News

Young athletes took center stage on the second day of XTERRA World Championship racing in Ruidoso.

Artesia’s annual Art in the Park brought scores of visitors to Central Park Friday and Saturday for a celebration of local arts and culture. Sponsored by the Artesia Arts Council, the event featured food trucks, live music, arts and crafts vendors, face painting, the Artesia High School band and a Runyan Ranches petting zoo.

France’s Alizee Paties captured her first XTERRA World Championship, validating her No. 2 world ranking and claiming her fifth triathlon gold of the year.

K-Bob’s Steakhouse doesn’t get $50,000 catering orders every weekend. But with hundreds of XTERRA athletes in town looking for a hearty meal, general manager Brian...

R2Doso Con returns to the Ruidoso Convention Center Oct. 17-18 for its second year, bringing comics, sci-fi, anime, gaming, cosplay and celebrity guests to the mountain community. Fans can see the Batmobile, Mystery Machine and Back to the Future DeLorean, meet Star Wars talent, enter contests and tournaments, and support an event designed to boost local tourism.

At the National Cleanup Workshop in Washington, D.C., Carlsbad Mayor Pro Tem JJ Chavez moderated a panel on WIPP’s role in supporting safe, permanent disposal and environmental cleanup. The discussion highlighted how dependable disposal solutions, rigorous safety standards, and collaboration among federal, local, and community partners are essential to protecting public health and advancing the nation’s cleanup mission.

After moving to Artesia in 2009, Toby Heisler built a career in the oil and gas industry before turning his lifelong passion for sports cards into The Locker Room Cards & Collectibles. Opened with his wife and son, the shop offers vintage and modern sports cards, Pokémon, memorabilia and merchandise, creating a family-friendly destination for collectors of all budgets.

Artesia residents can showcase their Halloween creativity in the Artesia Public Library’s Fall/Halloween Decoration Contest. Entries will be accepted at the library, 205 W. Quay Ave., from Oct. 17 through Oct. 22. Public judging begins Oct. 24 and continues through Halloween on Oct. 31. Entry details are available at the library’s front desk.

Stroll through the trail to see the events and other ways for non-competitors to get the most out of XTERRA week, with parking advice and an event overview.

New Mexico’s State Land Office raised minimum bonding requirements for oil and gas companies operating on State Trust land, increasing financial assurances from $10,000–$25,000 to at least $150,000 per company. The change aims to cover rising costs of plugging abandoned wells, but industry groups say it duplicates state requirements and may face a legal challenge.

Democratic Rep. Gabe Vasquez campaigned across conservative southeastern New Mexico seeking a third term in Congress, emphasizing stronger safety oversight at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant and more balanced management of public lands beyond oil and gas. He criticized Republican challenger Greg Cunningham as a Trump loyalist, while Cunningham accused Vasquez of undermining public safety and police support.

The U.S. Department of Energy and Salado Isolation Mining Contractors will host a virtual community forum on Nov. 4 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. to discuss operations at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The public can register via the story’s QR code, ask questions and raise concerns about WIPP’s underground disposal of transuranic nuclear waste.