<![CDATA[Cloudcroft Reader]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!UtEJ!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe732187-1289-4594-a42a-87929a2092db_1024x1024.pngCloudcroft Readerhttps://www.cloudcroftreader.comSubstackThu, 29 Oct 2026 10:15:47 GMT<![CDATA[Screwworm Confirmed in Otero County Cow]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/screwworm-confirmed-in-otero-countyhttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/screwworm-confirmed-in-otero-countyWed, 28 Oct 2026 12:51:18 GMT
A map of Screwworm-Infested Zones in Southern NM from ScrewwormNM.org (Photo: NMSU Department of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources Facebook Page)

State officials have placed part of Otero County under livestock movement restrictions after confirming New World screwworm in a beef cow, the New Mexico Department of Agriculture said.

The department announced the case October 21. It was New Mexico’s fifth confirmed case since the parasite returned to the United States in June, the Santa Fe New Mexican and KOB-TV reported.

Officials set an infested zone with a radius of at least 12.4 miles around the cow’s location. Animals inside the zone must be inspected and, if necessary, treated before they move within or out of the area. State and federal officials are expanding surveillance and fly-trapping, the department said.

“Cold daytime temperatures can slow screwworm activity, but the risk is not completely eliminated,” Agriculture Secretary Jeff Witte said in the announcement.

Two days later, on Oct. 23, USDA confirmed two cases in cattle in Hudspeth County, Texas, which borders Otero County to the south, KTSM and KVIA reported.

What to Look For, Who to Call

The department advises owners of livestock and pets to watch for wounds that fail to heal or get worse, maggots in wounds, foul-smelling discharge and unusual irritation around an injury. Anyone who suspects screwworm should not move the animal and should call a veterinarian or the New Mexico Livestock Board at 505-841-6161. After hours, call the AgroGuard Hotline at 1-800-525-2782.

Sampling kits are available at the Otero County Extension Office, 401 Fairgrounds Road in Alamogordo, 575-437-0231. The state’s infested-zone map is at ScrewwormNM.org.

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]]><![CDATA[School Report Card; Otero County Screwworm; Events and More ]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/school-report-card-otero-county-screwwormhttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/school-report-card-otero-county-screwwormWed, 28 Oct 2026 12:50:29 GMT

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]]><![CDATA[Under the Influencer: The Waterfall Trail That Isn’t]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/under-the-influencer-the-waterfallhttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/under-the-influencer-the-waterfallSun, 25 Oct 2026 13:33:11 GMTBy Hilary Kitzman

Local responders have had six rescues this year alone from the off-trail waterfall that has surged in popularity online.
[ANALYSIS]

A popular waterfall trail near Cloudcroft, New Mexico, has led to multiple rescues of injured hikers.

Except it isn’t an actual trail, and Forest Service signage naming it an “illegal trail” keeps disappearing.

Viral Attraction

One scroll through the social media video platform TikTok, and videos tagged with Tunnel Vista Trail have racked up nearly a million views.

One problem: it isn’t a trail. And one wrong step could be perilous.

Just before the tunnel in the road that connects Alamogordo to Cloudcroft, the Tunnel Vista has long been a scenic pullout on U.S. Highway 82 — a place to park, take in sweeping views of the Tularosa Basin, and occasionally spot an elusive bighorn sheep on a ragged cliff.

But in the last few years, the quiet overlook has been transformed into one of Otero County’s most problematic rescue sites thanks almost entirely to social media.

TikTok and Instagram posts now portray Tunnel Vista as a casual adventure, a waterfall hike, or even a family-friendly trail. Save for the waterfall, none of that is true, according to the U.S. Forest Service and area emergency services.

According to the Forest Service, Tunnel Vista is not a trail by any definition. It is officially classified as an observation site, designed as a safe pullout for motorists.

The terrain beyond the fence is steep, unstable, and naturally unsuitable for trail construction, and the Forest Service has never maintained or sanctioned any route down into the canyon.

“Establishing a formal hiking route would require significant engineering, long-term maintenance, and extensive safety measures,” a Forest Service spokesperson said. “None of which align with the site’s intended purpose as a scenic viewpoint.”

Yet online, Tunnel Vista has become a viral attraction. A quick search shows more than 300 TikTok videos tagged with Tunnel Vista and Cloudcroft–with new videos cropping up all the time. Influencers and travel bloggers routinely post clips of people climbing over the fence, descending loose gravel slopes, and splashing in the waterfall below.

“I first learned about that trail back in 2009,” said avid hiker and NM Rails-to-Trails President Gary Truex. “Back then, not a lot of people knew about it. I haven’t taken my 14-year-old down there in two or three years. There are so many people now. There’s graffiti, trash — it’s just not the nice place it once was.”

The Forest Service says this surge in attention has created a new problem: visitors are removing signage. Flexible Carsonite posts stating “This is not a trail” are being pulled out almost weekly.

Visitors pull out official signage “almost weekly.”

Dangerous Assumptions

The path people follow down from the overlook is a user-created trail, worn in by repeated foot traffic. It is not planned, marked, or maintained. The Forest Service warns that the terrain remains “steep, loose, and hazardous, particularly for inexperienced hikers.”

Still, Tunnel Vista has become a magnet for visitors who assume that if others are doing it — especially online — it must be safe.

“There’s one spot along that trail that’s angled down and very slippery. Your feet can slip out from under you, and if that happens, you’re going straight to the bottom,” Truex said.

Former High Rolls Volunteer Fire Department Chief Guy Ross has seen this firsthand. “People just assume that because somebody else is doing it, they can do it too,” he said. “A lot of people go down there and jump off the waterfall.”

Ross estimates his department has responded to a dozen calls over the last two years from Tunnel Vista alone, ranging from broken ankles to head injuries.

Karen Rodriguez, High Rolls Volunteer Fire Department EMS Director, shared the department 2026 statistics.

“We’ve had six Tunnel Vista rescue calls since the beginning of the year, mostly involving visitors who were unprepared for the difficulty of the descent.” She added, “We find [the path] gets washed out with rain and rocks tend to shift, making it unpredictable.”

Some patients can walk out; others require rope systems, pulleys, and six or seven firefighters down below the highway in the canyon with two or three more on top. A rope rescue can add one to two hours to the response time.

“We’re probably the department that does more rope rescues than anybody,” Ross said. “You need the training. The terrain is dangerous.”

High Risk for the ’Gram

Matt Clark, Otero County’s emergency manager, shares similar concerns. “Calling it a ‘trail’ can give visitors the impression that it is easily accessible and suitable for a casual hike,” he said. “My concern is that people may underestimate the terrain or overestimate their abilities because they want a photograph or the experience.”

From an emergency management standpoint, Clark rates the risk as high:”The route into the canyon is not one I would recommend for a novice hiker,” he said. “Visitors need to consider both the descent and the physical demands of getting back out.”

“If the Forest Service puts up a sign, you need to respect that. There’s a reason why it’s there. People say, ‘If I fall, that’s my business.’ No, it’s not. If something happens, now the firefighters are at risk. The Forest Service is at risk. The people who have to pull you out of your bad decision are at risk,” Truex said.

Hazards include steep, uneven terrain, exposed edges, and the challenge of climbing back up after fatigue sets in.

Even accessing the overlook is risky: Tunnel Vista sits along a busy stretch of U.S. 82 with limited parking. “Traffic along U.S. 82 also presents a hazard when accessing the area,” Clark said. “Passing traffic creates additional risks for personnel working along the highway.”

Clark notes that rescues often require multiple agencies — volunteer fire districts, the Otero County Sheriff’s Office, American Medical Response (AMR), Forest Service law enforcement, and sometimes Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico State Police Search and Rescue, Native Air, or even the National Guard.

“These rescues can commit personnel and equipment for an extended period,” he said. “Drawing resources from neighboring districts can reduce their immediately available staffing.”

The Forest Service encourages visitors to stay in designated areas, pack out trash, and avoid vandalism. If unsafe behavior continues, “additional protective measures may be considered.”

Safety isn’t the only concern. The local nonprofit group Keep Cloudcroft Clean has removed graffiti from the site multiple times.

Ross believes clearer signage, or even a safer formal route, could help. But signs keep disappearing, and the Forest Service has said a sanctioned route isn’t in the cards.

Clark emphasizes preparation: “Know your limits and plan for the climb back out before you go down.”

Novice hikers may think twice before following a path worn in by strangers on the internet.

About Hilary Kitzman:

Local EMT, volunteer with the Cloudcroft VFD, and now Cloudcroft Reader and Mountain Monthly Multimedia Storyteller Hilary Kitzman is a movie producer. She and her husband Andy moved to Cloudcroft after living in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and spending nearly 20 years working in Hollywood and Los Angeles.

Her recent film, Wild Like Me, features inmates in an Arizona prison who train wild mustangs, finding “purpose and redemption”—a project she edited from Cloudcroft.

Wild Like Me streams on Great American Pure Flix and is available on Amazon Prime.

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]]><![CDATA[Cloudcroft Schools Report Card 2025-26]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/cloudcroft-schools-report-card-2025https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/cloudcroft-schools-report-card-2025Fri, 23 Oct 2026 20:39:37 GMT
Cloudcroft Elementary students enjoyed a field trip and made gains in their reading and math proficiency in 2025-26. (Photo: Cloudcroft Schools)

The results are in: Cloudcroft’s three schools earned a rating in the top 25% statewide. Data for the 2025-2026 school year was recently posted on NM Vistas, the Public Education Department’s school data site.

The district, which enrolls 382 students, beat state averages in science, student growth, graduation and attendance.

Fifty-two percent of students were proficient in science, compared with 33% statewide. Ninety-one percent graduated in four years, compared with 81% statewide. Cloudcroft’s median student ranked in the 73rd percentile for math growth, while the state average is the 50th percentile.

Cloudcroft Middle had the district’s highest school score, 78.5 out of 100. Seventy-one percent of its students were proficient in science and 53% in math.

Cloudcroft Elementary showed the biggest gains. Reading proficiency rose to 69% from 62%, and math to 45% from 36%.

Cloudcroft High kept its Spotlight rating, but its test scores fell. Reading proficiency dropped to 41% from 82%, and science to 38% from 71%.

Some gaps remain. About a quarter of students with disabilities were proficient in math and reading. The district’s six-year graduation rate fell to 85% from 92%, and enrollment dropped by 39 students from last year.

Full report cards for the district, Cloudcroft Elementary, Cloudcroft Middle and Cloudcroft High are on NM Vistas, including results by student group.

Sources: NM Vistas, New Mexico Public Education Department, 2025-26 and 2024-25 report cards, and the Tuesday, October 20 Cloudcroft Schools Board of Education Meeting automated transcript.

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]]><![CDATA[On Set: Go Behind the Scenes of the Movie Being Shot in Cloudcroft]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/on-set-go-behind-the-scenes-of-thehttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/on-set-go-behind-the-scenes-of-theWed, 21 Oct 2026 17:13:31 GMT

Producer Jim Burleson spills the tea in an exclusive 6-minute video interview. Vivian Barreras reports.

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]]><![CDATA[Enduring Spirit: The Legacy of Kira’s Angel Tree]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/enduring-spirit-the-legacy-of-kirashttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/enduring-spirit-the-legacy-of-kirasTue, 20 Oct 2026 23:01:22 GMT
Kira Davis and her brothers, Rylan, Janscen, and Chris

Kira Davis was born and raised in the mountains and graduated from Cloudcroft High School. Raymond and Kathy had Kira and her three brothers: Janscen, Chris, and Rylan. Kira loved being a stay-at-home mother to her three children: Jackson, Jayden, and Korin.

Her family remembers a woman with a strong personality, an “awesome sense of humor,” and a love of music, the mountains, and community. She enjoyed hunting and had a passion for history, even working part-time at the Sacramento Mountain Historic Museum.

Kira’s sister-in-law, Tabitha Davis, says she tells her nephew Jackson that his mother was so beloved that her baby shower for him drew over 100 people to Dave’s Cafe, where Kira worked at the time, and they ran out of food.

Tabitha and the Davis Family now organize the Kira’s Angel Tree non-profit in her memory.

The Angel Tree Today

The Kira Angel Tree was established in 2022, inspired by Kira’s volunteering with the First National Bank’s angel tree program, which she participated in annually with her family.

“She instilled in her children the importance of giving back to the community,” Tabitha says.

Today, the project has achieved significant milestones and expanded its reach. The organization is officially a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

  • Growing Reach: It currently serves locals in Cloudcroft, High Rolls, Mayhill, Weed, Piñon, Sacramento, and Timberon. In 2025, they sponsored 75 angels—70 children aged 0-18 and 5 seniors.

  • Comprehensive Aid: While the main focus is ensuring children and seniors have a good Christmas, the organization also helps during emergencies, such as providing items after a house fire and donating approximately $1,500 worth of baby clothes during flooding.

  • Gifts and Experiences: Organizers prioritize providing quality winter wear (jackets, shoes, pants, shirts) and toys. Each child typically receives around $150 worth of items. They also aim to give families shared experiences, like movie tickets or passes to local attractions.

  • Operations & Privacy: The family maintains a private, careful process, interviewing each family to understand their needs (due to job loss, illness, etc.). To protect privacy, the Davis family members handle the deliveries.

  • Community Involvement: The gift-wrapping tradition continues as a major event, often bringing together 20 to 30 volunteers and sponsors. Many sponsors include locals, second-home owners in the mountains, and folks who want to support the mountain community from afar. This year, the gift wrapping event will be held at the Sacramento Mountain Retreat in Mayhill on December 12. Call or message to join: 575-285-4205.

