Todd Fuqua
Artesia Daily Press

Otero County Commissioners chose State Rep. John Block (R-51) as their nominee for the vacant District 33 seat in the New Mexico Senate. The nomination came on a 2-1 vote during a special commission meeting Friday, Nov. 7.

By state statute, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will make an appointment to fill the vacancy after receiving nominations from the three counties spanned by the district – Otero, Lincoln and Chaves.

Sen. Nick Paul of Alamogordo, a Republican, resigned as District 33 senator in early October, citing health concerns. He was elected to a four-year term in the November 2024 general election and took office in January of this year.

The Democratic governor’s appointee will serve until a candidate is chosen by voters next November to complete Paul’s term.

Friday’s vote came after commissioners from Otero and Lincoln counties convened earlier in a joint session to interview eight candidates, all Republicans, for the vacant seat. The meeting was held at Eastern New Mexico University-Ruidoso.

Lincoln County commissioners held a special meeting Monday, Nov. 10, and chose Commission Chair Mark Fischer as their nominee in a 3-0 vote with two commissioners recusing themselves.

The Chaves County Commission opted out of the Oct. 7 joint meeting and held a special meeting of its own Oct. 5, choosing rancher and former Lincoln County Commissioner Rex Wilson by a 5-0 vote. Wilson is the father of current Lincoln County Commissioner Kendal Wilson, who recused himself from Monday’s decision.

Block’s name was placed in nomination by Commissioner Amy Barela. Besides the three nominees, other candidates interviewed during the joint commission meeting were Zach Cook, attorney from Ruidoso and former state representative; Lynn Crawford, mayor of Ruidoso; Alamogordo resident Ben Luna; R.B. Nichols, currently Otero County attorney; and Matthew Wade, an attorney in Ruidoso.

“I’m making my motion based on my constituents here in my district that want local representation, that feel that we don’t want anybody from the outside,” Barela said.

Barela and Commissioner Vickie Marquardt voted yes on the nomination and Commissioner Gerald Matherly voted no.

“This was not an easy choice as we had some really good citizens that came forward,” Marquardt told the Alamogordo News. “However, as John Block is from Otero County and has been fighting for conservative issues for the last three years, I felt that since he is willing to take the next step and move up to the Senate, I feel he’s earned it and deserved my vote.”

Matherly did not respond to a request for comment.

“I’m excited to have Otero County put forward a local name and I’m excited to represent all three counties to the best of my abilities,” Block said after he was selected.

In responding to questions during the joint interview session, Block said he has fought “radical bills” that threaten conservative values and said the challenge to do so in the Senate is greater than in the House.

“The makeup of the Senate is much different,” he told commissioners. “I have built relationships with those in the Senate, but it a big nut to crack. I have the commitment to bring our agenda to the finish line there after it’s been passed in the House.”

Sarah Rubinstein contributed notes to this story.

Mike Smith

Artesia Daily Press

End 4th quarter

Bulldogs win 49-13. Hornets scored two touchdowns and Artesia’s Bryce Parra scored two touchdowns on a 65-yard kickoff return and a 75-yard kickoff return.

Artesia faces Lovington next week. The Wildcats defeated Goddard 28-14.

End 3rd quarter

Bulldogs extend lead early as Jack Byers scored on a 7-yard run. Dominguez kicks the extra point. Artesia leads 35-0.

End 2nd quarter

Bulldogs extend lead 28-0. Bryce Parra scored on a 6-yard touchdown with 8:25 left. Tootie McNeil caught the 2-point conversion pass.

Parra scored again with 23-seconds left in the first half on a 1-yard run. Dominguez kicked the extra point attempt.

End 1st quarter

Bulldogs lead 14-0. Jack Byers scored the opening touchdown with 5:09 left in the opening period. Corbyn Dominguez kicked the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

Trent Egeland the second touchdown with 2 minutes left on a 28-yard catch. Two-point conversion no good.

Setting the scene

After an off week in the opening round of the 5A state playoffs, the No. 1 seed Artesia Bulldogs host the No.8 Highland Hornets from Albuquerque at the Bulldog Bow.

The Hornets defeated Las Cruces Mayfield 36-22 in last week’s opening round of the playoffs.

Artesia Daily Press Editorial Board

Folks at Artesia General Hospital apparently have confused the Hippocratic Oath with the Hypocritic Oath.

Often attributed to but not actually said by Hippocrates is the physician’s vow to “do no harm.” Whatever its origin, the phrase has been associated with the medical profession for centuries. Its historical evolution is a story for another day.

Unhappy with an editorial by the Artesia Daily Press, the hospital waited a few scant days to cancel all of its advertising with our newspaper.

The timing of the cancellation would seem to be the progression of things from angry hospital executives, but who knows? It might be coincidental. You be the judge.

The advertising loss represents a substantial number of dollars for us. In 2024 the hospital spent $14,579 and through this year has spent another $17,114. We have appreciated the support.

Here’s a brief history of recent events.

Last spring, the hospital lost a mill levy election mostly because of institutional arrogance and a blundered public relations campaign.

The vote was 638 to 608.

Last week, voters passed the levy 1,657 to 591.

It appears there are still almost 600 voters who are mad at the hospital. We join them in their suspicion that something is amiss in Denmark.

As we reported last week:

Revenue from the tax enacted in 1979 is used to supplement the hospital’s operating costs, providing about $4 million to $7 million a year for ongoing expenses at the hospital that serves patients throughout Eddy and Chaves counties.

