Tim Keithley
For the Artesia Daily Press

More than a decade ago, I spent a couple years of my working career basically behind the wheel of a red Chevy pickup truck driving Congressman Steve Pearce around southern New Mexico to town hall meetings and similar events.

Between the cell phone calls of Pearce doing congressional business we listened to the radio, swapped stories, and talked about current events. Pearce’s stories about growing up in Nadine, New Mexico, his college years, his service to our country in Vietnam plus building a business in the oil patch were all memorable and worth more to me than my college degree.

Many of those stories and new accounts of his 2016 fifteen-day trip around the world to salute veterans are now available in his latest book, “You Had a Good Home, But You Left…”

Pearce is a decorated Vietnam veteran having served in the U.S. Air Force. He was honorably discharged as a Captain having received the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Air Medals, seven other military medals, and four exceptional service awards. Pearce served as a C-130 pilot accumulating 518 hours of combat flight during the Vietnam conflict.

“The book is primarily about veterans,” Pearce said on my Saturday morning radio program last week. “I decided to make the honor flight because I thought someone should do more to recognize and salute those so served. We must always remember the veterans gave the ultimate sacrifice.”

The book describes Mr. Pearce’s journey of 186 flight hours, 26 fueling stops and 26,000 miles in his private aircraft. As he got closer to the Vietnam-leg of the journey he started thinking more about his personal struggles with the Vietnam conflict.

“Soldiers were expected to come home from the war, fold up your uniform and put it in a box in the back of the closet,” Pearce said. “That’s what I did. But as I was making the honor flight and getting closer to that hollowed ground, I started having feelings of anger and resentment toward the government and the military leaders who were responsible for many soldiers who never made it home.”

The book also discusses his personal relationship with his wife, Cynthia, and the risks involved with taking the honor flight. “There are many lessons inside the chapters that talk about my experiences and other veterans’ stories who have dealt with many hardships,” Pearce said.

“Many times soldiers leave their good homes for battle but don’t come back the same,” he said. “In my personal life and career, I’ve many times left my comfort zone in order to stretch-out and accomplish different things that I never thought I was capable of doing. That’s the primary message of the book.”

Pearce’s tour of southeast New Mexico will begin in Artesia, at an 11:30 a.m. appearance, Dec. 1 at the Bulldog Administrative Building, 301 Bulldog Blvd.

Pearce will also appear in Ruidoso on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 9 a.m. at ENMU Ruidoso at 709 Mechem Drive for a book signing called “Book an a Burrito”. The public is invited to come and hear Mr. Pearce comment on the book and answer questions. Breakfast burritos will be served at the free event.

A similar lunch event will be held in Alamogordo on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 11:30 a.m. at the Ink Well Innovation Center, 314 East 9th Street.

Mr. Pearce’s decision to lay out much of his personal struggles in the book could help others in our community that still have similar open wounds. He is someone that has made tremendous contributions to New Mexico and our country, and it appears that Mr. Pearce has still yet to write the last chapter of his continued public service.

Here’s where Steve Pearce is appearing in southeast New Mexico on his book tour.

Monday, Dec. 1

Artesia Bulldogs Admin Center Artesia

11:30 a.m.

301 Bulldog Blvd

Monday, Dec. 1 Grace Community Church Roswell

5:30 p.m.

935 W. Mescalero

Tuesday, Dec. 2

ENMU Ruidoso Ruidoso

9 a.m.

709 Mechem Dr.

Tuesday, Dec. 2

Ink Well Innovation Center

Alamogordo

11:30 a.m.

314 E. 9th Street

Artesia Daily Press columnist Tim Keithley writes about the people and events in the community. If you have a story idea, contact Tim at tkeithley@zianet.com.

JT Keith
Artesia Daily Press
jtkeith@elritomedia.com

If it were easy, every team would beat the teams they play twice: once in the regular season and then in the playoffs.

The Artesia Bulldogs played the Lovington Wildcats for the second time this season in the state semifinals, with the winner advancing to the state championship game against Roswell at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Bulldog Bowl.