Kira with her husband Daniel Hewitt and children Jackson, Jayden, and Korin.

The Kira Angel Tree operates by allowing sponsors to either donate funds or receive an anonymous wish list to shop for participants.

Financial donations are accepted year-round. Registration is open. To receive aid this year or volunteer, find Kira’s Angel Tree on Facebook and online to get involved.

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]]><![CDATA[VIDEO: Producer Jim Burleson Unwraps the Village’s Big-Screen Secrets]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/video-producer-jim-burleson-unwrapshttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/video-producer-jim-burleson-unwrapsSun, 18 Oct 2026 15:20:56 GMT
“Believe” Film Producer Jim Burleson shouts out locations, locals, and a few movie teasers in this exclusive video interview.
BY VIVIAN BARRERAS

A feature film was recently filmed and produced right here in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, bringing a little bit of Hollywood to the 750-person mountain town.

The film was shot entirely in Cloudcroft in just over 2 weeks, with an estimated 25 locals joining the cast after an open casting call. Three of the locals have speaking roles.

Local Set, Hollywood Leads

In early October, the Reader headed to set outside the Summit Inn.

There, Producer Jim Burleson, walkie-talkie on his hip, stayed busy with chatter on the channel.

Actors read their lines in a tent, the film crew unloaded props, and a cameraman moved quickly to capture shots in the cozy mountain inn. Meanwhile, another director called out, “Rolling! Quiet, please,” every couple of minutes.

Burleson insisted on shooting the movie in New Mexico. He and writer-director Eric Corneliuson first scouted several locations. After seeing Cloudcroft, they quickly decided it was the place they wanted, especially because of the towering pines and small-town feel. Burleson said, “Cloudcroft fit the story’s location because the location is kind of a character in the movie, also.”

Details about who plays the lead and supporting actors, the plot, and more are still under wraps.

Why all the secrecy?

The movie has a negative pickup; industry slang for a deal that says, as long as it meets specific requirements, the movie will hopefully get a distribution deal once it is finished.

All the actors have signed NDAs, or non-disclosure agreements. Burleson said the movie’s working title is “Believe,” and it will be an action thriller. He also shared, “We do have several high-profile Hollywood leads.”

Producer Jim Burleson on set at the Summit Inn

Burro Gets Box Office Boost

For the local economy, the film brought steady revenue as the village entered what is typically a slower season for local business owners.

“I don’t know if there’s a store in Cloudcroft that didn’t experience some of our crew and cast, and we’ve actually been overwhelmed by the kindness of these places,” Burleson said.

The crew said local businesses also played an important role in accommodating the cast and crew during the production. Lodging came from hotels in Cloudcroft, like the Lodge, as well as several private Airbnb properties in the village. The production also patronized area restaurants and food services for cast and crew meals and catering. These included Dave’s Cafe, Big Daddy’s Diner, Casa de Sueños, Brown Bag Deli, and the Rollin’ Up food truck.

Production filmed at various locations throughout the Cloudcroft area, including Ski Cloudcroft; the Sacramento Mountains Historic Museum and Pioneer Village; the Summit Inn; locations near The Lodge Hotel Golf Course; and private properties in and around the village.

The crew also received assistance from the local fire and sheriff’s departments, which helped support filming.

“We are absolutely expecting a theatrical release, followed by streaming,” Burleson said.

The final day of shooting was October 6th. After that, the team will have about six months to edit. One thing Burleson is most excited about is “That we’ve all agreed we want to shoot more movies here.”

The production team said, “Without the support of the Cloudcroft community, this film might not have been possible. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who opened their businesses, properties, and community to our cast and crew and helped bring the film to life.”

Digital Media Producer Vivian Barreras, Born and raised in Cloudcroft, owns and operates Ray Media, a social media management and content creation company. An outdoors enthusiast, she and her husband, Aragorn, and daughter, Ray, love to call the Sacramento Mountains home.

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]]><![CDATA[Village Meeting Recap; A.I. in Cloudcroft Schools; Congressman Visits Cloudcroft, and More ]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/village-meeting-recap-ai-in-cloudcrofthttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/village-meeting-recap-ai-in-cloudcroftWed, 14 Oct 2026 21:17:13 GMT

Village Officials Speak for Cloudcroft on Campaign Tour

Cloudcroft officials take a hike with Rep. Gabe Vasquez (left) and discuss the village’s needs (Photo: Karla Urbina Photography)

As part of his “Dirt Road Democrat” campaign tour, incumbent Congressman Gabe Vasquez took a hike with Cloudcroft locals, including Mayor Dusty Wiley, Trustee Matt Willett, and Parks and Recreation board member Adrienne West.

Their October 8 village walk showed Vasquez the village’s forest-thinning work, fire risk, the Seven Graves site, and plans for the ball field and trail area.

The Village’s top concerns included water and wastewater treatment, emergency transport, and a proposed pedestrian bridge to parking and restrooms. Vasquez said that, if reelected, he plans to remain on the House Armed Services and Agriculture committees and hopes to join the House Natural Resources Committee; the group also discussed grant funding, rural food insecurity, and wildfire preparedness.

Air Force Volunteers Offer Snow Removal Program Again

Under the direction of Staff Sergeant William “Cody” Marquez, volunteers from Holloman Air Force Base are lending a helping hand to the village of Cloudcroft.

Elderly residents and others who struggle with snowfall are invited to sign up at the village office for help shoveling snow from their drives and walkways. The village will screen applicants and submit a list of eligible homes for the volunteer troop.

The group will use their own equipment and manpower—they’ve signed up to be “on call” for big storms to help those in need.

Volunteers can also sign up at the village office. For more information, drop by and chat with Utilities Clerk Ashley White.

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]]><![CDATA[Cloudcroft Honors Jody Mancillas, Funds Wastewater Fix]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/cloudcroft-honors-jody-mancillashttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/cloudcroft-honors-jody-mancillasWed, 14 Oct 2026 20:58:35 GMT
Beloved Cloudcroft local Jody Mancillas passed away on September 18, 2026, the day Mayor Dusty Wiley later named in his honor at Tuesday night’s council meeting.

Before a full audience at the village chambers, Mayor Dusty Wiley proclaimed September 18, 2026, Joseph “Jody” Mancillas Day, honoring the longtime Cloudcroft worker and neighbor who died that day. His mother came forward while Wiley read the proclamation, with many of Jody’s family and friends in attendance.

Then trustees got to work, approving every item on an agenda heavy with infrastructure and budget problems left over from previous administrations.

$800,000 for the Wastewater Plant

Trustees unanimously approved up to $800,000 from the general fund to replace and expand the wastewater treatment plant’s (WWTP) aging membranes. Read our full report: https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/a-push-to-keep-moving-council-commits

Another WWTP approval: the plant’s control computer runs on 2007-era Windows, and Public Works Supervisor J.J. Carrizal said the plant can’t run if it fails. Trustees awarded the SCADA upgrade contract to Better Industrial Technology Services, the top scorer of three proposals. An existing grant of roughly $400,000 covers the wastewater plant and lift stations. The goal is installation before winter.

Critical Vacancies Filled

The Library Advisory Board finally met a quorum at Tuesday’s meeting, when Gary Truex, Gail Overstreet, and Tracy Machado joined the board by unanimous approval.

Overstreet currently serves on the Village's Outdoor Lighting Advisory Board and recently joined the 2026 cohort for Leadership Cloudcroft (LC).

Before moving to Cloudcroft, Machado served on several nonprofit and business boards and on the Community Development Committee of the City Council in her prior hometown of Highland Village, Texas. She also joined the 2026 LC cohort.

Truex, the preacher at the Cloudcroft Church of Christ, is board president for the New Mexico Rails-to-Trails Association and works at the Sacramento Mountains Senior Center.

Cloudy’s co-owner and 2026 LC alum, Dylan Kincaid, was unanimously appointed to the Planning & Zoning Commission. Read more about Kincaid: https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/cloudys-the-store-cloudcroft-has

Trustee John Snook was appointed alternate council representative to the Southern New Mexico Economic Development District/Council of Governments, filling former Trustee Gail McCoy’s seat.

Water: Losses Climb, but Smart Meters Are Catching Leaks

In his department presentation for Public Works, Carrizal said water loss is at its highest level so far this year. The village lost close to 27% of its produced water in September.

The new cellular meters flagged three or four customer-side leaks this week. One was running 6 gallons a minute and was caught within 24 hours.

A thunderstorm knocked out the SCADA monitoring at the Hilltop tanks. Staff are checking the tanks overnight.

All storage tanks are full. Spring flows are tapering off after monsoon season, and the village wells are running again.

Clearing the Backlog

Trustees learned that unpaid back gross receipts taxes from FY23-24 were higher than estimated in August, so that budget line rises from $170,000 to $220,000. The council approved a budget adjustment to resolve the issue. Leftover ARPA money, $135,858, covers part of it.

The council approved closing the defunct corrections fund, with $357.51 moved to the general fund.

Wiley read into the record that the state Department of Finance and Administration moved the village’s FY25-26 budget from conditional to full certification.

In a follow-up call, Wiley said the village is catching up on past-due bills, including penalties, and that more may surface in next quarter’s adjustments.

Upcoming Library Events, Schedule Change

Library Director Sandra Barr proposed closing on Mondays through March, since Mondays often see only 10 or 11 patrons. The change is slated to start the last Monday in October, and the proposal was not on the agenda.

The Pumpkin Roll is Halloween Saturday, October 31, at 11 a.m. outside the library, followed by the Burro Avenue costume parade and Summit Christian Fellowship’s Fall Festival at 1 p.m. on the other side of Burro.

The art show is returning; last year it drew 93 people. This year, there are no rules on size or media.

Barr said Friends of the Library is down to two members and needs volunteers.

Public Safety

After a semi-truck crash on Highway 82 that caused injuries and a road closure, Police Chief Roger Schoolcraft delivered an update to the council. He said a semi-truck carrying steel I-beams crashed after losing its brakes.

Schoolcraft said several people were taken to the hospital with injuries and that he knew of no fatalities.

The road reopened by Wednesday morning, according to NMRoads.com.

Schoolcraft said camera footage helped solve a larceny at King’s Treasure thrift store in the village, and that more theft had occurred at the site. Volunteers patched recent vandalism at the pickleball courts, and the village is working on nighttime security there.

Fire Chief Erich Wuersching reported that the annual fire hydrant flow testing is underway, so residents may see water running in the streets. Public Works was aware of the testing and said the system could support it. Testing was moved up this year to avoid flushing hydrants in freezing weather.

Wuersching also reported that the Tularosa Basin Regional Dispatch Authority, which handles 911 calls, is being restructured after Alamogordo’s exit. He expects the village to start paying again in 12 to 18 months, once a credit it built up from earlier payments runs out.

Contracts

Trustees renewed three janitorial contracts with a 3% increase and fixed a signature page to reflect a lower winter rate.

They also approved an amended James Sewell Ice Rink lease with Southwest Sports Solutions, which clarifies that rent credits apply only to improvements the village keeps, not to the lessee’s own equipment.

Coming Up

A presentation by Artesia General Hospital on a mobile clinic was postponed to next month because of technical problems.

Mayor Wiley said he plans to bring a gross receipts tax increase to trustees at the November meeting.

Trustee Keith Hamilton reminded the room that early voting is open. Election Day is Nov. 3. Vote in Cloudcroft at the High School.

Here’s an Otero County sample ballot:

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The next regular village council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 10 at 6 pm. See you there.

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]]><![CDATA[A Push to Keep Moving: Council Commits $800,000 to Keep Wastewater Plant Running]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/a-push-to-keep-moving-council-commitshttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/a-push-to-keep-moving-council-commitsWed, 14 Oct 2026 20:53:48 GMT
In the balance: Trustees discuss wastewater treatment infrastructure needs, budget concerns, and timelines
[ANALYSIS]

Cloudcroft’s trustees voted last night to address a problem previous councils had kicked down the road for years: to fund the necessary fixes to keep the plant operating - or face the consequences of looming plant failure.

The council decided it was time to act.

Public Works Supervisor J.J. Carrizal told trustees the plant has been patched and postponed, with the answer always the same: “Wait till next year.”

On Tuesday, Trustees John Snook, Keith Hamilton, Matt Willett, and Danny Hardwick voted unanimously to approve up to $800,000 from the general fund to purchase four new membrane cassettes and rebuild the basin they sit in.

The membranes that do the plant’s most important filtering are wearing out, nitrogen readings are creeping toward the state limit, and replacement costs have jumped by a third since 2023. And before Cloudcroft can build the new multimillion-dollar wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) it ultimately needs, the membrane system will have to carry every gallon in town on its own.

“It’s been kicked down the road for many, many years. Now it’s on our table. We’ve got to fix it.”
— Public Works Supervisor J.J. Carrizal

Running Out of Time

The membranes are rated for about 10 years. In April, longtime plant operator Scott Powell told the Reader he hoped regular chemical cleanings would stretch them to 12 years or more. Tuesday, Carrizal passed photos around the dais showing how much they have deteriorated since installation.

The state’s draft permit would cap nitrogen at 10 milligrams per liter. Carrizal said Powell’s tests have come in around 6 to 8, but the readings are climbing as the cassettes’ pores close up with age.

The plant has no discharge permit now, which Carrizal called “totally weird.” Once the state issues one, the 10-milligram limit becomes enforceable.

Carrizal said the membranes’ performance readings, which he tracks in turbidity and pressure, are getting worse every month.

“We need this now because of the numbers that are dropping every day. I’m not asking money for my budget. I’m asking money for the village. We need this to function,” Carrizal said.

