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Three keys to winning state title for Bulldogs

Michael Smith
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Three keys to winning state title for Bulldogs

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.

Book Review: You Had a Good Home, But You Left

Michael Smith
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Book Review: You Had a Good Home, But You Left


Michael Shinabery

Vietnam War veteran. Owner of a multimillion-dollar company. Congressman. But beyond all those accomplishments, Steve Pearce made perhaps his most indelible contribution while soaring high above the earth, alone in the cockpit of a single-engine Mooney.

In his book “You Had a Good Home, But You Left …” Pearce relates his intimate account of circumnavigating the globe in 2016 to ensure his fellow veterans were remembered.

Coming home from a war where he logged more than 500 combat flight hours piloting a C-130, Pearce was destined to live the American dream. Education, business success, home and family, election to the United States House of Representatives. But the knowledge that many who served in Vietnam did not return, came home in a coffin, or were never completely whole again as human beings, weighed on Pearce’s mind for decades. Only a veteran understands what is taken from a warrior’s soul on the battlefield. Pearce was in his late 60s when he took to the air for his around-the-world flight to honor those who had sacrificed so willingly, so bravely. His wife Cynthia, his biggest supporter, declared his plan the “craziest” thing he’d ever done.

Interwoven through the story of Pearce’s flight are memories of a childhood when his biggest encourager was his mom, of the failures and fears that would mature him, of the war, his family, his faith in God. While piloting the Mooney he finds himself jolted back to reality by conditions in the cockpit, the plane’s instability, tricky night landings, crosswinds and weather, and diminishing fuel that forces him to choose between turning back or adhering to his mantra: “Just fly the plane, Stupid.”

Throughout his career, Pearce interacted not just with world leaders but with the men and women encountered in everyday life. Nowhere in his story is this better exemplified than when making a simple food purchase in a grocery store. He crosses paths with a clerk in her early 20s whose life had already hardened her. She remarked on the lack of variety in Pearce’s choices. Pearce explained he didn’t need a hefty meal while on a “mission to remember the kids of my generation who died in Vietnam,” adding that “many of us were about your age.”

“Sir, that is noble,” she acknowledged.

While in Congress, Pearce battled for his comrades against the bureaucracy of the government’s Department of Veterans Affairs. He tells how the situation began unfolding for him on the celebratory night of his first House election when a tormented veteran, a long-ago high school classmate, confronted him about the Department’s reprehensible treatment of those desperately needing help. Pearce credits veterans for subsequently enlightening him with facts and truth that he took to Congress. Sadly, he lamented, the changes “took years and cost lives.”

Pearce completed his journey when Cynthia greeted him after his plane touched down in New Mexico. Like his return from Vietnam, there was no fanfare, only the fulfillment of knowing he had covered 26,000 miles to make sure the fallen will be remembered.

The perfect turkey recipe for Thanksgiving dinner

Michael Smith
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The perfect turkey recipe for Thanksgiving dinner

Lucy Herrman
For The Taos News

TAOS — For those who believe Thanksgiving requires a delicious turkey masterpiece, here’s my foolproof method for roasting a crispy, juicy, tasty turkey every time.

I’ve bought fresh turkeys and I’ve bought frozen ones. All said and done, if you treat your turkey right, you will have a perfect result either way.

A fresh turkey is fairly easy. Bring the fresh turkey out of the refrigerator to warm up for several hours on the big morning to ensure even cooking later.

But if you buy a frozen turkey, beware. Be sure you defrost it in a large tub in the refrigerator for 3-4 days (yes, 3-4 days; even longer if your turkey is more than 18 pounds). There is nothing worse than pulling a frozen turkey out only to discover the turkey and its gizzards are polar ice. To avoid a last-minute panic when your turkey is frozen inside, you must work ahead. Otherwise, stick with fresh.