The levy is paid on property taxes for homeowners and businesses within the Artesia Special Hospital District, which encompasses most of the city limits and about 10,000 voters. It amounts to $2.70 per $1,000 of net taxable value on property tax bills.

Prior to the hospital’s electoral do-over in the Nov. 4 general election, the Artesia Daily Press convened an editorial board meeting to decide our institutional opinion on the levy.

We asked Khushroo Ghadiali, the hospital’s director of communications, to assemble hospital representatives for the meeting. He brought with him two members of the Artesia Special Hospital District board, Danny Parker and Karen Waldrip, but none of the hospital’s top executives or administrators.

Among the missing was Dr. Joe Salgado, the hospital’s CEO, even though on the morning of our meeting he had been just a block away at the local coffee shop Kith and Kin for a public forum on the mill question. The forum was lightly attended, and many told us most of those in the audience were employees of the hospital.

Maybe we were naive to believe Salgado would come to our editorial board meeting. As the meeting started, he was across from our building and we watched in amazement as he stepped into his parked vehicle and drove away.

Ghadiali, the only hospital executive on hand, could not answer any of the questions we asked him about hospital operations.

Budget for the hospital? Total revenues and expenses for hospital?

Ghadiali said he did not know but would get back to us. We are still waiting.

Our newspaper endorsed the mill levy in a front-page editorial but raised questions about hospital officials’ arrogance and lack of transparency.

Ghadiali responded to our editorial complaining that hospital executives found the editorial “personal.”

Shame on us for expecting the operational executives to show up for a meeting about a mill levy that is vital to hospital operations.

In this world we all expect certain institutions to be trustworthy and not petty, not given to personal hubris. Those institutions would include the police, our schools, local government and, yes, hospitals. We do not expect local executives and officials to act as monarchs.

How sad for Artesia General to test both the trust of the public and our newspaper after we endorsed the levy.

The Artesia Daily Press will not be weakened or intimidated by economic bullying. We are, like all newspapers, struggling to exist. But we will not bend to self-serving hospital officials who seem to have forgotten the meaning of the words “do no harm.”

By the way, hospital management signed an advertising contract with the Artesia Daily Press in 2024 for 2025. We are invoicing them this week for the unpaid portion of their commitment. We will keep you posted if they honor the contract and pay their bill. It may be of interest to you when you get your next hospital bill.

Hospital officials want to build a new hospital. That will likely require a bond election. Perhaps those 600 anti-hospital voters will grow in number in the face of these bullies.

Next up for us: We will be investigating the controversy at the hospital over air transport operators.

We’ll pinch pennies in the meantime to give Artesia the newspaper it deserves. There is no price on freedom of speech.

JT Keith
Artesia Daily Press
jtkeith@elritomedia.com

The No. 1-ranked District 5A Artesia Bulldogs football team will face a new challenger in the No. 8 Highland Hornets in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Nusenda Credit Union state football playoffs at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Bulldog Bowl.

The Hornets defeated Mayfield 36-22 on Friday, Nov. 7, to advance.

There is history between these two teams, but one would have to go back to the 1961 and 1964 seasons, when Artesia won both championship games. In 1964, the ’Dogs defeated Highlands 20-6 at Morris Field. In 1966, the Bulldogs in their orange uniforms beat the Hornets 40-14  in what would be Bulldogs’ coach L.G. Henderson’s second of five state titles.

Offense

Artesia (9-1) comes into the game with an explosive offense as quarterback Derrick Warren is 141-of-229 for 2,169 yards with 32 touchdowns and six interceptions and a quarterback rating of 121.5. Senior running back Bryce Parra has rushed for 1,039 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. At the receiving spot is the five-headed monster led by Trent Egeland, who has 41 receptions with 594 yards and 12 touchdowns. Next is Jack Byers, who has 29 receptions with 558 yards and six touchdowns. At the slot receiver position, Sawyer Whitehead has 21 catches, 245 yards and one touchdown. Jett Fuentes has 16 receptions and 196 yards with three touchdowns, and teammate Cael Houghtaling has 15 receptions for 265 yards and two touchdowns. If the receivers are covered, look for Warren to throw to Parra out of the backfield. Parra has 16 catches for 360 yards and five touchdowns.

The Bulldogs’ offense is averaging 361.2 yards in total offense each game this season.

“We have to come out and play our best game of the year,” Artesia head football coach Jeremy Maupin said. “I know that is coach cliché. On offense we must build a lead, if we stay in a close game then they can shorten the game with the way they run the ball. We must get out to an early lead.”

Defense

All season long, the Bulldogs have relied on their defense to carry them when their offense was not at full throttle. Against Goddard, the defense kept the Rockets out of the end zone and won the game.

This Saturday, the Highland Hornets will come to Artesia with an upset on their mind after their win over Mayfield in the first round. Mayfield won only two games this season, but the Bulldogs are the No. 1 team in Class 4A, and this game will be played at the most imposing football mecca in New Mexico, the Bulldog Bowl.

What the Bulldogs will have to do is shut down the Hornets’ running game in William Anchondo and Jose Tapia, who combined for 355 yards and five touchdowns against Mayfield.

“We have to be able to stop the run,” Maupin said. “We have to limit the run defensively and that is what they want to do.”

The Hornets (7-4) can be rattled, especially early in the contest. Highland head coach Phillip Lovato is starting five sophomores, three juniors and two seniors.

“For our kids to have this opportunity to go down there and see what football is, I’m excited for all of us,” Lovato told the Albuquerque Journal after Highland’s first-round win. “Now we’re just playing with house money.”

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