Powell cleans the membranes with chemicals twice a year, a job that takes up to a week. Once the full town’s flow runs through the system, Carrizal said, they’ll need cleaning more often. The new cassettes have more filter surface than the old ones.

Powell, who learned the system on his own, had planned to retire in December, though Public Works confirmed he plans to stay longer.

The stakes go beyond the plant itself. Carrizal said no one knows what the fines will be if the village ends up “sending raw sewage down the mountain untreated.”

Mayor Dusty Wiley said Wednesday that once the permit is in force, a plant that can’t meet it could face state fines of up to “$15,000 a day.”

The Cost

The cost of a single set of two cassettes has risen by about a third since 2023.

Manufacturer Veolia quoted one set of two cassettes in 2023 at more than $152,000. In 2026, that rose to more than $204,000, a 34% increase of about $52,000.

Buying two sets at once brings the price down to $346,435, about $86,600 per cassette. Bought separately, they’d run $102,000 each. Buying both sets together saves the village more than $60,000.

The project also needs an estimated $200,000 in basin work (concrete, piping, valves and a new liner), which will be contracted out.

The cassettes are made in Hungary. Trustee John Snook, an engineer, said he found no U.S. maker whose product would fit the existing system.

The cassettes and basin estimate come to about $546,000. The approval sets a ceiling of $800,000. Wiley said Wednesday the project will likely cost at least $600,000, and the final figure will depend on bids for the basin work.

Paying for It

No grant covers this project. The village’s four active grants are already committed: one to the wastewater SCADA upgrade, one to a fan press, and two smaller grants to CDM Smith’s engineering for solids handling. That leaves the general fund.

Village Clerk Jini Turri walked trustees through what the project would mean for the village’s finances. She said finance staff had a duty to show the impact of the expense.

“I don’t know that we have a choice,” Trustee Matt Willett said.

The money won’t go out all at once. Carrizal said 30% of the cassette price is due when the village places the order this fall, and the remaining 70% on delivery in about nine months. That works out to roughly $104,000 up front and $242,500 on delivery. The basin work, estimated at $200,000, is paid to a contractor while the cassettes are built.

Delivery falls after the new fiscal year starts on July 1, so most of the bill will land in next year’s budget. Turri said trustees’ approval covers the project up to $800,000 “whether it carries into the next fiscal year or not.”

The Reader will report separately on the village budget and finances.

First Steps in Five-Year Plan

The membranes are a step toward the long-term fix, not the fix itself. That fix is a new package plant, which CDM Smith estimates will cost $15 million to $17 million. It is the top priority on the village’s five-year capital improvement list.

Carrizal said CDM Smith will deliver a Preliminary Engineering Report by the end of October at no added cost, by modifying a master plan already in the works.

Wiley said wastewater will top the village’s list when trustees lobby in Santa Fe this coming January.

He doesn’t expect state capital outlay to cover the package plant, he said, because legislators prefer to fund projects in full, and a plant that could cost up to $20 million, by his estimate, is beyond what they can give. The village’s main target is the Water Trust Board, and Wiley said he’ll seek federal grants to help cover required matching funds. A 10% match on a $20 million plant would be $2 million.

The package plant will be built where the old plant now stands. That means every gallon has to run through the membrane system before the old plant can be taken offline.

Wiley said the village expects to sign its discharge permit with the state soon, and the permit will require a new plant within five years. He said the timing depends on the state.

Wiley called the membranes “the first step to make sure that the village is secure.”

“To me, without wastewater and without water, you can’t have a village,” he said.

What’s Next for Revenue

Wiley said he will ask trustees in November to start raising the village’s gross receipts tax, which is below the rate trustees can set without a public vote.

According to Wiley, the increase would bring Cloudcroft in line with Alamogordo, Ruidoso, and other nearby towns, and if approved, would take effect in the next fiscal year. He said the tax falls mostly on tourists.

Wiley said there has been no discussion of higher commercial water rates or a property tax increase. He plans to adjust water and trash rates each year by the inflation rate, with trustee approval, as the village did this year. He said past administrations didn’t make those yearly adjustments.

Setting sewer rates to cover the plant’s costs will be hard until the wastewater system’s finances are separated out, Wiley said. He looked into a study to do that, but decided the money was better spent keeping the plant running.

As for the package plant, the Water Trust Board, NMFA, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, USDA Rural Development and federal grants are the usual paths for a project this size. Most require matching funds.

How the Plant Works

The plant runs two systems side by side. A trickling filter, more than 65 years old, still carries half of the flow.

A membrane bioreactor, installed in 2017, uses membrane cassettes to filter wastewater so biological processes can remove nitrogen. Its basin has four bays: two hold the original, worn cassettes, and two have sat empty. Tuesday’s purchase replaces the worn pair and fills the empty bays, so the membrane system can eventually treat the whole town’s flow, which reaches nearly 230,000 gallons a day in peak tourist season.

More than Membranes

The plant has operated without an active discharge permit since 2017. A state draft permit has been stalled since March 2024.

The plant sits on Forest Service land the village has been working to buy since at least 2015. Lenders and regulators won’t finance major upgrades without it.

The village has approved a resolution obligating state grant funds for the purchase, which Wiley said is expected to close in December. Work the village paid for years ago may be credited toward the price, he said, which could cut the village’s share from about $60,000 to about $20,000.

Robert George, an independent expert contracted by the state, warned in writing that the plant’s clarigestor was failing. In April, he wrote: “Unlike many situations that are characterized as ‘emergencies’ in the realm of wastewater treatment, this actually is one.”

Crews bypassed the clarigestor and turned it into a sludge holding tank. Carrizal said Tuesday that the sludge now has to be hauled off at significant cost to the village.

After voting to spend from the general fund, the council's next challenge is to make decisions that are sustainable for years to come.

Carrizal made no promises about how long the fix will last. “I’m not guaranteeing you guys this is going to last 10, five years, who knows,” he said. “But we need this now.”

The Timeline

Oct. 13, 2026: Trustees approve the project, up to $800,000.

Coming weeks: The village issues a purchase order to Veolia, with about 30% of the cassette price due when the order is placed. The cassettes are manufactured overseas, which takes about eight to nine months, according to Carrizal. Meanwhile, the village bids out and builds the basin work, aiming to finish before delivery.

End of October: The plant’s long-awaited backup generator is due to be completed. Carrizal called it critical because the village must report to the state how it treats sewage during power outages. CDM Smith’s engineering report is due.

November: Wiley plans to bring a gross receipts tax increase before the trustees.

December: The Forest Service land purchase is expected to close.

January 2027: The village expects to sign its discharge permit and lobby legislators for wastewater funding.

About August to September 2027: The cassettes arrive and are installed, with two village employees required on site. Wiley said August is the earliest the full system could be running.

Within five years: The old plant comes out, and the package plant goes in, depending on state funding.

This original reporting drew on in-person attendance at the Tuesday, October 13 village meeting, meeting materials, recordings and transcripts, follow-up questions, emails, phone interviews, independent research, and previous reports.

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]]><![CDATA[School Smarts: How Cloudcroft Is Navigating the A.I. Era]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/school-smarts-how-cloudcroft-is-navigatinghttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/school-smarts-how-cloudcroft-is-navigatingSun, 11 Oct 2026 15:16:43 GMT
teacher in green cloudcroft bears shirt
Cloudcroft Schools’ high school English teacher and A.I. policymaker, Windey McKelvie, takes students from the traditional basics to ‘A.I.-Empowered’

When artificial intelligence exploded into public consciousness in late 2022, most school districts scrambled to catch up. Cloudcroft Municipal Schools got an early start.

“Mrs. Gillespie was like, A.I. is coming, we need a policy,” said Windey McKelvie, a veteran English teacher at Cloudcroft High School who helped craft the district’s A.I. guidelines. “We put together a committee before the state was even requiring it.”

The committee of high school, middle school, and elementary teachers spent nearly a year on questions now being debated in districts and legislatures nationwide: What is A.I.? When does it help students learn, and when does it get in the way? Who’s responsible when it goes wrong?

The result, adopted by the Cloudcroft Board of Education on Sept. 16, 2025, is two policies: one for employees (Policy EGDA) and one for students (Policy IJNDC). The district’s technology-use regulation and the user agreement that students, parents, and staff sign also reference A.I.

They cover what staff can and can’t feed into tools like ChatGPT or Claude, what students must cite, and who decides whether A.I. is allowed at all: under the student policy, it’s off-limits on an assignment unless a teacher permits it.

The policies say they are “informed by New Mexico Public Education Department guidance, federal principles including the A.I. Bill of Rights, and Cloudcroft Municipal Schools’ existing technology framework.”

The Short Version

Cloudcroft Municipal Schools adopted two A.I. policies on Sept. 16, 2025, one for staff and one for students.

Staff may enter only public information into A.I. tools, and the district has no contracts with any A.I. provider. Students may not use A.I. on an assignment unless a teacher permits it, and they must cite any use.

Teachers set the rules in their own classrooms: high school English teacher Windey McKelvie relies on pen-and-paper work, and the K–8 school is scaling back devices. A.I. training for staff is not mandatory; the district is not evaluating any A.I. tools, and it will review policies at least once a year.

Two high school students describe using A.I. to summarize reading, format essays, write code and clarify sentences. One says the school now encourages A.I.; the other says the rules are a little too strict.

Read on for the full story from students, teachers, administrators and the New Mexico Public Education Department.

What Is Artificial Intelligence?

The term covers a wide spectrum of tools, and understanding the differences matters, McKelvie said, because teachers and parents often conflate them. “I don’t think that everyone is fluent in understanding what A.I. is exactly — like the underpinnings of it, and what the difference is between predictive and generative LLMs.”

The district’s policies define A.I. broadly, as machine-based tools that can “perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as generating text or images, solving problems, creating images, or analyzing data.” They name Magic School, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude, DALL-E and Grammarly as examples.

A.I. Models in School

  • Predictive text A.I. is built into everyday tools like spellcheck and Grammarly, suggesting the next word or flagging errors. McKelvie said of this tier: “Even that, I think, degrades the necessity of [students] to think for themselves.”

  • Large Language Models (LLMs), or generative A.I. like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude, are trained on vast amounts of text and can produce original-seeming writing, answer complex questions, and summarize documents. Cloudcroft’s policies say they “particularly” cover generative A.I. such as LLMs.

  • Education-specific A.I. tools, like Magic School A.I., which the district offered teachers during the 2025–26 school year before discontinuing it, run on similar LLM technology wrapped in interfaces built for lesson planning.

  • A.I. reading assessment tools like AMIRA, the state’s designated reading screener for K–2 students, use voice recognition to listen to students read aloud and score their performance. These are assessment tools, not content generators, a different category than chatbots.

Teacher Discretion

“You can’t put students’ names in. You can’t put any kind of information that’s covered under any kind of protection,” McKelvie said.

The employee policy states that the district has no contracts with any A.I. provider and that “no A.I. tool meets the District’s security, privacy and compliance standards for handling anything besides public data.”

Employees may enter only publicly available information. The policy specifically bars FERPA-protected information, student names and grades, student work, disability-related information, health information, ID photos, and information about employees and their performance.

Acceptable employee uses include general-knowledge questions, brainstorming, summarizing online research, building Excel formulas, and drafting email or letter templates that don’t identify a student or employee.

The policy prohibits using the full text of A.I. output in final work products, or skipping review of it; generating grades, individualized assessments, lesson plans, presentations or IEP determinations without human oversight; and substituting A.I. for professional judgment, “especially in teaching, counseling, or disciplinary decisions.” An IEP, or Individualized Education Program, is a legally binding plan for students who receive special education services.

Employees must also disclose when they use A.I.-generated content, such as in parent communications or reports.

For students, A.I. is off by default.

“Teachers will prohibit the use of A.I. in an assignment unless the use of A.I. is permitted,” the student policy reads.

When a teacher allows it, students may use A.I. for “brainstorming, skill practice, or research support,” must cite it “as is expected with any other source,” and may be asked to explain or revise their work. The policy says students should use A.I. “as a resource and for background material, rather than using the A.I. Tools to complete the assignment,” and it bars “unauthorized or unvetted A.I. platforms on school networks or devices.”

The user agreement that students and parents sign adds that “A.I. tool interactions” are not private and are subject to district monitoring.

The policy also says A.I. detection software “is not a definitive measure of misconduct.” Teachers may use it as a reference but should rely on academic judgment, conferences, and other evidence. “There’s no A.I. tracker that can actually tell you this was 100% A.I.-generated or not,” McKelvie said. “They’re very fallible.”

The district “currently allows teachers professional discretion in determining whether and how A.I. may be used within their classrooms,” Superintendent Jocelyne Gillespie wrote in an email to the Reader. “However, A.I. assistance must not replace, generate, or improperly influence students’ independent work, especially in CORE academic subjects.”

Leveling Up to A.I.-Empowered

McKelvie uses a simple color-coded scale — 0 through 3, red to yellow — for A.I.-free, A.I.-assisted, A.I.-enhanced, and A.I.-empowered work. The labels will soon go up on classroom walls, K–12.

Her AP students write in-class essays by hand, transcribe them into an LLM, prompt it to improve the essay, then compare the two versions. “What did I produce? What did A.I. produce? Was it better? Did A.I. do a better job? Did A.I. pick up things I missed? Like, how can I make my writing better?” she said.

“You can’t freely use it until you have the skill set to use it,” she said. “There are students who are sophisticated enough to know how to use A.I. in a very sophisticated way. That’s another reason things need to be done with pen and paper.”

Some students, she said, feed their own writing into A.I. and ask it to imitate them: “Model my writing. Write something that would look like I wrote it.”

