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Mountain Dispatch: Spring Edition

Catch up with Cloudcroft: What's new, what's open, what's next
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Where Firefighters Are Made: Sacramento Mountains Wildfire Academy
Cloudcroft Fire Department Volunteer Hilary Kitzman and SMWA graduate Dakota Moon give an inside look at the Academy
Fugitive wanted in Alamogordo hit-and-run death arrested in Cloudcroft
After working locally under an assumed name, Zackary Swafford was arrested by local law enforcement on Saturday, March 28, on charges stemming from a…
 • Hannah Dean
New Rule Greets Shed Antler Hunters This Season
The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish now requires non-residents to purchase a license to hunt shed antlers
 • Drew Gaines
Village Meeting Recap; Insider Look: 1899; Pickleball Court Repairs; FireWise, and More
Follow the story with the Reader, the Voice of the Mountain.
 • Reader Staff
Upcoming Powell Interview; Business Updates; Reader Reels, and More
Follow the story with the Reader, the Voice of the Mountain.
 • Reader Staff
Fire Restrictions; Rain; Cloudy's; Easter, and More
Follow the story with the Reader, the Voice of the Mountain.
 • Reader Staff
What Do You Want in A Cloudcroft Grocery Store?
Take this short survey. The new village grocery store wants to hear from you.
 • Reader Staff
Making Firefighters; Unmasked: Fugitive Arrested in Cloudcroft; New Rules for Shed Hunting, and More
Follow the story with the Reader, the Voice of the Mountain.
 • Reader Staff
9:41
VIDEO * A Kitchen Reborn: One Chef’s Mission to Restore Fine Dining at The Lodge — and Train Who Comes Next
Fresh fare, elbow grease and ghost busting: How Chef Richard Lepree resurrects an iconic restaurant
 • Drew Gaines
Village Approves Returning PD Hire; Fire Risk Moved to HIGH; Egg Hunt Announced, and More
Follow the story with the Reader, the Voice of the Mountain.
 • Reader Staff
Council Hires Familiar Face for Second Police Officer. Plus, Higher Trash Rates and a Fiscal Roadmap Update
The Village Council worked through a full agenda, unanimously approving several items, including a new police hire, rate adjustments, grant…
 • Hannah Dean
Taking Aim: Cloudcroft Schools Launch New Archery Program
NM Game & Fish Officer Anthony Chavez introduces NASP-- the National Archery in the Schools Program--to Cloudcroft
 • Hannah Dean
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#top

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Rear View: Top 2025 Stories
With this year in the rear-view mirror, what stories did Readers, well...read? Plus, the Reader team makes our picks.
 • Hannah Dean and Chris Hearne
Wiley Wins Mayor Race; CHS Cross Country Goes to State; Prescribed Fire; FY24 VoC Audit Results, and More
Every trail tells a story. Stay informed with the Reader, the Voice of the Mountain.
 • Reader Staff
Cloudcroft Woman Arrested in Wichita County, Texas on Murder Charges
Deana Thetford was booked into the Wichita County Jail on charges of murder and tampering with evidence
 • Hannah Dean and Drew Gaines
Two Sides of a Soured Deal: Defense Responds to Allegations in Apple Barn Lawsuit and Makes Some of Their Own
With new court filings and a judge’s receivership decision, we revisit the Old Apple Barn Lawsuit to hear what the defense has to say
 • Chris Hearne and Drew Gaines
Workshopping Cloudcroft's Water Challenges
The Village of Cloudcroft Council meets with CDM Smith engineering firm, Public Works, and concerned citizens to discuss water issues
 • Hannah Dean
54:17
Cloudcroft's Murky Accounting
Village administration discovers it's been living in a financial fog
 • Hannah Dean and Chris Hearne
Cloudcroft's Fire Chief Shares Village Emergency Alert Plan
As the South Fork and Salt Fires burn to our North, and thousands of people remain evacuated, Fire and EMS Chief Wuersching reminds Cloudcroft Village…
 • Hannah Dean and Chris Hearne
Ruidoso Fire Believed 'Intentional'
Cloudcroft Mayor says Cloudcroft stands by to help Ruidoso however possible and is working to prepare the Village if ever such an event occurs here.
 • Hannah Dean and Chris Hearne

#lodging

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9:41
VIDEO * A Kitchen Reborn: One Chef’s Mission to Restore Fine Dining at The Lodge — and Train Who Comes Next
Fresh fare, elbow grease and ghost busting: How Chef Richard Lepree resurrects an iconic restaurant
 • Drew Gaines
What's Out There? Sacramento Camp & Conference Center
Take a look at the secluded haven in Sacramento, New Mexico, with the Reader
 • Hannah Dean
Village News: Lodger’s Tax and P+Z Meetings, Interim Budget
The Lodger's Tax funding ask, P+Z open seat, and the Village gets the interim budget in on time.
 • Hannah Dean
Hotel Cloudcroft on Burro ‘Closer to Opening’: Water Pressure Test Truck-In Scheduled at ‘No Cost to Village’
The newly remodeled hotel plans to open soon after passing tests and inspections, date TBA.
 • Hannah Dean
Cloudcroft Village Trustee Gail McCoy Shares Her Journey
Trustee, fitness instructor, B&B owner, and great-grandma Gail McCoy sits down with Cloudcroft Reader Senior Editor Hannah Dean to share her life story…
 • Hannah Dean
Cloudcroft Reader’s Lodging Guide: Part Two
Meet the owners, take a video tour, and plan your stay on the mountain with part two of our user-friendly guide.
 • Drew Gaines
Rebecca's Final Chapter
Ghost of Rebecca will no longer haunt fine dining at The Lodge as Cloudcroft resort rebrands its showcase restaurant, introduces new menu
 • Drew Gaines
The Lodge at Cloudcroft: A Century-Old Icon's Renaissance
Owner Joe Duncan shares the journey of restoring a mountain gem.
 • Chris Hearne

