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Dear Neighbors & Friends:
Halloween was a wonderful success this year, and I want to thank everyone who helped make it such a fun and safe celebration for our community Downtown was full of energy, with families and children dressed in creative costumes enjoying all the festivities. I also want to thank the Carlsbad Cavern Theatre for keeping their monthly schedule in line with the season Their Halloween showings brought great crowds and reminded us how special this historic venue has become for our community It is heartwarming to see the theatre once again playing such an important role in bringing people together.
As we move into November, our focus turns toward honoring those who have served our country and preparing for the upcoming holiday season The annual Veterans Day Parade will take place on Tuesday, November 11, beginning at 10 a.m. The parade will start on North Canyon Street and end at Veterans Park, where we will take time to recognize and thank all who have bravely served in the armed forces. This is always a meaningful event for our city, and I encourage everyone to come out, show their support, and help us pay tribute to the men and women who protect our freedoms.
After Thanksgiving, the holiday season officially begins in Carlsbad with one of our most anticipated traditions, the annual Christmas Light Parade and Tree Lighting. The celebration will take place on Saturday, November 29, at the Halagueno Arts Park. This year, the event will expand to the courthouse lawn and allow for even more vibrant festivities in the downtown area. The theme for this year ’ s parade is The Polar Express, and we are excited to see how our community brings this classic holiday story to life. After the parade, the Cavern Theatre will continue the fun by showing The Polar Express. You can sign up to participate in the parade or register as a vendor online at www.carlsbadmainstreet.com/electric-light-parade.
There will also be more movies coming to the Cavern Theatre throughout November, so be sure to visit www carlsbadcaverntheatre com to see the full schedule and purchase tickets
It is wonderful to see this venue continuing to grow and provide entertainment options for all ages right in the heart of our downtown.
In addition to all these exciting events, I am happy to share an update on one of our upcoming community projects Construction on the walking bridge under the Green Street Bridge is scheduled to begin in December. This project will create a safer path for walkers and runners to cross to the other side without needing to use the main bridge, where traffic can be heavy The new bridge will help connect our trails and offer another great way for residents to enjoy the outdoors safely
As Thanksgiving approaches, I want to take a moment to express how grateful I am for our City staff and all the hard work that has been accomplished across every department this year. From maintaining our parks and streets to providing essential services and organizing community events, our employees continue to go above and beyond to serve the people of Carlsbad. I am also thankful for our City Council, whose leadership and teamwork have helped move many important projects forward.
November is a time to reflect on what we are thankful for, and I continue to be proud of the strong sense of community that defines Carlsbad I wish each of you a happy Veterans Day, a joyful Thanksgiving, and a wonderful start to the holiday season surrounded by family and friends.
Sincerely,
CarlsbadMayorRickLopez
Email: mayor office@cityofcarlsbadnm co
Phone: (575) 887-1191
Which Thanksgiving side dish could you not live without?
When do you start decorating for the holidays?
Which fictional boss would you least want to work for?
Which office superpower would you choose?
If the holidays came with one superpower, which would you choose?
How do you usually organize your workspace?
The Employee Spotlight highlights hardworking City of Carlsbad employees who go above and beyond in serving our community. It’s a way for supervisors and managers to recognize their teams and share the great work happening behind the scenes.
Sarah has been a valued member of the City of Carlsbad team for eight years and has served as Carlsbad Public Library Director since 2019. Her vision of the library being “ more than just books” shines through her many partnerships with community organizations and her dedication to expanding access to resources for all residents.
Beyond Carlsbad, Sarah is a strong advocate for literacy across New Mexico. Her leadership and commitment led her to become President of the New Mexico Library Association this year—a three-year commitment she earned after successfully planning the association’s state conference in Carlsbad. Passionate about helping people, Sarah represents our city
through statewide speaking engagements on topics such as adult literacy, strategic planning, care kits, and substance abuse prevention. Her work continues to highlight how vital libraries are in supporting education, wellness, and connection within our community.
Meet the adorable pets of our City of Carlsbad employees!
