The tennis matches today versus Lovington in Artesia are rescheduled for 3 p.m. April 7.
Softball vs. Eunice and the Artesia Junior High track meet at Lovington have not been rescheduled.
Artesia-Hobbs baseball games rescheduled
A 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. doubleheader between the Bulldogs and Eagles originally scheduled for Tuesday has been moved to Thursday at the same times, per Artesia High athletics.
Adrian Hedden is managing editor of the Artesia Daily Press
Staff reports
Senior reporter Adrian Hedden was promoted to managing editor of the Carlsbad Current-Argus and Artesia Daily Press.
Hedden, who worked as a reporter at the Current-Argus since December 2016 will oversee news and sports content for the two Eddy County newspapers owned by El Rito Media. El Rito bought the Current-Argus from Gannett in June 2024 and acquired the Daily Press in 2023.
Publisher Dave Shabaz said Hedden was the right person for the job due to his years of experience and knowledge of the Carlsbad community, noting Hedden’s involvement with the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors group, which hosts events to celebrate local business throughout the community.
“This promotion for Adrian is a long time coming. No one knows this community as well as he does and his years of being a Chamber of Commerce Ambassador, keeps him truly connected with the people and the happenings in our community,” Shabaz said.
Hedden moved to Carlsbad to take the reporting job in 2016 after serving in the national Pulliam Fellowship program hosted by Gannett, which stationed him at the Arizona Republic in Phoenix for six months.
In Phoenix, Hedden covered breaking news and crime, along with community news in suburbs around the West Valley around Phoenix such as Peoria, Avondale and Goodyear.
Before that, he wrote for the Bristol Herald Courier in Bristol, Tennessee and Virginia, and newspapers in his home state Michigan – The Morning Sun in Mt. Pleasant and Flint Journal in Flint, Michigan.
Hedden holds a bachelor’s degree in online journalism from Central Michigan University and an associate’s degree in journalism from Washtenaw Community College, in his hometown Ann Arbor, Michigan. He worked as an editor of the student newspapers at both schools, Central Michigan Life and the Washtenaw Voice, respectively. He is studying for a master’s degree in communication at Eastern New Mexico University.
Since moving to New Mexico, Hedden covered several topics important to Carlsbad and Eddy County, including the oil and gas industry, nuclear issues centered around the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, local government, business and crime.
He said as managing editor, he will ensure the paper maintains its refocused effort on local news established by El Rito when it acquired the paper. Community journalism, Hedden said, means holding local officials accountable, informing the public and creating content that can celebrate and uplift the community.
“Carlsbad is a very unique place I fell in love with after moving here eight years ago,” Hedden said. “Our work will continue to reflect the explanatory and human-interest stories readers have come to expect from the Current-Argus. I’m excited to take on the responsibility.”
Hedden lives in Carlsbad with his wife Cassie Marrs who he married in 2022.
Reach Adrian Hedden at achedden@currentargus.com.
New reservoir proposed for Jaycee Park
By: Rebecca Hauschild
Jaycee Park in Artesia could become home to a new reservoir under a plan being considered by Eddy County.
The reservoir, which was discussed at Artesia’s City Council meeting March 11, would function as a water supply for fighting wildfires and would also be used for recreational fishing, according to Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Youtsey.
Youtsey said the proposed reservoir is being considered as part of Eddy County Fire and Rescue’s effort to update its Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), which directs how the agency uses its resources to fight wildfires in the county.
Artesia Fire Chief Kevin Hope said the region typically has a severe wildfire season every three to five years. When asked about funding, Hope said the project would be eligible for grants.
The Wildfire Protection Plan is currently in draft form and Eddy County is holding public meetings to gain feedback before it is finalized by a vote of the county commissioners.
In other business at the council meeting:
• Artesia Criminal Investigation Division Commander David Rodriguez reported eight auto burglaries in January and four in February. He said police had arrested six juveniles involved in the auto burglaries. Rodriguez reported that two vehicles stolen in February were recovered and said police are still investigating a January armed robbery on Main Street.
• Community Development/Infrastructure Director Byron Landfair said the $1.5 million Second Street ADA ramp improvement project will kick off in about 45 days and last for eight or nine months.
• Councilor Dickie Townley gave a progress report on renovation of the Land Sun movie theater. He said Hayley Klein, director of the Artesia Chamber of Commerce, has been negotiating contracts that need to be completed by June to get funding for the project
• Youtsey discussed plans for the city to participate with Artesia Main Street in promoting the Roswell Air Races Sept. 10-14. “The city is on board for whatever we can do to keep the air races in our region for years to come,” he said “The city wants to help financially. If anybody has ideas for the celebration, please reach out.”
• Fire Chief Kevin Hope reported Artesia is experiencing a 10% increase in calls year over year.
• The council approved a grant agreement between the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration and the City of Artesia for the remodeling of the current Artesia Recreation Center into a community center for approximately $800,000.
Championship Bulldogs show appreciation with community wide net cutting
Mike Smith
El Rito Media
msmith@currentargus.com
Artesia High School boys basketball coach Michael Mondragon offered students, parents and the community at large a chance to celebrate the Bulldogs’ state 4A championship with a net-cutting ceremony Monday night at the Bulldog Pit.