The Nov. 22 game at Wildcat Stadium was much different from the 56-23 shellacking Artesia put on Lovington on Sept. 26 in Week Six of the season. Instead, this game turned into an instant classic, with the Bulldogs fighting for their playoff lives. Artesia won 35-30, but the game was not decided until the last 45 seconds after a failed onside kick by Lovington.

The best and last two teams are now standing in Class 5A. Roswell (9-3 overall, 6-1 in District 2-5A) will play for the right to keep its crown. The Coyotes and the Bulldogs have a history in recent years and are friendly-unfriendly rivals on the field.

Bulldog coach Jeremy Maupin has been at Artesia for five years, and the Bulldogs have played in the state championship game each year. With Roswell coach Jeff Lynn, the Coyotes have played in the championship game against Artesia (11-1 overall, 7-0 in District 2-5A) the last three years. Artesia won the state crown 35-21 at the Bulldog Bowl in 2023, and Roswell defeated the Bulldogs 41-22 at the Wool Bowl in 2024.

“The funnest week is getting to practice during Thanksgiving break,” Maupin said. “We are ready.”

Here are three keys to a Bulldogs’ victory:

1. Stop the run

Against Gadsden, Maupin said that Roswell came out in a spread look and tried to throw the ball early. The Coyotes ran some read-and-pass option plays, which Maupin said he has not seen from Roswell.

In the last game against Artesia, Roswell quarterback Luke Lynn was 12-of-25 for 119 yards and two touchdowns, and the rushing attack ran for 171 yards on 32 carries.

“Their goal is to run the ball first,” Maupin said. “We have to stop the run, but Lynn can throw the ball well enough that you have to make sure you don’t get your eyes stuck in the backfield. We have to make sure that we are sound in coverage, and we are sound on defense.”

2. Come out and play fast

In the last game against the Coyotes, the Bulldogs built a 21-0 early lead in the first and second quarters, forcing Roswell to throw the ball more than it wanted. By halftime, Artesia led 28-14. Bulldog quarterback Derrick Warren was 19-of-33 for 316 yards and six touchdowns with a quarterback rating of 129.5. Artesia had 445 yards of total offense in that game.

“We have to come out and play fast early,” Maupin said. “We must make sure we are playing well against them.”

3. Win the turnover battle

In the game against Lovington on Nov. 22, the offense threw three interceptions and fumbled. The ’Dogs had four turnovers in the semifinal game, the most on the season. Maupin said the Bulldogs’ turnovers have forced them into closer games.

In the last game against Roswell on Oct. 17, Artesia fumbled, and Roswell scored a touchdown off the turnover.

“We threw three interceptions and a fumble (Nov. 22),” Maupin said. “We have to win the turnover battle for sure, and we have to create turnovers.”

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

American Farm Bureau Federation

Cooking a Thanksgiving dinner for your friends and family will cost less than last year, marking the third straight year of price declines.

The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 40th annual Thanksgiving dinner survey provides a snapshot of the average cost of Thanksgiving staples that make up a classic holiday feast for 10, which is $55.18 or about $5.52 per person.

This is a 5% decrease from 2024.

Three years of declines don’t fully erase dramatic increases that led to a record-high cost of $64.05 in 2022.

The centerpiece on most Thanksgiving tables — the turkey — dramatically decreased in price, which helped bring down the overall cost of dinner. The average price for a 16-pound frozen turkey is $21.50.

That is $1.34 per pound, down more than 16% from last year. While the wholesale price for fresh turkey is up from 2024, grocery stores are featuring Thanksgiving deals and attempting to draw consumer demand back to turkey, leading to lower retail prices for a holiday bird.

Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers checked prices the first week of November. Grocery stores often feature whole turkeys at even lower prices in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. According to the most recent USDA Agricultural Marketing Service data, the average per-pound feature price for whole frozen turkeys declined further during the second week of November.

