Mike Smith

Artesia Daily Press

msmith@elritomedia.com

Artesia mayor pro tem Jeffrey Youtsey will serve as Artesia’s new mayor, according to unofficial election results.

Artesia residents voted Tuesday to have Youtsey, 61, replace outgoing Mayor Jonathan Henry, who decided not to run for a second term.

Youtsey defeated challenger Terrance Todd in a close race.

Youtsey had 51% of the vote, while Todd had 49% of the votes cast across Artesia.

Artesia will have some new city council members. In District 2, Joseph W. Wright, defeated challenger Nathan Ryno 54% to 46%.

In District 3, former councilor Kent Bratcher returns defeating write-in candidate Matteo Doporto 79% to 21%.

In District 4, former city councilor Terry Hill defeated challenger Charles Morgan Wagner II 50.4% to 49.5%.

Incumbent District 1 councilor Raul Rodriguez received a free pass as did District 4 councilor Michael Bunt. He was appointed to the position in 2024 and was voted to finish out the term until 2028.

Hayley Klein, Artesia city administrator, said the results would be canvassed by the Eddy County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday.

More information coming soon to artesianews.com and Thursday’s Artesia Daily Press.

Laurel Berry
Artesia Daily Press

On February 20, 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth, aboard the Friendship 7 Mercury capsule. Although Russia’s Yuri Gagarin was the first human to accomplish this feat, Glenn’s flight was three times as long as Gagarin’s single orbit. Launching him aloft enough to reach orbit was one herculean feat but, arguably, getting him safely back down again was more important. Dealing with what turned out to be an erroneous signal indicating that one of the spacecraft’s landing bags had deployed, keeping the heat shields in their proper places became paramount, lest Glenn burn up, capsule and all, upon reentry. All went by plan and Glenn and his Friendship 7 landed safely with a splash in the Atlantic Ocean.

With that flight in the history books, the New Mexico Museum of Space History chose to celebrate the success of bringing Glenn safely back to Earth 60 years later with an egg drop as part of their Science Saturdays series. Participants made their own space capsules with pop cans and parachutes of plastic grocery bags or coffee filters and string. Cotton balls, pipe cleaners, and balloons provided padding for a fresh chicken egg, which was placed in a small ziplock bag to contain any mess if the egg-stronauts went splat after being dropped five stories from the roof of the museum.

A variety of capsule designs were created in the Tombaugh Education Center located on the museum’s campus. Then the efficacy of the amateur engineering projects were put to the test when museum Education Specialist Marie De Leon released each capsule to float or fall to the parking lot below. Some parachutes functioned beautifully, others struggled to fill with air, all hit the pavement with a clank of can on asphalt.

When the shower of capsules concluded, participants retrieved their contraptions, pried off the tape and parachutes and retrieved the ziplock baggies with their egg-stronauts inside. There was about a 50-50 success rate. Jason Brady, whose egg did not make it, noted “the balloons in the can are the key” in successfully bringing the egg safely back to Earth. De Leon also mentioned that making a coil from the pipe cleaners and placing that under the egg was another idea that would have possibly cushioned the egg upon impact, though none of the participants had thought to use them in this way.

The experience of designing a capsule specifically to safeguard its passenger was a peek at what NASA engineers face when planning space flight, while honoring John Glenn’s successful space mission.

Science Saturdays are held monthly at the New Mexico Space History Museum, on the last Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. More information can be found at nmspacemuseum.org.

Todd Fuqua
Artesia Daily Press
tfuqua@elritomedia.com

Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford has responded emphatically to social media posts and public comments regarding his name’s appearance among the voluminous files released by the Department of Justice related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, calling the mention “a case of mistaken identity.”

Crawford responded via a prepared statement dated Feb. 11. The complete statement can be accessed at RuidosoNews.com.

