KCCC930AM Local Dispatch

This week’s In Memoriam segment honors those who lived or died in Carlsbad, New Mexico, with abridged obituary readings from West Funeral Home, LLC.West Funeral Home In Memoriam: Consuelo “Connie” D’Oporto, Margie Salazar, Donald “Don” John Barnett, Jesus Vasquez, Margarita F. Villa.These recitations reflect the information available at the time of recording and may not be the most current. For detailed, unabridged obituaries, visit westfuneralhomellc.com.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through our website (www.kccc930am.com). Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

This week’s In Memoriam segment honors those who lived or died in Carlsbad, New Mexico, with an abridged obituary reading from Denton-Wood Funeral Home.Denton-Wood Funeral In Memoriam: Patricia Ann Anguish.These recitations reflect the information available at the time of recording and may not be the most current. For detailed, unabridged obituaries, visit Dentonwood.com.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through our website (www.kccc930am.com). Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Community Forum, host Hattie Quinn sits down with teammates Joe Garza and David Baber of the new Eddy County Drone Soccer League.Garza and Baber walk through what it took to get the league off the ground — a marathon training video, fourteen hand-built drones, and hours spent learning to fly them, complete with two very different piloting styles the team now calls "Joe mode" and "David mode." Hattie describes drone soccer as something like a combination of BattleBots and Quidditch.Joe Garza and David Baber in the learning process, March 2026.The teams looks ahead to the league’s first all-team scrimmage this October, the volunteer coaches, referees, and scorekeepers still needed to make it happen, and a few of Southeast New Mexico College’s other programs, including a free commercial driver’s license course for Eddy County residents.Click for more Drone Soccer Information or email [email protected] with any questions.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through our website (www.kccc930am.com).The KCCC Eddy County Dispatch is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

This week: triple-digit heat, the Eddy County Fair, and news from around the community.This week’s Mid-Week Matters, hosted by Endymion, brings Eddy County the latest on a scorching heat wave, the 81st Annual Eddy County Fair, and happenings from around the community.Temperatures climb into the triple digits through the weekend and hold there into next week, with no rain in the forecast. The Eddy County Fair continues through Saturday with carnival rides, livestock shows, and bull riding, alongside a full slate of library programs and civic meetings across Carlsbad and Artesia.In the Eddy County Quickies, New Mexico regulators raise bonding requirements for oil and gas wells, and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant targets a return to underground waste shipments after two hoist failures sidelined operations since May. (Sources: POLITICO; ExchangeMonitor)Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through our website (www.kccc930am.com).The KCCC Eddy County Dispatch is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Community Forum on KCCC 930 AM, owner Jonathan Chandler sits down with Ann Halford, known throughout Eddy County as the $2-Bill Lady, for a conversation on love, compassion, and community.At 97, Ann reflects on the family history that shaped her, the decades-long tradition of handing out $2 bills that grew out of a Reader’s Digest article, and the two mission trips to Swaziland that left, in her words, “a big piece of her heart” in Africa.Ann shares what she hopes her small acts of kindness leave behind, saying, “It’s not about me. It’s about what can I do to help to ease other people’s lives.”Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through our website (www.kccc930am.com).The KCCC Eddy County Dispatch is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Every life leaves an imprint on the people and places it touches. On this episode of In Memoriam, the community pauses to honor residents who lived or died in Carlsbad, NM, through abridged obituaries provided by Denton-Wood Funeral Home. These tributes offer a moment of collective remembrance, while extended life stories, service details, and spaces for family condolences remain with the funeral home.In this episode, the community honors the memory of Juana Ortiz Gonzalez, Bentura “Guero” Salcido, Charles (Chuck) Alan Lane, Helen Munselle, and Mary Ruth Mitchell.For additional details or to leave a message for the family, visit Denton-Wood Funeral Home’s memorial page:https://www.dentonwood.com/obituariesAired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through our website (www.kccc930am.com).The KCCC Eddy County Dispatch is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Community Forum host Johnny Chandler sits down with Dr. Peter Jewell, a primary care family medicine doctor at Artesia General Hospital, known around the community as “the jewel of Artesia General.”Dr. Jewell talks about his path from a career in radio and journalism to medicine, 18 years practicing in Roswell, and what drew him to rural, community-based care in Eddy County.He also opens up about his own type 1 diabetes diagnosis at age 11, his passion for treating diabetes in the community, and his advice for staying healthy — plus how to reach his office if you’re looking for a new doctor.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and our website (www.kccc930am.com).The KCCC Eddy County Dispatch is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

