News

ROSWELL -- A Roswell man was arrested on charges of murder Friday following a shooting at an apartment complex in the southwest part of the city. Paul Ybarra-Romero, 40, stands charged with first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, aggravated assault upon a household member, and three counts of child abuse in connection with the shooting death of 26-year-old Christopher Bargas. Roswell Police Department (RPD) officers were dispatched around 11:30 p.m. Friday to the Valle Encantada Apartments in the 2000 block of South Sunset Avenue in response to the shooting. There, they found Bargas unresponsive inside an apartment with a gunshot wound to his chest. He was transported by EMS to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later.

SANTA FE – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) New Mexico State Office recently held a competitive oil and gas lease sale, offering 19 parcels covering 3,128 acres in New Mexico and Kansas. In total, 451 bids were received, with 14 parcels covering 2,768 acres leased, roughly 88.5% of the total acreage available.

RUIDOSO -- As residents of the Ruidoso and Alto area watched from afar Tuesday, the South Fork and Salt Fires continued to blaze with no immediate end in sight. The U.S.

About 15 years ago, any family with children in Artesia likely routinely visited the Splash Pad in the Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Recreation Complex.

Looking back 40, 30 and 20 years ago, the following are excerpts from the Artesia Daily Press. 40 years ago June 16-22, 1984 New Mexico’s public school teachers will be paid a salary that averages $22,444 statewide when they return to the classrooms in the fall.

ARTESIA -- Preparations are currently underway for the 79th Annual Eddy County Fair, set to run July 23-27. Entry forms for participation in Open Class exhibits, Lead Class, 4-H indoor exhibits and the Cake Contest are due by Sunday, June 30.