“After conferring with my attorneys, I am issuing this statement to address a serious case of mistaken identity that has recently come to light,” the statement read. “My name has appeared in files associated with Jeffrey Epstein due to an unfortunate coincidence that both Mr. Epstein and I owned entities named ‘Plan D.’”

The document released among the files related to Epstein listed Crawford as president of a limited liability company (LLC) called Plan D. The document was related to the opening and operation of Dream Catcher Cafe in Midtown Ruidoso.

“To be absolutely clear – I am Lynn Crawford, former owner and operator of the Dream Catcher

Cafe, a small restaurant in Ruidoso, New Mexico,” Crawford said in his statement. “My company, Plan D, was established as part of my restaurant business operations and had no connection whatsoever to Jeffrey Epstein or his activities.”

Crawford said the name Plan D LLC apparently was the same name used by an Epstein-owned company associated with his private jets and had nothing to do with Crawford’s Plan D in Ruidoso.

A search of business management firm Dun & Bradstreet’s website turned up several companies named Plan D LLC across the country, as well as several others worldwide that have Plan D in their names.

The file mentioning Crawford was included in the release of documents made public under the Epstein Files Transparency Act signed into law by President Donald Trump last November amid continuing political turmoil stemming from the investigation of Epstein, who was arrested in July 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors and found dead of an apparent suicide in his prison cell five weeks later.

Epstein had previously pleaded guilty in Florida to state charges of solicitation of prostitution and solicitation of prostitution with a minor under the age of 18.

Crawford said in his statement he never met, communicated with or had any business dealings with Epstein, and that the Ruidoso company’s name “Plan D” was chosen independently and with no knowledge of Epstein’s business that carried the Plan D name.

“The Dream Catcher Cafe was a legitimate, family-friendly restaurant with no ties to any criminal activity,” Crawford wrote. “I sold the property in 2020 before these files came to public attention. This appears to be a case of two entirely separate entities sharing a common business name.”

“I understand that mistakes happen, particularly in large document releases,” he added. “However, the association of my name and business with Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal activities is deeply distressing and damaging to my reputation and livelihood. I appreciate the understanding of the public and the media as this matter is resolved, and I ask the voters of Ruidoso to see this for what it is: an unfortunate coincidence being exploited for political gain.”

Crawford, who is running for reelection as mayor, said in his statement that “Supporters of my opponent have seized upon this unfortunate coincidence to make false and untrue accusations against me, deliberately misleading voters about my character and integrity.

“I have devoted years of my life to serving the people of Ruidoso with honesty and dedication. This smear campaign, built on a simple case of two businesses sharing the same name, is an affront to the democratic process and to the voters who deserve honest discourse about the real issues facing our community.”

Todd Fuqua is Editor for the Ruidoso News and can be reached at 575-937-0344.

Mike Smith

Artesia Daily Press

msmith@currentargus.com

6:38 p.m.

As of 6 p.m. 259 people had voted at the Artesia Senior Center. Around 6:15 p.m. a line had formed at Faith Baptist Church as 534 people had voted.

“It was pretty steady until 4 o’clock. We started picking up a few lines,” said Wendy Bishop, precinct judge at Faith Baptist Church.

The polls close at 7 p.m.

2:45 p.m.

Voting turnout at Faith Baptist Church topped 312 as of 2:45 p.m., a voting official said.

Turnout from the Artesia Senior Center was not available as of this posting.

Polls close at 7 p.m. for mayor and four city council seats.

11:00 a.m.

As of 10:20 a.m. 49 people voted in the municipal elections at the Artesia Senior Center and 101 had voted at Faith Baptist Church as of 10:37 a.m.

Wendy Bishop, precinct judge, said voting at Faith Baptist was steady during the morning hours.

“Straight up 7 o’clock one person was standing at the door,” she said when the polls were opening at the church at 20th Street and Grand Avenue.

She was expecting voters to increase by late afternoon.

“Usually after five we have a little rush once everybody gets off work,” Bishop said.

