Photo by Mike Smith, Artesia Daily Press

Update

As of 5:15 p.m. the following candidates have filed to run for office in the City of Artesia elections.

Terrance L. Todd and Jeffrey Youtsey for Mayor. City Council District 1 Raul Rodriguez. City Council District 2 Donovan Jacob Garcia, Nathan Norman Ryno, Joseph W. Wright. City Council District 3 Allen K. Bratcher. District 4 (four-year term) Terry L Hill and Charles Morgan Wagner II. District 4 (two-year term) Michael William Bunt.

All candidates must be certified before being placed on the ballot. Election Day is March 3.

As of 2:36 p.m.

Former City Councilor Terry Hill submitted paperwork for the District 4 City Council seat. Valverde said all candidates must go through a certification process before being placed on the ballot.

As of 1:17 p.m.

Terrance Todd had filed to run for Mayor. Joseph W. Wright had filed to run for City Council District 2. Allen Kent Bratcher had filed for District 3 and Michael Bunt filed for District 4.

Artesia residents wishing to run for Mayor and four contested City Council seats must file by late this afternoon at City Hall, said Artesia City Clerk Summer Valverde.

As of 9:30 a.m. no one had filed for any of the offices. Valverde said the office of Mayor was on the ballot along four council seats, representatives elected from those districts would serve for four years.

More information can be obtained by calling Artesia’s City Hall.

Galen Farrington

The end of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) drastically changed the political geography of North America with the United States and Mexico signing the Treaty of Guadalupe – Hidalgo granting the former, 55 percent of the latter’s land mass. The New Mexico Territory of then, comprised all or parts of the following current states: California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Oklahoma and Kansas.

It was an extraordinary era of American history with the political complexities that existed. Of the nine future states occupying the latest example of manifest destiny, New Mexico with Arizona had the longest waits for statehood – some 64 years. Politicians (mostly lawyers) chipped away at the New Mexico Territory. Treaties and various agreements were signed and often changed in their final form. Even the final presentation of the Treaty of Guadalupe – Hidalgo was changed dramatically from the original document drafted by U.S. President Taft appointee, Nicholas P. Trist, in Hidalgo, Mexico with three Mexican representatives.

The Treaty was sent to Washington, D.C. and the Senate ratified the document except for Article X which, in the National Archives, is simply listed as “deleted.”  Article X guaranteed the Mexicans owning land (land grants) protection under law; the land was theirs. The elimination of Article X resulted in not only significant land loss but created a legacy of inequality as “Americans” migrated from the east with new laws and a culture that valued property. Due to the lack of property and facing a cultural shift that, by Treaty dictate, required language and political absorption, poverty for the Mexicans and Native Americans also became a generational norm.

The Treaty did provide for all Mexicans who chose to remain in the acquired territory to have all of their debts to their Mexican homeland paid in full so that a “new start” was granted. Some left for the arduous journey south across the new border and those who remained petitioned for statehood and its benefits for decades. The New Mexico Territory was considered a “wild place” by those making the laws in Washington, D.C. and soldiers were sent to the newly acquired landscape to create forts to protect the small number of Anglo Americans (as the U.S. Citizens were called) who adventurously entered the untamed wilderness during the 1840s and 1850s. The first forts of protection in the future state of New Mexico were Fort Union (1851) and Fort Stanton (1855).

The New Mexico parcel became smaller as surrounding entities chipped away at its borders with Texas desiring the largest piece by claiming all land east of the Rio Grande and Arizona wanted the portion to the west of the river. Thankfully, more rational minds prevailed. The only border to gain land for the new territory was to the south as the original Treaty mistakenly surveyed the southern 30 miles to the north of the current line of demarcation.

The American Minister to Mexico, James Gadsden, negotiated another treaty (1853) with Mexico that would bare his name and the U.S. had the 30 mile land corridor it needed for the proposed trans-continental railroad and the agriculturally fertile Mesilla Valley; the border disputes were settled.

By 1880 an immigration office was established in the Territory to attract Easterners (“Americans”) to the new troubled frontier as it was a truly wild place with marauding Native Americans, disgruntled Mexicans, land-thirsty pioneers, and a political system that lawyers and soldiers enforced with often a brutal sword. Somehow the political core of the Territory was successful in convincing President Taft to cease the outrageous hostilities and create the Enabling Act of 1910 that allowed territories to form constitutions for congressional ratification and on January 06, 1912 New Mexico became the 47th state with Arizona the last of the “lower 48” admitted on February 14, 1912. The 64 year struggle resulted in a new people seeking “… the Blessings of Liberty … and … Posterity” granted to all Americans by the United States Constitution.

Happy Birthday New Mexico.

Galen has lived in Ruidoso with his wife Chris for more than fifty years, contributing to the education of our community for a shared eighty-five year experience. He may be contacted by email at: gcf88345@gmail.com

Adrian Hedden
Artesia Daily Press
achedden@currentargus.com

Three-foot-tall letters spell out the name of the Cavern City along the Pecos River.

