So long, 2017 Local news and entertainment since 1969 The Year in Review Honoring NEWS women veterans FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2017 I Volume 49, Number 52 I lascrucesbulletin.com page 21 New projects, new elected offi cials page 3 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT A year in music, theatre, fi lm page 35 BUSINESS A new life at Armijo page 54 SPORTS THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE The La Entrada city monu- named, has also been returned the first black mayor in New walls that commemorate the Aggies we’re going ment, which hadn’t been on to its rightful place after its Mexico, according to “Black arrival of Spanish culture into public view for more than a removal in 2017 to prevent any America: A State by State His- the Mesilla Valley,” according to miss (and some decade, was restored to Albert damage during La Entrada’s torical Encyclopedia.” to las-cruces.blogspot.com. The we won’t) Johnson Park in December. The reconstruction. Restored by Las Cruces art- monument’s colorful tiles come page 61 statue of Albert Johnson, fore- Johnson was mayor of Las ist Tony Pennock, La Entrada from Lerdo, Mexico, Las Cru- ground, for whom the park is Cruces from 1986-90, and was “consists of two half-circle ces’ sister city. 2 | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2017 NEWS LAS CRUCES BULLETIN Content brought to you by: Doña Ana County ‘Your Partner in Progress’ Weekly trainings enhance safety Every other Monday, Doña Ana County’s work- The county also has seen an average decrease in The RAP program is an on-going educational op- force gathers in training rooms and conference areas to auto claims by 25 percent and about a 40 percent re- portunity to keep safety in daily conversations, allows learn techniques and strategies designed to enhance duction in the number of law-enforcement claims. input from the employees to tailor the program to spe- safety and operational efficiency. The RAP program empowers employees to correct cific departmental needs. The bi-weekly sessions last about 15 minutes each hazards immediately and report those that they cannot Specialized RAP trainings are frequently presented and are called RAP Sessions: Ready! Active! Positive! correct themselves. It has improved internal communi- to employees in the detention center, sheriff’s and Since their inception in 2007, the county has seen acci- cation and collaboration between departments to im- roads departments. Those sessions address specific dents and on-the-job injuries steadily decline, which prove safety and service to the public. areas of concern, all in keeping with the county’s mis- has translated not only into insurance-premium savings Many of these RAP sessions are recorded and are sion statement and guiding principles. from year to year but a more productive and effective available for play- back by all employees as a ready The N.M. Assoc. of Counties uses Doña Ana Coun- workforce. reference for risk control and safety. ty’s RAP program as an example for others to emulate. Doña Ana County’s offices will be Free app allows residents closed Dec. 29 and Jan. 1 to report illegal dump sites Let’s clean up Doña Ana County for 2018! Doña Ana County residents can dis- creetly and anonymously report illegal dump sites directly from their smartphones. “No Throw” is available on both the iOS and Android market. The free app allows users to keep Doña Ana County beautiful by snapping a photo of an ille- gal dump site. After a few short steps, the photo and location of the dump site is reported to Doña Ana County Codes En- forcement officials using the phone’s GPS location. To download the app, enter “Doña Ana County” in the app store search bar. As always, illegal dumping can also Please celebrate safely! be reported by calling 1-877-NO- THROW. JOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! December 29, 2017 Visit our award-winning website at www.donaanacounty.org, or contact us at (575) 647-7200 LAS CRUCES BULLETIN NEWS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2017 | 3 YEAR IN REVIEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT City and county gov- October. He is currently nifer Bales, who has 182 cities, including the ernment underwent a completing his second been with the CVB for 150 most-populated cities number of changes in four-year term on the more than 11 years, was in the country in three 2017, as the area contin- Doña Ana County Com- named its new executive key areas, to determine ued its growth and devel- mission. director. the rankings: home and opment. State Rep. Bill McCam- City Manager Stuart community safety, finan- The city created two ley, D- Doña Ana, hopes Ed also created a new cial safety and natural- new