Artesia Public Schools Honor Roll
CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Second Grade Highest Honors
Emilin Abernathy, Amias Chavez, LeeAnne Fischer, Jonathan Hunt, Kenedi Jorgensen, Krislynn Mondragon, Layla Ryan, Felicity Vazquez Honor Roll
Isabella Box, Troy Cedillo
Third Grade Highest Honors
Addilyn Bugh, Joseph Casillas, Ella Crockett, Raynin Davis, Zakariah Delgado, Sofia Estrada, Jacob Fabela, Marisela Granados, Hannah Hacker, Ayla Jimenez, Jolene Martinez, Marcelo Moreno, Jose Orona, Addison Ramirez, Eduardo Reyes-Ruiz, Alan Rodriguez, Avaiah Rodriguez, Elijah Sanchez, Anthony Zamarron Honor Roll
Zaria Bugh, Delicia Catano, Kyler Davis, Kynleigh Davis, Emily Drake, Jazmine Farmer, Josiah Martinez, Arely Samaniego Fourth Grade Highest Honors
Caden Hack, Alexander Saenz, Caraline Roach, Jaylee Rodriguez Honor Roll
Wyatt Abernathy, Xavier Barbosa, Nadia Brown, Sebastian Cazares, Zaedyn Mondragon, Alyssa Payan Fifth Grade Highest Honors
Ezra Aguirre, Araceli Anaya, Yael Barbosa, CJ Hacker, Maria Hernandez, Jayce Horner, Xenia Munoz, Angel Najera, Khloe Nayares, Blake Newton, Madelyn Ray Honor Roll
Evelyn Drake, Aiden Molina, Avalyn Rodriguez, Ariana Vasquez
HERMOSA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Second Grade Highest Honors
Susan Alvarez-Villegas, Mac Armstrong, Ellie Bejarano, Isabell Chapman, Hannah Chase, Armando Chavez, Drew Cox, Emma Dabney, Holdyn Ezell, Abigail Garcia, Emarie George, Mila Hernandez, Ronin Hill, Victoria Lewis, Beckham Liles, Aiden Nguyen, Brekyn Parker, Izael Pinon, Tanzi Rogers, Parker Rosson, Kenleigh Sell, Sophia Soto, Kaylee Villegas, Rylee Waters, Leah Williams, Vada Wisen, Roman Witt Honor Roll
Aaidyn Alvarez, Dristy Bhakta, Carter Crawford, Eli Desko, Zavaeh Gaytan, Leonardo Hernandez, Charlee Kosta, Charlie Perkins, Anna Rubio, Noemi Urquiza, Adrian Villalba- Enriquez, Hunter Watts
Third Grade Highest Honors
Taylee Cass, Eligh Cobos, Jaxon Davis, Chloe Gazdik, Torrance Hughes, Daegan Kuykendall, AnnMariee Lopez, Madilynn Martinez, Aniyah Muniz, Bentley Polito Honor Roll
Jasiah Balencia, Luke Burton, Nylia Guajardo, Jakob Houghtaling, Rodrigo Rojo, Paisley Sallee, Ethan Sena, Titus Williams Fourth Grade Highest Honors
Tracelynn Alcorn, Yule Aranda, Noah Azua, Weldon Bearowitz, Melany Borunda-Mendoza, Samuel Clemmons, Jackson Desko, Kyleigh Gage, Von Harper, RJ Martinez, A. Sophia Ramirez, Thalia Ramirez, Lucas Tilton, Ridgelea Tinker, Reid Townsend, Myles Turner, Reece Waters Honor Roll
Ainslee Addington, Mari Baeza, Ximena Cardosa, Daryl Carson Jr., Grayson Esquibel, Joleigh Guy, Azariah Hernandez, Hunter Landreth, Misael Madrid, Maya Montoya, Leo Munoz, Aydenn Perales, Jesus Abraham Ruiz-Mendoza, Kathryn Sanchez-Ryno, Gemma Trevino, Landon Williams, Jazette Ybarra Fifth Grade Highest Honors
Trinity Balencia, Brooklyn Chase, David Clemmons, Eastyn Guillen, Arianna Jimenez, Leigha Milligan, Chloe Miranda, Alfredo Rojo, Zuri Vasquez Honor Roll