In Case You MIssed It: Eddy County has a busy stretch ahead, and Mid-Week Matters rounds up what’s worth knowing (that we can find) — from family events and library programs to a few pieces of news that might catch residents off guard.SENMC is launching a new Eddy County Drone Soccer League this fall, WIPP’s Safety Significant Confinement Ventilation System is now operating after final regulatory approval, and Artesia has a new interim police chief following Kirk Roberts’ retirement.Add in a carnival, a dinner theater run, library programs, and a benefit gala for first responders, and there’s something for nearly everyone this week.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and our website (www.kccc930am.com).The KCCC Eddy County Dispatch is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Community Forum host Johnny Chandler welcomes back Joe Gurrola, chief operating officer of Artesia General Hospital, and Kush Ghadial, the hospital’s director of public relations, both returning to the show for the first time in about two years.The conversation covers the hospital’s $30,000 sign-on bonus for new nurses, a new family medicine residency program launching with Texas Tech, and a mobile clinic set to expand care into underserved parts of Eddy County later this year.Gurrola and Ghadial also talk about the hospital’s new da Vinci surgical system arriving in August, the advanced MRI technology already in use, and how the nonprofit hospital’s Carlsbad locations fit into the bigger picture.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and our website (www.kccc930am.com).The KCCC Eddy County Dispatch is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Every life leaves an imprint on the people and places it touches. On this episode of In Memoriam, the community pauses to honor residents who lived or died in Carlsbad, NM, through abridged obituaries provided by Denton-Wood Funeral Home. These tributes offer a moment of collective remembrance, while extended life stories, service details, and spaces for family condolences remain with the funeral home.In this episode, the community honors the memory of Nathaniel Gordon, Rosemary Ogas, Dallas D. Martin, Betty Jo Crutcher, and Adán Martínez.For additional details or to leave a message for the family, visit Denton-Wood Funeral Home’s memorial page:https://www.dentonwood.com/obituariesAired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through our website (www.kccc930am.com). Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Community Forum picks back up with Paul Gessing of the Rio Grande Foundation, recorded in the same sitting as Part 1.This half turns to Albuquerque’s gross receipts tax fight, a minimum wage debate tied to inflation, and the rise of data centers in New Mexico — including Project Jupiter and the role produced water could play in powering them.Missed Part 1? It’s linked below.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through our website (www.kccc930am.com).The KCCC Eddy County Dispatch is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Eddy County has a busy stretch ahead, and Mid-Week Matters rounds up what’s worth knowing (that we can find) — from family events and library programs to a few pieces of news that might catch residents off guard.Carlsbad Caverns National Park has a new way to watch its bat colony, oil and gas production numbers put Eddy County at the center of the state’s economy, and a proposed reclamation facility near Highway 62 is now in front of regulators.Add in a stacked calendar of theater showtimes, library programs, blood drives, and community fundraisers, and there’s something for nearly everyone this week.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through our website (www.kccc930am.com).The KCCC Eddy County Dispatch is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Community Forum host Johnny Chandler welcomes Paul Gessing, president of the Rio Grande Foundation, into the studio for the first time in person — and the conversation doesn’t hold back.Part 1 digs into the fallout from New Mexico’s recent primary election, the state’s oil-and-gas-fueled budget surplus, and a wave of business owners weighing whether to leave New Mexico altogether.Part 2 airs Thursday. Catch it here on the KCCC Eddy County Dispatch or on KCCC 930 AM.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through our website (www.kccc930am.com).The KCCC Eddy County Dispatch is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Every life leaves an imprint on the people and places it touches. On this episode of In Memoriam, the community pauses to honor residents who lived or died in Carlsbad, NM, through abridged obituaries provided by West Funeral Home.In this episode, the community honors the memory of Donald “Don” Barnett, Adan Montez Ortega, Candelario Flores, Brenton Lee Rutherford, and Priscilla Faye Ortiz.For additional details or to leave a message for the family, visit West Funeral Home’s memorial page:https://westfuneralhomellc.com/obitsAired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through our website (www.kccc930am.com). Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Every life leaves an imprint on the people and places it touches. On this episode of In Memoriam, the community pauses to honor residents who lived or died in Carlsbad, NM, through abridged obituaries provided by Denton-Wood Funeral Home. These tributes offer a moment of collective remembrance, while extended life stories, service details, and spaces for family condolences remain with the funeral home.In this episode, the community honors the memory of Jaime S. Olivas and Ignacia de la Rosa Villa.For additional details or to leave a message for the family, visit Denton-Wood Funeral Home’s memorial page:https://www.dentonwood.com/obituariesAired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through our website (www.kccc930am.com). Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

It’s Independence Day week in Eddy County, and Mid-Week Matters has the holiday weekend forecast, upcoming events from today through mid-July, civic notices, and micro-news from across the region. The heat is coming, fireworks conditions look good, and a lot is happening between now and the Fourth.Events this week open with a free family movie this afternoon at La Cueva 6 Cinema and run through a Fourth of July weekend in both Carlsbad and Artesia — live music, parades, pickleball, glow mini golf, a watermelon eating contest, a drone show over the Pecos, skydiving, and fireworks by Adobe Rose. Looking further into July: Missoula Children’s Theatre brings Rapunzel auditions to P.R. Leyva, Mayor Lopez’s Read-A-Thon comes to Halagueno Arts Park on July 11th, Carlsbad Community Theatre opens with a melodrama and an ice cream social, the 81st Eddy County Fair runs July 21–25, and Walker Hayes plays the fairgrounds on the 24th. SENMC has a July lineup of workforce and journalism courses as well.In the Eddy County Quickies Micro-News: Artesia police are investigating a June 28 shooting involving two teenagers on South Second Street. Carlsbad city councilors discussed a proposal to run an oilfield wastewater line through the Cavern City Air Terminal — no vote yet, and it is worth watching. Governor Lujan Grisham signed an emergency order directing state resources to wildfire response. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has opened a formal investigation into the DEA following reports that federal agents allowed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills into the state between 2023 and 2025. The Department of Energy is targeting late July for resumption of transuranic waste shipments to WIPP, ahead of a previously reported mid-August timeline. And Artesia’s Dennis Davis, 23 years in the city’s Purchasing Department, retired this week — remembered for his wit, his card tricks, and an encyclopedic knowledge of local history.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Community Forum welcomes Shannon Newton, the new Life Skills instructor for community education at Southeast New Mexico College. The conversation covers a three-part course she’s built from the ground up — and why she believes the skills it teaches are ones most people had to figure out the hard way.The program is divided into soft skills, financial literacy, and digital literacy. Newton told Hattie that soft skills come first for a reason — how someone manages themselves under pressure, reads a room, or responds rather than reacts in a tense workplace moment shapes everything else. The class tackles empathy, servant leadership, work-life balance, and what Newton calls the “Triggered” game: real workplace scenarios where participants practice staying grounded when things go sideways.Day two moves into adaptability, the elevator pitch, and the physical mechanics of confidence — body posture, nonverbal communication, and how to walk into an interview without freezing. The financial literacy section speaks directly to a local reality Newton named plainly: workers entering the oil and gas fields with strong incomes and no framework for managing them. The digital literacy portion covers resume-building, Microsoft Office, and how to use AI tools without losing the human element.The in-person workshop runs Wednesday and Thursday, July 22 and 23, from 8 AM to 5 PM at Southeast New Mexico College. The online portion begins Monday, July 6, and remains accessible for up to a year. The course fee is $100.To register or for more information, contact Maria at [email protected] or call 575-234-9268.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com). Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

