Political candidates receive training - Las Cruces a true bargain. ... U.S. Chamber of Commerce for best ... Treasurer/Secretary Brandy Darden Century Bank At-Large Member Rico Gonzales

As part of its ongoing outreach to dif-

ferent segments of the Las Cruces com-

munity, since 2011 the Greater Las Cruces

Chamber of Commerce has offered non-

partisan training for prospective candi-

dates for city, county and state political of-

fice. The most recent training session took

place Saturday, May 9 and was attended

by more than 40 individuals.

Because the Chamber, by definition,

takes a pro-business stance on local po-

litical matters, people automatically think

the training we make available is slanted

or partisan, but that’s simply not the case.

Our training – training is not offered any-

where else in our community – provides

very basic, step-by-step guidance on what

any potential candidate needs to know.

With about four months to go before the

date candidates have to formally declare

for the November municipal election, the

content provided the needed information

including establishing a calendar of tasks

needed to complete leading up to election

day.

In an open letter to the Las Cruces

Sun-News, training attendee Jack

Eakman said, “take it from me, as a reg-

istered Democrat and NOT a member

of the LCCOC, the entire presenta-

tion was not political. I could tell that

the leadership of the Chamber had

taken every precaution to ensure that

the curricula was all about mechanics

of campaigns and not about issues. The

session taught what makes a candidate

successful, rather than ‘this viewpoint

has to win over that viewpoint.’ The

representative from American Majority

knew the topic well, guiding us through

a PowerPoint presentation. I took at

least 11 pages of notes trying to keep

current with the new knowledge being

presented and the pre-conceived convic-

tions being erased. The resources named

and the tips learned from other partici-

pants meant that the cost of the session

was a true bargain.”

Seats for Mayor, Councilor District 1,

Councilor District 2, Councilor District

4 and Presiding Municipal Judge will be

up for election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015.

Potential candidates need to know that

candidate packets will be available in the

City Clerk’s office in mid to late July and

they will need to file approximately 60

days prior to the election. That exact date

will be included in the candidates packet.

Because feedback was so positive, an-

other candidate training seminar is being

considered for sometime this summer.

In the meantime, the Chamber will be

active during the election cycle, looking

for and endorsing business-friendly can-

didates that, through their decisions, will

help drive more jobs and increase gross

receipts tax revenue that could be used on

quality-of-life issues in our city.

In order to afford the many quality-

of-life improvements being considered, it

is imperative that we change the percep-

tion of the city to one that is business-

friendly in order to facilitate the growth

of existing businesses and to attract new

investment.

Medical Membership Update Luncheon

Thursday, June 18Las Cruces Convention Center

Political candidates receive training

President and Chair Columns ...............2Business of the Month ........................3 Small Business of the Month ................4Nonprofit of the Month ......................5Ribbon Cuttings .................................6Military .............................................7Conquistadore Corner ........................7LCYP of the Month ...........................8Junior Leadership .............................10Armijo House ..................................12Government Scorecard .....................13New and Renewing Members ............14 Member Briefs ..................................15Calendar ..........................................16

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

The Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce provides more than 50 events and programs each year to promote the growth of area businesses and the economic success of the region.

For the past 60 years, the Chamber has served as the largest and most active business advocacy organization in the Mesilla Valley. In 2010, the Chamber received a four-star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for best practices amongst chambers of commerce.

If you are interested in becoming a member of our growing organization, contact Vice President of Development Troy Tudor at 524-1968 or [email protected].

G R E A T E R L A S C R U C E S C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E

5 0 5 S . M A I N S T . , S U I T E 1 3 4

L A S C R U C E S , N M 8 8 0 0 15 7 5 - 5 2 4 - 1 9 6 8

W W W . L A S C R U C E S . O R G

J O I N T H E C H A M B E R

G R E A T E R L A S C R U C E S C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E • J U N E 2 0 1 5 • W W W . L A S C R U C E S . O R G

Chamber non-partisan event open to all parties

Members from the community gather for the Chamber Candidates Training May 9.

2 • June 2015 • THE BOTTOM LINE

bottom linethePUBLISHER Richard Coltharp

EDITORBeth Sitzler

DESIGN Rafael Torres

DISTRIBUTIONTeresa Tolonen

ADVERTISINGRichard Coltharp, managerClaire FrohsAnna LuerasPam RossiElaine Sasnow

The Bottom Line, the offi cial publication of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, is a copyrighted publication that is designed, produced and distributed monthly by the Las Cruces Bulletin, 840 N. Telshor Blvd., Suite E, Las Cruces, NM 88011. Content of The Bottom Line is submitted and authorized by the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce located at 505 S. Main St., Suite 134. Articles and columns in The Bottom Line may not refl ect the opinions of the Las Cruces Bulletin. Inquiries regarding editorial content or advertising may be directed to the publisher at 575-524-8061.

GREATER LAS CRUCES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

505 S. Main St., Suite 134 • Las Cruces, NM 88001 • 575-524-1968 • www.lascruces.org

Board Members

Bill AllenPresident/CEO

Troy TudorVice President of Development

Rosa BañuelosCommunication Coordinator

Monte C. Rout Event Manager

Cyndi ArmijoBilling & DatabaseAssistant

Lensi ShakraMembership Coordinator

Brandi MisquezAdministrative Assistant

Chamber Staff

Chair Russell Allen Allen Theaters

Past Chair Mike Beckett COAS Books

Treasurer/Secretary Brandy Darden Century Bank

At-Large Member Rico Gonzales El Paso Electric Co.

At-Large Member Phillip Rivera Memorial Medial Center

Chamber Ben Woods Sustainability Aggie Development Corp.

New Mexico State University

Governmental Jake Redfearn, Chair Relations NAI 1st Valley

Industry Savonne Griffin, Chair Development FirstLight Federal Credit Union

Community Dr. Renay Scott, Chair Development Doña Ana Community College

Marketing & Public Rick Nezzer Relations Sisbarro Buick/GMC Truck

Board Members Sabrina Martin Rehabilitation Hospital of Southern

New Mexico

Rick Jackson American Document Services

Denten Park MountainView Regional Medical

Center

Richard Coltharp Las Cruces Bulletin

Council of Mary Iadicicco Conquistadores AllState Insurance

Legal Counsel John Darden Darden Law Firm

Advisers Benjamin Rawson Doña Ana County Commission

Davin Lopez Mesilla Valley Economic

Development Alliance

Miguel Silva Las Cruces City Council

Erin DorranceWhite Sands Missile Range

Stan Rounds Las Cruces Public Schools

T H E L A S C R U C E S

Bulletin2005 Las Cruces

“Business of the Year”

We need climate change in Las Cruces

FROM THE CHAIR

I am referring to the climate of our community. My family has had

the opportunity to grow a business, which was built a little at a time, for more than 100 years here in New Mexico. Four generations of my family have lived a life where the opportunity to succeed from hard work and dedication was present. Th e key word is “opportunity.”

Am I passionate about this? Yes, I am. Th at is why I am involved with the Chamber and other organizations that focus on issues that help people to go beyond government funded programs and to prosper. We need to increase the number of opportunities to grow prosperity in our community – for my family and yours.

We have so many great things going for us as a community it is no wonder why so many people want to retire here. But let’s not lose focus on those at the other end of the spectrum. Th ose who are just starting their careers. Th ose young families among us. Recent college graduates who would like to live here but would like to see a chance at upward mobility. And what about the veterans that will be looking for opportunities as the military downsizes? How can we as a community put in place the support and the environment for entrepreneurs and professionals to excel in a career or thrive in a business? How can we work together to create a climate of success for not just a few but for many?

Th e business community is important, in fact it is the engine to prosperity. It has been neglected, misrepresented and belittled as of late. Th is is a climate that we need to change. Let’s work together as a community on the keys to prosperity. Let’s create jobs, and build a fertile environment for investments from outside our community which will increase our GRT and, in turn, support our quality of life. Let’s train the next generation with the skills they need to prosper. When business prospers, everyone prospers.

Th is is the type of climate change we need.

Russell Allen, Chair of the Board

Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce

RUSSELL ALLEN

FROM THE PRESIDENT

BILL ALLEN

Much has already been written on the how

the Chamber is moving into the political waters, but another area in our three-year strategic plan is our goal to be more industry specifi c. Our fi rst venture into that arena culminated with our recent luncheon targeted to the medical community where New Mexico Secretary of Health and Human Services, Brent Earnest, spoke about how the changes in Medicare are impacting the state.

While at face value this event might sound similar to our Annual Healthcare Luncheon, the content delivered by Earnest was more pointed at those in the medical industry. He discussed how the implementation of the Aff ordable Care Act has, on a broad level, aff ected the state in terms of the number of patients, even drilling down to age ranges and what that means for the system. He also informed on what the impending change in federal funding for Medicare will mean to the states budget.

An event like this could not have been possible with-out the participation of the healthcare task force, led by Sabrina Martin, CEO of the Rehabilitation Hospital of Southern New Mexico. It was her group that determined what subject matter would be most timely and interesting to the industry – then they went out and found the speaker that could deliver that information.

We have several ideas on what sector is ‘next’ but we would welcome input from our members in order to deter-mine the exact course of action. At the same time, with the Chamber being lean in terms of staff size, our capacity is also limited. We will need to fi nd someone who is passion-ate and sees the long-term vision, like Ms. Martin, to lead the next group that we stand up.

Stay tuned! Bill Allen,

President/CEOGreater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce

More on the Chamber’s transition

THE BOTTOM LINE • June 2015 • 3

Vescovo Toyota of Las CrucesBUSINESS OF THE MONTH - JUNE 2015

The Vescovo family moved to Las

Cruces in 1982 after Paul and Susan

Vescovo purchased Las Cruces Toyota.

