchored the state champion 4×200 relay team. He finished second in the 200m dash, fifth in the 100m dash and third in the 4x100m relay. 

“He is only a junior,” Olivas said, “so we look forward to having him again next year.” 

Close to winning it all 

Olivas said his runner-up Bulldogs trailed champion Albuquerque Academy by only 3.5 points in the team standings. 

“We expected to be in the running for a Blue Trophy,” Olivas said. “There were several other athletes who performed well. We had to win the final event, the 4x400m relay. The team did everything they could and ran their hearts out. Although we came up short, I cannot express how proud of this relay team I am.” 

Girls 

Hattie Harrison was third in the 300-meter hurdles, Kaylee Berdoza finished fifth in the open 400m, and senior MacKenzie Norton finished in fifth place in the 1600m run. 

Other field event medalists included: Harper Murray, fourth in shot put; Makaylee Morillon, second in javelin; Peyton Barela, second in discus; and Kailee Padilla, fifth in long jump. 

Those performances helped move Artesia’s team into a battle for third place on the podium in the 4x400m relay against Moriarty. 

Artesia girls’ track coach Mandi Lewallen said she was pleased with the performance of her team, which fell just three points short of making the podium against a tough Moriarty squad, 53-50. 

“Our five seniors, Hattie Harrison, Makaylee Morillon, MacKenzie Norton, Esmeralda Sorrells, and Isabel Irvin were a big part of our success – not only this year, but past seasons,” Lewallen said. “We thank them for their hard work, dedication, and leadership.” 

Lewallen said the girls’ track and field team will return a number of state qualifiers next season:  

Ninth graders: Caiya Olivas, Kaylee Berdoza, Marlyn Corza, J’Lee England, Chloe Caley, Kaidence Hnulik, Harper Murray, McKenna Drake and Lexi Devenport. 

Tenth graders: Kenzie Padilla, Jema Molina and Aubrey Allison. 

Eleventh graders: Kailee Padilla, Kaitlyn Addington, Gabby Aguilar, Ashton Craft, ZaLeigh Greer, Brooklynne Ivans, Lily Klingshirn and Peyton Barela. 

jtkeith can be reached at 575-420-0061, or on X@JTKEITH1

County targets day care needs

Michael Smith
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County targets day care needs

Adrian Hedden
Carlsbad Current-Argus
achedden@currentargus.com

About $2 million in county money could go toward a day care facility operated by Carlsbad Municipal Schools, as the county looks to address a perceived shortage in child care throughout the region.

The proposed partnership between the county and school district would mean the district would buy the day care for a yet-undetermined cost in partnership with local nonprofit God’s Light in the Darkness Foundation. The county would then provide the funds to pay for maintaining and operating the facility, for which the district would hire a contractor.

The day care will have a capacity of 238 children as young as infants, with 50-75 “reserved spots” set aside for Eddy County employees.

During Tuesday’s Eddy County Commission meeting, officials contended the need for day care was increasing in the county along with its population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 6.7% of Eddy County’s 61,000 residents were under the age of five. But that number could be higher as it was believed the population of Eddy County was “underreported” due to a rapid influx of workers in the oil and gas industry, according to a memo distributed to commissioners ahead of the discussion.

“One in four” job offers in Eddy County is turned down due to a lack of child care options,” said Kristen Gamboa, executive director of the Carlsbad Department of Development, in a statement included in the memo. She added that 66% of children under age six live in a household where both parents work.

Gamboa pointed to the growing oil and gas industry in the region leading to an increase in population and the number of young families in Eddy County. Eddy and Lea counties share New Mexico’s portion of the nation’s busiest oilfield, the Permian Basin, which stretches through West Texas to the Midland-Odessa area.

“Eddy County is at a critical juncture,” read Gamboa’s statement. “As one of New Mexico’s fastest-growing regions, we are seeing a significant increase in young families and working parents. Yet, our child care infrastructure is not keeping up with demand.”