(Mike Smith/Artesia Daily Press) Leah Boone helps a voter at Faith Baptist Church on Tuesday.

District 2 City Council candidate Nathan Ryno cast his vote around 10:20 a.m. at the Artesia Senior Center.

“I’m anxious. I’m glad we’re here at Election Day,” he said after casting his ballot.

Ryno said he would not be resting as he was getting in some last-minute campaigning.

8:15 a.m.

One person had voted at the Artesia Senior Center at 7:15 a.m. said precinct judge Teresa Saxon.

She said her job until 7:00 p.m. is to oversee voters and workers.

“(And) making sure if there are questions on the ballot, I can answer them,” she said.

She was expecting turnout to be good as nearly 600 people voted early and absentee.

Shawna Valenzuela, who works at the Senior Center, moved to Artesia eight months ago from Hobbs and she moved her registration from Lea County to Artesia.

She said she was looking forward to voting in today’s municipal elections.

“(It’s) very convenient,” she said of same day registration.

A closer look at the election process and the candidates

Artesia residents go to the polls today at 7 a.m. as citizens look to replace outgoing Mayor Jonathan Henry, who decided not to seek another term.

Looking to replace him are current mayor pro tem Jeffrey Youtsey and Terrance Todd.

(Mike Smith/Artesia Daily Press) From Left to Right-Shadow Arechiga, (standing) Rebecca Reede, Teresa Saxon and Emma Acosta were working the Artesia Municipal Elections at the Artesia Senior Center on Tuesday.

Todd, 64, is a retired law enforcement official and Youtsey, 61, works at Navajo Refinery in Artesia.

City council seats are also up for grabs in today’s municipal elections.

In District 1, incumbent Raul Rodriguez is unopposed along with Michael Bunt who is running in District 4.

He is running to serve the final two years of a vacancy he was appointed to fill when no one filed for the office in 2024.

In District 2, Joseph W. Wright, and Nathan N. Ryno are looking to replace incumbent George Mullen who decided not to seek another term.

Wright, 72, is a retired site director at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Artesia.

Ryno, 50, is a special education teacher for the Artesia Public Schools.

In District 3, former councilor Allen K. Batcher is looking to regain the seat.

His term was up on city council in 2022 when he decided to run for mayor.

Matteo Doporto is running as a write-in candidate.

Either man will replace incumbent Wade Nelson, who decided not to seek another term.

 In District 4, former councilor Terry L. Hill is running against Charles Morgan Wagner II.

Hill represented the district until 2022, when his term was up, and he decided to run for mayor.

Wagner, 36, works for HF Sinclair Midstream.

The winner would replace incumbent Dickie Townley, who chose not to run for another term.

The polls close at 7 p.m. and residents can vote at the Artesia Senior Center at 202 W. Chisum Ave. and Faith Baptist Church at 401 S. 20^th Street.

Keep it here throughout the day for the latest election news.

Complete unofficial results will be posted at artesianews.com later tonight and in Thursday’s Artesia Daily Press newspaper.

Feb 13

Arrest

Tori Dol Herrera Coss arrested for contempt of court, failure to comply.

Ruben Nathaniel Rivera arrested for violation of 911 ordinance.

Johnny Lee Sisk arrested for criminal trespass.

Fernando Eusebio Ramirez arrested for obedience to traffic control device, failure to register motor carrier, no insurance, aggravated DWI of intoxicating liquor or drugs.

Dylan Arville Watts arrested for criminal trespass.

Jonathan A Bravo arrested for criminal damage to property, tampering with evidence.

David Araiza Hernandez arrested for failure to pay penalty assessment misdemeanor.

SUSPICIOUS

12:13 am – Officer dispatched to 2100 block of W. Bullock Ave. in reference to a suspicious vehicle.

DOMESTIC

3:38 am – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of S. 6th St. in reference to physical domestic.

