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Bowlers have record day at Artesia Invitational

Michael Smith
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Bowlers have record day at Artesia Invitational

Ken Clayton
Special to the Artesia Daily Press

A packed house was aware that the Artesia High School bowling team had a chance to break two of the school’s longest-standing records during the Artesia Invitational at Artesia Lanes on Jan 16.

Artesia’s top Advanced team of Jace Miles (203-212), Ayden Dean (184-183), Brenden Depew (188-203), Ayden Gomez (246-235) and Payton DeMerritt (222-236) had posted team games of 1,043 and 1,069 for a 2,112 qualifying total.

“The school record for Baker game total of 1,502 pins over seven games had stood for eight years and has been this team’s goal. I told them they would never have a better chance than right now,” said Artesia coach Ken Clayton.

Game one was a solid 218, and then came a tough-to-bowl 248. Everyone thought that the fourth game’s 256 points (10 strikes) would set a Baker game record and total score record, which was 3,608 and had been achieved three times over the years. A little too much adrenaline and a couple of splits brought the next couple of games to 170 and 193. With one game to go, the Bulldogs still had both records in sight.

“We tell them that the only frame you control in Baker games is your own. Good or bad, Baker games are truly about a next-man-up mentality.” Clayton said. “With a split in the first and a spare in the second, we all said it was time to go.”

Depew set the tone with a strike in the third frame, and the next three minutes saw strikes by Gomez, DeMerritt, Miles, Dean and Depew again, putting the finishing touches on a 236 game and a seven-game Baker total of 1,545, eclipsing not only the Baker record but the tournament total record with an Artesia Invite total of 3,657.

Artesia Advance No. 2 was rolling strong games of its own on the way to again finishing ahead of every team in the state all season except their Artesia No. 1 teammates. Damian Lopez (233-202), Chase Collins (230-190), Jurijah Gonzales (212-181), Ashlyn McIntire (204-172) and Brent McIntire (199-169) led Artesia No. 2, which also had Baker games of 215, 215 and 202.

The Intermediate Division saw Artesia No. 3 break the school record total tournament score with an advanced division looking 3080 to take the division title. Senior Talyn Pacheco led the team. Diego Molina (188-174), Garyn Usherwood (194), Adam Longoria (171) and Destiny Powell (171) joined a high 256-game and a 439 series.

Second place in the Intermediate Division went to Artesia No. 4, led by Zeke Sanchez with two strong games of 218 and 203, Jack Erbacher (191), Ale Bahena (171), Katherine Lewis (170) and Edwin Villarreal (160).

Artesia No. 5 continued the Bulldogs’ strong Novice Division season by capturing the first-place trophy by a strong 150-pin margin. Justin Rodriguez (160-157) led Artesia No. 5 along with Mia Duran (168), Exaviar Corza (162), Colton Sandmann (157) and Ethan Longoria (151).

Other leading scorers for the Bulldogs were Drake Thurman (197-186), Payton Troost (158), Sophie Kitchen (147), Daniel Alcocer (136), Dexter Crosby (140), JC Apodaca (130) and Kylie Mendoza (118).

“Coach (Laura) Weddige and I want to thank everyone who came out to support our bowlers,” Clayton said. “Having a home crowd, the excitement in the building made each of our bowlers feel like the work they put in is paying off, and their results sure showed.”

This weekend the seniors bowl in the Senior Scholarship Tournament at the Holiday Bowl in Albuquerque, where they will compete for scholarship funds.

Homer and Jethro

Adrian Hedden
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Homer and Jethro

David Grousnick

Some of you may remember Homer and Jethro. They were a comedy team who specialized in country music parodies and satire. They were sometimes referred to as “the thinking man’s hillbillies.”

One of their routines went like this:

HOMER: Jethro, if you was to win the Irish sweepstakes for two million dollars, would you give me half?

JETHRO: Why, Homer, you’re my best and closest friend. You know I would.

HOMER: I do know you would. That’s what friendship is all about.

HOMER: Jethro, if you had two big luxurious houses like those ones in the Beverly Hills and I was livin’ yonder under the bridge without no home, would you give me one of your big luxurious houses?

JETHRO: Homer, you’re my best and closest friend. You know I would.

HOMER: Yessir, we’re best friends. Didn’t I know you’d say that.

HOMER: Jethro, if you had two prize winnin’ Holstein cows and I had nary one, would you give me one of your cows?