Remove the bag of gizzards and the neck from the cavity of the turkey. You can use the neck and gizzards to make broth for gravy, only don’t add the turkey liver, as it will make the broth too gamey. Instead, sauté the liver in butter with shallots and cognac for a decadent midday snack over sourdough toast. Dry the turkey with paper towels and discard them with the packaging.

Please note: I do not fill the turkey cavity with stuffing. Instead I make a large pan of dressing to serve on the side. I find that stuffing a turkey makes cooking it a little unpredictable. I prefer cooking it unstuffed for an elegant bird every time.

I hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Now, let’s eat!

HOW TO ROAST THE PERFECT TURKEY

1 12-18 lb. fresh (not frozen) turkey

Bunches of fresh herbs: sage, thyme, parsley, rosemary

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 onion (optional)

1 stick butter

1 piece cheesecloth big enough to cover turkey in the pan

Be sure to bring the turkey to room temperature when you wake up early in the morning on Thanksgiving.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Remove giblets from turkey and discard or set aside for later. Dry turkey inside and out with paper towels. Carefully loosen skin around the breast cavity and slide your hands underneath to make a pocket. Arrange fresh herbs under the skin. Generously salt and pepper the turkey inside the cavity, under the skin, and over the skin. Place on a rack in a heavy roasting pan breast side up. If desired, place additional herbs and a halved onion in the cavity.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat. Drench the cheesecloth with the butter and drape over the turkey breast and legs to cover well.

Roast, uncovered, on a rack at 325 degrees, allowing 15 minutes per pound (see chart below), and baste once or twice with the drippings. Remove the cheesecloth 30 minutes before the end of cooking time to allow the turkey to brown.

Remove from oven and allow to sit for 30 minutes before carving.

Serves 8-12 people.

Cooking time chart (plus 30 minutes of resting time):

12 lbs 3 hours

13 lbs 3 hours 15 minutes

14 lbs 3 hours 30 minutes

15 lbs 3 hours 45 minutes

16 lbs 4 hours

17 lbs 4 hours 15 minutes

18 lbs 4 hours 30 minutes

Opinion: Fire hazard mounts as FEMA, Forest Service shrink in Mora County

Michael Smith
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Opinion: Fire hazard mounts as FEMA, Forest Service shrink in Mora County

Sherry Robinson
All She Wrote

A woman from Mora County told me recently: “We always said we were land rich and cash poor. Since the fire, we don’t even have the land.” Besides fire and flood damage to family property, a road washed out, and nobody has rebuilt it.

U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, D-NM, joined by U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan, have chided FEMA’s New Mexico Joint Recovery Office for its sluggish payout of claims for damages caused by the massive Calf Canyon-Hermit’s Peak blaze three years ago. In their recent letter they said the claims office had yet to compensate many people who lost everything. And it refused to reopen claims for cascading events, such as floods caused by the fires.

It’s odd because this disaster has its own pot of money. The fires were the government’s fault, so Congress created a $5.45 million fund to fully compensate victims. So far, the office has paid $3.2 billion.

The claims office could have been more responsive and more efficient, but I think we should look at the mother ship.

In August, 182 FEMA employees informed Congress that one third of full-time staff, some 2,000 employees including some of the agency’s most experienced, have left this year. In addition, the administration has cut funding and failed to appoint a qualified administrator as required by law. They warned that it’s becoming impossible for FEMA to help Americans survive natural disasters.

With no knowledgeable person running FEMA, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has involved herself in FEMA operations and set new spending rules that delayed contracts and obstructed the agency’s response, according media reports. The president himself has no use for FEMA and wants states to shoulder disaster response.

So is it any surprise that New Mexico has seen slow or no response and funding cuts?

This month the state’s Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management said FEMA denied disaster prevention funding for the Ruidoso area, reported Patrick Lohmann of Source NM. The decision “puts lives and property at risk unnecessarily during new or cascading life-threatening flooding events,” said Deputy Secretary Ali Rye, in the state’s appeal.

Many people may not know that one of FEMA’s most important programs provides hazard mitigation grants to help communities plan and rebuild to avoid future disasters. We all watched clips of houses floating away during Ruidoso’s fire-related floods this year. It’s foolish to think this can’t happen again.