This week, the Carlsbad community pauses to reflect on the lives of residents who have recently passed. These abridged records serve as a respectful tribute to those who helped build and shape the local area. While these summaries offer a moment of collective remembrance, the full life stories, service details, and spaces for family condolences are maintained by the funeral homes serving our community.In this episode, the community remembers those served by Denton-Wood Funeral Home — recent tributes and memorial announcements for those who lived or died in Carlsbad, NM. Today, we honor the memory of Terry Lynn Parker, Sammy Porras, and Evelyn Inez Worley.To read the complete life stories or to leave a message for the families, please visit the official memorial pages.Denton-Wood Funeral Home Obituaries https://www.dentonwood.com/obituariesAired yesterday on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

This week, the Eddy County community pauses to reflect on the lives of residents who have recently passed. These abridged records serve as a respectful tribute to those who helped build and shape the local area. While these summaries offer a moment of collective remembrance, the full life stories, service details, and spaces for family condolences are maintained by the funeral homes serving our community.In this episode, the community remembers those served by West Funeral Home — recent tributes and memorial announcements for those who lived or died in Carlsbad, NM. Today, we honor the memory of Antonio Gomez Fuentes.To read the complete life stories or to leave a message for the families, please visit the official memorial pages:West Funeral Home Obituaries https://www.westfuneralhomellc.com/obitsAired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

This week’s Mid-Week Matters is packed. The days ahead are full — senior center bake sales, a golf tournament with the Mayor, three thousand rubber ducks hitting the water for a very good cause, and a calendar’s worth of summer reading programs at both the Artesia and Carlsbad libraries. And looking further out, the Fourth of July is shaping up to be something special as America marks 250 years.Then there’s the news you’ll want to hear in full. A flesh-eating parasite has reached New Mexico’s doorstep, and Carlsbad’s City Council just received a formal briefing on it — what it means for Eddy County’s ranching and dairy families, what to watch for, and exactly who to call. Plus a state surplus tied to global events, road work in Artesia, and a project update or two closer to home.There’s also a quick look at where to find the record of your local government’s most recent meetings, and the usual check on weather — including the heat heading our way.Press play for the whole rundown.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

In Part Three of the culinary series, Community Forum continues the discussion with three Carlsbad High School ProStart students — Camille, Avery, and Myka — for a wide-ranging conversation about the year behind the program’s state championship sweep. Camille competed on the management side; Avery and Myka on the culinary team. What unfolds is less a victory lap than an honest look at what a championship season actually costs, and what it gives back.The conversation wanders in the best way. A first-ever trip to Whole Foods turns into a full-blown fruit expedition — a mystery melon that looked more like a dragon egg than anything edible, and a reveal stranger than any of them expected. There’s talk of quenelles becoming an unlikely superpower, of learning to do the exact thing you’re most afraid you’ll ruin, and of what it actually feels like to defend the management side of the house when someone’s face falls at the word “management.”But the students don’t shy away from the hard parts, either — the early mornings, the late-night equipment orders, the tears of frustration, the disagreements that come when there’s no break and no extra time. They talk about the teamwork math of it all: how a group of strong, very different individuals learns to pull together without butting heads. And one senior reflects on why the program won’t die when this class graduates — there will always be someone coming up behind them.Running underneath all of it is something teacher Amanda Hale keeps returning to: It has to be theirs. The skills, the wins, the growth — the program can help them get there, but the students have to pick it up and run.For anyone who’s ever wondered what these students actually carry home from a competition, this conversation is the answer.Anyone interested in supporting the Carlsbad High School culinary program can reach Amanda Hale at [email protected], or send a donation check with a letter or memo directed to Culinary Arts via the Carlsbad High School central office.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Today on KCCC930AM Radio, and available weekly in your inbox.Before The Conjuring made audiences afraid of antique furniture, the Perron family actually lived that horror movie. Their “dream farmhouse” in Harrisville, Rhode Island, came with creaky floors, creepy ghosts, and (allegedly) a witch named Bathsheba who did not come with the deed.This week, Sarah and Faren continue digging into what really went down at the Perron home — from ghostly pranks and paranormal investigators to the kind of supernatural chaos that'll make you rethink your Zillow alerts. Was the house truly haunted...or just in desperate need of a sage smudge and an exorcism-level deep clean?Listen to the full episode here: https://rss.com/podcasts/twistedandmysterious/2285337Find Twisted and Mysterious on social media @twistedandmysterious or email them at [email protected] and Mysterious airs Fridays at noon and 11 PM. Listen to the full episode at the link above, and find more through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far.. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Carlsbad High's state-champion teams sat down with Hattie again — this time with management competitor Camille Martin, and culinary team members Avery Padilla and Micah Char, alongside instructor Amanda Hale.The team breaks down exactly what goes into a ProStart competition — the rules, the roles, and what it’s actually like to pitch a fictional restaurant to judges who can’t say a word back to you until it’s over.The full menu behind the state-winning dish gets unpacked, from a delicate crepe roulotte to a blue corn hush puppy appetizer that almost didn’t survive practice rounds.Camille opens up about what it felt like watching the culinary team succeed while management’s placement didn’t land where she wanted it to, and the lesson she took from that disappointment.A conversation about chocolate tempering gone wrong, the techniques nobody warns you about, and what it means to give your best effort even when the outcome doesn’t match the work.Part 3 of this series airs next Tuesday, June 23rd.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