Artesia earned its third state basketball title and its first in 28 years March 15 with a 55-48 victory over Albuquerque Highland at The Pit on the University of New Mexico campus in Albuquerque.
Those in attendance in New Mexico’s largest city joined the team in celebrations that night as the Bulldogs raised the renowned “blue trophy.”
Mondragon said Monday’s ceremony allowed those who could not made the trek north to honor the team for its hard work and dedication.
“Winning a state title had not been done in 28 years and we just wanted to come out here tonight and give these guys an opportunity to get in front of their community and just show how much we love them and how much we appreciate them and what they accomplished,” Mondragon said.
Players, coaches and managers took turns cutting down the net on the eastern basket at The Bulldog Pit.
Among those wielding the scissors was 6-foot-2 junior guard Braylon Vega, who played an influential role in Artesia’s success on the court during the past season and earned All-State honorable mention from the New Mexico High School Coaches Association. Joining Vega in the All-State limelight were teammates Charlie Campbell, who earned first-team honors, and second-team honoree Clay Kincaid.
Campbell wore the net around his neck after the ceremony as friends and family took pictures.
“We have everybody back to make it back-to-back state championships,” Campbell said. “That’s never been (done) in Artesia, so hopefully we have a new goal.”
Artesia’s previous state basketball titles came in 1995 and 1997.
Mondragon said earning a championship and having three players earn All-State recognition shows that hard work and dedication pay off.
“They know it’s not just them – it’s a whole team. Individually, they had great years and a great run at state and all their play helped us become successful. We don’t get nearly as far without these two or the guys we have sitting behind us,” he said.
Vega appreciated the honorable mention, he said, but being a state champion is more important and something no one can take away from him for the rest of his life.
“I’d rather have a state championship than an All-State honorable mention,” he said.
Mike Smith can be reached at msmith@currentargus.com or 575-308-8734.
Artesia basketball standouts earn All-State recognition
By JT Keith, Sports Editor
The New Mexico Coaches High School Coaches Association announced its 2024-2025 All-State Class 4A boys’ basketball team and three members of the state champion Artesia Bulldogs are among the honorees.
Artesia guard Charlie Campbell was named a first-team All-State selection and center Clay Kincaid was selected for the second team while guard Braylon Vega earned honorable mention.
The three juniors helped Artesia defeat Highland, 55-48, to capture the 4A championship March 15 at The Pit in Albuquerque.
The title was the school’s first since 1997 and its third overall. Artesia’s first state title came in 1995.
In the 2025 championship game against the Hornets, Campbell scored a team-high 15 points and had nine rebounds.
“This accomplishment comes as no surprise,” Artesia head coach Michael Mondragon said. “It is from Charlie putting in countless hours of hard work and dedication. Charlie’s defensive presence and how he controlled the game on offense was a huge reason we are state champions.”
Artesia (21-9) made its run for the state title after losing its last district game to Goddard, 45-40, on Feb. 21 and its district playoff game at home against Portales, 58-57, four days later.
The losses galvanized the team, which promptly went on a four-game winning streak.
After the losses, the Bulldogs started looking for Kincaid inside on each offensive possession. In the last four games, Kincaid had at least two blocked shots and a dunk.
“Clay is oversized, and his power inside was truly a difference maker for us this year,” Mondragon said. “He controlled the paint, and his ability to finish around the rim and change opponents’ shots was outstanding. His honor is well deserved.”
“Braylon (Vega) hit big shots for us down the stretch,” Mondragon said. “His basketball knowledge and sense helped bring the blue trophy home.”
Artesia returns its entire team intact next season and the Bulldogs are expected to be ranked No. 1 in preseason polls.
Campbell is the first Artesia player to earn first-team All-State honors since Nick Sanchez was chosen in 2023.
Class 4A All-State selections:
First Team
Charlie Campbell, Artesia
Josiah Fresquez, Española
Mason Montoya, St. Pius X
Eli Dominguez, Academy
Jesus Licon, Highland
Second Team
Clay Kincaid, Artesia
Malakhai Ely, Taos
Kayle Covington, Lovington
Angelito Villa, Valley
Jereck Duda Española Valley
Honorable Mention: Braylon Vega, Artesia; Francois Satchivi, Del Norte; Boudy Melonas, Grants; Angel Maciel, Silver; Mario Baros, Pojoaque.
Rio Rancho edges Bulldogs
Joe Grimando photo. The Artesia Bulldogs celebrate a run during the Sal Puentes Tournament in Rio Rancho.
The host school defeated the Bulldogs 4-3 Saturday in the consolation round. A full recap can be found in Thursday’s Artesia Daily Press.
No happy ending, Mother and son sentenced in massage parlor prostitution ring
Adrian Hedden
El Rito Media
achedden@currentargus.com
A woman police said led a prostitution ring at massage parlors throughout southeast New Mexico and West Texas was sentenced to a year in federal prison, while her son was released from custody after being charged for his role in the criminal enterprise.
