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NEWS:
Volume 3, Number 13
February 20, 2008
February 20, 2008
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Special weather information
provided by:
Wendell L. Malone,
Area Skywarn Coordinator
Eddy & Culberson counties
provided by:
Wendell L. Malone,
Area Skywarn Coordinator
Eddy & Culberson counties
| THE WEATHER BOX www.eddycountyskywarn.blogspot.com Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. Southwest wind between 10 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. West wind between 15 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 66. West wind between 15 and 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. West wind 20 to 25 mph decreasing to between 5 and 10 mph. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. West wind 5 to 15 mph becoming south. Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 76. Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 42. Monday: Sunny, with a high near 72. Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. |
| The United States government's national threat level is Elevated, or Yellow. The U.S. threat level is High, or Orange, for all domestic and international flights. Only small amounts of liquids, aerosols and gels are allowed in carry-on baggage. See the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website for up-to-date information on items permitted and prohibited on airlines. |
SRO vehicles sport student design
ARTESIA - The Artesia Police Department’s School Resource Officers have
newly designed patrol cars these days. They were designed by Aimee Ruiz,
an 8th grader at Park Junior High School in Artesia, during a contest
between art students. Aimee’s design was picked from a group of finalists
and was hand-painted on both cars. The phrase “Designed by Aimee Ruiz
Class of 2012” is proudly displayed on the back of the cars reminding
everyone who the designer was, according to the Artesia Police
Department.
The School Resource Officers for the Artesia Police Department, Humberto
Flores and J.D. Williams, are both law enforcement veterans as well as
having much experience in the field of SRO duties. They cover all schools
within the district and have built a close working relationship with the school
district’s staff.
Pictured below with the newly designed cars are: Mr Mike Phipps, Artesia
School Superintendent; Ms Aimee Ruizm car designer; Artesia Mayor Phil
Burch; SRO JD Williams; SRO Humberto Flores; Assistant Principal Cody
Skinner and Principal Mike Nuanes.
Photos courtesy of Artesia Police Department
Vine & wine conference scheduled
ALBUQUERQUE – Vineyard management and wine making will be the
focus of the Southwest Regional Vine and Wine Educational Conference
2008, Feb. 29 and March 1, at the Howard Johnson Hotel and Conference
Center, 10300 Hotel Ave. NE in Albuquerque.
“The conference is designed to help growers and wine makers maintain
New Mexico’s high-quality wines,” said Bernd Maier, New Mexico State
University’s Cooperative Extension Service viticulture specialist. “We have
excellent wines in New Mexico, but we’re always striving to maintain the
quality.”
One way to continue the steady growth of vineyards in New Mexico is to
understand the various climate zones of the state and finding the areas that
are just right for growing grapes.
“Right now 85 percent of the vineyards are in the southern and southwest
portion of the state,” Maier said. “Assistant state climatologist Deborah
Bathke will present climate data regarding the best areas for raising
grapes.”
Conference attendees will also be able to learn about a new grape variety,
Traminette, from Patty Skinkis, viticulturist at Oregon State University. She
will also present a session on the wine grape industry in Oregon.
“This variety might be very interesting for the northern part of New Mexico,”
Maier said. “It will be interesting to learn about it and have a Traminette
tasting.”
Other sessions at the conference will address aspects of horticulture, wine
making and government regulations with presentations by NMSU Extension
specialist and faculty members Lonnie Mathews, Steve Thomas and Jay
Lillywhite; Ian Norrish of the New Mexico Vine and Wine Society; Greg
Burnie of Llano Estacado Winery in Lubbock, Texas; and Julie Guffy of
Demptos Napa, USA.
The conference will conclude Saturday with a wine reception and banquet
with speaker New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Dr. I. Miley Gonzalez.
Registration cost for the two-day event is $135 for non-members of the New
Mexico Vine and Wine Society and $100 for members. For more information
and to register, visit http://viticulture.nmsu.edu/events.html.
Added air service includes Ruidoso, Midland/Odessa, El Paso
RUIDOSO - New Mexico Airlines, a subsidiary of Pacific Wings, now offers
daily air service into Sierra Blanca Regional Airport, located 15 miles
northwest of Ruidoso, from Midland/Odessa, Albuquerque and other
southern New Mexico cities. Ruidoso flights to and from El Paso are set to
begin March 1, 2008.
