Aug 2

SUSPICIOUS

12:24 am – Officer dispatched to 200 block of N. 2nd St. in reference to suspicious person.

LOUD

1:34 am – Officer dispatched to 600 block of N. 8th St. in reference to loud music.

ALARM

2:38 am – Officer dispatched to 2700 block of N. 1st St. in reference to an alarm.

DISTURBANCE

2:56 am – Officer dispatched to 1200 block of W. Chisum Ave. in reference to disturbance.

LOUD

10:28 am- Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to loud music.

ALARM

12:03 pm – Officer dispatched to 2600 block of W. Main St. in reference to an alarm.

WELFARE

12:17 pm – Officer dispatched to 600 block of W. Richardson Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

12:34 pm – Officer dispatched to 200 block of N. 26th in reference to the welfare of an adult.

SUSPICIOUS

1:03 pm – Officer dispatched to 900 block of W. Main St. in reference to a suspicious person.

LARCENY

2:05 pm – Officer dispatched to 2300 block of W. Centre Ave. in reference to larceny.

3:05 pm – Officer dispatched to 900 block of W. Sears Ave. in reference to larceny.

RECKLESS

4:50 pm – Officer dispatched to 1100 block of W. Runyan Ave. in reference to a reckless vehicle.

DOMESTIC

8:15 pm – Officer dispatched to W. Hermosa Dr. and S. 20th St. in reference to domestic.

WELFARE

9:22 pm – Officer dispatched to 1100 block of W. Chisum Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

LOUD

11:07 pm – Officer dispatched to 600 block of N. 8th St. in reference to loud music.

SUSPICIOUS

11:30 pm – Officer dispatched to 800 block of N. 7th St. in reference to a suspicious person.

Aug 3

Arrest

Melissa Andrea Bernard Ortega arrested for battery against a household member.

Aldofo Cadena arrested for failure to appear.

DISTURBANCE

12:45 am – Officer dispatched to S. 20th St. and W. Dallas Ave. in reference to disturbance.

2:40 am – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to disturbance.

ALARM

9:05 am – Officer dispatched to 500 block of W. Richardson Ave. in reference to an alarm.

SUSPICIOUS

11:36 pm – Officer dispatched to W. Mahone Dr. in reference to a suspicious person.

WANTED

12:50 pm – Officer dispatched to 2000 block of W. Sears Ave. in reference to a wanted subject.

WELFARE

8:32 pm – Officer dispatched to S. 20th St. and W. Grand Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

ACCIDENT

9:15 pm – Officer dispatched to S. 13th St. and W. Grand Ave. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

DOMESTIC

11:09 pm – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richardson Ave. in reference to domestic.

SUSPICIOUS

11:18 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to a suspicious person.

SHOTS FIRED

11:24 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to shots fired in the area.

SUSPICIOUS

11:33 pm – Officer dispatched to 1300 block of W. Sears. Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

Aug 4

DOMESTIC

12:30 am – Officer dispatched to 900 block of S. 2nd St. in reference to physical domestic.

WELFARE

12:40 am – Officer dispatched to 1200 block of W. Missouri Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

1:27 am – Officer dispatched to 400 block of W. Logan Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.  

HARASMENT

1:39 am – Officer dispatched to 2100 block of W. Dallas Ave. in reference to harassment.

DISTURBANCE

4:04 am – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to disturbance.

SUSPICIOUS

5:09 am – Officer dispatched to 1600 block of W. Centre Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

DOMESTIC

7:41 am – Officer dispatched to 900 block of W. Grand Ave. in reference to domestic.

ACCIDENT

12:23 pm – Officer dispatched to W. Richey Ave. and N. 8th St. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

WELFARE

2:47 pm – Officer dispatched to 900 block of W. Bush Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

SUSPICIOUS

3:12 pm – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richardson Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

FRAUD

4:54 pm – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to fraud.

SUSPICIOUS

5:42 pm – Officer dispatched to 200 block of W. Kemp Ave. in reference to suspicious trespass.

9:13 pm – Officer dispatched to 1300 block of W. Sears Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

WELFARE

10:25 pm- Officer dispatched to 200 block of W. Gage Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

Aug 5

SUSPICIOUS

12:46 am – Officer dispatched to 900 block of W. Missouri Ave. in reference to suspicious activity.

12:57 am – Officer dispatched to 2500 block of W. Briscoe Ave. in reference to suspicious activity.

LARCENY

10:11 am – Officer dispatched to 400 block of N. 1st St. in reference to larceny.

WELFARE

2:52 pm – Officer dispatched to N. Freeman Ave. in reference to the welfare of a child.

