The shadows turned from the sun

At 5:30 a.m., it was still dark when we — five cops, two city council members, and one city manager — took off from City Hall on bikes. Within a few minutes, the sun started creeping over the mountains, showing us the muted colors of the old adobes in the nearby neighborhood.

Apologizing my way through appendicitis

My absent hunger was the first sign something was wrong. Normally, even when I’m physically full, the suggestion of, say, a gooey cookie will open a vacancy in my stomach.

Today in History

Today is Sunday, June 9, the 161st day of 2024. There are 205 days left in the year.

The Bookworm Sez

c.2024, Pegasus Books $32 • 408 pages It was like squashing a cockroach, they said. Put your toe down in one spot, rotate your hips and your ankle, shimmy them shoulders, and snap your fingers to the beat.

AROUND TOWN

YARD OF THE WEEK Artesia Clean & Beautiful will sponsor its Yard of the Week contest beginning Monday, June 3, and continuing through September. Colorful, attractive, well-groomed lawns with curb appeal meet the qualifications. To nominate a yard worthy of the title, contact Linda at 575513-0143 or the AC&B office at 575-748-3192. ----------------- FILM SCREENING -- First Church Artesia, 402 W. Grand Ave., will hold a free screening of “Letter to the American Church” at 6 p.m. Friday, June 14. The public is welcome to attend. ----------------- CHASE SCHOLAR COMMUNITY SERVICE -- Chase Scholars will be performing community service for senior citizens June 19-21. Students will be in groups with an adult supervisor and will be available for yard work, cleaning exterior windows, and various odd jobs. Students will not be painting. Sign-ups for those needing work done are available at the Senior MealSite, the Senior Center, the Artesia Chamber of Commerce, and KSVP. For more information, contact Ginny at the Chase Foundation, 575-746-4610. ----------------- ELECTRONIC RECYCLING -- Artesia Clean & Beautiful will host its annual eWaste Event from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday, June 21, and 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday, June 22, at the Eddy County Fairgrounds food court. Items to be accepted for recycling include all office-related equipment, fax machines, copiers, typewriters, CPUs, and consumer electronics including DVD and VCR players and video game consoles, radios, telephones and cell phones, server and telecom equipment, cameras and stereo equipment. There will be a $5 charge for large CRT monitors. Televisions and home appliances will not be accepted. For more information, call AC&B at 575-748-3192. ----------------- DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION -- CARC Document Destruction will be at Artesia Clean & Beautiful’s eWaste Event from 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Friday, June 21, at the Eddy County Fairgrounds food court to accept any residential documents in need of disposal, up to 100 pounds.

First Day

SCHOOL BOARD -- The Artesia Public Schools (APS) Board of Education will hold a regular meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, June 10, in the Lowell M. Irby Board Room at the APS Administration Building, 301 Bulldog Blvd. A copy of the agenda for this meeting will be available 24 hours in advance at www. bulldogs.org or the Administration Building. ----------------- KIDS’ LEGO DAY -- The Children’s Summer Reading Program will hold a LEGO Day from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, at the Artesia Public Library. Come construct an oil rig. For more information, call the library at 575-746-4252. ----------------- TEEN CRAFTERNOON -- The Teen Summer Reading Program will hold a Teen Crafternoon for ages 13-17 from 1-2:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, at the Artesia Public Library. Come create a sasquatch in a tin. All supplies provided. For more information, call the library at 575-746-4252. ----------------- ADULT STEM CHALLENGE -- Adults ages 18 and up are invited to a STEM Challenge at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, at the Artesia Public Library. Explore techniques used in the oilfield by participating in an oil spill clean-up. For more information, call the library at 575-746-4252. ----------------- KIDS’ STEM DAY -- The Children’s Summer Reading Program will hold a STEM Day from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, at the Artesia Public Library. Come try your hand at helping keep animals and the environment safe during an oil spill clean-up challenge. For more information, call the library at 575-746-4252. ----------------- YARN UNITED -- Adults ages 18 and up are invited to Yarn United at noon Wednesday, June 12, at the Artesia Public Library. All ages and skill levels can work on knitting, crocheting, quilting, stitching or crafting. For more information, call the library at 575-746-4252. ----------------- TEEN GAMES AND BUILDS -- The Teen Summer Reading Program will hold Camping Bingo for ages 13-17 from 1-2:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, at the Artesia Public Library. For more i

New Mexico Fishing Report

This fishing report, provided by the Department of Game and Fish in cooperation with Dustin Berg of www.gounlimited. org (“supporting disabled anglers”), has been generated from the best information available from area officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.

2024 CUP SERIES SCHEDULE

FEB. 3,8 PM, FOX: Busch Light Clash at the (LA) Coliseum (D. Hamlin) FEB. 15,7 PM, FS1: Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 at DAYTONA (T- Reddick) FEB. 15,9 PM, FS1: Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 at DAYTONA (C. Bell) FEB. 19,4 PM, FOX: DAYTONA 500 (W. Byron) FEB. 25,3 PM FOX: Ambetter Health 400 at ATLANTA (D. Suarez) MARCH 3,3:30 PM, FOX: Pennzoil 400 at LAS VEGAS (K. Larson) MARCH 10,3:30 PM, FOX; Shriners Children's 500 at PHOENIX (C. Bell) MARCH 17,3:30 PM, FOX: Food City 500 at BRISTOL (D. Hamlin) MARCH 24, 3:30 PM, FOX: EchoPark at CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS (W. Byron) MARCH 31,7 PM, FOX: Toyota Owners 400 at RICHMOND (D. Hamlin) APRIL 7,3 PM, FS1: Cook Out 400 at MARTINSVILLE (W. Byron) APRIL 14, 3:30 PM, FS1: Auto Trader EchoPark 400 at TEXAS (C. Elliott) APRIL 21, 3 PM, FOX: GEICO 500 at TALLADEGA (T. Reddick) APRIL 28, 2 PM, FSli WURTH 400 at DOVER (D. Hamlin) MAY 5,3 PM, FS1: AdventHealth 400 at KANSAS (K. Larson) MAY 12, 3 PM, F51: Goodyear 400 at DARLINGTON (B. Keselowski) MAY 19,8 PM, FS1: NASCAR All-Star Race at N. Wilkesboro, NC ( J. Logano) MAY 26, 6 PM, FOX: Coca-Cola 600 at CHARLOTTE (C.Bell) JUNE 2, 3:30 PM, FS1: Enjoy Illinois 300 at WORLD WIDE TECH (A. Cindric) JUNE 9, 3:30 PM, FOX: Toyota/Save Mart 350 at SONOMA (M. Truex Jr.)