Staff Reports

Throughout the month of December, Otero County Prison donated hand-crafted blankets, quilts, beanies and scarves to several organizations across New Mexico, Texas and Mexico, helping bring warmth and comfort to those in need during the holiday season.

These handmade items were created by Otero County Prison residents through educational and vocational programming. The initiative not only supports vulnerable communities, but also allows residents to contribute their talents to meaningful causes.

The donated items were distributed to the following organizations and community initiatives:

• Consulado General de México en El Paso

The Consulate distributed the donated blankets during a food pantry giveaway in El Paso, Texas, supporting local families facing food insecurity and financial hardship during the holiday season.

• Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC) – Help New Mexico, Chaparral, NM

CPLC Help New Mexico provides a wide range of services to low-income individuals and families, including housing assistance, case management and community support programs. The donated blankets will help families stay warm during the winter months.

• La Casa Inc., Anthony, NM

La Casa Inc. serves victims of domestic violence by providing emergency shelter, advocacy and support services. The donated items will be used to provide comfort and warmth to individuals and families seeking safety and healing.

• Eastside Democrats – Senior Blanket Drive

Fifty blankets were donated to support the organization’s annual Senior Blanket Drive, which assists elderly community members who may be living on fixed incomes and facing increased heating costs during the winter.

• Otero Commissioner Gerald Matherly and Cheryl Matherly

Blankets were delivered to the Otero County Fair and Rodeo as part of Commissioner Matherly’s annual senior citizen drive, an initiative dedicated to supporting older adults throughout Otero County during the holiday season.

• Delice Bakehouse, El Paso, TX

Delice Bakehouse’s owner, along with her husband and daughters, regularly deliver hot meals, clothing, jackets and blankets to colonias in Juárez, Mexico. These colonias are highly underserved communities where many homes lack proper insulation and heating, making winter temperatures especially dangerous for residents.

“We are truly grateful to these organizations, who we know will put these handmade items to good use,” said Arlette Villa, Community Relations Manager at Otero County Prison Facility.

“Our residents are thankful that their artwork and efforts are being used for such meaningful purposes. We also extend a sincere thank you to the Education Department for overseeing and supporting these men and women throughout the process.”

Tim Keithley
For the Artesia Daily Press

To welcome in 2026, your local columnist/horse race handicapper/radio announcer will lick a finger, point it into the wind and once again offer loyal readers and listeners my annual predictions.

Looking back on 2025, I see that somehow a few of my forecasts were correct including: local hotel rooms being crowded with construction workers; the governor’s EV mandate winding up in federal court; the New Mexico Lobos losing their basketball coach; much lower summer gas prices. I also predicted the winners of the 2025 Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Here are my predictions for 2026:

1. The growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will dominate our lives in the coming year. All local businesses will use some form of AI and most of us will use it without even noticing. This change won’t come without making life easier for criminals and more difficult for authorities trying to determine the difference between what is authentic and what is fake. It is the scariest thing about our future and we have no way of knowing whether it will be used for good or bad.

2. Buy gold. Big time. Nearly all the major financial analysts including Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are on record forecasting the price of gold could reach $5,000 per ounce in 2026. This week gold was selling to investors at about $4,350, a 65% increase in just one year.

3. Skier Lindsey Vonn becomes America’s sweetheart as a medalist at 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Games. Now 41 and having recovered from nine knee surgeries, Lindsey will medal in the upcoming February Olympics in Italy while competing in her fifth Winter Games for the United States. With a titanium knee and a recent World Cup victory, her success will become legendary in the world of skiing and beyond.

4. Patriotism returns with America’s 250th birthday. It will be cool again to show off being an American. This means plenty of red, white and blue will appear on flags, baseball caps, T-shirts, store windows and generally all around town as we celebrate the July 4, 1776, founding of the United States. America’s big birthday lands on a Saturday in 2026, setting the stage for a long and festive milestone weekend. Get a reservation wherever you’re headed – if it’s not too late already.

5. Deb Haaland wins New Mexico governor’s race. How I wish I could be wrong about this one, but there seems to be a lack of any conservative candidate with statewide name recognition to make a run at the governor’s office. Many political pundits I’ve spoken to agree that if you thought the current governor had liberal-leaning policies, “New Mexico ain’t seen nuthin’ yet.”

