Both the Carlsbad Cavemen and Carlsbad Cavegirls picked up first round playoff wins in the state basketball tournament over the weekend. The Cavemen beat Rio Rancho, 49-47, while the Cavegirls stopped Cleveland, 36-34.
Next up for the girls is Hobbs, again. The girls will leave Carlsbad at 4 p.m. on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. game that night. The boys will leave at 5 p.m. Tuesday and head to Albuquerque, where they will play Volcano Vista at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Teams will depart from the front of the auxiliary gym, and members of the community are encouraged to come out and participate in the sendoffs.
Both Volcano Vista (boys) and Hobbs (girls) hold the No. 2 seeds in the state tournament. The Cavegirls have challenged Hobbs during the three times the two teams have met this year, and they will certainly know what to expect. Hobbs is coming off of a 64-52 win over Piedra Vista. Volcano Vista beat Organ Mountain, 74-41 and is undefeated this year.
It’s exciting to have such a competitive basketball program in Carlsbad. The NMAA runs state playoffs in New Mexico, and tickets must be purchased through their web page. You can order tickets here: https://gofan.co/app/school/NMAA
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Carlsbad was recently selected as the best retirement destination in New Mexico, according to the website “Travelawaits.com.”
The website listed the Lake Carlsbad Beach Park, golf, community theater, the Balzano Vineyard and nearby art galleries as a few of the reasons why Carlsbad might appeal to retirees. The website also mentioned the fact that two national parks, two state parks and Sitting Bull Falls are all a short drive away. You can read the article yourself at https://www.travelawaits.com/2736711/best-places-to-retire-new-mexico/?fbclid=IwAR1129e1vpmsD7o_rohNrgso-LdPB4oqfBo5f1y9VVxDjsOSenExiXhJGKw
Our Age Friendly Communities Council has worked hard to help Carlsbad appeal to retirees, but the area’s natural beauty and climate does a lot of the work.
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Speaking of the Balzano Vineyard, over the weekend, the local business held a fundraiser to support Ukrainian refugees. The fundraiser raised $1,489, and the company is matching that, meaning a $3,000 contribution to a charity called World Central Kitchen.
World Central Kitchen is a nonprofit founded by chef José Andrés, which is devoted to providing meals to the needy. It has an excellent reputation in terms of charities putting donations to good use.
The business plans to continue to donate all dessert proceeds this month to support the kitchen. Thank you to the Balzanos for their generous support.
Sincerely,
Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway