Rebecca Hauschild
For the Daily Press

NFL logos and team names will be featured in Artesia’s fall recreational flag football program after the city council decided at its May 13 meeting to participate in NFL Flag, the National Football League’s flag football program for youths 4-17 years of age.

Artesia’s NFL Flag League, operated as part of the city’s recreational youth football program, is open to youths in first through sixth grades. Registrations will be accepted July 1 through Aug 1 and games begin Sept. 2, according to a city Facebook post.

The City Council in April approved changing the city’s recreational 5th and 6th grade tackle football programs to flag football.

“I think it’s a great opportunity and I think it’s something new and fresh,” said Jayde Burnell, the city’s recreation supervisor.

New Mural coming to Artesia

Also on May 13, the City Council gave approval for Artesia Clean and Beautiful to paint a mural on the city-owned cinder-block fence that runs along the north side of JJ Clarke Drive.

The section is between 13th and 15th Street and is 622 feet long. The community will be invited to paint the mural after the artist draws the outline on the wall.

The community painting is expected to take about a week and will take place in July or August. The timeline, cost and subject matter of the mural were yet to be determined.

Other Business from May 13

Rosemary Braswell, gifted education teacher at Artesia Intermediate School, appeared with three 7th grade students who presented their passion projects:

• Katelynn Martin – A Comparison of Religions

• Hunter Safar – Concerts

• Urijah Luna – Training Cats

The Artesia Police Department reported that six officers who recently finished bike patrol training would be hitting the streets.

The council recently approved the purchase of e-bikes for the department. Officers can now quietly and discreetly approach suspicious activity without having to show up in recognizable patrol cars.