6. Steak prices remain out of reach for basic dinner. I got my wife something very expensive for Christmas this year – a pair of rich, flavorful, juicy ribeyes. I told her she could either use them as earrings or we could grill them with baked potatoes and asparagus. Her choice.

7. San Francisco 49ers win Super Bowl LX. The 49ers will use the running game of Christian McCaffrey to win the biggest game of the season on their home field at Levi’s Stadium. McCaffrey will be named most valuable player. And the halftime counter-show being produced by Turning Point USA will attract almost the same number of viewers as the Super Bowl production featuring Bad Bunny – which will cause NFL executives to reconsider “cutting-edge” performances in the future. Here come the Eagles (that’s the band, not the football team) in 2027.

8. The fiddle and steel guitar make a comeback to the “Nashville Sound” in country music. Top Nashville country music artists will go authentic and sound less-produced and more traditional this year with fiddles and steel guitars making a comeback. Ella Langley and Zack Top will be named top vocalists by the County Music Association in 2026.

9. “Tonight Show” is canceled. The era when America could laugh together ended years ago with the retirement of Johnny Carson in 1992. The talk show Carson hosted for 30 years may have held on for another three decades or so, but “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” will fall by the wayside due to cost concerns and one-sided political jokes. It was a good run but the end is overdue as late-night television ratings sink to all-time lows without a good reason for viewers to watch.

10.Artesia Daily Press readership continues on the rise. Local newspapers including the Artesia Daily Press will see dramatic increases in readership and advertising in 2026. (This appears to be extremely self-serving as I write it but it’s true.) As long as local newspapers stay focused on local stories about individuals, provide plenty of sports and event photographs and print interesting recipes they can be profitable. Local news MUST be local – that’s the kind of news readers want to read.

Happy New Year! Raise a glass to 2026 with a bright outlook for peace, prosperity and happiness. The coming year doesn’t have to be that great to be better than 2025 – that’s for sure.

Staff reports

Wildfires, politics and tragic criminal trials topped the list of the Artesia Daily Press’ most popular stories in 2025.

Online page views were used by the newspaper to devise the stories you read the most in the last year.

Here’s what online readers clicked on the most in 2025.

Top 5 in 2025

Feds to New Mexico: Burn, baby, burn – 5,248 views

This column by frequent contributor Sherry Robinson discussed widespread drought in New Mexico, and subsequent wildfires Robinson argued were worsened by climate change and low staffing at federal agencies.

Robinson criticized the Department of Government Efficiency, previously led by billionaire Elon Musk, which implemented broad workforce reductions at agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, which is tasked with overseeing fire prevention at nearby Lincoln National Forest.

Trial delayed for Alexee Trevizo accused of killing newborn at hospital – 4,590 views

Artesia High School student Alexee Trevizo was accused in January 2023 of smothering her newborn baby in a trashcan at Artesia General Hospital and charged with first-degree murder.

Her trial faced numerous delays, most recently due to a debate on the admissibility of video footage taken from Trevizo’s room at the hospital where she allegedly confessed to a doctor while police were present.

The issue was sent to the New Mexico Supreme Court for consideration after now-retired District Judge Jane Shuler Gray ruled last year to exclude the evidence. Verbal arguments were made before the Supreme Court, which has yet to rule on the matter.

Paid family and medical leave bill passes heads to Senate – 4,043 views

House Bill 11 was proposed during the 2025 Legislative Session to offer paid leave for families needing time off work for medical issues. The bill would have required employees to pay two-tenths of 1% of their earnings into the program, while businesses would contribute 0.15% of each eligible worker’s wages.

HB 11 passed the New Mexico House on a thin 38-31 margin, but died before a vote in the Senate.

Fishing conditions remain stable in New Mexico – 3,327 views

This look at fishing in southeast New Mexico explained that conditions in July remained favorable at bodies of water throughout the region. The article described fishing at the Pecos River, Lake Van in Dexter and Alto Lake.

Northern New Mexico’s lakes and rivers also maintained ideal conditions throughout the month, at Ute Lake, Tingley Beach and Conchas Lake.