It's a scorcher out there, Eddy County. A Heat Advisory is in effect through 9 PM tonight, with highs reaching 108°F, so check on elderly neighbors, keep pets and livestock hydrated, and never leave anyone in a parked car. Full details on this week's forecast and fire danger are in the episode.This week's lineup runs from book clubs and toddler splash time to a golf tournament for the Boys & Girls Club, plus the latest on a few stories developing close to home: the New World Screwworm reaching New Mexico, a federal rollback that could affect protections in the Permian Basin, a new WIPP deadline, and an update in the investigation into a fatal hit-and-run on Standpipe Road.And out in the field, SENMC podcasting student Joe Enriquez got his first taste of mobile reporting, grabbing interviews at the library's summer reading launch while Hattie was out on her own first remote broadcast.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Carlsbad High School didn’t just win a state title this year. They won two — culinary and management, the first time CHS has swept both ProStart categories in the same year.Hattie went straight to the source: the Mountain Lion Studio hit the road to the CHS Culinary Arts Department the day after school let out, sitting down with instructor Amanda Hale and two of the students who helped get them there, Joslyn Frintz and David Balderrama.In this episode:Amanda Hale breaks down what ProStart actually is — Iron Chef rules for the culinary side (a 10-foot kitchen, two butane burners, no running water, no refrigeration), Shark Tank rules for management (pitch a fictional restaurant to judges like real investors)Joslyn talks through the dish that helped put Carlsbad on top, and the steep learning curve from her first year competing to this oneDavid explains his role in keeping the team on time and on track during competition, and what changed in the team’s chemistry this yearA conversation about long mornings, a first plane ride, a first trip to Whole Foods, and what it means to give teenagers a real taste of where their skills could take them.Part 2 of this series airs next week.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

This week, the Carlsbad community pauses to reflect on the lives of residents who have recently passed. These abridged records serve as a respectful tribute to those who helped build and shape the local area. While these summaries offer a moment of collective remembrance, the full life stories, service details, and spaces for family condolences are maintained by the funeral homes serving our community.In this episode, the community remembers those served by West Funeral Home — recent tributes and memorial announcements for Carlsbad residents.To read the complete life stories or to leave a message for the families, please visit the official memorial pages:West Funeral Home Obituaries https://www.westfuneralhomellc.com/obitsAired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

This week, the Carlsbad community pauses to reflect on the lives of residents who have recently passed. These abridged records serve as a respectful tribute to those who helped build and shape the local area. While these summaries offer a moment of collective remembrance, the full life stories, service details, and spaces for family condolences are maintained by the funeral homes serving our community.In this episode, the community remembers those served by Denton-Wood Funeral Home — recent tributes and memorial announcements for Carlsbad residents.To read the complete life stories or to leave a message for the families, please visit the official memorial pages.Denton-Wood Funeral Home Obituaries https://www.dentonwood.com/obituariesAired yesterday on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

