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  • Clovis superintendent responds to policy questions

    DavidStevens, The Staff of The News|Updated Oct 27, 2024

    Clovis Municipal Schools Board of Education on Tuesday unanimously approved an “Equal opportunity/Non Discrimination Policy.” This prompted concerns from some residents about transgender students and whether they could use restroom facilities of their choosing. School Superintendent Renee Russ told The News she would not answer additional questions about the restroom policy, but issued the following statement: In response to questions and concerns from our community, Clovis Municipal Schools would like to clarify our com...

  • DOJ: Clovis policy violates 'spirit of the law'

    DavidStevens, The Staff of The News|Updated Oct 19, 2024

    New Mexico’s Department of Justice issued a ruling Thursday that Clovis schools are violating the “spirit of the law” with their online meetings policy. Schools Superintendent Renee Russ said Friday the board will change its policy at its next meeting to “align with the guidance” from DOJ. The policy requires those watching school board meetings online keep their cameras on with their face visible to board members throughout the meeting. A letter to school board members from Assistant Attorney General Stephanie Padilla r...

  • Editor's Journal: Rooting for Lincoln Riley

    DavidStevens, Syndicated content|Updated Sep 6, 2024

    If anybody needs an excuse to stay up late to watch college football, Muleshoe's Lincoln Riley gives us one. The University of Southern California's third-year coach has been under fire since last year's 8-5 season that was even more disappointing in the Pac 12 (5-4). But all is forgiven for now after Riley's Trojans beat 13th-ranked LSU, 27-20, on Sunday. Sports writer Luca Evans of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune called it Riley's first "signature win" at the West Coast...

  • Officials: Double-murder suspect returning to New Mexico

    DavidStevens, The Staff of The News|Updated May 14, 2024

    The Texas man accused of killing two Texico women in Ned Houk Park on May 3 will be returning to New Mexico to face federal charges, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Alek Collins, 26, of Houston, appeared before a federal judge in Abilene, Texas, on Tuesday morning on a charge of interstate kidnapping in connection with the slayings of Harley Cisneros and Taryn Allen. Collins also is accused of critically injuring Cisneros’ 5-year-old daughter and kidnapping Cisneros’ 10-month-old baby. Follo...

  • FBI joins search for missing infant

    DavidStevens, The Staff of The News|Updated May 5, 2024

    Police during a Sunday press conference provided little new information about Friday's double homicide at Ned Houk Park. But the special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Albuquerque made a promise to the community. "I promise that the FBI will be with Clovis until we find Eleia and we find the individual or individuals responsible for these horrific acts," said Raul Bujanda. "You don't know who I am and you don't know the men and women of the FBI who...

  • New charge filed in August slaying

    DavidStevens, The Staff of The News|Updated Jan 27, 2024

    Alexandra Romero admits she shot and killed Javier Jimenez on Aug. 4. She called police to report the shooting, claiming her longtime stalker and former friend had entered her house without permission. She said she was "terrified" of the man she said had previously threatened to kill her. "I believe when all the evidence is brought to light, she was within her right to protect herself and her family from a known stalker," said Matt Chandler, Romero's attorney. But prosecutors...

  • Pages Past, Jan. 21: UFOs hover over Clovis, Texico

    DavidStevens, The Staff of The News|Updated Jan 21, 2024

    On this date ... 1946: A Portales man was killed on the Clovis-Portales highway in what officials termed a “freak wreck” that involved four vehicles. T.D. Lewis, 64, of Portales died in a head-on collision that left three others hospitalized. Two other vehicles crashed into those two vehicles soon after the initial collision. Four people were jailed in connection with the incident, police said. 1946: Clovis Police Chief Nelson Worley was warning residents that his officers had “wanted to be reasonable,” and had not been is...

  • 15-vehicle crash closes US 60/84 outside Texico

    DavidStevens, The Staff of The News|Updated Jan 8, 2024

    A 15-vehicle crash, caused by blowing snow, shut down U.S. 60/84 for hours on Monday, one of dozens of vehicle accidents reported across eastern New Mexico. At least one serious injury was reported in the crash outside the port of entry west of Texico. Curry County Sheriff Michael Brockett said several other major crashes were also reported in the county Monday afternoon, though he was not aware of any fatalities. U.S. 60/84 eastbound reopened about 9 p.m. Monday, Brockett said, as five large commercial trucks had to be towed...