Ann Chapman, Gian De-Hoyos, Oliver Field, Jesus Montanez, Aria Reyes, Noah Schulz, Hayley Shields, Owen Welch
ROSELAWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Second Grade Highest Honors
Ariana Carrera, Ka’rissa Fernandez, Mavis Franco, Nayloni Garcia, Damian Gutierrez, Jaylene Olguin, Isabelle Urban, Mauricio Vega Honor Roll
Camden Austin, Guadalupe Barrera, Kayla Hernandez, Hector Hernandez, Michael Hirst, Xavier Luna, Ayled Nayares, Judah Sanchez Third Grade Highest Honors
Ava Carrera, Alora Davis, Benjamin Hernandez, Jathen Lugo Honor Roll Jazmyn Archuleta, Lindsay Freeman, Aaliyah Gonzalez, Javon Gonzalez, Julien Grado, Cesar Herrera, Ruben Miranda, Jace Morgan, Fabian Segura, Messiah Tarin Fourth Grade Highest Honors
Alicia Carrera, Julio Fraire, Leilani Juarez, MiReyah Ochoa Honor Roll
Gabriela Alvarado, Luis Cabrera, Matthew DeLaRosa, Amarile Garcia, Alyssa Hernandez, Melina Segura, AubryAnna Soto Fifth Grade Highest Honors Anayeli Rubio Honor Roll
Karla Chaparro, Kharma DeLaRosa, Axel Villegas
YESO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Second Grade Highest Honors Giovanni Bahena, Alanah Barquero, Kaydence Bazyk, Olivia Bellinger, Gage Bilberry, Triston Caffall, Juan Calderon-Dala, Oliver Carmichael, Jae Carpenter, Autumn Chavarria, Samuel Colon, Lilah Davidson, Charles Decker, Naomi Delgado, Alana Escamilla, Emil Gay, Kaydee Goff, Gianna Hernandez, Blaiden Howard, Arianna Jimenez, Piper Johnson, Annabelle Joy, Zaxton Koone, Selena Kumar, Marcus Logsdon, Isabella Longoria, Nolan Lopez, Finley Maupin, Vaden Mendoza, Calina Olivas, Ivy Perez, Tennessee Poe, Matteo Rey, Emma Rodriguez, Roman Sanchez, Leiah Segura, Skylar Smith, Mia Tovar, Brianna Tran, Colton Weiler, Jensen Young, Gabriel Zuniga Honor Roll
Zachary Beardsley, Addilyn Borges, Sadie Daley, Zaydenn Davis, Janessa Galaviz, Giovanni Gaziano, Laityn Grantham, Jaylene Gutierrez, Jeslyn Joy, Jayce Manzo, Jayden Miller-Castillo, Diego Orquiz, Necalli Ortega, Hudson Rodriguez, Julie Sanchez-Tovar, Kadence Sexton, Olivia Smithwick, Ever Tarango Third Grade Highest Honors
Aerien Aguilar, Presley Aguilar, Ximena Avila, Jett Baca, Kai Banda, Jed Bilberry, Cassidy Combs, Mila DeHoyos, Easton Frederick, Elijah Garcia, Ellianna Jones, Briella Juarez, Scarlett Knowlton, Jamie Larsen, Matthew Larsen, Jordan Martinez, Major Mendoza, Claire Morgan, Cash Moziejko, Violet Newton, Amaia Olivas, Mia Padilla, Amari Perez, Olivia Rodriguez, Casen Scarborough, Natalie Valverde, Kariem Velo Honor Roll
Greyson Acosta, Yzlani Astorga, Christian Bowen, Lucas Brito, Andres Chavez, Sawyer Dunnahoo, Vivian Foy, Carter Gamboa, Kale Johnson, Jaxon Juarez, Jeremiah Juarez, Corinne Kelly, Krosslyn Kirkpatrick, Delainey Parra, LeAnna Rodriguez Fourth Grade Highest Honors