Shaoping Wen, 65, and her son Xu Wang, 42, were sentenced in federal court in the Northern District of Texas on March 18 after being indicted in September 2024 for conspiracy to use interstate travel in aid of racketeering enterprises. Wen and Wang were arrested in March 2024 in Carlsbad and Roswell, respectively.
The pair made initial federal court appearances in Las Cruces, and in September 2024 were extradited to face prosecution in Texas where the investigation began in the Lubbock area.
Wen pleaded guilty in November 2024 and was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by a year of supervised release. She was also ordered to forfeit $291,990 in cash police believed was tied to the illegal businesses and pay a $1.8 million judgment to the federal government.
For his role in the conspiracy, Wang pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony in November 2024, and was sentenced to time served of 362 days, meaning he already served his prison term awaiting trial and will be on supervised release for another year.
Misprision of a felony means Wang admitted to concealing his knowledge of a felony being committed and failed to report it to authorities. Investigators said he operated the parlors while his mother Wen was out of town, and that both of them were seen paying bail for women arrested in the past for prostitution at the parlors.
Charges stem from raids in Carlsbad and other New Mexico cities
What follows is a summary of the events leading up to Wen’s and Wang’s arrests, according to federal criminal complaints.
Investigators said Wen owned and operated two “illicit” massage parlors in Carlsbad, two in Roswell, one in Clovis and three in the Lubbock area. Other parlors Wen owned in Lubbock were previously closed by law enforcement, police said, due to “prostitution and landlord evictions.”
Undercover operations in New Mexico were conducted in February and March 2024, as police gathered evidence of prostitution at each of the parlors. The number of women accused of prostitution while in Wen and Wang’s employ was unclear as were the women’s ages and citizenship status.
The New Mexico parlors were tied to an initial investigation that began in June 2023 when a “concerned citizen” contacted police about potential human trafficking in Wolforth, Texas, a Lubbock suburb.
Four days later, an undercover operation was conducted at that location. An undercover officer entered the parlor and was greeted by a woman wearing lingerie, who he paid $60 for a massage, read the complaint. She later agreed to have sex with the officer for $140; the officer told the woman he had changed his mind and left the parlor.
Other people in the area subsequently reported suspicions to local police that the massage parlor only served men and that women were getting dropped off with luggage and going straight into the business where they appeared to live. Observers also said the business appeared to serve customers until midnight, and that they would stay for about 30 or 40 minutes at a time.
Advertisements for the parlors were found on known sex trafficking online platforms “Skipthegames” and “Rubmaps,” read the complaint.
Police searched another parlor in August 2023 in Lubbock, finding beds on the floor, hygiene products and clothing that police said indicated women were living there. It was a piece of paper found at that business with Wen’s email address that linked the suspect to the illegal parlor.
Subsequent searches at other parlors revealed similar evidence, along with receipts from stores in Roswell. Police then obtained a mobile tracking warrant for Wen’s red Hyundai Santa Fe, following her to two parlors in Carlsbad in the 300 block of Canyon Street and the 700 block of Guadalupe Street.
Wen was also tracked to parlors in the 1100 block of South Main Street and 2600 block of North Main Street in Roswell and the 800 block of North Prince Street in Clovis. Police later confirmed all five New Mexico parlors were owned by Wen, and she was observed picking up groups of women from the Roswell Air Center and bringing them to the parlors.
Police said sting operations were conducted in February 2024 at the New Mexico locations, where undercover agents reported women who worked at the parlors offered them sex for money.
Police later observed Wen traveling to a casino in Commerce, California, where investigators learned that she laundered money, buying casino chips and cashing out for about $1.7 million in “clean money” between January 2018 and August 2023.
Bulldogs in consolation bracket of Sal Puentes tournament
Joe Grimando photo. Artesia is playing at a three-day tournament in Rio Rancho.
Artesia lost 7-1 to the Cleveland Storm in Friday night action in the Sal Puentes Invitational.
Bass, trout, and other species biting at lakes and streams
Information and photos provided by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
With consistent warmer weather back in New Mexico, fishing is good using various kinds of bait at fishing spots across the state.
In southern New Mexico, fishing for catfish was good using cut bait and very good using chicken at Elephant Butte Lake near Truth or Consequences.
Fishing for striped bass was slow to fair using jerkbaits.
At Young Park Pond in Las Cruces, fishing for bluegill was slow to fair using worms.
In southeast New Mexico, fishing for trout was good using Trout Magnets and spinners at Carlsbad Municipal Lake.
At Lake Van near Dexter, trout fishing was slow using spinners.
Fishing for catfish at Green Meadow Lake in Hobbs was fair to good using PowerBait.
In eastern New Mexico at Oasis Lake State Park near Portales, fishing for trout and catfish was slow using corn.
In Lincoln County, fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good using jackhammer chatter baits at Alto Lake.
At Bonito Lake, fishing for trout was very good using Green PowerBait.
At Grindstone Lake, fishing for trout was good using worms, Salmon Glitter Powerbait, and grub spinners.
This fishing report, provided by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, has been generated from area officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.