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“Water Dog” coach passed baton to Andrea Ciro, as team looks to make splash at state swim meet

Michael Smith
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“Water Dog” coach passed baton to Andrea Ciro, as team looks to make splash at state swim meet

By J.T. Keith
Artesia Daily Press
jtkeith@elritomedia.com

When Artesia High School’s swim team of seven girls and eight boys walks into the Albuquerque Academy Natatorium to compete in the state swimming championships on Friday and Saturday, Feb.21-22, they’ll be representing some Artesia swimming history that’s worth remembering.

The history – and the story of the Artesia High School swimming program – begins with Jerry Kull and the “Water Dogs.”

Water Dogs was the name of an AAU age-group swimming team started by Kull in 1961. James Herbert took over the program after Kull’s death.

Herbert then coached Shelley Ebarb, who would take over in 1982. Ebarb coached and volunteered until she went to the school board in 1994 and asked to start a swim team at Artesia High School.

Ebarb coached the Bulldogs until 2002, then took a break and coached again from 2012-2017. Her eventual successor, Andrea Ciro, volunteered as an assistant coach while earning her master’s degree in speech therapy from Eastern New Mexico.

“I kept the “Water Dogs” and swim team alive until I could find the right person,” Ebarb said. “Andrea was the right person. She had the experience and expertise I did not have in swimming.”

“She was more qualified than I was,” Ebarb said. “She was a swimmer’s swimmer. I was just a fun swimmer. Ciro has done a phenomenal job. I would get the same kind of kids, but I could not make them the swimmers she has.”

Ciro graduated from Cypress Creek High School in Houston, Texas, where she was a member of the girls swimming and diving team. She was an NCAA champion swimmer for the University of Texas Longhorns and a finalist at the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Trials. She set numerous Texas age group records and Gulf swimming records.

A mother of twin boys, Alec and Aidan, Ciro took the reins of the Artesia swim team from Ebarb in 2018 and it was a team without a swimming pool. Artesia’s pool was closed in 2013 due to water leaks.

The team was allowed to use the pool at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) on Richey Avenue to practice for an hour and a half each day but before they could enter the facility, coaches and swimmers to undergo background checks.

“It was a hard road for many years without a pool in Artesia,” Ciro said. “But we are grateful to FLETC and Artesia Public Schools for keeping our swimming dreams alive. We have come from nothing to where people know we have a swim team.”

Hard work produces titles.

A major change came in 2019 with the opening of the Artesia Aquatic Center at 711 Bowman Drive. Since then, the Lady Bulldogs have won three district championships and finished as runner-up in 2024.

The boys also broke through last year and won their first District 4-4A championship.

“It is fun to coach kids with a good work ethic and who pull for one another,” Ciro said.

Artesia’s swimmers are hoping to make a big splash in Albuquerque but no matter how good the team is, Ciro said, winning a state championship is a goal that’s all but out of reach because the Bulldogs don’t have a diving team (their pool, in fact, doesn’t have a diving board). Without divers, Artesia is behind the curve in accumulating points toward the team title.

But that disadvantage hasn’t stopped the Bulldogs from competing and improving on their first state appearance, when they finished 32nd. The girls team has finished as high as fifth place at the state meet.

This year’s girls team includes eighth-grader London Acosta; ninth-grader Morgan Fisher; sophomores Johanna Padilla and Anikah Wisen; junior Sarah Plotner; and seniors Addisyn Hartman and Ann Greenwood.

The boys competing this weekend are: senior Andree Bautista; juniors Alec Ciro, Aidan Ciro, Eli DeHoyos, Dylan Florez, Chaz Rogers and Javier Rodriguez; and sophomore Layton Whitmire.

J.T. Keith can be reached at jtkeith@elritomedia.com

Artesia grapplers look to make an impact in state tourney

Michael Smith
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Artesia grapplers look to make an impact in state tourney

By J.T. Keith
Artesia Daily Press
jtkeith@elritomedia.com

Desire, dedication, determination, and discipline are the cornerstones for the six Artesia Bulldogs trying to place at the New Mexico state wrestling meet.