These new flights join New Mexico Airlines’ current offerings of daily air
service among Albuquerque, Hobbs, Carlsbad and Alamogordo; and daily
air service between those cities and Midland/Odessa and El Paso, Texas, in
addition to Ruidoso.
“We’re very lucky that this service now includes Ruidoso as a destination as
well as a stop for those traveling to other areas,” said Ruidoso’s Director of
Tourism, Steve Tally.
Flight schedules range from mid- to late-morning and early- to mid-
afternoon for convenience and flexibility. Passengers flying to and from
Midland will also benefit from non-stop service on Friday, Saturday and
Sunday evenings. Talley said flights will be around $200 round trip and can
be booked via www.newmexicoairlines.com or by calling 1-888-564-6119.
“The Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce wants to help promote the
convenience and proximity of the service to both business and consumer
travelers,” said Brad Treptow, Executive Director for the Chamber. ”This
area is positioned to benefit significantly throughout the entire year based
on the variety of attractions, activities, and events offered.”
Pacific Wings CEO Greg Kahlstorf agreed. “Ruidoso is a year-round
destination. We’re happy to bring people together in serving Ruidoso with
air service throughout the year. Our business model in New Mexico allows
us to serve rural and remote communities in a cost effective and affordable
manner.”
Michael Cerletti, Secretary of the New Mexico Tourism Department,
welcomed the news. “The previously limited direct air service to New Mexico
from the nations’ major markets has long hampered the efforts of New
Mexico’s tourism industry to reach out to these markets effectively.
“This decision by New Mexico Airlines, joining with American Eagle’s current
offering of direct daily flights between Roswell and Dallas-Fort Worth,
means New Mexico will no longer be this country’s best-kept secret.”
Passengers staying in Ruidoso will have access to rental cars through
Enterprise Rent-a-car. Two taxi services are available as well through Alto
Taxi Service and Dollar Cab.
For more information contact Brad Treptow, Executive Director, Ruidoso
Valley Chamber of Commerce, 575-257-7395; or on the web, visit
www.newmexicoairlines.com.
73 SOS has change of command
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE - Col. Michael Plehn (left), 27th Special
Operations Group commander, passes the guidon to Lt. Col. William Wolfe
Feb.15. Colonel Wolfe was given command of the 73rd Special Operations
Squadron.
U.S. Air Force photo by A1C James R. Bell
Legion to be filmed in New Mexico
SANTA FE - Governor Bill Richardson announced Friday that Legion, a
supernatural action thriller starring Paul Bettany (The DaVinci Code), will be
filmed in New Mexico.
Legion marks the feature directorial debut of Scott Stewart. David
Lancaster and Michel Litvak of Bold Films will produce, with Gary Michael
Walters executive producing. Sony’s Screen Gems will distribute
domestically with Sony Pictures International worldwide.
In Legion, God loses faith in mankind and sends his Legion of Angels to
wipe out the human race for the second time. Man’s only hope lies in a
group of strangers holed-up in a desert diner.
The film will be shot in and around Santa Fe from March 31 through early
May and expects to hire approximately 134 New Mexico crew members and
433 actors, including background talent.
Since Richardson took office, over 90 major feature film and television
projects have shot in the state, adding close to $1.5 billion dollars to New
Mexico’s economy.
IRS Seeks Candidates for Advisory Committee
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is seeking candidates for
membership on the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee
(ETAAC). All applicants should submit a resume and complete an
application form for the fall vacancies. In addition, the IRS will require a
federal tax check waiver and a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) check
of the best qualified applicants. The deadline for submitting applications is
Tuesday, April 1, 2008.
ETAAC provides an organized public forum for discussion of electronic tax
administration issues in support of the overriding goal that paperless filing
should be the preferred and most convenient method of filing tax and
information returns. ETAAC provides an annual report to Congress on IRS’
s progress in increasing electronic transactions.
ETAAC researches, analyzes, considers and makes recommendations on a
wide range of electronic tax administration issues. Membership on ETAAC
requires expertise in electronic tax administration, a personal commitment
of approximately 100 hours a year and a desire to help shape the
electronic tax administration system.
For additional information, please send an e-mail to etaac@irs.gov.
ETAAC was created in 1998 by the IRS Electronic Tax Administration as
required by the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 (RRA 98).
