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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.

Opinion: Republicans are failing to communicate to Americans

Michael Smith
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Opinion: Republicans are failing to communicate to Americans

Cal Thomas

In the 1967 film “Cool Hand Luke,” the “Captain” says to Luke (Paul Newman) “What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate.”

The same could be said of the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress. While they have much to brag about – from a closed border, the deportation of undocumented immigrants and lower taxes- it’s not getting through to especially a younger generation that seems enamored with socialism as we’ve recently seen with the election of democratic socialist Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in New York City and the disastrous result of that economic philosophy in Oregon.

The generational divide means that younger people have not experienced what older generations have experienced. An example: My wife and I are the same age. We have family members who were in the military. We like the same music and recall the threat of nuclear war with the Soviet Union which was part of the Cold War. When we speak of such things we understand each other.

Younger people, especially those born after 9/11, know nothing of our experiences, nor have they similar experiences of their own. They have led what we used to call “sheltered lives,” which has created in them an entitlement mentality. When we try to tell them why socialism doesn’t work, they seem to care only about “affordability.” Gas prices are down since the Biden administration (now averaging $3 per gallon, but $4.73 on average in California as of April 2025). I went grocery shopping last week and found prices have dropped on such basics as eggs, milk and bread.

Since January 2021, overall prices rose $22.7 percent, but wages rose only $21.8 percent. Inflation hit a record high of 9.1 percent in June, 2022. Inflation was 3 percent for the 12 months ending in September 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Why is this not getting through? Part of it has to do with the failure to acknowledge these facts by the media, which never hesitate to blame Republicans when prices go up and the government closes. But a lot of the failure by Republicans to get through to younger voters is because they are speaking a different language.

Were I a consultant for the GOP I would develop several ads. One would show two women grocery shopping with a list that has in one column the prices of food during the Biden administration and the prices now. One woman says to the other “Look how the price of eggs has dropped. That’s not what we are hearing on the news.” Another ad would feature a woman filling up her car and telling her liberal, college-age son, “$3 a gallon is cheaper than it was five years ago under Biden.”

People have more options than ever when it comes to where to live, work and what to buy. If the rent or housing prices are too high, one can always move to a place with no state taxes, cheaper food and gas and less expensive housing.

Republicans should get off defense (and the Epstein files ) and note how everything was more expensive under Biden. The cost of health insurance escalated because of subsidies created by “Obamacare.” Cheaper health insurance is available through independent organizations like Medi-Share and Samaritan’s Purse.

These and other truths that prove things are getting better because of Republican policies, should be hammered home every day. It should also be repeated that if Democrats return to power, the public can look to the recent past, the present in Oregon and the likely future in New York to see how liberal policies have failed.

It shouldn’t be that difficult to communicate.

Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. Look for Cal Thomas’ latest book “A Watchman in the Night: What I’ve Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America” (HumanixBooks).

Sights from the semifinal football game between Artesia and Lovington

JT Keith
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Sights from the semifinal football game between Artesia and Lovington
JT Keith | Artesia Daily Press
Bulldog running back Bryce Parra runs away from Lovington to score a touchdown in the first half. Artesia would win the game 35-30 at Wildcat Stadium.
Bryce Parra celebrates one of his two touchdowns against Lovington on Saturday.
Bulldog defender Ivan Chavez makes a tackle on Lovington quarterback Jayden Gutierrez during semifinal action on Saturday.
Bulldog defenders #90 Sergio Robles Jr. and #23 Miguel Soto combine to make a tackle on Jayden Gutierrez during semifinal action on Saturday.
The defense led by linebacker #48 Corbyn Dominguez, #90 Sergio Robles Jr., #33 Edel Villa and #20 Julian Baeza get ready for the snap of the ball.
Artesia running back Bryce Parra has his helmet taken off by Lovington’s Joaquin Vasquez during semifinal action on Saturday.
Artesia’s Bryce Parra celebrates after scoring his second touchdown of the game.
Artesia defensive lineman #90 Sergio Robles Jr. and #52 Marco Soto Jr. react to a pass by Wildcat quarterback Jayden Gutierrez.
The gang is all here for a stop on Lovington running back Fidencio Lujan. Putting the stop on him is Bulldog defender #54 Daelon Pacheco, #33 Edel Villa and #52 Marco Soto Jr. Looking on is #20 Julian Baeza.
The Bulldogs get ready for second half action.
Trent Egeland scores a 3-yard touchdown on a pass by quarterback Derrick Warren in the third quarter.
Artesia’s Jack Byers celebrates the winning touchdown on a 54-yard catch and run. The score would give Artesia a 35-30 win with 1:51 left to play in the game.
The team celebrates with the Bulldog fans after the game on Saturday.
The Artesia Bulldog football team celebrates after the game on Saturday.