“With those four Ds, you can be successful in anything you do,” says third-year Artesia coach Andy Olive. “With those four Ds, you can be successful in anything you do. As long as you have the desire, dedication, determination and discipline, you can succeed in anything. Especially in wrestling.”

The state championships will be held Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22, at the Rio Rancho Event Center in Rio Rancho.

Olive’s message to the Bulldogs as they head to Rio Rancho is, “Don’t go in there and think about winning. You want to wrestle to win but focus on your performance. Perform at your highest level. If you perform at your highest level, the wins will come.”

City of Champions

Artesia’s reputation and self-proclaimed status as the City of Champions drew Olive to Artesia High School. He had left behind a successful career as wrestling coach at Ruidoso High School (2013-2021) to work on a master’s degree but when he learned the Bulldogs were starting a wrestling program, he was all in to become the coach.

“I was very excited,” Olive said. “I was hopeful I would get the job as their head coach. I was compelled to apply because Artesia has a great history of success. And they have great athletes and an abundance of community support, which is what you need to be successful.”

Since Olive’s arrival, the program has grown from 28 wrestlers in the first year to 48 in year three. There were four girls in the program and now there are 13. There are three assistant coaches: Cory Saxon, Phillip Herrera and T.J. Rodriguez.

Olive said Artesia wrestling has grown fast because the kids are committed to both the team and their personal goals. He expects his wrestlers to be aggressive, learn the fundamentals and take their shots.

“My expectations for the team are always to go out there and get better,” Olive said. “My rule is to focus on getting better every day. You can always improve in wrestling, even if you are a first- or second-place wrestler.”

Olive knows about coaching state champions. At Ruidoso, he guided Sharon Minnix to a first-place state title in the 138-pound weight class.

The Bulldogs are trying to build on last year’s achievement at state of having two second-place finishers and a third-place finisher.

Artesia sends six wrestlers to state

Two Bulldogs will be returning to the state meet. Senior Hagan Crockett will wrestle at 139 pounds. His season record is 16-7 and he won big at the regional tournament when he upset Ashdyn Urban of Ruidoso High School.

Crockett placed sixth in the regional tournament this year but had to medically forfeit due to a knee injury and could not wrestle in the medal round. Olive hopes the senior grappler will be ready for state.

For the second straight year, Olive will be taking one girl and five boys to the state meet.

Isabel Irvin took second place in the 100-pound weight class in 2024.

Irvin, a senior this year, has a record of 32-4 and finished second at the Region II tournament. She could enter the state tournament as the No. 2 seed.

Senior Rylee Kelley wrestles at 160 pounds and is 22-12 on the season. He has wrestled with the program for two years but did not qualify for state last year.

“He has really improved a lot with his wrestling skills,” Olive said. “This year, he made a good comeback and placed sixth in the regional tournament. We hope he can go pretty far in the tournament this weekend at state and get on the podium.”

Edel Villa wrestles in the 172-pound weight class. He is a junior who took sixth place at regionals and is 19-13 on the season. This will be his first time at state.

Alejandro Ontiveros will be wrestling at 215 pounds; the junior took seventh place in the regional tournament.

Ethan Shannon is a 285-pound sophomore who wrestles at heavyweight. Olive said Shannon is a leader on the team and has been with the program since its inception.

JT Keith can be reached at jtkeith@elritomedia.com.

New hospitals planned for Carlsbad, Artesia to meet local demands

Michael Smith
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New hospitals planned for Carlsbad, Artesia to meet local demands

Adrian Hedden
El Rito Media
achedden@currentargus.com

New hospitals could be coming to Carlsbad and Artesia to quell struggles of residents in accessing medical care without traveling out of the area.

A multi-facility project to increase health care facilities was being led by the Artesia Special Hospital District, the decision-making entity for the nonprofit Artesia General Hospital’s facilities in Artesia and Carlsbad.