For most assignments, McKelvie assigns in-class, pen-and-paper work. “That’s the only way you can be a hundred percent sure that A.I. hasn’t been used.”

Her students sit AP Literature, AP Language and Composition, and AP Government exams on locked-down, browser-controlled devices, with no A.I. and no spellcheck. “Those students must 100% compose everything by themselves, with spelling, punctuation, and everything coming from their own mind. We’d be doing them a disservice by not having them create things completely from scratch.”

The district’s student policy flags that AP and dual-enrollment courses “may have additional restrictions and limitations regarding the use of A.I.”

McKelvie worries that even ambient A.I., like autocomplete in Google Docs or Grammarly’s suggestions, quietly erodes abilities. “Even though they don’t realize that it’s a passive use of A.I., it’s still involved in what they’re creating.”

“It’s a dangerous crutch to wholly rely on A.I.,” she said. “We can’t just rely on A.I. to do thinking for us.”

K-8: Scaling Back Devices

“We are scaling back the use of digital devices across grades K–8,” said K–8 Principal Nolene Adams. “The state-mandated AMIRA A.I. tool for K–2 is in use, and some early-grade teachers have expressed concerns about its accuracy due to frequent errors.”

Adams said the concerns underscore “the importance of having great foundational teachers.”

Teachers elsewhere in New Mexico have raised similar concerns. Some told the Albuquerque Journal the program struggles with students who have speech disabilities or foreign accents. APS has said it will take at least one full school year to know how Amira’s results line up with state assessments; the state switched from Istation after a corporate merger.

McKelvie ran into the same issue when the district tried to extend AMIRA to her English Language Learner students. “When you have an accent or your English is not the baseline, it’s not a good tool because it can’t differentiate,” she said. “I said it’s not going to work for us.”

In an email response to the Reader’s questions from New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) Communications Bureau Manager Janelle Taylor García, the agency says AMIRA is built on three decades of federally funded research from Carnegie Mellon University, including over 100 peer-reviewed studies, and has been calibrated over two decades to handle accents and dialects, pointing to a demonstration video as evidence. On voice data, PED says AMIRA stores recordings, de-identified, for the duration of the state’s contract; districts can opt out of audio retention locally, and there have been no incidents of student voice data being hacked or misused.

AMIRA, New Mexico’s state-approved A.I. reading screener for K–2, has been required three times a year. In August, PED gave districts the option, for this school year only, to use it without its voice-recording feature or to substitute a paper test or their own assessment.

Middle School: “Go Slow to Go Fast”

At Cloudcroft Middle School, Serena Myers teaches computer science and computer applications. “For 6th grade it’s keyboarding basics,” she said. She focuses on building comfort with Google Workspace’s most common apps. From there, instruction moves to fundamentals: “just getting an understanding [of] what computer science is and the world that we live in. We’re in a tech era.”

“Cloudcroft Municipal Schools is requiring students to take a semester of computer science to better prepare them for high school and build foundational skills,” Myers said. The requirement applies to eighth graders.

A.I. is already built into tools students use daily — Code.org (now Code A.I.), Project Lead the Way, Samsung’s Bixby, Apple’s Siri, Google’s Gemini and Copilot. When students turn to a browser’s built-in assistant for research, Myers pushes them to verify it. “I always ask, OK, so what are the three sources to prove that it is reliable — because there are more hoax sites than there are authentic.”

On the content-monitoring software the district uses on school networks, GoGuardian, she said: “I’m pro that. More than anything, it’s just to let them know — you don’t know what you don’t know. Students test their boundaries in the classroom. They’re gonna test it online too.”

District regulation requires content filtering on school networks and says internet use through district systems “shall be monitored periodically or randomly.”

She compares A.I. to the early days of school internet access, when it took years to build a knowledge base to use it well. “It needs to be a gradual release — go slow to go fast, not get shoved.”

“We have learned during the shutdown that continuous use of devices and increased screen time has hindered learning,” Myers said. “Attention span has shortened, and we are in the study stages of what is developmentally appropriate.”

On the district’s pace overall: “I give full kudos to Cloudcroft that they are forward-thinking when things happen ... it shows some grace, allowing some time so we can absorb and practice before we go all in. It’s a wise move.”

And on her students: “My jewels are showing open, inquisitive minds, challenging me to be present and the best for them.”

The Student View: “There’s a Need for a Balance”

Michael Anthony is 16, a junior at Cloudcroft High School, and a chapter officer in the school’s Technology Student Association. He has competed in TSA’s video game design event for three years. This spring, at the state conference in Las Cruces, he’ll try something new: an A.I. event the organization added this year.

He doesn’t know yet what he’ll be asked to make. Competitors get their prompts on site.

“It’s a brand-new event they just recently added, but from the event guide that I’ve read, they’re going to give you something they want you to create,” he said over the phone. “And then you have to use your selected A.I. and create a prompt, or generate an image of what they want. And whoever gets the closest gets the most points and does well in the event.”

“Sometimes if it’s a lot of reading — because I’m not very good at reading, I’m mildly dyslexic — I copy and paste the notes into Gemini or ChatGPT and just have it summarize the important information that I need,” Anthony said. “I think it’s very useful to have that kind of thing right there, where it’s less words to have to read, but also the same information.”

“It really does help,” he said.

“I think they have a pretty decent amount of it, because they can’t really stop kids from using A.I.,” he said. “So I think they more encourage it here now. They’re not saying, ‘Oh, you can’t use ChatGPT.’ One of my teachers last year told me, ‘Just don’t use A.I. to write your essay. Use it to assist you in writing your essay.’”

“I write down most of the information I want,” he said, “but if I’m confused on how to make MLA format — like I did with an essay recently — I was like, ‘Can you make this in MLA format for me?’ And it did that really quickly.”

“I think there’s maybe one or two that would have an issue with it,” he said, “but I don’t think many teachers have an issue with it.”

Neither of the district’s A.I. policies addresses using A.I. as an accommodation for students with learning differences like dyslexia. The employee policy says A.I. “has the potential to support personalized learning and help teachers identify areas where students need extra support,” but neither policy says how A.I. fits with IEP or 504 accommodations.

“I’m not very good at art — I really suck at it — but I have these crazy visions, these crazy stories,” he said. “On my Instagram I have this A.I. picture of a suit of armor kind of thing. I didn’t know how to design it, so I was having A.I. generate some concepts for it. And I found one that I really liked.”

“I’m a really big fan of Copilot for video game design,” he said. “I’m using it a lot to help me code things I don’t know how to understand. I can code pretty well, but I don’t know everything, and it really helps me to understand how to do that kind of coding.”

“Google’s very specific, but I can go up to ChatGPT, like, ‘What are the results for this game?’” he said. “And they’ll tell me the results for the game.”

“I feel pretty prepared to have A.I. in my future,” he said.

His grandmother recently assumed something she saw had been made with A.I.

“It’s so ingrained now that people are thinking it’s in everything, but it’s not,” he said. “And there’s also a balance of how people abuse it — just use it for everything — and how people use it to assist. I know someone who used A.I. to write an entire essay just recently, and I’ve used it just to help me write a few topics or think about certain ideas. There’s a need for a balance.”

“We had a whole discussion about this in AP Lang the other day,” he said. “When you’re having A.I. generate your entire thing for you, you’re not gaining that critical thinking experience, and you’re not gaining the ability to think and grow and learn how to write yourself. You’re just having ChatGPT do all that for you, and you’re not developing those skills. But if you’re actually writing it and thinking about it, you’re developing those skills — and just having A.I. come in and help you if you can’t think of a problem like that.”

Nathan Brokaw, a Cloudcroft High School junior, member of TSA, Student Council, Skills USA, and football player, answered the Reader’s questions by email.

“I sometimes use A.I. to clarify what a sentence is saying if I do not understand a sentence and I am like at home doing schoolwork, but otherwise I don’t really use A.I. at all,” he wrote, “because even if you use it to clarify or make your work better, you can still get docked for plagiarism.”

“I feel like the school is a little too strict about the A.I. policy, because if you only use it to make your work better but not use it to complete it, you should not be docked for it unless you use it for over half of your work.”

The student policy treats A.I.-generated content submitted “as original work without permission or disclosure” as plagiarism, with consequences that can include revising the assignment or losing credit. It also puts the burden on students to ask their teacher whether A.I. is allowed on an assignment, and to what extent.

“I feel slightly prepared for a future with A.I., but I feel like people will use it too much just to do all of the work for them instead of doing it themselves,” Brokaw wrote. “I feel like A.I. can be used for good, but if you use it wrong it can be bad and could possibly make you lazy from doing it.”

“I feel like in the future it could possibly also stop listening,” he wrote, “because it is all about the info you feed it, and if you feed it the wrong information it could take over, not listen to you and possibly even hack off of your devices and stuff.”

How Cloudcroft Compares

PED doesn’t currently track which districts have adopted formal A.I. policies, so no statewide comparison is available.

A New Mexico Legislative Education Study Committee working group recommended in July 2025 that PED establish an oversight body to vet A.I. tools and help schools find funding, noting that “A.I. is moving faster than our systems can keep up.” PED Secretary Mariana D. Padilla framed the state’s vision this way: “A.I. can enrich the learning experience, but it is human oversight, inquiry, and reflection that ultimately drive meaningful education.”

At the state level, there’s no funding earmarked for A.I. professional development — districts allocate existing training budgets at their discretion. What the state offers is free A.I. literacy training through Canvas, its statewide learning management system, plus a procurement toolkit to help schools vet tools. Janelle Taylor García wrote in her email that the agency’s role is less about mandating policy and more about equipping districts to make their own decisions, and that funding for professional development remains a local call.

“At this time, Cloudcroft Municipal Schools has not established mandatory artificial intelligence (A.I.) professional development for all staff,” Gillespie wrote in response to a Reader inquiry over email.

Instead, teachers take up A.I. in Professional Learning Communities, or PLCs, during regularly scheduled meetings. There they discuss its “potential benefits and concerns” and share training available through PED and other organizations. The employee policy says the district “will provide professional development and guidance” on ethical use, bias and misinformation, and the secure use of district-approved tools.

On tools, “Currently, the District is not evaluating any A.I. tools for teachers,” Gillespie wrote. The district used Magic School A.I. during the 2025–26 school year; “however, the majority of our teachers did not use it.” Instead, she wrote, “Teachers are utilizing A.I. tools they are comfortable using and sharing their knowledge with colleagues.” The employee policy, meanwhile, says no A.I. tool meets the district’s standards for handling anything but public data.

Both policies also refer to approved A.I. tools, and the student policy says “efforts will be made to provide all students with access to approved A.I. technologies.”

Gillespie said the district will review its A.I. guidelines at least annually, “with additional evaluations as significant technological advancements, state guidance, or legal requirements emerge,” through PLC discussions and administrative review.

“Artificial intelligence is advancing at an extraordinary pace—moving almost like a speeding bullet—and school districts across the nation are struggling to keep policies, instructional practices, and professional development aligned with rapidly changing technology,” she wrote.

“Rather than resist its advancement, our District is committed to being responsible stewards of this technology, embracing its potential while teaching students to use A.I. ethically, responsibly, and with integrity. Our goal is to prepare students for an A.I.-driven future without compromising the critical thinking, creativity, and independent learning essential to their success,” she wrote.

The Water Bottle Moment

McKelvie was demonstrating A.I. to her students by asking it to generate something silly involving a vocabulary word when a student stopped her. “One of my students said, ‘You just wasted 20 bottles of water doing that.’”

“I actually was thinking, wow, you know what, you’re right,” McKelvie said. “There’s a consequence for playing around with it. It’s not just for fun. There are real-world ramifications behind using A.I. indiscriminately.”

A student raising environmental concerns unprompted says something about the A.I. literacy already developing in Cloudcroft’s classrooms.

“I have not talked to any educators who are like, no one should be using A.I., it’s a terrible thing,” McKelvie said. “Educators understand that it’s here. Like, what do you do? You can’t shut the box again.”

This original reporting drew on the Cloudcroft Schools’ A.I. policies, multiple in-person and phone interviews, texts, and emails with Cloudcroft Schools and NMPED employees, administrators, and students, as well as independent research. It is A.I.-empowered through automatic interview recording transcription, grammar and editing help, and research.

More Technology Reporting on Cloudcroft Schools:

Cloudcroft Middle School saw a sharp rise in academic proficiency after locking away phones. Educators and researchers are watching to see if the results can be replicated statewide.

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]]><![CDATA[Haunted Village Starts Friday; Pickleball Court Update; Mountain Film Fest, and More ]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/haunted-village-starts-friday-pickleballhttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/haunted-village-starts-friday-pickleballWed, 07 Oct 2026 20:07:21 GMT

Update: Pickleball Courts to be repaired by PAC

After someone vandalized the public courts at Zenith Park with a big rock, the Pickleball Addicts of Cloudcroft volunteers are repairing the dings across the six newly surfaced courts.

Public Works Supervisor JJ Carrizal coordinated with the Albuquerque-based contractor who recently resurfaced the courts. They determined volunteers could do spot repairs, and Public Works could apply sanded acrylic paint left from the court resurfacing to chipped and scraped areas.

Repairs will not cost the village money; instead, they will require volunteer time and effort.

PAC’s new court dryer, donated by pickleballer Willie Repp

In other pickleball news, PAC regular Willie Repp donated a court dryer to help keep the courts dry. Follow Cloudcroft Pickleball on Facebook for seasonal updates.

