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All She Wrote

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All She Wrote
By Sherry Robinson

Let’s start with the good news: New Mexico is number one on an important ranking. We have the nation’s lowest property taxes, and they’ve been the lowest for a long time.

The reason goes back in history to the 1800s, when New Mexicans lost land to tax sales because they didn’t understand American taxation imposed on them, and the territory was infested with unscrupulous lawyers. Today property tax rates reflect the reality that in New Mexico many people are land rich and cash poor.

Other components in the Tax Foundation’s 2024 State Business Tax Climate Index are mixed.

When this year’s numbers came out, we hardly noticed because nobody could make political hay from it. Our overall ranking was 23rd. Not great but not horrible. The Tax Foundation called it “a respectable ranking.”

It hurts a bit because neighboring states did better: Utah, 8th; Texas, 13th; Arizona, 14th; and Oklahoma, 19th. However, Colorado was 27th.

The top five states in the overall ranking were Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska, Florida and Montana. The worst (50th) was New Jersey, followed by New York, California, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

The foundation ranks tax systems as of July 1, 2023.

If we pry our ranking apart, we also learn that we rank 11th for unemployment insurance taxes and 13th for corporate taxes.

On the down side, New Mexico ranks 35th in sales taxes and 36th in individual taxes. Those two factors pull us down in overall rankings.

New Mexico’s gross receipts tax hits both goods and services, so it directly affects the cost of doing business. Businesses here have complained forever, and, except for a few half-hearted stabs at reform, it’s still with us and still climbing. Surprisingly, there are states where sales taxes are worse, like Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas. If you’re driving across the state line to shop in these states, you’re hurting yourself and New Mexico.

Individual income taxes weigh heavily in the foundation’s measures, so states like Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska and Florida, which have no individual income taxes, smell like roses. The foundation argues that individual tax codes can discourage people from becoming self-employed, and individual income taxes can also raise the cost of labor.

Arizona is 9th in this category after moving from a two-bracket, graduated rate system to a flat tax rate of 2.5%, joining 10 other states with a flat rate. Colorado reduced its flat rate to 4.4%. New Mexico plunged from 26th in 2021 to 36th in 2022, and there it remains.

What does that mean? The Tax Foundation likes the numbers in Wyoming and South Dakota, but do you really want to live there?

Last year, bloggers at the nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy compared top-ranked Wyoming with bottom-ranked New Jersey. “On nearly every economic measure, from number of Fortune 500 companies to overall economic output to entrepreneurship, New Jersey outperforms Wyoming – and by a long shot,” they wrote. “That’s because New Jersey has top-notch public schools, robust transportation infrastructure and other public goods – all made possible by the revenues raised by the very taxes that land it in the bottom spot of the Tax Foundation’s Index.”

The same number crunchers faulted the Tax Foundation’s tilt toward lower or no taxation, “even though state and local taxes make up a vanishingly small fraction of total business costs, and the services paid for with those tax dollars are crucial to the success of every business.”

Still, we can’t ignore the Tax Foundation. Site Selection Group considers the annual report a valuable tool in judging states. But it’s one many considerations, which include workforce, infrastructure, education, business friendliness and cost of doing business.

This election cycle, candidates may rail about New Mexico’s taxes. Yes, it’s important, but it’s not the only factor in growing the state’s economy.


(EDITOR’S NOTE: Sherry Robinson is a syndicated columnist whose work is distributed by New Mexico News Services.)

Vacationing on the cheap

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Vacationing on the cheap
By TOM McDONALD Guest Columnist

I’m a big fan of vacations on the cheap, which is good, since I’ve seldom been able to afford anything first-class. Besides, top-dollar travel often overlooks the best stuff to see. Several years ago, when my family was younger and we were fairly new to the Land of Enchantment, we decided to take a New Mexico-centric vacation. My wife and I, along with our two daughters, got into our four-door sedan early one summer morning and left our northern New Mexico home in search of wonderment, which we found at just about every stop.

Our first stop was in Tucumcari, where we visited Mesalands Community College and its dinosaur museum. One of our daughters had developed an encyclopedic knowledge of the dinosaurs that once roamed the earth, so this stop was mainly for her — and she wasn’t disappointed.