Jeremy Kern, project manager at Artesia General Hospital, said the new facility in Artesia will be a “health care village” with the land designed for medical facilities and residential housing. A portion of the land would be offered by the district to developers for 143 “mid-tier” homes, Kern said, with a goal of making them “affordable housing” to not exceed $250,000 a house.

The facility will replace Artesia General’s current main campus on 13th Street, which will be repurposed to serve senior citizens via an inpatient nursing home and urgent care center.

Kern gave a presentation on the hospital plans during the Eddy County Commission’s Tuesday meeting in Carlsbad.

“A lot of our constituents came to us and said we have a housing shortage; we have an apartment shortage,” Kern said. “We didn’t need all of this land for our health care campus, and we thought we could make some extra revenue.”

The replacement campus will ultimately expand patient capacity to more than 100 beds and modernize facilities, Kern said. The facility will serve all of Eddy County, including patients from Artesia and Carlsbad, along with smaller communities such as Loving or Hope and bigger cities such as Roswell to the north.

“This more serves the needs of our population,” Kern said. “We need to have more capacity.”

Kern said the project began with a “master plan” developed three years ago by the Artesia Special Hospital District. Construction was expected to begin in 2027 following the initial “programming” phase. A cost estimate was not yet determined as design plans were still ongoing.

The land, about 250 acres near the corner of Mill Road and U.S. Highway 285 near Tractor Supply in Artesia, was purchased by the district about two years ago.

“We’re ready to roll this out to more stakeholders,” Kern said. “We’re seeing more and more volume of patients coming in here. This will be our new home site.”

Aside from the hospital’s new north campus, Kern said Artesia General Hospital was also planning to begin designing a new, full-service hospital in the county known as the Pecos Springs Regional Hospital. He said it will allow Artesia General to serve patients across Eddy County without them having to travel out of the area for treatment.

The 320,000-square-foot building will sit on 65 acres, Kern said, in a location in Eddy County still to be determined. The project was in the early stages, and a cost and timeline were not available as of Tuesday’s meeting.

A smaller, 42,000 square-foot urgent care facility known as Pecos Springs Medical Center is intended for Carlsbad when a location is found, Kern said.

“It’s a major investment. This is what we envision for Carlsbad and our area,” Kern said. “Health care is huge. You can’t have strong communities without health care. This project has grown to be much more than a replacement hospital.”

Such projects are needed throughout Eddy County, said District 5 County Commissioner Sarah Cordova, who argued that residents should be able to access medical treatment without leaving their city or county. She said Carlsbad’s options were especially lacking.

Hospital records showed about 20% of Artesia General Hospital’s patients make the 40-minute drive from Carlsbad.

“For a long time, health care has been a mission of our commission,” Cordova said. “I don’t think it’s any secret, a majority of people in this room would head to Artesia for health care treatment. I think the majority of us will be excited to see more options coming here.”

Other business

Commissioners also discussed construction plans for two new fire stations near the Tumbleweed Road and the McNew Subdivision. The projects were expected to cost $12 million and $7.9 million, respectively.

The ongoing project for a new building for the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force was approved by a unanimous vote authorizing a $181,000 budget adjustment for the purchase of furniture and supplies as the building was nearing completion.

Eddy County Fire Service Chief Josh Mack gave a presentation on the county’s wildfire protection plan, which will guide how county resources are used during New Mexico spring wildfire season. In the spring months, hotter temperatures and high winds often cause large fires to break out in the region.

Public meetings on the plan will be held March 4 in Carlsbad, March 5 in Artesia and March 6 in Queen.