1st Place: “I’ve Got My Eye On You” by Laci Orgain
2nd Place: “Cact-O’-Lantern” by Kristina Torres
3rd Place: “Gary the Snail” by Valeria Bannister
Sat. November 1st:
Milton's Breast Cancer Crafty
Cups Competition
Trick or Tees GLOW Mini Golf
Tournament
Mon. November 3rd:
Inspired by Science STEM Workshops Chemistry
Tues. November 4th:
Dia de los Muertos at Southeast
New Mexico College
Carlsbad Public Library Toddler
Time
Carlsbad Literacy
Wed. November 5th:
Carlsbad Public Library Preschool
Story Time
Carlsbad Public Library LEGO
Time
Thurs. November 6th:
SENMC Trail Group
Carlsbad Public Library Baby Time
Carlsbad Literacy
Fri. November 7th:
Inspired by Science STEM Workshop Chemistry and Physics
Karaoke/Open Mic at Guadalupe
Mountain Brewing Company
Sat. November 8th:
National STEM Day at the Carlsbad Public Library
Ocotillo Trail Endurance Challenge
Mon. November 10th:
SENMC APA Citation Workshops
Inspired by Science STEM
Workshops Electricity
Tues. November 11th:
Veterans Day Parade & Ceremony
City of Carlsbad CLOSED
SENMC Alaska Native Cultures &
Stories
Trivia Night at Milton’s Brewing
Carlsbad Literacy
Wed. November 12th:
Carlsbad Public Library Preschool
Story Time
Carlsbad Public Library LEGO
Time
Carlsbad Public Library Sunny
Days Book Vase
Paint Party Sessions
Thurs. November 13th:
Carlsbad Public Library Baby Time
Carlsbad Literacy
Fri. November 14th:
El Paso Day Trip
Fri. November 14th Continued:
Inspired by Science STEM Workshops Electricity
Karaoke/Open Mic at Guadalupe
Mountain Brewing Company
Assistance League of Carlsbad
Christmas Tree Auction
Sat. November 15th:
Carlsbad Community Concerts
Presents: “Analisa & John”
Tues. November 18th:
Carlsbad Public Library Toddler
Time
The Spanish Conversation Group
Carlsbad Literacy
Wed. November 19th:
Carlsbad Public Library Preschool
Story Time
Carlsbad Public Library LEGO
Time
Wed. November 19th Continued:
SENMC Support Group for
Families with Disabilities
Brews & Books at Milton’s Brewing
Thurs. November 20th:
Carlsbad Public Library Baby Time
Carlsbad Literacy
SENMC Trail Group
Fri. November 21st:
Story Time at the Living Desert
Zoo
Karaoke/Open Mic at Guadalupe
Mountain Brewing Company
Tues. November 25th:
Carlsbad Public Library Toddler
Time
Trivia Night at Milton’s Brewing
Thurs. November 27th:
Carlsbad Public Library Closed
Fri. November 28th:
Carlsbad Public Library Closed
Sat. November 29th:
Carlsbad Public Library Closed
For more information regarding any of these events or others please visit the official City Events Calander.
See page 35 for answer key.
The traditional holiday bird
Literally, travelers going to a holy place
The country the Pilgrims left behind
Indigenous people who were present at the first
Thanksgiving
16th and 17th century English Protestants
Season for harvesting
First village established by the Pilgrims
Symbol of abundance and nourishment
4th Thursday of November
A traditional American Indian dwelling
Bright orange squash used to make pie
The Pilgrims' boat
American Indian who taught the Pilgrims many things
Gathering of crops
An essential grain in the New World diet
Constructors, Inc. is continuing work on the Flumes Forcemain Project for the City of Carlsbad along Callaway Drive from Mountain Shadow to the Pecos River. We will be closing Quail Hollow Run at Callaway Rd for new sewer force main installation. The South & Northbound Quail Hollow traffic will be detoured onto Leanne Drive, then South on Hays Dr back to Callaway Dr. Traffic signs and devices will be in place to guide traffic through the detour route. The East & Westbound Callaway traffic will not be affected by the detour. This will help protect the workers and the traveling public. Work will begin at 7am and end at 6pm each day of work, weather permitting.
Thank you for your
and
Lake Carlsbad Golf Course – November Events & Gift Card Reminder
Upcoming Tournaments:
November 1: United Way Glow Putt-Putt Tournament
November 8: Superintendent’s Revenge Tournament (3person scramble)
November 22: Turkey Scramble (3-person scramble)
Weekly Event:
Every Monday at 3:30 p.m.: Twilight Tour – 1-person stroke play tournament (Gross/Net/Skins divisions paid out)
Gift Card Reminder:
All Lake Carlsbad Golf Course gift cards will expire on December 31, 2025. If you’d like to use your gift card toward a special order, please contact Ryan or Kyle at the Pro Shop before the deadline.
Special Order Deadline (for gift card payments): November 21, 2025
Email special order requests to: argarcia@cityofcarlsbadnm.com kbboatman@cityofcarlsbadnm.com
Thank you for supporting Lake Carlsbad Golf Course!
Veterans Day: Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 27, 2025
Day after Thanksgiving: Friday, November 28, 2025
Christmas Eve: Wednesday, December 24, 2025
Christmas Day: Thursday, December 25, 2025
New Year’s Day: Thursday, January 1, 2026
Thursday, November 27th: Solid Waste, the Convenience Station and Sandpoint
Landfill will be CLOSED
Friday, November 28th: Thursday’s
scheduled trash pick-up
Saturday, November 29th: Friday’s
scheduled trash pick-up
Regular schedules and hours will resume the following week on Monday, December 1st.
Richard Lopez, Mayor mayor.office@cityofcarlsbadnm.com
Ward 1
Edward Rodriguez | etrodriguez@cityofcarlsbadnm.com
Lisa Anaya-Flores | laflores@cityofcarlsbadnm.com
Ward 2
JJ Chavez | jochavez@cityofcarlsbadnm.com
Jeff Forrest | jjforrest@cityofcarlsbadnm.com
Ward 3
Karla Hamel Niemeier | kjniemeier@cityofcarlsbadnm.com
Mary Garwood | msgarwood@cityofcarlsbadnm.com
Ward 4
Anthony Foreman | arforeman@cityofcarlsbadnm.com
Mark Walterscheid | mewalterscheid@cityofcarlsbadnm.com
Wendy Austin, City Administrator wdaustin@cityofcarlsbadnm.com
Ken Ahrens, Deputy City Administrator ksahrens@cityofcarlsbadnm.com
KC Cass, Chief Operating Officer kccass@cityofcarlsbadnm.com
www cityofcarlsbadnm com
