Focus on Carlsbad Spring 2017

SPRING 2017

GOES CREATIVE

Jim White By Lantern Light Line Dancers & Dance Crazes Area Cartoonist & His Trusty Dog Lucy's Takes Another Chance Chamber News & So Much More

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THE THE CARLSBAD THE CARLSBAD CARLSBAD MAINSTREET MAINSTREET MAINSTREET PROJECT PROJECT PROJECT

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3, June 2017!

3, 2017! will engage families, community members and tourists to come together for a All dayAll family day All family fun,day food fun, family vendors, food fun, vendors, food arts and vendors, arts crafts, andarts local crafts, andbands, local crafts,bands, entertainment local entertainment bands, entertainment Second Annual CAVERNFEST Second Annual CAVERNFEST June 3, 2017! June 3, 2017! cohesive connection for our town.

Second CAVERNFEST June 3, 2017! a BIG and STAGE a Second BIG andmore STAGE CONCERT. aAnnual BIG STAGE CONCERT. Thank CONCERT. Thank you BHAKTA-WATERS you Thank BHAKTA-WATERS you BHAKTA-WATERS CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION Annual CAVERNFEST June 3, 2017!

All day family fun, food vendors, arts and crafts, local bands, entertainment All day family fun, food vendors, arts and crafts, local bands, entertainment Second Annual CAVERNFEST June 3, 2017! visit visit historic visit historic historic and All day family fun, food vendors, arts and crafts, local bands, entertainment All family fun, food vendors, arts andfifor crafts, local bands, entertainment and a day BIG STAGE CONCERT. Thank you BHAKTA-WATERS CONSTRUCTION and THUNDER and All THUNDER and RUN THUNDER CONCRETE RUN CONCRETE RUN for CONCRETE being for our being rst our being of fi many rst our of sponsors many fi rst of sponsors many for this sponsors for this for this and a BIG STAGE CONCERT. Thank you BHAKTA-WATERS CONSTRUCTION day family fun, food vendors, artsBHAKTA-WATERS and crafts, localCONSTRUCTION bands, entertainment visit historic visit historic greatand and aTHUNDER BIG STAGE CONCERT. Thank RUN CONCRETE foryou being our first of sponsors forof this and a BIG STAGE CONCERT. Thank you BHAKTA-WATERS and THUNDER RUN CONCRETE formany being ourCONSTRUCTION first many sponsors for this event. great event. visit historic historic great event. and a BIG STAGE CONCERT. Thank you BHAKTA-WATERS CONSTRUCTION visit and THUNDER RUN CONCRETE for being our fi rst of many sponsors for this Second Annual CAVERNFEST June 2017! great andevent.

THUNDER RUN CONCRETE for being our first 3, of many sponsors for this visit historic great event. and RUNfun, CONCRETE for being ourcrafts, first oflocal many sponsors for this greatTHUNDER event.

All day family food vendors, arts and bands, entertainment great event.

Farmers’ Farmers’ Farmers’ Market Market Opens Market Opens June Opens June 2017!

June 2017!

2017!

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FROM THE EDITOR

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LUCY'S RESTAURANT AT THE CASCADES

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

CarlsbadMainStreet CarlsbadMainStreet@gmail.com • 102 S.Street Canyon Street Carlsbad, 88220 •NM 575.628.3768 • CarlsbadMainStreet@gmail.com • 102 Canyon Street •NM Carlsbad, 88220 • 575.628.3768 sbadMainStreet CarlsbadMainStreet CarlsbadMainStreet • CarlsbadMainStreet CarlsbadMainStreet@gmail.com • CarlsbadMainStreet@gmail.com • •CarlsbadMainStreet@gmail.com • 102 S. • 102 Canyon S. • Canyon 102 S. Canyon Street •S. Carlsbad, Street • •Carlsbad, NM • Carlsbad, 88220 NM 88220 •NM 575.628.3768 88220 • 575.628.3768 • 575.628.3768

Paid for by •Carlsbad Lodger’s Paid

by Tax Carlsbad Lodger’s CarlsbadMainStreet • CarlsbadMainStreet@gmail.com • 102 S. Canyon Street • Carlsbad,Paid NM 575.628.3768 for 88220 by Paid Carlsbad for byPaid Carlsbad Lodger’s for byforLodger’s Carlsbad Tax Tax Lodger’s TaxTax CarlsbadMainStreet • CarlsbadMainStreet@gmail.com • www.carlsbadmain Paid 88220 for by Carlsbad Lodger’s Tax CarlsbadMainStreet • CarlsbadMainStreet@gmail.com • 102 S. Canyon Street • Carlsbad, NM • 575.628.3768

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JIM WHITE BY LANTERN LIGHT CARLSBAD ARTS COUNCIL WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? GALLERY COUPLE

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POPPING DANCE CRAZE CROSSING THE LINE CAVERN THEATRE AREA CARTOONIST

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IN FOCUS BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT TEACHER FEATURE TIDBITS & TRIVIA CARLSBAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NEWS

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ABOUT THE COVER

Local geologist and cave explorer Mark Joop gives an interview about the creation of By Lantern Light, a historical production. Read more inside about the creative process that is alive and well in Carlsbad. Photo courtesy of Guano Productions Kyle Marksteiner, Editorial Director - Rachel Hughes, Advertising Photography by Kyle Marksteiner, Special Contributors & Submitted Special Contributors: Tiffany Owens, Staci Guy, Martha Mauritson, Eve Flanigan & The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce

HUGHES COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES

Trey Hughes Kali Hughes Brooklynn Chester 575.361.3217 575.308.8981 575.302.3674

www.hcproperties.net

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Every effort was made to ensure accuracy of the information provided.

The publisher assumes no responsibility or liability for errors, changes or omissions.

SPRING 2017 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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from the editor

Celebrating the

Creative Arts

HERE’S HOW ART WORKS:

YOU ARE SITTING THERE TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A COLUMN THE NIGHT BEFORE YOUR DEADLINE AND YOU INEXPLICABLY HAVE BONNIE TYLER’S 1983 HIT “TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART” STUCK IN YOUR HEAD. (TURN AROUND) KYLE MARKSTEINER Editorial Director

FOCUS ON CARLSBAD

Maybe you are piecing together a storyboard for a movie, or practicing a new dance move, or jotting down a new idea for a cartoon, or just trying to introduce the Spring 2017 edition of Focus on Carlsbad.

(Turn around, bright eyes) Which, by the way, has a theme of “Carlsbad Goes Creative,” with a focus on dance, writing and film.

(Every now and then)

Creativity as an adult can be mentally fatiguing. Kids are designed to take their action figures or dolls and have them interact with each other. But try doing that as a grown up some time. You can, for a few moments, but it is oddly exhausting. You want to see if the kid will just play catch or a board game— something requiring less creativity.

Because the creative process is truly one of the most amazing wonders of the entire universe. For example, you have a gentleman who pictures an entirely fictitious encounter between two soldiers near a fort in West Texas in the 1870s. He writes down that story and shares it with his friends, and they want to know what is next.

Using your imagination isn’t easy. We’re trained to try to recall if we paid our car insurance bill this month or figure out what we’re going to do for lunch. Useful stuff. Boring stuff. But every now and then a lightning bug inside your brain zaps for a moment. Catch it!

But he, the original author, initially has no idea, since the entire thing was made up in his mind. But then he plugs those images and that fictitious conversation back into his mind, and the next thing you know his imagination is adding another scene or two. So a brand new world is created in his mind and then turned into a story.

So maybe you are stopping for gas at Clines Corners on your way to Albuquerque, and suddenly you are imagining that the entire rest stop, with all of its tacky gifts, fudge and fireworks, is magically transported to Middle Earth.

What do you and the other patrons do to survive? Do you trade fudge with the elves? Will you use the fireworks to scare off the orcs?

(Every now and then I fall apart) Which is what is unique and amazing about our brains—the fact that we can fantasize, daydream and combine all sorts of stuff floating around in our head to produce completely new content.

Even though it isn’t always easy.

You know how pitchers in the major leagues can only throw a few innings a

4

week? The motion required to throw a 100-mile-per-hour fastball isn’t natural.

It’s an amazing feat, but it wears you down.

FOCUS ON CARLSBAD | SPRING 2017

(Turn around)

But then work happens. And life happens.

And you’ve got to help with the dishes and then figure out how to get your daughter’s hair into a bun for ballet practice, which you are terrible at doing.

Or your air conditioning is broken and you are dealing with fixing it. Or maybe you sit down to write one evening and you’ve got a song stuck in your head.

Brains are strange things. Why do you think zombies find them to be so tasty?

Then it is a few months later, and you think to yourself, “Hey, how come I never wrote that short story about Clines Corners getting teleported to Mordor?”

The creative arts need a creative spark, and then the effort to translate that spark into art. Neither step is easy.

To borrow from Bonnie Tyler: Once upon a time I was writing a column, but now I’m only falling apart.

There’s nothing I can do. A total eclipse of the heart.

(Enjoy the magazine.)

A B O U T T H E E D IT O R

Kyle Marksteiner is the editorial director of Focus on Carlsbad. He can be reached by email at editor@ad-venturemarketing.com.

And you think to yourself, “Hey, I should write a story about that.”

So, then the second part of the “creative arts” formula is up to bat, the part where you take that initial idea and turn it into something, into a story or painting. The effort part.

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Combines Film, Nature & History

By Staci Guy, associate publisher of Focus magazines, and Dianne Joop, associate director of education for National Karst and Cave Research Institute

Chances are, if you’ve been in Carlsbad any length of time, you have probably heard rumblings (at least) of a local film crew producing a movie about Jim White and the Carlsbad Caverns.

That rumor is partially true. Many people have heard bits and pieces about the film—initiated nearly four years ago—but few actually understand the full scope of the project.