New Mexico doctors: ‘We are exhausted and demoralized.’ – 3,003 views

Robinson’s column on healthcare described how lawmakers failed to pass a bill that could have addressed medical malpractice in New Mexico. She argued that New Mexico’s current malpractice law, enacted in 2021, lead to an increase in malpractice lawsuits, causing doctors to leave the state.

Senate Bill 176, Robinson contends, would have capped attorney fees and sent 75% of punitive damages to a new state fund that would improve patient safety, instead of to the plaintiffs. Punitive damages would only be awarded in especially “egregious” cases, Robinson writes.

SB 176 died in the Senate before receiving a vote.

The next five

Below are the headlines for the rest of the top 10 stories in the Artesia Daily Press for 2025.

 White Sands tests nuclear launch – 2,907 views

The winds of change are coming to New Mexico – 2,786 views

Once candidate gets real about New Mexico’s doctor exodus – 2,227 views

Artesia man accused of sex with teenage girls – 2,197 views

Lucero guilty of 1s degree murder – 1,776 views

Photos by Mike Smith, Artesia Daily Press

Artesia residents wanting to buy fireworks to celebrate 2026 made a last-minute stop at Amy’s Fireworks on First Street on Wednesday.

Manon Arnett-Wilson of Amy’s said fireworks sales started Dec. 28 and would conclude New Year’s Eve at 8 p.m.

“There is a one-week window to shoot fireworks for New Year’s (in New Mexico),” she said.

Arnett-Wilson said Amy’s Artesia location had been around for 26 years and Wednesday was the busiest day for the sales period.

“(Business) always comes at the end,” she said.

Dec 10

THREATS

10:14 am – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of W. Richardson Ave. in reference to threats.

LOUD

12:41 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to loud music.

DOMESTIC

12:59 pm – Officer dispatched to N. Pine St. and E. Richey Ave. in reference to domestic.

WELFARE

1:14 pm – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of S. Yates St. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

ACCIDENT

1:51 pm – Officer dispatched to N. 1st St. and E. Main St. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

WELFARE

2:14 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of W. James Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

2:26 pm – Officer dispatched to 2000 block of W. Main St. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

ACCIDENT

2:49 pm – Officer dispatched to 800 block of S. 1st St. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

LARCENY

3:07 pm – Officer dispatched to 400 block of W. Quay Ave. in reference to larceny.

ACCIDENT

5:05 pm – Officer dispatched to S. 11th St. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

FIGHT

6:43 pm – Officer dispatched to 400 block of S. 20th St. in reference to a fight in progress.

9:36 pm – Officer dispatched to 400 block of S. 20th St. in reference to a fight in progress.

Dec. 11

DISTURBANCE

12:54 am – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to disturbance.

WELFARE

10:24 am – Officer dispatched to 900 block of W. Texas Ave. in reference to the welfare of an child.

10:51 am – Officer dispatched to 800 block of S. Roselawn Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

DISTURBANCE

1:53 pm – Officer dispatched to 2700 block of W. Menefee Ave. in reference to neighborly disturbance.

THREATS

4:15 pm – Officer dispatched to 1500 block of W. Cannon Ave. in reference to Threats.

4:53 pm – Officer dispatched to 800 block of W. Richardson Ave. in reference to threats.

HARASSMENT

4:43 pm – Officer dispatched to N. 13th St. and W. Richey Ave. in reference to harassment.

SUSPICIOUS

6:18 pm – Officer dispatched to W. Cleveland Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

6:54 pm – Officer dispatched to 1400 block of Champ Clark Dr. in reference to a suspicious person.

7:5 pm – Officer dispatched to 1500 block of W. Bush Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

WELFARE

7:09 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 13th St. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

Arrest

Dec. 12

Luz Elena T. Aguirre arrested for burglary attempt to commit a felony fraud, forgery of will, deed, mortgage, real estate property.

SUSPICIOUS

8:01 am – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to suspicious activity.

WELFARE

11:36 am – Officer dispatched to 1400 block of W. Gilchrist Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

UNWANTED

12:18 pm- Officer dispatched to 1400 block of W. Gilchrist Ave. in reference to an unwanted subject.

SUSPICIOUS

2:05 pm – Officer dispatched to S. 20th St. W. Main St. in reference to a suspicious person.

VANDAL

2:19 pm – Officer dispatched to 900 block of W. Washington Ave. in reference to a vandal.