“It’s encouraging to see some relief in the price of turkeys, as it is typically the most expensive part of the meal,” said AFBF Economist Faith Parum, Ph.D.

“Farmers are still working to rebuild turkey flocks that were devastated by avian influenza, but overall demand has also fallen. The combination will help ensure turkey will remain an affordable option for families celebrating Thanksgiving.”

The shopping list for Farm Bureau’s informal survey includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, and pumpkin pie with whipped cream, all in quantities sufficient for 10 servings.

Half of the ingredients in the survey declined in price, including dinner rolls and stuffing. Low wheat prices helped bring down the cost of items requiring flour.

Items like fresh vegetables and sweet potatoes increased — a veggie tray is up more than 61% and sweet potatoes are up 37%.

Natural disasters partly contributed to the increase. For example, North Carolina, which is the largest grower of the nation’s sweet potatoes, suffered hurricane damage. Additionally, fresh produce prices tend to be highly volatile, and even modest supply-chain disruptions, from weather, labor shortages, transportation delays or regional production setbacks, can trigger sharp, short-term spikes in prices. The continued shortage of farmworkers and rapidly increasing farm wages also played a role in rising produce costs. It’s important to note that fresh vegetables and potatoes are traditionally low-cost items, so an increase of just a few cents can dramatically affect the cost change percentage year-to-year.

“We are blessed to live in a country that is capable of producing such an abundant food supply, and for that we should be thankful.” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Despite modest declines in the cost of a Thanksgiving meal, I know food prices are a real concern for many families, including in rural America. We lost 15,000 farms last year because of factors including historically low crop prices, high supply costs and trade uncertainty, which continue to squeeze farmers and ranchers. Every farm lost is another step toward consolidation and reliance on other countries for our food.

“We urge Congress to address the challenging economic conditions facing farmers to ensure farm families can continue growing the food we all rely on, not just on Thanksgiving, but every day of the year.” In recognition of changes in Thanksgiving dinner traditions, the Farm Bureau price survey also includes boneless ham, Russet potatoes and frozen green beans, in an expanded menu. Adding these foods to the classic Thanksgiving menu increases the overall cost by $21.91, to $77.09.

This year’s national average cost was calculated using surveys completed with pricing data from all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers checked prices in person and online using grocery store apps and websites.

They looked for the best possible prices without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or combined purchase deals.

The AFBF Thanksgiving dinner survey was first conducted in 1986. The informal survey provides a record of comparative holiday meal costs over the years. Farm Bureau’s classic survey menu has remained unchanged since 1986 to allow for consistent price com parisons.

Individual prices

• 16-pound turkey:

$21.50 or $1.34 per pound (down 16.3%)

• 14-ounces of cubed stuffing mix: $3.71

(down 9%)

• 2 frozen pie crusts:

$3.37 (down .8%)

◦ Half pint of whipping cream: $1.87 (up

◦ 3.2%)

◦ 1 pound of frozen peas: $2.03 (up 17.2%)

◦ 1 dozen dinner rolls: $3.56 (down 14.6%)

• Misc. ingredients to prepare the meal: $3.61

(down 4.7%)

• 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix: $4.16

(up .1%)

◦ 1 gallon of whole milk: $3.73 (up 16.3%)

3 pounds of sweet potatoes: $4.00 (up 37%)

• 1-pound veggie tray (carrots & celery): $1.36

(up 61.3%)

• 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries: $2.28

(down 2.8%)

Regional averages

AFBF analysis revealed regional differences in the cost of the meal. The cost for the classic meal was the most affordable in the South at $50.01, followed by the Midwest at $54.38, the Northeast at $60.82, and the West at $61.75. The expanded meal (classic meal plus boneless ham, Russet potatoes and green beans) was the most affordable in the South at $71.20, the Midwest at $76.33, the Northeast at $82.97, and most expensive in the West at $84.97.

AFBF also conducts an annual summer cookout survey in advance of the 4th of July holiday.