Dianne Joop, associate director of education for the National Karst and Cave Research Institute, understands the misconceptions many people have about the film and even about its subject, which is why she is determined to shed light on the issue. She is one of three local producers who have partnered with three producers from PHOTO:

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Dianne Joop

FOCUS ON CARLSBAD | SPRING 2017

Kentucky to create a high-quality film that will likely put Carlsbad on the map when it comes to filmmaking.

“Like with any documentary film, we will present the research—all sides of it—and let the audience walk away with their opinion,” she explained. “I want them (viewers) to know Jim White as the person walking around town—an explorer, a conservationist—because what impressed me most about Jim White is not that he went out and explored these caves. He pushed for this property to become a national park, and that is a much more difficult task (than discovering a cave). It’s because of his efforts that we have that park, which is much more compelling than ‘I found this cave.’”

Of note, Joop added, is that the film, titled By Lantern Light, is being shot in 4K in Academy Standards.

What that means to the layman is that it is being filmed in the highest quality available and will be released to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “Of course that means it costs a whole lot more as well,” Joop added. “It takes a gig of storage for every two minutes of film, and that’s just the raw data, not even after it’s been finished.”

To date, the production team has completed filming their interviews and is currently in production, raising money for re-creations. They anticipate a release date later this year. Joop, an avid caver and native of Kentucky, explained the inspiration for the film and provided some insight into the production process. Check it out below!

By Dianne Joop:

Exploring caves, to me, is always an adventure, whether it’s for work or for play. One particular caving trip set off a series of events that sparked a new kind of adventure—one of making a historical documentary.

On one of our scorching hot August days, I was invited to join a team of National Park Service Cave Resource employees to assist in assessing bat use of Deep Cave. I was especially excited about this trip

because of vertical techniques required to enter the cave. The trip starts out with a 200-foot entrance drop, requiring a rappel.

I enjoy technical rope work as a part of exploration. On this day, something a little different happened. I descended into the darkness alongside the ghost of the legendary cave explorer Jim White.

I, like you, have heard the infamous stories told about Jim White and his exploration of Carlsbad Cavern, and of course the story of his discovery of the Big Room.

As a caver I really appreciate the sense of excitement that Jim must have felt when he discovered the Big Room. I am sure he was elated beyond comprehension.

I will freely admit I did not initially get the sense that Jim White was a great cave explorer. I was a bit blasé about the common tale of a young kid happening into a cave that later becomes a show cave. I thought it was neat that Jim made a ladder to descend the 60 feet to explore the cave and that must set him apart. I wanted to somehow get to know Jim as an explorer better. On this mid-summer’s day in 2013, my wish was granted.

So there I was in my fancy, modern gear (bright light, rope, seat harness and rappelling device). I haughtily call “onrope,” and “on rappel” when I started my 200-foot descent. That is when I saw it, and that is when reality sharply smacked me in the face.

As I lowered myself over a small ledge, I came face to face with the top of one of Jim’s handmade ladders. I took my time rappelling that day; it felt as if I was next to Jim. I was studying the craftsmanship of the ladder and getting to know Jim White as an explorer a bit better. Near the bottom portion of the entrance drop, about 20 feet from the cave floor, the ladder stopped at an extremely small ledge. I paused my rappel and imagined Jim with his lantern in hand, stepping off the ladder onto this small protrusion from the wall. I felt,

in that moment, as if I had been properly introduced to “Jim White the cave explorer,” known to some as the Grandfather of Caving in the Guadalupe Mountains. I have never been so pleased to ingest a big ol’ slice of humble pie.

I ascended the cave with PHOTO: O the determination to tell n picture andlocation, a film clapp Jim’s story in a way that erb sound. Pho tos courtesy oard is used to ass others will grasp his spunk ist of Guano P roductions film editors in alignin and gumption—through g film. went into preAs a bit of a preface, I have experience production phase on the Jim White in writing, directing and producing Project. plays, but not film. I have experience with underground photography and This phase was very exciting, energetic cinematography, but not historical and fun. We all began researching and documentaries, so I began searching for reading every written source we could partners who will assist me in bringing find about Jim White. We began calling Jim’s story to life. Conversation after and talking with people that knew Jim conversation with filmmaker after and could share details about his life filmmaker revealed many good ideas for and personality. We would hold weekly how to “re-create Jim’s exploration by production meetings to share what we computer graphics; using green-screens had learned to determine the key points was the way to produce this film.” in Jim’s life that would provide a nice thread for his story.

I finally spoke to a triad of filmmakers who were different. I invited the filmmakers to While most of the pre-production Carlsbad to share a different documentary meetings would take place through they produced and to talk about the conference calls, we decided our team possibility of producing a movie in needed a face-to-face meeting, with partnership with my employer, the one of the goals being to formally title National Cave and Karst Research Institute. the film. We met at Scott’s studio in Lexington, Kentucky. The five of us sat in On a mid-summer’s day in 2015 at the comfy chairs, surrounded by memorabilia Carlsbad Caverns Amphitheatre, I stood and the ambient sound of the Andy with Wade Smith, Scott Hall, Michael Griffith Show playing in the background Crisp and Ben Chaffins, and I asked as we engaged in the most energized, them if they knew the story of Jim White, chaotic, creative conversation I have ever the legendary cave explorer. We started had. The conversation would frantically our descent into the cavern, retracing burst, all of us simultaneously throwing the steps of Jim White. These guys out a title and listening to others, understood that to truly bring Jim’s story followed by silence. This conversation had to life, we needed to show him climbing a life of its own. After about an hour, we on his ladder, the sweat on his brow, and sat in silence, and Ben quietly suggested, the look in his eye as he discovered “How about ‘By Lantern Light,’ because enchanting underground that’s the way he explored.” Collectively, landscapes. we knew we had just found our title.

By the end of the day, As we learned more about Jim, we Guano Loco realized that the landscapes upon Productions which he grew up, both surface and was formed, underground, shaped and influenced the and we once-cowboy turned guano miner, turned immediately cave explorer, turned conservationist.

PHOTO: Guano

Loco crew on location in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Left to right, Cinematographer-Andrew Heaberlin, Executive Producer - Wm Wade Smith, Producer-Mark Joop, Executive ProducerScott Hall, Editor-Ben Chaffins, Director - Michael Crisp.

SPRING 2017 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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Creative Together

by Kyle Marksteiner

LOOK OUT WORLD! CARLSBAD’S ARTS AND CULTURE COMMUNITY IS MOBILIZING TO A GREATER LEVEL THROUGH ITS CREATIVE CARLSBAD ARTS COUNCIL. “We’re in the process of bringing all of our arts and cultural entities in the community together,” explained Board Secretary/ Treasurer Julia Heaton. “We’re going to expand opportunities in every direction for the community.”

Creative Carlsbad’s history ties in with several other organizations, including Carlsbad MainStreet and the Fine Arts Acquisition-Vetting Committee (FAAV).

The FAAV, working on completion of Carlsbad Halagueno Arts Park, was examining the possibility of Carlsbad having a state designation as an Arts and Cultural District.

What’s an Arts & Cultural District?

Former New Mexico State Representative John Heaton created legislation in 2007 establishing the districts in New Mexico. “[The designation] opens up a lot of doors and creates different perks for the city,” praised Patsy Jackson-Christopher, the City of Carlsbad’s Director of Arts and Culture. “Once a community receives the designation, the state will then help promote the district and will send in professionals to help assess growth potential.”

The effort leads to numerous benefits, in terms of tourism and economic development. Former MainStreet directors Amy Barnhart and Amanda Melvin, Jackson-Christopher and Heaton

all helped with initiating the process and assembling the application. The City Council passed a resolution backing their effort. Heaton and Melvin gave a presentation to the state board in Santa Fe. The application process went well, but the New Mexico Arts Commission said Carlsbad would need an official arts council before its application could be considered for an Arts and Cultural District.

So in 2014, Jackson-Christopher invited different local cultural groups to attend a meeting in which the concept of an arts council was introduced. Several more local men and women , among them Ken Britt, Wren Prather-Stroud (who also serves on the state’s Arts Commission), Larry Mitchell and current MainStreet Director Karla Hamel, soon became involved with the effort. Calling itself “Creative Carlsbad Arts Council,” the organization filed its nonprofit articles of incorporation in 2015.

The organization is now fully developed with a board of directors, bylaws and a website with an events calendar at creativecarlsbad.org.

Now that Carlsbad has its own arts council, it has met the requirements to obtain designation as an Arts and Cultural District. There is only one major hurdle remaining: the state has not funded the program in the past two years.

Jackson-Christopher affirmed that a selfdesignation process is also possible, and the group will explore this for the interim until state funding is secured.

The designation as an Arts and Cultural District was only one of the organization’s goals, however. A membership drive in November, which Creative Carlsbad did not begin until it had successfully incorporated as a nonprofit and developed itself, was highly successful. Also, the organization’s new brochure establishes benefits to its membership, including advertising on the website and inclusion in the member directory. The idea is to serve as a consortium for different arts and cultural groups and sponsors around town.

“We want to encompass everyone,” Heaton maintained. “We will exchange data about what’s going on in the community and help them market events and themselves.”

“One more clarification is that this is not a city board,” she contended. “This is a citizen’s group.”

With Creative Carlsbad, the networking itself is a big part of the formula.

So, say the Carlsbad Community Theatre has a performance on March 10, and the Carlsbad Community Chorale has a performance on March 20. Creative Carlsbad could help both groups get the word out about their upcoming events and facilitate support between the two groups. The arts council can also play matchmaker; a local musician looking for a gig in the summer may be introduced to the organizers of an antique car show who are looking for a musician.