ARTESIA - The Artesia Police Department’s School Resource Officers have
newly designed patrol cars these days. They were designed by Aimee Ruiz,
an 8th grader at Park Junior High School in Artesia, during a contest
between art students. Aimee’s design was picked from a group of finalists
and was hand-painted on both cars. The phrase “Designed by Aimee Ruiz
Class of 2012” is proudly displayed on the back of the cars reminding
everyone who the designer was, according to the Artesia Police
Department.
The School Resource Officers for the Artesia Police Department, Humberto
Flores and J.D. Williams, are both law enforcement veterans as well as
having much experience in the field of SRO duties. They cover all schools
within the district and have built a close working relationship with the school
district’s staff.
Pictured below with the newly designed cars are: Mr Mike Phipps, Artesia
School Superintendent; Ms Aimee Ruizm car designer; Artesia Mayor Phil
Burch; SRO JD Williams; SRO Humberto Flores; Assistant Principal Cody
Skinner and Principal Mike Nuanes.
Photos courtesy of Artesia Police Department
Vine & wine conference scheduled
ALBUQUERQUE – Vineyard management and wine making will be the
focus of the Southwest Regional Vine and Wine Educational Conference
2008, Feb. 29 and March 1, at the Howard Johnson Hotel and Conference
Center, 10300 Hotel Ave. NE in Albuquerque.
“The conference is designed to help growers and wine makers maintain
New Mexico’s high-quality wines,” said Bernd Maier, New Mexico State
University’s Cooperative Extension Service viticulture specialist. “We have
excellent wines in New Mexico, but we’re always striving to maintain the
quality.”
One way to continue the steady growth of vineyards in New Mexico is to
understand the various climate zones of the state and finding the areas that
are just right for growing grapes.
“Right now 85 percent of the vineyards are in the southern and southwest
portion of the state,” Maier said. “Assistant state climatologist Deborah
Bathke will present climate data regarding the best areas for raising
grapes.”
Conference attendees will also be able to learn about a new grape variety,
Traminette, from Patty Skinkis, viticulturist at Oregon State University. She
will also present a session on the wine grape industry in Oregon.
“This variety might be very interesting for the northern part of New Mexico,”
Maier said. “It will be interesting to learn about it and have a Traminette
tasting.”
Other sessions at the conference will address aspects of horticulture, wine
making and government regulations with presentations by NMSU Extension
specialist and faculty members Lonnie Mathews, Steve Thomas and Jay
Lillywhite; Ian Norrish of the New Mexico Vine and Wine Society; Greg
Burnie of Llano Estacado Winery in Lubbock, Texas; and Julie Guffy of
Demptos Napa, USA.
The conference will conclude Saturday with a wine reception and banquet
with speaker New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Dr. I. Miley Gonzalez.
Registration cost for the two-day event is $135 for non-members of the New
Mexico Vine and Wine Society and $100 for members. For more information
and to register, visit http://viticulture.nmsu.edu/events.html.
Added air service includes Ruidoso, Midland/Odessa, El Paso
RUIDOSO - New Mexico Airlines, a subsidiary of Pacific Wings, now offers
daily air service into Sierra Blanca Regional Airport, located 15 miles
northwest of Ruidoso, from Midland/Odessa, Albuquerque and other
southern New Mexico cities. Ruidoso flights to and from El Paso are set to
begin March 1, 2008.
These new flights join New Mexico Airlines’ current offerings of daily air
service among Albuquerque, Hobbs, Carlsbad and Alamogordo; and daily
air service between those cities and Midland/Odessa and El Paso, Texas, in
addition to Ruidoso.
“We’re very lucky that this service now includes Ruidoso as a destination as
well as a stop for those traveling to other areas,” said Ruidoso’s Director of
Tourism, Steve Tally.
Flight schedules range from mid- to late-morning and early- to mid-
afternoon for convenience and flexibility. Passengers flying to and from
Midland will also benefit from non-stop service on Friday, Saturday and
Sunday evenings. Talley said flights will be around $200 round trip and can
be booked via www.newmexicoairlines.com or by calling 1-888-564-6119.
“The Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce wants to help promote the
convenience and proximity of the service to both business and consumer
travelers,” said Brad Treptow, Executive Director for the Chamber. ”This
area is positioned to benefit significantly throughout the entire year based
on the variety of attractions, activities, and events offered.”