Zayden Archunde, Mato Baeza, Gavin Baldwin, Jayden Been, Emersyn Bellinger, Jase Bilberry, Braelyn Blanton, Tatiana Calderon, Adam Carnero, Caleb Clemmons, Grayson Dafar, Aubrey DeLeon-Russell, Madison Dean, Clyde Delgado, Annabella Escamilla, Chloe Garcia, Nataly Gilchrest, Mckinley Goff, Niko Gomez, Blake Haass, Kalli Kirkpatrick, Major Kitchen, Arianna Leon, Macee Lujan, Hanna Marbach, Ellyiana Mills, Francisco Orosco, Jase Ortiz, Ady Peck, Jace Pennington, Jackson Pennington, Jevin Quinones, Itzel Rey, Nicholas Reyna, Johnathan Roybal, Kate Ruiz, Madilynn Samora, Christian Sanchez, Frankie Joe Sanchez, Adeline Shipman, Renezmaye Speir, Kairi Spencer, Hailey Walton, Wilson Williams, Sofia Ybarra, Talon Young Honor Roll
Valeria Aguirre, Keneth Aparicio-Vazquez, Catherine Beardsley, Wyatt Bradley, Jersey Cobos, Mia De-Haro, Adan Fierro, Jayden Hensley, Makayla Kenyon, Roselyn Madrid, Zendaya Martin, Jaxon Milligan, Myaa Perez, Chloe Platt, Ella Rand, Serenity Richmond, Jacob Sanchez, Virginia Schneider, Mila Villanueva-Cruz, James Williams, Lucas Zuniga Fifth Grade Highest Honors
Ethan Alcocer, Gabby Anderson, Addison Avery, Jaxeb Baca, Sophia Banda, Ariana Beltran, Thayne Bowen, Alexio Carnero, J’ryn Carrasco, Clay Delgado, Anden Fierro, Khodie Florez, Ethan Gay, Kayti Greenwood, Kason Hamilton, Karsyn Jimenez, Brintley Johnson, Nairubi Klich, Kady Lopez-Crosby, Claudette Martin, Grace Morgan, Cooper Morris, Lola Newton, Daisy Ontiveros, Braisen Orquiz, Andrew Ortega, Xaryan Padilla, Tinsey Polk, Harper Reynolds, Danni Ruiz, Hazen Sanchez, Mayci Scarborough, Cataleya Segura, Tripp Sexton, Marlie Shetterly, Ethan Tran, Noa Torres, Aubrielle Valencia, Emma Vandevender, Carolina Wallace Honor Roll
Max Akerman, Jennissi Astorga, Steven Bradley, Abigail Brewer, Aaralyn Chavarria, Sicily Coleman, Roman DeHoyos, Jose Dominguez, Jeselin Duarte, Melani Flores, Charlotte Folmar, Nehemiah Gonzales-Ferguson, Chloe Green, Beau Hocker, Amoni Kay, Kobe Kelly, Liam Lucero, Kylee Lujan, Alexa Melendez-Garibay, Giana Molina, Nico Munoz, Adelyn Ortiz, Mason Perez, Liam Joe Pino, William Reyes, Adan Rodriguez, Azriela Salinas, Samuel Shull, Navaeh Soto, Scarlett Taylor, Alex Valdez, Giovanni Valdez, JP Valdez, Braelynn Washichek
YUCCA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Second Grade Highest Honors
Natalie Bilberry, Avianna Cano, Hannah Castaneda, Kamryn Conklin, Jaxson Corbell, Pedro Cristan Jr., Hagen Crosier, Maya De Santiago, Carsyn Fisher, Izaiah Gonzales Jr., Ryleigh Goodloe, Abigail Granados, Danitza Guerrero, Liam Ivy, Maci Kennedy, Ximena Lopez, Eric Magallanes, Katie Marquez, Nehemiah Marquez, Irina Morales-Martinez, Caleb Nez, Braelynn Ortega, Emilio Ortiz, Mia Ortiz, Bexli Pollard, Brylie Pytel, Sophia Reza, Kiara Sanchez, Zander Sellers, Jaxon Sifuentes, Tyler Simpson, Eliz Tena, Jaixdyx Towler, Lane Tulk, Matteo Varelas, Anaveah Ybarra Honor Roll
Ellington Bolen, Cason Crockett, Jayden Gonzalez, Cayden James, Brooklynn Levario, Johnathan Molina, Siera Munoz, Matthew Olivas-Montes, Bentley Orquiz, Audrey Reyes-Vazquez, Havrly Rosa, Amelie Ruvalcaba, Noah Segura, Yaritza Sotelo, Zane Valdez Third Grade Highest Honors