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Carlsbad’s new microbrewery, Milton’s Brewing, recently joined Creative Carlsbad and held an event in January for members. Milton’s can use the opportunity to discuss some of the concerts it has hosted and take advantage of the other cultural groups in the area.

On the other end, Platinum sponsorship donations from corporations will include more expansive packages.

Basic membership is $30 a year, according to board member Julie Chester. Membership will eventually provide priority seating and discounted admission to events sponsored by other members. Chester was especially proud of the web page’s interactive calendar.

“It’s a chance for all of these groups to thrive.”

As more members join, Creative Carlsbad’s mission to develop a community-wide network of arts and cultural organizations will continue to grow stronger. For more information about Creative Carlsbad, please visit creativecarlsbad.org.

In addition to working with its partners, Creative Carlsbad will also develop its own signature event, Heaton added.

CREATIVE CARLSBAD, ARTS COUNCIL MISSION: Creative Carlsbad is an arts advocacy and education organization supporting and strengthening community arts and culture, individuals, businesses, organizations and institutions to ensure quality arts experiences for all.

CREATIVE CARLSBAD BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Jeannie Baca, Ken Britt, Julie Chester, Cindy Elkins, Edward Gonzalez, Karla Hamel, Julia Heaton, Dr. Leonel Limonte, Larry Mitchell, La Wanda Scholl, Wren PratherStroud. Ex Officio: Patsy JacksonChristopher PHOTO (ABOVE): This logo, designed by member Julie Chester, captures the spirit of Creative Carlsbad.

PHOTO (BELOW): Milton’s Brewing recently became a member of Creative Carlsbad and hosted an event for the organization in January.

Photo by Ed Gonzalez

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FOCUS ON CARLSBAD | SPRING 2017

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What Happens

NEXT?

Local Author Knows the Story

by Kyle Marksteiner

The menace of Ft. Quitman, Sgt. Charles P. Halloran, may have finally met his match when he crosses paths with a soft-spoken visitor by the name of Cutler.

There’s a revelation that significantly changes the relationship between the two men, much to the delight of the nearby regulars ensconced at the Last Outpost Saloon.

And that’s all by the second page of The Refining of Hollerin’ Halloran, a historical fiction novel forged by local author Eugene L. Lawrence.

It’s the first of three books written and published by Lawrence (he insists upon using this pen name) over just the past two years. He’s also finished a fourth novel and is waiting on completion of the cover.

“Years ago, when I retired, I had a friend who was a member of the Wordsmith Club here in Carlsbad,” he recalled.

“He asked me to join. I did, and I got hooked and enjoyed learning more about writing.” The club’s president, Christian author Leslie “Gene” Fooks, eventually asked Lawrence to take over the club.

Lawrence shared that he has been writing for years and considers his stories to be adventure stories more than westerns. He has typically been a non-fiction writer, he added, but he prefers fiction because “it’s a lot easier and a lot more fun.”

The year is 1870. Halloran is a sergeant in the U.S. Cavalry stationed at Ft. Quitman, which was an actual military base near El Paso known for its less-than-resort-like nature. “It’s a miserable place,” Lawrence declared. “Which really fit well, because Halloran was a miserable person.”

SPRING 2017 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

13

In fact, the opening encounter between Halloran and Cutler, put together inside Lawrence’s head, inspired the entire saga. Cutler, not Halloran, turns out to be the novel’s main character.

While clearly a disciplined writer, Lawrence said he doesn’t stick with a rigid writing schedule. Some days only result in 300 words of writing, while others see an addition of up to 5,000 words. The story takes up 253 pages. “As long as it was flowing, I let it flow,” he observed.

Lawrence’s next book that came out, P.K. (which stands for “Preacher’s Kid”) is a very spiritual book based on some suggestions by his son. He emphasized that it is not a part of the Cutler saga, however.

comes out, it will be Cutler from birth until age 18.”

The books are available through Amazon, and may be purchased in Carlsbad at the Christian bookstore within Jay’s Automotive and at Richard Bradley’s insurance agency on Pierce Street.

Lawrence noted that he lived in Carlsbad for many years, spent a five-year hiatus in Dell City, and recently returned to Eddy County. He stressed that he isn’t writing his books for money or to bolster his ego. For him, putting the stories together is a way of getting out into the world.

“You can write a novel in three or four months, but it will take you a year to edit it,” he explained.

“People wanted to know where Cutler got his faith and expertise,” Lawrence acknowledged. “They wanted a background on him, even though I kept telling them, ‘This is a fictitious character. He doesn’t have a past!’”

Lawrence’s Cutler saga may be moving forward. The book’s fans, among them the regulars at the weekly Community Focus gathering, all want to know what happens to Halloran after the conclusion of the first book.

Yet Cutler’s past came to life as Lawrence began preparing his next book, Johnny and the Longman, which became a prequel to The Refining of Hollerin’ Halloran. Preparation involved so much research into historical events at the time that his next book, which he will publish once the cover is ready, will be a “prequel of a prequel.”

Eugene Lawrence will just have to find out and let us know.

PHOTO: Recent publications from Carlsbad author Eugene Lawrence. Another book is on the way. Photo by Kyle Marksteiner

“Johnny and the Longman is [about Cutler] from age 18 to 36,” he revealed.

“When Skeeter

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FOCUS ON CARLSBAD | SPRING 2017

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Artist

Gallery Couple Always Finds Time for Creativity

by Martha Mauritson

He is the pastor of Blodgett Street Baptist Church, the chaplain for the Carlsbad Police Department, the husband of a working wife, and a father and grandfather.

She teaches second grade at Monterrey Elementary School, plays piano every Sunday at Blodgett Street Baptist Church and keeps up with four grown children, five grandchildren and a husband with a painful back condition.

And somewhere in their busy lives, these two find time to practice their art with tools ranging from pen and ink to diamond saws.

Meet David and Jody Prell of JD Creations, who have on display at the Artist Gallery in downtown Carlsbad their handcrafted jewelry, fine art and gems and minerals. The gems and minerals can be found in natural form as well as worked into beautiful creations with silver, gold and exotic woods.

"This is my personal therapy," confided David Prell as he stood in the middle of the jewelry-making equipment that fills his small home workshop.

16

newest creative efforts. "This all started because I was laid up with this broken back."

Because he could not go to his office each day, he looked for ways to stay busy while still resting at home. He found that using his new lathe to turn the wood and gemstones for the pens was just the ticket.

"It's turned into a really fun, new outlet for art," he shared. "It combined jewelry with our love of New Mexico minerals and New Mexico style.� That means desert ironwood from Arizona and New Mexico mesquite, adorned with bands of silver, New Mexico and Arizona turquoise and fire opal from Rockhound State Park in Luna County.

David was especially happy because just that morning, a ball-point pen he made from New Mexico mesquite wood and Hatchita turquoise was presented to U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz during a visit to the WIPP site here.

"I started as a rock hound," David added, "... a gemologist by trade."

David remarked that the pen is one of his

In his workshop, David showed the tools

FOCUS ON CARLSBAD | SPRING 2017

He does everything from collecting and polishing New Mexico rocks to buying and selling or trading them.

of his trade. There is a polishing wheel, a faceting machine and a couple of lathes.

There is also equipment for casting silver and other metals for jewelry that David designs.

There are rough gemstones David and Jody have collected on rockhounding expeditions around southern New Mexico, such as jasper, peridot, garnet and agate. From these, he selects the best to be tumbled, polished and shaped into a piece of jewelry, a transformation that still enchants him.

He pointed out the workbench where he does the metalwork. "I do two styles of jewelry," he explained. There is hand forging, where he uses hammer and anvil to shape and stamp designs from sheet or wire metal. His anvil is the stump of a tree that once stood at the Eddy County Courthouse.

He also does casting of silver, gold and other metals. He has wax molds of many rings that he casts to sell in the gallery. He showed a small silver drill bit, a charm he designed especially for those who work in area oilfields.

Jody Prell has her own power tools, including a sand-blasting setup that lets her etch images on glass. But much of her art is done with pen and ink, with intricate black and white designs that cover a ceramic bowl or fill a heartshaped image. They resemble the popular drawing style called “Zentangle.” She has been drawing in this manner for a long time, "before it was Zentangle."

One popular piece is a drawing in the shape of the state of New Mexico. All major cities, and most of the smaller ones as well, are located on the map along with tiny representations of local icons: Carlsbad has the Flume, the Pecos River and Carlsbad Caverns, Deming has the duck races. Ornamental designs fill every bit of free space between towns.

Jody is working on a series of numbered prints of this map, which will be available at the gallery.

"We've been members [of the gallery] almost as long as we've been [in Carlsbad]," she stated, about 14 years.

As part of the member-owned artists' cooperative that is a long-time Carlsbad institution, the Prells take their turn minding the store, and they participate in the co-op's governing process.

Jody displayed a large pendant that David made for her to wear to the White House.

She was invited there last year when one of her creations was chosen to grace the White House Christmas tree.

She wanted something suitably formal, but also something to represent all that is special about the arts in New Mexico.

So David carved the shape of the state in New Mexico turquoise. Superimposed on the state are three rough-hewn gold crosses, and the other fittings are also made of gold. That turquoise representation of the state is also used in David's bolo ties and other jewelry.

While preaching and teaching keep David and Jody Prell very busy, they will always find time for their artwork.

To display any art, "you have to be juried in," Jody revealed. It is an elite group of area artists who are approved by the gallery board to display a variety of art forms.

She suggested that more residents should remember the gallery when gift shopping because of the wide assortment of beautiful items in a range of prices. "We have gifts from $5 to $5,000.”

With a hint of pride, she pointed out that David was the featured artist in the gallery's ad in the latest issue of New Mexico Magazine.