LARCENY

3:08 p – Officer dispatched to 110 W. Mahone Dr. in reference to larceny.

ACCIDENT

4:39 pm – Officer dispatched to 600 block of N. 26th St. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

THREATS

5:51 pm – Officer dispatched to 200 block of N. 13th Rural St. in reference to threats.

VANDAL

6:41 pm – Officer dispatched to S. 13th St. and W. Richardson Ave. in reference to vandal.

ACCIDENT

7:04 pm – Officer dispatched to S. 13th St. and W. Richardson Ave. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

WANTED

8:45 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to a wanted subject.

Dec. 13

Arrest

Thomas Petterson arrested for battery.

Tabytha Leann Carrasco Lopez arrested for criminal trespass.

WELFARE

11:10 am – Officer dispatched to S. 4th St. and W. Quay Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

WANTED

1:07 pm – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to a wanted subject.

SUSPICIOUS

1:14 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of W. Cleveland Ave. in reference to a suspicious trespass.

LARCENY

1:26 pm – Officer dispatched to 1400 block of W. Hank Ave. in reference to larceny.

DOMESTIC

4:05 pm – Officer dispatched to 3500 block of W. Grand Ave. in reference to physical domestic.

ACCIDENT

4:33 pm –  Officer dispatched to 1000 block of S. 20th St. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

UNWANTED

6:56 pm – Officer dispatched to 1300 block of S. 1st St. in reference to an unwanted subject.

SUSPICIOUS

7:04 pm – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

DOMESTIC

7:38 pm – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to domestic.

DISTURBANCE

7:40 pm – Officer dispatched to 800 block of S. 1st St. in reference to disturbance.

BATTERY

7:54 pm – Officer dispatched to 200 block of S. 1st St. in reference to battery.

ABUSE

9:12pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 13th St. in reference to abuse.

SUSPICIOUS

9:23 pm- Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. Cleveland Ave. in reference to a suspicious trespass.

FIGHT

10:09 pm – Officer dispatched to 600 block of N. 8th St. in reference to a fight in progress.

Dec. 14

Arrest

Adriana Valdez De Macias arrested for DWI.

Amanda Fuentez Ortega arrested for criminal trespass.

John Michael Wesson arrested for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs.

SUSPICIOUS

12:10 am – Officer dispatched to 800 block of S. Roselawn Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

DOMESTIC

12:30 am – Officer dispatched to 900 block of S. 2nd St. in reference to domestic.

DWI

2:23 am – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of W. 20th St. in reference to a DWI arrest.

DOMESTIC

10:24 am – Officer dispatched to 2500 block of W. Bush Ave. in reference to domestic.

SUSPICIOUS

3:21 pm – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of N. Roselawn Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

WELFARE

4:11 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 13th St. in reference to the welfare of a child.

BATTERY

4:27 pm – Officer dispatched to 1400 block of W. Gilchrist Ave. in reference to battery.

UNWANTED

5:49 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to an unwanted subject.

ACCIDENT

6:49 pm – Officer dispatched to 1700 block of S. 21st St. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

SUSPICIOUS

7:40 pm – Officer dispatched to 1400 block of W. Hank Ave. in reference to suspicious activity.

DISTURBANCE

8:21 pm – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to disturbance.

WELFARE

8:43 pm- Officer dispatched to 2500 block of S. Permian Pavilion in reference to the welfare of an adult.

DOMESTIC

8:49 pm- Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to domestic.

ACCIDENT

9:22 pm – Officer dispatched to 1800 block of W. Feather in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

DOMESTIC

10:16 pm – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of W. Missouri Ave. in reference to domestic.

SHOTS FIRED

10:21 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to shots fired in the area.

Dec. 15

Arrest

Mariah Denziel Ornelas arrested for contempt of court, failure to comply.

WANTED

9:17 am – Officer dispatched to 3300 block of W. Main St. in reference to a wanted subject.

SUSPICIOUS

1:08 pm – Officer dispatched to 1400 block of W. Main St. in reference to a suspicious person.

DISTURBANCE

6:05 pm – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to disturbance.

WELFARE

7:42 pm – Officer dispatched to 500 block of W. Cleveland Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

BATTERY

8:28 pm – Officer dispatched to 1100 bloc of N. 1st St. in reference to battery.