K-9 Cuisine

Michael Smith
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K-9 Cuisine

By: Debbie Nix

For those of you that remember Sanctuary on the River event center and spa on Eagle Drive, you probably remember my yellow lab, shepherd mix, Rocco. My pup came to work with me every day and considered himself part of the health and wellness staff. He is still with me at seventeen years old and is still getting around pretty good for a large breed dog. Hip dysplasia is common in large dogs, so his diet has always been important to me. I’m going to share a variation of a recipe my mom always cooked for her dogs who also lived long, healthy and active lives. I firmly believe that real food is important for our k-9 friends if time and budget allow. As a working dog mom, I didn’t always have the option of cooking homemade dog food but now that I understand how beneficial it is, and having more time, it’s a great option for longevity.

The recipe sounds a bit overwhelming, but I have figured out some shortcuts. This recipe is a bulk recipe and can certainly be cut down to fit your time and freezer space. This is a pretty close match to some of the fresh pet food that can be ordered online and much more budget conscious.

This recipe is prepared in stages then all mixed together. You will need the following:

Food processor, blender, 2 banquet size foil pans, large rubber gloves, 7-8 cup freezer containers. Wide foil if you want to line your aluminum pans for easy clean up and reuse.

Cook 8 cups of brown or white rice. Set aside.

5 lbs. ground turkey

3 lbs. bag carrots, sliced

2 lbs. fresh broccoli

5 lbs. sweet potatoes cut into chunks

1 dz. eggs (blend WITH shells in a blender)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a food processor, pulse sliced carrots into small bits, do the same with the sweet potatoes. Gently pulse the broccoli into a rough chop.

Mix egg INCLUDING shells in the blender (shells are good calcium).

In one large foil pan mix all ingredients with gloved hands. Shape like a giant meatloaf so juices can run to the edges. Bake 375 degrees for one hour.

6-12 oz. cans of chicken (Sam’s or Costco)

2 lg. bag frozen peas

Open 6-12 oz. cans of chicken. Put into foil pan and break apart with gloved hands.

Add cooked rice. Mix with gloved hands.

Add cooled meatloaf mixture, breaking it apart.

Add frozen peas and fold gently so they won’t get mushy.

Place mixture into 8 cup plastic freezer containers. This should make about 7 containers.

With approximately 70 cups of food. Depending on the size of your dog, 1/2 to 1 cup morning and evening. Cats love this too.

I also add 1/2 tsp of MSM to Rocco’s food and he acts like a youngster. Maybe I should try it!

Debbie Nix is an El Rito Contributor and Lifecoach. She can be reached at: lifecoach@zianet.com

Artesia boys basketball used Orange Out and defense to defeat Lovington in the home finale

Michael Smith
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Artesia boys basketball used Orange Out and defense to defeat Lovington in the home finale

By J.T. Keith
Artesia Daily Press
jtkeith@elritomedia.com

It was Orange Out night at the Bulldog Pit last Friday with Artesia High School fans decked out in school colors to support the basketball Bulldogs in their final home of the season. The support didn’t help initially as Artesia trailed Lovington 24-19 at halftime.

But Artesia junior guard Charlie Campbell scored 15 of his game-high 26 points in the third quarter and the Bulldogs surged to a 57-42 victory over the Wildcats.

Artesia coach Michael Mondragon said Lovington packed the defense to guard against the Bulldogs’ height in the first half. He also said his team had open shots but missed.

Mondragon credited Campbell for drawing a charge in the third quarter to help turn the game around. On the offensive end of the floor, Mondragon said, one of Campbell’s best assets is his ability to get into the lane and find teammates to finish at the rim.

Defensive intensity was one key to the Bulldogs’ turnaround in the second half. Artesia (16-7 overall, 4-0 district) held Lovington to six points in the third quarter, outscoring the Wildcats by 11 to take a 36-30 lead.

“We’ve been playing well in the second half all year,” Mondragon said. “We finally started scoring and seeing the ball going into the hoop. We started guarding, and defense generated offense, and we were able to hit some big shots and pull away.”

After taking the lead in the third quarter, the Bulldogs came to life on a monster dunk by 6-foot-8 Clay Kincaid, who threw the ball down so hard he was assessed a technical and given a standing ovation by the home crowd.

