Hatch Daily Digest Friday, July 10, 2026
Ty's Take
The obits this week remind you that Hatch loses people steady—Carol Ann, Clare, Shannyn, Timothy—names that belonged to families who worked these fields and knew the valley when it was smaller and the chile harvest meant something different than it does now. But there's something else in the paper too, the kind of thing you miss if you're only reading the death notices: two sisters making plushies, another doing prints, small creative work that says the younger generation isn't just leaving or staying put, some of them are staying and building something that didn't exist before. That's the real story of a farm town—not just who we lose, but who's deciding to plant roots here anyway, even if it's not in chile.
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Las Cruces Bulletin
Carol Ann Knapp Foreman, a Las Cruces resident and devoted mother of three, passed away peacefully on May 16, 2026, at age 88, leaving behind 15 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. She and her late husband Harold built Valley Transit Mix and Valley Leasing & Development after settling in Las...
Clarence Villemez, 87, a retired biochemistry professor who spent 30 years at the University of Wyoming, died peacefully in Las Cruces on January 9, 2026. He is survived by his wife Barbara, two adult children, and three grandchildren.
Shannyn Caldwell, a pioneering radio personality and author who worked at WJNR starting at age 16, passed away January 8, 2026, following a battle with stage 4 inflammatory breast cancer. A memorial service celebrating her life will be held May 2 at Hotel Encanto.
Timothy Joseph Hourigan, a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who served 26 years in Military Intelligence and was an accomplished musician and outdoorsman, died April 9, 2026, after battling cancer. He is survived by his wife Donna, two sons, and one grandson.
Fourteen-year-old Payton Gambordella turned her passion for crocheting into Payton's Crafts, a thriving business selling colorful handmade plushies and accessories at local markets and pop-up events. The Arrowhead Park Early College High School student creates intricate pieces ranging from $5 to...
Sisters Shannon, Lilly, and Rose launched Happy Prints, a 3D-printing business creating articulated toys and keychains with pieces ranging from minutes to 24 hours to complete. The young entrepreneurs, ages 12 to 14, are building valuable skills while pursuing individual dreams in architecture,...
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