PHOTO (OPPOSITE PAGE): Jody Prell shows a ceramic bowl she has decorated with an intricate black and white pattern that resembles a Native American style of design. Prell uses the same technique in pen and ink drawings.

PHOTOS (ABOVE & RIGHT): David Prell shows the glossy face he has cut into this turquoise stone to prepare it for use in a piece of jewelry he will make in his workshop. David Prell prepares to use a design stamp on a piece of silver in his jewelry workshop. The stump he uses as an anvil came from a tree that once stood at the Eddy County Courthouse.

SPRING 2017 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

17

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Carlsbad

craze keeps On

by Kyle Marksteiner

A growing number of Carlsbad youth just can’t help themselves—once they start popping, there’s no stopping.

Popping is a funk-based street dance that originated in the Fresno, California, area during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

It’s a technique defined by quickly contracting and relaxing muscles to cause rapid, robotic movements. Styles such as “the robot” and “puppet” are generally considered to be subsets of popping, though other definitions consider them to simply be similar moves.

“You can go way back to Soul Train,” noted Anthony Alanzo, who serves as an instructor and manager for many of Carlsbad’s popping enthusiasts. “They’d find the best dancers and put them on the show, so then everybody would want to learn that style.”

Michael “Boogaloo Shrimp” Chambers, known for his role as Turbo in 1984’s Breakin’ and its sequel Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo, was undoubtedly one of the style’s breakout performers, as was costar Adolfo “Shabba Doo” Quinones.

SPRING 2017 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

19

Carlsbad itself has an early history of interest in the style, Alanzo shared, boasting of stars in the 1980s such as Pete and Jesse Peralta, Jessie Moreno, Ruby Snow, Kelvin Lee, Keith Ingram, Richard Methola and Ben Madrid, to name a few. Madrid, a City of Carlsbad employee, even had a cameo in a Pepsi commercial.

“There’s a lot of history in Carlsbad,” Alanzo acknowledged.

More recently, Alanzo and other volunteers have been teaching a popping class at the Riverwalk Recreation Center every Tuesday. Alanzo, who grew up dancing in California, recruited some great help to assist him with the classes, including Keenan Williams, AKA Popping Keyz, and Jeffrey Rascon, AKA Zelo.

Alanzo first spotted Williams, then a sophomore in high school, dancing at a local park. Then he met the young dancer while working as a DJ at a local high school dance. “I asked my son, ‘Who is that kid?’” he remembered. “I had never seen someone that good.”

Williams said he began dancing when he was 14. “I saw a YouTube video and I was hooked. I was always really into music and art, and I started going outside (to dance) to get out of the house.”

He admitted that getting involved with popping has changed his life, and he now really enjoys working with youth.

“It’s a good outlet for these kids. A lot of them come from a troubled background.

We’ve broken through a lot of shells.”

The free classes at the rec center are from 6-8 p.m. every Tuesday. Popping isn’t a rehearsed performance, so instruction usually involves overall technique and fine-tuning specific moves that will later be incorporated into the improvisation. Up to 20 people participate each week, and the participation includes boys and girls.

“The purpose of the whole group was to invite kids and attract their mind into this dance,” Alanzo revealed. The age range of participants is usually from 4 to around 22, though a few older participants have joined.

“I think we’re getting a lot of respect for bringing popping back alive again,” he declared. “Everybody wants to learn a street dance, and this is a street dance.”

He and his group of poppers travel to several competitions each year, and they have also held a number of such danceoffs in Carlsbad. During competitions, “O.G.s” ("original gangsters," which basically means older, veteran dancers) serve as judges.

“They judge on how clean the transitions are, what the combinations are and how you do your movement,” he explained.

“They are really looking at the story you tell.” The ultimate goal is to execute a combination so perfectly that the illusion is maintained.

The group competed in El Paso in December, and Williams and Rascon both received top honors. Another young dancer, Kaleb Martinez, AKA Lil Cooler, made a strong impression.

Alanzo’s crew will be competing in the Breaking Hearts competition in March,

and a Popping Picnic is planned in Carlsbad on March 25.

Alanzo volunteers a great deal of his time promoting events in Carlsbad, either dance competitions or professional wrestling exhibitions. The two aren’t related, except for when they are. “Many of the wrestlers who have come to Carlsbad were originally break dancers,” he mused. “So there is a connection.”

Williams, the local protégé, said he enjoys attending dance battles in El Paso and other locations because they present a chance to meet with new people and to grow. He enjoys watching “old school” dancers like Ben Madrid perform when they can be talked into it.

“It’s just like riding a bicycle,” Williams observed, noting that the skill is never lost.

Williams has met competitors who have participated in So You Think You Can Dance and other televised events.

He said he’d like the opportunity to participate in such an event at some point. “I work out at WIPP as a custodian,” he added, smiling.

“Whenever nobody is looking, I’m doing the robot.”

Alanzo said the March 25 event will be a big deal, as it is the first time the Popper’s Picnic has been held outside of Carlsbad.

“Carlsbad is recognized all the way from Korea and Singapore to New York City and Boston,” he concluded. “They all recognize the hard work that’s been put into it.”

PHOTO (OPPOSITE PAGE): Members of Carlsbad’s popping team pose for a photo. Free lessons are offered every Tuesday at the Riverwalk Recreation Center from 6-8 p.m. Instructor Anthony Alanzo is pictured in the middle of the back row. PHOTOS (ABOVE - L TO R): Keenan Williams, AKA Popping Keyz, finishes a performance at a recent competition in El Paso. Eddie Pruitt, AKA Midnight, meets with local dance talent. Ben Rascon, AKA Zelo, is one of Carlsbad’s top poppers and instructors. Photos courtesy of Anthony Alanzo

20

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Cross the Line

by Tiffany Owens

It’s said that you don’t stop dancing because you grow old, but that you grow old because you stop dancing.

If true, the Country Gold Line Dancers at the North Mesa Senior Recreation Center are well on their way to dancing toward immortality. At an age when many of us crave a little extra couch time, a devoted group of individuals are stepping, turning and scuffing their way through a series of choreographed routines with names like Fun for All, Tequila Sheila and Imelda’s Way. “It’s all about having fun and the social aspect of getting together and dancing,” proclaimed instructor Jean Loafman. “Plus, it’s also important to keep our old bodies moving!”

According to Loafman, the line dance program has been offered at the senior center for almost 20 years. No prior dance experience is needed to participate; a general membership at the senior center ($7.50 per year for ages 40 and older) is the only requirement.

Currently, the center sponsors beginning, intermediate, and advanced line dance classes on weekday mornings; a challenge class is also held off-site at St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church.

The challenge class is for advanced students and is by selection only. Students in the challenge class help out with other classes and perform upon request as the Country Gold Line Dancers at various events in town.

Loafman teaches the line dance classes at the center, with additional workshops, including one for new students, taught by assistant instructors Candy Westrich and Jayne Murrill. “The workshops are geared toward individuals who missed a class or want extra practice,” explained Westrich. The classes are also remarkably free of pressure; dancers can choose to stay in the beginning class forever or choose to move up to a higher level.

So what is line dancing? If you’re like me, you have a preconceived idea that it is solely a type of country western dance best exemplified by the choreography of Melanie Greenwood for the 1992 Billy Ray Cyrus hit “Achy Breaky Heart” or Bill Bader’s choreography for “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” by Brooks and Dunn.

While it’s true that the 1990s saw the widespread popularity of line dancing within the general American public, the roots of line

22

FOCUS ON CARLSBAD | SPRING 2017

dancing go much further back in time and, surprisingly, include strong ties to popular music from the 1940s to 1960s (e.g., “The Stroll” and “Mashed Potatoes”) as well as disco music of the 1970s (e.g., “Bus Stop”).

While there exists some disagreement over the exact definition of a line dance, it is generally accepted that a line dance is choreographed, consists of a repeating sequence of steps performed in unison by dancers arranged in one or more lines, and involves no partnering between the dancers. Using this definition, the first recognized true line dance, called the Tush Push, was choreographed by Jim Ferrazzano in 1980.

While line dancing is most popular in America, it has fans and variations all over the world, especially in Australia and Great Britain. With origins that include folk dancing in Africa and Europe as well as western square dancing and Native American dances, line dancing’s worldwide appeal is no surprise.

So how does one learn to line dance? A visit to a recent beginning line dance class proved that, much like anything new, you learn by taking the proverbial first step. Approximately 20 beginning dancers joined Loafman in learning moves that ranged from a simple touch step to a slightly more complex series of steps with names like the Vine and the Rocking Chair. These step sequences were then repeated facing different walls, with dancers remaining in their lines, until the dance or music ended.

More experienced dancers, known as angels, flanked the four lines of dancers to provide visual guidance and encouragement to new students. The steps were practiced slowly, without music, and with lots of repetition.

Then the dance was practiced with music. Amid much laughter, Loafman declared that the class had “almost got it whipped.”

PHOTO (ABOVE): A beginning line dance class learns the steps to Fun for All under the direction of instructor Jean Loafman at the North Mesa Senior Recreation Center. Photo courtesy of Tiffany Owens

They walked through the choreography again and within 15 minutes, the group, many of whom had never danced before, was remarkably well-synchronized, changing direction and dancing with barely any missteps. “I like to run through a new dance about three times,” insisted Loafman, “then let it soak in a while.” The entire process was remarkably stress-free, with fun and mutual support the focus of the class.

under the auspices of the New Mexico State Line Dance Organization. Anyone can go to the jamborees, which are a forum for socializing with others who have a love of line dancing.

“I really enjoyed it,” admitted one new student. “I thought it would be harder than it was and came mainly for the exercise, but now I’m looking forward to the next class.”

Experienced line dancer and helping angel Connie Dunagan, herself the grandmother of three equally talented young dancers, enjoys the camaraderie of the group and the variety of music to which they dance. “Yes, we dance to country music, but we also have danced to music by [pop artist] Meghan Trainor and even to a hip-hop number.”