Everyday, we were told, they would pull fossils out of a nearby mesa, and we got to see not only their discoveries but also their process of cleaning them up and putting them together into impressive exhibits.

Then we scooted down to Fort Sumner and boned up on Billy The Kid’s life and times. That one was for me. I’ve had a fascination with The Kid and his story ever since.

That night we made it into Roswell, where we stayed overnight and visited the UFO museum the next morning. Again, it was an educational experience, since the exhibits takes you through the 1947 incident that started it all.

Then it was on to Carlsbad, arriving at the Caverns in time for the Bat Flight, a twilight-tinged exodus of thousands of bats from the Caverns. It was quite a sight to behold — as were the Caverns, the next day, when we descended into the depths of the earth and ate at the subterranean restaurant they’ve built down there.

After a brief foray into El Paso and Ciudad Juárez for a day, we reentered New Mexico and visited White Sands National Park. We hit the dunes just before dark and watched as a thunderstorm, miles away over the Organ Mountains, joined forces with a beautifully setting sun to create the most spectacular 360-degree view of a sunset I’ve ever seen. The pictures we took didn’t do it justice; you had to have been there.

We stayed one night in Silver City, as our launching point into the Gilas, where we hiked to the ruins of an ancient civilization, the Cliff Dwellers, a great sample of the wonders hidden inside that incredible mountain range.

By then we were worn out, so as much as I wanted to show the girls the Very Large Array, we got on Interstate 25 North instead, and didn’t stop until we had made it back to home sweet home.

There’s just too much to see in New Mexico. Altogether, it cost us less than a week and around a thousand bucks. We tent camped and stayed in modestly priced motels, picnicked out of our ice chest and splurged on some good restaurant eating, and went through several tanks of gas. All told, we had a wonderful adventure being, well, a family.

But we only covered a sliver of what you can find in this state, and through the years we’ve made our way into other parts of this vast and enchanting country. Seems there’s something around every corner — especially if you’re willing to get off the beaten path.

Or, just go around the corner from where you live, where there’s bound to be something worth exploring.

In every corner of New Mexico, there’s something to see that’s worth the drive. I’ll leave it to you to discover it for yourself.


(EDITOR’S NOTE: Tom McDonald owns and operates the New Mexico Community News Exchange and the Guadalupe County Communicator in Santa Rosa. Contact him at tmcdonald.srnm@gmail.com.)

New Mexico betting on losers

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By PAUL GESSING Guest Columnist

Left, right, or center, economists tend to agree that “corporate welfare” is not good public policy or good economics. A recent Rasmussen poll found that approximately 65% of Americans (regardless or political philosophy or affiliation) oppose corporate welfare. Definitions of what constitutes such “welfare” vary, but generally relate to policies that involve politicians picking winners and losers in the economy.

Sadly, New Mexico has a long history of picking “losers” and one of those losers appears to be in its death throes. Specifically, New Mexicans have spent hundreds-of-millions to construct, expand, staff, and maintain Spaceport America in Southern New Mexico.

While the facility has been used for other space-related purposes, it was expressly built to house Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic for its space tourism business. Few examples of corporate welfare in American history have been more speculative. Sadly, after having been open for nearly 15 years and with just a handful of space tourism launches under its belt, Virgin Galactic laid off 185 workers and ceased tourism launches in November of 2023 pending development of a new fleet of vehicles that will (hopefully) help the company turn a profit.

Wall Street is not optimistic about the company’s prospects and the share price (SPCE) which at one time hit the $60 mark per share has plummeted to below $1 per share. An extended period at below $1 could get Virgin Galactic’s stock delisted. In the absence of Virgin Galactic at the facility Spaceport America takes on all the trappings of a costly “white elephant” in the New Mexico desert.

Sadly, there is not much that can be done regarding the “world’s first purpose- built commercial spaceport.”

Viable uses for the facility which (by design) is far from New Mexico’s population centers are limited.

