Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
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A partnership between Cannon Air Force Base and a civilian real estate developer, Sendero LLC, has established a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership in the entire Air Force to provide off-base dormitories for airmen at Cannon Air Force Base, solving a housing problem that has plagued the base. "First and foremost (this) takes care of airmen at Cannon Air Force Base. There was overcrowding in the dorms there on base. And that's been a problem now, going on back to...
Eastern New Mexico University and the city of Portales will be hosting the "Rally on Main" event this weekend. This first-of-its-kind event will allow ENMU students and their families to immerse themselves in Portales culture and let those not from around here get to know the city, said Portales Mayor Ron Jackson. "This is the first year that this event has been held. Eastern always has a parent's weekend, but in conjunction with Eastern's parent's weekend, they decided to call it Rally on Main," Jackson said. Jackson said...
The Food Bank of Eastern New Mexico is among 1,000 second-round finalists chosen for the Yield Giving Open Call. Yield Giving is an organization founded by MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of billionaire Jeffery Bezos. She uses her fortune from their divorce to give unyieldingly to non-profit organizations in the United States and its territories. According to their website, the organization has provided more than $14 billion to more than 1,600 non-profit organizations. The Yield...
The Clovis Walmart on Thursday opened a mobile pharmacy, but a timeline for reopening the rest of the superstore remains unclear. Joe Pennington, director of the Walmart press office, said Friday the goal is to make the store whole again, but he had no specifics. "This type of situation, there's a lot in play. You know, at the end of the day we're going to try to reopen to customers as quickly and safely as possible, but I don't want to put a timeline on it," Pennington said....
Security enhancements to Portales schools received approval from the Portales School Board as the way the district will use $584,876 allocated to the district by the 2023 New Mexico Legislature Superintendent Johnnie Cain recommended the board accept the funds and said he must write a letter of intention showing the state how the school district plans to use the funds. He said the security enhancements will include building new fencing, purchasing cameras, and possibly strengthening bulletproof glass across the school...
Curry County and the City of Clovis held a joint luncheon Wednesday to collaborate on changes to benefit both the city and county. Some of the items on the agenda that county and city officials discussed on Wednesday include extending the service area for Clovis Area Transit System (CATS), building a sports complex/youth recreation center, and constructing a new regional behavioral health facility. Clovis Mayor Mike Morris said in his opening remarks that historically, the cit...
I hope you’re enjoying September so far and the rain we have been getting. This weekend, there are some enjoyable things to explore in town and elsewhere across New Mexico. The Clovis Astronomy Club is hosting a night sky observing at Ned Houk Park this Friday from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. This event sounds so much fun for a night sky enthusiast like myself. Ned Houk seems the perfect place to view planets and stars due to the lack of light pollution. To reach the event, head to Ned Houk and turn left at the park entrance, and t...
Gail Tarson, owner and operator of Diamonds Evermore on Main Street, said an early morning burglary attempt woke her from a dead sleep the morning of Aug. 30. "Yeah, it definitely had my heart pumping," Tarson said. Two Clovis jewelry stores were burglarized, and a third was the scene of an attempted break-in during a 24-hour period late last month, police said. Keepsake Jewelry inside North Plains Mall was also broken into Thursday night. Store owner Khai Buong said thieves m...
Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer for most of eastern New Mexico. So when will the temperatures start to feel more like fall? Next month is when we will hit fall temperatures and stay there, said meteorologist Micheal Anand with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque. But with a more active storm pattern coming in, Anand said we should finally see some rain and fall-like temperatures this week as well. Anand said a backdoor front is coming from the Northeast,...
Happy Labor Day weekend. Here are some great activities going on: • The Clovis Senior Center is holding an “English Tea” event at 2 p.m. Friday. Organizers hope seniors will join them for what they are calling a heartwarming hour of enchantment. “As the gentle aroma of freshly brewed tea dances through the air, let’s come together for a delightful gathering filled with laughter, connection, and a touch of elegance. This is more than just tea; it’s an opportunity to share stories, make new friends, and bask in the joy of toge...
Hey everyone, my name is Autumn, and I am new in town, possibly like some of you reading this right now. I am writing this column to suggest some fun or exciting activities for your free time. And even if you have been living here for many years, I hope this column will inspire you to rediscover our region of New Mexico and beyond. n If you’re looking for something fun, free of charge, and local this weekend, consider heading out to Ned Houk Park on Highway 209 North, where you can find a disc golf course, ATV and horse t...
A 14-year-old boy was recently charged with criminal damage to the Portales Islamic Center, District Attorney Quentin Ray said last week. The boy told authorities he participated in only a small portion of the vandalism done to the building. Mosque Director Ahmed Benssouda has said the mosque was vandalized five separate times in June but that no more damage has occurred since the end of June. Benssouda said police have told him more than one youth was involved in the destruction, but others have not yet been detained. He sai...