“I’m okay with the technical foul (Kincaid) picked up,” Mondragon said. I have been telling him all year long that I want him to be nasty … When he got that dunk, he got excited and yelled a little. He set the tone that, ‘Hey, we’re here!’ An excellent way for him to respond, like I know he can.”

Guard Braylon Vega and power forward Trent Egeland each scored nine points for the Bulldogs.

Artesia (17-7, 5-0 District 4-4A defeated Portales (11-13, 1-4 District 4-4A) Tuesday night 58-42 in a road contest.

The final road contest is at second-place Goddard (10-14, 2-3 district) at 7 p.m. Friday.

JT Keith can be reached at jtkeith@elritomedia.com.

Full Senate to weigh bill hiking oil and gas fees

Michael Smith
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Full Senate to weigh bill hiking oil and gas fees

Adrian Hedden
El Rito Media
achedden@currentargus.com

A bill that would raise royalty rates paid by New Mexico oil and gas operators to drill for fossil fuels on state land was approved by the state’s Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 18, and will next to go the Senate floor for a vote by the full chamber.

That will be the third stop for Senate Bill 23, and approval would send the legislation to the New Mexico House, where it will need to gain approval by the full chamber before it can be signed into law by New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

SB 23, sponsored by Senate Finance Chair Sen. George Munoz (D-4), seeks to raise from 20% to 25% the cap on oil and gas royalty rates paid by operators on the value of oil and gas extracted on State Trust land.

The increased rate would only apply to new leases on the most high-valued tracts of State Trust land in the southeast Permian Basin region – Eddy and Lea counties – according to the State Land Office, which oversees state land uses including oil and gas production.

The Land Office holds monthly auctions for leases of parcels of state land to oil and gas companies for drilling and other operations. New Mexico State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard, who leads the office, has pushed for the increased fees since she took office in 2019.

The higher rate should become law to ensure New Mexico taxpayers get a “fair share” of oil and gas revenue generated by the state’s booming oilfields,” Garcia Richard said in a statement issued after the Senate Finance Committee voted 6-3 to approve SB 23.

Last year, Garcia Richard announced the parcels that would be subject to the increase would not be leased until the cap was raised.

The bill would increase revenue to Garcia Richard’s office by up to $50 million more by Fiscal Year 2028 and $75 million by FY 2029, according to an analysis from the Legislative Finance Committee. That money is largely used to support New Mexico public schools and hospitals, defined in state statute as beneficiaries of land office revenue.

New Mexico’s fiscal years, which run from June 1 to July 30 of the following year, are named for the year they end.

“New Mexico’s public schools depend on money earned from development on our state lands,” Garcia Richard said. “That’s why lawmakers have a duty to make sure we can get as much money as possible for resources like oil and gas that belong to all New Mexicans.”

Garcia Richard and other supporters of the measure argued the 25% rate would bring New Mexico in line with royalty rates charged just over the border in West Texas’ portion of the Permian Basin.

But opponents said New Mexico’s oil and gas operators already struggle under stricter regulations, and any further increase in the cost of doing business could send companies across the state line.

Jim Winchester, president of the Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico, a trade group, argued before the finance committee that the bill “missed the mark” and was a “bad deal for New Mexico.”

He said the increase could cause large operators to avoid paying the higher rates by moving out to the edges of the Permian Basin’s most active area known as the Delaware Basin, potentially pushing the smaller independent operators Winchester’s group represents further away from the most lucrative oil deposits.

“Our concern lies in the periphery areas around the geologic border of the New Mexico Delaware Basin, as close as one mile from the basin’s edge where our independent members take risks (and) spend a lot of capital on infrastructure with the hope that reserves there will pay back the investments,” Winchester said.

He said blocking Eddy and Lea counties from development by independent operators will cause New Mexico to lose out on “millions of dollars” in potential investments, and that leases in the area should be less than 20%, not more, to allow such plans.

Sen. Pat Woods (R-7) of Curry County worried that smaller operators could struggle to stay afloat if the bill passed and it became more expensive to extract fossil fuels in New Mexico.