While this is an example of past corporate welfare gone bust, it is not alone. Under then-Gov. Bill Richardson New Mexico spent $100 million on Eclipse Aviation only to see it go bankrupt. New Mexicans must work to prevent future losses from future corporate welfare schemes.

The next big “loser” in the making is Maxeon Solar. The Singapore- based solar cell manufacturing company is in line to receive a mind-blowing $2.4 billion industrial revenue bond and $20 million in LEDA funding for the facility (courtesy of New Mexico taxpayers). This is in addition to myriad federal subsidies and state/local mandates that favor the solar industry.

Even with Joe Biden in the White House shoveling billions of dollars at the “renewable” industry, Maxeon Solar’s stock price (MAXN) has plummeted. In early 2021 the company touted a stock price of nearly $58 per share. Maxeon’s share price as of early May 2024 is about $2.00.

It is hard to imagine the “renewable energy” gravy train getting any more generous in a second Biden term and it will likely be reduced if Donald Trump makes it back to the White House. Is New Mexico setting itself up for yet another costly corporate welfare failure? It certainly seems like it.

Sadly, corporate welfare is attractive to politicians of both parties. But in Democrat-dominated New Mexico it seems that Democrats will not call their own out on these unpopular giveaways. Recently, the New Mexico Environment Department announced it was giving United Parcel Service (UPS) nearly $500,000 for the company to buy “clean” delivery trucks.

UPS is one of the world’s largest and most profitable companies. They can certainly afford to buy their own delivery trucks without the help of New Mexico’s taxpayers. Sadly, our politicians are busy spending our money on their priorities rather than working to improve our State. New Mexico is the third-poorest state in the Union. Our politicians’ propensity to support corporations with our money (instead of returning it to us and improving our state’s business climate) is one of many reasons for this. Only the voters can force change in New Mexico that brings wealth and prosperity.


(EDITOR’S NOTE: Paul Gessing is president of New Mexico’s Rio Grande Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan, tax-exempt research and educational organization dedicated to promoting prosperity for New Mexico based on principles of limited government, economic freedom and individual responsibility.)

2024 ZIA ZING

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2024 ZIA ZING

County still mulling fate of historic Otis Gym

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By REBECCA HAUSCHILD For the Daily Press

A decision on the future of the Otis Gym was tabled at the June 4 Eddy County Commission meeting.

The Otis Gym, located at 2513 Smedley Road, about three miles south of Carlsbad, was slated for demolition, but that decision was tabled at the April commission meeting after residents expressed concerns. During his presentation, Eddy County Public Works and Projects Director Jason Burns gave a timeline on the gym:

• Fall 2018: Eddy County completed a facilities assessment.

• May 2019” Eddy County Commission voted to decommission the Otis Gym.

• August 2023: Eddy County completed another facilities assessment. It supported its previous conclusions.

• February 2024: Eddy County advertised for bids for the abatement and demolition of the Otis Gym.

• April 2024: Eddy County Commission requested a presentation detailing the current condition of building.

Burns reported there is confirmed asbestos and leadbased paint in the gym, mold in the restrooms, a failing roof, electrical and HVAC that is not up to code, and water damage throughout, as well as structural damage in the wood pier and beam under the gym. He also reported the Otis Community Center is in good condition and the grounds have been improved.

Burns reported the 7,162-square-foot Otis Gym is in “system failure” condition and received a 123% total facility FCI score (cost of repairs divided by cost to replace) after the August 2023 assessment.

Burns laid out four options with estimates.

• Demolish and build new: $3.2 million

• Renovate: $4.55 million

• Demo only: $200,000

• Leave decommissioned: Unknown cost Prior to the decommissioning in 2019, the gym was used for weddings, dances, skating parties and meetings. Community members have expressed value in the historical aspects of the building. Historical preservation efforts would increase the costs “a lot,” according to Burns. An idea that was thrown out was to take a section of the gym and put it on the wall of a new facility to preserve it.

“Understand that if the direction is to rebuild this, it is not going to be like the existing Otis Gym,” said Burns. “It is going to be a metal building with a floor and new bathrooms and make it something that is not high maintenance. The entire point of building a new one is to spend the investment up front to lower our maintenance costs for the next 50 years.”

