Mike Smith
Artesia Daily Press
msmith@currentargus.com

Sitting smack in the middle of the festivities surrounding “Light Up Artesia,” singer Tayler Gothard had a unique view of the unofficial start of the holiday season in the city’s downtown business district.

“It was a picturesque display of holiday magic,” Gothard said. “The lights and the whole atmosphere were so inviting and cozy. It was a magnificent evening.”

Gothard was perched on the Derrick Floor, the 37-foot-high sculpture of a drilling rig the city displays to honor the oil and gas industry that contributes so much to the regional and state economy.

The Derrick Floor was the hub of holiday activities on Thursday, Dec. 4, as Artesia MainStreet presented “Light Up Artesia,” a holiday kickoff event featuring the lighting of the downtown Christmas tree, a light parade and a Jingle Bell Jog for running enthusiasts along with food trucks, street vendors and Christmas shopping at local stores.

Gothard, an Artesia native and worship leader at Catalyst Church who’s well-known as a vocalist in the area, was on hand to sing classic Christmas songs and carols as well as contemporary holiday favorites such as Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and Faith Hill’s “Where Are You Christmas?” from the movie “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

Gothard said being invited to help her hometown celebrate the holidays was a “huge honor” and a “full circle moment.”

“I love singing live music and Christmas songs are really fun and challenging to sing,” she said. “I have loved ‘Light Up Artesia’ for years. As a member of the Artesia community, I know how special that event is, and I was honored to be a part of it. About 10 years ago, I was involved in the (Artesia High School) choir and sang for the event, so being able to sing again, now on my own, was so special.”

Using the Derrick Floor as a stage left little room for instruments and backup singers, so Gothard employed modern technology to enhance her performance.

“I decided to use backing tracks instead of playing the piano, so that all of the songs would have all the beautiful magical sounds that people love in Christmas music,” she said.

The first-ever Jingle Bell Jog attracted runners dressed in holiday attire, including Drew and Kristy Reed, owners of the Lucky Duck Grill in Artesia.

Kristy Reed said the couple’s participation in the run was a way of being involved in the community.

“We’re happy to be here and the people who take the time to organize this,” Drew Reed said.

“My husband, he loves to run,” said Kimberly Reed who finished behind Drew in the one-mile run that circled Artesia’s downtown area, starting and ending at the Derrick Floor.

“I run all the time,” Drew said. “I’m a very competitive person,” he said.

A Wyoming native, Reed said his lifelong goal was to own a restaurant and Artesia presented him with a chance to fulfill that ambition eight years ago.

“The opportunity came up. We filled a need where there’s not a burger joint,” he said.

Located at the Best Western Pecos Inn at 2209 W. Main St., Lucky Duck Grill serves breakfast and lunch, with burgers and chicken sandwiches as the main specialties.

Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 extension-2361.

Adrian Hedden
Carlsbad Current-Argus
achedden@currentargus.com

Eddy County will no longer require businesses to obtain a county-issued business license.

Commissioners voted unanimously at their Nov. 18 meeting to repeal the county’s business license ordinance and also repealed a similar ordinance requiring cannabis businesses to register with the county, saying the licenses created duplicative paperwork for business owners.

County Attorney Cas Tabor said all businesses, including those in the cannabis industry, will still be registered and regulated by federal agencies, the state of New Mexico, or municipalities in which they operate. He said the county will continue to support and facilitate those licensing procedures.

But the vote means the approximately 365 businesses outside of municipal boundaries that hold licenses issued by Eddy County – for a $25 application fee – will not need to renew with the county when the 12-month licenses expire.

“This will repeal that (county) business licensing ordinance,” Tabor said. “They still have to meet all state requirements.”

There was little discussion ahead of the vote to repeal the ordinances but the proposal to do so was discussed extensively by commissioners during their Sept. 23 meeting.

County Manager Mike Gallagher said at the September meeting that the business licensing ordinance was established four years ago, on Oct. 5, 2021, to localize business licensing and required fire inspections by Eddy County’s Fire and Rescue Department.

But he said the process could take 30 days or more and duplicated state licensing the county coordinates with business owners. The licenses, Gallagher reported, brought in about $9,100 to the county each year.

Gallagher also noted that neighboring counties such as Lea, Otero and Chaves do not require their own licenses.

Government getting in the way?

District 4 Commissioner Bo Bowen said Eddy County businesses are already required by the state to undergo inspections to ensure compliance with fire codes and other regulations.

He also said the cities of Carlsbad and Artesia have their own business licensing process to account for businesses operating in the appropriate areas based on municipal zoning, such as residential or industrial.