Eddy County Manager Mike Gallagher said the district was already authorized by its board of education to enter into the agreement, and that the funds would pay for about three or four years of operation. He said the proposal would be submitted to the commission for a vote at a later meeting.

“This is a really exciting opportunity. There is a need for more day care providers in Eddy County, especially in Carlsbad,” Gallagher said. “We know we’re a very fast-growing city and a fast-growing county.”

Gallagher said families can wait three months to a year for placement in day care centers, which could impede their ability to live and work in Eddy County.

“One of the items we need in the community for business recruitment is day care services,” he said.

District 3 Commissioner Philip Troost voiced support for the project, citing the need in the community.

“I think it’s a great deal for Carlsbad and southern Eddy County,” Troost said. “People need a clean, safe place to have their kids.”

It’s also an example of the local community solving a local need, said District 1 Commissioner Ernie Carlson.

“It’s a community problem, it’s community participation. We need to participate in our community as a whole,” he said. “There’s a lot of mothers, a lot of single mothers and fathers that need something like this.”

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

The Final Judgment

Michael Smith
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The Final Judgment

By Pastor Rick Smith

None of us like to dwell on the final judgment that day when God shall settle all account and judge the wicked. We don’t like to think of people as wicked. Stupid, uneducated and mentally deficient we can accept readily. I can remember in the movie Hook the little girl telling her father Jack something to the effect that Hook’s problem was he had no mommy. No one would deny the value of mothers and fathers, but even those from a good home can commit extreme wickedness. I knew someone like that who conspired to kidnap and murder a bank president’s wife. I went to church with him. His father was a deacon in the church that I was saved in. If anyone had the advantages that should have made for a godly life it was him. I also know that there are those that seem to escape man’s judgment, but there will be a final judgment of all. The Bible teaches us that all have an appointment to keep with God (Genesis 3:19; Hebrews 9:27). That appointment is the final judgment found in Revelation 20:11-15.

The first thing that I want to point your attention to is those that will be at that final judgment. Jesus will be there as Judge, because the Father has committed all judgment to Him (John 5:22). Jesus will not be there as the gentle Shepherd, but as the avenging Lord God judging His enemies. Jesus will be there in all of His unveiled glory. “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.” (Revelation 20:11). Jesus will be there judging. And who will Jesus judge? Jesus will be judging the dead. Kings, presidents, and rulers of all kinds will be there. So will the ordinary citizens along with the poorest of the poor. The religious, the agnostic, and the atheist will be there. The pagan and many who call themselves Christian will be there. “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.” (Revelation 20:13).

At this point it is pretty abstract and far away. Let me bring this closer to home, because we neglect to realize who will be there. Many of our family, friends, and acquaintances will be there. People that we love will be there. When someone we know dies we say something like this, “He suffered a long time, but now he is at peace.” I must remind you that when someone dies he is either going to heaven or hell. The Bible teaches no in between place of hope of rescue. If a person dies without Christ, then that person is now in hell. Those that believe in Jesus never die and to be absent from the body is to be with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:8; Luke 23:43). The rich man in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man woke up in hell (Luke 16:19-30). That is what happens to all who die without Christ. And those in hell today are waiting to be judged in that final judgment.

Some hearing this today will be there at that final judgment. And it is not because you are such a bad person. You don’t have to be a Hitler to be at this judgment. You just have to be without Christ. “…and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works…And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:12,15). You will be there because your name is not in the “…book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8). But while you live there is hope. Jesus, the Lamb of God, suffered and died for your sin. If you will repent to God of your sin and trust Jesus His Son, then God will save you for Jesus sake. Then your name will be written in the book of life and you will not even be at the final judgment.

We, who know Jesus as our Lord and Savior, have a great responsibility to those that are lost to get the gospel to them in any and every way that we can. What can we do? First, begin praying for your lost family and friends. Then pray that God will open the door for you to speak to them about Jesus. Finally, open your mouth and tell them of the Lamb of God Who died for them. I’ll pray for you, but please also pray for me.