“I’m curious,” said District Two Commissioner Jon Henry. “It’s right by Loving. They got gyms. I’m trying to figure out what we’re truly trying to change? To have a gym? Or a place to have a dance? We’ve tried to get the gym into someone else’s hands, and no one wanted to do anything with it. I would like to see the rental history as well.”

“I understand the historical value,” said District Four Commissioner and Chair James Bowen. “Some of these old gyms are awesome. But what are we gonna do with them? I’m struggling with $4 million, and I am not sure who is gonna use it. I am willing to say there will be less than a fraction of a percent of the population of Eddy County that will actually use this place. In doing so, up front there’s money, and then there’s money in perpetuity after that for maintenance and upkeep.”

“We are talking about spending $600K on the splash pad in Otis,” said District One Commissioner Ernie Carlson. “If the splash pad can be utilized as a draw, so will a new facility there. The idea was to put the splash pad to get more utilization of the community center.”

Henry clarified the money for the splash pad is capital outlay money from Santa Fe and can’t be used on a gym.

District Five Commissioner Sarah Cordova said she would like to go in the facility and see it for herself. District Three Commissioner Fred Beard agreed the Otis Gym is historic.

“I think we need to do something with it,” he said. “I think if it was restored, the use might come back.”

The commission tabled a vote and schedule a meeting at 9 a.m. Friday, June 14, to tour the Otis Gym and receive rental usage information on the gym from 20142019.

Later in the meeting, Burns gave an update on Eddy County projects.

Crews will be setting up a detour and start paving the Kraus intersection in Carlsbad over the next couple of weeks. County crews bladed Longhorn Road to smooth it out until the start of a big overhaul project on July 1. Eddy County also finished a relocated convenience station in Artesia.

The transfer station, formerly located near the intersection of 13th Street and Fairgrounds Road, is now located adjacent the Eddy County Road Department’s Artesia warehouse at 2611 S. 13th St. Additional containers have been added.

Eddy County Sherriff Mark Cage reported U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan is putting an appropriation before the federal committee for a Rapid DNA system for Eddy County.

“The senator has been very instrumental in helping us with that,” said Cage. “It can help solve cases very quickly. We are expecting to see that happen.”

In other business Tuesday, the commission approved an ordinance granting a non-exclusive franchise to New Mexico Gas Company Inc., a New Mexico corporation and public utility, in Eddy County for 25 years.

The commission granted a bid for employment-related physical services and drug testing to New Era Physical Therapy and Lesher Health Clinic. The commission then approved the revenue report for April 2024 with the following information:

• Budgeted revenue: $262 million

• Budgeted expense: $295 million

• Actual revenue: $348 million

• Actual expense: $198 million

• Percent collected: 133%

• Percent used: 67% Joshua Mack, Eddy County Fire and Rescue (ECFR) chief, reported the weight room at the fire administration building is open to county employees and both new ambulances are in service.

Mack also reported the ECFR held a meeting at the Queen fire station May 8 and had 19 people complete applications to volunteer. The volunteers are in training, and they are hoping to get enough fully certified firefighters to re-recognize the fire station with the state. Mack also reported a new radio system should be in place by November or December.

Mack said the ECFR’s firefighter and EMS recruiting grant was recently unexpectedly capped at $65,000. The grant was supposed to cover 100% of first-year …

… salaries of entry-level EMS firefighters, 50% of second-year salaries, and 25% of third-year.

“It was recently capped, so for our employees with benefits and everything, the grant would cover 54.7% for Year One, and the county will cover 54.8%,” said Mack. “Year Two, the county will be covering 70.8%, and the grant would cover 29.2%. In Year Three, the county will cover 86.4%, and the grant will only cover 13.6%.”

Mack also shared citizens can check on wildfires at inciweb.wildfire.gov and on an app called WatchDuty Wildfire Maps and Alerts.

In his comments, Henry shared that Lea County is putting $21 million into housing, and he is looking into how they are doing that.

“Market-grade housing helps our first responders, it helps our county employees and teachers,” said Henry. “There are so many ways to help bring in workforce we are desperate for. I would like to see a possibility of a housing and economic development injection.”