The county does not have any zoning rules, Bowen argued, meaning its business licenses served little purpose. He also said inspections conducted at the state level by the New Mexico Environment Department were adequate without separate oversight by the county.

“We have no zoning in Eddy County, so the thought of business licenses, in my opinion, is just the government getting in the way of business,” Bowen said. “Any time a business is put in, they go through an approval process. That kind of cancels out what Fire and Rescue is doing.”

District 1 Commissioner Ernie Carlson, who was first elected to the board in the November 2018 election and was serving when the business license ordinance was adopted, said it was created to aid Fire and Rescue in keeping track of which businesses were being established and what kinds of materials were kept on site.

He said this was in response to a spike in oil and gas production in 2021, for both upstream operators who drill for fossil fuels and midstream companies that store and transport the products via pipelines and tank batteries.

“They had concerns that there were flammable materials at the time,” he said of Fire and Rescue. “I like the idea that Fire and Rescue can know if there are any contaminants in case they need to respond. The thing I care about is the safety of our Fire and Rescue staff.”

Bambi Kern, director of the Regional Emergency Dispatch Authority, or REDA, said information as to the presence of volatile or dangerous substances is gathered by the Eddy County Office of Emergency Management annually and provided to responders through the dispatch service.

This is independent of the business license ordinance, Kern said.

“That’s for every business out in the county,” she said. “That information is available to our first responders for viewing en route to a call.”

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

Nov. 26

Arrest

Danny Duarte Cobos arrested for failure to appear, resisting, evading, obstructing an officer, controlled substance, possession prohibited.

WELFARE

8:04 am – Officer dispatched to 600 block of N. 26th St. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

SUSPICIOUS

11:55 am – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 13th St. in reference to a suspicious person.

3:20 pm – Officer dispatched to 1300 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

3:48 pm – Officer dispatched to 1400 block of W. Yucca Ave. in reference to a suspicious activity.

WELFARE

4:44 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of W. Centre Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

6:24 pm – Officer dispatched to 1200 block of S. 18th St. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

SUSPICIOUS

11:38 pm – Officer dispatched to 1700 block of Harrison Ct. in reference to a suspicious prowler.

Nov 27

SUSPICIOUS

12:33 am – Officer dispatched to 600 block of N. 26th St. in reference to a suspicious vehicle.

7:31 am – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Main St. in reference to suspicious trespass.

ACCIDENT

8:49 am – Officer dispatched to 500 block of W. Bush Ave. in reference to a hit and run accident.

WELFARE

9:52 am – Officer dispatched to 100 block of N. 25th St. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

VANDAL

1:56 pm – Officer dispatched to 500 block of S. 20th St. in reference to a vandal.

WELFARE

7:00 pm – Officer dispatched to 800 block of S. 1st St. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

DOMESTIC

10:58 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of W. James Ave. in reference to verbal domestic.

10:58 pm – Officer dispatched to 300 block of S. 2nd St. in reference to physical domestic.

WELFARE

11:40 pm – Officer dispatched to 200 block of N. 2nd St. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

Nov 28

Arrest

Christina Ojeda arrested for battery against a household member.

SUSPICIOUS

12:23 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of S. 8th St. in reference to a suspicious person.

BATTERY

3:37 pm – Officer dispatched to 400 block of W. Gage Ave. in reference to battery.

HARASSMENT

6:55 pm – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of W. Main St. in reference to harassment.

Nov 29

Arrest

Jonah David Valdez arrested for DWI Reckless driving, immediate notice of accident.

UNATTENDED DEATH

4:29 am – Officer dispatched to 1500 block of W. Ray Ave. in reference to an unattended death.

ACCIDENT

11:18 am – Officer dispatched to 2300 block of W. Main St. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

ABUSE

3:08 pm – Officer dispatched to 1500 block of W. Ray Ave. in reference to abuse of an adult.

BATTERY

3:47 pm – Officer dispatched to N. Freeman Ave. and E. Richey Ave. in reference to battery.

DISTURBANCE

3:55 pm – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to disturbance.

SHOTS FIRED

3:56 pm – Officer dispatched to 800 block of W. Centre Ave. in reference to shots fired in the area.

PURSUIT

4:48 pm – Officer dispatched to 2300 block of W. Bullock Ave. in reference to a foot pursuit.

ACCIDENT

4:48 pm – Officer dispatched to S. 24th St. and W. Mann Ave. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

SHOTS FIRED

6:12 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of W. Clayton Ave. in reference to shots fired in the area.

SUSPICIOUS

8:59 pm – Officer dispatched to 1300 block of Hermosa Dr. in reference to a suspicious person.

9:19 pm- Officer dispatched to 600 block of N. 8th St. in reference to a suspicious person.

