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Avian flu not uncommon in N.M.

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By JIM HILLEY Roswell Daily Record

ROSWELL — Carl Jacobsen, wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, said he is sure avian flu is present in wild birds at the refuge.

“I’ve seen waterfowl that display symptoms of it,” he said. Jacobsen was not ready to make an outright statement about the flu being present in the 24,563-acre refuge, however.

“I have never sent a sample in, so I can’t say definitively it is here,” Jacobsen said. “But it’s very common, so I would be surprised if it wasn’t.”

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu, is widespread in wild birds worldwide and is causing outbreaks in U.S. poultry and dairy cows. Three cases of HPAI have been reported in U.S. dairy workers in 2024, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

An additional case of HPAI in humans, which involved a fatality, was reported recently near Mexico City by the World Health Organization. The case in Mexico involved the strain H5N2, a different strain from the cases in the U.S., which involved the H5N1 strain.

According to the CDC, the probability of humans contracting HPAI is very low, but people should avoid direct contact with wild birds and other animals suspected of being infected with bird flu viruses and observe them only from a distance.

Bird flu viruses can infect the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts of birds and have been identified in more than 100 different species of wild birds around the world, according to the CDC.

According to the FWS website, at least one confirmed case of avian flu was collected in Chaves County in February, but exactly where in Chaves County the sample was collected is not listed. That case was in a Canadian goose. Other cases of bird flu in wild birds in New Mexico this year have been collected in Curry and Eddy counties and along the Rio Grande flyway in Bernalillo and Socorro counties. Most of those detections have been in Canadian geese, snow geese and hawks, according to the FWS.

Besides the widely reported cases of bird flu in dairy cows, numerous cases of the disease have been detected in mammals in New Mexico, including skunks, red foxes, domestic cats and house mice, according to the FWS website. The website lists 11 cases in house mice and one case in a red fox in Roosevelt County in May of this year, as well as six cases in domestic cats in Curry County in March and April.

Jacobsen said he was told by Migratory Game Bird Coordinator Dan Collins, who works at the FWS Regional Office in Albuquerque, that HPAI is present in wild bird populations at all times, but the disease’s impact on wild bird populations is variable according to the time of year and other conditions.

Tanya Espinosa, a public affairs specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said in an email to the Daily Record that there have been no reports of major decreases in wild bird populations in the U.S. that can be attributed to avian influenza.

Wildlife professionals are encouraged to investigate all unexplained wild bird deaths, she said. Samples from birds are submitted to screening laboratories for initial testing, and all detections need to be confirmed at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL), according to Espinosa.

She said there have been a total of 24 individual detections of bird flu in wild birds from New Mexico confirmed by the NVSL since the onset of the current avian flu outbreak in January 2022.

Animals and birds can be infected with HPAI even if they don’t show any symptoms, the CDC said, and people should also avoid unprotected contact with poultry or other animals that may be sick or have died, or that are suspected or known to have bird flu virus infection.

The public is also advised not to touch surfaces or materials that may be contaminated.

Public Record

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ARTESIA POLICE DEPARTMENT June 14 ARREST

4:11 a.m. – Krystynn Leeann Christy, 33, of Artesia, arrested and charged with battery, aggravated fleeing of a law enforcement officer, aggravated DWI, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, driving without a license, reckless driving and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer.

ASSIST

12:04 a.m. – Officer dispatched to North First Street and West Mahone Drive to assist the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT 3:03 a.m. – Officer dispatched to the 1500 block of West Washington Avenue in reference to disorderly conduct.

ALARM

5:19 a.m. – Officer dispatched to the Artesia Aquatic Center in reference to a burglar alarm.

June 13 VICIOUS ANIMAL

8:46 a.m. – Officer dispatched to the 600 block of South Roselawn Avenue in reference to a vicious animal.

DISTURBANCE

10:10 a.m. – Officer dispatched to the 100 block of West Gage Avenue in reference to a family disturbance.

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY 10:27 a.m. – Officer dispatched to the 500 block of West Texas Avenue in reference to suspicious activity.

UNWANTED SUBJECT 11:04 a.m. – Officer dispatched to the 100 block of West Cleveland Avenue in reference to an unwanted subject.

BREAKING AND ENTERING

12:20 p.m. – Officer dispatched to 1707 S. 17th St. in reference to a breaking and entering in progress.

SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE 1:03 p.m. – Officer dispatched to South 27th Street and West Menefee Avenue in reference to a suspicious vehicle.

ABANDONED VEHICLE 2:21 p.m. – Officer dispatched to Family Dollar in reference to

an abandoned vehicle.

WANTED SUBJECT

2:25 p.m. – Officer dispatched to Pecos Inn in reference to a wanted subject.

3:33 p.m. – Officer dispatched to Roselawn Manor in reference to a wanted subject.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON 4:23 p.m. – Officer dispatched to the 800 block of West Hank Avenue in reference to a suspicious person. FRAUD

4:29 p.m. – Officer dispatched to the Public Safety Complex in reference to fraud.

BATTERY

4:44 p.m. – Officer dispatched to the Artesia Aquatic Center in reference to battery.

ACCIDENT

6:24 p.m. – Officer dispatched to West Main and North 13th streets in reference to a hit-andrun motor vehicle accident.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON 6:41 p.m. – Officer dispatched to the 900 block of West Mann Avenue in reference to a suspicious person.

DISTURBANCE

7:50 p.m. – Officer dispatched to the Abo Apartments in reference to a neighborhood disturbance. VICIOUS ANIMAL

8:15 p.m. – Officer dispatched to the 1200 block of West Washington Avenue in reference to a vicious animal.