It’s hot, it’s busy, and a lot is going on in Eddy County this week. Today’s Mid-Week Matters covers a CavernFest-packed weekend at Lake Carlsbad Beach Park — free admission, live music, a 5K, a volleyball tournament, and a yoga class before the vendors even open. There are also free family events at the library and Cavern Theatre, a Father’s Day dance for the 40-and-up crowd, and a plant swap for the gardeners among us.The Quickies this week touch on federal legislation affecting Permian Basin oil and gas operations, Idaho resuming radioactive waste shipments to WIPP, a New World screwworm detection in neighboring Lee County, and a fatal hit-and-run on Standpipe Road that Carlsbad Police are asking the public to help solve.And for this week’s Weekend Wanderer, Hattie went to Silver City. She has opinions about the Murray Hotel, the sopapillas at Jalisco Cafe, and a pop-up chef who trained at Escoffier and whose food is absolutely that good. There are photos in the gallery.ICYMI, tune in Wednesdays at noon and 11 PM on KCCC 930 AM Radio — or find today’s episode anytime here through the Eddy County Dispatch.Mid-Week Matters is produced in partnership with Southeast New Mexico College Workforce and Community Education.Also available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Community Forum | Tuesday, June 9, 2026There’s a lot happening in downtown Carlsbad right now, and Denise Green, director of Carlsbad Main Street, stopped by the Mountain Lion Studio to break it all down on Communnity Forum. From a beach stage headliner to a neon alley project funded by the Creative Industries Division, the organization that quietly powers much of what makes downtown worth visiting is having a big year.CavernFest — This Weekend at the BeachCavernFest, now in its ninth year, is moving to the beach area along the river this year — a shift driven by courthouse facade work and the simple reality that more trees mean more shade. It’s still a free community event, and the lineup is stacked.Friday, June 12A local young singer opens at 1 PM. Charlie and the Rangers perform later in the afternoon. The main stage kicks off at 6 PM with Zach Wilkerson as a solo act, followed by Slade Coulter. Headliner Rae Lynn closes out the night at 8:30 PM. Food trucks will be on-site Friday. Check the CavernFest Facebook page for the complete Friday schedule.Saturday, June 13The day starts early with a 5K at 8 AM in partnership with the local Road Runners running group. Registration is still open — sign up on the CavernFest page or through the Road Runners’ Facebook. The race runs through Lower Townsville and finishes at the new Carlsbad sign before walkers head back toward the beach.At 9 AM, Desert Days studio owner Talissa leads a free yoga class at the beach.Vendors open at 10 AM. Noisy Water and Milton’s will both be set up in a beer garden near the stage. The Chamber of Commerce will have their train on site, courtesy of Permian Resources. Title sponsor: Chevron. Stage sponsor: Bad Bass Barbecue.Main stage Saturday: Zaki returns from Las Cruces, followed by Gannon Freeman and the CC Revs opening for headliner Easton Corbin, who takes the stage at 8:30 PM.Need a cool-down break from the heat? The Cavern Theater will be showing The Patriot at 2 PM and 6 PM on Saturday.Volunteers are still needed for the weekend. Contact Carlsbad Main Street to sign up.Farmers and Makers Market — Returning June 27After a three-week break around CavernFest, the Farmers and Makers Market returns Saturday, June 27, at a new location: Halagueno Arts Park by the Carlsbad Public Library and Museum. The market runs June through October.The schedule this season: Saturday morning markets every week except the third week of each month, when a Thursday evening market takes the Saturday slot instead.Carlsbad Main Street is also actively looking for new vendors through the rest of the season.Coming Soon: The Neon Alley ProjectCarlsbad Main Street received a Creative Industries Division grant to develop the alleyway between Canyon and Canal and Fox and Mermod streets — the section in front of Milton’s. Plans include murals, neon LED signage, and QR codes linking to the history behind each piece of art. RFPs for muralists will be coming out soon.All this and more on Community Forum today at noon and 11 PM. Will you be there this weekend? What is your favorite part of CavernFest?Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far.Our apologies. The dates were first listed as Friday, June 13th and Saturday, June 14th. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

ICYMI due to our post-monsoon technical issues at noon: Today’s Mid-Week Matters is here!Mid-Week Matters is live for Wednesday, June 3, 2026 — covering Eddy County from Artesia to Carlsbad and everywhere in between.This week’s event calendar is stacked. The Rumble on the Pecos Car Show kicks off Friday with a cruise, a free screening of American Graffiti, and a full judging day Saturday. CavernFest returns June 12th and 13th at Lake Carlsbad Beach Park with RaeLynn Friday night and Easton Corbin Saturday — free admission both days. Plus CASA’s Project Playhouse, Kenny’s Comics pop-up shop, a seed swap, a flag day celebration, and more.The June primary is in the books, and this week we have the unofficial local results — from the governor’s race to County Clerk. Listen now for the full breakdown of who won, who ran unopposed, and what comes next. All counts remain unofficial until the canvass board certifies the results.KCCC was on the ground at Halagueno Arts Park for the launch of the Carlsbad Public Library’s Unearth a Story Summer Reading Challenge. In this week’s spotlight, you’ll hear directly from readers in the community — young and adult alike — sharing what summer reading means to them in their own words.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Hannah Ornelas has been doing this work long enough to know that the kids in the room might look like they’re not listening. She keeps going anyway — because if even one of them walks up to her at Walmart ten years from now and says it changed their life, that’s enough.On this episode of Community Forum, host Hattie sits down with Hannah from Teens in Action — the youth arm of the Carlsbad Anti-Gang Anti-Drug Coalition — to talk about what drug prevention looks like when it’s done with compassion instead of fear. From free cabinet locks to classroom curriculum to a community-wide scavenger hunt coming this June, the Coalition is doing more than putting up signs.This is a conversation worth sharing — especially if you have kids in Eddy County schools.Find resources, upcoming events, and a donate button at carlsbadcoalition.com. Please note that the after-school event mentioned in the recording has already happened.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

This week, the Carlsbad community pauses to reflect on the lives of residents who have recently passed. These abridged records serve as a respectful tribute to those who helped build and shape the local area. While these summaries offer a moment of collective remembrance, the full life stories, service details, and spaces for family condolences are maintained by the funeral homes serving our community.In this episode, the community remembers those served by West Funeral Home — recent tributes and memorial announcements for Carlsbad residents.To read the complete life stories or to leave a message for the families, please visit the official memorial pages:West Funeral Home Obituaries https://www.westfuneralhomellc.com/obitsAired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

This week, the Carlsbad community pauses to reflect on the lives of residents who have recently passed. These abridged records serve as a respectful tribute to those who helped build and shape the local area. While these summaries offer a moment of collective remembrance, the full life stories, service details, and spaces for family condolences are maintained by the funeral homes serving our community.In this episode, the community remembers those served by Denton-Wood Funeral Home — recent tributes and memorial announcements for Carlsbad residents.To read the complete life stories or to leave a message for the families, please visit the official memorial pages.Denton-Wood Funeral Home Obituaries https://www.dentonwood.com/obituariesAired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