WELFARE

6:39 am – Officer dispatched to N. 1st St. and W. Main St. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

UNWANTED

7:41 am – Officer dispatched to 300 block of W. Washington Ave. in reference to an unwanted subject.

Feb 15

GRAFFITI

10:00 am – Officer dispatched to S. 16th St. and W. Booker Ave. in reference to graffiti.

SUSPICIOUS

3:33 pm – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of S. Roselawn Ave. in reference to suspicious activity.

6:11 am – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of S. Roselawn Ave. in reference to suspicious activity.

DOMESTIC

6:53 pm – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to domestic.

UNWANTED

8:18 pm – Officer dispatched to 2200 block of W. Ray Ave. in reference to an unwanted subject.

VANDAL

10:00 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to vandal.

Feb. 16

Arrest

Eric Daniel Baynot arrested for failure to appear.

Nancy Ellen Baynot arrested for municipal failure to pay.

Danny Perez Galindo arrested for failure to appear.

Joseph Dill arrested for DWI, driving on streets laned for traffic.

ABUSE

9:35 am – Officer dispatched to 800 block of S. Roselawn Ave. in reference to abuse.

WELFARE

11:06 am – Officer dispatched to N. 6th St. and W. Chisum Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

WANTED

12:18 pm – Officer dispatched to 100 block of N. 15th St. in reference to a wanted subject.

DISTURBANCE

2:13 pm – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of S. 6th St. in reference to family disturbance.

5:18 pm – Officer dispatched to 1800 block of W. Hermosa Dr. in reference to disorderly disturbance.

GRAFFITI

6:23 pm – Officer dispatched to 1400 block of W. Ray Ave. in reference to graffiti.

INCORRIGIBLE

8:17 pm – Officer dispatched to 1600 block of W. Hermosa Dr. in reference to an incorrigible child.

WELFARE

11:47 pm – Officer dispatched to 1100 block of W. Hermosa Dr. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

Feb 17

Arrest

Curtis Wayne Hess arrested for battery.

GRAFFITI

8:00 am – Officer dispatched to S. 15th St. and W. Ray Ave. in reference to graffiti.

LARCENY

8:02 am – Officer dispatched to 1300 block of N. 1st St. in reference to larceny.

FRAUD

11:06 am – Officer dispatched to 1600 block of W. Dallas Ave. in reference to fraud.

UNWANTED

11:49 am – Officer dispatched to 300 block of N 4th St. in reference to an unwanted subject.

SUSPICIOUS

1:19 pm – Officer dispatched to 1600 block of W. Sears Ave. in reference to suspicious activity.

WELFARE

3:49 pm – Officer dispatched to 1200 block of W. Yucca Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

DOMESTIC

7:10 pm – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of W. Quay Ave. in reference to physical domestic.

8:02 pm – Officer dispatched to 1700 block of W. Clayton Ave. in reference to verbal domestic.

WELFARE

10:37 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

DISTURBANCE

10:45 pm – Officer dispatched to 800 block of S. 4th St. in reference to disturbance.

Feb 18

Arrest

Cruz A Munoz arrested for failure to appear.

Paul Lalo Sanchez arrested for driving while under the influence of intoxication liquor.

Ciara Nicole Cheatham arrested for failure to appear.

SUSPICIOUS

2:12 am -Officer dispatched to 1100 block of W. Runyan Ave. in reference to suspicious person.

WELFARE

3:27 am – Officer dispatched to N. 1st St. and W. Yucca Ave. in reference to the welfare of a child.

3:54 am – Officer dispatched to N. 7th St. and W. Mahone Dr. in reference to the welfare of a child.

SHOTS FIRED

4:22 am – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to shots fired in the area.

4:45 am – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to shots fired in the area.

ALARM

8:36 am- Officer dispatched to 2100 block of W. Washington Ave. in reference to a burglary alarm.

RECKLESS

8:44 am- Officer dispatched to N. 1st St. and W. Cleveland Ave. in reference to a reckless vehicle.