ASSIST

8:35 p.m. – Officer dispatched to 20th and Main streets to assist the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON 9:27 p.m. – Officer dispatched to the Abo Apartments in reference to a suspicious person.

ASSIST

10:28 p.m. – Officer dispatched to the 700 block of West Cleveland Avenue to assist the Artesia Fire Department.

EDDY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE June 4 RECKLESS DRIVING

8:41 a.m. – Deputy dispatched to the 5900 block of Seven Rivers Highway in reference to reckless driving.

TEMPORARY

RESTRAINING ORDER 8:55 a.m. – Deputy dispatched to the 2500 block of West Missouri Avenue in reference to a temporary restraining order.

RECKLESS DRIVING

11:13 a.m. – Deputy dispatched to Roswell Highway and East Pearson Road in reference to reckless driving.

11:31 a.m. – Deputy dispatched to Seven Rivers Highway, mile marker 58, in reference to reckless driving.

LARCENY

1:24 p.m. – Deputy dispatched to 2116 Maple St. in reference to larceny.

ACCIDENT

5:37 p.m. – Deputy dispatched to Roswell Highway and East Pearson Road in reference to a motor vehicle accident with injuries. RECKLESS DRIVING

7:40 p.m. – Deputy dispatched to the 2700 block of Quarter Horse Drive in reference to reckless driving.

DOMESTIC

8:05 p.m. – Deputy dispatched to the 800 block of Painted Pony Lane in reference to a verbal domestic dispute.

10:44 p.m. – Deputy dispatched to the 1600 block of West Missouri Avenue in reference to a verbal domestic dispute. SUICIDAL SUBJECT

10:56 p.m. – Deputy dispatched to the 1800 block of South First Street in reference to a suicidal subject.

May 11 ASSIST

12:36 a.m. – Deputy dispatched to North Eighth Street and West Cleveland Avenue to assist the New Mexico State Police.

3:07 a.m. – Deputy dispatched to North Roselawn and West Richey avenues to assist the New Mexico State Police.

May 10 ACCIDENT

5:16 a.m. – Deputy dispatched to East Jackson Road and Roswell Highway in reference to a motor vehicle accident with no injuries.

INCORRIGIBLE CHILD 1:20 p.m. – Deputy dispatched

to Teresa Drive in reference to an incorrigible child.

RECKLESS DRIVING

2:28 p.m. – Deputy dispatched to Lovington Highway, mile marker 108, in reference to reckless driving.

HARASSMENT

4:29 p.m. – Deputy dispatched to Mockingbird Lane in reference to harassment.

ASSIST

6:06 p.m. – Deputy dispatched to Hope Highway, mile marker 86, to assist the Hope Police Department.

BREAKING AND ENTERING

6:40 p.m. – Deputy dispatched to 414 N. 26th Rural St. in reference to breaking and entering.

ASSIST

7:39 p.m. – Deputy dispatched to Hope Highway, mile marker 87, to assist the Hope Police Department.

7:49 p.m. – Deputy dispatched to Hope Highway, mile marker 86, to assist the Hope Police Department.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT 8:11 p.m. – Deputy dispatched to the 10 block of Mockingbird Lane in reference to disorderly conduct.

RECKLESS DRIVING

9:43 p.m. – Deputy dispatched to Roswell Highway, mile marker 78, in reference to reckless driving.

DWI

10:25 p.m. – Deputy dispatched to Seven Rivers Highway, mile marker 57, in reference to DWI. An arrest was made.

ARTESIA MUNICIPAL COURT Judge Sarah Gallegos — Gabrielle Ann Madrid found guilty of contempt of court, failure to pay fines. Defendant paid fines and fees in full and was released.

— Abel L. Verdoza found guilty of operators and chauffeurs must be licensed. Total fines and fees $54.

— Jorge Molina found guilty of driving on a suspended or revoked license. Sentenced to 90 days in the Artesia Detention Center with 80 days suspended. Total fines and fees $429.

Today in History

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Today is Sunday, June 16, the 168th day of 2024. There are 198 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History: On June 16, 2015, real estate mogul Donald Trump launched his successful campaign to become president of the United States with a speech at Trump Tower in Manhattan.

On this date: In 1858, accepting the Illinois Republican Party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate, Abraham Lincoln said the slavery issue had to be resolved, declaring, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

In 1903, Ford Motor Co. was incorporated.

In 1933, the National Industrial Recovery Act became law with President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s signature. (The Act was later struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.)

In 1941, National Airport (now Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) opened for business with a ceremony attended by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In 1963, the world’s first female space traveler, Valentina Tereshkova, 26, was launched into orbit by the Soviet Union aboard Vostok 6; Tereshkova spent 71 hours in flight, circling the Earth 48 times before returning safely. In 1970, Kenneth A. Gibson of Newark, New Jersey, became the first Black politician elected mayor of a major Northeast city. Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo, 26, died at a New York hospital after battling cancer.

In 1977, Soviet Communist Party General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev was named president, becoming the first person to hold both posts simultaneously.

In 1978, President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos (toh-REE’-ohs) signed the instruments of ratification for the Panama Canal treaties during a ceremony in Panama City.

In 1999, Thabo Mbeki took the oath as president of South Africa, succeeding Nelson Mandela.

In 2011, U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., announced his resignation from Congress, bowing to the furor caused by his sexually charged online dalliances with a former porn performer and other women.

In 2013, Justin Rose captured his first major championship and became the first Englishman in 43 years to win the U.S. Open, shooting a closing 70 at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, for a 1-over 281 total.

In 2016, Walt Disney Co. opened Shanghai Disneyland, its first theme park in mainland China.

In 2017, President Donald Trump acknowledged for the first time that he was under federal investigation as part of the expanding probe into Russia’s election meddling as he lashed out at a top Justice Department official overseeing the inquiry.