FEMA officials reportedly said the state hasn’t fully spent the money it’s received in previous disasters, but Rye argues that FEMA has only provided about $20 million of the $120 million promised to New Mexico for multiple recent disasters.

In September Lohmann reported that FEMA cut $14 million of nearly $30 million promised for the aftermath of Ruidoso’s fires, even though Democratic attorneys general were already suing the Trump administration for refusing to spend mitigation grants approved by Congress.

FEMA abruptly ended a related program, Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities, in April that would have provided $4 million. Among other projects was Acoma Pueblo’s plan to reduce flooding risk. New Mexico is the one of 21 states in the lawsuit to suffer cuts to both programs.

All this is happening as wildfire mitigation in the state – prescribed burns and hazardous fuel treatments – plunged by 53% since January, according to a report by Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, an advocacy group.

“The reason we want to thin and prescribe burn and do the pile burning is because we want a healthy forest, and we want to keep it safe so when there’s a fire, we don’t lose the entire forest,” Bobbie Scopa, executive secretary of the group, told KUNM. Scopa was a firefighter for 45 years.

While the Forest Service blames “operational challenges,” Scopa cited the administration’s downsizing of agencies, budget cuts and the government shutdown. The agency hasn’t disclosed an official number, but in a letter co-signed by Heinrich in March, the USFS had lost 3,000 workers and was set to lose 7,000 more. Many were holders of red cards that certify their training as firefighters.

The Forest Service had an 80 million-acre backlog of projects even before the job losses. The responsibilities for the reduced workforce are endangering their lives and health.

Now weather experts say we could see a dry winter.

Pray for rain.

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.

Artesia students host version of Macy’s Day Parade

Michael Smith
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Artesia students host version of Macy’s Day Parade

Staff reports

Hermosa Elementary School’s 4th graders kicked off the Holiday Season by creating their own version of the Macy’s Day Parade.  The students began the study with the story, “Balloons Over Broadway.” They also watched a video from Scholastics that showed how the ballons in the parade are designed. The students then created their own balloons. They learned how a green screen works by taking a picture with the Macy’s store in the background to mimic the actual parade setting. Finally, the students used BeeBots from the STEM Labs to create a moving parade.

Letter to the editor addresses traffic safety concerns

Michael Smith
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Letter to the editor addresses traffic safety concerns

Dear Mayor, City Councilmen and Citizens of Artesia,

As a concerned citizen of Artesia, I have observed over the past several years various intersections regarding the safety of Artesia streets. I have concluded the intersection located at 16th/Bowman and Main Street is one of the most unsafe intersections in Artesia. Since the speed limit on Main Street west of 13th Street is 35-40 mph, potential accidents could be extremely significant.

There are several businesses located in the immediate vicinity of 16th/Bowman and Main Street which include H. F. Sinclair on the west corner, Burger King to the east and Sonic on the south side of the street. The influx of daily traffic resulting from buinessess along with traffic traveling south on Bowman from Park Junior High School to Main Street create an extremely dangerous situation. In addition traffic count will increase following the completion of the new community center currently under construction on north Bowman Street.

For safety purposes and smooth traffic flow, I feel the leadership of our community should pursue a traffic light at 16th/Bowman and Main Street for the betterment of Artesia’s citizens as well as anyone visiting the City of Champion.

Your attention regarding this intersection would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

G. Robert Duncan

Thanksgiving meal cost down slightly, survey says

Michael Smith
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Thanksgiving meal cost down slightly, survey says

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.

Artesia refinery explosion brings call for air monitoring

Michael Smith
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Artesia refinery explosion brings call for air monitoring

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.