The Artesia football team advances to the championship game-barely

JT Keith
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The Artesia football team advances to the championship game-barely

LOVINGTON – Diamonds are formed under extreme heat and pressure. On Nov. 22, the No. 1-ranked Artesia Bulldog football team was under that kind of pressure from the No. 4-seeded Lovington Wildcats, as Artesia hung on to win 35-30 at Wildcat Stadium.

If the Bulldogs win the Class 5A championship against Roswell at 1 p.m. on Nov. 29, Artesia can point to this game as the one that made them champions.

Byers scores in waning minutes

The Bulldogs scored with 1:51 to play in the game when quarterback Derrick Warren threw a bubble screen pass to wide receiver Jack Byers, who picked up key blocks and ran 54 yards for a touchdown to put the Bulldogs ahead 35-24. 

JT Keith | Artesia Daily Press, Artesia’s wide receiver Jack Byers celebrates after crossing the goal line to give the Bulldogs a 35-24 lead with 1:51 to play in the game.

On the ensuing kickoff, Wildcats quarterback Jayden Guiterrez threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to receiver Chase Terrell. The 2-point conversion failed, making the score 35-30 with 55 seconds to play. It was not until a failed onside kick that the Bulldogs were able to escape with the win.

Defense wins the game

“We just weren’t clicking on offense in the first half,” said Artesia coach Jeremy Maupin. “They (Lovington) really came out on fire, but our defense really kept us in the game, and we had a big kick return (Parra) that kept it close. Our defense played well throughout the game, especially in the first half, and our offense came to life in the second half. We were moving the ball and doing well, and we were able to finish it out.”

Maupin said he told his team that Lovington had given them their absolute best in the first half, and the Bulldogs did not. In the second half, it was the Bulldogs’ turn to provide Lovington with its best.

Fast start for the ‘Cats

Lovington came out ready to play. After holding the Bulldogs to a three-and-out, Lovington scored on a 7-yard Guiterrez run, with kicker Caleb Aranda adding the Point After Touchdown to give the Wildcats a 7-0 lead with 7:30 to play in the first quarter. Artesia answered on a lead draw to running back Bryce Parra, who raced 63 yards and scored a touchdown with kicker Corbyn Dominguez adding the PAT to tie the game at 7-7 with 3:45 to play in the first quarter.

Artesia football coach Jeremy Maupin is fired up after defeating Lovington 35-30 at Wildcat Stadium.

Guiterrez threw a 27-yard pass to Paul Sanchez with 8:10 to play in the second quarter, with the PAT being good, giving the Wildcats a 14-7 lead. Before anyone could sit down on the ensuing kickoff, Parra ran the starburst, faking a handoff to two teammates before running 88 yards to tie the game at 14-14 with 7:55 to play in the second quarter.

Lovington leads at halftime

After forcing the Wildcats to punt the ball, the punt hit a Bulldog player’s leg, and Lovington recovered. The Wildcats later got a 34-yard field goal with nine seconds left to take a 17-14 halftime lead.

“Just an incredible football game,” said Lovington head coach Josh Bailey. “It’s one that will go down forever as being something special. Hats off to Artesia; they got it done, and they are an excellent football team and well-coached. We knew it was going to take an incredible effort, and we gave it. Our guys bought in on the belief that we could beat Artesia, and we gave ourselves a chance to win to the very end.”

As the Bulldogs came out, coach Maupin told his team to give their absolute best for the second half. 

In the third quarter, Warren threw a 26-yard out route to wide receiver Trent Egeland, with the PAT being good to give the Bulldogs a 21-17 lead. 

