Now You Know

Free ‘Senior Soirée’

Adults age 55 and older in Las Cruces are invited to come together for an afternoon of fun, connection, and celebration at the upcoming Senior Soirée, a free event designed to bring the community together in a welcoming and lively atmosphere.

The event will be held from 3-7 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, at the Munson Senior Center, 975 S. Mesquite St.

Guests can enjoy a live DJ, dancing, a billiards tournament, photo booth, outdoor cornhole, and special Best Dressed and Best Dancer awards. Attendees are encouraged to wear dancing attire, though comfortable clothing is also welcome.

Brisket sandwich meals will be provided for up to 200 attendees, including chips and lemonade or tea, with snacks available throughout the event. Guests can also enjoy chances to win exciting door prizes and take part in engaging activities during the celebration.

Community partners will also be on site offering helpful resources, including Medicare assistance, hearing checks, diabetes screenings, stroke and cardiac health information, fitness programs, and more.

“This event is about giving seniors a place to have fun, meet people, and connect with helpful resources,” said Pablo Herrera of Tresco Inc. and a member of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber Leadership Program. “We hope everyone leaves feeling energized and part of the community.”

Transportation is available through the City of Las Cruces Roadrunner Vamonos Service. Reservations are required and should be made in advance by calling (575) 541-2777.

Presented by the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program, the Senior Soirée is free to attend. Space is limited, and early arrival is encouraged.

For updates and more information, follow @LasCrucesChamber on social media or contact the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce at (575) 524-1968.

Honors for Hummer

Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine President John L. Hummer, MHA, was named the 2026 William D. Miller Award recipient by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Board of Deans.

The national award honors leaders whose vision and leadership have advanced the growth, reach, and impact of the osteopathic profession.

John Hummer co-founded Burrell College and continues to lead the institution, focusing on expanding access to medical education and preparing future physicians to serve diverse communities. Under his leadership, the college has strengthened its role in training physicians equipped to address critical healthcare needs.

“I am deeply honored to receive the William D. Miller Award and grateful to the AACOM Board of Deans for this recognition. I am thankful for the mentors, institutions, colleagues, and the entire Burrell College community who have shaped my journey and made this work possible,” Hummer said. “To be associated with Dr. Miller’s legacy, which has so meaningfully impacted the osteopathic profession, is both humbling and inspiring. It strengthens my commitment to advancing our collective mission for future generations.”

Pres. Hummer was recognized during the Educating Leaders 2026 conference in Las Vegas, where AACOM highlighted leaders shaping the future of osteopathic medical education and the physician workforce.]

“Each of this year’s honorees has made a profound and lasting impact on osteopathic medical education, whether by expanding opportunity, strengthening care systems, or championing the next generation of physicians,” said Robert A. Cain, DO, President and CEO of AACOM. “Their leadership helps ensure patients across the country have access to compassionate, whole-person care.”

The William D. Miller Award reflects a sustained commitment to advancing osteopathic medicine nationwide and recognizes individuals who continue to advance the profession. Past recipients include C. Everett Koop, MD, former U.S. Surgeon General; Thomas J. Nasca, MD, MACP, former President and CEO of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education; Chuck Grassley, United States Senator; and John G. Rocovich Jr., founder of the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. For more information on the award, go to:  William D. Miller AACOM

Voices, violins, and dual conductors

To close the 2025-2026 symphony season, the Las Cruces Symphony has saved its best concert for last. On May 2 and 3, the symphony will perform two dynamic pieces familiar to many classical music fans.

The first part of the show sees the renowned NMSU Masterworks Chorus join the Symphony for a deeply moving version of Fauré’s Requiem. The amazing Requiem depicts the timelessness of human existence, the procession of generations, human longings and sorrow, as well as light, hope, and the ultimate joys of heaven.  Above all, Requiem depicts peace. Conductor Alex Gerlemann will lead the first part of the program.

In the second half, Maestro Jorge Martinez-Rios will lead the Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra in performing the celebrated Scheherazade, a masterpiece by Korsakov that shows the lush and brilliant orchestral colors of the “One Thousand and One Arabian Nights” collection of stories. 

The violin solo to be played by Brigid McCarthy represents the storyteller Scheherazade herself, often accompanied by the harp, and evokes the atmosphere of a Persian fairy tale of Sultans and sailors. In fact, the opening movement is designed to capture the motion of Sinbad’s ship on the ocean. It is a spectacular piece to end our season with, and it is guaranteed to be a hit.

That’s May 2 at 7 p.m., and May 3 at 3 p.m. Both concerts will be at the Atkinson Recital Hall on the NMSU campus.

Good seats still remain, and you can get your tickets at the Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra Website.  www.lascrucessymphony.com .

Memorial Wound Care Center recognized

Memorial Medical Wound Care Center continues to lead the way in advanced healing as the center has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Robert A. Warriner III, M.D., Clinical Excellence Award and the esteemed 2025 Center of Distinction award from Healogics.

These honors reflect the team’s unwavering commitment to exceptional patient care, clinical expertise, and delivering the highest standard of healing every day for community members across Southern New Mexico.