In 2018, a 23-foot-long python swallowed a 54-year-old woman in central Indonesia, an extremely rare occurrence.

In 2020, federal authorities announced murder and attempted murder charges against an Air Force sergeant, Steven Carrillo, in the fatal shooting of a federal security officer outside a U.S. courthouse in Oakland, California. (Carrillo, who had ties to the far-right, anti-government “boogaloo” movement, pleaded guilty to a federal murder charge after prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty.)

In 2022, witnesses testified to the Jan. 6 committee that Donald Trump’s closest advisers viewed his last-ditch efforts to pressure Vice President Mike Pence to reject the tally of state electors and overturn the 2020 election as “nuts,” “crazy” and even likely to incite riots.

In 2023, Daniel Ellsberg, the government analyst and whistleblower who leaked the Pentagon Papers in 1971, died at age 92.

Today’s Birthdays: Actor Eileen Atkins is 90. Actor Bill Cobbs is 90. Author Joyce Carol Oates is 86. Country singer Billy “Crash” Craddock is 86. R&B singer Eddie Levert is 82. Actor Joan Van Ark is 81. Actor Geoff Pierson is 75. Boxing Hall of Famer Roberto Duran is 73. Pop singer Gino Vannelli is 72. Actor Laurie Metcalf is 69. Actor Arnold Vosloo is 62. Actor Danny Burstein is 60. Model-actor Jenny Shimizu is 57. Actor James Patrick Stuart is 56. Rapper MC Ren is 55. Actor Clifton Collins Jr. is 54. Golfer Phil Mickelson is 54. Actor John Cho is 52. Actor Eddie Cibrian is 51. Actor Fred Koehler is 49. Actor China Shavers is 47. Actor Daniel Bruhl is 46. Bluegrass musician Caleb Smith (Balsam Range) is 46. Actor Sibel Kekilli is 44. Actor Missy Peregrym is 42. Actor Olivia Hack is 41. Singer Diana DeGarmo (“American Idol”) is 37. Actor Ali Stroker is 37. Tennis player Bianca Andreescu is 24.

Thought for Today: “When my father didn’t have my hand, he had my back.” — Linda Poindexter

Tyrades!

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Tyrades!
By Danny Tyree

Some fathers are entirely too serious.

They’re paranoid about their children finding out that they had their own youthful indiscretions and regrettable choices.

(“I don’t make mistakes. You can ask any of your six stepmoms.”) My late father ‘fessed up to his own errors in judgment, like when he was in the schoolyard and a classmate yelled to him from a second-story window to toss up some of the abundant hedge apples (a.k.a. Osage oranges) that littered the ground.

Just as the classmate accumulated an armload of the fruit for some immature plot, a teacher suddenly opened the door. Down went the fruit right on top of Dad. As the saying goes, the apple doesn’t fall far from the cranium, elbow, spleen… Another time, Dad and his cousin Bill amused themselves with the old string-tied-to-awallet gag. But one passerby spied them in hiding and cut the string, gaining a free wallet. Guess Dad and Bill didn’t skip the extended warranty at the five-and-dime again!

When he was a little older, Dad was plowing in the hot sun. He brainstormed the bright idea of lying down in the spring to cool off. The shock of the contrast nearly killed him, which of course, would have set off a ripple in time affecting MY existence. Brrr. I suddenly felt someone plowing on my grave.

Adulthood did not stop Dad’s impulsiveness. He particularly enjoyed good-natured pranks pulled on a slow-witted co-worker named Eric (or “EAR-ick,” as everyone pronounced it). Once Dad invited, “Shake a leg, Eric.” Eric obliged. “Now shake the other leg.” Eric obliged again. Finallly, Dad suggested, “Now shake both legs.” Eric gamely achieved some prototype of what would later be dubbed “hang time” — before falling flat on his keister.

But Dad’s favorite Eric incident involved invading Eric’s personal space with an accusatory inquiry of “Eric, what’s this I hear about you slumbering in bed???”

Caught off-guard, all Eric could offer was a spluttered denial. (“It’s a damn lie! Not in three years! Three years!”) Codger-hood did not see a decline in mischief. When the ad salesman for the local paper came by Dad’s workplace to drum up business, Dad hit him up with a puzzle. (“When I was 40 years old, our bookkeeper was 10 – one-quarter of my age. When I was 45, she was 15 – or one-third my age. Now that I’m 60 and she’s 30, she’s half my age. When will we be the same age?”) The little gears started turning in the salesman’s head as he counted on his fingers. He finally said, “I know there’s an answer to this. Let me drop off some papers at the office and I’ll be right back.”

The salesman did not reappear until the next scheduled advertising spiel. And the matter of the bookkeeper’s age went mercifully unmentioned.

If your father is still living, be sure to thank him for the fun he has brought to your life.

Me? I’ll reminisce about the fellow who boasted of his new gazebo.

Dad faked a “sour grapes” demeanor and sighed, “I’m proud for you, but I wouldn’t even know what to feed the darned thing!”

Thankfully, Dad’s humor lives on in my son.

And for those of you quipping, “Guess these things skip a generation,” I’ve got a big pile of hedge apples and a warmedup pitching arm… (EDITOR’S NOTE: Danny Tyree is a syndicated columnist whose work is distributed by Cagle Cartoons Inc. Contact him at tyreetyrades@aol.com.)

The Bookworm Sez

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The Bookworm Sez

c.2024, Bloomsbury $26 • 272 pages

‘Stowaway: The Disreputable Exploits of the Rat’ by Joe Shute

Eeeeeeek!

