Artesia Lady Dogs split against Lovington in Thursday softball action: 6-4, 3-2
Artesia Lady Dogs jell as a team and find the long ball as district play begins
By JT Keith
The Artesia Lady Bulldogs are on a roll. They have won eight out of their last 10 games and are currently on a three-game win streak with an April 11 victory over District 5A Hobbs and a doubleheader sweep against 5A Roswell the next day.
The home run has been a staple of Artesia’s offense this season. The team has 17 homers with junior Kayden Apodaca blasting seven. Jenna Whitmire has hit three and Kinsley Rodriguez has two.
“Home runs are fun,” said Artesia’s three-time state champion coach Sandra Pulido. “Everybody loves home runs. If it happens, it happens. We just push for line drives and to get on base. Many players on our team have home-run power as long as they stay through the ball.”
Artesia begins district play
Artesia heads into district play at Goddard at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Pulido has the Lady Dogs believing they can win after starting the season with three consecutive losses. She has guided the team to a five-game winning streak and a pair of three-game-winning streaks to go 11-6 on the season.
The team has nine seniors
There are nine seniors on the roster but many are playing varsity for the first time. And one of them, shortstop Makayla Lujan, has been sidelined by injury.
“Makayla is showing her senior leadership by helping in the dugout, at practice, and cheering her teammates on,” Pulido said.
The seniors have figured out the game is different at the varsity level, the coach said.
“Our team has learned how to fight for each other,” Pulido said. “And they are starting to play for each other, and they are going to be dangerous because they have the skill and talent.”
Due to bad weather and also because of the way the schedule was set up, the team went two weeks without playing games.
District play
As district play begins, the team will have Katrin Marquez and Kayden Apodaca in the pitching circle and senior Kambry Collins to give opponents a different look.
“Her (Collins’) ball moves well,” Pulido said. “I think her best pitch is a curveball and her change-up … She is going to help us as we get through the district.”
The team’s strength will be its defense, as Rodriguez is stellar at third base and Whitmire gloves everything at shortstop.
The District 4A title will come down to Artesia’s battle against defending district champion Lovington. Last year, the Lady Dogs finished second to the Wildcats in district play but went on to beat Gallup 1-0 and force a championship game before losing 7-1 in the state final.
Eastern New Mexico University football hires a new coach
PORTALES, N.M. – Head coach Kelley Lee has named Austin Bortle as Eastern New Mexico football’s defensive coordinator. “Coach Bortle is an outstanding coach with experience as both a head coach and a defensive coordinator,” said head coach Kelley Lee on Bortle. “Our players are picking up the new scheme faster than expected which is a testament to his knowledge and teaching ability.” Bortle comes to Portales after spending the last four years as the head sprint football coach at Quincy University and Fontbonne University. In his time at Fontbonne, he recruited over 70 student-athletes and was pivotal in the institution’s pursuit to add the sport. In 2024, he served as assistant coach at Missouri Baptist where he specifically worked with the wide receivers. He coached a group that hauled in 19 receiving touchdowns on the year. The Spartans football team had at least one receiving touchdown in all, but one contest. MBU won the most games (6) in program history during the season. Three of the four losses the team had were against top 25 programs. Bortle also spent two seasons (2016-21) with Southwest Baptist where he coached eight all-conference honorees. In his time there, he helped the program win their first conference championship and earned the team’s first trip to the NCAA DII playoffs. From 2009-15, Bortle worked at his alma mater (Lindenwood) in several roles. He began as a graduate assistant before being promoted to assistant head coach. At Lindenwood, he coached nine all-conference wide receivers and defensive linemen. Five players signed NFL contracts in his time at the institution. Over his coaching tenure, the team won over 80 games, clinched two conference championships, earned a bid for an NCAA DII bowl game, went to the NAIA playoffs four times, and appeared in the national title game. He was a wide receiver at Lindenwood for four seasons earning all-conference recognition in his time with the Lions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in sport management.
Ironman coming to Ruidoso
By Todd Fuqua tfuqua@elritomedia.com | Ruidoso News
RUIDOSO – Ruidoso, quickly becoming known as a prime destination for triathlon excellence, will be the site of an Ironman event, July 11-12, 2026. Community members gathered at Downshift Ruidoso on Wednesday to celebrate the announcement.
General registration for the Ruidoso event will open April 23, 2026. Volunteers are also needed to help coordinate and put on the event. Those interested in participating should visit the Ironman 70.3 Ruidoso page at www.ironman.com/races/im703-ruidoso-new-mexico. To volunteer, visit www.ironman.com/races/im703-ruidoso-new-mexico/volunteer.