The sign provides a backdrop for tourists to take photos, commemorating their visit to Carlsbad, and city officials say the monument contributes to the community’s pride in its natural beauty and rare flowing river in arid New Mexico.

The display, completed in September, was the work of a group of six women attending Leadership Carlsbad from September 2023 to May 2024. A ribbon-cutting to celebrate the completion is planned for Jan. 5.

The leadership course is led annually by the Chamber of Commerce with young professionals meeting monthly to learn about different aspects of the community and its industries.

Attendees are placed into groups and asked to complete a project for the betterment of the city. Jennifer Watson, 37, said her group designed the large, white letters to give tourism a boost and would like to see the display become as iconic as similar constructions in other towns, including the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles.

The letters sit at the entrance of the Cascades at Carlsbad business park, on Park Drive to the west of the river near the Greene Street Bridge, along the city’s riverwalk.

The display was paid for through a partnership with the city, allowing the group to use about $15,000 in municipal lodger’s tax revenue.

Watson, who serves as manager of local bed and breakfast Fiddler’s Inn, said the monument could prove valuable for those looking to craft the perfect social media post or take memorable graduation photos.

The group asked visitors to the monument to post photos using the hashtag #DestinationCarlsbad.

“It’s a great spot for locals and tourists to go and enjoy another beautiful part of our city,” Watson said. “A lot of people congregate down by the beach area, but we really wanted to encourage people to enjoy the entire river.”

The group created the design, found a local contractor, Perfect Design, to finalize and build the monument, and presented the idea to Mayor Rick Lopez in January 2024.

It was built, complete with lighting for nighttime visits, by September of this year but an important question remained: whether to leave the letters white like the Hollywood sign or add a mural to symbolize several other landmarks in the community.

After months of debate, the group decided on the former in response to feedback online.

“Once we got it done, people started posting that they really liked the white color,” said group member Michelle Martinez, 42, who is also executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of Carlsbad. “It really does pop.”

She said the sign was intended to remain for many years and will be maintained by the city of Carlsbad.

“We will be moving on, long gone and we want to make sure it stays good and continues,” Martinez said. “Partnering with the city is ensuring it will be part of the city long-term.”

Lopez said the project was one of his first upon assuming office in 2024, following his victory in the 2023 general election over City Councilor Eddie Rodriguez.

The mayor said the monument was part of a broader effort by the city to improve its riverwalk and beach areas, expanding on Carlsbad’s unique recreation opportunities.

“The whole point is to showcase our beautiful beach area,” he said. “It’s just another item to draw people down there. It makes it a destination.”

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

Staff Reports

Throughout the month of December, Otero County Prison donated hand-crafted blankets, quilts, beanies and scarves to several organizations across New Mexico, Texas and Mexico, helping bring warmth and comfort to those in need during the holiday season.

These handmade items were created by Otero County Prison residents through educational and vocational programming. The initiative not only supports vulnerable communities, but also allows residents to contribute their talents to meaningful causes.

The donated items were distributed to the following organizations and community initiatives:

• Consulado General de México en El Paso

The Consulate distributed the donated blankets during a food pantry giveaway in El Paso, Texas, supporting local families facing food insecurity and financial hardship during the holiday season.

• Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC) – Help New Mexico, Chaparral, NM

CPLC Help New Mexico provides a wide range of services to low-income individuals and families, including housing assistance, case management and community support programs. The donated blankets will help families stay warm during the winter months.

• La Casa Inc., Anthony, NM

La Casa Inc. serves victims of domestic violence by providing emergency shelter, advocacy and support services. The donated items will be used to provide comfort and warmth to individuals and families seeking safety and healing.

• Eastside Democrats – Senior Blanket Drive

Fifty blankets were donated to support the organization’s annual Senior Blanket Drive, which assists elderly community members who may be living on fixed incomes and facing increased heating costs during the winter.

• Otero Commissioner Gerald Matherly and Cheryl Matherly

Blankets were delivered to the Otero County Fair and Rodeo as part of Commissioner Matherly’s annual senior citizen drive, an initiative dedicated to supporting older adults throughout Otero County during the holiday season.

• Delice Bakehouse, El Paso, TX

Delice Bakehouse’s owner, along with her husband and daughters, regularly deliver hot meals, clothing, jackets and blankets to colonias in Juárez, Mexico. These colonias are highly underserved communities where many homes lack proper insulation and heating, making winter temperatures especially dangerous for residents.

“We are truly grateful to these organizations, who we know will put these handmade items to good use,” said Arlette Villa, Community Relations Manager at Otero County Prison Facility.

“Our residents are thankful that their artwork and efforts are being used for such meaningful purposes. We also extend a sincere thank you to the Education Department for overseeing and supporting these men and women throughout the process.”