JETHRO: Homer, you wouldn’t even have to ask. You’re my closest friend and you know I would.

HOMER: Jethro, if you had two really great huntin’ dogs…

JETHRO: Hold on a minute, Homer. You know I got two huntin’ dogs.

Homer and Jethro knew that charity is easy to idealize but hard to practice.

Thinking of something that is easy to idealize but hard to practice, I invite you to think about fishing, or in church think – witnessing.

Most of our witnessing is likely to happen in passing moments of conversation–those occasions when we show, in relatively minor ways, who we are and to whom we belong.

I think of a suburban woman who was playing pickle ball with her good but quite secular friends. In a conversation break between sets she began referring to something she had read that morning.

It would have been easy to say, “I read something this morning.” Instead, with no attempt at appearing to be pious, she simply introduced one word: “In my devotional reading this morning.”

It was not a major soul-winning engagement. It was, however, a true sowing of seed. By a word, she had opened the door for some further conversation.

Perhaps our greatest hesitancy in becoming Christ’s fisher people is that we are not sensitive enough to grasp the opportunities that come to us; or we are so possessed of the idea that we must say something dramatic and far-reaching that we fail to say the small, immediate and potentially significant thing.

To put it in the language of Matthew 4:18-23, most of us really don’t act as if we even have a call to “fish.” We’re out in the waters of human need every day, but we don’t seem to know it.

The issue is not that we should become more aggressive about sharing our faith. It is that we should be more sensitive to the needs of the world around us, and more sensitive to the subtle prodding of the Holy Spirit. The two sensitivities are wonderfully intertwined.

To be sensitive to the Holy Spirit must mean that we will be more sensitive to people and their pain. To be more sensitive to people ought to make us more open to God and his purposes.

G. Ray Jordon, who was a Methodist preacher from North Carolina and teacher of preachers at Emory University, wrote years ago, “The hope of civilization is that we shall be able to produce enough Christlike men (and women) to save it.” That is the world’s only hope. It was when Jesus first walked along the Sea of Galilee. It still is today.

Do you fish?

Winter weather hits Artesia

Michael Smith
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Winter weather hits Artesia

Photos by Mike Smith, Artesia Daily Press

A mixed bag of weather was reported around Artesia Saturday. A winter storm warning and an extreme cold warning were posted for the entire region. Brown Drug at the corner of the Fourth Street and Washington Avenue was open Saturday as traffic was light in the neighborhood.

Destin Pacheco stands behind the cash register ready to serve customers at Brown Drug in Artesia on Saturday.

Roselawn Avenue was quiet in Artesia on Saturday morning as a winter storm gripped Eddy County.


Brown Drug in Artesia was open on Saturday despite wintry weather.
Traffic was limited on U.S. 285 in Artesia on Saturday.

Immigrant detention bill advances in New Mexico

Adrian Hedden
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Immigrant detention bill advances in New Mexico

Alex Ross
El Rito Media
aross@elritomedia.com

A bill to prevent state and local government entities in New Mexico from aiding federal immigrant detention moved closer to becoming law on Thursday, Jan. 22.

Following two hours of intense debate and discussion, the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee voted 4 to 2 to pass House Bill 9, also known as the Immigrant Safety Act.

All Democrats on the committee supported advancing the bill, while its two Republican members opposed it. The bill next heads to the House Judiciary Committee for consideration.

To become law in New Mexico, state bills must be approved by at least two committees from the chamber the bill originates in, then gain approval from the full chamber. The bill then heads to the other chamber – House or Senate – for approval before it can be signed into law by the governor.

If that happens for H.B. 9, the bill would ban counties and other public bodies from entering into agreements with private contractors to house people for civil immigration law violations, such as unlawfully entering the U.S or overstaying visas.

The contracts allow counties to provide housing for federal immigration detainees, managing contracts to do so, and receiving payments from the federal government. That money is then used to pay private contractors to operate the facilities.

There are three facilities in New Mexico that operate under such agreements.

The Torrance County Detention Center in Estancia and Cibola County Detention Center in Milan are owned and operated by the Tennessee-based company CoreCivic.

The Otero County Processing Center is owned by the county but operated by Management and Training, a contractor based in Utah.

If passed, H.B. 9 would require all three contracts be terminated.

A similar bill was introduced in the 2025 regular session and, despite passing the New Mexico House of Representatives, was not taken up by the Senate.