Judy Stowers, regional director for Ironman, said she expects up to 2,500 athletes to come to Ruidoso, particularly in the week before, to train and prepare.
“Ruidoso is known for its horse racing and endurance type of events,” Stowers said. “When we toured the area in March, we determined that this community has the infrastructure and support from local officials needed to hold the event.”
“I’m from a small town, and every time I come here, it feels like I’m home,” she added. “This is an important milestone for Ironman and Ruidoso. Our mantra is ‘anything is possible,’ and we’re excited to bring this to the community in Lincoln County. We could not be more excited to be here.”
The Ironman announcement comes on the heels of Ruidoso’s selection as both a Gold Level XTERRA off-road triathlon event this August and next year’s XTERRA World Championships, making this area a premier destination for elite multisport events.
The difference between XTERRA and Ironman events is the terrain, with XTERRA being run on rugged off-road trails for cycling and running while IRONMAN follows a classic road triathlon format featuring a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile road cycling course and 13.1-mile run.
While Ironman races have been held since the first event in 1978 in Hawaii, this will be the first-ever Ironman competition of any kind held in New Mexico. It will also feature more than just one race – a 70.3 triathlon, a 5150 triathlon, and a sprint triathlon, all of which are part of the internationally renowned Ironman series of races.
The Ironman 70.3, also known as a Half Ironman, refers to the distance of the course in miles while the 50150 triathlon series, introduced in 2011, gets its name from the race’s Olympic distance of 51 kilometers. The sprint triathlon is half the distance of the 5150.
Ruidoso’s event schedule is unique for an Ironman event, as all previous races have been one-day affairs. A two-day event featuring three races is a first. The 5150 and sprint triathlons are scheduled for July 11; the Ironman 70.3 will be run on July 12.
Each of these Ironman series consist of more than 100 qualifying races in 40-plus countries, with the top-ranked athletes from the events advancing to the Ironman 70.3 and 5150 World Championships, being held this year in Marbella, Spain, Nov. 8-9. The World Championships rotate locations yearly around the globe.
Men and women who compete at the Ruidoso event will qualify for the 2027 World Championships.
The course for the Ironman 70.3 is still being finalized. It will start with swimming at Grindstone Lake, with the bike leg running from there down Carrizozo Canyon to Sudderth. Contestants then will ride down Highway 70 toward Hondo before turning back for Ruidoso. Once there, they will disembark for the running leg, which will wind its way through village streets before finishing at Winfield Park.
Shane Asbury, who has put on numerous outdoor racing events in southern New Mexico through his company Wanderlust Running, was contracted by Ironman to be the race’s director. He said Ironman regularly employs local racing professionals at events around the world to better connect with the community.
“Everyone I’ve met so far working this event is local,” Asbury said. “They want local feet on the street as the face of the race. We have a year to really put on a show here and show off what Ruidoso can mean to the marathon and triathlon industry.”
Asbury has coordinated marathons in Las Cruces, Cloudcroft and Ruidoso. He’s also a finisher in Ironman 70.3 events in Austin and Lubbock, Texas.
“I grew up running, and I turned my passion into my business,” Asbury said. “I’ve been on both sides, knowing what it takes to prepare for and compete in an Ironman event, and now what it takes to put one of these on.”
Beyond raising Ruidoso’s already considerable profile in international endurance racing, the Ironman event will also have a $14 million economic impact on the area, said Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford.
“This prestigious event represents a perfect match for our beautiful mountain community and outdoor recreation culture,” Crawford said. “We look forward to welcoming athletes and spectators from around the world to experience our hospitality and the challenge of competing at our high elevation. This will provide significant benefits to our village for years to come.”
Jack Byers throws a no-hitter for the Artesia Bulldogs
By JT Keith
Artesia Bulldogs pitcher Jack Byers threw darts in his bullpen session while warming up for his April 8 start against the Roswell Coyotes on the road.
The bullpen session was merely a prelude to what Roswell’s batters would encounter.
Byers struck out the side in the first inning and racked up 16 strikeouts in all while hurling a six-inning no-hitter that ended on the 10-run rule as the Bulldogs coasted to a 14-0 victory. The win improved Artesia’s season record to 11-6.
“In the first inning, I knew it was going to be a good outing because I struck out my first three guys,” Byers said. “My curveball and fastball were my strengths in the game.
Byers faced only 21 Roswell batters and threw just 87 pitches, including 62 strikes.
Artesia coach Jackson Bickel said he originally planned on limiting Byers to 40 pitches but decided to let him go as far as he could after Byers said he felt great following a morning weight-lifting session.
“I felt good before the game,” Byers said. “My arm had a week to rest so I knew it was at its best potential.”