George Vescovo, their son, managed this

dealership from 1999 to 2009. In 2009,

George left the car business to attend

law school. However, in 2012, he quickly

jumped at the opportunity to come back

to the dealership as the dealer principal.

Upon his return, George changed

the dealership name from Las Cruces

Toyota to Vescovo Toyota of Las Cruces.

Since then, the dealership has grown

rapidly. In 2014, Vescovo Toyota was

the fastest growing Toyota dealership in

New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah,

Nevada or Wyoming. Moreover, the

growth has continued in 2015.

Vescovo Toyota of Las Cruces also

supports numerous charitable causes.

It is a major sponsor of the Hearts for

Autism Fund, which provides a camp

for children with autism. In addition,

Vescovo Toyota collaborates with the Las

Cruces Public Schools and several other

businesses to give away a car to a high

school student with good attendance.

Their mission statements reads: “To

become the preeminent automotive lead-

er in the Las Cruces area.”

George initially pursued a career in

science and medicine. However, he gave

up this career to work in the family busi-

ness. During this time, George focused

on honing his business acumen. In 2001,

he graduated from the NADA Dealer

Academy, and in 2005 received an MBA

from the University of New Mexico.

With its purpose to provide quality

products and service to its customers,

Vescovo Toyota focuses on the customer

and their community involvement. In

five years the dealership would like to be

in a new facility. Vescovo Toyota has out-

grown its current building and intends to

construct a new facility across the street

from its existing location.

“We recognize that change is a nor-

mal part of business,” Vescoco said. “We

are always looking to improve customer

satisfaction. For example, in the near

future, Vescovo Toyota will be adding

an automated car wash and implement-

ing the Toyota Express Maintenance

Program, which will decrease the time it

takes to service customers’ vehicles.”

When asked what obstacles Vescovo

has had to overcome he said, “Many, and

I am better and stronger as a result. Yet,

the one thing I have learned is that if you

have relentless drive, you can usually bust

through the obstacles in your way. Never

simply accept the status quo and never

stop pushing towards your goals.”

Vescovo will continue to grow its

business, which will allow it to continue

to put back into the community.

Dealership eyes future growthFamily-owned business has been involved for 33 years

935 S. VALLEY DR. • 575-523-5566 • WWW.VESCOVOTOYOTA.COM

“We knew we could be home, and that really meant a lot.” — Mary P.

“At MMC Cancer Center, they listened. It was frightening and we wanted answers because we are educators. We needed to be pro-active as patients, and MMC helped.”

You are the company you keep. That’s why MMC Cancer Center has partnered with the UNM Cancer Center, one of only 68 centers in the nation to have earned the prestigious National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation. UNM physicians work at MMC Cancer Center, and live in Las Cruces. Now you can choose the highest standard of cancer care, right here at home.

575-521-67272450 S. Telshor Blvd. Las Cruces mmclc.org


Brooks Photography opened for business

in September 2007. The studio is owned and

operated husband-and-wife team Michael

Ancir CPP, and Kathy Brooks. The business

has grown in the last seven years and is now

in its third studio location.

Brooks Photography’s mission states:

“To provide our clients with an unsur-

passed professional portrait experience and

hand crafted wall portraits.”

What inspired the couple to go into

business was that they saw a large gap in

the market locally. They wanted to provide

people in Las Cruces with something that

did not exist and would otherwise have to

travel out of the state to receive the ser-

vices.

The business’ purpose is to tell the sto-

ries of children and families of the great

city of Las Cruces for generations to come.

Brooks Photography specializes in

milestone wall portraits that are unique to

their clients’ style and personality.

“We also have our own professional

photographic lab in studio,” Ancira said.

“Our beautiful historic downtown studio

and gallery are as unique as it gets. Lastly

being a certified professional photographer

is the mark of excellence, it enables us to

truly create unique works of art for our cli-

ents.”

In the future, the couple wold like to

see their business grow and achieve their

business goals. Ancira said, “More impor-

tantly it will provide Kathy and I with the

character to achieve charity work that we

have been planning for years. “They plan to

grow thier studio into a powerhouse in the

tri-state area.”

To keep their completive edge, like in

any business or professional field, it is their

continuing education that keeps them

ahead of their competitors.

“We never stop learning, creating and

upgrading our business. We strive to make

our client experience very personal and

meaningful. We simply offer an experience

like no one else,” Ancira said.

“Dream big and plan even bigger.

Planning is the sole reason for our suc-

cess,” he said. “Most people think of pho-

tographers as amateurs or hobbyists. Be

true to yourself and don’t worry about

what everyone else is doing. Be the trend

setter.”

Brooks Photography truly loves what

they do and believe it shows in every part

of their artwork. “With certification, ex-

perience, our downtown studio and gal-

lery, think Brooks Photography when

thinking of your child’s next portrait,”

Ancira said.

Studio hopes to provide unique serviceCouple has grown companyin past seven years

Brooks PhotographySMALL BUSINESS OF THE MONTH - JUNE 2015

425 W. GRIGGS AVE. • 575-524-6776 • WWW.BROOKSPHOTOSTUDIO.COM

Open seven for years, Brooks Photography has grown into its third studio location.

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Mission: The Las Cruces Hispanic Chamber of

Commerce (LCHCC) provides leadership for the advancement of economic prosper-ity for our diverse membership, business community, and region.

Purpose:The purpose of the LCHCC is to pro-

vide business programs and services that will expand and mature investments, job opportunities, education, community ser-vice, wellness, and activity in Las Cruces.

Key goals: It is the goal of the LCHCC to serve

our members, community, and region. We do that by supporting educational and workforce development initiatives, advo-cating for a business-friendly community, helping facilitate foreign investment op-portunities, supporting economic develop-ment initiatives, and serving as a resource to our business community.

History: The Las Cruces Hispanic Chamber of

Commerce was initiated in 1992 as the Hispano Chamber of Doña Ana County, and in 1994 incorporated as the Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces. In 2013, the name was changed to what we know today as the Las Cruces Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

The original founders consisted of a group of business owners who shared a strong common belief and were interested in developing a support organization for small and Hispanic-owned businesses. The Chamber started with only 10 members, a number that has since grown to more than 300 members in Las Cruces, Alamogordo, southern Doña Ana County, El Paso, Texas, and Albuquerque. The diverse membership includes businesses, nonprofit organizations, individuals, and students.

The Las Cruces Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is proud to serve the Las Cruces and Doña Ana community for more than 20 years, and will continue to be an anchor in our area for growth and development.

Key people to know: Richard Aguilar, president of the board

of directorsEldelisa Nava, director of operations

Events and activities: The LCHCC will be busy between now

and the rest of the year. LCHCC Rayo Perez Education

Scholarship Reception: Outstanding high school graduates within Doña Ana

County will be awarded a scholarship and recognized for their academic excellence.

Junior Amigo Ambassador Program: Junior Amigos is made up of high school-aged youth who have volunteered to serve as youth ambassadors for the LCHCC. These youth will be busy engaging in proj-ects throughout the summer and planning for the 2015-16 school year.

Job-to-Career Readiness Boot Camps: In partnership with MVEDA, Doña Ana Community College and NM Workforce Connection, these county-wide events help prepare those searching for employ-ment, thinking about a career change, or just wanting to brush up on their skills.

Diez y Seis de Septiembre celebration activities: The LCHCC will host and/or participate in cultural activities September 12-18. Included is a luncheon on the 16th honoring Latinas in the community.

“At the Table, A Leadership Summit for Latinas” This day-long event will allow young Latina’s (high school and college)

and professionals to examine their role and impact in the community both per-sonally and professional.

Middle School Recognition Program: This program works with 12 public and private middle schools in order to recog-nize outstanding achievement by 6th, 7th and 8th grade students.

Annual Foreign Investment Trade Mission: This event is designed to spur economic development and future job creation by bringing foreign investors to the area to explore business expansion and joint venture opportunities in the area.

Annual Golf Tournament and Rayo Perez Education Scholarship Silent Auction

Small business training and develop-ment: Launching in July, businesses will have the opportunity to participate in activities such as workshops and business consultation to help move their business to the next level.

Networking events: These include

events such as our monthly Mix ‘n’ Mingle events, speed networking, and other member events. Next Mix ‘n’ Mingle will be held on June 11th from 4::30 to 6:30 p.m. at First National Rio Grande, 3500 Northrise Drive.

Caregiver Conference: This event is brought to you by our health committee which provides education and networking opportunities to the healthcare profession-als in our region. This inaugural event to be held on Aug. 27 at the Hilton Garden Inn will provide education and support from.

Future plans: Going forward, the Las Cruces

Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will continue to enhance our member pro-grams and services and be a strong partner in the business community.

277 E. AMADOR AVENUE, SUITE 305, LAS CRUCES, NM 88001 • 575-524-8900 • 575-524-8900 • WWW.LASCRUCESHISPANICCHAMBER.COM

Las Cruces Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Las Cruces Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

NONPROFIT OF THE MONTH - JUNE 2015


RIBBON CUTTINGS

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RELAY FOR LIFE – May 14, 2015, Memorial Medical Center Annex Center – Vivian Lopez, Relay for Life Committee Member, holds the proclamation while Matthew Mossburg, Relay for Life Chair, cuts the ribbon.

PHILLIP HERNANDEZ, NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE – May 5, 2015, Chamber Offi ce – Pamela Fletcher, Comcast Spotlight, holds the proclamation while Phillip Hernandez, agent, cuts the ribbon.

EXIT REALTY HORIZONS – April 28, 2015, 3519 Foothills Road – Chris Harrison, regional owner, holds the proclamation while Joseph Arnone, regional owner, cuts the ribbon.