Sponsor State Rep. Eleanor Chavez, D-Albuquerque said the proposal was in response to recent efforts by the federal government to ramp up deportations of undocumented migrants, and by concerns of conditions at federal detention facilities.

New Mexico Rep. Eleanor Chavez

Chavez pointed to the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother by an agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis during a protest and accused the agency of “excessive force.”

Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent while driving a car on Wednesday, Jan. 7 after federal authorities said she attempted to use her vehicle as a weapon during a protest of the agency’s presence in the city. The incident touched off waves of criticism of the federal government’s tactics in enforcing immigration laws.

“We have the power to stand up against this campaign of terror and intimidation. We have the power to push back against this administration’s deportation agenda,” Chavez said.

Hostile legislation?

State Reps. Stefani Lord, R-Sandia Park, whose district is home to the Torrance County Detention Center and John Block, R-Alamogordo, whose district includes the Otero County Processing Center, said prohibiting the contracts could have dire economic consequences.

Both voted against H.B. 9 during the committee meeting.

Lord said the Torrance County Detention Center is one of the few economic opportunities in Estancia. She said prohibiting counties from participating in those agreements could lead Corecivic to shut down the facility, resulting in the loss to Torrance County of about $30 million, or 40% of its current budgeted revenue.

New Mexico Rep. Stephanie Lord

“You don’t have anything to put in my community to help with that situation,” she said.

Otero County Attorney R.B. Nichols testified against the bill via Zoom, noting that if the bill becomes law, the state should provide the county with funding to offset some of the economic fallout for his county.

At a Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee meeting in September 2025, Nichols said closure of the Otero County facility would lead to the loss of 284 jobs and possibly lead the county to default on $22 million in outstanding revenue bonds on the facility.

On Tuesday, Sen. Jim Townsend, R-Artesia, sent a letter for the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, requesting the agency’s “immediate attention and intervention” as H.B. 9 was being considered.

Townsend said he feared the bill he called “hostile legislation” could run afoul of federal law and impede economic growth in communities that host detention facilities.

“…I respectfully urge the Department of Justice to engage during legislative consideration of H.B. 9 – whether through a formal statement of interest, technical assistance, or other appropriate means – to ensure that New Mexico does not enact legislation that conficts with federal law and undermines federal supremacy,” read the letter.

Legislative reporter Alex Ross can be followed on X @alexrosstweets.com.

Trout conditions remain good across New Mexico

Adrian Hedden
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Trout conditions remain good across New Mexico

Information and photos provided by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish

Trout anglers in New Mexico can head north, south, east or west this week with favorable conditions reported in waters across the state.

At Perch Lake near Santa Rosa, trout fishing was incredibly good using multiple types of PowerBait and Powerballs.

In Lincoln County, trout fishing was good at Bonito Lake using Garlic PowerBait and ¼-ounce orange squarebill crankbaits.

Trout fishing was slow to fair at Berrendo Creek near Roswell when using worms.

In northern New Mexico along the San Juan River, streamflow near Archuleta on Wednesday morning was 293 cubic feet per second (cfs). Fishing for rainbow trout was slow to fair using San Juan worms in the quality waters.

Fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good using clown-colored jerkbaits at Ute Lake.

Along the Rio Chama, fishing was fair to good when using leeches and other flies below Abiquiu Lake.

Streamflow along the Rio Grande below the Taos Junction Bridge on Wednesday morning was 376 cfs. Fishing for brown trout was exceptionally good when using red worms.

This fishing report, provided by the Department of Game and Fish, 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.

Democrats blame everyone but themselves as doctors leave the state

Michael Smith
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Democrats blame everyone but themselves as doctors leave the state

By Sherry Robinson
All She Wrote

Something I’m hearing lately is, “That’s medicine in New Mexico,” spoken by weary doctors trying to explain a two-month waiting list for a physical therapist or a delayed procedure.

Every doctor I’ve seen this year is tired. Their staffs are tired. The surly nurse practitioner who treats me at one office has become too tired to be surly. This is because doctors leaving the state or retiring early throw more work on those who remain, and that safety net was already thin.

Tired, stretched healthcare workers make more mistakes and become ever more vulnerable to New Mexico’s predatory medical malpractice lawyers.

Heading into the legislative session that begins Jan. 20, we know a lot about our doctor shortage, but if you’re expecting the Legislature to do something, don’t expect much. Lawmakers owned by the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association are twisting themselves into knots making nonsensical arguments about why you don’t have medical care.