LARCENY

3:09 pm – Officer dispatched to 2700 block of N. 1st St. in reference to larceny.

SUSPICIOUS

3:24 pm – Officer dispatched to 200 block of N. 1st St. in reference to a suspicious person.

UNWANTED

4:08 pm – Officer dispatched to 1100 block of W. Memorial Dr. in reference to an unwanted subject.

DOMESTIC

5:18 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of W. Richardson Ave. in reference to domestic.

DISTURBANCE

8:32 pm – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to disturbance.

Aug 6

Arrest

Christopher Dixon arrested for driving on a revoked license.

Wesley Walker arrested for failure to appear.

Jeremiah Urias arrested for failure to comply.

DISTURBANCE

8:40 am – Officer dispatched to N. 4th St. and W. Gage Ave. in reference to disturbance.

HARASSMENT

9:15 am – Officer dispatched to 2900 block of W. Williams Rd. in reference to harassment.

DISTURBANCE

11:12 am – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of S. 1st St. in reference to disorderly disturbance.

3:44 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to neighbor disturbance.

WANTED

2:10 pm – Officer dispatched to 100 block of N. 15th St. in reference to a wanted subject.

WELFARE

7:21 pm – Officer dispatched to 200 block of W. Kemp Ave. in reference to the welfare of a child.

SUSPICIOUS

7:25 pm – Officer dispatched to 300 block of W. Grand Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

8:20 pm – Officer dispatched to 100 block of W. Cleveland Ave. in reference to a suspicious activity.

THREATS

10:26 pm – Officer dispatched to 900 block of W. Clayton Ave. in reference to threats.

Aug 7

ACCIDENT

8:09 am – Officer dispatched to S. 13th St. and W. Grand Ave. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

SUSPICIOUS

8:21 am – Officer dispatched to N. 8th St. and W. Richey Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

DOMESTIC

9:59 am – Officer dispatched to 2300 block of W. Grand Ave. in reference to domestic.

ACCIDENT

10:32 am – Officer dispatched to W. Hermosa Dr. and S. 3rd St. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

BURGALRY

1:45 pm – Officer dispatched to 600 block of N. 1st St. in reference to an auto burglary.

HARASSMENT

2:50 pm – Officer dispatched to 800 block of N. Texas Ave. in reference to stalking harassment.

FRAUD

4:28 pm – Officer dispatched to 1600 block of W. Hermosa Dr. in reference to fraud.

DISTURBANCE

10:55 pm – Officer dispatched to 2300 block of W. Grand Ave. in reference to neighborly disturbance.

Adrian Hedden
Artesia Daily Press

Seniors from throughout Eddy County rely on meals served at the Alejandro Ruiz Senior Center on Pate Street – meals that U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez worried could be at risk amid a continual funding battle in Congress.

Vasquez said during a visit to the center Friday, Aug. 8, that recent Republican actions to claw back funds for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would result in worsening food insecurity, especially in rural areas such as southeast New Mexico.

SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, was created in 1939 to provide access to food for low-income families, the elderly and others with limited resources.

“When it comes to senior centers like this, we need more budget, more funding,” Vasquez said. “Not less.”

The Southeast New Mexico Action Corporation uses SNAP funding to pay for meals it offers at the senior center at no charge to residents in need throughout Eddy County and the region. Last year, the corporation estimated it served more than 115,000 meals.

Angela Courter, regional manager at the Non-Metro New Mexico Area Agency on Aging, attended a roundtable Vasquez hosted at the senior center and said funding cuts were already impacting nonprofits such as the Action Corporation.

The agency provides about 80% of the program’s budget, which is also supported by donations from the city of Carlsbad and other entities. Courter said the federal cuts mean the Agency lost $200,000 this year, compared with its overall budget of about $400,000.

“We are under, we’re in the red at this point. The problem is that nonprofits like the Southeast New Mexico Action Corporation are treading water as it is,” she said. “Across the state of New Mexico, we are seeing programs not able to pay their bills. It’s going to be a very, very difficult year for us.”

Sherra Hester, executive director of the corporation, said the program cannot subsist entirely on donations, and that strong federal funding was needed to sustain the program and feed local seniors.

The ‘Big Beautiful bill’

The cuts to SNAP came via President Donald Trump’s recent funding bill – known by supporters as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” – which was signed into law on July 4. The bill required more SNAP recipients to work 20 hours a week to receive benefits, and altered many ways a family’s income is calculated in order to receive support.

This and other restrictions to the program imposed by the bill could mean 3.2 million Americans will lose their food assistance entirely. That total includes 1.3 million who could be kicked off the SNAP program, mostly the elderly, children and those unable to work, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

All told, the bill would lead to about $286 billion in SNAP program spending cuts nationwide over the next 10 years, read the report.