This past year’s jamboree was held in Roswell, with attendees coming from all over the state as well as Colorado, Arizona and West Texas. This year’s jamboree will be May 5-6 in Ruidoso with an agenda that includes a pre-party and a full day of dancing. Carlsbad hosted the first jamboree in 2005 and played host two other times as well.

It’s not only the new students that were excited to be dancing. According to Loafman, during a recent break, she heard from so many of the members begging for the line dance classes to start back up.

Loafman was instrumental in forming the organization and standardizing a list of 40 dances, voted on and changed annually, that permits all jamboree attendees to know the same dances and therefore be able to dance together. Among the guest choreographers invited to past jamborees, Loafman was able to twice entice international artist Scooter Lee to attend.

The multitalented Lee is particularly noted for her nonprofit charity Dancing For the Dream, Inc., which encourages

Apparently the 12 days of holiday break led to dance withdrawal among these dedicated individuals. For those who cannot get enough line dancing during the regular classes, there are also annual jamborees held throughout the state

senior citizens to use line dance as a form of healthy exercise.

The Country Gold Line Dancers are also requested to perform at many events around the area. These performers are the more advanced dancers selected for the challenge classes and are characterized by their enthusiasm and ability to learn the choreography quickly. They have performed at birthday and holiday parties, Relay for Life events, senior centers, and nursing homes. In the past, the line dancers also participated in dance competitions at the Senior Olympics, but the participation was discontinued once Loafman took over the group. “I didn’t like it,” she observed. “Every year someone left the competition angry or upset. It wasn’t fun.”

She chose to concentrate instead on sharing her love of line dance and the enjoyment to be had from dancing solely for the fun of it. Her resolve puts one in mind of motivational speaker Wayne Dyer, who once spoke about how the purpose of dance was not to concentrate on getting to a certain place on the floor but to enjoy each step along the way.

In the case of the Country Gold Line Dancers, this exuberant love of dance is evident in every step they take.

For those interested in beginning line dance, the class meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 9-10 a.m. at the North Mesa Senior Recreation Center.

PHOTO (LEFT): Members of the Country Gold Line Dancers at the 2016 New Mexico Line Dance Jamboree in Roswell, New Mexico Photo courtesy of the Country Gold Line Dancers PHOTO (ABOVE): Country Gold Line Dancers strut their stuff during a Halloween party at the North Mesa Senior Recreation Center. Photo courtesy of the Country Gold Line Dancers

SPRING 2017 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

23

What’s up with the

Cavern Theatre?

by Eve Flanigan

A BELOVED LANDMARK BEGINS A TRANSFORMATION The Cavern Theatre is one of Carlsbad’s landmarks. It’s hard to imagine downtown’s North Canyon Street without its colorful marquee. Thanks to the City of Carlsbad and the efforts of many volunteers, the Theatre is only going to get better. It already is, though most of the improvements are not visible to the sidewalk observer.

Former state legislator and Carlsbad resident Robert Light, along with members of his family, bequeathed the beloved property to the City some years ago. It was a time of celebration, with many relieved that the site where so many memories were made would remain in place. Around meeting tables and over lunch, locals anticipated the rebirth of the Theatre into a grand venue for performances of all kinds.

THE DIRTY WORK Just as the Cavern Theatre was built brick by brick, its return to use is underway one step at a time. The dreaded task of asbestos removal was completed in 2016, a $70,000 job funded by the Lodgers’ Tax fund. Also completed was the removal of trash, old carpeting and pigeons.

Crews Glass replaced the unsightly broken panes on the building’s façade, the City of Carlsbad cleaned sewer lines to restore function to old toilets and fire and electrical inspections were also completed.

With those major obstacles behind them, planners drew up a series of scenarios for bringing the building back to use. A PHOTO: A transformation of the theater is underway including replacing the marquee with modern LED lights.

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FOCUS ON CARLSBAD | SPRING 2017

final plan with a reachable budget has been settled on following an extensive process of research that continues today.

Those involved include the City of Carlsbad, represented by Department of Arts & Culture Director Patsy JacksonChristopher; the Mayor’s Cavern Theatre Advisory Committee, chaired by Ken Britt; and the Carlsbad MainStreet program, led by Karla Hamel. Juan Dorado of Durham Mackay Architects is technical advisor for the project.

RESTORATION, NOT RENOVATION Part of the process of reviving the Theatre was deciding on a theme. Team members visited other theaters around the state, bringing back information and pictures for discussion while others researched financial resources. Through it all, Mayor Dale Janway has been a champion of the Theatre, maintaining a vision for a concert at a grand reopening and always encouraging the participation of locals in the renewal process.

MainStreet Director Karla Hamel explained that the Cavern Theatre is not, by itself, on a historical register, but as a building in her MainStreet district, it’s a part of Carlsbad’s history. There’s no denying that the distinctive marquee and quaint interior features like the cry room hearken back to its 1950s heyday and add unique appeal. As such, Cavern Theatre preservation is considered to be under the purview of the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division. Architectural consultant Juan Dorado said the Division has been involved in project discussions, and maintaining compliance with the Division’s standards can qualify the

project for grants it might otherwise not be eligible to receive.

After much legwork, the committee and other leaders concluded that the best plan is a practical one. Rather than be redefined, the Theatre will be revived in a modern rendition of its original glory. Thanks to many financial advantages, this plan has at last won out over a re-design that would modernize the style of the facility.

“Restoration, not renovation,” is the goal, emphasized Dorado.

A THREE-PHASE PLAN Mid- and long-range plans to get the Theatre back into action are in place. Phase I involves upgrading the electrical circuitry and installing a temporary performance space to extend the narrow screen stage to a size that will accommodate live performance acts.

Phase II involves replacing the marquee’s neon lights with modern, energyfriendly LED lights. These improvements are already approved by the Historic Commission and are slated for kickoff in 2017.

Phase III of the plan will complete its readiness to host performances, at least for a while. Temporary buildings on the north side will offer dressing rooms for performers and a place for mechanical and equipment needs associated with performances. In the lobby, the concession area will remain, but with a new finish.

Handicapped restroom access will be

added. “The cry room will stay,” promised Dorado. Inside the Theatre proper, the ceiling will feature new, permanent lights and a concrete stage will replace the temporary one.

Over time, making the portable aspects of this plan into permanent fixtures will be accomplished as resources permit.

Plans for a permanent green room and mechanical resources inside are in the more distant future. Lessons learned from use of the facility during the modular equipment stage will surely influence more permanent solutions.

For financial reasons, an elevated “fly loft” providing multi-level seating has been removed from the plan. Although it would add appeal on many levels, it’s simply not possible with foreseen resources.

Dorado cautioned that the first draft of Phase III plans was just finished in December and is subject to approval by the State Historic Commission. Details will probably change by the time a final plan is approved.

IN WHICH A PRETTY PENNY COSTS LESS According to Ken Britt, the good news is that the final price tag on restoring the Cavern Theatre, by this plan, is much less than earlier estimates using other plans. About $3 million is still required to complete the project—a sizable amount, but more reachable than previous projections of $6-7 million.

Another Lodgers’ Tax grant is anticipated to assist with marquee restoration and the City will integrate the modular seating and stage equipment into its annual budget, since the equipment is a resource that can be moved to other locations for use as needed. Committee members, Mayor Janway and Jackson-Christopher will be pushing for Carlsbad to receive state capital outlay assistance with the legally required infrastructure updates.

Carlsbad MainStreet will pursue grants available from the Historic Commission.

The statewide MainStreet program is slated to provide funds for performance equipment that will stay inside the district, such as projectors and screens.

The Carlsbad Foundation has opened an account to benefit the Theatre’s restoration. Anyone wishing to support the project with a tax-deductible donation can do so through the foundation. Donations can be made in honor or memory of anyone the donor chooses, and public recognition is provided.

ALL GOOD THINGS TAKE TIME Restoring the Cavern Theatre has been a labor of community love for all involved.

Jackson-Christopher’s December 2016 update on the project sheds light on the many advantages their work will eventually yield. It will aid cultural tourism, a reason many tourists visit a city. It provides a new and unique outlet for the arts, complimenting downtown development and overall property values and local quality of life.

Economically, a fully operational Theatre is projected to sustain 67 full time jobs, add $1.5 million to community household incomes and generate $195,000 in local and state tax revenue.

Mayor Janway and his committee envision the Theatre as a vibrant community gathering place. Although the progress that’s been made isn’t immediately obvious, it’s significant.

Over time, as devotees stay the course to see realization of their goal, it will again deliver excitement. Patrons will have the irreplaceable experience of attending live performances as music and words reverberate off its walls. Performers will thrill to the sensation of performing on a stage from which stars like Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe once tickled the fancy of guests who wore bobby socks or butch wax. It’s just going to take time.

PHOTO (LEFT): The Cavern Theatre was recently donated to the City of Carlsbad by the Light family.

PHOTOS (ABOVE): Historic photos of the Cavern Theatre. Photos and diagrams courtesy of Patsy Jackson-Christopher

SPRING 2017 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

25

by Kyle Marksteiner

Buster is in trouble again with his wife, Mildred. She has indicated her displeasure with a sternly-worded missive, inscribed upon a chalkboard, declaring that his cutting back on water use by avoiding showers is not, in fact, a reasonable New Year’s resolution.

“He really challenged you to figure out what he was trying to say,” Dodson reflected about Lawson. “There was a lot of influence there.”

Inspired by other comics, Dodson eventually began drawing his own comic series. It was The Far Side with its own New Mexico flavor—aliens get pulled over by Chavez County deputies, Los Alamos scientists develop roach bombs and a young Billy the Kid learns to use a slingshot. Several regional newspapers began printing the creation, christened Locoweed, and New Mexico Magazine even contacted Dodson about running the cartoon.