Here’s what we know going into the session:

• There is a national doctor shortage, but it’s far worse in New Mexico. Between 2019 and 2024 we lost 248 doctors, or 8.1% of working physicians. In the same period the number of doctors nationally increased.

• New Mexico has the oldest cadre of working doctors in the country, with 37% likely to retire by 2030. That includes my own beloved primary doctor.

• In rural areas, some clinics are one retirement away from closing. Many communities have lost so many services that patients, including pregnant women, must drive long distances to get basic care.

In 2021, when hospitals were slammed by the pandemic, Rep. Daymon Ely, a former president of the Trial Lawyers Association, rewrote the Medical Malpractice Act without any input from doctors. Legislators raised the caps on malpractice liability for individual providers from $600,000 to $750,000. They jacked up caps for hospitals from $600,000 to $6 million over five years, one of the highest caps in the country. They allowed the plaintiff to go after multiple defendants for the same large amounts. And they didn’t cap attorney fees or punitive damages.

The new law hit New Mexico in a double tsunami of lawsuits and malpractice premiums. But it’s been a bonanza for trial lawyers.

With spiking lawsuits came eye-popping payouts. Nearly all these lawsuits include punitive damages, which aren’t covered by malpractice insurance.

Dr. Mark Epstein, a former emergency doctor, wrote recently: “(O)ne of the most urgent concerns among physicians today (is) the ever-present threat of uncapped punitive damages.” Because one lawsuit can threaten a physician’s home, savings and future, “many physicians settle claims even when their care may have been appropriate. They settle quickly because the risk of losing everything is simply too great.”

New Mexico’s malpractice premiums are now double that of other states.

Dr. Todd Goldblum, a pediatric ophthalmologist, wrote recently: “The income I generate from surgery barely covers the insurance cost… In effect, I’m working to pay for protection from lawsuits rather than caring for patients.”

He has chosen to retire early.

Also retiring early is Dr. Debbie Vigil, an OB-GYN. Her first medical malpractice bill after the 2021 legislative session was double that of the previous year, even though she’d never had a malpractice judgement. After losing money in 2022 and 2023, she hoped for legislative relief, but lawmakers did nothing. She closed her practice in July 2023.

New Mexico has become the place nobody wants to practice. Physician recruiting and retention are increasingly difficult, even for large organizations.

The Democrats who created this sinkhole attack the messenger, the nonprofit Think New Mexico, but never explain why everything changed after 2021.

To Rep. Liz Thomson, chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, it’s all a “phantom” problem and “political theater.” Rep. Thomson, why not call it a hoax? That’s working pretty well in Washington.

A doctor told me that she took a day from her inhumanly busy practice to testify before Thomson’s committee, only to have Thomson call the doctors before her liars. Thomson has claimed that reformers “point fingers at patient advocates’ and “propose solutions that harm a patient’s access to justice.” They have not.

Sen. Katy Duhigg, who, with Sen. Judiciary Committee Chairman Joseph Cervantes, torched the lone bill that could quickly increase providers in the last session, claims she’s helped craft a new, improved bill. Duhigg, a trial lawyer, papers over our doctor shortage by saying all states have a doctor shortage. Cervantes, like Thomson and Duhigg, carps about “the ‘trial lawyer’ narrative that is being used these days to raise money.”

Is anyone getting tired of politicians telling us our experience isn’t real? That doctors are making it all up?

Democrats and their trial-lawyer handlers created this mess. Only they can fix it.

Sherry Robinson is a longtime New Mexico reporter and editor. She has worked in Grants, Gallup, the Albuquerque Journal, New Mexico Business Weekly and Albuquerque Tribune. She is the author of four books. Her columns won first place in 2024 from New Mexico Press Women.

Oil and gas revenue behind New Mexico’s progress

Michael Smith
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Oil and gas revenue behind New Mexico’s progress

Missi Currier

Our state is a special place to live and work. In recent years, we’ve seen opportunities that create multi-generational benefits. The Opportunity Scholarship that has increased New Mexicans’ access to higher education and trade schools. The potential of childcare for all. Even dollars that ensured those on SNAP would not go hungry when the benefits paused. Strengthening the middle class and lifting those out of poverty through affordable, sustainable energy options. Lending a helping hand is something New Mexicans are proud of, and this state can provide that leg up solely because of the oil and gas industry.