departments to con- to become the next state Quality of Life Depart- disaster risk. El Paso, solidate and improve ser- auditor. ment, with David Maes- Texas ranked 38th in the vices, and also received McCamley announced tas tapped as its director. review. Albuquerque was several state and national his candidacy a day after Ed also named Donald 112th. awards for its 2017 opera- former Auditor Tim Bustos as the city’s first- Las Cruces has the tion. Personnel changes Keller was elected mayor ever business concierge largest job growth in include a retiring police of Albuquerque. Gov. Su- to assist new and existing the state, and recently chief who will be re- sana Martinez appointed businesses with licens- overtook Albuquerque placed in January and former Bernalillo County ing, permitting and other as the largest worldwide several new city depart- Commissioner Wayne issues. exporter of New Mexico ment directors. Johnson to replace Keller The city also hired goods. until the 2018 election. former Las Cruces gen- Las Cruces has Johnson will likely run in eral contractor Larry SalsaFest evolves statewide, regional the Republican primary Nichols as the city’s new The ninth annual Sal- candidates for the office, and is the community development saFest, sponsored by the There are a number of first Republican to serve director. Las Cruces Downtown Las Crucens running for as state auditor since Partnership in August, statewide and district- 1970. Clifton F. Thacker City wins state, national was different from previ- awards ous years’ events. wide office in 2018. McCamley was elected for that first two-year Police chief retires State Sen. Joseph Cer- to the New Mexico House Earlier this year, Las Inst ead of a salsa- term held by former After four years as vantes, D-Doña Ana is of Representatives in Cruces was recognized tasting competition, the Cong. Ed Foreman (he Las Cruces police chief, one of four Democrats 2012 and re-elected in by WalletHub, a personal event became a one- also served one term in Jaime Montoya retired running for governor in 2014 and 2016. He served finance website, as the night salsa music event Congress representing Dec. 23. the Democratic primary. a single four-year term best-run city in New on the downtown plaza El Paso, 1962-64), the Montoya, 51, joined the Incumbent Republican on the Doña Ana County seat has been occupied Mexico and the sixth-best that also included food Las Cruces Police Depart- Gov. Susana Martinez Commission before los- by residents of Lea and in the nation. trucks with a twist of ment as a patrolman in is the former Doña Ana ing narrowly in the 2008 Lincoln counties. Except Las Cruces has the salsa in the menu. 1991. Montoya said he County district attorney. Democratic primary for for a single two-year term most transparent city plans to stay in Las Cru- New Animal Services She was the fourth and New Mexico’s district (2008-10), the seat has government in state, ac- ces, his hometown, but Cervantes would be the two U.S. House seat. He been held by a Republi- cording to the New Mex- Center director hasn’t decided on future fifth New Mexico gover- also lost in a close to Re- can since 1980. ico Foundation for Open announced plans. nor from Las Cruces. publican Ben Hall in the Former Las Cruces Government (NMFOG). The Animal Services Cervantes, part of a 2010 New Mexico Public state Sen. Steve Fis- Patrick G. Gallagher, In 2017, the city moved Center of the Mesilla fourth-generation Mesilla Regulatory Commission chmann, a Democrat, who currently serves as from fourth place state- Valley (ASCMV) board Valley farming family, is district five race. has announced he will police chief in Santa Fe, wide, with a ranking of of directors announced in his second term in the Democrats Tony Mar- run for New Mexico will become the new chief 68 out of 100 possible in November that Clifton state Senate. He previ- tinez and David Baake Public Regulation Com- of police in January. points from NMFOG, F. “Clint” Thacker of ously served 12 years in of Las Cruces have an- mission district five. The to No. 1, with 90 of 100 Layton, Utah will be- the New Mexico House of nounced their candida- seat is currently held by New city departments points. come the next executive Representatives and also cies for New Mexico’s Democrat Sandy Jones of As part of a reorganiza- In December, Walle- director of ASCMV. was a county commis- second district U.S. House Truth or Consequences. tion of city government a tHub announced that Las Thacker was among sioner. seat. Incumbent Republi- Fischmann defeated number of functions were Cruces ranks as the 32nd five finalists who inter- Billy Garrett hopes to can Steve Pearce is run- incumbent state Sen. consolidated into a new safest city in the U.S.