Artesia wide receiver Jack Byers is Bulldog of the Week.
Byers has helped the Bulldogs stay undefeated by beating Hobbs 51-41 at the Bulldog on Friday. Byers said winning the award is special and that it is a team effort. His personal goals is a team win and he would like to score a touchdown each game.
Artesia senior volleyball player Jacky Tovar is the Lady ‘Dogs Athlete of the Week. She is pictured with Ty Houghtaling of Seek 1st. Tovar has helped Artesia to an undefeated season as the Lady Dogs defeated Roswell at the Coyote Den on August 2, Tuesday Night.
Tovar said she is proud of herself for continuing to play and being a team player. Tovar’s advice to others is to never give up or quit.
El Rito Media News Services
On Saturday, the New Mexico Department of Health issued a new health order regarding access to COVID-19 vaccines.
According to a news release, the order follows “some pharmacies announcing they cannot administer the vaccine in New Mexico unless recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), an advisory group to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has yet to convene and act on the matter.”
The order directs the state health department to work with New Mexico’s Board of Pharmacy “to remove potential barriers and ensure access to COVID-19 vaccines at pharmacies across the state.”
Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the updated COVID-19 vaccine formulations, but with new restrictions. As noted in the new health order, people over the age of 65 are eligible, under the new FDA rules, for the vaccine, with younger people requiring an underlying medical issue for eligibility. According to the news release, the state anticipates the updated COVID-19 vaccine to begin arriving in New Mexico in the next few weeks.
“It’s important for New Mexicans to know the New Mexico Department of Health is committed to keeping residents safe as we enter the 2025 – 2026 respiratory virus season,” Health Secretary Gina DeBlassie said in a statement. “This order will remove obstacles to vaccination access.”
The news release noted that pharmacies won’t have any issues administering the influenza vaccine because the ACIP recommended that vaccine for persons aged six months and older.
Staff reports
Carmela Thea Bicol and Sammy Lopez, students at Southeast New Mexico College (SENMC) are two of the 220 Phi Theta Kappa members named 2025 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholars and will receive $1,000 scholarships.
The Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program helps new Phi Theta Kappa members defray educational expenses while enrolled in associate degree programs. Scholars are encouraged to assume leadership roles by participating in Society programs and are selected based on scholastic achievement, community service, and leadership potential. More than 600 applications were received.
“As the advisor for the Alpha Rho Xi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, it is an honor to celebrate the achievements of students like Sammy and Carmela,” said PTK Advisor, Dr. Raven Anderson. “I am extremely proud of their accomplishment in receiving the prestigious Leaders of Promise Scholarship, which recognizes their dedication, leadership, and academic excellence.
Anderson said Sammy demonstrated his commitment by serving as an officer for the Alpha Rho Xi Chapter and supporting his peers as a tutor in the science department.
Carmela is excelling academically, recently entering the Nursing program, and consistently shows her willingness to assist others, Anderson said.
“Both students play vital roles in advancing our chapter’s College Project and Honors in Action Project, reflecting the spirit of collaboration and service that PTK represents,” Anderson said. “Their hard work and determination set them apart, and they are outstanding representatives of Southeast New Mexico College. I look forward to seeing the many ways they will continue to achieve and lead.”
A total of $220,000 will be awarded this year through the Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation provides $200,000 in funding for the scholarships, with $25,000 set aside for members who are veterans or active members of the United States military. The remaining amount is supported by donations to the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation, which provides multiple Global Leaders of Promise Scholarships earmarked for international students.
“The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has a long history of providing financial assistance to outstanding students at community colleges,” said Jane Hale Paulsen, president of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. “We are proud to partner with Phi Theta Kappa to make it possible for more deserving students to achieve their educational goals and support tomorrow’s leaders of the global community.”
The funds provided by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation both aid college completion and give students the opportunity to engage in Society programs and develop leadership skills to become future leaders in their communities.
“As a proud member of Alpha Rho Xi Chapter of PTK, I would like to show my appreciation for winning the Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship,” said Carmela Thea Bicol. “I am beyond grateful for being awarded with this scholarship. I will be taking this opportunity to help me through nursing school and become a great nurse. Thank you to PTK!”
“This competitive scholarship has really demonstrated that hard work and dedication really does pay off. Thank you, Coca-Cola and sponsors, for seeing beauty in my struggles as a non-traditional college student and overall making my transition from SENMC to a four-year university even easier,” said Sammy Lopez
Amanda Karpinski Gorman, interim executive director of the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation said students in Phi Theta Kappa were “four times more likely” to complete their degrees than other students.