Brooklynn Carrasco, Amiyah Catano, Uriel Cazares, Eli Chavez, Augustus Conklin, Meliana DeLaRosa, Alexis Diaz, Dakota Fletcher, Isabel Gastelum, Kayson Gomez, Aniello Granados, Josiah Ingram, Alessandra Jaquez, Alec Johnston, Hayden Lattion, Landin Letcher, Daniel Lieb, Karter Luna, Grace Manley, Daila Morales-Martinez, Abriena Morgan, Analysia Muniz, Daelyn Neel, Hannah Nez, Katy Paez, Victoria Pickell, Ryder Purcell, Allison Reyes, Amayrani Rodriguez, Logan Rodriguez, Trevor Roxas, Roslyn Ruvalcaba, Taylan Torrez, Lariah Trujillo, Alivia Velasquez, Conrad Walters, Elisabeth Williams, Jax Ybarra Honor Roll
Zoel Aguirre, MaxiMae Barley, Brody Burnell, Byron Cruz-Martinez, Jude Fletcher, Kesslyn Heady, Baylee Levario, Zaiden Montez, Jonah Orona, Roman Sosa Jr., Khloe Thompson, Xykaya Villegas Fourth Grade Highest Honors
Amira Ceniceros, Bristol Denison, Rylee England, Damian Felix, Klancee Folmar, Matt Fox, Presley Gaines, Jocelyn Gutierrez, Hannah Harcrow, Hollis Harrison-Madrid, Kenzi Horner, Andres Lopez, Sya Moreno, Chase Palmer, Bentley Pitts, Abri Polito, Martin Quiroz II, Devyn Thurman, Yareli Varelas, Skylar Wilde Honor Roll
Aaron Adams, Andrii Cherba, Emmerie Moser, Jaelynn Padilla, Jameson Panzer, Brecklyn Parra, Josy Rivers Fifth Grade Highest Honors
Analis Acosta, Kylynn Bilberry, Brayden Burnell, Laicey Franklin, Gianna Gabaldon, KeLeigh Greer, Payton Kennedy, Lucas Lay, Jesus Lucero, Julia Maldonado, Auvianna Muniz, Kaiya Murray, Khloe Ortega, Easten Plaster, Delayni Pollard, Harlow Purcell, Charley Stroud, Lucas Torrez, Lucia Torrez, Gabriel Vasquez-Avila, Kendall Wiley Honor Roll
Alejandro Berdoza, Anallely Cazares, Dylan Garcia-Zamarripa, Braylee Letcher, Skye Manley, Zachary Mata, Gil Martinez, Bradyn Montoya, Alfredo Munoz Jr., Lillian Necaise, Ivan Ortiz, Suzan Rogers, Timothy Standard, Eliazar Tena, Raylan Wiley
PENASCO SCHOOL Third Grade Highest Honors Ace Elkins Honor Roll Hallie Metcalf Fourth Grade Honor Roll Koy Burnett Fifth Grade Honor Roll Hayden Hall
Sixth Grade Highest Honors Kendi Burnett Seventh Grade Highest Honors
Allie Elkins, Kailey Fout
The bare facts about oil and gas in New Mexico
By any standard, in the past decade oil production in New Mexico has attained world-class stature. In 2023, New Mexico was producing about 1.8 million barrels per day (657 million barrels that year) of crude oil, 10 times more than it was producing in 2010, thanks to investments in new fracking technologies. This quantity places New Mexico just about even with the oilrich countries of Mexico, Kazakhstan, and Norway, and slightly above Nigeria and Qatar. If New Mexico were a nation it would rank about 14th in the world in oil production, well above the OPEC countries of Libya, Algeria, and Venezuela. Visionary as they might have been, it seems unlikely that Mary and Martin Yates, thrilled by the gushing black liquid at Illinois #3 in Spring of 1924, could have imagined that exactly one century later their descendants would still be drilling in a New Mexico now producing more oil than Qatar.