9:42 pm – Officer dispatched to 800 block of N. 6th St. in reference to a suspicious person.

11:37 pm – Officer dispatched to 1200 block of N. Roselawn Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

DOMESTIC

11:32 pm – Officer dispatched to 1100 block of W. Centre Ave. in reference to domestic.

Nov. 30

Arrest

Destiny Marie Lopez arrested for battery against a household member, interference with communications.

John Gabriel Granado arrested for aggravated DWI of intoxication. Battery against household member.

Harvey Segura Rodríguez arrested for criminal trespass, resisting, evading, obstructing an officer.  

HARASSMENT

1:59 am – Officer dispatched to 2300 block of W. Grand Ave. in reference to harassment.

THREATS

3:39 am – Officer dispatched to 200 block of N. 13th Rural St. in reference to threats.

WELFARE

8:19 am – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

HARASSMENT

11:00 am – Officer dispatched to 900 block of N. 13th St. in reference to harassment.

LARCENY

11:19 am – Officer dispatched to 800 block of S. Roselawn Ave. in reference to larceny.

11:50 am – Officer dispatched to 600 block of N. 1st St. in reference to larceny.

SUSPICIOUS

11:50 am – Officer dispatched to 600 block of N. 1st St. in reference to a suspicious person.

12:17 pm – Officer dispatched to N. 7th St. and W. James Ave.  in reference to a suspicious person.

WELFARE

1:24 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block S. Kay St. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

DOMESTIC

5:46 pm- Officer dispatched to 700 block W. Quay Ave. in reference to physical domestic.

DISTURBANCE

9:23 pm – Officer dispatched to 2300 block of W. Grand Ave. in reference to disturbance.

9:41 pm- Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to a family disturbance.

Dec. 1

Arrest

Miguelito O. Duran arrested for sex offenders registration.

Albert James Scott arrested for contempt of court, failure to comply.

SUSPICIOUS

12:12 am – Officer dispatched to 300 block of S. 1st St. in reference to a suspicious person.

3:04 am – Officer dispatched to 1900 block of W. Richey Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

WELFARE

11:00 am – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

BATTERY

1:03 pm – Officer dispatched to N. Pine St. and E. Richey Ave. in reference to battery.

ACCIDENT

1:22 pm – Officer dispatched to 1100 block of W. Richardson Ave. in reference to a motor vehicle accident.

SUSPICIOUS

1:43 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of W. Washington Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

3:11 pm – Officer dispatched to 1300 block of S. 1st St. in reference to a suspicious person.

BURGLARY

2:03 pm – Officer dispatched to 1700 block of W. Main St. in reference to an auto burglary.

WELFARE

3:53 pm – Officer dispatched to 4000 block of W. Main St. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

SUSPICIOUS

4:03 pm – Officer dispatched to W. Mahone Dr. and W. Main St. in reference to suspicious activity.

ALARM

4:19 pm – Officer dispatched to 2100 block of W. Main St. in reference to an alarm.

DOMESTIC

7:02 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of W. Cleveland Ave. in reference to verbal domestic.

SUSPICIOUS

8:00 pm – Officer dispatched to 300 block of W. Washington Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

DOMESTIC

8:52 pm – Officer dispatched to 700 block of N. 10th St. in reference to domestic.

WELFARE

10:57 pm – Officer dispatched to 800 block of W. Runyan Ave. in reference to the welfare of an adult.

Dec. 2

SUSPICIOUS

1:53 am – Officer dispatched to 2300 block of W. Grand Ave. in reference to a suspicious prowler.

7:29 am – Officer dispatched to 500 block of W. Hank Ave. in reference to a suspicious trespass.

DOMESTIC

12:11 pm –  Officer dispatched to 1300 block of W. Lolita Ave. in reference to domestic.

DISTURBANCE

12:53 pm – Officer dispatched to 2400 block of W. Main St. in reference to disorderly disturbance.

SUSPICIOUS

2:34 pm – Officer dispatched to 1500 block of W. Yucca Ave. in reference to a suspicious person.

THREATS

3:47 pm – Officer dispatched to 500 block of S. 20th St. in reference to threats.

BATTERY

4:37 pm – Officer dispatched to 3700 block of W. Lowell Ave. in reference to battery.

RECKLESS

8:02 pm – Officer dispatched to W. Richey Ave. and N. 7th St. in reference to a reckless vehicle.

SUSPICIOUS

8:19 pm – Officer dispatched to 1000 block of W. Runyan Ave. in reference to a suspicious prowler.

BATTERY

8:56 pm- Officer dispatched to 1700 block of W. Main St. in reference to battery.