You spotted a shadow that clung to the floorboards as it disappeared down the tiniest of holes near the cabinet – a hole you never noticed, a hole that’s practically like a garage. You’ve seen that shadow before and basically ignored it, but now you know what it is and that makes you shudder. It explains the scratching in the ceiling and things missing from your pantry. As in the new book “Stowaway” by Joe Shute, meet your new neighbor.

Manchester terriers were bred long ago for one main thing: to kill rats. Joe Shute got to see that in action one night when he went out with a rat-hunter and his two dogs, and though Shute didn’t get to see the dogs in action, he knew the end result.

That’s fine for a lot of people who think a dead rat is a good rat. Most folks, in fact, don’t have nice things to say about the rodents that steal our food, destroy buildings, and cause millions in damages. Rats spray urine and that’s super-disgusting. They carry disease.

“Rats,” Shute says, “are like ghost stories: everybody has one.” His is this: Shute once very much feared rats. Just the idea of them gave him the heebie-jeebies but as he began learning more about them and writing this book, he realized that he needed to live with a rat, for research purposes. He and his wife brought home a pair of adorable and soon beloved rat pups, Molly and Ermintrude.

Rats, Shute says, are extremely fecund: one breeding pair, according to a journalist in 1813, could result in 3 million young in three years’ time. All those rodents, collectively, have “sacrificed more in the pursuit of understanding the human condition than any other” creature, but they’ve also been the carriers of several deadly diseases. Through the centuries, humans have tried to fix that, to eradicate rats, but the best (and most repeated) advice Shute got was to learn to live alongside them.

We need rats and “… rats need us…” Judging by what author Joe Shute learned while writing “Stowaway,” most people fall into one of two camps on this subject: extreme fascination or extreme freak-out. People love rats, or they detest them, with very little middle-ground. Don’t expect them to leap out at you here, though; instead, you’ll start to think about them in a unique manner.

Over and over, Shute asks readers to consider the “hubris” of humans and “what right… we have to deem which animal is permitted to share the earth with us, and which is not?” To contribute to the discussion, he swallows his fear, creeps into a waterside tunnel, tickles rats to hear them giggle, watches them work, and goes on a hunt for them. It’s a brave, open-minded narrative that leads readers on a journey of curiosity, wonder, and a few good grimaces.

Be prepared to consider your position, and this is a book you’ll enjoy. Whether it makes you shudder or not, “Stowaway” is worth a pEeeeeeeeeek!

First Day

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WEED BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

— The 28th Annual Weed Bluegrass Festival will be held from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, July 20, at the Weed Community Center. Admission is $15 per person, $30 per family. Chairs will be available or bring your own to enjoy six great bands. A catered lunch will be available for purchase, and cinnamon rolls and coffee will be provided free. On Sunday, July 21, a short devotional will be held at 9 a.m., followed by bluegrass gospel music. For more information, visit weednm.org or contact John Bell at 575-687-3316.

AROUND TOWN

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AROUND TOWN

YARD OF THE WEEK — Artesia Clean & Beautiful is sponsoring its Yard of the Week contest now through September. Colorful, attractive, well-groomed lawns with curb appeal meet the qualifications. To nominate a yard worthy of the title, contact Linda at 575513-0143 or the AC&B office at 575-748-3192. —————– HEAD START ENROLLMENT — 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. —————– KIDS’ STORYTIME Children ages 12 and under are invited to a Summer Reading Program adventure-themed StoryTime and Craft at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 18, at the Artesia Public Library. For more information, call the library at 575746-4252. —————– TEEN CRAFT — Teens ages 13-17 are invited to create a Summer Reading Program themed craft at 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 18, at the Artesia Public Library. For more information, call the library at 575-7464252. —————– MACARON MAKING FOR ADULTS — Adults ages 18 and up are invited to a Summer Reading Program macaron- making demonstration with Alison from Kith + Kin Roasting Co. at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 18, at the Artesia Public Library. For more information, call the library at 575-7464252. —————– 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. Wednesdays, June 19 and 26, at the Artesia Public Library. For more information, call the library at 575-746-4252. —————– TEEN GAMES — Teens ages 13-17 are invited to a Summer Reading Program games event at 1 p.m. Wednesdays, June 19 and 26, at the Artesia Public Library. Come play a variety of games, from life-sized Jenga to Bingo. For more information, call the library at 575-7464252. —————– CHASE SCHOLAR COMMUNITY SERVICE — Chase Scholars will be performing community service for senior citizens June 19-21. 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 575-746-4252. —————– 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 575-746-4252. —————– 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 office-related 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 clean-ups 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 575746-4252. —————– 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 575746-4252. —————– 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. —————– YARN UNITED — Adults ages 18 and up are invited to Yarn United at noon Wednesday, June 26, at the Artesia Public Library. All skill levels are invited to crochet, knit or just untangle the yarn with other yarnsters. All forms of sewing and crafting welcome. For more information, call the library at 575-746-4252. —————– NEW MEXICO WILDLIFE — Children ages 12 and under are invited to learn about New Mexico wildlife with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 27, at the Artesia Public Library. For more information, call the library at 575-746-4252. —————– LITERARY LOUNGE Adults ages 18 and up are invited to Literary Lounge at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, June 27, at the Artesia Public Library. The June selection is “The Library of Lost & Found” by Phaedra Patrick. Copies are available for check-out at the library or via Libby. For more information, call the library at 575-7464252. —————– KIDS’ LEGO CHALLENGE — Children ages 12 and under are invited to drop in for a Summer Reading Program adventure-themed LEGO Challenge from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Friday, June 28, at the Artesia Public Library. For more information, call the library at 575746-4252. —————– SUMMER READING FAMILY EVENT — A Summer Reading Program family event will be held at 5 p.m. Friday, June 28, at the Artesia Public Library. All ages are invited to participate in a Chalk Party. All sidewalks on the south side of the library will be decorated. Chalk will be provided. For more information, call the library at 575-746-4252. —————– GAME-DAY APPAREL The Artesia High School Student Council has launched its game-day apparel for the 202425 season. Fans can now purchase a variety of products at great prices; there’s something for everyone in the collection so you can show your support for the team in style. All orders must be placed online by July 24. Use promo code BULLDOG to remove the shipping cost. Pick-up will be available at the AHS office Aug. 16 and 19. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to gear up for the games and give back to the Student Council, and don’t forget to share with your fellow Bulldog fans! —————– LIBRARY BOARD — The Artesia Public Library is seeking to fill soon-to-be-opened seats on the Library Board of Trustees. Anyone interested should submit a letter of inquiry to Library Supervisor Omar Acosta at the library or by email to oacosta@artesianm.gov. —————– PHLEBOTOMIST PROGRAM — Applications are now open for Artesia General Hospital’s certified phlebotomist program. To learn how to apply and for more information on this career opportunity, call 575-736-8178 or email foundation@ artesiageneral.com. —————– INTRO TO YOUTH SPORTS — The Artesia Center is offering a program for children ages 3-5 that introduces kids to sports in a fun, non-stressful environment. The program is held from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Center. For more information, contact Bernice at 915-249-8934. —————– COMMUNITY FITNESS CLASS — The public is invited to attend a fun, free community fitness class, led by certified group fitness instructor Dottie Ellis, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Artesia Center, 612 N. Eighth St. —————– WIDOW’S MIGHT — Widow’s Might, a support group for widows at all stages of grief, will meet at 6:30 p.m. each Thursday in the classroom building on the east side of West Main Baptist Church, 1701 W. Main St. For more information, call 575-746-3528, email widowsmightnm@gmail. com, or visit widowsmightnm. com or facebook.com/widowsmightnm.