Pacific Wings CEO Greg Kahlstorf agreed. “Ruidoso is a year-round
destination. We’re happy to bring people together in serving Ruidoso with
air service throughout the year. Our business model in New Mexico allows
us to serve rural and remote communities in a cost effective and affordable
manner.”
Michael Cerletti, Secretary of the New Mexico Tourism Department,
welcomed the news. “The previously limited direct air service to New Mexico
from the nations’ major markets has long hampered the efforts of New
Mexico’s tourism industry to reach out to these markets effectively.
“This decision by New Mexico Airlines, joining with American Eagle’s current
offering of direct daily flights between Roswell and Dallas-Fort Worth,
means New Mexico will no longer be this country’s best-kept secret.”
Passengers staying in Ruidoso will have access to rental cars through
Enterprise Rent-a-car. Two taxi services are available as well through Alto
Taxi Service and Dollar Cab.
For more information contact Brad Treptow, Executive Director, Ruidoso
Valley Chamber of Commerce, 575-257-7395; or on the web, visit
www.newmexicoairlines.com.
73 SOS has change of command
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE - Col. Michael Plehn (left), 27th Special
Operations Group commander, passes the guidon to Lt. Col. William Wolfe
Feb.15. Colonel Wolfe was given command of the 73rd Special Operations
Squadron.
U.S. Air Force photo by A1C James R. Bell
Legion to be filmed in New Mexico
SANTA FE - Governor Bill Richardson announced Friday that Legion, a
supernatural action thriller starring Paul Bettany (The DaVinci Code), will be
filmed in New Mexico.
Legion marks the feature directorial debut of Scott Stewart. David
Lancaster and Michel Litvak of Bold Films will produce, with Gary Michael
Walters executive producing. Sony’s Screen Gems will distribute
domestically with Sony Pictures International worldwide.
In Legion, God loses faith in mankind and sends his Legion of Angels to
wipe out the human race for the second time. Man’s only hope lies in a
group of strangers holed-up in a desert diner.
The film will be shot in and around Santa Fe from March 31 through early
May and expects to hire approximately 134 New Mexico crew members and
433 actors, including background talent.
Since Richardson took office, over 90 major feature film and television
projects have shot in the state, adding close to $1.5 billion dollars to New
Mexico’s economy.
IRS Seeks Candidates for Advisory Committee
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is seeking candidates for
membership on the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee
(ETAAC). All applicants should submit a resume and complete an
application form for the fall vacancies. In addition, the IRS will require a
federal tax check waiver and a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) check
of the best qualified applicants. The deadline for submitting applications is
Tuesday, April 1, 2008.
ETAAC provides an organized public forum for discussion of electronic tax
administration issues in support of the overriding goal that paperless filing
should be the preferred and most convenient method of filing tax and
information returns. ETAAC provides an annual report to Congress on IRS’
s progress in increasing electronic transactions.
ETAAC researches, analyzes, considers and makes recommendations on a
wide range of electronic tax administration issues. Membership on ETAAC
requires expertise in electronic tax administration, a personal commitment
of approximately 100 hours a year and a desire to help shape the
electronic tax administration system.
For additional information, please send an e-mail to etaac@irs.gov.
ETAAC was created in 1998 by the IRS Electronic Tax Administration as
required by the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 (RRA 98).
Gov to Hold Legislative Office Hours
SANTA FE - Governor Bill Richardson is inviting
New Mexicans to meet with him to voice their
opinions about pending legislation from the
2008 Legislative Session. The Governor is
currently reviewing nearly 100 bills, including a
capital outlay package with nearly 2,000
projects.
The Governor will hold open hours Thursday,
February 21st at his office on the 4th floor of
the State Capitol from 2 to 5pm. The Governor
will grant 5-minute meetings on a first-come,
first-served basis.
Because Governor Richardson wants to use this
time to hear from everyday New Mexicans, he
will not grant meetings with registered lobbyists.
As for organized groups, the Governor will grant
one meeting with one representative or a small
group of representatives from each.
ENMU-R spring scholarships
ROSWELL - The ENMU-Roswell Foundation has
awarded more than $5,000 in scholarships for
the spring 2008 semester to seven deserving
students. Each received a $750 scholarship.