“It’s thought that there are a lot of big oil companies out there, but there’s also some small ones,” Woods said. “I’d hate to drive them out of business.”

“God created him with special needs, and that shot meant everything to him”

Michael Smith
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“God created him with special needs, and that shot meant everything to him”

By J.T. Keith
Artesia Daily Press
jtkeith@elritomedia.com

There was not a dry eye in the Bulldog Pit. It had nothing to do with the Artesia boys’ basketball team dismantling Lovington 57-42 in a District 4A-4 game.

The final seconds of the Feb. 14 contest showed what is good about high school sports.

Like the movie Rudy, the Bulldogs’ student body started chanting, “We want Aaron, we want Aaron! When do we want him? Now.”

Aaron Aguilar’s teachers had made T-shirts with his name and number on them.

When Lovington assistant coach Trenton Lee called time out with 11 seconds to play, Aguilar was standing on the court near Bulldogs coach Michael Mondragon. Lovington senior Mike Pando inbounded the ball but instead of throwing it to a teammate passed it to Aguilar behind the 3-point line.

Aguilar caught the pass, took aim at the basket, let the shot fly – and missed. He got the ball back and shot again. Another miss. But his third shot swished through the net as the buzzer sounded, setting off a celebration with Aguilar mobbed by teammates, fans and even Lovington players.

Aguilar is no ordinary basketball player. He is a special needs student at Artesia High School who has been a member of the basketball team and has occasionally suited up for junior varsity games. But for this game, the Bulldogs’ final home game of the season and Aaron’s last as a graduating senior, he was in uniform with the varsity and ready for action.

Mondragon said the special moment was not planned out in advance. It was all ad-lib because there was no way of knowing how the game would play out. If the outcome had been in doubt, Mondragon would not have put Aguilar in the game and let Lovington know what was up. But with the Bulldogs leading the Wildcats by 12 points in the closing seconds, the coach knew he could surprise Aguilar and his family.

“This young man was a part of our program,” Mondragon said. “I am super proud of him, and him scoring was a special moment for him and his family and our program.”

Aaron, a son of Eliseo and Rachel Aguilar, was diagnosed with short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (SCADD) – a genetic condition that prevents the body from breaking down certain types of fats and can cause a range of symptoms including muscle weakness and developmental delay, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Aaron began having problems two weeks after birth, his mother said, and was in and out of hospitals for the first three years of his life.

“Now look at him,” she said. “He is 19 years old. Doctors told him he would not be able to do all of the stuff that he is doing now.”

Aaron heard the fans cheering for him after he made the basket. He said he was happy and excited after practicing every day for three years.

Rachel said the family didn’t know if her son would play against Lovington. She said Mondragon told them he would try to get Aaron into the game.

“It meant everything to him,” she said. “He loves basketball, but he really doesn’t get to play. So for him to make a buzzer three, that was awesome.”

“It has been an adjustment, but we have always tried to treat Aaron the same,” Rachel said. “The world is not going to treat him any differently. He would get in trouble like any other kid, but we would have to watch his health.”

Aaron has three older brothers: Adrian Tirado, 28; Kameron, 25; and Eliseo Aguilar Jr., 20.

Aaron’s special education teacher, Angela Montgomery, attended the game and was overcome with emotion. She cried after he made the basket.

“I have watched Aaron grow for the past three years,” Montgomery said. “He’s been my student, and I cannot thank the coaches and players enough for letting him have this opportunity.”

Aaron participates in Special Olympics for Artesia. He plays basketball and golf, bowls, and runs track.

“God made him with special needs,” Rachel said. “I think what happened at the game might help some other kids who think they can’t. They can. And that is what I have always told Aaron. You may have this, but that does not define you. You can do whatever you put your mind to.”

JT Keith can be reached at jtkeith@elritomedia.com.