The 6-foot-3 junior is a three-sport athlete who plays wide receiver on the football team and guard/forward in basketball. He helped lead the Bulldogs to this year’s 4A state basketball championship.
Byers’ parents, Jack and Anna Whitmire, said watching their son throw a no-hitter made for a fun time. They said they avoided talking about or even thinking about what was happening until the game was over because they didn’t want to jinx the no-hitter.
Roswell coach Ernie Lujan was impressed by Byers’ performance.
“He was on point against us,” Lujan said. “He had us on our heels the whole night and was able to command his pitches in crucial counts. He is a kid with a bright future on the mound.”
It’s About the Cross
By:Pastor Rick Smith
In Mark 15:22-39 is the account in the gospel of Mark that tells us about the crucifixion of Jesus. Everyone who has put there trust in Jesus loves the cross. That has got to be strange to those who don’t know Jesus. I mean, think about it. This cross is not jewelry, but an instrument of execution, an instrument of torture. It was designed to inflict the most suffering for the longest time possible. Why would anyone wear a cross around their neck? And why would we sing with such love about “the old rugged cross” considering the suffering, pain, and shame that Jesus endured there? This is my answer. Everything comes together at the cross: sin, judgment, and death along with forgiveness, love, righteousness, and eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).
Why John 3:16? It’s about the cross. Much of the Old Testament prophecies tell us about the crucifixion of Jesus. The earliest prophecy was actually a curse against the serpent, against Satan. “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15). But there are other prophecies and shadows of the cross. One is the story of Abraham offering of Isaac (Genesis 22) foreshadowing the cross. Psalm 22 pictures the crucifixion and contains the cry of Jesus from the cross: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). Daniel prophecies that the Messiah (Jesus) would be cut off (Daniel 9:26). And Isaiah 53:7 prophesied that Jesus would be offered as the Passover Lamb. And Isaiah tells us that God shall see the “travail” of the Messiah’s soul and shall be satisfied (Isaiah 53:12). Jesus death on the cross satisfied God’s righteous judgment.
My friends, it is about the cross. Everything Jesus did was leading to the cross. Every miracle that Jesus did brought Him one step closer to the cross. The devil was raging against everything that Jesus did, but God the Father repeatedly said, “This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased.” Jesus prophesied of His death, particularly His death on the cross, even calling His disciples to take up the cross and follow Him (Mark 8:32). On three major occasions Jesus told His disciples that He was going to die (Mark 8:31-38; 9:30-32; 10:32-34). Jesus was born to die on the cross. Jesus, the eternal Son of God, came to die on the cross. “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8). Jesus life and ministry was all about the cross.
My friends, our only hope is the cross. The hymn Before the Throne has this line: “Because the sinless Savior died, My sinful soul is counted free, For God the just is satisfied To look on him and pardon me…” God loved us so much that He gave us His Lamb, the Lamb of God—Jesus, to die in our place. We deserved – and still deserve – to go to hell, but John 3:16 is in effect. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures. Jesus paid the debt that I cannot pay. Jesus took my place in the judgment of God. In Ralph Carmichael ’s song When I Think of the Cross, the chorus reads, “Just to think of the cross Moves me now The nails in His hands His bleeding brow To think of the cross Moves me now It should have been me, It should have been me, Instead I am free, I am free!”
There are some things that cannot be understood from a distance. God says, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” (James 4:8). And you cannot draw near to God until you come to the cross and leave your sins there and take up the cross and follow Jesus. Sin has you, but Jesus defeated sin, death, and hell at the cross. It’s about the cross. It’s about your sin. It’s about Jesus dying for you to give you a new life. You can have a new life because Jesus took your place on the cross.
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.
Rick Smith is the Pastor at Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Artesia.
The Time is Now: Why the LESC Must Lead New Mexico’s Education Transformation
By Loretta Trujillo
Ask any New Mexican if education matters, and the answer is a resounding “Yes.” Across our diverse communities, there is broad agreement: we want our children to grow up with opportunity, with schools that prepare them for a future defined by possibility, not limitations. Still, the road to fulfilling this shared vision has been anything but easy.
In 2018, the Yazzie/Martinez v. State of New Mexico court ruling confirmed what families, educators, and tribal leaders had long said. Our state was failing to meet its constitutional obligation to provide a sufficient education for all students, especially Native American students, English language learners, students with disabilities, and children from low-income families. The court ordered systemic change, but six years later, that promise remains unfulfilled.