Crevasse Comes to the Flickinger This Friday

Catch “Crevasse” this Friday at the Flickinger

The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour will stop at the Flickinger Center for the Performing Arts in Alamogordo on Friday, October 9.

The traveling program draws from more than 400 films entered each year in the festival competition held in Banff, Alberta, and now screens in more than 600 communities across over 40 countries. The local screening features the tour's "Crevasse" program, six films ranging from a profile of a Norwegian amputee skier to a 6,900-kilometer crossing of the Canadian Far North and a first free ascent attempt in Patagonia.

General admission tickets are $15 and are available at flickingercenter.com, by calling (575) 437-2202, or at the box office weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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Parks & Rec Fundraiser at Elevation Park, This Saturday

Magick Melts food truck, live music, prizes, and fun are planned for the Bucket Golf Tournament at Elevation Park this Saturday, starting at 11 am. Bri Jonnes, Parks and Recreation board member and buyer for High Altitude, organized the event, and all proceeds benefit the Village of Cloudcroft Parks and Recreation fund.

What is Bucket Golf? Jonnes explains the game for the Upcoming Parks & Rec. Fundraiser in this reel:

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Your Wednesday Review continues after this brief message. Thank you to our sponsor, The Stove and Spa Store:

Air Force Volunteers Offer Snow Removal Program Again

Under the direction of Staff Sergeant William “Cody” Marquez, volunteers from Holloman Air Force Base are lending a helping hand to the village of Cloudcroft.

Elderly residents and others who struggle with snowfall are invited to sign up at the village office for help shoveling snow from their drives and walkways. The village will screen applicants and submit a list of eligible homes for the volunteer troop.

The group will use their own equipment and manpower—they’ve signed up to be “on call” for big storms to help those in need.

Volunteers can also sign up at the village office. For more information, drop by and chat with Utilities Clerk Ashley White.

Make Your October Plans: Discover Cloudcroft

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]]><![CDATA[VIDEO: The Fright Stuff; Pioneer Village Comes Alive]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/video-the-fright-stuff-pioneer-villagehttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/video-the-fright-stuff-pioneer-villageSun, 04 Oct 2026 21:59:41 GMTBy Hilary Kitzman

Chills and Bills: The decked-out Pioneer Village opens all October, serving as a thrilling event and fundraiser for the museum.

The Sacramento Mountains Museum & Pioneer Village is one of Cloudcroft’s most immersive stops for visitors, a walkable collection of historic cabins, artifacts, and stories tucked beneath the aspens. It’s the kind of place where you don’t just see history; you step directly into it.

Museum Director Neila Farmer says, “The history here is just unbelievable. Visitors don’t realize what else is here because they just see this small building from the road. They can’t imagine what’s back there. People call it a little gem.”

Spread across 2.5 wooded acres, the museum features over 15 structures including a fire barn, caboose, a pioneer cottage and chapel – each restored and decorated to reflect the era in which Cloudcroft was built. Visitors can take self-guided tours through stories of the Mescalero Apache homeland, the timber boom, and the railroad era that shaped the village.

Neila adds, “When they do come through, they are shocked that we have all these different homes, blacksmith shop, schools, barber shop and church. It’s all time period and decorated that way on the inside.”

Museum Treasurer Lynn Melton agrees that the museum’s charm lies in how the stories come alive. “I’d like them to have a sense of not the objects, but how things were done. And I think we’ll be moving towards much more telling that story as the years go on”

Every October, the Pioneer Village transforms into the Haunted Village: a spooky, family‑friendly walk‑through experience that has become one of Cloudcroft’s biggest seasonal draws.

Haunted Cloudcroft Tradition

Now in its 15th year, the October Haunted Village event continues to grow in scale, creativity, and attendance.

Taking place from 7-10 PM on eight nights in October at the museum, the event takes visitors of all ages back into spooky history for a $15 entrance fee per person.

Visitors wander through eerie vignettes, glowing lantern paths, and handcrafted sets built inside the historic cabins themselves. It’s atmospheric, immersive, and unlike any other Halloween event in southern New Mexico.

The idea began in 2012 when Brent Kass and his friend Dan King saw the potential in the museum’s historic grounds. Brent says, “It’s already a ghost town before you even start decorating. So you couldn’t really ask for a better palette to work with.”

Neila remembers Brent’s first visit clearly: “When he came here to look at the museum and the property, he thought this would be a magical place for Halloween.”

Wicked fun: volunteer scare actors jump at fright-seekers (Photo: Bre Kincaid)

Behind the Spooky Scenes

The Haunted Village doesn’t appear overnight.

Preparation begins in July, and the museum closes for August and September so Brent and team can build sets, install lighting, rehearse characters, and transform cabins into spooky scenes.

Taylor Rogers, who has worked with Brent for six years, has a long history with the event. “I was in eighth grade in school here in Cloudcroft when I first came to the event, and I remember bugging Brent about helping volunteer with scaring. And ever since then, it went from helping out with scaring to helping him put on the whole show.”

Brent adds, “if you come here, you’re going to see $80,000 worth of Halloween now.” Brent gets much of his inspiration from high-end special effects from all over the country, including Walt Disney World’s Haunted Mansion and Universal Studios.

Taylor says the buildout is his favorite part. “We have a great time putting this all together. So for me it’s building it, not really seeing it.”

“I think what makes this a big deal is that there’s no one else in the area really doing this…We’re pretty much the only Halloween entertainment that’s up on the mountain or really in the area,” he says.

Essential Scares

For the museum, Haunted Village isn’t just fun; it’s necessary. The event has become the museum’s largest fundraiser, supporting exhibits, maintenance, and year‑round programming.

Neila says, “People love it. They don’t believe that something in a town this small could put on something this big.”

The turnout speaks for itself. “It’s been amazing really,” Neila says. “We’ve had such great reviews, and people love it. And in terms of numbers, we have people out the door around the block...I know we have had over 2,000 people during the times we have done it.”

“Those are the satisfying moments for us, that we can stand back and be happy that it worked the way we wanted to do it,” Brent says.

“We want people to come because it’s a great benefit and it supports the museum, and it gives me more money for next year’s event,” he grins.

Plan Your Visit

Whether you’re here for the history or the haunts, the Sacramento Mountains Museum & Pioneer Village offers one of Cloudcroft’s most memorable experiences. Bring cash.

Haunted Village 2026 Schedule

October 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31

7 – 10 PM

$15 per person

Museum Hours

Located at 1000 Highway 82, in Cloudcroft

Winter (weather permitting) – 10:00 - 4:00 PM – Friday and Saturday

Summer (effective Memorial Day) – 10:00 - 4:00 PM – Wednesday to Saturday

Closed: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday

Adults $5.00, Children 6-12 $3:00, Military Discount $1.00 with valid ID.

About Hilary Kitzman:

Local EMT, volunteer with the Cloudcroft VFD, and now Cloudcroft Reader and Mountain Monthly Multimedia Storyteller Hilary Kitzman is a movie producer. She and her husband Andy moved to Cloudcroft after living in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and spending nearly 20 years working in Hollywood and Los Angeles.

Her recent film, Wild Like Me, features inmates in an Arizona prison who train wild mustangs, finding “purpose and redemption”—a project she edited from Cloudcroft.

Wild Like Me streams on Great American Pure Flix and is available on Amazon Prime.

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]]><![CDATA[Village Approves Council Pay, Grand Cloudcroft Hotel Bar; Vandalized Pickleball Courts, and More]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/village-approves-council-pay-grandhttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/village-approves-council-pay-grandWed, 30 Sep 2026 18:55:53 GMT

Police Investigate “Intentionally” Vandalized Public Park Courts

Cloudcroft’s popular public courts were vandalized with a ‘big rock’ on Sunday night. The local pickleball club is offering a $3,500 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Trustee and Parks and Recreation Chair Matt Willett and member Amy Coor released this statement on behalf of the advisory board:

“The Parks & Recreation Advisory Board is deeply disappointed by the recent vandalism at the pickleball courts. These courts have become a wonderful outdoor recreational space for our community and a great asset to Cloudcroft tourism, bringing visitors to our village and giving people another reason to enjoy our beautiful mountain community.”

“Beyond recreation and tourism, the courts have also helped generate funds that support Cloudcroft Basketball, Track and Field, and the Pickleball Addicts of Cloudcroft (PAC), giving back directly to our local athletes and families. This is exactly the kind of community asset we want to see grow and thrive.”

“Vandalism not only damages a facility that belongs to all of us, but also takes away time, money, and resources that could be invested in improving our parks and supporting our community. We encourage everyone to take pride in our public spaces and to speak up if they see vandalism or destructive behavior. These courts are a community investment, and we want to keep them a safe, welcoming, and enjoyable place for residents and visitors for years to come.”

Public Works Supervisor JJ Carrizal has inspected the damage and is in contact with contractors for an estimate on the extent and type of repairs required.

More on the story:

Federal Cuts Reach Local Tables: Jonny Coker Reports:

Your Wednesday Review continues after this brief message. Thank you to our sponsor, PVT:

Parks & Rec. Fundraiser for Elevation Park: Oct. 10

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We are proud to report that we met our goal in the recent drive for new Cloudcroft Stars. More than 50 new members signed up.

Thank you to all our great members (listed below) who have funded fair, first-hand, insightful coverage of the issues, institutions, challenges, and people at the heart of Cloudcroft.

The greater Cloudcroft community powers

“The Voice of the Mountain”

2026

Debra Alldredge, Kathy Lee Alvoid, Gustavo Armas, Jeff Barr, Charlene Basham, Larry/Dee Beck, Dmitry Bizyaev, Elizabeth Blohm, Susan Booth, Mary Bott, Carole Bronston, Anne Calaway, Kathy & Gary Calmia, Evalyn Canham, Alexandra Carilli, James Carlton, Janyce Chesnut, Sam Coats, Jonathan Coker, David Colarusso, Deborah Cole, Stephanie and Brian Collins, Amy Coor, Suzannah Cox, Marietta Crane, Ann Davis, Lee Dean, Aileen Duc, Marina Ellison, Madi Evans, Amy Felix, Wes and Pat Gaskill, Heidi Gibbons, Bing Graffunder, Diana Green, Angela Hagen, Keith Hamilton, William Hanson, Barbara Hartley, Renee Hays, Chris Hearne, Steve Henry, Allen Henson, Karen Highfill, Sonnie Hill, Barbara Hoskins, Michael Johnson, Michael Joiner, Brent Jordan, Cheryl Kaufman, Kurt Kochendarfer, David and Anne Marie Larsen, Michele Law, Diana Lehr, Bill Ley, Robert Mace, Shelby Manford, George Marshall, Ralph McGarity, Carie Mckinney, Tom and Pearl McLaughlin, Terry Means, Carl Milburn, Mike and Marty Mills, Christine Milyard, Monica Morgan, Bill and Pat Neal, Beth Offolter, Joey Pacheco, Tres Paxton, Julie and Eric Pearson, Mira Pepper, April Perez, Sue Preslar, Cheryl Puterbaugh, Laura Robertson, Leah Ross, Nikki Rowling, John Sarrels, Terry Schul, Terry Sharpe, Betty Sheker, Anne Shuttee, John & Jean Simmons, Bruce and Mandi Smaga, Robert Smaltz, Steph Snedden, Anne Spier, Greg and Lisa Spier, Don/Gwen Stowe, Gina Sweeny, Tami Swingler, Debbie Tate, Mark Tatum, Darrel Teaver, Diane Thomas, Patricia Troell, Summit Supply - True Value, Sharon Voelz, Laurel & John Walters/Cronin, Don Watts, Jessie Willett, Jaye Williams

2025

Gerardo & Hilda Acuna, Advanced Septic Pros LLC, Kathy Lee Alvoid, David Amidei, Carolyn Anderson, Gustavo Armas, Jeffrey Barr, Sandra and Jeff Barr, Paul Barrows, Charlene Basham, Larry/Dee Beck, Winner of the Bet, Dmitry Bizyaev, Elizabeth Blohm, Susan Booth, Mary Bott, Jack Britton, Roger Brown, Chris Burton, Cynthia Buttram, Lyn Canham, Alexandra Carilli, Donna G Casey, Dru and Craig Chapman, Janyce Chesnut, Jan Clarence, Sam Coats, Jonathan Coker, David Colarusso, Deborah Cole, Stephanie and Brian Collins, Kirk Cooper, Amy Coor, Jennifer Coughenour, Suzannah Cox, Marietta Crane, Kathleen Crinklaw, Martha & Larry Dahl, Mike & Jill DeGraw, The Cloudcroft Directory, Roger Donnelson, Aileen and Chaz Duc, Kathy Duncan, Virginia Durant, Glenn Edwards, Marina Ellison, Madi Evans, Cynthia S Farmer, Amy Felix, Mark Ferring, Mike Foster, Wes and Pat Gaskill, Robert Giacopasi, Heidi Gibbons, Jim Goodwin, Judy Gordinier, Merrilee Gordon, Bing and Jan Graffunder, Diana Green, Angela Hagen, Keith Hamilton, William Hanson, Barbara Hartley, Bill & Cheri Hass, Renee Hays, Chris Hearne, Stan and Ginger Hearne, Judy Helms, Steven Henry, Sean & Monica Henschel, Allen Henson, Karen Highfill, Sonnie Hill, Barbara Hoskins, Jann Hunter, Nancy Elle Igo, Barbara johnson, Michael Johnson, Brent Jordan, Cheryl Kaufman, Carol & Gary Kelly, Amanda Kemp, Peter Kendall, Jane E Klayman, Jane Klayman, Kurt Kochendarfer, Lynn Kriegshauser, Timothy Kruse, Terry Kyle, Richard F Lamb, David and Anne Marie Larsen, Diana Lehr, Robert Levy, Bill Ley, Tracy Lockhart, Michael London, Robert Mace, Shelby Manford, Kate Mangelsdorf, George Marshall, Jackie Maxon, Sandra McBrayer, Mike & Flora McClung, Rena Mcfarlane, Carie Mckinney, Tom&Pearl McLaughlin, Terry Means, Linda Meyer, Carl Milburn, Christine Milyard, Mike and Marilyn Moffitt, Glena Muncrief, Justin & Marianne Muñoz, Bill and Pat Neal, Kate O’Brien, Gail Overstreet, Joey Pacheco, Dani Park, Amy Parker-Morris, Carol Peacock, Eric Pearson, Julie and Eric Pearson, Mira Pepper, Lesa Provenghi, Barbara Pugh, Cheryl Puterbaugh, Laura Rabon, Charles Ramay, Jean Ramsey, Brian Risinger, Alynn Rivera, Laura Robertson, Dixie Rogers, Leah Ross, Pam Runyan, Andra Sanders, John Sarrels, Terry Schul, Jeanie Schwappach, Dona Sennett, Brian Sharp, Betty Sheker, Anne Shuttee, Rod Slaton, Rodney Slaton, Bruce and Mandi Smaga, Robert Smaltz, Sean Smith, Skip Smith, Steph Snedden, Anne Spier, Greg and Lisa Spier, Valerie Stagaman, Hans Steinhoff, Gina Sweeny, Julie Swift, Tami Swingler, Jeff Taff, Debbie Tate, Mark Tatum, Tod Taylor, Darrel Teaver, Diane Thomas, Brian & Cristy Thomma, William Tippin, Patricia Troell, Summit Supply - True Value, Tammy Vasilatos, Dave Venable, Laurel & John Walters/Cronin, Bill Warren, Don Watts, Della Webb, Christian W Westphal, Jessie Willett, Matt Willett, Kerie van Zeyst, Charlotte Zimmerman