Locoweed ran in every edition of New Mexico Magazine beginning in 2006. Dodson was one of two state cartoonists who shared a page with the magazine’s popular “One of Our 50 is Missing” feature.

Buster, Mildred and their dog, Toby, are creations of local cartoonist Mike Dodson. They lead their lives within the cartoon Buster’s Bull, updated frequently by Dodson on Facebook.

Dodson spent many of his summers “playing cowboy” on family farms and ranches in West Texas. That’s also when he came to love Ace Reid’s Cowpokes comic, later also gravitating to Peanuts and Gary Larson’s The Far Side.

26

FOCUS ON CARLSBAD | SPRING 2017

“We even got to go to the Governor’s Mansion,” he noted, recalling his stint as a cartoonist with the Land of Enchantment’s somewhat official publication. “I recall this huge bowl of turquoise that somebody put a cowboy hat in.”

Each month, Dodson sent a few cartoon options to the publication and received a check in return. The magazine printed his cartoon for around 3½ years. He printed a Locoweed book at around the same time.

After his stint with New Mexico Magazine, Dodson’s career as a cartoonist was put on hold for a few years. He and his wife, Teri, moved out of the city limits to a ranch house south of town, and he spent a lot of his free time landscaping.

He ran a screen printing business prior to his retirement, but these days he works part-time for a local pharmacy.

Still, ideas kept coming to him, and he kept doodling.

“I had a character, but I didn’t have a name for him,” Dodson confessed. “I’m 65 now, and I still want to be a cowboy when I grow up.”

Thus, Buster was born.

Buster is a cowboy who lives in the fictional town of Luni Bend, New Mexico (perhaps somewhat of a play on “Loving’s Bend”). His wife, Mildred, only appears off camera through her chalkboard missives to her husband.

However, their dog, Toby, is a regular of the cartoon’s “From the Doghouse” feature. Buster’s “Rent-A-T-Advertising” is another mainstay of the comic.

The artist carries a blank sheet of paper with him, because ideas, “sometimes pure nonsense,” can and do come to him at any time.

Dodson said he uses the Adobe Creative Cloud package to put his ideas into final form using knowledge he obtained from a class he took at New Mexico State University-Carlsbad. “I was 60, and everyone else was 18 or 19,” he recalled.

“It was a hard thing for me to go back to school.” He keeps the artwork fairly simple, typically relying on one of the comic’s primary templates.

The final products are then posted to Buster’s Facebook page at facebook.com/

BustersBull, where he has a small but dedicated following. Dodson strives to post two new comics a week and is also working on his own website.

“Generally, my favorites are the ones that flop,” he admitted. “I’ve also got a feature called ‘Letters from Luni Bend’ that I’m working on.”

Buster is named after a stray dog Dodson and his wife adopted. The cartoonist said their cat, Abby, helps him with his creations.

“I think now more than ever we need humor, and in a very small way, I hope to contribute,” Dodson concluded. “Along with the humor, I enjoy the creative process that is involved in cartooning.”

We will have to see what Mildred says about that.

PHOTOS (OPPOSITE PAGE): Buster is in trouble again in this cartoon creation by local artist Mike Dodson.

Photo (ABOVE): Local Cartoonist Mike Dodson, creator of Locoweed and Buster’s Bull.

Photo and cartoons courtesy of Mike Dodson

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SPRING 2017 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

27

s ’ y c Lu

Opens at Cascades

by Kyle Marksteiner

The third time is the charm for restaurateur Lucy Yanez, but to be fair, the first and second times were equally huge successes.

A couple of years ago, Yanez moved her restaurant from its traditional location to a larger venue across the street, but she also kept the previous location open.

Lucy’s Mexicali Restaurant is now open at 710 S. Canal, while Lucy’s Cantina remains open across the street.

Then, last November, she opened Lucy’s Mexican Grill at the Cascades, an upscale dining spot located at 4002 Cascades Avenue. Running three different establishments in one town is a gutsy endeavor. “We keep our hands full,” she admitted, but she has brought in some backup she knows she can trust.

“Here, we’re doing upscale custom steaks, gourmet burgers

and street tacos,” explained Lucy’s son, Michael Yanez, who runs the Cascades restaurant as well as Lucy’s Mexicali Restaurant in Ruidoso. “We have a few pasta dishes, and once we start doing lunches we’ll add sandwiches.”

The Grill, currently open from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday (the lounge is open until midnight on weekends) shares the Cascades building with a gym, several offices and, eventually, a coffee house.

Lucy and Michael put in a restaurant, a bar area and a large patio overlooking the Cascades water feature. It’s a big step forward in the Carlsbad Department of Development’s marketing of the Cascades.

can incorporate some authentic dishes that you’d normally have to go out of the state or even the country to have,” he added.

It’s a very different menu than the Lucy’s down the road (just “five minutes away,” Michael quipped), with one exception: the popular hit Adam’s Queso is served at every location.

Michael is also proud of the full bar at the Cascades location, which includes 16 beers on tap, a full wine list and an assortment of craft cocktails.

He shared that his family saw some

“I feel like we’re anchoring this thing, and if we do well, I think it will attract even more businesses,” Michael shared about the Cascades development.

He described the fare as a “Mexican fusion,” a mixture of Mexican and New Mexican foods. “We have two great chefs in the back who

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FOCUS ON CARLSBAD | SPRING 2017

PHOTO (LEFT): Members of the leadership team at Lucy’s Mexican Grill are, from left, Michael Yanez, Eric Barceleau, LeAnn Neal and Lucy Yanez. PHOTO (RIGHT): Owner Lucy Yanez said her favorite menu item at the new restaurant is the steak fillet. Photos by Kyle Marksteiner

competitors opening around town and opened the Cascades location because they wanted to try something new. “We want a great place where you can bring your date. We keep our prices reasonable, but it’s a little upper level dining.”

and often features entertainment acts. The Cantina serves bar food and has a full liquor license. Lucy’s Mexicali Restaurant maintains a beer and wine license. The family has also recently opened a restaurant in Lovington.

Adding to the ambiance, pianist Anthony Torres sets up shop from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. “He’s the best piano player in Texas,” Lucy bragged.

For more information about Lucy’s Mexican Grill at the Cascades, please call (575) 887-0222 or visit facebook.com/Lucys-Mexican-Grill-at-the-Cascades

Michael began working with his mother in high school. He returned to the business after college and spent a decade running the restaurant in Ruidoso.

Both members of the Yanez family said they are looking forward to seeing some of Carlsbad’s industries get back to booming.

“It’s pretty exciting when I see groups of oilfield guys coming in,” Lucy observed. “That means something big is going to happen.”

And if you are wondering, Lucy said her favorite item at her newest Carlsbad restaurant is the steak fillet.

“It just melts in your mouth,” she concluded. “Everybody says we need a good steak in town, and I think they found one.”

Down the road at the original location, Lucy’s Cantina is open from 6-10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday

SPRING 2017 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

29

The Bulletin Board

2017

EVERY FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH

First Friday Downtown Market Downtown Roswell Every First Friday of the Month 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Free Admission www.mainstreetroswell.org/ first-downtown-market/

EVERY FRIDAY

Carlsbad Community Focus IHOP 2529 S. Canal St. Every Friday 7 a.m. • Speaker begins at 8 a.m.

EVERY WEDNESDAY Stand Up Comedy Live Inn of the Mountain Gods 287 Carrizo Canyon Road Mescalero Every Wednesday 6:30 p.m.

575-464-7089

JAN 3 - APRIL 1

Vintage Wedding Dress Display Artesia Historical Museum & Art Center 505 W. Richardson Ave. Tues - Fri: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Sat: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. www.artesianm.gov

JAN 26 - MAY 14

Dinosaur Discoveries: Ancient Fossils, New Ideas Western Heritage Museum 1 Thunderbird Circle Hobbs Tue-Sat: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Sun: 1 p.m.-5 p.m. www.nmjc.edu/museum

Calendar of Events FEBRUARY 20

President's Day Celebration Guadalupe Mountains and Carlsbad Caverns National Parks Free Admission All Day

FEBRUARY 22

City Rock Fest Estelle Yates Auditorium Bulldog Blvd.

5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

575-746-4212

FEBRUARY 25

Johnny Counterfeit Ocotillo Performing Arts Center 310 W. Main St. 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.

575-746-4212

MARCH 4

Rock Concert Center for the Arts 122 W. Broadway Hobbs 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

575-397-2787

MARCH 10

Southwest Symphony Crosswinds Church 1701 N. Jefferson St. Hobbs 7 p.m. www.southwestsymphony.com

MARCH 10

Dragon Trouble Ocotillo Performing Arts Center 310 W. Main St. 6 p.m.

575-746-4212

TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FOCUS CALENDAR, PLEASE EMAIL YOUR ITEM TO EDITOR@AD-VENTUREMARKETING.COM MARCH 11

THIS SPACE IS AVAILABLE FOR ADVERTISING! CONTACT RACHEL TODAY FOR INFO!

Hamlet Presented by The National Players Ocotillo Performing Arts Center 310 W. Main St. 6 p.m.

575-746-4212

MARCH 14

Pi Day Celebration Lea County Event Center 5101 N. Lovington Highway Hobbs 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. www.nmjc.edu/museum

MARCH 28

MARCH 17

The Grapes of Wrath Presented by The National Players Ocotillo Performing Arts Center 310 W. Main St. 7 p.m.

575-746-4212

The Giver Presented by The National Players Ocotillo Performing Arts Center 310 W. Main St. 7 p.m.

