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Permian Basin Celebration a trip back to the ‘old America’

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Permian Basin Celebration a trip back to the ‘old America’

In 1924, the Illinois No. 3 well struck oil. That was also the year the State of New Mexico received its first royalty check in the amount of $134.

Last year, in 2023, our state cashed in over $15 billion from this industry. Because of the grit and determination of a few, Artesia continues to produce and contribute to our community, state and country in an enormous way through oil and gas.

The weekend of June 1415, we welcomed guests both near and far into the City of Champions to celebrate 100 years of oil and gas. We acknowledged those who came before us, those today putting the work in, and those to come.

It was truly a Permian Basin celebration!

A dinner hosted by Artesia Chamber of Commerce and Artesia MainStreet included interesting discussions by Alex Epstein, a well-known philosopher and author whose critical thinking skills have fostered great discussions on fossil fuels and energy policy.

Hanson Yates of Santo Petroleum also provided insight into the early and difficult days of Illinois No. 3 and the work of his family and others as they brought this pipe dream to reality!

Our community also enjoyed an oilfield equipment and patriotic parade, where numerous businesses, friends and family drove Main Street in true small-town-America fashion. Other activities included an Oilfield Cook-Off Competition, Oilfield Olympic Games and live music featuring The Wichita, Question de Tiempo, Tell Runyan and Bart Crow.

Special activities were held at the Artesia Public Library and the Ocotillo Performing Arts Center, and the Artesia Aquatic Center let the town in for free! Everyone participated, and I hope everyone truly enjoyed themselves.

One of my favorite conversations happened during this parade, where a gentleman visiting from Michigan said this is how he remembers the “old America.” He was beaming, and he was correct. This weekend felt different to me, too. People cheering each other, kids playing at The Derrick Floor, vendors setting up and doing business, families proud of the way they make their living.

This weekend, we were a small but vibrant town. We walked the streets and visited with both friends and strangers. There was a sense of pride in the streets. If you were unable to come to the 100-year celebration, you truly missed out on something great!

Although we will not be here to celebrate 200 years, maybe we can start a decade celebration?

We can keep this party going!

See you at 110 years of oil and gas in 2034!


(EDITOR’S NOTE: Jon Henry is the mayor of Artesia. Contact him at mayor@


artesianm.gov.)

Religion still has power in American politics, even as the U.S. becomes aReligion still has power in American politics, even more secular nationReligion still has power in American politics, even as the U.S. becomes aReligion still has power in American politics, even

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By TRIP JENNINGS El Rito Media Columnist

In 1996 I took a year off from journalism to attend seminary in Atlanta. The plan was to cram as much theology, sociology of religion and church history into two semesters to return to a newspaper to cover the intersection of religion and politics. It was obvious even then that understanding the white evangelical Christian constituency that would propel George W. Bush and Donald Trump into the White House would come in handy for a political reporter.

After a year, however, I decided I liked reading philosophy, theology, ethics and history and the conversations they had prompted, so I tacked on another two years and earned a Master’s of Divinity degree. After graduating, I got a newspaper job in Connecticut an hour from New York City just in time to cover the 9/11 terror attacks, anthrax, and several political scandals.

I never got to report on the mix of religion and politics like I’d hoped. However, the topic is an abiding interest. For example, this week the use of the word “biblical” in American politics is of keen interest. At its annual meeting in Indianapolis, the Southern Baptist Convention will decide whether to take up the question of whether to ban women from serving in any pastoral roles at a church. Supporters defend the proposal as “biblical,” meaning they trace its authority to the Bible itself.

“If we won’t stand on this issue and be unapologetically biblical, then we won’t stand on anything,” the Associated Press quoted amendment proponent Mike Law, pastor of Arlington Baptist Church in Virginia, as saying.

The Southern Baptist Convention is the largest Protestant denomination in the country and is made up of mostly white evangelicals, a constituency that overwhelmingly supported Trump in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections and likely will again this year.

When I say I’m bewildered by the phrase “unapologetically biblical,” this is not coming from a casual observer of American Christianity or American politics: I’ve been around the Bible since childhood and have covered politics for more than 30 years. Contrary to the pastor Law’s fervently held belief, the Bible does not speak definitively on the question of women as pastors. People on opposite sides of the question have found support biblically for their respective stances for decades.