On the next drive, Lovington’s Gutierrez ran around the right end for a 78-yard touchdown to retake the lead at 24-21 with 7:25 to play in the third quarter. With the ball on Lovington’s 3-yard line, the Bulldogs faked a handoff to Parra and threw a 3-yard out to Egeland for his second touchdown of the game as Artesia took a 28-24 lead with 4:52 to play in the third quarter. 

Fourth quarter

The final frame was a defensive struggle until Byers’ touchdown run, during which he picked up a key block from Cael Houghtaling. 

“We were talking during the timeout about running the clock out,” Maupin said. “I just felt like they were going to give us a heavy box, and that is one of our best plays. Cael (Houghtaling) is one of our better slot blockers. Every player and coach had a play they thought would work. I said, ‘Let’s go with our Tundra X, which is our little screen.’ Jack (Byers) did a great thing and ran away from people.”

“We are going to the ship (5A Championship),” he added. “We are going to that game, we gave ourselves a chance to play in that game, and that is what you want. Now we have to finish. We don’t like using the word last, we don’t like that word. It is our best. The best week is left, the best week of practice, the best Monday, Tuesday. I have to have their best for the rest of the year, and let’s go finish this thing out. This is it.”

For the Lovington Wildcats, the belief is there

JT Keith
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For the Lovington Wildcats, the belief is there

Lovington football coach Josh Bailey wants all the smoke. He reads the Artesia Proboards and hears what the fans are saying about his Wildcats. Lovington has not defeated the Bulldogs since 2001, when they won 34-28 on Lovington’s home field. Artesia has won 23 consecutive games and looks to make it 24 when it travels to Wildcats Stadium and plays on Brian Urlacher Field at 1 p.m. Saturday, with the opportunity to advance to the Class 5A state championship game.

Belief and proud

Bailey said he knows the Artesia fans might think his Wildcats are cocky, but how is Lovington ever going to beat the Bulldogs if it doesn’t believe it can? Bailey says that belief starts with him.

“We believe we have the team to beat Artesia,” Bailey said. “That is no shot at Artesia; Artesia is a phenomenal team. We know it, they know it, and everybody knows it. They are a great team, but we are going to give them everything we’ve got, and that is what we have to do.”

Artesia (10-1) is seeking its 33rd state championship and comes into the game ranked as the No. 1 team in 5A football. The Wildcats (7-4) enter the game ranked No. 4 and reached the semifinals the hard way: going on a five-game win streak and defeating Goddard, 28-14, in the state quarterfinals on Nov. 15.

(Mike Smith/Artesia Daily Press) Artesia players and coaches pray before the game.

“After losing to Roswell and Artesia, we anticipated getting that No. 3 seed,” Bailey said. “It did not work out that way; it is what it is, but we fully anticipated seeing Roswell and Artesia again. We still have that opportunity; we have to go through Artesia, just a different direction. We felt like we were going to get Roswell in the semifinals and, hopefully, will have the opportunity to play Artesia in the state championship. We are a little bit different from when we played Artesia, and we will get after it.”

The Bulldogs are the last team to defeat Lovington in a 56-23 loss at the Bulldog Bowl on Sept. 26. In that game, the Wildcats could not have asked for anything better when Artesia fumbled on the first series of the game, then turned around and threw an interception on its second possession. However, Lovington could not capitalize and come away with any points.

“I think our defense is pretty stout,” Bailey said. “They (defense) created two turnovers against Artesia, and our offense could not do anything with them. We are much better at defending the run and tackling than we have been in the past. We have some physically tough boys inside, and getting Kyler Reaves back from injury, who is an outstanding linebacker, helps us out tremendously.”

The game would be physical, as the Wildcats’ starting quarterback, Jayden Gutierrez, left with an ankle injury sustained on the second play.

Gutierrez at QB

Bailey said the first complete game Guiterrez played at quarterback was the Roswell game, and he did not use his skill set effectively. Afterwards, the team played Goddard, and he made some big plays, and then played Artesia.

“I am not making any excuses at all,” Bailey said. “We got our butt whipped, no way around it. Jayden (Gutierrez) rolled his ankle on the first play of the game, but he did not play very well to his caliber. There was a mixture of us figuring out how to use him better, and he has run the ball better the last several weeks. That is a tougher challenge against Artesia than some teams that we played, but I think it will help us.”