What would New Mexico look like without oil and gas revenue? No $1.8 billion for public schools. No $745 million for Medicaid. No $550 million for school construction. No $9.6 billion Early Childhood Trust Fund securing our youngest learners’ future. No emergency funds. These numbers aren’t a scare tactic—they’re the reality if we lose the backbone of our economy.

In Fiscal Year 2025, the oil and gas industry generated $13 billion for state and local governments, nearly half of the state’s General Fund. These dollars aren’t abstract—they translate directly into classrooms, hospitals, and family kitchens. Forty-one percent of all operating revenue in New Mexico came from oil and gas. Without it, the lights go out on essential services.

Oil and gas funded $2.4 billion in education spending, including $1.8 billion for K-12 schools and $640 million for higher education. That’s teachers in classrooms, Opportunity Scholarships for college students, and resources for rural schools. In Bernalillo County alone, oil and gas supported $758 million for education. Lea County? $89 million. Without this revenue, you would see massive cuts to our already burdened education system.

Oil and gas revenue covered $745 million of Medicaid, unlocking $2 billion in federal matching funds. That means healthcare for thousands of low-income families. Without oil and gas, those dollars—and that care—disappear.

Oil and gas funded $1.9 billion in capital outlay projects, including $550 million for school construction and renovation. Roads, hospitals, and public safety facilities across the entire state exist because of this revenue.

The Early Childhood Trust Fund—now at $9.6 billion, 90% funded by oil and gas—is a game-changer for generations to come. Without oil and gas, the fund doesn’t exist.

When federal SNAP aid paused this fall, New Mexico stepped in to provide $192 million in state dollars, generated by oil and gas production, to keep families from going hungry. Without oil and gas, thousands of New Mexicans would have faced empty plates.

If lawmakers want to reduce reliance on oil and gas, the answer isn’t cutting the very revenue that funds our schools, healthcare, and food security. The answer is expanding the pie—building a stronger, more diverse economy through real economic development. That means both supporting our current business base and investing in industries that create more high-paying jobs, support added innovation, and attracting businesses that can complement—not replace—the vital role oil and gas plays today.

We are fortunate to live in a state with vast natural resources – wind, solar, precious metals, and oil and gas. Most importantly – our people. Oil and gas is the foundation of our state budget. There is not another industry that can match the revenues that our state has come to enjoy. Without the industry we lose the very resources that are moving us forward. The loss of oil and gas is a loss to every single New Mexican.

Missi Currier President and CEO New Mexico Oil & Gas Association

Around Town

Adrian Hedden
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Around Town

 

Children’s Story Time

January 27 at 10:00am at Artesia Public Library

For preschoolers ages 3-5 and their families. Includes crafts, reading aloud, alphabet awareness and early literary, fun science facts, music, and more, all organized around a different theme each week.

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Mother Goose

January 28 at 10:00am at Artesia Public Library

For caregivers and infants through age 2. This is a fast-paced program designed to promote learning and playful interaction between you and your baby. This is achieved through rhymes, songs, short books, puppets, baby games, and more. Age 0-2

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Toddler Time

January 22 & 29 at 10:30am at Artesia Public Library.

For toddlers ages 1-3 and their families. Music, creative movement, group activities, play with age-appropriate toys, and social time.

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STEM/STEAM

After School January 22 & 29 at 4:00pm at Artesia Public Library.

For students in grades K-6th and their families. Each week we offer a different fun activity to put STEAM techniques and ideas to work, from LEGO building to paper circuits, slime lab, and more.

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Teen Tuesdays

January 27 at 3:30pm at Artesia Public Library.

Looking for a place to read, study, or just do homework and hang out? Join us Tuesdays from 3:30-5:00pm. Ages 12-17

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Artesia Stitchers Sit & Stitch

January  26 at 1:00pm at Artesia Public Library.

Artesia Stitchers is a group of people excited about creating through stitchwork such as needlepoint, cross-stitch, embroidery and more. Bring your project and come join this group weekly at the library. Ages 18+

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Yarn United

January  28 at Noon at Artesia Public Library.

Whether you are crocheting, knitting, or just untangling the yarn, come and create and learn with other individuals. No matter your skill level, we encourage everyone to join us in creating with other yarnsters. (all forms of sewing

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Lunch Bunch Book Club

January 26 at noon at Artesia Public Library.