That’s the thing about the Bible; it’s not as clear as many people purport it to be. In fact, it can be extraordinarily vague, which is why there exist so many competing interpretations of the Bible.

Interpretation is not a bad thing. We humans do it every day, to make sense and derive meaning from both trivial and profound matters in our lives.

The Bible is no exception. Perhaps this point is meaningless to you as you cite the country’s increasingly secular turn. But it does matter. In some corners of America, the Bible remains a source of authority and certainty, even solace and comfort, at the same time many of these Americans who revere the Bible seem increasingly not to really know what’s in it.

The irony, then, is that the word “biblical” holds a certain power even as more Americans sever their ties to organized religion. The use of “biblical,” then, offers a glimpse into the perennial power of faith and religion in American politics. To say an idea or belief is “biblical” is shorthand for many Americans that the idea or belief is grounded in truth. And to say something is true with a capital T can sway people to vote a certain way even if they’re not sure what the Bible says themselves. People who use the word “biblical,” in fact, often count on this biblical illiteracy.

They can say whatever they want without challenge. Full disclosure so you know my bias on women pastors and the importance of knowing the Bible, especially journalists: I was raised Southern Baptist. Reading the Bible and church going were at the center of my life growing up. In addition to three weekly services, I participated in Bible studies and “sword drills,” a game in which an adult called out a Bible verse to a group of children who competed to locate it in the Bible. Later came seminary, with classes in all the subjects mentioned above as well as classes in ancient Hebrew and Greek. The thinking was, and still is, that pastors should be able to read the Bible in the original languages they were written. It’s more of an aspiration than a reality for most graduating seminarians, but it’s a notable goal.

I am also a preacher’s kid. In my case, it was my mother who was the minister. A lifelong Southern Baptist, my mother departed the denomination in the 1980s when she was dissuaded from pursuing a call to ministry after a fundamentalist takeover of the denomination. (The same players would help to strengthen white Evangelical and fundamentalist power and influence over the Republican Party years later.)

Not one to let men stand in the way of what she considered a calling from God, my mother attended a Presbyterian seminary and became a minister in that denomination.

I am not writing this column to litigate whether the Bible supports women as pastors or not.

It’s a free country. Those who oppose women becoming pastors by quoting the Bible have a right to their opinions, as do I and many others who find ample evidence in the Bible to support the opposing view. I just wish more Americans stopped to think before believing what someone says is in the Bible or simply shrugging and saying it doesn’t matter. Whether you believe in God or think religious belief is a bunch of hooey, the mix of religion and politics helps to shape our public life in the United States. Sometimes it even influences who sits in the White House.


(EDITOR’S NOTE: Trip Jennings started his career in Georgia at his hometown newspaper, The Augusta Chronicle. Since 2005, he has covered politics and state government for the Albuquerque Journal, the New Mexico Independent and the Santa Fe New Mexican. In 2012, he co-founded New Mexico In Depth, a nonpartisan, nonprofit media outlet that produces investigative, data-rich stories with an eye on solutions that can be a catalyst for change.)

A fitting celebration honoring our oil and gas history

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There’s nothing like the ferocity of a 4-foot-tall person whose face is painted like a lion to give you a start.

Then you turn around and a snow cone has been dumped on your pants by a 3-foot young fellow frightened by the Sinclair dinosaur wobbling through the crowd at the oil field cook-off.

The temperature has now hit 106 degrees and you might be as wobbly as that big green dinosaur but in the band shell by the food court the music rises and feet become happy, and spirits lifted. Such was the evening at the downtown 100-year celebration of the birth of the oil and gas industry in Artesia and New Mexico. It was the birth of the famous Illinois #3 gusher.

After almost a year of planning, the weekend seemed to flow, well, OK, as smoothly as oil from the well, through the pipeline, and to the refinery. Boom.

During that year, a group of folks from the Artesia Chamber, Main Street, and other volunteers met weekly to discuss the voluminous details of the weekend. They brought everything together as smooth as butter.

Friday night, more than 400 people gathered for a dinner at the Artesia Country Club to first and foremost celebrate the families responsible for Illinois #3 and subsequent successful oil and gas exploration here. Also recognized were the thousands of men and women who have worked in this industry and who have helped make Artesia both prosperous and beautiful.

The group heard from author Alex Epstein, perhaps fossil fuels most ardent and highly respected advocate, and Hanson Yates, son of Peyton Yates who runs Santo Industries, an Artesia native, who recounted the past, present, and future state of oil and gas here. Yates’ presentation was marked with exquisite detail of operations here and shared several doses of nicely timed humor.