MOUNTAINVIEW URGENT CARE ON NORTHRISE – May 19, 2015, 3485 Northrise Drive – Mark Legault, urgent care fi rector, and Jennifer Schomburg, chief operating offi cer, hold the proclamations while Denten Park, chief executive offi cer, cuts the ribbon.

Youdeservea view.

80 hours at work. 160 hours of stress. 3,426 emails.

6861 Via Campestre, Las Cruces, NM575.523.8641 • www.picachohillscc.com

*Certain restrictions apply. Please call for details.

New seasonal and corporate memberships available, starting at $230 per month.*


I realized that when I started my agency nine years ago, I needed to be thinking about a road map. Since many of us are go-ing on summer vacation, we all need a plan. Many of us old folks used a paper map on how to get to our destination. We prepare ourselves for the trip. My destination is re-tirement and traveling.

The first thing is to find a place, put the sign in front of your door, and hire employ-ees. I did that and now what? I have done my homework and back in 2006 there were 146 insurance agencies in Las Cruces. How do I make myself different from them? How do I brand myself? We did not have family and only one couple as friends.

My ribbon was cut on May 1, 2006 and the Chamber of Commerce was there. I love the blue jackets and pins and everyone

welcomed me. I received a plague with my red ribbon, which I hang proudly. I had asked one of the Conquistadores on how do I become a Conquistadore? I waited my six months and was voted in. I have attended ribbon cuttings, ground breakings, busi-ness after hours, attended luncheons and workshops as well as joining committees and making contacts.

This road map holds true for my both my spiritual and personal life. I cannot be pro-ductive unless I have balance. I can work 12 hours a day, seven days per week, but in the long run I will be burned out. I have met so many people in church and other community involvement which became my customers be-cause they trust and know me. I set up time to be with my husband so he accompanies me to community events.

During my road trip, I get road blocks, how do I overcome them?

I can picture my desti-nation and I have to make sure I don’t run out of money to continue my trip and not get discouraged. I keep my focus on my des-tination and not lose sight. I hire good employees and have good friends and my husband to cheer me on.

I have a customer who started his business three years ago and now he is at a standstill. He needs more customers in order to stay in business. I had asked him if he is interested in join-ing the Chamber and I also asked him if he would like to come with me to one of the Chamber events. He needs to bring business

cards and I will introduce him to other business peo-ple. As a Conquistadore, this is my favorite part – introducing business people to other business people. You cannot sit in your car and still dream to reach your destination unless you have a plan and put that car in drive.

Where are you go-ing? Do you have a road map? Start by calling the Chamber and that would be your first step to reach-

ing your destination.

Mary IadiciccoChair of Conquistadores 2015

Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce

Do you have a road map?CONQUISTADORE CORNER

MARY IADICICCO

The 2nd Engineer Battalion said farewell to White Sands Missile Range during a cas-ing of the colors ceremony April 30 at the 2E Parade Field.

Soldiers with the 2nd Engineer Battalion made their final formation as they prepare to depart WSMR.

Following the casing of the colors, the commander of the 3rd Brigade, Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Col. Chip Daniels, thanked members of the Las Cruces community for coming out.

“Thank you for taking care of this battal-ion for so long,” he said.

“This battalion is all about teamwork,” Daniels said.

He said 2E leaders were always present at all brigade and division ceremonies and

events.“It really speaks on how loyal and reliable

this battalion is. They proved that during our Iron Focus 14 exercise here last summer and then at the National Training Center last fall.”

Daniels said the top point he made to company commanders in the 3rd Brigade is that he wants them to take ownership of their formations.

“We observed the fruits of their labor. Their excellent support to the brigade was truly helpful,” he said. “This unit doesn’t per-form well because of sheer luck. It does so be-cause of the superb training and discipline.”

Daniels credited 2nd Engineer Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Jim Koeppen along with Command Sgt. Maj. Roderick Taylor for their success.

“It was most evident to me how well you had your team prepared when you had to

come to me at the National Training Center and tell me that your father was passing away. That was an emotional moment. A battalion commander dreams of taking his team to the National Training Center. You struggled with what you thought was right and togeth-er we decided that you had to go home and say goodbye, because that is the right thing to do. However, I’ll tell you that your unit did not miss a beat while you were gone,” Daniels told Koeppen. “That is an indicator of an outstanding unit that has been trained and developed properly.”

To the soldiers, he asked that they carry the legacy of the 2nd Engineer Battalion for-ward wherever they go.

“We will need your leadership in the bri-gade and we will look to you to preserve this rich history.”

Koeppen thanked the community for supporting the battalion during their time at WSMR.

“This is a bittersweet time. On one hand it is sad to leave WSMR, which has been such

a great home to the 2nd Engineer Battalion,” Koeppen said. To the soldiers he said, “Look around, you will never have better facilities, you’ll never have a better view than the one we have here. You will also never find agen-cies that care more about Soldiers than those we have at WSMR. We’ve been spoiled by the amount of personal service,” he said.

“On the flip side, the battalion is going where it needs to be – part of a brigade com-bat team. We are going to lose in the com-forts of White Sands what we are going to make up by becoming part of a bigger team,” Koeppen said. “I am extremely proud of what our battalion has accomplished. Our soldiers have lived up to the motto. Time after time they have exceeded my expectations.”

Koeppen said, “WSMR has been a great home for the 2nd Engineer Battalion. Everyone has been supportive. From all the members of Team WSMR to the residents of Las Cruces, you’ve made us feel like we are your engineer battalion.”

“It has been an honor and a privilege to lead this organization. I wish you the best of luck at Fort Polk, Fort Bliss, or wherever you may go from here.”

By Miriam U. Rodriguez Missile Ranger Editor

2015 Spring Issue Now Available!

2E Casing Ceremony


The Las Cruces Young Professionals gathered May 13 to welcome Sitel CEO John Muñoz as the guest speaker for the May Leadership Roundtable at La Posta de Mesilla.

Muñoz gave an overview of his childhood and where he grew up. He spoke about the difficulties he encountered with his education as a child but was able to overcome through the efforts of his dedicated teacher.

He emphasized the importance of finding a mentor as well as being a mentor. He sug-

gested it is important to find a mentor who shares ideas and has a successful track record. “It is important to ask questions that are im-portant to your career,” he said.

Muñoz shared his confidence in the young professionals and said, “They are the leaders today and are going to make an impact in Las Cruces and Doña Ana.” He also empha-sized on the importance of taking risks in the workforce and being able to work with people from different cultures. “Never rest and be a billy goat,” he said.

Kayla Jones is the manager of Hester Agency of Las Cruces Allstate Insurance. She has worked in the fam-ily business since 2005, when she started atits Roswell location. She moved to Las Cruces in 2011 to manage the agency in Las Cruces. She is very involved with the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, Rio Grande Rotary Club and Las Cruces Association of Realtors, plus countless more. She is on the board of Boys and Girls Club and has par-

ticipated in the March of Dimes High Heels for High Hopes. Jones gradu-ated from Leadership Las Cruces 2014, which she thought was a great experience to see different aspects of the community who support her small business. On the weekends, you will find her at any res-taurant in Las Cruces that serves a bow lof posole with homemade tortillas, or maybe at New Mexico State University football or basketball game.

Go Aggies!

Las Cruces Young Professional of the MonthKayla Jones, Hester Agency of Las Cruces Allstate Insurance

2015 Life is Good in Las Cruces Community Guide coming soon!

RESERVE YOUR AD SPACE NOW! CALL 575.524.8061 TODAY!

840 N. TELSHOR BLVD. SUITE E • 575.524.8061 • WWW.LASCRUCESBULLETIN.COM

Talk includes importance of mentors

Las Cruces Young Professionals Leadership Roundtable meets with Sitel CEO John Muñoz

Sitel CEO John Muñoz speaks to the May Leadership Roundtable.


Business Barometer June 2015A gauge of Las Cruces’ economic indicators published by the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce.

Gross Receipts Tax

August 2014 2013 % Change

Total YTD 73,460,637 74,693,967 -1.7%

Building Permits

Total YTD April 2015 April 2014 %

Change

# of Permits 550 701 -27.5%

Valuation $35,088,610 $35,056,257 0.1%

Labor Market Statistics

February 2015 2014 % Change

Civilian Labor Force 93,945 93,230 0.8%

Total Employment 87,346 86,135 1.4%

Total Unemployment 6,599 7,095 -7.5%

Unemployment Rate 7.0% 7.6% -8.6%

Market Statistics – Home Sales All Residential

February Average Sales Price

Average Days on Market

Total Listed

Total Sold

2015 $158,972 125 261 136

2014 $174,099 113 244 134

Source: City of Las Cruces

Source: City of Las Cruces

Source: New Mexico Work Force Connection

Source: Las Cruces Association of Realtors

10,844 People interacted with the Chamber’s website45 relocations

A sustainable community

Having a sustainable community is about much more than having an improved quality of life through planning, building or modifying our communities’ infrastructure to promote sustainability.

At the core of sustainability should be a focus on the people themselves.

If we really want sustainability there should be a focus to plan, build and modify the conditions necessary to create the sustainabil-ity of the person themselves first.

What good is it if we have the nice “complete” streets for example if a business cannot invest in it, survive and stay in business on them and people who live around them cannot afford to shop or en-joy the destinations and entertain-ment located there?

The whole thing becomes like a nice looking pecan that when cracked has no nut inside.

The shell alone, though it looked like a nice pecan, has no real value.

The statistics on our community demonstrate this reality with the number of people that live near or below the poverty level in Doña Ana County and have for genera-tions.

How are we addressing this? We sign them up for government sub-sidies and programs, the problem with that, it is not sustainable.

We raise the minimum wage; the problem there is that it impacts a very small number.

It does nothing to address the real issues like a lack of skills or

lack of opportunity to get a job that pays more than minimum wage.