HARASSMENT

9:24 am – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of w. Richey Ave. in reference to harassment.

10:39 am – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to harassment.

3:11 pm – Officer dispatched to 300 block of W. Mahone Dr. in reference to harassment.

DISTURBANCE

5:28 pm – Officer dispatched to 500 block of S. 20th St. in reference to disturbance.

WELFARE

7:02 pm – Officer dispatched to 1300 block of W. Centre Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

STOLEN

7:04 pm – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of W. Quay Ave.  in reference to a stolen vehicle.

DOMESTIC

8:39 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of W. James Ave. in reference to domestic.

SHOTS FIRED

10:46 pm -Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to shots fired in the area.

Feb. 19

Arrest

Joseph Olivas arrested for DWI, traffic lanes, operator and chauffeurs must be licensed.

WANTED

8:43 am – Officer dispatched to S. 13th St. and W. Washington Ave. in reference to a wanted subject.

9:21 am – Officer dispatched to 3300 block of W. Main St. in reference to a wanted subject.

HARASSMENT

10:49 am – Officer dispatched to W. Richardson Ave. in reference to harassment.

SUSPICIOUS

11:34 am – Officer dispatched to 1100 block of W. Mahone Dr. in reference to suspicious activity.

DISTURBANCE

12:10 pm – Officer dispatched to 1400 Gilchrist Ave. in reference to disorderly disturbance.

SUSPICIOUS

12:19 pm – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to suspicious vehicle.

ACCIDENT

2:42 pm – Officer dispatched to W. Main St. and N. 13th St. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

DOMESTIC

6:06 pm – Officer dispatched to 900 block of W. Alvarado Ave. in reference to physical domestic.

ACCIDENT

6:25 pm – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of W Hermosa Dr. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

HARASSMENT

6:38 pm – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of S. 20th St. in reference to harassment.

WELFARE

7:03 pm – Officer dispatched to 1400 block of W. Ray Ave. in reference to the welfare of a child.

DOMESTIC

8:33 pm – Officer dispatched to 3800 block of W. Missouri Ave. in reference to verbal domestic.

SHOTS FIRED

8:57 pm – Officer dispatched to 500 block of S. 20th St. in reference to shots fired.

WELFARE

9:13 pm – Officer dispatched to 2300 block of W. Bullock Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

10:01 pm – Officer dispatched to 2200 block of W. Ray Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

Adrian Hedden
Artesia Daily Press
achedden@currentargus.com

State officials are demanding changes in the federal government’s procedures for disposing of nuclear waste at a repository near Carlsbad.

The New Mexico Environment Department said on Feb. 11 the U.S. Department of Energy’s waste cleanup efforts have been marred by delays and misplaced priorities, and called on the agency to create a specific plan to dispose of nuclear waste from Los Alamos National Laboratory at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in the state’s southeast corner.

The lab, where the United States’ first nuclear weapons were developed in a rural area about 40 miles northwest of Santa Fe and near the small town of Los Alamos, continues to be used for federal nuclear weapons research and production.

As at other nuclear facilities, operations at Los Alamos produce transuranic (TRU) waste, which consists of irradiated clothing, debris and equipment, and the Los Alamos waste is disposed of via burial at WIPP.

The waste is buried at WIPP in a salt deposit about 2,000 feet underground. The salt gradually collapses on the waste, burying the refuse and blocking radiation from escaping.

But the environment department recently voiced dissatisfaction with the amount of waste being disposed of at WIPP from outside New Mexico, arguing that more waste – about five times more than what was sent from Los Alamos – came from Idaho National Laboratory between 2021 and 2025.

That’s because the Department of Energy signed an agreement with the state of Idaho in 1995 to prioritize that facility’s waste for disposal at WIPP five years before the repository opened.

The agreement set specific benchmarks and schedules to remove TRU waste from the lab, and required that about 55% of shipments to WIPP be Idaho waste.