We at the Artesia Daily Press, take a bow as well. We believe our glossy magazine “100 Years, Celebrating A Century of the Oil and Gas Industry in Artesia and Eddy County,” will serve over the years as one of the most authoritative histories of what occurred 100 years ago and presages the bright history ahead of us.

Looking Back

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Looking Back

Looking back 40, 30 and 20 years ago, the following are excerpts from the Artesia Daily Press.

40 years ago June 16-22, 1984

New Mexico’s public school teachers will be paid a salary that averages $22,444 statewide when they return to the classrooms in the fall. The average increase for returning teachers is $1,441 or 6.9 percent over the statewide average teacher salary of $21,003 paid in 198384. Salary scales among the state’s 88 school districts range from a high average of $30,207 for returning teachers in the Jal district in Lea County to a low of $17,215 in the Elida district in Roosevelt County.

———-A person doesn’t have to be crazy to capture a swarm of bees, but it helps, according to local beekeeper L.H. “Sonny” Tennant. Tennant, assisted by longtime beekeeper Earl Quain, recently captured an unusually large swarm. The swarm, which was estimated to weigh between 10 and 12 pounds, had gathered on branches of an apple tree next door to the Quain residence. Tennant and Quain say the average swarm weighs about three pounds.

———-Charles Gleghorn, right, was honored Friday evening for being the first “40 year employee” during service award ceremonies for Navajo Refining Co. During his tenure with the refinery, Gleghorn has served as refinery manager and is currently assistant to the vice president of refining.

———-The General Services Department was asked Tuesday by the state Board of Finance to study the extent of use of asbestos materials in state-owned buildings. Building materials containing asbestos fibers were widely used until the early 1970s when it was discovered that asbestos causes cancer.

———-The national push for computer literacy is fatally flawed because most people will never need to know how computers work, some educators and sociologists say. They add that high schools that require computer literacy for graduation are needlessly intimidating students who have no aptitude for the machines. Computer literacy is irrelevant to most people because computer designers have become “magicians,” making computers easy to use without training, said Charles Oualline Jr., a professor of computer architecture at East Texas State University.

———-A survey of accident reports shows that the use of child restraint devices has more than quadrupled in recent years, says Judith Espinosa, New Mexico’s secretary of transportation. Monday was marked as the first anniversary of a state law requiring the use of safety seats or safety belts for child passengers in motor vehicles. The law, which became effective June 27, 1983, requires that children under five years old be properly secured in a safety seat or seat belt while traveling on city streets or New Mexico highways.

30 years ago June 16-22, 1994

Murder charges were filed today against O.J. Simpson in the slayings of his ex-wife and a male friend. An arraignment was set for 11:30 a.m. in Superior Court, according to a statement from the court. Mike Botula, district attorney’s office spokesman, said two counts of murder were filed against Simpson.

———-Information about outbreaks of new infectious diseases will no longer be withheld from the public, state Health Secretary Michael Burkhart said. Burkhart said Thursday that the Office of Epidemiology’s practice of withholding such information would be changed. His decision came after a reporter questioned him about the mysterious deaths of two children several months ago who attended the same Albuquerque day-care center. The office didn’t report the deaths until asked about them last week.

———-There’s an air of excitement – and sometimes wariness – in the Chisos Mountains these days. A former and future resident of the Big Bend region is making a strong comeback among those scenic West Texas peaks. And it has some campers looking around for flashes of dark fur and rounded ears in the brush beside mountain trails, or listening for the rustle of plodding feet. Those are the sights and sounds that had been missing from the area for decades, ever since black bears were virtually eradicated from their native Texas. But over the past few years the bears have been making their way back into the state from Mexico.

———-South defenders prepare to wrap up a North running back during the first quarter of the Class A/AA North-South All-Star Football Game played Saturday at the Bulldog Bowl. A 21-point fourth quarter lifted the south to a 37-14 victory, its fourth straight in the four-year history of the game.

———-Artesia firefighters crack open the wall of a portable building at Hermosa Elementary to check for hot spots after fire burned along the outside wall section around the door. The fire, which remains under investigation, began at 1:20 p.m. Tuesday and is believed to have started in a bucket of glue. Damage is estimated at more than $3,000.