Currently, we have better-paying jobs that employers cannot find qualified workers for and we have people needing and wanting a more sustainable job without the needed skills. That is not sustainable for either party.

Our county just raised our taxes yet they still cannot provide our sherriff with the necessary fund-ing for their departments’ needed transportation.

Why do we think we can make a bus system work which will take millions more that we do not have.

There is a long list of services we fund that do not really fix the

problems of our community and as the deficits demonstrate, they are not, even with the federal support sustainable.

I think everyone – no matter philosophical, religious or politi-cal leanings – has a desire to help our community prosper; when I say community, I am referring to the people.

I hope everyone can see that it is time that we rethink how we use our resources to get this done, in a way that is sustainable.

Our future here depends on it.

By Troy Tudor

Government needs to set stage for economic growth

530 N Telshor Suite DLas Cruces, NM 88011 • 575-647-0009

Q: I own a small business with 10 employees and I would like to offer Health Insurance. How much is that going to cost me?

A: Rates vary based upon the plan of coverage you choose. Better coverage cost more… Also, Employers with less than 50 employees have many options of plan designs and carriers. The rates are based on each members age and geographic location.

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Southern New Mexico has plan to meet healthcare needsDoña Ana County has a lot of retirees

now visiting hospitals more often, and a lot of low-income residents who are now insured thanks to the Affordable Care Act. These two factors have combined to strain the already limited healthcare workforce in southern New Mexico.

“The need (for healthcare workers) in New Mexico is immediate. It’s not in 10 years. It’s not in 15 years,” Tania Arana, associate dean for student affairs and admissions at the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, told a 2015 Leadership Las Cruces class on May 15 during a day-long series of talks and tours focused on healthcare in the region.

To that end, BCOM, a private medical school under construction on the campus of New Mexico State University, is scheduled to open in fall 2016 and plans to train the next generation of healthcare professionals and develop residencies in New Mexico, West Texas and northern Mexico.

Many of the students who go to BCOM may first start at the Arrowhead Park Medical Academy, a high school, also on the NMSU campus, that opened last year and will be utilizing the latest technology and coursework to give Las Cruces students an edge in

attaining successful healthcare careers. Officials are planning for the next

generation by expanding healthcare facilities, using the latest in medical technology and integrating alternative treatments with traditional practices.

MountainView Regional Medical Center is planning to more than double the number of beds in its emergency room, as well as build an offsite emergency center on Main Street. Memorial Medical Center practices whole person healing, which includes visits from therapy dogs, and runs clinical trials at its cancer center. Both institutions are using robots and 3D technology to better treat patients.

Park Ridge, an infill project coming to the center of Las Cruces, will offer the surrounding community access to a private hospital. “Healthcare is going to be the new anchor (for neighborhoods),” said Park Ridge developer Bob Pofahl.

The Leadership class also learned some healthy habits from wellness professionals Marianne McLaughlin from Natural Grocers and Deidra Schaub from Downtown Desert Yoga.

The Leadership cohort’s upcoming tours focus on the region’s agricultural, educational, governmental and military sectors. The

program also incorporates monthly trainings by DACC’s Customized Training Program, such as the customer service presentation

Marina Atma delivered to the group in May.Learn more at www.lascruces.org/

leadership_las_cruces.php.

Chris Vaudrey, right, a teacher at Arrowhead Park Medical Academy, shows the 2015 Leadership Las Cruces class the virtual cadaver technology students will be using at the high school. The Leadership class took a tour of the school May 15, a day devoted to learning about healthcare in the region.

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By Lucas Peerman

Find your classmates and form a team to enter Canstruction at the Southern New Mexico Fairgrounds, Oct. 1! Challenge other Leadership Las Cruces classes to create the finest structure and help Casa de Peregrinos.

This is a great opportunity to reconnect with your Leadership Las Cruces class and help Casa de Peregrinos with its mission of fighting hunger in our community.

Deadline for team sign-up is June 8

For more information about the competition, contact Canstruction Las Cruces at 523-5524 or [email protected]. If you need assistance in finding Leadership Las Cruces classmates, call either Monte Rout or Rosa Banuelos at the Chamber office at 524-1968.

Have fun Canstructing!!!

Calling all Leadership Las Cruces Alumni!!

2015 Spaceport Membership Update Luncheon Recap

Spaceport America, the world’s only purpose-built ommercial spaceport, is positioning itself for the future.

This was the overarching message delivered by guest speakers representing Virgin Galactic, Spaceport America and the New Mexico Department of Tourism at the Chamber’s April 30 Quarterly Membership Update luncheon focused on space.

First to speak was Mark Butler, senior program manager for Virgin Galactic. He said last October’s crash of SpaceShip Two, which claimed the life of its pilot, has set the program back about a year. The accident is still under investigation, but Butler said the National Transportation Safety Board’s report should be released in the near future. In the meantime, the company is working on a replacement vehicle, learning from the accident and focusing on support operations.

“We are moving from construction to the operational phase,” said New Mexico Spaceport Authority Executive Director Christine Anderson. The Spaceport has a new, five-year business plan that outlines efforts to diversify its customer base to include unmanned aerial vehicles as well as both vertical and horizontally launched spacecraft.

The strategic plan also looks toward tourism and educational outreach focused on science, technology, engineering and math. In addition to educational launches and onsite tours, Anderson said the Spaceport offers a vertical classroom which is brings the Spaceport experience directly to the students.

The diversification of the Spaceport customer portfolio also includes hosting special events, photo-shoots, filming and other air-related activities.


BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

Renaye Medina, assistant vice president, and Chantelle Hernandez, banking representative, from Pioneer Bank.

Jim Berry from First American Bank and Kathy Fern from S.C.O.R.E. mingle at April’s Business After Hours.

Richard Coltharp from the Las Cruces Bulletin was one of the lucky door prize winners.Chamber members enjoy the mariachi music at Business After Hours.


Jr. Leadership Class of 2014-15 graduatesThe 2014-15 class of Jr. Leadership went through its

graduation ceremony Wednesday, May 6 at the Double Eagle Restaurant. It was a great class – one that from the beginning of the orientation session participated and asked many questions. This year’s class more closely resembled

our adult leadership program where the participants, this time the students, were active in developing the monthly programs. This change gave the class more ownership of their learning. Thanks to this year’s facilitators: Co-chairs Savonne Griffin, FirstLight Federal Credit Union and Kiel Hoffman,

Pioneer Bank; Charissa Paskowski, American Classifieds and DogCruces; and Richard Coltharp, Las Cruces Bulletin. Also, special thanks to our members who sponsored the program again this year – MountainView Regional Medical Center, El Paso Electric Company, Doña Ana Community College and Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces. We look forward to another group of amazing high school students next year.

Chamber group grabs ‘more ownership of their learning’

Free archives & daily updates online at lascrucesbulletin.com840 N. Telshor Blvd. Las Cruces • 575-524-8061

History has a way of getting away

from us. As a society, we tend to get so

caught up in our everyday lives that

we forget anything came before us and

dispose of anything we no longer find

useful. Mesilla Valley Preservation

(MVP) Inc., an organization dedicated

to preserving the architectural legacy

of southern New Mexico, wants to

change that perception.

On Saturday, Feb. 15, MVP will

present the fourth annual Casas de

Antaño Tour of Historic Buildings.

Roughly translated to mean “Houses

of Yesteryear,” the tour serves as a

reminder to the community at large

that our historical buildings are what

define us and set us apart from the

rest of the huddled masses.

With a theme of “Preservation in

Progress,” this year’s tour will high-

light six projects currently underway

in the Mesilla Valley. Participants

will be given the opportunity to

view the recently re-exposed origi-

nal courtroom at the old Doña Ana

County Courthouse, to learn about

large-scale in-progress adobe stabi-

lization work on the Nestor Armijo

House, view the latest progress at the

Amador Hotel and Phillips Chapel

and learn about grassroots com-

munity efforts by New Mexico State

University faculty, students and the

community to document and define

a historic district in Mesilla park.

Notable additions will be origi-

nal design work by Trost & Trost

– the celebrated architectural firm

based in El Paso responsible for lit-

erally hundreds of buildings in cities

throughout the southwest, including

Albuquerque, Phoenix and Tucson,

Ariz – at the Mesilla Park School,

now the Frank O. Papen Communi-

ty Center, and the recently revealed

Las Cruces Country Club Club-

house, which will now be incorpo-

rated into the development plans for

the site.The tour will grant armchair his-

torians the rare opportunity to step

inside these grand old structures and

see the work that is underway to bring

them back to their original grandeur.

“We’ve been at this as a nonprofit

since 2009, and when we started, it

was kind of hard to see the prog-

ress,” said Eric Liefeld, president of

MVP. “What we realized, especially

over the last couple of years, is that

there are a lot of people doing a lot

of things related to preservation. It’s

© 2014 LAS CRUCES BULLETIN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

C13Homes Southwest Living

By David SalcidoLas Cruces Bulletin

2014 Casas de Antaño tour highlights preservation efforts

H O M E SURANGAErnesto

575-644-7254 • www.ernestouranga.comOff i ce PH: 575-524-8788

Revelations from the past

The original Mesilla Park School – now the Frank O’Brien Papen Community Center – will be on the

tour as one of two examples of early design work by acclaimed architectural design firm Trost & Trost.

The Doña Ana County Courthouse, seen in an early photo, will be one of six landmarks featured in the 2014 Casas de Antaño Tour of historic buildings Saturday, Feb. 15.

The Nestor Armijo House, seen here from the east side long before

urban development, will be part of the Casas de Antaño tour.

See Tour on page C14February madness will precede March

madness in high school boys basketball district

showdowns.