That’s why the Yazzie and Martinez plaintiffs filed a motion in September calling on the state to develop a comprehensive remedial action plan: a clear roadmap for fixing what remains broken. Our students can’t wait. We need bold, coordinated leadership to make good on the court’s order, and the Legislative Education Study Committee (LESC) is the right body to lead the way.
The LESC brings unmatched expertise, capacity, and connectivity across state systems. As a nonpartisan committee of the Legislature, the LESC benefits from dedicated analysts who provide in-depth research, policy analysis, and data to support informed decision-making on education issues.
For decades, education policy in New Mexico has been shaped by deficit-based thinking: policies aimed at “fixing” students instead of transforming systems. This mindset has disconnected young people from their culture, language, and identity. The result? Too many students feel disconnected from school, particularly those pushed furthest from opportunity. We need a new vision, one that builds on the strengths of our communities. LESC analysts maintain strong working relationships with the Public Education Department, tribal leaders, school districts, and community advocates. These relationships are essential to building a plan rooted in both data and the lived experience of New Mexican students.
To be truly effective, any plan must be rooted in the lived experiences of families, educators, tribal governments, and especially students. It must establish clear goals, measurable outcomes, and strong accountability to ensure equity. Our children deserve an education system that recognizes who they are, values where they come from, and equips them with the tools to thrive.
As Executive Director of Transform Education New Mexico and a 20-year educator, I know the stakes are high. But I also know what’s possible when we lead with courage and collaboration.
This call is about more than just a plan. It is about aligning our dollars with a transformational vision, growing capacity where needed most and creating an education system worthy of our children’s brilliance and rooted in our multicultural values. We must remain steadfast in our commitment to advancing equity, honoring cultural and linguistic identity, and ensuring every child receives the education that the state is constitutionally obligated to provide.
Loretta Trujillo is the Executive Director of Transform Education New Mexico.
College showcases new simulator lab
Staff reports
Southeast New Mexico College (SENMC) has partnered with Fifth Dimensions Technologies (5DT) to invest $3.2 million in the latest state-of-the-art simulator technology to assist with industry training in Eddy County, New Mexico.
“SENMC is leading the way in the latest technology to support the industries in Eddy County,” said Vice President of Workforce Development and Community Engagement Monty Harris. “With this investment, we are going to be training employees in situations not possible before with a focus on making the industries in Eddy County much safer.”
SENMC is working with every industry in Eddy County to provide the equipment and simulators that the companies use. The college has worked continuously to bring training to our community and are providing the community with the equipment needed to be safe and successful while in the field.
Simulator equipment includes:
•Road Truck (Semi-Truck)
• Commercial Driver License (CDL)
• Underground Loader
• Roof Bolter
• Utility Truck
• Continuous Miner
• Forklift
• Mobile Crane
• Walk-Around Inspection Stations
“Providing local training to better equip our current and future workforce at the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is vital to our success and the future of Southeast New Mexico,” said Mark Bollinger, manager of DOE’s Carlsbad Field Office. “Offering industry-specific training will ensure we are well-prepared to accomplish DOE Environmental Management’s mission to clean the environment, contribute to national security priorities, and strengthen economic growth in our local communities.”
Southeast New Mexico College is the only college in New Mexico and West Texas that utilizes the latest simulator technology to help train the local workforce. A wide variety of training scenarios are provided by the department, and trainees take a systemic journey of exploration to practical uses. SENMC enjoys the strong support of its community, and has been awarded several grants, which includes $11.7 million from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Anyone interested in learning more about the SENMC Workforce Simulator Lab, please call 575-234-9277.
Entertainment guide offered to readers
While it’s true that men and women are circling the globe in space, writing “personal” letters with help from AI robots, and counting on “Alexa” to remember the kids’ birthdays, life on most days can still be fairly down to earth and often frustrating.
Technology isn’t always our friend.
“I can’t find the remote. I’m missing the end of the game!”
“What time does The Voice come on? I want to hear that local kid sing!”
You buy a “smart” TV only to find out it’s not smart enough. You can’t even find the onscreen program listings.
Take heart. A SAVIOR HAS ARRIVED.
Starting on Thursday, April 17, your Carlsbad Current Argus will include a weekly television and entertainment guide.
It is our slightly old-fashioned but enduringly tried-and-true solution to the vexing question: What’s on TV?
The 24-page guide, Entertainment Now, will be inserted in your newspaper every Thursday, bringing you complete television listings, streaming schedules, news and features from the world of entertainment, and a variety of puzzles and games.
And it’s FREE with your copy of the newspaper.
So put down your smart phone. Stop trying to wade through that onscreen maze to find out when and where to watch your favorite TV show. Just park your copy of Entertainment Now on the coffee table and grab it whenever you need help. Did you hear that, Alexa?