The students and their majors are as follows:
Douglas Catiano, Safety Engineering
Technology
Diego Gomez, Aviation Maintenance Technology
Angela Ibarra, Medical Assisting
Veronica Lucero, Pharmacy Technician
Jose Martinez, University Studies-Transfer
Karen McMahon, Human Services
Alicia Woody, Teacher Education-Transfer
For information on ENMU-Roswell Foundation
Scholarships, contact the Financial Aid office on
campus at 624-7400.
Voting by Machine Begins Feb. 13th
ARTESIA - Absentee Voting by machine for the
March 4, 2008 Regular Municipal Election will
begin on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 and
will end February 29, 2008. Voters who wish to
vote prior to Election Day may come to the City
Clerk’s Office during regular business hours (8
–5), Monday through Friday, file an application,
and cast their vote by voting machine. The City
Clerk’s Office is located in City Hall, 511 W.
Texas Ave.
The City Clerk’s office is also still accepting
applications to mail out absentee ballots. Voters
may request an application to vote absentee by
calling the City Clerk’s Office at 746-2122 or
email at cityclerk@artesianm.com. The
application will be mailed to your address.
White Sands Film Festival Honors
Latino Filmmakers
Festival Dates: March 16-22, 2008
ALAMOGORDO - For its fourth year, the White
Sands International Film Festival has dedicated
two days during the 2008 program to honor
Latino contributions in cinema.
Attending the festival are critically acclaimed
Mexican Filmmakers, Arturo Ripstein and
Alejandro Gomez Monteverde.
Arturo Ripstein is widely considered Mexico’s
greatest and most celebrated contemporary
filmmaker with over 31 wins, 10 nominations,
and having directed over 30 films. After working
for years with cinematic genius Luis Buñuel,
Ripstein is perhaps the main director to have
inherited the master’s mantle. In 1997 Ripstein
received the National Prize for Arts and
Sciences, one of Mexico’s highest honors.
Although European critics and audiences have
enthusiastically received his films, Ripstein
remains relatively unknown to American
audiences. The WSIFF plans to help repair that
unfortunate oversight. Arturo will receive the
festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Originally
screened at Cannes, Ripstein’s film La Reina de
la Noche (The Queen of the Night) will appear
onscreen in Alamogordo’s new Allen Theatre
complex March 18th, 2008.
Alejandro Gomez Monteverde launched onto
the film seen with his critically acclaimed film
Bella. In 2004 Alejandro partnered with
actor/producer Eduardo Verástegui and Sean
Wolfington to make Bella and to form Metanoia
Films, a company committed to projects that
entertain engage and inspire.
In September, The Smithsonian Latino Center
presented Bella’s filmmakers with the “Legacy
Award” for their film Bella at its annual
Smithsonian Con Sabor! gala. In addition to
winning awards around the world including the
prestigious People's Choice Award at Toronto
Festival, Alejandro was invited to the White
House to receive an award from the Department
of Citizenship and to attend the state of the
Union address with the first lady, Laura Bush,
because of his example as a new citizen making
positive contributions to the country.
Alejandro will present Bella at Alamogordo’s new
Allen Theatre complex March 19th 2008.
Edward James Olmos selected Bella to open the
LA Latino International Film Festival and said: “It
is one of the most impressive landmark films to
open our festival in 10 years. It captures the
heart and makes you think. It is one of the best
films to come out in a long time.”
Living Treasure nominees sought
ARTESIA - The Artesia Historical Museum & Art
Center Foundation needs your input! The
Foundation sponsors the Museum’s Living
Treasures awards ceremony & reception each
year, which honors one man & one woman in
Artesia who have made a difference in all of our
lives—whether it’s by preserving our town’s
history, volunteerism, good deeds, or by
contributing towards our quality of life in their
own way. The one thing all of our past honorees
have had in common is their modesty; therefore
we would like to ask all of you here in town to let
us know who you think is worthy of recognizing
as this year’s Living Treasures. If you have a
person in mind to nominate, please take a
moment to write down their name and your
reasons why you feel this person deserves
recognition and drop it by the Artesia Historical
Museum & Art Center by the end of February
2008, or mail it to us at 505 West Richardson
Ave., Artesia 88210. Thank you for caring about
our local unsung heroes!
Buckle Down and buckle up!
ARTESIA - During the month of February
officers from the Artesia Police Department will
be continuing their efforts in making the streets
of Artesia safe for people to travel by
conducting sobriety checkpoints and saturation
patrols. In search for drivers who continue to
make the wrong choice, driving while under the
influence of alcohol or other drugs (including
prescription drugs).