To solve the dilemma, the New Mexico Environment Department said it was proposing a modification to the Energy Department’s state permit, which would require “explicit standards and metrics” for disposal of Los Alamos waste at WIPP.

“Those agreements are great for those facilities. We’re trying to promote the same for our state,” said John Nance, chief of the state’s Hazardous Waste Bureau.

Los Alamos a priority

The change is necessary because the Department of Energy and its hired contractor that runs the WIPP site, Salado Isolation Mining Contracts, have “failed” to prioritize Los Alamos waste, read a letter signed by Nance.

The letter sent to Salado President Ken Harrawood and to Mark Bollinger, manager of the Department of Energy’s Carlsbad Field Office, charged that waste sent to WIPP from Los Alamos decreased to 191 cubic meters in 2024 and 225 cubic meters in 2023, compared with 473 cubic meters disposed of in 2022.

This decline came despite a clause added to WIPP’s state permit when the permit was renewed by the Environment Department for another 10 years in 2023 requiring that Los Alamos waste be given higher priority and that space at WIPP be set aside for it.

Specifically, the renewed permit called for the 12th disposal panel to be used for Los Alamos Waste but that won’t be available until 2035 – two years after the state permit expires – according to the Department of Energy’s Legacy Waste Plan submitted in November 2025.

Panels are mined out areas in the WIPP underground where drums of waste are placed for disposal. The permit gives approval to mine out the site’s 11th and 12th panels; the previous permit approved only eight.

A selling point for state approval of the 12th panel was its availability for Los Alamos waste during the 10-year permit period: 2023 to 2033, the letter read.

“There’s a difference between ‘we’ve prioritized and have space reserved’ and actually emplacing it,” Nance said. “We’re not seeing the emphasis on actually characterizing and emplacing that waste.”

Department of Energy spokesperson Valerie Gohlke said in an emailed statement that the agency was dedicated to cleaning up waste from Los Alamos when it is properly processed for shipment to WIPP.

Gohlke said Feb. 17 that the Department was reviewing the permit modification proposal and would respond in the future.

“The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management is advancing legacy environmental cleanup at (Los Alamos) and remains committed to public safety, efficiency, and transparency. We received Administrative Compliance Orders from the New Mexico Environment Department on February 11, 2026, and are in the process of reviewing them,” Gohlke wrote

Typically, permit modification requests are filed by the Department of Energy and its contractor at WIPP. The recent proposal marks a rare occasion when the state proposed its own alteration.

In its letter, the state said it aimed to require the federal government to establish a timeline and specific waste volume benchmarks for disposal of Los Alamos waste at WIPP.

Defining ‘legacy waste’

The federal government would also be called on to establish a definition of “legacy waste” a term typically used to refer to nuclear waste produced in the past, as in previous nuclear development at Los Alamos.

Nance argued the federal government’s current definition was a moving target, shifting to accommodate new projects and the ability to dispose of resulting waste.

He said the state considers legacy waste to be any waste generated before October 1999, when WIPP first opened.

“What we’ve seen is that based on certain situations, that definition can be skewed to allow for certain projects to move forward,” Nance said.

And when defined, legacy waste would also be prioritized over all newly generated waste around the country, while WIPP must establish conditions for disposal of Los Alamos waste that are “trackable and enforceable,” read the letter.

The Environment Department also issued three violations of state environmental rules to Los Alamos National Laboratory, citing the lab’s alleged failure to clean up waste and contamination the state worried could impact the local community.

Those included two fines of about $9.8 million and $6 million for alleged violations of groundwater chromium levels around the lab and violating a 2024 consent order to clean up the contamination, respectively.

Los Alamos was also required by the Environment Department to submit to the state supporting documents for a previous decision to defer cleanup of an 11-acre landfill containing nuclear waste near the lab.

“We have the only repository in our state, with that our legacy waste in our state should have a priority to it,” Nance said. “We as an agency are not happy with the lack of progress we’ve seen over the years.”

Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.