O-Line

Bailey said that with his athletes going both ways and spreading teams out all the time, it is a tough way to play. The Wildcats do not have the same depth as Artesia on both sides of the ball. The Bulldog offensive line beats Lovington’s defensive line, and Bailey said that cannot happen in this game if they want to win. Bailey said Lovington has to be more physical up front.

Process

The Wildcats were 2-4 after the Artesia game. Bailey said that his team would be playing Artesia again in the playoffs. Bailey said that he led by example and did not panic after the slow start.
“We talk about things all of the time,” Bailey said, “that as a leader of men, you have to live by example, and you have to be process-driven and not results-driven. The truth of the matter is that, despite the losses, we still had all our goals in front of us. “

Winter jubilee celebrates Ruidoso community, local businesses

Michael Smith
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Winter jubilee celebrates Ruidoso community, local businesses

Benjamin Koelkebeck

Artesia Daily Press

Bkoelkebeck@elritomedia.com

The Ruidoso Convention Center became a winter wonderland Nov. 14-16 as visitors flocked to the annual Ruidoso Christmas Jubilee to enjoy vendors’ wares, tasty food and live entertainment.

Organized and operated by the Ruidoso Valley Greeters – the philanthropic arm of the Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce – the jubilee is designed to generate business for local businesses while also raising money for charitable organizations in the community.

Organizers say the jubilee provides an immediate benefit to participating vendors by giving them a venue to interact with potential customers during the time between Labor Day and Thanksgiving – a typically slow period for local businesses.

“Everybody’s so friendly, and everybody’s so helpful and it’s festive and wonderful,” said Jane Terrell, the event’s booth sales chairman.

While the jubilee focuses on boosting local business, the festivities also offer a good time for vendors and customers alike, organizers say.

One family-owned business that enjoyed a boost was The Fruit Stand, staffed by Pat Rue, an owner, and two of her grandchildren. Rue said the jubilee brought in extra income at a time when it was needed and also provided a wealth of exposure for the small business.

“(The Jubilee) brings in a lot of tourists to the area, not necessarily because they’re coming to The Fruit Stand, but they’re coming to the Christmas Jubilee, and then you can advertise your business,” Rue said.

Another booth, A Teacher’s Hobby, sold handcrafted art and jewelry made with rocks, epoxy and other materials.

“It’s fun for me as a hobbyist and someone who just does this part time that I can sit next to a full-time business and get to share my craft, my hobby and art, and that people find value in it as well,” said Summer Wilson, a fourth-grade teacher at White Mountain Elementary and co-owner of A Teacher’s Hobby.

Getting to interact with the community, whether with past students or other local residents, was especially important to Wilson. She said the event was a good example of community spirit.

“Events like this, you get to see people at their best and it’s genuine,” said Wilson.

Mixed among the hobbyists and merchants was a four-legged celebrity named Mountain Spirit, and his passionate owner Sunny Eris.

Eris, co-founder and director of Animal Village NM, a low income spay and neuter program, rescued Mountain Spirit in 2019 and says he has since been her “copilot” on 20 different rescue transports around the country.

Mountain Spirit, a 7-year-old mixed breed (shepherd, chow, husky, malamute, border collie, Aussie and chihuahua) won the John Henry Support Animal Award earlier this year as part of the New Mexico Behavioral Health Planning Council’s annual Behavioral Health Day in Santa Fe. The award recognizes the role of support animals in mental health and recovery, according to the New Mexico Health Care Authority’s website.

The health conference was attended by a number of New Mexico’s movers and shakers, Eris said, and the dog’s story of suffering and rescue made him popular with the human celebrities.

“All the senators and the congresspeople, they’re talking to their aids, and they’re going ‘Hey get a picture of me with the dog,’” she said.

Anyone interested in participating in the next jubilee should contact the Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce at 575-257-7395 or visit the chamber website www.ruidosonow.com.

Benjamin Koelkebeck is a reporter and assistant news editor for the Ruidoso News and can be reached at bkoelkebeck@elritomedia.com.