Be Reconciled

Michael Smith
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By: Pastor Ty Houghtaling

Reconciliation is a consistent theme in the Bible. The process of reconciliation refers to the restoration of the broken relationship between humanity and God due to our rebellion, our sin.

This reconciliation process happens when a person recognizes his/her sins against God and seeks to have the debt paid in some way. Reconciliation is an accounting term. It is about having the books balanced. It is about ensuring that no outstanding debt remains unpaid. In the spiritual realm, reconciliation echoes the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, where atonement was made for sin.

Jesus becomes the ultimate sacrifice necessary to reconcile sinful mankind with our Holy God (Hebrews 9:11-14). Jesus bridges the chasm created by our sins, a gulf that we cannot cross on our own no matter what we do. The separation between us and God is just too great. Thankfully He has made a way, Jesus is the way (John 14:6). The call to “be reconciled” is an invitation to accept the work of Christ on the cross, which has made peace with God possible (Romans 5:10).

It is both a command and an offer of grace, urging individuals to accept the salvation freely given through Jesus. Have your books been balanced? Have you experienced reconciliation? This Saturday (February 22nd) starting at 8:00 in the morning, the Women of the Word ministries will host a one-day women’s event (lunch included).

It will be a day of worship and teachings on reconciliation. First Baptist Church Artesia on the corner of Grand and Roselawn will be the site of this conference. Ladies, come check it out, you’ll be glad that you did.

Ty Houghtaling is the Pastor at the First Baptist Church in Artesia.

Accused murderer sentenced to 9 years after plea deal

Michael Smith
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Accused murderer sentenced to 9 years after plea deal

Adrian Hedden
El Rito Media
achedden@currentargus.com

Nathan Garrison signed a plea deal Monday, Feb. 17, just hours before he was set to go to trial for the 2021 shooting death of Tyler Grantham.

Garrison, 45, was charged with second-degree murder but agreed to plead guilty to charges of voluntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence, convictions that drew him sentences totaling nine years in prison. If convicted of second-degree murder, Garrison could have been sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Under the plea agreement, District Judge Jane Shuler Gray sentenced Garrison to nine years for voluntary manslaughter and three years for tampering with evidence. He was granted three years credit for time incarcerated ahead of trial, reducing his total prison time to nine years.

The investigation into Garrison’s crimes began Nov. 17, 2021, when Grantham, 36, was found shot in the face by a shotgun blast at his home in the 100 block of East Cottonwood Street in Eddy County, just outside Artesia.

Witnesses at the scene said Garrison fired a single round from a shotgun into the back of the mobile home, striking Grantham, according to police, who said the shooting occurred after several people inside the home, including Garrison, argued over missing money.

Police said Garrison left the house during the conflict, drove into Artesia where he was staying on Quay Avenue, retrieved the shotgun and returned to fire the shot that killed Grantham.

Before he was sentenced, Garrison addressed Shuler Gray and Grantham’s family. He said he believed people inside the home, including Grantham, were being held at gunpoint by another man, Randy Fernandez. Garrison’s defense attorney, Gary Mitchell, said his client fired to scare Fernandez and “to free” the others.

Although Fernandez has been charged in the past with crimes ranging from forgery to drug possession, records show he was never charged in the events leading up to Grantham’s death.

“I know I messed up bad,” Garrison said at the sentencing hearing. “This was a horrible accident. There’s nothing I can say. I got to live with this the rest of my life. I can’t say sorry enough.”

Before Garrison was sentenced, some of Grantham’s family members testified to the “suffering” and “heartache” his death caused them, and asked Shuler Gray to impose the maximum sentence.

Some expressed frustration at the plea deal that resulted in a lighter sentence than he might have received if convicted of second-degree murder.

“It is difficult to see all the time and resources spent to convict Garrison of such a cowardly act,” said Grantham’s father Larry Grantham. “Life is about choices. Garrison’s continue to inflict severe pain on others. The decision by the court will never be enough to bring back my son, a father and friend to many.”