The Lunch Bunch has a diverse selection of reads for the year. The selections for this group draw from multiple

genres and reading formats. This month’s Lunch Bunch selection is The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. Books are available at the library and on Libby. Age 18+

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Literary Lounge

January 29 at noon at Artesia Public Library.

The Literary Lounge book discussion group reads books on all topics pertaining to books, literature, libraries, bookshops, librarians, authors, and more. This month’s selection is Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald. Books are available at the library and on Libby. Age 18+

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Local Author Catherine Palmer

January 27 at 5:30 at Artesia Public Library.

Come meet local author, Catherine Palmer, author of the Miss Pickworth series and many other romance novels. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Sponsored by the Friends of the Artesia Public Library.

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RPEC

(Republican Party, Eddy County) is holding the County Pre-Planning Convention on Saturday, January 10th at the Leo Sweet Community Center, 1302 Mission Ave in Carlsbad NM.  Registration begins at 9am.

All CCC members should attend.  

This is for choosing delegates to participate in the upcoming Pre-Primary Convention.

March 2026 and any other proper business.

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Flourish: A Women’s Community

Coming in January we will gather twice a month for friendship, networking, personal development, more joy, and just plain fun! We gather at 5:30 pm the second and fourth Tuesday’s of each month starting Jan. 13 at Kith and Kin, in the back room. More info visit Facebook @flourishartesia.

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President Trump’s Prayer Initiative:

President Trump has asked that the American People come together and pray for our Nation weekly until July 4th, 2026.

Artesia will be holding its prayer gathering every Thursday at Lucky Duck Restaurant, 2209 W. Main St, Artesia NM at 10-11am.

Come and go during the hour. Everyone is welcome Come join and pray for our Nation.

We’ll begin again on January 8th, 2026.   

Come & go during the hour.  Everyone is welcome. 

Shared prayers or silent prayers- whatever you feel comfortable with

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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.

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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.

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P.A.L.S.

People about losing safely meets at 9 a.m. Wednesdays at the Senior Center. For more information, call the Center at 575-746-4113.

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ALZHEIMER’S/DEMENTIA SUPPORT GROUP

Every other Tuesday  from 6:30pm-7:30pm at Artesia Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center -1402 Gilchrist Ave. RSVP to Helen at 575-746-6006.

Ruidoso Downs shut down

Michael Smith
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Ruidoso Downs shut down

Todd Fuqua and Adrian Hedden
Ruidoso News

No horse racing at Ruidoso Downs this year – or maybe any year

Horse racing at Ruidoso Downs may be gone forever.

A state-commissioned engineering report suggesting that even massive flood mitigation measures would not protect Ruidoso Downs Racetrack from catastrophic flooding has prompted track officials to move the 2026 racing season to Albuquerque and raised concerns that the 79-year-old facility will never again operate as a venue for horse racing.

Loss of the Ruidoso Downs racing meet for the third consecutive season due to damage resulting from the South Fork and Salt fires of 2024 and subsequent flooding means another year without the estimated $150 million to $180 million in economic benefits the racetrack generates for the village of Ruidoso and surrounding area through tax revenue, visitor spending and proceeds for surrounding businesses.

Officials concerned about losing that revenue this year and in the future discussed ways to replace it during an emergency meeting of the Ruidoso Lodgers Tax Committee. The two-hour meeting on Wednesday produced ideas ranging from soliciting more world-class sporting events such as the upcoming XTERRA triathlon to an annual film festival to staging concerts featuring the world’s top entertainers.

The racetrack’s decision came Monday, Jan. 19, via a news release in response to a report from an Arizona firm hired by the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Environmental Management to propose and evaluate flood control measures that could prevent damage to the racetrack in the future.

The report by Flagstaff-based JE Fuller Hydrology and Geomorphology concluded that improvements in drainage and water detention could mitigate damage to the track in some cases but “they are not sufficient to fully resolve flooding concerns during large storm events.”

“The volume of runoff generated during these intense storms exceeds the capacity of both the proposed conveyance improvements and upstream detention, meaning that overtopping and localized flooding still occur despite the enhancements,” the report said.

The report also noted that measures sufficient to prevent flooding at the racetrack would “lead to a very high construction cost” and to increased flooding for areas downstream.

