Part of us holds onto summer fun, exploring and relaxing a little longer. Yet glimpses of fall envelop The City of Champions with the return to school, the sounds of the season from Bulldog Bowl, and the sweet taste of pumpkin spice lattes. We say goodbye to summer as fall gently ushers in my favorite time of the year.

In this edition of Focus on Artesia, we pull back the curtain, taking a look at the flip side of the traditional workforce. Whether it is the strength of the oilfield employee working a swing shift, the selfless love of a mother caring for her children, the servant’s heart of a first responder, or the endurance of the Emergency Department team, our community is full of unsung heroes doing unseen work, 24-hours a day, giving the human touch in a way that technology never will, no matter the advancements.

At the same time, technology has allowed jobs that were once conducted face-to-face now to be completed remotely. Even though this may provide more family time, lines can also be blurred between work and home, creating a continuous pull for productivity. Even now as I write, I feel this struggle when I hear my three girls laughing, playing, and negotiating (is that a nice way to say fighting?), leaving me torn between typing or engaging with my kids. More connection to work has (at times) disconnected us from the people with whom we share a space.

There are certainly more people working long hours than we could cover in just a few pages. From teachers preparing lesson plans late into the evening to farmers baling hay in the early morning hours to CVE employees fixing power lines during a storm or the staff at PVT restoring an unexpected interruption in network connectivity, we reap untold benefits from those who are called into work at all hours of the day or night.

As you hear from our special contributors and look through the advertisements of our generous supporters, be especially mindful of those in our community who work around the clock, giving that human touch when it is needed most. Take advantage of opportunities for a little face time with friends at upcoming festivals from Red Dirt Black Gold and Heirloom Acres Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch to Art in the Park and Balloons & Tunes. As always, take note of the Calendar of Events on page six for all things fall in Southeast New Mexico.

Whether you are working or taking advantage of all this season has to offer, here’s to you, our neighbors and friends who continuously provide the spirit of community through the human touch: day and night.

Allyson Joy
Associate Publisher