With the June 2nd primary one week away, Hattie Quinn sits down with Eddy County Clerk Cara Cooke — who has worked in the Bureau of Elections since 2007 — for a conversation about process, not candidates.How does a candidate get on the ballot? What happens when your ballot goes into the tabulator? Why do two locks with two different keys matter? Cara walks through all of it — same-day registration, the new semi-open primary, absentee and permanent absentee voting, and what election workers actually experience on a day that starts at 6 AM and does not end until well after 7 PM.There is also a frank conversation about voter turnout. The Artesia mayoral race was decided by around 20 votes out of more than 8,000 eligible voters. That conversation is worth your time.A few things to know before June 2nd: New Mexico does not require a photo ID to vote, unless there is an address discrepancy. Ballots are printed on demand when you check in. And if you see two election officials approach the tabulator at a polling site, that is not tampering — it is simply keeping the tabulator running by freeing up space in the write-in ballot bin.Early voting runs Monday through Friday 8 AM to 6 PM and Saturdays 8 AM to 4 PM through May 31st at the Eddy County Clerk’s Office, 325 South Main Street, Carlsbad, and the Artesia Sub Office at 602 South 1st Street. Election Day is Tuesday, June 2nd, 7 AM to 7 PM. Sample ballots at nmvote.org.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Hattie brings this week’s community roundup from Carlsbad, the seat of Eddy County — what’s happening around the area, micro-news that affects your daily life, and a special community corner honoring Southeast New Mexico College’s inaugural Mountain Lion Student of the Month class.This week’s events run from a grand opening ribbon cutting and free summer movies at La Cueva to a veteran resource fair, a lineman camp for young adults considering a trade, cops and goats on a Friday morning, a throwback photo studio at Milton’s Brewing, and the return of Caffeine and Cultivation at the Carlsbad Public Library. Cavern Fest is on the horizon at Lake Carlsbad Beach Park, and Eddy County CASA’s Project Playhouse raffle kicks off June 5th with custom-built playhouses up for grabs — all proceeds supporting children in foster care.In the news, vehicle registration fees increase 25% for most passenger vehicles on July 1st — state-mandated through Senate Bill 2. You may be able to renew for up to two years before the deadline. The June 2nd primary is one week away with five candidates competing for governor and early voting underway now at the Eddy County Clerk’s office. And Steve Pearce of Hobbs is now Director of the Bureau of Land Management, confirmed by the Senate 46-43.The community corner this week belongs to SENMC. Six students were recognized in the inaugural year of the Mountain Lion Student of the Month program — Elida Sotelo, Rita Mariana Moreno Urquidy, Antonia Robledo, Sammy Lopez Jr., Charlie Beardmore, and Wei Rongxian. Mariana was named the inaugural Mountain Lion Student of the Year for a disability support group that began as a class project and grew into something lasting. Six students, one inaugural year, all of them rooted right here in Eddy County. Southeast New Mexico College, you should be proud.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Paul Gessing, president of the Rio Grande Foundation, joins Johnny Chandler on Community Forum to discuss the constitutional lawsuit challenging Governor Lujan Grisham's universal free childcare program, the decline of New Mexico's film subsidy industry, and a federal school choice tax credit currently awaiting the governor's decision. Recorded ahead of the June 2nd primary. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Bestselling author and legal thriller legend William Bernhardt joins Book Crew hosts Dirk Hooper and Beth A. Freely for a conversation about his newest book, The Superman Wars — a narrative nonfiction account of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel's decades-long battle for recognition and ownership. Bernhardt also reflects on his own journey as an author of more than sixty books, the ethics of the publishing industry, and the importance of writer community through WriterCon. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

This week, the Carlsbad community pauses to reflect on the lives of residents who have recently passed. These abridged records serve as a respectful tribute to those who helped build and shape the local area. While these summaries offer a moment of collective remembrance, the full life stories, service details, and spaces for family condolences are maintained by the funeral homes serving our community.In this episode, the community remembers those served by West Funeral Home — recent tributes and memorial announcements for Carlsbad residents.To read the complete life stories or to leave a message for the families, please visit the official memorial pages:West Funeral Home Obituaries https://www.westfuneralhomellc.com/obitsAired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