If you have any questions, we invite you to visit with us this Sunday. Worship at 10:50 A.M. We are located at 711 West Washington Ave. Check our sermon videos on Youtube @ricksmith2541. Send comments and prayer requests to prayerlinecmbc@gmail.com.

Eddy County outlines building priorities

Michael Smith
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Eddy County outlines building priorities

Adrian Hedden
Carlsbad Current-Argus
achedden@currentargus.com

Money for a new jail, county offices and ongoing renovations of Eddy County’s historic courthouse topped the list of infrastructure spending priorities for the county over the next five years.

The county’s Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan was presented Tuesday, May 20, at the Eddy County Commission’s regular meeting, directing its priorities for major projects from Fiscal Years 2027 to 2031.

In New Mexico, fiscal years run from July 1 to June 30 of each year and are named for the year when they end. Fiscal Year 2025 will end on June 30.

The plan was developed by county department heads based on needs for facility improvements and construction under their purview. The plan will be approved by vote at a future county commission meeting and submitted to the state of New Mexico’s Department of Finance and Administration.

“This doesn’t mean these projects need to be completed during that time frame,” said Community Services Director Steve McCroskey. “This will help us plan for the next five years.”

The first project included in the plan, and the No. 1 priority presented to commissioners for their approval, was a $4.8 million rebuild of the Eddy County Courthouse’s air conditioning system. The courthouse is in downtown Carlsbad and houses the county’s branch of New Mexico’s Fifth Judicial District, which also includes Lea and Chaves counties.

Second was a $175 million project to construct a new building for the Eddy County Detention Center, relocating the jail out of downtown Carlsbad to an area on the south end of town near the Cavern City Air Terminal.

Warden Billy Massingill said the funds were already approved by the county and the project was being developed by an architectural firm. He said the project would be ready to seek bidders for the work in February 2026.

“We’ve got a good plan, a good layout,” he said.

No. 3 was a $20 million plan to develop a consolidated dispatch center for first responders throughout Eddy County. No. 4 was $55 million for a county emergency room facility.

Eddy County Manager Mike Gallagher said design for the dispatch center project had not yet started but that funds could be sought from the state of New Mexico. He said the facility would serve all four of Eddy County’s municipalities: Carlsbad, Artesia, Loving and Hope.

District 1 Commissioner Ernie Carlson said he supported consolidating, but wondered if the municipalities would be on board. He said past discussions weren’t “exactly friendly.”

“As much expensive equipment that we’re talking about, it really doesn’t make sense for municipalities to be separate,” he said. “Technology and stuff changes so much, the cost can be astronomical.”

The fifth priority was a $6.3 million project to repair the McDonald Road Bridge in southern Eddy County, which was damaged by flooding. No. 6 was a new county administrative complex, or renovations to the existing building at Greene and Main streets in Carlsbad.

The project was expected to cost about $50 million.

Gallagher proposed moving the building from No. 4 priority to No. 6 to allow the dispatch and emergency room facilities to move up.

That was followed at No. 7 by $29.7 million to renovate the interior of the Eddy County Courthouse, modernizing the facility and improving court services, said Facilities Manager Jasmine Sosa.

Project No. 8 would allocate $15.3 million to renovate the Eddy County Fire and Rescue training grounds, and No. 9 would spend about $5.3 million on fire safety improvements at county buildings. The 10th priority called for spending $13.2 million on a new fire station on the north side of the county.

County commissioners did not express any opposition to the list of priorities.

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

Artesia Bulldogs baseball are state champs

JT Keith
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Artesia Bulldogs baseball are state champs

Todd Fuqua

El Rito Media

tfuqua@elritomedia.com

ALBUQUERQUE – Artesia’s baseball team needed timely hitting in the fifth inning to break a 3-3 tie and earn the Class 4A state championship with a 6-3 victory over Bloomfield April 17 at the Jennifer Riordan Spark Kindness Sports Complex.