A logjam that’s hard to avoid with only an

eight-game regular season gives four of the

fi ve Las Cruces high school teams a legiti-

mate shot for a regular season District 3-5A

championship.

Gadsden and Alamogordo high schools

enjoy the upper hand at 3-1. Alamogordo

beat Gadsden Tuesday, Feb. 4, in the Tiger

Pit 58-37, giving the Panthers their lone loss

of the fi rst half of the season. A Gadsden win

would’ve put the Panthers in the driver’s seat.

Neither the Las Cruces High School

Bulldawgs nor the Mayfi eld High School

Trojans will enjoy the driver’s seat, but they

will have a chance with a hot run at the right

time.Th e Bulldawgs and Trojans are both 2-2.

Th e Bulldawgs have wins over city rivals

Mayfi eld and Oñate High School. Th e loss

that stings for the moment for the Bulldawgs

is the district opener against Alamogordo at

home without their lone returner from the

state championship team a year ago. Senior J.T.

Romney sat out with an ankle injury.

Las Cruces gets another shot at Alamogordo

Friday, Feb. 7, and will not be shorthanded this

time. Romney has returned to the lineup for

William Benjamin’s club, giving the Bulldawgs

more height and experience to battle the Tigers

on the road.

Mayfi eld is also 2-2 aft er thumping Oñate

74-47 at the Castle on Tuesday Feb. 4. Th e win

completed a fi rst half comeback featuring back

to back wins to get back in the race. Senior

guard Isaac Rivera led the Trojans over the

Knights with 26 points, 21 aft er intermission.

Th e Trojans had a long week with an 0-2 start

in district, having lost to Gadsden at home

and Las Cruces on the road, a game in which

Rivera didn’t score a point while fouling out

with virtually no court time in the game.

“(Rivera) has a lot of talent,” said Mayfi eld

head coach Tommy Morrow. “He forced a little

too much (against Las Cruces). Th e Las Cruces

game was a total train wreck.”

Th e Bulldawgs beat the Trojans 55-41 in

round 1.Mayfi eld bounced back from the loss to

Cruces and the 0-2 start with a thrilling two-

point upset win over Alamogordo Jan. 31. Th e

Trojans were shorthanded, playing without

starting point guard Josh Luevano, who was

sitting out aft er being ejected with two techni-

cal fouls against Las Cruces.

“Our whole season turned around with

that Alamogordo win,” Morrow said. “With

Luevano not being able to play, with having to

start a freshman who held the fort there and

getting a big night from everyone defensively.”

Rivera hit two free throws with 2.4 seconds

left to play to help the Trojans to the 54-52 win

over the Tigers.

Th e only team out of the regular season race

is Oñate. Th e Knights have been playing with-

out head coach Saul Perez while he mends from

hospitalization that’s kept him from being able

to work with the team. Th e Knights are look-

ing to gain some confi dence in the second half

of the district race and make some noise come

tournament time at the end of the month.

Centennial High School competes in

District 3-4A and will battle for a district

championship. It looks like a two-horse race

between Centennial and Deming for the dis-

trict championship in the 4A district.

LCHS is 1-3 at home, while being 3-1 on

the road and 4-2 on neutral courts.

4A Centennial is 9-8. Th e Hawks have won

three of their last four games, all on the road,

defeating Loretto Academy (62-38), Manzano

High School (57-44) and Atrisco Heritage (44-

35), while losing to Mayfi eld (68-40). CHS is

ranked 14th in the 4A standings.

Around the nation

© 2014 LAS CRUCES BULLETIN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

A15Sports

Junior Lucas Ogaz is playing baseball

for Oklahoma Panhandle State University.

Th e Mayfi eld High School graduate

previously played for Jarvis Christian

College (Texas), where the second base-

man was named to the All-Red River

Athletic Conference second team last year.

Ogaz joins a team with familiar faces –

senior outfi elder Jordan Bernal and junior

pitcher Zach Tingen played for Mayfi eld.

More baseballLas Cruces High School graduate

Jonathan Joy is a freshman pitcher for

Eastern New Mexico University.

WrestlingSophomore Orlando Guerra is

competing in the 141-pound class for

New Mexico Highlands University. Th e

Mayfi eld product won a 5-2 decision

against his Colorado School of Mines op-

ponent to improve his record to 7-8.

Out of Las Cruces High, junior

Joaquin Marquez has an 18-10 record

competing at 125 pounds for Th e Citadel.

Soft ballBrooklyn Amador is a junior infi elder

Cal State University, San Bernardino. Th e

Mayfi eld alumna played two seasons for

Taft College.

Women’s golfKatherine Rathgeber is a freshman

for Quincy University (Ill.). Formerly at

Oñate High School, she shot a 197 (99-

98), fi ft h among the Hawks, in the fi nal

fall tournament.

Women’s track and fi eldJenna Banegas has been competing

in the 60- and 200-meter dashes for New

Mexico State University. Th e junior out of

Mayfi eld fi nished second in the 200 in her

section at the Lobo Invitational. Her time

was 25.58 seconds.

Send updates about area athletes to Bar-

bara Boxleitner at [email protected].

Barbara Boxleitner

Keeping up

High school basketball update

Local teams look to build momentum

By Jeff MatthewsFor the Las Cruces Bulletin

See Broncs on page A12

NMSU WOMEN’SBASKETBALL

vs. SEATTLESaturday, Feb. 8 @ 6 P.M

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SHOW YOUR Pride!

Boys 3-5A standings District Overall

Alamogordo 3-1 16-6

Gadsden 3-1 17-5

Las Cruces 2-2 12-10

Mayfi eld 2-2 11-10

Oñate 0-4 4-18

Details

During halftime at the

Hall of Fame Night, new

inductees to the Aggies’

Hall of Fame, Melanie

Maynes, Scott Lieberwirth

and Jack Nixon stand

before cheering Aggie fans

Saturday, Feb. 1, at the

game against Utah Valley

University. For more photos

of the Aggie basketball

game, see page A24.

Las Cruces Bulletin photo by

Christopher Belarde

Hall of Fame night honorees

Resilience is

key to change

In my time working with the senior

residents at Good Samaritan Society-

Las Cruces Village, I’ve helped many

people make a change in their living

arrangements.

Some people embrace their new

home and living circumstances with

enthusiasm and delight. Others, unfortu-

nately, dread making the change.

Leaving the place you’ve called home

is emotionally challenging for many

people. I talked about this issue recently

with psychologist Dr. Celinda Levy of

Southwest Cares. Levy sees patients at

Good Samaritan Society-Las Cruces

Village as well as numerous other nurs-

ing homes, rehabilitation centers and

assisted living facilities in Las Cruces.

Levy said the key to handling any

challenging change is resilience. Th e good

news, she said, is “resilience is ordinary.”

“It is not a trait people have or don’t

have. People have it,” Levy said.

Being resilient doesn’t mean you

don’t experience adversity, trauma or

stress, but it means you have the ability

to bounce back from those experiences.

Th e goal is to tap into that resilience in

the face of a new challenge.

“Th ink about how you made it

through past events,” Levy said. “Even

if you feel devastated now, you’ve been

devastated before. What were the ways

you coped?”

Remembering past challenges you’ve

gone through can help you think about

the things that brought you comfort

during that challenging time. It can also

reaffi rm your confi dence that you can

make it through.

Levy also said making a change of

living arrangements – whether from a

house to a senior apartment or perhaps

eventually to assisted living or a nursing

home – is easier when people think

about it and discuss it ahead of time.

“It’s better to do it sooner and talk

about it early. Put voice to your concerns

well in advance,” Levy said.

By starting to picture this change

earlier, you can be better prepared prac-

tically and emotionally. People who don’t

consider their options beforehand oft en

have to make a move when they are in

a crisis situation, which is much more

emotionally diffi cult to handle.

As I have taken people on tours of

our community, I’ve encountered many

diff erent attitudes about moving to

senior living. Th ose who have had the

best experience see the move as a choice

they are making, not something that is

“happening” to them.

See Maager on page C22

Th ey’re not just “babies in a window.”

Th e magical place where newborn babies

are lined up to view through a hospital window

does not exist, according to Kimberly Smetzer,

nurse manager of the women’s services de-

partment at MountainView Regional Medical

Center.Th e magic, however, is what happens right

aft er a baby is born, where the fi rst few precious

hours of one’s life are spent with the mother, a

time known as “rooming in,” or “skin-to-skin”

time, she said.

“It’s really important bonding time,”

Smetzer said. “Up until a few years ago, babies

were born, then the baby went off to the nurs-

ery and didn’t come back until three or four

hours later wrapped up in a little bundle like

you see on TV.”

Th at method has completely changed

with the knowledge of how important those

fi rst few hours are, as well as the knowledge

about the health benefi ts of breast feed-

ing, something the entire Women’s Services

Department at MountainView has endorsed

to help educate.

Th is educational eff ort and method change

was implemented under a plan to become

Baby Friendly, a special designation from

Baby-Friendly USA, a global initiative of the

World Health Organization and the United

Nations Children’s Emergency Fund.

“When you have a baby that’s breast-fed at

least that fi rst year, you have a baby that has a

decreased risk for obesity, heart disease, diabe-

tes, along with a ton of extra things,” Smetzer

said. As early as fi ve years ago, Smetzer said of

new mothers coming into the hospital, 80 per-

cent would say they planned to breast-feed,

but of that number, only 30 percent followed

through. Th us began the process to improve that

number by not only educating new mothers

about the benefi ts, but providing the support

necessary to do so.

Each of the 58 staff members in the

Women’s Services Department, including

registered nurses (RNs), certifi ed nursing as-

sistants (CNAs) and pediatric doctors under-

went at least 20 hours of additional training to

achieve a consistent experience for each new

mother. Th e four phases of the designation – dis-

covery, development, dissemination and des-

ignation – are structured over a four-year time

span. Th e current numbers of outgoing new

mothers who have chosen to breast feed are

now around 90 percent – which is 10 per-

cent better than the Joint Commission’s

recommendation.