It’s not just alcohol. Your driving skills can also
be affected by:
Illegal drugs (Marijuana, Cocaine, Ecstasy, etc.);
some prescription drugs;
some over-the-counter drugs, such as cold
medicines. (Read the label to see if a drug can
affect your driving).
Using alcohol and any of these drugs together
is even more dangerous.
Drinking and driving don’t mix. Remember,
alcohol is a drug. No matter hold old you are,
drinking and driving is against the law and can
be deadly.
"If you heard it once you heard it a thousand
times; you drink, you drive you loose. Use a
designated driver, walk or call someone for a
ride home. Remember, your parents and
friends would want you to wake them up for a
ride rather than receiving a phone call from me,
telling them that you’ve been arrested for
Driving while under the influence of intoxicating
liquor or drugs, or in the hospital or worse, not
coming home at all," said Cmdr. Richard
Martinez with the Artesia Police Department.
Safety belts (also called seat belts) are a
necessity, not a matter of choice. That goes for
drivers AND passengers (including children). In
the State of New Mexico it’s the law. It’s simple:
If you’re in a car, buckle up, if you fail to do so,
chances are you’ll be stopped and issued a
traffic citation for this violation by an officer from
our department working overtime funded by the
New Mexico Department of Transportation
working Operation Buckle Down during the
month of February and throughout the rest of
the year. Keep your sweetheart safe, by
making sure they are buckled up.
The Artesia Police Department and the
Department of Transportation work in
partnership to make driving safe for all
travelers, by enforcing traffic laws and raising
public awareness to prevent traffic-related
crashes, injuries and fatalities.
SANTA FE - Governor Bill Richardson is inviting
New Mexicans to meet with him to voice their
opinions about pending legislation from the
2008 Legislative Session. The Governor is
currently reviewing nearly 100 bills, including a
capital outlay package with nearly 2,000
projects.
The Governor will hold open hours Thursday,
February 21st at his office on the 4th floor of
the State Capitol from 2 to 5pm. The Governor
will grant 5-minute meetings on a first-come,
first-served basis.
Because Governor Richardson wants to use this
time to hear from everyday New Mexicans, he
will not grant meetings with registered lobbyists.
As for organized groups, the Governor will grant
one meeting with one representative or a small
group of representatives from each.
ENMU-R spring scholarships
ROSWELL - The ENMU-Roswell Foundation has
awarded more than $5,000 in scholarships for
the spring 2008 semester to seven deserving
students. Each received a $750 scholarship.
The students and their majors are as follows:
Douglas Catiano, Safety Engineering
Technology
Diego Gomez, Aviation Maintenance Technology
Angela Ibarra, Medical Assisting
Veronica Lucero, Pharmacy Technician
Jose Martinez, University Studies-Transfer
Karen McMahon, Human Services
Alicia Woody, Teacher Education-Transfer
For information on ENMU-Roswell Foundation
Scholarships, contact the Financial Aid office on
campus at 624-7400.
Voting by Machine Begins Feb. 13th
ARTESIA - Absentee Voting by machine for the
March 4, 2008 Regular Municipal Election will
begin on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 and
will end February 29, 2008. Voters who wish to
vote prior to Election Day may come to the City
Clerk’s Office during regular business hours (8
–5), Monday through Friday, file an application,
and cast their vote by voting machine. The City
Clerk’s Office is located in City Hall, 511 W.
Texas Ave.
The City Clerk’s office is also still accepting
applications to mail out absentee ballots. Voters
may request an application to vote absentee by
calling the City Clerk’s Office at 746-2122 or
email at cityclerk@artesianm.com. The
application will be mailed to your address.
White Sands Film Festival Honors
Latino Filmmakers
Festival Dates: March 16-22, 2008
ALAMOGORDO - For its fourth year, the White
Sands International Film Festival has dedicated
two days during the 2008 program to honor
Latino contributions in cinema.
Attending the festival are critically acclaimed
Mexican Filmmakers, Arturo Ripstein and
Alejandro Gomez Monteverde.
Arturo Ripstein is widely considered Mexico’s
greatest and most celebrated contemporary
filmmaker with over 31 wins, 10 nominations,
and having directed over 30 films. After working
for years with cinematic genius Luis Buñuel,
Ripstein is perhaps the main director to have
inherited the master’s mantle. In 1997 Ripstein
received the National Prize for Arts and
Sciences, one of Mexico’s highest honors.