After allowing the Bobcats (24-7) to tie the game in the top of the fourth, Artesia (25-6) rapped out five hits in the bottom of the fifth and scored three runs to retake the lead.

Jett Fuentes delivered the game-winning run batted in with a double to left field that scored Frankie Galindo, who had doubled to lead off the inning.

“I’m proud of everyone for fighting until the end,” Fuentes said. “Now that we’re champions, it feels great to have my family here, supporting me all the way. It was amazing.”

Artesia starter Diego Morales pitched a shutout through three innings but had to get himself out of a few early jams as the Bobcats had the bases loaded in the first inning and runners on the corners with no outs in the third. Each time, the Bulldogs got the strikeout, grounder or fly ball they needed to keep Bloomfield from scoring.

Artesia drew first blood in the second inning after Brant Usherwood was hit by a pitch and scored on a triple by Jett Whitmire. Whitmire then came home on Derrick Warren’s single to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead.

The lead grew to 3-0 in the third inning when Galindo was hit by a pitch and scored on an RBI single by Jack Byers.

That score held up until the Bobcats pushed across three runs in the top of the fourth on five hits, including doubles by Cable Carruth, Johnny Yates and Troy Jaramillo. Morales struck out Damien Jaramillo and Gavin Pecotte to stop the bleeding, and the Bobcats were scoreless the rest of the way, setting the stage for the Bulldogs’ three-run rally in the fifth.

Artesia coach Jackson Bickel helped Morales clear his mind, the pitcher said.

“He just told me to keep my head straight, and I had to have confidence in myself that I could do this,” Morales said. “I had to get outs one by one, focus on the first one, then the next one.”

Charlie Campbell came on in relief in the top of the seventh and struck out the side to secure the state title for the Bulldogs.

“I have 110 percent confidence in Charlie,” Morales said. “I was nervous because it’s a state championship game, but I knew Charlie could get it done.”

This was Bickel’s first year as a head coach, and he was appreciative the team responded to his leadership at the start of the season.

“We just needed to teach the mindset of this team,” Bickel said. “We reminded them about what it means to have the Bulldog name across their chests. There’s a whole lot of tradition there.”

—

Class 4A state championship

May 17, 2025

at Albuquerque

Bulldogs 6, Bobcats 3

Bloomfield 000 300 0 – 3 7 0

Artesia 021 030 x – 6 12 0

Cable Carruth, Elias Munoz (5) and Manuel Chaviarria. Diego Morales, Charlie Campbell (7) and Brant Usherwood. W – Morales. L – Carruth. 3B – Art, Jett Whitmire. 2B – Blo, Troy Jaramillo, Johnny Yates, Cable Carruth; Art, Frankie Galindo, Jett Fuentes. SB – Art, Galindo, Derrick Warren, Campbell. LOB – Blo 7, Art 5.

Todd Fuqua is Assistant Editor for the Alamogordo News and can be reached on Instagram at @toadfox1.

Famous N Relentless, Entice Me Ona Monday

JT Keith
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0
Famous N Relentless, Entice Me Ona Monday

 

 

Famous N Relentless, Entice Me Ona Monday 

Are $30k Supplements to Enter Ruidoso Futurity Trials 

 

Trainer Jason Olmstead and the connections of two young race horses are prepared to make a huge gamble on their horses to race in this weekend’s trials for $1 million Ruidoso Futurity. 

“We’re on a poor man’s budget,” Jason quipped trying to explain the decision to put up $30,000 each as a late supplement fee in order to enter this weekend’s trial races. 

         To make payments that lead up to the starting gate, owners paid an average of $4,000 to enter their horses in the first leg of the Triple Crown trials. Olmstead said the connections of these two horses have the confidence that putting up the late supplement payment will pay off. 

Famous N Relentless and jockey Ramiro Garcia will race as number four in the third race on Friday and is the 2-1 morning line favorite. The two-year-old won the $100,000 Oklahoma Breeder’s Juvenile at Remington Park on April 18. 