  • Person of interest sought in Walmart fire

    DavidStevens, The Staff of The News|Updated Sep 8, 2023

    Police on Thursday declared Walmart's property a "crime scene" and said they are looking for a person of interest who was in the area when fire caused significant damage to the store early Sunday morning. Police and court records show a man who identified himself as Jimmy Guillen, 59, of California, was seen near a fire that broke out behind Walmart on Saturday afternoon. Guillen also was seen on video trying to start plants on fire at Lowe's Home Improvement just 21 minutes...

  • Man arrested in 2016 double homicide

    DavidStevens, Publisher|Updated Apr 10, 2021

    PORTALES — After more than five years of chasing rumors, interviewing possible witnesses in two murder cases, and following leads across the country, law officers on Friday afternoon arrested a Portales man suspected in a gruesome 2016 double homicide. Jose R. Zapata, 37, was arrested about 6 p.m. Friday after authorities served a warrant at a home at 820 W. 14th Street in Portales. He was found “hiding in a crawl space,” District Attorney Andrea Reeb stated in a news relea...

  • Two jailed in Muleshoe woman's death

    DavidStevens|Updated Oct 17, 2020

    Police believe a Muleshoe woman was killed early Tuesday morning because her assailants feared she would report them for crimes she may have witnessed. Keith Cordova, 22, and Francisco Bustamante, 24, both are charged with murder in connection with her slaying in rural Roosevelt County. Records show Jaime Edgmon, 41, was killed about sunrise Tuesday morning, approximately six hours after she may have witnessed a shooting in the vicinity of 10th and Pile streets in Clovis....

  • State police: No more verbal warnings for those who violate public health orders

    DavidStevens, Staff|Updated Jul 17, 2020

    New Mexico State police will no longer issue verbal warnings or "cease and desist" orders to businesses that violate the governor's public health orders. That's according to Lt. Ramon Terrazas, who informed officers under his command in an email this week. "If the business is found to not be compliant you need to issue the non-traffic citation for violation of a public health order," the email reads. NMSP Public Information Officer Ray Wilson on Thursday confirmed Terrazas sent the email. "The New Mexico State Police (have)...

  • Clovis still searching for missing man

    DavidStevens, Staff|Updated Jun 27, 2020

    CLOVIS - For years, Bob Casey has been searching Clovis for recyclable cans. This weekend, most of Clovis has been searching for Bob. Dozens of volunteers in at least three different groups on Saturday morning were combing areas between Clovis High School and Plains Regional Medical Center, hoping to find the 83-year-old man who went missing Wednesday. "He walks around all the time. Everybody in Clovis has probably seen him walking around picking up cans. It's nothing for him...

  • NM Civil Guard at protests to 'defend' citizens, property

    DavidStevens|Updated Jun 5, 2020

    They call themselves the New Mexico Civil Guard for Curry County. Their mission: Defend citizens and their private property. "We will not allow businesses in our community to be put through the pain we've seen nationwide," their Facebook page reads. "The protests are necessary, we fully understand that, and to an extent the violence is necessary, but we will not allow that violence to be directed at our citizens and their property." The group, headed up locally by painter...

  • COVID-19 postpones police ceremony

    DavidStevens, Staff|Updated May 30, 2020

    CLOVIS — A family member of a Clovis police officer has tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in the postponement of a police flag ceremony that had been scheduled for Wednesday. An email from Chief Doug Ford to a dozen recipients, obtained by The News on Friday, states: “We have had a day shift officer family member test positive for COVID-19. This has possibly placed part of our organization at exposure to this disease and we do not (want) to put anyone else at risk. At this time I am delaying the event, until we are sure...

  • Dillard's closing Clovis location

    DavidStevens, Staff|Updated May 18, 2020

    CLOVIS — After two decades of dressing eastern New Mexico, Dillard’s department store is planning to close its North Plains Mall location. Dillard’s has been the southside anchor for the mall since 2000. It moved into its current location soon after Walmart left the mall spot in 1999. Clovis’ store manager Christopher Addison confirmed the store’s closing, but said additional information would have to come from corporate offices. Addison said the store will open at 11 a.m. Tuesday, but he declined to say how long it will c...

  • Portales resident 'doing great' despite COVID-19 report

    DavidStevens, Staff|Updated May 17, 2020

    PORTALES — When the Heartland Continuing Care Center resident first learned on Friday that she’d tested positive for COVID-19, she was none too happy about it. “She gave us an earful,” Heartland CEO Ranelle Tweedy said of the 96-year-old woman’s reaction to the news. “She said nobody was going to tell her she had this silly virus.” Tweedy said the resident, whom she would not identify because of privacy laws, had not felt sick before or after she was most recently tested on May 12. The positive result came from a routine mol...