Wildlife News

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Two hunter education classes will be available this month in Roswell.

These courses are open to students of any age seeking hunter education certification to meet hunting requirements in New Mexico. The courses are instructor-led and incorporate lecture, video, break-out sessions, review methods and homework to educate students. Students 10 and under must have a parent/adult present with them during class.

All students MUST complete the Today’s Hunter student manual homework before participating in class. Students can pick up a free hard copy manual at the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Southeast Area Office, 1615 W. College Blvd., Roswell. The manual can also be downloaded for free at www.hunter-ed.com/ newmexico/manual. Students are required to turn in their completed manual worksheets upon arrival to class.

Registration is open online through the student’s Customer ID Number (CIN) Account. Once in the account, click on Hunter Education, then click the Register for Hunter Ed Classes button and follow the prompts.

Students may attend from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. either Saturday, June 29, or Sunday, June 30, at the Southeast Area Office in Roswell.

No more excuses!

Safety first! Helmets, goggles available to youth free of charge

Did you spend a lot of money on your child’s dream machine recently? Are your kids looking to get out and explore the trails? Before they do, they must complete an approved OHV safety class. Throughout the summer, the Department is offering several opportunities for your family to take an OHV safety class.

In addition to a certification, youth under 18 who pass an in-person OHV class will be given a free helmet and goggles to ensure they are safe before hitting the trails. OHV in-person classes are currently scheduled in Los Lunas. There is also a motorcycle class scheduled in Albuquerque.

Enroll for a class by logging into or creating a customer account and clicking on Off-Highway Vehicle.

For more information, contact the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish OHV Program office at 505-222-4712 or email DGF-OHVEDU@dgf.nm.gov.

Hunter education instructor training workshop scheduled

This workshop is required to become a certified hunter education instructor and will certify the instructor to teach both the Traditional and the Field Day Hunter Education student courses. This workshop will also provide the New Mexico Hunter Education certification to new instructors who need a required New Mexico Hunter Education number. All participants must register prior to attending.

This worksop will be held from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday, June 24, in Las Cruces. Interested applicants need to first become certified Game and Fish volunteers. Below are the steps to become a certified volunteer: 1. Create a Customer Identification Account (CIN) with the Department at onlinesales.wildlife. state.nm.us. 2. Email Chris Jarvis at chris.jarvis@dgf. nm.gov for complete volunteer on-boarding packet.

3. Once the application is approved, certified volunteers can sign-up for the hunter education workshop through their CIN account.

For additional questions, contact Stephanie Walton at stephanie.walton@dgf.nm.gov.

Bowhunter skills camp set for June 22

Learn archery basics and safety, how to choose equipment, proper shot placement while hunting, outdoor preparedness, and more!

These camps are for participants of any age who are interested in learning more about the basics of archery and bow hunting. All archery equipment will be provided; however, participants are encouraged to bring their own equipment if they have it.

The camp will be held June 22 at the Lincoln National Forest Office. Registration is available online.

All participants must have a Department Customer Identification Number (CIN) Account and enter this number onto the registration form.

Summer Solstice events planned at Aztec, Chaco

On Friday, June 21, visitors are invited to Chaco Culture National Historical Park to observe the sunrise at Casa Rinconada.

As the sun rises just before 6 a.m., it will shine directly through a window on the northeast side of the kiva, illuminating a niche in the opposite wall shortly after sunrise. The Chacoans were keen observers of the sky and created architectural alignments like the east-west/north-south alignment of Casa Rinconada to document specific solar events. Join us as we continue this time-honored tradition of solar observation.

Park staff will open the park entrance gate at 5:15 a.m. Prior to the opening, visitors should park their vehicles in the visitors’ center parking lot. The sunrise event will be open to the first 100 visitors on a first-come, first-served basis.