Adrian Hedden
Artesia Daily Press
achedden@currentargus.com

An explosion at the oil refinery in Artesia last month led to a state inquiry into the cause of the incident and its possible lingering health impacts on the community.

Artesia police reported the explosion at about 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 31, at HF Sinclair Refinery located at 501 E. Main Street, also known as U.S. Highway 62/180, in Artesia.

The refinery processes crude oil extracted from the surrounding Permian Basin in southeast New Mexico and West Texas, with a capacity of about 100,000 barrels of oil per day of processed crude.

It’s a major employer for Artesia and the surrounding area with about 800 workers, mostly from within the local community.

The explosion led to the temporary closure of roads connecting to the refinery via Main Street, and at least three people were injured, according to HF Sinclar.

The company had yet to release the names or condition of the injured as of Nov. 21, but said it was working to determine the cause of the incident in a news release the day of the explosion.

HF Sinclair did not respond to a subsequent request for comment from the Artesia Daily Press.

The incident was reportedly caused by a “flash fire” created when flammable vapors leaked out of an oil pipeline and ignited, burning off quickly and subsiding in minutes, according to Jorge Estrada, spokesperson for the New Mexico Environment Department.

Estrada said the environment department’s Occupational Safety and Hazard Mitigation crews as well as air quality staff were deployed to the refinery in the weeks since the incident.

He said the department, which oversees worker safety and environmental compliance at the refinery, was not yet prepared to release the results of the inquiry.

“The state plays a critical role in assuring worker safety and environmental compliance at the refinery,” Estrada said in an email to the Artesia Daily Press. “The Department’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau are actively investigating the incident due to the injuries sustained by three workers.”

In the weeks since, a coalition of environmental groups called the Permian Basin Climate Justice Coalition urged the New Mexico Environment Department via a letter addressed to Cabinet Secretary James Kenney to expand monitoring in the area to determine if air quality was affected by the blast.

The coalition’s membership includes Carlsbad-based Citizens Caring for the Future, Santa Fe-based WildEarth Guardians and national organization Oilfield Witness.

Estrada said the agency received the letter and was investigating worker safety concerns and environmental impacts related to the explosion and also was investigating a similar incident that occurred in June. No one was reported injured in that event.

“The Department’s air quality compliance and enforcement program is reviewing the refinery’s permit in light of this fire, another incident that occurred about five months ago, and any associated emissions to determine compliance,” Estrada said.

Hayley Jones of Citizens Caring for the Future argued the southeast region of New Mexico, where the state’s nation-leading oil and gas industry is centered has only two state-run air monitors – one each in Carlsbad and Hobbs. Both monitors reported “good” conditions as of Nov. 21.

She said the environment department should increase monitoring in the region, a need underscored by the event in Artesia, to truly capture the effects of the booming oil and gas industry.

The environment department has 10 monitors in the southwest region of the state, mostly around Las Cruces and the U.S.-Mexico border.

There are three monitors along the northwest border between New Mexico and Colorado amid the San Juan Basin natural gas fields, and five monitors reside in north central New Mexico around Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Santa Fe.

“Our communities shouldn’t have to wonder what’s in the air after an industrial disaster,” Jones said. “We deserve real-time public data and real protection.”

Charlie Burnett, a thermographer with Oilfield Witness, said air pollution emissions were documented repeatedly at the refinery in the last four years, without any state response.

“The recent explosion underlines the risk communities bear when industry privatizes profits and socializes harm to the community,” he said.

But aside from energy companies, communities and the entire state of New Mexico profit from the oil and gas industry, said Missi Currier, president of trade group the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association.

She pointed to oil and gas revenue providing about half the state’s budget, generating about $14 billion for the state and local governments last year.

Currier said amid the windfalls of cash generated by oil and gas extraction, operators were also focused on improving and exceeding compliance with state environmental rules and reducing emissions.

“The oil and gas industry remains a cornerstone of New Mexico’s economy, and with thoughtful leadership and collaboration, it can continue to evolve as a responsible partner in sustainability,” she said.