Just as important as the education on the

benefi ts of breast-feeding is lessening hospital

support to formula companyies marketing.

Instead of using promotional materials and

essentially free handouts from formula compa-

nies trying to market their product, the hos-

pital buys all of the formula and supplies they

need at fair market value.

“It was just the right thing to do, so we

made that step right away,” Smetzer said, add-

ing that the step was taken two years before

the Baby Friendly designation was sought.

Smetzer said of course the hospital ensures

that a baby get bottle-fed if there were com-

plications preventing them from nursing, and

ultimately it is the mother’s decision. But sup-

port is given to the mother to make a more in-

formed decision.

“Breast feeding has always been an impor-

tant part of my practice due to the multiple

health benefi ts for mother and baby, as well as

benefi ts to the local community,” said Jeremy

Johnson, M.D., OBGYN Consultants.

“I am proud to be part of a health care team

that recognizes the importance of this natural

form of nutrition and goes the extra mile to

give moms the education and skills to initiate

breast feeding as well as the confi dence to con-

tinue once they return home.

“I am excited to be a part of the fi rst hos-

pital in our area to receive the Baby-Friendly

certifi cation.”

Nearly 200 hospitals around the nation are

currently attempting to become baby friendly,

and MountainView was the fi rst hospital to re-

ceive the designation in the Southwest region.

Several acute-care hospitals in Albuquerque

are also seeking to become Baby Friendly.

For more information about Baby-Friendly

USA, visit www.babyfriendlyusa.org.

MountainView ensures quality birthing experience

Health Well Being Friday, February 7, 2014

C21

Hospital is ‘Baby Friendly’

Julie MaagerCaring Decisions By Rachel Christiansen

Las Cruces Bulletin

MountainView Regional Medical Center received a “Baby Friendly” designation from

Baby-Friendly USA Tuesday, Feb. 4, as part of a global health initiative from the

World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund. The

hospital staff will seek to educate on the benefi ts of breast-feeding as well as the

importance of bonding time immediately after child birth.

When you have a

baby that’s breast fed at

least in that first year,

you have a baby that

has a decreased risk for

obesity, heart disease,

diabetes, along with a

ton of extra things.

KIMBERLY SMETZER,

nurse manager, Women’s Services

Department, MountainView

Regional Medical Center

Th ere’s a lot of pressure to perform for

Valentine’s Day.

With cards to buy, candy to pick out, teddy

bears and roses to pick up last-minute, the

holiday can be a bit overwhelming. For those

of you who’ve left it until the week before –

it’s OK, we do it too, so we’ve put together a

preliminary list of just a few of the numerous

things going on around town.

From fi ne dining to live music and theater

to art exhibits and studio tours, there’s sure to

be something for you and your sweetheart to

do this Valentine’s Day.

A number of higher-end restaurants

throughout the city are off ering special menus

and dinners to celebrate Valentine’s Day, in-

cluding St. Clair Winery & Bistro, Savoy de

Mesilla, De la Vega’s Pecan Grill and Brewery

and Sombra Antigua Winery in Chamberino,

N.M. With just a week to go before the big day,

space is fi lling rapidly, so reservations should

be made as soon as possible by calling the

restaurants.

If this fi ner fare isn’t your thing, why not

head to one of our great, local restaurants?

Th ere’s bound to be something great left undis-

covered, so take a chance and fall in love with

something new.

In the mood to take in a play? Las Cruces

has got you covered. At 8 p.m. Friday Feb. 14,

and Saturday Feb. 15, and 2 p.m. Sunday Feb.

16, the Las Cruces Community Th eatre will

show “Th e Foreigner,” which won a number

of prestigious awards during its off -Broadway

run beginning in 1984. Th e theater is located

at 313 N. Main St., and tickets are $7 to $10,

and can be reserved by calling the theater at

523-1200.

For something a bit more romantic, the

No Strings Th eatre Company, which makes its

home at the Black Box Th eatre, 430 N. Main

St., presents “Romance/Romance,” playing

at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m.

Sunday. The play – a musical divided into two

one-act plays, “The Little Comedy” and

“Summer Share,” which both deal with

themes of love and life – is sure to be a lively,

lovely way to spend Valentine’s Day. Tickets

are $10 to $12 and can be reserved by calling

523-1223.

If live music is more you and your valen-

tine’s style, a number of bars, wineries and

restaurants around the City of the Crosses

have performances scheduled for Valentine’s

Day. Th e Dora Reyes Duo will play at Sombra

Antigua Winery from 2 to 6 p.m. Helen

Sachs is scheduled to sing at 7 p.m. at Amaro

Winery. Th e Muddy Hands Blues Bands takes

the outdoor stage of Th e Game Sports Bar &

Grill from 7 to 11 p.m. Las Cruces Salsa band

Animmo performs at Palacio Bar at 8 p.m.

Cover charges vary, so be sure to check with

the venue beforehand.

Also that evening, at 9 p.m.,

Hurricane Alley will be cel-

ebrating Valentine’s Day with the

Valentine’s Night Stoplight Party,

sponsored Southern New Mexico

Pride and Partytenders Inc. Music

will be provided by DJ Gene-E-Ous

and DJ Espy. Singles should wear green,

those in a relationship will be decked

in red, and for those unsure, yellow is

your color. Cover is $5 at the door.

For more information, contact Patrick

at 915-2588.

Every February, Las Cruces cele-

brates all things art during For the Love

of Art Month, and, as such, local galler-

ies will continue their love-letter to the

arts. Each of the galleries dotting Main

Street Downtown, as well as those farther

f lung ,

h a v e

special exhibits up for

the 28 days of February.

Why not take your honey

out and see some of the stun-

ning talent we’ve got here in the

Mesilla Valley. For a complete list

of participating galleries, as well

as a map, visit www.artforms.org/

love_of_art.htm.

On Saturday and Sunday, Feb.

15-16, a number of artists around town

will open their personal workspaces for

the annual For the Love of Art studio

tours. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday

and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, artists including

Roy van der Aa, Jeri Desrochers, Marilyn

Hansen, Storm Sermay, David Jaquez and

Jean Reece Wilkey – and many more – will

give special tours of their creative environ-

ments. A full list and schedule can be found at

www.artforms.org/love_of_art.htm.

If you and your special someone aren’t able

to make it, the studio tours will run between

the same hours the following weekend,

Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 22-23.

By Zak HansenLas Cruces Bulletin

Arts EntertainmentFriday, February 7, 2014

C2

Romantic holiday falls on FridayArrows away!

Adventure Film Festival

http://recsports.nmsu.edu

presented by Outdoor Recreation outdoor.nmsu.edu

When: Friday, February 21 • 7 p.m.

at the Rio Grande Theatre • 211 Main Street, Downtown

Tickets $8 in advance and at the door

Tickets can be purchased at the NMSU activity center RM 108

or at the Rio Grande Theatre

Contact Information

Email: [email protected] • Phone: 575.646.4252

Award Winners in nearly a dozen

categories are selected, ranging

from “Extreme Sport” to “Activism

through Adventure.” Adventure Film,

as it is known, covers risks, mighty

and absurd, the unknown and those

experiences that bring us to the

edges of our seats with our hands

over our eyes or our fists in the air.

We believe in the power of the story,

especially the narratives of adventure

and awakening, to change and

challenge the world we live in.

Girls just want to have turquoise

ON CALLE DE SANTIAGO • MESILLA • 523-8747

Th e fi gures are just in: January 2014 was the

driest ever recorded in New Mexico.

Th e overall outlook for the growing season

is, however, far more complicated than a sin-

gle, stark statistic.

Speaking at the annual New Mexico Chile

Conference Tuesday, Feb. 4, at the Hotel Encanto

de Las Cruces, state climatologist David DuBois

looked at both short- and long-term shift s at

state and national weather patterns.

Statewide, the only precipitation in January

was in the higher elevations, which could be

a good thing because that moisture ultimately

may fl ow south into our area, he said.

“I’m pleased about that,” DuBois said.

Also speaking at the conference were ex-

perts on topics such as disease management,

crop rotation and cover crops.

DuBois noted that soil moisture in the

middle Rio Grande currently is “pretty good” –

comparable to 2010 when the area was coming

out of an El Niño, which originates in the Pacifi c

Ocean and brings moisture to New Mexico.

“Th e trend since 2000 for the U.S. has been

40 percent of the country has been in some

form of drought. Th at’s a big thing

to ponder about,” DuBois said.

In 2011, some 50 percent of New

Mexico was in extreme drought.

“It went away with the big

September rain, but there is still a lot

of drought in the state. Th ere’s been

a lot of healing in terms of drought,

but there’s still a lot of it there. It will

take long time to completely heal.”

DuBois said climatologists get

an inkling of emerging weather pat-

terns by studying surface water temperature at

the equator.

“Th at’s quite a funky way to do it,” he said

of scientists seeking weather insights from “a

little box in the middle of the ocean. We don’t

look at air temperatures, we look at the ocean.

It’s now at neutral, with a forecast for warming,

which is good. When it warms, that means an

El Niño.”Ocean warming that leads to an El Niño

with abundant precipitation in the western

desert is much harder to anticipate than this

Saturday’s forecast.New technology, however, is im-

proving climatologists’ chances of

getting it right when they look down

the road.

“We had a double dose of La Niña

in 2008, 1999, 194, 1971, 1955 and

1950,” DuBois said. “It was really dry.

“No one knows for sure whether

that will repeat itself.”

DuBois said the outlook now is

at neutral and it’s too early to get a

clear picture of what the 2014 grow-

ing season will bring.