“The Leaders of Promise Scholarships recognize students for what they have achieved already and assure that financial need isn’t an obstacle to achieving their academic goals,” Gorman said.
About Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa is the first honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 4.4 million members and nearly 1,250 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 220,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org.
Yucca CowBelles & Woolgrowers
As I was looking through my photos from The Eddy County Fair, this one stuck out.
I spent several hours at the Yucca CowBelles & Woolgrowers booth, visiting with folks, promoting beef, and selling quilt raffle tickets. Just across the aisle was Doc Darnell’s booth—and what I saw there all week was something special.
If he wasn’t talking to someone about a hide, Doc was surrounded by a group of kids, fully engaged in conversation. No one was scrolling their phones or impatiently waiting for the chat to end. These were real, meaningful conversations—sometimes lasting over an hour—with kids of all ages, from the littles to teenagers.
They could have been anywhere else, but they chose to be there, listening and learning from someone they respected.
It’s moments like this that remind me: 4-H, FFA, and agriculture in general doesn’t just teach skills—they grow good humans.
The winner of the 2025 Quilt was Abby Bogel and the winner of the cowhide donated by Doc Darnell was Nancy Buchanan. Thank you to all those that supported the Yucca CowBelles this year at the fair.
Todd Fuqua
Artesia Daily Press
tfuqua@elritomedia.com
RUIDOSO – The Artesia and Ruidoso girls soccer teams got into a tight contest at Ruidoso Middle School on Aug. 2, with the Bulldogs pulling out a 2-1 victory after a goal by Kaidence Hnulik in the waning minutes.
Artesia’s Kaylee Berdoza started the play, running down the far sideline with the ball and passing off to Abigail Jowers in the middle for a strike. Hnulik was in the right place at the right time when Ruidoso goalkeeper Daniella Estrada couldn’t corral the ball after a save, and the Artesia sophomore found the back of the net.
“We just went right through the teeth of their defense,” Hnulik said. “I just touched into the net.”
That score was unfortunate for the Warriors (3-1) and Estrada, who had been stellar in the net all night with numerous saves while facing a methodical Artesia offensive attack.
“We work on being a possessive team,” said Artesia coach Tim Trentham. “We want to be on the ball and limit opportunities for the other team, and that helps us defensively. We got a lot of looks, we just didn’t finish a lot of them.”
Ruidoso had its chances, too, taking the lead in the 12th minute of the first half when Jackie Segovia raced forward on a long pass and was able to slam it home for a 1-0 advantage.
That remained the score until just before halftime, when Alani Escareno got free for Artesia (6-2) to tie the score at 1-all.
Artesia’s #15 Kaylee Berdoza battles Ruidoso’s #11 Angie Chavez for the ball during Tuesday nights girls’ soccer action in Ruidoso. Artesia is 6-2 on the season and gave Ruidoso its first loss of the season with a 2-1 victory.
It looked as though Segovia would retake the lead for the Warriors in the 12th minute of the second half but her shot hit the post. She got another chance in the 22nd minute, only to see her shot go off the crossbar.
After Hnulik’s goal, Segovia nearly had a chance to tie the score in the final minute but was unable to reach the ball before the Artesia defense kicked it out.
“We had those two or three shots that hit the post, and we were very close to getting a win in the end,” said Ruidoso coach Sergio Castro. “But that’s a very good team. They’re probably going to win their district, and I’m proud of the girls.”
Threntham felt the same way about the Warriors.
“I think it was great competition for both of us,” Trentham said. “We’ve battled for years with them, and every game is great.”
Ruidoso is at Monte Del Sol in Santa Fe today at 3:30 p.m., while Artesia hosts Alamogordo at 5 p.m.
Todd Fuqua is Editor for the Ruidoso News and can be reached on Instagram at @toadfox1.
The Artesia Lady ‘Dogs are off to a three game winning streak, after winning in three sets against Roswell 25-14, 25-8 and 26-24, in the Coyote Den Tuesday night.
Lady ‘Dogs coach Alan Williams said that his team had its serves working well against Roswell.
“When we served well, they were struggling to pass the ball,” Williams said. “They (Roswell) could never get into their offensive system. When we were missing our serves that third game, that is when they kept it close. For the most part, we were serving so well that they (Roswell) could not get into their offense, or get to free balls and that allowed us (Artesia) to run our offense.”