“Based on the JE Fuller findings, and our follow-up discussions with governmental agencies, the engineers specializing in hydrology and flooding concluded that the Racetrack is not sustainable as a public venue,” read the Ruidoso Downs release. “We are deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of everyone who attends Ruidoso Downs Racetrack, and our equine athletes. Continuing operations at the current site of Ruidoso Downs Racetrack is not feasible.”

The release called the decision “the most challenging and emotional choice we have ever made as an organization.”

“The racing schedule will be run at the Downs at Albuquerque and the 2026 NM Bred Sale, and the Super Select sale will be held at the Ruidoso Downs Sales pavilion in their normal time frames,” the release said. We will continue to communicate openly as we assess our next steps.”

The flooding problems at the racetrack, which is located in the city of Ruidoso Downs, were brought on by heavy summer rains flowing along burn scars left by the South Fork and Salt fires, which torched about 20,000 acres in the Ruidoso area and caused at least three deaths in June 2024.

Burn scars are areas where wildfires remove vegetation that could prevent rainfall from flooding and reduce the ability of soil to absorb water as it can become “as water-repellant as pavement,” when burned, according to the National Weather Service.

Should the scars near the racetrack face “even moderate rainfall events” of about two inches or more per hour, any expanded drainage added in response to previous floods would be overwhelmed,” the racetrack’s release said, attributing the assessment to the JE Fuller report.

“A rainfall event of two inches per hour over the fire-scarred areas creates a high risk of dangerous flooding at Ruidoso Downs Race Track that could be life threatening.”

The Fuller report was published last August and it was unclear why the Ruidoso Downs’ decision to move the race meet and reassess the track’s future was delayed until now. Ruidoso village and track officials said the decision was made when they met with state regulators Jan. 15 in Santa Fe.

Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford said in a Monday statement that the racetrack was critical to the community’s economy, businesses and culture.

He said the Billy the Kid Casino that operates in conjunction with the track will remain open.

Facebook posts by the casino and Ruidoso Jockey Club asserted both would remain open with normal operating hours, including the Heritage Room restaurant from 5 to 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

It was unclear why village officials believed the casino and jockey club were safe to operate while the racetrack was not.

“This news is heartbreaking for our entire community. Ruidoso Downs Race Track is far more than a venue; it is woven into the very fabric of our region’s identity and economy,” read Crawford’s statement.

“For generations, the thundering hooves of champion quarter horses have drawn visitors from across the nation to our mountain community. The track generates vital revenue for local businesses, provides hundreds of jobs, and brings the world’s finest horsemen and women to our doorstep each summer.”

Bulldog wrestlers look to get well for district meets

Michael Smith
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Bulldog wrestlers look to get well for district meets

JT Keith
Artesia Daily Press
jtkeith@elritomedia.com

The Artesia Bulldog wrestling team is experiencing what most teams face when they lose star athletes who go on to wrestle at the next level. Fourth-year coach Andy Olive has taken a patient approach and wants to build the wrestling program the right way by creating a team culture of working hard and trusting that hard work will yield the right results.

Injuries have bitten the team, but Artesia will get some wrestlers back just in time for district and regional tournaments, hoping to qualify for the state meet. Until then, the team has wrestlers like Leila Irvin, who pinned her opponent in the second round on Saturday at the Dog Fight Invite at the Pit. Irvin is the younger sister of Isabel Irvin, who finished as runner-up at state last season. Leila Irvin, a freshman, is 17-3 this season and is dominating opponents each time she steps on the mat, Olive said.

Another girls wrestler showing promise has been senior Fatima Alonso, who pinned her opponent in the third round.

On the boys’ side, junior Colt Moziejko has been better each time out. Ayden Carnero has excelled in the 106-pound class, even though he weighs only 96. Olive said Carnero’s opponents usually outweigh him, but he has still competed and won matches.

“He wants to wrestle his best every time he hits the mat,” Olive said. “He continues to be an example to his teammates and is looking forward to district and regionals.”

Another improving wrestler is senior DJ Madrid, according to Olive. Olive said that at some point, the light had gone on for him, and he has wrestled better. Olive said he is looking forward to big things from senior Edel Villa, who has been out with an injury.

“I am excited about the rest of the season,” Olive said. “Once we get some of our wrestlers back, there is no telling how good our kids can be and how far they can go in district and throughout the state tournament.”

The team will be in action when they travel to Rio Grande at 4 p.m. Thursday.

JT Keith can be reached at 575-420-0061, or on X @JTKEITH1.

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