Th e forecast, however is for the oceans to

warm, which could lead to an El Niño.

“It’s possible we could have an El Niño lat-

er this year,” he said. “It’s too early to tell, but

models are showing tendencies.”

In the near term, from February to April,

New Mexico temperatures are expected to be

40 to 50 percent above average, with a 30 to 40

percent chance of drier conditions, DuBois said.

He noted, however, the New Mexico maps

don’t include Colorado, which is a source of

water for the Rio Grande valley.

“It could go either way for Colorado,” he said.

“Th e only good thing on these maps is they’re

not showing a tendency to be dry in Colorado.”

DuBois said the seasonal drought outlook

for the U.S. calls for about normal tempera-

tures and below normal precipitation.

“Th e forecast is a tendency for drought con-

ditions intensifying,” he said of the national

picture.In answer to an audience question about

the impact of precipitation on chile yields,

DuBois said the eff ect on the crop will depend

on the timing of whatever rain falls during the

growing season.

“Th e question is, are we prepared for an-

other dry season? It’s a possibility and we need

to be ready.”

DuBois said climatologists like to give

warnings of what might happen so that grow-

ers can be prepared to adverse conditions.

“How should we be changing our meth-

ods if the monsoon doesn’t start until late

July?” he asked. “With that possible sce-

nario, how would think about practices and

planning now?”

BusinessClimatologist addresses chile growers

Short-term conditions improve, but outlook is uncertain

© 2014 LAS CRUCES BULLETIN

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

B1

Less than a minute aft er meeting pro-

spective customers Laurie Freilino and her

mother-in-law Kris Freilino on Mesilla Plaza,

salsa entrepreneur Don Rogelio Villegas was

entertaining them with the tale of his 2006

Tournament of Roses parade fl oat with then-

Gov. Bill Richardson.

Th e fl oat, showing off New Mexico’s color-

ful agricultural industry, was draped with ris-

tras made of chiles Villegas grew in Hatch, he

told the women who stopped at his booth on

market day at the plaza, Friday, Jan. 31.

His narrative, which he shares with all will-

ing listeners, is rich with family history, from

his grandfather’s abduction by Pancho Villa to

granddaughter Audrina’s creation of a pecan

and honey sauce, for which she splits profi ts

with grandpa.

Th e products he processes are all natural,

New Mexico certifi ed and, Villegas said, very

expensive.

He has mastered the art of selling the sizzle

of his salsa.

Customers know best Villegas recently moved his commercial

kitchen to a small adobe-style building at 1800

N. Solano Drive that also has showroom space

and a salsa bar. But he still sells salsa during

Friday and Sunday market hours at Mesilla

Plaza.It’s where he earned his MBA equivalent in

marketing Hatch chile.

He began selling his salsas for $6 a bottle,

thinking a value-priced product would move

off the shelves quickly.

High-end tourists soon persuaded him to

up the price.

“A lot of Anglo people taught me,” he said.

“Th ey told me, ‘Go up, you’re very cheap.’”

His “teachers” were, for the most part, tour-

ists from urban areas outside of New Mexico.

Th ey disabused him of his belief that value-

priced salsa would sell best. Now he sells his

jars of red and green salsas, ranging from the

gentle verde to the fi ery-hot piquin, for $8 to

$13 a jar.

“We’re very expensive,” he proclaims un-

ashamedly. “Nobody has ever told me that’s

too expensive.”

Five of his plaza customers eventually

became partners, selling the salsas in their

restaurants and shops in San Antonio and

Austin as well as Denver and San Diego.

“Old Mesilla is the staging point

for me, where I meet all my busi-

ness contacts,” he said, adding he has

shipped merchandise to 37 countries.

“When they get back home, they call me and

order more.”

Villegas said he started making and selling

salsas in 2000 and has never had a jar returned.Selling the sizzle of salsa

Don Villegas touts product’s (high) priceSee Salsa on page B2

By Alta LeCompteLas Cruces Bulletin

By Alta LeCompteLas Cruces Bulletin

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A state judge Wednesday,

May 20, rejected a request

for the Las Cruces city

clerk’s office to reconsider

counting recall petitions

from which signers later

asked to have their names

removed.

District Court Judge Mary

Rosner issued an order to

quash the legal filing, called

a writ of mandamus, citing

state law that allows the city

clerk to “resolve issues of

residency and major

infractions.”

Recall petition backers

$1.00 • © 2015 LAS CRUCES BULLETIN LOCAL NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT SINCE 1969 • WWW.LASCRUCESBULLETIN.COM • FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 VOLUME 47 • NUMBER 20

$18

80 4 8 7 9 0 4 4 2 0

Opinions ............................A4-7

Coming Up ........................... A8

Looking Back ..................... A11

Business .........................A17-20

Sports ............................A21-23

Senior Activities ................. A26

Obituaries .......................... A27

Arts & Entertainment ................ B2-10

Sudoku ..................................B8

Brain Games .........................B9

Homes .................................B13

Legals/ Classifieds ......... B16-21

Health & Well Being ..........B22

LCPS school board

to set budget

Final cuts to Las Cruces Public

Schools’ budget for next year

rests with the school board.

WHAT’S INSIDE

NEXT WEEK

BUSINESSSEE MEMORIAL, PAGE A3

Memorial Day weekend full

Judge throws out motion

to recount recall petitionsPreventing another stroke

requires lifestyle changesBulletin Staff Report

From the solemn to the sublime,

the Memorial Day three-day

weekend promises events

throughout Las Cruces and

southern New Mexico.

Starting with the meaning

behind the holiday, remembering

the people who died while serving

in the armed forces, American

Legion Post 10 will hold its annual

wreath ceremony at 7 a.m.

Sunday, May 24, at St. Joseph’s

cemetery on Espina Street, next

to St. Genevieve’s Church. This

year, the guest speaker will be

White Sands Missile Range

Commander Brig. Gen. Timothy

Coffin.

Editor’s note: This is the

third in a series of profiles

telling the stories of stroke

survivors throughout May,

which is National Stroke

Awareness Month.

“I was conducting a

seminar at my Lodge and –

the light just turned out,”

Sidney Goddard said. “By

that I don’t mean I fell down

or anything, I just don’t

remember what happened.”

Goddard experienced a

severe hemorrhagic stroke

in December of 2013. He does

By Marissa BondLas Cruces Bulletin

By Todd G. Dickson

Las Cruces Bulletin

Southern

New Mexico

Wine Festival

Life is Good in

Las Cruces

Stryker’s Shooting

World is the only

indoor shooting in

southern New Mexico

Page A17

SEE RECALL, PAGE A9

SEE STROKE, PAGE A9

RELIEF BEGINS WITH US

The 355 graduates

of Oñate High

School celebrate

after completing

their graduation

ceremony Monday,

May 18, at the Pan

American Center.

For more pictures

of local high shcool

graduations held

this week, see

pages A12-13.

LAS CRUCES BULLETIN PHOTO

BY ORLANDO SANTANA

See feature in Arts & Entertainment, page B2

© 2015 LAS CRUCES BULLETIN

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

B1

Events Calendar ......................... B4-5

Galleries and Openings ............... B6

Movies .......................................

.. B7,10

Call to Artists ................................... B8

Sudoku ........................................

...... B8

Brain Games .................................... B9

Religion .................................... B11-12

Digs ........................................

...........B15

Legals/classifieds .................. B16-21

Healthy Happenings ..................B23

Pet Briefs ........................................

.B24

INDEX

HOMES & SW LIVING

Bike and Chowder

club gathers to ride

B13

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Does the movie

‘Woman in Gold’ shine?

B3

HEALTH & WELL BEING

Horse group supports

riding program

B22

Memorial Day Weekend

Saturday through Monday, May 23-25

Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds

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We are proud to be Las Cruces’ community newspaper.

Also serving Las Cruces witha variety of magazines

NMSU Aggies are Tough Enough to

Wear Pink

Mesilla Valley Menu Guide

Perfect Southwest Weddings

Life is Goodin Las Cruces

Legislative Guide Meet Your Las Cruces

Professionals

TOUGHER2014

Members of the 2014-15 Junior Leadership team post for a photo at White Sands Missile Range.



Renewing Members Advanced Hearing CareKelly Frost Allstate Insurance Company - Diana ChanezDiana Chanez

Amped Electric Natalie Chadborn

Attorney at Law - Melissa J. Reeves, P.C.Melissa J. Reeves, P.C.