To celebrate the beginning of summer, a full slate of programs and special events will be occurring throughout the week. The MaaTuu dance group of Santa Clara pueblo will be performing in the Pueblo Bonito plaza three times: Thursday at 10 a.m., Thursday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10 a.m. A special performance by R. Carlos Nakai, the world’s premier performer of the Native American flute and Grammy-nominated musician, will be performing at Casa Rinconada during the sunrise on June 21.

At 10 a.m. Saturday, June 22, join a ranger for a special back-country hike to the Casa Chaquita site to learn about the hidden wonders of this national park and World Heritage Site. For the full slate of talks, performances, hikes and other programs being offered this week, view the calendar on the park website.

Aztec Ruins National Monument will be hosting its summer solstice sunrise observation on Thursday, June 20. Visitors will be able to observe the sun rising in alignment with the north wall of the Aztec West great house just before 6 a.m. After this, visitors will be invited to enter the great kiva to observe a shaft of sunlight shine through a doorway on the east side of the kiva as it travels across the west wall and aligns directly with a niche in the wall.

Park staff will open the park entrance gate at 5:30 a.m. Visitors should park in the visitors’ center parking lot, and staff will direct them into the site. The park grounds will remain open after the event.

New Mexico Fishing Report

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This fishing report, provided by the Department of Game and Fish in cooperation with Dustin Berg of www.gounlimited. org (“supporting disabled anglers”), has been generated from the best information available from area officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Tell us about your latest New Mexico fishing adventure, or your catch of the week. Send it to us at funfishingnm@gmail. com. We may include your story in our next report. For catches of the week include: name, age, hometown, date, location, type of fish, length and weight if possible, and bait, lure or fly used. Fish weights and measurements are provided by the angler and printed here as received. Catches of the Week

• Eagle Nest Lake: Marcella Gallegos of Los Ranchos caught a 20.5-inch rainbow trout using Green PowerBait on June 1.

• Los Pinos River: Jackie Martinez of Rio Rancho caught a 13-inch brown trout using a Hare’s Ear fly on June 3. Tino Padilla of Rio Rancho caught an 11-inch rainbow trout using a Prince Nymph fly on June 3.

• Pecos River: Dan Muenzberg of Santa Fe caught a 17inch rainbow trout using his home-tied Salmon Fly dry-fly on May 31.

• Red River: Rylie, age 6, of Los Alamos caught a 19-inch rainbow trout using salmon eggs on May 30.

• Rio Grande: Andrew Mann of Albuquerque caught a 40inch pike using a home-tied Crawdad Streamer fly near Dixon on June 2.

• Bluewater Lake: Bucky Smith, age 16, of Santa Fe caught a 35-inch tiger muskie using cut bait on June 2.

• Cochiti Lake: Manuel and Luke Baldonado of Edgewood caught a 16.5-inch crappie and a 28-inch pike using ADz custom-jointed lures on June 2.

• Burns Lake: Jaxon Parker, age 9, of Gallup caught a 23inch rainbow trout using yellow garlic bait on May 26.

• McGaffey Lake: Kaia Rivera, age 6, of Laguna along with his dad caught their limits of rainbow trout ranging in size from 10 to 13-inches using Salmon-Peach PowerBait on June 1.

• Seven Springs Kids’ Pond: Brooke Harper, age 9, of Albuquerque caught an 18.5-inch brown trout using an olive Woolly Bugger fly on June 2. Maddilyn Marty of Rio Rancho caught her first rainbow trout using a worm on her first birthday May 31.

• Escondida Lake: Antonio Téllez of Los Lunas caught a 35-inch catfish using chicken liver on June 1.

• Elephant Butte Lake: Molly and Carson Bullard, ages 10 and 12, of Rio Rancho caught a mixed bag of crappie, white bass and smallmouth bass using curly-tail grubs and Berkeley Gulp minnows on June 6. Daniel Aragon, age 11, of Las Cruces caught 15 white bass while trolling using a Rat-L-Trap lure on June 6.

• Willow Creek: Jake Johnson of Las Cruces caught and released a 7-inch Gila trout using a homemade, barbless quail-tail Stone Fly on June 7.

• Brantley Lake: Marshall Holman of Clovis caught a 30-pound, 2-ounce flathead catfish using a 2-inch cube of pink Zote Soap on June 1.

• Grindstone Reservoir: Rodney Adams of Roswell caught a 17-inch rainbow trout using a nightcrawler worm on May 30.

• Pecos River: Valerie Wyatt of Roswell caught a 36-inch catfish using a hot dog on June 2.

• Spring River Pond: Adonis Chavez caught a 30-inch catfish using shrimp on the park’s opening day, May 25.

NORTHEAST

Cabresto Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Charette Lakes: Fishing for trout was fair when PowerBait.

Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron Monday morning was 43 cubic feet per second (cfs). Fishing for trout was fair to good when using beadhead nymph flies.

Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing for trout was slow to fair when using Green Garlic PowerBait and Salmon Peach PowerBait. Fishing for pike was slow to fair when using Streamer flies. For updated lake conditions, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-377-1594.

Eagle Rock Lake: Fishing for trout using spinners, PowerBait and flies was slow.

Gallinas River: National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505438-5300 for the latest closure information.

Hopewell Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using worms, PowerBait, and rainbow trout-pattern spinners.

Lake Maloya: Fishing for trout was good when using silver spoons. The ADA dock is open to anglers, with priority given to mobility-impaired persons.

Los Pinos River: Fishing for trout was good when using Prince Nymph flies and Hare’s Ear flies.

Monastery Lake: The lake is part of the Department’s Open Gate Program. Please visit our website for more information about this property.

Morphy Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using floating nightcrawler worms and yellow Panther Martin spinners.

Pecos River: Streamflow near Pecos Monday morning was 169 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using Salmon flies.