Dec. 16

Kyle Andrew Luna arrested for resisting, evading, obstructing an officer.

INCORRIGIBLE

12:48 am – Officer dispatched to 700 block of W. Lolita Ave. in reference to an incorrigible child.

ACCIDENT

8:04 am – Officer dispatched to S. 12th St. and W. Grand Ave. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

INDECENT EXPOSURE

9:38 am – Officer dispatched to 900 block of N. 13th St. in reference to indecent exposure.

ALARM

11:32 am – Officer dispatched to 900 block of W. Cleveland Ave. in reference to a burglary alarm.

FIGHT

12:00 pm – Officer dispatched to 1100 block of W. Bullock Ave. in reference to a fight in progress.

ACCIDENT

3:27 pm -Officer dispatched to 600 block of W. Hermosa Dr. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

WELFARE

3:29 pm – Officer dispatched to 1400 block of W. Main St. in reference to the welfare of and adult.

ARMED SUBJECT

6:07 pm -Officer dispatched to 800 block of W. Lolita Ave. in reference to an armed subject.

DISTURBANCE

8:47 pm – Officer dispatched to 1400 block of W. Gilchrist Ave. in reference to disturbance.

LARCENY

9:03 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 13th St. in reference to larceny.

WELFARE

9:10 pm – Officer dispatched to 1200 block of W. Centre Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

DOMESTIC

11:21 pm – Officer dispatched to 900 block of S. 2nd St. in reference to verbal domestic.

UNWANTED

1:34 pm – Officer dispatched to 1300 block of W. Hermosa Dr. in reference to an unwanted subject.

Dec. 17

Arrest

Michael Anthony Molina arrested for battery.

BURGLARY

9:13 am – Officer dispatched to 200 block of S. 9th St. in reference to an auto burglary.

11:18 am – Officer dispatched to 700 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to burglary.

ACCIDENT

3:05 pm – Officer dispatched to N. 16th St. and JJ Clarke Dr. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

5:32 pm – Officer dispatched to 2500 block of W. Bullock Ave. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

ARMED SUBJECT

6:28 pm- Officer dispatched to 1100 block of N. Roselawn Ave. in reference to an armed subject.

DISTURBANCE

8:06 pm – Officer dispatched to 1200 block of W. Chisum Ave. in reference to family disturbance.

Dec. 18

Arrest

Alexis Alexandra Soto arrested for failure to pay fines, concealing identity, fugitive from justice.

Terry Wayne Burge arrested for criminal trespass.

SUSPICIOUS

9:19 am – Officer dispatched to 900 block of W. Champ Clark Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

WELFARE

9:24 am – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Main St. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

ACCIDENT

10:05 am – Officer dispatched to N. 13th St. and W. Main St. in reference to a  motor vehicle accident.

ALARM

10:51 am – Officer dispatched to 600 block of W. Mahone Dr. in reference to a burglary alarm.

SUSPICIOUS

12:51 pm – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

1:52 pm – Officer dispatched to 205 S. 1st St.  in reference to a suspicious person.

DISTURBANCE

2:12 pm – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of S. 2nd St. in reference to disturbance.

UNWANTED

5:18 pm – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to an unwanted subject.

6:01 pm – Officer dispatched to 2700 block of N. 1st St. in reference to an unwanted subject.

WELFARE

5:29 pm – Officer dispatched to N. 7th St. and W. Champ Clarke Dr. in reference to the welfare of a child.

Dec. 19

VANDAL

2:42 am – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to a vandal.

SHOTS FIRED

3:05 am – Officer dispatched to N. York Ave. and W. Main St. in reference to shots fired in the area.

UNWANTED

3:41 am – Officer dispatched to 1500 block of W. Briscoe Ave. in reference to an unwanted subject.

DOMESTIC

8:20 am – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to physical domestic.

DISTURBANCE

8:21 am – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to disturbance.

10:55 am -Officer dispatched to 1500 block of W. Briscoe Ave. in reference to disturbance.

ACCIDENT

11:54 am – Officer dispatched to E. Main St. and N. 1st St. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

BURGLARY

3:12 pm – Officer dispatched to 600 block of N. 13th St. in reference to an auto burglary.