NEWS Fed economist: Local news and entertainment since 1969 Mixed report for Las Cruces economy page 3 Las Cruces Transportation Entertainment YOUR RIDE. YOUR WAY. Zooey Deschanel and June 11 - 17, 2021 Michael Bolton host Las Cruces Shuttle – Taxi “The Celebrity Dating Charter – Courier Guide Game,” premiering Veteran Owned and Operated Monday on ABC. Since 1985. A&E Inside Call us to make a reservation today! We are Covid-19 Safe-Practice Compliant Call us at 800-288-1784 or for more details visit www.lascrucesshuttle.com2 x 5.5” ad FRIDAY, INNOVATIVE JUNE 11, 2021 PHARMACY SOLUTIONS! I Volume 54, Number 24 Providing local, full-service pharmacy needs for all types of facilities. • Long-term care I lascrucesbulletin.com • Assisted Living • DD Waiver • Skilled Nursing • Hospice and more Call us today! 575-288-1412 ‘The Celebrity Dating Game’ Ask your provider if they utilize the many benefits of RX Innovations, such as: Blister or multi-dose packaging, OTC’s & FREE Delivery. Learn more about what we do at gives new voice to Michael Bolton www.rxinnovationslc.net2 x 4” ad Artist takes ‘crazy dive’ to explore his passion page 18 WELLBEING Health experts work on ways to team up page 26 SPORTS NMSU sports looks Dog has its day for an edge with beer, salsa Irene and Michelle Williams, front office supervisor at the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley, are on hand for the May 27 groundbreaking at the facility, page 30 3551 Bataan Memorial Highway. The $9.8 million project will provide not only more space for the facility but also upgrades for the Rinconada and Burn Lake dog parks. Irene has been adopted but there are many other animals looking for people to take them home. See page 28 for more on the story. BULLETIN PHOTO BY ELVA K. ÖSTERREICH 2 | FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2021 LAS CRUCES BULLETIN LAS CRUCES BULLETIN NEWS FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2021 | 3 FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF DALLAS, EL PASO BRANCH, GRAPHICS Local consumer spending shows increase, El Paso Federal Reserve official says Antiques, Collectibles, Furniture, Jewelry, Gifts Gently UsedAntiques, FurnitureCollectibles, Furniture, Jewelry,Appreciated! Gifts By MIKE COOK He said the “sub- 19 has been the retail sales. And, despite Gently Used Furniture Appreciated! COME SHOP OURTuesdays LARGE are SELECTION 20% Senior Discount OF ANTIQUEDay! JEWELRY! Las Cruces Bulletin stantial fiscal region’s number supply-chain interrup- Tuesdays areDONATE 20% SHOPSenior SUPPORT Discount Day! Mesilla Valley Hospice stimulus injected one economic tions caused by the pan- DONATE106 S. WaterSHOP St. • 575-202-7351 SUPPORT Consumer spending in into the U.S. indicator for the demic, the services and T-F 10am-4pm, Sat 10am-2pm MesillaMesilla emporiumlc.comValley Valley HospiceHospice Las Cruces is now higher economy” be- past 14 months. manufacturing sectors 106 106S. WaterS. Water St.St. •• 575-202-7351575-202-7351 than it was before the cause of the pan- The pandemic of the local economy are T-F 10am-4pm,Wed-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat Sat 10am-2pm pandemic, Federal Re- demic may help also has im- improving, he said. emporiumlc.comemporiumlc.com serve Bank of Dallas, El keep consumer ROBERT A. pacted mobility Coronado said unem- Paso Branch, Senior Vice spending up. CORONADO among Las Cru- ployment in Las Cruces President in Charge and The figures ces residents, has “increased substan- Senior Economist Ro- Coronado presented in Coronado said, which tially in the wake of the berto A. Coronado, Ph.D., his update on the Las he said was 26 percent panic,” and now stands told the Mesilla Valley Cruces economy and below where it had been at 7.9 percent, compared Comfort. Economic Development his predictions for its before the pandemic to 6.7 percent in Texas, Alliance’s (MVEDA) vir- future — what MVEDA started. But, like other 8.1 percent for New tual forum on June 1. President and CEO Davin economic measures, it Mexico as a whole and Compassion. Coronado said con- Lopez called “the crystal has begun to pick back 9 percent for the rest of sumer spending in Las ball … for the economy up, he said. southern New Mexico. Cruces is 4.2 percent of southern New Mex- The federal stimulus The national unemploy- Love. higher than it was when ico” — were a mixed bag has boosted income ment rate is 6.1 percent, the pandemic began in of good and not-so-good, levels, Coronado said, he said. mid-March 2020, and up hopeful and uncertain. which has helped create 4.8 percent for the state. Coronado said Covid- a “very strong spike” in SEE SPENDING, PAGE 4 WelcomingNew Patients! Nicole OswaltGarcia, NP Pediatrics We’re a Safe Zone from the Construction Blues! FAMILY CARE ANDPEDIATRICS 2405 STelshor Blvd. Free Con Sugo 575-532-1001 one per person with $30 purchase www.MVHospice.org ExpiresExpires 12-31-2020 12-31-2021 V45095 LOCAL PRODUCTS · GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE 575-523-4700 We accept Medicare, Medicaid, LC1-L UNIQUE FOODS · QUALITY PRODUCTS 299 Montana Ave., Tricare, CentennialCare and PLU 7117 most privateinsurances. 