2024

Gerardo Acuna, Hilda Gerardo Acuna, Laryssa Alvarez, Kathy Lee Alvoid, David Amidei, Jim Anderson, Sandra Barr, Rebecca Barrows, Charlene Basham, John Bennett, Greg and Courtney Blackman, Sally and Prentice Blanscett, Susan Booth, Mary Bott, Jack Britton, John Bufton, Cynthia Buttram, Gary Calmia, Lyn Canham, Alexandra Carilli, Donna G Casey, Craig and Dru Chapman, Janyce Chesnut, Sam Coats, Jonathan Coker, Deborah Cole, Brian and Stephanie Collins, Kirk Cooper, Amy Coor, Suzannah Cox, Martha & Larry Dahl, Justin Damron, Ann Davis, Charles Day, Hannah Dean, Roger Donnelson, Aileen Duc, Amy Dunlap, Dana Dunlap, Glenn Edwards, Randy Melton Electric, Waitt Family, Amy Felix, John & Debbie Ferdetta, David Frye, Wes and Pat Gaskill, Heidi Gibbons, Jim Goodwin, Judy Gordinier, Herman Graffunder, Jan Graffunder, Rhonda Grant, Angela Hagen, Linda Hamilton, Cheri Hass, Renee Hays, Richard Hays, April Hearne, Stan and Ginger Hearne, Steven G Henry, Karen Highfill, Sonnie Hill, Barbara Hoskins, Patti Howell, Jann Hunter, Barbara and Bryan Johnson, Michael Johnson, Cheryl Kaufman, Peter Kendall, Kurt Kochendarfer, Tom Krajci, Judith Langlois, David and Anne Marie Larsen, Dennis Latimer, Joshua and Jackie Lee, Diana Lehr, Bill Ley, Tracy Lockhart, Michael London, Guy Lutman, Robert Mace, Dennis Magill, Susan Mahan, Shelby Manford, George Marshall, Carie Mckinney, Tom McLaughlin, Pat McLeod, Terry Means, Linda Meyer, Mike and Stacey Hyman Institute for Philosophical and Future Studies in Makerting, Carl Milburn, Mike and Marty MILLS, Chris Milya, Carla Moore, Glena Muncrief, Earle & Dixie Neill, Earle Neill, Andrea Ohare, Gail Overstreet, Lynn Owen, Amy Parker-Morris, Eric Pearson, Julie and Eric Pearson, Malina Pearson, Nancy Penner, Jackie and Larry Pryor, Barbara Pugh, Cheryl Puterbaugh, Charles Ramay, Dorian Ramirez, Jean Ramsey, Linda Rawson, Pat Ray, Brian Risinger, Laura Robertson, Dixie Rogers, Mario Romero, Tom & Pam Runyan, Andra Sanders, John Sarrels, Barbara Scheuter, Terry Schul, DONA Sennett, Betty Sheker, Bob & Donna Shepherd, Sara Sims, Rod & Barbara Slaton, Rodney Slaton, Bruce and Mandi Smaga, Skip Smith, John Snook, Anne Spier, Lisa & Greg Spier, Valerie Stagaman, Don Stowe, Gina Sweeny, Julie Swift, Debbie Tate, Mark Tatum, Tod Taylor, Diane Thomas, Charles Townley, Summit Supply - True Value, Craig Turner, Dave Venable, Laurel & John Walters/Cronin, Don Watts, Della Webb, Adrienne West, Jessie Willett, Matt Willett, Jim Worthan, Carl Wyatt

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]]><![CDATA[Council Pay, Hotel Bar and Public Works Staffing at Special Village Meeting]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/council-pay-hotel-bar-and-publichttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/council-pay-hotel-bar-and-publicWed, 30 Sep 2026 17:04:20 GMT
Trustee Matt Willet said, “The mayor has earned every single penny that this calls for. And more,” before the vote on Ordinance 404, which will pay the next elected governing body.

With rain pouring down Burro Avenue on Tuesday night, Sept. 29, the council worked quickly through a busy agenda at a sparsely attended special meeting.

The Short Version

The council approved a liquor license that allows a bar inside the Grand Cloudcroft Hotel. It voted to begin paying the mayor and trustees in 2028, fixed a mismatch in the ice rink lease ordinance, gave a Public Works employee a raise and hired a temporary worker. Every item passed, and no members of the public spoke against any of the three hearings.

Ordinance 404: Pay Now Found

Starting January 1, 2028, Cloudcroft’s mayor will be paid $1,000 a month and each trustee $500 a month from the general fund, a total of $36,000 a year.

The pay applies only to officials beginning a new term, so no one on the current council will receive it unless re-elected. The ordinance passed 4–0. Trustees said pay would bring more accountability to the job and encourage more residents to run. According to Clerk Jini Turri, Cloudcroft is one of only two municipalities in New Mexico that don’t pay their governing body.

Former Trustee Gail McCoy, who proposed the pay ordinance, stepped down in August to serve as library aide. Trustee John Snook was unanimously appointed to the vacant seat.

Brewery Bar at the Grand

Trustee Matt Willett, a part-owner of Cloudcroft Brewing Co., recused himself from the vote on the small-brewer off-site location license at the Grand Cloudcroft Hotel. Trustees John Snook, Keith Hamilton and Danny Hardwick unanimously approved the license, which allows the brewery to operate a bar at the hotel.

Jim Maynard, a former trustee, Cloudcroft Brewing co-owner and a partner and spokesperson for the Grand Cloudcroft Hotel, said drinking will be allowed only inside the “hotel’s secured area, inside the doors.” Hotel management will release the bar’s hours and drink menu and will decide whether the bar is open to non-guests. Maynard said no food will be served.

Related: Cloudcroft Reader: Grand Cloudcroft Hotel

Rink Rent Ordinance Amendment

The council amended Ordinance 2025-01, which leases the James Sewell Ice Rink to Southwest Sports Solutions. The rent written in the ordinance didn’t match the signed lease. After consulting Village Attorney Zach Cook, staff determined the lease reflects what was actually agreed to.

Cook couldn’t attend Tuesday’s meeting because of area flood warnings, and was available by phone if needed.

The amendment removes the dollar figures from Section 4, which now says the lease terms “shall be determined and agreed upon by the Village of Cloudcroft and Southwest Sports Solutions.” That way, future lease changes won’t require amending the ordinance, Turri said.

Rent is $1,000 a month, and every approved and verified capital improvement the company makes is credited dollar-for-dollar against it. Turri said the arrangement meets the state’s fair-market-value standard, based on an appraisal. The previous lessee paid $1,000 per year, Willett and Turri said.

Southwest Sports Solutions holds a 20-year lease. When it ends, the company keeps the ice plant, floor system, dasher boards and ice-making equipment. Anything permanently attached to the building, such as lights, paint and the rainwater capture system, stays with the village. The amendment passed unanimously.

Related: Skate Expectations: Longer Rink Season Comes to Cloudcroft

New Business: Public Works Staffing

The council unanimously approved a raise for Public Works Water Operator David Hunter, who holds his Level 4 water license and just passed the Level 3 wastewater license test. After one year, he can test for a Level 4 in wastewater.

Trustees also voted to hire Kristian Ruiz as a seasonal worker while another employee is out on unpaid medical leave. Ruiz holds a CDL and will start next pay period.

The next council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, at 6 pm in the Village Chambers. See you there.

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]]><![CDATA[Vandalized: Newly surfaced pickleball courts at Zenith Park “intentionally” damaged, says police chief]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/vandalized-newly-surfaced-pickleballhttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/vandalized-newly-surfaced-pickleballTue, 29 Sep 2026 18:14:58 GMT
Inset photo: damage to the newly resurfaced courts

Someone vandalized the pickleball courts at Cloudcroft’s Zenith Park on Sunday night, September 27, damaging the recently refurbished playing surface.

Cloudcroft Police Chief Roger Schoolcraft said, “They basically took a big rock and were just walking around, throwing the rock down onto the surface of the pickleball courts and causing a lot of damage.”

The police are actively investigating the incident. Schoolcraft said he canvassed the neighborhood. Currently, police have no leads. The damage happened late at night “under the cover of darkness,” he said.

“It was intentionally done. It’s vandalism,” Schoolcraft said.

When the Reader reached him by phone, Schoolcraft was meeting with Mayor Dusty Wiley and the Village Clerk Jini Turri about the damage. He said they are working on a plan “to secure that property and also keep it available for the public to use,” including steps to secure the courts after hours.

Pickleball Addicts of Cloudcroft (PAC) board members and volunteers Linda Hamilton, Jason and Tami Alexander, and Willie Repp painted and taped over the damaged areas Tuesday morning. They were trying to keep rain from seeping under the new acrylic surface and causing more damage.

It’s unclear why anyone would intentionally deface a popular public facility like this.

“It’s very disheartening to arrive at the courts in the morning to this,” said Hamilton, who leads the PAC.

The courts got a new surface earlier this year. Since then, they have hosted three pickleball tournaments this summer that raised money for Parks and Recreation and for school programs and brought in hundreds of visitors to the village.

Well into September, all six courts have been full during regular PAC play and in the evenings, giving people of all ages a place to play and exercise.

Schoolcraft asks anyone with information about who was involved to contact him or Officer Mike Testa at the Cloudcroft Police Department at 575-437-2210 or leave a message for the PD at the Village Office at 575-682-2411. Tipsters can remain anonymous.

The PAC is offering a $3,500 reward for the information that leads to an arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the damage to the pickleball courts.

The Reader has contacted Public Works Supervisor JJ Carrizal about how much damage was done. We will continue to follow this story.

Join Cloudcroft Pickleball’s 500+ players on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1110159126769678

Read more about Cloudcroft’s courts:

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]]><![CDATA[Federal Aid Squeeze: Demand Climbs at Food Pantries in Lincoln and Eddy Counties]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/federal-aid-squeeze-demand-climbshttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/federal-aid-squeeze-demand-climbsSun, 27 Sep 2026 13:16:34 GMTAs funding cuts to federal food programs trickle down to New Mexico communities, volunteers are seeing the strain. Outside the senior center in Ruidoso Downs, Site Manager Sergio Guerrero counts cars as they come. He used to see about 80, but lately, it’s closer to 120.

“People, they got to eat,” Guerrero said. “This program helps provide a lot of food for our community, for Ruidoso Downs, and also for Mescalero. It’s available to anybody.”

Connie Hernandez is a client who receives food from the senior center. Her husband is 71 and has Parkinson’s disease and diabetes. She comes to the food bank because it’s the only way the rest of her budget survives.

“By the time I pay all the bills, I can’t afford bills by myself,” Hernandez said. “We have to decide sometimes. Are we going to get cheese, or just milk? Are we going to get eggs, or are we going to get bread?”

She and her husband have started foregoing healthcare because of their financial situation, having to choose between Parkinson’s and diabetes treatments. And yet, she doesn’t qualify for food assistance.

“The trick with SNAP, not everybody qualifies. You can be maybe $2 or $3 dollars over the poverty limit, and you don’t qualify,” she said.

And Hernandez’s situation isn’t unique. Nationally, nearly half of the people who experienced food insecurity in 2024, about 25 million people, had incomes too high to qualify for SNAP, according to Feeding America’s latest Map the Meal Gap report. Food insecurity in 2024 sat at its highest level since 2014.

Rural Hunger

The strain falls hardest in small communities. More than 8 in 10 of the counties with the worst food insecurity in the country are considered rural, according to the report.

150 miles southeast of Ruidoso in Carlsbad, the stories are familiar.

The rising cost of living is constraining budgets, and demand for food assistance is rising for community members like Michael Bromka. He lives on a fixed income from Social Security: $1000 a month. If further cuts hit the state, he said he would make do, but wasn’t so sure about the community as a whole.