The Seven-Week Advent, Virgin Mary

Michael Smith
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The Seven-Week Advent, Virgin Mary

Ty Houghtaling

The third week of the 7-week Advent centers on the Virgin Mary. In some Christian traditions, Mary is referred to as the “Theotokos”  meaning God-bearer. Orthodox teachings emphasize her unique role in salvation history and her example of obedience, humility, and faith. As Believers, we are invited to emulate her willingness to accept God’s will and to prepare our own hearts to receive Christ. Read Luke 1:26-56. You will likely be inspired by Mary’s obedient heart. Have you ever wondered about the pressure she felt? In this passage, we also see the words of Mary’s song. It has become known as the “Magnificat” which is Latin and loosely means “My soul magnifies the Lord”. Mary is a nobody in so many ways, especially in the ways the world defines people. She recognizes her own humble circumstances and understands that God uses the humble to shame the proud. She is a model of what we might call a mature faith. She proclaims from her heart that God is mighty, that He does great things, and that her own spirit rejoices in God as her savior. Do you know the Savior? God is mighty to save. Maybe you aren’t sure of just what or how God saves, so if that’s the case, read John chapter 1 and in your own private time ask God how He might save you.

First Baptist Church will host a “One Night in Bethlehem” event in the evenings of December 12 & 13 at the Total Life Center on the corner of Richardson and Roselawn. A recreation of a street in Bethlehem leading to the manger scene is what you can expect. Come be a part of something special, it will be fun and who knows maybe you will discover your own song of worship just like Mary did when she learned of her role in God’s grand story of salvation.

Keithley’s Korner

Michael Smith
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Keithley’s Korner

Ruidoso car wash getting into the holiday spirit

Tim Keithley

For the Daily Press

Jessica Perez hardly knew anyone in town before she moved to Ruidoso to open Epic Car Wash.

Now about two years later, the owner and operator of the high-tech drive-through car and truck wash at 1811 Sudderth Drive calls nearly every customer by their first name.

“I’m a very social person,” Perez said. “I’m the one that typically makes the initial contact when customers drive-up. I make sure that we are giving our customers exactly what they want—a clean vehicle in a short time period– guaranteed.”

Perez said these days she can easily recognize her regular customers even before they roll down their driver’s side window to say hello. She can pick them out in advance by the make and color of their vehicle.

“I feel like the car wash has become an important small business to the community,” she said. “I’m very fortunate to have so many customers that support my business and that I now call them my friends.”

And this holiday season Perez’s business is giving back to that same community.

Epic Car Wash is offering a “Christmas Tunnel of Lights” as the drive-up lane to the car wash will be illuminated with hundreds of Christmas lights and decorations on the on the evening of Saturday, Nov. 29.

A $20 entry fee is required to go through the tunnel, including a wash, and refreshments will be provided to everyone in attendance.

A portion of the proceeds from sales will be given to Santa’s Helpers, a local organization that donates Christmas gifts and food to families within the community during the holiday season.

A change of pace

Perez had the idea to build a car wash in Ruidoso a few years before it opened. Born and raised in Las Cruces, she said she was familiar with the Texas tourists that tend to visit nearby Ruidoso with dirty vehicles.

But after graduating from New Mexico State University in 2007 with a degree in political science, Perez worked in political fundraising, working on congressional and gubernatorial races for about 15 years throughout New Mexico.

After the 2022 election cycle, she decided it was time for a new career.

“I did my research,” Perez said. “I was convinced that having a top-quality car wash would be a good business venture for a small town that relies heavily on tourism.”

Perez said her car wash is unique in the quality products it uses to keep customers’ vehicle shining, and attention detail in ensuring trucks and cars are fully clean before leaving the car wash.

Vacuums, glass cleaner and towels are do-it-yourself but free of charge, Perez said.

“We don’t skimp on our soaps,” she said. “We use high-tech chemicals in our cleansing liquids which are environmentally safe while protecting the vehicle paint.”

And this winter, Perez said she hopes her business will help give Ruidoso a shine as bright as the glow of the holiday season.

“Everyone feels better when they’re driving a clean vehicle,” she said. “That’s what we’re striving for—to make our customers happy.”

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

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