1701 #1 E. UNIVERSITY AVE. • 521.3003 Las Cruces 4 | FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2021 NEWS LAS CRUCES BULLETIN FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF DALLAS, EL PASO BRANCH, GRAPHICS SPENDING last few months, he said. to buy their first homes? will “remain at the cur- which “has been ex- prove, we’ll see maybe a The increased demand “We’re tracking that,” rent level for quite some tremely hard hit in this stronger comeback,” he CONTINUED FROM 3 for homes may be coming he said. “There may be time,” with spikes pos- pandemic,” he said. The said. from investors “buying more to it that we need to sible in 2022 or 2023. state also has suffered Lopez said the June The local housing mar- mortgage-backed securi- start thinking about.” New Mexico as a whole because of a Covid-in- forum is the last one ket is very strong, Coro- ties,” he said. Coronado said supply- is one of the slowest duced reduction in travel MVEDA will hold vir- nado said, even though “To what extent has chain interruptions growing states since the and tourism, which are tually, with the lunch supply disruptions have that stimulated some caused by Covid-19 and onset of the pandemic, major parts of New Mex- gatherings returning in- caused price increases. of the pent-up demand the resulting increase in Coronado said. ico’s economy, Coronado person in July. The cost of lumber, for for housing?” Coronado the price of some goods That is partly because said. Visit www.mveda.com example, has tripled or said, and is it “crowding could boost inflation. He of its “dependency on “My hope is that as and www.dallasfed.org/ even quadrupled in the out” families who want said interest rates likely the energy sector,” things continue to im- elpaso.aspx. DACC Has a Place for You More options Flexible classes Less time Less debt Enroll Today Summer and Fall 2021 Local Affordable Accredited Online 575-527-7710 dacc.nmsu.edu LAS CRUCES BULLETIN NEWS FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2021 | 5 Young entrepreneurs learn to create, research, sell in Acton Academy’s annual business fair By MIKE COOK Las Cruces Bulletin “We definitely took lemons and made lem- onade out of them,” Acton Academy Mesilla Valley (AAMV) founder Anna Biad said about the school’s annual Las Cru- ces Children’s Business Fair, which continues through June 17 at www. kidsbusinessmarket.org. The fair began in 2016, when AAMV opened, Biad said, but was can- Acton Academy Mesilla Valley Discovery West (third and BULLETIN PHOTOS BY MIKE COOK celled last year and had fourth grades) competition winners were: left to right, Cooper Award-winning Acton Academy Mesilla Valley entrepreneurs are, left to right, front row: to be held entirely online Gandy, first place; Juliet Martinez, second place; and Emerson Cooper Gandy, Holden Abrams, Juliet Martinez, Piper Gandy and Emerson Phillips; back row: this year because of Phillips, third place. All three are 9 years old. Henry Tatum, Lexi Schwartz, Lilah Berkson and Mary Hadrian. Covid-19. But that didn’t stop about 60 of the During the sale, you games, cosmetics, bath molds, facemasks, tic tac ing $10 or less. needed, pitched it to an school’s students, ages 6 will find clothing, jew- products, mugs, stick- toe rocks, a 3D-printed Each student entrepre- investor, Biad said. to 16, from creating prod- elry, woodwork, candles, ers, pottery, slime, craft self-watering planter, neur participating in the A shark-tank panel ucts to sell this year. books, art (including an sets, a bouncy-ball kit, Flex-Rex dinosaurs, toys fair chose his or her own of judges looked at each The array of items original coloring book essential oils, greeting and more. product, researched and “business” and rated it available is “incredibly and abstract crystal cards, keychains, storage Prices range from $3 to created it, priced it and, diverse,” Biad said. paintings), homemade trays, pet leashes, rubber $40, with most items cost- if financial backing was SEE YOUNG, PAGE 17 6 | FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2021 OPINION LAS CRUCES BULLETIN Take advantage of summer’s ‘golden hour’ 1740-A Calle de Mercado, In late May and early June we ing for getting the blood flowing. kitchen, having the dog around Gets your day off to a good start Las Cruces NM 88005 were lucky to have some cooler And when it’s warm, but not too can be nice. Add five points if and makes your brain clearer PHONE: 575-524-8061 days, clouds and a little variety warm, and you have beautiful your dog enables you to meet a and your mood better.