The resolution and agreement consent agenda was approved, which included:

• renewal of a contract for commissary with Keefe Commissary Network, LLC, nationally headquartered in St. Louis, Mo.

• renewal of a contract for on-call engineering, surveying, testing and/or environmental services with Stantec Consulting Services, internationally headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

• renewal of a contract for landscaping services with The Garden Mart of Carlsbad.

• the purchase of marketing services from Red Rocket Media of Carlsbad.

• the purchase of a tire shredder for the City of Carlsbad.

• an equipment service contract with Sparks Office Solutions of Carlsbad for a copier/ scanner/printer for the administrative offices.

• an equipment service agreement with Sparks for the County Assessor’s Office.

• a service agreement with the Southeast New Mexico Community Action Corporation for senior citizens’ program services.

• a service agreement with the Carlsbad Community of Hope Center.

• a professional service agreement with the City of Artesia.

• a professional service agreement between Eddy County and the Artesia Chamber of Commerce for economic development services.

• a professional service agreement with Artesia MainStreet.

• a professional service agreement with the City of Carlsbad.

• a professional service agreement with the Carlsbad Department of Development for economic development services.

• a professional service agreement with Carlsbad MainStreet.

• a professional service agreement with the Village of Hope.

• a professional service agreement with Grammy’s House Artesia Domestic Violence Shelter.

• a professional service agreement with Affirming Heart Victim Services of Carlsbad.

• a professional service agreement with the Carlsbad Community Anti-Drug & Gang Coalition’s Teen Court.

• a professional service agreement with the Carlsbad Honor Guard.

• a professional service agreement with Paws & Claws Humane Society Inc. of Artesia.

• a professional service agreement with Noah’s Ark Animal Refuge Inc. of Carlsbad.

• a professional service agreement with the New Mexico State Mobile Library.

• a professional service agreement with 535 Group, LLC, nationally headquartered in McLean, Va., for federal lobbying services.

• a professional service agreement between Eddy County and the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce for professional marketing services.

• a Memorandum of Understanding with extension services in Eddy County.

• a Memorandum of Understanding with the Eddy County Sheriff’s Posse.

• a professional service agreement with the Artesia Chamber of Commerce for advocacy services.

• a professional services agreement between Eddy County and Cambiar Consulting, LLC, nationally headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz.

• a professional services agreement for general legal services for Eddy County.

• a Memorandum of Agreement with the City of Artesia for DWI offender tracking services.

• a Memorandum of Agreement with the City of Carlsbad for DWI offender tracking services.

• a contract with Dr. Van Warren for auricular detoxification supervision.

• a contract with Frank Magourilos for DWI Prevention Program oversight and evaluation.

• a contract with Nancy Husselman for DWI community wellness and outreach services.

will run three to five months each

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… will run three to five months each.

“We’re looking at an overall project timeline of 18 months,” said Scott Hicks, project engineer for Smith Engineering.

A potential Phase One, still dependent on funding, will be from Main Street to just north of Grand Avenue, moving south.

Following that, four more phases will follow its completion:

• Phase Two: From West Grand Avenue to Washington Avenue, just south of Guardian Self Storage Center

• Phase Three: From West Washington Avenue to West Ray Avenue, which will also include rehabilitation on the bridge

• Phase Four: From West Ray Avenue to just north of West Mann Avenue

• Phase Five: From West Mann Avenue to West Hermosa Drive, connecting with the recent Hermosa Drive construction Hicks said there will be total closures, but detours will be clearly marked. “Please drive with care and caution in the area of the construction,” he said. “We ask that people follow those detour routes and leave a little earlier if they need to. Please have patience and we’ll try to get each phase done as quickly as possible.”

Smith Engineering is the same engineering firm that has completed similar road construction projects in Artesia, including the work on Main Street in 2015, the 13th Street Reconstruction Project in 2016, the 20th Street Reconstruction Project in 2022, and the recent road construction on Hermosa Drive.

First Day

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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.

Blue 2 Fire listed at 77% containment

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RUIDOSO — The U.S. Forest Service has reported that the Blue 2 Fire burning north of Ruidoso was listed at 77% containment as of Wednesday.