Benchmark Business Solutions/XeroxJerry Heiskell

Bernina Sewing & DesignMarsha Cowan

Casa Bandera ApartmentsAracely Romero

Chilitos Aaron Perez

Coca-ColaAngela Payne

Comfort KeepersTerrie Todd

Cordova, Kathleen D.D.S.Kathleen Cordova

Days InnKrys Blankenship

Del Valle Physical TherapyDon Thome

Division Of Vocational RehabShirley Gonzales

Domino’s Pizza Diedra Duvall

Douglas Inspections, LLCDouglas Ramsey

EXIT Realty Horizons - Bruce CrichtonBruce Crichton

EXIT Realty Horizons - Divelia ‘D.I.’ BabbeyDivelia ‘D.I.’ Babbey

Fairfield Inn by MarriottLuis Cordero

Gentiva Home HealthMayra Santiago

Golden Corral RestaurantRudy Garcia

Green Lizard, LLCPaul Korody

Griffins Propane, Inc.Kim Klement

Hakes Brothers, LLCKimball Hakes

Hotel Encanto de Las CrucesBelia Alvarez

Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & CasinoZulema Estrada

Inspection MastersRoger Holt

Kelly Liquors #17Shawn Garcia

Kelly ServicesMary Fiskum

Las Cruces Real EstateLaura Reynolds

Leavitt Group Southwest, Inc.Alma Franzoy-Capron

Lorenzo’s Italian Restaurant - Pan Am Vince Vaccaro

Los Compas CafeMargarita Gutierrez

Mountain Shadows Home Care Inc. Regina Frost

NAI 1st ValleyRandy McMillan New Mexico Department of Agriculture NMSUSummer Feind

New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau Chad Smith

New Mexico Spaceport Authority Aaron Prescott

Painted Skies Dental CenterNatalie Ortiz

Pioneer Bank Kiel Hoffman

Progressive Residential Services Melissa Alvarez-Ortega

Roofcare of Las CrucesWilliam Lawson Rosalie BurnsRosalie Burns

Shamrock Foods CompanyDonald Wenzl

Steinborn & Associates Real Estate - Brenda Porter Brenda Porter

Steinborn & Associates Real Estate - Steve Montanez Steve Montanez

Steinborn TCN Commercial Real Estate - Kary BulsterbaumKary Bulsterbaum

Steinmann Prosthetics and Orthotics Robert Steinmann The Bridgers Group, Merrill Lynch Matthew Mossburg

The Fletcher Group, Merrill Lynch James Fletcher Western Heritage Bank Marvin Mutchler Wet ‘N’ Wild WaterworldJenny Ayer

Window WorldKevin Tubbs

Zia FinanceMelissa Ramirez

New Members American Cancer Society Katie Harlin(505) 262-6010

Fun Country RV & MarineMike Gibson(915) 886-3500

Kayla Blundell PhotographyKayla Blundell(432) 813-0123

Las Cruces ApothecaryKen Cooper(575) 541-5030

Las Cruces Cigar CompanyTony Garcia(575) 527-9927

Las Cruces LocksmithOmar Velazquez(575) 524-7777

Ormand Consulting, LLCBrian Ormand

Patty GrothPatty Groth

Schueller Homes LLC / Super Sure Seal Dale Schueller575-532-9564

Spence Asset ManagementPaul Hinde(575) 556-8500

The Portrait PlaceAbe Hernandez (575) 527-1522

RENEWING AND NEW MEMBERSRENEWING AND NEW MEMBERS

2013©

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Dollar General launches a ‘Reading Revolution’ with a surprise $40,000 donation to Oñate High School

Dollar General arrived at Oñate High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico this afternoon ready to start a revo-lution. Company representatives carried a yellow and black box with a very special gift inside. When school leaders opened the box in front of a classroom of curious students, they were surprised and elated to find a check for $40,000.

“Dollar General is very passionate about its mission of serving others, and we are all excited to surprise Oñate High School with a donation to further their reading and literacy programs,” said Phillip Ortega, Dollar General’s Regional Director. “We hope this donation will help equip the school with the tools and resources it needs to improve the learning experience for students.”

The donation from Dollar General is part of its new Reading Revolution program. The program aims to pro-vide schools with additional resources to purchase books, computers and other educational supplies to enhance their reading and literacy programs.

Oñate High School was chosen for the donation be-cause of the strong community contributions to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation through the Cash Cube program available in stores, particularly at store #13442 located at Mesa Grande Drive and Calle Bella Avenue in Las Cruces. Dollar General plans to make donations to additional schools through its Reading Revolution pro-gram in various locations where it has a strong presence.

“By supporting Oñate High School with this gift, we hope to help students become better readers, more suc-cessful students and lifelong learners,” said Denine Torr, Dollar General’s director of community initiatives.

For additional information, photographs or items to supplement a story, please contact the Media Relations Department at 1-877-944-DGPR (3477) or via email at [email protected].

National Small Business Person of the Year finalists

In addition to the national Small Business Person of the Year, four other state and the District of Columbia winners became finalists and were recognized by Contreras-Sweet for their superior business and leader-ship skills.

Richard “Rick” Jackson served in the United States Army, rising to the rank of Post Sergeant Major at White Sands Missile Range.

After his military retirement, Rick began a career in the banking industry where he discovered his true pas-

sion – entrepreneurship. His vision, as well as his exper-tise in dealing with high security issues in the military and in the banking business, became the foundation for his new venture.

In 2001, Rick sought the assistance of the Small Business Development Center at Doña Ana Community College. In 2002, Rick rented a 3,000 square-foot space and started ADS with one shredder and a truck. Initially, he acquired four accounts. Within eight months, Rick had to hire two more employees. Again, he sought the assistance of the DACC SBDC in 2004 to secure the first of three U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) guar-anteed loans.

The first SBA 7(a) loan was used to finance inventory and working capital. ADS, a family-operated business, is a full-service records management company that provides customer information security, document destruction, and imaging of historical and current business informa-tion. In 2007, with the help of a second SBA 7(a) loan, Rick purchased his only other local competitor. With the help of the DACC SBDC business advisor, Rick acquired a new SBA 7(a) loan in 2008 to expand the business into a larger facility and hire more employees.

ADS is expanding by adding franchises in Albuquerque, Richmond, Va., Houston and Phoenix. Rick has created nine full-time jobs and also employs two part-time employees from Tresco, Inc., a nonprofit com-pany that works with people with developmental delay and disabilities.

DACC SBDC selected Rick as its “Star Client” for four years. Not only has he patriotically served his country as a soldier, he continues to be a consultant in Baghdad, Iraq.

For more information, call Terry Sutherland at 202-205-6919 or visit www.sba.gov/news.

Subway awards elementary schools $2,000 for new exercise equipment

In an effort to combat the growing epidemic of child-hood obesity, the El Paso-Las Cruces area Subway res-taurants sponsored local elementary schools (K-5) in The Seventh Annual Great El Paso-Challenge which provided schools with the chance to win much needed funding for new exercise equipment while participating in friendly competition with fellow schools.

The Seventh Annual Great El Paso-Las Cruces Subway Restaurants Fitness Challenge ran from Feb. 23 to April 5, encouraging elementary students in the area to get active and eat healthy. Throughout the six-week challenge, students tracked their daily physical activity, whether it was walking or riding their bike to school, or after-school activities or sports.

The top three performing schools with the most

physically active students have been determined, and the local owners of El Paso-Las Cruces Subway restau-rants are excited to announce East Picacho Elementary, Milam Elementary and Kohlberg Elementary as the winning schools in The Seventh Annual Great El Paso-Las Cruces Subway Restaurants Fitness Challenge. For their participation and success, East Picacho Elementary, Milam Elementary, and Kohlberg Elementary each have won $2,000 from local Subway Restaurants to be used toward the purchase of new exercise equipment. Award assemblies to recognize participating students, teacher, and administrators in the top performing schools were held in May.

More than 4,500 students and 309 classrooms par-ticipated this year in the fitness challenge. These students accumulated more than 9 million minutes.

For additional information on The Seventh Annual Great El Paso-Las Cruces Subway Restaurants Fitness Challenge, contact Niccole Kowalski at 800-955-3285 or [email protected].

National Small Business WeekToday, during National Small Business Week, U.S. Sens.

Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.), and U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), announced legislation to help business owners, who operate primarily out of their homes, deal with the often-complicated pro-cess of filing income taxes. The bipartisan Helping Our Middle Class Entrepreneurs (HOME) Act is the result of conversations with small business owners about ways the government can reduce red tape.

The HOME Act would make permanent a standard home-office deduction that allows business owners with home offices to take an optional deduction of $1,500 instead of weeding through burdensome paperwork. Without this legislation, the IRS could revert back to a system that forced many small business owners to strug-gle with calculating expenses, depreciation and carryovers on their homes. According to the National Federation of Independent Business, about a quarter of small busi-nesses nationwide are based in the home, and fewer than half take the deduction.

“New Mexico is home to more than 150,000 small business owners who drive our economy, and I’m com-mitted to doing everything I can do help them succeed,” Udall said.

“Small Business Week is a chance to celebrate their contributions to our state, which makes it the perfect time to announce this bipartisan legislation. The HOME Act is a common-sense bill that will cut red tape and em-power many entrepreneurs in New Mexico.”

The HOME Act is supported by the National Federation of Independent Business. Contacts: Jennifer Talhelm (Udall) 202-228-6870; Sara Lasure (Boozman) 202-224-4843; Gilbert Gallegos (Lujan Grisham) 202-225-6316.

Jackie Mitchell Edwards, CIMA®, CRPC®

Independent Branch Leader

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IT ALL STARTS WITH A VISIT TO THE LIBRARY!

HOURSMon – Thu

9 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Fri – Sat10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sun1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Closed Sundays in Summer(June - August)

575-528-4005 Reference • library.las-cruces.org200 E. Picacho Ave. • 575-528-4000

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JUNE 2015Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

5-7 p.m.New Member Orientation, St. Clair’s Winery & Bistro

4 p.m.Issues and Governmental Affairs

5:30-7:30 p.m.LCYP First Friday Sonoma Palms Apartments

7:30 a.mMilitary Affairs

NoonMember Advisory

4 p.m.Las Cruces Day in Santa Fe Committee Meeting

9 a.m.Las Cruces Young Professionals

5:30-8 p.m.Good Evening Las Cruces, Double Eagle

9 a.m.Commercial Space

11 p.m.Finance

8:30-9 a.m.LCYP Caffeinated Conversations, The Bean

3:30 p.m.Executive

7:30 a.m.Education

4 p.m.Healthcare Committee

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.Health Update Luncheon, Las Cruces Convention Center

8 a.m.-5 p.m.Leadership Las Cruces – Community Topics

4 p.m.Board of Directors

Noon-1 p.m.DACC Class – Social Media Markting, DACC Workforce Center

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Political candidates receive training - Las Cruces a true bargain. ... U.S. Chamber of Commerce for best ... Treasurer/Secretary Brandy Darden Century Bank At-Large Member Rico Gonzales