In New Mexico, about 455,200 people use SNAP to purchase food, according to ProgressNow New Mexico. That’s about 21% of the state’s population of about 2.1 million, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.

In some New Mexico counties, such as rural San Miguel County in northern New Mexico which includes the city of Las Vegas, up to 30% of families use the program, ProgressNow reported.

Vasquez called the SNAP cuts and broader efforts to reduce federal spending outlined in the GOP-backed funding bill “sloppy and arbitrary.”

“That is causing the funding freezes that are impacting these local programs. We all want to get rid of fraud, waste and abuse, but this is not the way to do it,” he said.

The SNAP program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, led by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins who on Aug. 4 announced “unhealthy foods” such as soft drinks would no longer be eligible for SNAP benefits in West Virginia, Florida, Colorado, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.

To implement the restrictions, Rollins signed a series of food choice waivers that altered the definition of “food to purchase,” expanding the range of excluded items beyond just alcohol, tobacco, prepared hot food and hygiene products that were previously the only ineligible items.

She previously signed waivers for Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, Idaho and Utah.

Rollins said in a news release that the agency was working to “Make America healthy again,” while “protecting taxpayer dollars.”

“At USDA, we play a key role in supporting Americans who fall on hard times, and that commitment does not change. Rather, these state waivers promote healthier options for families in need,” Rollins said in a statement.

At Carlsbad’s senior center, that means items such as Jell-O could be strictly regulated, as the program is now required to use only sugar-free products. In the case of Jell-O, that doubled the price from $40 to $80 a case, Courter noted.

“Without funding, there is just no way,” she said.

Congress has not passed a federal budget in two years, Vasquez said, relying instead on annual continuing resolutions, a practice he said leaves the federal budget for federal programs such as SNAP and funding for organizations like the Action Corporation “flat” and unable to account for increasing food costs and other expenses.

“If we were to focus more on the budgeting process, and the committees were doing their jobs, we would have an actual budget to vote on before the continuing resolution kicks in,” he said. “The most pressing thing is to pass the budget, but also to advocate for those increases and know what to ask for.”

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

Thirty-three years ago, 1701 La Cima became the home to David and Angela Bratcher and the yard transformation began. These things don’t happen overnight and 15 years ago a professional landscaper was called in to create the beautiful landscape that you see today.  A wonderful brick walkway meanders through the yard bordered by Crepe Myrtle, roses, pampas grass, rubber rabbit bush, Artemisia and many more.  The side yard has a fabulous tall yucca with other varieties of yucca, Crepe Myrtle and lantana.  The plush lawn just highlights the varying shades of the green shrubs and trees. 

Congratulations and Thank You for all of your hard work.

Staff reports

Debra Hampton is the newly appointed eddy county community services director, bringing more than a decade of dedicated service and a wealth of experience in law enforcement, community outreach, mental health and substance abuse treatment.

The Eddy County Commission approved her appointment at the July 29 meeting, along with a salary of $132,516 per year.

Her tenure with Eddy County began at the Eddy County Detention Center in 2013. Starting as a detention officer, she advanced to the Eddy County DWI Program, where her contributions over the following 11 years were instrumental in the program’s development and success, earning the appointment to her current leadership position.

Hampton holds a Bachelor of Science degree in General Studies/Elementary education with a minor in criminal justice, as well as a Master of Science in Addiction Studies; all from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

In her new role, Hampton is focused on enhancing residents’ well-being by bridging community needs with Eddy County’s available resources. As a liaison between local government and the public, she will encourage stronger engagement, increase resource accessibility and work directly with the public.

Hampton said she approaches every interaction with warmth, and said her favorite motto is “A simple smile and a kind heart can light up even the darkest day,”

She also said she hopes to help Eddy County build a more “resilient, inclusive, and thriving community where every resident will feel valued and supported.”

Outside of work, Hampton enjoys staying active at Anytime Fitness, spending time with her family, and spoiling her grandchildren every chance she gets.

A proud mother and grandmother, she moved to New Mexico in 2011, fully embracing the Eddy County community and wholeheartedly dedicated to serving its people.

“(This role) brings her experience and education full-circle, calling upon her scholarly credentials in the arena of treatment, her boots-on-the-ground work experience at the Eddy County Detention Center, and her intersection with local non-profits and residents engaging in treatment and recovery through her role as DWI program director,” said County Manager Mike Gallagher. “Debra is the right person at the right time and is uniquely equipped to steer the Community Services Department into the future while amplifying its impact on our community.”