The city of Portales last week “reduced the flow” of water it sells to its co-op customers, leading to a flurry of complaints and concerns. Portales City Manager Sarah Austin said the city made the decision Thursday to reduce the flow to one of the co-op’s three meters by about 200,000 gallons per day beginning Friday. Austin said she talked to city workers who live in the co-op area – about a five-mile radius outside Portales city limits – and all said the reduction had little impact on their routine household activitie...
In 2021, the United States Air Force awarded a $16.6 million contract to AECOM and Brice Environmental for a pilot study that would install a small-scale water treatment system at the southeast corner of Cannon Air Force Base. The purpose is to clean water contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). On July 11 this year, contractors broke ground on construction for the pilot study, and some people – including Curry County Commissioner Seth Martin -- are concerned. Martin said the water contamination was d...
Artificial intelligence may sound scary. Webster defines it as "a branch of computer science dealing with the simulation of intelligent behavior in computers." But the head of the Electronics Engineering Technology program at Eastern New Mexico University is convinced humans will always remain superiors to computers. Hamid Allamehzadeh said AI won't replace people, but it can make us more efficient. "Especially if you collect data," he said. "This is the era of big data. "You...
Suicide is one of the top-10 leading causes of death in New Mexico, according to the Centers for Disease Control. New Mexico had 533 suicide deaths in 2021, making it one of six states where suicide rates are highest in the country. But now, new mental health resources are available in Curry and Roosevelt counties, allowing more people to get help. Justin Nutt operates Nurstead Mental Health, a new mental health service called a mobile crisis unit, with offices in Clovis and Portales. Nutt said the program is part of a...
An Alamogordo police officer was shot Saturday while pursuing a criminal suspect after a traffic stop. Anthony Ferguson, 41, died Sunday from his wounds, police said. The Officer Down Memorial website reported Ferguson was the nation’s 62nd law officer to die in the line of duty this year, the first in New Mexico. Survivors include his father, Danny Ferguson, a 1973 graduate of Portales High School. Classmate Mike Davidson said Danny Ferguson was attending a 50th year reunion at Portales High School over the weekend when h...
Ned Houk Park is already a recreational destination point for some in the Clovis area. Multiple activities take place there, from fishing to dirt biking to frisbee golf. Now, the city of Clovis is asking for input on other ways the 3,000-acre park north of the city can be utilized. The city has a survey on its website asking residents what they mainly use the park for now and what they want to see added – possibly a splash park, more horse trails, or ziplining. The last day f...
The Portales Islamic Center is a place of peace, tolerance, and community. That's according to Ahmed Benssouda, the center's director. But now, the people who love this place are heartbroken and timid as they're forced to travel to Clovis for worship. Vandals have stripped the Muslim community in this region of their sense of security because of constant break-ins that have left thousands of dollars in damage to the Portales mosque, Benssouda said. But more poignantly, he...
By day, Michael Arredondo works as a draftsman at a civil engineering company. By night she is known as Myss Myka. Arredondo, who lives in Amarillo, has been doing drag for seven years. On Wednesday, she and four other drag performers came to Clovis to host Drag Queen Story Hour at the Youth Recreation Building, part of Clovis Pride Week. About 80 people attended the event, from babies to small children to teenagers, adult men and women. Dressed in a full-length...
The warmer weather has arrived in eastern New Mexico. Beware of snakes. Clovis native and wildlife biologist Robert Martin has studied behavior in reptiles and amphibians for 20 years. He said snakes are out anytime between spring and fall, and the most common snake in our city limits is a checkered garter snake. Those are what most people will find in their yards, Martin said. Garter snakes are non-venomous and love wet places like gardens, ponds, or irrigated grass. Clovis'...
The New Mexico Public Education Department has relaunched New Mexico Vistas, a website meant to make it easier for parents and school officials to understand how schools are performing. But superintendents for Clovis and Portales schools said last week it will take some time to utilize the data to their benefit. The new system uses a point-based grading system rather than an A-F letter grade used before to classify schools. Portales Superintendent Johnnie Cain said the system is easy to follow and understand, but he’s not y...
With the presidential primary campaigns gearing up, Republicans in eastern New Mexico are beginning to ponder their choices for candidates. But two of the leading Republicans for Curry County said no candidate has stood out yet. Marcus Smith, the dean of Student Services at Clovis Community College and the Curry County Republican Party chair said he does not have a favorite now. “I will be honest with you. I do not at this current time. I’m kind of seeing how it all shakes out. Because it’s a very loaded field,” he said. Smit...
Artists of New Mexico, rejoice. A new law aimed at diversifying the state's economy will provide $65 million in public funding to help creative individuals make a living at their craft. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on March 14 signed House Bill 8 into law, establishing the Creative Industries Division within the existing Economic Development Department, said House Majority Whip Reena Szczepanski, a leading sponsor of the bill. The bill's intent is to ultimately allow New Mexica...
Kathy and Kerry Hubbell have been married for more than 38 years. They both went to high school in Clovis and have shared a love for cars since they were dating as teenagers. They've been dragging Main since their teenage years also – long before it became an official community event. Back in the day, the Hubbells said dragging main was something everyone did for fun, and they actually first got to know each other on the downtown bricks. "My mom said, 'I never worried b...