This week, the Carlsbad community pauses to reflect on the lives of residents who have recently passed. These abridged records serve as a respectful tribute to those who helped build and shape the local area. While these summaries offer a moment of collective remembrance, the full life stories, service details, and spaces for family condolences are maintained by the funeral homes serving our community.In this episode, the community remembers those served by Denton-Wood Funeral Home — recent tributes and memorial announcements for Carlsbad residents.To read the complete life stories or to leave a message for the families, please visit the official memorial pages.Denton-Wood Funeral Home Obituaries https://www.dentonwood.com/obituariesAired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Christina Mann, the Bee Lady, returns to Community Forum to discuss the near-complete takeover of Eddy County by Africanized killer bees, the disappearance of European honeybees, the absence of USDA bee inspections in New Mexico, and a 2024 fatality at an oil field site she believes was preventable. Recent callouts include a swarm at Christian Prep Academy and a wasp emergency at Slaughter Cave. Contact: 575-885-0258 or Facebook at Christina HuntonLady. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Memorial Day weekend is almost here, and Eddy County has a full slate — from foam parties to flag placements to a free concert festival at the lake. This week's Mid-Week Matters also has an Eddy County Quickies Micro News segment that ranges from WIPP records to a local case that landed on national television.The weekly events listing runs from today through June, with Memorial Day observances, live music, a farmers market, a film screening, and two major summer events further on the horizon worth marking now.The Eddy County Quickies Micro News this week covers politics, the courts, public safety, and one Carlsbad story that drew a CBS News story. It’s a dense news week for a county that rarely slows down.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Real estate is likely the single largest transaction most people will ever make — and Eddy County has someone in the field who understands it from the inside out. In this Community Forum, host Johnny Chandler sits down with Dominic Longoria, associate broker for Century 21 Associated Professionals and president of the Carlsbad Board of Realtors, for an honest conversation about buying, selling, and building in Eddy County.Longoria came to real estate in 2020 after years in oil and gas, and he brings a straight-talking perspective on what buyers get wrong, how commercial and residential transactions differ, and where Eddy County’s growth is actually headed. He also shares his role in Carlson Ranch, the 1,200-acre master plan community along National Parks Highway.The conversation covers the retail leakage study showing nearly $700 million leaving the local zip code annually, why the 285/62/180 Y intersection — the third busiest in New Mexico — deserves more attention from the state, and what it will take for Eddy County to attract the development it is ready for.To reach Dominic Longoria: Century 21 Associated Professionals1205 West Pierce Street, Carlsbad, NM [email protected] on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Today at noon and 11 PM on KCCC 930 AM Radio.In May 2005, Natalee Holloway vanished during her senior trip to Aruba — a vacation that was supposed to be all beaches, pina coladas, and flip-flops, not one of the most infamous missing persons cases in modern history. Last week, we began the story. This week, Twisted and Mysterious brings it home.In Part II of this episode, we continue digging into Joran van der Sloot’s endless lies and confessions-that-weren’t, the investigators who refused to let it go, and the case’s strange place in both true crime history and pop culture. Equal parts tragic and baffling, this is a story that still grips people two decades later.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to leave them a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and consider subscribing to the show. You can find them on social media @twistedandmysterious and email them at [email protected] episode aired in two parts on KCCC 930 AM Radio. To hear the full episode now, visit: https://rss.com/podcasts/twistedandmysterious/2247468/Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Draft2Digital announces a one-time $20 activation fee for new accounts and a $12 annual maintenance fee for authors earning under $100 in yearly book sales. Barnes and Noble Press implements a 100-title limit per account effective May 14, 2026. Dirk and Beth break down what both changes mean for indie authors and map out the full landscape of self-publishing platforms available in 2026. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

This week, the Eddy County community pauses for a special tribute — an extended remembrance of a man whose life became inseparable from the story of the region he served for more than nine decades.In this special edition, the community honors Robert “Bob” H. Forrest — former mayor, businessman, rancher, philanthropist, and inductee of the Dale Janway Hall of Fame — who passed away Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at his home in Carlsbad. He was 90 years old.Bob Forrest served four terms as mayor of Carlsbad, a tenure of 16 years that stands among the longest and most influential in the city’s modern history. Whether through his family’s business at Forrest Tire Company, his decades in public office, his work alongside former State Representative John Heaton advocating for Eddy County in Washington, D.C., or his co-founding of CARC Inc. in 1973 to serve individuals with developmental disabilities across southeastern New Mexico — Bob Forrest gave his time, his resources, and his name to the place he loved.Late in life, when asked what advice he would offer younger generations, his answer was simple: “Be honest.”Those who knew him say that quiet directness captured everything about who he was.Full tributes, service details, and family condolences are maintained through Denton-Wood Funeral Home. To read the complete life story or to leave a message for the Forrest family, please visit:Denton-Wood Funeral Home Obituaries https://www.dentonwood.com/obituariesAired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Local Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Southeast New Mexico College is launching something new this fall — and it’s been a long time coming. Instructor of Business Raymond Dominguez and Dr. Luis Anchondo, Director of First Year Experience and Foreign Languages, sat down with Johnny Chandler on Community Forum to talk about the college’s first-ever bilingual English and Spanish business course, why it exists, and who it’s really for.The short answer? More people than you might think. Whether Spanish is a first language, a second language, or something spoken at home but never formally studied, SENMC has a path in — and the barriers around cost and language proficiency may be smaller than most people assume.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