Williams said he expects the competition to get tougher this weekend when they play in the Las Cruces Tournament. Artesia will face Silver at 11: 15 a.m., and Organ Mountain at 12:45 p.m., in pool play on Friday, September 5, with Santa Teresa, to be determined.
Williams’ said he expects Organ Mountain to be the same team, Artesia played last year. Williams said they should be really good. Santa Teresa and Silver are both in Class 4A and District 4. Last year, Artesia faced Santa Teresa in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs and won in four sets: 20-25, 25-21, 25-17 and 25-17.
Silver and Santa Teresa have both been good recently,” Williams said. “Our pool is going to tell us a lot as foo how far we are as far when it comes to Southern 4A schools. There are things we can do better, but it is hard to be disappointed when we are 3-0. I am pleased with how we are playing and I think there is a lot of room to get better.”
Williams said that he would hate it if his team was hitting on all cylinders at this time of year, since it is so young in the season. He wants his team to focus on getting better and having consistency. The goal during the regular season is to see who can be consistent and continue to improve as the season goes along for the Lady ‘Dogs.
Sherry Robinson
All She Wrote
New Mexico has three ICE detention centers in Otero, Torrance and Cibola counties. The governor is considering a bill to ban immigration detention facilities during an upcoming special legislative session.
Understandably, local governments want to protect these sources of jobs and revenue, but detention centers aren’t your regular, accessible employer. They receive our tax dollars to warehouse human beings, but if you expect responsibility and transparency you’d be disappointed.
And, of course, they’re politicized. Democrats see hellholes; Republicans see summer camps. What’s the public to make of this?
In recent reporting Patrick Lohmann of Source New Mexico dug beneath the rhetoric following a tour of the Otero County Processing Center by some members of the legislative Courts, Corrections and Criminal Justice Committee.
The August 25 tour was supposed to be a committee activity. Chairman Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, had worked for months with Otero County’s lobbyist, former Rep. Zach Cook, a Republican, to arrange a tour for the committee. Cook assured him a tour was in the works, but as the date approached Cook wasn’t hearing back from ICE. Cervantes canceled the tour.
Days later, Sen. Crystal Brantley, R-Elephant Butte, arranged a visit when U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was visiting the state. Brantley asked federal officials why the committee hadn’t received permission to visit the facility, and they said they had no request on record to visit the facility.
By this time, the committee schedule was finalized, and Brantley’s tour became “unofficial.”
Eight Republicans and one Democrat, Rep. Andrea Romero of Santa Fe, toured the state’s biggest immigration detention center. They weren’t allowed to speak to detainees. Republicans saw a clean, humane, safe facility with a law library, dental and mental health care, exercise equipment, and computers. They noted the potential loss of 300 jobs and gross receipts tax revenues.
In a news release Brantley said: “ICE will do their job no matter what. Our choice is simple: a clean, safe, and accountable facility here, or one where we have no say in how detained migrants are treated.”
Romero saw hundreds of inmates “who just look absolutely in despair,” sitting or lying on their beds. Recreation equipment was locked up. She was the only one asking about due process, legal representation, and how quickly detainees are deported.
Romero told Lohmann she hoped other elected officials “get an opportunity to really see these places, because it shouldn’t just be one person trying to decipher what’s actually happening. We need to have a lot of transparency around people’s rights, around who we detain, and for what reason.”
Both legislators make good points. Corrections facilities are often the best and sometimes the only job options in rural counties. And wouldn’t we rather have ICE facilities in a state that cares about conditions?
But the question of transparency looms over everything. Why should Cervantes and even Brantley have to go to such lengths for a tour? They are elected officials who want to lay eyes on a facility that receives massive amounts of taxpayer money. If the detention centers are as good as their supporters claim they should welcome the visits.
But it’s ICE we’re talking about here. Police wear uniforms but not masks, catch criminals, and are accountable for what they do. Masked ICE agents dressed in street clothes are supposed to be catching criminals, but instead they prey on moms and dads, restaurant and agricultural workers, students, Dreamers, U.S. citizens, green card holders, and pretty much anybody with brown skin. Arrests are often so violent that detainees are injured.
When U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez visited at the end of July, Otero’s average daily population was 843, and more than 80% had no criminal charges or convictions. This compares to 71% nationally, according to Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse.
Vasquez was not allowed to speak to detainees, and jailers wouldn’t answer questions about their treatment. He said their phones were broken, and toilets wouldn’t flush.
Staff members of U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich visited the Torrance County Detention Center, with 435 detainees, in late May and reported terrible conditions. Nobody has seen the Cibola County Detention Center, population 227, since January 2024.