New Mexico gross domestic product in 2023 totaled about $130 billion. About one-fifth of this amount — $26.1 billion — was generated by the oil and gas industry. According to the New Mexico Tax Research Institute, total state and local government spending in 2023, including federal transfers, added up to about $26.2 billion, out of which slightly more than half ($13.9 billion) came from direct and indirect taxes collected from the oil and gas industry.
Most taxes collected on oil and gas are placed into the General Fund, which also includes revenues from income, corporate, and other taxes and fees. General Fund money is used to fund the annual state government budget: schools and colleges, health care, public safety, etc. Other chunks of oil and gas taxes are placed into various funds to pay for roads; for local operating, and state and local capital expenses; to bolster state reserves; and to add to various permanent funds designed to accumulate state monies against the day when extractive industries have been depleted as significant sources for state revenues.
In 2023 the general fund contained $14.98 billion when the legislature convened. Fully half of this amount, $7.5 billion, was collected from oil and gas, according to the Tax Research Institute. The other funds received $6.4 billion in oil and gas taxes and fees. The same source asserts that oil and gas taxes paid for nearly 58% of 2023 expenses for public and higher education. Twenty-seven percent of all state expenses for health and human services came out of oil and gas, and six percent of public safety expenses. Truly, in recent years state government spending has dramatically increased its reliance on revenues from oil and gas. By contrast, between 1998 and 2008 energy-related revenues averaged only about 16% of the General Fund. From 2011 to 2021 they averaged about 33%. In 16 years, the proportion of the state budget reliant on oil and gas has more than tripled.
The oil boom will not last forever. Given that the state is hardly a paragon of excellent government management, there is an urgency to use these generous petrodollars to fix what needs fixing.
Most New Mexicans outside of the Oil Patch — San Juan County is included because of its huge production of natural gas and oil — appear not to have absorbed the full magnitude of the oil and gas bonanza. Most are vaguely aware of increased oil activity in the east side, but few of us have any idea of the massive scales or spreading impacts from this surging tide of cash. Consequently, citizens have largely left the management of these new riches up to the New Mexico Legislature and executive branch, with little commentary or debate, much less public pressure about how to spend it. Likewise, the governor’s office and legislative leaders have made few serious remarks about what they might propose to do in the future with the most massive influx of tax dollars in the state’s history. But if they hadn’t thought this through, they have not neglected to spend the money.
Do you remember? This is the legislature, and the political class that surrounds it, that has managed New Mexico into last place in education; that is doing little to stem the obvious decline in health care; that has yet to muster our prevailing institutions into a robust effort to manage our water resources, dwindling relentlessly over the past two decades; that tolerates growing levels of public corruption and ignores persistent insults from a criminal class in Albuquerque growing faster than recent oil production stats in Lea County. Virtually no one believes the billions of NEA-driven, non-accountable new dollars for education will lift the state one centimeter above our lastplace standing. We’ve seen this movie before.
Politics in the Oil Patch one century later If the Oil Patch is generating more money than the average Arab oil-sheikdom, the political power of those who live there …
… has not improved with all that extra cash. In fact, it may be shrinking.
The east side is not building 100-story skyscrapers in Hobbs, or creating a competing global organization for professional golfers, or sponsoring Formula 1 racing events, and the like, as is the case, say, in Dubai. Ninety percent of the land producing oil is owned by the state or federal government. By far most of the companies producing oil in New Mexico are headquartered in Texas, and it is unclear just how much of the revenue generated by oil production stays in New Mexico or in New Mexican hands. What we do know is that the state of New Mexico is now raking in more tax money each year than any of the general fund budgets signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham through this year. And census data shows the east side poverty rate (18.2%) is right at the state’s average (18.4%). One in five of us lives in poverty.