Trout conditions good on New Mexico waters as Thanksgiving approaches

Michael Smith
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Trout conditions good on New Mexico waters as Thanksgiving approaches

Information and photos provided by New Mexico Department of Game and Fish

Tired of turkey for Thanksgiving? With fish biting at lakes and streams across the state as the holiday nears, here’s an alternative: trout served with all the Thanksgiving trimmings.

In northern New Mexico at Eagle Nest Lake, fishing for rainbow trout was particularly good using worms.

At Hopewell Lake, trout fishing was good using glitter Gulp and spinners.

Fishing for trout was good using Yellow Corn PowerBait at Fenton Lake.

Along the San Juan River, the streamflow near Archuleta Wednesday morning was 577 cubic feet per second (cfs). Fishing for rainbow trout was good using Red Anneliese in the quality waters.

At the Seven Springs Kids’ Pond, fishing for trout was exceptionally good when using Panther Martin Spinners.

At Ute Lake, fishing for walleye, crappie, catfish and white bass was fair to good when using 3-inch and 4-inch Gulp minnows.

In Lincoln County, trout fishing was good using Garlic PowerBait at Bonito Lake.

In eastern New Mexico at Sumner Lake, fishing for smallmouth bass was good using Panther Martin Spinners.

West of Silver City at Bill Evans Lake, fishing for catfish was fair to good using natural scent trout bait. Fishing for largemouth bass was good using crawdads.

This fishing report, provided by the Department of Game and Fish, has been generated from the best information available from area officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter angler activities.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe the fantasy of C.S. Lewis

Michael Smith
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe the fantasy of C.S. Lewis

David Grousnick

A great Christian writer that most of you know wrote a brilliant children’s fantasy called “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” And it does just that. C.S. Lewis tells the story of a great Lion whose roar shakes the very foundations of the forest.

At the beginning of the book four children are playing in their uncle’s wardrobe when they discover it is a doorway to Narnia. As they enter Narnia, they learn it is under the spell of a wicked witch.

It is a depressing land. Lucy, the youngest of the four, says that in Narnia under the witch it is always winter but never Christmas.

The children hear rumors that Aslan, the great Lion, will soon return to the forest so they devise a plan to overthrow the witch.

But chaos enters in when the younger boy Edmund commits treason and joins the witch plunging all of Narnia deeper into the witch’s spell. When Aslan returns, he frees Edmund from the clutches of the witch.

I love what happens next. The witch requests an audience with Aslan and talks to him about the deep magic from the dawn of time.

She says, and I quote, “You at least know the magic which the Emperor [that’s God the Father] put into Narnia at the very beginning. You know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have a right to a kill.”

Aslan agrees and Edmund is to be sacrificed on the Stone Table, a large ritual stone that has always been in Narnia.

But then something unexpected and horrible happens. Aslan offers to be sacrificed in place of Edmund. The witch is delighted to be rid of Aslan once for all. He is bound, humiliated before the Witches entourage, and killed. It appears to the children that wickedness has won the day and that all is lost.

As the children tearfully leave the scene it is dawn. They hear a great cracking, a deafening noise. They rush back and find the great table split in two and Aslan gone.

Suddenly he appears before them and as they shake in fear, he explains to them “that though the witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she does not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the Dawn of Time.

But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation.

She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backwards.”

The meaning of the story is plain enough for all to see, a wonderful allegory of the fall of mankind and the redemption of the world. It is one of the best stories ever told because it tells of the worst in us, the best in us, and the grace offered to us all.

This Sunday is the last Sunday in the Christian year, the Sunday we call Christ the King. It’s fitting to conclude the liturgical year with an acclamation of the royalty of Christ, though we do this much more frequently than once a year.

The sovereignty of Christ is well-affirmed in our hymns and in the language we use to speak about Jesus in our worship. In a few weeks, we’ll be singing “Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ the newborn king,” and “Hark! the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king,” as we celebrate Christmas.

But as often as we use the language of royalty in our praise of Christ, I wonder if we really have a good understanding of what we mean when we hail Jesus as a king, and what, if anything, the kingship of Jesus has to do with our lives.

Those two questions, it seems to me, are ones we must consider seriously: What does it mean to confess Jesus as King, and what personal significance does that confession have for us?

Come and grow with us at First Christian Church. Worship is at 10:30, dress is comfortable and the atmosphere is very friendly!