BODY COPY:Mid-Week Matters is live for Wednesday, May 13, 2026 — bringing you the best of Eddy County from the North Rim to the state line.It’s one of those weeks where almost every day has something going on. From free comedy tonight in Artesia to a brunch DJ, a ladies retreat, a golf scramble, a plant swap, and Field of Dreams on the big screen — the events slate has real range. There’s also a look ahead at what’s coming in June, including the Rumble on the Pecos Car Show, CavernFest, and the Carlsbad Public Library’s Summer Reading Program launch.The Eddy County Quickies are dense this week. Energy expansion, produced water policy, spill data, buffer zones, housing costs, WIPP's public comment period — and some news from right here at KCCC 930 AM that we're proud to share. Listen for the what or check out yesterday’s Community Forum for the why.In the SENMC Spotlight, student worker Endymion DeVere covered the April 23rd STEAM Expo at Southeast New Mexico College, sitting down with participants, students, and exhibitors to capture what made the event special.And in today’s Community Corner — early voting is open in Eddy County ahead of the June 2nd Primary Election, and today’s show walks through every race on your ballot: U.S. Senate, U.S. House District 2, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Auditor, State Treasurer, Commissioner of Public Lands, State House District 66, and all of the Eddy County local races including County Assessor, County Clerk, County Commissioner Districts 1 and 4, Magistrate Court, Probate Court, and a special election for the 5th Judicial District. If you’re voting in Eddy County, this segment is worth your time.Listen now.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Last December, KCCC 930 AM owner Johnny Chandler sat down with news director Hattie Quinn to talk through something the station had been quietly building toward — a mobile studio that could go where the news actually happens. The recording got mislabeled on an SD card and disappeared for months. When it turned up, the holiday and matching campaign references had to be edited out before the conversation could stand on its own. It airs today, and the timing could not be better.The conversation was recorded at the tail end of a transformative year. In the spring of 2025, KCCC 930 AM was selected as one of 14 New Mexico newsrooms to participate in the LMA Lab for Journalism Funding — a six-month program run in partnership with the New Mexico Local News Fund and supported by the Google News Initiative. The training that followed shaped something much larger than a fundraiser. It deepened the station’s vision for what community journalism in Southeast New Mexico could look like — certified correspondents serving every corner of Eddy County, educational pathways through Southeast New Mexico College, and an information infrastructure that connects people to resources, services, and each other. The mobile studio is one tool inside that larger vision, and the capital campaign is how it gets on the road.In December 2025, the station launched its capital campaign and raised $5,000 from the community. The New Mexico Local News Fund matched it. Yesterday, KCCC 930 AM was awarded a $25,000 grant by the New Mexico Creative Industries Division — one of ten creative businesses selected statewide. The grant covers the van and a year of Starlink connectivity. The campaign now stands at $35,000 of the $93,000 needed for the full mobile studio setup and fulfillment of participant rewards. The station is also now participating in the 2026 News Sustainability Accelerator, run jointly by the Google News Initiative, the New Mexico Local News Fund, and Blue Engine Collaborative — continuing the work the LMA cohort started.None of this would be possible without Southeast New Mexico College, whose partnership has been essential from the beginning, or the community sponsors who believed in the vision before there was anything to show for it. Soon, the community that has made this possible will be able to see the dream in action — at the fair, at the grand opening, at the event down the road they almost did not know was happening.But today’s episode is not really about any of that. It is about the why — why a small station asks who is not being heard, why a grandmother in Loving should not have to navigate digital chaos to find a senior van twenty miles away, and why rural communities do not just deserve sustainable journalism but can build it themselves. That conversation happened last December. It is more relevant today than it was then.Event organizers across Eddy County are welcome to invite the team for remotes — or may simply find them showing up.Related TopicsLearn more about the organizations and programs making this work possible:The New Mexico Local News Fund: https://www.nmlocalnews.org2026 News Sustainability Accelerator (GNI, NMLNF, and Blue Engine Collaborative): https://www.nmlocalnews.org/acceleratorKCCC 930 AM named to 2025 LMA Lab for Journalism Funding New Mexico cohort: https://localmedia.org/2025/03/meet-the-14-newsrooms-selected-for-the-2025-lma-lab-for-journalism-funding-new-mexico-cohort/2025 New Mexico LMA Lab for Journalism Funding — Pitch Day winners: https://localmedia.org/2025/10/announcing-pitch-day-winners-from-the-new-mexico-cohort-of-the-lma-lab-for-journalism-funding/Mid-Week Matters — KCCC 930 AM initiatives spotlight: https://open.substack.com/pub/kccc930am/p/mid-week-matters-february-4-february?r=6xidwr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=trueNew Mexico Creative Industries Division grant announcement: https://www.edd.newmexico.gov/press-releases/245000-awarded-to-fuel-new-mexicos-creative-business-economy/Support the capital campaign: https://chandler-broadcasting-llc.fundjournalism.org/kccc930am/Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

This week, the Carlsbad community pauses to reflect on the lives of residents who have recently passed. These abridged records serve as a respectful tribute to those who helped build and shape the local area. While these summaries offer a moment of collective remembrance, the full life stories, service details, and spaces for family condolences are maintained by the funeral homes serving our community.In this episode, the community remembers those served by:* Denton-Wood Funeral Home: Recent tributes and memorial announcements for Carlsbad residents.To read the complete life stories or to leave a message for the families, please visit the official memorial pages:Denton-Wood Funeral Home Obituaries https://www.dentonwood.com/obituariesAired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Local Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe

Today at noon and 11 PM on KCCC930AM Radio:She led a World of Warcraft raid team for ten years. Now she's president of the SENMC board and coordinating health programs that are quietly changing lives in Eddy County. From produce distributions to cancer screening barriers to community gardens, Sarah Bowman is one of those people making things happen behind the scenes — and she stopped by the Mountain Lion Studio to talk food access, women's health, and what it really takes to get things done in a small town.At the Eddy County Health Council, Bowman oversees subcommittees tackling food insecurity, women's health, and harm reduction. The Council has partnered with Roadrunner Food Bank to distribute produce to families in need, is exploring a travel fund for patients who test positive for breast or cervical cancer and can't afford the trip to Lubbock, El Paso, or Albuquerque, and is working with local gun safety educators on free gun lock distribution. A community garden at SENMC is growing — literally — with hands-on classes, volunteers, and grant applications in the works to expand it. To get involved, visit www.eddycountyhc.org or find them on Facebook by searching Eddy County Health Council.Aired on KCCC 930 AM Radio and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and through the Eddy County Dispatch (kccc930am.substack.com) or our website (www.kccc930am.com).The Eddy County Dispatch, presented by KCCC 930 AM, is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Already a subscriber? A one-time donation goes just as far. Get full access to KCCC Eddy County Dispatch at kccc930am.substack.com/subscribe