20 years ago June 16-22, 2004

The exceptionally tall blooming Agave plant pictured above is located in the backyard of Barbara and Wayne Beddingfield, on the corner of MacArthur Street and Roselawn Avenue. Some flower stalks grow up to 30 feet high, but this stalk apparently disregarded the rules, with an estimated height of 35 feet. Agaves are mostly natives of Mexico, though some are found wild in the West Indies and a few in the United States.

———-The drought gripping the West could be the worst in 500 years, with effects in the Colorado River basin even worse than during the Dust Bowl years, scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey say. The drought has produced the lowest flow in the Colorado River on record, with an annual average flow of only 5.4 million acre-feet at Lees Ferry, Ariz., during the period 2001-2003, adjusted for the impact of Glen Canyon Dam. By comparison, during the Dust Bowl years, between 1930 and 1937, the annual flow averaged about 102 million acre-feet, the report said.

———-Two young girls who are fighting cancer received help from Artesia Motorcycle Enthusiasts. The second annual Poker Run brought in $10,840 in donations, including a $5,000 matching donation from Artesia Moose Lodge No. 2152. “This was our second Poker Run, and we hope next year’s will be bigger,” Robert Snyder said. He said last year’s run netted about $3,000, also for a cancer patient.

———-Approximately 400 members of the community packed the Artesia Center last night to find out what could be done about the drugs and crime in Artesia. In the end, 138 people stepped up to join the action groups on an immediate basis. Many took home the forms for review before deciding on an action group to join. At the meeting, law enforcement from the entire area attended in support of the action group. Support for the community task force started a few months ago in Artesia with the annual No Drugs, No Gangs, Drink More Milk program.

———-High winds overnight brought down tree limbs and signs in and around Artesia. A city work crew cleans up a large tree limb that fell onto Grand Avenue blocking eastbound traffic. Winds were reported at 50 mph by weather watcher Bennie Peel at 4:29 p.m. Monday.

———-State Economic Development Secretary Rick Homans says the flight of the world’s first privately financed manned spaceflight over the Mojave Desert is good news for New Mexico, site of a competition for reusable spacecraft. In a 90-minute flight Monday, pilot Mike Melvill took SpaceShipOne 62.2 miles above earth, a little more than 400 feet above the distance considered as the boundary of space. New Mexico was selected last month as the site for the X Prize Cup, a proposed annual competition for reusable spacecraft. Peter Diamandis, chairman of the St. Louis-based X Prize Foundation, has said that by 2006, competitors from around the world should be launching reusable launch vehicles from New Mexico.

———- (EDITOR’S NOTE: Looking Back was compiled By Daily Press Staff)

Splash Pad still aiming for July 4 opening

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Splash Pad still aiming for July 4 opening
By ELIZABETH WEBB For the Daily Press

About 15 years ago, any family with children in Artesia likely routinely visited the Splash Pad in the Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Recreation Complex.

But then in 2020, the Splash Pad — the concrete slab adorned with various water features just south of the skate park — was suddenly defunct and inoperable. It was in desperate need of repair, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, those types of repairs just weren’t possible.

Now, four years later, a brand-new, upgraded Splash Pad is set to be unveiled in July. “I can’t wait for the new splash pad,” said Victoria Lynchesky, who has a 4-year-old daughter. “It’ll be nice to have a family- friendly activity to beat the heat. My daughter has only ever experienced the splash pads in neighboring towns, so it’ll be a great value added to Artesia.”

City Infrastructure Director Byron Landfair said the plan is to have the construction completed by the Fourth of July weekend.

“It’ll be a horse’s race to get to that point, but we’re going to do our best,” he added.

The city received $360,000 in grant money for the rehabilitation project and then pitched in an additional $100,000 of city funds.

The city started looking at the Splash Pad needs in 2022 when Artesians were requesting its comeback en masse.

“When we dug into it, we saw that the Splash Pad had aged quite a bit from being out of use,” Landfair said.

The city then asked Artesians for input on the future of the Splash Pad, giving four options:

• Option 1: For $5,000$7,000, the Infrastructure Department estimated it could repair 90% of the Splash Pad for an undetermined time period.

• Option 2: $125,000$175,000 would fund new plumbing and render the Splash Pad fully operable in its then-current state but would leave obsolete parts that would eventually need replacing.

• Option 3: A complete tear-out and rebuild, making it new, enlarged and upgraded.