Although European critics and audiences have
enthusiastically received his films, Ripstein
remains relatively unknown to American
audiences. The WSIFF plans to help repair that
unfortunate oversight. Arturo will receive the
festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Originally
screened at Cannes, Ripstein’s film La Reina de
la Noche (The Queen of the Night) will appear
onscreen in Alamogordo’s new Allen Theatre
complex March 18th, 2008.
Alejandro Gomez Monteverde launched onto
the film seen with his critically acclaimed film
Bella. In 2004 Alejandro partnered with
actor/producer Eduardo Verástegui and Sean
Wolfington to make Bella and to form Metanoia
Films, a company committed to projects that
entertain engage and inspire.
In September, The Smithsonian Latino Center
presented Bella’s filmmakers with the “Legacy
Award” for their film Bella at its annual
Smithsonian Con Sabor! gala. In addition to
winning awards around the world including the
prestigious People's Choice Award at Toronto
Festival, Alejandro was invited to the White
House to receive an award from the Department
of Citizenship and to attend the state of the
Union address with the first lady, Laura Bush,
because of his example as a new citizen making
positive contributions to the country.
Alejandro will present Bella at Alamogordo’s new
Allen Theatre complex March 19th 2008.
Edward James Olmos selected Bella to open the
LA Latino International Film Festival and said: “It
is one of the most impressive landmark films to
open our festival in 10 years. It captures the
heart and makes you think. It is one of the best
films to come out in a long time.”
Living Treasure nominees sought
ARTESIA - The Artesia Historical Museum & Art
Center Foundation needs your input! The
Foundation sponsors the Museum’s Living
Treasures awards ceremony & reception each
year, which honors one man & one woman in
Artesia who have made a difference in all of our
lives—whether it’s by preserving our town’s
history, volunteerism, good deeds, or by
contributing towards our quality of life in their
own way. The one thing all of our past honorees
have had in common is their modesty; therefore
we would like to ask all of you here in town to let
us know who you think is worthy of recognizing
as this year’s Living Treasures. If you have a
person in mind to nominate, please take a
moment to write down their name and your
reasons why you feel this person deserves
recognition and drop it by the Artesia Historical
Museum & Art Center by the end of February
2008, or mail it to us at 505 West Richardson
Ave., Artesia 88210. Thank you for caring about
our local unsung heroes!
Buckle Down and buckle up!
ARTESIA - During the month of February
officers from the Artesia Police Department will
be continuing their efforts in making the streets
of Artesia safe for people to travel by
conducting sobriety checkpoints and saturation
patrols. In search for drivers who continue to
make the wrong choice, driving while under the
influence of alcohol or other drugs (including
prescription drugs).
It’s not just alcohol. Your driving skills can also
be affected by:
Illegal drugs (Marijuana, Cocaine, Ecstasy, etc.);
some prescription drugs;
some over-the-counter drugs, such as cold
medicines. (Read the label to see if a drug can
affect your driving).
Using alcohol and any of these drugs together
is even more dangerous.
Drinking and driving don’t mix. Remember,
alcohol is a drug. No matter hold old you are,
drinking and driving is against the law and can
be deadly.
"If you heard it once you heard it a thousand
times; you drink, you drive you loose. Use a
designated driver, walk or call someone for a
ride home. Remember, your parents and
friends would want you to wake them up for a
ride rather than receiving a phone call from me,
telling them that you’ve been arrested for
Driving while under the influence of intoxicating
liquor or drugs, or in the hospital or worse, not
coming home at all," said Cmdr. Richard
Martinez with the Artesia Police Department.
Safety belts (also called seat belts) are a
necessity, not a matter of choice. That goes for
drivers AND passengers (including children). In
the State of New Mexico it’s the law. It’s simple:
If you’re in a car, buckle up, if you fail to do so,
chances are you’ll be stopped and issued a
traffic citation for this violation by an officer from
our department working overtime funded by the
New Mexico Department of Transportation
working Operation Buckle Down during the
month of February and throughout the rest of
the year. Keep your sweetheart safe, by
making sure they are buckled up.
The Artesia Police Department and the
Department of Transportation work in
partnership to make driving safe for all
travelers, by enforcing traffic laws and raising
public awareness to prevent traffic-related
crashes, injuries and fatalities.