The vastly improved efficiency in oil extraction has reduced the demand for labor on the east side. The population of the east side is in relative decline, reflected in a decline in the number of legislators from the region, reducing the region’s political clout. Three decades ago, the southeast corner normally contributed 15-17 percent of the vote in a statewide election. In those days, the east side vote — conservative to the core — easily matched the reliably liberal vote of Hispanic north. Today the east side struggles to produce 13% of the statewide vote, while the Hispanic north has maintained its proportion at about 16%. The southern congressional district (CD2) was held by east-siders from the early 1970s until 2018. In 2022 the legislature gerrymandered CD2 to include large sectors of Albuquerque, making it difficult for someone from the east side to be elected for that job. This was not an accident.
If the Tax Research Institute is correct, the $13.9 billion collected in taxes last year from oil and gas, if divided equally to every living person in the state, would amount to about $6,575 per person. The share for a family of four would be $26,300. A fair question to ask is, does that family of four get that much value each year from the extra cash state government spends? Experience over the past century shows that countries that rely heavily on oil revenues to fund government are highly prone to public corruption: look up corruption ranking scores for Russia, Libya, Nigeria, Mexico, Venezuela, Iraq, and Iran. They are also highly prone to neglecting investment in solid infrastructures for economic development in the future when oil revenues have depleted. The time is ripe for all of us to ask these questions of our governor and our legislators. Mary and Martin Yates, Tom Flynn, and Van S. Welch, if they were here, would surely join the crowd in asking.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Jose Z. Garcia taught politics at New Mexico State University for more than three decades and served as Secretary of the New Mexico Higher Education Department for four years.)
Celebrating oil and gas goes together with strong leadership in the Senate
I am pleased to join the Permian Basin Centennial celebration. In many ways, it is a celebration of New Mexico’s national, pre-eminent leadership in energy production; its contribution to our energy independence and free world leadership; and a tribute to the men and women who work in the oil fields.
We are blessed with the Permian Basin. We are third in solar energy production, at the top for wind, and sixth in the country for geothermal potential. We are the state that provided the know-how to unleash nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
New Mexico should have a senator who appreciates that our state is an energy producing state, appreciates our abundance of oil and gas and other types of energy, and who believes we should be the world’s showcase for producing natural gas and oil in the most environmentally sensitive ways.
New Mexico should have a senator who will put New Mexico in the spotlight as a Center of Excellence for developing the best technologies and make New Mexico the headquarters for testing pilot programs to reduce greenhouse gases. I will be that senator.
It is time to flip the script. We have experienced too much Martin Heinrich and not enough support for the oil and gas industry.
The world needs more energy — not less. It needs more oil and gas — not less.
Artificial Intelligence will make enormous demands for energy. By 2050 there will be 2 billion more people and a world economy twice as big as today.
Modern life can’t exist without oil and gas and the thousands of products made from petroleum products.
Martin Heinrich wants to shut down the oil and gas industry.
Without products made from oil and gas our lives would be less modern.
Your house would have no roof, insulation, or flooring – most made from petroleum products. Your wardrobe would be reduced – no spandex, polyester, nylon, or vegan leather. There would be nothing made of plastic including 20 percent of the parts needed to build electric vehicles. If my opponent had his way, he would ban gas appliances including stoves.
Oil and gas production is not the problem. No particular energy source is the problem. The problem is emissions.
The industry, our national laboratories, and universities are working to develop technologies to reduce emissions. Energy companies are some of the most sophisticated, innovative high-tech companies in the world, and they are using their expertise to reduce emissions. One energy company’s research and development budget is almost two-thirds of the total EPA budget.
There are many promising technologies at work in the Permian ranging from satellites in the sky to new sensors on the ground. At least one is developing an all-electric drilling rig. Others are using renewables in their operations.
Most are greatly reducing flaring through innovation. The technology exists to detect and stop methane leaks in real time; to suck CO2 out of the air; to extract lithium from drilling byproducts and to recycle produced water. Yet government agencies are heaping more and more regulations on them as a backdoor to reducing production.
My opponent supports the Biden administration’s anti-oil and gas policies —including more than 90 separate sets of regulations promulgated by EPA.
Those who advocate for reducing oil and gas production are really advocating for more poverty in the world and an unworkable state budget in New Mexico.
New Mexico should have a senator who understands that 50 percent of the state’s budget for education and crime fighting public safety is paid for by oil and gas royalty payments; that oil and gas jobs are high paying — more than 130,000 of them in New Mexico alone; and that domestically produced oil and gas makes gasoline at the pump and electricity to heat and cool our homes reliable and affordable.