Continuing a multi-year run of earning accolades, Memorial’s Wound Care Center scored in the top 10 percent of eligible Healogics Wound Care Centers on the Clinical Excellence measure. To earn Center of Distinction status, the center achieved outstanding clinical outcomes for 12 consecutive months, including a patient satisfaction rate higher than 92 percent.

“These achievements are direct reflection of our clinical team’s commitment to exceptional patient-centered care and operational excellence. I’m incredibly proud of the work they do every day in service to our patients and community,” said MaryAlice Allred, Program Director at Memorial Wound Care Center.

Memorial Wound Care Center is a member of the Healogics network of more than 600 wound care centers and offers highly specialized wound care and limb preservation to patients suffering from diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, infections and other chronic wounds which have not healed in a reasonable amount of time.

These team members at MMC are making a huge difference in the lives of those who have been without hope of healing. They personify Healogics’ mission of healing as many patients as possible, by creating and sharing our wound care expertise everywhere we can, for every patient who would benefit by the best means available.

Advanced wound care modalities provided by Memorial wound care experts include negative-pressure wound therapy, total contact casting, bio-engineered tissues, biosynthetic dressings and growth factor therapies. The center also offers hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which works by surrounding the patient with 100 percent oxygen to help progress the healing of the wound.

Memorial Wound Care Center is located at 2735 E. Northrise Drive in Las Cruces, adjacent to the Memorial HealthPlex. For more information, visit mmclc.org or call 575.532.4399.

Radiation exposure

On May 3 at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 4th Street, SW the documentary “First We Bombed NM” will be shown at noon.  You can register for the free event at nhccnm.org.

First We Bombed New Mexico, details the long-term cancer impacts on Hispanic and Native American communities in New Mexico as a result of overexposure to radiation from the bomb detonated at the Trinity Site in 1945. 

It highlights the 2025 expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to include the people of New Mexico for the first time ever.   

The documentary has received numerous awards at over 30 film festivals all across the world where it has been shown.

Contact Tina Cordova at (505) 897-6787.

Tularosa duck race

The 4th Annual Tularosa Duck Race is Saturday, May 2 from noon-4 p.m. The event will include music, food trucks, art and crafts vendors, games for kids, (many involving water to stay cool), educational displays and of course, rubber duck races.

Hosted by the Tularosa Arts and History Council, the event is free to the public and will be held at the intersection of 2nd Street and Encino with the duck races in the acequia along Encino. The community can adopt a numbered duck for $5 to compete in The Big Quack Race at the end of the day, as well as chances to win cash prizes in four preliminary heat races.

The first race starts at 12:30 p.m. The “BYOD Race” starts at 1:30 p.m. where you can Bring Your Own Duck (rubber ducks only please). The costume contest starts at 2:30 p.m. and there’s a Lucky Duck Pond where you can pluck a duck to win donated prizes from throughout the community. There will also be a commemorative T-shirt sale (limited supply so come early!), and Pizza 9 gift certificates for the first 100 kids.

Avoid the lines for adoption on the day of the event by adopting your ducks during our pre-sale period April 28-May 1. Adopt your ducks early at Desert Spoon at 222 Granado St. in Tularosa 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.

Proceeds from the event benefit the mission of TAHC by providing funds for scholarships for young artists and to help to further educate the local community on the history and preservation of the treasured acequia system.

The mission of the TAHC is to increase awareness of the talented artists, rich history and unique culture in and around the Village of Tularosa. Contact Jen Gruger at (505) 710-2924 for more information.

NMSU art

The University Art Museum proudly presents Where We Ended Up: 2026 MFA Thesis Exhibition, featuring artworks by NMSU Department of Art MFA Candidates, Arch Jones and Ezekiel Martey. This exhibition opens on May 1 with an opening reception from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. and will be on display through May 16.

This two-person exhibition showcases the culmination of both artists’

individual research and development during their time in the Department of Art’s graduate program. Where We Ended Up: 2026 MFA Thesis Exhibition features a variety of media and processes from ceramics and paintings, to found objects and immersive installation.

Power to the Pantry

Power to The Pantry 2026 will be held Saturday, May 9, 1-6 p.m., at the First Christian Church, 1809 El Paseo Road. This is an annual fundraising event to support The Pantry, which provides weekly food support to people living with HIV/AIDS in Dona Ana County.

Sheriff Kim Stewart and KTAL personality Peter Goodman host the event.

Musical Performers include Austin Hall of Fame members Greezy Wheels, Songwriters Circle of Las Cruces members Randy Cahall, Chris Furner, Steve Klinger, Carol Brooks and Buddy Akin.

The headline act is acclaimed multi-instrumentalist singer and songwriter Doug Adamz.

Poetry readers: Tim Staley, Nayeli Rivera, Patrick Underwood, Jeffrey Field 

Dance exhibition: Jewellz of the Desert

Motivational Speaker: Sandhi Scott

Non-venomous snake petting will be available in the parking lot with Daniel Castleberry. Abo's One Love Jamaican food truck will be on site.

All proceeds go to The Pantry.  All donations are tax deductible.