Red River: Streamflow below the Red River Hatchery on Monday morning was 116 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using salmon eggs.

Rio Grande: Streamflow below the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday morning was 1,100 cfs. Fishing for trout was slow when using homemade, white Streamer flies. Fishing for pike was fair when using Streamer flies. Anglers reported high water levels and poor visibility due to runoff water from melting snow in the high country.

Rio Hondo: Streamflow near Valdez Monday morning was 82 cfs.

Rio Mora: Streamflow near Terrero Monday morning was 39 cfs.

Rio Pueblo: Streamflow near Peñasco Monday morning was 101 cfs.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Shuree Ponds: Closed until July 1.

Springer Lake: Fishing for all species was slow.

Storrie Lake: Fishing for trout was fair when using worms and Garlic PowerBait.

Stubblefield Lake: Fishing for all species was slow.

Ute Lake: Fishing for walleye was good when using tubes, swimbaits and jigs tipped with Berkley Gulp minnows on rocky points in 5-10 feet of water. Fishing for white bass was good when trolling using Berkley Flicker Shad lures, Bandit lures, Wally Diver lures and 3-inch swimbaits in 10-15 feet of water. Fishing for smallmouth bass was very good when using Wack-E-Stiks on a short Carolina rig in 5-15 feet of water. Fishing for crappie was good when using live minnows. Fishing for catfish was good when using chicken liver and nightcrawler worms. The main lake’s water surface temperature was in the low-70 F range, and the water’s color was clear.

NORTHWEST

Abiquiu Lake: Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair to good when using plastic worms. Fishing for crappie was fair when using small crappie-pattern lures. Contact the Abiquiu Lake Main Office at 505-6854371 for updated lake conditions and closure information.

Animas River: Streamflow below Aztec Monday morning was 2,460 cfs.

Bluewater Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using Garlic PowerBait. Fishing for tiger muskie was fair when using cut bait.

Canjilon Lakes: Fishing for trout was slow. Anglers reported lots of debris in the water.

Cochiti Lake: Fishing for white bass was good when using white swimbaits. Fishing for pike was fair to good when using ADz custom-jointed lures. Fishing for crappie was fair when using ADz custom-jointed lures. El Vado Lake: Closed due to dam construction project. For more information, visit El Vado Lake State Park’s webpage or call 575-588-7247.

Fenton Lake: Fishing for trout was fair when using PowerBait and bead-head nymph flies. For updated lake conditions and potential closure information, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-829-3630.

Grants Riverwalk Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Heron Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Jemez Waters: Streamflow near Jemez Monday morning was 34 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using multi-colored PowerBait and dry flies. Fishing the East Fork was very good when using spinners, Copper John flies, Pheasant-Tail Nymph flies, Prince Nymph flies and Caddis Stimulator dry flies.

Laguna del Campo: Fishing for trout was fair when using blue and pink Mepps spinners, various PowerBait and salmon eggs.

Lagunitas Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Lake Farmington: Fishing for trout was good when using spinners, spoons and Rainbow Glitter PowerBait.

McGaffey Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using Salmon-Peach PowerBait.

Navajo Lake: Fishing for kokanee salmon was fair to good when using spinners tipped with corn. Fishing for brown trout was fair when using chrome-colored spoons. Fishing for pike was fair to good when using jerkbaits. Fishing for bass was slow to fair when using crankbaits.

Rio Chama: Streamflow below El Vado Lake Monday morning was 479 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiu Lake Tuesday morning was 362 cfs. Please remember, from the river-crossing bridge on U.S. Highway 84 at Abiquiu upstream 7 miles to the base of Abiquiu Dam is special trout waters with a bag limit of only two trout.

Riverside Park Pond (Aztec Pond #1): Fishing for trout was fair to good when using Red, White and Blue PowerBait.

San Juan River: Streamflow near Archuleta Tuesday morning was 362 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was fair to good when using Red Annelid flies and foam-wing, midge-emerger-pattern flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was fair to good when using black, yellow and silver spinners.

Seven Springs Kids’ Pond: Fishing for trout was good when using olive Woolly Bugger flies, rainbow-colored PowerBait and worms. Rio Grande chub are a native fish in the Jemez River drainage and can be found in the Seven Springs Kids’ Ponds. Anglers often mistake these awesome native fish for an invasive species and leave them on the banks to die. If you catch a Rio Grande chub, please do not leave it on the bank; return it to the water where it can survive as part of our native ecosystem.

Tiger Park Reservoir: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Tingley Beach: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using chicken liver. Fishing for bass was fair to good when using Whopper Plopper lures and white curly-tail grubs.

Trout Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week.

SOUTHWEST

Alumni Pond: Closed for repairs until further notice.

Bear Canyon Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing for bass was fair to good when using spinnerbaits.

Caballo Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using cut bait.

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for bass was good when using crankbaits. Fishing for white bass was very good when using Rat-L-Trap lures, Flicker Shad lures, chrome Kastmaster lures and shad-pattern swimbaits. Fishing for crappie was fair when using Berkley Gulp minnows and live minnows. Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using live minnows, cut shad bait and cut carp bait.

Escondida Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using chicken liver.

Estancia Park Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Gila River: Streamflow near Gila Monday morning was 7 cfs.

Glenwood Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Lake Roberts: Fishing for catfish was fair when using nightcrawler worms. Percha Dam: Fishing for white bass and wipers was fair when using minnows and white swimbaits.

Quemado Lake: Fishing for trout was fair when using nightcrawler worms and corn Power-Bait.

Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Dam on Tuesday morning was 2,200 cfs. Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using chicken liver near Socorro.

Snow Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Trees Lake: Fishing for bass was good when using 3-inch plastic worms.