“I wander over, load up with what they give me, and bring it home,” he said. “Would the entire populace of the city or the state or the country be okay? A lot less okay, that’s for sure. God help the families who are on that weird margin where you don’t even have any help for health care.”

At Abundant Harvest Food Pantry in Carlsbad, Director Angel Martinez watches his average of 130 families climb toward 150 whenever federal benefits tighten.

“Anytime there’s a shortage on the SNAP benefits, we do get a lot of people coming in,” he said.

Happy to help: Angel Martinez, director of Abundant Harvest Food Pantry in Carlsbad, shares a laugh with a volunteer while working the food distribution line.

Despite the rise in demand, New Mexico has cushioned the blow better than its neighbors, according to Katie Anderson, vice president of strategy, partnerships, and advocacy at Roadrunner Food Bank.

“Particularly Arizona, that state decided to go in hard and fast with implementing all of the SNAP changes. And there have been estimations of 40%, 50% of the people that were on SNAP in Arizona have been kicked off,” she said.

The forces pushing people toward the pantry line are stacking on top of one another. Grocery prices are climbing, with food costing about 27% more in 2025 than in 2020, according to federal Consumer Price Index data. Gas prices also remain volatile amid the Iran war, and a wave of federal changes to food assistance is still working its way down from Washington to the folding tables where volunteers hand out boxes.

Anderson said that in many cases, household budgets collapse from the bottom up.

“Your food budget is the one that gets squished and squished and squished until, for some folks, it’s literally gone,” she said. “[They have to] rely on their local food pantries or other food distribution opportunities, because they legitimately have nothing left in their budget for food.”

Anderson said that the pressure is measurable in Roadrunner’s own data.

“We’re seeing anywhere between a 40% to 60% increase in the number of people seeking assistance year over year. That’s been pretty consistent. We saw a high of 79% this past January year-over-year number of people. So that was pretty mind-blowing.”

Federal Cuts, Local Tables

In July 2025, Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which shifts SNAP costs onto states and cuts nearly $200 billion from the program, the largest cut in its history.

Anderson said that since January, roughly 10,000 children have fallen off SNAP in New Mexico, though she cautioned the state’s data is hard to pull cleanly and said she was still working to confirm the figure. For those who remain on SNAP, the benefit is thin to begin with.

“The average number amount that people get on SNAP each day is $6, and the number in New Mexico is actually even lower than that,” Anderson said. “Imagine trying to live on $6 a day for food.”

At ground level, people feel that turbulence. Janie Bingham, a longtime Abundant Harvest volunteer, sees it in what Roadrunner can send.

“Our protein from Roadrunner has changed from frozen meats at times to just lentils and beans. Which is great, but in our thinking, we’d really like to be able to give that,” she said. “At times, we’ve had to supplement. Through funding, through grants, through funding [from] our home church here. We try to fill up the gaps.”

When the trucks come up short, the gap doesn’t vanish. It moves onto the church’s books, or into a client’s smaller box.

The paradox is sharpest in the southeast, where Carlsbad sits atop the Permian Basin, one of the world's most productive oil fields. By the numbers, Eddy County looks prosperous with low unemployment, oil money moving through town, and a state budget that leans on the wealth pulled from the ground in the basin.

Angel Martinez has watched the money flow past his community for years.

“This part of the state is not being taken care of by the resources [which] are being pulled out from this part of the state, and it’s being used somewhere else. We definitely could use a lot more resources,” he said.

His message to decision makers in Santa Fe and beyond was simple.

“Come down, visit us. Drive our roads. Don’t leave us alone,” he said.

The tools to even see the problem are eroding. In 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture canceled the survey that produces official national and state food-security data.

Katie Anderson said Roadrunner is working on an internal project to measure need in New Mexico faster than federal data allows, since Map the Meal Gap runs about two years behind even under normal circumstances.

When the food runs short, Angel Martinez said the cost is immediate.

“We have to scramble,” he said. “Sometimes we’ve got to give less to our clients. And that’s kind of sad, to see somebody in need not receiving what we were able to give them normally.”

[Editor’s Note]

The Roadrunner Food Bank’s Mobile Pantry visits the Sacramento Mountains at these locations: https://www.rrfb.org/find-help/find-food/

The Michael Nivison Public Library has a food and clothing pantry available during operating hours through December 2026.

Cloudy’s Market, located at 102 Mexican Avenue in Cloudcroft, recently announced on Facebook that they accept SNAP/EBT Benefits.

Jonny Coker grew up in Cloudcroft and has spent much of his journalism career covering local issues across southern New Mexico.

His work has appeared on NPR, KRWG Public Media, KUNM, The Southern New Mexico Journalism Collaborative, and others. He currently works as the Senior Television Producer at KRWG Public Media in Las Cruces.

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]]><![CDATA[Cloudcroft Volleyball; High Altitude Classic; RX Burns, and More ]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/cloudcroft-volleyball-high-altitudehttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/cloudcroft-volleyball-high-altitudeWed, 23 Sep 2026 15:10:31 GMTCloudcroft Takes Silver at Mt. Top Volleyball Tournament, Sweeps Tulie
The Lady Bears battled Dora for a seat in the championship games, where the won second-place overall. (Photo: Cassandra Saffle)

CHS Senior and Mountain Monthly Sports Writer Paula Finch reports:

Through continued practice and preparation, the Cloudcroft Lady Bears earned a deserved second-place finish at the Mountain Top Tournament in the championship game against the Jal Panthers.

The finish was another strong accomplishment for Cloudcroft seniors and the team, who work hard to consistently represent Cloudcroft in their sport. The hosted tournament also gave the village community a chance to show up, show spirit, and support their Lady Bears as they competed on their home court.

Cloudcroft’s Lady Bears swept Tularosa last night, with JV winning in three sets and varsity taking a 26-24, 25-21, 25-12 victory. The Bears return to the road Oct. 6 to face Hot Springs.

The High Altitude Classic Finishes Another Year at Elevation Park

This year’s annual race brought in 130 riders—plus their families and friends for a Cloudcroft weekend.

View PHOTO Essay

Area RX Burns in Lincoln National Forest

The Lincoln National Forest plans prescribed pile burns through the end of September, conditions permitting, on 5 remaining acres near the Ruidoso Lookout Tower off Lookout Drive and 153 acres off Sixteen Springs Canyon Road near Carr Gapp Road.

Smoke may be visible in Ruidoso, Ruidoso Downs, Hondo Valley, Alto, 16 Springs and Mayhill, and drivers in smoky areas should slow down, turn on headlights and use hazards in heavy smoke.

No closures are planned; crews will stay on scene, so residents are asked not to report the fires. Updates are at fs.usda.gov/r03/lincoln and air quality at fire.airnow.gov.

Your Wednesday Review continues after this brief message. Thank you to our sponsor, The Lodge:

Parks & Rec. Fundraiser for Elevation Park: Oct. 10

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Reel Reporting: Lumberjack Day at Ski Cloudcroft

Father-son duo Matt (R) and Max (L) Preslar go head-to-head by hurdling logs, sawyering, and a choker race.

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2026

Debra Alldredge, Kathy Lee Alvoid, Gustavo Armas, Jeff Barr, Charlene Basham, Larry/Dee Beck, Dmitry Bizyaev, Elizabeth Blohm, Susan Booth, Mary Bott, Carole Bronston, Anne Calaway, Kathy & Gary Calmia, Evalyn Canham, Alexandra Carilli, James Carlton, Janyce Chesnut, Sam Coats, Jonathan Coker, David Colarusso, Deborah Cole, Stephanie and Brian Collins, Amy Coor, Suzannah Cox, Marietta Crane, Ann Davis, Lee Dean, Aileen Duc, Marina Ellison, Madi Evans, Amy Felix, Wes and Pat Gaskill, Heidi Gibbons, Bing Graffunder, Diana Green, Angela Hagen, Keith Hamilton, William Hanson, Barbara Hartley, Renee Hays, Chris Hearne, Steve Henry, Allen Henson, Karen Highfill, Sonnie Hill, Barbara Hoskins, Michael Johnson, Michael Joiner, Brent Jordan, Cheryl Kaufman, Kurt Kochendarfer, David and Anne Marie Larsen, Michele Law, Diana Lehr, Bill Ley, Robert Mace, Shelby Manford, George Marshall, Ralph McGarity, Carie Mckinney, Tom and Pearl McLaughlin, Terry Means, Carl Milburn, Mike and Marty Mills, Christine Milyard, Monica Morgan, Bill and Pat Neal, Beth Offolter, Joey Pacheco, Tres Paxton, Julie and Eric Pearson, Mira Pepper, April Perez, Sue Preslar, Cheryl Puterbaugh, Laura Robertson, Leah Ross, Nikki Rowling, John Sarrels, Terry Schul, Terry Sharpe, Betty Sheker, Anne Shuttee, John & Jean Simmons, Bruce and Mandi Smaga, Robert Smaltz, Steph Snedden, Anne Spier, Greg and Lisa Spier, Don/Gwen Stowe, Gina Sweeny, Tami Swingler, Debbie Tate, Mark Tatum, Darrel Teaver, Diane Thomas, Patricia Troell, Summit Supply - True Value, Sharon Voelz, Laurel & John Walters/Cronin, Don Watts, Jessie Willett, Jaye Williams

2025

Gerardo & Hilda Acuna, Advanced Septic Pros LLC, Kathy Lee Alvoid, David Amidei, Carolyn Anderson, Gustavo Armas, Jeffrey Barr, Sandra and Jeff Barr, Paul Barrows, Charlene Basham, Larry/Dee Beck, Winner of the Bet, Dmitry Bizyaev, Elizabeth Blohm, Susan Booth, Mary Bott, Jack Britton, Roger Brown, Chris Burton, Cynthia Buttram, Lyn Canham, Alexandra Carilli, Donna G Casey, Dru and Craig Chapman, Janyce Chesnut, Jan Clarence, Sam Coats, Jonathan Coker, David Colarusso, Deborah Cole, Stephanie and Brian Collins, Kirk Cooper, Amy Coor, Jennifer Coughenour, Suzannah Cox, Marietta Crane, Kathleen Crinklaw, Martha & Larry Dahl, Mike & Jill DeGraw, The Cloudcroft Directory, Roger Donnelson, Aileen and Chaz Duc, Kathy Duncan, Virginia Durant, Glenn Edwards, Marina Ellison, Madi Evans, Cynthia S Farmer, Amy Felix, Mark Ferring, Mike Foster, Wes and Pat Gaskill, Robert Giacopasi, Heidi Gibbons, Jim Goodwin, Judy Gordinier, Merrilee Gordon, Bing and Jan Graffunder, Diana Green, Angela Hagen, Keith Hamilton, William Hanson, Barbara Hartley, Bill & Cheri Hass, Renee Hays, Chris Hearne, Stan and Ginger Hearne, Judy Helms, Steven Henry, Sean & Monica Henschel, Allen Henson, Karen Highfill, Sonnie Hill, Barbara Hoskins, Jann Hunter, Nancy Elle Igo, Barbara johnson, Michael Johnson, Brent Jordan, Cheryl Kaufman, Carol & Gary Kelly, Amanda Kemp, Peter Kendall, Jane E Klayman, Jane Klayman, Kurt Kochendarfer, Lynn Kriegshauser, Timothy Kruse, Terry Kyle, Richard F Lamb, David and Anne Marie Larsen, Diana Lehr, Robert Levy, Bill Ley, Tracy Lockhart, Michael London, Robert Mace, Shelby Manford, Kate Mangelsdorf, George Marshall, Jackie Maxon, Sandra McBrayer, Mike & Flora McClung, Rena Mcfarlane, Carie Mckinney, Tom&Pearl McLaughlin, Terry Means, Linda Meyer, Carl Milburn, Christine Milyard, Mike and Marilyn Moffitt, Glena Muncrief, Justin & Marianne Muñoz, Bill and Pat Neal, Kate O’Brien, Gail Overstreet, Joey Pacheco, Dani Park, Amy Parker-Morris, Carol Peacock, Eric Pearson, Julie and Eric Pearson, Mira Pepper, Lesa Provenghi, Barbara Pugh, Cheryl Puterbaugh, Laura Rabon, Charles Ramay, Jean Ramsey, Brian Risinger, Alynn Rivera, Laura Robertson, Dixie Rogers, Leah Ross, Pam Runyan, Andra Sanders, John Sarrels, Terry Schul, Jeanie Schwappach, Dona Sennett, Brian Sharp, Betty Sheker, Anne Shuttee, Rod Slaton, Rodney Slaton, Bruce and Mandi Smaga, Robert Smaltz, Sean Smith, Skip Smith, Steph Snedden, Anne Spier, Greg and Lisa Spier, Valerie Stagaman, Hans Steinhoff, Gina Sweeny, Julie Swift, Tami Swingler, Jeff Taff, Debbie Tate, Mark Tatum, Tod Taylor, Darrel Teaver, Diane Thomas, Brian & Cristy Thomma, William Tippin, Patricia Troell, Summit Supply - True Value, Tammy Vasilatos, Dave Venable, Laurel & John Walters/Cronin, Bill Warren, Don Watts, Della Webb, Christian W Westphal, Jessie Willett, Matt Willett, Kerie van Zeyst, Charlotte Zimmerman

