NEWS Local news and entertainment since 1969 Bottom Line Inside Refurbished FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021 I Volume 54, Number 34 I lascrucesbulletin.com apartments combat homelessness page 4 A&E Cast of ‘Harvey’ a true family affair page 22 WELLBEING Wake of the flood Hospital dedicates BULLETIN PHOTO BY ELVA K. ÖSTERREICH chapel to longtime U.S. Highway 70 was shut down all day Saturday, Aug. 14, while repairs were done to mitigate rain and flood damage, including collapsed pavement and mud across the road. Opening late Saturday night, the road was still down a southbound lane when this photo was taken Sunday, Aug. 15. One of the main corridors for pastoral care chief northeast-bound New Mexico traffic and for White Sands Missile Range, this is the second time the highway through San Augustin Pass has been closed because page 34 of flood damage this monsoon season. For more on the impact that flooding has had in Doña Ana County, see the story on page 2. 2 | FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021 NEWS LAS CRUCES BULLETIN La Union families escape homes ahead of floodwaters By ELVA K. ÖSTERREICH Union in southern Doña Moses said. “The last one Las Cruces Bulletin Ana County was deluged to climb was my brother. by rain and flooding in Then, the wall came The Aguirre home floor which several resident down. The water was like is a plane of slippery, families found themselves a little tsunami.” sticky mud. Everything is in trouble and fearing for He went on to say the covered with the stuff. A their lives. house was uninsured dirt-colored water line can “So, the wall collapsed because last time, in 2013, be seen on the walls, cur- while we were walking my they had been covered by tains and all the furniture, mom out,” Viramontes insurance but the insur- almost a yard high where said. “We called 911 and ance refused to pay out the most recent La Union said, ‘We need help. We for flood damage. So what flood rushed into the are trapped inside with was the point, Moses said. house and stayed a while. water coming up,’ but After the 2013 flood, then Patricia Viramontes they couldn’t come. There Gov. Susanna Martinez said her mother, father were problems every- had visited the area to and sister lived in the where. By the time they view the damage and home, which her father got here, we were already promised to fix the prob- had built 31 years earlier. on the street.” lem and rebuild the dam- Now, suddenly, the home Moses Aguirre, brother ages. It never happened, is unlivable and unlikely to homeowner Guillermo Moses said. to ever function as a home Aguirre, also tells a tale of This time, Lt. Gov. again. Its instability can the flood. Howie Morales was on be seen as one of the walls The family was escap- hand to visit with families visibly gave way under ing through a window and view the damage that the pressure of the water when the wall was collaps- had occurred. State Reps. and is canted over. ing. Doreen Gallegos and Ray- It was Thursday and “We were running back mundo Lara, as well as Friday, Aug. 12 and 13, to the ladder (to the win- that the community of La dow) before the collapse,” SEE FLOODWATERS, PAGE 3 BULLETIN PHOTO BY ELVA K. ÖSTERREICH The Aguirre family kitchen will likely never see a meal cooked in it again as the home seems damaged beyond repair following the La Union floods. LAS CRUCES BULLETIN NEWS FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021 | 3 Elephant Butte Irrigation District helping with flood cleanup BULLETIN REPORT use the district’s rights of dated with floodwater,” corrals. It’s going to be a com, “When the supply EBID had loaned to help way to access their homes Esslinger said. very busy week, just try- of oxygen is cut off to the drain the fields. Elephant Butte Irriga- and fields. “We are using our canal ing to address the wash- [cotton] plant and the field “Hopefully we will get tion District Manager District employees were and drain system to drain ins and keep our pumps is in standing water, the a break in the weather,” Gary Esslinger said the busy hauling dirt and flooded fields. We are running,” Esslinger plant can die in as little as Esslinger said. “Our flood- district was busy over the shuttling equipment to working on trying to drain added. 