#water

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Village Meeting Recap; Insider Look: 1899; Pickleball Court Repairs; FireWise, and More
Follow the story with the Reader, the Voice of the Mountain.
 • Reader Staff
Council Hires Familiar Face for Second Police Officer. Plus, Higher Trash Rates and a Fiscal Roadmap Update
The Village Council worked through a full agenda, unanimously approving several items, including a new police hire, rate adjustments, grant…
 • Hannah Dean
Last Night's Village Meeting; Pineywoods Update; Meet Robin Faux, and More
Follow the story with the Reader, the Voice of the Mountain.
 • Reader Staff
Cloudcroft Stops Hauling Water: Plus, Key Takeaways from Last Night’s Meeting
Council also approves $738K equipment grant, $47K in lodgers tax funding to the Chamber of Commerce, employee raises, and begins planning for wastewater…
 • Hannah Dean
He Fell Waist-Deep Into a Hole. That's How Pineywoods Estates Residents in High Rolls Found Their Water Leak.
The Sacramento Mountains community faced a water crisis during heavy snowfall. Some residents have had service restored, with a boil advisory in effect…
 • Hannah Dean
Big Leak Found, Fixed; New Podcast; Snow Removal Program; P+Z Gains; Winter Storm Fern, and More
Follow the story with the Reader, the Voice of the Mountain.
 • Reader Staff
Public Works Finds the "Big One"
Contractor McKim & Creed helps locate a massive water leak on Columbine Blvd. in Cloudcroft. The Village water department fixes it.
 • Hannah Dean
Storm Batters Cloudcroft; Water News; NM Downwinders Eligible for RECA; Recommended Reading, and More
Follow the story with the Reader, the Voice of the Mountain.
 • Reader Staff

#school

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Taking Aim: Cloudcroft Schools Launch New Archery Program
NM Game & Fish Officer Anthony Chavez introduces NASP-- the National Archery in the Schools Program--to Cloudcroft
 • Hannah Dean
Sunspot Closed Indefinitely; Bears Continue in Playoffs; Crinklaw in Antarctica; Meet Beth Merrell, and More
Follow the story with the Reader, the Voice of the Mountain.
 • Reader Staff
Cloudcroft’s December School Board Meeting: Takeaways
What'd you miss at last night's Board of Education meeting?
 • Hannah Dean
Basketball and Bonfires: A Cloudcroft December Weekend
Photos of the Mountain Top Tournament and annual winter Ullr Fest at the ice rink
 • Hannah Dean
Wiklund Talks Ice Rink; Your Council-Elect; Phone-Free School; Veterans Day; Cool Investment in Cloudcroft, and More
Every trail tells a story. Stay informed with the Reader, the Voice of the Mountain.
 • Reader Staff
7:47
Phone-free Classrooms in Cloudcroft
Cloudcroft Middle School saw a sharp rise in academic proficiency after locking away phones. Educators and researchers are watching to see if the…
Wiley Wins Mayor Race; CHS Cross Country Goes to State; Prescribed Fire; FY24 VoC Audit Results, and More
Every trail tells a story. Stay informed with the Reader, the Voice of the Mountain.
 • Reader Staff
Fall in Cloudcroft: Photo Essay
See this classic October Cloudcroft weekend through pics of the school Fall Festival, Village Pumpkin Roll and parade, and more.
 • Hannah Dean

#villageCouncil

View all
Village Meeting Recap; Insider Look: 1899; Pickleball Court Repairs; FireWise, and More
Follow the story with the Reader, the Voice of the Mountain.
 • Reader Staff
Village Approves Returning PD Hire; Fire Risk Moved to HIGH; Egg Hunt Announced, and More
Follow the story with the Reader, the Voice of the Mountain.
 • Reader Staff
Council Hires Familiar Face for Second Police Officer. Plus, Higher Trash Rates and a Fiscal Roadmap Update
The Village Council worked through a full agenda, unanimously approving several items, including a new police hire, rate adjustments, grant…
 • Hannah Dean
Former Cloudcroft Mayor Michael Nivison Dies at Age 82
Nivison’s family, his brother Randy, and his widow Roxanne, share his story with the Reader
 • Hannah Dean
Cloudcroft Stops Hauling Water: Plus, Key Takeaways from Last Night’s Meeting
Council also approves $738K equipment grant, $47K in lodgers tax funding to the Chamber of Commerce, employee raises, and begins planning for wastewater…
 • Hannah Dean
Preview: Village Council Meeting Tuesday, Feb. 17th
What's on the agenda and where to find the livestream
 • Hannah Dean and Chris Hearne
Big Leak Found, Fixed; New Podcast; Snow Removal Program; P+Z Gains; Winter Storm Fern, and More
Follow the story with the Reader, the Voice of the Mountain.
 • Reader Staff
Cloudcroft's New Mayor Confronts Water, Budget in First Interview
Dusty Wiley discusses water leaks, frozen state grants, staffing, revenue, budget, and how he got here. Plus, WATCH: Jonny Coker interviews Wiley on the…
 • Hannah Dean and Jonny Coker
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