2024

Gerardo Acuna, Hilda Gerardo Acuna, Laryssa Alvarez, Kathy Lee Alvoid, David Amidei, Jim Anderson, Sandra Barr, Rebecca Barrows, Charlene Basham, John Bennett, Greg and Courtney Blackman, Sally and Prentice Blanscett, Susan Booth, Mary Bott, Jack Britton, John Bufton, Cynthia Buttram, Gary Calmia, Lyn Canham, Alexandra Carilli, Donna G Casey, Craig and Dru Chapman, Janyce Chesnut, Sam Coats, Jonathan Coker, Deborah Cole, Brian and Stephanie Collins, Kirk Cooper, Amy Coor, Suzannah Cox, Martha & Larry Dahl, Justin Damron, Ann Davis, Charles Day, Hannah Dean, Roger Donnelson, Aileen Duc, Amy Dunlap, Dana Dunlap, Glenn Edwards, Randy Melton Electric, Waitt Family, Amy Felix, John & Debbie Ferdetta, David Frye, Wes and Pat Gaskill, Heidi Gibbons, Jim Goodwin, Judy Gordinier, Herman Graffunder, Jan Graffunder, Rhonda Grant, Angela Hagen, Linda Hamilton, Cheri Hass, Renee Hays, Richard Hays, April Hearne, Stan and Ginger Hearne, Steven G Henry, Karen Highfill, Sonnie Hill, Barbara Hoskins, Patti Howell, Jann Hunter, Barbara and Bryan Johnson, Michael Johnson, Cheryl Kaufman, Peter Kendall, Kurt Kochendarfer, Tom Krajci, Judith Langlois, David and Anne Marie Larsen, Dennis Latimer, Joshua and Jackie Lee, Diana Lehr, Bill Ley, Tracy Lockhart, Michael London, Guy Lutman, Robert Mace, Dennis Magill, Susan Mahan, Shelby Manford, George Marshall, Carie Mckinney, Tom McLaughlin, Pat McLeod, Terry Means, Linda Meyer, Mike and Stacey Hyman Institute for Philosophical and Future Studies in Makerting, Carl Milburn, Mike and Marty MILLS, Chris Milya, Carla Moore, Glena Muncrief, Earle & Dixie Neill, Earle Neill, Andrea Ohare, Gail Overstreet, Lynn Owen, Amy Parker-Morris, Eric Pearson, Julie and Eric Pearson, Malina Pearson, Nancy Penner, Jackie and Larry Pryor, Barbara Pugh, Cheryl Puterbaugh, Charles Ramay, Dorian Ramirez, Jean Ramsey, Linda Rawson, Pat Ray, Brian Risinger, Laura Robertson, Dixie Rogers, Mario Romero, Tom & Pam Runyan, Andra Sanders, John Sarrels, Barbara Scheuter, Terry Schul, DONA Sennett, Betty Sheker, Bob & Donna Shepherd, Sara Sims, Rod & Barbara Slaton, Rodney Slaton, Bruce and Mandi Smaga, Skip Smith, John Snook, Anne Spier, Lisa & Greg Spier, Valerie Stagaman, Don Stowe, Gina Sweeny, Julie Swift, Debbie Tate, Mark Tatum, Tod Taylor, Diane Thomas, Charles Townley, Summit Supply - True Value, Craig Turner, Dave Venable, Laurel & John Walters/Cronin, Don Watts, Della Webb, Adrienne West, Jessie Willett, Matt Willett, Jim Worthan, Carl Wyatt

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]]><![CDATA[Mountain Girl, Ocean Heart: Bryanna Bradshaw Pursues Marine Biology ]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/mountain-girl-ocean-heart-bryannahttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/mountain-girl-ocean-heart-bryannaSun, 20 Sep 2026 14:39:40 GMT
Bradshaw rehabs a rescued turtle as part of her studies

Growing up on a farm out in Mayhill, Bryanna Bradshaw didn’t seem destined for a life spent elbow-deep in sea turtle nests and shark nurseries. But somewhere between 4-H showings and family trips to the Florida coast, something clicked.

“A lot of people were like, you can’t be a mountain girl and do marine biology,” Bradshaw said. “One of the big driving factors is that I want to prove people wrong, that the two sides of the world can coexist.”

Now a rising junior studying marine biology at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, Bradshaw has spent her college years chasing that proof. Her new experiences span from sea turtle nesting beaches in Cuba to a rescue and rehabilitation internship at the Gulfarium Care Center on the Florida Panhandle.

Natal Homing and Blue Moms

Bradshaw’s first major fieldwork took her to Cuba on a sea turtle nesting research project led by one of her professors, who discovered a phenomenon called natal homing, the tendency of sea turtles to return to nest at the very beach where they hatched.

“Every year, we go back to see how often turtles come back to the same place,” Bradshaw explained. Her team tagged turtles, measured their growth since the previous season, and counted the eggs in each clutch — anywhere from 100 to 150 eggs at a time.

First-time nesters, or “blue moms,” tend to lay fewer eggs, with clutch sizes growing in later years. One especially devoted returning turtle, on her 10th visit to the beach, laid two nests in a single season.

Even with those numbers, the odds are steep. “One in a thousand sea turtles make it to adulthood,” Bradshaw said. Hatchlings are barely the size of a quarter when they emerge, easy prey for birds on the beach and fish once they reach open water. And that’s before accounting for people. “Humans don’t help,” she said. “That number has been getting worse.”

Boat strikes are a growing danger, Bradshaw said, made worse by fear rather than indifference.

“A lot of people don’t understand that if you hit them and call, then you won’t get in trouble,” she said. “They just see that sea turtles are protected, and they’re afraid of the fine that comes with harming the sea turtle, so they just kind of leave them for dead.”

Left untreated, a cracked shell traps air that prevents a turtle from diving to feed, exposing it to infection. Because a turtle’s brain sits so close to its skull, a skull fracture is often fatal, Bradshaw notes.

Bradshaw later beams as she shares treasured memories of 10 open-water dives she logged in Cuba, where she also saw a shark nursery and a hawksbill sea turtle, a critically endangered sea turtle species in the wild.

One Special Turtle

This past summer, Bradshaw got a firsthand look at the recovery side of that story during an internship at the Gulfarium Care Center, the only sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation facility in the Florida panhandle, meaning turtles arrived from as far away as Panama City, Pensacola, and Navarre.

Her first patient came in on her very first day: a turtle named Carlos, hooked internally and externally by a fisherman near Panama City.

“We took all the external [hooks] off during his intake. We did X-rays and found all the internal hooks,” Bradshaw said. The team fed him cotton balls to cushion the sharp ends of the remaining hooks as they worked their way through his system naturally. “I actually watched him naturally pass all of his hooks, which was so cool,” she said. Carlos cleared his line and hooks within a couple of months, free of any other health issues, and Bradshaw was there for his release.

“He’s my little baby,” she said.

Not every case is as straightforward. Bradshaw described debilitated turtle syndrome, or DTS, a condition where “their organs are shutting down so badly that they’re pulling calcium from their shell, so it becomes soft like your fingernail, and you can puncture their shell.” It’s one of the leading reasons rescued turtles turn up floating or entangled in the first place, she said, their bodies are simply not doing well before they’re ever hooked or struck.

What’s Next: Vet School and the Great Barrier Reef

“I want to be an aquatic vet, so I actually get to do more than just the intake and taking care of them,” Bradshaw said. “I actually get to do the surgeries and the diagnostics on them, and then also still work with a little bit of other animals: dolphins, sea lions, seals, manatees, fish. Kind of everything that’s at an aquarium.”

Eckerd’s curriculum shapes a lot of her path, too. Instead of traditional general education requirements, students complete a set of “perspectives,” including a global perspective and an environmental perspective.

“We don’t have general ed classes, so you don’t have to necessarily do an English, math, science class,” Bradshaw explained. “Really, the only way to get [a global perspective] is to go abroad and see the world.” That’s what’s sending her to Australia this coming winter term, where she’s hoping to dive the Great Barrier Reef.

Cloudcroft Kid

Long before sea turtles, Bradshaw was a fixture of Cloudcroft community life.

She joined CLOC (Cloudcroft Light Opera Company) at age 6 and stayed until she was 19, working her way from the youngest actors’ traditional freckle makeup up through bigger roles, including the Enchantress in Beauty and the Beast for the Alamogordo Children’s Theatre.

She also spent several years working at the Sacramento Historical Museum and Pioneer Village’s Haunted Village, first as a young “creepy soul keeper” and later as a “scream actor” in the schoolhouse scenes.

That theater background is following her to college.

This fall, Bradshaw is co-directing an Eckerd College theater production of Lost Girls, a story following Wendy after her return from Neverland as she tries to find herself in a world where Peter Pan doesn’t exist. It’s set to open in November after Thanksgiving.

She’s directing a cast of 12 “real theater students”, she said, and the project had to be pitched to and approved by the college’s theater board before rehearsals could even begin. She and a close friend are co-directing and designing the show’s costumes themselves, with help from students in Eckerd’s theater production class, building sets and props. “So I’m very excited for that,” Bradshaw said.

Bradshaw was adopted by her grandparents, Cindi and Dave Bradshaw, at age 7, and she credits that early chapter of her life with much of her drive. As the first in her family, alongside her older sister, to pursue a college degree, she said her goal has always been to build a life “beyond paycheck to paycheck.”

And, that life is full: a marine biology degree, a rescue turtle named Carlos somewhere out there in the wild ocean, a play to direct, and a trip to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef on the horizon.

Photos and handling were done under permit #25/26-197 and #26-055, under conditions not detrimental to these animals. We collected photos during routine exams, treatments, releases, and cleanings. Please do not attempt to recreate the contents of this image without proper authorization.

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]]><![CDATA[VIDEO: Helicopter Work in Cloudcroft Airspace; Trench Access and Mitigation Project, and More ]]>https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/video-helicopter-work-in-cloudcrofthttps://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/video-helicopter-work-in-cloudcroftWed, 16 Sep 2026 14:32:37 GMTWATCH: Helicopters Active During Vegetation Project

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District 4 VFD Auxiliary Chili Cook-Off Fundraiser

Capsaicin connoisseurs, this one’s for you. Fire up your best chili recipe next month for the Fire & Ice Chili Cook-Off Fundraiser for area volunteer fire departments. Free entry for cook-off participants; $10 donations receive chili samples, a bowl of your favorite, and more. Details below:

Your Wednesday Review continues after this brief message. Thank you to our sponsor, Blushing Yucca Esthetics:

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Homecoming: Packed Pep Rally, Debut Drumline, Cheerful Court, and Tough Game

Villagers packed the stadium to cheer for the home team Friday night.

The first Cloudcroft marching band in nearly a decade made its homecoming halftime debut last Friday

The Bears suffered a 55–0 loss to the Broncos. At halftime, Cloudcroft’s first marching band in eight years made its drumline debut.

This year’s homecoming court included freshmen Willow French and Forest Odom; sophomores Isela Kyle and Levi Edwards; juniors Bella Johnson and Noah Saffle; and seniors Gena Davis, Triston Tompkins, Paula Finch, Parker Muncy, Adrianna Ortega and Christopher Yousif.

Adrianna Ortega and Triston Tompkins were named Duchess and Duke; Paula Finch and Parker Muncy, Princess and Prince; and Christopher Yousif and Gena Davis, King and Queen.

View PHOTO Essay

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“Jim and I appreciate the style in which the stories are told. We like the use of long quotes, allowing your subject and source to speak for themselves.”

“I’m thinking of the article about the village resignations—quotes from the village employees and trustees gave me a stronger sense of each party’s intentions. I better understood where each person was coming from.”

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Debra Alldredge, Kathy Lee Alvoid, Gustavo Armas, Jeff Barr, Charlene Basham, Larry/Dee Beck, Dmitry Bizyaev, Elizabeth Blohm, Susan Booth, Mary Bott, Carole Bronston, Anne Calaway, Kathy & Gary Calmia, Evalyn Canham, Alexandra Carilli, James Carlton, Janyce Chesnut, Sam Coats, Jonathan Coker, David Colarusso, Deborah Cole, Stephanie and Brian Collins, Amy Coor, Suzannah Cox, Marietta Crane, Ann Davis, Lee Dean, Aileen Duc, Marina Ellison, Madi Evans, Amy Felix, Wes and Pat Gaskill, Heidi Gibbons, Bing Graffunder, Diana Green, Angela Hagen, Keith Hamilton, William Hanson, Barbara Hartley, Renee Hays, Chris Hearne, Steve Henry, Allen Henson, Karen Highfill, Sonnie Hill, Barbara Hoskins, Michael Johnson, Michael Joiner, Brent Jordan, Cheryl Kaufman, Kurt Kochendarfer, David and Anne Marie Larsen, Michele Law, Diana Lehr, Bill Ley, Robert Mace, Shelby Manford, George Marshall, Ralph McGarity, Carie Mckinney, Tom and Pearl McLaughlin, Terry Means, Carl Milburn, Mike and Marty Mills, Christine Milyard, Monica Morgan, Bill and Pat Neal, Beth Offolter, Joey Pacheco, Tres Paxton, Julie and Eric Pearson, Mira Pepper, April Perez, Sue Preslar, Cheryl Puterbaugh, Laura Robertson, Leah Ross, Nikki Rowling, John Sarrels, Terry Schul, Terry Sharpe, Betty Sheker, Anne Shuttee, John & Jean Simmons, Bruce and Mandi Smaga, Robert Smaltz, Steph Snedden, Anne Spier, Greg and Lisa Spier, Don/Gwen Stowe, Gina Sweeny, Tami Swingler, Debbie Tate, Mark Tatum, Darrel Teaver, Diane Thomas, Patricia Troell, Summit Supply - True Value, Sharon Voelz, Laurel & John Walters/Cronin, Don Watts, Jessie Willett, Jaye Williams

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2024

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