Young Pond: Fishing for catfish was good when using chicken and nightcrawler worms.

SOUTHEAST

Alto Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using Power-Bait and spinners.

Bataan Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Berrendo Creek: Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on this property.

Black River: Streamflow at Malaga Monday morning was 6 cfs.

Blue Hole Park Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bonito Lake: The lake remains closed due to the Blue 2 Fire. Visit https://www.nmfireinfo. com for the latest information.

Bosque Redondo Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using worms.

Bottomless Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Brantley Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using Zote Soap.

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Fishing for bass was fair to good when using live minnows.

Chaparral Park Lake: Fishing for bass was fair to good when using Texas-rigged, green-colored Bandito plastic bugs.

Corona Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Dennis Chavez Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Eunice Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Green Meadow Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Greene Acres Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using stink bait.

Grindstone Reservoir: Fishing for trout was good when using nightcrawler worms and various types of PowerBait.

Harry McAdams Park Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Jal Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Lake Van: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Ned Houk Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Oasis Park Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Monday morning was 88 cfs. Fishing for catfish was good when using hot dogs.

Perch Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Rio Bonito: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Rio Ruidoso: Streamflow at Hollywood Tuesday morning was 6 cfs.

Rock Lake Hatchery Kids’ Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Santa Rosa Lake: The boat ramp was closed due to the recent block release of water to Brantley Reservoir.

Spring River Pond: Fishing for catfish was good when using shrimp bait.

Sumner Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Timberon Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Cindric outduels (outfuels) Blaney

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Austin Cindric’s win at WWT Raceway Sunday was his first since he won the 2022 DAYTONA 500 as a rookie, a dry spell that lasted 85 races.

Austin Cindric, driver of the #2 Freightliner Ford, takes the checkered flag to win the Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at WWT Raceway on Sunday.

(Logan Riely/Getty Images) Cindric outduels (outfuels) Blaney

MThen it was Blaney’s turn to suffer game-changing misfortune.

“Never thought in my mind we were short,” Blaney said. “One of those things. Gosh, proud of the 12 boys. We were fast. Had my work cut out for me holding off Christopher. That was a fun battle. 1 don’t know what happened to him.

“Yeah, one lap short, which just stinks. Congrats to the 2 team. They did a good job all day. Props to them, Austin. Proud for Team Penske and Ford.

“Really happy with our showing today. I don’t know what I’ve got to do to get some luck on our side. Gosh, wrecked the last two points races. Thought we had a great shot to win today. Ended up bad.”

Bell was fresh from victory in the rainshortened May 26 Coca-Cola 600 and had a car that was dominant from the outset. He passed pole winner Michael McDowell on Lap 41 to win Stage 1 and stayed on the track under caution for Josh Berry’s collision with the Turn 3 wall to win Stage 2.

In the closing laps, it seemed inevitable that Bell would overtake Blaney, until Bell’s engine turned sour.

“I have no idea what happened,” said Bell, who rolled to a seventh-place finish. “Some sort of motor issue. I’m surprised that I made it to the end. Glad we were able to salvage something out of it.

“You don’t get race cars like that very often. Whenever you do, you need to take advantage of it. Disappointing day.”

Tyler Reddick finished fourth and Logano fifth, followed by Austin Dillon, Bell, Sunoco rookie Carson Hocevar (a career-best eighth), Justin Haley and Larson.

On Lap 140, the final circuit of Stage 2, Kyle Busch and Larson were battling in close quarters for the seventh position when Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet broke loose underneath Busch’s No. 8 Camaro, sending both cars sliding into the outside wall.

Busch’s car was damaged beyond repair and exited the race in the 35th position— the first DNF of the season for the twotime Cup champion. Larson, on the other hand, was able to salvage the lOth-place result.

“We can’t afford days like this,” said Busch, who is winless this year and squarely on the bubble for a Playoff spot. “Yeah, he got loose and wiped us out.”

ADISON, 111. – Surprise and elation were the watchwords for Team Penske driver Austin Cindric, who won Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway at the expense of teammate Ryan Blaney.

The race was Blaney’s to win—until the reigning Cup Series champ ran out of fuel on the next-to-last lap and handed the lead to his teammate. Cindric charged past Blaney at the finish line and completed the checkered-flag lap as Blaney rolled slowly to 24th-place result.

The victory was Cindric’s first since he won the 2022 DAYTONA 500 as a rookie, a dry spell that lasted 85 races. Nevertheless, Cindric expressed conflicting emotions after he climbed from his No. 2 Ford.

“This weekend was a great weekend for everybody involved,” Cindric said. “But, yeah, to have two cars in the fight, eventual 1-2. Heartbroken for those guys.

“This is huge for me. This is huge for this team. I’m so glad I was able to get a win with Brian (Wilson) as my crew chief in the Cup Series. You never know when it’s going to happen again. Just drove my butt off, hope for the best.”

All three Team Penske drivers—Cindric, Blaney and Joey Logano—made only three pit stops to at least four for all other competitors. They stayed out under caution for the Stage 2 break and restarted 1-2-3 on Lap 149.

After pitting early in the ensuing cycle (Blaney on Lap 176, Cindric on Lap 177 and Logano on Lap 179, Blaney gained a spot on Cindric and began working his way through the field, improving his position as cars ahead of him came to pit road.

On Lap 217, when Kyle Larson pitted, Blaney assumed the lead, but with the race’s fastest car—the No. 20 Toyota of Christopher Bell—in hot pursuit. Bell soon caught Blaney and pulled alongside several times before engine issues caused Bell to slow dramatically.

“I’m blowing up, I’m blowing up,” Bell radioed to his crew.

But Bell, who had won the first two stages, nursed his car to the finish with help from Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. Three laps down and mired in 34th place, Truex repeatedly pushed Bell’s Camry in the closing laps.

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