36 hours.” control system worked weekend answering calls repair flood-damaged in- the fields below La Union On Dosi Alvarez’ farm Two of Alvarez’ long- well and we were able to about dangerous wash- frastructure. in order to help get the in La Union, orchards and time farm crew, Lorenzo capture floodwater and re- in’s into La Union drains “We also sent out our water off the crops as well cotton fields were stand- Esquivel and Ramon Cha- charge the aquifer and put that were causing prob- battery of pumps to help as removed from around ing in floodwater. Accord- varria, raced the clock as a lot of the stormwater in lems for those trying to farmers who were inun- streets, homes, barns and ing to the farmprogress. they monitored the pumps our system.” munity’s behalf to provide dents showed the officials FLOODWATERS some type of resources for who were visiting the site. CONTINUED FROM 2 them.” Also, he was affected During the drive from by the gratitude they La Union back to Las had that their loved ones Doña Ana County Sheriff Cruces, Morales spent didn’t lose their lives. Kim Stewart and Kelly his time on his phone “All the material things Hamilton, deputy secre- doing exactly that. He said can be replaced but there tary of the New Mexico county and state govern- is sadness that their Department of Homeland ments are unable to di- family homes were de- Security and Emergency rectly provide relief funds stroyed,” Morales said. Management, also were because the damage is on “I was specifically on hand to view the dam- private property and there moved by the story of age. are antidonation clauses one of the daughters who Morales pledged to in place. started school this week find help for the families But while long-term at New Mexico State Uni- whose homes were badly solutions are being ex- versity but wasn’t able to damaged like the Aguirres plored, from FEMA to the attend because her car and their neighbors on Army Core of Engineers, wouldn’t start because of both sides. he also connected with the the damage. These fami- “It was extremely heart- Community Foundation lies have lost everything breaking to see what these of Southern New Mexico but still have that gener- families have endured in which set up a fundrais- ous-giving spirit.” the past few days,” Mo- BULLETIN PHOTO BY ELVA K. ÖSTERREICH ing link for the families Hugo Cruz, part of the rales said following the La Union residents sit on their stoop Monday following the devastating floods that over- at cfsnm.fcsuite.com/ Aguirre family, said the La Union tour. “But this whelmed their homes and lives with mud flows last week. erp/donate/create?funit_ flood was a horrible expe- is not new to them. They id=3112. rience. have experienced that trated that it happened be here to experience the help advocate on their be- He said he was touched “Mother nature is a in the past and are frus- again. It was important to impacts, that way I can half as well as on the com- by the gratitude the resi- beast,” he said. WelcomingNew Patients! Nicole OswaltGarcia, NP Pediatrics Looking for Toucan? Follow the Cranes! Shop Our Labor Day Sale! 50% Off Most Items! FAMILY CARE ANDPEDIATRICS AUG. 25 - SEPT. 4 2405 STelshor Blvd. $ 575-532-1001 10 OFF Mesilla Valley Hospice Purchase of $50 or more V45095 LimitLimit oneone couponcoupon perper visit per customer; not vaildvalid with any other offers oror discounts.discounts. ExpiresExpires DecemberDecember 31,31, 2020.2021. 106 S. Water St. • 575-202-7351 • emporiumlc.com LOCAL PRODUCTS · GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE Wed-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat 10am-2pm We accept Medicare, Medicaid, LC1-L UNIQUE FOODS · QUALITY PRODUCTS Tricare, CentennialCare and PLU 7110 most privateinsurances. 1701 #1 E. UNIVERSITY AVE. • 521.3003 4 | FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021 NEWS LAS CRUCES BULLETIN Apartment complex helps 40 Las Crucens escape homlessness By MIKE COOK apartment complex on ceremony for the Desert Las Cruces Bulletin Pecos Street was officially Hope Apartments, 1310 opened and will be the Pecos St.. The mayor said “We will end homeless- new home to people who the Rawson family has ness for 40 people in Las had been living in shelters donated nearby land so a Cruces,” Mesilla Valley or on the street. second phase of the proj- Community of Hope “This is really a great, ect can get underway. (MVCH) Executive Direc- great accomplishment,” “When we come to- tor Nicole Martinez said Mayor Ken Miyagishima gether, we can really do Aug. 5 as a refurbished said at the grand opening some wonderful things,” Las Cruces City Coun- cilor Gabriel Vasquez This Month’s said. The housing project is located in city council “Investment” Tip district 3, which Vasquez Ronald W. Cavill, CFP ® represents. He called the apartments “a rose in the desert.” Come out & see a live play! With the groundbreak- ing taking place about a BULLETIN PHOTOS BY MIKE COOK year ago, the project was Las Cruces The Desert Hope Apartments, 1310 Pecos St., is a joint partnership among a handful of agen- completed on time and cies and is designed to help 40 people escape being homeless.