Have a great weekend!

Artesia Altrusa hosts Jingle Bell Brunch fundraiser

Michael Smith
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Artesia Altrusa hosts Jingle Bell Brunch fundraiser

Mike Smith

Artesia Daily Press

msmith@currentargus.com

Brunch, holiday shopping, entertainment and community togetherness all will be part of Saturday’s first-ever Jingle Bell Brunch sponsored by the Artesia Altrusa Club.

Doors open at 10:30 a.m. at the Artesia Administration and Training Center at 301 Bulldog Blvd. Brunch will be served at 11:30.

Co-chairs Ashley Mason and Barbara Huitron said proceeds from the event will benefit Altrusa’s Student of the Month Scholarship and other projects of the service agency.

(Photo by Mike Smith, Artesia Daily Press. Ashley Mason during an interview on the Jingle Bell Brunch)

Artesia’s Altrusa club has been around for 70 years and long relied on a winter smorgasbord as the organization’s main fundraiser.

“We’ve seen some decline in recent years,” she said.

Mason said the idea for the Jingle Bell Brunch was sparked by a visit to the Holiday Happening event hosted by Altrusa International in Portales.

“They host it on the Eastern New Mexico University campus. We really thought it would do well,” she said.

Huitron said the Portales organization sold individual tables with Christmas decorations.

(Photo by Mike Smith, Artesia Daily Press. Barbara Huitron of the Artesia Altrusa Club)

“It’s a luncheon to start kicking off the holidays,” she said.

Mason said the Artesia group put a different twist on the holiday idea.

“We added vendors and a dessert dash. They’ve  been doing theirs for 30 years. We hope to get there,” she said.

Mason and Huitron spent October and the early part of November soliciting sponsors to decorate tables.

Huitron said freeze-dried foods, candy, homemade soaps and also clothing will be among the items offered by vendors.

Artesia Altrusa’s community service isn’t limited to scholarships, she said: “Literacy is our big topic. On Halloween we handed out books at Bennie’s Western Wear.”

Mason said Altrusa provides money and goodie bags for senior citizens living at Good Life Senior Living and Memory Care in Artesia and Lake View Christian Home in Carlsbad.

Altrusa International was founded in 1917 as the Altrusa Institute, according to the organization’s website.

Dr. Alfred Durham founded the organization in Nashville, Tennessee, citing a need for women’s service organizations during World War I. He organized chapters around Nashville, Louisville, Kentucky, and Dayton, Ohio, before moving to Indianapolis, Indiana.

Mason has been involved with the Artesia club since 2014.

“I’ve always been passionate about service. I like giving back and doing (good) for others,” she said.

Huitron said she has been involved since 2012.

“I’ve never been around anything like this before. I’ve enjoyed it,” she said. “We do a lot of good. We are hidden gem. We have so much that we want to do,”

Anyone wanting tickets or more information can call Mason at 575-365-4002 or Huitron at 575-365-5381.

Carlsbad woman shot during fight

Michael Smith
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Carlsbad woman shot during fight

Adrian Hedden
Artesia Daily Press

A fight between two men in Carlsbad last month led to a shooting and five felony charges for the alleged shooter who said he was “on a bender” in the days before the incident.

Wyatt Widener, 19, was arrested Oct. 1 after police said he opened fire with a Glock handgun on Antonio Tonrabene, 25, and Lateesha Delgado, 30, hitting Delgado in the foot.

Tonrabene was uninjured in the shooting.

Widener was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon conversion device, receiving a stolen firearm and two counts of tampering with evidence. He also faced a misdemeanor charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon.

He was arraigned Monday, Nov. 17, before District Judge David Finger.

Officers responded to the scene in the 600 block of North Fifth Street about midnight Oct. 1 after Delgado called police to report she was shot in the foot by “stupid people,” read the criminal complaint filed in the case.

Police said Widener fled the scene after the shooting but was later apprehended in the 300 block of Mesquite Street and confessed to the shooting after saying he’d been “partying all night” ahead of the altercation.

Widener told police he pulled a modified handgun out of his jacket in response to aggressive actions by Tonrabene and fired several rounds from about five feet away. Widener said he took the gun apart and hid the pieces under a nearby truck then ran away from the area.

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

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