My father was a champion for the oil and gas industry. He believed in all types of energy and recognized that energy security is national security.
I will be that senator.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Nella Domenici is the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate and is challenging incumbent Democrat Martin Heinrich.)
Artesia reflects 100year history of oil and gas
Attractive nuisance. What originally caused consternation among Eddy County folks drilling for water – water from Artesian springs – turned out to be among life’s most attractive nuisances.
Oil. Water drilling was continually paused because that darn black oil kept seeping into wells. The persistence of the unwelcomed oil was, thank goodness, matched only by greater persistence by men and women determined to drill specifically for oil and later oil and gas.
This weekend’s celebration of the 100 years since Illinois #3 gushed and oil shot straight into the air like a black rocket is testament to hope, courage, risk, and the determination not to give up in the face of adversity.
It’s also a time to reflect on the philanthropy that has flowed from business profits back into Artesia to make it darn close to what former President Ronald Reagan described as a shining city on a hill, a phrase he used to be emblematic of his political career.
Actually, the phrase was originally used in 1630 by John Winthrop in a sermon on his vision of America, “we shall be as a city upon a hill.” Winthrop was a Puritan and among the first colonists from England. He was governor for many years of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Artesia is not hill country but we have oil and the discovery of it here was the boom to great economic growth. Several of our local residents have been more than willing to spread their wealth from oil and gas to make Artesia a shining city.
No better example of the history of oil and Artesia exists than the bronze statue at the center of town – “The Derrick Floor.” It tells our story and is the result of men and women who wanted to honor our history in dramatic and artistic fashion.
It is possible to take for granted all the wonderful aspects of life in Artesia, an almost idyllic, Andy of Mayberry town. The benefits of living and working here are the result of not only the Illinois #3 discovery but also of the generosity of our citizens driven to make this town special.
May the next 100 years be even more fruitful. Thank you, Artesia.
Audition set for Missoula production
ARTESIA — Aspiring young actors are invited to audition next month for the upcoming Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT) production of “Jack and the Beanstalk.”
The audition will be held from 10 a.m. – noon Monday, June 17, at the Ocotillo Performing Arts Center and is open to students in grades 1-12. No advance preparation is necessary.
Those planning to audition are asked to arrive at 9:30 a.m. and be prepared to stay for the full two hours. Some cast members will be asked to stay for rehearsal immediately following the audition. Assistant directors will also be cast to aid in rehearsals throughout the week and take on essential backstage responsibilities.
The cost to audition is $30 per student, and space is available for up to 60 students.
For more information, call 575-746-4212 or visit www. artesiaartscouncil.com.
It’s electronic waste collection time again
Artesia Clean & Beautiful will be hosting its 17th Annual eWaste Collection event June 21-22 at the food court at the Eddy County Fairgrounds.
We will be accepting all of your office-related equipment, fax machine, copiers, typewriters, CPUs, 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 charge of $5 for the big CRT monitors. Home appliances will not be accepted.
If you are not comfortable with your hard drive leaving your hands, take it out and take out all of those frustrations on it with a sledgehammer. Natural Evolution, which is the company that will be taking the eWaste is insured and bonded and assures us that all hard drives will be erased by military standards. None of this electronic waste will be rebuilt; it will all be torn down into various piles of metals and plastics.
Along with the eWaste Collection, CARC Document Destruction will also be there from 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Friday accepting up to 100 pounds of documents that you would like to have destroyed. This is for residential only. Remember, this beats sitting there for hours feeding your shredder one page at a time. It’s a great way to get rid of all of those old tax forms and old bills. If you would like a certificate of destruction, they can provide that for you.
Remember, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday, June 21, and 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday, June 22. CARC will only be there on Friday from 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., so remember to bring your documents then.
As always, do your part to help keep Artesia… Clean and Beautiful. It really does take the entire community to be involved. For more information on any of our programs, please contact our office at 575-748-3192 or come by 422 W. Main St. Follow us on Facebook at Artesia Clean & Beautiful.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Linda Stevens is the director of Artesia Clean & Beautiful. Contact her at 575-7483192.)