 

 

“The horse earned the opportunity,” Jason said. “He won by a length on a sloppy track that night with a faster final time than the winner of the Futurity.” 

The gelding is a home-bred of Jason and his wife Amber Olmstead and was raised since birth on their ranch in Pryor, Oklahoma. They co-own the youngster along with their friend Tom Maher. Famous N Relentless is sired by Hes Relentless which Olmstead also owns and trained through a successful career. 

“It’s special when you were part of the horse’s conception to the time they are on the racetrack,” Jason said. “We hope that Famous N Relentless is special.” 

Meanwhile, the owners of Entice Me Ona Monday, Tejas Troubadours, paid the $30,000 supplement to also run in Saturday’s trials. Jockey Garcia rides this horse as number one in the fifteenth race and also is the 2-1 morning line selection. 

          “Entice Me Ona Monday finished fourth in the Oklahoma Breeder’s Futurity Final that same evening,” Jason said. The gelding is sired by Cyber Monday and was purchased at the Heritage Place Sale last fall for $30,000. 

 

Along with Olmstead’s two late supplemental entries, the Ruidoso Futurity trials will feature other top runners including:  

Political Twist, winner of the $365,000 West Texas Futurity at Sunland Park on April 5th. The gelding will be ridden by Louis Martinez as number ten in race eight on Friday for La Feliz Montana Ranch. 

Faust, runner-up to Political Twist in the West Texas Futurity for owner Nancy Islas and trainer Jesus Soto. The gelding will be ridden by Noe Garcia Jr. as number nine in Friday’s seventh race. 

Allegiant Air, a finalist in the West Texas Futurity for trainer Trey Wood and jockey Ricky Ramirez. This filly is number nine in race ten on Saturday. 

There are fifteen trial races to the Ruidoso Futurity on Friday and Saturday. First post is Noon both days. 

Read each week’s Thursday’s Artesia Daily Press for updates from the track.

La Feliz Montana Ranch has Plenty of Bullets ready for $830,000 Ruidoso Derby Trials

JT Keith
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Tim Keathley
For the Ruidoso News

Javier Rodriguez looks to be floating on air around the barn this week in advance of his three-year-old runners competing in trials for the $830,000 Ruidoso Derby. 

“It seems like all our three-year-olds are doing extremely well right now, “ Javier said. “We are focused on this weekend and hope to get all of them qualified for the final.”

“Whose fastest?,” a horse player might ask Javier. That’s when a huge grin comes over the face of the longtime horseman and operator of La Feliz Montana Ranch located in Hondo. “Right now I would say it’s a toss-up,” Javier said. “A few of our three-year-olds have grown-up significantly since last fall. They’ve got more muscle and maturity.”

“Ariatt might be peaking at the right time,” Javier said. We’ve seen a tremendous advancement in this horse since last fall.”

Sired by Tempting Dash, Ariatt competed in the All American Futurity in Albuquerque last Labor Day and finished eighth. Javier remembers that Ariatt false-broke one moment in advance of the starting gates opening, striking his mouth and jaw against the hard steel of the gate. The incident pretty much ended his chances of winning the All American before the gates even opened.

“He was so prepared,” Javier said. “And it ended in just a split second with the false- break. He’s perfect now. He’s ready to go this weekend– happy and eating well.”

Ariatt and jockey Luis Martinez will be number four in Sunday’s third race. 

Two other top runners from Javier and La Feliz Montana Ranch entered  in the Ruidoso Derby trials on Sunday include:

• Painted Eclispe, fourth in last year’s All American Futurity. The gelding and jockey Martinez will be number six in the first race.

• FDD Dreams, third in last year’s All American Futurity. The gelding won the $912,000 Texas Classic Futurity at Lone Star Park last fall and is number three in Sunday’s seventh race.

There are ten Ruidoso Derby trials with first post scheduled for 1 p.m.

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