575-746-4212

Pony Express Ride Celebration Lea County Courthouse 100 North Main St. Lovington Afternoon: Reception to follow at Lea County Museum

MARCH 18

MARCH 18-19

MARCH 29

MARCH 31 & APRIL 1

NMJC Art Faculty Exhibition & Student Art Show Center for the Arts 122 W. Broadway Hobbs 7 p.m. www.lccanm.org

Mountain Living Home & Garden Show Ruidoso Convention Center 111 Sierra Blanca Dr. Ruidoso 18th: 10 a.m. & 19th: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

575-808-0655

HEY YOU! DO YOU SEE THIS? SO WILL YOUR CUSTOMERS!

MARCH 27

Pony Express Ride Celebration Western Heritage Museum 1 Thunderbird Circle Hobbs All Day Activities

20th Annual Main Event Show & Cruise Heritage Plaza Downtown Artesia 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Registration: 6:30 Cruise Down Main Street: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Car Show: TBD

waterpark@cityofcarlsbadnm.com

MARCH 31 & APRIL 1

Cenntenial Ranch Rodeo Lea County Fairgrounds 101 S Commercial St. Lovington leacounty.net

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DATE COLOR CODE INDICATES EVENT LOCATION CARLSBAD AREA APRIL 1

Gentri in Concert Spencer Theater 108 Spencer Dr. Alto 7 p.m. http://purchase.tickets. com/buy/TicketPurchase?orgid=47409&pid=8306950

APRIL 1

Wild Things Truck Show Tokay Beaded Art 1407 W. 2nd St. Roswell 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. http://www.beadedfinger.com/

APRIL 1-2

Western Frontier Gun Show Roswell Covention & Civic Center 912 N. Main St. Roswell 1st: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

2nd: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

575-430-8681

APRIL 7

That 70's Dance/Roswell Refuge Roswell Covention & Civic Center 912 N Main St. Roswell 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. $ 25 each or $150 for table 575-624-3222

APRIL 18

Jack Maddox Distinguished Lecture Series Malcolm Gladwell Tydings Auditorium 800 N. Jefferson Hobbs 7 p.m.

575-492-2108 or www.tickets@usw.edu

APRIL 23

Southwest Symphony First United Methodist Church 200 E. Snyder Hobbs 3 p.m. www.southwestsymphony.com

ARTESIA AREA

LEA CO. AREA

APRIL 27

Free Enterprise Dinner & Auction Lea County Event Center 5101 N. Lovington Highway Hobbs 6 p.m.

575-392-6561 or usw.edu

APRIL 29

Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl for Kids Fundraiser Center City Lanes 3905 SE Main Roswell 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. http://www.bbbsserum.org/ #chaves-county-bfks/vslna

ROSWELL AREA

RUIDOSO AREA

MAY 26

Ruidoso Downs Opening Weekend Ruidoso Downs 26225 U.S. Highway 70 East Ruidoso Downs 12 p.m.

MAY 27

Carlsbad Water Park Opening Carlsbad Beach Area 708 Park Drive TBD waterpark@cityofcarlsbadnm.com

Please visit

FocusNM.com for additional events and up-to-date info.

APRIL 29

11th Annual Celebrate the Arts Day Roswell Covention & Civic Center 912 N Main St. Roswell 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Free Admission 575-637-3301

MAY 5

Relay for Life Carlsbad Carlsbad Beach Area Starts at 6 a.m.

505-262-6022

MAY 19 - 22

AspenCash Motorcycle Rally Inn of the Mountain Gods 287 Carrizo Canyon Road Mescalero Patric Pearson: 575-973-4977

MAY 19 - 22

Courthouse Celebration Lea County Courthouse 100 North Main St. Lovington TBA leacounty.net

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575.234.2006

2 4 9 3 P E C O S H W Y • C A RLS BA D , NM 882 2 0

1 2

3

5

4

1 | FIREFIGHTERS: Members of the Carlsbad Fire Department’s Combat Challenge Team show off their first place trophy. The team set the world record on Oct. 25, 2016, and went on to win the world title.

6 7

2 | DOWNTOWN CELEBRATION: Carlsbad’s downtown area was, as always, one of the most popular destinations for Halloween activities.

Patricia Jacquez, who opened Carlsbad’s Community of Hope, helped pass out candy at the October 31 event.

3 | FOUNDATION: Guests are all smiles at this year’s Carlsbad Community Foundation banquet November 3 at the Pecos River Village Carousel House.

4 | VETERAN'S DAY PARADE: The theme for this year’s Veterans Day parade in Carlsbad was “Generations.”

The parade concluded at the Carlsbad Veterans Memorial Park.

5 | WWII VET: Carlsbad resident and World War II veteran Donald Lee Cook celebrated his 94th birthday this year with family members and Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway.

8

6 | MLK 2016: Members of Carlsbad’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Committee kick off another celebration during their December meeting.

7 | BACKPACKS FOR HUNGER: The local Backpacks for Hunger program provides essential weekend meals for hundreds of Carlsbad children. The Zeta Nu chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha organizes the program.

8 | VETERAN'S DAY CELEBRATION: Family members and friends of John Allman pose before the start of this year’s Veterans Day parade. Allman was killed in service during a terrorist bombing in Beirut.

SPRING 2017 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

33

business spotlight Editor’s note: Bob and Caroline Yeager are the owners of Carlsbad’s Century 21 Associated Professionals, Inc., selected this year as the Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year.

Focus caught up with Bob Yeager to talk a little bit about their business.

FOCUS: Please give us a little history of your company.

YEAGER: Century 21 has been in Carlsbad for many years. This particular franchise was incorporated in 1984 and has had three primary owners over the years: Susan McCausland, Judy Jones, and my wife Caroline and I. FOCUS: Tell us what you do at your company.

YEAGER: Caroline and I are the qualifying brokers, and we currently have 21 licensed realtors in our office. Although I still personally list and sell real estate, my primary duties are the dayto-day administration of the business. Caroline has taken on the responsibility of training, updating and educating the realtors on all changes, new regulations, etc.

FOCUS: What are the benefits and drawbacks of working with your spouse and running a business with your spouse?

YEAGER: Caroline and I work very well together. I am located in the front of the office and she is in the very back. Often, we will not even see each other in an entire day. The real estate business by nature can sometimes be a very high stress business, so by both of us being involved in that business, we have a good understanding of each other’s stress level and makes for great evening conversation!

There is no real downside to working together at all.

FOCUS: How did you get into this profession? Why? YEAGER: Caroline got her real estate license in 1978 after being a legal secretary for Judge Walker.

She finally talked me into getting my license in 1984 just to have one. In 1989, I finally decided to get into the business full time, and the rest is history! I loved working with different people, buyers from all over the place. I especially PHOTO: Caroline Yeager enjoyed working with first time home buyers; it was a real treat to help a young couple or family buying their first home. I still love it. New challenges and many changes in this business over the years keeps it interesting. There is never a dull moment.

FOCUS: You were recently selected as Business of the Year by the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce. Can you tell us about that honor and why you were selected?

34

FOCUS ON CARLSBAD | SPRING 2017

YEAGER: We were selected Business of the Year by the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce this year, and what an honor! It was a fabulous recognition for the company.

We have served the real estate needs of the citizens of Carlsbad for these many years, so we were very proud and excited.

FOCUS: Tell us about your team at Century 21.

YEAGER: I attribute our PHOTO: Bob Yeager success to the realtors and staff we have working for us.

They are all dedicated realtors committed to doing top quality work in representing our buyers and sellers. Providing quality service to those we work for is our number one priority. I’m really proud of our team.

FOCUS: What changes have taken place within the real estate industry over the past 15 years?

YEAGER: Over the years the business has grown with the demand for more housing, both for sale and for rent. Our Property Management Department manages approximately 150 residential houses—quite a task as you might imagine—but our managers do a fabulous job, and I’m very proud of their work. Over the years, I would say the biggest changes have been technology. Back in the day before cell phones, computer applications, iPads, etc., we hand-wrote a two-page purchase agreement to buy a house. Now our basic purchase agreement is 16 pages long and growing. It’s not uncommon to have 25 pages when all is said and done. There are lots of legal forms in this business today.

FOCUS: What is special or unique about having a real estate business in Carlsbad?

YEAGER: We love selling real estate in Carlsbad. We are of course part of the MLS system (Multiple Listing Service), which allows us to sell competitors’ listings, and of course they can sell ours.

There are a lot of really good realtors in Carlsbad. It is a treat to be able to work with all of the other wonderful companies in town, and we have developed a great working relationship with them all.

I don’t think that can be said of most larger cities. Carlsbad is our community, and we love working and playing here.

Note: The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce selects the businesses to be profiled in our quarterly Business Spotlight feature. Congratulations to Century 21!

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-Matthew 25:40

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teacher feature

RUBEN OLGUIN

This edition of Focus is all about art. Anyone interested in updating his or her techniques may want to contact New Mexico State UniversityCarlsbad instructor Ruben Olguin.

FOCUS: How did you wind up joining New Mexico State University-Carlsbad?

OLGUIN: I was an adjunct professor at UNM in Experimental Art and Technology and was looking to embed in a smaller community.

I applied to several colleges and had some interviews, but I wanted to stay close to home and in the Southwest. I got a second interview, and when I toured Carlsbad, I knew this was a place where I could raise my family and become a part of the community.

FOCUS: Tell us a little bit about your professional background.

OLGUIN: I have a B.A. in media art and an M.F.A. in electronic art.

I show in art galleries as well as immersive film festivals. I worked in television production for 5+ years at KOAT-7, doing just about everything behind the scenes from motion graphics to live audio and camera operation, and about 8 years as a videographer.

FOCUS: Tell us a little bit about you.

Packard with a whopping 366Mhz processor, but it had Microsoft Paint. The first thing I did with that computer was draw a Spawn comic, from the cover of the third issue, pixel by pixel, which must have taken me over 50 hours.