• Option 4: The Splash Pad would be permanently removed.

The public overwhelmingly wanted Option 3 — a complete upgrade.

“So we listened, we reinvested, and we’re getting a brand-new one,” Landfair said.

The new Splash Pad will be even larger, Landfair said, by about one-third the size. Additionally, the new equipment will monitor itself, eliminating the need for staff to oversee the facility.

Right now, the infrastructure department is just waiting for some embed parts to come in before they start pouring the concrete. In the meantime, the restrooms located nearby will soon undergo renovations.

AROUND TOWN

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YARD OF THE WEEK

— Artesia Clean & Beautiful is sponsoring its Yard of the Week contest now through September. Colorful, attractive, wellgroomed lawns with curb appeal meet the qualifications. To nominate a yard worthy of the title, contact Linda at 575-513-0143 or the AC&B office at 575748-3192. —————–

— Head Start is currently enrolling 3- and 4-year-olds for its 2024-25 program year. Children must turn 3 by Sept. 1. To schedule an enrollment appointment, call 575-748-1141. Parents or guardians will be asked to bring the child’s birth certificate and immunization records, verification of income (2023 tax return or SNAP), and a Medicaid or private insurance card.

CHASE SCHOLAR COMMUNITY SERVICE

— Chase Scholars will be performing community service for senior citizens through June 21. Students will be in groups with an adult supervisor and will be available for yard work, cleaning exterior windows, and various odd jobs. Students will not be painting. Sign-ups for those needing work done are available at the Senior MealSite, the Senior Center, the Artesia Chamber of Commerce, and KSVP. For more information, contact Ginny at the Chase Foundation, 575-746-4610. —————–

ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUPPETS

— Children ages 12 and under are invited to a Summer Reading Program performance by Meghan and the Rocky Mountain Puppets at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 20, at the Artesia Center, 612 N. Eighth St. For more information, call the Artesia Public Library at 575-7464252.

TEEN ART — Teens ages 13-17 are invited to complete a Summer Reading Program themed art project at 1 p.m. Thursdays, June 20 and 27, at the Artesia Public Library. For more information, call the library at 575-746-4252.

CRAFTING FOR ADULTS — Adults ages 18 and up are invited to a Summer Reading Program crafting event at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, June 20, at the Artesia Public Library. Sharon Wright with Stampin’ Up will demonstrate how to make unique cards. For more information, call the library at 575746-4252.

NORTH EDDY REPUBLICANS — The North Eddy County Republicans will meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 20, in the clubhouse at the Artesia Country Club. All are welcome. Need not be a member of the club to attend. The speaker has yet to be determined.

KIDS’ MOVIE — Children ages 12 and under are invited to watch an adventure- themed movie at 11 a.m. Friday, June 21, at the Artesia Public Library. Popcorn will be served. For more information, call the library at 575-7464252.

ELECTRONIC RECYCLING — Artesia Clean & Beautiful will host its annual eWaste Event from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday, June 21, and 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday, June 22, at the Eddy County Fairgrounds food court. Items to be accepted for recycling include all officerelated equipment, fax machines, copiers, typewriters, CPUs, and consumer electronics including DVD and VCR players and video game consoles, radios, telephones and cell phones, server and telecom equipment, cameras and stereo equipment. There will be a $5 charge for large CRT monitors. Televisions and home appliances will not be accepted. For more information, call AC&B at 575-748-3192.

DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION — CARC Document Destruction will be at Artesia Clean & Beautiful’s eWaste Event from 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Friday, June 21, at the Eddy County Fairgrounds food court to accept any residential documents in need of disposal, up to 100 pounds. No commercial documents will be accepted. For more information, call AC&B at 575-748-3192.

PRIDE EVENT — Artesia’s Fourth Annual Pride Event will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday, June 22, at Pizza Hut. The community is invited to attend to honor those who have made sacrifices to make the world a more accepting place. All ages and identities are welcome to come make new friends, spread love, and show allyship.

GREAT AMERICAN CLEAN-UP — Artesia Clean & Beautiful will continue scheduling cleanups through June 22. Volunteers may sign up any time at the AC&B office, 422 W. Main St., to receive supplies. For more information, call 575-748-3192.

HOSPITAL BOARD — The Artesia Special Hospital District Board of Trustees will meet at 5:15 p.m. Monday, June 24, in Green Chile Room A at Artesia General Hospital for the purpose of conducting regular business and discussing finances and other matters in an open setting.