New Mexico is not an outlier. The feds now have new guidelines that require advance notice for oversight visits and make some facilities off limits – even though the law says members of Congress are not required to provide advance notice. In July a dozen U.S. House Democrats sued. Vasquez has his own bill about ICE detention transparency and treatment.
When New Mexico legislators examine these detention centers, they will weigh jobs and revenue, but they must also assess the state’s role in this increasingly unpopular human roundup.
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.
Adrian Hedden
Artesia Daily Press
Your guide to the 2025 local elections in Eddy County
Candidates for public offices throughout Eddy County signed on to run in this year’s Nov. 4 general election, which will see county voters decide on a slate of public offices including city councils, school boards and various other elected bodies.
There are no national or statewide races this cycle as elections for those offices are held in even-numbered years but there will be elections in all four of the county’s municipalities: county seat Carlsbad, Artesia, Loving and Hope.
On Candidate Signing Day, held Aug. 26 at the Eddy County Clerk’s Office in Carlsbad, a line of office seekers flowed in gradually throughout the day.
A sense of measured growth while taking advantage of local cash windfalls from the oil and gas industry was top of mind for Ben Harvey, who is seeking his second four-year term on the Artesia School Board.
He represents District 4 on the board and serves as its vice president. Harvey is running unopposed in the election, as is incumbent District 3 board member Kristy Crocket.
There is a contested race for the school board’s District 1 seat between incumbent David Conklin and Dennis Garcia.
“It’s really good for our schools,” Harvey said of oil and gas funding, noting the school board was planning to build a new career technical training center and replace Roselawn Elementary, the district’s oldest school. “We just need to use it responsibly and be good stewards for the taxpayers.”
Also signing up in the first hour of signing day, when Artesia Daily Press reporters were present at the County Clerk’s Office was Carlsbad City Councilor Eddie Rodriguez, who represents the city’s First Ward. He said he hopes to continue the work of managing growth in the booming oil town, improving housing and infrastructure.
A Carlsbad native, Rodriguez works in the oil and gas industry and has served on the council for 10 years after being appointed to replace the late Nick Salcido, serving the last two years of Salcido’s term, and going on to win two additional four-year terms.
There are seats open in each of the Carlsbad City Council’s four, two-councilor wards. Rodriguez will be challenged by Ivan Ramirez.
“We want to grow intelligently,” Rodriguez said. “We’ve been working at determining the various needs and are now taking action to satisfy those needs.”
Following Rodriguez in line was Henry Castaneda, a former Carlsbad magistrate judge who is seeking his first election to the Carlsbad Municipal School Board for District 3. He is challenging incumbent Tiffany Shirley.
Castaneda was fired from his post as judge in 2018, submitting his resignation letter in January of that year, four months after a petition was filed for his removal by the New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission.
The petition followed allegations Castaneda used his judicial email to accept and forward content deemed “offensive, degrading, pornographic, racist and sexist,” according to a Feb. 13, 2018, article in the Current-Argus.
A disciplinary hearing was held and Castaneda was barred for life from serving in any other judicial capacity in New Mexico.
Castaneda said he hoped to address problems he perceived in the local school system including truancy, discipline and staff morale.
“It’s important to have good representation on the school board,” Castaneda said. “We have a responsibility to be that balance between parents and students. We need students who want to go to school, and teachers who want to go to work.”
Who else is running in Eddy County?
Artesia Hospital Board
District 4
Daniel Parker (unopposed)
District 5
Perry Williams
Karen Waldrip
David Romine
Southeast New Mexico College Board
District 2
Non-incumbent Lee White (unopposed)
District 5
Incumbent Ned Elkins (unopposed)
Hope Mayor
Incumbent Bill Fletcher
David Romine
Hope City Council (2 at-large seats open)
Mathew Bowerman
Bob Rogers
Where and when to vote?
Absentee mail voting runs from Oct. 7 to Oct. 21.
In-person ballots can be submitted at the Eddy County Clerk’s Office at 325 S. Main St. in Carlsbad, and the Sub-Office at 602 S. 1st St. In Artesia.
Early in-person ballots can be submitted Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 7 to 17, with extended hours from Oct. 18 to Nov. 1 – 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
Election Day is Nov. 4, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Polling locations will be published online at the county’s website, https://www.co.eddy.nm.us.
Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.
Artesia’s Diego Molina #71 shows his excitement and well as #64 Clay Kincaid.
Artesia football players run through the paper and begin the dog pile, before playing Hobbs.
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