FOCUS: What changes have you seen in this field over the past ten years?

OLGUIN: My personal work focuses on video for immersive environments. The explosion of private sector competition in the virtual reality (VR) segment has rapidly increased the development cycles and lowered the costs of 360 film making, which has historically been left to tech geeks like me or government and research institutions.

FOCUS: What changes do you think will happen in the future to this field?

OLGUIN: I am married with two kids. My family is from northern New Mexico, but I grew up in Tucson, Arizona, so Carlsbad feels like the best of both worlds.

OLGUIN: VR is great, but there is no substitute for physical interaction and out-of-glasses experiences. I think with new, smaller, brighter LED technology, we will see every wall covered with a LED film which turns every surface into a screen. We will build rooms of video or interactive living/working/shopping spaces.

FOCUS: What are your hobbies and interests?

FOCUS: Why is learning about the digital arts important?

OLGUIN: I am a life-long artist and tech geek. I spend my nights reading Art Forum, Digital Photography Review, and Popular Science, but I have a passion for teaching and community outreach. I do a lot of K-12 and STEM-Arts (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, Arts) workshops around themes of nature and technology. I work on a project called “Seedbroadcast,” which travels the Southwest spreading seed stories.

OLGUIN: I think it’s important for art to reflect our experiences as human beings. Technology is everywhere, and decisions digital artists make are in everyone's face every time they unlock their phone or purchase a product. Being a digital artist is part creative, part entrepreneurial, and part technical, and all three of those can be taught and implemented anywhere.

FOCUS: What classes will you be teaching this spring?

PHOTO: Ruben Olguin, one of NMSU-C’s newest professors, worked in television production for many years.

OLGUIN: I have a mix of art and tech, Drawing I, 2D Design, Computer Illustration, Image Processing and Digital Video Production.

FOCUS: What brought you into the digital arts field to begin with?

OLGUIN: My first computer was in fourth grade, a Hewlett-

HEY YOU! DO YOU SEE THIS? SO WILL YOUR CUSTOMERS! THIS SPACE IS AVAILABLE FOR ADVERTISING! CONTACT RACHEL TODAY FOR INFO!

Rachel Hughes MA R KE TI N G CO N SU LTANT & A D VE RTI SI N G SA LES AD VENTURE MARKETING

Call Rachel at 830.446.9315 email: rachel@ad-venturemarketing.com

DID Y O U KNOW ? NEW MEXICO TRIVIA The Land of Enchantment is as rich in history as it is in arts and culture.

Check out a few of these fun New Mexico facts.

 The Santo Domingo Mission between Albuquerque and Santa Fe was built 15 years before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth.  The world’s largest camping facility, southwest of Cimarron, is where more than 18,000 Boy Scouts come from all over the world each year to enjoy treks and a variety of programs at Philmont Scout Ranch.  Doc Holliday operated a dental office and a saloon and gambling hall in Las Vegas before moving on to Tombstone.  In 1950 the little bear cub that became the national fire safety symbol, Smokey the Bear, was found trapped in a tree when his home in the Lincoln National Forest was destroyed by fire.  Las Cruces makes the world’s largest enchilada the first weekend in October at the Whole Enchilada Fiesta.  White Sands National Monument is a desert, not of sand, but of gleaming white gypsum crystals.

 During the height of the so-called lawless era of the late 1800s when Lew Wallace served as territorial governor, he wrote the popular historical novel Ben-Hur. First published in 1880, it was made into a movie in 1959 starring Charleton Heston.  The city of Truth or Consequences was once called Hot Springs. In 1950 the town changed its name to the title of a popular radio quiz program.  Sierra Grande, situated about 10 miles southeast of Folsom in Union County, is the largest single mountain in the United States. It is 40 miles around the base and covers 50 square miles, with an altitude of 8,720 feet. It is a dormant volcano.  The NRA Whittington Center in Colfax County is the most comprehensive shooting facility in the United States with 14 ranges and service facilities for all shooting disciplines. National Championship events are held annually.

Compiled from www.legendsofamerica.com/nm-funfacts.html

RIDDLES!

Q: You have three teacups on a table and ten lumps of sugar.

The challenge is to distribute the lumps of sugar so that there are an odd number of lumps in every cup. How is this possible?

A: Place one lump of sugar into one cup and two lumps of sugar into another cup. Then place the cup with one lump into the cup with two lumps, so it now has three total lumps. Put the other seven lumps into the other cup.

Q: You have three 9s and want to make 20. You can use any number of mathematical symbols to do so. What’s your plan?

A: Add 9 + 9 and then divide by .9 (nine tenths). The result is 20.

Q: What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries?

A: A towel

Q: Your sock drawer contains 10 pairs of white socks and ten pairs of black socks. If you’re only allowed to take one sock from the drawer at a time, and you can’t see what color sock you’re taking until you’ve taken it, how many socks do you have to take before you’re guaranteed to have at least one matching pair?

A: Three. In the worst case, the first two socks you take out will

consist of one black sock and one white sock. The next sock you take out is guaranteed to match one or the other.

Q: You throw away the outside and cook the inside. Then you eat the outside and throw away the inside. What did you eat?

A: An ear of corn Sources: pedagonet.com/puzzles/canterburypuzzles.html rinkworks.com/brainfood/

chamber news

YOUR CHAMBER STAFF ROBERT DEFER, Chief Executive Officer director@carlsbadchamber.com

DONNA CASS, Senior Admin. Assistant carlsbadnm@carlsbadchamber.com

BRENDA WHITEAKER, Director of Operations operations@carlsbadchamber.com

DOROTHY RIDGEWAY, Admin. Assistant temp@carlsbadchamber.com

LISA BOEKE, Director of Tourism & Marketing tourism@carlsbadchamber.com

RANDY BAKER, Director of Facility Maintenance facility@carlsbadchamber.com

JANELL WHITLOCK, Director of Retirement retire@carlsbadchamber.com

JESUS TORRES, Facility Maintenance RUDY ORDUNEZ, Facility Maintenance

WELCOME NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS! Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce is proud to welcome the following businesses as new members: AARP CHAPTER 651 1112 N. Mesa • 575-885-8997 ALL STAR AUTO SALES 306 N. Canal • 575-234-1244 ANADARKO PETROLEUM 432-248-3812 AOK RV RETREAT 2700 E. Greene • 877-625-6626 ARTESIA GENERAL HOSPITAL 702 N. 13th, Artesia • 575-736-8116 CARIBBEAN PLACE RESTAURANT 809 W. Mermod • 575-725-9667 CIGNA SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFITS 505-681-8731 EDWARD JONES OFFICE OF CHRIS JONES 302 N. Canyon • 575-885-9435

ANYTIME FITNESS

400-2 Cascades Ave. • 575-725-9302

AOK RV RETREAT

2700 E. Greene • 877-625-6626

FLEMING’S AUTO REPAIR 2405 W. Pierce • 575-887-1718 HARVARD RISK MANAGEMENT 347-417-2307 MARION’S NEW AMERICAN RESTAURANT 106 W. Bonbright • 575-689-1007 MAURICES 803 W. Pierce • 575-628-0060 MAXIMUM CORE FITNESS 3127B National Parks Highway 575-628-0360 MIRACLE EAR 1012 W. Pierce, Ste. A • 575-887-2318

EAGLE EYE HOME INSPECTOR 575-725-4229

EDGEWATER TECHNICAL ASSOCIATES 1008 W. Pierce • 505-661-4416

NORTH STAR LAUNDRY, LLC 406 W. Cedar, Loving • 575-361-3303 NORTH STAR RV PARK 2519 Pecos Highway • 575-361-3303 QUEEN STORE AND CAFÉ 3670 Queens Highway • 575-981-2439 SHERWIN WILLIAMS PAINT CO. 1301 W. Pierce • 575-885-7990 SUNSHINE CAB COMPANY 575-725-9139 TEAGUE’S IRON AND METAL 1702 E. Greene • 575-887-0069

LITTLE ITALY CAFÉ

1000 S. Canyon • 575-628-0190

MAURICES

803 W. Pierce • 575-628-0060

THE LIGHT SHED 575-725-5390 VIVINT SMART HOME 877-873-9883 WASHINGTON FEDERAL 602 W. Texas Ave., Artesia • 575-627-4691

MILTON’S BREWING

108 E. Mermod • 575-499-9244

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FOCUS ON CARLSBAD | SPRING 2017

For more information or to join the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce call 575-887-6516 or visit carlsbadchamber.com.

CARLSBAD

40 40 UNDER

THURSDAY • APRIL 13, 2017 The Carlsbad 40 Under 40 is a recognition and networking program established to acknowledge rising stars in the community.

Each year, nominations are accepted for a new class that will call attention to the great accomplishments these individuals have thus far achieved as well as things they are working on.

Recognizing young contributors to the Carlsbad and Eddy County communities goes a long way in showing that the future is very bright and in hands that are more than capable with each new class of 40 Under 40. The 2017 class will be honored at a banquet on Thursday, April 13.

Please visit carlsbadchamber.com and click on “Chamber Events” for the class list.

SPRING 2017 | A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

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Injured?

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A fever that’s a little too high. A sprain that’s a little too painful. A cut that’s a little too deep. They can happen any time, including after hours. That’s why Pecos Valley Urgent Care is offering a new option for healthcare in Carlsbad.

Open seven days a week from 9 a.m.-9 p.m., our on-site lab and X-ray mean you get treatment – fast. Bring us your illnesses and injuries. We’re ready.

Learn more at PecosValleyDocs.com.

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New Urgent Care – NOW OPEN! Hours: Monday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.* 3909 National Parks Highway • 575-689-1456 *Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

PecosValleyDocs.com