Prosecutor Ariane Gonzales argued for maximum prison time, contending Garrison had several opportunities to call police if he believed his friends were in danger.

She said the shooting was a purposeful act as Garrison drove eight miles to where he was staying on Quay Avenue in Artesia, switched cars and picked up the shotgun and ammunition.

Gonzales also described how Garrison drove up to the house on Cottonwood Street, called out demanding someone open the door, and fired the shotgun when an unidentified person inside yelled profanities.

“This was a very careless act by the defendant. It happened quickly, but there were steps he could have taken,” Gonzales said. “Mr. Grantham lost his life because of this over nothing. Over something that could have been solved by law enforcement. Acts like this need punishment.”

Defense Attorney Gary Mitchell said his client and others involved in the incident suffered from methamphetamine addiction. Mitchell pointed to toxicology reports that showed the drug was present in Grantham’s system when he died.

Mitchell said the argument that led to the shooting was not over missing money but drugs stolen from the car of Kianna Wallace, Randy Fernandez’s girlfriend. The attorney said Fernandez held people at the East Cottonwood address at gunpoint and Garrison’s “intent was to get them out of the house before something bad happened to them.” He also said Fernandez threatened to kill Garrison if he called the police.

After the shooting, Mitchell said Garrison cooperated with police when he found out Grantham was killed, confessing to the shooting and showing investigators the route he took to and from the house on Cottonwood.

“He did everything he could do after the fact,” Mitchell said. “He immediately confessed that he was the one who shot.”

In handing down Garrison’s sentence, Shuler Gray said every person involved in the incident had previous charges and interactions with police. She blamed drug addiction for the circumstances leading to Grantham’s death.

“I’m saddened about what meth has done,” she said. “It destroys you from the inside. Sometimes, it destroys your soul.”

Ski resort weathers up and down winter conditions

Michael Smith
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Ski resort weathers up and down winter conditions

Mike Smith

El Rito Media

msmith@currentargus.com

Inconsistent temperatures and periodic heavy snowfall have made the 2024-2025 ski season “different” at Taos Ski Valley, says Rebecca Hagler, the destination’s marketing manager.

The popular northern New Mexico resort received 15 inches of snow from a storm three weeks ago but temperatures have been up and down for most of 2025, Hagler said during a Feb. 13 telephone interview.

According to National Weather Service data, daytime temperatures at the Taos Regional Airport between Feb. 15 and Feb. 18 ranged from 14 degrees to 53 degrees.

Hagler said late fall and early winter did bring Taos Ski Valley some natural snow but manmade snow has provided a boost where Mother Nature might be lacking.

Snowmaking is a valuable tool as New Mexico deals with varying weather patterns this ski season, she said, and “very cold temperatures are prime snowmaking weather.”

Taos Ski Valley opened Thanksgiving weekend and is scheduled to close April 6.

Hagler said additional snow could be forthcoming as skiers hit the slopes before spring takes hold.

“Be prepared – skiing conditions can change rapidly,” she said.

Here are reported skiing conditions as of Monday, Feb. 17

(Information provided by Ski New Mexico)

Taos Ski Valley had a base depth of 35 inches with 76 of 120 trails open and 11 of 13 lifts open.

Angel Fire had a base depth of 25 inches with 50 of 86 trails open and 7 of 7 lifts open.

Pajarito Mountain had a base depth of 10 inches with 29 of 53 trails open and 3 of 6 lifts open.

Red River had a base depth of 24 inches with 47 of 64 trails open and 7 of 7 lifts open.

Sipapu Ski Area had a base depth of 18 inches with 13 of 44 trails open and 4 of 6 lifts open.

Ski Apache had a base depth of 10 inches with 4 of 55 trails open and 3 of 8 lifts open.

Ski Santa Fe had a base depth of 36 inches with 82 of 90 trails open and 6 of 7 lifts open.

Skiers beware: snow conditions can change after this report is compiled.

Mike Smith can be reached at 575-308-8734 or email at msmith@currentargus.com.

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