KIDS’ STORY CREATIONS — Children ages 12 and under are invited to a Summer Reading Program Story Creations event at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 25, at the Artesia Public Library. Join Denise Gard and her amazing Border Collies, Joey and Kira, as they bring their Egyptian adventures to the library. For more information, call the library at 575-7464252.

TEEN IMPROV Teens ages 13-17 are invited to a Summer Reading Program Teen Improv event at 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 25, at the Artesia Public Library. Denise Gard will work with teens on their improv skills. For more information, call the library at 575-746-4252.

LUNCH BUNCH BOOK CLUB — Ages 18 and up are invited to the Lunch Bunch Book Club at noon Tuesday, June 25, at the Artesia Public Library. Denise Gard will join in a discussion of her book “Raven Woods Smoke Signals.” Copies are available for check-out at the library or via Libby. For more information, call the library at 575-746-4252.

KIDS’ STEM LAB Children ages 12 and under are invited to drop in for a Summer Reading Program STEM Lab from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 26, at the Artesia Public Library. For more information, call the library at 575746-4252.

First Day

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INTRO TO DANCE CAMP

— The Artesia Arts Council will host an Intro to Dance “Friendship Fusion” Camp June 26 – July 31. Cost is $60 per student; save 10% if you sign up with a friend by using code FRIENDSHIP at checkout. Ages 4-7 will attend from 10-10:45 a.m. and ages 8 and up from 11-11:45 a.m. Choose from tap, jazz, hip-hop and contemporary styles. To register, visit www.artesiaartscouncil.com/ education. —————– ART IN SCIENCE — The Artesia Arts Council will hold an Art in Science event at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 27, at the Ocotillo Performing Arts Center. Come make rainbow cyanotypes (sun prints). Cost is $10. To register, visit www.artesiaartscouncil.com/education. —————– PAINT PARTY — Ages 18 and up are invited to a paint party with instructor Kirsten Mauritsen on Thursday, June 27, at the Ocotillo Performing Arts Center. All skill levels are welcome. Cost is $35 per student. To register, visit www.artesiaartscouncil.com/ education. —————– OUR LADY OF GRACE RAFFLE — Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church is holding a Christmas in July raffle. A total of 10 prizes are available, each valued at $1,000. Tickets are $10 each. Prizes will begin to be drawn July 1. To purchase tickets, call the church office at 575-748-1356. —————– ARTISTIC VOYAGES — The Artesia Arts Council will host Artistic Voyages classes at 11:30 a.m. July 2 and 30 at the Ocotillo Performing Arts Center. Cost is $35 per student; limit 12. Classes are open to ages 8 and up. To register, visit www.artesiaartscouncil.com/ education. —————– GARDEN CLUB WORKSHOPS — Those interested in entering the Eddy County Fair Flower Show are invited to obtain helpful information from 1-2:30 p.m. Friday, July 12, at CVE. For more information, contact Bunny Mason at 575-365-7391. —————– FUSED GLASS JEWELRY WORKSHOP — The Artesia Arts Council will host a fused glass jewelry workshop on Saturday, July 27. For more information and to register, visit www.artesiaartscouncil.com/education.

—————– SUMMER EBT PROGRAM — The Student Success and Wellness Bureau has announced the release of Summer EBT applications. For more information and to apply, visit summerebtnm.org. For more information, call the Public Education Department’s hotline at 505695-8454. A link to apply may also be accessed through the Artesia Public Schools website, www.bulldogs.org.

Permian Basin Celebration

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Permian Basin Celebration

The community of Artesia came together Saturday to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the start of the area’s prolific oil and gas production, beginning with the discovery of the Illinois No. 3 well in 1924 and continuing through today. The Permian Basin Celebration, hosted by the Artesia Chamber of Commerce and Artesia MainStreet, opened with an Oilfield Equipment Parade down Main Street, featuring floats including HF Sinclair’s inflatable dino, pictured above. The day’s events also included the Oilfield Olympics — in which a young girl participates at bottom left — and an evening of entertainment from artists such as Tell Runyan, below right, and Bart Crow, left.

Brienne Green – Daily Press

Father’s Day: A 1974 plumbing disaster

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Father’s Day: A 1974 plumbing disaster
By Tom Purcell

In 1974, when I was 11, I flushed an apple core down the toilet.