The lightning-caused fire in the White Mountain Wilderness Area is currently listed at 7,532 acres in size and is engaging 399 personnel: five crews, 14 engines, two helicopters, two bulldozers and five water tenders.

Firefighters achieved additional containment just south of Bonito Lake Wednesday as work on the fire continues. A virtual public meeting is planned for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 6, and will be broadcast live on the Blue 2 Fire Facebook page.

Firefighters continue to focus on repairing dozer lines and hand lines created during the height of fire suppression efforts. As repair work is completed, it is inspected to ensure the standards identified by the Forest Service and New Mexico Forestry Division are met.

Brush cut to remove fuels has been chipped. Excavators are working along the dozer line from the 131 road to the 108 road, installing erosion control features and pulling brush on top of disturbed soil. Crews are checking for any additional hot spots on Soldier Mountain and using hand tools to create small ridges that will divert water and reduce future erosion potential along the handline.

The dozer line west of the communities along the Forest Service boundary is also being repaired. Masticators working along this dozer line have created a fuel break that will help reduce risk to the communities during future wildfires. Seed has been ordered and fire lines will be re-seeded. Law enforcement continues to enforce the forest closure so firefighters can safely complete their work.

Moisture was expected to enter the fire area Wednesday with potential for isolated afternoon storms. Significant moisture is expected in the coming days with higher humidity and daily storms.

The fire is producing minimal smoke. Surrounding communities will see good air. Transported smoke from other active fires in upwind states or Mexico may create some hazy skies on occasion. The interactive smoke map can still be found at fire.airnow.gov.

In the interest of public safety, camping and other recreational activities in the Bonito Lake area are still restricted due to ongoing firefighting activities. The forest closure order will continue to remain in effect for the White Mountain Wilderness Area.

YARD OF THE WEEK

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— Artesia Clean & Beautiful will sponsor its Yard of the Week contest beginning Monday, June 3, and continuing through September. Colorful, attractive, well-groomed lawns with curb appeal meet the qualifications. To nominate a yard worthy of the title, contact Linda at 575-5130143 or the AC&B office at 575-748-3192. —————–

First Church Artesia, 402 W. Grand Ave., will hold a free screening of “Letter to the American Church” at 6 p.m. Friday, June 14. The public is welcome to attend. —————–

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. —————–

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. —————– 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. —————– GAME-DAY APPAREL — The Artesia High School Student Council has launched its game-day apparel for the 2024-25 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-tobe- 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 915-2498934. —————– COMMUNITY FITNESS CLASS — The public is invited to attend a fun, free community fitness class, led by certified group fitness instructor Dottie Ellis, from 5:306:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Artesia Center, 612 N. Eighth St. —————– DRIVERS NEEDED — SENM Veterans’ Transportation is in need of volunteer drivers to transport veterans to and from doctor’s appointments. Anyone interested in volunteering is urged to contact Alice or Donna at 575622-0729. —————– 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.

—————–

GRIEF SUPPORT — A Grief Group meets at 1:30 p.m. each Tuesday in the Saint Damien Center at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, 1111 N. Roselawn Ave. Free support is offered in both English and Spanish. For more information, contact Nora at 575-308-3248. —————– MEN’S PICK-UP BASKETBALL — The City of Artesia is hosting men’s pick-up basketball from 5-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Artesia Center, 612 N. Eighth St. For more information, call 575-746-9009. —————– TOPS — The Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) Club meets at 9 a.m. Wednesdays at the Senior Center. For more information, call the Center at 575746-4113.

Superkids donate to Thirst Responders drive

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Superkids donate to Thirst Responders drive

Artesia Police Department officers work to load cases of water following the Cpl. D. Robert Harvey Thirst Responders Drive, held at Hermosa Elementary School. In total, the Superkids collected more than 600 cases of water for local first responders. ‘We appreciate all the Superkids, local sponsors, APS staff and the Harvey Family for this event,’ the APD said in a Facebook post. ‘We also appreciate serving such a generous city and local community that supports their first responders!’ Below, first responders speak to the students during the presentation assembly.

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