You see, my father had remodeled our basement into a family room with a powder room.

Always looking to save a buck — he had six kids to feed on one income — he bought the cheapest toilet he could find.

It never did work right, and since we couldn’t afford a plumber, my father spent much of his spare time unclogging it.

Armed with this knowledge, then, it’s remarkable I did what I did.

One Sunday morning, after chomping on a large Washington apple, I lay on the family room couch, too lazy to get up and properly dispose of it.

I noticed, some 12 feet away, that the toilet lid was up.

In a moment of insanity, I aimed the core at the toilet and flicked my wrist. The core floated majestically in the air, a perfect trajectory, then landed in the center of the bowl with a satisfying “kir-plunk!”

I later flushed it and never gave it another thought — until a few months later when another clogging was reported.

As fate would have it, this happened on a Sunday morning, as I lay on the couch, holding another Washington apple core. I watched television, while my father fought to free the clog.

But nothing would free it. The plunger failed, but not before he was soaking wet. Two jars of Drano had no effect. Even the plumber’s snake, which my father borrowed from our neighbors when all other measures failed, would not dislodge the mother of all clogs.

In a fit of rage, my father unbolted the toilet from the floor. In one mighty heave, he lifted it off its mount and set it in front of the television.

He knelt before the black hole in the floor. He reached his mighty paw inside, then his forearm, then his biceps.

His head was pressed hard against the cold, wet linoleum, sweat dripping off his nose, the veins in his temples about to explode.

His eyes lit up. He had something. He carefully removed his biceps, his forearm and then his paw.

He was on his knees now staring at his clenched fist.

He slowly unpeeled his large, grimy fingers.

In the center of his palm, there it was: A black, rotten apple core.

I could go into detail about his incredible reaction — how he ran through the house shouting, “Who the hell flushed an apple core down the toilet?”

I could describe the shock and horror he felt when he discovered that his only son and only hope in carrying on the family name was the idiot who did it.

But I won’t. I will tell you I was paralyzed with fear, a fear born out of respect.

My father loved me and wanted the best for me. He wanted me to master basic virtues — at the very least to master common sense — and I failed spectacularly.

It would have been easy had he been like the weak, hapless fathers portrayed on television these days.

But he was the opposite of weak. He was not afraid to discipline me and strengthen me to prepare me for the difficult challenges all of us must face in life.

My heart aches for so many children who are without direction, because they lack guidance from a cantankerous, masculine father who dresses them down, so he can build them back better — into polite, sensible, responsible human beings.

The way my father did when I flushed an apple core down the toilet in 1974!


(EDITOR’S NOTE: Tom Purcell is a syndicated columnist whose work is distributed by Cagle Cartoons Inc. Contact him at tom@tompurcell. com.)

Miss Hi Tide wins Mountain Top Derby

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Miss Hi Tide wins Mountain Top Derby

RUIDOSO DOWNS — Miss Hi Tide and jockey Adrian Ramos overcame a rough beginning to win the $175,258 Mountain Top Derby for 3-year-old New Mexico-bred quarter horses Saturday at Ruidoso Downs Race Track.

“I did my best to keep my filly calm and steady,” Ramos said in the winner’s circle. “The filly did a nice job overcoming the early trouble and then she really got going down the race track.”

Miss Hi Tide topped Wood Be Bad and jockey James Flores by one-length in a time of 17.667 seconds for 350 yards. The filly paid $21.80, $8.20 and $6 for a second career win for owner Ezra Lee and trainer Wes Giles.

“We’re going to point the filly toward the All American Oaks,” said Giles. Miss Hi Tide is sired by Woodridge out of the mare Ms Riptide by Ocean Runaway. In the 112,610 Maiden Stakes, Tres The Favorite and jockey Luis Martinez broke mid-pack and came from behind to edge longshot Bigg Picture by a neck in a time of 17.404 seconds for 350 yards. The stakes event was open to quarter horses that were still qualified as maidens as of March 1.

Tres The Favorite is a 3-year old owned by Jose Moreno and trained by David Gomez-Barraza. The gelding is sired by Favorite Cartel out of the mare Tres Times a Lady by Tres Seis. It is the gelding’s third consecutive win and paid $6, $4 and $2.40.

Racing continues on Sunday with the running of the $350,486 Mountain Top Futurity for 2-year-old New Mexico-bred quarter horses. First post time is 1 p.m.

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